Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Chapter 164 Advancement to Second Ring

Kate returned to the treehouse at Evergreen Fortress but did not immediately begin her assault on the second ring.

He knew that the leap from the first ring to the second ring was a leap in the essence of life, a qualitative change in the control of rules, which could not be achieved by simple energy accumulation.

Ashe's advancement gave him valuable experience, and the acquisition of the "Dream Core" fragment pointed him in the direction for the next optimization of the Heart of Reincarnation.

He first entered a long period of deep seclusion.

Inside the quiet treehouse, time seemed to lose its meaning.

Kate sat cross-legged, with the Eternal Living Wooden Box containing the largest fragment of the "Dream Core" floating in front of her, along with the Rainbow Life Fruit and Star Dew Marrow given to her by the Light Fairy.

His consciousness was completely submerged in the sea of ​​spirit, and the Heart of Reincarnation slowly rotated. The four rules of light—life's emerald green, death's gray, space's silver blue, and dream's amber—were no longer clearly distinct, but instead attempted to intertwine and merge at a deeper level.

The Seed of Origin, overloaded analysis initiated.

Objective 1: Integrate the data on Aishi's advancement to the second ring and optimize the host's advancement plan.

Objective 2: Analyze the rule structure of the fragments of the "Core of Dreams" and find the optimal solution for merging with the Heart of Reincarnation.

Objective 3: To deduce the first regular organ crystallization selection and process.

With a cold yet efficient command issued, the Seed of Origin began to operate at unprecedented power, and massive amounts of data surged through Kate's consciousness.

Ashe's promotion process was repeatedly simulated and analyzed.

Spatial rules condense the core, elements crystallize, and domains become intermediate—every detail provides valuable reference.

Kate realized that the key to advancement to the second ring lies in "cohesion" and "manifestation".

The originally relatively abstract understanding of rules is condensed into a real and responsive "rule core," and the organ or tissue that resonates most deeply with the rules is "elementally crystallized," making it an anchor point and amplifier of the rules in the material world.

The analysis of the "Dream Core" fragments brought an even bigger surprise.

[Analysis Progress: The core of the dream has a unique structure; it is not a pure energy crystal, but rather a junction of reality and illusion, a sediment of the collective unconscious, and a manifestation of the rules of thought.]

Its stability depends on the high-frequency vibration of the "mind string" and the stable amber time matrix.

[Optimization suggestion: We can learn from its interface characteristics to enhance the efficiency of the Heart of Reincarnation as the hub for the transformation of the three-phase rules of life, death, space, and dream.]

It can simulate the vibration mode of the "mind string" to enhance soul resonance and resistance to mental attacks.

"Can analyze amber time matrix", attempt to integrate into the field, obtain a faint "spiritual time" effect (delay or accelerate the flow of time at the level of perception) -

[Warning: Directly fusing with fragments of the Dream Core carries an extremely high risk (93.7%). The vast and chaotic stream of dream information contained within may cause the host to lose consciousness.

It is recommended to use the "Rainbow Life Fruit" as the foundation of life, and the "Starry Morning Dew Marrow" to purify and stabilize the soul, gradually absorbing its rules and essence to guide the transformation of one's own rules.

As time went by, Kate became completely immersed in the sea of ​​rules.

He made minor adjustments to the structure of the Heart of Reincarnation, drawing on the "interface" characteristics of the "Dream Core," to create a smoother and more efficient transformation channel between the Seed of Life and the Core of Death.

Within the framework of the Garden of Space, a more stable and resilient "Mind String" reinforcement was introduced.

The entire operation of the Heart of Reincarnation was imbued with a subtle, almost imperceptible, "amber time" quality that seemed to influence perception.

His aura became increasingly restrained and profound.

The tempering of mental power had long since reached the absolute limit of the first ring, with 377 points remaining unchanged, but the degree of refinement was constantly improving, and the understanding and control of the rules were increasing day by day.

After careful consideration and countless simulations by the Seed of Origin, Kate finally decided on the heart as the first crystallized organ.

The heart is the source of life's energy, the pump station for blood flow, and is most closely connected to the rules of life.

At the same time, it is also the organ that perceives emotional fluctuations most strongly, and is closely related to the emotional and mental fluctuations triggered by the rules of "dreams".

More importantly, his name and core concept of "Heart of Reincarnation" originate from this.

Using the heart as the first anchor point for the crystallization of rules can undoubtedly maximize the integration of the rules of life and dreams, provide the core power source for the transformation of the rules of death, and greatly strengthen the essence of the heart of reincarnation, making it a true "core of power".

