Chapter 184: Meditation Method Characteristics

"After reading the letter, leave it alone, and it will automatically destroy itself.

In addition, I have also banned the final stage meditation method. Now is not the time for you to view it."

Luo En stared at the letter shimmering with faint silver light in his hand, lost in thought.

The content of this letter seemed simple, but it triggered countless questions in his heart.

"Lady Ailan is leaving the Black Mist Jungle?"

Since stepping into this peculiar place shrouded in fog, Lady Ailan seemed to have always been a part of that herb shop, the two closely connected and inseparable.

That dim shop full of herbal fragrance was like an extension of the old woman's shell, and she was the soul of the shop.

"Since I entered the Black Mist Jungle until now, it seems that no one has mentioned her leaving the shop..."

Luo En frowned, thinking about various possibilities.

The school's control over the actions of wizards was extremely strict, especially for special existences like Lady Ailan.

It was clear that every move she made was likely under some kind of secret surveillance.

"Is this why high-level confidentiality means like magic ban letters are used, just to convey such simple information?"

Luo En tapped the table: "Clearly Madam has her own plans and doesn't want those high-level school officials to know."

Combined with the fact that Lady Ailan and Magnus had both revealed that they were "retiring" to the Black Mist Jungle after failing in struggles, it made his heart ring with alarm bells.

I will let Andre go to the vicinity of the herb shop to see if the shop is closed or if it is a "disguise" that is still in business.

After the letter left his hand, it soon burned spontaneously without fire...

Luo En frowned, carefully destroying the ashes of the letter further.

Then he turned his gaze to the black sealing box emitting faint energy fluctuations—the final stage of "Babble of the Star Eater" was hidden within it.

Now is not the time... He would not do the stupid thing of plunging himself into a sea of fire just to satisfy his curiosity.

"The cultivation of the second stage has already brought enough challenges..." Luo En muttered in his heart, recalling his recent meditation experience.

Compared to the basic stage, the meditation cultivation of the second stage was an experience on a completely different level.

That "babble" from the depths of the starry sky became clearer and more continuous, like some invisible tentacles, constantly tearing at his mental body and interfering with his spiritual concentration.

The cultivation in the first few days was almost a torture.

Luo En couldn't even maintain ten minutes of continuous meditation. The spiritual tearing pain forced him to interrupt repeatedly, and then cycle back and forth in short breaks.

Every time he detached from the meditation state, he would find himself sweating profusely, breathing rapidly, just like waking up from a nightmare.

"These babbles..." he recalled painfully: "It's like countless tiny needles piercing into the mind from all directions at the same time."

This was still after he fought the tentacle monster in his consciousness and adapted to the babble, otherwise, his performance would only be worse.

This experience made him better understand why Lady Ailan warned him so seriously that "Babble of the Star Eater" was different from any other meditation method.

But a sudden inspiration changed all this.

That day he suddenly thought, since his "Erosion Movement" came from the babble of the starry sky monster, and babbles could cancel each other out...

Then, could he use the melody of "Erosion Movement" to resist the interference of those babbles in meditation on himself?

And the facts were just as he had imagined. When he recalled the melody of "Erosion Movement" during meditation, those whispers that had been bothering his meditation suddenly became less stinging to his mental body.

It was like two fluctuations canceling each other out, or rather, "Erosion Movement" created a kind of "mental barrier," blocking those intrusive babbles.

Luo En opened the music notebook on the laboratory bench, which detailed the parameters and effects of every attempt:

"D minor first movement, combined with sufficient intensity of spiritual power fluctuations, can form the first interference;

E major with vibrato technique, producing the resonance effect of the 'Zi' syllable;

Special fingering combination simulates the 'Kulu' syllable, completing the final structure..."

These precise technical details were precious experiences he had gained through countless attempts and failures.

Sometimes, in order to adjust the exact frequency of a note, he even needed to experiment for more than ten hours continuously.

And every successful breakthrough brought him an indescribable sense of satisfaction, just like the process of uncovering one layer of mysterious veil after another, gradually approaching a grand truth.

But the true value of the second-stage meditation method was far more than that.

After his ranking rose and his permissions increased, he checked various materials about formal wizards in the school library.

