Its footsteps are steady and strong, like a precisely calculated metronome, and the sound of wheels rolling on the ground is clearly audible.
Moreover, after Ron skillfully controlled the vehicle, its speed even surpassed that of those pulled by ordinary beasts at one point.
More importantly, this method requires no additional expenditure of magic stone fragments, nor any concerns about feeding and resting the beasts.
"The applications of the Stand-In Puppet are more extensive than I imagined."
Ron analyzed in his mind, beginning to systematically evaluate various indicators of this usage method.
Casually, he opened the spatial bag and released a vine sphere intertwined together.
After being released, the green branches continuously contracted and then transformed into a graceful female form, which was Ailan.
In terms of portability, Dale still falls slightly behind Ailan, and the tree spirit can also use plant perception to provide a wider alert effect.
The tree spirit gently inquired:
"Does the Master need to stay awake to control it? That must be tiring, right?"
Concern flashed in her green eyes, and the vines gently swayed.
"No need." Ron shook his head:
"The spiritual link is stable, so I can meditate and rest while maintaining a basic connection. I only need to check the road conditions and surroundings every few hours. Several basic commands have already been engraved into the puppet’s memory, allowing it to automatically avoid simple obstacles."
This was another significant change after being promoted to an Official Wizard.
The qualitative change in spiritual power allows him to allocate attention more efficiently, handling multiple tasks without feeling fatigued.
Previously, spiritual control required full concentration, but now it only takes a small portion of consciousness to maintain stability.
Seeing the confusion in the tree spirit’s eyes, he explained:
"The Stand-In Puppet doesn’t need to rest or feel fatigue, allowing it to travel day and night. The only limitation is that I need to maintain the spiritual link with it."
Once confirmed that the puppet had adapted to the rhythm of pulling the carriage, Ron sat cross-legged in the center of the carriage and took out a small bottle of specially made Spiritual Stabilizing Liquid from his bosom.
This liquid appeared faintly blue, crystal-clear like the purest gem, swaying gently within the bottle with the movement of the carriage.
Ron sipped it lightly, letting the liquid linger in his mouth for a moment, savoring the exquisite energy components within, before slowly swallowing it down.
He planned to continue deepening his cultivation of the meditation technique during this journey, particularly in consolidating and deepening breakthroughs to the Third Stage.
Although the journey was only a short three-day trip, he didn’t intend to waste any moment that could be used for enhancement.
"Star Projection," as a trait of the meditation technique, requires continual absorption of star energy to increase the magic power limit.
He took out several energy crystals from the spatial bag and placed them around the meditation mat.
These crystals enhance the effect of star gathering, improving energy absorption efficiency.
Meanwhile, he also set up a simple isolation array to ensure that the meditation process would not be disturbed by the outside world.
His breathing gradually became slow and deep, each breath carrying a specific rhythm, a unique breathing technique of the Third Stage in "Star Eater’s Ravings."
As consciousness sank, the external sounds gradually faded, replaced by a profound silence.
His spiritual perception began to extend outwards, penetrating the roof of the carriage, directly sensing the floating clouds in the high sky, and the vast starry sky above them.
Although the stars during the day were not as visible as at night, to Ron, who had already mastered "Star Projection," their presence was still distinctly perceptible.
The energy from those stars, like fine beams of light, penetrated the atmosphere, reached the ground, and was captured by his spiritual perception.
His consciousness swiftly detached from his physical body, recreating that starry sky in the mental landscape.
Unlike before, the starry sky became clearer and more three-dimensional.
Every star possessed unique light and rhythm, like instruments each playing in a grand cosmic symphony.
He could feel the energy traits and wave frequencies contained in the starlight, which were subtle differences he couldn’t perceive as an apprentice.
To his amazement, Ron discovered that he could consciously choose which stars to establish stronger connections with to acquire specific types of energy.
This selective absorption allowed him to adjust his energy structure according to his needs, maximizing the improvement effect.
"The energy of the Annihilation Stars can enhance the power of destructive spells but brings mental stress;
the glow of the Hermit Star can enhance spiritual acuity but weakens physical attack power;
the energy provided by the Gemini Star System is balanced and gentle, suitable for long-term accumulation..."
Ron wandered in the starry sky, his spiritual antennae like countless tiny tendrils, gently contacting each star, sensing the different energy traits of the stars.
This energy wasn’t merely a simple matter of good or bad, but each had its traits, suitable for different uses and occasions.
He began to attempt a new way of absorption—mixing energies from different stars in specific proportions to create a more balanced and powerful energy structure.
This required extremely precise control and calculation, and any minor mistake could lead to energy chaos.
However, at this moment, he heard those strange ravings again.
Unlike when he first heard them, vague and unclear, these ravings had become more distinct and complete, like a radio gradually tuning from static to the correct channel.