Chapter 16 - Measuring Talent (4)

Seeing Theodore ready, Nathan helped guide and settle his disciple to the proper meditation posture.

He then instructed before passing the enlightenment stone to Theodore, "The steps are similar to when you absorb mana, do the same thing for the stone. However, guide and circulate the energy to your mind this time."

Theodore accepted the enlightenment stone with care. He was afraid that touching it too hard would make it broken.

What he held was, after all, the precious and priceless enlightenment stone. In his previous life, he could only hear and did not even dare to dream of having it.

He sometimes felt surreal that the current him was the illusion of his previous dying self. It was a complicated and bewildering feeling.

He thought of when he first recalled his future memory. He spent days hesitating and contemplating if it was a dream. It took him a lot of courage to try injuring himself hard to see if he would wake up; fortunately, it was really not an illusion.

The enlightenment stone could further prove that his experience was not an illusion as it was an invaluable resource for blessing a person's mind.

์Nathan raised his eyebrow a little witnessing the reaction when his disciple touched the enlightenment stone carefully.

He did not disturb Theodore but raised his hand to add formation around his disciple to prevent possible disturbance.

Although it was a comprehension test, the enlightenment stone was a precious resource that could increase a person's understanding and could affect the mind; it was better to prevent possible disturbance, additionally.

Theodore adjusted his breath and entered a meditation state; his mind was clear.

He soon sensed the energy contained within the enlightenment stone.

It differed from when he took in the surrounding mana particles during the sensitivity test. At that time, the mana gave him a warm feeling, as if he was soaking in an untouchable hot spring.

In contrast, The milky-white energy he now felt from the enlightenment stone gave him a cool and refreshing feeling. It was as if he drank a strange freezing tonic that thoroughly woke him from the previous fuzzy world.

Theodore took considerably more effort to gradually absorb the energy from the enlightenment stone into his body than the normal mana. Although the energy was small, it contained a significant amount of power.

His senses warned him that rashly taking this energy into his body in one go would result in an adverse harmful effect, and he trusted his instinct.

He could only slowly absorb a tiny part of the enlightenment stone energy into his meridian before guiding it to nourish his mind. After consuming and nurturing his mind, he took in another small portion.

He unhurriedly repeated the steps and absorbed the enlightenment stone as his mind became clearer. It was as if a new brighter world had opened up for him, and it really did.

In his mind, Theodore saw himself standing in a plain and unremarkable space with four types of uncondensed energy lingering around.

'This space was my consciousness.' Theodore thought as he froze in a daze.

Typically, a mana user could only open a consciousness space when condensing the first power and becoming the 1st rank mana user.

The space consciousness could contain and accommodate all the power a mana user condensed.

After opening his consciousness, he could discern an evolution in his perception and sense. In this space, he could comprehend the law and gain insight regarding mana easier than in his normal state.

He also felt his mind sharpen and was more perceptive than before. His increased awareness further affirmed that his current was not an illusion. However, in a corner of his heart, he was still uneased.

Theodore then looked around and noticed the floating particles of four colors: red, green, blue, and brown.

These colored particles signified the four significant elements of fire, wind, water, and earth.

He condensed these power in his previous life: the fire ball, the wind ball, the water ball, and the earth ball.

Since he had not yet condensed any power, there was only the residual of what was left. However, the excess energy could benefit him a lot. It could help him to be more sensitive to these four elements and was a foundation for understanding a more complicated related law.

While feeling happy with his unexpected advantages, he did not stop absorbing the energy from the enlightenment stone to supplement his consciousness space.

At this moment, something he did not expect suddenly happened.

The four elements' residuals drifted in his consciousness as if awakened started competing with him frantically in devouring the enlightenment stone's energy.

The combined amount of energy they took in even surpassed that of him.

How could Theodore tolerate this?

He initially wished to use the enlightenment stone to strengthen his consciousness and increase his comprehension.

Therefore, the tag of war between them began.

The result was that his current mind power could not win against the collaboration of the four elements.

'The current was still too weak, after all.' Theodore thought depressedly.

Although it was just the residual of the power that he condensed, and his future self considered them shallow, their influence once belonged to a 4th-rank mana user. It was not something that his current seven years old self could suppress.

Helpless, Theodore could only continue increasing the speed of absorption. He consoled himself that he would at least save a lot of effort in condensing power until he reached the 4th-rank mana user.

While Theodore struggled in his consciousness space, Nathan watched the enlightenment stone get smaller rapidly.

'Even his comprehension belongs to a top-level talent.' Nathan pondered. 'Theodore was genuinely an excellent seedling; as long as his luck was not too bad, he would be one powerful mana user in the future.'

He made this judgment based on the speed at which Theodore consumed the enlightenment stone. How could he understand the situation in his disciple's consciousness space?

Nathan continued observing Theodore as the enlightenment stone gradually got smaller and smaller.

Not long after Theodore thoroughly consumed the stone, he woke up and opened his eyes.

"How do you feel?" Nathan asked. Typically, the person who consumed the enlightenment stone could shape their mind, and there was no adverse effect when being careful.

"Teacher, I found a space in my mind," Theodore said as he explained the situation. He concealed the existence of the four residual elements in his consciousness space and that they were competing with him for the enlightenment stone's energy.

"You are extremely blessed," Nathan said, feeling surprised. He then clarified Theodore's situation, "When a normal person consumes the enlightenment stone, there is a small chance to awaken the consciousness space."

As he explained the consciousness space to Theodore, he could not help but lament his disciple's fortune; Not only were all his talents at the top level, but his luck was also not bad.

Even with his high insight and standard, he still admitted that Theodore's aptitude was truly exceptional and was rare in the world.

'If nothing goes wrong, Theodore will be successful in the future.' Nathan thought as his eyes flashed complicated light.

'Perhaps, his current circumstance is a blessing in disguise.' He silently added in his heart.