After practicing Crystal Energy Barrier, Ian did not stop.
He moved before the target, rapidly chanted a spell, and began alternating between Scorching Ray and Lesser Frost Ray.
He focused on practicing swift transitions and coordination between the two.
Scorching Ray's proficiency had silently entered the mastery realm, and he had compressed its casting time to under 0.3 seconds.
The instant Frost Ray struck the target and ice spread across it, he would precisely fire Scorching Ray at the very center of the ice layer.
The clash between extreme cold and extreme heat triggered a small-scale explosion, stacking their destructive power.
He also began attempting to cast spells while rolling sideways and changing direction at high speed, improving his accuracy in complex, ever-changing environments.
Meanwhile, Frost Ray's "Twin" special effect allowed him to attack as he pleased.
Its proficiency had also accumulated to nearly halfway, and its maximum range had reached fifty meters.
The two rays could either target separate enemies or strike the same target at once, producing a stronger freezing effect.
During breaks in his training, he used the Spirit Infusion-enhanced Wizard's Hand to process several simple potion ingredients at once, honing his control precision while saving time.
Life in the camp was tense and oppressive.
During the day, aside from necessary crafting, repairs, and patrols, most apprentices devoted themselves to training in their lodgings or at the training grounds.
There was little conversation. Everyone hurried along, their faces carrying worry for the future and a craving for power.
The shadow of the Crimson Court hung over everyone's hearts.
Ian heard that another two family apprentices patrolling the outskirts had gone missing.
When the other patrol teams arrived, they found only traces of battle and torn clothing.
A battle broke out every few days along the outskirts of this region. The Crimson Court's infiltration had never ceased.
Under such circumstances, Ian pushed himself to the limit in training.
Every night, he took a Limit Break potion and performed six unwavering hours of Deep Meditation.
More and more Will Runes formed in his mind, one small rune after another taking shape.
In the void, scattered Mental Power was continuously gathered and refined, joining the cycle and increasing his upper limit.
[Star-Moon Lower Meditation Method Proficiency +1] [Star-Moon Lower Meditation Method Proficiency +1] [Realm: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (84%)] [Skill: Star-Moon Lower Meditation Method: Mastery (442/800) ...
Seeing the steady yet slow increase in percentage on the Status Panel, Ian felt little joy—only an increasingly intense sense of urgency.
"Too slow."
Even with Limit Break potions, even though he maximized his meditation time every day, breaking through from an Intermediate Apprentice to an Advanced Apprentice was not so simple.
Ian estimated that it might take another twenty days or so before he could truly break through.
Yet the threats beyond the camp might not give him that time.
Time passed, and a month had gone by since Ian arrived at the camp.
Inside the Alchemy Room, he had just finished another round of intense Crystal Energy Barrier practice.
The shield's proficiency was gradually nearing Limit Break as well.
But a vague sensation came from his mind. Delight surged within him, and disregarding his exhaustion, he hurried back to his bedroom.
After calming himself, he sat cross-legged on the bed, swallowed a potion, and sank his consciousness into his Mental Sea.
Nine Great Will Runes glowed and flowed. Beside them, the final small Will Rune that needed to be drawn was only a few strokes away from completion.
Refined Mental Power continuously poured in from the void, filling the final gaps.
[Realm: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (99%)]
"Just one last bit!"
Ian held his breath and focused all his consciousness on the small rune that was about to take shape.
His Mental Power moved slowly along an arcane trajectory like the finest carving blade.
Bit by bit...
Buzz...!
A clear chime rang through his mind as some kind of shackle shattered.
The twenty-seventh small rune abruptly lit up.
Brilliant light flooded the void in his mind. All the runes interlocked, forming an intricate and exquisite three-dimensional pattern that slowly rotated.
Like the most perfect creation, they formed a complete, stable, self-sustaining cycle!
Vast Mental Power burst from the cycle and swept through his entire Mental Sea.
The void Mental Power that originally required guidance to absorb now surged spontaneously into the newborn cycle like rivers returning to the sea, rapidly refined and transformed.
[Realm: Advanced Wizard Apprentice (0%)]
"I finally broke through!"
Ian abruptly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them.
He felt that the world had become clearer than ever before.
The faint clink of armor as distant camp guards changed shifts, the subtle rustle of nocturnal insects crawling over sand near the wall, the weak fluctuations and flow of Magic Power drifting through the air...
Every sensation had been amplified severalfold, each one distinct and layered.
It was not merely his senses.
With a thought, Mental Power surged from his body, making everything within thirty meters around him clearly visible—more than twice as powerful as before!
It was also more condensed and pure, as easy to control as his own limbs, smooth and effortless.
He tried controlling the Spirit Infusion-enhanced Wizard's Hand to perform two different delicate operations at once.
Grinding, stirring, portioning—he handled them without effort, and the consumption was nearly nonexistent.
Ian swiftly recited a spell, and an eyeball condensed in the room, hovering beneath the ceiling.
Eye of Vigilance, which had originally required part of his attention to maintain, could now remain active for long periods.
Its consumption had decreased further as well, effectively giving him another passive extension of his senses.
He rose to his feet and stretched his body.
His flesh had fully adapted to Magic Power's erosion. Though his physical strength had not increased greatly, his stronger and more condensed Mental Power allowed him to control his body with greater precision.
He could also use the strength and endurance enhanced by Rock Bear Potion more efficiently and accurately.
This was an all-around improvement!
"So this is an Advanced Apprentice..."
Ian lightly clenched his fist, feeling the power surging within him. It was an entirely different sensation of strength from before.
When he had broken through to Intermediate Apprentice, the main improvements had been the quantity and density of his Mental Power, allowing it to initially sense the outside world.
With his current Mental Power, he could already make preliminary use of Arcane Mark, but he did not possess that spell yet, so there was no rush.
This breakthrough to Advanced Apprentice was a qualitative leap in his overall strength.
The self-sustaining cycle of Mental Power meant that his recovery speed, operating efficiency, and carrying capacity had all increased drastically.
He could support stronger and more sustained spell consumption, operate multiple spells at once without quickly exhausting himself, and learn and analyze complex knowledge models more rapidly.
If an Intermediate Apprentice had merely mastered the tools, then an Advanced Apprentice truly possessed the powerful arm to wield them, along with an endless source of strength.
With a thought, Ian summoned the Status Panel.
[Realm: Advanced Wizard Apprentice (0%)] [Talent: Medium Light Attribute Affinity] [Skills: Star-Moon Lower Meditation Method: Mastery (586/800) Wizard's Hand: Limit Break 1 time (112/800) (Limit Break Effect: 1. Spirit Infusion) Frost Ray: Limit Break 1 time (389/800) (Limit Break Effect: 1. Twin) Scorching Ray: Mastery (177/800) Crystal Energy Barrier: Mastery (795/800) Awakening Potion: Limit Break 1 time (122/800) (Limit Break Effect: 1. Potent) Basic Potion Identification: Limit Break 1 time (15/800) (Effect: 1. Insight) Lesser Healing Potion: Mastery (37/400) Basic Antidote Potion: Mastery (8/400) Other Skills...]
Looking at the rather "luxurious" Status Panel, Ian felt immensely satisfied.
"The shield's proficiency is almost full too."
Ian's gaze burned as he looked out at the pitch-black night sky beyond the window.
Deep within the canyon, dark red light still flickered.
An Advanced Apprentice was still only a chess piece in this cruel land of war, merely one with slightly more weight.
But at least he was one step closer to becoming a Formal Wizard.
The path to becoming stronger had no end.
And driven by the whip of war, his steps would only grow faster and faster!
Before you continue