"Master! Dale! It’s wonderful, you’re both safe and sound!"
The tree spirit extended its vines, gently and irresistibly pulling Ron and Dale into the workshop.
Her vines wrapped around their arms, with a protective tenderness, as if confirming that they had indeed returned unharmed.
"Everyone calm down." Ron tried to keep his voice steady to soothe the two obviously overwrought women:
"We’re all fine, it’s just that the time flow inside the altar is different from the outside world, so we were a bit later than expected."
Lilia looked up, holding back her tears, trying to regain a bit of composure:
"We were very worried...There were many terrible rumors circulating in the school, saying there was a problem with the Bloodline Altar, and some apprentices were trapped inside forever... And Miss Trish and Master Holt returned before you..."
Her voice trembled slightly, her face pale, clearly having been in a state of high tension these past days.
"Those were just rumors."
Ron shook his head lightly, his tone unusually gentle, to ease the girl’s worries:
"The Bloodline Altar is indeed dangerous, but not invincible. In fact, not only did we complete the trial successfully, but Dale also experienced a bloodline enhancement because of it."
The Little Sea Siren immediately puffed out her chest with pride: "That’s right! I’m now a ’Pure-blooded Sea Siren’! Look at my eyes!"
It was only then that Lilia noticed Dale’s changes.
The originally violet-blue large eyes had turned pure gold, and her skin showed subtle scale patterns on the surface.
Her entire demeanor had transformed, exuding an extraordinary aura of both nobility and purity.
"It’s really amazing!" Lilia exclaimed, her emotions slightly calming.
Ailan’s sharp gaze caught the changes in Ron.
Compared to Dale, Ron’s transformation was more restrained, yet more fundamental.
His aura became purer and more powerful, energy flowed more smoothly, and his bloodline fluctuations were more harmonious.
"Master, your bloodline has also been enhanced, hasn’t it?"
The tree spirit softly inquired, her vines gently caressing the workshop floor, a habitual action when she pondered.
Ron nodded slightly, neither deliberately concealing nor explaining in detail:
"Yes, indeed. This experience, though dangerous, was very rewarding."
He glanced around, noting that the interior of the workshop was orderly, even tidier than before he left.
A tempting aroma wafted through the air, causing his stomach to growl in protest.
"I can smell the food."
Ron sniffed the air, a hint of anticipation in his tone: "Could it be that you’ve already prepared dinner?"
Lilia instantly regained her vitality, as if she had found her role again:
"Yes! We prepared a welcome-back feast with Ailan sister after getting the news! We can have it while it’s hot!"
The dining room was newly decorated, and the table was laden with a variety of dishes.
From special fruits and vegetables cultivated by Ailan to various meats cooked with care by Lilia, and even a few seafood dishes that were Dale’s favorites.
Every dish exuded a tempting aroma, appealing in every aspect.
Ron sat at the table and tasted the first spoonful of stew, instantly feeling a warm sensation spreading from his stomach throughout his body.
This feeling came from both the deliciousness of the food and an indescribable sense of security.
In this workshop, which he had built with his own hands, he could finally relax a bit, not needing to remain on constant guard against potential threats.
"What exactly is inside the altar?"
Lilia couldn’t wait to ask, her eyes sparkling with the light of inquiry: "There’s little record in the books, mostly speculation."
Ron savored the fruit wine in his cup, contemplating how to describe this experience.
He didn’t wish to overly emphasize the danger to avoid worrying the two women further; nor did he want to reveal too much about his core secrets.
"The interior of the altar is divided into several areas, with the outer region heavily influenced by the Abyss, a complex and changing environment filled with various mutated creatures."
Ron could only describe briefly: "Trish, Holt, and I teamed up temporarily to reach the core area, they left first, and I completed the final trial."
Dale interrupted excitedly:
"The battle was super intense! Master used the puppet to defeat a powerful enemy, and I dueled with my own duplicate, eventually earning a bloodline enhancement!"
"Duplicate?" Lilia tilted her head curiously.
"Yes, the altar creates a duplicate of each participant."
Ron explained: "Defeat your own duplicate, and you can gain reinforcement in your bloodline. That’s how Dale achieved her ’Pure Blood Transformation’ breakthrough."
"And the puppet is...?"
"It’s a prize from the gladiatorial games, the Stand-In Puppet."
Ron’s tone was calm, but a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes: "It played a crucial role."
By praising the puppet’s effect, he steered away from further details about the duplicates.
Especially about that terrifying existence, almost at the Official Wizard level, which absorbed all the other duplicates.
The less people knew about such things, the better.
Ailan mused thoughtfully:
"That’s why I could sense that subtle change in Master’s aura... It’s not just the enhancement of the bloodline, but a deeper transformation. It seems a force from the Bloodline Altar resonated in a peculiar way with Master’s inherent traits."
Ron nodded without change of expression.
Ailan’s observational skill was as sharp as ever, one of the reasons he appreciated this tree spirit assistant.
She could not only perceive the surface but intuitively touch upon the essence, yet without interfering or questioning excessively.
"Ailan is right." Ron admitted: "The Bloodline Altar did bring a special metamorphosis, not just an increase in power, but also a deeper understanding of my own bloodline traits."
He could feel the two bloodlines of Chimera and Red Blood Flying Dragon within him becoming purer and more harmonious, no longer clashing as before.
The flow of Bloodline Power was smoother, and the efficiency of energy utilization had made a qualitative leap.
The atmosphere at the dinner table gradually lightened as everyone shared their experiences.
Lilia recounted the operations of the workshop during this time in detail — order processing, material procurement, account management, everything was in perfect order;
Ailan introduced several new types of herbs she had cultivated in the garden, one of which, the luminescent fern, seemed to have the special effect of stabilizing Spiritual Power.
Dale also described various strange scenes inside the altar with enthusiasm, making it vivid and interesting despite embellishments.