7: Breath of life

Twilight descended. The still-sweltering sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy scent, swept through the crude settlement beside the harbor.

Aside from the humble dwelling where Linn had managed to find shelter from the wind and rain, everyone else was stationed in tents.

In the flickering light of the room, Linn gathered his current core team—the old servant Morton, the captain of the knights Clay, and the two squad leaders, Allen and Angus.

"I have gathered you all today because you are the Foundation upon which I stand here." Linn's gaze swept slowly across the group, his voice steady and powerful.

He first looked at Clay: "Clay, you have been stuck at the Bronze Peak for several years, just one step away from the Silver Rank. I bestow this level three 'Mad Lion Strength Potion' upon you to help you break through." As he spoke, he took out the potion, which glowed with surging energy.

An expression of disbelief erupted in Clay's eyes as he took the potion with trembling hands. Mediocre Aptitude and a lack of resources had once made him think the Silver Rank was out of reach.

"Thank you for your grace, My Lord! Clay is willing to follow you unto death!" He knelt on one knee, his voice hoarse with excitement.

Linn accepted the gesture calmly, then looked at the other three: "Old Mo, Allen, Angus, you three have been stuck at the Bronze Intermediate level for too long. These three bottles of level two 'Toughness Mixture' will help you break through to the Bronze High Rank."

"Thank you, My Lord! We swear our lives to your service!" Allen and Angus could not hide their excitement. They had received such a generous gift before having performed any meritorious service; at this moment, they would not hesitate even to walk through fire and water.

However, Morton did not immediately take the potion. "Young Master," the old servant said earnestly, "I am old and my Aptitude is dull; using such a precious potion on me is truly a waste..."

"If I give it to you, take it." Linn interrupted gently but firmly. "I know well that none of you possess peerless talent, but since you have chosen to follow me, I, Linn, will never mistreat my own people. Your current priority is to improve your strength as quickly as possible. Only then can we survive on Iron Sand Island!"

Morton stopped refusing and took the potion solemnly, a flash of determination appearing in his cloudy eyes.

"There is no time to lose. Go back immediately and refine the potions; strive to make a Breakthrough before we arrive at Iron Sand Island!"

"Yes! My Lord (Young Master)!" The four replied in unison, exiting the humble dwelling filled with excitement.

Although the cost of these potions made Linn's heart ache, relying solely on his own strength would not be enough to face unknown challenges. Furthermore, since Clay and the others had already sworn their loyalty to him, it was no different from investing in himself.

After everyone left, Linn took out the bottle of 'Star Meditation' level three magic potion. The starlight dots within were even more brilliant than those bestowed by the Family, and the energy fluctuations were more surging; it should have reached the level of a mid-grade level three potion. He felt that if he could fully absorb it, breaking through to the Silver Elementary rank should be a natural outcome.

The night was deep, and the sound of the tide accompanied the elemental energy circulating within the room. Linn sat cross-legged and drank the potion in one gulp. The surging magic power, like a river of stars pouring backward, washed over his Meridians and Sea of Consciousness. He kept his mind guarded, operating his meditation technique with all his might to guide this energy to assault the Silver barrier.

When the horizon began to show a hint of white, a slight cracking sound came from within Linn's body. The Bottleneck that had obstructed him for a long time burst open; his magic power surged, and his mental perception became several times sharper instantly—he was now a Silver Elementary mage!

Just as he had stabilized his Realm and felt a surge of joy, the unremarkable dark ring on his left thumb suddenly exerted an irresistible suction force.

The scene before his eyes twisted and blurred, and the next moment, he found himself in a strange space.

The Sky was a soft milky white; there were no sun or moon, yet it was as bright as day. Beneath his feet was moist, fertile black soil, with a plot of land growing dozens of magic plants. It was roughly estimated to be about ten square kilometers. In the center of the space lay a pool of clear spring water, radiating a refreshing vitality, while the faint shadow of a huge ancient tree loomed in the distance. Apart from this, the entire space was vast and desolate.

"Finally... I have waited for you to reach the initial bearing standard." A gentle, ethereal voice sounded.

Linn turned around abruptly to see a female sprite, the size of an adult's head, hovering not far away. She had long green hair, wore a light green dress, was barefoot, and her transparent wings fluttered gently behind her.

"Who are you? Where is this place?" Linn asked in a deep voice, secretly gathering his Silver Rank magic power.

"Master, there is no need to panic," the sprite said with a soothing power in her voice. "I am Dolia, the artifact spirit of the 'breath of life' space. The ring you are wearing is no ordinary object; it is a legacy formed from the Fusion of the ancient Goddess of Life's Origin Divine Power and a Divine Artifact of space before she was defeated in the Divine War and fell into a deep slumber."

Goddess of Life? A legacy from the Divine War? Linn's heart shook violently. Is this my Golden Finger? Perhaps the benefits might be late, but they will never be absent?

The artifact spirit continued to explain: "This space has been bound to your Soul and possesses the ability of 'Time Catalysis.' Plants grown here will have their growth rate greatly accelerated according to your Realm, theoretically reaching ten times, a hundred times, or even higher than the outside world. This space will also grow larger, becoming your exclusive Demiplane."

Demiplane! Plant acceleration! Linn immediately realized the value of this ability—whether it was magic herbs or food crops, they would become a revolutionary asset.

"But has the Goddess of Life not fallen? As far as I know, the Seles Kingdom, also in the Western Continent, worships the Goddess of Life." Linn asked, puzzled.

