This is not simple consumption and digestion, but a more advanced form of bloodline assimilation and purification.
Lilia gently caressed the crystal ball, her face showing genuine admiration.
The master’s bloodline modulation techniques have reached an unimaginable level, allowing a young sea siren to undergo such an astounding transformation in just a few months.
"If I could grasp even a tenth of the mastery, I would be more than satisfied."
She murmured softly, a hint of longing in her eyes:
"However, with my qualifications and talent... it seems I have a long way to go."
As the battle concluded, the audience gradually left, only a few apprentices still discussing this remarkable victory.
Lilia put away the crystal ball, carefully placing it in a specially made storage pouch, then walked towards the waiting area to pick up Dale.
"Lilia Sister!"
Dale leaped out of the pool, the water droplets on her silver hair sparkling in the sunlight:
"I won!"
At this moment, she had completely reverted to her girlish innocence, as if the earlier bloodthirsty and cruel side had never existed.
"Well done, Dale."
Lilia softly praised, handing her a soft towel:
"The master will be proud of you."
Dale happily wiped her body, her excitement beyond words:
"That big guy was not difficult at all, much easier than the training the master arranged for me! After each training, the master would give me special ’food,’ and those things are much tastier than today’s mermen!"
Lilia smiled faintly, feeling a subtle sense of pride inside.
This is the creation of Ron Workshop, each far exceeding the norm.
"Shall we go back?" Dale asked, eyes shimmering with anticipation:
"I want to tell the master about my victory! I can’t wait to tell him how I devoured that big guy!"
"No rush."
Lilia shook her head, a hint of anticipation in her eyes:
"There is another important task, I need to certify the qualification of an elementary apprentice."
Dale’s eyes widened: "Lilia Sister is going to become an apprentice too? That’s great!"
In fact, this gladiator match was supposed to be held a month earlier, but was postponed due to the Oliver incident.
Most members of the candidate wizard sequence are busy with their own research and tasks.
Thus, such elimination competitions are usually supervised by assistants.
.........
The two walked along the stone path outside the arena towards the Central Hall of the school.
The autumn sun shone on them, adding a rare warmth to the Black Mist Jungle.
"Why didn’t the master come?"
Walking on the road, Dale asked somewhat disappointedly, pouting with the particular defiance of a young girl:
"I clearly performed so well."
"The master is preparing for more important matters."
Lilia comforted, her tone gentle and firm:
"Those major plans concerning the future require his full attention. Besides, he has complete confidence in you, knowing you are sure to defeat your opponents."
Seeing Dale still with a bit of discontent, she patted the little silver-haired head:
"If he didn’t have confidence, why would he let you participate in the competition alone? This itself is an affirmation of your abilities."
As they walked, Lilia continued to explain:
"Today is the last elimination match, you have successfully advanced. The next round is the beast battle, where all the slaves who come out from the elimination rounds will face off against the experimental subjects selected by the wizards."
Dale nodded, a gleam of excitement in her eyes.
Lilia noticed that whenever battle or hunting was mentioned, the little sea siren’s pupils would unconsciously narrow slightly, revealing a predator’s instinct.
"In the melee, you need to be more cautious."
Lilia advised:
"Other combat slaves may join forces against you, after all, the strength you have shown has attracted quite a bit of attention."
She paused, continuing:
"After the melee, the four most outstanding combat slaves will enter the final to compete for the championship. Most masters will then personally attend the spectacle."
Dale’s eyes lit up:
"Will the ’stand-in puppet’ be awarded to the champion? The master has always wanted that."
"Exactly."
Lilia nodded, a hint of contemplation in her eyes:
"So the upcoming matches will only get tougher, but with the capability you showed today, I believe you can make it to the end."
The little sea siren grinned, revealing a row of fine little white teeth, looking seemingly harmless.
Only Lilia knew how terrifyingly lethal these fine teeth could become in combat.
Inside the Central Hall, people came and went, and Lilia brought Dale through the bustling crowd to the duty area.
Here, there was a long line, mostly apprentices coming to handle various formalities.
After a brief wait in line, a kind-looking middle-aged female duty officer received them.
The woman’s gaze was sharp yet gentle, clearly experienced and seasoned.
"Name?"
The duty officer routinely asked, the feather pen in her hand ready to record.
"Lilia, from Ron Ralph’s workshop."
She answered respectfully, her heart involuntarily racing.
The duty officer’s eyebrows lifted slightly, her feather pen paused for a moment:
"Ron Ralph? The genius alchemist of the candidate wizard sequence?"
Lilia gently nodded, feeling both nervous and proud inside.
The master’s name already carries substantial weight in the school, drawing notable attention from the duty officer.
"Interesting."
The duty officer’s tone carried a bit more curiosity, she carefully examined Lilia, seemingly trying to discern something unique about this veiled young woman.
Lilia couldn’t help but feel a wave of unease.
The duty officer led her to a room to test her spiritual power and then flipped through a hefty tome, skillfully finding Lilia’s information amidst a dense list of names.
"Your spiritual power test result is... a middle fifth-class star, initial meditation passing, elementary potion configuration qualified."
The duty officer read, her tone calm yet slightly appreciative:
"The time in Black Mist Jungle... about half a year."
She nodded slightly, revealing some approval in her eye:
"A candidate apprentice with fifth-class star talent, breaking through to elementary apprentice within half a year is already quite an impressive performance. Ralph’s apprentice indeed cultivates extraordinary students."
Lilia lowered her head slightly, her expression humble: "This is all due to the master’s meticulous guidance."
"Interesting." The duty officer set down the pen, her expression turning somewhat nostalgic:
"This reminds me of Ron Ralph’s own growth trajectory back then."
She closed the hefty tome:
"When he first came here, he was but an ordinary candidate apprentice with sixth-class star spiritual talent, yet within less than a year, he directly broke through to an intermediate apprentice, creating a miracle in the history of Black Mist Jungle."
A reminiscent glow crossed the duty officer’s eyes:
"I still remember him standing here to certify his elementary apprentice qualification back then."
She gave Lilia a meaningful look:
"Now, his student shows a similar growth trajectory, though not as astonishingly rapid, but for a fifth-class star talent, this is already remarkably impressive."
Lilia quietly listened, feeling a complex surge of emotions inside.
She knew being compared to Ron was a great honor, yet there was an unspoken pressure as well.
"I still have a long way to go."
She secretly warned herself:
"Not to be blinded by superficial success."
However, one thing gave her a slight comfort, the duty officer said her growth trajectory resembled that of her master’s...
"If I can persist, perhaps one day, I too can stand shoulder to shoulder with the master."
This thought quietly took root in Lilia’s heart.
Leaving the Central Hall, Lilia and Dale embarked on the return path to the workshop.
She touched the elementary apprentice badge on her chest, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
"This is just the starting point, not the endpoint."
Lilia silently reminded herself: "If satisfied with the status quo, I will never catch up with the master’s footsteps."
.........
Meanwhile, in an ancient tower deep in the Black Mist Jungle, Ron sat upright before an old silver-haired man—Alchemist Thompson.
The air was filled with the unique aroma of various alchemy materials, and in the corner, ancient alchemy equipment exuded the traces of time.
"Your question is very profound."
Thompson slowly set down the alchemy tools in his hand, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes:
"The combination of special materials and energy isolation layers is indeed a direction worth exploring. Few apprentices can think of such an innovative combination in such a short time."