Meditation Method, entry level!
In the tumultuous Spiritual Inner Sea, filled with distracting thoughts, Carl's consciousness was like a small boat, undulating in the waves. Although it seemed it could capsize at any moment, it fought unceasingly against the waves, propelled by his strong willpower. As time went by, not only did it not capsize, but it also became steadier.
PHEW...
Opening his eyes, a glint briefly shone in them. The world before him seemed as if a veil had been lifted; everything appeared unprecedentedly clear. This was not because his vision had improved, but because his refined spiritual power made his perception of the outside world much more acute.
Finally… Carl clenched his empty hands. In the real world, I can now practice the Meditation Method.
Mastering the Meditation Method and constructing a Zero-Circle Magic in the Spiritual Inner Sea marked the entry into being a Wizard Apprentice. Carl had achieved both of these milestones. This meant that, in less than a month, he had become a bona fide Basic-level Wizard Apprentice.
Even those with Level one talent probably couldn't do this. No! Even they likely couldn't do it so quickly. Keep a low profile, keep a low profile. The tallest tree in the forest is first to be buffeted by the wind; the mound protruding from the bank is first to be eroded by the torrent; one who stands above others will surely be criticized. The experiences of our predecessors should be firmly remembered.
After taking several deep breaths, the excitement on Carl's face gradually subsided.
According to the ranking of Wizard Apprentices, mastering one Zero-Circle Magic marks a Basic-level Wizard Apprentice. Mastering three Zero-Circle Magics makes you an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice. Master six Zero-Circle Magics, and you are an Advanced Wizard Apprentice. Only when you have mastered a One-Circle Witchcraft and broken through the limits of spiritual power can you be considered a true Wizard. Of course, tricks are not included.
Taking out his notebook, Carl held a quill and wrote:
Constitution: 0.77
Spiritual power: 0.96
The data from the Divine Domain Fragment won't be wrong. As a Knight's Attendant, my Constitution is 0.77. By this standard, an average person's Constitution should be around 0.5. And as for Knights, they are likely to exceed 1. Don't be fooled by the seemingly minor difference of a few tenths in Constitution; the actual experience is worlds apart, far beyond simple arithmetic. My spiritual power is clearly higher than my Constitution, which Hibell also mentioned—possibly a result of my transmigration. The fusion of the previous body owner's consciousness at the moment of death with my transmigrated soul means it's quite normal for my spiritual power to be greater than that of ordinary people. Therefore, as long as I master the Meditation Method and refine my spiritual power, I naturally possess the foundation of a Basic-level Wizard Apprentice.
Constructing the Magic Model for a lesser spell forcefield consumes 0.7 spiritual power. By extrapolation, three Zero-Circle Magics would require at least 2.1 spiritual power, meaning the standard for an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice is 2.1 spiritual power. No! Carl slightly shook his head. The lesser spell forcefield is on the complex side among Zero-Circle Magics, and it consumes more spiritual power. A Dizziness Spell might only need 0.5 or 0.6. So, by the lowest standard, 1.8 spiritual power should be enough to advance to Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.
Once a Magic Model is constructed, it permanently occupies a portion of spiritual power. To build a second Magic Model, surplus spiritual power must be available, unless one erases the first Magic Model. Similarly, although Wizard Apprentices have extraordinary means, they only master a few types of witchcraft. If all are known by others, they can be easily countered. Therefore, every Wizard will try to hide the witchcraft they have mastered or keep other trump cards up their sleeve. If one's cards are completely revealed… it's tantamount to seeking one's own demise!
Let's test if the power of the witchcraft has changed.
Putting down the quill, Carl focused his thoughts, activating the lesser spell forcefield Magic Model in his Spiritual Inner Sea. An invisible forcefield emerged. Unlike before, after mastering the Meditation Method, his control over the lesser spell forcefield was finer. With the same power, he could now expand or narrow its range, and of course, the intensity would change accordingly.
SWOOSH!
