Battle was exhilarating! After arriving in the new area, Fang Zhou's previously stagnant growth rate surged forward again, at the cost of leaving not even a shard of bone in his wake!
Besides the increase in his Four-dimensional Attributes and Soul Power, the Skeleton Clone's [Brutal Strike] skill also improved from [Beginner] to [Master] proficiency. Now, Fang Zhou could cast [Brutal Strike] seven times in a row.
This area mainly consisted of Lower Apprentice tier skeletons. Here, the Skeleton Clone was nearly invincible. Not only did it have its own skeletal armament, but its attributes were also overwhelming, and it had mastered Combat Skills from human civilization. This perfectly aligned with Fang Zhou's personality; he never engaged in risky battles against higher-tiered monsters unless absolutely necessary.
Raising his head to look at the vast white wasteland before him, Fang Zhou, who was gradually adapting to the aesthetic of the Undead Realm, found it strangely pleasing to the eye. The Burial Wilderness had no particularly undulating terrain, appearing quite vast at a glance. Covered with a layer of bone, the snow-white ground met the distant, dim sky, creating a unique kind of scenery.
***
Early the next morning, in the classroom of Company One.
A tired-looking Fang Zhou greeted Ye Fan and Bai Xiaochan, then slumped onto his desk to rest his eyes. He had gotten carried away by the thrill of slaying skeletons the night before, leading to another bout of soul exhaustion.
However, there was a pleasant surprise. Through relentless passive meditation, his [Skeleton Meditation Method] had successfully improved its Skill Proficiency from [Beginner] to [Master]. This further boosted the growth rate of his Spirit Attribute.
Beside him, Bai Xiaochan propped her chin on her hands, gazing at Fang Zhou's handsome profile in the morning sun, momentarily entranced. Ye Fan, on the other hand, seemed invigorated, lost in who knows what thoughts.
Soon, Instructor Lu Hu ascended the platform with a solemn expression.
"Class, today's lesson is on humanity's enemy—the Abyssal Demons. They are a group of Chaotic Evil creatures from the Otherworld, with invasion, slaughter, and destruction engraved deep in their genetic makeup.
"From the weakest Apprentice-tier Little Inferior Demon to the Abyss Lords comparable to our own Legendary-rank humans, the power of the Abyssal Demons far surpasses our Human Alliance. However, due to their Chaotic Evil nature, this cancerous race has an extremely brutal tradition of internal conflict. Moreover, within the Mythical World, our Human Alliance has steadfast, reliable, and powerful allies for mutual support.
"Through the blood and sacrifice of the Pioneers, humanity gradually recovered from the brink of extinction, securing the resources and time for your generation to grow.
"Now, I will introduce you to the common types of Abyssal Demons and their illustrated guides. You must commit this knowledge to heart.
"The first type, the Abyss Little Inferior Demon…"
Throughout the morning, Instructor Lu used a projector to explain dozens of common demons to the students.
Apprentice-tier cannon fodder units: Little Inferior Demon, Demon Child.
Black Iron-tier main combat units: Horned Demon, Dog Demon.
Bronze-tier elite units: Deceiving Demon, Tyrant Demon.
Silver-tier core units: Six-armed Snake Demon, Fire-Throwing Demon.
Gold-tier units: Frenzy Demon, Soul Judge Demon.
And even Glory Champion-tier units: Flame Demon, Dragon Demon, Enchanting Demon.
***
The dozens of pages of detailed illustrations truly opened Fang Zhou's eyes. The appearances, Talent Abilities, power levels, advantages, weaknesses, and best countermeasures for these common demons were all annotated. Some entries even included accompanying battle videos. This was precious information bought with the blood and lives of human pioneers.
"You may not believe it, but I, your instructor, was once a renowned Gold-Tier [Berserker]! Until one day, I took a poisoned arrow to the knee from a Soul Judge Demon, which is how I ended up instructing you rookies."
Lu Hu scanned the heavy expressions of the students below and then grinned. "These materials have been sent to your personal terminals. Review and master them on your own time. This is all required material for your final exams, and these are enemies you will inevitably face on the battlefield. For humanity, and for yourselves, you must remember them!
"Class dismissed!"
As the pleasant bell chimed, Lu Hu swaggered out of the classroom, though he sighed softly in his heart. Twenty years from now, I wonder how many of these little brats will still be alive?
***
At noon, in the canteen.
The trio took their meals and found a place to sit.
Bai Xiaochan took a gentle sip of juice from the Otherworld and exclaimed, "So Instructor Lu was once a Gold-Tier powerhouse! I never would have expected that!"
Ye Fan replied nonchalantly, "Gold is nothing. I can reach it with a wave of my hand!"
Bai Xiaochan was speechless. "Anyone who reaches the Gold Tier can be called a High-Tier powerhouse. Among our population of billions, there are probably no more than one hundred thousand Gold-Tier powerhouses, and most of them are serving on the battlefields of the Mythical World. At least, Instructor Lu is the first living Gold-Tier powerhouse I've met up close. You talk such a big game, Ye Fan. Have you met many Gold-Tier powerhouses?"
Hearing this, Ye Fan replied with a look of arrogance, "Perhaps you don't know, but I've already joined the Sea City Military Academy's [Demon Hunter Profession Combat Power Development] research team. We have an old saying in Longxia: knowledge is power. As long as the full potential of the [Demon Hunter] Profession is developed, mere Gold will be just my starting point!"
Bai Xiaochan was surprised. "You? With a head full of muscle, you're involved in research?"
Ye Fan glanced sideways at Bai Xiaochan and snorted coldly. "Hmph, you fool. I'm the one being researched."
"PFFT!"
Fang Zhou and Bai Xiaochan exchanged an amused glance.
Shaking her head, Bai Xiaochan put a piece of meat in her mouth and mumbled, "It's such a pity, though. After being poisoned by that Soul Judge Demon, Instructor Lu can probably never regain his original strength. We humans have lost another Golden Powerhouse."
While chewing on a Soothing Mushroom, Fang Zhou asked, "Is there no cure for a Soul Judge Demon's poison?"
Ye Fan interjected, "It's a deadly soul poison. It's incurable!"
Soul… Fang Zhou's thoughts began to wander. Then, he gently shook his head. I'll worry about the future when it comes.
***
The afternoon brought Fang Zhou's favorite meditation class.
Under the [Concentration Array], he spent two exhilarating hours controlling his Skeleton Clone to slay skeletons, and his Four-dimensional Attributes improved to a certain degree. Unfortunately, the skeletons in the new area were much stronger, but also far more spread out. This reduced Fang Zhou's efficiency at slaying monsters and leveling up to a certain extent.
[Attributes] Strength 6, Constitution 4, Agility 4, Spirit 4
[Soul Power] 20
Compared to attribute growth, Fang Zhou was currently more concerned with accumulating Soul Power. Whether he wanted to quickly master skills from the Human Alliance's Skill Library or derive new Skeleton Series Undead Mage skills from his instinctively proficient [Skeletal Armament], he would need a large amount of Soul Power.
Regrettably, aside from killing skeletons, he had yet to discover any new ways to acquire it.