When he finished work and left the Herb Shop, Ron carefully tucked the few bottles of Refreshing Potion into his clothes.
Although Mrs. Allen had said they were merely defective products, they were still a rare gain for a Candidate Apprentice like him.
In Black Mist Forest, a bottle of perfect-quality Refreshing Potion often cost more than a dozen Magic Stone Fragments.
Even this kind of defective potion could fetch at least two or three Magic Stone Fragments at the market.
And this was only the most basic Refreshing Potion—made primarily from Moonlight Grass and Carbon Breath Grass, with other supplementary ingredients added in.
Compared to advanced potions made from rare materials, its effects were naturally far inferior.
But it was already more than enough for Ron at his current stage.
Although this potion could not directly increase mental power, it allowed its user to remain highly alert for a short time.
Compared to the bitter water brewed from Black Nettle Leaves, not only was its refreshing effect several times stronger, but even the nauseating bitterness that potions were known for had been balanced to perfection.
No wonder some apprentices from better backgrounds would rather spend a fortune to keep several bottles on hand.
Lost in thought, Ron returned to his room.
Although the morning's work and practice had drained much of his energy, he had no intention of resting just yet.
The assessment deadline was drawing closer and closer. Every second was precious.
Besides, he was eager to verify the idea that had just occurred to him.
Taking out a bottle of Refreshing Potion, Ron carefully examined the clear amber liquid inside.
Under the dim light, tiny silver particles could be seen drifting within it. They were remnants of Moonlight Grass.
"Let's begin."
Ron sat on the bed, adjusted himself into the most comfortable position, and carefully took a small sip of Refreshing Potion.
A cool sensation instantly spread from his throat through his entire body, like a spring flowing through a dried-up riverbed.
The fatigue brought on by his morning training and work was swept away, replaced by an unusually lucid state.
This effect... Ron clicked his tongue inwardly. No wonder so many people flock to it.
He then closed his eyes and entered a meditative state.
This time, he tried combining the circulation of his mental power with the clarity brought by the potion.
In this unprecedentedly keen state, Ron could sense the flow of his mental power more clearly.
The subtle fluctuations that were usually difficult to catch had now become plainly visible.
"So that's how it is."
He suddenly realized that the residual energy fluctuations in the potion bore an astonishing resemblance to the rhythm of mental power.
Perhaps that was why Refreshing Potion could help stabilize mental power.
Basic Meditation began.
Within his consciousness, the basic rune formed from three arcs began to take shape.
But this time, Ron did not mechanically copy it as he usually did. Instead, he tried to let the rune form naturally with the pulse of his mental power.
It was like writing elegant cursive. What mattered was not rigidly copying the shape of each letter, but mastering the connection between every stroke.
Gradually, he felt an unprecedented sense of fluidity.
His mental power was like a gentle stream, slowly gathering under the rune's guidance.
Special effect triggered: Potion Amplification—meditation effectiveness slightly increased this time. Basic Meditation experience +1 Basic Meditation experience +1 Basic Meditation experience +1 ...
"This rate of improvement..." Ron opened his eyes, pleasantly surprised as he watched the experience on the panel steadily increase.
Aside from the boost brought by the potion, the increased rate of mental power accumulation granted by the Potion Apprentice profession was also quietly taking effect.
Just as Ron was preparing to continue meditating, Darund's irritated voice came from next door again. "Why is the Spell Model for Sonic Tremor always unstable?"
This was followed by a series of clattering crashes, as though some experimental apparatus had been smashed.
That persistent researcher of Sonic Spells had clearly hit another bottleneck.
Hearing the sound, Ron suddenly remembered something.
Come to think of it, he seemed never to have seriously studied the zero-ring spell, Slime Splash.
Among the basic spell scrolls distributed by the School, aside from the Basic Meditation Method, this was the only simplest zero-ring spell.
In the world of wizards, spells were like precious seeds. Every wizard would devote their lifetime to cultivating a few of them, allowing them to grow into unique sources of power.
A spell's ring level represented the complexity of its Spell Model, rather than directly indicating its power.
Most apprentices would never truly master more than two or three spells in their lives. Even those with exceptional talent found it difficult to become proficient in multiple spells at once.
For every spell, true mastery meant integrating it into one's mental system. That was an exceptionally long and difficult process.
Opening the notebook he carried with him, he found the casting principles he had hastily recorded before:
"Some zero-ring spells can even display astonishing power in the hands of true wizards, surpassing that of high-ring spells."
"Every spell is a seed. An apprentice's task is not to mechanically memorize the casting steps, but to find a way to resonate with that seed and let it take root and sprout in the soil of their mind."
"The zero-ring spell Slime Splash requires the formation of a droplet-shaped mental power structure. It may appear simple, but it actually contains several different energy circulation patterns."
Ron carefully reviewed the contents. His understanding of mental power was no longer what it had been, and after gaining insight into rhythm during this period, perhaps he could understand this spell from an entirely new perspective.
Pressing his cold palms against his face to wake himself up, he began condensing mental power according to the method in his notes.
The clarity brought by the Refreshing Potion was still lingering, allowing him to perceive every fluctuation of mental power with greater sensitivity.
Forming the shape of a droplet in his mind was not difficult. The hard part was keeping that shape stable and giving it the proper rhythm.
Ron remembered what the instructors had once said: true spell mastery was a lengthy process.
For a Primary Apprentice, mastering one or two spells was already quite remarkable. Intermediate Apprentices often spent years deeply studying the variations and applications of a single spell rather than blindly pursuing quantity.
Only at the High-level Apprentice stage would they begin trying to improve and merge the spells they had mastered, creating power more personal to themselves.
Only upon reaching the level of a Formal Wizard would one be qualified to attempt the creation of entirely new spells.
By then, they had integrated several mastered spells into their souls and could draw upon the power of heaven and earth with every gesture.
That was why, in the eyes of ordinary people, wizards seemed capable of casting powerful spells without chanting incantations—those spells had already become as instinctive as breathing.
Just as he did when preparing potions, Ron tried guiding his mental power with a similar method.
Rather than forcing it to take shape immediately, he followed its natural flow and slowly gathered it into the form of a droplet.
Zero-ring spell *Slime Splash* casting began. Mental Power Control method optimization detected. Potion Apprentice profession bonus: mental power manipulation precision slightly increased.
"Looks like I'm on the right track." Ron could feel the Spell Model taking shape with unprecedented stability.
The sensation was like finding the perfect balance between ingredients while preparing a potion.
When every force was in harmony, the spell naturally took shape.
Slime Splash experience +2
"So that's how it is."
Ron opened his eyes and looked at the small glob of slime condensed in his hand.
This casting had not only gone far more smoothly than before, but it had also consumed noticeably less mental power.
But he knew that he still had a long way to go before truly mastering this spell.
This was only an initial understanding. To truly internalize it as part of his own power would require countless attempts and failures.
Just as the instructors often said, "A wizard may spend an entire lifetime and still only have enough time to master a few spells. Yet it is precisely this focus and depth that allows those spells to reach heights beyond ordinary imagination."
It seemed that not only Potions, but even the most basic spells followed certain specific laws.
And through his understanding of rhythm, he seemed to have found a shortcut to improvement.
Just as Ron was preparing to continue his experiment, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps in the corridor, seemingly mixed with quiet sobbing.
He pricked up his ears warily. At a time like this, any unusual disturbance was worth being cautious about.
Especially after everything that had happened yesterday...
Before you continue