Charlie didn't know how long he had been in the dark void, until his mental power was exhausted and he could no longer maintain the chasing star state. He opened his eyes to an empty classroom, and the magic clock showed that a day and a night had passed.
Charlie was startled and suddenly stood up. This time had exceeded the agreement with Anthony, and this first absence was causing him to worry about the impact on subsequent courses.
At this time, Nal came in and said with a smile: "I have greeted Anthony, so you don't have to worry, he won't bother you."
Charlie breathed a sigh of relief and sincerely said, "Thank you, teacher, for the trouble."
"That's a small matter." Nal took a deep breath and asked the question that had been on his mind for a long time: "How much did you gain this time?"
To be able to maintain the state of stellar meditation for a day and a night, there was only one possibility - Charlie had truly grasped the mysteries of stellar meditation.
"I gained about 7 points of magic capacity expansion."
Currently, Charlie's personal magic pool capacity has reached 15.73, which has already exceeded the traditional definition of a first-level mage: personal magic pool capacity exceeding 10, and being able to release a first-level spell. Of course, in the Arcane Order, he can still only be considered an apprentice.
Hearing this number, Nal's expression was complex, and he pondered, "For an apprentice mage, this speed is a bit amazing! It's nearly three times faster than the average apprentice! Even a high-level mage would find it difficult to achieve this level."
The first stage of stellar meditation tests willpower, and all the apprentices who attended the course yesterday can complete it, the difference is only a matter of time. The second stage is the real test, testing the level, refinement, and imagination of mental power, testing the understanding of the rules of stellar movement, and testing true wisdom.
I don't know how you, an apprentice, can penetrate the mysteries of the second stage, and complete the content of five classes in the first class. As a teacher in the Arcane Order for decades, I have never seen a type like you.
The evaluation was indeed not low, and Charlie didn't know how to respond to the praise.
"Does completing the content of five class hours mean I don't have to attend the subsequent courses?"
"Yes, you have mastered the introductory level of stellar meditation."
The room then fell into silence.
After a long time, Nal broke the silence: "Would you like to learn magic from me?"
If this question had occurred three days ago, perhaps Charlie would have replied enthusiastically and without hesitation. But now he was an apprentice to the alchemist Anthony, and Charlie didn't know whether he should agree, nor did he know if this was a test of character.
Undoubtedly, if he immediately agreed, anyone would think this apprentice was fickle, disloyal, and unworthy of being mentored. If he answered "no", he would undoubtedly miss the opportunity in front of him.
Seeing Charlie's hesitation, Nal smiled and said, "You don't need to struggle, I'm just asking for your personal wishes."
"Why ask?" Charlie gave a bitter smile and said, "People go to higher places, water flows to lower places. Of course I hope my mentor is a more powerful mage. Although I haven't been in the Arcane Order for a week, I've already felt the bias brought by my talent. As fellow apprentices, the treatment gap is really too big!"
"You little rascal! You speak quite eloquently!" Nal pointed a finger at Charlie and spoke seriously, "Yesterday I carefully studied your talent assessment data and learned about your outstanding performance on the ship from the external affairs department of the academy.
You are a bit strange, or you can say you are an extremely extreme representative. Your mental power is incredibly strong, but the quality in other aspects is also terribly lacking. You can be called a seriously unbalanced genius!
However, you have mastered the introductory stage of stellar meditation today. With your learning speed, perhaps the advanced stage of stellar meditation will also be no difficulty for you. This means that you can catch up with the cultivation speed of the general genius of the academy, which also meets some basic conditions. That's why I'm willing to take you as my disciple."
Charlie sat upright, listening intently.
"But you are now Anthony's apprentice, and according to the academy's usual practice, they generally do not support changing the apprentice-mentor relationship, as it will cause some chaos. So even if you agree now, I have no way to change your current status."
Charlie chuckled and said, "Teacher, are you teasing me?"
Master Nal smiled and said, "What I mean is, you need to be patient. The academy requires apprentices to stay with their mentors for a year before they are allowed to submit an application to change mentors, so you still have to continue with Anthony for a year.
Just right, I have a request for you. If you can meet the requirement, then when you submit the application next year, I will approve your request."
The implication was that if the requirement was not met, the door to apprenticing under him would be closed.
