7: Petrifying Aura
Looking at the more than 3000 Skill Points on his panel, Song Ming didn't hesitate at all.
He put all of them into the newly acquired skill.
[Consume 3350 Skill Points]
[Imprisonment Aura (Yellow Rank One Star) -> Petrification Aura (Profound Rank Eight Star)]
[Petrification Aura (Profound Rank Eight Star): Group skill, cast on up to ten enemies, can imprison them in place for 360 seconds. Opponents cannot use any skills while imprisoned, and take 6300 damage per second! Consumes 15 Mana, Cooldown 7.5s.]
Song Ming looked at the skill description, his eyes lighting up.
The Imprisonment Aura, after ascending to Profound Rank, truly gave him a surprise.
Not only did it become a group skill, the control duration also extended to six minutes.
And that wasn't all; the Petrification Aura's cooldown was only 7.5 seconds.
As long as his Mana was sufficient, this meant he could infinitely chain control skills.
With 6300 damage per second, he could truly control enemies to death.
A Professional's Mana is linked to their Mental Energy attribute.
One point of Mental Energy is equivalent to ten points of Mana.
After reaching Rank 6, Song Ming's Mental Energy attribute had reached 35 points.
Without much hesitation, he allocated the 20 free attribute points gained from leveling up entirely to Mental Energy.
[Mental Energy: 35 -> 55]
An Aura Master's skills are similar to a Mage's; skill damage is linked to Mental Energy.
This meant that the higher his Mental Energy attribute, the higher his skill damage.
So, putting all points into Mental Energy was perfectly fine.
He would then sell his equipment and buy a few skill books focused on defense.
After this round of stat allocation, he would have no weaknesses.
After finishing allocating his points, Song Ming directly teleported out of the Novice dungeon.
The moment he appeared, he attracted the attention of all the students present.
Nothing else, it was simply too shocking for a supportive Aura Master to clear a Hell dungeon solo.
It was difficult for Song Ming to keep a low profile now.
Outside, several newspaper reporters had gathered, all with cameras set up, just waiting for Song Ming to emerge.
One female reporter even pushed her way forward, holding a microphone towards Song Ming.
"Student Song Ming, are you really a support Professional? How did you clear the Hell dungeon?"
Other reporters were not to be outdone, all asking their own questions.
"Student Song Ming, did you awaken a special talent?"
"Are the monsters in the Hell dungeon very powerful? What's your secret to clearing it so quickly?"
"As the first person to clear a Hell dungeon solo, do you have anything to say?"
Song Ming hadn't encountered such a scene before, and for a moment, he was slightly flustered.
However, he quickly composed himself and calmly said to the camera, "I'm sorry, no comment!"
This concerned his biggest secret, so he naturally couldn't tell anyone else.
The principal of Third High School, Shangguan Sheng, also walked over to Song Ming, helping him deal with these somewhat frenzied reporters.
After a series of meaningless platitudes, Shangguan Sheng finally managed to send the reporters away.
Song Ming didn't waste too much time there; after all, his goal was to reach Rank 20 before the college entrance exam, meeting the requirements for job advancement.
"Teacher Shangguan, please issue me an Out-of-City Pass. I want to level up in the outskirts of Yunhai City!"
Shangguan Sheng asked, "Song Ming, what Rank are you?"
"Rank 6, just a few more monsters until Rank 7!"
"Ten minutes, Rank 6..."
"Rank 6!"
Shangguan Sheng was stunned, his expression somewhat blank.
He wasn't surprised by Song Ming's Rank, but by reaching Rank 6 in ten minutes.
This was unprecedented.
Even those elite or even legendary Professionals had never reached Rank 6 in such a short time.
Intermediate Support Professional.
Hell dungeon.
Ten-minute speed clear.
Rank 6.
These things kept flashing through his mind.
Shangguan Sheng truly couldn't understand how all these things could happen to one person.
"Teacher Shangguan?"
Seeing Shangguan Sheng in a daze, Song Ming couldn't help but speak again, waving his hand in front of him.
After a good while, Shangguan Sheng finally came to his senses, "Alright, alright, I'll issue you the Out-of-City Pass when we get back."
Song Ming nodded.
The novice dungeons within the city were too low-Rank for him now.
Only the Advanced dungeons outside the city could meet his demand for rapid leveling.
The other principals nearby, upon seeing Song Ming, also looked wistful.
Shangguan Sheng had truly found a treasure this time.
This Song Ming was even stronger than those elite or even legendary Professionals.
After all, they had never heard of anyone daring to solo a Hell dungeon right after job advancement.
Suddenly, Shangguan Sheng's phone rang.
He answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Hello, I'm from the East China Academy admissions office. Is Student Song Ming from your School?"
Shangguan Sheng's expression immediately became serious.
It was a call from East China Academy.
This was one of the Great Xia Country's five renowned Advanced Academies.
For them to call personally showed how much they valued Song Ming.
Shangguan Sheng quickly said, "Yes, may I ask why you are calling?"
The other end of the phone said, "It's like this: in view of Student Song Ming's outstanding performance, East China Academy can specially recruit him for admission, and provide subsidies according to the treatment of a legendary Professional.
However, before that, we need to arrange an assessment of his Professional abilities."
Shangguan Sheng's breathing gradually quickened.
Not only would Song Ming be specially recruited for admission, but it would also be with the treatment of a legendary Professional.
These conditions were too generous.
"Please wait, Student Song Ming is right beside me. I'll ask for his opinion!" Shangguan Sheng said.
"Hmm, no need. Our people should have arrived already."
"Ah? Arrived... arrived?"
Shangguan Sheng was once again stunned.
East China Academy was one of the nation's five renowned Academies, recruiting a considerable number of elite and even legendary Professionals every year.
And yet, such an Academy had now specifically sent people to specially recruit Song Ming for admission.
Shangguan Sheng remembered that in the past ten years, Yunhai City had only produced three students specially recruited into East China Academy, and they were all relatively special elite-Rank Professionals.
Before long, two men in formal suits arrived in front of Song Ming and the others.
One of them smiled at Song Ming and said, "Student Song Ming, we are teachers from the East China Academy admissions office. Are you interested in joining our East China Academy?"
As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately caused a considerable stir among the crowd.
"Holy moly, it's actually people from East China Academy!"
"What's East China Academy? Is that some kind of bogus university? Never heard of it!"
"Pfft, this is one of the nation's top five Advanced Academies, ranked among the top three in the country, and you call it a bogus university!"
"Let me put it this way: if you can get into this university, your ancestral grave wouldn't just be emitting green smoke, it would be on fire! Your great-grandmother would crawl out to kowtow to you!"