Telekinesis Meditation Method

Elliot rattled on. "You need to understand, every one of my potions requires a great many precious materials. That last batch used Demon Lotus, Death Nettle, Winterthorn Herb..."

Adam was a polite person. He rarely interrupted others. Only after Elliot had finished did he ask again, "Oh, so do you know where James is?"

Elliot was very dissatisfied. "James? No idea. He's probably already left. But you—what are you doing?" Only now did Elliot take a careful look at Adam. "You... huh?"

Elliot circled Adam again and again, saying in astonishment, "No elemental fluctuations? What kind of magic is this?" Every apprentice had an instinctive interest in new forms of magic, and that interest made him instantly forget about his potion.

Seeing that he could get no useful information from Elliot, Adam gave him a perfunctory answer. "Mental magic." Then he flew off in another direction. He had to find James. If he let James leave like this, he would regret it.

"Mental magic? What's that? How come I've never heard of it?" Elliot persistently followed behind Adam, pressing him with questions.

James had already reached the edge of the academy and was about to enter the range of the tower. He had heard the commotion as well, but the distance was too great for him to make it out. Still, the noise grew louder and louder. James vaguely heard Adam's name and could not help stopping.

"Adam? What happened?"

The thought had barely arisen before it was replaced by a bitter smile. A genius of Adam's caliber was bound to draw attention sooner or later. He was already leaving; whatever happened in the academy had nothing to do with him. Shaking his head, he continued onward. He needed to reach the port city through the Teleportation Array, then take a ship away from the Mage Continent.

The higher one stood, the farther one could see. From the sky, Adam quickly spotted James. Ignoring the clinging Elliot, he dove toward the ground and came to a steady hover beside James.

James smiled at him, then nodded in greeting to Elliot. "Adam, I didn't expect you to come see me off. This magic is quite good. Did you create it?"

Adam shook his head. Nineteen runes took shape outside his body, and he slowly assembled them one by one before James.

At first, James did not understand what Adam meant. But a moment later, his whole body began to tremble. His eyes instantly reddened, and cloudy tears fell uncontrollably. "Th-this is..."

Adam held the assembled sphere in his palm and said to James, "The Meditation Method is complete."

James stretched out both hands tremblingly, wanting to touch the sphere. Of course, that was impossible, but it was enough. James stood where he was and burst into loud sobs, choking out words that could not be understood.

Adam could not accurately comprehend James's emotions at that moment. He frowned and watched him helplessly.

Elliot patted Adam's shoulder with feeling. "James needs to vent. He was about to borrow the Teleportation Array and leave, and just when he was at his most desperate, you brought him new hope."

Elliot paused, looking at Adam with complicated eyes. "I never expected you to succeed. This has nothing to do with him..."

What Elliot had wanted to say was that the success of this Meditation Method probably had little to do with James, didn't it? Adam understood what he meant, but he could not put it that way. Although the final construction and empirical verification of the Telekinesis Meditation Method had all been completed independently by Adam, the massive amount of material James had provided in the early stages had also played an enormous role—it eliminated countless wrong answers and saved Adam a great deal of time.

Elliot stepped back two paces, gave Adam a look that said he would find him later, and left. He knew he was not suited to remain here at this time.

After a long while, James finally calmed down. When he raised his head, he had actually returned to the appearance of a middle-aged man. He walked up to Adam and gave him a deep bow. "Thank you, Adam. You have saved my faith."

Adam did not think it was such a big deal. He said to James, "Then your laboratory doesn't need to be dissolved, right?" Adam truly felt that life in the laboratory suited him. At this stage of accumulating knowledge, a quiet laboratory that could also provide him with income was the best place for him. Information from the Outside World could not give him any sense of novelty. Staying home and researching knowledge in peace was the most comfortable thing.

James laughed. "That's right, it doesn't need to be dissolved. All of this is because of you. We now need to go to the Approval Department and the Academic Department to apply to reestablish the laboratory, as well as verify the value of the Meditation Method."

Adam did not understand. James had always handled these matters alone before, so why was he taking Adam along now? "I have to go too?"

James nodded solemnly. "Of course. Only you know the exact construction method of the new Meditation Method. And in the new laboratory, you will be the director, while I will be your assistant."

