The potion room fell into a temporary silence, broken only by the faint sound of liquid occasionally bubbling in test tubes.

  Morven and Yuna both stared intently at Pierce, waiting for his answer.

  Pierce didn't hide anything and admitted frankly, "Yes, Teacher. Just yesterday, I reached the standard for condensing a Spirit Crystal."

  As soon as these words came out, Yuna couldn't help but gasp lightly, her beautiful eyes widening with a look of disbelief.

  It wasn't her fault for reacting so intensely; this matter was simply too astonishing.

  It had only been a little over two months since Pierce obtained the Deep Sea Meditation Technique.

  In such a short time, Pierce had successfully constructed the last twelve complex Will Runes?

  What kind of speed was this? It was simply godspeed!

  Yuna once again profoundly realized the terrifying, unfathomable aptitude of her junior brother.

  Morven remained silent for a good while, a trace of complex emotion flashing in his cloudy old eyes, before he let out a long breath and nodded heavily.

  "Very good."

  His tone revealed unconcealable relief and joy.

  At this moment, the look Morven gave Pierce was like looking at a rare gem that had finally been polished to emit a magnificent light, his expression exceptionally gentle.

  When he first accepted Pierce as a disciple, he only valued Pierce's talent in Potions and didn't place too much hope on the latter's aptitude in the path of Wizardry. Even though Pierce had already begun to show promise back then.

  After all, having lived so long, he had seen many commoner geniuses rise quickly like stars, only to fall quickly due to lack of resources, background, or accidents, eventually fading into obscurity.

  Not to mention having Yuna, a genius from a Wizard family with deep roots and exceptionally outstanding aptitude, right beside him for comparison. Naturally, he didn't hold too many expectations for Pierce in this regard.

  Who would have thought that in the time since, Pierce would reveal talent and strength that astonished him time and time again?

  First, he shone brilliantly in the operation to encircle the Hand of Grievance, killing Harlan and Riker consecutively.

  And now, he had reached the standard for condensing a Spirit Crystal in such a short time.

  This talent was already even more outstanding than Yuna's!

  Even among the many geniuses he had seen, it was enough to be called "dazzling."

  At this moment, Morven repositioned Pierce in his heart, regarding him as a true inheritor of his legacy.

  "Since you have already reached the standard for condensing a Spirit Crystal, it is time for you to understand matters in this regard."

  Morven pondered slightly, organizing his thoughts, and began to explain.

  "The difficulty in condensing a Spirit Crystal lies mainly in two points."

  "The first point is that during the process of condensing a Spirit Crystal, the body's Life Force will be consumed rapidly. Once the Life Force is depleted too heavily to maintain, it will lead to failure in condensation. In severe cases, one can be drained of Life Force and die on the spot."

  "Among the Wizard Apprentices who died because of condensing a Spirit Crystal, more than ninety percent died from this cause."

  "And auxiliary potions like Glazed Heart Water serve to replenish Life Force and protect the human body, preventing death from excessive loss of Life Force."

  Pierce nodded slightly. He had already seen this point in books in the library, so it wasn't unfamiliar.

  But Morven's subsequent words stunned him.

  "The second point is that the process of compressing mental power produces intense pain. This kind of tearing pain originating from the soul level is enough to make a person with weak will collapse instantly. Many Wizard Apprentices cannot endure this pain and are forced to interrupt the compression process, leading to final failure and permanent damage to their spirit."

  Pierce hadn't seen this point in the books.

  Obviously, the materials open to ordinary apprentices in the library were not very comprehensive, and some key information had been deliberately concealed.

  Hearing Morven's explanation, he couldn't help but look thoughtful.

  Five standard portions of Glazed Heart Water solved the first problem of Life Force depletion, increasing the success rate to over 50%.

  Does that mean if I solve the second problem of soul pain, I can increase the success rate to 80% or even 90%?

  Thinking of this, Pierce's eyes brightened slightly, and he hurriedly asked:

  "Teacher, then how do I solve the problem of pain?"

  Pierce didn't think the pain during the process of compressing mental power could be withstood purely by willpower.

  If it were that simple, there wouldn't have been so many Wizard Apprentices failing to advance over the past ten thousand years.

  Morven smiled faintly and said, "There are quite a few solutions, but the best method is to find an Avatar Spirit to bear the pain for you."

  "Avatar Spirit?"

  Pierce searched his mind quickly, but unfortunately couldn't find any relevant knowledge.

  It was Yuna who thoughtfully answered his confusion.

  "An Avatar Spirit is an artificially cultivated Ghost Creature, belonging to the high-end technology of Puppet Manufacturing."

  "The general principle involves capturing a segment of your soul aura and cultivating it through special means into a Ghost Creature whose soul fluctuations are completely consistent with yours and can bear all damage from the soul level for you."

  "There is such a puppet?"

  Pierce was greatly amazed.

