Otherworld

Robb adjusted his robes and walked slowly toward the reception room.

The moment he pushed open the door, his gaze paused briefly before returning to normal.

Talisa had clearly dressed with care today:

She wore a light green silk dress that highlighted her now more elegant figure. The hem was embroidered with silver thread, depicting forests and stars. Her long brown hair was tied back with a silver leaf hairpin, with a few soft strands framing her delicate face, which now looked even more radiant.

"Robb!" Talisa smiled a bit sheepishly as she saw him, pressing her pink lips together.

"Long time no see, Talisa."

Robb also noticed the leopard-woman standing respectfully half a step behind her. He gave a polite nod before turning back to Talisa.

"I thought you'd forgotten about your fellow countryman."

His tone was half teasing, half reproachful, but clearly not truly upset.

Talisa looked a little guilty and bit her lip before taking a deep breath.

"I've just been so busy lately... so much to take care of. I haven't had the chance to visit you in person."

Robb waved her concern away and guided them both to their seats.

The leopard-woman, Luna, instinctively retreated to a corner of the room, remaining vigilant. Her beast-like pupils swept across the room in constant alertness.

Valenwood silently brought over tea. Talisa thanked her, visibly surprised at the Dryad's humanoid behavior, but quickly returned her focus to the conversation.

"I heard you've entered the Wizard Reserve Track, as an Intermediate Apprentice, no less."

She sipped her tea, her tone filled with genuine admiration and a trace of complicated emotion.

"Your progress is honestly astounding."

Robb raised his cup and studied her calmly.

"Thanks to you. The potion orders you referred to me gave me stable income and allowed me to focus on my other advancements."

"We helped each other," Talisa smiled. "Your potions have helped me quite a bit too…"

She suddenly paused, as if unsure how to proceed.

"How have you been lately?" Robb raised an eyebrow, showing a measured interest.

Talisa hesitated for a moment before continuing:

"I've been assisting Lady Corinna with a bloodline activation experiment, that's mainly why I've been so busy."

That sparked Robb's curiosity, though he kept his expression calm.

"A bloodline activation experiment? Sounds fascinating. Tell me more."

As someone who had just undergone a successful bloodline activation ceremony and possessed three Primal Chimera cores, anything related to bloodline research was extremely important to him.

"Yes," Talisa nodded, her eyes flashing with pride. "Lady Corinna is helping me awaken my Wood Elf bloodline. It's still in the early stages and hasn't produced major results yet, but there have been noticeable changes."

She unconsciously touched the tip of her ear, guiding Robb's eyes to her ears:

They were no longer fully rounded like a human's. The tips now had the pointed shape distinctive of elves.

Her eyes also had a stronger emerald hue, shimmering under the mage-light like polished gems.

Robb stared at the changes, his curiosity and imagination stirring.

Talisa noticed his gaze and didn't flinch, in fact, she slightly raised her chin with a touch of pride.

"What do you think? Pretty magical, right?"

"Very," Robb admitted, then asked: "Aside from physical changes, have there been any practical ability enhancements?"

Talisa' eyes lit up, clearly, she'd been waiting for that question.

She stood and walked to a row of potted plants near the window. "Of course! Let me show you."

The girl's slender fingers gently touched a newly sprouted seedling. She closed her eyes, and her expression became focused.

Seconds later, a green glow extended from her fingers into the plant.

Before their eyes, the plant began to grow rapidly, its stem stretching upward, new leaves unfurling, and even a few delicate pink buds blooming.

"Nature Affinity, a hallmark of Wood Elves."

Talisa pulled back her hand, visibly proud, then sighed.

"But right now I can only affect small plants, like herbs or flowers. I'm still far from being able to affect full-grown trees."

"That's already incredible," Robb sincerely praised, especially considering the potential value for growing potion ingredients. "With your help, the quality of your herbs will definitely surpass the market standard."

Just then, a soft rustling drew their attention.

They turned toward the sound.

Valenwood was slowly walking in from the sunlit courtyard, her vines swaying in a subtle rhythm, as if responding to some silent call.

"Master," her leaf-blade formed words. "I feel a strange sense of closeness… but also a deep, instinctual fear."

Talisa' eyes widened, stunned by the sight of a Dryad that could write.

But her shock only lasted a moment, quickly replaced by intense curiosity.

She instinctively moved closer to Valenwood, her eyes lighting up like she'd discovered a treasure.

