010 The Shimmering Orb

Roland reopened his journal; his goal had always been crystal clear—to break through his bottleneck. Now that he had achieved this breakthrough, it was only natural to carefully assess his current state.

[Roland]
[Rank: Low-Level Wizard Apprentice (32/1000)]
[Skills Mastered: Advanced Valeria Swordsmanship (0/1000), Apprentice-Level Potion Brewing—Beginner (41/100), Telepathy II (68/100), Luminescence II (83/100)]
[Forbidden Technique: Forbidden Beginner Transfiguration (1/100)]

“After this meditation, I’ve not only broken through the bottleneck but also advanced 3% further within the low-level apprentice rank,” he thought.

Normally, Roland would meditate seven to eight hours daily and be fortunate to increase his rank points by just one. Occasionally, with a stroke of luck, he might gain two points. Reaching 32 points usually required a month of arduous training. Yet this breakthrough had propelled him forward the equivalent of an entire month’s progress in a single leap.

Feeling the surge of magical energy within him, he mused silently, “My mana has increased two to threefold.”

His mentor had once told him that when a novice apprentice steps through the gates of magic, their mana amplification is at its peak. Typically, upon ascending to a low-level apprentice, mana would increase by only 20% to 30%. Those with exceptional talent might see an increase of 30% to 60%. Only a rare prodigy, combined with the most advanced meditation techniques and potions, could achieve a doubling of mana. Yet Roland’s mana had grown two to three times! He had surpassed even the geniuses his mentor had described.

The mentor had once evaluated Roland, saying he possessed “Seven Elemental Aptitude,” a designation meaning he was practically useless—akin to a Muggle, with great difficulty in harnessing magic. To cross the threshold into magic, mere potion stimulation wouldn’t suffice; the right meditation method was essential.

Thus, all of Roland’s achievements owed themselves to the “Alaya Journals.” The visualization technique he practiced stemmed directly from this tome—a perfect match, an elite meditation method. His transfiguration and the mermaid fruit also originated from the Alaya Journals—gifts from the elemental spirits, treasures beyond reach, the highest-grade magical potions.

Roland sighed, “Indeed, relying solely on my own efforts would be futile—I owe my success to the aid of my ancestors.”

Fortunately, those ancestors had already been driven mad and perished by his hand; otherwise, hearing this would surely drive them insane once more. For whether it was grasping the spell of transfiguration or finding the right path in flawed meditation methods, all of it was Roland’s own doing.

For those with unyielding will, even if led down a wrong path, they could carve out a bright road by sheer force of determination.

Roland was like a gem shining with its own light, yet he credited a false lantern held by others.

His emotions tangled as he leafed through his book: “My aptitude must be quite poor. I depend entirely on this book and these potions.”

“I have to admit, for me, this book represents the pinnacle of meditation techniques—I just glimpsed a bizarre and wondrous true world, sensing a pure and immense source of magical power.”

“It seems to draw mana from the very essence of the world…”

“Though the visions during meditation are enough to unhinge one’s sanity, that must be normal…”

Roland thought inwardly, “I possess almost no foundational knowledge of magic, like shoving quantum theory into a primary schooler’s mind… Of course, it’s maddening.”

“Therefore, the loss of sanity is my issue, not the meditation method’s.”

“I must persist with this meditation technique.”

Roland firmly believed that regardless of the hardships, the results proved this method profoundly enhanced his mana.

A staunch pragmatist, he measured the value of visualization techniques by their utility in cultivation and mana amplification. If it benefited cultivation, it was a good meditation method. As for drawbacks… if one could not tolerate them, it was a personal failing, not the method’s.

As for himself… he seemed somewhat capable of enduring sanity loss, as his mental stability appeared unusually robust. Or rather, he lost only a little sanity and quickly recovered. Moreover, his maximum sanity threshold seemed somewhat elevated.

Roland had prepared long and hard for this breakthrough. His memory reminded him that after breaking through a bottleneck was the prime stage for advancing rank and increasing mana.

Yet most people, upon breaking through, found it impossible to concentrate for further meditation.

Roland, however, felt his mental state remained solid.

“Cultivators can enter meditation for decades at a stretch!”

“What’s wrong with a wizard apprentice? After a few hours of meditation, they’re worn out? Heaven rewards diligence—I must seize this time to digest today’s gains!”

Ordinary wizard apprentices using conventional meditation methods would be mentally exhausted after a few hours. But after meditating with this mad tome, Roland not only felt excellent but, after several hours, believed he could continue further.

His willpower—his sanity—was extraordinarily strong.

Gazing at the potions on the table, he thought, “There are still so many potions left; I can’t waste them. I should raise my mana by over 300%—then I can unleash spells four times stronger than a typical low-level apprentice! This will greatly aid my upcoming escape.”

There was an information gap here—soon, Anna would awaken and come looking for him. Roland should be fleeing immediately!

Yet he was unaware; he thought he had time.

But he had made the right choice—if he fled now, he could indeed get far, but Anna would surely track him down by scent!

Of course, whether he stayed or fled, death seemed inevitable.

But by continuing to strengthen himself, he might transform a dead end into a chance for survival.

Unknowingly, “effort and diligence” had granted Roland a slender thread of hope amid despair.

He had no awareness of all this. In his mind, he reasoned, “It’s past midnight. My mentor has gone to sleep. She wouldn’t be waking up at this hour to check the magical contract, so if I remain here meditating, she might not realize I’ve advanced.”

“But if I leave now, I might trigger the magical trap she set in the mountain, waking her up!”

“Therefore, it’s better to prepare everything before leaving than to rush off and wake my mentor.”

He glanced at the nearby clockwork clock and thought, “If all goes well, the mentor should only return at six in the morning… but it’s best if I depart by three a.m. to avoid any mishaps.”

Roland quickly opened a small sea shell, tossed a fruit into his mouth, and soon slipped back into the meditative realm.

He consumed three more fruits consecutively, meditating three times.

During the first meditation, the shock of glimpsing the underlying world remained intense.

Yet unlike before, his complexion did not resemble that of a drowning man.

By the second meditation, the mental impact was still strong.

But his face had only turned slightly pale.

By the third, his expression had returned to normal.

He had adapted to the mental disturbances from this underlying realm.

In a sense, Roland now possessed formidable resistance against mental attacks.