Lynn's life was peaceful and routine, his daily schedule was almost fixed between two locations either busy at the research institute or home, studying alone.
He wasn't much of a socializer, and his interactions with other researchers were limited to simple nods. The structured lifestyle of the Mechanical City meant he had little to worry about in terms of trivial matters.
Thanks to the widespread adoption of the Mechanical City's Citizen Token, access to knowledge has become more convenient than ever.
As an official citizen of this city, Lynn had free access to a vast collection of literature scholarly documents, research reports, and even rare transcendent tomes, all available for him to browse within the virtual world of the Citizen Token.
Compared to flipping through physical books, this method was far more convenient, allowing him to read and accumulate knowledge without even stepping into a library.
Of course, the free content had its limitations, and some of the more valuable resources required payment…
On this particular day, Lynn was alone in his laboratory. He carefully shut the doors and windows, pulled the heavy curtains closed, and ensured that no outside disturbances could interfere.
In an instant, the entire lab was plunged into darkness, with only the soft glow of magic stone lamps illuminating the space.
These magic stones, embedded in the ceiling like radiant crystals, emitted a stable magical glow, ensuring that the room did not fall into complete darkness.
Standing before his experiment table, Lynn raised his hand slightly and spoke in a calm tone:
"Guard the laboratory."
The moment his words fell, a gentle green light radiated from his body.
That glow seemed to possess a life of its own, slowly flowing through the air before condensing into a lush, verdant tree teeming with life energy.
Yfgríd!
A three-meter-tall green giant tree emerged behind him. Its branches were lush, and its roots coiled like serpentine dragons. Every leaf exuded a dense aura of nature.
As its branches extended, they gradually enveloped the entire laboratory.
These rapidly growing leaves seemed to have a will of their own, sealing off the room and turning it into a hidden sanctuary.
Lynn turned around, his gaze fixed on the towering transcendent plant before him, observing its changes.
Yfgríd's foliage was dense and vibrant, its trunk straight and robust, adorned with faint silver ripples. The lowest branches are spread throughout the entire lab.
For a Nature Wizard, transcendent plants were akin to the bloodline power of a Bloodline Wizard they had distinct classifications based on power levels and rarity.
Thanks to the Will of the Maple Tree's memories, Lynn had gained a deeper understanding of the Nature Wizards' system.
He knew that transcendent plants were categorized into three major levels, corresponding to the ranks above an official Wizard:
First Level – Primordial Spirit, corresponding to First, Second, and Third-Level Wizards.
Second Level – Verdant Domain, corresponding to the three stages of Morning Star Wizards.
Third Level – Lord Tier, surpassing Morning Star Wizards!
Lynn's Yfgríd currently belonged to the Primordial Spirit level, which meant that, in theory, as long as he had enough resources, it could accompany him from a First-Level Wizard to a Third-Level Grand Wizard.
This signified that his transcendent plant could support his growth through the first three stages of wizardry without the need for replacement or re-cultivation.
As for how he would advance beyond the Third-Level Grand Wizard, Lynn had no clear answers for now. But he wasn't in a hurry.
After all, he had yet to even step into the realm of a Second-Level Wizard, and the Third-Level Grand Wizard still seemed like a distant goal.
Moreover, by the time he reached that point, the Will of the Maple Tree would likely have already awakened. Then, he could simply seek its guidance on how to progress further.
Recalling the consciousness within the Maple Tree, Lynn was reminded that his transcendent plant the Maple Tree was supposedly at the Lord Tier!
A faint tremor ran through his heart as his thoughts drifted into the memories of the Maple Tree's will.
Lord Tier…
What did that mean?
In Wizard rankings, that was equivalent to a transcendent existence that could smoothly advance beyond the Morning Star Wizard realm, given sufficient resources!
A transcendent plant of this level was enough to drive any Nature Wizard mad with envy.
"The Natural Divine Court…"
Lynn murmured, his gaze flickering.
The Natural Divine Court was the birthplace of the Nature Wizard lineage, and for the Maple Tree's will to possess a Lord-Tier transcendent plant, its status must have been extremely prestigious…
However, Lynn quickly withdrew from his thoughts, refocusing on the present.
