The night deepens.
The chill of autumn quietly seeps through the cracks of the window lattice, the air as cold as a clear spring, and the environment is exceptionally tranquil.
Except for the occasional barking of dogs and the tireless, brief chirping of autumn insects in the grass by the wall corner, there was no other sound; everyone else had fallen into slumber.
Gauss chose to read and study at night for this very reason.
This time of night makes it easy to find calm, with fewer restless emotions.
The daytime clamor, the tension of tasks, the exhaustion of the body... all emotions settle down at this moment.
And the study and practice of the Meditation Method require exactly this state.
Clarity, tranquility, abandoning distracting thoughts to touch the subtle rhythms flowing between the mind and Magic Power.
Of course, this is only suitable for someone like him, a "night owl" who can stay alert even at night.
For those who get sleepy as soon as they open a book, choosing another time might be better.
Under the flickering lamplight, Gauss looked at the obscure and difficult runes, the complex diagrams outlining the path of the mind, the tongue-twisting spells, this ancient knowledge passed down from a distant past — ordinary people would only feel brain pain seeing it.
But in his eyes now, it gradually becomes clear and intimate...
Gauss’s fingertips gently brushed over the pages.
Indeed!
Just as he had previously anticipated, the mental leap from an intelligence of 9 granted him greater learning ability, showcasing astonishing learning ability when facing this mentally exhausting knowledge!
The key to mental guidance, the trick to Magic Perception, the difficulty of constructing internal and external cycles...
After removing the last few boulders blocking his path, Gauss picked up the book, guided naturally by its teachings, and let his mind sink.
Meditation first requires calming the mind.
One must dispel distractions and withdraw attention from external sounds, light, taste, and touch, continually retracting inward, slowly closing the door to the external clamor.
With enhanced intellect, Gauss’s focus became even stronger.
So this step proceeded exceptionally smoothly.
Soon, he surpassed the "calmness" that stumps many, entering a pure state of "self."
Next is "inner contemplation."
All his perceptions have shifted from the external to the internal, and at this moment, he perceives the internal world not with vision, the most relied-upon human sense, but with "spirit," the sixth sense.
Observe each corner of the body, following the intangible flow of internal Magic Power.
His body parts scattered tiny warm and active light dots, slightly undulating with his breath, while at the center of his sea of consciousness, the "Profession Tier Cup" hovered, emitting a gentle and stable light, as if responding to his gaze.
What follows is the most crucial and challenging step.
He needs to construct magical runes, using intention to guide the scattered Magic Power and, following specific and mysterious paths, construct complex circuits within the body to eventually channel into the "Profession Tier Cup," creating a self-sustained cycle.
Depicting this path requires extremely precise spiritual control, and the slightest mistake could lead to failure or even Magic Power disorder.
This is also why the Meditation Method is only open to Professionals; besides ordinary people, even if you are intellectually gifted and capable of studying the Meditation Method during the apprentice stage, you cannot construct this Profession-dependent internal meditation cycle without stepping into a Profession.
Gauss placed the Meditation Method book on his lap.
This hefty book, not just a paper medium containing knowledge, is also a simple Magic Item, assisting the caster in meditation training.
"Huu—"
Gauss’s intention began to activate.
The ancient runes constructed with willpower within him slowly lit up.
His entire body’s Magic Power also responded to the runes’ call, flowing quietly along the path Gauss crafted.
Gauss had actually attempted this step without thoroughly overcoming the book’s difficulties, but possibly due to an incomplete understanding of the runes or insufficient spiritual control, his attempts ended in repeated failure.
But now, after an intelligence boost, everything became entirely different.
The Magic Power converged gently, flowing precisely and deftly along the complex path he depicted.
A "Milky Way" was born within him!
The initial cycle was somewhat awkward, like a newly dug channel, but with Gauss’s mighty spiritual power to "firm the banks," patiently guiding and sorting the flow, the magic stream gradually smoothed out, finally merging into the "Profession Tier Cup."
"Buzz!"
When the first thread of successfully guided Magic Power circulated through the main body key points and integrated with the cup, a clear hum seemed to resound in the depths of Gauss’s consciousness.
It was a feeling of completeness and transparency.
And the sense of crossing a significant stage.
The flowing runes embedded on the Profession Tier Cup became more fluent and natural with gushing brightness.
No wonder predecessor casters regarded understanding the Meditation Method and continually expanding Magic Power as foundational stones for advancing to level 2.
This indeed is the mainstream and solid path to strength. Mastering meditation means possessing the key to actively increasing magic reserves.
However, the core of the meditation cycle is about continuity and cycling; Gauss did not dare slack off, continuing to patiently direct the unending Magic Power stream into the Profession Tier Cup, seemingly establishing a certain connection between the magic and his spirit during this process, with refined magic essence integrating into the flowing cycle.