Advancement

The trade concluded. With three ancient books now in his trading space, Claire turned his attention back to Chen Han.

Seeing Chen Han beaming with joy, holding the glass cup and test tube he had acquired, Claire couldn't help but smile inwardly. The method that cowboy had used to trick him was quite effective.

What a shame, Claire thought, that someone with the ability to trade across dimensions would still be chasing after mundane things like money. Utterly vulgar.

Chen Han carefully placed the acquired glass cup into his pocket. With a little time remaining, he began to chat with Claire.

"Do you have a regular trading friend yet?" Claire asked. He had been debating whether to save up his trading points to establish a friendship during this transaction.

"A regular trading friend? What's that?" Chen Han scratched his head. "You can have regular trades?"

Claire repeated the information the cowboy had given him.

"Is that so? So, if I have a few trading points, I can become a regular friend?" Chen Han pondered, stroking his chin. However, he ultimately shook his head. "Forget it. We can only trade once a year. How could I possibly wait two years for that?"

"What?!" Claire's eyelids twitched.

Before he could ask for clarification, the high-definition cross-dimensional call automatically disconnected due to the time limit.

He can only trade once a year? His trading interval is different from mine. Claire mused. Is it because our worlds are different? Or is it due to individual constitutions, some hidden condition I don't know about that can shorten the trading interval?

Or perhaps it's the difference in world flow rates. That's why I can accumulate a trading point in a week, while he takes a year?

After much thought, Claire shook his head and gave up. There was simply too little information to draw any useful conclusions.

He took out the three books from his trading space. The moment they appeared, a bright light enveloped them.

Claire took a few steps back in surprise, watching as the three books seemed to be flipped through by an invisible force, rustling!

The pages quickly turned from the beginning to the end. Finally, the light vanished into the void, and the three books lost their mystical aura, landing on the table.

After observing for a few minutes and confirming there was no danger, Claire walked over and gently lifted the cover of one of the books.

Only then did he suddenly understand.

"That was translating the text..."

Claire picked up the books with relief. The text on them had already been changed to the language of his world, seemingly modified by the divine white light he had just witnessed.

Glancing at it, Claire murmured, "Or perhaps... it's about making things from another world adapt to the rules of this world?"

The text on the book wasn't the classical Chinese he had imagined, but rather very colloquial. Even the specialized cultivation terms from the martial arts world had been changed to words like 'knight' and 'Battle Qi'.

Claire then turned his attention to the other two books on the table. "Mind Force Circulation Method? This must be the Minor Heavenly Cycle Circulation Method from before."

Claire picked up one of the ancient books. He had only intended to flip through it casually, but he soon found himself engrossed. The method of cultivating mind force described in the book was entirely different from how the mages of this world cultivated their mental power.

However, after reading it, Claire became incredibly excited. "This seems feasible! Although the cultivation methods are different, the destination is the same. The ultimate goal of cultivating mind force can still be achieved."

After finishing this book, Claire moved on to the remaining ancient book about movement techniques. However, after flipping through a few pages, he put it down. It wasn't a cultivation method for mages; like the first book, it was a knight's technique.

Though, it seemed like this world didn't have the concept of 'techniques' in that sense.

Ignoring the late hour, Claire picked up the book on mind force cultivation again and began to study it carefully, trying to follow the instructions and cultivate.

Dawn. The first rays of sunlight from the east illuminated the tallest structure in Nafu City, the spire of the Barony.

Regan, as usual, skillfully walked to the sixth floor, to the room where his young master rested, preparing to knock and wake Claire for breakfast.

But before his knuckles could even touch the door, it was opened from the inside.

"Morning, Regan," Claire said, emerging from the room. He stretched and then headed downstairs.

"M-master, good morning." Regan stood frozen in place, not because Claire had woken up early.

It was more of a peculiar feeling. His master seemed different today, more energetic.

After a simple wash-up, Claire sat on the living room sofa to check his condition. Invisible mental energy fluctuations were spreading outwards, which was precisely why Regan had sensed something different.

Claire had cultivated using the method from the book overnight and had actually advanced from an Intermediate Mage to an Advanced Mage!

To be precise, it was a progression from a Novice Mage to an Intermediate Mage. Claire knew that with his usual accumulation, it would normally take two to three years to break through to Intermediate Mage. Yet, this book had, in just one night, boosted his mental power to a level sufficient for advancement.

Of course, such a significant surge wouldn't happen again, but maintaining a relatively high rate of mental power growth could sustain him until he reached the rank of High Mage.

However, Claire estimated that the cultivation method in this book would likely be of little use after reaching High Mage. Its path would end there. To delve deeper, he would have to rely on himself or find another cultivation method.

"Pop!" Claire snapped his fingers.

A flame appeared before him, and the heat radiating from it was palpable.

With another flick of his wrist, a magic hand picked up a glass cup from the table – a minor spell frequently used during experiments.

He gently brought the flame close to the glass. In less than five seconds, the glass softened, stretching into a glass thread under the pull of gravity.

Claire's eyes lit up. "The flame's temperature exceeded six hundred degrees Celsius, otherwise it wouldn't be able to soften glass. It seems that the strength of an Intermediate Mage can indeed contend with a Silver Rank knight."

Although mages were at a disadvantage in early battles against knights, this feat alone was enough to inflict significant damage on a Silver Rank knight.

Claire reveled in his newfound strength for a moment, but his smile quickly froze. Just a week ago, he had used a gun to take down a Silver Knight. His current strength as an Intermediate Mage seemed to be less effective than a gun.

In that case, there's nothing to be happy about, is there?

Claire's mood, which had improved with his advancement, suddenly plummeted.

I need to advance to High Mage as soon as possible. Based on his understanding, ordinary guns had no effect on Gold Rank knights, let alone High Mages. Once he reached High Mage, he would be considered mid-stage for mages, and the gap between him and knights would widen. Typically, three Gold Rank knights would be needed to contain one High Mage.

After a simple breakfast, Claire instructed Regan to prepare the carriage. She intended to visit the military camp again. If the mental cultivation method she acquired proved useful, then the other two cultivation techniques for knights should also be effective.

Upon entering the main hall, Claire spotted a familiar figure crawling on the floor, using a small rag with both hands. Her little legs kicked rapidly, pushing the rag to clean the floor.

Claire looked at Regan in surprise, but before she could ask, Melly, who was cleaning the floor, greeted them proactively.

"Good morning, Big Brother! Good morning, Grandpa Regan!"

Claire looked at Regan beside her in surprise. You, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, have betrayed the revolution? I remember you used to really dislike commoners like Melly.

The update came right after the contract status changed, remember to give some votes!!!