The Second Astral Star

Li Ang suddenly came back to his senses. Looking at his slightly trembling, ink-stained fingers, his eyes brimmed with delight.

He had finally broken through!

He immediately summoned his panel to check.

[Name: Li Ang]

[Current Spiritual Power: 15/15]

[Mental World Magic Starlets: 2]

[Bound Facilities: Gale-Sailing Canvas Lv.1, Acceleration Pocket Watch Lv.1, Standard Practice Cauldron Lv.1, Blackstone Grinding Mortar Lv.1, Inferior Gray Feather Quill Lv.1]

He finally had two Astral Stars. He was only one step away from becoming an Apprentice Wizard.

Intense joy flooded his heart. He closed his eyes and felt his perception of the surrounding magic power become even clearer.

When he opened his eyes again and looked at the Level-1 Spell Compendium on the table, of which he had copied only one page, a smile curled across Li Ang's lips.

It seemed this copying task was far more valuable than he had imagined.

After a brief thought, Li Ang decided to upgrade the [Acceleration Pocket Watch] to Lv2 first. As the pocket watch successfully upgraded—

He chuckled and picked up his pen again, bending over the desk to write furiously. Sorry, classmates, but I was going to grind every last one of you into the dirt.

The pen tip danced, and the casting essentials of various Level-1 spells surfaced in his mind one by one, as though he had truly practiced them himself.

As time passed, his spiritual power gradually recovered somewhat. Looking at the feather quill in his hand, a thought stirred in his mind.

[Upgrade successful]

[Inferior Gray Feather Quill: Lv2]

[Current Effects: Copying Speed +20%, Magical Insight +20%]

"The effect is even more obvious now."

Li Ang nodded in satisfaction and bent over his desk once more, writing furiously as time quietly slipped away beneath his pen tip.

When the hands of the black wooden clock on his desk pointed to three in the morning, Li Ang finally finished the last page of the second Level-1 Spell Compendium.

He let out a long breath, set down the feather quill, and rubbed his aching wrist and brow.

After such prolonged, high-intensity copying, even with the pocket watch restoring his spiritual power, his body was beginning to struggle.

"That's enough for today." Li Ang blew out the oil lamp, and the room returned to darkness. He fell onto the soft bed and almost instantly sank into deep sleep.

It felt as though he had only closed his eyes for a moment before crisp chimes awakened Li Ang again. Opening his eyes, he saw that daylight had already come, and the clock pointed exactly to eight.

He had slept for barely five hours, yet under the effects of the [Acceleration Pocket Watch], he felt refreshed and full of energy. The spiritual power he had expended yesterday had also completely recovered.

He got up briskly, washed up, changed into his gray robe, pinned on his badge, and headed lightly toward the cafeteria.

At the cafeteria entrance, he happened to run into Lottie. The two entered together as though by unspoken agreement. Li Ang still chose the premium set meal, while Lottie firmly refused his offer to buy her breakfast. However, she did not resist Li Ang sharing his food with her—in fact, she seemed somewhat expectant.

After breakfast, the apprentices made their way to the small classroom on the fourth floor in twos and threes. Lottie obediently followed behind Li Ang, and the two entered the classroom together.

Today's instructor was a male wizard clad in a blue robe, with white hair and beard and sharp eyes.

His gaze swept over every apprentice entering the room like that of an eagle. When he saw the distinctive silver badge on Li Ang's chest, he paused. A faintly teasing expression appeared on his ordinarily placid face. "Oh? So you're the lucky brat chosen by the 'Reclusive Princess'?"

Though Li Ang was somewhat puzzled as to why they all called Instructor Eve that, he still gave a polite bow. "That is correct."

The old wizard withdrew his gaze and said nothing more.

Once the apprentices were seated, he tapped the lectern. His voice was hoarse, yet extraordinarily penetrating.

"I am your instructor for today, Edwin Hayes. Today's lesson is the preparation of the [Night Owl Potion].

"This potion can temporarily enhance the drinker's visual acuity in dim-light environments. Among basic potions, it is also one of the simplest."

Edwin was concise and direct, immediately beginning his explanation of the potion's ingredient ratios and preparation essentials.

The entire explanation lasted only around ten minutes, even faster than Karin's lesson last time.

Quite a few reserve apprentices were utterly lost, staring at one another beneath the lectern.

Last class, they had only been identifying herbs. How had they jumped straight to brewing potions today? The gap in between was simply too vast.

One apprentice with a bit more courage gathered himself and spoke up. "Instructor Edwin, isn't this... pace somewhat—"

"Fast?" Edwin cut him off coldly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room.

"The wizard's path has never been walked step by step. Resources and guidance are limited; more often than not, you must rely on your own study and comprehension."

"Anyone who lacks even this much self-learning ability should pack up and go home early, lest you waste the tower's resources."

His words struck the ground like iron nails, silencing every apprentice who still harbored wishful thoughts. The atmosphere instantly grew grave.

The practical session began. Each apprentice received a set of materials for preparing the Night Owl Potion. Solemn expressions covered every face as they returned to their seats with the ingredients and began attempting the brew.

With a thought, Li Ang first upgraded his Standard Practice Cauldron to Lv2. Then, recalling the points Instructor Edwin had just explained, he compared them one by one against the contents recorded in Fundamentals of Potioncraft.

After sorting through the process once, Li Ang began brewing as well. The materials they had received were already preliminarily processed. The apprentices only needed to control the heat and guide their spiritual power. For Li Ang, who had already brewed potions several times, this was child's play.

This time, Li Ang did not choose to use the Water Creation Spell to condense pure water. Instead, like the ordinary apprentices, he used the regular purified water supplied in the classroom. He did not want to expose too many of the methods he possessed.

In the end, while most reserve apprentices' cauldrons either belched black smoke or congealed into strange-colored lumps, only Li Ang and another gray-robed apprentice successfully brewed Night Owl Potions as black as ink.

Edwin strode over and first picked up the other gray-robed apprentice's potion for a careful inspection. As he examined it, he nodded faintly, and a rare trace of approval appeared on his face.

"Mm, the purity is good. As expected of a child of the Field Lineage, with family learning passed down through the generations. Rufus Field, you have not disgraced your father."

Rufus gave a reserved slight bow, his face wearing the calmness of someone who found this only natural.

Edwin then picked up Li Ang's potion and inspected it just as carefully. Suddenly, an almost imperceptible flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

This potion had actually reached excellent quality? An ordinary apprentice possessed greater talent than the descendant of a wizard family specializing in potions? For a traditional wizard like him, who placed great importance on lineage, this was somewhat difficult to accept.

Yet he did not reveal much. He merely commented blandly, "Mm, you pass as well."

At that moment, a thunderous bang exploded through the classroom, and chaos immediately erupted all around them.

"My heavens, what was that sound?"

"My ears... I... I can't hear anything!"

"What is this? I'm covered in sticky stuff!"

The sudden explosion startled even Edwin, who had kept a stern face the entire time. He quickly realized what had happened, and his expression instantly turned livid. "Everyone, remain calm."