My health recovery is incredibly fast.

Anru'er showed a hint of joy, "Darling, that's wonderful. I'm going to start learning about potion-making this month."

“From now on, I’ll be in charge of removing the toxic effects, and you’ll make the potions. We’ll develop new functional potions together.” Xia Zuo touched her hair bun. “Let’s go have breakfast, and then I’ll go find my mentor.”

Anru held her boyfriend's right hand tightly. After taking a few steps, the smile on her face gradually disappeared, and her expression turned dejected.

Xia Zuo felt her fingers getting cold and stopped, asking gently, "What's wrong? Is something bothering you?"

Anru leaned into her boyfriend's arms. "Are you leaving the academy to become the assistant to the resident mage? You told me last time that the head of the academy would arrange these things after you become an expert-level poison alchemist..."

Xia Zuo wanted to tell the other party the truth immediately, but before he could finish speaking, a sudden idea struck him.

He planned to eliminate a potential problem in advance.

"Are you worried that I'll leave you behind?" Xia Zuo gently stroked the other's back.

“Yes, I feel like we’re drifting further and further apart. Ever since you started practicing meditation, I feel like I can never catch up with you again…” Anru’er said softly, her voice weak.

The two people's romantic relationship began with similar life experiences, was driven by Anru'er's initiative to contact them, and was finally established by Xia Zuo's acceptance.

The biggest setback during the smooth sailing process was the month or so that Xia Zuo had to leave to practice meditation.

In Anru's eyes.

Xia Zuo is about to leave the academy and will be serving as a resident mage assistant in an unfamiliar place for several months.

The relationship between the two may fade over time, or even end due to the intervention of a third party.

Xia Zuo grasped An Ru'er's delicate arms, gazed into her eyes, and asked, "There's a question I've pondered deeply. Would you like to hear it?"

"Mmm." Anru nodded gently, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Suppose that a more talented, mature, and beautiful mage apprentice appears in my life, someone who is more interested in me, knows about my relationship with you, but still takes the initiative to get close to me. What do you think I would do?"

Every time Xia Zuo uttered the word "even more," Anru'er's body would sway slightly.

She covered her eyes with her hands, "I...don't know."

Xia Zuo smiled and said, "I will refuse her."

"Why?" Anru asked, wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes.

"People change. She might develop feelings for me at some point. But I can't be sure how she'll change in the future."

Xia Zuo took out a tissue and gently wiped the other person's eyes. "The only thing I can control is my sincerity towards you and your response to me."

Anru blinked in confusion. Although she didn't know what her boyfriend meant, she felt that it made a lot of sense.

"Hmm..." She leaned back into her boyfriend's arms again, still seemingly a little doubtful.

Xia Zuo lowered his head and whispered in his ear:

"I have a plan. A very long-term plan. I need a trustworthy and capable assistant. You are the only one who can do that. Listen to me..."

Because of his cheat ability, Xia Zuo has no shortage of ways to improve his strength, but he lacks absolutely loyal supporters.

He had carefully considered his options before proposing a relationship with Anruer, and he would never easily start a relationship that was not stable.

Anru's personality, talent, ability, and appearance are all excellent, and she has great potential to be developed.

A mage you personally cultivate is more reliable than one you meet along the way.

Since Anru'er, who was deeply in love with him, felt a strong sense of unease because of the difference in their social status.

Then create value for her and elevate her status within the relationship.

For these reasons, Xia Zuo plans to train Anru to be his personal, full-time alchemist. He wants her to share the burden of alchemy and research some secret potions while being his only wife.

He quietly explained his plan while gently patting the other person's back to soothe their anxiety.

The rustling whispers stopped.

Anru wiped away her tears, raised her pretty face to gaze at her boyfriend, a determined light shining in her eyes. No longer hesitant and lost, she said earnestly:

"I'll work hard! Just you wait and see. I'll definitely make you unable to live without me in the future."

"Mmm-hmm. I believe you can do it." Xia Zuo encouraged her, then reached out and cupped the other's cheeks, using his sleeve to cover himself, and kissed the other's small mouth.

"Hmm..." Anru'er seemed surprised that her boyfriend would do this. This was the first time he had ever done something like this; in the past, he had only lightly touched other places...

"I have good news for you." Xia Zuo touched her briefly, then pulled away, gently rubbing her cheek as he smiled.

"The headmaster said I would remain within the academy, only occasionally venturing out. It's not what you think. I won't be working as a resident mage assistant outside the academy."

