The next day, Dago woke up early.
Ever since he learned the Ice Crystal Technique, he had a clever use for it.
That was to flash-freeze the venison he hunted, so he no longer had to make jerky.
Flash-frozen venison would surely sell out at the Town's butcher shop.
Thinking of it, Dago set off for the hunting grounds in the forest at sunrise to look for prey.
Luckily, at a water source, he easily hunted a Chi Deer.
Skillfully skinning, butchering, and packing the meat, Dago's eyes glowed with an aura as he murmured the incantation for the Ice Crystal Technique.
He used his mental power to control the output of ice elements, and wisps of cold air wrapped around the venison.
After packing the deer hide and venison, he hoisted them onto his shoulder and walked towards the Shelter.
A moment later, back at the Shelter, Dago washed off the remaining bloodstains on his body.
He shed his light hunting attire and changed into the Academy's apprentice robe.
He pulled out his brass pocket watch and checked the time; it was exactly eight o'clock in the morning.
He planned to rush to Aynak Wizarding Academy before nine to attend Mentor Rosalind's public lecture.
So, time was tight.
Dago carried the venison on his shoulder, along with his water skin and cloth bag, and entered the forest.
The direction of every leaf and the moss on every stone were deeply ingrained in his mind, as if he were reading a map carved into the earth.
He walked quickly; beneath his wide apprentice robe was already a strong physique.
Before long, he arrived at the Town's butcher shop and skillfully unloaded the venison onto the chopping block.
The plump butcher shop owner was busy cutting pork, looked up and saw it was Dago...
He stopped what he was doing and walked towards him.
He touched the flash-frozen venison on the chopping block.
"Dago, how did you flash-freeze this venison today? This is a rare commodity that's very popular in Town."
The owner was surprised for a moment, then his face bloomed into a smile like a flower as he spoke.
"My wizardry has made a little progress, just a small thing, really. So, regarding the price...."
Dago stood by a wooden rack next to the chopping block, breathing heavily as he spoke.
"Naturally, I wouldn't shortchange a future Wizard like you."
The butcher shop owner took out three times the usual amount of magic stones for venison jerky from the pouch at his waist and handed them to Dago.
Dago was silent for a moment, knowing there was some flattery involved.
However, he still accepted it, then sold the deer hide to the leather shop owner as usual.
After passing through the dirty residential market of the Town, Dago finally walked on the slightly cleaner main road of the Town.
It was currently 8:40 AM, and Dago jogged towards Aynak Wizarding Academy.
"Beep," the green light on the Academy gate device lit up, and he ran directly towards the main castle of the Academy.
"Hoo~ hoo~," Dago bent over, breathing heavily outside the Ice Elemental classroom.
"Good thing I made it," he thought to himself, still panting.
He walked in; there were still a few apprentices sitting in twos and threes, even fewer than last time.
In the small classroom, only the rustling sound of turning pages could be heard; they didn't even blink when someone entered.
As expected of the Academy's Ice Elemental class, none of them were very lively.
Dago routinely found an empty single seat and sat down.
Following the crowd, he pretentiously opened his black-covered wizardry book and started reading.
Soon after, Mentor Rosalind, holding her lecture notes, slowly walked into the classroom.
Wisps of cold wind stirred, and only then did the apprentices turn their attention to the podium.
"Today, we will review the basic knowledge of wizardry: Runology and Potionology."
Mentor Rosalind glanced around the classroom, nodded towards Dago, and put down her lecture notes as she spoke.
"First, what are runes? They are the crystallization of the wisdom and efforts of countless Wizards, and they are an extremely important component of the Wizard's power system."
"The discovery of runes solved the problems of Wizards' lengthy casting times and complex, cumbersome spell preparation, lowering the threshold for casting spells, and directly creating the incredibly brilliant Wizarding World."
"Each time the glow of the Origin Moon shines, in some corner of the world, at least one rune is created, and at least one rune is silently forgotten, buried..."
"He is an intricate and complex art; a high-level rune might take a Wizard a lifetime to discover. He is a magical and beautiful symbol of heaven and earth, a gift from nature to humanity."
Mentor Rosalind first introduced Runology.
"Next is the key point: runes cannot be used directly; they need to be inscribed on equipment, and thus the profession of Rune Inscriber was born."
"Runes can absorb and store free energy particles from nature, then be controlled by mental power to activate. Each rune has its own unique effect."
"For example, the Wizard's robe I am wearing is inscribed with two low-level runes: 【Cleanliness】 and 【Amplification】. 【Cleanliness】 cleans and removes dirt from my robe, and 【Amplification】 amplifies my voice."
As Mentor Rosalind spoke, she raised her hand, displaying the two runes inscribed on her silver-threaded cuff.
The apprentices looked on enviously, knowing that inscribing each rune was not cheap.
Apprentice robes, on the other hand, were merely made of slightly better material, with no special features.
However, the Mentor's robe inscribed with 【Cleanliness】 had a self-cleaning function; even if worn for several months without changing, it would remain clean and fresh, without a speck of dirt.
