This Mithril was clearly the result of the Turins' mining efforts during the time they occupied the resource point.

  A full twenty kilograms—far exceeding Pierce's previous estimation of the vein's yield.

  Furthermore, he had the Hill Dwarves survey the area, and they reported that the entire silver vein was only barely half-mined.

  In other words, they could extract at least another ten to twenty kilograms of Mithril.

  Adding in the amount mined when Red Maple City originally controlled the resource point, the total Mithril content of the entire vein was at least fifty kilograms.

  This already surpassed the vast majority of silver veins.

  Pierce finally understood why the Turins valued this resource point so highly, even going so far as to deploy a Rank 4 Priest to garrison it.

  It was just a pity that all their hard work had now become his spoils of war.

  "One kilogram of Mithril is 2,300 Merit Points. Twenty kilograms is 46,000 Merit Points."

  Pierce took a sharp breath, only then managing to suppress the wild joy in his heart.

  One had to remember that Red Maple City's rules dictated that half of the development profits from a resource point had to be handed over.

  But these twenty kilograms of Mithril were obtained from the Winter Frost Priests; they were spoils of war and didn't require him to hand over a single fraction.

  The 46,000 Merit Points belonged entirely to him.

  "Truly, a man does not grow rich without a windfall."

  "This many Merit Points is more than enough for me to break through to a Rank 2 Wizard with plenty to spare!"

  Pierce was overjoyed.

  "It's also enough to buy the Thunderbeast."

  "Once the mining operations are fully on track, I'll have Sophia go to Gale City and buy the Thunderbeast. After that, I can begin extracting its bloodline to enhance my Physique."

  Thinking about how his strength was about to experience another massive surge, Pierce's mood improved even further.

  The technique for extracting Thunderbeast blood to enhance himself had already been deduced. All he needed was the blood, and he could begin the enhancement at any time.

  With Sophia and Payne overseeing the mining operations, Pierce didn't need to intervene. He devoted all his attention entirely to his cultivation.

  Time flew by.

  Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

  The work in the mining area proceeded methodically, and the Mithril extraction was going very smoothly.

  Pierce had originally prepared to defend against the Turins returning to reclaim the resource point, but surprisingly, the enemy made no move whatsoever after that.

  He didn't know if it was because they felt it wasn't worth wasting their forces on a resource point that was already half-mined.

  But Pierce was more than happy with this outcome, staying buried in the mining area and focusing on his cultivation all day long.

  Just as he had expected, after spending two months consuming the four Sprouts of the Holy Spirit and purging the corruption of the Power of Faith, his mental energy level successfully increased to 64, reaching the absolute limit of the Liquid Phase.

  All he needed to do now was condense his mental power and complete the crystallization process to advance once again.

  Omniscient Eye, scan my current status.

  Sitting cross-legged on the floor of the stone building, Pierce chanted inwardly.

  [Mental Energy: 64.00] [Physique: 48.24]

  Looking at the data, the corners of Pierce's mouth curled up slightly.

  During this time, he hadn't slacked off on practicing the Omniscient Breathing Technique either.

  Catalyzed by the massive surge in his mental energy, his progress in the breathing technique advanced by leaps and bounds, breaking through to the fifth layer over half a month ago.

  And on the second day after his breakthrough, Pierce conveniently upgraded the Focus Magic Tattoo to a High-Tier Magic Tattoo.

  "If I gain another two points in Physique, I should be able to upgrade the Aegis Magic Tattoo to a High-Tier one as well."

  Pierce smiled faintly. He took out a Faith Crystal, calmed his mind, and prepared to condense his mental power.

  Having gone through the process when liquefying his mental power, he was much more familiar with it this time around. He smoothly consumed the first Faith Crystal.

  Omniscient Eye, scan my current status.

  [Mental Energy: 64 (Crystallization Progress: 7.24%)] [Physique: 48.24]

  "A little over seven percent, huh."

  "Calculated out, it will take exactly 14 Faith Crystals to complete the crystallization process."

  Pierce nodded inwardly.

  The deity statues and holy artifacts he had obtained when taking the resource point had all been refined into Faith Crystals—5 in total.

  Counting what he had before, he had a total of 22 Faith Crystals on hand, more than enough to complete the crystallization process.

  Without hesitation, Pierce immediately took out another Faith Crystal and continued to condense his mental power.

  The entire process took a full two days.

  It wasn't until noon on the third day that Pierce finally completed the crystallization of his mental power.

  At this moment, the Spirit Crystal deep within his mind was no longer hollow. It had completely transformed into a solid crystal, radiating an intoxicatingly magnificent light within his Sea of Consciousness.

  "With this, I am now a Rank 1 Crystalline Phase Wizard."

  A hint of a smile appeared on Pierce's face.

  "The next step is to continue increasing my mental energy level and prepare to construct the second Spirit Crystal."

