The study atmosphere in the library remained the same as always. Allen walked straight through the reading area and arrived at an independent section labeled as the Witchcraft Zone. It was managed by a senior apprentice who sat behind the administration desk, handling his own affairs without looking up.
"I want to learn a few witchcraft illusions."
The apprentice glanced up at him and pointed to a bookshelf. "The catalog is over there. Pick your numbers and tell me. Standard illusion models cost ten Low-Level Magic Stones to borrow for three days. You can also make a copy, but the price is doubled."
Borrowing meant he could only study through the crystal within a designated area, and his memory of it would gradually blur after he left. Copying involved completely recording the magic model into a blank Memory Crystal, which could be reviewed at any time. For Allen, who had DSeek to record everything, there was no difference between borrowing and copying.
General Witchcraft — Illusion Zone.
Allen stood by the bookshelf, browsing the catalog. Before coming here, he had seen a few posts on the forum. The senior students strongly recommended three must-learn illusions: [Silent Magic], which greatly weakens the sound of one's footsteps and other slight noises; [Wizard's Mark], which leaves a Magic Power symbol representing oneself on the surface of an object lasting for several years; and [Animal Soothing], which emits gentle spiritual fluctuations to calm ordinary small animals. He planned to learn all of them and pick a few more useful ones.
After browsing the catalog, Allen locked onto his targets. The first was [Sensory Enhancement], which temporarily and slightly increases the acuity of one sense, switchable between sight and hearing. The second was [Clear Mind Skill], which slightly relaxes the brain and soothes the emotions. Sensory Enhancement could improve his observation skills, and the Clear Mind Skill should help with his studies. Besides these two, Allen did not find any other illusions worth learning. After all, they were just the lowest-level magic used by apprentices for practice; he could not expect too much.
"Numbers 0-11, 0-21, 0-35, 0-53, and 0-56. Borrowing." Allen read out the illusion numbers at the administration desk.
"A total of fifty Magic Stones." The apprentice calculated the price, and Allen paid the Magic Stones without hesitation.
Fifty Magic Stones were enough to cover Vera and Colin's basic cultivation expenses for two months. For him, they were merely exchanged for the temporary right to use five illusions that could not even be considered Low-level Witchcraft. The barrier of knowledge was reflected in the Wizarding World through the most straightforward prices.
After a brief wait, he was led to an independent Quiet Chamber. A faintly blue crystal was brought to him, recording the magic models he had borrowed. He could probe it with his Spiritual Power to experience it intuitively, which was much friendlier than chewing on a textbook.
The moment Allen touched the Crystal Ball, he issued a scanning command to DSeek.
[Magic model discovered: Silent Magic. Initiating data analysis... Rune structure: 'Shock Absorption', 'Distortion', 'Coverage'. Analysis complete. Optimal construction path generated.]
In less than three seconds, a magic model was completely dismantled and absorbed. Next, he recorded the remaining four magic models one by one. The entire process took less than five minutes.
The apprentice at the administration desk had a trace of surprise in his eyes when he saw Allen come out so quickly. He merely assumed that it was just another oblivious new student who had been deterred by the complex models.
Allen left the library, rested for the night, and adjusted his Spiritual Power to its peak.
Early the next morning, the public practice room was completely empty. The freedom of the academic system was always exceptionally friendly to geniuses. While other apprentices were still struggling with basic courses, Allen had already gained the qualification to schedule his own time. Of course, he still had to attend some practical classes, as they could not be mastered behind closed doors.
Allen chose a corner spot. It was relatively isolated, allowing him to be more focused. He did not immediately begin learning the new magic but instead started to warm up by reviewing the two Zero-Circle Illusions that Teacher Colvin had already taught. This was a necessary consolidation. Even though DSeek had mapped out the theoretical optimal construction path for him, he still needed to mobilize his Spiritual Power to practice.
His Spiritual Power probed into his Sea of Consciousness. The miniature star cluster formed by seven Meditation Runes revolved steadily, drawing in the Magic Particles from the outside world. He skillfully constructed the magic model of the Wizard's Hand within his consciousness. Shaping, driving, linking, stabilizing, and pointing—the outlining of the five Runes was completed in one breath, taking less than three seconds. A translucent arm formed of pure Magic Power appeared out of thin air, as stable as a solid entity.
With a thought from Allen, the palm accurately pinched a small pebble on the ground, weighed it, and then placed it back in its original spot with an elegant arc. The entire process was completely silent without a single ripple of energy. This formed a stark contrast with the rough, unstable Magic Power palms of the new students when they cast spells.
Immediately following was Light Magic. A soft orb of light emerged in his palm; its brightness was stable and its edges were clear. He altered his Magic Power output, and the brightness of the light orb began to change. From the faint glow of a firefly to a brilliant radiance capable of illuminating the entire corner, the transitions were smooth and effortless. Cleaning Magic, miniature sparks, and Communication Magic, which the professor had yet to teach, were also cast one by one. After this routine, one-third of his Magic Power had been consumed.