James was already deeply grateful just to be able to remain at the Mage Academy. His own wisdom was insufficient to support a laboratory, but Adam was more than capable. Moreover, he wanted to use the last years of his life to make one final all-out attempt at the path of a mage, even though he knew the hope was exceedingly slim.

Adam was somewhat surprised. He had not expected James to say such a thing, but it was a good thing. Having independent control over a laboratory was clearly enticing. It meant that someday, if he found a project that interested him more, he could lead the research himself.

The two entered the Elemental Tower once again. It was still dazzling and intoxicating. Here, geniuses and Senior Apprentices were all the same. Other than mages, no other status was of any use. They had to proceed with trembling caution, terrified of angering some Formal Mage.

The Approval Department and Academic Department, office locations that sounded very modern, were both on the First Floor of the tower. This was also the only area that apprentices without a mentor could enter and move about in.

Adam had not expected to see a familiar face in the Academic Department: Mage Jerome, one of the four guides.

James stepped forward respectfully. "Good Day, Respected Mage Jerome."

Three months had passed, and Mage Jerome had already forgotten Adam. Although Adam's performance at the time had surprised him somewhat, he merely said to James, "You again? I hope you will not waste my time this time."

James said somewhat awkwardly, "No, Apprentice Adam is the one submitting the result. He has created a viable Meditation Method. This Meditation Method..." James wanted to explain more, but he realized that he did not understand it at all.

Adam stepped forward. "Good Day, Mage Jerome."

Jerome looked closely at Adam and found him somewhat familiar. After thinking back, he asked uncertainly, "You're that Little Fellow from the ship?"

After Adam nodded in acknowledgment, Mage Jerome became even more dissatisfied. He did not believe that a Newbie who had only become an apprentice three months ago could have produced any results. He said darkly, "Perhaps the academy's environment has made you forget the consequences of angering a mage. I hope you are not amusing yourselves at my expense. Otherwise, you will pay the price. Let me think—Lockhart's Bloodline Laboratory happens to be short a few Test Subjects!"

The Bloodline Laboratory was one research direction of Body Refining Mages. James clearly knew how terrifying that place was. Under the mage's pressure, he stammered speechlessly. Adam also knew that this was not the time for any nonsense; nonsense would only make the mage angrier. So he directly constructed the nineteen runes one by one before him, then swiftly assembled them together.

This time, he was very meticulous, displaying every characteristic of the Meditation Method one by one.

First, this Meditation Method trained a greater total amount of Mental Power, far exceeding unit one. Jerome's expression eased somewhat. Then came its stability. Once the Rune Array connected with the ether, magic power formed and flowed into the sphere at a swift yet steady pace, remaining stably within it. Its stability passed. By this point, Jerome was no longer angry. Finally came Self-Consistency. A Meditation Method was a system, and the system could not collapse on itself. Adam openly released his Mental Power, constructed several spheres in succession, then absorbed them into his mind. The spherical "Scale Fragments" connected flawlessly together. Its Self-Consistency passed.

Jerome nodded. "Mm, not bad. You have escaped the fate of becoming Test Subjects. Organize it and submit it. The tower will reward you." He did not mention the value of the Meditation Method itself, because he had seen too many such "whimsical ideas" in his long life. Apprentices occasionally flashed with sparks of wisdom, but most had little applicability and suited only their creators. For others, they had at most a little research value.

But Adam did not stop. He continued displaying the most central and crucial feature of the Meditation Method. His Mental Power extended like hands. There was nothing in the Academic Department to use for testing, so he wrapped the air with his Mental Power and compressed it layer by layer. In an instant, a highly compressed wind bullet formed in his hand. Judging by its power index, it had already exceeded one.

Apprentices' eyes could not see what had happened in that single second, but none of it could escape a mage's eyes. Mage Jerome witnessed the scene personally and finally became interested. "Is this materialization of Mental Power?"

"Yes, Respected Mage Jerome. I call it Telekinesis."

Mage Jerome pointed at the wind bullet and said to Adam, "Come, hit me."

Adam did not hesitate. An attack of this level naturally could not harm a mage. His Mental Power transformed into a launching mechanism and fired the wind bullet at Mage Jerome.

Mage Jerome extended one hand, and the wind bullet dissipated in his palm. He examined it carefully and found no magic power or elemental fluctuations at all.

He clapped his hands in praise. "Adam? Not bad, very good. I believe this is not its limit. Continue. I am very interested."