Among the parts about meditation methods, it was mentioned that when cultivation reached the critical point of a formal wizard for a breakthrough, some gem-level and above meditation methods would allow the practitioner to obtain their own unique characteristics.

This characteristic would fuse with the individual's spell system, giving spells unique effects, making them distinct from the spellcasting mode of all ordinary wizards.

Just as every formal wizard possessed their iconic personal spells, "meditation method characteristics" were the core advantage that only gem-level and above meditation methods could provide.

"This is a key step from higher apprentice to formal wizard..."

Luo En calculated in his heart: "A completely personalized spell characteristic that can open up brand-new research directions for me."

But following this was the worry about the increasing spiritual pollution.

As the depth of meditation increased, the accumulation speed of spiritual pollution also intensified.

Although the reset function of the Time Guard pocket watch could still effectively clear these pollutions, Luo En keenly realized that as he approached the critical point of a higher apprentice, relying solely on the pocket watch would definitely be stretched.

"Although the reset ability of the pocket watch is powerful, it also has its limits."

Luo En frowned and pondered:

"Once spiritual power reaches a level close to that of a formal wizard, the complexity and intensity of pollution will also increase accordingly. Whether the pocket watch can fully cope with it by then is still an unknown."

This difficulty made him more determined to accelerate the practice of the "furnace concept."

"Must find a more thorough solution before reaching the critical point." Luo En planned in his heart:

"After returning from the Bloodline Altar, immediately start the job change attempt of Demon Hunter and Magic Swordsman, then focus on the promotion of formal wizard, and finally use the activated magic sword as the 'furnace' carrier to fundamentally solve the pollution problem."

This plan was linked together, step by step, and every link was crucial.

"Multi-profession fusion, mutual strengthening..."

However, he had another task right now—helping Trish's leopard girl with bloodline modulation.

After all, he had promised others, and he could also use this to test his bloodline modulator ability in practice.

Luo En organized various necessary tools and materials, and had already constructed a detailed bloodline modulation plan in his mind.

The characteristic research of the manticore poison gland was already very sufficient, and the key lay in how to perfectly fuse this characteristic with the leopard girl's existing bloodline to avoid possible rejection reactions.

"Every step must be precise to the millimeter..." He reviewed the poison gland research notes:

"Any slight deviation could trigger unpredictable bloodline conflicts."

In the laboratory late at night, only he remained with those complex instruments running quietly.

Moonlight shone through the window, casting a silver-white spot on the floor.

Luo En sighed, temporarily shelving various thoughts, and focused his energy on the most urgent work at hand.

"Advance in an orderly manner, step by step."

He warned himself at the end: "No matter how complex the puzzle is, it is composed of small links."

Early the next morning, Luo En carried carefully prepared bloodline modulation tools and materials and went to Trish's residence according to the appointment.

On the way, he combed through the complex operation process he was about to perform again.

Precision work like bloodline modulation must be done in one go once started, and any mistake in the middle could lead to disastrous consequences.

The wind blew the dark blue fallen leaves on the branches in the Black Mist Jungle, forming a strange rustling sound.

According to the address provided by Trish, he came to a small villa located in the east area of the school.

This two-story stone building had a simple and ancient appearance, and a kind of vine plant emitting faint fluorescence climbed on the wall, outlining the silhouette of the building in the morning light.

The entire building was shrouded in a layer of almost invisible energy barrier, which was a sign of an advanced protective magic array.

Just as Luo En approached the gate, a kind of invisible spiritual power tentacle swept across his body like a radar, checking his identity characteristics without leaving any dead ends.

The precision and intensity of this spiritual power probe clearly exceeded the level of a higher apprentice.

The door opened automatically, and Trish was already waiting in the foyer.

She was not wearing that apprentice robe, but a simple light green home outfit, and her already beautiful face looked even more youthful and energetic.

"Thank you for coming."

The girl said gently, with a polite smile that was not lacking in courtesy:

"The mentor is dealing with some affairs and will come over later. Liyue is already waiting in the preparation room."

Luo En nodded, following Trish through the elegantly decorated corridor while secretly observing the surrounding environment.

Sensitivity to the environment had become his instinctive reaction.

