The Road Ahead

A new entry appeared on the panel.

This spell would undoubtedly greatly increase Luo Lin's speed and breadth of acquiring knowledge.

After mastering [Literacy], Luo Lin began systematically making use of his enhanced privileges and resources.

He first returned to the library. This time, he headed directly for the area previously inaccessible to Third-Rank Apprentices and above.

The books here were clearly older and weightier, and the knowledge they covered was more profound.

He saw <Fundamental Configuration Theory of Elemental Particles>, <Preliminary Exploration of Mental Power Materialization>, <Analysis of Common Bloodline Charts and Their General Characteristics>, Fundamentals and Drawing of Basic Magic Arrays, and more.

The borrowing fees had risen accordingly.

Borrowing the most basic copy of <Fundamental Configuration Theory of Elemental Particles> for a single day cost 50 contribution points.

Luo Lin did not hesitate. He knew this knowledge was the foundation for building higher-level power.

He spent 200 contribution points to borrow it for four days, then began reading with ravenous hunger.

With [Efficient Scholar] and [Literacy] working together, his efficiency in reading and comprehending such profound books far exceeded that of ordinary people.

He learned that, in essence, wizards cast spells by using mental power to guide external energy particles, combining and arranging them according to specific models to trigger various phenomena.

Zero-ring spells relied more heavily on an apprentice's own mana, while higher-level spells increasingly depended on the manipulation of external energy particles.

The deeper one's understanding of energy particle configurations, the greater the power of a spell could become, while its consumption might actually decrease.

This opened a new door for him.

He was no longer satisfied with merely constructing spells according to their models. He began trying to understand the principles of the energy particle configurations behind the nodes in the [Acid Spray] model responsible for converting mana into corrosive energy.

The process was difficult, but every bit of understanding deepened his grasp of spells.

At the same time, he had not set aside his studies in potion-making.

Using his status as a laboratory assistant, after completing the tasks assigned by Wizard Eric, he gained permission to consult some of the laboratory's internal basic potion materials.

Though these materials did not involve core secrets, they were far more detailed than the public versions in the library. They also included many recorded failures and handling techniques left behind by previous apprentices and wizards.

He focused on low-level potion formulas related to mental power and physique, trying to understand the principles behind the properties and combinations of different ingredients instead of merely memorizing procedures by rote.

Using the laboratory's relatively precise instruments, he analyzed the composition of his improved [Stamina Recovery Potion].

He tried to find ways to improve its effects further.

Progress was slow, but every small discovery deepened his understanding of potion-making.

As for contribution points, he maintained his cooperation with Grey Tower General Store.

He provided twenty [Stamina Recovery Potions] every week, earning a net income of around 400 contribution points.

His assistant work in the Insect School laboratory also brought him between 200 and 300 contribution points each week, depending on the difficulty of the tasks.

Together with the occasional high-difficulty material processing commissions he accepted, his stable weekly income stood at 700 contribution points.

This was an enormous fortune, enough to make most Third-Rank Apprentices envious.

But Luo Lin's expenditures were equally astonishing.

Purchasing [Clearheart Incense] to nourish his mental power cost him 100 contribution points every week.

Purchasing [Basic Body Tempering Potion] to strengthen his physique cost him 150 contribution points every week.

Renting an advanced meditation room within the academy that had a weak elemental gathering effect cost 10 contribution points per hour. He used it around ten hours each week, spending 100 contribution points.

Then there were the massive expenses of buying various knowledge books and notes, averaging 200 to 300 contribution points every week.

Combined with his daily expenses, his weekly surplus was not large. His total contribution points remained around 5,000 and grew slowly.

The results brought by such heavy investment were also obvious.

Under the piling up of resources and his own hard work, all his attributes steadily improved:

[Level: Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice (Progress 15%)]

[Attributes:

Mental Power: 3.7

Mana: 37/37

Physique: 1.5]

[Basic Meditation Method (Mastery 85%)]

[Spells: Mage Hand (Proficiency 95%), Acid Spray (Beginner 55%), Weak Force-Field Armor (Proficiency 25%), Literacy (Beginner 30%)]

The proficiency of [Basic Potion Material Processing] and [Basic Magical Botany] was also slowly but steadily increasing.

After becoming a Third-Rank Apprentice, another notable change was the shift in his social circle.

