Meditation Methods are the foundation of a Magic Professional's combat power, determining their growth rate and the upper limit of their strength.
A few days ago, when Fang Zhou first encountered the [Skeleton Meditation Method], he felt that the accompanying skeleton Visualization Image was somewhat off. After grasping the basics, Fang Zhou could clearly sense that the Skeleton Meditation Method wasn't entirely harmonious and had areas that could be improved and refined.
With the rampant slaughter by his skeleton clone over the past few days, his understanding of the skeleton as an image had deepened. Finally, a "Modifiable" symbol appeared in the Skills Bar of his attribute panel.
Through his exploration, Fang Zhou discovered that improving or inferring Skills via the attribute panel wasn't spontaneous. It required him to possess the corresponding knowledge. The amount of Soul Power consumed also varied depending on how complete his knowledge was. Improving the [Skeleton Meditation Method] required 100 points of Soul Power, which would undoubtedly take several days to accumulate.
***
The following days were busy and fulfilling for Fang Zhou.
Besides the basic courses arranged by the Sea City Military Academy, he intermittently controlled his skeleton clone for two hours a day, farming skeletons to level up. As a result, the Four-dimensional Attributes of both his main body and the clone increased significantly.
Main Body [Attributes]: Strength 1.6, Constitution 1.5, agility 1.4, Spirit 3.5
Clone [Attributes]: Strength 7, Constitution 6, agility 5, Spirit 5
[Soul Power]: 110
While enhancing his Four-dimensional Attributes and accumulating Soul Power, Fang Zhou also raised the Skill Proficiency of his main body's [Skeleton Meditation Method] and [Summon Skeleton] to [Skilled]. [Calm and Relaxed], meanwhile, was elevated to [Master].
Furthermore, through continuous practice, he also advanced the Skill Proficiency of the clone's [Brutal Strike] and [Charge] to [Skilled], greatly increasing its combat power.
However, for Fang Zhou, the most crucial achievement was accumulating 100 points of Soul Power.
「Late at night, in the dormitory.」
Fang Zhou sat cross-legged on his bed, focusing his attention on the plus sign in the skills section of the attribute panel.
"Detectable skill available for improvement. Estimated cost: 100 Soul Power."
"Proceed with improvement?"
Fang Zhou calmed his mind and said solemnly, "Begin improvement."
With the rapid consumption of 100 points of Soul Power, Fang Zhou once again entered a Burst of Inspiration. In a haze, he seemed to return to the perspective of his skeleton clone. Under a Blood Moon, he walked upon a vast land covered in white bones.
Skeletons are the lowest form of Undead, the most humble of existences. A Skeleton's potential for growth is limited, but they are the necessary first step for an Undead Mage to make contact with the Undead Realm.
Imitate it, embody it, learn from it, become it.
Suddenly, inspiration struck Fang Zhou. He completely replaced the awkward skeleton Visualization Image in his mind with that of his own skeleton clone.
I am the strongest skeleton. Rather than searching far and wide, I should just visualize myself. No one understands skeletons better than I do!
"Improvement of [Skeleton Meditation Method] successful. Please assign a name."
Fang Zhou snapped back to reality, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Name it [Skeleton King Meditation Method]."
At this moment, the skeleton image in his mind was precisely that of his most familiar skeleton clone, the one holding a bone long spear. Fang Zhou was confident that his skeleton clone would, step by step, ascend to the throne of the Skeleton Monarch, and the Skeleton Monarch would be far from the end.
He checked his Skill Panel. [Skeleton Meditation Method] had been successfully replaced with [Skeleton King Meditation Method].
Fang Zhou took a moment to carefully perceive the new method. The Meditation efficiency of the new [Skeleton King Meditation Method] was at least thirty percent higher than before. This also meant that the growth rate of his Spirit Attribute would be thirty percent faster. Perhaps he could advance to the Middle Rank of the Apprentice Tier even before the Simulation Battlefield opened.
Feeling satisfied, he began to plan his future path. First, his main body needed to infer a suitable and effective Skeleton Series control skill. That way, with [Summon Skeleton] and [Skeleton Flying Spear] for offense and [Skeleton Shield] for defense, his set of Control Skills would also be complete. During the Apprentice Stage, Fang Zhou's combat system would be more or less established.
As for the clone, it needed to master more Combat Skills and raise its level to the Upper Rank of the Apprentice Tier as quickly as possible. By then, Fang Zhou could confidently control his skeleton clone to explore deeper into the Burial Wilderness.
Since he still had Soul Power to spare, Fang Zhou closed his eyes and attempted to infer a Skeleton Series control skill. However, the attribute panel prompted, "Missing essential Skill Materials."
Fang Zhou was slightly taken aback, then immediately understood. Perhaps my own knowledge is insufficient. The attribute panel can't create something from nothing; it can't infer every Skeleton Series skill from Bone Armament alone.
Since that was the case, Fang Zhou didn't force it. He stood up and stretched lightly.
The Skill Materials required by the attribute panel probably refer to the Control Skills of other Professions in the Human Alliance Skill Library. To exchange for skills from other Professions, he would naturally need a large number of contribution points. Looks like I need to make getting contribution points a priority.
Currently, the most realistic way to obtain a large number of contribution points was through the two new Skeleton Series skills he had inferred.
Skeleton Flying Spear and Skeleton Shield!
Fang Zhou hadn't planned on hiding them anyway. He had just wanted to wait a while before reporting them to the military academy to make it seem more reasonable. These were new skills I inferred through my own effort. If the academy were to ask, I could even explain the principles.
He remembered that when the Earth Knight Zhao Yuan had his Awakening, he obtained the [Rock Will] skill. Uploading it to the Human Alliance Skill Library had earned him a reward of 100 contribution points.
In that case, my two new skills should fetch at least 200 contribution points, right? Fang Zhou thought with some uncertainty.
***
「The next morning.」
Fang Zhou arrived at Company One's classroom. As soon as he entered, Bai Xiaochan, sitting in the corner, waved at him excitedly.
Fang Zhou ambled over and asked, "What's up?"
Bai Xiaochan gave a thumbs-up to Ye Fan, who was standing beside her, and said cheerfully, "Fang Zhou, our great Lord Ye has an opportunity for you! You remember how he got pulled into that Demon Hunter research project, right? Well, the project needs some combat sparring partners, preferably at the same level as Ye Fan. He didn't want the opportunity to go to an outsider, so he immediately thought of you. And get this—it pays a ton of contribution points!"
"Oh?" Fang Zhou's eyes lit up.
Talk about perfect timing. He was just worrying about how to get contribution points, and this dramatic teenager, Ye Fan, came along with a solution.
He turned to Ye Fan and asked, "Lord Ye, what's the deal? Tell me more."
Ye Fan crossed his arms and declared proudly, "I, Ye Fan, have never been second to anyone. In all of Company One, the only ones who may be called heroes are Fan and Zhou."
This kid is a lost cause. Fang Zhou thought.
He coughed lightly, patted Ye Fan's shoulder, and got straight to the point. "Alright, buddy. How much does it pay?"