Chapter 289

He carefully recalled his recent experiences, but could never grasp that blurry memory fragment.

No matter how hard he tried, that feeling was always like a reflection in water, shattering and dissipating as soon as he got close.

In the end, he could only temporarily shelve this trouble and refocus his attention on the task at hand.

"It feels like it involves someone, but I can't specifically remember who it is.

And the priority of this matter seems to be ranked very low in the depths of my consciousness; it's really strange..."

"Lei Nuozi, let's go to that 'Rui Si Collection' first."

Ending his train of thought, Luo En said to Lei Nuozi, who was still somewhat restrained beside him.

Lei Nuozi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, very happy to be able to regain the role of guide: "At your service, follow me."

Standing in the busiest corner of the trading area, Luo En's gaze swept over the bustling crowd around him.

This is the intersection of Abyss explorers and outside wizards.

Raw materials are transformed into wealth and knowledge here, affecting the operation of the entire extraordinary world.

"Rui Si Collection" is an inconspicuous small shop, located in a remote position in the southeast corner of the trading area.

The storefront is small, and a sign made of starlight crystal hangs at the door, with the shop name engraved on it, each letter emitting a faint blue light.

Pushing the door and entering, a smell mixed with old books and insect-repellent spices rushed toward them.

The interior is much more spacious than it looks from the outside; clearly, a space extension spell has been used.

Various peculiar items are displayed on wooden shelves, from ordinary Abyss minerals to mysterious biological specimens, with a wide variety.

The shop owner is an old man, his left eye covered by a black eye patch, and his right arm covered with a layer of fine scales, clearly traces of Abyss alienation.

He was organizing some documents behind the counter, and after hearing the doorbell, he looked up, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto Luo En.

"Welcome, Wizard."

The old man's voice was low and hoarse, carrying traces left by years of Abyss exploration:

"I am Morgan; what can I do for you?"

Luo En stated his purpose straight to the point:

"I need two memory crystals suitable for beginners to practice; Professor Yuteer recommended your shop."

Hearing Yuteer's name, Morgan's attitude was clearly much more enthusiastic:

"Ah, a guest recommended by the old professor! Then I must take out the truly good stuff."

He took out an exquisite wooden box from under the counter and opened it carefully.

The box was lined with deep purple velvet, with a dozen memory crystals of various shapes arranged neatly on it.

"These are all low-risk samples that have undergone preliminary screening, very suitable for beginners in historical research."

Morgan introduced:

"Each one carries a basic energy stabilization seal, which can ensure that no harmful energy will be suddenly released during the conventional interpretation process."

Luo En carefully observed these crystals, activating the "Extraordinary Identification" and "Hunting Evil" skills, trying to perceive their energy fluctuations and potential risks.

In his special vision, each crystal presented a unique energy pattern, some as calm as still water, others jumping like flames.

After a few minutes of careful selection, he finally selected two memory crystals that looked the safest and had relatively clear energy patterns.

One presented a light green color, shaped like a leaf; the other was light blue, with an appearance similar to a water drop.

"Good eye." Morgan praised:

"Both of these were obtained from the upper region of the fourth layer, with relatively gentle energy fluctuations, very suitable for beginners."

"Price?" Luo En asked.

"Considering Professor Yuteer's recommendation, how about one and a half magic stones for both?"

Morgan gave a relatively reasonable quote.

The trade was completed, and Luo En carefully put the two memory crystals into a special isolation box and put them into his space bag.

The harvest this time had already exceeded expectations.

Not only did he obtain all the materials needed to cultivate the Autophagic Slime Monster, but he also obtained a high-grade energy crystal and two memory crystals, laying the foundation for future research.

Preparing to leave the outpost, Lei Nuozi took Luo En to a simple restaurant located on the edge of the trading area.

This shop looked ordinary, but the customers were almost all explorers, each carrying various aberration traces.

"The dishes in this 'Ember' are a bit... special." Lei Nuozi reminded when taking his seat:

"They incorporate some harmless Abyss materials; the taste is strange, but it is extremely beneficial for spiritual power recovery. People returning from Abyss exploration usually choose to dine here to relieve fatigue."

The shop owner is a middle-aged man with a kind face.

His left hand has completely transformed into some kind of crystal structure, and when light passes through, it refracts a peculiar rainbow effect.

He skillfully poured the drinks emitting faint fluorescence for the two with his right hand.

"The boss's signature 'Micro-light Tea', it is said to be made from 'Light Algae' from the first and second layers, capable of briefly enhancing spiritual sensitivity."

Lei Nuozi explained, taking a sip first.

Luo En tasted it cautiously, and a peculiar spicy taste bloomed on the tip of his tongue.

Then it turned into a subtle sour-sweet, finally leaving a refreshing aftertaste in the throat.

