Deep in the Dense Forest

The garden flowers swayed gently in the afternoon breeze, and a faint fragrance filled the air. Skylar and Phoebe sat on the ground, enjoying their lunch among the flowers.

The rations provided by the competition organizers were originally just ordinary bread and dried meat slices, but Skylar was already used to improving his diet.

He took some floral dew and honey from the collected materials, dripped them onto the bread, and then softly chanted a strange incantation. Instantly, the air was filled with fragrance, and the shriveled bread suddenly became plump and colorful, making these originally ordinary foods delicious.

Phoebe took the bread Skylar offered, sniffed it lightly, and looked surprised. She took a bite, and her mouth was immediately filled with a sweet floral fragrance. She couldn't help but praise, "I didn't know you had this skill."

Skylar shrugged and slowly ate his portion. "As a wizard, knowing how to utilize the resources around you is a basic skill."

Phoebe chuckled softly, watching his composed demeanor, a sense of admiration welling up within her. He had remained unperturbed throughout, showing no sign of panic, whether collecting the Potions ingredients or tending to her wounds. How had Skylar cultivated such calmness?

They rested briefly among the flowers, as gathering herbs required both physical strength and patience. When the afternoon sun softened a bit, Skylar was the first to get up, dust off his clothes, and casually checked his satchel to make sure all the important materials were ready.

Then, he looked up at the sky, his gaze shifting between the clouds and the angle of the sunlight for a moment, before squinting slightly and saying in a deep voice, "It's already past two in the afternoon, and we have less than four hours left before the collection time ends."

Upon hearing this, Phoebe was stunned for a moment, then stared at him with wide eyes. "You can actually tell the time by observing celestial phenomena?"

Skylar shrugged, his tone flat and casual. "Isn't this basic knowledge? We learned it in Astronomy."

Phoebe couldn't help but chuckle, "Theory is one thing, but very few wizards actually know how to use it. Even in my previous Astronomy exams, I only got high marks by rote memorization."

She couldn't help but glance at Skylar again, her eyes filled with amazement. Many wizards believed that Astronomy knowledge was merely textbook material, and very few could truly apply it flexibly. Yet Skylar had mastered it with ease and naturalness, which undoubtedly once again proved his extraordinary talent and knowledge.

Skylar glanced at her, a slight smile playing on his lips, "If I remember correctly, your Astronomy grades weren't bad, were they?"

Phoebe raised her chin, saying with a hint of pride, "Of course, I've received an excellent award before."

"Why don't we give it a try?" Skylar pointed to the sky. "Or, you could determine the exact time right now?"

Phoebe paused for a moment, then frowned, trying hard to recall what she had learned in Astronomy. She looked up and observed for a while, but finally said uncertainly, "Around... 2:30?"

Skylar's lips curled into a smile. He didn't speak, but looked at her meaningfully, his eyes filled with a hint of mockery.

Phoebe felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze and immediately retorted, "Don't look at me like that! Even if it's inaccurate, it's only a few minutes off!"

Skylar chuckled softly, stopping his teasing and saying seriously, "Time is limited, we need to hurry."

Phoebe gave a soft snort but did not refute further. She stretched her limbs and nodded.

Skylar took out several extra materials from his herb bag, carefully sorted them, and handed them to Phoebe: "These are some I collected, and you happen to need them."

Phoebe accepted the carefully selected herbs and petals, her eyes flickering slightly. She had originally planned to find them herself, but Skylar had clearly gotten there first, and the materials he gave her were of extremely high quality, almost flawless.

She gave a soft snort and carefully put away the Potions ingredients, "At least you have some conscience."

Skylar smiled slightly and said casually, "I'm just worried that you won't have enough materials later and will come crying to me again."

Phoebe wrinkled her nose slightly, about to retort, but Skylar had already turned and walked towards the dense forest. She paused for a moment, then quickly followed Skylar's steps, a slight smile unconsciously curving her lips.

The next destination is the other end of the garden—deep in the dense forest.

After passing through the flower bushes, Skylar and Phoebe came to a winding stream. The water was crystal clear, and lush moss and aquatic plants grew on both banks.

Skylar crouched down and casually scooped up a small clump of "Crystal Moss" growing by the stream. This type of moss is rich in magic and is an important ingredient in some special Potions.

"How are we going to get across?" Phoebe stood by the stream, looking at the fast-flowing water, her brows furrowed slightly.

If Skylar remembers correctly, there's a bridge somewhere along this stream in the original world, but a formidable Troll lurks beneath it. Since high-damage magic can't be used, Potions must be crafted and used on the spot to put it to sleep—that would be too troublesome and time-consuming. (Note: They don't have a cauldron, but they have various basic potions provided by the competition organizers; they just need to add the gathered materials.)

He has a better way.

Skylar stood up, scanned his surroundings, and quickly spotted a protruding rock. He extended his wand, whispered a spell, and a transparent magical barrier slowly extended above the stream, forming an invisible "floating bridge."

He stepped forward first, testing the stability, then turned back and extended his hand to Phoebe: "Come on."

Phoebe hesitated for a moment, but finally placed her hand in his palm.

Skylar's hand was warm and strong, his fingertips slightly curled, steadily guiding her onto the magical floating bridge. Although the "bridge" beneath her feet was transparent, as if she were standing in the air, under Skylar's guidance, Phoebe felt no unease whatsoever.

Once they successfully reached the other side, Phoebe noticed that her heart seemed to be beating faster than usual. She gently shook off Skylar's hand and said, feigning composure, "This magical floating bridge is passable."

Skylar gave her a half-smile, said nothing, and continued walking deeper into the dense forest.

After crossing the stream, the surrounding scenery gradually changes.

The bright colors of the flowerbeds gradually faded, replaced by tall, dense forests. The trees here had thick trunks and intertwined canopies, blocking most of the sunlight and making the interior of the forest appear dark and mysterious. The air was filled with the scent of damp earth, and occasionally, the low murmurs of some Magical Creatures could be heard.

Skylar glanced at the Potions list. The main targets deep in the forest were several Potions ingredients that possessed certain dangers, such as Devil's Snare, Deathcap Mushroom, Venomous Tentacula, and Mandrake.

"There might be some dangerous Magical Creatures in the dense forest; we need to be careful," Skylar said in a low voice, while alertly observing his surroundings.

Phoebe nodded slightly, her expression becoming more serious.