Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone-Chapter 311 - 258: Zhougong’s Ceremony, Surrendering with Armor Removed!

Once he reached this realm, his strength would undergo a qualitative leap. Both his Spiritual Power and Combat Techniques would ascend to new heights.

Bai Xiaochan and Meng Hongzhuang were undoubtedly exceptionally fortunate. If they had delayed their breakthrough to the Middle Rank of the Apprentice Stage by even a few days, they might have missed the chance to fight alongside Fang Zhou.

***

In the training ground, Fang Zhou’s dashing figure gradually blurred until it finally disappeared from everyone’s sight.

The other first-year students on the field all paused, their eyes collectively focusing on the historical speed-run leaderboard. On this list, the name of the Calamity Squad was displayed prominently at the top of the leaderboards for four different difficulties, standing like an immovable boulder that commanded everyone’s attention.

Complex expressions appeared on the students’ faces. However, the object of their envy was not Fang Zhou himself but the partners who accompanied him—Bai Xiaochan and Meng Hongzhuang.

In these students’ eyes, more than the personal qualifications of Bai Xiaochan and Meng Hongzhuang, they coveted the opportunity to fight alongside Fang Zhou. They also desired the courage and audacity to find and latch onto such a "powerhouse."

In fact, not long ago, they had the chance to watch a live broadcast of the Calamity Squad sweeping through the Horn Demon Outpost instance. The entire battle had been shocking, and Bai Xiaochan and Meng Hongzhuang seemed to play merely supportive roles. This led many students to secretly wonder if they could also fill such a position. After all, whether it was being a "trophy" or just an errand runner, they were confident they could perform just as excellently.

Amid the crowd, a female fan with a delicate, melon-seed-shaped face had been quietly observing Fang Zhou. Now, she bit her lower lip softly, a trace of imperceptible frustration flashing in her eyes.

If only my Talent were a bit better, she imagined. If only I could have summoned the courage to step forward and offer him some warmth and support the moment he had his Awakening as an Undead Mage. Perhaps the position of number one "trophy" beside Fang Zhou would belong to me now.

However, she quickly shook her head, attempting to banish these unrealistic ideas from her mind. Sighing softly, she made her way toward a Simulation Pod and selected the ’Difficult’ level of the Little Inferior Demon Camp trial.

The fan silently vowed to herself. I have to work harder and harder. Even if the hope is slim, it’s still worth fighting for.

She was determined to give her all in the coming days, to tap into every bit of her potential and ascend to the Middle Rank of the Apprentice Stage as quickly as possible.

Then, I’ll find an opportunity to ask Fang Zhou to team up, she thought. He only just broke through to the Middle Rank of the Apprentice Stage. Even a genius like him can’t possibly leap to the Upper Rank in such a short time. What if he actually agrees to my invitation? Then I could be that much closer to my idol.

Fang Zhou, however, had no idea about the myriad of swirling thoughts in the other students’ minds. During dinner time, he had a quick meal in the canteen before hurrying to the laboratory of the Undead Mage research project group, ready to start the day’s Life Crystal guidance experiment.

***

The night deepened, and a bright moon hung in the sky.

After the experiment, Fang Zhou sat up slowly from the bed in Instructor Su Xinyan’s lounge, gently rubbing his somewhat sore arms. He was filled with respect for Su Xinyan, the Golden Tier Great Undead Mage. Not only did she possess powerful Spiritual Power, but her body’s adaptability and recovery were also astounding.

Initially, under the special massage techniques he employed, she had been completely overwhelmed and unable to resist, as the sensations washed over her in an unstoppable torrent. But as time went on, she gradually learned how to adjust her breathing and relax her muscles. She could even resist his "offensive" for a short while before finally being defeated, her face blushing crimson.

Fang Zhou rubbed his slightly greasy fingers, making a mental note. From these last few... stimulating massage sessions, I’ve successfully ignited some kind of inner fire in Instructor Su Xinyan. But I can’t just know how to light a fire; I also have to know how to put it out.

He silently added an entry in his mental notebook. I need to increase my physical training and fully leverage the superior strength and physique Attributes I have at the Apprentice Stage. I’ll also try to develop some massage techniques that can fully utilize my Agility Attribute. The goal is to overwhelm Instructor Su Xinyan completely each time, leaving her to surrender with Zhougong’s Ceremony.

Just then, Instructor Su Xinyan recovered from the lingering sensations. She extended a delicate, fair foot, still tinged with red, and kicked Fang Zhou with a mix of shyness and resentment. "Get out," she said weakly. "You always leave me in such a mess. You little rascal, you’re just doing it on purpose to watch me make a fool of myself."

Fang Zhou chuckled foolishly. He casually reached out and patted the jade-white foot she had presented to him, saying with a guileless expression, "Instructor Xinyan, I just have too much strength and have some trouble holding back. I’ll be careful next time. I’ll definitely be careful next time."

Hearing this, Instructor Su Xinyan’s delicate eyebrows shot up. "You still want a next time?" she said in disbelief. "You’re really pushing your luck! Now get out, and don’t bother me."

Fang Zhou grinned slyly. While re-fastening his belt, which had loosened from the vigorous "massage," he left Instructor Su Xinyan’s lounge.

After doing some stretches, Fang Zhou gazed at the bright moon outside the window, savoring the pleasant afterglow.

So white, and so large... What a resemblance.

Just as Fang Zhou was about to pack his belongings and head to the Skill Training Ground to further hone his "Soul Realm" Skill, his personal terminal suddenly vibrated. A chat notification icon lit up the screen.

He stopped, put down his backpack, and opened the terminal to check the message. The screen showed a message from his senior, Liu Diewu.

[Green Robe, My Heart Swings] (Liu Diewu): "Junior Fang Zhou, I’ve finally broken through my bottleneck and advanced to a Black Iron Tier Professional! It’s all thanks to that Evergreen Fruit you traded to me! It allowed my body to accumulate enough Energy to break through the bottleneck smoothly."

[Green Robe, My Heart Swings] (Liu Diewu): "The instructors at the Natural Attribute Professional Association checked my foundation and said it is quite solid. They said I have a great chance of reaching the Golden Tier in the future. Of course, becoming a Glory Champion might still be a long way off. But no matter what, I’m incredibly grateful to you!"

[Green Robe, My Heart Swings] (Liu Diewu): "Also, regarding what you asked me to investigate, I have some news. I just received confirmation that our second year’s number one Seed Student, Gu Yueyuan, has returned to Sea City Military Academy. With Gu Yueyuan’s decisive personality, he’ll probably take a short break and then come find you to trade for the Mirror of the Heart. It looks like your efforts weren’t in vain. Congratulations, Junior Fang Zhou!"

Seeing the messages from Liu Diewu, Fang Zhou raised an eyebrow, a gleam of joy in his eyes. This was truly a double blessing.

Her advancement to the Black Iron Tier had been almost a certainty, but its confirmation was welcome. This promotion not only represented an increase in her personal strength but also meant she could provide more support to Fang Zhou. As a Lower Rank Black Iron Natural Druid, Liu Diewu could act as his eyes and ears among the second-year Seed Students. Meanwhile, Lu Renjia and Lu Yiyi, two regular students, could gather intelligence from the broader second-year student body. This network would allow Fang Zhou to easily keep track of the dynamics within Sea City Military Academy, ensuring he wouldn’t miss any strategic opportunities while immersed in his Cultivation.

Of course, even more important than that right now was the return of Gu Yueyuan. The number one Seed Student of the second year had finally completed his off-campus assignment, returned to the academy, and brought back the good news that he was willing to trade for the Mirror of the Heart.