Opportunities for paid consultations were hard to come by.
In the Black Mist Forest, one-on-one advanced guidance like this was typically reserved for top-performing students or those who had made special contributions.
Thompson thought for a moment, then took an ancient tome from the shelf and carefully turned to a specific page.
The edges of the pages were yellowed and curling from age, and the ink was slightly faded, a clear sign the book had been referenced many times over the years.
"Some high-grade magic materials with 'memory' properties can be strengthened, but that requires a special 'marking ritual.' The most classic example is soulsteel."
The old man smiled knowingly, offering no further comment, and pointed to the yellowed page, where a complex diagram and set of runes were drawn:
"This is a ritual used by ancient alchemists to strengthen the bond between soulsteel and its wielder. By injecting energy in a specific sequence, a unique 'energy circuit' can be established within the soulsteel, making it more receptive to the user's will."
Robb focused intently on the diagram, memorizing every detail.
The arrangement of the runes, the flow of energy, even the subtle points of balance, all of it was etched into his memory.
This was the kind of crucial information he could never find in ordinary texts.
He solemnly pulled a full magic stone from his pocket and handed it to Thompson.
Naturally, such valuable ancient knowledge wouldn't come for free.
Still, even if an apprentice had a full magic stone, they'd rarely gain access to such precious insights, let alone with guided explanation included.
"Of course, this book may look ancient, but it's a reprint that's changed hands many times. Don't take the ritual as gospel, use it for reference only, never apply it rigidly..."
Thompson took the magic stone smoothly and continued:
"Also, be mindful of the caster's mental state, it must remain highly focused and calm. Any emotional fluctuation can cause the ritual to fail."
Robb nodded, already working through an implementation plan in his mind.
"As for isolation layers…"
Thompson closed the book, expression turning grave.
"This is an extremely complex and dangerous field. Isolating different energy fields is an advanced alchemical technique. A single misstep can result in energy leaks or explosions."
The old man's eyes held a flicker of warning.
"I've noticed your research focus is… very unconventional. If you're planning to combine soulsteel with isolation techniques to divide and store certain energies, I have to warn you, this kind of experiment is extremely risky."
A chill passed through Robb's heart, though he kept his expression calm.
"I understand the risks, mentor. My research is still theoretical, I won't attempt practical application until I've verified every step for safety."
As the consultation drew to a close, Thompson took the time to explain several key alchemical techniques, especially advanced theories on energy transformation and material fusion.
Such knowledge couldn't be found in ordinary books, it was passed down through generations of alchemists.
Once the consultation ended, Robb left the tower and made his way back to the workshop.
Night had fallen. The Black Mist Forest remained eerie and oppressive in the dark.
Strange howls echoed in the distance, shadows swayed beneath the moonlight, as if countless unseen eyes watched from the trees.
Starlight dotted the path ahead.
Robb's mind drifted back to what he had gained today.
The deeper his research went, the more certain he became that his direction was the right one.
After all, someone had succeeded before, though that individual had become infamous as an "Apostle," they had still left a bold mark in wizard history.
And those thirteen God Apostles… were powerful enough to rival the greatest mages.
As he approached the workshop, warm light glowed through the windows.
He heightened his mana perception and immediately sensed two familiar presences inside, Layla and Daera had returned.
He pushed open the door. A small silver-haired figure leapt into his arms.
"Master!"
Daera cried joyfully, eyes glowing with victorious excitement.
"I won! That big brute didn't even see half of what I could do!"
Her eyes gleamed alarmingly bright, and she radiated the satisfaction of a well-fed predator.
Robb smiled and patted her head.
"Well done, Daera. I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."
He quickly noticed the changes in her, those vivid violet-red eyes.
A clear sign of a successful consumption. Her bloodline was evolving again.
"Next time, try to gulp down two at once," he joked.
"Layla, how did things go?" he asked, turning to the girl standing nearby.
Layla gave a slight bow, her face lit with a modest, contained smile.
