Ronan looked at the submission of the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent, a slight hint of satisfaction spreading across his face.
The training and travel over the past month had indeed yielded some results.
It had to be said, the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent's strength was still quite terrifying.
Three years ago, during Ronan's second bloodline purification, the one who made the most "sacrifice" for him was probably this creature.
Ronan vividly remembered waking from the blood cocoon, finding the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent in a severely weakened state, its vitality drained, with even its ancient serpent horn, a symbol of its heritage, losing its luster.
At the time, he was deeply moved, feeling guilty, and had even mentioned to Bennigo that they should use some resources to compensate the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent.
However, Bennigo coldly dismissed it, stating that it was the serpent's duty as a magical pet and that it was an excellent opportunity to ease the pressure brought on by the "Bocelina wager agreement."
Poor Ice Crystal Magic Serpent, in the end, quietly returned to the primal forest, weak and alone.
Unexpectedly, three years later, while Bennigo was still stuck in an aging state, the serpent had grown vibrant and full of vitality.
Not only had it advanced to a third-tier magical beast, but its overall strength had significantly improved.
Ronan estimated that the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent's combat ability was now close to that of the fully awakened Igneus from three years ago.
And yet, this creature had only been alive for a little less than four years.
"Ancient bloodlines truly are enviable, their potential seemingly endless..."
If it weren't for the natural suppression of the ancient frost hydra bloodline within him, Ronan would've had to exert much more effort to keep it in check.
Ronan thought to himself and opened his character panel—[Power: Second-tier Official Sorcerer (172%)].
Despite the past month of travel, his strength had not only failed to grow, but had even regressed slightly.
The reason stemmed from within. Inside his consciousness space, the first mental power crystal contained the soul imprint of the [Mossy Frozen Earth], which had undergone some changes.
The once simple imprint now had a ring of beautiful, intricate silver patterns surrounding it, blending not just frost and cold, but also elements of space and mirrors.
Ronan had only experimented with the upgraded [Mossy Frozen Earth] on the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent and was quite satisfied with its enhanced power.
"Three years of time have solidified my foundation, bridging the gap between me and the top-tier prodigies of those grand sorcerer factions. Most of my expectations have been met. The only thing I still lack is refining my mental strength."
Ronan's gaze flickered as he glanced at his character panel.
This gap couldn't be forced; with less than three months remaining before the Herams Talent Seat competition, he could only try his best to make up for it.
Following Kosti's advice, he had come to explore the Heart of the Machine, hoping to find something that could help him complete his soul power refinement.
His hopes now rested on the "Shibiert's Magical Box," hoping it would offer him some unexpected surprises.
Ronan glanced around before retrieving the opened "Shibiert's Magical Box" Kosti had given him. The bizarre metallic box, covered in gears, radiated an aura of ancient mystery.
As soon as Ronan took it out, he immediately noticed that the rotating brass gears were moving much faster than they had with the Silver Ring. It seemed to possess some kind of guiding function.
Ronan lightly jumped onto the head of the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent, holding the magical box in one hand and commanding the serpent to wander across the plain.
By observing the speed of the gears, he quickly deduced the correct direction and began moving deeper in that direction.
"Click—click—"
As the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent reached a low hill, Ronan suddenly heard a crisp, distinct sound from the magical box.
Using his powerful second-tier sorcerer mental power, he immediately spread his senses, quietly weaving the [Eye of Truth] at his brow.
In the fragmented light of countless points, Ronan saw a creature composed of complex lines slowly emerging from behind the hill.
Through the [Eye of Truth], the lines indicated an orderly arrangement of free-floating energy particles, often signaling a formed spell or an active magical formation.
What emerged was an ordinary-looking grey mountain goat, its horn broken off halfway, and one leg seemingly shorter than the other, causing it to limp slightly as it walked, looking somewhat comical.
In the dim sunlight of the plain, the goat's body glowed faintly with a metallic sheen, including every strand of its curly wool.
But Ronan wasn't focused on its appearance; instead, he was deeply intrigued by the structure inside the goat.
Through its exterior, he saw five hearts made of gears, each one pulsing and full of intricate mechanical components, tightly connected by delicate and complex runes.
