In a somewhat dilapidated campsite.
Erected in the middle of the campsite was a tent made from cowhide, and it had a sturdy look to it.
Beside the tent was a small fire, where bright yellow flames continuously lapped against a metal pot hanging above it.
A broth that contained some pieces of mushroom and beef-jerky was boiling in this metal pot.
Around the fire, there were many pieces of forked branches, which was used to grill several small fishes. There was also some barbecued meat, which frothed with tiny bubbles as the golden-yellow grease continuously dripped down, while the aroma of sizzling meat permeated the air.
AD
The little blonde girl sat by the side, looking at the piping hot food, involuntarily gulping down her saliva.
Thereafter, she turned her head to look to the side.
There, on a patch of grass, a handsome, black-haired man sat cross-legged on a white sackcloth as he practiced meditation.
This person was, naturally, Leylin.
After bringing Ivy along for quite some distance, he initiated a break to rest awhile.
Although Leylin, with his current vitality, would not be tired even after journeying for 7 days and nights, the little girl would definitely not be able to keep up.
Moreover, he had to take out some time every day to cultivate with his high-grade meditation technique.
AD
The meditation technique that he had gotten was the Kemoyin's Pupil meditation technique that was compatible with his bloodline. Adding on to the A.I. Chip's purification of the blood essence, his progress in meditation was extremely fast.
"Eyes are the windows of the soul, by concentrating your sight with the Kemoyin's Pupil, you will rediscover yourself - Norco Curadu Sfar!"
This was what Leylin saw repeatedly at the start of the Kemoyin's Pupil meditation technique.
And now, Leylin shut both his eyes and felt that he was staring right into a pair of vertical pupils that were amber-like.
Darkness with burning flames seemed to engulf his body.
As for Ivy who had been watching Leylin, she realised that a black and red mist emerged from Leylin's body. This mist revolved around Leylin, not dissipating.
The strands of mist began to converge, forming the shape of a small snake, coiling around Leylin, at the same time spitting out its scarlet tongue.
The small snake continuously roved around Leylin, finally coiling on Leylin's face, turning into a strange mask. A wave of darkness energy particles was continuously absorbed by the mask.
A dozen minutes later, the mask shattered, turning into black gases and threaded into Leylin through the seven orifices.
"A.I. Chip! Scan my current data!" Leylin opened his eyes wide and commanded in silence.
[Beep! Leylin Farlier. Rank 1 Warlock, Bloodline: Giant Kemoyin Serpent. Strength: 7.1, Agility: 6.7, Vitality: 8.5, Spiritual force: 28.2, Magic power: 28 (magic power is in synchronisation with spiritual force). Status: Healthy]
[Host completed a level of high-grade meditation technique. spiritual force increased by 0.005. Elemental essence conversion: Darkness. Progress: 1%]
AD
"Every time I meditate there will be a definite increase in the spiritual force, it's not bad already!"
Leylin nodded his head in satisfaction.
Increasing the spiritual force of magicians would only get more difficult in the long run. Especially for official Magi, the meditation techniques they used as acolytes were completely irrelevant now. If they did not have high-grade meditation techniques, they could only rely on external resources to increase their spiritual force.
Resources which were able to create an effect on official Magi were extremely rare even on the south coast. Hence, after advancing into a rank 1 Magus, many of the Magi found it extremely difficult to advance again.
Only those who had cultivated with the high-grade meditation techniques would be able to maintain their progress.
However, every level of high-grade meditation techniques was extremely challenging. The first level was still alright. However, after that, every level required tens of hundreds of years.
As for the special characteristics of high-grade meditation technique, they would only get more difficult the further one is. According to Leylin's guess, after the third level, a Magus required thousands of years to advance to the next level!
Hence, many Magi could not advance in time before their lifespan was up, and died from old age just like that.
"A.I. Chip, calculate how long more I need to reach the criteria to advance and become a rank 2 Warlock, given my current progress!"
[Beep! Mission establishing, gather Host's data, simulating conjecture...]
[With the Host's current stats, estimated to reach the requirements of advancement into a rank 2 Warlock in 14 years and 7 months!] The A.I. Chip's voice intoned.
"That's quite long! However, compared to those regular Magi who cannot advance in tens of hundreds of years, it seems like my current situation is pretty good!" Leylin's brows furrowed but quickly relaxed.
From the graphical analysis made by the A.I. Chip, the increase in spiritual force that the high-grade meditation technique gives will also begin to slow down after reaching a certain extent. Moreover, the elemental essence conversion progress will only get slower as he progresses. This was the reason stopping Leylin from advancing quickly.
According to the A.I. Chip's estimates and the Book of Giant Serpent implicit divulging, rank 2 Magus advancement criteria was to have a spiritual force of at least 80, and the elemental essence conversion to be over 80%.
These two conditions alone have stumped many genius acolytes before.
The spiritual force requirement was still alright. Whether it was about cultivating in high-grade meditation techniques or finding large amounts of resources which could stimulate the spiritual force, it could still be solved over time.
