CHAPTER 155: CHAPTER 155: THE SECRET OF THE WORLD RUNE, FANG ZHOU THE ILLEGITIMATE SON?

After casually praising Bai Xiaochan a few times, the young assistant, completely taken in by Fang Zhou, charged toward the laboratory with newfound fervor. Fang Zhou nodded in satisfaction and stretched lazily. Life was so peaceful and quiet precisely because his two little assistants were shouldering the burdens for him.

He gently rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment. After the Cave Hunting, I learned two new skills, [Soul Realm] and [Mental Shock], while purifying the Desecration Aura. Plus, with several Skeleton Series skills still needing improvement, the pressure from my research is immense. Besides continuing to squeeze Bai Xiaochan and Meng Hongzhuang for all they’re worth, should I recruit more workers?

Keeping this thought in mind, Fang Zhou yawned and stepped out of the cafeteria. Although he had been cleansed and soothed by Instructor Huang Qiuyue’s Healing Array that morning, he still felt a bit weary. He decided to return to his dormitory for a short rest. In the afternoon, he would consult Instructor Su Xinyan about his questions and formulate his next cultivation plan.

「In the thatched hall, spring slumber was deep; outside the window, the day lingered on.」

Feeling refreshed, Fang Zhou walked out of his dormitory and gazed at the sun setting in the west. After sleeping soundly for several hours, he was now full of vigor. The exhaustion from three consecutive days of Cave Hunting had been completely swept away. He opened his personal terminal and contacted Instructor Su Xinyan. She was in the Undead Mage research group and told him he was welcome to visit anytime. Fang Zhou gathered the few pieces of Marvel Equipment he had obtained from the Cave and headed toward the research group.

Upon entering the office building, he first strolled into his laboratory with his hands clasped behind his back. He found Bai Xiaochan, his young assistant, staring at the screen with a furrowed brow, deep in thought. It appeared she wasn’t slacking off this time.

Fang Zhou nodded in satisfaction. This girl shows promise. Hopefully, Xiaochan can give me a satisfactory answer today. If so, I might be able to directly enhance [Skeleton Shackles] to the absolute limit for an Apprentice-tier skill.

Without disturbing the diligently working Bai Xiaochan, Fang Zhou turned and headed to Su Xinyan’s office.

He pushed open the slightly ajar wooden door to find Su Xinyan, clad in a black mage robe with silver trim, enthusiastically poring over a scroll. Noticing someone enter, she looked up at Fang Zhou, a smile gracing her icy but stunning face.

"Oh, our No. 1 seed has returned victorious!"

Fang Zhou chuckled helplessly, pulled a chair over, and sat opposite her.

Su Xinyan leaned forward slightly, snapped her fingers, and said with a smile, "It seems little Fang Zhou has many questions for me. But let’s not rush. Let me send you some classified information about the World Runes. I had to go through hell and high water to get this from my dad. See if it can answer some of your questions."

Hearing this, Fang Zhou’s eyes lit up with excitement. He replied sincerely, "Thank you, Instructor Su."

Su Xinyan waved her hand dismissively and lowered her head to operate her personal terminal. Soon, Fang Zhou’s personal terminal beeped. He opened the file Su Xinyan had sent and scanned through it, his expression quickly shifting to one of understanding.

Since the Era of Myth, in order to resist the invasion of the Abyssal Demons, not only have humans awakened various Professional powers, but other lifeforms on Blue Star have also undergone various mutations. Among them, those capable of maintaining clear intellect and self-awareness were known as Spirit Beasts. Some Spirit Beasts could even cooperate with humans, becoming their battle partners to jointly fight against the Abyssal Demons. For example, the majestic Silver Pegasus belonging to Instructor Wang Tao, a Pegasus Knight, was one such Spirit Beast Species. There was also a portion that failed to awaken sentience during their mutation and were controlled by the instinct to kill; these were known as the Fierce Species.

Based on current research, a certain powerhouse had proposed the World Will Theory. In this theoretical model, both human Professionals and the Spirit Beast species of Blue Star gained supernatural powers due to the influence of the World Will. The Abyss World, home to the Demons, sought to capture and devour Blue Star. Faced with this existential crisis, Blue Star awakened a Gaia Pan-consciousness. Any creature on Blue Star that fought against the Abyssal Demons and contributed to the planet’s survival had a chance to gain the World Will’s Attention. The most outstanding among them could even receive blessings and gifts from the World Will.

The most common form of blessing was the comprehension of [World Runes].

Reading this, Fang Zhou became lost in thought.

Desecration Core. Ant Queen Magic Crystal. Soul-Vibrating Poison Arrow.

He had purified the desecration aura left by Abyssal Demons three times and obtained two [World Runes]: [Night Watcher I] and [Heart of Steel I]. This indeed supported the hypothesis.

Fang Zhou continued reading the research findings on [World Runes] in the document. Just as Instructor Lu Hu had previously explained, [World Runes] had various functions. The most common were skill enhancement, equipment enhancement, attribute enhancement, passive bonuses, active consumption, and so on. For example, Fang Zhou’s [Night Watcher I] was a typical skill enhancement rune, while [Heart of Steel I] was a rune that provided a passive bonus.

Each type of [World Rune] had different levels, ranging from Basic Level, Mid Level, and High Level to Top Level. The type and level of [World Runes] comprehended by a human Professional were directly related to their own tier and the magnitude of their contributions to Blue Star.

According to this latest research document, different types of [World Runes] could be combined to create various Rune Resonances. Currently, the Human Alliance’s database had cataloged several hundred types of [World Runes] and dozens of resonance combinations. The entire rune system still held immense potential waiting to be tapped. After all, Professionals who could receive the World Will’s blessing and comprehend [World Runes] were few and far between. Every Professional who possessed a [World Rune] was an incredibly valuable asset.

At this point, Su Xinyan crossed her legs, pointed a finger at Fang Zhou, and said, "Fang Zhou, I’ve already reported your newly acquired Night Watcher Rune to the military academy. This is a brand-new World Rune not yet documented in the Human Alliance’s database, and the academy is taking a keen interest in it. They’ll surely conduct some tests on you later to determine the rune’s specific effects."

Here, Su Xinyan’s large eyes blinked like a curious cat’s as she asked, "Yesterday, when you purified the desecration aura on General Ning Feihu’s remains, did you gain the World Will’s Attention again?"

Fang Zhou nodded slightly. "Yes, Instructor Su. I comprehended another World Rune, called [Heart of Steel I]. Its effect makes me immune to low-level mind control effects and allows me to always remain calm."

A tremor ran through Su Xinyan. Her fingers quivered, and it took her a long moment before she managed to let out a frustrated huff.

"I’ve cultivated for so many years and killed so many demons, yet I’ve only comprehended one World Rune. You, kid! You got two from a single Cave Hunting trip?! Don’t tell me you’re actually the illegitimate son of the Blue Star Will!"