Chapter 414 - 398: Qualitative Change

Chapter 414: Chapter 398: Qualitative Change

[Trait: Primordial Core]

[Your body is no longer a mine on the verge of depletion, but has transformed into a perfectly round and translucent Initial Crystal.]

[Once this core solidifies within the source of your life, it becomes like a miniature Star Wheel, autonomously drawing in and expelling the Primordial Energy that flows through the world, transforming the formless power pervading the universe into a ceaseless spring within your veins.]

[The Breathing Technique, which once required forceful control by your will and risked backlash at the slightest misstep, has now settled into a fundamental rhythm of your life.]

[It is no longer a tool that requires your conscious effort to command, but an instinct as natural as a heartbeat. Every breath you take now silently refines your body and soul, extending your Power and your lifespan in tandem.]

[The Fighting Spirit born from this Breathing Technique has also undergone a fundamental transformation.]

[It is no longer a crude, scorching vapor clinging to the surface of your skin, but has become like tamed, living water, flowing obediently wherever your will commands.]

[It can lie hidden deep within your muscles and bones, condensed as hard as steel, or it can float upon your skin, as ethereal as gauze. It can even heed your call to temporarily break free from the confines of your body and materialize in the physical world as a fleeting entity.]

[However, every transformation comes with a price.]

[As your life form ascends, you will need an even more resilient will to contain this ceaselessly surging river of Energy.]

[This ceaseless absorption of Energy will make you like an ever-open gateway, forcing you to constantly defend against the chaotic dissonance that may be swept along in the external torrent.]

[Furthermore, materializing your Fighting Spirit outside your body is a dual trial for both your Spirit and the source of your life. Each time you do so is akin to Stripping away a part of your own existence to forge it into reality.]

[You have embraced the eternal dawn; you must also accept the incandescent pressure of its light.]

Roland slowly opened his eyes. In his Perception, the world had completely changed.

The most significant change was the source of his Energy.

Before, when he used the Nameless Breathing Technique, it was like excavating the depths of his own body—a personal "mine." Every increase in Power came at the cost of his own life force.

But now, he could clearly ’see’ the formless, intangible Primordial Energy that filled the space around him being spontaneously and continuously drawn into the nascent Primordial Core inside his body, as if pulled by an unseen force.

It no longer exploited his own reserves. Instead, it had become a highly efficient converter, ceaselessly transforming external Energy into pure Life Energy and Power to replenish himself and even nourish his physical body.

An unprecedented feeling of abundance replaced the old sense of depletion.

The way his Energy now circulated was an even greater relief.

The Breathing Technique—which had once required his deliberate guidance and concentration, and which threatened backlash at the slightest misstep—had now sunk deep into his being, becoming a thoughtless instinct.

It was as natural as the beating of his heart or the drawing of his breath, precisely and efficiently refining his body and soul.

He no longer had to devote any mental effort to it, allowing him to focus his full attention on the world around him.

But the greatest surprise of all came from his transformed Fighting Spirit.

With a mere thought, a gentle yet powerful stream of Energy surged from the core, instantly spreading throughout his body like tamed water.

It was no longer the crude "vapor" of the past, which could only cling precariously to specific parts of his body to bolster his defense. It had become agile and obedient.

It could lie hidden deep within his muscles and bones, imbuing his fists with the condensed Power to shatter rock.

It could also float upon his skin, forming a pliable, form-fitting, invisible barrier.

It could even move at his command, sliding freely over and under his skin to precisely concentrate his defense on an incoming point of attack.

And beyond that...

Recalling King Morne’s stance in battle, Roland took a deep breath, drew Bright Moon from his hip, and attempted to channel the Fighting Spirit circulating in his body into the blade.

But the process was far more difficult than he had imagined.

At first, the Fighting Spirit was like an unruly stallion, thrashing about under the guidance of his will but stubbornly refusing to adhere to the blade.

With his full Concentration, and after repeated attempts, he barely managed to coat the pristine blade in a blood-red halo as thin as a cicada’s wing, which flickered unstably.

The once-resplendent Bright Moon now looked as if it were draped in a dull, blood-red veil.

With a swing of the sword, the Fighting Spirit clinging to the blade shot forth.

HISS!

The blood-colored Energy Blade passed straight through the thick stone wall as if it were a hot knife through butter, making only a faint sound.

Looking at the narrow slit cut into the wall, Roland gently shook his head, unsatisfied with the result.

