The efficiency of the Dawn Council was far greater than Pierce had anticipated.

  Early the next morning, the items he had exchanged for were delivered directly to his doorstep: four standard vials of Heart-Glass Water, along with a substantial quantity of rare metals.

  Pierce immediately set to work, allowing the Argent Star to absorb the four standard measures of the metal combinations.

  As expected, the Argent Star’s power saw a drastic increase. Both its offensive lethality and defensive rigidity were significantly enhanced.

  More importantly, the Mental Power consumption required to manipulate it was reduced by nearly another thirty percent.

  Compared to when he first obtained the artifact, the consumption rate had now dropped by nearly fifty percent in total.

  Pierce tested it that very day. By pushing his Mental Power to the brink of overdraft, he could now manipulate the Argent Star for nearly nine minutes.

  However, considering the unpredictable nature of actual combat, controlling the usage time to around five minutes remained the most prudent choice.

  Five minutes is more than enough, Pierce mused silently.

  If he could not resolve an enemy within five minutes even while wielding the Argent Star, then it would be time to consider a strategic retreat.

  In the blink of an eye, three more days passed.

  Pierce's Constitution attribute finally hit the one hundred mark, satisfying the physical prerequisites for advancing to a Legendary Knight.

  Just like his Mental Power, once it reached one hundred, no matter how much Pierce cultivated, his Constitution refused to budge a single inch further.

  Clearly, one hundred was the absolute limit of a standard Knight’s physique.

  "I can now attempt to awaken my Elemental Power."

  To ensure he would not be disturbed, Pierce went to the experimental district and rented a secure spell laboratory. He sat cross-legged in the center of the room, adjusting his breathing to prepare for the breakthrough.

  It was worth noting that under normal circumstances, the Elemental Power awakened when advancing to the rank of Legendary Knight was deeply tethered to the attributes of the cultivation technique one practiced.

  For instance, if one practiced a breathing technique focused on defense, there was a high probability of awakening Earth Elemental Power.

  If the technique prioritized raw strength, one would likely awaken Fire or Lightning Elemental Power.

  Take the Azure Breath Technique Pierce had practiced previously; although the chances were slim, had he been lucky enough to break through using that technique, he almost certainly would have awakened Wind Elemental Power.

  However, the Omniscient Breathing Technique was different.

  This super-tier technique, synthesized by the Eye of Omniscience from a multitude of other breathing methods, had no obvious directional bias.

  Or rather, it was a technique of total, comprehensive enhancement.

  Consequently, Pierce could not even guess what manner of Elemental Power he was about to awaken.

  "Regardless, I will know once I try."

  Taking a deep breath, Pierce slowly closed his eyes. After calming his mind and focusing his spirit for a moment, he initiated the breakthrough.

  Before long, a sound akin to a rushing river echoed from within his body—it was the noise of his blood flowing at torrential speeds.

  Immediately following this, wisps of white vapor began to seep from every pore of his skin, rising and curling into the air.

  In mere moments, Pierce was shrouded in a dense, mystical white mist.

  If a Formal Wizard were present, observing through a mental force field, they would have perceived countless energy particles gathering from all directions, scrambling over one another to burrow into Pierce's body.

  From a distance, it looked as though Pierce was encased in a chaotic, multi-colored cocoon.

  Among the colors, Crimson and Azure occupied the vast majority of the spectrum.

  After an indeterminate amount of time, the cocoon began to slowly contract, eventually vanishing entirely into Pierce's pores.

  Simultaneously, the white mist shrouding him gradually dissipated.

  Everything returned to a serene calm.

  A moment later, Pierce’s eyes snapped open, shining with a brilliant, piercing light.

  "It is done!"

  A smile of genuine joy broke across Pierce's face.

  The entire breakthrough process had gone far smoother than he had anticipated. The harrowing examples he had read about in books—stagnation in particle absorption, excessively long awakening periods, or the body failing to withstand the load leading to a failed breakthrough—none of these occurred.

  He had awakened his Elemental Power with absolute fluidity.

  However, the final result was slightly outside his expectations.

  Pierce looked down at his hands. With a mere thought, a burst of crimson flame ignited with a hiss in the palm of his right hand.

  At the exact same moment, his left hand crackled, fine, snake-like arcs of blue lightning dancing across its surface.

  "Fire Elemental Power and Lightning Elemental Power... Does this count as awakening Dual Elemental Power?"

  A trace of puzzlement flashed through Pierce's eyes.

  According to the classics, when a Grand Knight broke through to the Legendary realm, they would strictly awaken only a single type of Elemental Power.

  It was only upon reaching the Third Order of the Legendary realm that a very select few, those with monstrous talent, might awaken a second element.

  To awaken two types simultaneously at the very moment of advancement, as he just had, was simply unheard of.