He was no longer an unnoticed low-rank apprentice and began having scattered interactions with others.

Once, in an advanced meditation room, he encountered Lina Sharp, who had ranked second in the assessment.

She seemed somewhat curious about Luo Lin. She took the initiative to nod at him, and they briefly exchanged insights on meditation efficiency.

Luo Lin maintained his usual caution. He did not reveal too much, but neither did he refuse to communicate.

Kyle Silverglow, who had ranked first, was far more arrogant. When they occasionally met in public areas, Kyle would generally walk past without even looking at him.

In addition, some small circles and minor trade gatherings formed by Third-Rank Apprentices began extending vague invitations to him.

These circles were usually made up of apprentices with similar backgrounds or research directions. They exchanged information and resources, and sometimes even cooperated to complete certain tasks.

Luo Lin politely declined most invitations. He was accustomed to researching alone and did not want to get involved in complicated group relationships too early.

However, he paid attention to information circulating through these circles, such as which wizard's laboratory was recruiting or which ruin exploration mission would soon open. This gave him a better understanding of the academy's developments.

About a month after the assessment ended, Wizard Eric summoned him to the laboratory.

"Luo Lin, I am very satisfied with your performance during this time."

Wizard Eric said.

"You handle materials carefully, and you study diligently."

"As my assistant, you are qualified to learn more."

"Our Insect School mainly researches the use, cultivation, and modification of various insect creatures with extraordinary traits."

"They can be excellent sources of materials, such as Dream Spiders."

"They can also be research assistants, such as Crystal-Eyed Beetles capable of detecting energy fluctuations."

"They can even become combat companions."

He took Luo Lin deeper into the laboratory and showed him several breeding areas containing strange insects Luo Lin had never seen before.

Some emitted intense elemental fluctuations, while others possessed extremely bizarre mental force fields.

"There are countless paths for wizards. The Insect School is only one of them."

"But regardless of which path you choose, some foundations are universal."

Wizard Eric spoke very seriously.

"For example, understanding the essence of life, and understanding the conversion of energy and matter."

"Those are the steps that lead to truth!"

"Do not let the name of a school limit your vision."

Luo Lin benefited greatly from these words.

Wizard Eric was reminding him not to focus solely on the techniques and power before him, but to look toward more fundamental knowledge.

"You have put quite a bit of thought into potion-making recently?"

Wizard Eric suddenly asked.

Luo Lin answered honestly, "Yes, sir. I am very interested in the principles of potions."

"Hmm." Wizard Eric pondered for a moment.

"The laboratory's lower-level archive contains some public materials on the energy charts of basic potion ingredients. You can take a look when you have time."

"Perhaps they will help you understand how medicinal properties combine. I have already granted you access."

Joy rose in Luo Lin's heart.

"Thank you, Wizard!"

This was an unexpected delight.

Energy charts concerned the more essential properties of materials and were far more precise than descriptions of their outward appearance.

"Work hard. The threshold for becoming an official wizard is higher than you imagine."

"Many people remain stuck at the peak of Third-Rank Apprentice for their entire lives because their foundations are insufficient, or their understanding of the rules fails to meet the requirements."

Wizard Eric waved a hand, signaling that he could leave.

Luo Lin left the laboratory, unable to calm himself for a long while.

Wizard Eric's guidance and the newly opened energy chart materials had pointed him toward a clearer direction.

He no longer improved merely for the sake of improvement. He began consciously building his own system of knowledge and understanding the rules behind power.

Luo Lin immersed himself in deeper study and research.

During the day, he spent large amounts of time in the library reading profound theoretical books.

At night, he used [Literacy] in the laboratory to study the energy charts of those basic potion ingredients, trying to verify theory against the phenomena in his own potion-making practice.

The process was slow and difficult. He often spent several hours without making any progress.

But Luo Lin enjoyed it.

Whenever he matched the energy particle configuration theories in books to a node in a spell model, or understood through an energy chart why one material could react with another in a particular way, he felt a joy rising from the depths of his heart.

It was the satisfaction of touching the underlying laws of the world.

His strength steadily grew without his noticing, and his understanding of the wizarding world deepened by the day.

He knew he was walking the right path.

Although his pace seemed to have slowed, every step he took was incomparably solid.

The outline of the future gradually became clearer through these day-after-day accumulations.