"This..."
Ronan was momentarily stunned by the changes occurring within his body.
The eleventh Mental Power Crystal.
He had actually condensed the eleventh Mental Power Crystal.
Theoretically, the limit for a wizard at the Mist Stage was ten crystals, and achieving that required delving deep into the soul's potential, entering the "Forbidden Mist Zone."
Yet now, he had taken a step beyond that limit. "Incredible," Ronan couldn't help but murmur softly. His current state felt eerily similar to when he had resolved the lingering obsessions of his former self on the East Coast and fully integrated his soul.
He was beginning to understand what the "Spirit Heart Amber" could truly offer him.
"By experiencing additional lives through dreams, it increases the upper limit of the practitioner's soul... is that it?"
He had spent a full seventy-two years in the "cycle" of dreams. Upon waking, those seventy-two years felt as though they had merged with his current self, much like how he had integrated with his former self, "Ronan," to enhance his soul.
Wizards had never ceased their exploration of the soul, but there had never been a unified, official answer regarding its composition.
Now, Ronan seemed to have found some reasonable interpretation through the legacy of the "Spirit Heart Amber." "To be precise, it increases the thickness of your soul," the aged voice of Alazan echoed in Ronan's mind.
Ronan's eyes flickered as he extended his hand, looking down at the golden ladybug slowly crawling on his fingertip.
"Is there a difference?"
"Of course."
The golden ladybug spread its wings and flew up to Ronan's face, as if peering into the deepest depths of his soul through his eyes.
"Your soul hasn't actually changed at all. The enhancement you've gained now is merely the potential that was already within your soul. The seventy-two-year cycle of dreams simply helped you unearth that potential.
Every soul possesses infinite potential, but it's buried deep within.
You are luckier than most, having obtained an efficient and powerful tool."
Long ago, when Ronan was still a wizard apprentice, a girl named Grace had given him his first lesson on the study of the soul in front of a small house with a beautiful blue roof.
Grace had likened a person's soul to a "crystal." The fewer impurities within the "crystal," the more exceptional the person's soul potential.
This was probably the most common and superficial understanding of the soul for Ronan, and for most wizards.
Alazan's explanation was more complex.
"At the moment of birth, each person's soul is like a pool of clear water, with a spring hidden deep within your body.
As you grow older and gain more experiences, everything you see, hear, think... and do in this world introduces impurities that muddy the water. At the same time, it also infuses the water with indescribable, wondrous substances that alter its quality. Do you understand the process of brewing wine? The scorching sun can make the wine sweet, while prolonged rainy seasons can make it sour. But over time, they all eventually mature into richness."
"The metaphor of crystal isn't entirely wrong, but don't you think... in the pursuit of immortality, crystal seems a bit too brittle and fragile?"
Ronan furrowed his brow and spoke, "Amber?"
"Yes!"
The golden ladybug fluttered before Ronan's eyes as Alazan burst into laughter, exclaiming:
"Yes, pure, golden, flowing... amber!"
"Through the eons, its form remains unchanged, indestructible, only becoming more exquisite."
"That is the most perfect, ideal state of a wizard's soul, like eternal amber!"
Ronan remained silent.
He finally understood the true essence that the "Spirit Amber" inheritance sought to convey and pursue.
Through the method of "Dreams of Reincarnation," one continuously enriches their life experiences, layering one life after another, merging different "selves" into the soul, making it dense, viscous, and resilient... ultimately achieving eternity!
It must be said, this is an absolutely genius idea. Ronan had never imagined such an unconventional method of soul cultivation.
He couldn't comprehend how the wizards who created this technique managed to realize such a wildly ambitious idea.
So, he posed his question to Alazan about the origin of "Dreams of Reincarnation."
Why could it feel so real, as if truly experiencing another life?
"Because it is real."
Alazan replied, "Each Dream of Reincarnation is extracted from the most complete and profound memories of a soul. What you experience in the dream is, in fact, a real segment of someone else's life.
Every petal on the dandelion has been meticulously and repeatedly carved by generations of spirit hearts. Only in this way can the most ideal effect be achieved."
Ronan listened to Alazan's explanation, intently "gazing" at the black dandelion flower in his mind.
How many petals were there on the dandelion?
He couldn't count.
Nor did he know, if he were to experience and comprehend every petal, each representing a complete life, to what heights his soul would ascend?
"Your first 'reincarnation' dream was too effective. It's best not to attempt a second one too soon.
The memories brought out from the dream, if not properly sorted and diluted, will over time turn into impurities settling within your soul.
In severe cases, it could even shake your will, causing confusion in your consciousness."
Alazan's voice grew weary. With his soul weakened to the form of a single ladybug, every conversation with Ronan consumed most of his energy.
"I must sleep now. When I wake next, I'll teach you how to eliminate the aftereffects of the Dreams of Reincarnation."
The golden ladybug flew into Ronan's body, settling back onto his soul, and fell into a deep slumber.
Once again, Ronan was alone in the cave, listening to the drip of water from the ceiling and his own steady breathing.
"Spirit Amber."
Ronan's eyes flickered as he took out water and rations from his space ring, silently replenishing the energy depleted from over two months without eating.
He casually opened his character panel.
With the formation of the eleventh Mental Power Crystal, Ronan's mental power, having undergone three purifications, reached its limit and ceased to grow. However, his strength has now begun to ascend once again.
