บท 22: Meditation Technique
“I am willing!” Leylin hurriedly answered.
“That’s good! Since these are the arrangements made by the school, I’ll accept you as my disciple!” The middle-aged man stroked his beard.
“Although the environment here is quite ordinary, it’s enough to let you undergo the initiation!” Kroft swept his eyes over the examination room. “At least it’s very quiet here and we won’t be disturbed!”
“What initiation?” Leylin had some doubts.
“The initiation of a Magus!” Kroft replied.
“Now tell me, Leylin, what is a Magus to you?”
“A mysterious person with the ability to call forth thunder and storms, manipulate flames and other forces of nature!” Leylin said the definition he knew of in Chernobyl Islands.
“En! However, it’s a little off!” Kroft commented.
“A Magus is actually the title we give to people with power in ancient times. These Magi all learn the principles and how to control and manipulate the energy within. They are never ending in their pursuit of knowledge and truth!”
Kroft explained the definition of Magi to Leylin.
“So it is to say, the title of Magus is actually not limited to only humans!” Leylin had a better understanding now.
“Indeed! Other kinds of demi-humans, and even other intelligent beings have Magi existing among their kind, for example, a Magus of the sea tribes, or even a Dragon Magus!”
Kroft said, “Alright! Now let us begin the rites! Don’t be afraid, it’s very simple!”
*Clap!* The floor around Kroft softened, and transformed into a spell formation of sorts, and a strange energy came spreading from within.
The surroundings turned dark, with only the flame lit in the centre of the formation.
“Right now, give your hand to me!” Leylin stretched his hand out and a larger palm firmly clasped it.
“Abiding by the rites of ancient times, I will now guide you, Leylin Farlier, onto the path of a Magus!”
“Recite after me!”
“I swear! I will forever be in pursuit of the truth!” Kroft used an unfamiliar language, but Leylin understood it completely, and his mouth could not help but produce the same sounds.
“I swear! I will forever be in pursuit of the truth!” As it was a voice of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old youth, there was still a little immaturity in the voice.
“Without the permission of my mentor, I swear that I will not reveal any of the information my mentor passes on to me……”
Kroft continued to recite and Leylin followed suit, the two voices very soon eerily turned into one.
In the hearts of the formation, the flame suddenly grew brighter and blazed strongly….
“Congratulations on formally becoming an acolyte!”
After the rites, Kroft congratulated Leylin.
Leylin looked down at both of his hands. After the mysterious rites, it seemed like he saw the world in a different light, yet at the same time, he couldn’t pinpoint the difference.
“It seems like there is a change in spiritual force, but I don’t have any further information regarding this field, so I can only supplement it in the future!” Leylin said helplessly.
“The meditation technique in the crystal ball has already been given to you, right? Take a look at it when you go back, you can already absorb the information in it now!”
“Tomorrow, come here at six in the morning!”
“You can leave now, but remember! Don’t wander around!” Kroft warned.
“I’ll do as you bid! Mentor!” Leylin bowed, and then walked out of the experimental lab.
“Luckily I passed them earlier; otherwise, I wouldn’t even know where the dormitories are located!” When he was following the shadow slave earlier, Leylin had already let the A.I. Chip start mapping the area. Now, there was a small part that was completed, and he knew the places that he had walked past before.
The areas with Magi are rather dangerous, and Leylin did not wish to suffer from any collateral damage from them.
After reaching the dorms, Leylin took the key out from the sack issued by the old man.
It was a heavy, black copper key, and it was labelled ‘783’. Right now, it was rather cold and vacant in the dorms. Leylin walked through the empty corridors, and his hair stood on end as he listened to the echo of his footsteps.
Following the room numbers, he found his room, “It’s here!”
Leylin placed the key into the keyhole, and the heavy metal produced a click.
As the large door opened, the dark room automatically produced a flame, “They actually use the principles of Magi to invent a similar sound activation system?”
Leylin placed his belongings down and inspected the place in which he was going to live for some years.
The dormitory was a little small and was divided into three partitions, a bedroom, living room and washroom. They were actually self-contained living quarters, and there was even a new blanket placed on the bed, it looked prim and proper.
“The environment isn’t bad!” Leylin sat on the bed and took out the things that were given by the academy.
“A set of acolyte robes. The A.I. Chip has detected that there are several spells cast on it, and the defense is even comparable to some of the leather armour around great stuff!” Leylin efficiently changed into the robes and pinned the acolyte badge to his chest.
This look was exactly the same as the grey-robed acolytes he had seen earlier today.
What Leylin did next was to pack his things, and do a cleaning of the room.
When he went out, the doors of the dorm beside him opened, and a brown haired acolyte walked out, “Hello! Are you a new acolyte? I am Bill!”
