The transformation didn’t stop. The stone man’s features gradually became clearer, somewhat resembling Ivan, and with his burly figure, he could be described as a rougher version of Ivan, inheriting the silhouette of his mentor, Randall.
However, the stone man was clearly an element creature of Level 1.
He was rather meticulous; the first thing he did was use energy particles to condense a robe for himself, wrapping a yellow robe around his body.
“I want that kind of power.”
“Granted.”
Faced with the stone man’s request, Ivan wasn’t stingy, considering it a welcome gift for his second body double.
After pondering for a few seconds, Ivan lighted a 9th-level Light of Wisdom. The light shone from inside out, rapidly enhancing his comprehension and making his entire being seem translucent.
He could sense that, along the connection between the two, wisps of the spirituality of wisdom were drawn into the stone man’s body.
Ivan silently estimated that only one-fifth of the Light of Wisdom was being absorbed, which was somewhat inefficient, but still much higher than before.
‘So that’s how it is, the increase in comprehension has been significantly reduced.’
He soon discovered that after the spirituality of wisdom was absorbed, it had a greater impact than expected. The original Light of Wisdom could enhance comprehension and spirituality threefold, but now it was less than double, with the effectiveness reduced by more than a third.
Even so, he did not stop his actions, lighting another Small Light of Wisdom.
Then a Light of Great Wisdom.
And another Light of Great Wisdom.
Finally, the stone man no longer craved for the spirituality of wisdom.
Meanwhile, Ivan didn’t waste the remaining Light of Wisdom; his thoughts were immersed in the exploration of space, trying to further master spatial control.
The Book of Milor had a good saying on this: Although spatial threads are omnipresent, they are distinct in their superficiality and depth, clearly layered. The more, and the more significant the spatial threads you control, the more powerful your control over space until one day—you ascend to the throne of space.
Without a doubt, exploring space is an endless process.
Time ticked by, second by second. Under the nourishment of the power of wisdom, the stone man’s outline became more softened, his eyes more agile, and his degree of anthropomorphism continually increased, though his strength level showed little change.
Ivan, having digested the gains from just before, was just about to say something.
All of a sudden, a brute force, so unreasonable it didn’t follow any logic, froze him in place, the stone man as well. Thinking it was an attack, readying to come over and guard the original, he tumbled back into the pool, with the water splashing up and hanging frozen in mid-air.
‘What’s going on?’
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Ivan took everything in, maintaining a calm expression on his face, but frantically sensing his surroundings, trying to find the reason for the incident, to discover a way to counteract it.
It was the first time he felt so powerless.
He didn’t have to wait long; a mysterious yellow force like lightning appeared out of nowhere below, striking the stone man directly, wantonly transforming his wooden and stone body.
Ivan keenly detected that the stone man’s aura was strengthening. In just two to three seconds, it had enhanced from Level 1 to Level 2, with no signs of stopping.
Immediately after, some of the force transferred from the stone man to him.
His facial expression could no longer remain composed.
‘What’s going on—this power is so peculiar, from it, I can feel a mother’s love, vast and benevolent. It’s not trying to reshape my very foundation, is it?’
Ivan’s expression went from one change to another, ultimately settling on astonishment and relief.
He never would have imagined that after receiving the power feedback from the stone man, his spiritual power directly broke through the resistance limitation, beginning to grow slowly.
Everything was so unexpected and wonderful.
He could not spare any attention for the condition of the stone person, focusing entirely on his own mental ocean, fearing even the slightest deviation. Fortunately, everything seemed to be fine.
Strength: 19.4, Agility: 19.8, Body Constitution: 20.1, Spirit: 180
In just a short while, Ivan’s overall strength had enhanced. His spiritual power had leaped to the limit of Level 2, and his physical constitution had also reached the pinnacle of a Flying Knight.
“Who?”
As Ivan opened his eyes, he suddenly discovered a mature silhouette had appeared before him, close at hand. He instinctively retreated a distance, not even realizing he was able to move.
“Who are you?” he asked, eyeing the woman warily, despite an inexplicable familiarity and a sense of kinship emanating from her.
“My last name should be ‘Elsop’; as for my first name, if you don’t mind, you can call me ‘Jenny,’ which I have just chosen for myself.”
The woman was dressed in a bright yellow gown, elegant and beautiful, as if a queen from a painting had come to life. Upon hearing the question, she casually stepped out of the pool and calmly provided an answer.
Looking closely, one could see her facial features bore some resemblance to Ivan’s, and with her height nearly matching his own, she seemed more like his older sister.
“No, I only took my eyes off you for a moment, how did you turn into this?” Ivan finally realized that this woman had to be his second Secret Method Body Double.
However, she had transformed from the stone person shape, completely changing into human form, vibrant in face and skin.
“Is there a problem with that?” Jenny looked at him with confusion.
“I am a male sorcerer, after all. My body double should be male,” Ivan said, at a loss for words.
“I am an element creature; I don’t have a gender,” Jenny explained.
Ivan was no stranger to element creatures, and he couldn’t believe this nonsense. Every creature, unless hermaphroditic, has a gender distinction, or at least a specific inclination—it’s a rule of biology in the world.
Hasn’t this one just named herself ‘Jenny’?
“Can it be changed?”
“Sorry, it cannot be changed,” Jenny shook her head. “You didn’t specify before, so I simply chose the form that suited my preference.”
“Why do you think this form suits your preference?” Ivan asked in a deep voice.
As his Secret Method Body Double, the subconscious would gravitate towards him, which included appearance, gender, personality, and more—unless there was some other will that interfered with this process or a remarkably stubborn will at play.
“There is no particular reason; I just feel it should be this way, sorry,” Jenny pondered and then replied apologetically.
“Let it be, there’s no need for you to apologize. Let’s put an end to this matter, from now on you will be known as ‘Jenny Elsop Marichatton.'” Seeing the sincerity in her expression, Ivan waved it off and sighed inwardly.
From her manner of assimilating the Light of Wisdom, it was apparent that there was some peculiarity to her existence. Having chosen her as his second incarnation, he had to bear all the ensuing complexities.
Moreover, it indeed was his oversight that had allowed for this loophole, and one couldn’t blame the half-understanding Secret Method Body Double.
“Very well, everything will be as you say.”
“Now, may I ask you—”
Later, Ivan inquired about various things and gradually formed a conjecture about the origins of the Pan Iron Root.
If he was not mistaken, the Pan Iron Root must have originated from the remains of a fallen creature, definitely one of Level 4 strength or higher, perhaps even greater.
Due to a fortunate coincidence, Jenny came into being.
Regardless, Ivan had gained a Level 3 strength body double, elevated himself to the very brink of Level 2, and there was more to be tested further. It could truly be said that he had reaped a bountiful harvest.