Ronan's mental power intensity far surpasses that of an average third-level wizard. The mental power he currently releases is so formidable that it forms visible golden ripples around him. An ordinary third-level wizard might not even withstand the impact of a single ripple.
The gap is too vast!
The miraculous effect of Spirit Heart Amber shattered Ronan's limits during the Mist Stage, leading to the formation of the eleventh Mental Power Crystal. In the future, it's possible to generate the twelfth, thirteenth, and even more.
If a wizard prodigy like Serena, who condensed the tenth Mental Power Crystal, could be said to have stepped into the "Forbidden Mist Zone," then Ronan now can undoubtedly be described as "venturing deep into the forbidden zone."
The breaking of the soul's limit and the increase in the upper limit of Mental Power Crystals bring obvious benefits.
Without a doubt, after Ronan ascends to the Dawn Stage in the future, the grade of the Primal Spirit he nurtures will be significantly enhanced.
Moreover, Ronan has been attempting to disassemble Herams' Law-Controlling runes and inscribe them piece by piece onto his Mental Power Crystals through combination.
Previously, even after condensing the tenth Mental Power Crystal, he worried about insufficient space. Now, he no longer needs to worry about this issue. If five positions aren't enough, then six; if six aren't enough, then seven. He can always achieve the most reasonable and proper allocation.
"And then..."
Ronan reached out and picked up a paper-folded blue bird from the ground in front of him, gently brushing off the dust.
The messenger blue bird he had sent out to contact the wizards of the Elemental Ring had returned with a message a month and a half ago.
This means that the wizards from the central Elemental Ring, barring any unforeseen circumstances, have been waiting for him in some place for a full month and a half.
"I need to hurry..."
Ronan shook his head and slowly rubbed the blue bird in his hand.
The paper-folded blue bird came back to life, flapped its wings, and quickly flew out of the cave.
After replenishing his stamina and recovering his condition, Ronan packed up everything arranged in the cave and walked out.
The land was divided into countless pieces by scorching magma, resembling a massive network of cracks.
Countless volcanoes spewing thick smoke and ash dyed the sky deep red and dark gray, creating a perpetual twilight at the boundary of dawn and dusk.
Birds with feathers like burning embers flew through the rolling toxic smoke, while humanoid creatures made of rock and magma ran across the land. Crimson vines grew wildly, and the vast volcanic plain was covered in a thick layer of volcanic ash. At this moment, a tall and slender figure swiftly broke through the dim and turbid horizon.
The newcomer, in his early twenties, had white hair, a black Wizard Robe, and a strikingly handsome appearance. His slightly pursed lips and deep lake-blue eyes gave him a more composed and calm demeanor than his outward appearance suggested.
It was Ronan, who had been traveling day and night.
The dry, hot wind whistled past his ears, causing his Wizard Robe to flutter.
Ronan narrowed his eyes and gazed at the vast plain, which the central wizards referred to as the "Blazing Realm" on the map.
This was a perilous place that had only taken shape in the recent ancient times, said to have been born from a cataclysmic-level spell battle between two powerful wizards. Ronan took out "Schbiert's Myriad Treasure Orb" from his space ring, silently recording everything he saw before him.
Accompanied by the act of "checking in" in the form of a wizard, soon, in Ronan's vision, the outline of a massive spell-powered aircraft appeared.
From a distance, the aircraft resembled a giant bird with wings spread wide.
The body of the giant bird was crafted from some kind of magical silver steel, light yet sturdy, its surface covered in runes.
At the tail of the giant bird burned a flame that never extinguished, with the Rune Array continuously absorbing the free-floating fire elemental energy particles in the air, providing the fuel for its perpetual burning.
The surface of the giant bird was covered with a flowing water membrane, with black levitation stones embedded at its base, and its wings composed of rotating hurricanes.
On this magnificent aircraft, a fusion of magic and wisdom, there seemed to be a small garden, its surface shielded by a transparent magical barrier. From Ronan's perspective, the garden looked like an exquisite bonsai sealed within a crystal ball.
His eyes flickered for a moment, and he put away the Myriad Treasure Orb in his hand, slowly moving closer to the giant bird.
Before Ronan could fully approach, two figures, as dazzling as the midday sun, flew out from the bonsai garden on the back of the giant bird aircraft.
Under the overwhelming pressure of the Dawn, the vast plains of the "Blazing Realm" seemed to fall into complete silence.
It wasn't long before the two figures were fully revealed before Ronan.
Two wizards, both middle-aged men in appearance. The one on the left wore a robe sewn from fire lizard skin, his hair a deep red, as if dyed by flames, the tips always slightly floating, as if surrounded by heat.
At this moment, the other's angular face showed no expression, and his gaze at Ronan was also quite indifferent.
This was clearly a powerful wizard who specialized in, or primarily practiced, fire spells.
As for the other Dawn Wizard, his face was lean, his skin pale as moonlight, his short black hair slightly curly with a hint of silver, his spider-patterned robe as smooth as if ironed, giving off the impression of an ancient noble lineage.
"Above the Circle, praise the Omnipotent."
As the two wizards approached, the short-haired wizard in the spider-patterned robe was the first to utter a chant. After receiving a similar gesture of courtesy from Ronan, a brilliantly warm smile appeared on his face.
"Cooper Eldridge, just call me Cooper.
This is Lumiere Malcolm Bell, the wizard."
"Finally, we meet, Ronan Damien, the future pride of the Circle.
Each and every one of us has been eagerly awaiting your arrival!"
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