"Master," Dolia's tone became solemn, "the current Goddess of Life is not the true Goddess of Life; it was her eldest Disciple who conspired with other deities to ambush her. Therefore, obtaining this space also means you have taken on a share of Karma. The Goddess of Life has not completely perished; her remaining divine consciousness resides in some unknown space. When you have sufficient ability in the future, you must try your best to find a way to revive the Goddess. This is also the fundamental reason why the space chose you and signed an eternal contract with you."

With Dolia's words, a contract array pattern composed of life energy and space runes lit up at Linn's feet, and detailed information about how to operate the space and the contents of the contract flooded into his mind.

Feeling the ancient will and infinite possibilities contained in the contract, Linn took a deep breath. Although the road ahead was full of unknowns, this might be his greatest reliance for standing firm in this cruel world and even reaching the Peak.

He stared at the artifact spirit, his voice inquisitive: "Why was I chosen? And how did this ring fall into my mother's hands?"

"Master, ten thousand years have passed since the Goddess of Life's Divine-Grade shattered." Dolia explained softly. "The ring has drifted and wandered through long ages, passing through countless hands. Before meeting a compatible Soul, it was no different from an ordinary ornament, except for being exceptionally sturdy. Perhaps it was fate that guided it to finally come into your mother's hands."

She paused, her tone becoming profound: "But the moment I sensed you touching the ring, I understood that this time was different—your Soul radiates a unique light, and its essence is far stronger and more solid than ordinary people. This is the compatible Soul the ring has been waiting for for a thousand years."

Linn's heart stirred. Is it because of his Soul from another world? The Soul energy of the two worlds underwent a transformation during Transmigration, making his Mental Energy naturally exceed that of his peers. No wonder he could study Apothecary with ease alongside his Cultivate.

"This space can accelerate plant growth; do you have knowledge of Apothecary?" Linn continued to ask.

Dolia proudly raised her head: "That is only natural. The Goddess of Life was once the most outstanding Divine-Grade Apothecary among countless planes, and I have inherited all her knowledge of Apothecary. With your current Soul strength, refining level three potions is not a difficult task. As long as you are willing to help the Goddess revive in the future, I will assist you in becoming a powerful Apothecary."

Linn was silent for a moment, then said solemnly: "Alright! I promise you. When I possess the corresponding ability, I will certainly do my best to help the Goddess of Life revive. I, Linn, swear this to the god of dawn." Then, Linn followed the method in his mind and signed a Soul contract with the artifact spirit of the breath of life.

"Master, I believe in your promise. As for swearing to the god of dawn..." Dolia seemed dismissive, "it is not really necessary. So now, you shall become my true Master."

After speaking, the sprite solemnly swore: "Dolia, in the name of the Goddess of Life, pledges allegiance to Lynn Ellis."

After the oath was completed, she flew to Linn and touched her forehead against his. In an instant, a massive amount of information regarding Apothecary knowledge and recipes for level three and below flooded into Linn's mind.

Feeling the constantly increasing precious knowledge, Linn was shocked. These recipes, which were worth a thousand gold in the outside world and hard to obtain, were now acquired so easily. From now on, he and his subordinates would be able to rely on potions to make up for their shortcomings in Aptitude and walk a different path in this chaotic world.

"Dolia, can I use the magic plants here?" Linn looked around at the magic plant field, which emitted countless light spots and had only a dozen or so plants.

Dolia flew up and down around Linn, appearing exceptionally happy. Thinking about it, it made sense; how many people could endure ten thousand years of loneliness, and she had finally waited for him. "Master, that is a matter of course. Everything here belongs to you from now on, and you can use it as you please. However, the magic plants here are of too high a level, and for the potions you currently need, it would truly be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut." Dolia replied happily. "If it weren't for the huge amount of energy I need to maintain this space, I could have cultivated even more plants. Fortunately, I have you, Master, now. After signing the contract with you, I will no longer have to work so hard to maintain it alone."

It seems that after I go out, I should first buy some magic plant seeds to plant and accelerate their growth in this space, and then use the recipes and methods taught by Dolia to refine potions, serving as the first pot of gold for my Family's fortune.

"Young Master, are you awake? Breakfast has been prepared for you." The voice of the old servant, Morton, sounded outside.

"Dolia, how do I leave? I have many things to handle outside." Linn asked.

"Master, you only need to use your will to enter the breath of life at will. Master, you must come in often to keep Dolia company!" Dolia's adorable appearance made Linn unable to help but smile.

"Alright, I will come to see you often." After speaking, Linn moved his mind, and sure enough, he returned to the room.

"Old Mo, come in!"

"Young Master." Morton placed the food aside, opened the door, and began to help Linn wash up. "Young Master, this old servant feels that you are even more powerful; have you made a Breakthrough?"

"Yes, I have reached the Silver Rank, so I can consider myself to have some self-preservation ability. How about you? How are you doing?" Linn did not sense any change in Morton's aura.

Morton's old face flushed red. "Young Master, even after taking the potion, I still have not reached the Bronze High Rank; this old servant has disgraced you."

"It's alright. You are older, so it is normal to be a bit slower. Do not be discouraged; you must believe that your Young Master is an Apothecary. I can even use resources to pile you up to the Silver Rank, so you will have no problem living for over a hundred years." Linn comforted Morton. Morton was one of the few Family members he had left, and Linn could not give up on him.

Tears welled up in Morton's eyes. "Thank you, Young Master. Only you, Young Master, treat me as a human being."

"Oh! Old Mo, you are dozens of years old; why are you acting like this? Rest assured, we will get better. Go see if Clay and the others have made a Breakthrough. This afternoon, you and Clay will accompany me to go shopping."

"Very well, Young Master. Remember to eat breakfast."