Back at his apartment, Jazz grabbed a quick dinner at one of the small food stalls nearby. Ever since he started living alone, he hadn't bothered cooking for himself—always rotating between different eateries so he never grew bored.
After a short shower, he slipped into loose home clothes and climbed up to the rooftop. Only residents on the tenth floor could access it. The top was sheltered by a steel canopy, mostly used for drying clothes, though Jazz had turned it into his private training ground.
From up here, he could glimpse the distant forested hills. For someone living in the middle of the city, that little piece of wilderness was a gift.
On the roof, he set a meditation cushion on the ground. Ever since awakening his mage talent, he had built this spot specifically to refine his focus.
During meditation, he could sense stray fragments of free-floating spirit energy and draw them into himself, slowly strengthening his own mind. The open air made it easier to contact this wandering energy, providing a welcome boost to his progress.
At first, the absorption range was tiny—barely one or two meters around him—so even long sessions yielded little growth. But after breaking through to the First Spirit Tier, his devouring aura expanded to five meters. Upon reaching the Second Spirit Tier, it stretched to a full ten meters.
Now, any stray spirit energy entering that radius was immediately seized and consumed by his Spirit Devourer gift.
Most nights on the roof, he meditated, condensed his will, and strengthened his inner sight. That, together with his sturdy physique—tough as a thrall-class fiend—gave him the confidence to aim for more than ordinary humans.
Unlike humans, demons could directly absorb raw mana, using it to fortify or even evolve their bodies. That was why their lifespans and vitality were so terrifyingly resilient. Humans, however, were bound by their souls, forced to awaken magic through Awakening Stones and grow by meditation alone—gains in power, but not in lifespan.
Jazz knew from the Demon Mage canons that many had surely tried to imitate the demons growth path, but no such system had ever succeeded. Perhaps it was because natural mana was chaotic—different elements clashing violently. Mishandling it could mean severe injury or even death. Without an incredibly strong body as a foundation, direct absorption was nearly impossible.
That danger was one reason he avoided reckless shortcuts.
"Huuh…"
Drawing a deep breath, Jazz closed his eyes and slipped smoothly into the Void State. His inner spirit world stirred, and a tiny cloud of stardust shimmered into being. Within it, seven Astral Seeds drifted aimlessly.
He studied them, then chose one of the less active seeds and wrapped it tightly with his spirit power.
"Little one… let me give you a ruthless reward."
A grin flickered inside his mind. To him, Astral Seeds were spiritual particles with elemental attributes, anchors that connected into star-trails, which in turn birthed spells. If he could leave his mark—completely refine them—then he could truly command his own magic.
So he chose the bluntest method: enclosing the seed with his will and flooding it with raw spirit energy.
The seed shivered violently, trying to break free, but it was helpless. Slowly, under his unrelenting pressure, its glow brightened—soon shining even brighter than the other six.
Excitement surged through him. He was right!
Most students advanced slowly because they lacked two things:
(1) the ability to swiftly enter meditation, and
(2) sufficient spirit energy.
Their days were wasted in classes, games, or distractions. Teachers told them to practice after dinner, but by then, students were already drowsy. Progress was naturally abysmal.
That was why artifacts like the Stardust Relic existed—they magnified one's soul and provided extra spirit energy, like swallowing a magical stimulant that extended endurance and strength.
After nearly two hours of "ruthless rewarding," Jazz finally felt the seed resonate with him. A bond had formed—spirit and seed had become one.
"No wonder James in the canon treated his Astral Seeds like children. This connection… it's real."
Though he hadn't awakened James legendary dual-element talent, his own Spirit Devourer gift was just as formidable.
Smiling inwardly, Jazz watched the refined seed float gently within the stardust, glowing brilliantly.
"Next one… next one…"
The effect was far greater than expected. If others—especially the Black Church—ever learned of this method, they would storm his home that very night to drag him away. Best to stay low until he had the power to protect himself.
…
Two more hours passed. Night deepened, and a chill breeze swept the rooftop.
"Huuh… Two Astral Seeds refined in one night. Not bad."
His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Though his Second Tier spirit energy still wasn't depleted, fatigue was setting in. It was time to rest, or at least shift into mana cultivation.
For now, without artifacts or rare crystals, all he could do was painstakingly guide stray mana into his stardust—drop by drop. The process was slow and mentally draining, but it was the only way to grow at this stage.
If he were rich, he'd already be training with a Stardust Relic, or even a Nebula Relic, and his mana pool would skyrocket. But those were luxuries far beyond his means.
With a sigh, he shook off his excitement and relaxed into deeper meditation. The outer world's free mana stirred, sensed by his Astral Seeds, and trickled gently into his stardust like water dripping into a bowl.
At the early stages, the pool was tiny—so small that even a single basic spell could drain it dry. But precisely because it was so shallow, he could feel his growth most vividly.
Later, at higher realms, the stardust would expand into vast nebulae, even rivers of stars. Then, a single droplet of mana would take ages to make a difference.
Tonight, though, the progress was clear.
(End of Chapter)
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