  Perhaps only those Legendary Knights who had undergone extreme biological modification could achieve such a feat.

  "This must be a benefit exclusive to a Super-Tier Breathing Technique."

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Pierce did not dwell on the confusion for long; after all, this was a tremendous boon.

  The only lingering question was why he had awakened Fire and Lightning specifically, rather than any other combination.

  Is it because the Omniscient Breathing Technique inherently awakens Fire and Lightning, or is it because my natural affinity for Fire and Lightning energy particles is simply higher?

  After pondering for a while and finding no definitive answer, Pierce decided to let it go. He silently commanded:

  "Eye of Omniscience, scan my current status."

  [Mental Power: 160.00] [Constitution: 152.57] [Task 1: Modifying Elemental Runes. Estimated time: 301 days] [Task 2: Analyzing Thunderburst Magic Tattoo. Estimated time: 162 days] [Task 3: Analyzing Instant Cast technique. Estimated time: 219 days]

  Pierce clicked his tongue in silent awe.

  Although the strange, overflowing sensation of power in his body had led him to guess that his Constitution had increased significantly, seeing the raw data still gave him a vicious shock.

  An increase of over fifty percent—a raw boost of more than 52 points in Constitution!

  This magnitude of enhancement was nothing short of terrifying.

  Pierce couldn't help but glance at his own fist.

  With his current physique, even without mobilizing any Elemental Power, relying solely on pure kinetic strength, he could likely pulverize a Peak Grand Knight into meat paste with a single punch.

  "According to the descriptions in those tomes, an ordinary Grand Knight breaking through to Legendary rank usually sees a Constitution increase of twenty to thirty percent."

  Pierce understood. The reason for this horrific spike in power was undoubtedly the miraculous effect of the Omniscient Breathing Technique.

  It was also worth noting that with this breakthrough, his mastery of the Omniscient Breathing Technique had naturally reached the First Stratum.

  "I wonder, when I cultivate this technique to the Twelfth Stratum, what level of monstrosity will my body become?"

  Pierce's heart burned with anticipation.

  After calming his excitement slightly, Pierce stood up, intending to test the changes and influences the Elemental Power had on his body.

  First was Energy Particle Manipulation.

  As expected, his ability in this area had improved drastically.

  He felt as though the Fire and Lightning particles in the air were extensions of his own limbs, obeying his command with fluid ease.

  Pierce coated his blade with a layer of Lightning Elemental Power. Its destructive force was roughly seventy to eighty percent that of a formal Lightning Rune.

  The Fire Elemental Power yielded similar results.

  Based on his knowledge, Legendary Knights promoted through different breathing techniques might awaken nominally identical elements, but the density and quality of that power would differ.

  The higher the quality of the breathing technique, the greater the condensation of the Elemental Power, and naturally, the stronger the destructive output.

  For instance, the Fire Elemental Power Pierce now wielded was several times more potent than what Harlan had displayed back then.

  Next came the Elemental Runes.

  After some experimentation, Pierce found that the Lightning Rune had seen a significant boost in both power and duration.

  In contrast, the Earth Rune and Gale Rune showed minimal improvement.

  "Only the corresponding Elemental Runes receive significant amplification."

  Pierce nodded to himself. It seemed he would need to find time to analyze and master a Flame Rune in the future.

  Aside from the runes, the changes to his spells followed the same logic.

  Fire and Lightning spells such as Fireball, Burning Hands, and Shocking Grasp all saw varying degrees of optimization in casting time, lethality, and mana consumption.

  This did not surprise Pierce.

  He had long read in the archives that Elemental Power increased a Wizard's affinity for the corresponding element, thereby enhancing related spells.

  This was why, despite the existence of biological modifications and other body-strengthening methods, a vast number of Wizard Apprentices still painstakingly cultivated breathing techniques—all for the sake of awakening that precious Elemental Power.

  Physical enhancements like biological modification could grant a powerful husk, but they could never grant the affinity of Elemental Power.

  That involved a higher level of energetic physiology, a realm only mastered by high-ranking Wizards.

  "Moreover, as my Elemental Power becomes more condensed and potent, my affinity for the elements will continue to rise."

  Pierce felt a surge of satisfaction.

  The Omniscient Breathing Technique was special; it was a cultivation method specifically designed for Legendary Knights. With this technique, his cultivation speed would far outstrip that of his peers.

  All in all, although this was merely an advancement to the rank of Legendary Knight, Pierce's overall combat strength had taken a massive leap forward.

  "Now, I just need to wait for the tasks to complete."

  Pierce glanced at the task bar.

  Another four or five days, and the Elemental Rune modification would be finished.

  After that, it would be the Instant Cast technique.

  The Thunderburst Magic Tattoo was last in the queue.

