Chapter 415: 【Mage Armor】 and Second-Tier Runecraft Process Technology

Immunity to various toxins increased by 0.1%.

The body's organs' ability to digest, metabolize, and expel toxins increased by 0.1%.

Gao De stared at this nearly negligible 0.1%, yet felt a joy vastly disproportionate to the number.

Because this was only the beginning.

【Adaptive】 was never an instant process, but a rapid adaptation mechanism.

The key was breaking through zero.

Once zero was breached, adaptation would naturally accelerate along established pathways and methods.

Rapid adaptation to any environment.

Since the description referred to adaptation to external natural environments, Gao De hadn't initially considered that drinking a magic potion could trigger 【Adaptive】.

Yet upon careful reflection, the logic was not hard to grasp.

If one were in an environment filled with toxic gas, those lethal toxins would inevitably enter the body through respiration, continuously challenging bodily functions.

Consuming a magic potion meant the toxic components entered the body along with the liquid—from the perspective of bodily function response, this was fundamentally no different from being in a toxic environment.

Thus, 【Adaptive】 was naturally activated and began adapting.

Moreover, the brutality of 【Adaptive】 lay in the fact that although only the toxin from alfalfa pulp entered the body, it triggered comprehensive enhancements: boosting immunity against all toxins and improving the metabolism and digestion of all toxins.

Utterly comprehensive.

Gao De rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

Not to mention how much combat or daily life benefits increased toxin resistance could bring.

Simply the fact that he could now drink any magic potion without fear of toxic accumulation and its long-term consequences made it worth his while to aggressively boost his toxin resistance.

Push adaptation high enough—don't evolve me into a Plague Body, he thought, an inappropriate idea popping into his mind.

Immediately, he shook his head.

Focus on the task.

After drinking alfalfa pulp, 【Adaptive】 would automatically activate and continue driving bodily adaptation until the pulp's toxin was fully metabolized—no effort required from him.

Right now, he should concentrate on cultivation.

This third-tier cultivation chamber cost ten gold per two hours; he'd just spaced out for a while, and already several copper stones were gone.

Sinful!

Thinking thus, Gao De sat down cross-legged, obediently.

With the focus boost from 【Enduring Body】, he instantly entered meditation, activating the Green Wood Eternal Life Scripture.

As the cultivation method flowed, he began absorbing the dense magic power permeating the chamber.

It was at this moment that the alfalfa pulp's effect finally manifested.

Its potency spontaneously formed a magic vortex within Gao De's body, exerting immense suction.

Under the vortex's pull, Gao De merely guided slightly—and the dense, pure magic power outside surged like a tidal wave, continuously flooding into his body, then plunging into the vortex, making it grow stronger and glow brighter.

Under the vortex's tireless, high-speed rotation, the magic power drawn from outside was refined at an astonishing rate.

Like ore thrown into a blazing furnace, impurities were swiftly purged, transforming into fine threads of pure internal mana that merged into Gao De's magic meridians.

This single attempt revealed his cultivation efficiency had indeed increased nearly tenfold.

This lightning-fast cultivation speed filled him with comfort, immersion, and deep enjoyment.

His magic power far exceeded his current Mage rank, granting him cultivation duration far surpassing peers.

Unconsciously, nearly two hours slipped away.

The once wildly expanding magic vortex, as if depleted, gradually slowed and ceased.

Yet at its base, a single crystal-clear drop of mana had formed.

Gao De opened his eyes, delighted, stood up, sensed his state, clenched his fist, his expression thrilled.

The alfalfa pulp's effect was indeed remarkable—this single session after consuming one vial had directly solidified his 25th drop of liquid mana.

Of course, this wasn't solely due to this session; the 25th drop was already nearly complete, needing only a final push.

The alfalfa pulp had precisely provided that crucial final nudge.

But Gao De roughly estimated that, in the First Circle's early stage, every three such sessions would allow him to solidify one new drop of liquid mana.

Three sessions meant three vials of alfalfa pulp—thirty Jin Jin Quehua coins.

Even including chamber fees, it totaled sixty Jin Jin Quehua coins.

This money was absolutely worth spending.

