Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

Ian ignored all external affairs and devoted himself to cultivation, seeking only to break through to the intermediate wizard apprentice level.

A few days ago, Kenna visited Ian and said that Simon had appeared nearby but had been chased away by him. He told Ian to focus on his cultivation and that he would take good care of the surroundings.

Ian knew it all too well. "It seems becoming a potion master really makes a difference."

He also considered whether the two could cooperate.

In this cruel world, even if he has a skill panel, his cultivation efficiency will be very low when he cultivates alone.

After all, the panel cannot conjure resources out of thin air.

It was the afternoon of the twenty-fifth day since I returned from Nightfall Town.

Ian suddenly felt his mental energy was extremely active.

He quickly returned to his bedroom, calmed himself down, and took the medicine.

Soon, Ian seemed to hear a soft "pop" sound, as his mental energy broke through some kind of barrier.

In his mind, nine complex and intricate runes of will, interlocked with each other, had taken full shape.

"Buzz!"

The will runes were now more complete than before, as if they had come to life!

They turned slightly, shimmering with the soft glow of the moonlight.

Around them, tiny specks of light flickered.

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

The runes trembled slightly, each vibration tempering the ever-accumulating spiritual power.

The intensity and total amount of mental strength are rising like a tide.

……

After an unknown amount of time, Ian snapped out of his daze.

He calmed his mind and sensed the power; his enhanced spiritual energy flowed smoothly through the runes like mercury.

His control over his mental power has reached a new level; he can now slightly project it outward and begin to interfere with reality.

This gave him an extremely strange sensory experience.

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

The scene within a ten-meter radius is clearly visible in every detail.

He could "see" the tiny gusts of wind swirling around him.

On the ground in the corner of the wall outside, a small insect is clumsily digging upwards, pushing through the soil.

He could "see" the bright red blood surging in his veins.

He could clearly feel the vibrant life force emanating from his body.

There are also small, grayish patches around the chest.

"Plaques?!!"

Ian was startled awake and opened his eyes.

He quickly got out of bed, and indeed felt a slight soreness in his chest.

"How could this be?" He quickly turned on the light and began to examine the situation carefully.

We discovered some tiny gray spots, which resemble symptoms of magical erosion!

After a while, Ian finally understood the reason.

These days, he's been taking medicine constantly and meditating too frequently. His body can't withstand such frequent magical erosion.

"It seems we still need to find a way to improve our physical condition."

The situation isn't too serious yet; we just need to maintain a balance between strengthening our bodies and the erosion of magical energy.

Suppressing his thoughts, Ian brought up the control panel.

Name: Ian Marcus

Age: 16

[Level: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (1%)]

[Talent: Moderate Light Affinity]

【Skill: Star Moon Low-Level Meditation Technique: Proficient (152/400)】

Wizard's Hand: Proficient (160/200)

Secondary Frost Ray: Mastery (368/400)

Awakening Potion: Proficient (2/200)

Basic Potion Identification: Mastery (10/400)

Looking at the somewhat "luxurious" panel, Ian smiled.

Since transmigrating, my tense mind has finally relaxed.

In particular, he mastered "Secondary Frost Ray" to a level that was unimaginable for a junior apprentice in a short period of time.

He had originally intended to test the changes in power after the advancement in the courtyard, but seeing the already rotten ground, he gave up on that plan.

Seeing that it was still early, Ian quietly went out.

Arriving at a deserted clearing in the woods, I stood still.

The gestures were completed quickly, and the incantation had barely left his lips when Ian sensed something different.

The mental energy condensed in the mind resonates instantly with the magic, as if it were an extension of the arm.

With a whoosh, a deep blue streak of light shot out.

The ray easily passed through a large tree 20 meters away, but before it dispersed, it continued to fly for a distance.

The tree trunk was covered with a thick layer of ice, about half a finger thick.

Light-based spells are the fastest among those of the same level, and the higher their level of refinement, the stronger their power.

"This... doesn't seem like the power of low-level witchcraft!"

Ian went closer to examine it and noticed that it was different from the frost flowers he had seen before.

The ice layer not only inflicts freezing damage, but also has a powerful immobilizing effect.

He tried a few more times, and the maximum range of the magic reached nearly 30 meters.

The mental energy consumption is acceptable, and I can cast spells about ten times in a row.

He didn't continue practicing and rushed home. After eating something quick, he went out again.

As soon as they approached Kenner's residence, Kenner heard the noise and came out.

"Ian, what brings you here today? Is there something you need?"

Kenner admired Ian for being able to stay indoors for almost a month.

It seems that even geniuses need to train diligently to become potion masters.

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

After Ian entered, he handed over a dose of sobering medicine.

"Alright, I won't stand on ceremony and will shamelessly accept it."

Kenna readily put the potion away, his tone becoming even more friendly.

"You mentioned earlier that Simon has a senior apprentice behind him. How much do you know about that?"

The old woman in Nightfall Town left a deep impression on him last time.

Ian is now very wary of the senior apprentices, feeling that they are far from being a match for him.

"I only heard it from my teammates once, and all I know is that they are members of the Nightshade Society."

Kenner's eyes were filled with apprehension when he spoke of the Nightshade Society.

"Night Shadows? I've never heard of them before."

Although Ian was naive about the ways of the world, he knew something about the renowned apprentice organization within the tower, but had never heard of the Nightshade Society.

"It's a newly formed organization, consisting of a dozen or so advanced apprentices. I heard it's full of dark wizards."

Dark wizards are mostly ruthless and vicious in their actions.

There are many mysterious and unpredictable witchcrafts, and ordinary apprentices dare not provoke them.

"Won't your previous act of driving Simon away invite retaliation?"

Ian was also somewhat worried, not expecting Simon to have this kind of backing.

"That's alright. Simon seems to be just an outsider, and such a private matter won't attract the attention of the Nightshade Society."

Kenna said he didn't care, but a hint of worry was still visible in his eyes.

The two chatted for a while, but seeing that Kenna knew very little about Nightshade, Ian changed the subject.

"I heard you have a team that hunts mutated beasts, but I've never seen them."

His visit this time was not just a casual drop-in to express his gratitude.

I'd like to get in touch with Kenner's team to see if it's worthwhile to collaborate.

"We're usually very busy, either hunting mutated beasts or searching for potions. You're looking for them...?"

Despite his rugged appearance, Kenna was quite perceptive. As if he had made a connection to something, his eyes lit up.

Ian nodded slightly, without denying it.

"I'd like to meet them and see if we can work together."

Acquiring the potions was just the first step; he wouldn't start by selling large quantities of potions.

We need to observe for a period of time to see how each person in the team handles things.