Escalating Corruption

The first rays of dawn pierced through the window. Robb was already seated cross-legged in the center of the small experimental area on the second floor of his workshop.

The air carried a faint aroma of incense, a special blend designed to stabilize the mind, made from Calming Grass, Tranquil Leaf, and cinnabar powder.

It was a meditation aid formula he'd recently developed himself, capable of partially countering the mental pollution caused by Whispers of the Star-Eater.

Since founding his workshop, Robb had followed a strict meditation regimen every single day without fail.

Up at four a.m., meditation started at five and lasted for at least an hour before he began any other work.

Such discipline would have long worn him out if not for his Timewarden Pocket Watch.

"Deep breath, empty your thoughts…" he whispered to himself, closing his eyes as his mental power began to flow.

Within his mindscape, the complex structure formed by dozens of interwoven runes had grown increasingly clear and stable.

Compared to its fragile beginnings, like a toddler taking its first steps, the star runes now operated with the precision of a well-oiled clock.

Countless stars sparkled in the darkness, no longer just points of light, but seemingly alive.

Guided by the runes, Robb's Spiritforce moved like a fish swimming through a sea of stars, each cycle bringing deeper insight and purer strength.

[Progress: Whispers of the Star-Eater (Adept – 147/300)]

"Almost halfway…" Robb calculated silently, his brow furrowing.

Time was moving faster than expected. His intense training had propelled his progress forward, but there was still a long road ahead before fully mastering the first stage.

"At this rate, I'll reach the threshold for the High Apprentice level in about six months."

He estimated inwardly. "Lady Elena once said ordinary apprentices need several years just to master the first stage. Looks like I really am progressing faster than most."

Still, what exactly did "ordinary" mean here? He was curious, surely it didn't include those with five- or six-star talent, right?

Just as he drifted deeper into thought, a low pulse echoed from a shadowy corner of his consciousness, something there was squirming and growing.

It was accumulated mental corruption, settling like sludge in his psychic ocean.

As his meditations grew deeper, the corruption became harder to ignore, even starting to affect his daily thinking.

Robb observed how the corruption gathered over time. Like a once-clear lake slowly coated in black silt, initially invisible, but thickening with each passing day, tainting the water itself.

[Warning: Mild mental corruption detected]

He tried to refocus on his meditation, but the pressure kept building.

Even with the help of incense and stabilizing potions, and even with regular resets from the pocket watch, the speed of corruption buildup continued to increase.

What worried him most was that the watch's cleansing effect seemed to be weakening. At first, just one point of energy could cleanse all corruption, effortless, like a hot knife through butter.

Now, even purging mild corruption took three energy points and still left behind traces, like stubborn ink stains on fabric, impossible to fully wash out.

"I have to find a way to upgrade the pocket watch…"

Robb remained in a meditative pose, but his mind was restless.

"If I don't, I'll eventually be crushed by the corruption, and all my efforts will have been for nothing."

To manage the buildup, he had already adjusted his daily meditation schedule, always stopping just before crossing the warning threshold.

He had also increased his use of support potions, significantly raising the cost of his practice.

He'd done the math: every month, he spent over twenty magic stone shards just on meditation aids, not even counting the energy cost of the pocket watch.

While not unbearable for a professional potion maker, it was still a significant expense.

[Whispers of the Star-Eater (Adept) EXP +1]

Another successful cycle completed. Robb could feel his Spiritforce become even purer, like muddy water being filtered into crystal-clear spring.

But at the same time, that chilling sensation, as if being watched by countless invisible eyes, grew stronger.

"That special insight mode does grant ten times the EXP… but it also multiplies corruption by ten. I can't risk using it carelessly again."

As the last strand of Spiritforce returned to him, Robb slowly opened his eyes, ending the session.

He took a deep breath, feeling the heaviness in his chest, a physiological response to the mental pollution.

After every meditation, he felt an odd fatigue and palpitations, effects that intensified with each buildup.

