Knight: from Apprentice to the Almighty

Mason, on the other hand, paid no mind to the refining process.

Without Vanessa, he would have long since perished in this dangerous place.

He was therefore convinced the Witch had no reason to harm him.

He had also noticed Roland’s cautious attitude toward Vanessa. So, when he took the potion, he ignored Roland’s quiet warnings, uncorked the bottle, and downed the pale green liquid in one gulp.

Mason smacked his lips. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes as a strong sense of fullness immediately rose in his stomach, and the dryness in his throat vanished.

The young nobleman quietly described how he felt after drinking the potion to Roland. Then, perhaps having accepted his role as a test subject, he didn’t hesitate to take a bottle of Protective Negative Energy Potion from Roland’s pouch and drink it.

Seeing that Mason wouldn’t listen, Roland had no choice but to activate his [Concentration] Trait. His sharp gaze locked onto the young nobleman, not missing the slightest change.

A moment later, seeing that Mason was not only fine but actually looked refreshed, Roland secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But he didn’t let his guard down. He opened a bottle of Negative Energy Potion and cautiously took a small sip.

After waiting a moment and confirming he felt no discomfort, he gave the Purple-haired Witch a slight bow of thanks.

Witnessing Roland’s cautious behavior, the Witch was not the least bit displeased. Instead, an imperceptible trace of appreciation flashed in her eyes.

She said nothing more, however, merely giving a slight nod as her gaze returned to the discolored Heartstealer blood in the crucible before her.

As a vial was tilted, a few drops of silvery dew fell precisely into the crucible.

The purple liquid inside the crucible instantly contracted and condensed, emitting a soft glow.

After she softly chanted a few obscure syllables, the liquid settled completely, resembling a solid piece of amethyst and radiating a stable, pure, and powerful wave of Spiritual Energy.

Seeing this, Vanessa extinguished the eerie blue flame and gazed at her masterpiece with satisfaction. She then deftly took out two crystal bottles and divided the purple liquid from the crucible evenly between them.

She pushed one of the bottles in front of Roland.

As for the other bottle...

The Witch, having seen through Roland’s cautious nature, let a small smile play on her lips as she raised the bottle and drank it all in one go.

She lightly pursed her lips, let out a breath as if savoring the taste, and then began to explain.

"I have removed the impurities from the Heartstealer’s blood. Now... it’s merely an ordinary potion that can awaken one’s potential for Spiritual Energy."

"Potential for Spiritual Energy?"

"That’s right."

Vanessa nodded lightly, a playful smile on her lips.

"Consider this... an apology for my earlier discourtesy. As for whether you drink it..."

Her gaze fell upon Roland.

"You decide for yourself."

Roland’s brow furrowed as he instantly recalled the earlier prompt about becoming a [Spiritual Master].

He then picked up the bottle, focusing his Spiritual Power to examine it carefully.

A moment later, he nodded slightly.

The liquid in the bottle indeed emitted only a dense and pure aura of Spiritual Energy; the previous whispers, like a form of Spiritual Contamination, were completely gone.

He handed the bottle to Tress the Pikachu, who was more sensitive to Magic Elements. Seeing her also nod in confirmation, Roland suppressed his final shred of doubt and slowly drank the potion.

The liquid slid down his throat with a soft gulp.

An icy torrent instantly swept through his entire body, then ignited a scorching flame deep within his marrow.

Countless fragmented memories not his own washed over the edge of his consciousness like a tide, bringing a sharp, piercing pain.

Immediately after, a long-dormant sense suddenly awakened.

It was as if an invisible veil had been peeled away from the world before his eyes.

This new power felt somewhat similar to Spiritual Power, yet it was fundamentally different.

Spiritual Power was like an extension of his will, but this Spiritual Energy, originating from the depths of his soul, was more like a pair of invisible hands that could directly touch and weave the threads of energy flowing at the world’s foundation.

If any experience was similar, Roland felt only his [Material Synesthesia] Trait came close.

But [Material Synesthesia] was limited to understanding materials themselves, whereas this Spiritual Energy...

It felt as if it could probe the very souls of living beings.

"You’re adapting well, it seems..."

A soft voice interrupted Roland’s immersion in the wondrous experience.

Vanessa raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of teasing in her tone.

"The potions I refine are non-toxic, are they not?"

