C12 White Impurities

The first-level low-level arcane, Shadow Escape, allows one to blend into shadows for swift traversal—a quintessential skill for evasion.

Liu Feng pondered over the Shadow Arcane tome in deep thought.

The second-level shadow arcane, Shadow Evade, manipulates light to achieve the effect of invisibility, albeit solely visual.

It seemed rather lackluster, reminiscent of how easily Zhuang Qiushuo was spotted by him. Demons have noses, after all. It might work against demons with keen vision but poor other senses.

It could be handy when dealing with girls, hehe, making certain things much easier. Cough, cough, but that's not right. I am an ally of Justice Arcane.

Liu Feng was frustrated that no matter how he flirted with the shadow fly ash, there was no response. He was at a loss. The tome only mentioned that shadow fly ash had diverse personalities, including shy, impulsive, intelligent, and even... foolish ones. Yet, it offered no solution for overcoming the shyness of the fly ash.

Diving into the spiritual world, Liu Feng intended to delve into the study of the shadow fly ash.

Upon entry, he was greeted by clusters of white, foam-like substance fluttering about like cosmic debris.

What a miniature cosmos, complete with space junk. But when did it appear?

Liu Feng was initially startled and somewhat panicked. Then he recalled Wen Lu's warning about the devil crystal containing impurities that needed to be cleared to avoid hindering future advancement.

A glint appeared in Liu Feng's Thoughtform's eyes. Could it be...

He vividly remembered the moment a crimson fissure tore through the spiritual world, spanning the entire cosmos, and then a shower of dew, akin to celestial light, burst forth. Perhaps it was then that these white impurities had entered?

He was unsure how to eliminate them. It was time to seek advice.

Stepping out of the spiritual world, Liu Feng grinned at Ai Xinran. She exuded the innocence of a pure-hearted schoolgirl, likely a straightforward person. Asking her should yield an honest answer.

Ai Xinran, feeling uneasy, watched Liu Feng gaze at her as if he were obsessed.

"May I ask you a question? What should be done if there are white impurities in the spiritual world?"

"Are you referring to the white impurities that result from cultivating with a devil crystal?"

"Yes, exactly." Liu Feng's eyes sparkled, indicating he had found the right person to ask.

"Just keep releasing arcane energy. The impurities will be expelled along with it."

"But what if there's a significant amount of white impurity?"

"Did you use an entire devil crystal at once?" Ai Xinran suddenly asked, realizing something.

"Yes, is there an issue?"

"Just keep casting arcane spells whenever you can," Ai Xinran advised, giving Liu Feng a look of affectionate concern.

"I recommend you consider devil crystals as items for regular use, not single-use. Accumulating too many impurities can damage your spiritual world, hinder your arcane casting, and degrade the quality of your Magicka. And it's irreversible. Don't end up sabotaging your own abilities." Ai Xinran warned Liu Feng, winking knowingly.

Qu Qi and Wen Lu had no idea that Liu Feng was from another world, lacking the basic knowledge that devil crystals shouldn't be used all at once. They hadn't informed him of the proper way to use them.

Devil crystals are typically used in small amounts so that as arcane energy is released, the white impurities are also expelled, preventing any adverse effects on the spiritual world. However, not everyone can afford to use devil crystals due to their steep price.

They are usually reserved for dire situations when Magicka is insufficient, as it's preferable to be incapacitated rather than dead. A low-level arcanist could be rendered useless with just three low-grade devil crystals, while an intermediate arcanist might need dozens.

That's why, outside the Verge of Serenity, wealthy intermediate arcanists sometimes carry devil crystals with them for emergencies.

They only carry a few because of the high cost and the potential damage to their physical condition, which could hinder their future cultivation and advancement.

Liu Feng was taken aback. Was it really that dangerous? Wen Lu hadn't mentioned this to me; what a trap. If Wen Lu knew what Liu Feng was thinking, she would be livid. "I spent half of our family's fortune to get you those devil crystals, and you're accusing me of tricking you? It's your lack of common sense that's the problem."

Liu Feng mulled over the advice he'd received; if they all recommended clearing out the white contaminants first, then it was a step he couldn't skip. It seemed best to temporarily halt the use of the devil crystal.

He would wait until the spiritual world was entirely purified before using another one. It made sense now why the devil crystals were so inexpensive—the side effects were quite severe.

"You must be quite wealthy to afford that for your training," Ai Xinran remarked, shifting the conversation.

Liu Feng just smiled, keeping his thoughts to himself. "You must be quite poor. Lei Boshi seems to be extremely frugal. Following him, you can't even afford a devil crystal. I should focus on leveling up quickly and take on jobs myself."

"Heh, just a foolish kid trying to boost his cultivation with a devil crystal," Qin Wu mocked coldly.

Liu Feng simply smiled, but inwardly, he was hurling insults at Qin Wu's family.

What have I done to you? First, you accuse me of holding the team back, then criticize my method of enhancing my cultivation. What business is it of yours?

...

"Ladies and gentlemen, arcanists, please prepare for combat. We will reach the perimeter of the Verge of Serenity in five minutes."

The announcement, voiced by what seemed to be an artificial intelligence, echoed through the train. Arcane had progressed into the modern age, with many arcane techniques now integrated into equipment. Artificial intelligence was the latest innovation, though not yet widespread.

Following the announcement, no one stirred, but a palpable tension filled the air as everyone braced themselves, uncertain of what lay beyond the entrance to the outside world.

Typically, arcanists would venture out of the Verge of Serenity together to avoid ambushes by demons lurking at the exit, thus minimizing casualties. However, their return was a solitary affair. It wasn't feasible to wait at the Verge's entrance for other arcanists—that would be far too perilous.

Due to resource limitations, the cities remained unconnected. The sheer amount of resources and labor required made such a project unfeasible. Human settlements were predominantly located in areas rich in arcane resources, which were naturally scattered across various regions. Consequently, demons were particularly envious of these human cities.

Every city can be considered its own little world.

Naturally, these cities are capable of interacting with one another.

With the emergence of earth and space arcane, high-speed rail tunnels were constructed, spanning from north to south, providing immense convenience to humanity.

Thanks to light arcane technology, base stations have proliferated across the globe, not only in human habitats but also beneath the Verge of Serenity and within the territories of the Demon Tribe.

Each base station and high-speed rail outside the Verge of Serenity stands as a testament to fierce struggles, often built amidst the bloodshed of arcanists.

Yet, the establishment of these base stations and high-speed rails is essential. Despite the presence of numerous formidable Demon Tribes, this infrastructure enables cities to communicate and support each other in times of need.