Chapter 69: Medium-Level Apprentice, Further Progress

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

Unlike last time, he did not feel panicked this time but observed everything with an almost detached 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 echo in the universe.

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

[Mental power has entered an unstable state!]

[Potential mental pollution detected]

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

Just like exercising muscles, moderate stimulation could actually promote the better growth of mental power.

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 purely from the threat of death or pain, but a deeper fear of the "true" nature 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 mental shock he had ever experienced, far exceeding all previous meditation experiences.

"Mental rhythm... must find the mental rhythm..." He repeated this sentence in his consciousness, as if grabbing a life-saving straw in a storm.

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

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

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

The laws of star movement, the way cosmic energy flowed, and even some more profound dimensional concepts were presented before him in an almost intuitive way.

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

The feeling of being torn apart gradually eased, replaced by a peculiar resonance.

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

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

What surprised him even more was that an unprecedented mental power was surging within him, sweeping through his 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.

[Mental power breakthrough improvement!]

[Mental: 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 mental power meant he had officially stepped into the threshold of a medium-level apprentice.

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

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

But for Luo En, more importantly, he had not relied on external objects this time but had overcome the mental 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 cope with higher-level mental challenges.

"Lady Allen 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 mental pollution detected]

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

The black gem on the pocket watch immediately lit up, starting to absorb the negative states from his body.

[Successfully reset negative state: mild mental pollution, energy -2]

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

["The Star Eater's Whispers" Experience +10]

[Current Progress: "The Star Eater's Whispers" (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 Allen 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 an official 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 head to the herb shop.

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

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

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

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

The conditions were simple, and commuting between the market and the school's various public facilities every day took up a lot of his time. In all aspects, it was far from meeting his existing needs.

More importantly, as his strength improved, he became increasingly aware that this dormitory area had gradually become a safety hazard.

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

Although he was now capable of dealing with most troubles, being in this environment for a long time would always keep one's mind tense.

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