Chapter 461 102: Visualization Breakthrough, Further Improvement!

Several days later.

SPLASH!

The Red River's currents continuously surged as the white ferry left the unfamiliar city circle port and set sail once more.

The bustling high-rises of the city circle drifted further away. Along the riverbanks, warships were docked. Although Water Beasts occasionally appeared, they were quickly killed by torpedoes.

From time to time, figures stood on the ferry's deck, gazing out and pointing in astonishment at the light gray warships sailing past in the opposite direction.

"This is the seventh warship we've seen on the way, isn't it?"

"Indeed. It seems the Alliance Country is truly preparing for a full-scale war with the Rebels. It looks like warships are being deployed from city circles across the entire Red River Region."

"Tsk, tsk, it's more than that. I heard a war already broke out over in the Red Maple City Circle. The Superpower Bureau and the City Guard Army charged directly into the wilderness, uprooting the branch bases of both the warlords and the Rebels."

"Are you serious? Is it really that intense?"

The white ferry headed straight upstream along the Red River, sailing against the current. On the deck, merchants in suits exchanged information, while burly security guards wearing earpieces stood watch over elegantly dressed young men and women.

"MEOW~"

Watching this scene silently, a hound-sized black cat took elegant strides and quietly emerged from one of the ferry's passenger cabins. Although some people glanced at it curiously along the way, they didn't pay it much mind. Only a few merchants were surprised by its red amber eyes, secretly thinking it was a top-quality jewel cat breed.

SPLASH!

SPLASH!!

The ferry sailed on in silence.

As if he hadn't noticed Ghost Element quietly pacing out to go foraging, Lu Chao simply sat cross-legged in silence by the cabin window, facing the bright sunlight that poured in like a pillar of light.

Over the past few days, he had long since left the Red Maple City Circle and was drawing closer and closer to Ring City. Yet even while traveling, he didn't waste a single second of his martial arts training. Perhaps it was the effect of gradual accumulation, combined with some methods of mental control and enhancement gleaned from Ghost Element's memories, that allowed him to draw parallels and gain a lot of valuable experience.

Until this moment, Lu Chao could feel that he had once again touched the bottleneck of the Fixed Star Observation Method. He was only a hair's breadth away from breaking through it.

BUZZ!

Suddenly, focusing with his eyes closed, Lu Chao concentrated his mind once more and looked at the crimson fire sun in his mindscape. High temperatures, searing heat, blazing brightness...

Billowing flames reflected in his mind's eye, continuously tempering his spiritual consciousness. It should have been gradually strengthening and improving, but due to the obstruction of the bottleneck, it had reached its limit and could no longer transform.

Seeing this, Lu Chao condensed his consciousness, recalling the secret to the 3rd Floor, [Star Ring]. Only by awakening his accumulated Spiritual Power one by one and solidifying the ring of fire orbiting the surface of the visualized scorching sun could he truly break through the bottleneck.

In the past, he could only rely on the accumulation of time to complete this step. But now...

"Let's give it a try."

Making up his mind, Lu Chao immediately followed the mental techniques from Ghost Element's memories and attempted to condense his Spiritual Power.

At first, it was somewhat difficult. He failed multiple times, and his spiritual mindscape remained completely ordinary without the slightest stir. But gradually, he vaguely felt that this method shared similarities with mobilizing physical strength. It was like controlling his body, letting the power within all his cells surge into his muscles and sinews for his use, thereby breaking the limits of his Martial Arts realm.

Although Spiritual Power was formless, much like a drop of water, it could still be controlled by his consciousness, gradually mobilized like gathering sand to build a tower.

Time ticked away by the minute and second.

Lu Chao quietly activated his [Flow State] talent, simultaneously entering a state of intense focus to sense the mobilization of his spirit and enhance his control over it.

A speck, a smear, a wisp...

As if creating something from nothing, he successfully mobilized a small wisp of Spiritual Power, turning it from formless to tangible. It transformed into a fluttering spark that landed around the sun, merging into the illusory crimson ring of fire.

This scene was just the beginning, as well as the establishment of his foundation. Lu Chao gradually became more proficient, continuously condensing new sparks of fire.

Quietly, the fluttering flames around the crimson fire sun grew more numerous. The powers that had previously hidden in the gloom, formed by receiving the light of the sky countless times, were now awakened one by one. From barely being mobilized to merging into one entity.

Until finally, the illusory ring of fire on the surface of the crimson fire sun underwent a drastic change. It shifted from a transparent red to a profound crimson, continuously radiating a dazzling, deep crimson light.

BUZZ!

In an instant, Lu Chao's consciousness jolted as he watched the crimson fire star ring begin to rotate, gradually resonating at the same frequency as the deep red sun. Thanks to this, endless crimson light illuminated his mind, dispelling all the gloom.

Lu Chao felt as though he had broken through a certain barrier. The bottleneck of the 3rd Floor, [Star Ring], was like spring snow, melting rapidly under the high temperatures of the ring of fire and the sun.

"It's done."

His heart settling, Lu Chao slowly opened his physical eyes in the outside world. The light of crimson fire welled up in his eyes, replacing his black pupils and the whites, giving off a searing and overbearing aura.

As Lu Chao's five senses stirred, he clearly felt the temperature in the cabin rise. It was obvious that the spirit of the Observation Method had interfered with reality, leaving a physical impact.

This scene was different from any of his previous breakthroughs. He even sensed that his Life Magnetic Field possessed an extra touch of searing heat, seemingly capable of burning others' perception.

"Is this the [Star Ring]...?"

Lu Chao reeled in his perception, gradually discovering the unique traits of this floor.

The 1st Floor, [Crimson Fire], had given him perfect control over his body, as well as a sharper intuition toward emotions directed at him.

The 2nd Floor, [Round Sun], allowed him to acutely sense changes in the muscles and auras of others, enabling him to make preemptive responses that bordered on foresight.