“Hello! I am Leylin, and I have just arrived today!” Leylin answered, and he just happened to have some questions, “Excuse me, how do I get to the dining hall?”
Hearing Leylin’s voice, Bill’s expression appeared as if he had expected it, “Right now it’s pretty late, and I’m about to go there too. Let’s go together?”
“I couldn’t ask for more!” Leylin smiled gently, and closed his door.
“The dining hall is on level 3, underground, and everything there is free. Of course, you can fork out money and let them make a dish that you want to eat!”
Bill led the way as he explained.
“I am from the Poolfield Kingdom, and you?”
“Chernobyl Islands!”
“Heavens! So far! You have definitely suffered along the way, huh?” Bill was obviously a chatterbox, and Leylin managed to probe some information out from him.
Bill was the same as him, a new acolyte, and only arrived five days earlier than Leylin did. As for the whole of Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, the professors numbered close to a hundred, while the acolytes numbered over a thousand.
“Oh right! Who is your mentor?” Bill asked.
“Kroft, an alchemy professor!” Leylin replied.
“Alchemy? You’re good!” Bill was seemingly startled.
“Is it difficult to learn alchemy?” Leylin was a little worried now.
“Not only is it difficult, the study of alchemy requires a huge amount of resources and ingredients. People who don’t come from a good family background will rarely choose this! However, alchemists tend to make a lot of money after they have been certified!” Bill gave Leylin a regretful look.
“You must have been randomly assigned a mentor during the selection, and then duped by that python Spotty!”
“Oh really?” Leylin rubbed his nose.
“Alright! We’re here at the dining hall now, take whatever you want to eat!”
The dining hall was extremely extravagant, and the food was more delicious than what he had on the dirigible. Everyone who sat here was also an acolyte, and there were no signs of a Magus.
After dinner, Leylin bid farewell to Bill and then returned to his room. He sat on his bed, with the crystal ball clasped in his hands.
“I can finally start practising as a Magus!”
Leylin stroked the crystal ball, his eyes gradually turned hazy, and his nostrils flared.
“Begin!” At Leylin’s command, an acute pain entered his brain, as if someone filled it with lead.
“This is…… “ Leylin grabbed his head, and discovered that many images and words appeared in his brain along with the pain, and the first line was: “Elementary Meditation Technique!”
This information appeared out of nowhere and was firmly imprinted in Leylin’s mind.
After some time, Leylin finally recovered from the pain, but he was still feeling groggy.
“A.I. Chip, defragment the data for the elementary meditation technique!”
A blue interface started to flicker in front of Leylin’s eyes.
“Transmit!” Leylin ordered.
With the continuous transmission from the A.I. Chip, Leylin began to gain an understanding of the elementary meditation technique for acolytes.
Elementary meditation techniques are, as their name implies, special meditation techniques given to acolytes, and are the most basic of techniques. After many years of modification, they have already reached a nearly perfect stage, and the content of the elementary meditation techniques from the various academies did not differ by much.
To be specific, they are similar to the visualisation techniques from his previous world. An acolyte draws mind runes inside their mind to increase their spiritual force, and as they draw more mind runes, their spiritual force grows stronger.
Every Magi liked to record all the precise details and processes down.
In regards to acolytes, they have divided the practice into three levels: level 1 acolyte, level 2 acolyte, and level 3 acolyte.
As for the division between levels, it is seen through the progression of the elementary meditation technique.
When one has the ability to meditate with 8 runes, they have passed the criteria for a level 1 acolyte. Being able to meditate with 24 runes is the sign of a level 2 acolyte. As for level 3 acolytes, there seemed to be other conditions needed.
As for the meditation progress, it is closely related to a Magus’ aptitude.
“In regards to meditation practice, the superiority of a fifth-grade acolyte is extremely obvious; they can become a level 1 acolyte in only five to six days. No wonder Jayden, who was a regular human before boarding the dirigible, was able to use a magic artifact in just half a month’s time.”
As for a fourth-grade acolyte, the time needed to become a level 1 acolyte is approximately fifteen to twenty days. Third-grade acolytes will need a month’s time; second-grade acolytes will need half a year, and first-grade acolytes will need several years!”
“This difficulty in progressing will only increase when ascending to level 2 acolyte and level 3 acolyte, hence is it understandable for professors to favour acolytes with high aptitudes. After all, maybe one can receive the remuneration of a proper Magus in a dozen years, with just a little more effort put in now!”
“Begin analysing!”
“This crystal ball seems to input the information directly into the acolytes’ brains, but the method is a little too crude and it does not care if you remember it completely or not. But the A.I. Chip is able to defragment and store it directly in the memory bank, and is even able to aid by analysing the process!”
Leylin indifferently compared the differences between the two.
