When Ron finished work and left the herbal medicine shop, he carefully put the bottles of energy potions into his pocket.
Although Mrs. Allen said it was just a defective product, it was still a rare find for a prospective apprentice like him.
In the Black Mist Forest, a bottle of perfect quality energizing potion often costs more than ten magic stone fragments.
Even such a defective product could fetch at least two or three magic stone fragments if sold at the market.
This is still the most basic energizing potion—made primarily with moonflower and carbonaceous grass, and mixed with other auxiliary materials.
Compared to high-level potions made with rare materials, its effects are naturally much weaker.
But that's enough for Ron right now.
Although this medicine cannot directly enhance mental strength, it can keep the user highly alert for a short period of time.
Compared to the bitter water infused with black nettle leaves, this invigorating drink is several times stronger, and even the nauseatingly bitter taste that a medicinal preparation should have is perfectly balanced.
It's no wonder that some apprentices from better backgrounds would rather spend a lot of money to buy a few bottles to keep on hand.
Lost in thought, Ron returned to his room.
Although the morning work and practice took a lot of energy, he did not intend to rest.
With the deadline for the assessment drawing ever closer, every minute and second feels incredibly precious.
Moreover, he was now eager to verify his earlier idea.
Ron took out a bottle of energizing potion and first carefully examined the clear amber liquid inside.
In the dim light, you can see tiny silver particles floating in it; those are remnants of moonflower.
"Let's begin."
Ron sat on the bed, adjusted to the most comfortable position, and carefully drank a small sip of the energizing potion.
A cool sensation instantly spread from my throat to my whole body, like a clear spring flowing through a dry riverbed.
The fatigue I had felt from morning exercise and work vanished, replaced by an unusually clear-headed state.
"The effect is amazing," Ron thought to himself. "No wonder so many people flock to it."
He then closed his eyes and began to meditate.
This time, he tried to combine the circulation of his mental energy with the clarity brought about by the potion.
In this unprecedented state of heightened awareness, Ron was able to perceive the flow of spiritual energy more clearly.
Those subtle fluctuations that are usually hard to detect have become clearly visible at this moment.
"I see."
He suddenly realized that the residual energy fluctuations in the potion had a striking similarity to the rhythm of mental energy.
This may explain why energizing drugs can help stabilize mental energy.
[Beginning with Basic Meditation]
In the space of consciousness, the basic rune composed of three arcs began to take shape.
This time, however, Ron did not mechanically copy the runes as usual, but instead tried to let them form naturally with the rhythm of his mental energy.
It's like writing beautiful cursive calligraphy; the important thing is not to rigidly copy the shape of the characters, but to master the connection between the strokes.
Gradually, he felt a sense of fluidity he had never experienced before.
Mental energy is like a gentle stream, slowly converging under the guidance of runes.
[Triggering Special Effect: Potion Amplification - The effect of this meditation is slightly increased]
[Basic Meditation Experience Points +1]
[Basic Meditation Experience Points +1]
[Basic Meditation Experience Points +1]
...
"This rate of improvement?" Ron opened his eyes, somewhat surprised as he looked at the constantly increasing experience points on the panel.
In addition to the boost from the potions, the increased mental energy accumulation speed provided by the Potions Apprentice profession is also quietly playing a role.
Just as Ron was about to continue meditating, Darrend's annoyed voice came from next door again: "Why is the spell model for 'Sonic Tremor' always unstable?"
Then came a series of crackling sounds, as if some kind of experimental equipment had been smashed.
This dedicated researcher of sonic magic has clearly encountered another bottleneck.
Upon hearing the voice, Ron suddenly remembered something.
Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seriously studied that zero-ring spell "Slime Splash".
Among the basic spell scrolls that the school distributed at the time, besides the "Basic Meditation Method," there was only this simplest zero-ring spell.
In the wizarding world, spells are like precious seeds. Every wizard dedicates their life to nurturing a few of them, allowing them to grow into their own unique source of power.
The ring number represents the complexity of the spell model, rather than its direct power.
Most apprentices will only be able to master no more than two or three spells in their lifetime, and even those with outstanding talent will find it difficult to master multiple spells at the same time.
For every spell, true mastery means integrating it into one's own spiritual system, which is an extremely long and difficult process.
He opened the notebook he always carried with him and found the spellcasting tips he had hastily jotted down:
"Some zero-ring spells, in the hands of a true wizard, can even display astonishing power surpassing that of high-ring spells."
"Every spell is a seed. An apprentice's task is not to mechanically memorize the casting steps, but to find a way to resonate with this seed, allowing it to take root and sprout in their spiritual soil."
"The zero-ring spell 'Slime Splash' requires the condensation of a teardrop-shaped mental energy structure. It seems simple, but in reality, it contains multiple different energy flow patterns."
Ron carefully examined the contents. His understanding of mental power was now vastly different, especially after his recent insights into "rhythm." Perhaps he could understand this spell from a completely new perspective.
He pressed his cold palms against his face to wake himself up, and then began to concentrate his mental energy according to the method in his notes.
The clarity brought on by the energizing potion continued, allowing him to more keenly perceive every fluctuation of his mental energy.
It's not difficult to sketch the shape of a water droplet in your mind; the challenge lies in keeping that shape stable and giving it the right "rhythm."
Ron remembered his mentors saying that true mastery of magic was a long process.
It is already commendable for a novice apprentice to master 1-2 spells, while intermediate apprentices often spend several years studying the variations and applications of a spell in depth, rather than blindly pursuing quantity.
Only at the advanced apprentice stage will students begin to attempt to improve and integrate the spells they have mastered, creating more personalized power.
Only those who reach the level of a formal wizard are qualified to attempt to create entirely new spells.
By then, they had integrated the various spells they had mastered into their souls, and could manipulate the power of heaven and earth with every gesture.
This is why, in the eyes of ordinary people, wizards seem to be able to cast powerful spells without chanting incantations—those spells have become as natural to them as breathing.
Just like when concocting potions, Ron tried to guide his mental energy in a similar way.
Instead of forcing them to take shape immediately, we let them flow naturally and slowly gather them into droplets.
[The casting of the level 0 spell "Slime Splash" begins]
[Optimization detected in mental power control method]
[Potion Apprentice Class Bonus: Slightly increases precision in mental manipulation]
"It seems we're on the right track." Ron could sense that the spell model was taking shape with unprecedented stability.
The feeling was like finding the perfect balance between ingredients when mixing a potion.
When all forces are in harmony, magic naturally takes shape.
[Slime Splash Experience Points +2]
"I see."
Ron opened his eyes and looked at the small clump of slime that had formed in his hand.
This spellcasting was not only much smoother than before, but also consumed significantly less mental energy.
But he knew he still had a long way to go before he could truly master the spell.
This is only a preliminary understanding. To truly internalize it as part of one's own strength requires countless practices and failures.
As mentors often say, "A wizard may spend his whole life mastering only a few spells, but it is this focus and depth that allows these spells to reach a level that is unimaginable to ordinary people."
It seems that not only potion-making, but even the most basic spells follow certain specific rules.
Through his understanding of "rhythm," he seemed to have found a shortcut to improvement.
Just as Ron was about to continue his experiment, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps coming down the corridor, accompanied by what sounded like soft sobbing.
He pricked up his ears alertly; at this time, any unusual noise was something to be wary of.
Especially after so many things happened yesterday...