"Of course." Ron gently caressed the surface of the crystal, as if he were stroking a dangerous pet:
"Truly powerful creations possess some degree of life characteristics."
He carefully placed the crystal into a specially made protective container.
This Magic Power Amplification Crystal will become the core component for upgrading the Stand-In Puppet, and it is also a crucial cornerstone for him to reach a higher level.
After completing the task, Ron did not rest immediately.
The tranquility of the night and the breakthrough he just achieved put his mind in an unprecedentedly active state.
He took a heavy research note from the shelf and turned to the Chapter on "Spirit Dew."
This ancient recipe’s restoration work had been ongoing for months, but acquiring the key materials had always been a problem.
"’Tears of the Spirit Infant’ are indeed hard to obtain in modern society," Ron stared at the requirements in the formula:
"But the essence of these materials is the spiritual essence of a pure life form, not necessarily limited to human infants."
In the Abyss Fourth Layer, within that bizarre forest made of flesh, grows a special abyssal creature—Newborn Beast.
"The tears of a Newborn Beast cub..." Ron noted this idea in his journal:
"From a compositional analysis, their tears contain spiritual purification factors similar to ’Tears of the Spirit Infant.’ The purity may even be higher because abyssal creatures have a more primitive and intense fear of death."
Acquiring such materials requires venturing deep into the Abyss Fourth Layer, which is an extremely dangerous mission in itself.
There are countless deadly creatures there, and even the air itself carries a strong spiritual toxicity.
Ordinary people would go mad within minutes in such an environment, and even experienced explorers rarely return safely.
But for Ron at this moment, this challenge is within a controllable range.
As someone with high-level permissions at the Observation Station, he has legitimate deep exploration rights.
Moreover, through the feedback from the Stand-In Puppet, his adaptability to the abyssal environment is continually improving.
"Include the acquisition of Newborn Beast tears in the goal list for the next abyss exploration."
He made detailed notes in his work schedule: "I can also collect other abyssal materials needed for experiments, killing two birds with one stone."
One of the criteria for changing positions to Magic Potion Professor is to create at least one original Magic Potion Formula.
If he succeeds in restoring "Spirit Dew" and uses it as a model for creation, not only will it satisfy the job transition requirements, but it will also provide a powerful auxiliary tool for his research.
An Advanced Purification Potion is an indispensable safety guarantee for any abyss researcher.
Moreover, the value of this potion is very high, and it can also serve as an additional source of income in the future.
With tonight’s work completed, he planned to make an appointment to see Professor Yutel tomorrow to inform him about his abyss exploration matters.
With these thoughts, Ron tidied up various experimental equipment and greeted his two attendants.
Noticing their sigh of relief, he slowly headed towards the sleep chamber.
Before falling asleep, he was enveloped by a herbal fragrance that lingered around his nose, accompanied by a faint whisper of a song.
With a slight smile on his lips, Ron slowly sank into deep sleep.
......
Uther’s private study was shrouded in a suffocating dead silence.
When Ron pushed open the heavy door, what met his eyes first was not the usual warm lights, but a peculiar half-light, half-dark scene.
The living books, which normally welcomed visitors with gentle page-turning, were now standing stiffly on the shelves like deathly objects.
The crystal instruments on the walls used to record star changes emitted intermittent weak pulses, like the last struggle of a dying creature.
The air was filled with an indescribable decaying scent.
It wasn’t the rot of material matter but something deeper, the decay of time and memory.
What shocked Ron the most was the state of Uther’s Void Remains projection.
The silver glow was dim, like a faint crescent at the end of the month, its edges flickering with unstable ripples.
The old professor’s figure was sometimes clear, sometimes blurry, as if it might evaporate into the air at any moment.
Deep in his eyes, a few tiny cracks could be vaguely seen, signaling damage to the Void Remains structure.
"Professor? What’s happened to you?"
Ron did not approach recklessly but stood by the door, carefully observing the anomaly before him.
He activated "Extraordinary Recognition," and in this special vision, Uther’s Void Remains resembled a beautiful porcelain filled with cracks.
Silver light seeped through those cracks, with each pulse widening them slightly.
This kind of damage could never be caused by an ordinary battle.
"Come in, child. I’ve already received your exploration application."
Uther’s voice sounded unusually weary, each syllable heavy.
He slowly turned around, his movements carrying a weight of age:
"Just as well, I have some matters to discuss with you too."
"What have you encountered?"
Ron sat in the designated chair, its armrests seemingly squirming for a moment, softly sighing.
This detail further confirmed to him that the situation at hand was far more severe than it appeared on the surface.
"A conflict a few days ago..."
Uther waved his hand to activate the holographic projection in the room, the silver image dimming further after casting:
"During my routine star observation, I had noticed some ominous signs."
The air floated with a complex star map, but unlike usual, the image was filled with unsettling implications.
The constellation representing violence flashed a bloody crimson, while the cluster symbolizing death appeared an ominous dark purple.
Most eerily, some ordinarily stable stars pulsed at an unusual frequency.
"The activity of abyss-related constellations has suddenly surged." Uther pointed to a particularly chaotic area in the diagram:
"This phenomenon typically indicates that a high-level entity is about to become active. And according to the star map’s specific indications..."
The projection switched to show a terrain map of the Abyss Fourth Layer.
In an area labeled "Twisted Jungle," a small camp’s location was highlighted by a red dot.
"An archaeological team," Ron immediately grasped the severity of the situation.
"Exactly, those fools have disturbed something that shouldn’t have been disturbed while excavating ancient relics,"
Uther’s tone carried obvious annoyance, but Ron keenly detected something else within:
"As the head of the Abyssal Observation Station, I have an obligation to ensure that our ’investment’ is not wasted in vain."
This statement stirred something in Ron’s mind.
Investment? The choice of this word was intriguing.
"Are you suggesting... that the archaeological team discovered something valuable?"
"Some incomplete spell tomes from the Second Era, along with a few ancient alchemy tools." Uther’s eyes showed an expression of realization.
Ron nodded; this was a reasonable motivation.
Uther would not risk his life to save a few ordinary wizards, but protecting valuable knowledge and technology... that’s entirely different.
"So you decided to take action yourself?"
"It wasn’t my initial thought," Uther said with a wry smile:
"I intended to send a few Golden Ring level explorers to handle it, but the threat level indicated by the star map... is a Supreme Apostle."