Besides that, he could feel a gentle energy spreading slowly along the esophagus, making the entire spiritual world become unusually clear.

"A quite unique experience." Luo En evaluated, extremely interested in this kind of spiritual nourishment:

"This energy conversion method is similar to some theories I am researching."

His food came quickly.

A plate of seemingly ordinary roast meat, sprinkled with peculiar spices of indistinguishable shapes;

A plate of translucent salad, the leaves changing color with the light;

And a bowl of soup emitting peculiar black steam.

The taste of the entire meal was hard to describe with conventional vocabulary.

Sometimes it was so spicy it made people cry, sometimes it was so cool it felt like ice and snow melting, and more often it was a complex mixed feeling that could not be distinguished.

But strangely, this weird taste was not repulsive, but brought a peculiar sense of satisfaction, as if touching some kind of primitive memory deep in the taste buds.

After the meal, Luo En said goodbye to Lei Nuozi and boarded the returning airship.

On the airship, he kept pondering what he saw and heard today, especially the unique aberrations and adaptation methods of those Abyss explorers.

"The Abyss is not only a source of knowledge, but also a unique survival philosophy."

Luo En summarized in his heart:

"When people face inevitable changes, they do not resist in vain, but learn to utilize, and even turn disadvantages into advantages; this adaptability is admirable."

He organized the purchased materials one by one, ensuring that each item was properly packaged.

Especially the memory crystals, for which he specifically designed three layers of protective measures:

The innermost layer is an inhibitory rune array, limiting its energy fluctuations;

The middle layer is a spiritual barrier, blocking possible spiritual erosion;

The outermost layer is conventional physical protection, preventing accidental damage.

"Temporarily place it in the isolation cabinet, and wait until there are certain results from the interpretation activities organized by Professor Yuteer, and the historical research ability is improved, before attempting to interpret them."

Luo En calculated.

The airship passed through the thick cloud layer, getting further and further away from the Abyss outpost.

Through the porthole, he took one last look at that blurry outline, his heart already beginning to conceive the next plan.

The contribution points already credited mainly came from that paper on the mobile simulation combat device, totaling 1200 points.

Compared with the requirement of at least 5000 contribution points for successfully entering the Abyss Observation Station, there is still a large gap.

"However, I have two more papers about to be completed in my hands..."

The first one is about the "Discussion on the Commonality of Advanced Potion Improvement", analyzing the energy structure optimization paths of more than ten common potions, expected to bring 600-1000 contribution points;

The second one focuses on the "Benign Mutation Promotion Mechanism in the Bloodline Modulation Process", which is an innovative discovery based on his modulation practice, with expected contribution points between 800-1500.

Plus the monthly basic teaching contribution, and the cultivation results of the elite group members.

Accumulating 5000 contribution points within six months is completely feasible.

"Herman and Lise's progress is quite fast, especially Herman..."

Luo En thought of that student of his with the strongest strength, and a smile could not help but appear on the corner of his mouth.

Herman is close to the critical point of a high-level apprentice and may enter the candidate wizard sequence at any time.

Once he is formally accepted by the Crystal Spire as a member of the talent pool, Luo En, as a mentor, will also receive corresponding contribution point rewards.

"Six months, enough." Luo En confirmed the schedule in his heart:

"By then, I should have accumulated enough resources and prestige, and successfully entering the observation station will not be a problem."

He flipped through the materials obtained from Yuteer, deeply understanding the work flow and job division of the observation station.

According to the data, the staff of the observation station are mainly divided into two categories: research type and exploration type.

Research personnel are responsible for analyzing and researching samples brought back from the Abyss; they mostly work in relatively safe environments and rarely enter the Abyss directly.

This type of position has extremely high requirements for professional ability, and every researcher approved to join must show outstanding talent in a specific field.

In exchange, they enjoy a higher safety factor and better treatment.

Including only needing to work at the observation station for half a month every month, and being able to return to the school for the rest of the time to continue teaching and research work.

Exploration personnel are responsible for field investigation and sample collection; they often need to go deep into various layers of the Abyss, facing various unknown risks.

Although the danger level is higher, the returns are also more generous.

Every successful exploration mission can bring a large amount of materials and first-hand research data, which are priceless wealth.

"Research type is more suitable for my current situation." Luo En made a decision:

"It is best to focus on bloodline modulation and material analysis directions, as well as the configuration of some specialized potions, so that I can maximize the use of my strengths."

At the same time, he is also thinking about how to use the substitute puppet to make up for his shortcomings in exploration.

If he can charge the substitute puppet to 100%, activating its "Avatar Stance" function.

Then he can let the puppet execute some exploration missions with higher risks on his behalf.

"This way, I can balance the advantages of both work modes, ensuring safety while obtaining first-hand Abyss data."

