Chen Qingshan waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Someone, get Fang Zhou a bottle of Spiritual Recovery Potion."
Upon hearing this, Fang Zhou felt even more envious of Ye Fan's research group. The Spiritual Recovery Potion, as its name suggested, greatly accelerated the recovery of Spiritual Power after consumption. Although not as precious as the Soul Calming Potion, it still required E-level clearance to obtain. Fang Zhou and the other new Junior Sergeants had no way to acquire it on their own.
Fang Zhou took the bottle a researcher handed him and glanced at it. It contained a colorless, transparent liquid. He drank it in one go, and a soothing sensation spread through his mind.
Fang Zhou sat cross-legged. Stimulated by the potion, his Spiritual Power soon recovered to about thirty percent. He then stood up and signaled to the instructors.
Under Chen Qingshan's arrangement, a pristine test dummy was moved onto the training ground.
Fang Zhou stood before the test dummy and began to cast the Skeleton Flying Spear Skill. As he expended his Spiritual Power, a spear about 1.5 meters long, made of pure white bone, materialized and floated in front of him. Under the control of his Spiritual Power, the Skeleton Flying Spear shot toward the test dummy at an incredible speed.
WHIZ!
With a sharp sound of tearing air, the Skeleton Flying Spear slammed viciously into the test dummy.
CRACK.
The Skeleton Flying Spear shattered, and the test dummy's display screen flashed violently.
"Attack Power: 85!"
Seeing this, the researchers erupted into an uproar. For an Apprentice-tier Skill, the damage of the Skeleton Flying Spear was definitely top-tier. The Chain Wind Energy Missile cast earlier by the Storm Mage, Gu Zhiqiu, had only registered an Attack Power of 72.
Next, under the scrutiny of the professional researchers, Fang Zhou demonstrated the Skeleton Flying Spear's other Attributes, such as its Spiritual Power consumption, casting range, and flight speed. After a comprehensive evaluation, the Skeleton Flying Spear's Attributes were judged to be far superior to other Undead Mage Attack Skills of the same tier, like Death Missile and Touch of Corrosion. At the Apprentice Stage, the appearance of this Skill thoroughly compensated for the Undead Mage's lack of direct attack capabilities.
Afterward, Fang Zhou demonstrated the defensive power of the Skeleton Shield. At a researcher's signal, he condensed a Skeleton Shield and floated it before him. The test dummy slowly powered up and threw a punch.
CRACK.
After a brief stalemate, the Skeleton Shield shattered into dust. A few large words appeared on the test dummy's display screen.
"Defense Power: 80!"
It seemed the Skeleton Shield's Defense Power wasn't as high as the Skeleton Flying Spear's Attack Power. However, it was already stronger than the Earth Knight Zhao Yuan's Rock Will.
An attack comparable to a Storm Mage's and a defense rivaling an Earth Knight's. If Fang Zhou hadn't demonstrated it again and again, not a single instructor or researcher would have believed that two such formidable Skills were independently devised by a single Apprentice-tier Undead Mage.
In the ensuing silence, Lu Hu couldn't help but exclaim, "Fang Zhou, you were born to be an Undead Mage! With these two Skills, an Undead Mage's combat power at the Apprentice Stage is definitely top-tier. If you continue to tap into your potential, you might even create an entire Skeleton Series Skill Tree."
Fang Zhou nodded slightly. This is exactly what I'm working on.
Witnessed by all the instructors and researchers, Fang Zhou uploaded the two Skills he had devised, Skeleton Flying Spear and Skeleton Shield, to the Human Alliance Skill Library.
DING DONG. "Junior Sergeant Fang Zhou, 200 contribution points have been credited to your account. As the developer of the new Skills, 50% of the subsequent exchange fees for these Skills will become your personal income. Thank you for your contribution to humanity!"
Hearing the melodious notification from his personal terminal, Fang Zhou happily received 200 contribution points.
The instructors looked at him with a touch of envy. Those who could independently devise new Skills were one in ten thousand. It was a feat born from an accumulation of talent and hard work. Beyond their envy, they were filled with admiration.
"Fang Zhou, with so many contribution points, how do you plan to use them?" Lu Hu asked from the side.
"Instructor, I want to continue developing Skeleton Series Control Skills and Displacement Skills, but my inspiration is running dry. I plan to exchange for some related Skills from other Magic Professionals to expand my knowledge base and see if I can find some new ideas."
Lu Hu nodded. "You're right, but I must remind you of one thing. As a novice, your energy is limited. Biting off more than you can chew is a grave mistake. When it comes to Skills, it's not about quantity, but quality and power. Even though you're a genius, you must keep this in mind."
Fang Zhou nodded seriously, taking Lu Hu's words to heart. Ever since enrolling, Lu Hu had taken good care of him. Fang Zhou was someone who never forgot a kindness or an offense, and he naturally took note of the care Lu Hu had shown him.
Lu Hu continued, "You're probably aware of the Seed List, right? If you can become a Seed of the Sea City Military Academy, you'll enjoy greater resource support, which will be very beneficial for your personal growth. The upcoming Simulation Battlefield is a crucial event. You must prepare diligently and fully showcase your talents. If you have any contribution points to spare, consider exchanging them for some Apprentice-tier equipment. Although they cost a fair amount, they are worthwhile as they can accelerate cultivation and enhance combat ability. For example, as you experienced, a Magic Staff can enhance the power of your spells, while items like rings and necklaces can increase your maximum Spiritual Power or accelerate its recovery rate."
Hearing this, a thought stirred in Fang Zhou's mind. Using the Apprentice Magic Staff earlier had indeed enhanced both his casting speed and the spell's effect. It seems that to enhance my combat power, I'll have to do more than just work on my Four-dimensional Attributes and Skills. Putting equipment acquisition on the agenda is a must.
Seeing Fang Zhou's thoughtful expression, Lu Hu encouraged him further, "Rest assured, your talent is there for all to see. Instructor Chen and I will report your performance today to the school authorities. If all goes well, perhaps one day you too could have a dedicated research team like Ye Fan's."
Joy surged in Fang Zhou's heart. Instructor Lu Hu was a very reliable person. For him to say so meant he was reasonably confident. It seems showcasing a bit of my talent today was the right move after all.
...
In the principal's office, Lu Hu, with a delighted Chen Qingshan in tow, was happily reporting the day's events to Su Tiankuo.
"Skeleton Flying Spear? Skeleton Shield? Fang Zhou, a mere Apprentice, managed to develop a Skeleton Series Skill Tree?"
After watching the combat recording of Fang Zhou and Ye Fan, Su Tiankuo looked slightly stunned. Although he was a former Legendary Powerhouse with immense experience hardened by time, even he had never imagined Fang Zhou would deliver such a dazzling performance. Mastering Meditation and summoning twenty Skeletons in a single day was a testament to Fang Zhou's talent and combat prowess. However, the shock from that paled in comparison to the revelation that Fang Zhou had independently developed two new Skills.