"Everything went well, Teacher. Daera performed excellently and advanced with ease in the elimination round. I've also completed my Elementary Apprentice certification and was assessed as mid-tier potential."
Robb noticed the new badge pinned to her chest and nodded with approval.
"Well done. Advancing in just half a year with five-star aptitude is no small feat."
"I've recorded Daera's entire battle."
Layla handed him the crystal sphere with care.
"From observation, she successfully absorbed some of the fishman's traits, particularly its deep-sea adaptability and strength have shown marked improvement."
Robb took the sphere, briefly sensing the recordings inside, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Excellent. Her devouring efficiency is even higher than expected. It seems the 'Glutton' trait has more potential than we imagined."
He held the crystal to his eye, studying the energy flow patterns recorded within.
The bloodline energy inside Daera's body was nearing the Gold-tier threshold, far above the usual Silver-tier level for mermaids.
If she continued on this path, and completed a few more targeted consumptions, she might reach the Gold-tier before the tournament ended.
"The next beast melee will be even more dangerous."
He turned to Daera.
"Rest for now. The upcoming free-for-all will be more difficult. But I believe with your current strength, you'll reach the finals."
Daera lifted her chin with confidence.
"Don't worry, Master, I'll win the championship for sure! That puppet is as good as ours! Those other guys are just tasty snacks to me."
Robb smiled and nodded, though his mind had already turned to long-term planning.
…
In the lab, candlelight flickered, casting shadows along the walls.
Robb stood at his workbench, reviewing over a month's worth of experimental records.
Charts and formulas bore witness to his sweat, his failures, and his breakthroughs.
"It's time for a full status review."
He closed his eyes, constructing the mental image of his personal knowledge library.
He had long built a majestic palace of information in his mental space.
Every book, every shelf, arranged with precise logic, ready for instant retrieval.
His mental projection strolled between towering bookshelves to the "Personal Growth" section.
Here, rows of books recorded his progress in every area of cultivation.
He pulled down the first volume, gold-embossed title: "Whispers of the Star-Eater: Meditation Progress."
Inside were detailed notes on every meditation session, his mental states, energy flows, and technique refinements.
"Meditation's progressing steadily. No big leaps, but tangible improvements each day."
He added the latest update:
[Current Progress: Whispers of the Star-Eater (Adept 192/300)]
With continued practice, his spiritforce was rising steadily, just shy of the 4.0 threshold for Intermediate Apprentices.
"At this rate, I should break through right after the Blood Arena concludes, just in time for the next Wizard Reserve Quarterly Meeting."
He replaced the book and took down another, this one tracking spell construction and psychic disruption.
[Current Progress: Spell Construction (Adept 65/100)]
[Current Progress: Mental Disruption (Adept 78/100)]
Under Solon's extra guidance, both progressed rapidly, especially the latter, which had begun to show signs of forming a "Psychic Shockwave."
While still leagues below a formal wizard, it gave Robb a powerful auxiliary attack.
Even Solen had expressed surprise at the precision of Robb's mental control.
A flicker passed through Robb's eyes before returning to calm.
He knew it wasn't talent, it was the result of countless days and nights of exacting practice.
Every gain was bought with time and sweat.
The third book covered elemental perception, detailed observations of elemental fluctuations and interactions.
[Current Progress: Elemental Perception (Adept 67/100)]
"Seraphine's 'Energy Anchoring Crystal' is a treasure. It's elevated my understanding of elemental sensing."
Without Seraphine's special attention, this progress might've taken him three times as long.
Now, with her tutoring complete, he'd need to pay for future one-on-one consultations, limited to once a week.
Leaving the shelves, Robb summoned the "Asset Ledger" scroll from his library.
It tracked every bit of income and expense with clarity.
"I've built up a decent reserve."
In the past month, several major potion orders had come in, along with ten magic stones set aside from the Shapeshifter Skin project.
After deducting workshop expenses, he had 15 full magic stones and 300–400 fragments in reserve.
"Not exactly rich, but for an apprentice, that's impressive."
