Chapter 762: Chapter 723: Registering for the Magic Potion Course (2)

Duke closed his notebook.

Throughout the entire morning, his pen hardly paused.

Ethelin’s lecture, covering everything from the essence of free energy particles to their distribution, from the fundamental principles of elemental affinity to the training methods for controlling abilities, was worth savoring in every sentence.

The most beneficial part for him was the latter half about "how to make elemental particles willing to listen to you."

Ethelin’s exact words were: "Spiritual power is the whip, affinity is the bait, but what truly makes elemental particles submit is your understanding of their essence. The more you understand fire, the more it is willing to be driven by you. The more you understand water, the less it will resist you."

At that moment, Duke thought of his six-element composite crystal.

Having affinity for six elements is his greatest advantage, but also his greatest burden.

Simultaneously controlling six elements means he must have a deep enough understanding of each, or he will have shortcomings.

Ethelin’s class happened to provide an opportunity for him to reassess these six elements.

He looked down at his notebook filled with dense notes, and the explanations about the elements gave him a clearer understanding of each element’s nature.

Finally, Duke took a look at the Sky City outside the window, stood up, and left the classroom.

After returning to his residence, he did not rest but directly opened the light screen of the badge to enter the course list.

He had already taken the Elements Control Introduction course, and next, he needed to choose a second course.

His gaze slowly moved over that long list of names.

Finally, his gaze landed on one course.

Magic Potion Theory and Advanced Refining Introduction, 45 points.

Instructor: Felix Vane, Level 4 Mage.

Enrollment: 16/60.

Duke’s eyebrows slightly raised.

The quota of sixty people only had sixteen enrolled, making it look glaringly sparse compared to the Elements Control Introduction course.

He clicked open the course details.

"This course aims to help students establish a systematic theory of magic potions, covering the essential analysis of magic potion materials, energy conversion rules during the refining process, combinatorial taboos of advanced magic potions, and is suitable for students with a certain foundation in magic potions to take as an elective."

There was a small warning note:

"Warning: This course is quite challenging, and it is advised that students with a weak foundation in magic potions choose carefully. The passing rate from previous years is about 65%."

65% passing rate.

This means that for every three people who enroll, one person will not get that guaranteed 100-point contribution, wasting 45 points of enrollment fee.

No wonder so few people signed up.

Duke withdrew his gaze, leaning back into his chair.

Outside, the sunlight was radiant, and the outlines of distant snow-capped mountains were clearly visible.

He recalled his first attempt at refining magic potions.

That was in the laboratory of Black Sail Academy Island, using free materials provided by Hela, repeatedly refining basic magic recovery potions until the proficiency on the skill tree was fully maxed out.

He thought of the success with the Mountain Magic Potion, recalling the profit share from the Starlight Meditation Potion, and how the Blood of War improvement plan earned him 50 points from the Arcane Association.

His foundation in magic potions wasn’t just learned from books; it was developed through level-grinding step by step on the skill tree.

With each level up, that knowledge naturally integrated into his consciousness, requiring no comprehension or digestion, and directly became a part of him.

The principles, formulas, and techniques that countless alchemists dedicate their lives to figuring out were, to him, just part of the points on the skill tree.

He looked once more at the words on the screen.

About a 65% passing rate.

For Duke, this was no issue at all.

He raised his hand and clicked the enrollment button.

For Duke, obtaining the contribution from this magic potion course was almost a sure thing.

If he didn’t have even this level of confidence, then he might as well have lived in vain all these years.

"Registration successful. 45 points deducted, 20 points remaining."

"Course time: March 12, Room 207, second floor of the Zone 7 teaching building."

"Instructor: Felix Vane."

points.

This was his current total balance.

Over the next week, he had to plan carefully; he had to pass the assessment for the Elements Control Introduction course to retrieve those 35 points and the reward, so he would then have the capacity to enroll in the next course.

For the vast majority of wizards, this moment was actually very risky.

Because with only twenty points left, it meant he had to pass at least one of the Elements Control course or the magic potion course, or he would be on the brink of a cliff.

But Duke wasn’t anxious.

Some things can’t be rushed.

Turning around, he walked to his desk and reopened the notebook filled with notes.

The matters of a week later should be dealt with in a week.

For now, he needed to thoroughly digest what Ethelin had taught.

...

One week later, in the morning, Duke crossed a barrier’s Light Gate again, stepping onto the suspended corridor leading to the teaching area of Zone 7.

During that week, he didn’t choose any new courses; the balance of twenty points was too tight, insufficient to enroll in any decent course.

He spent his time digesting the content Ethelin taught in the last class, utilizing the knowledge about the essence and distribution patterns of elemental particles, combined with experiments inside the Light God Court, to clarify many previously vague concepts.

For example, he truly understood for the first time what the activity of fire meant.

It wasn’t simply high temperature and destructive power, but the innate desire of fire elemental particles for change.

They naturally tend to transition from a stable state to an excited state, from order to disorder.

Controlling fire isn’t about suppressing this instinct, but guiding it, allowing it to release at appropriate times and contain at others.

Duke also finally understood why he always felt a subtle sluggishness when simultaneously controlling light and dark.

Light seeks penetration, while dark seeks engulfment.

The nature of light is to radiate outward, and the nature of darkness is to converge inward.

This isn’t an issue of affinity, it’s an issue of insufficient understanding.

After the last class, he consciously practiced switching between light and dark repeatedly within the Divine Court, searching for balance between these two opposing natures.

The harvest of this week was something that he couldn’t achieve through a year of isolated hard cultivation.

When a high-tier mage stands at a higher perspective and guides you, it can make you see everything clearly and avoid countless years of detours.

The second Elements Control class was in the morning.

Duke entered classroom 301 a quarter of an hour early.

Ethelin walked in at the exact scheduled time.

Today, she wore a deep purple magic robe, with black stockings still on her legs, her long hair loosely tied behind her head; her deep blue eyes swept over the young faces in the room, revealing neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction.

"Last class covered the essence and distribution of elemental particles. Today’s class covers interaction and transformation."

She raised her hand, and a complex element relationship diagram appeared on the screen wall.

Six basic elements arranged in the form of a hexagram, connected by lines of different colors—red representing mutual promotion, blue representing mutual restraint, and gold representing transformation possibilities.

"Elements aren’t isolated. A true master doesn’t only use the element with which they have affinity but understands how to use other elements to assist, enhance, and balance their primary element."

At this point, Duke’s spirits lifted.

This was exactly what he needed.

For more than an hour, Ethelin delved into the interaction rules between six basic elements and how to optimize magic effects by introducing other elements.

Every sentence was like a key, opening door after door in Duke’s mind.

He thought of his Sand Guardian.

A pure Earth Element defense, heavy but lacking flexibility.

If he added a moderate amount of Wind Element, it would help the sand particles flow faster and react more nimbly.

Or if he introduced a trace of Water Element, adding a layer of lubrication between sand particles, they could better absorb impact...

"That’s it for today; next class will cover practical skills in element control..."

She turned around and left, leaving a room full of thoughtful students.

Duke closed his notebook and glanced out the window.

The sun was high, with less than an hour until the afternoon magic potion class.

He got up from his seat, found a bronze bench outside the teaching building, and sat down, taking out some dry food and a bottle of water from his Space Ring to swiftly settle his lunch.