On the evening of the third day, as Velin gently shook the last pinch of Sleeping Crystal powder into the boiling beaker, a miracle occurred.

The solution, which had been boiling a second before, was tamed the next. All the volatile Ether Energy was soothed by the powder and began to slowly settle.

The acrid smoke dissipated, replaced by a gentle and stable energetic glow.

"Twenty-five seconds... A full twenty-five-second window of stability..." Valerius stared intently at the water clock, his body trembling with excitement. "Stable, and pure! This... This is the beginning of a new era!"

Although the trial run of the potion was a success, Velin had not yet infused his own Spiritual Power into it this time.

After a short break, the moment for the final concoction arrived.

Only Velin, Valerius, and Caroline, who stood in the shadows at a distance, remained in the laboratory.

Velin stood before the alchemy bench, his expression focused.

He watched the marks on the water clock, adding the ingredients step by step according to the data he had personally verified countless times.

His movements were fluid and precise. If someone sensitive to Spiritual Power were present, they would have perceived another scene entirely—Velin’s Spiritual Power had split into countless fine threads, extending from his body, reaching into the crucible, and slowly merging with the solution.

"First stage, complete. As expected."

"Adding stabilizer."

"Second stage, beginning. A 25-second window. Preparing to add ’Tears of the Weeping Pixie’."

Finally, when the last drop of material fell into the crucible,

There was no violent explosion, no blinding light.

All the energy slowly converged inward. Every color and ray of light within the crucible was devoured by an invisible maw, ultimately transforming into a bottomless black vortex.

[Mindtide], perfect quality.

"Gods..." Valerius slumped into his chair, muttering to himself. ’This is true Alchemy... What I was making before, how was it any different from the concoctions of some tribal witch doctor who worships a false god?’

The look he gave Velin was one of pure admiration.

This young man had completely transcended the realm of "technique" and was beginning to touch upon the very essence of "principle."

Standing in the shadows by the door, Caroline’s body was slightly rigid. She looked at Velin’s calm profile, at the potion in his hand that seemed to hold an entire galaxy, and her heart skipped a beat.

Velin gazed at the potion for a moment, then drank it.

The next second, a vast and pure torrent of Ether Energy washed over his consciousness.

’So the madman’s formula wasn’t just insane in its material ratios, but also in the insane drain it puts on the creator’s Spiritual Power!’

’This potion, after being consumed, is actually forming a "spiritual black hole" in my mind, trying to devour my consciousness!’

At that moment, Velin was as if struck by a Body Immobilization Skill—unable to speak, unable to move. He could only focus all his concentration, using his will to fight the black hole.

In Caroline’s eyes, Velin stood frozen in place. Veins bulged on his temples, the color drained from his face at a visible rate until it was as pale as a sheet, and beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead, dripping onto the floor.

After an unknown amount of time, the dark vortex began to tremble, then slowly stopped, and finally disintegrated, releasing its hold.

The Spiritual Power within the black hole exploded in Velin’s mind, instantly amplifying his five senses.

He could hear the buzzing wings of a mosquito a hundred meters away, smell the breadcrumbs in Valerius’s cuff beginning to mold, see the minute cracks in every brick of the wall, and feel Caroline’s heart quicken with tension from outside the door.

Countless complex pieces of information rushed into his brain like a bursting flood, nearly causing him to pass out on the spot.

But he held on, forcibly diverting, organizing, and filing away this sensory noise with his newborn Spiritual Power.

The process was agonizing, but it also brought his control over his power to a whole new level.

The light faded.

Velin opened his eyes. His wine-red irises were deeper and brighter than ever before.

Level 2 Alchemist, promotion successful.

He opened his system to check.

[Velin Klein]

[Level: Level 2 Alchemist]

[Bloodline: Song of the Forest (Silver Tier) 43%, Mixed Bloodline 57%]

[Ability: Mindtide]

[Overall Evaluation: Spiritual Power has undergone a qualitative change. Control precision over bloodline abilities has significantly improved. Bloodline purity is slowly increasing. Forced purification is not recommended.]

He closed the system and turned his head, calmly looking at the woman by the door, who was still in shock, her body tense.

An idea came to Velin. He turned and took a Stone Skin Soft Vine seedling from the cultivation rack.

This would be the first test subject for his new ability.

Velin closed his eyes. [Spring Messenger].

Vast tentacles of Spiritual Power spread out and delved into the vine. Previously, Velin’s control would have ended there—treating the entire seedling as a single unit to be catalytically stimulated.

But now, his Spiritual Power went deep inside the vine. It bypassed the xylem and phloem, condensing all its power into "spots" that were infused into the epidermis.

HUMMM—

The Stone Skin Soft Vine in his hand let out a slight tremor.

It didn’t grow wildly, nor did it harden immediately. Instead, from the vine’s originally crystal-covered surface, dense, sharp, and slightly backward-curving hard barbs emerged.

The Stone Skin Soft Vine, originally meant purely for defense and obstruction, had now taken on a much deadlier form.

A completely new tactic formed in his mind.

Velin put down the test subject in his hand and looked up.

He calmly looked at the woman by the door, who was still in shock, her body tense, having even forgotten to breathe.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly in a faint smile.

"Now, do you still think whether my... tastes are unique... is important?"

...

「Behind a hidden hill outside Newly Town.」

Two men in gray linen clothes were lying prone in the bushes. One of them held his hands in a casting gesture, maintaining the [Eagle Eye Skill].

"Boss, according to the scout’s report, the cargo from the ’Sea Siren’s Song’ was delivered to this town. Judging by the wheel ruts, they brought even more stuff this time than the last."

The man maintaining the Magic spell lowered his voice, a hint of surprise in his tone.

"The goods are stacked in the open square. Heavens, it’s those sealed wooden crates again, piled up like a small mountain."

"Hey! I see that idiot Sea Wolf. He’s directing the town’s garrison in their drills... Those guys look pretty decent."

The other man, addressed as "Boss," pulled a small booklet from his coat and began scribbling in it rapidly with a charcoal pencil.

"That ’mysterious herbalist’ is definitely hiding in this town."

His brows were tightly furrowed.

"To make the Golden Sail Commerce Association’s ’Silver-Haired Witch’ make a trip in person and mobilize this volume of resources... The lord of this town... his name is Velin Klein, right? He should be the one we’re looking for."

The scene within the Eagle Eye Skill changed again.

He saw the magnificent carriage and the figure of Caroline Channing hurrying past.

’She... changed into pants? That’s not common! Why... is she moving so fast? Is a dog chasing her?’

The man maintaining the Eagle Eye Skill muttered, "Looks like she doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon."

"I’ve written all this down," the boss’s voice turned serious. "Get a good look at the types of supplies. Last time, our men smelled a strong stench of manure, and it’s bound to be the same this time. This Velin Klein, his profession is likely related to some kind of primitive ritual. He’s not an orthodox Caster. It’s highly probable he’s a Swamp Wizard who has mastered ancient, forbidden Witchcraft."

He stopped writing and looked up in the direction of Newly Town, his eyes filled with greed for the bounty.

"Inform the association. We’ve locked onto our target. The next step is contact, and then... control."

The man closed the booklet, and the two of them silently vanished into the shadows behind them, as if they had never been there at all.

On the hill, only the rustling of the wind through the grass remained.

A storm was quietly gathering in a corner, unnoticed by all.