Dimensional Space, high-energy magic training room.
Ian is sitting cross-legged on the ground engraved with soul-gathering runes. Although Mana Liquefaction has successfully entered the threshold of Fourth Tier (Tier 4), this is just the beginning.
If Magic Core is compared to a reservoir, entering Fourth Tier for the first time only turns the "mist" in the "reservoir" into "water droplets". Although the quality is high, the stock is far from full.
"Too slow."
Ian opened his eyes, feeling the pure but slow-growing Liquid Mana in his body, and frowned.
Relying on natural recovery and ordinary meditation, it will take at least decades of hard work to fill Fourth Tier's magic pool. And what he lacks most now is time.
"Morgana, start the 'Forced Infusion' program."
"Master, the risk of directly connecting to the core energy library..."
"Execute."
As the order was issued, several crystal clear magic conduits hung from the ceiling, connecting like huge blood vessels to the spine dragon behind Ian.
Boom--!
The majestic magic power originating from the giant Philosopher's Stone (Dimensional Core), after being filtered, was forcefully poured into Ian's body like a flood that broke a bank.
This is not gentle nourishment, but violent filling.
Ian's body tensed instantly, and countless blue light paths appeared on the surface of his skin. Liquid Mana surged wildly inside his body, opening up every meridian, and finally converged on Magic Core near his heart.
One day. Two days. Three days.
This extreme infusion lasted for a full 72 hours.
Finally, a feeling of "fullness" came. Inside Magic Core, the blue Liquid Mana was so rich that it couldn't be melted away, like a deep ocean.
"Huh..." Ian exhaled a breath of turbid air with blue light, "Finally reached the peak of Fourth Tier."
But this is not the end.
Ian's ambitions go far beyond that. In the future blueprint called "Arcane Empire", Fourth Tier is just an elite, and only Fifth Tier is the real dominant combat power.
"The next step is qualitative change."
Ian Close your eyes and your consciousness sinks into Soul Space.
He called up the [3D Magic Crystal Model] that he had been deducing in the virtual world for twenty years.
Theoretically, as long as it operates according to this model, Liquid Mana will undergo a phase change under high pressure and condense into higher-level solid-state crystals.
"Condensation!"
Ian Thoughts are like a knife, cutting them off hard.
However, things backfired.
No matter how he compressed it, although those Liquid Mana became as viscous as glue, they could never crystallize. Whenever they approached the critical point, they would collapse like a school of frightened fish.
Once, twice, ten times... all failed.
"Why?"
Ian stopped trying, and his brain was running rapidly, analyzing the failed data flow.
"Magic is energy. To solidify energy, pressure alone is not enough... it requires a 'core', a strong adhesive that can bind violent energy."
His eyes turned to the [Perfect Philosopher's Stone] in his hand.
"The reason why Philosopher's Stone is solid is because it has a massive amount of Soul Energy inside it as a binding force field."
"I figured it out."
Ian suddenly realized, "The so-called Fifth Tier is not only the solidification of magic power, but also the deep combination of soul and magic power. Pure magic power crystallization is unstable, and the variable 'soul' must be introduced."
Now that we know the crux, there is only one way to go - taboo Fusion.
Ian stood up and teleported to the highest level biochemical laboratory.
An extremely complex [Human Transmutation·Fusion array] has already been drawn on the floor.
Ian stood in the center of the formation eye, holding the faint blue Perfect Philosopher's Stone in his hand. This stone was refined from the souls of tens of thousands of clones and has extremely high purity.
"Since my Magic Core lacks the 'soul glue', then melt this stone into my heart."
This is a madman's plan.
Using the principle of "decomposition and reconstruction" of Alchemy, you can decompose your own heart (Magic Core) and Philosopher's Stone into atomic states at the same time, and then mix and reassemble them.
This is equivalent to cutting your own heart into pieces while awake, mixing it with other things, and then putting it back together.
"Let's get started."
Ian looked hard and slapped the ground with both hands.
Buzz--!!!
Dazzling alchemical light soared into the sky.
"Uhhhhhhhh--!!!"
Even with Ian's willpower, he couldn't help but let out an inhuman scream at this moment.
It hurts! It hurts so much!
It felt like there were ten thousand ants eating at the heart, or like being thrown into a meat grinder.
In his inner vision, the original red heart and blue Philosopher's Stone disintegrated at the same time, turning into countless streams of red and blue particles. These particles rotated, collided, and Fusion wildly under the force field of Alchemical Array.
