After making the rounds, Slade had successfully collected forty-two magic stones!
While not an overwhelming amount, this was an incredibly significant sum for a wizard apprentice.
Suppressing his excitement, Slade knocked on Instructor Morris's door once more.
"Lord Morris, Slade has come to visit."
The door opened on its own.
"What is it? Are you having difficulty with your meditation?" Morris's compound eyes flickered red, but when he looked at Slade, the red light suddenly solidified.
"You... You've condensed your spiritual core? And you succeeded on the first try?!"
Even the experienced Morris was stunned by Slade's incredible speed.
This wasn't just a matter of talent; it required immense willpower, precise control over negative energy particles, and a deep understanding of meditation techniques!
Morris had sensed negative energy particles gathering in Slade's cabin before, knowing he was attempting meditation.
But he never expected Slade to condense his "spiritual core" so swiftly!
It was nothing short of monstrous!
"I'm fortunate to have entered the realm of meditation, and it's all thanks to the superior techniques my mentor taught me," Slade said modestly. He then pulled out a pouch filled with magic stones.
"Mentor, I would like to exchange these for an offensive spell."
Morris regarded Slade with a thoughtful gaze, then waved his bone-bladed arm. Three bone fragments of different colors floated before them.
"[Weak Soul Impact], This targets the consciousness directly, causing a brief stun. Its strength lies in how difficult it is to defend against."
"[Negative Energy Ray], A corrosive attack that deals high damage, but it lacks flexibility."
"[Bone Hand], Summons bone claws to grapple or strike, dealing both physical and negative energy damage."
"These are all level 0 offensive spells, suited to your current stage of practice."
Slade didn't hesitate for a moment and chose [Weak Soul Impact].
If he didn't have such a powerful soul talent, he would have picked [Bone Hand], which combined physical and magical damage.
But his extraordinary soul talent could amplify the effectiveness of soul-based spells and accelerate his cultivation, choosing a different spell would be a waste.
Besides, soul attacks were unpredictable and difficult to defend against, which perfectly matched his cunning nature.
Morris nodded approvingly, took thirty magic stones from his pouch, and pocketed them. He then tossed Slade the bone fragment, his tone softening slightly.
"Good choice, you've got an eye for this."
"Soul magic is tough to master, but its potential is immense. Go back and practice. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
Back in his cabin, Slade eagerly placed the bone fragment against his forehead.
[Detected magic model "Weak Soul Impact," beginning recording... recording progress: 5%...]
[Starting to analyze magic model "Weak Soul Impact"... analysis progress: 1%...]
Slade was pleasantly surprised to discover that, with his advancement to first-class apprentice, the panel's capabilities seemed to have improved as well!
The recording and analysis speeds had notably increased, and... he could now analyze more books at once.
Curious, he decided to test this by analyzing "Soul Whisper Meditation," "Weak Soul Impact," and several other books he had scanned before, simultaneously.
[Analysis limit reached, current simultaneous analysis targets: 3]
[Analysis progress of "Weak Soul Impact": 5%...]
[Analysis progress of "Ogre's Delicious Recipe": 35%...]
"Excellent."
A surge of excitement swept through Slade. More scans meant faster learning efficiency, exponentially faster.
Wizarding knowledge was notoriously intricate, dense, and unforgiving. To study and master it through ordinary memorization alone would consume an unimaginable amount of time and mental energy.
Even if the analysis speed wasn't particularly fast, it still far surpassed traditional learning methods.
More importantly, it worked passively. As time passed, knowledge accumulated in his mind automatically, as if he were constantly studying without effort.
And the greatest advantage of all, the analysis function ensured flawless comprehension. There was no risk of misunderstanding the material.
That point was critical. Wizardry demanded absolute precision. A single incorrect rune, a misread symbol, or a flawed interpretation could lead to catastrophic consequences.
Without hesitation, Slade pushed the analysis function to its limit. At the same time, he devoted himself to memorizing and understanding the structural framework of Weak Soul Impact, accelerating the process even further.
Several days later, through the combined effect of the panel and his relentless effort, the analysis progress of Weak Soul Impact finally reached 100%.
Slade had successfully constructed the spell model of Weak Soul Impact within his mental domain.