  Puppet Manufacturing was indeed broad and profound; even such soul-level ghost puppets could be created.

  But on second thought, if even terrifying war weapons like the Divine Golem could be created, a mere Avatar Spirit didn't seem so rare.

  Recovering his senses, Pierce immediately chanted silently in his heart: "Eye of Omniscience, calculate my success rate for condensing a Spirit Crystal with five standard portions of Glazed Heart Water plus one Avatar Spirit."

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  Sure enough!

  Pierce felt a burst of joy in his heart.

  Although he hadn't actually come into contact with an Avatar Spirit, and there might be some error in the calculated success rate, the error shouldn't be too large.

  As long as he obtained an Avatar Spirit, his assurance of condensing a Spirit Crystal would be even greater.

  Pierce suppressed the joy in his heart and asked hurriedly, "Then how do I obtain an Avatar Spirit?"

  Morven shook his head, pouring a bucket of cold water on him:

  "The principle of the Avatar Spirit sounds simple, but it involves the soul level. It cannot be manufactured by anyone other than a master with exquisite skills who has been immersed in Soul Puppets for many years."

  "And such master-level figures can be counted on one hand in the entire Aurora City. At least in The Spire Academy, there is no such person."

  Pierce was instantly disappointed.

  If even Morven said so, one could imagine how esteemed the status of a puppeteer who could manufacture an Avatar Spirit was.

  Such a big shot would obviously not easily make a puppet for a Wizard Apprentice.

  Even if they were willing, he likely couldn't afford the exorbitant payment.

  Seeing Pierce's disappointment, Yuna comforted him softly:

  "Junior Brother, actually, you do not necessarily need an Avatar Spirit. Using Mind Calming Potion as a substitute is not bad either. Although the effect is worse, combined with two standard portions of Glazed Heart Water, the success rate of condensing a Spirit Crystal is at least seventy percent."

  Pierce glanced at Yuna and understood immediately.

  Yuna definitely successfully condensed her Spirit Crystal with the combination of Mind Calming Potion and two standard portions of Glazed Heart Water.

  It was just that she didn't know Pierce had constructed not 24, but a terrifying 32 Will Runes.

  The same auxiliary plan applied to her, but it wouldn't work for Pierce.

  The final success rate might not even be 50%.

  However, on the surface, Pierce nodded helplessly, feigning an expression of "it has to be so," while planning to use the Eye of Omniscience to calculate other methods as soon as he got back.

  At this moment, Morven suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

  "Actually, it is not that there is no way."

  Pierce and Yuna were both stunned.

  But both were quick-witted people and reacted quickly.

  "Teacher means... the competition with Crimson Lotus City?" Pierce mused.

  Morven nodded gently, a glint flashing in his eyes:

  "As long as you win that competition on behalf of Aurora City, let alone one Avatar Spirit, asking for two would be no problem. For the sake of rewarding meritorious service, the Council will definitely satisfy such a small request."

  Pierce asked curiously, "Teacher, what exactly is the format of the competition?"

  "For the sake of fairness, a neutral Notary was specially invited from the Astral Alliance headquarters for this competition. The format is also fully set by the Notary. Before the competition begins, neither we nor Crimson Lotus City know the specific details."

  "But no matter what the format is, in the end, it is a contest of whose fist is bigger."

  Pierce nodded in understanding; that made sense.

  "Teacher, how does the Dawn Council plan to decide the candidates for the competition?"

  Hearing Pierce's words, Morven knew immediately that he had made a decision, so he said:

  "In half a month, the Dawn Council will hold a Selection Trial. The top three Wizard Apprentices who pass the trial will represent Aurora City in the competition."

  "Are there any restrictions for those participating in the trial?"

  "Anyone who is a Rank 3 Wizard Apprentice can participate."

  Morven looked at Pierce, his expression becoming slightly serious as he warned:

  "To win the competition, the Dawn Council will inevitably spare no resources to vigorously support the three Wizard Apprentices participating."

  "Just for this point alone, there will not be few Wizard Apprentices participating in the trial."

  "Not only from the four major academies, but many serving in the army, as well as veteran Wizard Apprentices hidden by major Wizard families, will presumably participate."

  "Although their aptitude is inferior to yours, after so many years of accumulation, who knows how many trump cards and backup plans they have amassed. Against these people, you must not slack off."

  "Yes, Teacher." Pierce nodded solemnly.

  Morven nodded, then suddenly flicked his hand and threw something to Pierce.

  Pierce reached out subconsciously to catch it and looked down to see an exquisite potion bottle the size of a thumb, filled with silver liquid.

  "This is Glazed Heart Water, a total of one standard portion. Consider it a gift for you."

  "However, my help to you ends here. If you need more auxiliary resources later, strive to pass the trial and become one of the three participants. At that time, feel free to make requests to the Dawn Council. Even if you ask for three or five bottles of Glazed Heart Water, they will satisfy you."

