On the Airship.
Inside the Meditation Room.
"The Meditation Method has slowed down noticeably."
Ian opened his eyes.
Having advanced to the middle stage of the First Ring, he had naturally begun practicing the Meditation Method for that stage.
His earlier foundation let him pick it up quickly, but he had discovered plenty of problems while meditating.
Compared with the early stage of the First Ring,
it had grown harder again.
"And this time, it isn't just the Meditation Method that's harder. The demands on the Wizard have risen too."
Ian frowned.
Even his New Moon Level talent only felt sufficient, rather than more than enough. Perhaps that was simply what the second level of the Meditation Method required.
"Looks like I still need to improve my talent."
Ian shook his head.
Beyond talent, there was the financial pressure.
The second level required a material called Wind Copper. It was expensive: one hundred contribution points per gram.
One gram was roughly enough for a day.
And that was not all.
"The second level of Body Tempering, Steel Muscle, also needs Scorching Iron Essence. It costs about the same—one hundred contribution points per gram—and a gram lasts about a day."
Ian grimaced.
Those two alone would cost nearly six thousand contribution points a month. He could not afford that at all right now.
Top-tier Meditation Methods and Body Tempering methods came with enormous costs.
Fortunately, he still had some of his scholarship and the payment for his new paper. It would last at least a quarter.
After that, he would have to find a way.
"I'll have to choose duties that pay more contribution points."
Ian considered it.
He would also have to think about how to earn contribution points. Beyond those two methods, he still had other Wizardry to learn.