Charlie asked, "What's the requirement?"
"You have already mastered the introductory level of stellar meditation, so I hope that you can become a qualified stellar mage next year. The requirement is not low, but it is not impossible to achieve."
"Okay!" Charlie agreed immediately.
Nal nodded and said, "Now Anthony's situation is not good, and it may hinder your progress, so as compensation, I allow you to attend all my classes for free this year. My assistant will notify you in advance when the classes start, and you can come to audit them whenever you have time."
Hearing this, Charlie's face lit up with joy. This was the real valuable reward! It would be the greatest gain from his participation in the classes! In a year, he didn't know how many points he could save. A master is a master, and he is extraordinary.
"Thank you, teacher!" Charlie stood up and bowed sincerely.
"Okay, if there's nothing else, you can go back now!" Nal was also in a cheerful mood, and finally reminded, "You'd better keep a low profile, and don't let others notice. And maintain a good relationship with your current mentor. Every teacher who can become a mentor in the Arcane Order is extraordinary. A wise person should be able to befriend everyone."
"Understood." Charlie nodded and bowed again to Master Nal, then quickly left the magic tower.
In a luxurious small living room, a young man in fine clothes stood by the window, through the thin clouds like silkworm silk, he could see the lush spring scenery in the courtyard, with the lush vines climbing the walls of a distant high magic tower, blooming with clusters of white flowers, and the crisp sound of the wind blowing through them.
Behind the young man stood a burly figure, motionless, like a lifeless sculpture. This figure had not moved for two hours.
The pressure was invisible, emanating from all sides, such as a highly capable yet extremely loyal bodyguard, or a few small trinkets that were worth Daniel's family fortune.
"So, he single-handedly defeated the pirates on Saint Croy Island, right?"
Daniel naturally put down the tea cup in his hand: "Yes, Your Highness, that's what everyone on the ship said, especially Miss Xue."
"Gaton, do you have any comments on this?"
As if hearing the sound of steel gears turning, the frozen statue came to life: "Young master, those were just a group of rats hiding in the dark corners, with no real fighting power."
"That's measured by your standards, isn't it!" The young man turned around and smiled elegantly: "If I had a duel of honor with him, how much chance would I have?"
"Your Highness, he is not your opponent, there is no comparison at all." The statue froze again.
Daniel smiled: "If you remove the equipment, he still wouldn't be your opponent. I saw his talent assessment report, his personal magic pool capacity is only 8, he's not even a first-level mage. His impressive performance on the ship was relying on his equipment. If it's a matter of equipment, who can compare to you?"
"Well said!" The young man laughed heartily, his mood exceptionally cheerful: "It's a pity I can't take the field myself, I can't lay a hand on an Iron Chaptersuit apprentice, I'm the embodiment of handsome and wisdom, an upright and kind-hearted young man."
"As the young master says." Daniel lowered his head, expressing his respect.
"But we can't underestimate him either. It seems he has already mastered the introductory stage of stellar meditation, and catching up is just a matter of time." The young man thought for a moment, then suddenly looked up and stared at Daniel: "So I'll leave this matter to you, Daniel, you two have a grudge anyway!
I don't care what method you use, I just hope that a year from now he will no longer be in this academy, whether he leaves alive or dead."
Daniel hesitated and said, "At the beginning of the school year, I had already issued an ultimatum, and I will challenge him a year from now, defeating him will be enough."
"I'm afraid you won't be his match a year from now!" The young man said bluntly: "You don't know the value of stellar meditation. Its complete stage has been listed as the most coveted secret of the Empire, and it may usher in an era of mage explosions."
Seeing Daniel in a dilemma, the young man continued, "I know you like Xue, but from the current situation, it seems you don't have much hope, even if this Charles doesn't interfere, you can't get past my brother."
The young man stepped forward, with an impeccable smile: "If my brother comes to ask you to withdraw, you seem to have no choice but to agree. But I can help you solve this problem, and I'm not interested in girls like Xue."
Daniel took a deep breath and asked, "What does the young master need me to do?"
The young man's smile didn't change at all: "The first round of the new student's point competition is just around the corner. You have plenty of opportunities. If you have any requests, you can ask me, and I will help you as appropriate."