An "Ice Rose" of the Third Step High level bloomed on the ground and pierced through the already battered artifact armor of the mage it hit, freezing him in place. If a sensitive animal passed here, even it would barely detect the heartbeat of the frozen ice sculpture—it was so slow and quiet.
Thanks to my enhanced body, my hearing was fine, as was my magic control. So, I bundled this individual without issues, then approached close, took his cultivation, and fed it to the satisfied Pikachu and Bula nearby. Almost ten days had passed since I gave the pure ore to Master Pin. With power risen to Commander level, Pikachu and Bula were like a modern assembly line, quickly killing one Red Sea Demons Commander and moving to the next, so I handled upgrading all new stars in just five days.
Since I still had free time and no one to spend it with, I decided on something useful and went stripping marginal mages of cultivation to raise my summons' ranks. Our previous targets would've sufficed for them to peak at Commander level, but their power...
First Step High level without Soul Seeds was too easy prey for my pets, and to keep them from rusting or getting used to easy fights, I found us a tougher target. Specifically, a criminal and third-step High-level mage in water and lightning elements.
Two birds with one stone, so to speak. Both elements for absorption in one person, and a good opponent for them, and thanks to his experience battling judges who constantly hunted him, he even entertained me a bit. Nice to stretch the bones sometimes. And crucially, no Soul Seeds, so he was no threat. Perfect target for my and the pets' plans.
His name was Shi Za, a plain Magical Court traitor. Infiltrated a bandit group and instead of helping his organization sniff out all about the criminals and nab everyone involved, took the gang under shadow control and started his dirty dealings, skillfully hiding from his peers.
But judging by his battered look, he couldn't hide long—they declared him a traitor, liquidated his controlled gang, and forced him to flee. During one such escape, he ran into me, waiting purposefully.
And not just in this world—in the last five days, I took cultivation from over a hundred of his clones from parallel worlds. Way too convenient a target for me; can't help myself.
In the end, on this diet, I raised Bula and Pikachu's power to mid-Commander level. Should've been more, but the little ones just can't digest energy that fast. With the next breakthrough, they'll have to wait at least three months. Now they come to Shi Za more for the pleasure of tasty food and a training scrap.
At that moment, the timer on my phone finally rang—exactly ten days, time to visit Master Pin. Gathering my pets, I slightly eased the freeze on Shi Za so he wouldn't die before his former colleagues arrived, and returned to my world to head straight to another one—this time for the finished Thought Stones.
"Old man! I'm here for my order!" I yelled through the whole workshop, forcing him out to me.
"Eh, yelling again! How many times? Can't you just walk up?!" Grumbling, he came out holding a small suitcase.
"You did it?" I asked with anticipation, eyeing his luggage.
"You kidding?! It's just ore processing, not artifact crafting. Material's unusual, but these days I got the hang of it—no problems ahead. Here, check." He set his load on the table.
No dawdling, I quickly opened the case, where five silver-glowing stones lay on a red velvet cushion. The first three were a bit irregular in shape and didn't look dazzling, but symmetry increased gradually from one to the next. The last two were almost perfect.
"I take it the first stones aren't sales quality. Did that affect their properties?" I asked, twirling the most uneven Thought Stone in my hand.
"Had issues with proper smelting and processing, but I dialed in optimal parameters. No impact on the resource's properties—just looks suffered. In a Thought Stone, the spiritual component matters more than the physical shell." Stroking his beard, Master Pin explained proudly.
"Hm, yeah. I feel they're almost identical in spiritual content and energy texture—some have a couple percent less energy, but not critical. Satisfied with the work." I stared hungrily at the ugly stone that would help me break through three spiritual boundaries today.
"Glad it meets your standards. And don't forget your finished artifacts—you didn't even mention them last time after our talk." The old man smiled a bit sadly.
Man, I suppressed my cultivation, but forgot to show basic interest in artifacts. Eh, didn't want to upset him, but oh well. Didn't watch my behavior, and he figured it out.
"Yeah, let's grab them now. Sorry, didn't expect to break through to High level so fast." I apologized with a slightly guilty smile, though there was nothing to apologize for.
"I get it. You're a genius like none I've met in my life. Honestly, I expected you'd breakthrough sooner. But I'm glad I could help on your tough path at least with Thought Stones and armor for your loved ones. Don't feel guilty—my skills failed me, not you." Still a bit sad but firm, the old man said.
"Heh, when I return to this city in ten years, I hope to hear your name in the context of creating the strongest High-level artifact." I approached the old man, gave him a light hug, and patted his back. Man, getting sentimental.
"Pff! You doubting?! Of course it will! Now take your artifacts and get out! Still gotta finish the rest of the Thought Stones—come back only when they're all ready." Master Pin quickly turned from me and shuffled deeper into his workshop. But I caught his eyes a bit red. Hope he succeeds.
Taking my artifact set and stowing it in the spatial ring, I left the workshop, turned into an alley, and returned to my world. Time to use a Thought Stone.
Settling on my favorite tree branch, I summoned the pets for protection, took out the ugliest stone, focused, and started absorbing its spiritual energy into my Inner World.
I instantly felt the result. Like a fresh sea breeze, streams of spiritual energy caressed my Inner World, gradually strengthening it and making it more solid. Already after a minute, the first barrier gave way and I advanced to the Fourth spiritual boundary. Such a transition was akin to jumping from the Spiritual Seed to the Soul and evoked very pleasant feelings.
To break through the remaining two spiritual boundaries up to the sixth, it took me another about twelve hours. After the Mind Stone was fully absorbed, I was at the mid-level of the sixth spiritual boundary.
Looking at the other four stones lying in the briefcase and already hearing the phantom furious howl of all the mages whose elemental power depends on spiritual boundaries, I took the second ugliest stone in my hands and began absorbing energy from it to bring my sixth spiritual boundary to the peak.
Well, why not? I can afford it.