Luo En nodded with satisfaction, and completing this goal is just around the corner.

The airship passed through the thick cloud layer, and the magnificent City of the Sky in the Central Land was already vaguely visible. Brilliant magic light flickered in the distance, like stars in the night sky.

He stood by the window, looking at this city representing the highest academic achievement of the Ring Abyss Continent Group, his gaze gathering on those high-up tower tops.

"I don't know how long it will take before I can sit high above that topmost tower top..."

………………

In the laboratory in the middle of the night, the only light source came from those magic lamps floating in mid-air.

They emitted a soft blue light, illuminating the utensils and materials on the workbench just right, without causing adverse effects on those Abyss samples sensitive to light.

Luo En stood before the experimental bench, his expression focused.

Various Abyss materials brought back from the outpost were neatly placed on the table:

The core "Void Slime" was contained in a test tube, the black liquid surface constantly rippling subtly, as if countless tiny lives were moving within it;

The "Mutation Catalyst" was a tube of powder emitting purple fluorescence, each grain spontaneously rotating slowly in the container, violating the laws of conventional gravity;

And that crystal body obtained from the gambling stone shop, although not as pure as the one obtained from Aze this time, was also rich in high-concentration Abyss energy.

As for the "Breath of Chaos" he exchanged with Aze, he planned to enable it after this Abyss crystal was used up.

"These materials, overall, the quality is quite satisfactory."

Luo En's fingertips tapped each item, comparing its energy characteristics with the previously estimated data.

Due to the characteristics of the Proficient-level "Extraordinary Identification", he could perceive that the energy structure of these Abyss substances was essentially different from ordinary extraordinary materials.

The latter usually presents as regular and stable geometric shapes, while the energy texture of Abyss substances is like a twisted maze, constantly changing and difficult to predict.

"Ailan, help me take out the 'Membranous Phage' that was applied for." Luo En looked up and ordered.

The tree spirit standing in the corner of the laboratory nodded lightly, and the emerald green branches extended toward a special refrigerator on the wall.

The cabinet door opened silently, and cold mist poured out like light gauze.

Ailan carefully used vines to take out a spherical container, inside which was a mass of gray-white viscous substance.

This substance looked lifeless, but occasionally emitted a faint pulse that was almost imperceptible, like a dying heart.

This is a standard "Membranous Phage" produced by the Crystal Spire Biological Laboratory, still in the storage period of the lowest activity stage.

Luo En took the container, placed it on the central workbench, and tapped the container wall with his finger:

"This thing is essentially an undirected embryo, with extremely strong plasticity, but its self-consciousness and defense mechanisms are almost non-existent."

He turned to Ailan: "Prepare the recorder; I am going to start the first stage of guided shaping."

The tree spirit nodded, branches skillfully adjusting a crystal recording ball on the side.

Luo En took a deep breath, calming his mind.

Unlike those simple mass-produced slime monsters on the market, the true Autophagic Slime Monster possesses continuous and stable self-regulation ability and stronger plasticity, capable of quickly converting forms and functions according to the owner's needs.

For a bloodline modulator, this is not only a capable assistant but also an ideal medium for various experiments.

"Start stage one: Basic activation."

Luo En held a silver needle in his left hand and a test tube in his right, beginning complex operations.

The tip of the silver needle glowed with a pale blue light, and under his precise control, it slowly pierced into specific points in the container.

Every time a needle was inserted, he poured out a drop of specially treated "Void Slime" from the test tube, injecting it precisely into the needle hole.

This process was extremely delicate; the dosage, position, and injection timing of every drop of slime had to be exactly right.

Any slight deviation could lead to the failure of the entire process, or even trigger a dangerous energy backlash.

With the injection of the slime, the originally gray-white soft mud gradually presented a deep gray-black.

Fine lines also began to appear on the surface.

"Energy activity has risen, and the cell division rate has increased threefold."

Luo En stared at the monitoring instrument on the side, showing satisfaction: "Stage one is progressing smoothly."

In the next two hours, he repeated this precise operation.

Injecting various pre-prepared Abyss material solutions into the soft mud in a specific order and proportion.

Every step was accompanied by activated energy fluctuations, and a peculiar sulfur smell permeated the air of the entire laboratory; that was the special aura of Abyss energy interacting with conventional magic power.

"Master, the activity level of the soft mud has reached the warning line."

Ailan reminded, branches pointing to the red indicator light flickering on the monitoring instrument.

Luo En nodded and immediately adjusted his strategy.

He took out a bottle of pale gold liquid and carefully dripped three drops onto the surface of the soft mud.

This is his own improved "Soothing Agent", capable of temporarily suppressing the overly active energy fluctuations of Abyss substances, winning time for subsequent operations.

