"The teacher will be okay, right?" Lily gazed at the starry sky outside the window, her voice tinged with undisguisable worry.
Lady Allen’s teacup paused slightly in her hand, and a flicker of inscrutable emotion flashed through her emerald eyes:
"That depends on his own choices and strength. The Path of Truth has no shortcuts; everyone must face that unspeakable fear alone."
Dale and Ailan stood by the side, not fully understanding what had happened, but they could feel the weighty atmosphere in the air.
"Master... will return." Dale said firmly, her golden eyes shimmering with unwavering light: "He never fails."
Lady Allen glanced at the Little Sea Siren, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her mouth: "I hope so."
Once more, her gaze drifted to the eerie starry sky outside, unable to stop herself from recalling her own attempt years ago.
That experience, even after so many years, remained etched deep into her soul like a brand, unforgettable.
At the highest point of the workshop, on the observation platform, Ron stood silently, his gaze directed at the starry sky.
This was the closest place to the stars in the entire workshop, and also the best spot to attempt the Path of Truth.
He was ready for everything—the Spiritual Contamination had been completely purged, both his physical strength and Spiritual Power were at their peak, and various protective measures were in place.
The only thing that unsettled him was a faint, elusive sense of being watched, but even so, he would not give up.
Ron positioned the intricate telescope from before.
He carefully adjusted the angle and focus of the telescope until the "Hermit Star" and "Obliteration Constellation" came fully into view.
It was a haunting scene—the "Hermit Star" shone like a solitary diamond, emanating a cold silver light;
While the "Obliteration Constellation" appeared as a blurry purple-black cloud cluster, seemingly filled with countless tiny points of light flickering on and off.
The two were approaching each other at a speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye, ready to form a rare geometric alignment.
Through the telescope, Ron could clearly see the bizarre patterns forming among the stars:
These were not simple lines or shapes but complex structures defying common sense, as if existing across multiple dimensions simultaneously.
"This is..." Ron unconsciously furrowed his brows as a wave of dizziness hit him.
Even just observing through the telescope, those warped patterns were enough to impact the observer’s spirit.
He could feel his thoughts being interrupted by some external rules, as if forced to comprehend a language beyond human understanding.
Meanwhile, the concentration of Magic Power in the air continued to rise.
Ron could feel that with each breath, more Magic Particles entered, gradually filling his body with an unusually active Energy.
"The Star Ring Convergence has begun..." he murmured, putting away the telescope, and took a deep breath.
In this extraordinary environment, he was about to attempt to establish contact with that terrifying entity from the depths of the starry sky, which was practically a suicidal endeavor.
Even with all the preparations, even with a success rate of 91% displayed on the panel, Ron’s heart could not be completely calm.
What kind of existence was the one called the "Devourer"?
Why would it accept contact from mortals?
What kind of power and cost would it bring?
These questions swirled in his mind, yet no one could provide answers.
But hesitation could not change anything.
Ron knew well that the Path of Truth was never a safe road.
Every adventurer was betting their life, and the victor would gain power beyond the norm.
"Final preparations..."
Ron received the gentle and enduring grace, purifying every trace of lingering contamination.
He then took out a silver Pocket Watch, gently tracing the etched lines on its surface.
Under the moonlight, the watch face glimmered softly, the hands moving slowly, each faint "tick" seemingly counting down for him.
"Reset." Ron murmured.
In an instant, he felt every cell in his body being cleansed, all fatigue, tension, and unease vanished completely.
Replaced by an unprecedented sense of lightness and clarity, like a newborn waking up, his senses and consciousness in their optimal state.
[Current breakthrough success rate: 92%]
Ron looked at the panel prompt and nodded with satisfaction.
A success rate this high was an extreme rarity in attempts at the Path of Truth.
But he was not satisfied with just that; instead, he took out the final preparation from his pocket—the "Star Dew Morning Glow" Magic Potion given by Lady Allen.
The liquid in the Crystal Bottle glistened with a silver-blue light under the moonlight, as if a miniature starry sky was sealed within.
Ron carefully removed the stopper, and a cool, distant fragrance immediately enveloped him, like a call from the depths of the universe.
"For power, for true knowledge." Ron said softly, then drank it all in one go.
The instant the potion entered his throat, a cold force swept through his body like an electric current.
He felt his body becoming light and transparent, as if he was leaving behind the constraints of matter, ascending to a higher dimension.
At the same time, his senses became extraordinarily acute.
Not only could he see the tiniest starlight, but he could even "hear" the energy fluctuations between stars, like a silent cosmic symphony.
Most astonishing was that his Spiritual Power seemed to have received some transcendental enhancement.
Originally already at 4.9, his Spiritual Power became purer and more active, with a stronger Resonance with the starry sky.
Ron could feel that the distant entity seemed to perceive his presence too, casting some indescribable gaze upon him.
[Current breakthrough success rate: 95%]
Looking at the success rate that had increased once more, a strong resolve surged in Ron’s heart.
95%—this was already the limit he could reach, and what lay ahead was the real challenge.
"Let’s begin." He took a deep breath, slowly sat down, and commenced his final meditation.
As his spirit sank into the depths of his heart, Ron felt his consciousness rapidly expanding beyond the confines of his body, reaching into a broader domain.
This process was not unfamiliar; he had experienced countless times through the Star Eater’s Ravings Meditation Technique, but never as clear and intense as today.
[Star Eater’s Ravings Experience Points +1]
[Breakthrough! Star Eater’s Ravings (Proficient 300/300) → Star Eater’s Ravings (Mastery 1/500)]
With the final bit of Experience Points accumulated, Ron’s Meditation Technique finally broke through to the Master Level.
This meant his connection with that high-dimensional existence had reached a new level.
But he had no time to celebrate this breakthrough, for as his meditation deepened, his consciousness was quickly drawn into a brand-new realm.
The perception of the material world gradually faded, replaced by an infinite darkness adorned with countless twinkling stars.
This was not a simple visual illusion but a reality existing in a higher dimension.
Ron could feel his consciousness floating in this starry sky, like a small boat navigating the endless cosmic ocean.
In the distant front was an area even darker than its surroundings.
There was no starlight, no energy fluctuations, like a giant void in the universe.