Carl tossed a metal ball upwards. It fell into the forcefield from above, tracing an arc under the influence of the invisible field before landing on the ground.
The power hasn't increased much, but the control is more precise. It can also burst forth suddenly, enough to distort an attack from a Knight's Attendant. Moreover, its duration has increased considerably. Good! Now, with the spell forcefield for protection, as long as I don't encounter a peak-level Knight's Attendant like Dana, I have a great chance of success. Hmm. And there's the Light Spell! The Light Spell might seem trivial, but if cast suddenly in the midst of combat, it could momentarily dazzle an opponent. In that moment, its uses could be significant.
The next day, Carl returned the remaining necrotic dust to the manor and, by incurring debt, attended two more pharmacology classes.
「Several days later.」
In his bedroom, Carl opened his eyes, his expression grim.
Fourth-level talent, and the increase in spiritual power is this slow? With the data panel, I can clearly see my progress, and also how slow it is. At this rate, I'm afraid it will take ten days, perhaps even half a month, to increase my spiritual power by 0.01. One point of spiritual power, at the fastest, would take three to five years! And this is with the aid of the Divine Domain Fragment for cultivation. Three to five years to reach the level of an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice is actually not bad. After all, even those with third-level talent might not progress this quickly. However, this is merely the time spent practicing the Meditation Method. If I were to add the time for constructing Magic Models... And I can't possibly devote all my time to this; my Martial Arts can't be too weak either. Truly reaching the level of an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, I'm afraid, might take upwards of ten years.
"Enough of this!" He shook his head, turned, and approached the Divine Domain Fragment. "I won't wait for the Day of the Burning Moon anymore. I'll go to the Otherworld for a look first."
「 」
"Snow?" Standing at the door, Carl reached out to catch a snowflake falling from the sky, a confused look in his eyes. Snow wasn't strange. What was strange was that the snow in his hand was mixed with a hint of black. And unlike the snowflakes in his memory that melted upon contact and felt light, this snow had weight and was gray. Calling it snow was more like calling it ash.
Gray, ash-like snow filled the sky, blanketing the entire Black City and piling up thickly on the roads.
CRUNCH... CRUNCH...
His leather boots crunched on the snow, and the piercing cold was even more severe due to the weather.
「Laka Market.」
The market had sparse foot traffic, far less than on the Day of the Burning Moon, and not even half the usual crowd. Each vendor was wrapped in a thick coat, hunched behind their stall, waiting for customers.
"Uncle!" Ayala looked up, her face alight with surprise. "You're here."
"Hmm," Carl nodded, his expression indifferent. "I didn't expect you to still be running a stall here."
Ayala had become even more emaciated. The term 'skinny' suited her perfectly now. There were obvious bruises on her cheeks, and her clothes were more ragged than ever. Persisting in running a stall in such cold weather, her hands and feet had cracked from the frost, oozing pus—a pitiful sight.
"I had no choice." Ayala grinned. "I took over the stall from Uncle Kolon and spent all my savings. If I can't make money… life still has to go on." A flash of sadness crossed her eyes but was quickly concealed.
She was a very resilient girl. She had spent a great deal of money to buy the stall and also had to pay a monthly stall fee. Unfortunately, business was not going well. Ayala had spent all her savings to buy the stall, hoping to forge a path forward, but now it seemed that path was difficult. It was remarkable she had lasted this long.
Crouching down, Carl picked up a pinch of soul powder from the stall and asked, "How much are you selling this for?"
"One portion for two black stones." Seeing a customer, Ayala quickly said, "I can give you a discount if you want it, Uncle."
Two black stones. About the same price as other places. Even if it were cheaper, it probably wouldn't be by much.
"The price is fair," Carl said, not haggling. "It's just that you have too little soul powder here."
"Too little?" Ayala took a sharp breath, her face flushing. "Uncle, how much do you need?"
"I'll take as much as you have," Carl stood up, his voice even. "Money is not an issue."