For now, the Natural Divine Court was too far beyond his reach.
Rather than worrying about something distant and intangible especially something that didn't even exist in the southern region, it was more practical to concentrate on strengthening his current abilities.
His gaze fell on Yfgríd, its dense foliage and coiling roots shimmering slightly under the soft glow of the magic stone lamps as if it could sense its master's attention.
Every transcendent plant possessed two forms:
Ethereal Form – a pure spiritual state.
Physical Form – a tangible, materialized entity.
However, Lynn's use of Yfgríd was still at the most basic level.
Aside from providing powerful combat support, its primary function so far had been… guarding his laboratory.
But in reality, a transcendent plant's potential extends far beyond this.
From the memory fragments of the Maple Tree's will, Lynn had glimpsed a unique method of utilization:
By completely merging his soul with his transcendent plant, he could use its properties to explore mysterious realms that existed in a state between reality and illusion.
"But for now, the most practical use is still in combat support. Back when I was just a Third-Level Apprentice, I relied on my First-Level Yfgríd to dominate the entire 'Landscape'…"
Lynn reached out and gently patted the thick tree trunk in front of him, the corners of his lips curving into an almost imperceptible smile.
If he could replicate what he did during his apprentice days advancing Yfgríd to the second level while still at the first-tier wizard stage then wouldn't he be able to dominate the entire first-tier wizard domain?
This was undoubtedly an incredibly tempting idea!
However, there were two ways to enhance Yfgríd's level.
The first was the most direct method just like during his apprentice days, using external resources to forcibly infuse energy and accelerate its advancement.
Back then, Lynn had used something that even the Maple Tree found painful to part with Little Green to push Yfgríd to break through.
The second method was something only formal wizards could attempt, a technique closely tied to Azure Sky Meditation.
Lynn's gaze grew contemplative as he slowly ran his fingers over Yfgríd's tough bark, pondering the feasibility of the second method.
"Fully merge my soul into the extraordinary plant and use it as a vessel to cultivate Azure Sky Meditation..."
Due to the unique nature of Azure Sky Meditation, this method wouldn't directly strengthen his spiritual power.
Instead, it would enhance the growth value of the extraordinary plant, making it stronger.
This sounded almost heaven-defying.
Yet, for most nature wizards, this cultivation method was nearly unheard of.
Because spiritual power was the foundation of a wizard!
Even ordinary spiritual power growth was difficult to achieve who would willingly neglect their spiritual strength just to mature an extraordinary plant?
Lynn slowly turned around, his gaze falling on the experiment table in front of him.
He raised his hand slightly, and the ring on his finger glowed faintly, radiating a mysterious energy fluctuation.
As the light flickered, a set of exquisite and complete alchemy tools materialized out of thin air, settling neatly on the table.
Test tubes, crucibles, condensers, a magically inscribed stirrer each piece of equipment gleamed under the light, appearing quite extraordinary.
Besides these tools, a carefully prepared assortment of potion ingredients also appeared.
Crystals of various colors, powders from magical plants of different forms, viscous liquids sealed in test tubes...
All the materials had been meticulously preserved to maintain their optimal potency.
Lynn gazed at everything before him, his eyes reflecting a calm confidence.
"It's been a while since I last made potions... but instead of feeling rusty, my skills have become even more refined."
Exhaling softly, he picked up a silver-leafed plant between his fingers.
As he turned it over in his hand, he quickly perceived the magical fluctuations on its surface, as if he had already grasped the essence of the entire plant.
Thanks to his promotion to a formal wizard, his perception had grown sharper, his control over his spiritual power had become more precise, and his efficiency in handling potion ingredients far exceeded before.
And so, he began.
Hiss!
The silver leaf was gently sliced open, revealing its crystalline sap. A few drops of essence slowly dripped into a beaker.
Next, with a flick of his fingertip, a pinch of violet-gold powder scattered like fine dust. As it merged with the liquid, faint ripples spread outward.
The subsequent potion-making process was as smooth as flowing water.
In midair, fire elements converged into a blazing furnace, its temperature precisely controlled.