AD
However, elemental essence conversion was a different story altogether. First of all, if the Magus chose the wrong energy particles, then he would find it extremely difficult to exceed an elemental essence conversion of 50%. To be specific, one has to first choose the energy particle with the highest elemental affinity to get the elemental essence conversion to over 80%.
Moreover, this was only the most basic criteria. To some heirs of large families and true geniuses, they would waste their potential if they advanced with an 80% elemental essence conversion. Only by getting a 90% elemental essence conversion and above, would they face fewer bottlenecks while advancing to become a rank 2 Magus.
These were all mentioned in the Kemoyin's Pupil.
In addition, some regular Magi had to solve the problem of obtaining a rank 2 spell model. If they were unable to find one which complements their rank 1 innate spell, mishaps will occur during the inscribing of their rank 2 spell model, such as having their brains exploding.
Hence, those magicians who used Grine Water with spell models to advance, their path in future would become extremely narrow.
Although his progress was extremely fast already, Leylin still felt somewhat pressured deep down.
He had utterly offended the Lilytell family. This was a large-scale family with the family head existence that could rival the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy's chairman.
That was a rank 2 Magus or an expert close to that level!
As for Leylin right now, once he was to meet someone like that, his only outcome would be death!
AD
Advancing into a rank 1 Warlock only let him have the simplest form of self-preservation. To be able to live free in the future in broad daylight, he had to at least be a rank 2 Warlock to be able to handle the pursuers from Abyssal Bone Forest Academy.
After having access to the high-grade meditation technique, Leylin realised that magicians who cultivated with the high-grade meditation techniques also required some resources.
This was because some precious resources could increase the progress of meditation.
There were several ingredients that could complement his meditation — that was mentioned in the Kemoyin's Pupil meditation technique.
Hence, he was somewhat impatient to hurry and reach the Ennea Ivory Ring Tower, situated within the domain of Light Magi.
It had the largest, free trade market and collection centre. Leylin could definitely rely on it to get his resources and improve his progress quickly.
"Lo... Lord... The broth is ready..."
Seeing that Leylin had finished with his meditation today, Ivy hurriedly scooped a bowl of broth and brought it to Leylin.
"You have worked hard!"
Leylin smiled at Ivy and took the bowl.
Ivy looked at Leylin's unfathomable eyes that had endless depths and stared at them blankly, her eyes lifeless.
"This is..." Leylin had a slight shock and immediately reached out a hand glowing in white light as he tapped Ivy's forehead.
"Lord! Just now..." Very soon Ivy recovering, yet she did not dare to look into Leylin's eyes again.
"This is a circumstance of mine which I did not restrain properly earlier. In the future do not be this careless again..." Leylin understood what had just transpired.
It was the result that the A.I. Chip indicated earlier, elemental essence conversion progress: 1%.
AD
When Magi continued to improve their progress of elemental essence conversion, the spiritual force radiated will bring about a strong power which was attributed to the elements.
Ivy losing her bearings earlier was considered as a mild effect.
If Leylin had had an elemental essence conversion of 50% and above, and by not restraining himself, in that situation Ivy would most likely have been attacked by the Darkness energy particles and thus would have become a shrivelled corpse
As for different elemental energy particles, the final elemental conversion would also be reflected differently.
For example: if a Magus chose the Ice energy particles as the attribute to cultivate with, he would be able to freeze the spiritual force of anyone who stares into the said Magus's eyes.
As for those who cultivated in Fire energy particles, enemies who probed their spiritual force would be burnt, even suffering from a backlash.
Leylin cultivated in the Darkness energy particles, which was emphasized more towards the aspect of a person's spiritual force and soul. In later stages, if regular humans were to come into contact with his high-density elemental essence conversion, their soul would immediately perish, their physical bodies decomposing into a shrivelled corpse.
"Sorr...sorry!" Ivy lifted her skirt and bowed, hurriedly moving out of the way.
Seeing that the girl was unharmed, Leylin nodded his head and poured the meat broth into his mouth.
The warm savoury meat broth laced with bites of fresh mushroom excited Leylin's palette.
AD
"This tastes pretty good! I guess you have not eaten yet too?"
Leylin looked at Ivy, now with his eyes back to normal there was no chance of causing unintended harm anymore.
"Yes!"
Ivy softly replied. She helped herself to some dry rations and a bowl of broth. Together with Leylin, they feasted.
Leylin looked at Ivy and let out the slightest sigh of relief.
If this was the past, Ivy would surely be treated like a princess by her own family.
However, this present way of living by roughing it out in the open would surely help her to mature quickly.
"After you are done eating, come find me in my tent. I need a sample of your blood!" 𝐟𝒓𝚎𝘦we𝐛𝐧𝐨vℯ𝚕. c𝘰ｍ
Leylin gobbled his food quickly and said to Ivy.
The underlying reason he saved Ivy was not due to kindness but to use her Warlock's bloodline for his research.