Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone-Chapter 321 - 263: Ascending to Upper Rank, Training Xinyan!

Indeed, the data displayed on the panel showed that after tonight’s meditation, his main body had smoothly broken through to Upper Apprentice as if it were a natural progression.

Even someone as composed as Fang Zhou couldn’t help but feel a slight thrill at this leap in his rank.

This achievement was not by chance. Over the past period, his skeleton clone had been relentlessly killing and devouring on the battlefield. Each victory brought his main body a precious feedback of Attributes. At the same time, he was constantly using the Skeleton King Meditation Method for passive meditation. This special form of meditation brought him continuous and stable growth in his Spirit Attribute. Moreover, he also extracted some additional Attribute growth from the extremely rare resource, the Life Crystal.

All these efforts converged, finally allowing his Spirit Attribute to break the 8-point mark and successfully cross the gulf between the Middle Apprentice and Upper Apprentice ranks.

For Fang Zhou, the process from an ordinary person to an Upper Apprentice Undead Mage took only three to four months. Such a speed of promotion was akin to a rocket shooting into the sky, shattering the historical record for the fastest advancement at Sea City Military Academy, which had stood for decades. Even decades ago, at the dawn of the Era of Myth when the Energy Tides were at their most intense, those powerhouses with innate Awakening abilities would have found it difficult to achieve such an astonishing cultivation speed.

Fang Zhou gently clenched his fists, feeling the boiling Spiritual Power within his body, and sighed softly in relief. Advancing to Upper Apprentice meant that the power of his skills would once again be massively enhanced. Fully armed and with all his various bonuses, the Skeletons he could summon at once would all be at the Upper Apprentice level, and their sheer number would be enough to give him an overwhelming advantage on the battlefield. This wasn’t merely an increase in quantity, but a qualitative leap. His combat power at this moment increased by at least thirty percent, if not more.

Furthermore, Fang Zhou’s Skeleton Flying Spear, Skeleton Shield, and the other unique techniques on his Skeleton Series Skill Tree would also have their power multiplied, rising in kind with his new rank.

Feeling the obvious growth in his combat power, Fang Zhou remained inwardly cautious.

For a Professional, one’s rank directly determines survival and victory in combat. Only a solid foundation can support growth to higher levels. The plan is to build a solid foundation, then advance courageously and cultivate diligently to reach a higher rank as quickly as possible. This is my eternal main quest.

But the path of cultivation wasn’t all monotony and boredom; occasional relaxation and enjoyment were also essential spices.

Fang Zhou’s gaze traveled past the window lattice to the vast night sky. A bright moon hung in the sky, casting a gentle, silvery radiance that added a touch of mystery and romance to the silent night. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, forming a barely perceptible smile as the agreement with Instructor Su Xinyan surfaced in his mind.

Su Xinyan had made a bet with him. Now, having ascended from Middle Apprentice to Upper Apprentice in less than a month, Fang Zhou had naturally won this bet. By tomorrow, he could have some fun teasing Instructor Su Xinyan, who had lost. Instructor Xinyan had promised at the time to prepare for him the Ordinary-quality white Undead Mage-exclusive Crystal Ball she had once used.

Furthermore, after advancing to Upper Apprentice, learning Alchemy and taking up the Alchemist Sub-profession was also put on Fang Zhou’s agenda.

More importantly, after the promotion, Fang Zhou’s maximum Spiritual Power had significantly increased. This enhancement made the New Star Set, which was previously somewhat heavy, feel light. The three pieces of the New Star Set he received when he was confirmed as the number one Seed Student for the first-year class at Sea City Military Academy had been quite a burden. But now, the set seemed much lighter and no longer weighed him down.

According to Fang Zhou’s own assessment, in his current state, he could at least support two more pieces of Ordinary-quality white equipment. One of those slots was naturally reserved for the Undead Mage-exclusive Crystal Ball gifted by Instructor Xinyan. The choice for the other piece of equipment left Fang Zhou in brief contemplation.

Ultimately, he decisively chose the New Star Necklace as a supplement. In this way, he would have a New Star Mage Hat, a New Star Necklace, and two New Star Rings—a complete four-piece set of Ordinary-quality white cultivation equipment. This set would undoubtedly enhance his skill practice speed significantly, laying a solid foundation for his learning journey ahead.

At this moment, although night had fully descended, Fang Zhou felt no drowsiness. He opened his personal terminal and connected to the Logistics Department’s trading system. There, he spent 100 contribution points to acquire a New Star Necklace. To further enhance the equipment’s effect, he also purchased the necessary Refining Stones and Gemstones.

After some thought, Fang Zhou also uploaded the Apprentice-level Undead Mage skills he had been developing and perfecting—Death Ripple, Crowned with Death, Horror Aura, Iron Wall Aura, and Brutal Aura. He submitted them through the special channel of the Undead Mage research group to the Apprentice-level Skill Library of the Human Alliance’s Professionals.

The development and refinement of these five skills were originally worth 500 contribution points. With the 50% bonus from the Undead Mage research group, Fang Zhou received a total of 750 contribution points. As a result, the expenses he had just incurred for purchasing the equipment and enhancement materials were not only fully covered, but he also had a surplus of several hundred points.

Looking at his vast fortune of nearly 3,000 contribution points, Fang Zhou couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.

This is just the beginning.

He calculated the time. The exploration team from Sea City Military Academy should have just about finished surveying the reserves of the Refining Stone vein he had discovered in Cave No. 1. By then, he would receive another substantial one-time reward of contribution points, along with a continuous, ongoing income stream.

Standing up, Fang Zhou left the Concentration Meditation Room. His steps were light, and he hummed a little tune as he made his way to the Logistics Department. He had made a reservation, so he went to the Material Exchange Desk to pick up the New Star Necklace he had just ordered. With the addition of the New Star Necklace, his set of Ordinary-quality white New Star equipment was finally complete with the most critical four-piece cultivation set.

Contentedly examining his reflection in the mirror, a smile appeared at the corners of Fang Zhou’s mouth. Immediately, he opened his personal terminal, lightly touched the screen, and sent a message to Instructor Su Xinyan.

[Ordinary Apprentice] (Fang Zhou): "Instructor Xinyan, I’ve broken through to Upper Apprentice. You can get ready to make good on our little bet. I’ll find you tomorrow to celebrate."

Without waiting for Su Xinyan’s reply, Fang Zhou went back to his dorm to rest.

「Early the next day, in the Hall of Glory.」

Instructor Lu Hu stood on the podium, nodding to himself as he observed the one hundred Seed Students below, all looking heroic and full of vibrant energy. Recently, following Meng Hongzhuang and Bai Xiaochan, several other students like Ye Fan and Gu Zhiqiu had also scrambled to break through to the Middle Apprentice rank. These students were the main team members who would represent Sea City Military Academy in the upcoming New Recruit Competition. The stronger they were, the higher the rank Sea City Military Academy could achieve.

According to what Lu Hu knew, Dragon City Military Academy had already selected its representative team for the competition. They were all Rare Professionals at the Middle Apprentice rank and had undergone extensive practical combat training together. Their combat power was definitely not to be underestimated.

Thinking of this, Instructor Lu Hu couldn’t help but look toward Fang Zhou’s position. The ten major military academies of the Longxia Federation were full of hidden talents. Solely relying on the combat performance of Meng Hongzhuang, Ye Fan, and the others was not enough to secure a high rank. After all, everyone knew that Sea City Military Academy’s real trump card was the prodigious genius of the Undead Mage Profession, Fang Zhou.