  The process of constructing the second Spirit Crystal was similar to the first. Ultimately, it boiled down to accumulating enough mental power and then condensing it into a crystalline form once again.

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  The only difference was that this time, he wouldn't need Glassheart Water or a Substitute Spirit for assistance. Instead, he would need a wondrous item known as an Energy-Absorbing Motherstone.

  The Exchange happened to sell this very item.

  A single Energy-Absorbing Motherstone cost 8,800 Merit Points—more expensive than an Adamantine Golem.

  However, considering that this item could increase the success rate of advancing to a Rank 2 Wizard, the price didn't seem so outrageous.

  "Right now, the combined effect of the Visualization Technique and Resonance Potions has dropped to an increase of 0.2 levels per dose. I estimate that once I advance to a Rank 2 Wizard, Resonance Potions will likely lose their effect completely. I'll have to find new substitute resources by then."

  "And the Sprouts of the Holy Spirit... the last one only increased my mental energy by 1.89 levels. I estimate that after consuming ten or so more, they will lose their effect entirely."

  Every Wizard faced this exact problem.

  No matter how effective a wondrous item or potion was, once consumed in large quantities, its effects would gradually diminish.

  This forced them to constantly seek out new substitute resources.

  Fortunately, Wizard civilization had developed to a point where countless wondrous items and potions capable of increasing mental energy had been discovered. One didn't need to worry about not finding substitute resources.

  —At least, not before breaking through to Rank 3.

  The only thing one needed to worry about was whether they had enough money to purchase them.

  "Forget it. Thinking too much is useless. I'll focus on advancing to a Rank 2 Wizard first."

  Pierce stood up, walked out of the stone house, and casually cast a Message spell.

  A moment later, Sophia hurried over.

  "My Lord, what are your orders?"

  Having been shut away in the stone house for over half a month, Pierce hadn't seen her in a while. The young woman looked increasingly radiant. Her heroic and valiant bearing was now faintly tinged with a trace of allure.

  With a single glance at her eyes, one could unexpectedly sense a sweet, seductive charm.

  During the time Pierce had been buried in cultivation, both Sophia and Payne had successfully advanced to Tier 2 Legendary Knights.

  And with the massive surge in their strength, the alien bloodlines within their bodies had begun to manifest.

  The barbarian bloodline wasn't too jarring; aside from a taller and more heavily built physique, they didn't look much different from humans.

  Therefore, Payne merely experienced a further increase in height. He was now approaching two point two meters tall, looking like a miniature giant radiating a savage aura. Aside from that, there weren't any other major changes.

  Sophia's situation was the exact opposite.

  Although her outward appearance didn't seem to have changed, her body gradually began to exude a natural, seductive charm. Her already exquisite features seemed to grow even more perfect.

  Even the Hill Dwarves, who normally only cared for drinking and brawling, would sometimes unconsciously stare at her in a daze.

  Fortunately, more than half of the labor force in the mining area consisted of golems and puppets, and that blockhead Payne was a Tier 2 Legendary Knight—this level of charm had absolutely no effect on him—so no trouble had arisen.

  As for Pierce, even a genuine Succubus couldn't seduce him, let alone a half-baked one like Sophia.

  However, as her strength increased, the anomalies regarding Sophia would definitely become more obvious. Pierce wouldn't even be surprised if she sprouted a pair of wings from her back one day.

  "Make a trip back to Red Maple City and exchange for some items at the Exchange."

  Pierce handed Sophia a list and his crystal card.

  Aside from Sprouts of the Holy Spirit, the list also included various materials: gemstones needed for inscribing Magic Tattoos, and the supplementary ingredients required to extract the Thunderbeast's blood.

  Pierce currently had very few Magic Stones left on hand; he only had a massive stockpile of Merit Points, all derived from the recent Mithril sales.

  Everything he had purchased recently had been paid for with Merit Points.

  Sophia respectfully complied, taking the list and the crystal card with both hands.

  "Also," Pierce looked at her and tossed her a crystal orb. "This contains an Advanced Meditation Technique. Practice it diligently when you return and learn to conceal your mental fluctuations as quickly as possible."

  The inherent seductive charm of a Succubus was, in essence, an outward emission of mental fluctuations.

  As long as she learned to control her mental power, concealing it wouldn't be difficult.

  "An Advanced Meditation Technique!"

  Sophia was startled, a hesitant look appearing on her face.

  "But My Lord, when I was still a Wizard Apprentice, I practiced the Universal Meditation Technique, and the results weren't very good..."

  Sophia blushed slightly.

  Her talent for meditation was incredibly poor, otherwise, she wouldn't have dropped out of the Wizard Academy and transferred to the Knight Academy.

  Pierce shook his head. "Your Succubus bloodline has already begun to awaken. Right now, your mental talent is probably superior to some Rank 3 Wizard Apprentices. Practicing an Advanced Meditation Technique is perfect for you."

  Succubi were natural-born spellcasters.

  The spellcasting abilities of some powerful Succubi were in no way inferior to formal Wizards.