"What?!" Anru'er exclaimed in surprise, then buried herself in her boyfriend's arms, twisting her head like a drill. "You lied to me! You made me worry for nothing! How could you be so mean... Waaah..."

Xia Zuo looked down and saw the other person's flushed face, and chuckled.

...

Inside the study in the tower.

Xia Zuo and his mentor sat facing each other on either side of the desk.

Have you tried meditating at the alchemy table?

“I’ve tried it, Professor. It works very well. It’s absolutely a genius invention,” Xia Zuo said with an admiring tone.

"Then, let me tell you what you're going to do in the future."

Beatrice took a loose-leaf book out of the drawer and placed it in front of the student.

"There is no specific teaching content at the expert level, so you don't need to attend classes anymore, and other alchemy courses can be put on hold for the time being."

"I've given you a list of orders for poisons that urgently need to be refined."

“In the past, these poisons were refined by mage assistants in various cities, but the quality of their products was inconsistent. As soon as people outside the academy heard that an expert-level poison alchemist was going to be born here, they rushed to place these orders.”

You will earn points for each order you complete.

"Your success rate in poison refining and the quality of your products are very stable, consistently at a perfect level. Therefore, the points awarded to you as rewards have already deducted the costs of using the Grand Alchemy Chamber and basic poisons in advance."

"Your weekly schedule will remain the same as it has been for the past few years. You can decide your own time in the evenings and on weekends."

As Xia Zuo listened, he flipped through the list in front of him.

There are so many orders.

All the poisons ordered were products of skilled or higher-level poison refining, all requiring perfect quality. Most orders required the removal of specific toxic effects, while a few orders required the development of poisons with specific toxic effects.

Roughly speaking, it would take at least two years to complete all the orders on the list.

"Professor, when can I learn other alchemy techniques?" Xia Zuo asked.

Beatrice thought for a moment, "Let's wait until these orders are completed."

"There's one more thing."

Beatrice placed her ten fingers interlaced on the table.

"It is very difficult to advance from expert level to master level, and on average it takes ten years or even longer."

Xia Zuo closed the loose-leaf book and looked at his mentor.

"First, you must use toxin identification methods to determine the toxicity of the elemental toxins."

Beatrice emphasized:

"It is very important to note that you should never test poisons. Elemental toxins are very deadly, and you may die without even realizing it."

"After you understand the toxic effects of the elemental toxins, use the meditation alchemy table to perform deductions."

"Only by refining a perfect quality elemental toxin will you be qualified to apply for the promotion test."

“Yes, Professor. I’ve got it.” Xia Zuo nodded. This was exactly what he wanted! He could now openly and legitimately crack the formula for the elemental toxins!

"Take this."

Beatrice found a manual and handed it over.

"This is your points booklet. The last few pages are a list of items you can redeem. I've removed anything you don't need. Once you've accumulated enough points, just come to me to redeem them."

After Beatrice and the other students put away their manuals, they took out a square box from the drawer.

Inside the square box is a silver four-pointed star emblem, similar in shape to a four-pointed star array.

"This is the emblem of an expert-level poison alchemist. You must keep it safe. You don't need to wear it normally; you only need it for important occasions. Give me your pendant, and I'll replace it with another one."

Xia Zuo took off the pendant from his neck and handed it over, while solemnly accepting the square box from his mentor with both hands.

He gently stroked the smooth, translucent emblem; the soft, smooth, and unique material left no fingerprints.

On the obverse of the emblem, in the center of the four-pointed star, are engraved the words "Expert Poison Alchemist - Shazo," while the reverse side shows the date the emblem was awarded and the mark of the Overseer "Beatrice."

Xia Zuo closed the box and put it in his pocket.

Information about the cheat system flooded his mind, and he quickly scanned it.

"A change in the host's [Identity 2] has been detected, and the character template has been updated."

..

[Identity 2] Poison Alchemist

【Status Level】Proficient → Expert

Promotion Requirements

1. Identify all the toxic effects of the elemental toxins.

Alternatively, all the toxic effects of elemental toxins can be discovered through poison testing.

2. Create an elemental toxin.

3. Subsequent promotion conditions are unknown.

【Identity Bonus 1】

Successfully drinking a homemade poison will increase your elemental resistance based on the type of poison and grant you a small amount of willpower.

【Identity Bonus 2】

Successfully developing compound toxins, poisons, antidotes, refined powders, and toxicity stripping formulas that have never been studied before will earn you a large amount of experience rewards.

【Identity Bonus 3】

Completing drug-making orders will earn you experience rewards according to the order details.

..