The so-called 'newcomer's starter pack' includes a Basic Meditation Technique, a dorm key, and a course trial card.
The Basic Meditation Technique is the most basic, unnamed one.
The dorm key is valid for one month; to continue living there, one must pay for rent.
As for the course trial card, it allows new apprentices to choose three classes. This can be one class from three different courses, or three classes from a single course, depending on their needs.
If they wish to continue attending classes and receive guidance from Wizard Apprentices, or even Wizards, they will need to pay for class hours themselves. After all, knowledge is expensive and cannot be taught for free.
What?
You say you're new here and have no money?
If you have no money, you can borrow it!
Black Stone Tower's official 'Black Stone Loan' is your best choice. New apprentices using Black Stone Loan now can also receive a newcomer's discount: three months of free dorm usage, or three free classes from one course...
Sitting in his twenty-square-meter dorm room in the dorm area, Dylan flipped through the various loan flyers he had received on his way to the dorms.
As a newcomer, starting an apprentice life in Black Stone Tower inevitably requires taking out a loan. Otherwise, if you try to find work outside to earn points, they won't even consider you during background checks.
After all, people with loans are more likely to work diligently like oxen and horses. Those without loans are prone to having ulterior motives and might resist if overly exploited. It's better to use those burdened with loans.
Therefore, in a place like Black Stone Tower, taking out a loan is a must.
However, what kind of loan to take and how to take it leaves some room for consideration.
"The Corey Kingdom Wizard Land's Three Powers Competition is about to begin. All Wizard Apprentices are welcome to sign up and participate..."
"The Angtai Duchy announced that, according to 'The Nerves,' the Crown Magic Stone Mine on the border of Corey Kingdom is their inherent territory, a promised land by God. Corey Kingdom must return the Crown Magic Stone Mine to Angtai Duchy and return all magic stones mined over the past decade, otherwise..."
"Lantern Potion Workshop is now recruiting Potion Apprentices, requiring medium spiritual talent or Novice Wizard Apprentices. Interested apprentices are welcome to come to Lantern Potion Workshop for an interview. Detailed address: Black Stone Town, North District..."
Dylan's hand, holding the newspaper, tightened slightly as he focused on the news about the Angtai Duchy.
If he remembered correctly, the Angtai Duchy, that crazy country, was serious this time. Not only did they suddenly attack the Crown Magic Stone Mine, but they also plundered a large number of magic stones from it, even taking a portion of the Magic Stone Mine's core Stone Mother.
Although the portion of the Stone Mother they took was not large, it still significantly impacted the Crown Magic Stone Mine's magic stone production, enraging the Corey Kingdom and the three Wizard organizations in the Wizard Land. This sparked a three-month war, causing prices of related war materials to soar.
Hmm... soaring!
War and such have nothing to do with me.
It's not that Black Stone Tower has some moral bottom line about not sending new apprentices to the battlefield; rather, they simply fear the displeasure of the Corey Kingdom and the ridicule of the other two Wizard organizations. Otherwise, they would send all new apprentices without the slightest psychological burden. As the saying goes, Black Stone Tower is full of beasts; if the Wizards of Black Stone Tower start doing good deeds, that's when the real problems begin.
He opened the loan flyers, looked at the various loans, discarded the obviously problematic ones, and kept a few with relatively minor issues before studying them carefully.
Ultimately, Dylan chose a six-month loan from the Red Robe Society.
Like the Freemasons, it is an organization of Wizard Apprentices within Black Stone Tower.
However, unlike the Freemasons, which only have one Wizard Sequence to support them, the Red Robe Society has two Wizards listed as members. According to the flyer, these two Wizards had joined the Red Robe Society during their apprentice years, which is why their names are associated with it.
Of course, in Dylan's opinion, there must have been no shortage of resource provisions. He was well aware of the nature of these organizations within Black Stone Tower. He figured the Red Robe Society must have exploited these two Wizards quite a bit when they were apprentices. If there were no resource provisions, let alone being listed as members, it would mean these two Wizards were out of their minds not to retaliate.
"Red Robe Loan, new apprentices can borrow up to thirty thousand, with a semi-annual interest rate of twelve percent. As an apprentice organization within Black Stone Tower, it's quite conscientious.
No wonder they have the largest reach; this can be considered small profits but quick turnover."
Having decided on the loan and the plan to speculate on war materials, Dylan could finally put aside those extra thoughts, pick up the Basic Meditation Technique he had exchanged for, and attempt his first meditation.
As for the Tree of Reflected Light and Hui Guang Tree sap given by the Freemasons, those two things had long been tossed aside to gather dust; only a fool would use them.
He locked the door.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Dylan closed his eyes. Following the content of the Basic Meditation Technique he had already memorized, he gradually sensed his scattered mental energy, using his will as a rope to capture and bind them little by little. Finally, according to the rune diagram in the meditation technique, he used his will to urge his spirit, causing it to condense into runes.
This process of gathering mental energy until it condenses into runes is meditation!
His first meditation was not smooth.
Within his consciousness space, Dylan's will transformed into a lasso, constantly attempting to capture the mental energy that was wandering and escaping. However, each time his will-lasso approached a wisp of mental energy, that mental energy immediately seemed to gain sentience, suddenly accelerating its escape.
As time passed, Dylan's emotions gradually became agitated, and his will-lasso consequently became sluggish and scattered.
Just as this meditation seemed likely to end in failure, a cool sensation suddenly surged from the depths of Dylan's soul, empowering his will-lasso. The lasso seemed to gain strength out of nowhere, with its speed, range, and intensity all increasing!
With a prepared mind against an unprepared one, he caught the mental energy off guard. At the moment of its escape, he successfully gathered it, making it his own.
Dual Souls!
The blessing from his talent allowed Dylan to successfully gather a wisp of mental energy during his first meditation.
According to the instructions of the meditation technique, Dylan controlled this wisp of mental energy to gradually condense into the first mental rune from the rune diagram. At this moment, the second talent originating from Dual Souls also began to take effect.
Mental Echo!
A special vibration was released from the mental energy.
Under this special vibration, the progress of mental energy condensation suddenly accelerated, successfully condensing the first mental rune, which could stably and continuously produce controllable mental power for Dylan!
"Basic Meditation Technique experience +10"
"Basic Meditation Technique LV1 (10/100)"
"Mental Power +0.01"
"Mental: 0.61"
Looking at the appearing prompts, Dylan, having finished his first meditation, slowly exhaled.
Although he didn't know how well he performed in his first meditation, he estimated it shouldn't be too bad; at the very least, it should be comparable to those with slightly lesser high-level spiritual talent.
It's just a pity that the meditation technique he used was the lowest-grade Basic Meditation Technique. If he could obtain a higher-grade meditation technique, its effects would undoubtedly be even better.