"I wonder how much I can improve this time."
Chen Ming felt a little excited.
Just one [Azure Flame Flowing Fire] had already given him a taste of its considerable benefits.
And that was only a wisp of Pale Flame that had fallen from the Valley Night Sky and formed into Flowing Fire.
The Molten Fire he had swallowed, however, was Pale Flame that had already been condensed into liquid!
It had formed after that level-40-plus Giant Wolf exotic beast breathed in mysterious moonlight—who knew how many times.
The difference between the two had to be enormous.
"If I can fill the deep pool that absorbs attribute energy, I'll be able to awaken a mental skill right now."
Chen Ming felt a little anticipation.
He had already gone this far. If he still couldn't perfectly complete the process of "absorbing attribute energy before reaching 21%,"
then there really was nothing more he could do.
Chen Ming let out a breath, and the air in the room turned scorching hot.
He could feel the attribute energy inside him swelling more and more, burning fiercely.
At that moment, his body was like a pressure cooker, frantically compressing all that energy.
Fortunately, his "pressure cooker" didn't mind the pressure...
Otherwise, this violent baptism would probably have destroyed his internal organs.
Chen Ming half-closed his eyes, trying to enter as calm a state as possible.
Soon, he seemed to be drawn by some force.
His consciousness sank into his body.
Before him was a space of moderate size, while everything outside it was shrouded in mist.
"Is this... my mental space?"
Chen Ming looked at everything around him.
This was the mental space he had opened up when his mental power broke through 20%.
Inside, he could still see the various resources he had collected.
But the most conspicuous thing was a special little orb floating in the space.
[Azure Flame True Core]: ???
This was the mysterious object Chen Ming had discovered while stealing the Pale Flame and Moonlight Essence resources from the pool in that hollow.
Being unable to inspect it meant it was beyond the range of Chen Ming's mental power.
Just as his mental power of 20% couldn't inspect the information of Class Changers above level 40.
Still, Chen Ming guessed that this was also a rare resource.
Just look at the names... Flowing Fire, Molten Fire, True Core.
Judging by their states, weren't they the sublimation of gas, liquid, and solid?
That was also why he felt he had a chance to achieve "perfection" this time.
Then Chen Ming began focusing on absorbing the Azure Flame Molten Fire.
After his consciousness entered the mental space, it was as if his senses had been cut off.
But his awareness of the attribute energy stored inside his body had become much clearer.
In the room, Chen Ming's body began to change.
His body, which had been red-hot like a branding iron, gradually cooled, and the scorching aura around him subsided.
At the same time, a hazy light wove around him, as if he were enveloped in a smooth, rounded current of air. It was an astonishing sight.
Inside the mental space.
Chen Ming finished absorbing some of the attribute energy, and his consciousness returned from its focused state.
[Mental Power +50!]
"Gasp..."
"It's working!"
Chen Ming was excited.
The Azure Flame Molten Fire's effects had even surpassed his expectations!
He had absorbed only a small portion, yet his mental power had immediately increased by 50.
If he absorbed all of it, wouldn't his mental power increase by several hundred?
That would be the equivalent of advancing several levels!
His mental power was soaring!
After all, the purpose of rare resources was to awaken skills; attribute bonuses were only a side benefit.
If even the side benefit could add several hundred mental power, then its "primary effect" had to be even better.
And the progress he could sense had also jumped forward by a great deal!
By his estimate, it had increased by about 10%...
"Keep going!"
Chen Ming was greatly encouraged.
He calmed his mind and focused on absorbing the attribute energy of the Azure Flame Molten Fire.
[Mental Power +50!]
Progress: 22%...
While Chen Ming was immersed in absorbing the mental resource.
Elsewhere.
At the edge of the urban district.
A huge Metal Crow carrying four figures passed through the clouds and returned to the border.
The four were the Inspector and the three principals, who had come back from the Exotic Beast Forest.
Only...
A few of them didn't look very composed at the moment.
The principals in particular were breathing unevenly, with bloodstains on their clothes.
They had clearly been wounded.
"Cough, cough—"
Principal Wu's clothes were disheveled. He clutched his chest and coughed violently several times.
"What the hell happened to that Pale Moon Wolf King? It was like someone had suddenly cut off its balls!"
Back in that valley, they had already been preparing to withdraw.
But then the Pale Moon Wolf King had suddenly gone mad, charging over to fight them.
Every move was a desperate one, and it launched extremely ferocious attacks.
It had acted as if they were mortal enemies locked in a life-or-death feud.
From the looks of it, it had been ready to fight them to the death.
The worst part was that when they tried to leave, the Pale Moon Wolf King wouldn't let them.
If they tried to flee directly, the Wolf King would charge straight toward Cloud Sea City.
After the Inspector noticed this, he had them work together to suppress the Wolf King.
So they had no choice but to fight.
A group of old men had been forced into a thrilling battle.
Fortunately, the Inspector had been there. In the end, he had dealt the Pale Moon Wolf King serious injuries and driven it away.
Otherwise, those old bones of theirs would really have been in trouble.
"Ptooey!"
Principal Wang spat out a mouthful of dirty blood, his face dark.
Of all of them, he had been the most badly injured in that fight.
The Pale Moon Wolf King seemed to hold a special grudge against him. Damn it, it had gone out of its way to target him!
Damn, hadn't he only taken a wisp of Pale Flame?
That wisp of Pale Flame was precious, sure, but to a level-49 Pale Moon Wolf King, it wasn't even enough to pick its teeth with.
Did it really have to chase him down and bite him?
It was acting like he'd robbed its house.
"Over the next few days, Cloud Sea City's defenses need to be strengthened. The Wolf King may come back for another attack."
"We've already heard back from above. The reinforcements will arrive in Cloud Sea City soon."
The Inspector reminded them.
He gazed toward the Exotic Beast Forest, his stern face showing no other expression.
"Also, regarding the Cloud Sea City assessment we discussed last time, arrangements can be made."
At that, the principals' expressions shifted.
Principal Wang looked at the Inspector, hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked:
"My lord, how will the Special Assessment be conducted this time?"
Up ahead.
The Inspector stood atop the Metal Crow's head, his cloak snapping in the wind.
"Selection."
Before you continue