High-tier Meditation Technique.

  This was the holy grail that every Arcane Apprentice wandering the fringes of truth dreamed of possessing.

  Before this moment, Pierce’s understanding of these techniques remained on a superficial level—knowing only that they allowed for the construction of more Will-Runes, thereby making one’s future as an official Arcanist far more powerful. It wasn't until he overheard his well-connected colleagues in the Astral Spirit Society mention it during their gatherings that he truly glimpsed the mystery within.

  This concerned the very essence of a caster’s being: the condensation of the Spirit Crystal.

  Once an apprentice successfully constructed all necessary Will-Runes and their spiritual power crossed the mortal threshold, they would attempt to condense a crystal within their sea of consciousness. This crystal served as the power core of an Arcanist, used not only to imprint permanent spells but also to drastically amplify spell potency while suppressing casting costs to the absolute limit.

  Consequently, the larger and more structurally sound the Spirit Crystal, the more Runes of Truth it could carry, and the more terrifying the caster’s combat power became.

  The scale of this crystal depended entirely on the number of Will-Runes constructed during the apprentice phase.

  The "Common Meditation Technique" promoted across the planes by the Astral Coalition had an upper limit of only 12 Will-Runes. In contrast, true High-tier techniques typically started at a threshold of 18 runes, with the most elite inheritances capable of outlining 24 complex geometric circuits. This meant that an Arcanist promoted via a High-tier technique possessed a foundation twice as vast as an average mage, a disparity that would amplify exponentially with each rank attained.

  However, the fullness of such ideals could not mask the cruelty of reality. In Aurora City, High-tier Meditation Techniques were gripped tightly by the Council of Dawn and the Five Great Families. For the vast majority of apprentices without a lineage, it was a dream that remained forever out of reach.

  Thus, when a High-tier Meditation Technique was publicly offered in a place as chaotic as the Black Market, the sheer absurdity of the situation outweighed even the greed.

  Pierce’s eyes darkened as he pushed through the boisterous crowd.

  At the center of the circling mob, a gaunt figure in black robes, wearing an eerie serpent-head mask, sat silently behind a scarred wooden table. Before him lay a Memory Crystal Orb emitting a faint blue luminescence. It was this priceless recording medium that kept the skeptical onlookers from immediately dispersing.

  After all, no one would use an expensive crystal orb worth thousands of gold just to tell a clumsy joke.

  At that moment, a tall, cloaked figure radiating a powerful aura stepped forward, his voice muffled: "What is the name of this inheritance?"

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  The serpent-masked man looked up slightly, his voice raspy. "I do not know. It is a unique manuscript I excavated from a ruin dating back to the Dark Ages."

  The Dark Ages. At the mention of those words, an uneasy stir ran through the crowd.

  That chaotic and malevolent era had indeed birthed many unorthodox yet terrifyingly powerful secret arts.

  "A true High-tier technique, and you are selling it for only 100 Mana Stones?" the tall figure asked, his tone filled with scrutiny.

  The serpent-masked man let out a piercing, cold laugh. "I never said I would sell it only to you. Tonight, anyone who can produce one hundred Mana Stones is eligible to share in this forbidden knowledge."

  "How can you prove it is genuine?"

  The man pointed at the orb. "Show me your chips. Prove you are eligible to purchase. I can allow you to read the first three logical circuits in advance."

  This display of confidence instantly ignited the crowd’s frenzy. Many people’s breathing grew heavy, their gazes locking onto the orb.

  Pierce watched coldly, chanting internally: "Eye of Omniscience, analyze the man in the serpent mask."

  [Analyzing the target requires 5.2 units of Spirit. Proceed?]

  "Proceed."

  In the next heartbeat, the deep intelligence from the analysis exploded within Pierce’s vision:

  [Spirit: 18.34] [Physique: 45.12] [Status: Abyssal Contamination (Corrupted Infection State)]

  An Abyssal Heretic.

  Pierce’s pupils constricted sharply, and his gaze toward the man became profoundly meaningful.

  This so-called "High-tier Meditation Technique" was undoubtedly a lethal trap. A monster with a physique of 45.12 but a Spirit of only 18 had clearly sacrificed his soul to a foreign god in exchange for this twisted body.

  A madman like this appearing here was not seeking a few Mana Stones. The "technique" likely contained spiritual toxins designed to make the victim fall into depravity or even become a sacrificial vessel without them ever realizing it.

  Pierce offered no warning. He knew all too well that in a place like this, heroism was the quickest form of suicide. Moreover, he could not explain to anyone how he had identified the man’s true nature at a glance.

  As he mused, the tall, cloaked man seemed to finish his preview. After some hesitation, he produced a heavy bag of Mana Stones, swiftly completed the transaction, and vanished into the shadows. This triggered a domino effect as several more greedy buyers bit the bullet and followed suit.

  Pierce gave the serpent-masked man sitting in the dark one last deep look before silently retreating from the crowd. Whatever the other was plotting, it was a quagmire far beyond his current ability to intervene.

  On the way back to the apartment, a thought suddenly occurred to Pierce.

  "Eye of Omniscience, attempt to optimize the Common Meditation Technique I am currently practicing."

  [Task created. Deeply optimizing the framework of the Common Meditation Technique. Estimated time: 245 days, 16 hours, 32 minutes.]

  "Over two hundred days..."

  Pierce frowned slightly. Although the period had shortened several times over from the initial thousand-plus days, it was still lengthy. His current analysis slots had to be reserved for the Rank 1 spells and remaining Will-Runes needed for the upcoming Freshman Trials.

  He would maintain the status quo for now. As long as he could construct the first 12 runes to perfection, any future transition to a superior technique would be a natural progression.

  In the days that followed, Pierce returned to a routine that was disciplined to the point of being mechanical.

  He kept his job at Garden No. 8. Even though the 50-Credit wage was now a drop in the ocean compared to his wealth, he enjoyed the time spent with Yuna. It provided not only a stable source of intelligence but also a rare warmth in the cold Arcane world.

  And of course, Pierce wouldn't deny a certain selfishness. Facing a stunning senior like Yuna, any man with a sound mind would find no reason to resign.