  The main reason for this delay was that the gem materials required for the Thunderburst tattoo were even more expensive than those for the Blink tattoo, costing over two hundred Magic Stones.

  He didn't have that much cash on hand at the moment and would need to find time to brew a few batches of potions to sell.

  "It is a pity that a Wizard Apprentice's Mental Power is insufficient to brew Tier 2 potions. Otherwise, selling just a dozen bottles would easily cover the cost."

  The price of potions rose exponentially with their tier.

  A Tier 1 potion might sell for three or four Magic Stones at best, but the cheapest Tier 2 potion started at over ten, with a profit margin that dwarfed the lower tier.

  If he could brew Tier 2 potions, Pierce wouldn't need to worry about money at all.

  Unfortunately, that was just a pipe dream for now.

  Wait!

  A flash of inspiration suddenly struck Pierce, and he fell into deep thought.

  "Besides brewing potions, it seems there are other ways."

  He suddenly remembered Tining, the half-deer dryad girl.

  If he could trade Moonbright Orchids and Starfall Flowers for a large quantity of magical creature materials from her, and then resell them, wouldn't that generate a massive amount of liquid capital instantly?

  The profit margin on that trade was far higher than selling potions!

  "It is worth a try!"

  Pierce instantly grew excited. He stood up immediately, preparing to head to Garden Number 8.

  Over the past two days, he had liquidated all his spoils of war, converting them into over a hundred Magic Stones—just enough to purchase the necessary flowers for the trade.

  "Eee-eee!"

  Realizing Pierce was about to go out, Little Yi immediately shot over like a green streak and sat firmly on his shoulder.

  She had been bored to tears locked up at home these past few days. Now that she saw a chance to go out, she refused to let go.

  Pierce indulged her.

  Although the little sprite had top-tier escape abilities, the academy was full of Wizard Apprentices, and there was no guarantee someone wouldn't have means specifically designed to capture Flower Sprites. Thus, Pierce never allowed her to run around unless she was glued to his side.

  Given his current reputation, no one should be foolish enough to lay a hand on Little Yi under normal circumstances.

  But one could never be too careful.

  The world was full of idiots blinded by greed.

  Originally, going out to hunt with the Mist Raven was an option, but the little sprite couldn't stomach the "bloody" scenes of the raven devouring other birds. After tagging along once, she had returned pale-faced and clung to Pierce for half a day to recover. Since then, she dared not go hunting with the raven again.

  "Let's go..."

  Amidst the little sprite's cheerful shout, Pierce opened the door and stepped out of the apartment.

  However, just as he reached the ground floor, he ran headfirst into Gwen.

  "Why are you here?" Pierce asked, surprised.

  Gwen tossed a Dimension Pouch to him. "Am I not here to deliver your goods?"

  Pierce opened the bag and glanced inside. It was filled with various gems—exactly the materials needed for the Blink Magic Tattoo.

  "Thanks," Pierce smiled, stowing the bag away.

  Gwen huffed twice, then glanced at the apartment building behind Pierce, frowning in disdain. "This place is too dilapidated."

  She looked around at the surroundings. "The environment is terrible, too."

  Gwen had lived in the Inner City for a time and only moved to the Outer City after enrolling in the Spire Academy. Even compared to the general Outer City, this area was poor—let alone comparing it to the prosperous Inner City.

  This was normal, as this location was on the very fringe of the Outer City.

  "You could clearly afford a better place. Why stay here?" Gwen asked, puzzled.

  "I'm used to it," Pierce shrugged.

  The statement was half true.

  He didn't want to move partly because it was close to the Black Market, making his transactions convenient.

  The other part was simply that he found moving troublesome.

  Since he would be moving into the Ring of Truth upon advancing to Formal Wizard anyway, there was no need to go through the hassle of moving twice.

  "What kind of reason is that?" Gwen waved her hand grandly. "How about this? I'll arrange a residence for you. I guarantee it will be a mansion, elegant and comfortable. I'll even hire some servants for you—or if you prefer non-human servants, we can buy those too. In short, I promise you'll live in luxury."

  Gwen finished her pitch excitedly, only to find Pierce staring at her with a faint, knowing smile. Her voice instantly lost its momentum.

  "W-what?"

  Pierce laughed. "Out with it. What do you need my help with?"

  He didn't believe for a second that this rich girl would be so attentive without reason. She definitely had a favor to ask.

  "What do you mean? I genuinely want to help you," Gwen protested, though her eyes darted away, clearly guilty.

  Pierce didn't buy it. He stood there calmly, arms crossed. "If you don't say it, I'll pretend this conversation never happened."

  "...Fine! I do have something to ask."

  Gwen finally surrendered. She immediately switched to an ingratiating smile, clasping her hands together in a pleading gesture toward Pierce.

  "Can you tattoo a Magic Tattoo for me? Please?"