The magical stirrer rotated gently, allowing the liquids to blend at the perfect rate.
Inside the condenser, mist swirled as the purest essence of the potion was distilled.
Everything was under Lynn's control.
His fingertips moved with rhythmic precision, every action flawless, without a single mistake.
Finally, a subtle wave of energy was infused
Buzz!
A faint radiance flickered from within the beaker.
The potion emitted layer upon layer of shimmering light, flowing like a miniature rainbow, dazzling and mesmerizing, exuding an aura of tranquility and clarity.
This was Radiant Glow Potion, a highly effective potion for third-tier apprentices, capable of significantly enhancing the efficiency of spiritual power cultivation.
Even for a newly advanced formal wizard, it still provided some level of assistance.
Lynn lowered his head, gazing at the potion, his eyes deep in thought as he assessed his current state.
What was his true strength now?
His crystal orb had already been damaged and could only detect the strength of apprentices.
However, he had another, more precise and powerful tool the Citizen's Medallion.
Whenever he entered the virtual world, the medallion would emit a scanning beam, analyzing his body and spiritual condition in detail before presenting a comprehensive data report.
Soon, familiar information appeared before his eyes:
"Spiritual Power: 101 points; Constitution: 10 points."
Lynn observed the numbers in silence, his thoughts shifting rapidly.
He had passed the phase where newly advanced formal wizards experienced a surge in spiritual power. Now, he had entered the gradual accumulation stage.
"From surpassing the human limit of forty points in spiritual power to suddenly leaping to one hundred..."
This was no easy feat.
A combination of species ascension from his breakthrough, potions, meditation, soul tempering, and various special techniques had allowed his spiritual power to make such a staggering jump.
Lynn lifted the beaker containing the Radiant Glow Potion, bringing it close to his lips. He took a small sip, letting the iridescent liquid touch his tongue, sensing the magic-infused essence seep into his body.
His taste buds picked up a blend of subtle spiciness and sweetness, while his spiritual power momentarily felt a soothing ripple.
"As expected... for a formal wizard to enhance their spiritual power, they need at least a third-tier apprentice potion."
Potions for first- and second-tier apprentices were already ineffective for him.
Drinking them now would likely yield less benefit than simply meditating for a few days.
Yet even as a certified formal alchemist, he couldn't afford to consume high-grade formal wizard potions at will.
"I'll have to rely on apprentice-level potions for now..."
Lynn murmured, twirling the beaker in his fingers, his gaze deep as he watched the shimmering potion swirl inside.
The Radiant Glow Potion slowly trickled down the glass, refracting prismatic light, like a miniature aurora dancing within.
His mind immersed itself in thought, already constructing a meticulous cultivation plan.
"Most first-tier wizards, after consuming standard apprentice-level potions, can stabilize their spiritual power around 110 points. Beyond that, they must rely on self-cultivation or seek out higher-grade potions to break through their bottleneck..."
However, Lynn was different from ordinary wizards.
He possessed Yfgríd a truly extraordinary plant.
Once his body built resistance to potions and their effects diminished, he could transfer his soul into Yfgríd.
By absorbing potions as an extraordinary plant, he could bypass the resistance limit and continuously accumulate spiritual power.
A thoughtful smile tugged at his lips.
"If everything goes smoothly, just using apprentice-level potions could push my spiritual power beyond 120 points..."
Of course, theory was one thing reality was rarely so simple.
The growth of spiritual power followed a diminishing returns rule the stronger it became, the exponentially more resources it required for further advancement.
Even third-tier apprentice potions would lose effectiveness as he neared his limit.
Just as first- and second-tier apprentice potions were now useless to him.
But even so, using third-tier apprentice potions as a transitional phase remained an efficient and resource-saving approach.
After all, apprentice potions and formal wizard potions differed vastly in price.
The latter were not only difficult to craft and required rare ingredients but were also strictly regulated by wizard organizations, making them impossible to acquire freely.
In contrast, apprentice potions were widely available.
In Mechanical City, a highly developed wizard metropolis, anything could be obtained as long as one had sufficient resources.
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 120+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader