Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

On Golden Oak Street, the wall lamp outside the Potions Workshop was still lit.

Ian pushed open the heavy oak door, and old Finn came to greet him.

"Miss and Steward Delia are also here, taking stock of the accounts and various potions."

Ian nodded and went inside to find Adele asleep on the table, surrounded by a pile of scrolls.

He was still clutching an open ledger in his hand, and a corner of his deep purple wizard's robe had slipped to the ground.

He paused, took out a dose of sobering medicine, and gently placed it beside her hand.

The smell of the evaporating medicine made Adele's eyelashes flutter. She opened her eyes and quickly sat up straight.

"Am I asleep?" She rubbed her eyes, her movements somewhat childlike.

"You've been working too hard lately."

Ian sat down opposite her, and Gaga, who was curled up asleep on his shoulder.

Adele grabbed the sobering potion, uncorked it, and drank it all in one gulp.

After swallowing the medicine, she felt noticeably more alert, and the bloodshot in her eyes faded somewhat.

"How did it go?" She put down the air pipe and looked at Ian. "Was the trip out of the city smooth today?"

Ian did not answer the question, but instead sat down in the high-backed chair opposite her.

His fingertips tapped lightly on the table, as if he were carefully choosing his words.

After a while, he slowly spoke.

"Your father's situation... is more complicated than I imagined."

Adele's breath hitched, and she instinctively clenched her fingers, her nails digging into her palms, causing a slight stinging sensation.

"What do you mean?"

Ian looked up and gazed at her calmly.

"Ordinary bloodline curses wouldn't cause the soul to sink to that extent."

He said calmly, "That day I detected an exogenous corrosive energy in your father, intertwined with a bloodline curse, continuously eroding the essence of his soul."

Adele's pupils contracted sharply, and her fingers tightened unconsciously.

"Soul corruption?" she asked in a low voice. "Are you sure?"

All illnesses related to the soul are extremely dangerous and difficult to treat.

Ian nodded slightly, his tone affirmative.

"I'm sure, so conventional purification agents are almost ineffective; we must develop a soul-soothing purification agent specifically for the soul."

Adele's face turned pale instantly.

She recalled what Ian had said after investigating in the patriarch's palace that day: "This is no ordinary bloodline curse."

I recall the almost invisible rise and fall of my father's chest, and the faint, almost imperceptible smell of decay.

"Do you have a solution?"

Her voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the sound of the ventilation in the room.

Those deep blue eyes were fixed on Ian.

Like a drowning person trying to grab onto the last piece of driftwood.

Ian was silent for a moment. He actually had a solution, but he couldn't say it.

The existence of the panel, his understanding of the Abyss, and even the "Entropy Change Domain" where the [Frost Ray] breaks through its limits again in the future.

They all have a strong resistance to the abyss, but many of these are secrets that cannot be exposed.

"I can give it a try."

He finally spoke, but did not give a definite answer.

"I need to develop a brand new, potent purifying and calming medicine specifically for soul abnormalities and energy erosion."

Adele's pupils dilated slightly.

She looked at Ian's calm face, his pupils reflecting the glow of the wall lamp.

Something in my chest cavity suddenly stirred.

Like frozen soil, a crack is thawed by the warm spring sun.

"You... specifically researched this medicine?" Her voice trembled slightly.

Ian nodded. "I'm a potion master, it's what I do best, and it's part of my job."

He said it as if it were a matter of course, as if he were saying the weather was nice today.

But Idris understood.

"It's my duty"... refers to helping her and her father.

She pursed her lips, her fingertips tracing the rough edges of the ledger.

After a while, she spoke again, her voice now steady.

"It must be difficult, right? Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Ian picked up a piece of parchment from the side and quickly wrote down a few lines of the book title.

"I need to consult your family's secret archives, specifically the texts on abnormal energy damage and soul slumber, especially cases involving extraterrestrial energies."

Adele took the parchment, on which were several lines of text.

[Pathology of Abnormal Energy Damage]

[Complete Guide to Soul Stabilization Recipes - Ancient Wizarding Era]

[Research on the Characteristics of Time-Traces Bloodlines and Energy Compatibility]

[Compilation of Cases of External Energy Erosion]

……

She glanced at the book titles, her brow furrowing slightly.