This is the reshaping of the essence of life.
The huge vitality contained in Philosopher's Stone began to frantically repair and strengthen Ian's body. His muscle fibers were torn and reorganized, his bones became as clear as jade, and his internal organs exuded a metallic luster.
At the same time, those tens of thousands of copies of Soul Energy began to be forcibly injected into his soul.
This is the most dangerous moment.
If Ian's will is not firm enough, he will be instantly overwhelmed by this external torrent of souls, turn into a schizophrenic lunatic, and even have his body taken away from him.
"Give me... surrender!"
Ian gritted his teeth and erected an indestructible spiritual barrier in Sea of Consciousness, forcibly suppressing the violent energy.
This tug-of-war lasted the whole day.
Finally, when the last ray of light faded away.
Ian collapsed on the ground, his whole body soaked in cold sweat.
But he succeeded.
In his chest, the original flesh-and-blood heart had disappeared. Instead, there was a crystal core with a regular hexahedral structure and emitting deep blue light.
Every time it beats, what it pumps out is no longer mortal blood, but highly concentrated magic slurry.
[System prompt: Promotion successful. Current rank: Fifth Tier·Archmage]
Ian feels the vast power in his body, which is a qualitative leap. If Fourth Tier is a lake, then Fifth Tier is the sea.
But the test is not over yet.
"At the cost of such strength, we must bear its weight."
Ian Before he could take a breath, a cold, greasy, and malicious mental storm suddenly erupted in the depths of his mind.
Soul resentment.
Although this stone was refined from a clone, the clone also had the desire to survive and fear. The fear and resentment of tens of thousands of beings when it was refined did not completely disappear, but lurked in the deepest part of the stone.
At this moment, with the completion of Fusion, these resentments broke out.
In Ian's soul vision, countless distorted, painful, and wailing human faces emerged. They screamed and cursed, and rushed towards Ian's main consciousness like a tide.
"Why kill me?!" "It hurts! It hurts!" "Give me your body!!!"
This kind of mental pollution is extremely terrifying, enough to cause a determined warrior to collapse in an instant.
"Hmph, how dare a bunch of lonely ghosts make trouble?"
Ian snorted coldly, endured the severe pain in his brain, and sat cross-legged.
In the past, he might have been in a hurry when faced with this level of backlash. But he had already prepared for the rainy day and dug out targeted methods from the ruins of the ancient civilization of the Arcane Empire.
"Since it's resentment, then I'll use it to save you."
Ian formed a strange dharma seal with his hands, and began to recite the mantra with sacred rhythm that originated from the ancient Tianzhu civilization.
[Great Sun Tathagata World-Purifying Mantra]
"Om, ma, ni, ba, mi, hum..."
As the spell sounded, a golden sun seemed to rise deep in Ian's soul.
That's not magic, that's pure spiritual will and resonance with rules.
The bright Buddha light blooms in Sea of Consciousness, warm and domineering, instantly illuminating all dark corners.
"Ahhhh--!"
Those resentful spirits screamed in fear. Under the illumination of the Buddha's light, their ferocious faces began to become peaceful, and their black resentment dissipated like snow melting.
They are purified.
The purified resentment turned into the purest and ownerless spiritual nourishment, which was greedily absorbed by the soul of Ian.
This sitting lasts for seven days and seven nights.
When the last resentment dissipated, Ian slowly opened his eyes.
Buzz!
An empty room becomes white.
Deep in his eyes, there seemed to be two groups of blue flames burning. That was a sign that Jing Divine Power was highly condensed and began to interfere with reality Material World.
Ian raised his hand and looked at his crystal clear skin.
"Fifth Tier...Land-Sinking Rank."
He clenched his fists and felt the powerful beating of the crystal heart in his body.
"Now, if I release all my magic power regardless of the cost, I can sink a continental plate alone."
Of course, this is just a rating of destructive power and does not mean he is invincible.
Ian stood up and moved his body.
"Although the process of Fusion was as painful as walking through Hell, the result was perfect."
He walked to the mirror and looked at himself in the mirror, who was still young but exuding a heart-stopping aura, with a satisfied smile on his lips.
"All my goals in this world have been achieved. Knowledge, power, technology... I have squeezed every drop of value out of this world."
"Then what happens next..."
Ian's eyes turned to Void, as if he had penetrated Dimensional Barrier and saw the hometown he had been away from for a long time.
"It's time to go home."
"Also... my experimental data and magic system need to be verified somewhere."