Both sides of the corridor were displayed with various strange collectibles:

Specimens sealed in crystals, fragments of stone slabs recorded with ancient runes, liquid creatures constantly changing forms suspended in special containers...

Each piece revealed the owner's strong interest in occultism.

"Most of these are the mentor's collections over the years."

Trish explained along Luo En's gaze, her tone carrying a trace of imperceptible showing off:

"She often takes me to study the characteristics of these extraordinary creatures. Look, you should be interested in this one."

She stopped in front of a special glass cabinet, in which was a well-preserved small creature, with a form between a butterfly and a jellyfish, and the thin-as-cicada-wing membrane wings were covered with complex glowing patterns.

"Star Abyss Moth, said to live only in specific areas of the 'Twisted Jungle' on the fourth layer of the abyss."

Trish explained, her voice revealing a kind of obsession with mysterious knowledge:

"Mentor Corinna said that they can travel between different layers of the abyss without being infected by curses, and are one of the very few creatures with this ability."

Luo En remained calm on the surface, but his heart was already surging.

If this creature really had the natural ability to resist abyss curses as Trish said, then the research value of its bloodline characteristics would far exceed ordinary specimens, and it might even become a key link to solving the mystery of abyss adaptability.

"Very rare specimen."

He evaluated, his voice full of interest:

"If there is an opportunity to study its bloodline structure, perhaps some important data about abyss adaptability can be obtained."

Trish smiled and nodded, but did not respond. I don't know if she didn't understand his hint, or didn't want to pick up this topic.

Subsequently, they came to a spacious basement.

The indoor light was soft, and in the center was a special white jade stone table, with complex magic array patterns carved on the surface and around it.

Various precision instruments and potions were placed on the shelves by the wall, from the most basic extractors to advanced energy stabilization devices, all of which were available, looking like a professional bloodline research laboratory.

Liyue was already waiting by the stone table.

Unlike her usual silent appearance, she was slightly nervous at the moment, her fingers unconsciously rubbing her sleeves.

Seeing Luo En come in, she bowed her head slightly in greeting, a flash of contradictory emotions of expectation and vigilance in her eyes.

"Thank you for being willing to help me." she said softly, her voice calm and low.

Luo En nodded and began to quickly adapt to the environment and evaluate available resources:

"Trish has already told me some situations, but I need to understand your bloodline status and the specific process of toxin contact in more detail."

His gaze scrutinized this well-equipped laboratory, and he sighed slightly in his heart.

The quality and quantity of these equipment even exceeded the configuration of the school's public laboratory. Clearly, Corinna's requirements for experimental conditions were quite harsh.

Liyue nodded and lay on the stone table under Trish's signal.

"When fighting in the gladiatorial contest last time, I was directly grazed by the manticore's poison sting. There was a brief sharp pain and numbness at the time, but it soon returned to normal."

Because she was lying down, the leopard girl's voice was a bit muffled.

Luo En took out a set of specially made testing tools and began a comprehensive bloodline scan of the leopard girl.

His palm hovered a few centimeters above Liyue's body surface, and his spiritual power penetrated into her body like thousands of tiny probes.

Under the blessing of the dual traits of "Extraordinary Identification" and "Trace Tracking," the bloodline structure in her body gradually became clear in his spiritual field of vision.

"Interesting..." Luo En frowned slightly, discovering some unexpected situations.

The bloodline structure in Liyue's body was much more complex than any alien race he had come into contact with before.

The outermost layer was the characteristic bloodline of the leopard race, which was the foundation of her race;

But in the deeper layer, a more ancient and powerful bloodline was hidden, covered under layers of seals, only revealing faint fluctuations at certain nodes.

The energy fluctuation pattern of this bloodline was extremely special, not only having the wild explosive power of a beast but also carrying a kind of indescribable noble aura. This should be the so-called monarch bloodline.

More notably, in the area in contact with the manticore toxin, this hidden bloodline seemed to have begun to wake up weakly, forming a preliminary adaptive reaction.

"I can see the reason why your previous attempt to fuse toxin gland elements failed."

Luo En continued to test while analyzing:

"This recessive bloodline has extremely strong rejection, and will automatically resist the infiltration of foreign bloodlines. It does not reject the toxin itself, but rejects any foreign bloodline that is not 'pure' enough."

