First Lesson

"And welcome to the Potion School. From this day onward, you will embark on a long journey in pursuit of life and its mysteries."

Without wasting words, after a brief opening, he went straight into explaining how the Potion School operated:

"Classes are held every day at nine. Any instructors free that day will teach in the small classrooms on the fourth floor. If no instructor is teaching that day, you may arrange your own time."

"From time to time, the school will hold potion-brewing examinations. Those with outstanding results, or those who perform exceptionally well in their daily studies and assignments, may be noticed by an instructor and accepted as a personal apprentice."

He paused, his gaze seeming to brush over the badge on Li Ang's chest.

"In addition," the head of the school continued, "there is a task distribution area in the tower. You may collect tasks within your abilities to earn money to support your studies and life in the tower."

"Finally, children, remember this: the road of potioncraft has no end."

After the induction ceremony, Ellie led the newly minted potion apprentices up the spiral stone stairs to a classroom on the fourth floor, where the faint scent of dried herbs hung in the air.

The classroom was not large. More than twenty dark wooden tables stood within it, and Karin, the blue-robed wizard, was already sprawled over the lectern, listlessly flipping through several drooping herb specimens on the desk.

Her lazy gaze swept over the apprentices filing in, but when it passed over the silver badge on Li Ang's chest, it abruptly stopped. A flash of undisguised astonishment crossed her face.

"Eve's badge?" She raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of incredulous amusement.

"You really struck the jackpot, kid. That one is the tower's famous Reclusive Princess. For over a hundred years, no one had ever heard of her having any intention of taking an apprentice."

She gave a derisive snort, as though sharing some amusing gossip.

"Two years ago, the head of the school nagged her until she got fed up, so she tossed out some so-called apprenticeship requirements just to brush him off. The conditions were outrageously harsh. Anyone with eyes could tell she had never intended to take an apprentice for real. Yet somehow... someone actually managed to blunder right in."

But Li Ang understood those words differently. Eve had no other apprentices, which meant that workshop was practically reserved for him and Instructor Eve alone. No, I can't smile. Hold it in.

Karin looked Li Ang up and down twice. Seeing him standing there rather blankly as he struggled not to laugh, she shook her head and said no more, clearly attributing it to some unimaginable stroke of luck.

Then she tapped the desk, signaling the start of class.

The lesson was unbearably dull, consisting of nothing more than identifying several of the most basic herbs: Tranquility Flower, Silverleaf Orchid, and Stone Root Grass.

Karin quickly waved each herb before the group and dryly recited its physical characteristics and basic medicinal effects.

"That's all. If you can't remember it, look it up yourselves after class. It's all in the first five pages of Fundamentals of Potioncraft." She spoke rapidly, with the perfunctory air of someone merely completing a task. "An hour is up. Class dismissed."

After dismissing class, she looked at the mostly bewildered reserve apprentices below. Her tone rarely carried such seriousness, yet it was even more ruthless for it.

"I'm sure you've already noticed that the pitiful monthly allowance provided by the school is not even enough to fill your stomachs. Remember, the Wizard Tower is no place of charity. Knowledge, resources, even the right to survive—all of it must be fought for by yourselves."

She pointed outside. "On the east side of the main hall on the first floor, there is a task board shared by the three schools. All sorts of tasks are posted there. Go take a look yourselves. For now, that is your only way to earn living expenses."

A faint stir ran through the crowd as unease and pressure quietly spread.

After class, although Li Ang already had a way to obtain commissions through Instructor Eve's workshop, he still followed the crowd toward the first-floor hall.

Quite a few people had already gathered before the enormous task board. Robes of every color were mixed together, and the noise was deafening.

Matthew was among them as well. He wore a badge on his chest too, and several gray-robed apprentices from the Elemental School clustered around him. With his nose in the air, he pointed at the task board while barking orders at several apprentices from the Astrology School nearby, his words sharp and cutting.

Li Ang swept his eyes over the crowd but did not spot Helena.

When Matthew saw Li Ang arriving with the Potion School apprentices, he instinctively wanted to step forward and provoke him. The familiar sneer had only just curled onto his lips.

Then his eyes abruptly caught the silver badge on Li Ang's chest, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

Almost at the same moment, the scene from that night rose vividly before him again—Li Ang lifting a hand, wind pressure erupting, and Kavi being blasted away in an instant.

He subconsciously touched his still faintly aching jaw and the gap where his front tooth had been. Ever since learning magic, he had practiced desperately every day.

But even his prized Spark Spell could at most leave a few scorch marks on a wooden board and inflict mild burns on a person... It could never possess such terrifying force.

A tangle of wariness, fear, and resentment surged into his heart, making his expression shift several times.

In the end, he merely shot Li Ang a vicious glare and let out an extremely soft snort through his nose. It was unclear who he was speaking to when he said, "The allowance of our Elemental School is twice yours."

After that abrupt, contextless remark, he turned to his followers and gruffly said, "Let's go." Then he casually tore down several task sheets and led the Elemental School apprentices away through the crowd.

Li Ang could not be bothered with him. He turned his gaze to the task board, which was densely covered in parchment slips.

Copying the Level-0 Spell Compendium. Neat handwriting required. Reward: 1 copper coin per copy.

Tracing the Beginner Star Map. Drawing skills required. Reward: 2 copper coins per map.

Assisting the supplies department in organizing the warehouse. Good physical condition required. Reward: 1 copper coin per hour.

Looking at those tasks, one reserve apprentice could not help lamenting softly, "Heavens, only one copper coin for copying a book? I can only copy two books a day at most..."

Another looked puzzled. "Why does the Wizard Tower still use such an outdated method? I heard that in the royal capital, they all use Magic Inscribers. Those things can copy hundreds of Level-0 Spell Compendiums in one go."

A brown-robed Apprentice Wizard passing by happened to overhear them. He could not help letting out a scoff as he eyed the rookies sidelong.

"Magic Inscribers? Of course the tower has them. But those things are precious beyond measure. The Magic Crystals consumed each time one is activated are beyond anything you can imagine."

His gaze swept over the group, filled with undisguised contempt.

"With that kind of cost, it's better to use you ready-made, cheapest labor. Be grateful, boys. These jobs could have been handed to those wizard attendants, and having them do it would not cost an extra coin."

With that, he shook his head and strode away, leaving the potion apprentices staring at one another.

Li Ang silently studied the task board and chose one task that caught his interest.

Copying the Level-1 Spell Compendium. Neat handwriting required. Reward: 1 copper coin per copy.

Although the reward was not much, Li Ang was very interested in its contents. He realized that through this task board, he could gain access to material from the Elemental School and even the Astrology School.