But he didn’t stop his experiment. Instead, he focused his mind and began to drive the newly formed Primordial Core deep within his abdomen even more fiercely.

In an instant, the core began to spin wildly at an unprecedented speed.

A far more immense and searing tide of Blood-colored Fighting Spirit, like a bursting flood, erupted from every pore on his body, forming what looked like a cloak of dancing, fiery Energy around him.

The very air in the room seemed to distort from the furious Energy.

Controlling such an immense amount of external Energy placed an enormous strain on his Spirit.

Roland gritted his teeth, focusing his entire will on guiding and constraining this Power, attempting to compress and condense it once more.

Time slipped by in his state of intense Concentration. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, splattering onto the floor.

Just as he felt his Spiritual Power reach its breaking point, on the verge of complete exhaustion...

Something suddenly changed.

His tall, straight figure, with no visible means of support, began to slowly rise, defying all logic.

His feet lifted silently from the ground, leaving him hovering several inches in the air.

’So that’s how it works.’

A wave of realization and joy washed over Roland as he watched himself levitate.

During the battle outside Golden Ears City, the sight of King Morne standing in mid-air without any support had long ago planted a seed of question in his mind.

As far as he knew, only Magic could typically allow a mortal to break free from the earth’s grasp.

But Morne had shown no signs of Casting whatsoever.

At the time, Roland had vaguely guessed that the key might be Morne’s silver-white Fighting Spirit, which was condensed to the point of being tangible.

Now, having confirmed it himself, he knew he was right.

The flicker of emotion made it difficult for him to maintain the high-intensity Energy output and precise control required.

The surging Blood-colored Fighting Spirit around him swiftly receded back into his body, and his feet gently touched down on the floor.

Although the levitation had lasted for only a few breaths, Roland wasn’t discouraged in the slightest.

He could clearly sense that his mastery over this transformed Energy was still in its most rudimentary stages; there was immense room for improvement.

King Morne himself was the best proof of that.

Putting aside his terrifyingly powerful physique, the seemingly ordinary Longsword in the King’s hand became indestructible when infused with Fighting Spirit. He could soar through the heavens and even cleave open a fortified gate with a single strike...

All of this proved that the potential represented by the Primordial Core was far greater than what his current achievements suggested.

At this thought, Roland’s heart burned with excitement.

In that brief moment of insight, he had clearly felt that the pattern of Power growth granted by the Primordial Core was completely different from any other power he had ever encountered.

’It’s as if...’

’It has no preset limit.’

Recalling the time it had taken him to go from a mere beginner to possessing strength comparable to Graham’s, Roland’s gaze instinctively turned to the Professional Panel deep within his consciousness.

’As long as I have enough time to cultivate this growth, it might not be long before I can reach King Morne’s level, or even...’

’Surpass him!’

’By then, where in this vast world would I not be able to go?’

An unprecedented sense of anticipation and ambition began to quietly blossom within him.

With that, Roland let out a long breath.

’Once I rescue Avril and Galvis, I’ll head to Aiselon immediately.’

That continent, a place of endless knowledge and mystery, now stirred within him a yearning like never before.

There was a time when he’d sought to grow stronger mostly out of necessity, driven by the lurking dangers of the resurgent Magic Power.

The Giant Dragon of Wuxi Town...

The Witch Demon of the Land of Mist...

The Abyss invasion in the Golden Valley Kingdom...

All of it had proven that his concerns were far from baseless.

Back then, Power was the Shield and sword he relied on to survive.

But now, his mindset was different.

His newly-formed Primordial Core was still a far cry from Morne’s Realm of world-mastering power. However, when combined with the comprehensive enhancements from his many Professions and their Professional Resonance...

...as long as he didn’t deliberately venture into the world’s most perilous lands, he now had what it took to gain a foothold and even travel freely across this vast world.

Survival was no longer his only goal.

A long-dormant, almost primal stirring awakened in his blood.

It was the thirst for the unknown, the longing for distant lands, and the pure passion to unveil the world’s mysteries that is rooted deep within every soul.

As his thoughts drifted, Roland gazed out the window at the boundless night sky. His eyes seemed to pierce through the stone walls of Stone Furnace Castle, reaching toward some distant shore.

Lost ruins, secret legacies, unrecorded Races and wonders...

Everything unknown was calling to him, beckoning him to explore, to experience it all firsthand.

The Flame of adventure ignited silently in his eyes.