"This is a masterpiece of alchemy and rune magic combined perfectly."
Ronan murmured to himself.
While he wasn't particularly enthusiastic about metal golems, he understood that, in the higher tiers of metal magic, golems were a powerful and essential magical branch.
The Silver Ring didn't have the appropriate inheritance, but if he wished to continue along the path of metal magic, now was the time to begin preparing.
As Ronan was observing the mechanical goat, the creature noticed him and the serpent.
It was quite clever, and perhaps had simply wandered from behind the hill, but upon noticing Ronan, it immediately perked up its short black ears and fled.
Ronan's gaze flickered. Without a word, the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent shot forward in pursuit.
Though he had come to search for the Heart of the Machine ruins, encountering such an intriguing creature at the entrance was not something Ronan was about to let slip away.
The small hill, barely ten meters high, was nothing more than a slight obstacle for the serpent, which could easily leap over it.
But as soon as the serpent cleared the hill, Ronan was surprised to find that the mechanical goat had already sprinted several hundred meters away.
Despite its limp, its speed was astonishing, and in an instant, it almost slipped beyond Ronan's mental range.
"Hoo—"
The Ice Crystal Magic Serpent opened its mouth and exhaled an icy breath.
A column of frost shot forward at incredible speed, freezing the ground it passed over, turning the surrounding area from summer into winter.
With its breath, the serpent's power had begun to show traces of its ancient dominance.
The rapidly expanding cold column caught up with the fleeing goat in an instant, freezing it solid.
The goat, in a posture of wild sprinting, was encased in translucent ice, stuck in place.
After completing this, the serpent closed its mouth, slowly and steadily advancing forward.
But before it could reach its destination, the massive ice block exploded with a "bang," and a grey blur vanished at a speed too fast for the eye to follow.
"Uh…"
Both Ronan and the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent were stunned.
They both understood the power of the frosty breath, which could freeze even a third-tier magical beast in place. Most creatures hit by it would be unable to move, at least for a short time.
The Ice Crystal Magic Serpent's icy breath was a force forged by ancient bloodlines, and Ronan had experienced its devastating effects firsthand. But the unassuming mechanical goat had escaped with ease.
How could it have withstood the power of the serpent's frost? Was it immune to the freezing force?
"Shhh—"
The serpent's eyes darkened, feeling its authority as a ruler challenged by what it deemed an insignificant being. It was ready to give chase.
However, Ronan acted faster.
Beneath his robes, two kinds of metal, like living creatures, rapidly coiled around his body, turning him into a mysterious knight clad in layers of armor.
Activating the [Space Silver] rune, the black metal armor transformed into a deep, shimmering silver.
With a flick of his body, Ronan disappeared from sight, then reappeared several hundred meters away.
Having mastered the [Living Steel] and the [Space Silver] runes, Ronan could now perform near-instantaneous short-distance spatial transfers, improving his mobility immensely.
As he teleported, Ronan's eyes locked onto the mechanical goat's figure.
It had stopped for some unknown reason, and was now burying its head in a small mound of earth, as if digging for something.
Ronan sensed a faint energy fluctuation and knew there was more to this goat than met the eye.
Underneath his silver mask, his eyes flickered slightly. Without hesitation, the metals forming his armor detached like arrows, speeding toward the goat.
The silver light flashed as the metal wrapped around the goat, binding it tightly.
"Stasis!"
Ronan raised his hand, and the metal shimmered, freezing the goat in place.
But just as he was about to analyze the goat further, a surprising crack sounded from the mirror-like surface of the metal binding.
The mechanical goat's eyes swiveled, struggling fiercely within its prison.
The struggle was unmistakable, but the magical energies at work weren't enough to hold it indefinitely.
"Shhh—"
Ronan felt a chill run down his spine as the goat's resistance grew stronger.
It was clear now that this wasn't just any ordinary alchemical golem.
The dwarf civilization's Heart of the Machine might be far more extraordinary than he had imagined.
Just as the final blow seemed imminent, Ronan's gaze softened, and he broke the enchantment, unwilling to destroy the mysterious golem.
The more
exceptional it was, the more valuable it became.
Ronan stood still, as his thoughts crystallized, ready to take the next step in his investigation.
(End of Chapter)