Chapter 8
1145 Words
Low-Grade Mind-Focusing Potion!
There were usually two types of failed potions. One was a complete failure, while the other had excessive impurities, severely affecting its effectiveness and even making it harmful.
The former was naturally discarded outright, but the latter could still serve other purposes—such as nurturing certain special plants and animals or extracting some materials through special methods. Since Meilin was in charge of a potion garden, she was well aware of this process.
If these glowing specks could truly purify potions, their value would be unimaginable!
Suppressing her excitement, Meilin opened two more failed bottles of the Mind-Focusing Potion and conducted a third experiment…
Half an hour later, two fresh low-grade Mind-Focusing Potions were successfully produced.
No, they weren’t even “produced”—they were simply perfected in an instant!
Meilin couldn’t help but wonder… Could these specks also refine high-grade potions? If they could, wouldn’t that be an even greater miracle?
A sorcerer’s duty was to explore the path of truth. Meilin once again summoned a speck of light and guided it into the potion… The liquid churned slightly. There was an effect—not strong, but noticeable. It remained a low-grade potion.
“As long as it has an effect, that means the quantity matters.” Meilin was not discouraged. On the contrary, she was even more excited.
If the speck had no reaction at all, that would mean failure. But now, at least there was hope. Meilin guided another speck into the potion.
Moments later, a medium-grade Mind-Focusing Potion appeared on the table.
“One speck turns a failed potion into a passable one. Three specks upgrade it to medium-grade. What if I use four?”
Encouraged, Meilin infused a fourth speck into the potion…
Surprisingly, the fourth speck floated back out after entering, and the potion remained unchanged, as if it could no longer be enhanced.
This makes sense. If a potion could be endlessly refined, wouldn’t it be possible to create an elixir of the gods?
These glowing specks surely had conditions and limits—though for now, those were unknown. Meilin thought about the two medium-grade potions she had just created but ultimately decided against further experiments.
Too much greed leads to failure!
She now possessed three medium-grade Mind-Focusing Potions and two low-grade ones—enough to help her break through to a First-Level Apprentice. Her priority now was to advance as soon as possible, before any trouble arose. If she became a First-Level Apprentice, even those trying to curry favor with Filler would hesitate to target her.
Moreover, she had only six specks left. Experimenting consumed too many resources—it was better to wait for her Nebula artifact to generate more specks before continuing.
Meilin made up her mind.
Preparations for Advancement
For the next half a month, Meilin refrained from hunting or taking on simple academy tasks. Instead, she followed her usual routine—tending the potion garden, attending free lectures, and practicing swordsmanship, preparing her body for the best possible state.
During this period, she also had an unpleasant encounter with Filler.
Filler had entered the academy two years before her. He was from a powerful noble family and had outstanding talent, reaching Third-Level Apprentice within just two years. During an academy mission, Meilin’s agility and striking appearance caught his eye.
Of course, Filler didn’t just offer to make her his servant for nothing—he promised to provide her with valuable cultivation resources to help her become an official sorcerer’s apprentice.
For powerful noble families, it wasn’t difficult to forcibly nurture a sorcerer using sheer resources.
From Filler’s perspective, this was already an incredibly generous offer—Meilin should have obediently submitted to him.
But Meilin thought differently.
Filler had everything—except for a decent character. Besides, she still hadn’t fully solved the problem hindering her cultivation, so no amount of resources would help.
Just like most men and women—those who agree usually do so for similar reasons, but those who refuse often have a thousand different reasons.
The Night of Breakthrough
Instead of wasting time on distractions, Meilin focused on attending free public lectures at the academy.
There weren’t many—just a few courses, including Origins of Sorcery, Basic Ancient Assak Language, Principles of Sorcery, Fundamentals of Potioneering, Anatomy, and Spell Model Fundamentals.
…
“It’s close! I can feel it—I will become a First-Level Apprentice tonight! Once I reach this level, I’ll be able to attract energy particles from the air and even start refining basic potions!”
Excitement flashed in Meilin’s eyes before she quickly suppressed it. She carried out her usual daily tasks as if nothing had changed.
That evening, as the academy grounds grew quiet, Meilin drank a medium-grade Mind-Focusing Potion and began her meditation.
The only sound in the room was the soft rhythm of her breathing.
Her chest rose and fell slightly, her expression calm, but her eyelids flickered as if something was happening beneath them.
An hour passed.
Suddenly, several multi-colored glowing specks emerged from Meilin’s forehead, like fireflies. They circled her for a moment before diving into her seven orifices, creating an eerie sight.
Hoo…
The moment the specks entered her body, Meilin trembled violently. Her breathing turned rough, her facial muscles twitched, and large beads of sweat dripped onto the floor.
Fortunately, the sensation didn’t last long before gradually fading away.
After a long pause, Meilin opened her eyes. Her expression was both joyful and melancholic.
“I’ve finally advanced to a First-Level Apprentice! But it took me nearly four years… I have to catch up to those ahead of me—and I will surpass them!”
Three days ago, she could have inscribed her eighth Will Rune, but to ensure safety, she ran several trials before making her final breakthrough. She used up two medium-grade Mind-Focusing Potions in the process, but she had no regrets.
Now, her physical condition and spiritual power had greatly improved. Even more significantly, her spiritual power had undergone a transformation, making it much more attractive to energy particles in the air.
Meilin raised her hand, and tiny blue electric arcs danced across her fingers—beautiful and slightly tingling.
“My affinity with the Lightning element is the highest. It’s best for me to major in Lightning energy particles. As for Fire and other elements, I’ll keep a small amount as casting primers.”
A faint blue glow suddenly enveloped Meilin, followed by a misty water vapor that dampened her clothes.
Immediately after, a red glow ignited on her body, releasing white steam that dried her clothes within seconds. The entire room became hazy with lingering mist.
“Becoming a sorcerer’s apprentice makes even daily life more convenient!”
Meilin found herself enjoying this newfound control over energy—and she wasn’t going to stop here.
- Writer