With the warm-up over, Allen's consciousness settled down, and he began to call upon the magic models he had copied yesterday. The continuous spellcasting and high concentration placed a slight burden on his brain, but this was also the best time to test the magic.
The first was the [Clear Mind Skill]. Following the optimal path generated by DSeek, he began to construct the three brand-new Runes in his Sea of Consciousness. The 'Stripping' Rune acted like a pair of delicate tweezers, the 'Soothe' Rune was a cool mist, and the 'Activate' Rune injected a hint of vitality into his brain. The moment the model was formed, a stream of cool energy expanded from the depths of his Sea of Consciousness, gently sweeping over every fold of his thoughts. The feeling was like turning on liquid cooling for an overheating CPU; the speed of his cognitive processing became brisk and light.
[DSeek Report: Mental fatigue decreased by 18.7%. Short-term memory retrieval speed increased by 14%. The effect lasts for approximately fifteen minutes.]
"A highly efficient study tool," Allen evaluated in his mind. This meant that in his future high-intensity studies and research, he would gain nearly twenty percent more endurance.
The second illusion was [Sensory Enhancement]. Its model, composed of four Runes, was a bit more complex than basic illusions, but with the assistance of DSeek, the construction process remained smooth. He chose sight first. The moment his Magic Power was injected, the world before him was instantly "remastered in high definition." He could clearly see the depth of the Rune carvings on the wall ten meters away, and could even distinguish the hairline wear and tear on the edges of the carvings caused by age. The dust floating in the air—the trajectory of every single speck—was distinct and identifiable. He even saw a drop of condensation accumulating on the ceiling at the other end of the practice room in almost stationary slow motion. Its surface tension formed a perfect sphere that reflected his apprentice robes.
He turned off the visual enhancement and switched to hearing. The sounds of the entire world instantly rushed into his ears, amplified dozens of times. The faint footsteps of an apprentice out in the hallway, the faint clinking of metal from the Alchemy Workshop further away, and even the muffled roar of blood flowing in his own veins... Countless chaotic sounds flooded his brain. Had his Spiritual Power not been strong, his head would have likely split open from pain on the spot.
He immediately adjusted the 'Filter' Rune in the magic model according to DSeek's contingency plan, blocking out internal noises such as his own heartbeat and breathing. The world instantly became much quieter. He could clearly catch the low whispers of two early-rising apprentices talking fifty meters away.
"...Did you figure out the ratio for the 'sustained-release agent' from yesterday's potion class? I tried three times and failed all of them..."
"...That crucial extraction temperature is just too hard to control..."
The corners of Allen's lips curled up in an imperceptible arc. He mused that brewing potions might be another potential market. He dispelled the magic. The value exchanged for a mere ten Magic Stones had far exceeded his expectations.
The third was [Silent Magic]. He stood up and paced around the practice room while constructing the magic model. When the magic took effect, he looked down. His feet stepped on the hard stone slabs, yet there was barely any sound. He tried to jump; upon landing, there was only the faint rustle of his clothing rubbing together.
The fourth was [Animal Soothing]. He closed his eyes and mixed a trace of his Spiritual Power with his Magic Power, transforming it into a gentle, harmless fluctuation that expanded outward. Although he could not immediately verify its effects, he had already perfectly mastered the model.
[Wizard's Mark]. Out of the five illusions, this was the only magic that carried a semi-permanent effect. Its duration could be extended depending on the amount of Magic Power injected. Allen walked to the wall and extended his index finger. With his fingertip hovering about a centimeter away from the surface, he began to construct the magic model while simultaneously designing his mark in his mind. The royal lion crest was far too ostentatious; the first letter of his surname, Wesren—'W'—could serve as the main body. Using his Spiritual Power, he stretched and morphed the lines of the 'W' to make it look like a crown. Once the design was finished, the magic model was simultaneously constructed.
He guided a wisp of Magic Power, slowly pressing it toward the wall according to the designed pattern. The Magic Power silently seeped in like mercury spilling onto the ground. On the wall, a mark the size of a walnut, composed of deep blue light, flashed for a brief moment before completely fading from sight. With his Spiritual Power, he could clearly "touch" his unique Magic Power mark hidden inside the stone wall. It would remain there for years, perhaps even decades, unless erased by a higher-tier Dispelling Magic. He could use it to mark his property, track items, or even leave unknown signposts at critical locations. He could also reveal it and use it as a seal.
Five illusions, from learning to mastery. Allen took only a single morning to fully grasp all of them, reaching a level of proficiency that ordinary apprentices required months of bitter practice to achieve. In DSeek's magic database, ten standardized magic models were readily available at any time. This was something unimaginable to the other new students. While they were still agonizing over stably shaping the Wizard's Hand, Allen already possessed a fully functional "toolbox."
By the end of the practice, nearly eighty percent of his total Magic Power had been consumed, and he felt genuine mental fatigue.
Tomorrow was the day he would head to Alchemy Workshop No. 17 in the H District for his appointment.
Allen walked out of the practice room into the bright sunlight. He planned to head to the cafeteria next. Before meeting that Advanced Apprentice, he still needed to gather more information about him. He never engaged in unprepared transactions, much less would he allow himself to become a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.