"Is this… a regressed bloodline dryad? Robb, you actually have one as an assistant?!"

She approached cautiously, as if handling a priceless artifact.

"She's in a highly active state. Her form has already undergone significant transformation."

Talisa' voice carried a hint of barely disguised envy: "You really are lucky. Dryads capable of independent bloodline reactivation are practically unheard of."

Robb chuckled inwardly. He was indeed "lucky", if you called spending seventy magic stone shards at Blake's shop lucky.

"You seem to know a lot about Dryads," he remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Wood Elves and Dryads are companion species."

Talisa' expression softened, like she was recalling an ancient family tale: "In ancient times, Dryads were revered by elves as 'Guardians of the Forest', our closest allies."

She reached out to touch Valenwood's vines but hesitated, as if afraid to offend the unusual creature.

Robb nodded slightly. "It's fine."

With her master's permission, Valenwood gently inclined toward Talisa, allowing her to touch the vines.

The gesture was as natural as a plant leaning toward the sun, instinctively close and trusting.

"Amazing… truly amazing," Talisa whispered. "Judging by her bloodline activity and transformation, she likely comes from a very pure ancient lineage. Robb, you've struck gold."

"Back to your bloodline activation," Robb redirected. "What method did Lady Corinna use? A ritual? A potion?"

At this, Talisa' eyes gleamed again.

"She gave me a special meditation technique, specifically designed to match the Wood Elf bloodline already inside me."

She paused and lowered her voice:

"Actually, her goal isn't just to awaken basic Wood Elf blood, she hopes I can ascend to something higher: the Lunar Elf bloodline."

The moment she spoke the words "Lunar Elf," her eyes shone with awe, like a student talking about their dream university.

"Lunar Elf?" Robb raised a brow. He had seen the term in ancient texts before, but only in vague mentions.

"Royal guardians of the Tree of Life."

Talisa explained, voice full of reverence: "Stronger than normal Wood Elves, masters of life and moonlight, once one of the most revered races in ancient times."

The longing in her eyes mirrored the yearning Robb had seen in André when he spoke of the Lightlord Dragon.

Clearly, for those with traces of rare bloodlines, pursuing that ancestral power was an instinctive drive.

"But…" Talisa' expression became complicated, her brows furrowing: "The mental strain from this special meditation technique is immense, far greater than standard methods."

Robb's eyes narrowed with caution. Talisa continued: "That's why I had Luna buy so many mental defense potions recently."

She smiled awkwardly: "And when I heard you'd created a special potion to suppress mental pollution, I really wanted to come visit."

Robb secretly exhaled. So her visit was just out of practical need, she hadn't discovered his secrets.

He responded calmly: "Yes, I've been working on a related formula. But the effects are limited, only temporarily relieves symptoms, not a permanent cure."

Unnoticed, Valenwood had served fresh tea and snacks before quietly retreating to a corner.

"So," Robb asked carefully, sipping his tea, "Relying only on meditation and potions, how effective has the bloodline activation been?"

Talisa' face twisted into a mixture of hope, disappointment, and frustration. "Honestly, the progress is much slower than we expected."

She sighed.

"Lady Corinna believes we need a much stronger catalytic environment to truly break through the limits."

She hesitated, clearly debating whether to share the next piece of information, then met Robb's eyes.

"Have you heard of the Bloodline Altar?"

A mysterious and unfamiliar term.

Even with all his research from The Grand Compendium of Supernatural Bloodlines, Robb had never come across it.

He slowly shook his head: "No. What is it?"

Talisa glanced around the room to ensure only the two of them were present (excluding Valenwood and Luna as "people"), then leaned in and lowered her voice: "It's a secret, only members of the Wizard Reserve Track are allowed to know. Given your current status, I think I can tell you."

Robb's curiosity was fully piqued. He also leaned in slightly, glancing at the sealed box holding his apprentice badge, making sure nothing could eavesdrop.

"Do you know why the Crystal Spire chose to establish the Black Mist School in this remote forest?"

"Because the supernatural resources here are decent?" Robb guessed. "And it's isolated enough to maintain secrecy?"

"That's part of it," Talisa shook her head. "But the main reason is, there's a rift here, leading to a hidden dimension called the Bloodline Altar."

Robb's pupils contracted, "An Otherworld?!"

As a transmigrator, he understood the significance of that concept far better than most.

If the Black Mist Wood truly held a stable rift to another world, it was an invaluable source of power and opportunity.