  It was said that the Demon Lord ruling the 570th layer of the Abyss, the Succubus Queen Malcanthet, was a terrifying entity whose power rivaled that of a Rule Wizard.

  Although Sophia couldn't compare to a true Succubus due to the purity of her bloodline, practicing an Advanced Meditation Technique wouldn't be an issue at all.

  "I don't need you to advance to a formal Wizard. Just learn to conceal your mental power," Pierce waved his hand. "If you manage to construct a Will Rune, you might even be able to learn a few spells."

  Hearing this, Sophia's eyes instantly lit up.

  Even though she had already become a Tier 2 Legendary Knight, she still harbored a deep yearning and reverence for Wizards.

  If she could learn spells, it would fulfill a lifelong dream.

  Moreover, it would be a significant boost to her combat capabilities.

  Even Rank 0 spells, if cast at the right moment when fighting a fellow Knight, could produce extraordinary results.

  Like the Flare spell, or the Daze spell.

  "I understand. Thank you, My Lord!"

  Holding the memory crystal orb, Sophia left excitedly.

  Pierce smiled and walked toward the underground mining veins.

  Even from hundreds of meters away, he could hear the continuous shouts and yells, mixed with the deafening roar of the bellows. The area was a hive of intense activity.

  Although restricted by their contracts, ensuring the Hill Dwarves wouldn't cause trouble, Pierce still made it a point to show his face in the underground mines every so often. It was a way to assert his presence and, simultaneously, intimidate this unruly bunch.

  After emerging from the underground mines, he turned and entered a stone building not far away.

  The spacious stone building was empty, devoid of any furniture. A layer of hay was spread across the floor, transforming it into a makeshift beast pen.

  In the corner, a massive beast—resembling a lion but as large as a carriage, colored entirely in deep blue, with a lightning-bolt pattern on its forehead—was dozing. Hearing the noise, it opened its eyes. Upon seeing it was Pierce, it immediately revealed a human-like expression of disgust and turned its head away.

  Pierce smiled, completely unbothered.

  This massive beast was the Thunderbeast he had purchased from Gale City.

  It had been transported all the way here from Gale City by Sophia, stuffed inside a magic bag specifically designed for holding magical creatures.

  When it was released from the magic bag, this notoriously ill-tempered and ferocious Thunderbeast had tried to attack Pierce, only to be brutally beaten into submission.

  Later, when Pierce tried to draw its blood, it attempted to resist again, resulting in several more severe beatings.

  After taking several beatings and realizing it was no match for Pierce, the Thunderbeast finally accepted its fate.

  However, accepting its fate was one thing; its attitude toward Pierce was far from friendly. In contrast, it was much more docile toward Payne, who regularly brought it food.

  But Pierce didn't care about the Thunderbeast's attitude, as long as it allowed him to draw enough blood.

  As usual, Pierce drew two vials of blood. Amidst the Thunderbeast's dissatisfied grunts, he left the stone building and headed to the adjacent laboratory.

  In the center of the brightly lit laboratory sat a stone experimental table, densely packed with various experimental apparatuses, all of which Pierce had Sophia bring from Red Maple City.

  This laboratory was built specifically to process the Thunderbeast's blood.

  Naturally, one couldn't just drink the Thunderbeast's blood directly. It had to undergo a series of preparation processes, mixing it with various ingredients to brew a potion, before it possessed the effect of enhancing Physique.

  Aside from his cultivation, Pierce had been busy with this for the past while.

  After three days of experimentation, he was now basically familiar with the entire preparation process. Today, he planned to officially brew a vial of the potion.

  Bloop! Bloop!

  The sound of boiling liquid echoed continuously throughout the laboratory.

  Dense bubbles constantly rose from the blood in the beaker, occasionally accompanied by the flash of tiny electric arcs.

  Pierce expertly added the various prepared supplementary ingredients, stirring and filtering intermittently.

  About half an hour later, the boiling liquid gradually calmed down. Its color shifted from the crimson red of fresh blood to a dazzling blue.

  "It's done."

  Pierce picked up the beaker, scrutinizing it intently for a moment before a look of satisfaction flashed in his eyes. He then raised the beaker and downed the liquid in one gulp.

  As the liquid entered his stomach, dense electrical arcs abruptly burst from Pierce's entire body. The beaker in his hand instantly shattered with a crack.

  He hastily took a few steps back to avoid ruining the equipment on the experimental table, then focused his mind to experience the changes in his body.

  In the silent room, Pierce could clearly feel his body growing stronger bit by bit. The density of both his muscles and bones was steadily increasing.

  His perception of the Lightning-attribute energy particles around him also became much sharper, to the point where his skin felt a faint numbness.

  A short while later, this strange sensation slowly dissipated.

  Pierce opened his eyes and chanted inwardly:

  Omniscient Eye, scan my current status.

  [Mental Energy: 64.00] [Physique: 50.12]