At 10 PM, Chun and Sherry had gathered so many resources from this towering tree that it was beyond what could be called a bountiful harvest. The unfamiliar mosses, parasitic vines, leaves, and bark rapidly accelerated Chun and Sherry's Collection Technique progression, with Sherry's state being stable, having reached the Advanced level long ago. Though Chun was weak and moved slowly, what was meant to come finally did!

——System Prompt: Congratulations! Your Collection Technique has upgraded to Advanced! Your muscle memory fully recalls the Master-level Collection Technique you had forgotten, and your Soul Link is now synchronized with the collection ability of your clone!

——System Prompt: Through your Soul Link, you have shared your clone's Master-level Collection Technique Level 2 and received achievement bonuses: Load Capacity +32, Physical Strength +32, with additional rewards: Life +32, Spirit +3, and Master-level Collection Mastery.

——System Prompt: Despite being in a state of injury and weakness, you have comprehended the Master-level skill with outstanding wisdom and tenacious willpower, obtaining information on the Warrior's passive skill "Tenacity."

...

This feeling of instantly gaining over thirty attribute points and the swell of the Black Flag Order is truly exhilarating!

Not only did I catch up to the progress before I forgot, but I also synced the shared information and even got the Warrior's passive skill for increased defense! This surely indicates a self-made and understood Warrior path!

Indeed, training while ill is the true path; there can't be a day without illness. If there are no difficulties, one must create obstacles...

Now there's just running and climbing opportunities that I can't catch up on; I need to find an opportunity to achieve Great Explorer comprehension!

At this point, the bark had been peeled away, leaving only a white and slightly black, smooth trunk with a faint metallic ceramic-like luster.

Sherry, both excited and troubled, said, "This is the truly energy-rich high-end part, but my Advanced Collection Technique finds it difficult to collect. Forcible collection would lead to more destruction than harvest!"

Chun initiated the Treasure Hunting Technique——System Prompt: You have discovered high-end materials filled with magical energy.

Holy shit, I'm really stuck!

The original purpose of this collection was merely to practice while the Magic Stone array was charging, and I've successfully practiced back to the Master level. I certainly can continue collecting, but I can't take it away at all! Not to mention the piles of collected materials around us, resembling small mountains.

Chun pondered, conflicted: "Can we leave it here and come back for it next time?"

Sherry sighed: "We stumbled into this place by accident, and we don't know how large or complex this area is. Who knows if we can find it next time, and what if worms come and eat the materials after we leave?"

Indeed, we can't carry it away, but it's a pity to just let it go… What to do?

Suddenly, Chun remembered the rune pillars of Ox Head City, which involved carving runes onto wood or stone! So, what's the difference between Magic Stones and Rune Stones? Could Sherry be taught runes right here to turn this entire tree into a gigantic rune pillar? Or a Giant Magic Staff?

If a Giant Magic Staff is a Divine Artifact, then it's a Super Divine Artifact, like the Volcano Dragon Carrying Necklace.

Since Sherry masters ice and water magic, she could be specifically taught the Water Series runes. Maybe she could actually summon a current of water to float the trunk away, solving the transportation problem!

Suddenly inspired, Chun eagerly asked, "Sherry, do you know about rune techniques?"

Sherry paused for a moment: "I know a little; I've heard they are primitive magical symbols used by some ancient tribes and are quite unstable. I've never learned them."

Indeed, they are unstable; it feels like riding a tractor when transporting the Earth Altar!

Chun asked: "What about Rune Mages?"

Sherry was shocked: "That's a special high-end profession you only find in Gem City; I've heard they exploit the instability of runes, carving them into gemstones to enhance explosion effects."

Knowing the basics is good enough! Thinking it's high-end is even better.

Chun demonstrated a skill display: "In fact, I have learned Expert-level Rune Technique, just without the mana to cast it!"

Sherry was stunned: "Did you learn it from the Guardian God?"

Chun dodged this secret, directly changing the subject: "Do you want to learn? I can teach you! Once you grasp the Flowing Water Technique type of runes, you might summon a current to float the trunk away!"

Sherry was even more surprised: "You don't have mentor qualifications. Can you really teach the skill at the Expert level?"

Oh? Requires qualifications? No, she misunderstood. Normally, when teaching skills, people go to NPC mentors, pay and talk to them, a flash of light occurs, and they learn it.

But mine doesn't involve a flash of light; it requires personal demonstration and practice! This is Earth Mother's original teaching material! Even the Earth Lotus can be used to teach ten little kids.

Chun explained: "It's just like learning to write, starting one rune, one symbol at a time!"

As he spoke, Chun used his finger to draw the most Basic Water Series rune on the ground. With Chun's faint mana infusion, the rune emitted a feeble glow, like a thin stream of light.

Sherry was amazed and immediately took out a notebook, copying down with a pencil: "Is it like this?"

Chun wasn't sure if he was teaching correctly: "Anyway, that's how the symbols are drawn. I'll first teach you the Flowing Water Rune Technique!"

When Chun drew this string of symbols on the ground, indeed, there was a slight sense of moisture!

Holy shit, it can work, Chun was moved by his own ingenuity!

Sherry was amazed: "It's somewhat like magic, but I can't pinpoint the difference…. In that case, teach me all the Water Series runes first!"

If you can tell the difference, you might ascend to a Mage?

Chun was energized: "Alright, let's start with the Basic Water Series runes…"

Thus, Chun kept demonstrating, while Sherry continued to write down notes.

Even though he didn't expect Sherry to learn it as quickly as the Earth Lotus with an innate Earth Series Holy Body, Sherry's advantage was her background as an apprentice with foundational theory.

An hour passed, and Sherry was still copying and demonstrating repeatedly, her brows furrowed as she occasionally cast a Frost Freeze Technique to compare.

Chun was sweating; he had to admit, it was indeed much slower than how fast the Earth Lotus learned it, even worse than his high wisdom glance learning!

It might be like Aileen's dance students; perhaps their foundational knowledge becomes an obstacle, making it harder to learn?

Could it be that the magic system truly isn't compatible with the rune system? No, one must believe that rune technique is indeed the Ancestor Skill of magic! Only then is there a possibility of crossing professions to become a mage.

Chun thought of something: "Sherry, remember when you used to frequently preserve fresh flowers in the florist, keeping them covered in dew?"

Sherry paused for a moment: "That was actually the Frost Freeze Technique, just that back when I was a novice apprentice, I was too weak, and the frost would melt into water droplets before forming."

Chun was surprised: "So the weaker the magic, the easier it is to summon water instead?"

Sherry was suddenly struck by realization and turned a page of her notebook, copying down a string of symbols. Chun didn't understand magic, but he could tell it wasn't runes; perhaps this was the Frost Freeze Technique's magic formula?

This is probably the first time players have seen a magic formula in a game; usually, player spells are just in the skill bar, ready to click and use. This is the difference between theoretically supported NPC mages and shortcut-key reliant players! It must be achievable; have faith in Sherry!

The next moment, Sherry inserted the rune from the Flowing Water Technique into the Frost Freeze formula.

Then she cast it, but failed. Not even the Frost Freeze Technique appeared.

Sherry continued to adjust the rune position… yet failed again! But this attempt created some ice shards; she continued adjusting…

After over ten adjustments and trying again—

A thick mist emerged around, instantly transforming into a light drizzle…

——System Prompt: Congratulations! Sherry from your team has successfully comprehended the Basic Rune Technique, integrating it into the magic system, advancing to become a Rune Mage…

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