"These are all family-owned books, some of which are even in the restricted reading area..."

She paused for a moment, then took out a dark silver family token from her bosom, with the Time Mark emblem engraved on its edge.

"This is a Level 2 access token left by my father, which allows me to access most of the high-level books."

She handed over the token, pausing slightly as her fingertips touched Ian's palm.

"For books of level three or above... I need time to apply."

Ian took the token; the metal tentacles were warm, still retaining the warmth of Adele's palm.

He weighed it in his hand and put it into the ring.

"That's enough for now."

Edel stood up and walked to the window.

The night outside the window was deep, and the crystal ball at the top of the Time Trace Tower in the distance appeared and disappeared through the gaps in the clouds.

"Ian," she suddenly said, her voice very soft.

"Thank you."

Ian looked up, and Adele's delicate profile was softly outlined in the moonlight.

The deep purple wizard's robe swayed gently in the night breeze, its hem brushing against the floor with a soft rustling sound.

"You don't need to thank me; this will also benefit my potion-making skills."

He said calmly, then lowered his head again and began to organize the equipment on the lab bench.

Adele turned around and looked at his downcast eyes and focused expression.

An involuntary smile curved his lips.

"I will obtain level three access as soon as possible."

After she finished speaking, she quickly went out the door, her footsteps fading into the distance.

The laboratory fell silent again.

Ian stopped what he was doing and looked up at his shoulder.

Gaga had woken up sometime earlier, her small, silvery-gray eyes staring at him.

"Ian."

It tilted its head, and a child's voice rang out in the soul connection.

"Were you... lying to her just now?"

Ian was taken aback, then shook his head in denial.

"I didn't, I just concealed part of the truth."

He stood up, walked to the temperature-controlled cabinet, and opened the door.

Cool air wafted out, carrying the fresh scent of herbs, and dozens of unfinished medicines were neatly stacked inside the cabinet.

"The development of purifying sedative drugs is indeed necessary."

After a while, he picked up a vial of dark red liquid and held it up to the light to examine it.

Fine black flocculent matter slowly settled inside the liquid, like congealed blood.

This was a rough simulation of the corrupted aura emanating from the clan leader, created using his abundant knowledge of the abyss.

"The abyssal corruption within the clan leader must be resolved as soon as possible."

He put down the test tube and looked out the window.

In the distance, the direction of Edmund Manor was hidden in the depths of the night, like a crouching behemoth.

"Now I have a legitimate excuse to gain access to the family library."

Gaga nodded as if she understood, her little paws gripping his collar tightly.

"So what do we do now?"

Ian closed the cabinet door and turned to walk towards the meditation area.

"Once Edel obtains the access, and then studies the Just family's classic texts, combined with the panel... we should have results soon."

He sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the crystallized core slowly rotated, its star trail patterns gleaming with a faint silver light.

……

The next morning, Adele arrived earlier than usual.

When she pushed open the laboratory door, she was carrying a heavy oak box.

The box is dark brown with simple preservation runes engraved on its surface, and its edges are edged with dark gold metal.

"Bang."

The wooden box was placed on the lab table with a muffled thud.

"I've obtained level three access."

Adele opened the box, revealing more than twenty neatly arranged parchment scrolls inside.

The paper is yellowed, the edges are severely worn, and some are even incomplete.

Each scroll has pale gold protective runes flowing across its surface.

"These are all the books in the 'Abnormal Energy and Soul Damage' category."

She paused, then added, "Including the three books in the restricted section."

Ian walked to the lab bench and gently ran his fingertips over the surface of the top scroll of text.

The runes sensed the aura of the authorization token and slowly dimmed.

He turned to the first page; the ink had faded, but the handwriting was still clear.

The Seven Laws for Soul Stabilization - Third Era Revised Edition

[Editor's Note: The 7th Generation of the Just family's Elder Council]

He quickly glanced through a few pages, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes.

The knowledge recorded in these classic texts is far older and more profound than he imagined.

Some recipes even involve the soul-repairing at the level of rules.

"Is this enough?"

Adele stood beside him, her deep blue eyes filled with expectation.

"That's enough for now." Ian closed the book and looked at her.

"Give me three days. After three days, I will test the first version of the formula."

