Chapter 12: Trouble

Meditation is not a simple matter.

Lin Ke easily achieved the first layer of the meditation method on his first attempt, accomplishing a leap from the mundane to the extraordinary, which is astonishing to hear.

The wizard world is so vast, its history so long, of course someone has done this before.

But happening to Lin Ke—a Newblood from the Storm Sea—makes it quite noticeable.

Lin Ke didn't want to invite trouble; even though he was pleased inside, he didn't prepare to boast about it.

He had no intention of proactively telling anyone!

Upon exiting the meditative state, Lin Ke discovered that his Sea of Consciousness had greatly changed in appearance.

From bottom to top, the Sea of Consciousness was divided into three layers.

The lowest layer is the lake's reflection of the Memory Library; the middle layer is the Memory Library itself; the uppermost layer is a rune equilateral triangle floating above the lake surface.

The boundaries are blurred, yet the layers are distinct, and altogether natural and harmonious.

The rune equilateral triangle constructed by the meditation method and the Hall of Thought constructed by the Brain Seal Technique coexist harmoniously within the Sea of Consciousness.

As if a blessing had struck his mind, Lin Ke conceived an idea that might conceal the fact that he had become a First Grade Wizard Apprentice.

However, it cannot be implemented immediately for now.

Constructing runes through meditation consumes spiritual power.

One rune requires at least the consumption of five standard units of spiritual power.

That is, Lin Ke's innate spiritual power is 17, and with the aid of the Brain Seal Technique, he can almost construct runes without loss, allowing him to achieve the first layer of the Water-Wood Mutual Generation Meditation Method in one go.

Now Lin Ke needs sufficient sleep to recover his spiritual power.

Rising from the floor, dragging his weary body into the bedroom, Lin Ke lay down and fell asleep.

He slept soundly and thoroughly.

After waking, Lin Ke felt refreshed and invigorated, feeling quite good.

Not rushing to get up and wash, Lin Ke lay in bed, activating the Brain Seal Technique to enter his Sea of Consciousness, attempting to project the rune equilateral triangle onto the lake surface to form a reflection.

This was merely a try—success would be nice, failure no cause for discouragement—but unexpectedly, it succeeded at once.

Lin Ke suppressed his somewhat excited feelings, making the reflection of the rune equilateral triangle real, while concealing the actual body floating above the lake.

Thus, as long as Lin Ke himself does not reveal it, at least the Newbloods cannot detect the changes occurring in him.

As for the academy's instructors, Lin Ke is unsure whether those formal wizards could notice.

But he is not particularly afraid either.

It's not something shameful, right?

……

By now it was Sunday morning.

Another new day.

Yesterday, which was Saturday, Lin Ke had an extremely fulfilling day—meditating in the daytime, sleeping at night, reaping abundant gains.

After washing up, Lin Ke thought it over and still prepared to go to the Library to study.

All his previous accumulations had been exhausted when he achieved the first layer of the Water-Wood Mutual Generation Meditation Method.

Moreover, to advance to the second layer of the meditation method and promote to Second Grade Wizard Apprentice, his spiritual power must reach above 30, and the more knowledge related to Rune Studies, the better.

This does not include the study of Wizardry.

A First Grade Wizard Apprentice can master a variable number of zero-ring wizardry, ranging from one to ten.

The essence of Wizardry is that wizards, through spiritual power, control their own mana, combine their will and knowledge to form a wizardry model, thereby leveraging the vast external free mana to influence and alter reality.

Constructing a wizardry model is far more complex and profound than meditation; it is not merely the connection and relationship between runes, but also the links and feedback between person and object, object and object, person and nature, and nature and person.

Regardless of the aspect, Lin Ke needs a considerable amount of time to accumulate knowledge.

The sea of learning is boundless.

……

At the Library, Lin Ke had barely sat down when Mo Li arrived.

"Lin Ke, Lin Ke……"

Mo Li didn't come to read or study; upon arrival she repeatedly called out to Lin Ke, waving her small hand back and forth in front of his eyes several times.

Lin Ke set down his pen, lifted his gaze to Mo Li, and asked softly, "Anything?"

"Don't just read all day; come out and play with me for a bit."

Mo Li's face showed a pleasing smile as she employed her coquettish loli tactics.

"Speak outside."

Lin Ke glanced left and right, seeing many people in the reading room; not wanting to disturb others, he stood up and gestured for Mo Li to follow.

Finding a corner in the spacious hall outside the reading room, Lin Ke asked, "What activity are you preparing to join again?"

Mo Li giggled and replied, "I haven't joined the Newblood Mutual Aid Society, have I? The Society is holding a picnic mixer today on the south lakeshore grassland."

Lin Ke coldly refused: "I have no interest in any mutual aid society; I'm not going."

Having said that, Lin Ke turned and walked away.

Endless knowledge is calling him; who has the leisure to play house with that "Newblood Mutual Aid Society" that's just a front selling dog meat under a sheep's hide? Wouldn't spending time reading and studying be more fragrant?

"Lin Ke……"

Mo Li suddenly grabbed Lin Ke's right hand; her pair of tender small hands tightly clasped his palm, shaking left and right as she coquettishly pleaded, "Oh please, please come with me, I beg you. Just come with me; I'd be a bit scared going alone, and if anything happened, no one could help me."

Looking at the blonde, blue-eyed girl relying on her youthful appearance, utterly unpretentious, displaying adorable coquettishness, Lin Ke unleashed the wisdom sword of the Brain Seal Technique, cutting away the slight agitation.

Temptress, disturbing my Dao heart!

Three years minimum, death penalty maximum.

However, safety issues indeed need to be emphasized.

At such gatherings, young people drinking get carried away, and assault incidents easily occur.

Not wanting to see his fellow townsman become a victim of similar incidents, Lin Ke sighed and reluctantly agreed.

Fine, I'll go with you once. This won't happen again.

Hearing this, Mo Li excitedly cheered: 'Ha, you agreed, that's really rare! I knew Lin Ke was the best!'

As a matter of fact, girls' competitive spirit is no less than boys'.

Over the past two weeks, Mo Li repeatedly tried to pull Lin Ke to stroll around the academy and join her in recreational activities, but each attempt was rejected.

Mo Li was not discouraged; instead, her fighting spirit grew even more fervent.

Today, Mo Li acted a little coquettish and won over Lin Ke; she was happy, she was proud!

Men, hmph!

That's about it.

Lin Ke watched Mo Li's celebration with a calm face.

After tidying his books and putting them back in the dorm, Lin Ke accompanied Mo Li, who had followed him from the library to the downstairs of the dormitory building, as they headed for the lakeside southern lawn.

The southern lawn was spacious, and the Newblood Mutual Aid Society's picnic occupied only a corner of it.

Mo Li had good social connections; upon arriving at the picnic area, several girls pulled her over, and they chatted away.

Lin Ke took a glass of sparkling wine from the high-stacked wine tower, sipped it leisurely, and his peripheral vision kept an eye on Mo Li.

Such bustling gatherings indeed easily give rise to things hard to speak of.

Be aware that the Newblood Mutual Aid Society is a long-established organization; it not only has freshmen who just enrolled, but also a large number of upperclassmen who have studied for two or three years.

Are you Linke Grand?

Suddenly, a burly man strode straight up to Lin Ke and said coldly:

Stay away from Mo Li. Jideman from now on!

(End of chapter)