Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

Ian concealed his presence and stepped into the gloomy woodland shrouded in mist.

The light in the forest was indeed dimmer than outside, the air was more humid, and the concentration of free magic was significantly higher than in Silverbrook, but still not as high as at the "Forge" camp, let alone the core area of ​​Shadowmoon Tower.

He followed a path marked by trampling, gradually venturing deeper into the woods.

After walking for about half an hour, the [Eye of Vigilance] detected energy fluctuations ahead and faint human voices.

He slowed his pace, adjusted his expression, and made himself look more like a weary wandering apprentice than an intruder.

The fog ahead dissipated slightly, revealing a small clearing in the woods.

Dozens of simple wooden huts and tents were set up at the edge of the open space, with a bonfire burning in the middle. A dozen men and women of different ages and dressed in different clothes sat around the fire.

Most of them wore gray robes or dyed robes, and the aura they exuded ranged from that of junior apprentices to senior apprentices.

Ian's appearance immediately caught their attention.

Several scrutinizing and wary gazes swept over him, landing on his old wooden box and robes, as well as the aura of a senior apprentice.

A middle-aged man who appeared to be the leader stood up. He had a scar on his face and exuded the aura of a senior apprentice, but it was somewhat superficial, lacking the solidity of Hank and others who had been through many battles.

He sized up Ian. "A new face? Where are you from? What brings you to Darkwood?"

The tone wasn't friendly, but there was no immediate hostility either.

Ian stopped, maintaining a relatively safe distance, nodded slightly, and answered in a calm tone:

"My name is Ian, a wandering potion master. I came from the mountains in the east. I heard that some fellow potion masters have gathered in the Darkwood, and I want to replenish my supplies."

"Potion Master?" The scarred man and the others exchanged glances, their scrutiny lessened and replaced by a hint of inquiry and barely perceptible concern.

In this relatively resource-scarce region, any apprentice with a skill is welcome, especially a potion master.

"The mountains to the east?" another female apprentice in brown leather armor interjected.

"That 'Deadly Mountains'? You can get through there?" Her tone was filled with doubt and surprise.

Ian shook his head. "We didn't cross through it. We were just looking for some potions on the outskirts when we ran into some troublesome demonized beasts."

The scarred man pondered for a moment, seemingly having made a general assessment of Ian's identity as a potion master and the strength of a senior apprentice.

He pointed to an empty tree stump next to the fire. "Sit down. I'm Hawke, one of the organizers of this makeshift gathering."

The Gloomwood is quite large, and there are more than a dozen small groups like ours scattered throughout, mostly deep within the woods near Misty Creek, where the magic is more concentrated and there are relatively fixed trading points.

After thanking him, Ian sat down and took a glass of water from an apprentice next to him. The glass was made of rough wood.

He sipped his drink, listening to Hawke and the others talk, slowly piecing together the general situation of the area.

There are no very powerful wizarding organizations near the Gloomwood, and there are very few formal wizards.

The magic concentration here is only slightly below average, and resources are limited. Unless a family is based here, it won't attract truly powerful individuals to stay long-term.

It is said that every so often, an envoy from the "Silver Ring" will come from a great distance to inspect this place, and a small group of merchants will follow him.

But they won't stay here for long, and they won't easily accept outsiders.

"The Silver Ring?" Ian asked, a look of curiosity and longing on his face.

"You're saying they don't hire outsiders?"

An elderly man with gray hair chuckled, a hint of self-mockery and helplessness in his voice. "Recruit? Don't even dream about it!"

Ian, seeing that he was quite old and still only a junior apprentice, asked with a hint of resentment, "Oh? What do you mean?"

"The Silver Ring only selects qualified children and teenagers from the mortal empires within their sphere of influence on a regular basis, and trains them from a young age."

"They have extremely high qualification requirements, at least intermediate level. People like us..." The old man shook his head and didn't finish his sentence.

Hawke picked up the conversation, speaking in a relatively polite tone, "This area is too remote, and the resources are mediocre. The Silver Ring wouldn't be interested."

Most of those gathered here are wandering apprentices like us, or small groups or families of a few senior apprentices.

"You can either try your luck in the more dangerous 'Deadly Mountains' further west, gathering herbs and ores and hunting mutated beasts, or you can build up your resources and try to exchange them for resources and knowledge from passing merchants in the 'Silver Ring'."

"What about the relics?" Ian recalled the dispute over the relics near Shadowmoon Tower. "Aren't there any relics left by ancient wizards nearby?"

"Yes, there are some," a taciturn middle-aged man said, fiddling with a few pebbles in his hand.

"But either they've been looted long ago, or it's too dangerous. Nine out of ten people who go in never come out. Occasionally, some rumors will spread, attracting several major forces to fight over them. It's difficult for us to get involved."

Ian nodded. The environment here was more relaxed and primitive than Nightfall Town, which was outside Shadowmoon Tower.

But it also means fewer rules and more direct competition for resources.

There are few qualified wizards in this area, which is good news for Ian.

With his advanced apprentice level, his already vaporized spiritual power, and several instant-cast spells, he should be able to gain a foothold and a voice here.

"Then the potions you usually use for cultivation..." Ian asked tentatively.

Hawke exchanged glances with the others and nodded: "They do need them, but good potion masters are either recruited by a few large groups or work alone, and they are very expensive."

You say you're a potion master, what potions are you good at brewing? If your skills are good, you won't have trouble finding trading partners here, and you could even consider joining a group to gain stable resources and protection.

Ian thought for a moment and said, "I am mainly skilled at crafting some basic potions, such as [minor healing potions], [basic antidotes], and [awakening potions], and I can guarantee that the quality is above standard."

He didn't mention the [Rock Bear Potion] or a higher-level formula at the beginning; he needed to familiarize himself with the environment and wanted to observe further.

The biggest advantage for Ian here is that no one knows about his past, which is equivalent to severing his abnormal experiences.

He inadvertently maintained a mature demeanor, which was also intentional. By the time one reached the advanced apprentice stage, it was difficult to judge a person's true age by appearance alone.

After hearing Ian's introduction, Hawke and the others' eyes lit up. Being able to consistently produce basic potions above standard was a rare talent in this region.

"Great!" Hawke slapped his thigh. "If you're willing, you can stay here with me now. We can help you get in touch with the larger gathering point in 'Mist Creek.' There are fixed trading venues there, and the resources are much more abundant. With your abilities, you'll be able to make a name for yourself very quickly."

After a moment's thought, Ian nodded in agreement: "Alright, I do need to replenish some basic medicinal herbs to recover my condition."

"No problem." Hawke seemed very enthusiastic. "I'll take you to 'Misty Creek' tomorrow. As for medicinal herbs, we have some on hand. Take a look and see which ones are suitable. Just calculate the market price."

By the way, most people here won't mess with you, but you should still be careful. There are a few ruthless guys around who specifically target lone apprentices or newbies...

Ian listened attentively, noting down a few names and factions that needed attention.

In this region lacking strong order, strength and vigilance are the best protection.

As night fell, Ian was assigned a relatively clean temporary tent. He set up simple warning signs, lay down on the bed, and relaxed.

After more than half a year of tension and exhaustion, he suddenly relaxed and quickly fell into a deep sleep.