Adele nodded vigorously, a smile unconsciously spreading across her face, her expression one of anticipation.

"Do you need my help?"

"Need not."

Ian has already begun organizing the books, his movements swift and methodical.

"Go do what you're supposed to do: channels, resources, manpower... those are what you need most right now."

Adele pursed her lips.

She looked at Ian's lowered eyes and watched his long, slender fingers quickly flipping through the books.

The warmth in my chest quietly welled up again.

"it is good."

She turned and left, her steps much lighter than when she arrived.

The laboratory door closed behind them.

Ian stopped what he was doing and looked at Gaga on his shoulder.

"Let's begin."

He took a deep breath, and his spiritual energy slowly flowed out from between his eyebrows.

A pale silver halo flowed deep within his pupils, and his spiritual power transformed into countless fine threads, seeping into the twenty volumes of scriptures.

Each thread is like an independent eye, simultaneously turning the pages of twenty books.

Text, patterns, formulas, annotations...

A deluge of information flooded my mind like a tidal wave.

If it were an ordinary level two wizard, their consciousness would be instantly overwhelmed by this torrent of information.

But Ian is different.

Within the mental sea, the panel quietly vibrated.

At the edge of my field of vision, a line of pale gold writing appeared.

[Information being received... Starting to categorize and organize...]

[Ancient theories of spirit magic...completed]

[Case studies of abnormal energy erosion...completed]

[Time-Traces Bloodline Compatibility Analysis...Completed]

[Unknown encrypted notebook fragment detected, containing deep rune encryption, initiating decryption...]

Ian's pupils suddenly contracted.

"A notebook encrypted with abyssal runes?"

With a thought, he focused his mental energy on the most tattered parchment.

The edges of the paper were torn into flakes, and tiny characters were written on it in dark red ink.

The handwriting was messy, and some parts were even scribbled over and rewritten.

Most importantly... the entire notebook was covered by a layer of extremely hidden shadow runes.

Ian had never seen the structure of this rune before.

Distorted, chaotic, and carrying a certain unsettling aura.

"This is..." He gently touched the paper with his fingertips.

The shadow runes suddenly lit up, and dark purple light seeped from the paper, transforming into tiny tentacles that wrapped around his fingers.

The surface of the whiskers was covered with small, fleshy bumps, and with each movement, it emitted a very faint smell of decay.

Twisted, decayed, chaotic...

Ian's breath hitched.

"This aura... is almost exactly the same as the one within the clan leader's body!"

He abruptly withdrew his finger, the whiskers wriggling in the air before slowly retracting back onto the paper.

The shadow runes dimmed again, and the notebook returned to its calm state, as if nothing had happened.

But the temperature inside the laboratory had dropped by more than ten degrees.

Fine ice crystals condensed on the stone slab, and Ian's solemn face was reflected on the surface of each ice crystal.

Suddenly, the feathers burst open, and starlight flashed in the silver-gray pupils.

"Ian, what was that just now...?"

"A purer abyssal aura."

Ian said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the scroll of notes.

He finally understood why this notebook had been encrypted and abandoned in the deepest part of the restricted area.

The contents of this document... likely touch upon the darkest secrets of the Just family.

He took a deep breath, and his mental energy surged forth once more.

But this time, we were more careful and slower.

The pale silver spiritual threads, like the finest needles, slowly burrowed into the gaps in the shadow runes.

Little by little, I rubbed against those dark red words...

Time flows slowly.

The laboratory was eerily quiet, with only the occasional rustling of Ian turning the pages of ancient books.

Gaga perched on his shoulder, its silver-gray pupils scanning the surroundings warily, its little paws pressing against Ian's collar.

Be ready to launch Shadow Shuttle at any time.

Three hours later.

Ian slowly opened his eyes, a flash of silver light disappearing deep in his pupils.

He exhaled a breath of stale air, which condensed into white mist in the air and lingered for a long time.

"I see……"

He muttered to himself, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the edge of the lab bench.

The entire encrypted notebook panel has been cracked and recorded.

Although it was incomplete, he still obtained the key information.

The notebook dates back much further than he had imagined.

It was at least 10,000 years ago.

The handwriting's owner claims to be a "third-generation researcher of the Just family bloodline."