The moment the golden liquid touched the soft mud, the substance in the entire container contracted violently.

Then it expanded like breathing, and the originally rapid energy fluctuations also became gentle and rhythmic.

"Very good, now enter stage two: Structural reorganization."

He took out several crystalline substances; these were energy anchors he specifically prepared for this experiment.

Each crystal carried unique energy characteristics, capable of guiding the soft mud to develop in a preset direction.

The crystals were placed around the container in sequence, forming a precise hexagram array.

Luo En pressed both hands on the surface of the container and began to input spiritual power, activating this array.

", aψ (Wake up!)"

This incantation was created by himself based on those whispers in his meditation method.

It can assist in spiritual power control, helping the practitioner more precisely grasp complex energy flows.

It can also be considered an advanced application of whispers, although it is still in the embryonic stage, but looking at its development trend, perhaps it has the possibility of becoming "Words of Power" in the future.

With the chanting of the incantation, the crystals gradually lit up, shooting six rays of light through the container, intersecting into a complex three-dimensional structure inside the soft mud.

Under this guidance, the soft mud began to reorganize, forming a preliminary energy circulation system inside, which is one of the core characteristics that distinguish the Autophagic Slime Monster from ordinary soft mud.

"Energy circulation started, core stability is good."

Luo En nodded with satisfaction: "Now we can proceed to stage three: Trait implantation."

This is the most critical link in the entire cultivation process, and also the part where Luo En truly exerts his creativity.

He selected several samples with distinct characteristics from those Abyss materials.

Including several crystal fragments with different characteristics brought back from the fourth layer, grinding them into powder and mixing them with his own blood.

Blood is the best carrier, capable of perfectly fusing the practitioner's will with the materials, forming a stable and lasting connection.

"According to my conception, this Autophagic Slime Monster should have three core functions..."

Luo En calculated in his heart while making the mixture:

"First is 'Bloodline Analysis', capable of quickly identifying and decomposing any biological tissue it comes into contact with, extracting its energy characteristics and genetic information.

This is crucial for bloodline modulation research."

He injected the first mixture into the upper region of the soft mud, and the liquid was immediately absorbed, forming a miniature analysis array inside.

"Secondly, 'Energy Conversion', converting excess or harmful energy into usable forms; this point is particularly important for handling Abyss samples or unstable experimental products."

The second mixture was injected into the middle layer of the soft mud, and an energy network similar to a digestive system soon formed inside.

"Finally, 'Morphological Plasticity', capable of quickly changing its own form according to needs.

Whether it is splitting into multiple small units or turning into specific tool shapes, it can be easily realized."

The third mixture was injected into the bottom layer, and the soft mud immediately showed amazing flexibility, flowing and deforming inside the container, as if testing its newly acquired abilities.

"Perfect." Luo En was somewhat excited.

In the next few hours, he continued to perform more precise adjustments and reinforcements, ensuring that these three core functions could coexist harmoniously without interfering with each other.

When the east turned pale, he finally completed all the work for the day.

The soft mud in the container had completely turned into a deep black, with fine silver lines covering the surface.

Some flickering light spots were also vaguely visible inside; those were the implanted energy cores.

"Stage one is complete; next, it needs to be left to stand for three days, allowing it to stabilize and adapt on its own, and slowly form consciousness during this process."

He carefully placed the container into a special incubator:

"Three days later, I will perform the fourth stage of mark implantation."

The tree spirit who had been silently accompanying him nodded and recorded the final data:

"The master's technique is more proficient than before, and the energy utilization efficiency has increased by at least fifteen percent."

"Thanks to that multi-dimensional conversion theory provided by Herman."

Luo En answered while washing his hands:

"That kid indeed has amazing talent in theoretical research, and the several energy node control methods mentioned in his paper gave me inspiration."

After washing his hands, he looked at the time and turned to Ailan:

"Is there anything else to do today?"

"There is a lecture for the elite group in the afternoon, and a batch of order potions needs to be prepared in the evening."

Ailan answered: "Also, Daier said her scales are a bit itchy, and she might need you to adjust her energy circulation."

"It should be that she is starting to grow again and needs to shed scales.

Adjust her crystal tank to low-temperature mode and add some 'Quiet Blue Algae'; that should relieve the symptoms."

Luo En pondered for a moment before saying: "After I finish the work at hand, I will give her a comprehensive check."

Before leaving the laboratory, he took one last look at the incubator.

The future Autophagic Slime Monster is growing quietly inside; this will be another important milestone for him on the path of bloodline modulation.

"The next plan needs to be put aside temporarily, prioritizing the energy extraction work of the substitute puppet."

Luo En's gaze looked toward a closed cabin on the other side of the laboratory.

That is exactly the special work area he prepared for the substitute puppet.

(End of chapter)