Mana was the Mage's foundation, the support for everything, the very basis of a Mage's existence.

Strengthening the foundation meant strengthening overall power.

For others, alfalfa pulp was potent, but they could drink at most five vials every half-year before needing to pause—otherwise, toxic accumulation brought endless consequences.

But he was different.

Gao De focused his mind.

【Toxins are beginning to accumulate in your body. You are adapting to this toxin. Your immunity to various toxins increased by 0.2%, 0.3%, 1.6%. Your body's organs' ability to digest, metabolize, and expel toxins increased by 0.1%, 0.2%, 2.4%.】

Initially, Adaptive progress always surged rapidly.

Even though alfalfa pulp was harmless, containing only trace, metabolizable toxins, two hours had still pushed his Adaptive progress significantly forward.

Now that progress had stalled, it was likely because the limited toxin quantity could no longer stimulate the body further.

Limited by his mental power, Mages had a daily cultivation time cap—so drinking more alfalfa pulp today would be useless.

"I'll drink another vial tomorrow to stimulate again," Gao De muttered, forcing down his urge to ingest more poison.

—Perhaps at the final, critical evolution stage, he could risk it.

But now was early stage; even a tiny toxin dose could rapidly advance Adaptive progress—no need to push so hard.

Besides, his body's current toxin resistance was still low; direct poisoning was like steroid abuse in fitness—only ending in a head explosion.

Once his toxin resistance and metabolic capacity were high enough, if he found a reliable source to buy alfalfa pulp in bulk, he could accelerate his cultivation at a pace others couldn't imagine—by spending gold on potions, Gao De calculated in his mind.

A broad highway lay clearly before him.

Carrying a large bundle of "stationery," Gao De returned to the inn.

He took out the special rune pen gifted by Master He Xi.

From the ten stacks of qiyu paper—each the size of a fingernail, as thin as a cicada's wing—he selected one and laid it flat on the table.

After filling the rune pen with magic ink, Gao De silently activated the third-tier Mandora Magic Eye.

Though his runecraft practice had lapsed recently, acquiring the third-tier Mandora Magic Eye and 【Enduring Body】 granted him massive boosts to his runecraft technique.

Runecraft was an extremely delicate art, requiring the rune master to precisely draw five or more runes on a sheet of qiyu paper the size of a fingernail.

These runes varied in pattern and carried unique rules and properties; even minor errors during combination would cause failure.

This demanded the rune master possess deep, mountain-still focus—able to remain undistracted, free of all distractions, through long, tedious drawing sessions;

And required mastery of rune drawing and exceptional control over brushwork—knowing precisely when to apply lightness, heaviness, speed, or pause;

Finally, it demanded an observer's eye beyond ordinary people, capable of detecting minute brushstroke changes and shifts in magical flow between runes.

The third-tier Mandora Magic Eye enhanced his observation.

【Enduring Body】 enhanced his focus.

After activating the Mandora Magic Eye, his vision changed—the qiyu paper appeared as if viewed under a magnifying glass, every detail crystal clear; during rune drawing, the fine threads of magical flow became visible as clear diagrams.

【Enduring Body】 allowed him to remain utterly focused on runecraft, never easily distracted.

But that was all.

To improve runecraft technique, observation and focus were merely one component; true mastery of rune drawing and brush control were the fundamental, irreplaceable core—no shortcuts existed.

Rune drawing was not doodling; every line carried specific magical flow directions and rules—the artist must internalize the rune's shape, trajectory, and curvature perfectly.

Brush control was like a profound sword art: when to apply a light touch, letting magic flow like a gentle stream; when to strike with crushing force, imbuing the rune with immense power—all required flawless precision, down to the millimeter.

These two skills, unlike magic cultivation, could not be aided by rare treasures or elixirs—they could only be improved through persistent, daily practice.

As he pondered, Gao De took a deep breath and cast 【Divine Guidance+】, entering his youthful flow state.

All external noise faded into blur; his eyes held only the fingernail-sized sheet of qiyu paper.

Gao De slowly raised his wrist, the special rune pen hovering above the paper, pausing briefly.

In that instant, he felt a profound satisfaction and quiet excitement suffusing his entire being.