บท 23: Within The Academy Compounds
“Tick Tock! Tick Tock!”
The hands of the bronze clock in the room swivelled around once more, as another hour passed.
“Has it finally been analysed? Begin transmission!”
In this period of time, Leylin had also been studying the blueprints of the meditation technique, but it was to no avail.
The mind rune appeared as a 3D image and the patterns inside were extremely complicated, with no room for errors.
To display this image in book form, not only would the author need to have outstanding training in the fine arts, but the reader’s comprehension skills would also be put to the test.
Leylin estimated that regular acolytes would need to spend a good number of days to even begin to understand a single mind rune, before starting to construct them in their brains. However, with the A.I. Chip, it was done in a matter of hours.
“This pace may very well be comparable to a fourth or fifth-grade acolyte!” Leylin estimated.
After the A.I. Chip’s transmission, Leylin had already completely comprehended the structure of the first mind rune. It was in the shape of an ‘A’, without the horizontal line in the middle, and was filled with patterns and helixes, making one dizzy the more they looked at it.
“To begin the meditation, I must first have peace of mind and imagine a serene lake……”
Leylin slowly closed his eyes.
In the dimly lit room, the youth sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, as if he was in a slumber.
After an unknown period of time, there were a few spots of lights flickering in the youth’s surroundings. They entered the body of the youth, and very soon they disappeared.
Leylin’s eyelids fluttered, and he opened his eyes.
“So tiring! It seems like the meditation technique and a Knight’s breathing technique is the same, there is a time limit! A.I. Chip! Check my body’s status!”
“The spiritual force affects my stats! After practicing the meditation technique, my vitality has actually started to exceed my previous limit!” Leylin’s expression was complex, and there was an indescribable joy in his heart.
“According to the introduction in the data, sleeping right after meditation will provide the most optimal effects!”
Leylin stripped his outer robes, laid on the bed, and then entered into a deep sleep.
“It is already the time that I set my alarm for, time really passes quickly!” Leylin stretched lazily and saw that the clock showed the time as 5:30.
“I’d better hurry up and tidy up! I still need to see mentor Kroft!” Leylin washed up quickly, went to the dining hall and gobbled down a bread for his breakfast, and then rushed to the experiment lab from yesterday.
“Good morning Sir!” Leylin greeted.
He noticed a female acolyte beside the white haired Kroft. She had fine curves and looked beautiful, and seemed to be another apprentice of the professor.
“Hm? You attempted the meditation technique?” Kroft furrowed his brows, “How did it feel?”
“My head ached, and I felt a little dizzy!”
“This is a common aftereffect of the transmission from the memory crystal ball; you just need to get more rest during this period!” Kroft said.
“Come, let me introduce you! This is Bicky, my other apprentice. This is Leylin, the new acolyte from yesterday!”
“Hi!” Bicky bowed, giving a virtuous greeting.
“Hello!” Leylin placed his right arm on his chest and displayed the elegance of a noble.
“Bicky is your senior, besides her, you also have another senior called Merlin. His Potioneering skills are excellent!” Kroft said to Leylin.
“Merlin has been called a once-in-a-century genius of Potioneering, and is regarded as the most likely successor of our mentor!” Bicky added.
“Haha! Indeed! Merlin has shown outstanding talent in Potioneering! If there is anything you don’t understand, you may seek his help!” Once he mentioned Merlin, Kroft’s face revealed a smile, and he seemed extremely satisfied with that student of his.
“So Leylin, are you familiar with my rules?”
“I have seen them when going through the professor requirements during the selection of mentors!” Leylin nodded.
“Okay! From now on, you have to come here every day and help with the cleaning up, but you may go listen to the free lessons during breaks! As for the benefit of being under me, which is receiving information on a topic, you can choose and ask me after learning the basics!”
Kroft said.
“Thank you, Sir!” Leylin hurriedly bowed. Right now, he had no inkling whatsoever about the Magus world, so even if Kroft wanted him to choose, he would not know which was best. It was only right to choose at a later time when he could reap the most benefits.
“Right now, I will give both of you half a day’s break. Let Bicky accompany and show you around the academy. Bicky, tell him about the few restrictions!”
“Yes!” Leylin and Bicky nodded their heads and left the laboratory.
“This is the residence of the professors, acolytes usually aren’t allowed to enter……This is the trading post, where acolytes can make transactions with others. And here, we have the mission area. The different missions and levels will be written on this stone wall. acolytes can complete these missions and obtain contribution points and magic crystals!”
Bicky’s voice was extremely pleasing to the ears, and she was beautiful too. Her personality was also lively. Leylin’s mood improved a lot by spending time with her.
The two of them strolled through the academy. It was mostly Bicky leading Leylin around, as she spoke of a few places and restrictions along the way.