While researching the potential for the transformation of the Time-Traces bloodline, he inadvertently came into contact with some kind of "outer realm whispers".

The whispers came from the cracks in the world, from the void beyond.

It promises power, it promises the path to the Morning Star, and even... the possibility of surpassing the Morning Star.

The first half of the notes is filled with fervor and anticipation.

The researchers meticulously documented how to establish a connection with whispers, how to guide extraterrestrial energy into the bloodstream, and how to induce a leap in the bloodline of time-traces…

But in the latter half... the handwriting became messy, and there were more and more smudges.

The seventh experiment failed... The subject's flesh and blood disintegrated, and their soul was stained dark red...

The whispers are deceiving me... they're devouring the subject's consciousness...

[The Time-Traces bloodline and extraterrestrial energy are fundamentally incompatible... It's a hoax!]

Deep within the family's secret vault, I discovered a warning left by the former patriarch... It turns out someone had already tried it...

[The abyss...that whisper comes from the abyss...]

The last few pages were almost entirely filled with frenzied doodles.

The twisted spiral symbol, repeated hundreds of times, with three dark red dots at the center, resembled congealed blood.

On the last page of the notebook, there was only one line of text.

The handwriting trembled, the ink deeply embedded in the paper, like a last will and testament carved with all its might.

All those who attempt to merge... will ultimately be assimilated by the abyss.

I can hear it... it's calling me!

The handwriting stopped abruptly there.

Ian closed the notebook, his fingertips lightly tracing the cover. .

The sheepskin has a rough texture and carries the coolness of age.

He looked up and gazed out the window.

The sky had darkened, and the setting sun bathed the distant buildings in a dark gold hue.

The crystal ball at the top of the Time Trace Tower began to glow with a pale golden light.

"Someone tried this ten thousand years ago..."

He repeated the sentence in a low voice, his eyes as deep as the night.

"So, Edmund... are you repeating the family's old path?"

The little dog on his shoulder tilted its head, its tone unusually serious.

"Ian, this matter... must be told to Adele eventually."

Ian remained silent for a long time, and finally shook his head.

"I don't intend to keep it a secret forever, but it's not the right time to go public yet."

He stored the encrypted notes separately deep within his dimensional ring, keeping them separate from the other texts.

Then he stood up and walked to the other side of the lab bench.

There were dozens of kinds of medicinal herbs displayed there, all of which he had prepared beforehand.

"Now... let's get down to business."

He lit the alcohol lamp, and the pale blue flame burned quietly under the glass cover.

Take out the grinding mortar, put in the three Holy Light Fruits containing purifying power, and begin to grind them slowly.

The fruit cracked at the bottom of the bowl, oozing out milky white juice and emitting a fresh herbal aroma.

Gaga perched on his shoulder, watching his series of practiced movements.

"Ian, are you really going to develop a potion to purify the abyss?"

"Ian, are you really going to develop a potion to purify the abyss?"

"certainly."

Without looking up, Ian poured the ground juice into a crystal flask.

You should always keep your promises to others.

"and……"

He paused, then gently shook the flask with his fingertips.

The milky white liquid swirls slowly inside the bottle, with tiny silver specks appearing in the depths.

"This medicine, perhaps in the future... we ourselves will be able to use it."

Gaga nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

It looked at Ian's focused profile, at the flames reflected in his dark brown pupils.

Suddenly, I realized that this version of Ian... is what brings peace of mind.

The laboratory fell silent again.

The only sounds were the crackling of the burning alcohol lamp and the soft hissing of the mixed herbs.

outside the window.

The stars twinkled through the gaps in the clouds, like countless peering eyes watching over this ancient city.

Ian looked down at the potion that was gradually taking shape in the flask.

The pale silver liquid swirled under the light, with faint starlight floating in its depths.

"The first version..." he murmured to himself, "Let's call it [Soul-Soothing Potion]."

The name is very common.

But only he knew that a special auxiliary ingredient had been added to the medicine.

A wisp of the purest, most orderly stellar power, purified by the panel.

Although the dose is small, it is... enough to serve as a seed.

He raised his head and looked in the direction of the clan leader's bedroom.

A hint of anticipation flashed deep in his eyes.

"Titu Just...let me see your body, corrupted by the abyss..."

"How much starlight of order can it withstand?"