His fingers gently rubbed the silver pocket watch at his waist, feeling the residual ticks of energy.

No need to reset it today, he could save the energy for other recovery uses and purify later, once the pollution reached a critical level.

"That little 'blessing' I received during class yesterday…"

Robb recalled that warm, cleansing feeling, a gentle stream that had washed through his heart.

"Though small, it did clear a portion of the accumulated corruption, about the same as ten days of normal meditation's worth."

This further strengthened his resolve to keep sharing his insights in class. Not only did it help others, it brought him tangible benefits. Why not do more of it?

After a short rest, Robb moved on to his next training session: spell practice.

Lately, he had focused on two skills, Spell Construction and Mental Disruption.

Under the guidance of paid courses, his progress had been remarkable.

"Focus…" Robb raised a crystal orb in both hands and began channeling his psychic power to construct a sonic vibration spell model.

Crystal orbs were ideal tools for practicing spells, making it easy to observe model stability and energy flow.

A well-built model would show orderly, stable flows inside the orb, while flawed ones would display chaotic, unstable pulses.

Thanks to Erik's teachings, Robb now had a new understanding of magic circuit optimization.

No longer did he just pump mental power into the model, he now used specific paths to maximize energy efficiency.

It was like converting a wild, chaotic river into neatly ordered canals, reducing energy loss and improving spell stability.

Within the orb, a swirling vortex of energy gradually formed. As Robb infused more power, the vortex stabilized, what once was turbulent was now almost perfectly still, with only a subtle flicker at the core.

Each successful spell build brought a sense of achievement, like creating order from chaos.

[Spell Construction EXP +1]

Next, he attempted the Mental Disruption spell model.

He'd received structured training in this skill from Lia's class. Now, he could precisely affect the perception of nearby small creatures, causing brief confusion or fear.

Mental Disruption required more finesse than sonic vibrations. It involved shaping Spiritforce into a special ripple that could interfere with a target's thought process.

It was like playing a complex song, each note had to be perfectly placed to produce the intended effect.

Robb spotted a moth resting on the windowsill and sent out a ripple of mental interference.

The moth immediately stopped moving, frozen in place, then suddenly burst into a frantic flutter, as if seeing something terrifying.

[Mental Disruption EXP +1]

"At this rate, I should have at least one of these skills reach 'Adept' within a month."

Robb analyzed his progress while considering his third spell choice.

As an Intermediate Apprentice, he needed to master at least three zero-circle spells, a basic requirement for forming a complete cognitive spell circuit.

So far, he had Sonic Tremor and Mucus Splash. He still needed one more.

"Light-Heat spells seem like a solid choice…"

He recalled his grasp of the Corona Breathing Technique and the unique Solar Blessing within him.

"Maybe something defensive, like a heat field, or a repelling fire ring, those could synergize well with Solar Breath, giving me both offense and defense."

With his next learning goal decided, Robb got up and picked up his ironwood sword, moving on to the second training session of the day.

The sword cut a graceful arc through the air, each motion in perfect sync with his breathing.

"Inhale for seven counts, hold for three, exhale for five…"

Following the rhythm of the Solar Breath, his sword movements flowed like water.

What once required conscious effort was now muscle memory, his body naturally responding with optimal actions.

Each strike resonated through bone and muscle like a finely tuned machine, each part working in perfect harmony.

[Basic Swordcraft EXP +1]

Robb frowned, slowing his movements, carefully sensing the flow of his sword.

Despite the synergy between potion-making and knight-attendant paths, the last point of experience in swordsmanship remained elusive.

"Just a bit more to break through…"

He glanced at the stats on his panel and muttered, frustration rising.

[Progress: Basic Swordcraft (Adept – 99/100)]

Just one point away from mastery, yet the wait was agonizing.

It was like a starving man seeing food just out of reach, or a parched traveler spotting an oasis they could never reach.