Unknowingly, the two of them walked into a garden.
“Fayle, well done!” “Good, once more!”
The sound of voices caught Leylin’s attention. In the middle of the garden, a group of acolytes were standing around a large, sturdily-built youth and chatting continuously.
In the centre of the crowd was a youth with a bright silver hair, with dark green eyes, and he seemed to have some sort of strange charisma.
“That is senior Fayle. He’s a genius; he became a level 2 acolyte just half a year after entering the academy!” Bicky’s eyes were widened, and her face shone radiantly as she muttered.
“This expression? It seems like Bicky has a good impression of this Fayle!” Leylin rubbed his nose.
“Bicky! Bicky!”
“Ah……What is it?” Only after Leylin called out to her several times did Bicky avert her gaze. At this moment, her face was a little flushed.
“Oh! I wanted to ask, why are there so many plants here underground!”
Leylin sniffed a red flower; the flower had a strong fragrance.
“There are huge patches of sunlight moss on the roof of the gardens, and these mosses can emit a light similar to sunrays, hence plants can also grow underground in here.”
Bicky explained.
“Oh!” Leylin nodded his head and wondered if he should come here more often in the future to bask in the sunlight since being exposed to more sunlight was not bad for a person after all.
Seeing Bicky’s reluctance to leave, Leylin purposely pretended to have a strong interest in the garden, until Fayle and the others left.
Only, Bicky would only glance at Fayle secretly, although she did not muster any courage to walk up to greet him even after such a long while. This made Leylin roll his eyes, as Bicky’s attitude towards romance can be considered rare in this academy.
“The academic area will often post the following day’s class schedule, and there are many free and public lessons to choose from. As a newbie, you cannot afford to miss these!”
After leaving the garden, Bicky brought Leylin to the academic area, and pointed to a large wooden board. In front of it were many other acolytes who were taking down notes.
“Free public lessons? That means there are lessons which one must pay for?” Leylin asked.
“That’s right! There are lessons which have fees, and many advanced topics charge 1 magic crystal for 10 lessons. Although they are much better than public lessons, they are still somewhat inferior to the knowledge given by our own mentors!”
Bicky smiled a little bitterly, “I’m afraid the only advantage is them being less expensive!”
Leylin nodded. On one side, there was a professor teaching dozens of students, while the other was an individual lesson, the advantages between the two are definitely different.
However, he had the A.I. Chip, so his learning capability was outstanding. He was confident that he would do well even in a large class.
“With this method, I can definitely save some magic crystals!” Leylin stroked his chin.
He only had two magic crystals left. Earlier, when he was in the mission area, he saw that the missions that awarded magic crystals generally had more troublesome tasks and required one to be a level 1 acolyte at least. Right now, Leylin did not meet the requirements.
“As for the cleaning tasks, they are all done by those spell slaves, and the rest are all snatched by others. There is simply no place for me!”
Leylin was a little frustrated. magic crystals were the currency among Magi and were also the most common way to obtain greater knowledge in the academy. Without magic crystals, his studies would be hindered.
“Hm…… I had better attend those public classes first and advance to a level 1 acolyte. After that, I’ll consider taking up missions to earn some magic crystals!”
Leylin sighed.
“A.I. Chip, how is the mapping of the academy?”
The A.I. Chip replied. In front of Leylin was a blue image, each layer of the buildings was displayed and divided into multiple parts, and it looked like a beehive.
Some areas even had names attached, with Bicky’s explanation for them on the side.
The areas that could be entered freely were marked in green, while the dangerous areas were in yellow. As for the areas that even Bicky did not dare enter, the A.I. Chip indicated them in red, representing extreme danger.
For those red coloured danger zones, Leylin decided to walk around them. He even decided not to ask about them before becoming a level 3 acolyte.
“The mapping has been recorded!” Leylin nodded his head and said farewell to Bicky, “Bicky, thank you for accompanying me for a day, I remember most of the important areas of the academy now!”
“That’s great!” Bicky played with the little white flower in her hands, “If there are any things that you don’t understand, you can ask me!”
“Of course!” Leylin gave a small smile.
After bidding farewell to Bicky, Leylin ate his dinner and went back into his room. He began to practice the meditation technique.
A Magus’s meditation is a continuous journey, only with daily devotion and perseverance, can one achieve enough spiritual force to become a being that can control mysterious powers.
“The A.I. Chip is only useful for analysing the meditation technique. As for the creation of the mind runes, it was completely dependent on my own spiritual force, and it also relied a little on my comprehension and aptitude. In these areas, the A.I. Chip was not much help!”
After meditating, Leylin felt his spiritual force increase by another tiny sliver, and then he entered into a deep slumber.
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