Then, he turned his attention to Yuni’s "Phoenix Breath" record.
Unlike "Flowing Shield Wall," this magic is more complex and intricate, with its core about the precise shaping of the Firebird form and high energy compression.
"I see... Yuni Master’s Firebird is not simply decorative but an extremely efficient way to distribute energy," Ron realized.
The seemingly beautiful feathers are products of compressing destructive energy to its limits.
Each feather contains enough heat to melt metal, and when the entire Firebird form launches an attack, this energy releases instantly, causing astonishing destructive power.
"Perhaps I can apply this shaping technique to ’Ring of Brilliance’..." Ron murmured to himself, standing up and deciding to practice immediately.
Arriving at the training ground, Ron took a deep breath and began constructing the magic model for "Ring of Brilliance."
The Skilled Level skills allowed him to easily complete basic construction, but this time, he tried to incorporate the shaping philosophy he got from "Phoenix Breath."
The halo formed in his palm and, under his control, gradually changed—not a simple ring anymore but transformed into a light bird with spread wings.
Compared to Yuni’s Firebird, this light bird appeared immature and rough but already had its initial shape.
"Not detailed enough..." Ron frowned, dismissing the magic and trying again.
The second time, the wings of the light bird became clearer;
The third time, the contours of the feathers began to emerge;
The fourth time, the details of the eyes and beak improved...
With each attempt, Ron refined his control precision over energy, bringing the light bird’s shape closer to the ideal state.
At the same time, he explored how to efficiently compress energy into various parts of the light bird, especially those energy lines representing feathers.
[Ring of Brilliance Experience Points + 1]
...
With continuous practice, Ron felt that his mastery of "Ring of Brilliance" was nearing a critical point.
The feeling was akin to climbing a tall mountain, already seeing the summit’s outline, just one last stretch of climbing left.
"Something is still missing..."
He closed his eyes and replayed Hayek’s "Flowing Shield Wall" and Yuni’s "Phoenix Breath" in his mind, trying to find inspiration from their comparison.
After a moment, he suddenly realized—the key lies in energy "level compression."
Yuni’s Firebird was so powerful not only due to its exquisite form but also because each layer of energy was compressed to the extreme and then stacked with more levels.
This "level compression" technique is similar to Hayek’s "structural differentiation," except the application direction differs—one for attack, the other for defense.
With this insight, Ron reconstructed "Ring of Brilliance," paying particular attention to energy level compression.
After the halo formed, it didn’t simply change shape but first compressed the energy into several layers.
Each layer has a specific energy density and flow pattern, then assembled into the light bird’s shape according to the designed path.
This method greatly exhausts Spiritual Power, requiring casters to possess extremely precise Spiritual Control.
But the effect is astounding—the formed light bird is not only more vividly realistic but its energy strength increased by at least 30%.
When Ron controlled this new light bird to fly toward the target, he distinctly felt the difference.
Where the light bird passed, the air slightly distorted due to the high-intensity energy.
Even the metal targets in the training ground turned into a puddle of liquid metal upon contact.
[Ring of Brilliance Experience Points + 1]
[Current Progress: Ring of Brilliance (Skilled 99/100)]
"Just one step away." Ron’s eyes flashed with excitement.
He decided to attempt a further breakthrough—not just completing the light bird’s shaping but also enabling it with a similar directional burst ability to "Phoenix Breath."
This attempt posed a higher difficulty because it required the caster to precisely control the timing and direction of energy release while shaping.
Once mastered, this technique would significantly enhance the precision and power of "Ring of Brilliance’s" attacks.
Ron focused completely, constructing a brand-new light bird and carefully embedding a "detonation point" at its core.
When the light bird was completed, Ron took a deep breath and issued the command: "Go!"
The light bird soared high, drawing a beautiful arc in the sky above the training ground, then swooping toward the target.
At the moment of contact, Ron activated the buried "detonation point."
The light bird didn’t simply collide with the target as usual but exploded upon contact, transforming into countless light blades precisely piercing the target.
The energy didn’t disperse in all directions but focused entirely within a range of less than two meters in diameter, causing astonishing destructive power.
The target was not only melted but completely vaporized by the concentrated energy, leaving only a smoking deep pit.
[Ring of Brilliance Experience Points + 1]
[Breakthrough! Ring of Brilliance (Skilled 100/100)→ Ring of Brilliance (Mastery max)]
[Traits Advancement: Light Flame Transformation → Compression Burst
(Maintaining the original shaping ability base, the compressed energy can be more easily focused within the shaped form, greatly enhancing destructive power)]
"Succeeded!" Ron softly exclaimed, feeling the surging power within him.
"Ring of Brilliance" finally broke through to the Master Level, bringing not only an increase in power but also a new understanding and control mode of energy.
With the "Compression Burst" advancement from "Light Flame Transformation," the strategic value of this magic achieved a qualitative leap.
Now, Ron could not only shape "Ring of Brilliance" into various forms but also embed "Compression Burst" mechanisms within these forms, releasing concentrated destructive energy at the critical moment.
This capability is especially effective against targets with high defense, as no defense could completely resist such concentrated energy impacts.
Meanwhile, Ron realized he was closer to the realm of the Official Wizard.
Not just because of the skill breakthrough, but due to a deeper understanding of the essence of energy.
The fundamental difference between an Official Wizard and an Advanced Apprentice, besides an absolute gap in Spiritual Power, lies in the perception, understanding, and control of energy.
Ron could clearly feel that with the mastery of "Ring of Brilliance," his affinity and control power over the Light Element greatly improved.
"Next, I should try to apply these new insights to other magic, forming a more complete combat system."
Ron pondered, already starting to plan his next cultivation steps.
But before that, he decided to return to consciousness and replay Hayek’s "Flowing Shield Wall" record again, to see if he could leverage the recent insights to find new ways to enhance this magic.
Closing his eyes, Ron once again pulled up the record in the Spiritual World, beginning frame-by-frame analysis.
This time, leveraging the new perspective brought by "Compression Burst," he noticed some previously overlooked details.
Those seemingly simple media materials were actually mixed in specific ratios, forming a perfect energy guidance network.
"If this guidance network combines with my ’Compression Burst’ mechanism, perhaps it can create a brand-new defense counterattack system."
Ron thought excitedly, a bold idea already taking shape in his mind.
One that could not only passively absorb attack energy but also compress and bounce it back—a "Flowing Shield Wall" variant.
This would transform the shield wall from a purely defensive tool into a tactic for combined offense and defense.
"Worth a try." Ron made a decision, preparing to undertake this new project in the coming days.
Checking the time; it was already late at night.
He felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, but his heart was filled with the satisfaction brought by progress.