She teased him softly. Then, with her purple hair swaying gently, she turned almost without pause to clean up the equipment on the Alchemy Platform, continuing her explanation.

"To the east lies the sea, where countless Fishmen dwell in the deep. To the north, we’re blocked by an unknown mountain range. So, if we want to leave this area, we can only head west. But..."

After neatly tying a small bundle, Vanessa casually tossed it to Mason and continued.

"The journey west out of this region is exceptionally long, so when the time comes..."

The Witch chuckled softly, her purple eyes turning to Roland.

"I’ll have to rely on you to protect me, Mr. Roland."

Having said this, Vanessa turned without hesitation and walked out of the hut.

Her decisive action left Roland momentarily stunned.

After exchanging a look with Mason and Tress, he shook his head with some resignation and started to follow.

Protected by the Protective Negative Energy Potion, the surrounding Ghosts exuding a bone-chilling cold under the hazy moonlight became a natural screen, concealing the group.

As a result, this part of the journey went exceptionally smoothly.

"Miss Vanessa..."

Roland tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, cautiously observing the shadowy surroundings in the dense fog as he asked a question.

"Do you have any idea where the fog in this region... actually comes from?"

"The south."

Vanessa’s reply was concise.

The Witch was indeed just as she had described herself. It was as if she were embarking on a long journey for the first time, her face revealing a novel delight, her movements carefree and unrestrained.

If not for the occasional rustling sounds from nearby Demons, Roland might have thought they were on a pleasant outing rather than escaping danger.

"A few months ago, maybe?"

Vanessa continued, her tone a bit uncertain.

"Somewhere to the south, an abnormally massive surge of Magic Elements suddenly erupted. It practically formed a tangible current that shot straight to the heavens. Afterward, the surrounding area was hit by continuous torrential rain."

"Once the downpour stopped, this dense fog, saturated with Magic Elements, began to rise and spread, and it has been expanding outward ever since..."

"A few months ago? A downpour?"

These two keywords made Roland frown. He instantly connected her words to his previous experience in Wuxi Town of the Black Water Territory, part of the Golden Valley Kingdom.

Back then, after that Giant Dragon as massive as the Bronze Mountain Range had departed, Wuxi Town had also been hit by a downpour containing a high concentration of Magic Elements.

However, he had already left Distant Harbor by boat before the storm had fully subsided.

"Could the cause of the fog here also be related to the Giant Dragon? Perhaps... Wuxi Town is now also shrouded in the same fog?" Roland couldn’t help but blurt out the question that had formed in his mind.

"A Giant Dragon? An interesting theory..."

Hearing Roland’s question, Vanessa chuckled softly and slowly shook her head.

"I’m sorry, but I didn’t perceive the aura of such a Legendary Creature, the kind that exists only in myths."

"Is that so..."

After asking a few more questions and failing to get any useful clues, Roland decided to change the subject.

"Miss Vanessa, you said earlier that the potion’s effect is to awaken a person’s potential for Spiritual Energy, so..."

He uncorked a bottle of Concentrated Nutrient Potion and drank it. Feeling the intense hunger quickly subside, he continued.

"Do you know anything about the study of Spiritual Energy, or... techniques for using it?"

"Of course."

Vanessa nodded without hesitation.

She leaned forward slightly, stepping lightly to Roland’s side.

"You want to learn?"

Her voice, laced with a faint, bewitching quality, rang out. Her purple eyes were like deep whirlpools, causing Roland’s mind to momentarily drift.

But in an instant, he steadied his mind and responded with a slight nod.

Seeing Roland’s gaze clear so quickly, Vanessa imperceptibly raised an eyebrow and then stopped short.

"Teaching you about Spiritual Energy isn’t impossible, but I think..."

Her tone shifted as she gazed into the depths of the fog nearby.

"This isn’t a very suitable place for a lesson, don’t you think?"

"The Slime Toads’ territory is up ahead."

Vanessa explained, her voice lowered slightly.

"These Chaos Creatures from the Outer Planes aren’t affected by the fog, so my little tricks for avoiding common Demons probably won’t work here. Therefore..."

She turned her head and gave Roland a playful wink.

The gesture wasn’t the least bit contrived; instead, it had a unique, almost girlish charm.

"It’s time for you to fulfill your promise, Mr. Roland..."