Luo En took out several special reagents from the toolbox, mixed them in a small crucible according to precise proportions, and then dripped a drop of Liyue's blood.

The liquid immediately reacted, turning dark purple, and emitting a faint light.

Subsequently, he performed several more precise tests, trying to determine the accurate type and activation possibility of this recessive bloodline.

"I have an adjusted plan." Luo En thought for a moment and said:

"Instead of trying to forcibly inject new bloodline characteristics, it is better to temporarily suppress a part of this recessive bloodline, so that the ability to integrate toxins will be much easier."

Trish's eyes lit up: "This is completely beyond my expectations! Sorry to trouble you, I will try my best to give a reward that satisfies you."

Luo En nodded and took out several manticore poison gland samples that had been processed from the toolbox.

After his special purification process, these poison glands had been stripped of most impurities, retaining only the core toxin components and characteristics.

He carefully placed the samples in the testing dish and began to study how to fuse them with the recessive bloodline characteristics of the leopard girl.

"Your finger claw area is in contact with toxins most frequently, and it is also the least likely to trigger the instinctual reaction of the bloodline."

Luo En said to the leopard girl, trying his best to enhance the other party's confidence, which could make the rejection slightly smaller:

"I will try to transplant the toxin gland elements in this area, while trying to expand the retractable function of the finger claws."

After the preparation work was completed, Luo En took out a small bottle of guiding potion:

"Liyue, you need to take this first. It will temporarily reduce the rejection of the bloodline in your body, creating conditions for subsequent operations."

The leopard girl nodded and drank the potion in one gulp.

A few seconds later, her body began to glow slightly, and the patterns on her skin became more distinct.

"Start." Luo En took a deep breath and focused his spiritual power on Liyue's hand area.

His spiritual power penetrated according to a specific path, looking for those nodes of recessive bloodline.

Liyue let out a low roar, the sound no longer like a human, but more like the roar of some ancient fierce beast.

Her eyes turned completely golden, and her pupils contracted into thin vertical lines.

Her whole body tensed, as if ready

"Calm down, Liyue! I am here."

Trish stepped forward, her voice firm and gentle:

"Focus your attention, feel this power, but do not be controlled by it."

Under Trish's soothing, Liyue's emotions gradually stabilized.

Luo En took the opportunity to further guide those activated energies, directing them toward the preset paths.

"First stage complete."

About ten minutes later, Luo En finally breathed a sigh of relief:

"The suppression of the recessive bloodline is temporarily held. Now we can proceed to the second stage—poison gland transplantation."

Luo En mixed the poison gland extract with a specially made fusion medium, forming a viscous, dark purple liquid.

At first, everything proceeded quite smoothly.

Every subtle energy node was rearranged under his control, like a huge and complex 3D puzzle gradually taking shape.

The poison gland toxin was accepted by Liyue's bloodline and began to fuse with the claw tissue.

However, just as the fusion was halfway through, a rejection reaction suddenly appeared.

Liyue gritted her teeth in pain, and her body began to show redness, swelling, and abnormal energy fluctuations.

"Rejection reaction." Luo En immediately identified the problem:

"Even if the recessive bloodline is suppressed, the purity of the foreign substance is still insufficient."

Trish appeared somewhat worried: "Will there be danger?"

"The risk is within a controllable range."

Luo En answered briefly, having already begun to adjust his own spiritual power output mode:

"I will monitor the vital signs throughout the process; if serious abnormalities occur, I will stop immediately."

His spiritual power, like thousands of invisible needles and threads, wove through Liyue's bloodline, dismantling those repulsive structures and then reassembling them according to the new pattern.

Every step had to be precise to the millisecond level; any slight mistake could cause the entire process to collapse.

This process lasted for nearly twenty minutes; he was fully focused, and the sweat on his forehead had already soaked his collar.

Finally, when the last rejection point was successfully reorganized, the entire fusion process was completed.

"Success." Luo En withdrew his spiritual power, his voice carrying a hint of exhaustion:

"The poison gland toxin has completely integrated into the claw structure, and I also took the opportunity to expand the claw's retractable function."

(End of chapter)