Ethan read through the list. There were over a dozen meditation methods, each with its own focus: some prioritized speed, some quality, some stability, and others long-term potential.
His gaze eventually landed on a crystal in the furthest corner.
The crystal was completely transparent, with faint golden patterns flowing inside, appearing more exquisite than the others. The plaque beneath it read:
"Basic Meditation Method (Wizard Council 777th Edition)": A basic meditation method uniformly revised by the Wizard Council. It is balanced and stable, with no elemental bias. Superior cultivation speed, superior rune quality, and superior mental sea stability. It allows for a seamless transition to any high-level meditation method in the future.
Note: This version is the latest revision by the Wizard Council, integrating the optimization experience of over seven hundred previous editions. It is currently the most perfect basic meditation method known.
Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly.
No elemental bias, balanced and stable, with superior cultivation speed and rune quality, and the ability to transition to high-level methods without any loss.
It was practically the perfect choice.
He turned his head to look at the white-haired old man.
"I want this one."
The old man followed his gaze, his cloudy eyes shifting as his lips curled into an inscrutable arc.
"Wizard Council 777th Edition?" he said slowly. "You have good eyes."
He walked to the crystal, reached out to take it down, and placed it on the counter.
"Fifty magic stones."
Ethan's brow furrowed slightly. "Wasn't it twenty magic stones?"
The old man took off his glasses, leisurely wiped the lenses, and put them back on.
"Twenty magic stones is for the other meditation methods." He extended a withered finger and tapped the transparent crystal. "This is the Wizard Council revision. The Council collects a tax, you understand?"
He paused, as if reminiscing about something.
"This tax, to put it nicely, is called the 'Knowledge Popularization Tax.' For every knowledge crystal that comes out of the Council, they take a cut. How much? Thirty magic stones. Plus the academy's cost of twenty magic stones, it comes to exactly fifty."
The old man lifted his eyelids and looked at Ethan.
"Those big shots in the Council set the rules; there's nothing I can do. Take it or leave it."
Fifty magic stones.
Was it expensive? Yes.
But was it worth it?
Absolutely.
This meditation method was the latest version revised by the Wizard Council, integrating the optimization experience of over seven hundred editions. It was balanced and stable, with no elemental bias, and both cultivation speed and rune quality were superior. Most importantly, it allowed for a seamless transition to high-level meditation methods.
This meant that no matter which path he chose in the future, he wouldn't have to pay a price for today's decision.
In contrast, those twenty-magic-stone meditation methods were either heavily biased, difficult to transition from later on, or of average quality.
A slow start meant being slow at every step.
Ethan had understood this principle in his previous life.
Moreover, he had just been rewarded fifty magic stones, so he didn't feel the sting.
He took out fifty magic stones from his storage ring and stacked them on the counter.
The old man glanced down without counting. With a wave of his hand, the magic stones vanished from the counter.
"Alright." He pushed the transparent crystal toward Ethan. "Press it against your forehead and let your mental energy permeate it. The contents will be automatically imprinted into your consciousness. Remember, this crystal can only be used once. It becomes useless after use, so don't think about reselling it."
Ethan picked up the crystal.
He pressed it against his forehead, closed his eyes, and slowly let his mental energy permeate inside.
In that instant, a vast amount of information flooded into his consciousness like a tide.
【Basic Meditation Method · Wizard Council 777th Edition】
【General Principles】
A meditator must know that mental energy is the root, runes are the foundation, and the energy of heaven and earth is the application. If the foundation is not solid, the branches will not flourish; if the runes are not pure, wizardry will not be refined. Therefore, the way of cultivation prioritizes the foundation above all else.
【Stage One: Runic Condensation】
Cultivation Essentials: Calm the mind and focus the spirit. Using mental energy as a pen, draw the first mental rune in the mental sea: the "Primal Seal."
This rune is the mother of all runes—attribute-less, unbiased, and condensed purely from mental energy. During the drawing process, the output of mental energy must be kept absolutely stable, without haste or interruption. The moment the rune takes shape is the moment one steps into the supernatural.
【Rune Drawing Steps】
Step One: Perceive the mental sea. Close your eyes and calm your mind. Look inward with your consciousness to find that void space deep within.
Step Two: Condense mental energy. Gather the scattered mental energy into a line, like merging trickles of water into a stream.
Step Three: Draw the rune. Using mental energy as ink and consciousness as a pen, outline the trajectory of the "Primal Seal" in the void. The rune consists of thirty-six strokes, each with a specific direction, force, and rhythm.
Step Four: Solidify the rune. After the drawing is complete, continue to nourish it with mental energy until the rune no longer dissipates and exists stably within the mental sea.
【Precautions】
During the rune drawing process, one must not be disturbed by any external interference. Once interrupted, at best, all previous efforts will be wasted; at worst, it will cause a mental shock, requiring several days of rest to recover.
The quality of the rune depends on the stability and precision of the mental energy output. The quality of the same rune condensed by different people can vary vastly.
The first rune is of vital importance; it will determine the condensation difficulty and overall quality of all subsequent runes.
Each stage had detailed cultivation steps, precautions, as well as potential problems and solutions.
And what he needed to do now was the first stage: Runic Condensation.
"I'll go back and try it first."
Ethan nodded to the old man and turned to walk out of the Knowledge Exchange.
It was still early, and the path from the Teaching Area to the living quarters was quite busy.
Ethan blended into the crowd, his mind still replaying the contents of the meditation method.
The "Primal Seal," thirty-six strokes—every stroke's direction, force, and rhythm had strict requirements. The first stroke slanted down from the top left to the bottom right; the force had to be even, without pausing or accelerating. The second stroke connected to the end of the first, hooking back upward to form an arc...
He repeatedly simulated the process of drawing that rune in his mind, his footsteps moving mechanically.
Just as he passed the stone monument of the Talent District, several figures suddenly appeared on the path ahead.
Four people.
To be precise, three males and one female, roughly the same age as him.
Leading them was a tall young man with pale blond hair neatly combed. He wore a finely tailored deep blue robe with a silver badge pinned to his collar. Two young men stood behind him to his left and right, looking like followers. The only girl stood a bit further away, her red hair tied in a ponytail, arms crossed over her chest, with a somewhat indifferent expression on her face.
Ethan didn't stop, intending to bypass them.
However, the blond young man took a step to the left, precisely blocking his path.
"Are you the freshman from Number 77 in the Talent District?" His voice carried a condescending casualness, as if asking an insignificant question.
Ethan stopped and scanned the four of them, but did not respond.
The blond youth looked him up and down, a hint of a smile curling his lips. "I've been observing you for quite a while. You leave early and return late every day, spending all your time in the Teaching Area. You never associate with anyone or participate in any activities. It's rare to see someone like you among the freshmen."
He paused, as if waiting for Ethan to speak.
Ethan remained silent.
The blond youth didn't get angry, simply lifting his chin slightly. "Let me introduce myself. I am Klein Windsor, Number 15 in the Talent District, Grade Five Aptitude. These two," he gestured to the two behind him, "Benjamin and Cole, are also Grade Five. And her, Yvette, as well."
Hearing her name, the red-haired girl merely lazily lifted her eyelids as a greeting.
Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly.
The five Grade Five Aptitude students of this year's class were all gathered here.
"And?"
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