"What's wrong?" Andrei noticed him suddenly freeze in place. "Is something the problem?"
"It's nothing." Ron took a deep breath and silently repeated in his mind, "Confirm job change."
The next moment, a strange energy surged from his heart, spreading throughout his body like a warm stream, making him feel as if he were soaking in a hot spring.
As someone who had no prior profession, even the most basic job, the leap from "nothing" to "something" still brought about a tremendous change within him.
The originally murky magic gradually became clear, just like mixed iron filings suddenly gaining order after a magnet appears.
His perception also underwent a subtle shift.
The magical elements floating in the air were no longer completely elusive; although still blurry, their presence could at least be vaguely sensed.
The most obvious change occurred in his hands. The herbs, roots, and even the magic in the air that he had touched left unique "marks" on his senses.
It's like a blind person suddenly gaining the concept of color; the world becomes richer and more three-dimensional in their perception.
This level of perception is probably a manifestation of the saying "everyone has their own expertise".
The mysterious feeling lasted for several seconds, and finally condensed along his blood vessels like water droplets, eventually settling around his heart to form a faint "source point".
Job change successful!
[Occupation Obtained: Potions Apprentice (One Star)]
[Base Attribute Boost: Spirit +0.3, Constitution +0.1, Magic +0.2]
[Activate Class Skills:]
1. Potion Making (Beginner)
2. Identification of Medicinal Herbs (Beginner)
Special Bonus:
1. The experience gain rate for Potions-related skills has slightly increased.
2. The speed of mental energy accumulation has increased slightly.
3. Magic affinity slightly increased.
Ron closed his eyes and felt the changes within his body.
The previously vague fluctuations of mental energy became clearer, like a painting veiled in thin gauze suddenly having its veil lifted.
Deep within his consciousness, however, there seemed to be a peculiar perceptual ability.
When his attention was focused on the hot essential oil on the table, he could vaguely sense the flow of energy contained within it.
"Huh?" Andrei's voice suddenly rang out, "Your aura... seems different."
Ron opened his eyes and found Andrei looking at him with a somewhat puzzled expression.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know why," Andrei frowned, but he wasn't sure:
"I always feel that you have a special… aura? Like those advanced apprentices who specialize in potions."
Ron's heart skipped a beat. This must be a change brought about by the job change. It wasn't just an improvement in his stats; even his demeanor had undergone some kind of mysterious change. But he remained outwardly calm.
"It's probably because my mental strength has been honed after the potion was prepared."
He casually rubbed his temples and said dismissively, "I feel a bit better than before."
Andrei nodded with some skepticism: "That's true. After all, it's your first time handling so many extraordinary materials, so it's normal for it to have some impact."
"Speaking of which," Ron deliberately changed the subject, "how long does the effect of this burning essential oil last?"
"Generally, it takes about three days."
Andrei yawned. "It's getting late. You can take a look at the manuscript I gave you if you have time. I'll teach you the specific details of body training tomorrow."
Ron finally breathed a sigh of relief after the other party left.
He couldn't wait to try out the effects of the meditation, so he adjusted his posture and began to enter a meditative state according to the methods in "Basic Meditation Method".
He had barely closed his eyes when he noticed a huge difference—the consciousness runes that used to take a long time to draw could now take shape in just a moment.
Moreover, the form of the runes is much more stable than before.
To his even greater surprise, the spiritual energy that had gathered was significantly more abundant than before.
The feeling was like being able to scoop water with a spoon instead of using a flattened straw, whereas before you could only drink it with a flattened straw.
[Basic Meditation Experience Points +1]
[Basic Meditation Experience Points +1]
[You have reached your maximum training time for today; a rest is recommended.]
"This improvement..." Ron opened his eyes, looking at the data in front of him, feeling both surprised and apprehensive.
It's definitely much easier to gain experience through meditation now than before. If you were to test your aptitude, you might be able to get a higher star rating.
Such a huge improvement was simply because he successfully took a job in a lifestyle profession that had little to do with combat.
"Looks like I'll have to be more careful," Ron muttered to himself.
"Fortunately, the wizards are quite kind to the apprentice candidates. As long as they follow the rules, they will not do anything to harm them. So there is no need to worry about the spying of those in higher positions too early."
Everything happened so fast that he was almost overwhelmed by the changes.
He felt that at this time, he especially needed to sort out the current situation and clarify his plans and goals for the future.
Ron stood up and began tidying up the various utensils scattered on the table.
The dark, foggy jungle was exceptionally quiet in the dead of night, with only faint, eerie sounds emanating from afar.
He began to mentally assess the current situation:
First and foremost, the most crucial aspect is the boost to base attributes gained from changing to the [Potion Apprentice] class:
[Spirit 1.1→1.4]
[Body quality 0.4→0.5]
[Magic Power 0.1 → 0.3]
Then there are two basic class skills and three special bonuses.
"These improvements are not insignificant, but they are still far from breaking through the standard for beginner apprentices," Ron muttered to himself.
Just as he was lost in thought, unconsciously fiddling with the "burning essential oil" sealed in a small bottle, a new notification suddenly popped up on the panel in front of him:
[A burning sensation has been detected in the essential oil. Do you wish to begin use?]
[Note: First use will unlock the combat class - Knight Squire★ for job advancement]
"I see."
Looking at the prompts on the panel, Ron finally understood why Andrei had said he would teach him how to use it tomorrow—the number of times this body-strengthening potion was used was particularly crucial.
He carefully put away his notes and medicine bottle, preparing to get some rest early.
Tomorrow, I will not only begin practicing the "Corona Breathing Technique," but I will also apply for the assistant position at the herbal medicine shop.
As he was tidying up, he caught a glimpse of the book "Fundamentals of Potions" on the bedside table.
Looking back now, I think that my decision to choose the path of potions was perhaps preordained.
The attribute boosts and special bonuses brought by the Potions Apprenticeship, along with the various corresponding resources he can acquire, will undoubtedly allow him to go further on both the wizard and knight paths.
"However, the most important thing right now is to cover up these improvements."
Ron lay down on the creaking, broken wooden bed, gazing at the general outline of the ceiling:
"We'll at least wait until we have enough strength to protect ourselves; that day shouldn't be too far off."