Chapter 69

The familiar yet strange scene appeared again—the dark void between the stars, and that terrifying existence like a devourer.

Unlike last time, this time he did not feel panicked, but observed all this with a near-transcendent attitude.

That existence, so vast it could not be described in words, was devouring one star after another. Every time a star was swallowed into that bottomless abyss, a painful wail seemed to sound in the universe.

For a beginner, this scene would be enough to cause a mental breakdown, but after a month of tempering, Luo En was able to remain calm.

【Spiritual power has entered an unstable state!】

【Potential spiritual pollution detected】

Through dozens of meditation sessions and the experience accumulated after the last burst of inspiration, he had already figured out a set of methods to deal with spiritual pollution.

Just like exercising muscles, moderate stimulation could actually prompt spiritual power to grow better.

In the void, catching a glimpse of that "devourer" again, an indescribable sense of fear instantly enveloped him, as if his entire soul were being eroded by cold darkness.

This fear was not just a threat from death or pain, but a deeper fear of the "true" essence of the universe.

Luo En felt his consciousness being torn apart by the gaze of that vast existence, like a piece of paper swaying in a gale.

This was the most intense spiritual impact he had ever experienced, far exceeding the experience in all previous meditations.

"Spiritual rhythm... must find the spiritual rhythm..." He repeated this sentence in his consciousness, as if grabbing a straw in a storm.

But this time, with the solid spiritual power foundation accumulated over the previous month, plus reaching the critical point of 2.9, his performance was undoubtedly much better than last time.

As his spirit reached a certain subtle balance, Luo En suddenly felt an unprecedented realization welling up in his heart.

Those obscure parts of "The Whisper of the Star Eater" that had troubled him in the past became exceptionally clear at this moment.

The laws of star movement, the flow of cosmic energy, and even some more profound dimensional concepts were presented before him in a near-intuitive way.

When his consciousness vibrated according to this rhythm, the external pressure seemed less unbearable.

That feeling of being torn apart gradually eased, replaced by a strange resonance.

"So that's it... the essence of this meditation method is not to control spiritual power, but to guide it to flow according to the most original rhythm in the star space..."

This burst of inspiration lasted for about ten minutes. When Luo En's consciousness returned to the real world, he found that his whole body was soaked in cold sweat, his clothes sticking to his skin, but his mental state was surprisingly clear.

What surprised him even more was that an unprecedented spiritual power was surging within him, sweeping through his whole body like a breached flood.

This was both the quantitative change accumulated over the past month finally triggering a qualitative change, and the final push brought by this burst of inspiration.

【Spiritual power breakthrough improvement!】

【Spirit: 2.9 → 3.0】

【Magic: 0.7 → 1.0】

"Success!" Luo En exclaimed softly, quickly calming his mind and quietly feeling the changes in his body.

Reaching 3.0 in spiritual power meant he had officially stepped into the threshold of a medium apprentice.

He could feel that his perception of the surrounding magic power had become more acute, and he could even detect those weak energy fluctuations in the air that were almost non-existent.

More importantly, his spiritual power was no longer just passive perception, but could be actively extended to form a special "spiritual tentacle" to probe the environment further away.

But for Luo En, more importantly, this time he did not rely on external objects, but overcame the spiritual distortion brought by inspiration through his own efforts, completing this transformation.

This meant that even without the Time Guardian's pocket watch, he already possessed the ability to independently deal with higher-level spiritual challenges.

"Lady Ailan was right, inspiration is a curse, but it is also an opportunity. The key lies in how you deal with this double-edged sword."

【Warning: Mild spiritual pollution detected】

He reached out and took the silver pocket watch from the bedside, put his consciousness into it, and completely eliminated his abnormal state.

The black gemstone on the pocket watch immediately lit up, starting to absorb the negative state on his body.

【Successfully reset negative state: mild spiritual pollution, energy -2】

As the pocket watch absorbed the spiritual pollution, Luo En felt his mind gradually lighten. Although the degree of pollution was lighter than the first time, since it could be completely removed, it was better to eliminate it.

【"The Whisper of the Star Eater" Experience +10】

【Current Progress: "The Whisper of the Star Eater" (Proficient 128/300)】

Although he had made significant progress, Luo En also knew that the journey of this gem-level meditation method had only just reached less than halfway.

There was still a long way to go to reach the "completion of the first stage" that Lady Ailan mentioned.

And when the first stage was completed, it would be time for him to enter the high-level apprentice stage, ready to break through to the level of a formal wizard at any time.

A breeze blew in from the window, taking away part of the sweat on his body and waking him from his contemplation.

It was time to go to the herb shop.

After packing up the items he needed to bring, Luo En took another look at the humble dormitory where he had lived for nearly a year.

Looking at the narrow wooden bed and the rickety desk, an inexplicable emotion suddenly surged in his heart.

This place carried his confusion and fear when he first arrived, and also witnessed his journey toward strength step by step.

But with the improvement of his strength, this place was no longer suitable for him.

Not to mention the humble conditions, the daily commute to the market and various public facilities of the school also took up a lot of his time, and in all aspects, it could not meet his existing needs.

More importantly, with the improvement of his strength, he realized more and more clearly that this dormitory area had gradually become a security risk.

Some time ago, many people began to try to approach him, including some guys with bad motives.

Although he was now enough to deal with most troubles, being in this environment for a long time would always make people mentally tense.

"This place is not a long-term solution after all..."

(End of chapter)