This excitement was strange and hard to describe; if he had to compare, it was like his past self, upon seeing a supposedly final, extremely difficult math problem, feeling that restless thrill.

When he first encountered runecraft, Gao De had sharply sensed that long-absent excitement—the same thrill he'd felt upon first encountering mathematics.

At that moment, he had been certain: he truly loved runes.

Irrespective of the power runes granted or any worldly, utilitarian reasons—purely from the most simple, direct feeling—he found runes beautiful.

After sealing his brush for half a year to journey north for tree planting, this passion hadn't faded or worn down—it had only grown stronger.

The next moment, Gao De gently touched the pen to the paper.

The fine tip touched the qiyu paper, and the magic ink spread smoothly.

Though it was his first stroke in months, everything flowed unexpectedly smoothly.

Brushwork flowed like clouds and water.

Mana moved gently like a trickle.

The entire process was seamless, exhilarating.

When Gao De lifted his pen, he gazed at the seven composite runes formed from basic runes on the paper.

Runecraft level: 130, 90, 45, 32, 14, 10, 7, 5

"7" meant his runecraft technique had reached Second Tier.

For other rune apparatus engineers, second-rank rune processing technology does not mean they can manufacture second-rank rune apparatuses.

The necessity of rune modulation means only second-circle mages can attempt to draw second-rank magical arrays or construct second-rank rune apparatuses.

But He Xi's Six Fundamental Rules of Runology allow calculation to replace the rune modulation process.

Calculation has no restrictions based on mage rank—it demands only personal computational ability.

And Gao De is the only person in the world who masters the Six Fundamental Rules of Runology—theoretically the sole rune engineer capable of cross-rank rune apparatus construction.

"There's still some luck involved. I need more practice—success rate must reach at least 99% before I try." Gao De remained utterly clear-headed, not inflated by this success.

One success means nothing; he must raise the "yield rate" before he truly masters second-rank rune processing technology.

Exhaling a long breath, Gao De picked up a new lacquered jade paper and dipped his brush again.

As expected, halfway through, faint blue smoke rose from the lacquered jade paper.

Gao De reluctantly stopped.

Failed.

In the days that followed, Gao De's routine became utterly regular.

Each day he trained in a rented cultivation chamber, then returned to the inn to practice drawing runes and constructing spell models, waiting for the Sea Sentinel's second-round trial.

On the fourth day, the 10th of Frostgold Month, after consuming four more bottles of alfalfa juice, he condensed another drop of liquid mana—his total mana reached 26 drops.

But by then, all the alfalfa juice was exhausted.

His cultivation progress plummeted, and 【Adaptation】's progress halted: immunity to various toxins increased by 6.1%; the body's organs improved their ability to digest, metabolize, and expel toxins by 7.2%.

Gao De also tried buying a first-rank mana potion to aid his cultivation.

But as one of the few universal magic potions safe for long-term consumption, its toxin content was far too low—even insufficient to trigger 【Adaptation】.

He had no tech at all—he didn't know whether to praise the mana potion or complain.

Considering its high cost and meager returns, he could only reluctantly give up continuing to drink it.

Moreover, after days of practice, the yield rate of the "7" process rose from under 30% to nearly 50%—progress visibly apparent.

Of course, this remarkable improvement was closely tied to Gao De's growing mastery in skillfully integrating the Mandora Magic Eye into the rune process.

Regarding spells, since Mei Mei Liya had tipped him off that the second-round trial involved combat, he rushed to study combat-related spells.

Perhaps some unseen fortune favored him—the spell models for 【Mage Armor】 and 【Light Feather Step】 were constructed just one day apart.

With 11 points of first-circle primal energy in hand, Gao De generously allocated them all.

He focused his mind on Wind Spirit Moon Shadow.

【Mage Armor+】 (Protection, 1st Circle):

You touch a willing unarmored creature, surrounding it with a protective magical field until the spell ends (duration: 8 hours), greatly increasing its physical defense.

Bonus: During 【Mage Armor】's effect, the field behaves like real armor—when the target suffers direct physical contact, the attacker receives a corresponding physical recoil.

(End of Chapter)