Breakthrough

Ian ignored all external matters, training desperately in his pursuit to break through to an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.

A few days ago, Kenna had visited Ian once, mentioning that Simon had appeared in the vicinity but had already been driven away. He told Ian to focus on his training without worry, as he would keep a close watch on the surroundings.

Ian understood the situation well, it seems being a Potion Master really makes a difference.

He had also considered whether the two of them could cooperate.

In this cruel world, even with his Status Panel, the efficiency of training alone would be very low.

After all, the Status Panel could not conjure resources out of thin air.

On the afternoon of the twenty-fifth day since his return from Nightfall Town.

Ian suddenly felt his Mental Power becoming extremely active.

He hurried back to his bedroom, calmed his mind, and consumed the potion.

Soon, Ian seemed to hear a soft "pop," and his Mental Power broke through a certain barrier.

Within his mind, nine complex, exquisite, and interlocking Will runes had fully formed.

"Hum!"

At this moment, the Will runes were more complete than before, as if they had come to life!

They rotated slightly, shimmering with a soft, moonlit glow.

Around them, tiny specks of starlight flickered.

In the void of his mind, the scattered Mental Power began to surge and converge toward the runes.

The runes trembled slightly, and with every vibration, they refined the Mental Power that continued to gather.

The intensity and total volume of his Mental Power rose like a rising tide.

He did not know how much time had passed before Ian awoke from his trance.

He focused his mind to sense the changes; his promoted Mental Power flowed between the runes like liquid mercury, smooth and unobstructed.

His control over his Mental Power had reached a new level, allowing him to project it slightly and interfere with reality for the first time.

This brought him an incredibly strange sensory experience.

In the bedroom, Ian sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes still closed.

Yet, the scene within a ten-meter radius was displayed in vivid detail.

He could "see" tiny currents of wind swirling around him.

Under the ground at the corner of the house outside, a small insect was clumsily pushing through the soil, digging its way upward.

He could "see" the bright red blood rushing through his veins.

He could clearly feel the vigorous vitality throughout his body.

And around his chest, there were tiny, greyish patches.

"Patches?!!"

Ian was instantly jolted awake and opened his eyes.

He hurriedly got out of bed, feeling a slight, dull ache in his chest.

"How could this happen?" He quickly lit a lamp and began to examine himself carefully.

He discovered some tiny grey fungal spots, which appeared to be symptoms of Magic Power erosion!

After a while, Ian figured out the cause.

With potions taken constantly and his meditation frequency too high, his current body could not withstand such frequent Magic Power erosion.

"It seems I must find a way to strengthen my physique."

The situation was not yet severe; he simply needed to balance his physical strengthening with the erosion caused by his Magic Power.

Setting these thoughts aside, Ian called up his Status Panel.

[Name: Ian Marcus]

[Age: 16]

[Realm: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (1%)]

[Talent: Medium Light Attribute Affinity]

[Skills: Star-Moon Lower Meditation Method: Proficient (152/400)

Wizard's Hand: Proficient (160/200)

Lesser Frost Ray: Mastery (368/400)

Awakening Potion: Proficient (2/200)

Basic Potion Identification: Mastery (10/400)]

Looking at his somewhat "luxurious" Status Panel, Ian smiled.

Since crossing over, his tightly wound nerves finally began to relax.

In particular, his Lesser Frost Ray had been ground to a level unimaginable for a Low-Level Apprentice in such a short time.

He had originally wanted to test the changes in power after his promotion in the courtyard, but looking at the already ruined ground, he abandoned the idea.

Seeing that it was still early, Ian stepped out of his house with a light gait.

He arrived at an empty clearing in the woods and stood still.

His hand gestures were completed rapidly, and as soon as the incantation left his lips, Ian felt the difference.

The Mental Power condensed in his mind obeyed his commands like an extension of his own arm, resonating instantly with his Magic Power.

With a sharp whistle, a streak of deep blue light flew out.

The ray easily pierced through a large tree twenty meters away, yet it did not dissipate, continuing to fly for some distance.

The tree trunk was wrapped in a thick layer of ice, half a finger thick.

Ray-type spells were the fastest of their tier, and the higher the degree of condensation, the greater the power.

"This... doesn't quite look like the power of a Low-Level spell!"

Ian walked over to observe it closely; it was different from the frost patterns of before.

The ice layer not only dealt freezing damage but also possessed a powerful binding effect.

He tried it a few more times, and the maximum range of the spell reached nearly thirty meters.

The consumption of Mental Power was also acceptable, allowing him to cast it about ten times in a row.

He did not continue practicing and hurried back home. After eating something casually, he went out again.

Just as he walked near Kenna's residence, Kenna heard the commotion and walked out.

"Ian, what brings you here today? Is something the matter?"

Kenna admired Ian, who had actually managed to stay indoors for nearly a month.

It seemed that even a genius had to practice diligently to become a Potion Master.

"Brother Kenna, thank you for what happened last time."

After entering the door, Ian handed over an Awakening Potion.

"Good, I won't stand on ceremony with you then; I'll shamelessly accept it."

Kenna accepted the potion readily, his tone becoming a few degrees warmer.

"Regarding what you mentioned before about Simon having an Advanced Apprentice behind him, how much do you know?"

Last time in Nightfall Town, that old woman had left a deep impression on him.

Ian was now very wary of Advanced Apprentices, feeling that he was far from being their match.

"I only heard my teammates mention it once; I only know they are members of the Nightshadow Society."

When Kenna spoke of the Nightshadow Society, his eyes were full of apprehension.

"Nightshadow Society? How come I've never heard of it?"

Although Ian had been ignorant of worldly affairs before, he knew a bit about the famous apprentice organizations within the High Tower, and he had never heard of any Nightshadow Society.

"It's a newly emerged organization formed by a dozen or so Advanced Apprentices. I heard it's full of Dark-Attribute Wizards."

Dark-Attribute Wizards were mostly sinister and ruthless in their dealings.

They possessed many mysterious and unpredictable spells, and ordinary apprentices dared not provoke them.

"Then, will driving Simon away before bring you any retaliation?"

Ian was also a bit worried, not expecting Simon to have such a background.

"That shouldn't be an issue. Simon seems to be just an outer member, and such small private matters won't attract the attention of the Nightshadow Society."

Kenna didn't seem to care on the surface, but a hint of hidden worry still flickered in the depths of his eyes.

The two chatted for a while longer, and seeing that Kenna knew very little about the night, Ian changed the subject.

"I heard you have a team that has been hunting Magic Beasts. How come I've never seen them?"

His visit this time wasn't just a casual drop-in to say thanks.

He wanted to get in touch with Kenna's team to see if they were worth collaborating with.

"We are usually very busy; we are either hunting Magic Beasts or searching for potions everywhere. Why are you looking for them..."

Don't let Kenna's rugged appearance fool you; he was quite sharp-minded. He seemed to have guessed something, and his eyes brightened.

Ian nodded gently, not denying it.

"I want to meet them to see if we can work together."

Acquiring potions was only the first step; he wouldn't sell a large quantity of potions right from the start.

He had to observe for a period of time to see the working style of each person on the team.