CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: LU HU, YOU HAVE CHOSEN THE PATH TO DEATH!

This was Fang Zhou’s first time witnessing high-tier undead creatures other than skeletons.

According to the Undead Mage guide previously read, vampires are Silver Tier undead creatures, extremely rare, with the ability of blood and flesh derivation.

Only undead mages with exceptional talent can successfully summon vampires.

Fang Zhou couldn’t help but feel a bit of anticipation.

He probably has some talent too; if he can learn "Summon Vampire," he wonders if he could deduce skills from the Flesh and Blood Series?

With Fang Zhou’s mere Middle Rank Apprentice strength, he naturally couldn’t discern the exact power of this vampire, only felt its aura was somewhat weaker than Instructor Lu Hu.

But, this was Su Xinyan’s summoned creature.

Just after badmouthing them and being caught in the act, Lu Hu was feeling guilty and short of breath.

Even if he could defeat this vampire, how would he dare to act rashly?

Under the vampire’s watchful gaze, he unconsciously quickened his pace and led Fang Zhou to the entrance of a building.

"Fang Zhou, this vampire will take you to our research project group.

I suddenly remembered I have something unfinished, so I’ll not go in first."

Said this, Lu Hu ran away without looking back.

Somewhat helplessly, Fang Zhou shook his head; Instructor Lu had sold him out again.

He looked up at the vampire flying mid-air, quickly entering the building under its lead, arriving at a laboratory.

This was his exclusive undead mage research project group.

Inside the room, Su Xinyan was draped in a black mage robe, looking at Fang Zhou with phoenix eyes full of severity.

Fang Zhou saw this and obediently approached, greeting, "Hello, Instructor Su."

Su Xinyan extended her finger, pointed at Fang Zhou, wanting to say something.

But looking at Fang Zhou’s innocent look like a little white rabbit, she forcibly held back, marking Lu Hu’s account heavily.

Lu Hu, you have already chosen your way to die!

Feeling the atmosphere ease, Fang Zhou proactively asked, "Instructor Su, I wonder what I can do in this research project group?"

Talking business, Su Xinyan forgot the previous unpleasantness.

She snapped her fingers, dispersing the guiding vampire, then motioned Fang Zhou to sit down.

Beneath her fitting mage robe, Su Xinyan’s fair, slender legs were crossed.

She introduced the research project’s situation with a hint of excitement.

"Generally speaking, the military academy only set up research groups for extremely rare professions with great growth space and potential excavation.

Like your classmate Ye Fan, he successfully broke through as a ’Legendary Crown’ profession because of his ’Demon Hunter,’ showing extremely strong combat power, thus receiving Federation funding to establish a research group."

At this point, Su Xinyan snorted unhappily and continued, "Humph!

Our undead mage profession, though rare, is generally considered to have extremely limited growth space due to the divide between life and death.

Therefore, it was naturally impossible to receive such treatment before.

Fortunately, Fang Zhou, you emerged innovatively, presenting an unbelievably dazzling report card, proving the immense potential of undead mages, which forced my old-fashioned father to make up his mind to establish a research group."

Su Xinyan gave Fang Zhou an approving look, continuing, "Normally, newcomers like you at Apprentice Tier only need to be research subjects in the research group.

However, Fang Zhou, by independently developing a series of Skeleton Series skills, you have fully proven your research and deduction abilities.

Therefore, the academy decided that, aside from being a research subject, you are also qualified to be a primary researcher in the group."

Primary researcher? Researching myself?

Sounds good, Fang Zhou quietly nodded.

He asked, "Instructor Su, what specifically do I need to do then?"

Su Xinyan changed her posture, saying, "The overall goal of our research group is to improve the undead mage profession’s skill system by recording your cultivation process and growth changes at each stage, enhancing the cultivation speed and combat power as much as possible.

As a research subject, you need to regularly undergo various evaluations, such as spiritual power levels, cultivation speed, skill proficiency, specific combat metrics, etc.

As a primary researcher, you need to list viable research topics based on your inspiration and ideas and obtain research results to the best of your ability.

For example, your developed Skeleton Series skill tree can completely be your research subtopic."

At this point, Su Xinyan winked at Fang Zhou with implication.

"After becoming a primary researcher, each time you achieve certain research results, you can receive generous research fund rewards, far surpassing the contribution point rewards you gain by directly uploading new skills to the Human Alliance’s skill library.

Additionally, your research expenses can be reimbursed at a certain ratio on public funds."

Research fund rewards? Public fund reimbursements?

Hearing these points, Fang Zhou immediately understood.

This should be the biggest benefit after joining the research project group.

Su Xinyan took a sip of the brightly colored Otherworld juice, looked at the contemplative Fang Zhou, and asked interestingly, "So Fang Zhou, do you have any ideas regarding the project?"

Fang Zhou thought for a moment, saying, "Instructor Su, our undead mage faces three main issues.

First, due to the divide between life and death, the visualization image is misaligned and vague, leading to low-quality meditation methods and slow cultivation speed.

Second, lack of skill inheritance results in weak combat power.

Third, the body is corroded by undead mana, being frail, making it difficult to adapt to intense battlefield environments.

If these three issues can be resolved, our undead mage profession’s combat power will certainly increase explosively.

So, I think the research project’s direction should start from these three aspects."

Su Xinyan watched Fang Zhou speak fluently and clearly, drinking juice without taking her eyes off him, her eyes full of admiration.

"Very well said! I didn’t... cough, cough, similar to what I thought."

Fang Zhou continued, "Regarding the meditation method, our current visualization image for undead mage is based on copying undead creatures at each tier.

For example, Apprentice Tier visualizes skeletons, Black Iron Tier visualizes zombies, Bronze Tier visualizes ghosts.

I want to change the approach, trying to start with my improved ’Skeleton King Meditation Method’ and see if it can be further refined."

Su Xinyan propped her chin, nodding repeatedly, "Indeed, compared to your improved ’Skeleton King’ image, the previous meditation method’s skeleton image is simply garbage.

Moreover, when visualizing the Skeleton King image, I seemed to connect to the Undead Realm’s will, establishing a fixed anchor point in the Undead Realm.

After that, when I used Apprentice-tier undead mage skills, spiritual power consumption significantly decreased, and the magic effects significantly improved.

This might prove that Fang Zhou, your approach is correct."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zhou immediately gained enlightenment.

It seems that visualizing his skeleton clone and becoming the clone’s ’Apostle’ can bring many benefits to ordinary undead mages.

Limited by Fang Zhou’s strength, ’Skeleton King Meditation Method’ is now only an Apprentice-tier skill, providing enhancements to Su Xinyan only for Apprentice-tier undead mage skills.

If Fang Zhou could advance ’Skeleton King Meditation Method’ to Golden Level, Su Xinyan would also receive substantial enhancements when using Golden Level skills, undoubtedly significantly boosting her combat power.