After his Meditation Method broke its limit, Ian’s life was once again filled with a frenetic pace.

Daily, he completed the camp’s Potion quota, practiced Witchcraft, and entered deep Meditation—a three-point routine, repeating over and over.

The "Acceleration" effect had indeed quickened the pace of Ian’s Realm advancement.

But it came at a cost: the Awakening Potion had become completely ineffective, and he had since decisively given up on it.

Now, he used two vials of Concentration Potion for his daily Cultivation, an extremely extravagant practice.

Facing a gap in his supply of auxiliary Meditation Potions, Ian quickly weighed his options.

He planned to exchange his Contribution Points for Concentration Potions to use for now and then, once he had enough points, redeem the recipe to refine them himself.

The Potion was expensive, costing 45 Contribution Points per vial, but it was worth the price.

Not only did it significantly aid Meditation, but it also slightly increased one’s Spiritual Power, making it one of the most coveted Potions among most High Level Apprentices.

His original plan had been to redeem it at the Star Leaf Magic Pharmacy, but now, on the front lines of a war, he could only purchase it locally.

For now, his main goals were clear. First, to build up the Skill Level of his two ray-based Witchcrafts and advance toward another Limit-Break.

Second, to accumulate Contribution Points to exchange for a new Meditation Method and the Concentration Potion recipe.

The next day, there was a knock on the door of his Alchemy Room.

Hank arrived as expected, bringing what Ian had been waiting for... several portions of Rock Armor Demon Bear Essence Blood, along with some of the Auxiliary Materials needed for refining.

"Ian, this is the first batch." Hank placed the materials on the table, his voice as coarse as ever.

"As we agreed, the Essence Blood is yours. I’ll pay the Contribution Points in installments."

Ian inspected the materials. They were high quality, and he was satisfied.

He took out the Rock Bear Potion he had prepared earlier. Within the Blood Crystal-like Potion, dense golden threads swam about actively.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Captain Hank." Ian handed the Potion over.

Hank took the Potion, his fingers tightening slightly as he nodded firmly. "I won’t forget this favor."

The transaction complete, the two briefly exchanged the latest news from the camp.

Hank then left in a hurry, clearly impatient to experience the Potion’s effects.

The change came faster than expected.

On the third day, a rumor began to circulate through the camp: Captain Hank’s Power had skyrocketed!

According to his patrol teammates, after consuming a Bloodline Potion purchased from the Magic Potion Alchemist Ian yesterday afternoon, Hank’s Power and defense had increased astonishingly.

Someone even saw the spectral image of a Rock Armor Demon Bear appear above Hank’s house.

As of now, his combat strength firmly placed him at the pinnacle of Elite High Level Apprentices.

In the entire camp, aside from the two Official Wizards, his strength was now indisputably number one!

The news exploded like water hitting a hot oil pan.

The High Level Apprentices burst into discussion, their gazes frequently drifting toward the stone house from which a light smoke was rising—Ian’s residence.

Surprise, envy, desire, calculation... all sorts of emotions swirled above the camp.

"Did you hear? That young Magic Potion Alchemist has Bloodline Potions that can permanently enhance one’s strength!"

"Captain Hank is living proof! I heard the effect is worlds better than an ordinary Physique Potion!"

"Contribution Points... I need Contribution Points! I wonder if Master Ian takes custom orders?"

"The Osborne Clan doesn’t look too happy..."

...

In the clan’s garrison at a corner of the camp, the atmosphere was as oppressive as an impending storm.

Lucy, the old man who had once eyed Ian with malice, now had an ashen face, his gaunt fingers nearly crushing his wooden staff.

"A Bloodline Potion... he really refined it, and the effect is so significant!"

Lucy’s voice was hoarse with incredulous fury.

"The Rock Bear aura on Hank is purer and more active than ours! How is that possible?"

The few Osborne Clan Apprentices surrounding him had faces filled with shock and unease.

They knew better than anyone that the very foundation of their clan’s status and power was that scarce Bloodline Potion.

Now, an outsider Magic Potion Alchemist, who couldn’t possibly possess the complete recipe, had refined a Potion with an even stronger effect!

What was worse, he was openly selling it! This was tantamount to digging up their clan’s roots!

"Before Leon left, he specifically told us to quietly investigate this Ian’s background," a middle-aged Apprentice said in a low voice, a hint of panic in his tone.

"But now... not only has he gained Sterling’s favor, but he also has Hank’s friendship. If we keep investigating, will we provoke him?"

"So what if we provoke him? Kari still hasn’t come back. He might have already killed him!" Lucy’s eyes were dark, but his confidence was clearly lacking.

"He’s just a Magic Potion Alchemist with no backing... It’s just that Sterling Wizard’s attitude is unclear..."

He suddenly remembered that Ian was still just a High Level Apprentice, which made him even more anxious.

They had originally thought Ian was just a bit talented but without any roots or support, but things were developing from bad to worse.

"There are two options. Either we wait for Leon to return before deciding, or we risk going to find Leon. What do you all say?"

The men beside him exchanged glances, put their heads together, and started discussing again...

The change in the camp’s atmosphere was exactly as Ian had predicted.

From the window of his Alchemy Room, he listened to the discussions outside, his expression calm.

’Forming cliques and cultivating factions... these are just byproducts of my path to gathering resources.’

His goal had always been singular: to become stronger himself!

’In this world where power is concentrated in the individual, gathering factions is merely a means to acquire resources more quickly.’

The wave of interest in the Bloodline Potion had begun to surge, and Hank was the first Stone cast into the water.

Through him, the Bloodline Potion would flow to the camp’s upper echelons, and some wealthy Middle Level Apprentices would also be drawn in.

Next, the "sharks" who smelled the scent of Power would naturally gather, following the trail of blood.

Even many Apprentices without enough Contribution Points would choose to take out loans...

Once users of the Bloodline Potion became numerous in the camp, the Osborne Clan’s meager power would become a joke.

Those people and factions they had once bullied would slowly squeeze their living space.

His plan was progressing steadily. Contribution Points, resources, and influence would all converge on him with this tide.

And what he had to do, in this Furnace-like camp, was master the heat and forge himself.

Back in his bedroom, Ian held a Crystal Ball in his hands. Inside it was an extremely intricate Rune model.

This was the Star Moon Middle Level Meditation Method, which he had just redeemed from the warehouse.

Wasting no time, he sat down cross-legged and sent his Spiritual Power into the Crystal Ball.

A torrent of more profound Meditation knowledge flowed into his mind, more complex and more efficient than before.

[Advanced Meditation Method detected. Merge?]

’It confirms my theory!’ Ian’s heart leaped with joy. He immediately agreed to the merge.

BOOM! His mind shuddered once more.

[Star Moon Middle Level Meditation Method: Mastery (0/1600)]

Ian was startled. ’Where’s my Limit-Breaking Effect?’

He hurriedly focused his mind on the panel to check. After a moment, the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.

The Limit-Breaking Effect hadn’t disappeared; even his previous Skill Level had been perfectly inherited.

He pulled a vial of Concentration Potion from his robes and drank it in one gulp.

A cooling sensation shot through his mind, and his spirit instantly became incredibly clear and focused.

Under the dual effects of "Acceleration" and the Concentration Potion, twenty-seven Runes blazed with light, and the efficiency of tempering his Spiritual Power reached a new peak.

Outside the window, discussions about the Bloodline Potion were still brewing in the camp, the gloom of the Osborne Clan merely a dissonant note in the background.

But inside, Ian was already completely immersed in deep Meditation.

[Star Moon Middle Level Meditation Method Skill Level +1]

...