Turning back for a glance, it was Soron watching him with a subtle expression.
In that gaze, there seemed to be scrutiny, along with a hint of elusive interest, much like an art connoisseur appreciating a magnificent piece.
He respectfully bowed to the mentors and then stepped away from the Central Tower.
On the road back to the workshop, as evening deepened, the ominous aura of the Black Mist Jungle grew even more intense.
From afar, strange cries echoed intermittently, chilling to the bone.
Yet these could not disturb Ron’s thoughts.
"The Scorpion bloodline indeed has unique value."
He was assessing today’s gains in his mind:
"The dual heart system can separately handle material energy and magic energy, which offers significant advantages in the abyss environment; meanwhile, the distributed neural network provides it with strong survival resilience, maintaining basic functions even if severely damaged."
But at the same time, he did not overlook the potential risks:
"However, the traits of abyssal creatures often come with some form of ’pollution’ or ’erosion,’ necessitating adequate isolation measures to ensure that useful traits are extracted without introducing harmful factors."
This has always been Ron’s attitude towards research. The thirst for knowledge never ceases, but each exploration must be founded on experimentation.
As the sunlight gradually waned, Ron returned to the workshop.
"Master!" Lily approached quickly, her eyes full of concern:
"Did everything go well? I heard there was some dispute over the final rewards of the combat meeting..."
"Master is back!"
Dale bounced excitedly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity:
"Did you get the prize? Did you get the prize?"
Ron smiled faintly, gently ruffling Dale’s silver hair:
"Everything went smoothly. Not only did I get all the rewards, but I also acquired some precious research materials."
He briefly recounted today’s experiences and gains to the two, but omitted details that might be overly technical.
"Moreover,"
His tone carried an unmistakable anticipation, "I’ve obtained this."
Ron carefully took out a black ebony box containing the Stand-In Puppet, displaying this precious abyssal treasure to the two.
"Wow! What a strange puppet!"
Dale curiously leaned closer but did not reach out to touch, only widened her eyes to examine closely.
She had been repeatedly taught not to touch potentially dangerous extraordinary items casually, even when driven by curiosity.
"Those eyes..." the Little Sea Siren murmured, her voice tinged with instinctive fear:
"It seems... like it’s looking at us..."
Lilia’s expression was more cautious, her brow slightly furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line:
"Is this the abyssal treasure that can create stand-ins? It looks somewhat... ominous. This aura reminds me of those cursed doll stories."
Indeed, even within the wooden box, that green-gray puppet exuded a sinister and eerie presence, as if carrying whispers and memories from the Great Abyss.
Especially those dark red gemstone eyes, even in a dormant state, seemed as though they were constantly observing everything around.
"Don’t worry,"
Ron reassured:
"Items from the abyss often carry a certain unsettling aura, but that is mostly superficial; what’s truly important is their function."
He closed the lid, and that eerie aura immediately diminished significantly, as if resealed.
"However, specific research and activation need to be conducted in a more secure environment. I’ll handle this in the laboratory’s isolation array."
His gaze swept over the workshop, already planning the sequence of his next actions:
First, to study the usage method of the Stand-In Puppet, which is crucial for realizing his future ’Melting Furnace Concept’;
If there is spare time, utilize the knowledge and samples gained from this anatomy guide to further perfect bloodline modulation research;
Finally, and most importantly, make every effort to break through the Meditation Technique to reach the level of an Advanced Apprentice, which is a key step towards a higher realm.
"Lilia, help me prepare some mental fortification potions tonight, especially ’Awakening’ and ’Spiritual Shield.’
Ron skillfully distributed tasks.
Lilia nodded, accustomed to not questioning the master’s arrangements at every step:
"I’ll prepare them right away. You still have three bottles of ’Awakening’ and two bottles of ’Spiritual Shield’ in the cupboard."
Ron then turned to Dale, his voice softened:
"Little one, rest well today. Tomorrow I will prepare some new ’food’ for you, to better help you digest the energy absorbed before. This time’s ’food’ will include some special ingredients, so its taste might be a bit peculiar."
Dale nodded happily, her large sapphire eyes full of anticipation:
"I will be good! Master’s ’food’ is always the best tasting, even if the flavor is strange, it doesn’t matter!"
Her trust in Ron was so pure, like the affection of a stream for its riverbed, unconditional and without reason.
After arranging everything, Ron went to the laboratory on the second floor of the workshop, placing the Stand-In Puppet carefully in the center of the specifically designed array.
The ritual arrays inside and outside the workshop were all activated by him.
Rune glows shimmered like fireflies in the dark, weaving an invisible barrier that completely isolated the internal energy fluctuations from the outside world.
Ron sat cross-legged in the center of the laboratory, before him was the Stand-In Puppet emitting an eerie aura, now taken out from the black ebony box and placed on a specially designed silver base.