Lu Renjia and Lu Yiyi quickly said, "We have nothing else. Fang Zhou, you can go ahead. We'll talk later."

Fang Zhou glanced at Meng Hongzhuang and Bai Xiaochan, gave them a "don't forget to work" look, and then turned toward the project group's laboratory.

As he walked toward the setting sun, a sense of urgency suddenly arose in Fang Zhou's heart. His schedule was about to be completely packed.

I need to accumulate Soul Power to teach skills to the skeleton clone. I have to explore the Undead Realm for special resources and simulate skills for my main body, like Armed Skeleton and Enhanced Skeleton. Then there's the bet I made with Instructor Su Xinyan to break through to the Apprentice Upper Rank within a month. I also need to find some time to explore the trade channel unlocked with my E-rank permissions and see if other students have any resources I need.

...

Fang Zhou gently exhaled. He felt a hint of pressure, but at the same time, a long-lost fighting spirit reignited within him.

Pressure created motivation. Only in adversity is a hero's true character revealed.

Having these clear paths to grow stronger was exactly what Fang Zhou had been seeking.

However, with so many demanding tasks, he had to set his priorities straight to proceed methodically. After all, his energy was limited, his contribution points were limited, and his Soul Power was even more so. He had to focus his resources where they would be most effective.

While walking and admiring the magnificent sunset, Fang Zhou quietly planned his upcoming tasks.

He had just redeemed a large number of Black Iron-level Combat Professional universal skills and skill insights from the logistics department. To quickly learn the basics of each one would cost 100 Soul Power. All told, that would require 2,000 Soul Power.

He certainly couldn't afford such a huge expense at the moment.

Among these eleven skills, the one that would help him the most was [High-Level Weapon Specialization]. Therefore, he planned to have the skeleton clone learn this passive bonus skill first. Then, he would try to use it as a Skill Material to deduce the Armed Skeleton skill he had longed for. As for the other Black Iron-level skills, they could wait.

Touching the Space Storage Capsule in his pocket, Fang Zhou felt a bit troubled as he thought about the Level 2 Refining Stones and Level 2 Gemstones stored inside.

Based on his previous experience enhancing the Gray Inferior quality Apprentice set, each enhancement of his three pieces of White Ordinary quality New Star Equipment would likely cost 100 Soul Power. This was another huge expense. However, enhancing these three pieces of New Star Equipment was an urgent and necessary step to improve the effect of his cultivation set and maximize his main body's cultivation efficiency.

Where on earth can I get that much Soul Power?

Fang Zhou was frowning and pondering this headache-inducing problem when his personal terminal suddenly buzzed with a message.

[Undead Mage is Invincible] (Su Xinyan): "Fang Zhou, I just received the notification from the logistics department for you to receive the [Transcendent] suffix enchantment. Hurry over, I'm all set. We also have guests waiting for you in the project group lab."

Guests waiting for me?

Fang Zhou was a little confused and replied on his personal terminal.

[Ordinary Apprentice] (Fang Zhou): "Instructor Su, I just collected the Star Dew needed for the [Transcendent] suffix enchantment from the logistics department. I'm on my way and should be at the lab in about ten minutes. May I ask who the guests are?"

[Undead Mage is Invincible] (Su Xinyan): "Who else could it be? It's that unlucky girl who wants to offer herself to you!"

Fang Zhou was taken aback. Instructor Su's words seemed to carry a hint of anger.

Offer herself? Unlucky girl?

He quickly figured it out. He considered himself upright and indifferent to worldly affairs. The only person he knew who could possibly be linked with the phrases "offering herself" and "unlucky girl" was Shen Ziwei.

A few days ago, he had rescued Shen Ziwei from a siege of Jackal Wolfmen in the Frozen Tundra of Cave 1. Unfortunately, the female Warrior had lost her left arm to a Fireball Skill from a Jackal Wolfman Warlock. As they were leaving after the rescue, Shen Ziwei had given him a fairly good Marvel, the [Ring of Burning Fire], as a token of gratitude. In return, Fang Zhou casually mentioned that he was researching human bone regeneration and might be able to help her.

Thinking about it now, if someone was visiting him at the project group, it had to be Shen Ziwei, who had likely rushed over the moment she recovered from her severe injuries.

With this thought, Fang Zhou suddenly recalled the arena challenge that morning. He had felt Instructor Shen Hongyu, the one in charge of the Meditation class, watching him from the main stage the entire time. Instructor Shen Hongyu must have been paying such close attention to him because of her adopted daughter.

Having mentally prepared himself, Fang Zhou began to think about what to say on his way back.

A few minutes later, he arrived at the project group's laboratory.

Pushing the door open, Fang Zhou saw Shen Ziwei sitting on the sofa in the reception room. She was wearing apprentice leather armor, and her left arm was a mechanical prosthetic.

As the project group's host, Instructor Su Xinyan should have been there to greet the guests, but she was nowhere to be seen. In the empty reception room, only Instructor Shen Hongyu and Instructor Huang Qiuyue, whom Fang Zhou had met in the No. 1 Cave Fortress, were there with Shen Ziwei.

