Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

News of the disappearance of Sachi and his two companions quietly spread throughout the Misty Creek area.

At first, only a few apprentices who had dealings with them noticed something was wrong. They were nowhere to be found on the agreed meeting day, and their usual hiding places were empty.

Soon, more and more signs came together, and traces of intense sorcery remnants appeared at the edge of the Whispering Forest.

Someone found a charred fragment of leather armor under a pile of decaying leaves, still bearing the distinctive bloody scent of the "Blood Staff".

"Three advanced apprentices, just like that, gone?" someone whispered. "Not even their bodies could be found..."

"Maybe he went out to rob someone again, and he ran into a tough nut to crack, serves him right!" another person gloated.

"Yes, a friend of mine died in the wilderness not long after he arrived. Someone saw them, and it was the three of them..."

Amid the discussions, some gloated, some clapped and celebrated, and some were secretly on guard.

Talia listened to these rumors from afar, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the short sword at her waist.

She recalled Ian's calm expression when he returned that day, and the faint, strange medicinal scent wafting from inside the tent.

She didn't ask; everyone has their own secrets. But the mysterious aura surrounding Ian quietly grew stronger in her heart.

Inside the tent, Ian remained indifferent to the outside turmoil.

He was staring intently at the glassware in front of him.

The pale blue liquid was slowly rotating, and the fragments of starlight vine marrow crystals had completely melted, intertwining with the essence of the moon to form a galaxy-like flow of light.

With his left hand, he maintained a steady output of magic power, while with his right hand, he used a silver stirring rod to slowly stir the liquid at a specific rhythm. His mental energy seeped into the liquid like silk threads, feeling the rhythm of every bit of energy fusion.

"Now."

Ian's eyes narrowed, and he swiftly flicked three drops of Silver Soul Grass pollen into his left hand.

"Buzz—"

The liquid in the pot suddenly glowed with a soft silver light, and a calming fragrance wafted out.

He immediately added a small spoonful of the ancient tree of life extract. The pale golden liquid seeped in like a living thing, completely blending all the ingredients together.

Finally, ten milliliters of top-quality calming spring water.

The liquid becomes clear and transparent the moment it is injected, yet it seems as if there are nebulae flowing inside.

Ian quickly withdrew his magic and used a specially made crystal bottle to catch the spilled potion.

Five pale blue [Concentration Potions] with tiny specks of light floating inside, standard quality.

"It's done." He breathed a sigh of relief and sealed the medicine one by one.

The successful production of five potions at once far exceeded expectations.

In the days that followed, Ian settled into a regular training rhythm, with his schedule packed full.

Every morning, take one dose of [Mind-Concentrating Potion] for deep meditation.

The potion had a cool sensation upon entering the mouth. In the sea of ​​consciousness, the twenty-seven runes of will were now the same size, and it was time to begin sketching new runes of will.

The medicine began to take effect, and the rune array, nourished by the medicine, operated and solidified at ten times the normal speed, and the accumulation of atomized spiritual energy increased visibly.

New minor runes of will are gradually forming...

During my morning sorcery practice, the limit-breaking runes of [Secondary Frost Ray] and [Scorching Ray] subtly echoed each other, suggesting that something wondrous was about to happen.

He also took the time to master the skills of [Invisibility] and [Energy Shield].

The latter, in particular, attempted to integrate the crystal runes in his mind into the shield model.

The entire inner wall of the shield was covered with a dense layer of hexagonal crystals. Although the fusion process was slow, it was in the right direction.

In the afternoon, they would refine medicine and extract blood essence. Every ten days, Mira would send someone to deliver a batch of fresh demonized beast corpses.

Ian used his master-level Bloodline Purification Technique to process the blood essence, keeping the top-grade blood essence he obtained and offering the rest for trade.

In exchange, Mira provided a sufficient amount of medicinal herbs and some scarce information.

Time flies, and another month has passed.

Amos's caravan also arrived on time.

"We meet again, Ian." Amos took the dimensional bag that Ian handed him.

Upon opening it, one could see over twenty plump, top-grade blood essence pills piled up in the corner, along with rows of neatly stacked [Rock Bear Potions].

A barely perceptible glint flashed in his eyes as his spiritual energy gently swept across the surface of the blood essence.

"The quality of these blood essences is getting purer with each iteration, and these potions... This kid's refining skills and potion-making are still improving."

Very good... In preparation for the Demon Hunter, these blood essences and bloodline potions can be brought back and their price can at least double.

Amos pondered in his heart, but his face remained expressionless.

"Very good. Also, a new batch of 'Star Sand' arrived this month; it's incredibly effective for stabilizing the spiritual sea or for brewing potions. Would you like to take a look?"

He casually added, "You've bought quite a few materials too. Looks like your potion-making is progressing well. Hmm... keep up the good work with your training!"

Ian keenly caught the implication in Amos's words, but the other party was clearly unwilling to elaborate, leaving it at that.

He quietly exchanged the Star Sand and a batch of medicinal herbs, suppressing his doubts.

After the transaction was completed, Amos counted the blood essence and suddenly looked up.

"Ian, if... I could provide a fresh heart from a level one demonized beast, could you process it?"

Ian was slightly shaken, but his expression remained calm. "You overestimate me. I'm just an advanced apprentice."

"Never mind then." Amos gave him a deep look, packed up the goods, and turned to leave.

Time passed amidst the aroma of herbs, meditation, and the depiction of magical models.

In the blink of an eye, Amos has come seven times.

On this day, Ian finished his six-hour deep meditation, slowly opened his eyes, and saw stars and the moon seemingly moving within them before disappearing.

About two months ago, he couldn't quite remember, he quietly turned a year older.

With a slight thought, the panel was brought up.

Name: Ian Marcus

Age: 18

[Realm Level: Advanced Wizard Apprentice (90.6%)]

[Talent: Moderate Light Affinity]

[Skills: Intermediate Star Moon Meditation (Mastery), Energy Shield (Proficiency), Invisibility (Mastery), Arcane Mark (Proficiency), Bloodline Purification (Break Limit Twice), Scorching Ray (Break Limit Twice), Crystal Energy Barrier (Break Limit Twice), Secondary Frost Ray (Break Limit Twice), Other Skills...]

[Potion Mastery: Focus Potion (Proficient), Rock Bear Potion (Mastery), Mental Restoration Potion (Proficient)]

Ian looked at the "luxurious" panel and nodded to himself.

The [Mental Recovery Potion] is only a mid-level potion, but Ian has picked it up again to practice using it recently.

He used too many spells in each battle, which depleted his mental energy too quickly, and his regular meditation could no longer keep up with the consumption.

Other skills have also improved to varying degrees. He has been practicing the advanced sorcery [Invisibility] in his daily life and has mastered it to the point where it has become extremely valuable in actual combat.

For seven months, he never stopped his cultivation, refining potions, practicing witchcraft, and meditating, living a life of routine without interruption for a single day, and never going out for a trip.

What outsiders see as self-torture-like spiritual practice, he finds joy in.

The sense of accomplishment from seeing myself grow stronger little by little every day is indescribable.

Thanks to Amos's ample supply, he received at least three [Concentration Potions] every day, and his meditation skills and mental strength were growing rapidly.

Such a terrifying rate of advancement would be hard for anyone in the Shadowmoon Tower, who knew his origins, not to be eyeing.

But here, he was just an unknown, wandering apprentice, completely inconspicuous.