Ian’s gaze turned ice-cold in an instant.

He quickly cleared away all traces of his Alchemy and the Potions, leaving only a few common experimental materials on the platform.

He himself was like a wisp of smoke, silently melting into the shadows in the corner of the room, becoming nearly one with Gaga’s Shadow Energy.

His Spiritual Perception spread out at full force, like invisible ripples on water, blanketing his entire residence.

’It’s here.’

That familiar, veil-like Shadow Energy seeped through the crack in the window once again.

It was more cautious than the last two times. It moved with extreme slowness, nearly blending in with the natural fluctuations of the ambient shadows.

Instead of performing a wide-area scan as it had before, it "flowed" toward the Alchemy Platform.

It seemed to be searching carefully, checking for any residual energy signatures or material traces.

It was very cautious, avoiding all the nodes of the Array that could trigger an alarm. It limited its Perception to the "shadow plane" so as not to cause any energy disturbances.

But to Gaga, who possessed the nascent form of a Shadow Messenger, all of this was still clearly visible.

The Shadow Energy lingered near the Alchemy Platform for a dozen or so seconds, as if confirming a particular signature.

Then, it began to retract, slowly and steadily.

’Now!’

Just as its tip was about to withdraw completely from the window, the panel in Ian’s Sea of Spirit stirred.

The invisible "marking Force Field" he had prepared—a fusion of the Abyss and Shadow—snapped shut like a startled mimosa, instantly contracting and clinging on.

An extremely faint, silent mark carrying the dual properties of the Abyss and Shadow attached itself to the tip of the Shadow Energy.

It was like a firefly’s glow in the dead of night—faint, but perfectly clear to Ian’s powerful Perception.

’The Shadow Mark is on. Let’s see who you are.’

Ian sank his mind into his Sea of Spirit, extending his Perception through the Abyssal Soul Contract.

Characteristics of the marked source: Level One Shadow System Wizard (Middle Stage).

Spiritual Power fluctuations: Cold and obscure, with residual traits of "Shadow Weaving."

Current perceived location: East-northeast, approximately seven hundred fifty meters away, position relatively stationary.

Traceable duration: Approx. 10 hours (duration will be shortened if the target actively purifies it with their Spiritual Power).

’Success!’

And the information was even more detailed than last time. It had even partially analyzed the other party’s Witchcraft characteristics.

Ian opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them before vanishing.

He didn’t move immediately. He waited patiently for the Shadow Energy to vanish completely, then waited several more minutes to confirm the other party was truly gone before stepping out of the shadows.

He walked to the window and calmly cast a Purification Spell.

Using his Spiritual Power, he erased the last lingering trace of the marking Force Field.

’East-northeast, seven hundred fifty meters... the Shadow Faction’s zone of activity,’

Ian sneered inwardly. ’Julian Wizard, it seems your patience isn’t so great after all.’

He returned to his Meditation Mat and took out the freshly made Starlight Potion.

’This wasn’t easy. So many days of hard work, but I finally succeeded.’

He uncorked the bottle, and a cool, ethereal fragrance filled the air.

Without hesitation, Ian tilted his head back and drank it.

As the Potion went down his throat, it instantly transformed into a cool torrent that rushed straight into his mind.

It was as if a small pebble had been dropped into his Sea of Spirit, sending ripples spreading outwards.

His once placidly flowing, liquefied Spiritual Power, stimulated by this new Power, began to circulate with greater vigor and rhythm.

The "Deep Concentration" effect activated, and the efficiency of his Spiritual Power’s refinement skyrocketed.

Minute impurities that would have normally required slow and painstaking refinement were now being stripped away and purified with high efficiency.

Meanwhile, the "Starlight Resonance" effect was also quietly at work.

Deep within his Sea of Spirit, starlight seemed to flicker, resonating with the circulating Starry Sky Festival.

This resonance not only sped up the natural recovery of his Spiritual Power but also sharpened his understanding of Star Force and the very essence of Meditation.

To Ian’s pleasant surprise, in this meditative state, the resonance between the Abyssal Soul Contract’s sigil and the Starry Sky Festival seemed to grow even smoother and clearer.

The stream of Abyssal Spiritual Origin he drew through this channel seemed a thread thicker than before.

His deep meditation session came to an end.

Ian opened his eyes. For a moment, it was as if a river of stars swirled within his silver irises before the light receded.

[Starry Sky Festival Proficiency +20]

His Skill Level increased by 20 points in a single cultivation session! That was more than double the previous efficiency!

’So this is the power of a Tier One Meditation Potion...’ 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

’No, that’s not right. The effect is probably at its peak because I’m the one who took it.’

’Others lack the resonance from the Abyssal Soul Contract, so the meditative effect would be weaker for them, but it would still be incredibly valuable.’

Ian clenched his fist, feeling the more condensed and vibrant Spiritual Power within his Sea of Spirit.

Power is the foundation of everything.

With the Starlight Potion and a stable channel for siphoning power, the time it would take him to reach the Level One Wizard Middle Stage would be drastically reduced.

He looked out the window, toward the direction of the mark.

’Julian, and the ’Shadow’ you sent...’

He felt the faint Shadow Mark in his Sea of Spirit. The direction was clear, and the sense of distance was distinct.

"I’ve confirmed the location," Ian said to Gaga, whose head was poking out from the shadows.

"Are we going? Gaga?" Gaga’s little eyes shone, filled with excitement and eagerness.

"We are. But not to fight."

Ian stood up and began methodically gathering his things.

"We’re just going to take a look, confirm who it is, and get the lay of the land before we head back. Remember, we can’t be seen by anyone."

Gaga immediately puffed out its little chest and whispered, "Got it! Stealth and reconnaissance are my strong suits, gaga!"

Ian changed into an unmarked, dark gray robe and suppressed his aura to the absolute limit.

He checked his Dimension Ring to make sure his backup items were all in place.

"Out the window. Avoid the main roads and patrol points," Ian instructed in a low voice.

Gaga nodded, dissolving into a faint gray shadow that melted into the corner of the wall. It began to scout ahead with its senses.

With its current proficiency as a nascent Shadow Messenger and its natural affinity for shadowy environments, it was a perfect scout.

Ian followed close behind, his movements as lithe as a cat’s as he slipped silently out the window.

He used the buildings’ shadows, the blind spots in the moonlight, and the interplay of light and shadow from the High Tower itself to move swiftly between the buildings of the Outer Tower District.

Gaga’s telepathic messages echoed in his mind.

’Patrol team twenty meters ahead to the left. Auras are Level One Initial Stage. Three of them, heading west. Gaga.’

’Avoid that patch of light under the streetlamp. Use the shadow from the drainpipe on the right.’

’There’s a weak fluctuation from a Low Tier Warning Array at the intersection ahead. Go over via the eaves, gaga.’

The man and bird worked in perfect sync, precisely avoiding all the patrol routes.

The mark was located in a relatively dense cluster of buildings northeast of the Outer Tower District.

It was an ordinary-looking, three-story, dark-blue building. The location wasn’t remote, but it wasn’t in a core area, either.

The Protective Runes inscribed on the building’s exterior were of a moderate level and had clear Shadow Energy characteristics.

’Gaga, it’s in there. The sense from the mark is getting stronger.’

Hiding in the shadow of an eave, Gaga’s mismatched eyes stared intently at the third floor of the small building.

’Someone’s inside. Their aura... hmm, it has that ’Insect’ smell from before!’