Before leaving Cave 1 the previous day, trial students like Fang Zhou, Meng Hongzhuang, and Ye Fan, who were either exhausted or lightly injured, had all received treatment from Instructor Huang Qiuyue, a Silver Lower Rank Light Priest. That had been Fang Zhou's first encounter with Light-attribute skills. Because of this, Fang Zhou had a rather deep impression of the elegant female instructor.

At that moment, before Fang Zhou could greet the three guests, Shen Ziwei saw him. Her face, which had been pale and her eyes lifeless, lit up. She quickly stood up, her expression a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

Fang Zhou gave her a reassuring look, then saluted the two instructors. "Instructor Shen, Instructor Huang, hello. I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I was delayed for a bit at the logistics department."

Instructors Shen Hongyu and Huang Qiuyue also stood up promptly. "It's alright, Fang Zhou. We apologize for the impromptu visit and for disturbing you."

Hearing Fang Zhou's arrival, Su Xinyan poked her head out of the office behind the reception room. She walked out and said nonchalantly, "Fang Zhou, you're finally back. This student, Shen Ziwei, says you told her you're researching bone regeneration for human Professionals. They'd like to ask about your progress."

Fang Zhou paused for a moment. He knew from Su Xinyan's demeanor that she had definitely left the three visitors alone in the lab's reception room to wait for him. However, after interacting with her for a month or two, he had grown accustomed to Instructor Su's style. The truth was, aside from him, Instructor Su was cold as ice to everyone else at the military academy. If she weren't so attractive and powerful, with a Legendary-rank father for backing, she probably would have been ambushed and beaten up countless times by now.

Shaking off these irrelevant thoughts, Fang Zhou looked at the three visitors and said, "Instructor Shen, Instructor Huang, Student Ziwei, please sit down. Since you came specifically to ask about this, I'll take this opportunity to share my thoughts on the human Professional bone regeneration project. At the same time, I would appreciate it if you could all review it and provide some feedback."

Everyone took their seats. Even Su Xinyan, unable to resist her curiosity, sat down to the side.

Instructor Shen Hongyu looked at Instructor Huang Qiuyue beside her and said with sincerity, "Fang Zhou, I'm not very familiar with the research approaches of Undead Mages. However, Qiuyue was a close comrade-in-arms of mine during my military service; she saved my life several times. You probably know that she's a Silver Lower Rank Light Priest. Moreover, she participated in a bone regeneration project conducted by the Light Series Professional Association a few years ago. Although that research ultimately failed, I thought she might be able to offer you some theoretical and practical help. That's why I took the liberty of asking her to come along."

Fang Zhou nodded, understanding Instructor Shen Hongyu's intention. On one hand, she was right. As a Light Series healing Professional who had participated in similar research, Huang Qiuyue could be of great help to his project and Shen Ziwei's potential treatment.

On the other hand, Instructor Shen Hongyu's unstated but obvious message was that with a professional like Huang Qiuyue present, Fang Zhou had better present something substantive. It had to be enough for Huang Qiuyue to at least assess its feasibility; otherwise, his words were nothing more than empty comfort for Shen Ziwei. Still, for the sake of Shen Ziwei's recovery, Shen Hongyu would unhesitatingly support Fang Zhou's research, even if there was only a sliver of hope for its success.

To be honest, this was a significant challenge for Fang Zhou.

Luckily, he was well-prepared.

Fang Zhou opened his personal terminal and sent a file of project materials to Shen Hongyu, Huang Qiuyue, and Shen Ziwei. Of course, he didn't need to send one to Instructor Su Xinyan, as she already had copies of all his project materials.

He then operated his personal terminal to project the document onto the wall of the reception room. He began to explain methodically, "Instructor Shen, Instructor Huang, Student Ziwei, this document is my project proposal for human Professional bone regeneration. It contains my preliminary ideas and approach, which have also been reviewed by Instructor Su Xinyan. Please take a look while I give a brief overview."

Standing beside the projection, Fang Zhou explained, "The overall strategy for the human Professional bone regeneration project is to use an Undead Mage's Skeleton Series skills to create a segment of artificial bone that is highly compatible with the human body. Then, through various methods, we would establish a flesh-and-blood connection between this artificial bone and the Professional. Finally, the most crucial step is to integrate this artificial bone into the Professional's power system, so it is accepted as a new part of the body."

He looked at the group and said, "I have already successfully completed the first stage. Just as a Storm Mage can casually summon a whirlwind or a Flame Mage can conjure a fireball, an Undead Mage who has mastered Skeleton Series skills can naturally condense a piece of bone. Like this."

Fang Zhou extended his right hand, mobilized his Spiritual Power, and quickly condensed a humerus.

"However, the next two steps will require further research."

Instructor Huang Qiuyue took the artificial bone from Fang Zhou's hand. She nodded and said, "Fang Zhou, your approach is somewhat different from our previous ones. In past research projects, including those from us Light Series Professionals, there have been many hypotheses about bone regeneration. These usually involved Magic, Mysterious Powers, Rebirth Secret Techniques, or special Cultivation Systems. Over the years, we've tried all of them. Even the idea you mentioned, creating artificial bone with biomimetic materials, has been proposed before. After all this time, mechanical prosthetics still remain the simplest and most effective solution for Professionals who have lost bones."

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