Alchemy Studies

After bidding farewell to the wizards, Benjamin turned to look at the empty Logistics Department area before him and stood there in a daze.

He could clearly sense that once he turned around, the Logistics Department mentors who had seemed indifferent were all watching him closely.

Obviously, the illusion barrier could only block ordinary apprentices. Before these mentors, whose strength even Benjamin could not sense at all, it was practically nonexistent.

Although he was unwilling, now that he had boarded the pirate ship, he could only keep going.

That said, when Benjamin glanced at the many familiar and unfamiliar names in the various sections, his scalp went numb.

"It really feels like making a high school graduate choose a college major."

After silently making that quip, Benjamin wandered casually through the Logistics Department area while calmly thinking to himself, Although I don't want to, since I've already joined the Academy, I probably can't leave anytime soon. I can only strengthen myself while concealing my true nature as much as possible, so I can face the battlefield ahead.

If possible, Benjamin would have liked to simply cripple his cultivation and switch to Wizard World's supernatural system, concealing the greatest problem he carried.

Unfortunately, that was impossible.

Although Refining Essence into Qi was a cultivation method close to being obsolete, it still had its own advantages.

Its most important trait was that cultivation through this method made the practitioner's essence, qi, and spirit increasingly closely linked.

Simply put, as long as one of the three—essence, qi, or spirit—was strengthened, it would in turn drive the other two to improve as well.

Likewise, if one suffered severe damage, the other two could be expended to accelerate its recovery.

This was indeed an advantage, but when it came to the option of "crippling his cultivation," it became an unavoidable flaw.

The excessively intertwined essence, qi, and spirit would cause Benjamin's body and soul to suffer nearly irreparable damage if he crippled his cultivation.

At that point, becoming a wizard would be the least of his concerns. Whether he could even survive was another matter entirely.

Since I can't get rid of it, I can only disguise it as local power. Once I become an official wizard, perhaps I'll find another solution... Besides that option, I also need to consider my future development...

Benjamin began examining himself. What distinctive traits did he possess compared to other wizards?

The experience of living a second life?

A supernatural system from another world?

Or...

Benjamin instinctively shifted his attention to the white jade palace deep within his consciousness.

His greatest difference from everyone else was, naturally, the supernatural knowledge that came from another world!

It would be too wasteful not to use such a massive advantage, but I can't use it directly either. I need to add a layer of disguise. And since the Wizard World has no Spiritual Power, that knowledge must be adjusted for this world...

After considering it all, Benjamin gradually understood what he needed.

All things considered, he did not need to worry about improving his combat strength in the short term. The discipline he chose should ideally reveal this world's underlying nature, or at the very least allow him to understand and make use of the unique properties of its various substances, energies, and laws.

"Then the answer is obvious."

Having made up his mind, Benjamin decisively turned and headed toward a certain area.

As soon as he approached, he caught a strange smell—a mixture of smelted metal, burned plants, and all manner of unknown reagents.

"Alchemy, which fools regard as an art of metal mutation, is in truth a reflection of cosmic truth. This ancient wisdom is not merely a technique for transforming matter, but also a path toward the sublimation of the soul..."

Benjamin silently read the introduction on the light screen before confirming his choice.

This was what he had chosen: Alchemy Studies.

A discipline that explored changes in matter and the soul, and through them studied the truths of the world.

If he could master it proficiently, it would not only help Benjamin "localize" the techniques within the Great Dao Library, but also assist him in disguising his own power.

He walked straight to an information desk at the very back. Seated there was a wizard who looked extremely "alchemist-like"—he was thin, with hair sparse enough that his scalp was clearly visible. He wore a monocle that would have seemed peculiar in the mortal world, and behind its lens were sharp yet weary eyes.

His knuckles were thick, but his fingers looked remarkably nimble. Clearly, he had dealt with all kinds of materials for many years.

"Hello... Mentor Clark." Benjamin glanced at the nameplate on the man's chest and paused slightly. "I want to join Alchemy Studies."

Clark calmly raised his head and examined Benjamin as he approached with a gaze that seemed capable of seeing through appearances.

"Talent... Level Six?" Mentor Clark adjusted his monocle. There was no surprise in his tone, only simple confirmation.

Clearly, Mentor Clark had already learned Benjamin's assessment results through some method.

"Yes, Mentor," Benjamin answered respectfully.

"A wise choice." Mentor Clark nodded slightly. His tone remained calm, though there was a faint trace of approval in it. "A dead genius is nothing. Those who survive, even with mediocre aptitude, will one day see scenery that belongs to them."

"Yes. I will remember your teachings."

Clark seemed quite satisfied with Benjamin as an apprentice. He said no more and pulled a scroll from beneath the desk.

A faint glow flowed across the surface of the scroll, and it emitted a substantial energy fluctuation.

"The apprentice contract of Noren Workshop." Mentor Clark spread the scroll open and displayed it to Benjamin. "Read it carefully. If you have no questions, you may sign it. Remember, once the contract takes effect, any violation of its terms will carry severe consequences."

Benjamin took a deep breath and accepted the heavy scroll.

The scroll itself was not particularly large, and the content it could display was quite limited.

The words on it were likewise formed from a light screen, but they seemed to cut off halfway through, with no further content.

Benjamin looked up at Mentor Clark, but the other man showed no intention of explaining.

Looking at the small scroll in his hands, Benjamin had an idea. He first pretended to inspect both sides of it, then "tentatively" extended a finger and swiped upward across the light screen.

Just as he had imagined, the text on the scroll moved along with his finger—it was clearly a scroll-shaped display device.

Seeing Benjamin "discover" the proper way to use the scroll in such a short time, even Clark's usually stern face could not help but reveal a satisfied smile.

Because the Logistics Department was so deserted and because of Benjamin's earlier performance, the other Logistics Department mentors had also been secretly watching this place.

When they saw the ability Benjamin had displayed, along with the smug smile on that old man Clark's face, the other mentors' gazes turned "resentful."

Especially when Clark deliberately looked up and flashed them a boastful grin, those resentful looks became filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred.