As the gray smoke gradually stabilized, Su Xinyan turned to Fang Zhou, a confident and proud arc forming at the corners of her lips. "Haha, it seems my interpretation was correct. The patterns on this Black Magic Bottle are indeed intricately linked with [Mist]." She snapped her fingers softly.
In an instant, a state-of-the-art Energy Analyzer appeared before Fang Zhou. A thread-like wisp of gray smoke slowly drifted from the mouth of the Black Magic Bottle, floating steadily above Su Xinyanâs palm. She then raised her slender index finger and gently touched it.
A few minutes passed in silence. After a moment of contemplation, Instructor Su Xinyan slowly opened her eyes. "The smoke produced by this Black Magic Bottle has an unusually complex and unique energy signature, even though its power level is limited to the Black Iron Tier. It seems to have the ability to enhance the Undead, and it also possesses the curious effect of shielding against observation and masking auras... Its applications are numerous. The specific upper limits will require more in-depth testing to determine."
Next, Instructor Su Xinyan placed the carefully isolated wisp of gray smoke into the Energy Analyzer. The deviceâs display screen quickly responded, showing a series of complex numbers and charts that formed an exceptionally intricate energy spectrum. Based on this spectral data, Instructor Su Xinyan performed a precise and complex calculation.
Then, she gently picked up the Black Magic Bottle from the lab table and handed it to Fang Zhou. "Alright, Iâm done. Based on the results from the Energy Analyzer, I can confirm that this Black Magic Bottle is indeed an ancient relic of the Naraku Civilization. You just need to channel enough Undead Attribute Energy into it at a specific Spiritual Power frequency. That will activate it and release a large amount of gray smoke. This smoke enhances any Undead Creatures within it, primarily by helping them conceal their presence and mask their movements, making them ghost-like and elusive on the battlefield."
Instructor Su Xinyan continued, "Besides obscuring external signatures like sound, movement, light, shadow, and Energy Fluctuations, its most crucial function is its ability to mask the soul fluctuations of Undead Creatures. This means they can maintain a degree of concealment even under the most precise detection methods. Itâs undoubtedly of great value for carrying out covert missions or strategic deployments."
As she spoke, Su Xinyan opened her research log, her fingers flying across the pages as she documented her findings in detail. Fang Zhou participated in the comprehensive study of the Black Magic Bottle alongside her, gaining a preliminary understanding of its functions and operating mechanism.
After a long while, Su Xinyan stretched languidly, casually revealing the stunning figure wrapped beneath her silver mermaid-tail skirt. However, Fang Zhouâs gaze wasnât captivated by her beauty. His eyes remained fixed on the Black Magic Bottle, his focus and composure stirring a faint ripple in Su Xinyanâs heart.
Seeing his impassive expression, she pouted slightly in mock boredom. "Alright, Fang Zhou. This Black Magic Bottle is just a White, Common-quality Undead Attribute Marvel. Its effects are limited to Undead Creatures at the Black Iron Tier and below, so itâs useless to me. For you, however, my little apprentice, it could become a sharp sword in your hands."
"Although it canât directly increase your combat power, with that cunning mind of yours, Iâm sure youâll find a way to use it to create miracles on the battlefield."
Fang Zhou offered a wry smile at her words, his tone self-deprecating. "Instructor Xinyan, you flatter me. Thatâs not cunning, I just use a few minor tactics, thatâs all."
Fang Zhouâs gaze shifted between Instructor Su Xinyan and the Black Magic Bottle. "Instructor Xinyan," he began, "my abilities are insignificant compared to your Golden Tier Mana. Iâm afraid I donât have enough power to activate this ancient Marvel from the Naraku Civilization on my own. If you give it to me now, I probably wonât be able to unleash its full potential until I advance to the Black Iron Tier."
A faint smile graced Instructor Su Xinyanâs lips. "Donât worry, Fang Zhou. The Black Magic Bottle was difficult to awaken because it had been dormant for far too long. Its internal energy was depleted, and its Array structures were on the verge of collapse. However, during the activation process, I used my Golden Tier Mana to not only infuse it with a massive amount of energy but also to repair its crumbling Array patterns. You shouldnât have any trouble controlling it with your Apprentice-level Spiritual Power. If you donât believe me, give it a try right now."
Fang Zhouâs eyes lit up instantly. "Instructor Xinyan, youâre amazing!" he exclaimed in sincere admiration. "Iâll try it right now."
He then focused, guiding his Spiritual Power to vibrate at a specific frequency as he attempted to connect with the Black Magic Bottle and activate the intricate Array patterned on its surface. To his surprise, the attempt was exceptionally smoothâfar simpler than the countless failed experiments he had conducted in front of Yue Pengfei and Yue Lingyun. He resonated with the Black Magic Bottle almost effortlessly.
Seeing Fang Zhouâs reaction, a flash of pride crossed Instructor Su Xinyanâs eyes. She chuckled. "Well? See how easy it is to use?"
Full of admiration, Fang Zhou gave Instructor Su Xinyan a thumbs-up. "Instructor Xinyan, I just had an idea... Based on our research, the bottle produces gray smoke mainly because of the mysterious pattern engraved on it that represents [Mist]. You were able to decipher the general meaning of that pattern using the technological legacy of the Naraku Civilization. So, is it possible to reverse-engineer it into a new Skill that a human Undead Mage could master? That way, we would no longer need to rely on the Black Magic Bottle as a medium."
After a brief silence, Su Xinyan suddenly clapped her hands. "Fang Zhou, youâre a genius! Thatâs a very feasible idea. Let me try it. If we can really reverse-engineer the mysterious patterns on this Black Magic Bottle into a Professional Skill that human Undead Mages can use, it would patch a major hole in our concealment abilities."
With that, she turned back to the lab bench. The microscope and Energy Analyzer whirred to life as she once again began her mesmerizing work. Fang Zhou didnât stand by idly, either, and stepped forward to assist her.
Half an hour passed quickly. Su Xinyan let out a soft sigh, a trace of regret in her eyes. "The Naraku Civilizationâs understanding and mastery of Undead Magic reached astonishing heights," she said. "However, their fundamental logical structure is completely different from ours on Blue Star. We might be able to draw inspiration from them, use their magical technology, or even directly wield ancient Marvels like this Black Magic Bottle. But trying to convert their work directly into a Professional Skill for humans... the difficulty is far greater than I imagined."
Fang Zhou, standing to the side, nodded in complete agreement. He had just participated in analyzing the bottleâs patterns and knew what a monumental challenge it was.
Human effort has its limits, but the power of the attribute panel is limitless.
He quietly shifted his gaze to the attribute panel before him. A nearly invisible line of text had silently appeared on his Skills Bar.
"Extractable Skill Materials discovered. Parsing..."