After coming back from Nerissa, Ethan and the others still decided to use the Azure Nereids' method to absorb crystal cores.
It was a technique refined over countless years. Of course it was better than their crude, "eat it and pray" approach.
And the results proved it.
They spent the whole night absorbing and comparing notes. The absorption method was slower, but it squeezed out more of the crystal core's energy.
If they swallowed cores directly, going from early-stage to peak within a Tier took nine crystal cores.
With absorption, seven cores were enough.
Two cores saved—per Tier. That added up fast.
More importantly, even after reaching the peak of a Tier, they could continue absorbing crystal cores of the same Tier to push themselves forward.
Based on their estimates, absorbing about five more crystal cores of the same Tier would be enough to break into the next Tier.