[The treatment plan has been finalized: the heart is the first organ to be crystallized.]

[Process Deduction: The heart needs to be enveloped with the "Rainbow Life Fruit" and its abundant life essence for initial "life-transformation" tempering to maximize its activity and carrying capacity.]

Then, the power of the core rules of the Heart of Reincarnation (focusing on life and dreams) is activated, supplemented by "Starry Morning Dew" to stabilize the soul, guide the imprint of the rules on the essence of the heart, and gradually complete the crystallization of the rules.

Ultimately, using the crystallized heart as a foundation, it nourishes the soul, drawing a qualitative change in spiritual power, condensing the core of the second-ring rule, and completely advancing to the second stage.

Estimated timeframe: Preparation period 6-9 months. Impact period 3-6 months.

Risk points: Overload of the life essence, failure of the rule imprint leading to organ collapse, and the soul's inability to withstand the qualitative change.

With the plan finalized, Kate began the long and tedious preparation period.

He takes a small amount of "Starry Morning Dew" every day to nourish his soul with its incomparably pure energy, enhance the purity and resilience of his spiritual power, and lay a solid foundation for withstanding future qualitative changes.

At the same time, he began to refine the "Rainbow Life Fruit".

The life essence contained in this fruit is as vast as the sea. He dared not swallow it directly. Instead, he used his own pure life energy as a guide to extract the power of the essence bit by bit, like the most patient craftsman, washing, nourishing and tempering his heart again and again.

This process is extremely slow and requires incredibly precise control. Every flow of energy must be handled with utmost care, aiming to achieve the desired tempering effect without excessively damaging the heart itself.

Kate's heart, tempered day after day, grew stronger and more resilient, beating with increasing force. Each beat sounded like a war drum, and the blood it pumped seemed to carry a faint glow of life.

He could even see within himself that extremely fine, natural rune markings, similar to the texture of the "Rainbow Life Fruit," were beginning to appear on the surface of his heart.

During this time, he also continued to comprehend the rules and charm emanating from the fragments of the "Dream Core," constantly adjusting and optimizing the structure of his own Reincarnation Heart to make it more compatible with his future crystallized heart.

Outside the treehouse, the seasons change, spring goes and autumn comes.

Kate completely isolated herself from all external distractions and devoted herself entirely to this crucial preparation.

Aisha was also quietly meditating nearby. Her very presence provided Kate with a stable environment at the level of spatial rules, and she would occasionally share some subtle insights at the level of the second ring.

Finally, after nearly a year in seclusion, Kate felt the time was ripe.

His heart has been tempered to its current limit, and his whole body exudes a vigorous vitality, like an emerald nurturing the sun, ready to withstand the imprint of the rules at any time.

Nourished by the "stars and morning dew," his soul was refined to be as pure and flawless as a diamond.

His reincarnation heart structure was adjusted to its optimal state, the four rules flowed harmoniously, and his understanding of the rules of "dreams" reached a whole new level.

Mental state, energy reserves, and understanding of rules are all at their peak.

"It's time."

Kate opened her eyes, her gaze calm and serene, only a burning unwavering will emanating from them.

He glanced at Ash beside him, who conveyed words of encouragement and support.

He took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

First, he drank the remaining half bottle of "Starry Morning Dew" in one gulp.

A cool, starlight-like energy instantly surged into his soul sea, enveloping and stabilizing his consciousness, elevating him to an extreme state of clarity.

In an extremely calm state, he resembled an absolutely objective observer, about to examine his own transformation.

Immediately afterwards, he took out the "Rainbow Life Fruit" that was still radiating a warm rainbow light.

This time, instead of slowly extracting the fruit, he held it in his hands as if cradling it, and the Heart of Reincarnation was operating at full power.

"Life is drawn from the source and infused with the essence."

hum!

A torrent of life essence, as powerful as a river bursting its banks, was frantically extracted from the fruit, transforming into an incredibly condensed, seven-colored torrent that instantly enveloped, permeated, and submerged Kate's heart.

"Ugh—!"

Even with thorough preparation, the immense energy surged into her most vulnerable organs in an instant, and the extreme fullness and tearing pain it brought still made Kate let out a muffled groan. Her body trembled violently, her blood vessels bulged, and her skin emitted a rainbow of light.

He focused his mind, relying on his strong willpower and prior rehearsals, frantically circulating the insights he had gained from the "Core of Dreams."

The high-frequency vibration of the "mind string" technique forcibly stabilizes the structure of the heart, guiding the source of life to carry out the final and most intense tempering and transformation of the heart in a mysterious way.

