Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

Two days later.

At dusk, the courtyard of No. 12 Golden Oak Street was dimly lit.

When Edel pushed open the workshop's wooden door, her steps were unsteady, and the hem of her dark blue robe was covered in dust.

Her face was even paler than when she left, and her eyes were sunken, but her eyes, with their pale silver lines, were surprisingly bright.

Delia followed behind her, carrying a heavy metal box in her hands.

The surface of the box is engraved with intricate sealing runes, and the edges are severely worn.

Adele stopped at the lab door, her voice hoarse, "I'm back."

She raised her hand, gesturing for Delia to place the metal box on the lab table.

"Click".

The metal box hit the ground with a heavy thud.

Ian looked up from the lab bench, a wisp of pale golden energy still wrapped around his fingertips.

At the end of the filament, a drop of dark red Swift Falcon Blood Essence was slowly condensing and taking shape.

Gaga squatted on the corner of the table, her little head peeking over curiously.

Without a word, Edel opened the metal box.

The box was lined with dark blue velvet and contained thirty-seven fist-sized, silvery-white crystals.

The surface of the crystal is covered with fine star trail patterns, and countless tiny points of light rotate slowly inside, as if a miniature starry sky has been sealed inside.

A dense, pure, and almost tangible fluctuation of stellar energy instantly filled the entire laboratory.

"Star Crystal." Ian was overjoyed.

He put down the blood essence in his hand, walked to the metal box, and reached out to pick up a piece of star crystal.

It felt icy cold to the touch, like holding a piece of ancient ice.

The surging stellar energy within him caused the crystallized core of his spiritual sea to tremble slightly.

"Thirty-seven standard units." Adele's voice was soft, tinged with weariness and relief.

She paused, then added, "Twenty of them came from Fifth Sister's channels. I traded 30% of my exclusive supply rights for Xinghui Pharmaceuticals for the next three years for them."

"The other seventeen pieces..." She pursed her lips.

"I sold an old house my mother left in the east of the city, as well as two non-core witchcraft tools that she had collected during her lifetime."

Ian looked up at her.

This seventh in line to the throne spent two days running around, negotiating, and selling off his assets...

Under the watchful eyes of those cunning old foxes in the family, they operated with extreme caution.

The price she paid to produce all this was probably far more than what she mentioned.

"Deal reached."

Ian put the star crystal back into the box and closed the lid.

"I will give you the other two potions after I have refined them."

It's meant to cultivate the core team; for now... you'd better focus your energy on the performance review.

Adele's breath hitched slightly.

"This is the method of administration," Ian said, pulling a neatly folded roll of parchment from his sleeve and spreading it out on the lab table.

The handwriting was neat, and each note was clearly marked.

"First, it must be done in an environment close to the earth vein node, preferably in the center of a temporarily constructed guiding array."

Secondly, before taking the medication, it is necessary to take a neutralizing agent in advance to buffer the blood pulse shock.

Third, the fusion process is accompanied by intense pain; physical enhancement is equivalent to completely shattering and rebuilding your bones, muscles, and meridians.

Ian paused and looked at Adele.

"The family assessment is tomorrow morning, and you... have less than twelve hours left."

Adele stared at the words on the parchment, her fingers unconsciously tightening.

Three breaths later, she raised her head, her eyes shimmering with silver veins.

"I am ready... I will succeed."

The voice was soft, yet it carried an indomitable spirit.

"Then let's do it now," Ian said, putting away the parchment. "Time waits for no one."

Late at night, in the underground laboratory at 12 Golden Oak Street.

The lights were dimmed to their lowest setting, leaving only the soft white light emitted by the crystals on the walls.

In the center of the laboratory, the temporary ley line guiding magic array, which is two meters in diameter, has been reactivated.

The twelve runestones emitted a dark yellow glow, and the earth's energy flowed slowly within the array like an invisible tide.

The air froze again.

Adele sat cross-legged in the center of the magic circle, having changed out of her dark blue robe and into a close-fitting black training suit.

The crystal tube was laid out in front of her.

Delia stood at the edge of the magic circle, her hands clenched tightly, her knuckles white.

Old Finn leaned against the doorway, his back hunched, the embers in his pipe long since extinguished, his cloudy eyes fixed on the center of the magic circle.

Ian stood beside the lab table, toying with a piece of star crystal in his hand.

A silvery-white halo flowed around his fingertips, highlighting the distinct contours of his profile.

"Let's begin."

As his voice faded, only the low hum of the earth's ley line energy flowed in the laboratory.

Adele took a deep breath and took out a small glass bottle from her bosom.

The bottle contained a milky-white potion, a neutralizing agent she had traded from Ashia.

She uncorked the bottle, tilted her head back, and drank it all.

The liquid entered my throat, transforming into a gentle coolness that instantly spread throughout my body.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the pale silver patterns belonging to the "Time Mark" bloodline began to slowly circulate, like a guardian awakened ahead of time.

Three minutes later.

Edel opened her eyes, and the silver lines in them shone with an astonishing brilliance.

She reached out and picked up the [Earth Tyrant Potion].

The crystal tube felt heavy in my hand, like holding a miniature mountain.

She pulled out the tube stopper.

"boom!"

A powerful, unrestrained, and almost violent surge of earth energy exploded out instantly!

The air in the laboratory trembled violently, and the light from the earth vein guiding array suddenly surged!

Without hesitation, Adele tilted her head back and gulped down the dark amber liquid!

The moment the liquid enters the throat.

"Ugh!"

She let out a suppressed groan, and her whole body trembled violently.

The medicinal liquid, like molten lava, burned its way down the esophagus.

Wherever it goes, blood vessels, muscles, bones... are all as if they have been thrown into a steel furnace and reforged!

Excruciating pain...

It was as if countless red-hot iron nails were driving through every inch of flesh from the inside out.

Adele clenched her teeth, and fine streaks of blood seeped from her gums.

She braced herself firmly on the ground with both hands, her knuckles making a soft "crackling" sound from the force.

Forehead, neck, a vast collection of fantasy novels to satisfy your reading preferences. Arms... dark golden patterns began to appear on the surface of all the skin.

The lines, like the veins of the earth, spread, intertwined, and eventually covered her entire body along the direction of her blood vessels.

at the same time.

The air behind her began to distort and blur.

A colossal, mountain-like phantom of an ancient bear slowly emerged from the void!

The silhouette was blurry, and only the bear's head-raised and roaring posture could be discerned.

But the savage, heavy, and almost rule-like sense of oppression it exuded made the magic of the entire laboratory freeze.

Delia covered her mouth, her eyes reddening.

Old Finn straightened his hunched back, his withered fingers gripping the door frame tightly.

Ian watched quietly, the star crystals on his fingertips already hidden away.

His gaze fell on Edel, his mental energy as fine as the finest spider silk.

He carefully sensed every slight change within her body.

At the center of the magic circle, Edel's body began to change.

The once slender arms have visibly expanded and bulged at a speed visible to the naked eye!

On the skin's surface, beneath the dark gold lines, a natural, rock-like texture emerges, feeling as hard as iron to the touch.

The bones emitted a dense "crackling" sound, as if countless steel bars were being reorganized and reinforced inside!

Her originally pale face now had a healthy blush.

But the silver patterns covering those deep blue eyes had been temporarily covered, and the faint reflection of mountains could even be seen deep within the pupils!

This doesn't mean the potion is stronger than Adele's own bloodline; that's impossible.

This is merely a temporary recognition of "Usa's Avatar" by the world's rules after the potion takes effect.

The ancient giant bear phantom behind him suddenly solidified a bit.

The outline of the phantom became much clearer, revealing the giant bear's thick rock armor and its pupils burning with the fire of the earth's veins.

Adele let out a suppressed roar.

She sprang up from the ground and then fell heavily to her knees.

He pressed his hands to the ground, his ten fingers digging deeply into the obsidian magic circle patterns.

"Click..."

The faint cracking sound of the stone breaking was particularly jarring in the deathly silent laboratory.

She began to emanate an earthy yellow halo.

The aura resonated with the energy of the ley line guiding array, causing the entire laboratory floor to tremble slightly!

It's as if some ancient being is awakening deep underground.

A glint of light flashed in Ian's eyes.

He "saw" it in Adele's spiritual sea.

Next to the pale silver patterns that originally belonged to the "Time Mark" bloodline, dark golden earth vein patterns began to emerge.

The two bloodlines did not clash; instead, guided by some deeper rule, they began to slowly merge.

The "perception of time" of time traces and the "spatial bearing" of the earth's veins...

It unexpectedly resonated with them.

"Child of the Ley Lines... his special ability is beginning to awaken."

He muttered to himself.

The earthy yellow aura surrounding Adele began to shrink inward.

Ultimately, a layer of dark golden luster, as thin as a cicada's wing yet indestructible, formed on the surface of her skin.

She slowly stood up.

The movements were slow, yet carried a certain heavy weight.

Like a mountain, rising abruptly from the depths of the earth.

"call……"

She let out a long breath.

The breath it exhaled carried a faint earthy smell, along with the unique sulfur and metallic scent from deep within the earth's veins.

She raised her hand and slowly clenched her fist.

"Click."

A slight popping sound as if the air was being squeezed.

It was air compression caused purely by physical force, without the use of any witchcraft.

She looked down at her palms.

On the skin's surface, dark gold patterns flowed slowly, with the faint shadows of mountains rising and falling in the depths.

She could feel the sound of blood rushing through her veins, like an underground river surging deep underground.

The density and toughness of the bones have reached unprecedented levels.

Every contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers carries explosive power.

more importantly……

She closed her eyes, and her spiritual power, like invisible tendrils, seeped into the earth beneath her feet.

Then, she "heard" it.

Deep within the earth's veins, a low, humming sound of energy flowed.

Further away, within tens of kilometers, there were faint sounds from several family settlements.

Even... in the heart of East City, beneath the Time-Traces Tower, the heavy pulse of that massive main vein.

"Children of the Earth's Ley Lines..."

She murmured to herself, her voice filled with barely suppressed shock.

She murmured to herself, her voice filled with barely suppressed shock.

He opened his eyes and looked at Ian.

Deep within his deep blue pupils, silver patterns and dark gold veins intertwined, eventually settling into a profound tranquility.

"I did it."

Adele's voice was soft, but her heart was pounding.

Ian nodded, a slight smile curving his lips.

"Congratulations."

The tense atmosphere in the laboratory suddenly relaxed.

Delia rushed into the magic circle, hugged Edel tightly, her eyes red-rimmed.

"Miss...you...you scared me to death..."

Old Finn let out a long sigh, his hunched back bending down again.

But a hint of a smile flashed in those cloudy eyes.

Edel gently patted Delia's back, but her gaze fell on Ian.

"Thank you, Ian."

Ian shook his head, turned around and walked to the lab table, opening the metal box containing the star crystals.

The silvery-white halo illuminated his profile.

"It's simply a matter of each person getting what they need."

He picked up a crystal and gently twirled it between his fingers.

"You gained power, and I gained resources."

"Next..."

He paused, looking out the laboratory window at the deep night sky.

In the heart of East City, the crystal ball atop the Time Trace Tower illuminates a large portion of the city's night sky.

Tomorrow morning, at the family arena.

Three-headed, late-stage Tier 2 monsters; a battle of attrition.

Beneath the calm surface, undercurrents have surged to a critical point.

"It's my turn for a promotion."

Ian said softly, a silver glint subtly shifting in his eyes.

It nuzzled against his shoulder, its heterochromatic eyes reflecting the light of starlight crystals.

Like two small, lit stars.