Robb studied the figures with a small sense of relief.
This was the power of a Professional Potion Master.
A solid magic stone reserve meant he could afford rare materials, emergency data, or complex experiments.
"Last is bloodline activation training."
He left the mental library and opened his eyes, gaze falling on a delicate glass vial on the far side of the bench.
Inside swirled a dark red liquid, gently pulsing under the light like it had a life of its own.
Lava Dewdrop, an essential body-tempering potion for the third phase of the Solar Breath.
"Tonight's the night. Let's get this breakthrough done."
Robb glanced outside. The full moon hung high in the sky.
Not ideal, sun-element factors were weak at night, but the breakthrough was within reach, and he couldn't wait. Tomorrow had other plans.
He carefully lifted the vial and stepped into the center of the training field.
The floor was built with special heat-absorbing stone, able to withstand intense heat without damage.
He inhaled deeply, sat cross-legged, and centered his breath.
Opening the vial, a wave of heat blasted outward, like facing a volcanic vent.
"Now."
Robb unhesitatingly spread the Lava Dewdrop across several key bloodline junctions.
Instantly, it was like magma had been poured on him, burning through his skin, rushing under it, spreading rapidly.
Every inch of skin, every muscle, every vein, flooded with searing energy.
"Ugh…"
Even with previous attempts, Robb still groaned from the pain.
It felt like his blood was igniting, roaring inside his body.
His skin turned red-hot, seemingly burning from the inside out. Sweat evaporated on contact, forming a mist around him.
"I must… stay in control…"
He gritted his teeth and began the breathing technique for the third stage of the Solar Breath.
Every inhale brought more fire. Every exhale expelled molten heat.
But as his breathing stabilized, the pain began to transform.
The heat became something else, a purification.
He felt the Lava Dewdrop altering his blood chemistry, making it more active, more aggressive.
The blood seemed to come alive, seeking out impurities and clots, burning them away.
"First Breath…"
He muttered the incantation, syncing with a specific breathing rhythm.
His chest expanded, drawing in more energy.
"Second Breath…"
As the second breath began, the heat inside him cycled, forming a circuit,
From heart, to arms, to abdomen, to legs, then back to the heart, again and again.
Each loop purified and strengthened the energy.
Then he tried the third breath, and hit resistance.
"Third Breath…"
The energy inside hit its limit, unable to push through.
Like a stream trying to hold back a flood, his pathways nearly burst.
"Just a little more… just a little more…"
He clenched his jaw, fighting the feeling of imminent internal explosion.
This was the most critical point of bloodline activation, the tipping point.
But the wall remained.
The heat-absorbing stones beneath him were glowing red, releasing searing warmth.
"If this is bloodline activation… maybe I can draw on the Primal Chimera Core?"
He closed his eyes, reaching out to the core within him.
It wasn't his first time, but this was the closest he'd ever come.
As he cycled the burning energy, an ancient, foreign force began to stir.
A primal vitality, full of mutation and adaptation.
"This is it!"
He grabbed the faint connection and merged his bloodline with it.
Like a burst dam, power exploded within him.
His veins expanded, muscle fibers stretched and contracted, over and over, becoming tougher and more elastic.
The Lava-altered blood was now fully awakened, like it had a will of its own, seeking every part of his body, delivering energy precisely where it was needed.
The state lasted who knew how long.
When Robb finally regained awareness, he found himself lying on the ground, drenched in sweat.
But unlike before, there was no fatigue, only a powerful sense of lightness and strength.
Like a heavy shackle had been cast off, he felt reborn.
"Did it work…?"
He slowly sat up, feeling the flow of energy inside him.
The powerful bloodline was now part of his very body, like a furnace that would never go out, always ready to unleash heat.
[Bloodline Activation EXP +1]
[Breakthrough! Bloodline Activation (Novice 100/100) → Bloodline Activation (Adept 1/300)]
[Gained Trait: Boiling Blood
(Enhances "Bloodline Knight" vitality bursts and reduces physical fatigue debuffs)]