The heart was pounding wildly, like divine iron being forged. Under the hammering of the torrent of life, its structure underwent subtle but profound changes, becoming more suitable to bear the rules, and the natural runes on it became clearer.

This process lasted for three whole days and three nights!

When the last trace of the "Rainbow Life Fruit" was completely absorbed by her heart, Kate's heart had been completely transformed.

It still beats powerfully, but its entire body presents a warm, jade-like texture with an inner shimmering seven colors, as if it were not made of flesh and blood, but carved from the finest life gemstone, full of infinite vitality and life.

"Now! The imprint of rules, the beginning of crystallization!"

Kate didn't pause for a moment, her mind highly focused, guiding the power of the core of the Heart of Reincarnation.

It is based primarily on the rules of life, supplemented by the rules of dreams, and mixed with a sense of spatial stability and the stillness of death.

It transformed into countless tiny and complex runes, like the most precise carving knife, imprinting itself onto that jade-like heart.

sizzle ————

Like cold water dripping into hot oil, the moment the rule-based runes came into contact with a heart tempered to its limit, a violent reaction occurred.

An indescribable, soul-deep pain surged forth, a hundred times more intense than before.

That is the pain of rejection and reshaping caused by the forced integration of rules into the material world.

Kate gritted his teeth, and blood even began to seep from his seven orifices, but his eyes remained sharp as an eagle's, precisely controlling the position, depth, and frequency of each rune's imprint.

He drew on the stable properties of the "Amber Time Matrix" in the "Dream Core" to control the imprinting process of the rule runes at a relatively "slow" level of perception, in order to reduce the instantaneous impact.

At the same time, the medicinal power of "Starry Morning Dew" continued to work, stabilizing his soul and allowing him to maintain absolute clarity and control amidst such excruciating pain.

This is a meticulous process, bit by bit, inscribing the invisible power of rules onto the tangible organs.

Time flew by again.

Above Kate's heart, within the emerald-like material, tiny, star-like, regular specks of light began to appear. These specks multiplied, gradually connecting to form lines, outlining an increasingly complex array of runes.

The sound of the heartbeat gradually changed, no longer just the sound of flesh and blood, but taking on a certain rhythmic pattern, like a deep chant containing the mysteries of life and dreams.

As the rules of imprinting become more numerous, the degree of crystallization of the heart also deepens.

Its texture is becoming increasingly similar to that of a real crystal, transparent, brilliant, and hard, yet it retains the vitality and function of flesh and blood organs.

Finally, when the last core rule rune was successfully imprinted and stabilized, hum!

Kate's heart skipped a beat, then burst forth with dazzling seven-colored light and a warm amber glow.

The light shone through his chest and even through his body, illuminating the entire quiet room in a dreamlike way.

A flawless heart, like the most magnificent work of art in the world, has been formed.

It throbbed powerfully and rhythmically within his chest, each beat pumping out blood containing pure life energy and faint dream power, flowing throughout his body, nourishing and transforming every inch of flesh and every meridian.

Cardiac crystallization successful!

But this is just the beginning; the most crucial step is about to begin.

The moment the crystallized heart is formed, its effect as a regular anchor point begins to appear.

It resonated strongly with the mind of reincarnation in the ocean of consciousness.

"This will trigger a qualitative change, solidify the core, and the moment to break through is now!"

Kate gathered all her will, using her crystallized heart as a bridge, and suddenly unleashed the immense power of rules and life energy contained within it, which surged upwards like a tsunami, impacting her spiritual sea, the long-stagnant bottleneck of her spiritual power, and the final transformation of the Heart of Reincarnation.

Rumble—!!!

A storm of destruction and creation seemed to have swept through the sea of ​​consciousness.

The mental strength, which had already reached its limit, began to undergo a dramatic qualitative change under the impact of this force.

Quantitative change leads to qualitative change. The form of spiritual power begins to change, and its essence becomes closer to the rules themselves. The upper limit of energy that can be contained and controlled increases dramatically!

The Heart of Reincarnation spins wildly, expands, and reorganizes at the eye of this storm.

Seed of life, core of death, garden of space, fragments of dreams—all the rule structures are breaking down, reorganizing, and sublimating, evolving towards a higher level and a more complex second-ring rule core structure.

This is a process of destruction followed by construction, and it is extremely dangerous!

Kate's consciousness was like a small boat in a storm, enduring unimaginable pressure and impact.

A soul felt as if it were being torn apart, and the understanding of the rules was constantly being broken and reshaped.