  "Yes, Teacher."

  Pierce bowed with gratitude.

  Regardless of Morven's purpose for suddenly accepting him as a disciple back then, the help during this period was real.

  He would keep this kindness in his heart.

  Morven waved his hand calmly, signaling the two to leave.

  Returning to the entrance of the plantation, Yuna smiled radiantly:

  "Junior Brother, this is a good opportunity for you. If you can win the competition on behalf of Aurora City, you will not have to worry about resources for advancing to Wizard."

  For any Wizard Apprentice, gathering the resources needed to advance to Wizard was a huge problem.

  Whether it was auxiliary potions to replenish Life Force or rare items to reduce soul pain, their value was incomparably precious, and gathering them all was no easy task.

  Even for a child of a Wizard family like Yuna, it was the same.

  While Wizard families controlled a large amount of resources, they wouldn't give them to family children for free.

  On one hand, there were many people in the family who needed resources for cultivation.

  On the other hand, gathering promotion resources was itself a test for Wizard Apprentices.

  They had to put in effort to obtain resources, not just sit and wait for the family to feed them.

  Cultivation that was smooth sailing, with resources for the taking—Wizards cultivated this way were just flowers in a greenhouse, unable to withstand storms.

  Perhaps the early stages would be smooth, but lacking the resilience and will to face difficulties directly, they would inevitably not go far on the path of Wizardry.

  Only Wizards who hacked their way through thorns and overcame all difficulties to advance could shine brilliantly on the Great Path of Wizardry.

  If this was true for family children, it was even more so for ordinary Wizard Apprentices.

  In terms of gathering promotion resources, the difficulties they faced far exceeded the former.

  Many Wizard Apprentices failed to advance to Wizard not entirely because of insufficient aptitude; lack of sufficient resources was also an important reason.

  Hearing Yuna's words, Pierce smiled slightly:

  "It is a pity Senior Sister broke through early; otherwise, one of the three quotas for the competition would definitely be yours."

  "You have such confidence in me." Yuna smiled until her eyes curved into crescents.

  "Of course," Pierce answered seriously.

  So far, among the Rank 3 Wizard Apprentices he had met, Yuna was the only one who made him feel pressure.

  And now that she had advanced to Wizard, Yuna felt like a bottomless pool in his perception, completely impenetrable.

  Even when using the Eye of Omniscience to probe, the feedback was "Insufficient mental power, analysis failed."

  It showed how astonishing Yuna's true power was.

  As for Morven, that was another level entirely.

  "You." Yuna tapped Pierce's forehead affectionately, then instructed warmly, "Prepare well during this time. If you encounter difficulties, feel free to come to me. I will do my best to help you."

  Hearing this, Pierce's heart moved, and he hurriedly said, "I actually have something to trouble you with, Senior Sister."

  Yuna chuckled and asked, "What is it?"

  "I need as many Knight Breathing Techniques as possible. The rank does not matter, even basic ones are fine. Could I trouble Senior Sister to find some for me?"

  Yuna was a bit surprised; she didn't expect such a request.

  However, she didn't ask further and nodded readily in agreement.

  ...

  On the way back to the apartment, Pierce pondered his upcoming schedule.

  Since he had decided to compete for the quota, he had to go all out.

  Whether he could gather enough resources to advance to Wizard depended on this one shot.

  There was still half a month until the trial, and he needed to improve his strength as quickly as possible.

  The Lightning Rune and Blink Tattoo must be completed as soon as possible. With these two methods, my combat power will also increase significantly. If time permits, it would be best to analyze a few more Elemental Runes.

  The metal combination formula for the Silver Star also needs to be figured out quickly, aiming to fuse it a few times before the trial.

  Enhancing the Silver Star's offensive and defensive capabilities was secondary; Pierce hoped more to reduce the Silver Star's mental power consumption.

  Only in this way could the Silver Star be used as more than just a trump card.

  Once the Silver Star could become a conventional weapon, his combat power would usher in a leap in improvement.

  And spells—I have to master a few more 1st Circle Spells.

  Who knew what the format of the trial would be? Mastering a few more spells would make dealing with unexpected situations more comfortable.

  And Mist Raven—it also needs to continue converting Mist Crows.

  Over this period, the number of Mist Crows in Mist Raven's body had increased to more than 3,800.

  Now, only the Southern District of the Outer City hadn't been searched.

  Pierce estimated that after searching the Southern District, the number of Mist Crows should increase to about 5,000.

  That should be the limit.

  To increase the number of Mist Crows further, he would have to go elsewhere to catch crows.

  But this matter wasn't urgent; it wouldn't be too late to deal with it after advancing to Wizard.

  Let the little guy go out hunting on his own these days.

  Thinking about it, Pierce realized there were many areas he needed to improve, and time was tight.

  Fortunately, the Realm of Truth would open in about ten days. Harvesting a wave of Rule Force then would make improving his strength much faster.