Chapter 5: Vortex Meditation Method

"Robinson, you are truly risking your life for wealth, daring to go to Crow Ridge!" Tony, a chatterbox, mumbled teasingly while chewing on a smoked sausage

Every year, there are some fearless adventurers who enter Crow Ridge, but most of them are unfortunate and end up as the lunch of ghouls

Millions of corpses and the passage of ten thousand years have created a unique dead ecological environment in Crow Ridge, which is highly suitable for the habitation of undead creatures and plants. Some of these flora and fauna serve as materials for crafting various magical potions, which can be sold to alchemists for a substantial profit

"Open the door, are you alright?"

What is the reason? Appreciating poetry, gazing at the starry sky... Downton recalled the details before his meditation and looked at the codex, which showed no trace of magical energy fluctuations; it should not be a magical artifact.

Forget it, it's getting late. Everyone, get on the bus, let's depart! Robinson stopped Tony, who was about to scold again, and urged everyone.

This rumor attracted a large number of adventurers, yet none found treasure within, nor did they achieve overnight wealth; instead, they became the lunch of ghouls

Downton has become resolute, this time preparing to write a few more words, thus beginning to compose a lyrical poem in the style of Shakespeare

Hmm! Downton picked up the dagger, inserted it into his boot, and walked out of the room, but when locking the door, he couldn't help but take another glance at the codex

Watching that ink mark cut through the sonnet, it resembled an ugly scar lying on the face of a beauty, causing Downton immense heartache

In order to dispel distracting thoughts, Downton opened the newly purchased legal code. The beautiful text, along with the fourteen-line lyrical poems about legal stories, brought pleasure, and his fluctuating emotions gradually calmed down

Did I make an incorrect assumption? Downton wants to give up, but is also reluctant. If he can find a way to extend the meditation time, he can quickly enter the soul stage

How did you come here? m.hetushu.com. Downton was somewhat surprised to see Will there as well

"Stop talking nonsense, get in the car!" Tony said, picking his nose and giving Will a shove.

A full ten minutes, without any changes

After carefully flipping through it, he found nothing unusual. Downton hesitated for a moment, but still took out the quill, dipped it in ink, and made a stroke in the blank space at the top of the page

Downton did not eagerly observe his companions in the carriage; there was still a day's journey ahead, and there was plenty of time. After all, everyone had just met and was watching each other, maintaining the highest level of vigilance. A scrutinizing gaze could easily provoke displeasure and potentially lead to conflict. Moreover, Downton had more important matters to attend to.

"One must give the dream-filled youth a chance!" Robinson grinned widely, revealing his white teeth, radiating a sunny disposition that made one unable to resist expressing admiration loudly

There are indeed too many deceased individuals, and some souls that have not perished have traversed endless years, gradually absorbing magical energy, and naturally evolved into undead beings

For the safety of the border residents, the king once dispatched paladins and priests to eradicate the threat of Raven Hill, only ceasing their efforts when it no longer posed a danger. Nevertheless, even so, people still avoid Raven Hill like the plague, never daring to set foot there.

If one becomes a magic user, the level of danger will be significantly reduced

In order to prevent an outbreak of plague after the war, the sixth monarch ordered the soldiers to collect the corpses and dispose of them all at Crow Hill. Initially, they were subjected to cremation; however, the number of corpses was overwhelming. As the king departed, the commanders responsible for the aftermath began to handle the situation with indifference, hastily disposing of the bodies without proper care.

I apologize, it is my fault. Downton did not argue

According to Ballmer's character, Will knew that he would definitely be fired, so after contemplating for an entire afternoon, he approached Robinson in the evening and requested to join the team

Bang, bang, bang, the sudden sound of a loud knock on the door startled Tang Dun, pulling him out of his meditative state. His right hand trembled, causing the quill he was holding to leave a streak of ink across the page.

What? Downton looked at the old mechanical clock placed on the table. He remembered that after tidying up the items, it was a little past 9 o'clock, but now it was already 12:30 in the morning

Durham intended to complain, but upon seeing Downton's expression, he immediately closed his mouth, knowing that his friend was certainly contemplating something important

Downton was taken aback, even forgetting to open the door for Duren. In the past, during meditation, he could at most persist for forty minutes before his mind became chaotic and he would exit. However, among the young people in Morning Mist Town, this had already ranked in the top ten. Yet now, he had astonishingly extended it for nearly eight times that duration

Robinson nodded, but inwardly he let out a silent sigh; bringing these two individuals along was, in fact, intended to serve as bait

An hour had passed, yet there was still no change, and Downton began to doubt his own judgment

If one performs a bit better, perhaps one can continue to work with Robinson indefinitely, after all, he is a renowned young businessman in Misty Town, and many young people strive to emulate him

"I apologize, I will leave now." Downton inserted the quill into the inkwell, just as he was about to close the codex, he suddenly froze. The unsightly ink mark he had accidentally made moments ago had vanished, as if it had never existed.

Is it ready? Robinson must be getting anxious!" Duren glanced at the clock and couldn't hold back any longer

Should exit

No problem! Downton got up, took a few steps, and found that his physical strength was abundant and his spirit was high, as if he had an inexhaustible supply of energy

This slightly stooped middle-aged man is Robinson's servant and coachman, in addition to him is a tall and robust man named Pierre, who carries a Viking broadsword, exuding a tough-guy aura in his every gesture and movement.

