Jasmine didn't spend long wandering around.
She returned to the library less than an hour later and continued to prepare for her classes.
However, it was evident that the two of them thought and behaved differently.
After they stayed at the library until evening and had dinner together at the cafeteria, they parted ways and went back to their dormitories.
When Link returned to his dorm room, he took a brief rest then utilized the "Mind Closure Technique" to head to the Hall of Mind to sort through the day's gains before taking a bath.
After changing into his pajamas and seeing that it was still early, Link returned to his study to do a cursory reading of the four books he hadn't read during the day before going to bed.
The next day, Link woke up at the crack of dawn.
After washing up, Link packed his books, stationary, a notebook, and his personal smart device. After breakfast at the canteen, he headed early to the lecture hall where the day's lectures were taking place.
Meanwhile, Link sent Jasmine a message on his smart device, suggesting they move together, as per their agreement the previous night.
Jasmine did not reply, Link was not bothered, he found the classroom and sat in the middle of the second row, reserving a seat for Jasmine with his books and smart device.
Jasmine arrived late, only ten minutes before the lecture started.
...
The two weeks passed quickly.
Link lived a monotonous but enriched life.
He spent most of his days going back and forth between his dormitory, the cafeteria, classrooms, and the library. Aside from that, he didn't stroll around campus or participate in the social activities organized by the increasingly familiar New Blood, and he made no special effort to build connections.
Er...
Jasmine discovered the "Forum" function and told Link about it.
Jasmine's life was quite fulfilling.
She maintained a good balance between her studies and social activities. She would go to the library with Link to study during her free time, and also participate in social activities and make friends.
Being from a noble background, Jasmine excelled socially, having grown up in high society from a young age.
So, a small circle quickly formed around Jasmine and a few other New Blood with similar backgrounds from the Stormy Sea Islands.
Link privately advised Jasmine once to focus more on her studies. Seeing her disregard his advice, yet still able to ensure her basic study time each day, Link didn't say anything more.
Everybody has their way of life and each person is responsible for their life choices.
But, oh...
The junior division of the Ravensmouth Biological and Medical College was divided into two: the New Blood from the Stormy Sea Islands were in the southern campus, while local apprentices from the west coast of the Main Continent were in the northern campus.
There was almost no interaction between the two sides.
The implications behind this, combined with the agreement that New Blood had to sign, were hair-raising to say the least.
To avoid becoming a beast of burden, Link chose to abandon entertainment and study assiduously.
...
The hard work has its rewards.
As most of the New Blood haven't yet managed to clear the first stage of meditation, "Collecting Stray Thoughts", Link is fully prepared for his first serious meditation session.
There are three stages to meditation.
The first is "Collecting Stray Thoughts," which involves clearing the mind of all distractions.
Link was able to do this as soon as he used the "Mind Closure Technique", and has since mastered it.
The second stage is "Capturing Mental Force." Since mental force is formless and scattered, controlling it to form threads is extremely difficult.
However, once Link was able to manipulate his memory at will using the "Mind Closure Technique", he was able to freely control his own mental power.
The third stage is establishing the Sea of Consciousness and constructing runes.
The so-called Sea of Consciousness is a term coined by Link. It is referred to as the "Ocean of Mental Power" by wizards, but Link found this term too long and hard to pronounce, so he translated it to the Sea of Consciousness.
The Hall of Mind is located within this Sea of Consciousness. It is located three inches inside of the brow, and is both tangible and intangible.
Setting up the runes is the actual obstacle that stands between Link and his progress.
From studying "Rune Studies", Link understands that runes are separated into three categories: Will Rune, Elemental Rune, and Rule Rune.
The structure of each rune, be it Will Rune, Elemental Rune, or Rule Rune, is complicated and three-dimensional.
The essence of a meditation technique is to use the threads of mental power to construct will and elemental runes within the Sea of Consciousness and then connect the constructed runes into a specific pattern to form a cycle.
Depending on the meditation technique, the Will Runes and Elemental Runes to be established will be different and hence the shape and cycles formed are also different.
The college distributed targeted meditation methods according to the wizard qualifications of the New Blood.
After attending a class on "An Overview of Mental Power and Meditation", Link went to the library to get his designated book, "Water Wood Mutual Growth Meditation Method".
After in-depth reading and contemplation, Link was confident that he has fully understood the first level of meditation technique, which is applicable from the common man to the Third-class wizard apprentice's initial stage of meditation. He decided to start his first formal meditation.
Dormitory, study room.
Link sat on the floor, positioning himself with the soles of his feet facing upwards, calming his heart and exerting all his effort on utilizing the "Mind Closure Technique".
In the Sea of Consciousness, the Hall of Minds disappears, returning the Sea of Consciousness to its original state when it was first established.
With no reference points, no sense of up and down, it's vast and unclear, in a dreamy state.
The silence and tranquillity seem to be the eternal theme of the Sea of Consciousness.
After a while, a point of light appears.
The formless mental power is condensed into threads by the "Fire God's Thought", and then five threads are twisted into a string.
The string moves following a specific trajectory, constructing a complex and layered three-dimensional structure in the vast Sea of Consciousness.
This three-dimensional structure is a Will Rune. It's the core of the first level of the "Water Wood Mutual Growth Meditation Method", mainly to derive mental power and increase mental power quantity.
The derivation Rune was just constructed and it's rather ethereal, it's not imprinted in the Sea of Consciousness.
Link controlled the mental power threads to repeatedly construct the Rune.
The Derivation Rune gradually solidifies from its initial ethereal state.
After an unknown amount of time, the Derivation Rune finally took root and was imprinted in the Sea of Consciousness.
Once the Derivation Rune is ingrained, it will exist indefinitely in the Sea of Consciousness, unless Link himself decides to destroy it or it's impacted by a powerful external mental force. It's real and not illusory.
During the process, the "Mind Closure Technique" at its highest realm played a significant role, providing great help to Link.
It can be said that the "Mind Closure Technique" has achieved a great accomplishment in ensuring that Link was able to construct a Will Rune for the first time during meditation.
Link rode the momentum, working hard to construct a Water Element Aggregation Rune, and a Wood Element Aggregation Rune.
Next, with the Derivation Rune at the vertex and the Water Element Aggregation Rune and Wood Element Aggregation Rune at the base, connecting the three Runes formed an equilateral triangle pattern.
The first level of the "Water Wood Mutual Growth Meditation Method" is finished!
From now on, Link is a bona fide Wizard Apprentice.
Er...
A first-rank wizard apprentice who has yet to master a spell.