CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 38: GEMSTONE INLAY AND PIONEERING [HORN DEMON OUTPOST]

"Skill [Resurrection of the Dead] acquired successfully."

[Resurrection of the Dead] (Apprentice level, Beginner): Consumes undead mana to heal subordinate undead creatures. Healing effect and quantity depend on Spirit Attribute and Skill Proficiency.

Fang Zhou sighed silently, indeed, the heroes of the world should not be underestimated.

Su Xinyan, without the help of an attribute panel, developed such a practical new skill solely through her talent and effort. I must not slack off in the future.

However, Fang Zhou smiled slightly.

From this research journal, it’s clear that Su Xinyan has true talent and can be a reliable partner for exchange.

In the future, I can benefit from her expertise a bit.

Fang Zhou took out a small iron box, inside which lay a completely azure transparent gemstone.

This is a [Level 1 Blue Gemstone] found in the Abyss Difficulty [Little Inferior Demon Camp].

On the way back, Fang Zhou had already looked up information about gemstones.

After entering the Era of Myth, humans have mined various types of energy gemstones from Blue Star and the Mythical World.

These gemstones, when inlaid onto equipment, can provide various enhancement effects.

For instance, the blue gemstone in Fang Zhou’s hand can increase the limit of spiritual power.

Additionally, there are Moonlight Stones that can enhance spell effects and Wind Crystal Stones that can increase movement speed,

as well as emeralds that can increase the recovery speed of spiritual power, and so on.

Due to restrictions in world rules, different types of gemstones can be inlaid onto different parts of the equipment.

Reasonably combining these gemstones can further boost one’s strength.

Fang Zhou weighed the gemstone in his hand.

This Level 1 Blue Gemstone can be inlaid into the Apprentice Mage Hat, further increasing his spiritual power limit.

However, it’s a pity that although anyone can attempt inlaying gemstones, laymen have a high chance of failure.

Only by mastering the inlay skill can one ensure a higher success rate.

But to learn the inlay skill, one must also take on a side profession like a blacksmith.

Fang Zhou, being a mere apprentice, currently lacks the ability to take on a side profession, so naturally, he can’t learn the inlay skill.

He shook his head slightly.

It seems I can only wait until tomorrow to inquire whether there are any instructors or senior students at the military academy who have taken on the blacksmith profession.

At this moment, the attribute panel prompted.

"Detected resource available for enhancement, 10 Soul Power points can be consumed for enhancement."

"Start enhancement?"

Fang Zhou’s expression brightened, Soul Power is indeed powerful, it can even bypass the limitation of the inlay skill!

In that case, attribute panel, enhance it for me!

He removed the Apprentice Mage Hat and placed the Level 1 Blue Gemstone on it.

With the consumption of 10 Soul Power points, the Mage Hat and the Blue Gemstone fused together.

[Apprentice Mage Hat] (Gray Inferior, Level 1 Blue Gemstone *1): An apprentice mage hat inlaid with a Level 1 Blue Gemstone, slightly increases spiritual power limit.

Fang Zhou re-equipped the Mage Hat, happily feeling that his spiritual power limit had increased by a significant amount.

This is just the effect of a single Level 1 Blue Gemstone. If all eight pieces of apprentice equipment are properly inlaid with corresponding gemstones, my strength will surely make a breakthrough.

The pity is, F-level permissions do not qualify for gemstone exchange.

Fang Zhou sighed; he can only consider exchanging gemstones once he has been designated as a military academy seed and his permissions are raised.

...

Early the next day, Fang Zhou once again came to the training ground, preparing to challenge the apprentice middle-level simulation battlefield.

The training ground was bustling as always, with people everywhere.

The vast majority of first-year students were fully immersed in the joy of exploring new instances.

Seeing Fang Zhou enter, these students all looked on with envy.

Clearing four stages in one day, dominating both leaderboards, Fang Zhou must have already been pre-selected as a military academy "seed," right?

Someone showed admiration: "Fang Zhou is here again, he’s probably here to conquer the Horn Demon Outpost, right?"

Someone else spoke with a hint of jealousy: "How is that possible? The Horn Demon Outpost is a team-mode simulation battlefield; it can be tackled by a trio, and the difficulty is huge. How could Fang Zhou possibly clear it alone!"

Immediately someone countered: "Haha, Fang Zhou is not an ordinary person like us. What seems like climbing to heaven for us, he might accomplish with ease."

The students in the training ground were discussing fervently, all curious whether Fang Zhou could clear the Horn Demon Outpost as smoothly as he did yesterday.

Fang Zhou didn’t pay attention to others’ discussions and simply nodded in greeting to a few familiar first-year students before finding a simulation pod to log into the simulation battlefield.

Re-uploading the projection, Fang Zhou updated it with the enhancements from the Level 1 Blue Gemstone and the new skill [Resurrection of the Dead].

Yesterday, Su Xinyan had already informed him that the Horn Demon Outpost, unlike the solo-mode Little Inferior Demon Camp, is a team instance designed for three-person teams.

Fang Zhou didn’t have much confidence in completing it solo, but he would give it his all.

Success would be ideal; if he failed, he could find areas to improve upon and determine the direction of future efforts.

After preparing, Fang Zhou looked at the second Teleportation Gate that appeared before him.

"Horn Demon Outpost, Easy Difficulty (Apprentice Middle), Team Mode."

Fang Zhou moved his projection to touch the Teleportation Gate, immediately receiving a prompt.

"Junior Sergeant Fang Zhou, this simulation battlefield is team mode with a high difficulty, it is recommended to join a team of three. Do you wish to proceed?"

Currently, in the entire first year, Fang Zhou was the only apprentice middle rank; where could he find two teammates?

Fang Zhou chuckled and resolutely paid 2 contribution points for entry, directly commencing the challenge.

Outside the simulation battlefield,

both instructors and first-year students focused their attention on the large screen, watching Fang Zhou’s combat livestream with full concentration.

Yesterday, Fang Zhou had swept through four difficulty levels of the Little Inferior Demon Camp like a whirlwind, not only being the sole student to clear the Abyss Difficulty but also topping each difficulty’s speed leaderboard, far surpassing Ye Fan, Meng Hongzhuang, Gu Zhiqiu, and others.

There is evidence in the form of combat recordings, and everyone is genuinely impressed with Fang Zhou’s strength.

However, today Fang Zhou is challenging the Horn Demon Outpost, which is, after all, an apprentice middle-level three-man instance.

In most people’s eyes, although Fang Zhou had miraculously advanced to apprentice middle level within a month, both his spirit attributes and skill proficiency have much room to be developed, far from reaching their limits.

Attempting to clear Horn Demon Outpost solo, even at easy difficulty, the odds do not seem high.

...

In the simulation battlefield, Fang Zhou slowly opened his eyes, finding himself amidst dense fog.

Instead of surveying his surroundings, he immediately conjured two Skeleton Shields to guard around him and then wielded his magic staff to continuously cast [Summon Skeleton].

With the Summon Skeleton skill now at Perfection level, he could summon several skeletons at once, and the casting speed had greatly increased.

Soon, Fang Zhou had summoned 20 robust skeletons.

This time, his projection strength wasn’t suppressed, so the summoned skeletons were also apprentice middle rank, with a noticeably higher bone durability than those from yesterday.

Surrounded by his skeleton horde, Fang Zhou finally allowed himself a moment’s breath as he began to observe his surroundings.