Although he had prepared with great care, upon seeing the shabby and meager belongings, Downton could not help but sigh; he was simply too poor to afford anything better

Under the bright moonlight, the magical energy within the small cottage gathered increasingly faster, akin to the stream in the forest, permeating into Downton's body

Perhaps this expedition was a mistaken decision

Do you consider yourselves to be the masters, making us wait for so long

This thought just flashed through his mind, but was immediately dismissed by Downton; without the profession of a postman, he needed a new source of income, otherwise he would not be able to gather his sister's tuition fees

Downton frowned, having casually written a few characters this time

If one enters the Soul Stage, setting aside innate abilities, the mere opportunity to practice powerful martial arts and magic can significantly enhance one's strength, allowing one to achieve feats such as slaying ten or even a hundred opponents

Next to it was a carriage drawn by two Orléans Highland horses, with the top of the carriage piled high with supplies, secured by thick ropes

In a meditative state, Downton was unaware that the codex resonated with the fluctuations of the soul, and three mottled points of light overflowed from the pages, glowing softly like fireflies. They acted like magnets, drawing in more magical energy from the surroundings

Downton sat down at the round table placed by the window, under the slightly dim light of the kerosene lamp. He picked up a quill, dipped it in ink, and listed the points of caution for this journey on paper. No matter how it was calculated, the danger was above sixty percent

In this battle, the total number of soldiers who died on both sides exceeded one million, with corpses covering the entirety of Redwood County, and the flowing blood turned the land into a quagmire

"No, I must figure this out as soon as possible!" Downton ran back and stuffed the grimoire and ink bottle into his backpack

Robinson took a glance and lost interest; as an experienced businessman, his insight was sharp. That book had no trace of magical energy or illustrations, it was quite ordinary

The souls of the deceased linger, swirling in the sky throughout the day. For several consecutive months, the residents of the western region have not seen the sun.

Kerosene lamp, candles, fishing line, five days' worth of food, clean water... The items needed for the Downton expedition were carefully checked and then packed into a leather backpack

After lighting a candle, Downton took out the code and began to flip through it

Thank you, boss! Will is extremely grateful and has started to change his tune

The depth of the meditative state determines the speed of absorbing magical energy. Tang Dun is currently practicing the vortex meditation technique taught by his sister

What is the matter

The night breeze blew gently, and amidst the crisp sound of hooves, the carriage departed from the small town, embarking on the journey to Crow Hill

Two thousand years ago, the Southern Legion of the Orcs allied with the Troll tribes that emerged from the Dragon Hills to invade Frankfurt. As a result, they were decisively defeated in the West by the brilliant King Frankfurt VI, who led his army to victory.

Downton is like a vortex, greedily absorbing magical energy

It is impossible, I actually meditated for more than three hours

Usually, Downton could only enter a shallow state of meditation, but now, he has surprisingly broken through the limits and entered a medium state of meditation

"What are you doing? You are already half an hour late. If it weren't for my pleading, Robinson would have set off long ago." Duren was puzzled; Downton was always punctual and would never make such a mistake.

The concentration of magical energy increases, occasionally flashing with star-like spots.

If traveling by horse-drawn carriage, the distance from Crow Ridge to Misty Town is approximately one and a half days. It is said that ten thousand years ago, it was once the royal burial site of a certain kingdom.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world; if you want to get rich, you must take risks Robinson closed his eyes to rest

Commoner, you have had enough. If you write more, I will be furious

"What’s wrong?" Duren picked up Downton's backpack, "Hurry up, Robinson can't wait any longer"

To absorb magical energy, one must enter a state of meditation and focus. Most people are restless and distracted, unable to calm their minds. Although it is possible to enter this state occasionally, the amount of magical energy required for advancement is immense, and these few instances are undoubtedly insufficient.

Gazing at the twinkling stars in the night sky, enjoying the warm, water-like moonlight, Downton's state of mind became tranquil, and he unconsciously entered a meditative state

Downton rested his elbow on the round table, propping his chin up with one hand, gazing at the brilliant starry sky, filled with aspirations for the future

"Master, please get in the car!" Keel opened the car door, slightly bent forward, and respectfully invited Robinson to board.

Certainly, there is a concentration limit, and once saturation is reached, there will be no further changes

He casually opened the door, allowing Duren to enter, and then Downton turned around, walking thoughtfully towards the window. He wanted to grasp this wonderful feeling and understand the reason behind the prolonged meditation.

Even a first-tier mage, possessing magical energy, has a physical quality that surpasses that of ordinary soldiers who have undergone extensive training. Therefore, when faced with danger and the need to escape, these two youths will inevitably fall to the rear of the group, naturally attracting the attention of the pursuing ghouls.

The moonlight, like water, spills onto the skin, bringing a slight chill

On the page, a line of elegant and graceful characters suddenly appeared, intruding into Downton's line of sight

Downton and Duren rushed to the southern street corner of Morning Mist Town, and before they could even apologize, a youth covered in acne unleashed a torrent of abuse upon them

Extending the meditation time is not merely a simple addition, as the spellcasters, through meditation, induce a resonance of magical energy fluctuations, which requires time for the magical energy to gather from the surroundings. Therefore, as the meditation time increases, the amount of magical energy absorbed per unit of time continuously increases.

Try again

"What is the point of bringing along these two burdens who are not magic users?" Thor mocked Downton, his mouth smeared with meat scraps

We also need emergency potions, high-quality weapons, and it would be even better if we had a magical accessory for self-defense

I want to earn some extra money