This was a luxury item of Aynak Wizarding Academy.
"Next, we will discuss Potionology. I believe many students have already consumed Mental Potion; it is the most common potion in the Wizarding World, used to enhance the cultivation of Meditation."
"A Wizard might drink more Mental Potion in their lifetime than water."
"Potions are usually made using cauldrons, from ingredients with magical properties, and can produce different effects on the drinker."
"They have wide applications in the Wizarding World, including treating diseases, enhancing magical abilities, changing material forms, etc."
"Making potions requires specific equipment, such as silver or brass cauldrons, glass or crystal vials, silver daggers, mortars and pestles, scales, and so on."
"Runology and Potionology are fundamental Wizard knowledge; they are skills that can be studied for a lifetime and are also important sources of income for Wizards."
"Once one masters either Runology or Potionology, a lifetime of wealth and glory is assured."
Dago was immersed in the ocean of knowledge, listening to Mentor Rosalind's words with rapt attention.
The short thirty minutes vanished in a blink of an eye.
Many apprentices already had a foundation in these areas, so after listening, they packed up their notes and books and left the classroom.
Dago found Mentor Rosalind and respectfully performed the disciple's bow of the Wizarding World.
"Thank you again for your gift of the Ice Crystal Technique last time."
Dago's tone was very sincere.
"It's a small matter. How is your Ice Crystal Technique coming along? Do you have any problems with your cultivation?"
Mentor Rosalind waved her hand dismissively and said.
"I can successfully cast it now, but I've been busy hunting in the forest to earn magic stones, so I haven't quite mastered it."
Dago scratched the back of his head and said honestly.
"Hunting to earn magic stones? Your method is a bit too clumsy. Wizard apprentices should prioritize learning wizardry."
"However, your talent is quite good. How about this, these are some of my insights into Potionology; you can try to research and study them."
Mentor Rosalind looked at Dago with some surprise, then pulled a sheet of paper from her lecture notes and gave it to Dago, saying.
"Mentor Rosalind, you are a guide of wisdom, igniting the desire for knowledge with the spark of wisdom, leading me from confusion to conviction."
Dago was overjoyed and praised her with great emotion.
"Alright, alright. The area around the Academy hasn't been peaceful lately. I might be on a mission and away from the Academy soon. I hope you study diligently, and I look forward to seeing your progress when I return."
Mentor Rosalind patted Dago's shoulder with her withered hand and turned to say.
"I guarantee progress."
Dago shouted, watching Mentor Rosalind's retreating figure.
He returned to the quiet classroom, found a seat, and began to study what Mentor Rosalind had given him.
At the top of the paper was the title "On the Refinement of Mental Potion."
It was well known that the main ingredient of Mental Potion was moonlight flower petals, an already public potion formula in the Wizarding World.
moonlight flower is a pale purple flower that emits a soft glow at night and has a light, gauze-like texture.
Currently, the main method of refining Mental Potion is to first grind twelve dried moonlight flower petals into a fine powder in a mortar, and prepare an appropriate amount of morning dew and two-eared grass.
Add all ingredients to a silver cauldron, heat the cauldron with magic flames, and simultaneously stir at a moderate speed with a glass stirring rod to ensure the potion is evenly mixed.
After the potion has simmered for twenty minutes, when purple mist rises from the cauldron, quickly connect it to a glass condenser to cool and pour it into glass vials.
Thus, a bottle of Mental Potion is obtained.
In conclusion, Mentor Rosalind believed that moonlight flower is a gentle magical plant that grows by absorbing the essence of the Origin Moon, preferring cold to heat.
The process of heating with magic flames destroyed much of the moonlight flower's medicinal properties.
Therefore, Rosalind believed that a method that did not require heating should be used to perfectly extract the medicinal properties of the moonlight flower.
However, she had been searching for a method without success, and her words were filled with regret.
Dago suddenly stood up from his seat, as if he had thought of something.
"Isn't this the cold brew method, a method of extracting target substances by prolonged soaking at low temperatures? Gentle extraction conditions can preserve more heat-sensitive components."
He muttered to himself, then rushed out of the classroom, eager to tell Mentor Rosalind about this method.
After asking several apprentices, Dago finally found the Mentor's research office; most of them rested and discussed teaching there.
Pushing the door open, it was a large room, but only a few Wizards were sitting at desks, discussing something.
"Someone found traces of a Black Robe Wizard deep in the Emerald Forest. I heard he's a Wizard from the Dark Crystal Highlands."
"Aynak Academy takes this matter very seriously and has sent many Academy Wizards to investigate. I heard there was even a battle."
Dago unintentionally overheard some of the conversation; they had a sense of urgency, like a dark cloud pressing down on a city about to be destroyed.
"Ahem, hello Mentors, is Mentor Rosalind here?"
Dago first cleared his throat, then asked.
"Mentor Rosalind went home early because she didn't have classes this afternoon."
One of the middle-aged Wizard men replied, and Dago could only leave the research office disappointed.