What surprised him even more was the result brought about by the synergy between his extraordinary soul affinity, the Soul Whisper Meditation Technique, and the panel's perfect analysis.
The spell no longer required incantations or gestures.
Ordinarily, a first-rank apprentice casting a zero-tier spell would need to murmur several syllables while directing a finger or palm toward the target, all while concentrating to construct and activate the spell model.
Even the simplest spell usually required one to two seconds to cast.
Slade had not yet reached the realm of true instant casting, but he could already cast silently and motionlessly. His casting time had been compressed to just 0.2 seconds.
With enough practice, even that fraction of a second could be reduced further, until it became nearly indistinguishable from instantaneous magic.
This was the true meaning of 100% analysis: absolute mastery of the spell.
The improvement to his combat capability and adaptability was enormous. In battle, it would allow him to overwhelm opponents before they could even react.
Choosing soul-based sorcery had unquestionably been the right decision.
Now, holding this extraordinary power in his hands, Slade felt an almost irresistible urge to test it.
This… was genuine superhuman power.
Suppressing the faint fluctuations of energy radiating from his body, Slade pushed open the door,, and nearly collided with Karl, who was rushing toward him.
"Slade! You're finally out! Those bastards from Blackwater City, they attacked us!"
Slade frowned slightly. Trouble had arrived at his doorstep.
Ordinarily, he had no interest in involving himself in petty disputes, even those concerning fellow townsmen. To him, childish arguments and brawls were meaningless distractions.
But…
He had just accepted nine magic stones from them as a "favor fee." Refusing to help now would make him look shamelessly greedy.
At that moment, the others from Blackswamp City gathered behind Karl.
Only Mary, standing quietly in the back, appeared unharmed.
Karl's face twisted with fury.
"Those scum from Blackwater City harassed Lillian and the others on the deck! When we confronted them, they beat us up instead! You have to help us!"
Lillian sobbed as she spoke.
"Slade… they were horrible… they even tried touching us…"
A cold glimmer flashed across Slade's eyes.
Perfect.
He had been looking for an opportunity to test his new spell, and now suitable targets had conveniently presented themselves.
Besides, Karl and the others had paid him nine magic stones in total.
The people from Blackwater City, meanwhile, had only "contributed" a single magic stone.
The higher bidder naturally deserved priority.
Whether measured by personal ties or financial value, every calculation pointed in the same direction.
Having made his decision, Slade calmly looked at Karl and said,
"Lead the way."
On the deck, the thugs from Blackwater City had gathered together, openly judging the other apprentices and occasionally breaking into mocking laughter.
At their center stood a tall, powerfully built apprentice. Five or six others surrounded him, each carrying the same arrogant, lawless air.
More than half a month had passed since the ship set sail. Drifting endlessly across the sea, many apprentices had grown restless. Their initial caution had faded, replaced by boredom and impatience.
They needed something to entertain themselves.
During this time, conflicts had erupted not only between Blackswamp City and Blackwater City, but also among apprentices from other places. More than a few bloody fights had broken out.
The wizard never interfered.
After all, the struggles within Bone Spire Academy would be far more brutal than anything happening here.
However, some apprentices had gone too far, causing severed limbs and even deaths.
That crossed the wizard's bottom line.
Escorting these apprentices safely to the academy was his mission, and it directly affected his contribution points. Every apprentice who died meant a deduction.
If he allowed them to kill one another freely, his contribution points would vanish.
So the first apprentice who committed murder was turned into a "weathervane" by the wizard, left hanging from the mast to sway in the sea wind.
That gave the remaining apprentices a clear sense of direction.
From then on, even the fiercest fights were kept within limits. At most, people suffered superficial wounds.
Knowing the wizard would not intervene as long as no one died, the apprentices from Blackwater City became increasingly bold, harassing and provoking others without restraint.
Their leader was a towering youth with extraordinary physical talent. Among a group of ordinary teenagers, his size and strength made him especially intimidating.
Before anyone had truly mastered witchcraft, his massive fists gave him an overwhelming advantage.
Had he entered a knight academy instead, he would undoubtedly have been praised as a prodigy blessed with natural strength.
Unfortunately, this time, he had provoked the wrong person.