56: 2-star Pharmacist Apprentice

Low-Level Clarity Potion.

Grimm also made it his first Low-level Wizard Potion to conquer.

As early as his 13th year on the wizard's path, Grimm had already attempted to refine Low-Level Clarity Potion.

But the vast majority ended in failure.

He only succeeded once or twice; even with the Hundredfold Harvest of his Golden Finger turning that into one or two hundred attempts, Grimm didn't gain much... Pharmacology is a very rigorous science.

Isn't that quite strange to say?

In a world with extraordinary phenomena and extraordinary power, how can you talk about science?

Grimm had been studying Pharmacology for over four years and had gradually discovered its scientific nature.

From the initial material processing, the 'three washes and three dryings' of the blue demon leaf were extremely strict regarding time nodes and temperature control.

Later, through countless practices, Grimm perceived that the beneficial substances of the blue demon leaf would change states in different environments, and by utilizing this characteristic, an Apprentice could extract these beneficial substances.

When it came to refining semi-finished magic potions, the techniques for refining them, the amount of magic potion to add, and the timing for adding neutralizers all had clear regulations; this was a set of time-tested, standardized procedures passed down.

Only with mature scientific principles supporting it could standardized, assembly-line production be achieved... After breaking through to Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, Grimm immediately went to the academy to register and receive his promotion gift package.

Through the wizardry crystal, Grimm learned the auxiliary 0-ring Intermediate Wizard spells—Elementary Mana Perception and Elementary Mana Refinement.

After spending half a month learning these two spells, Grimm couldn't wait to use them when refining Low-Level Clarity Potion.

Through Mana Perception, Grimm could clearly sense that throughout the entire magic potion refining process, multiple types of mana with different properties were interacting, merging, and conflicting...

It was as if he had opened a heavenly eye; Grimm could perceive the unfolding scene and then use the Mana Refinement spell to timely adjust any excessive mana, allowing for a certain degree of fine-tuning throughout the entire reaction process...

Grimm suddenly had an absurd feeling...

He felt like he was stir-frying dishes.

If it's too salty, add some water; if it's bland, add some salt.

Everyone else is learning to slay gods in a mental hospital, while I'm learning to stir-fry in the Wizard World???

...Grimm, who had enlightened himself to a certain essence.

It was as if he had cleared his meridians, like opening the Eight Extraordinary Meridians...

The success rate of refining Low-Level Clarity Potion soared.

Early January, year 15 of the wizard's path.

Grimm, who had broken through to Intermediate Wizard Apprentice over two months ago, successfully mastered the Low-Level Clarity Potion.

Grimm could stably refine ordinary quality Low-Level Clarity Potion, which also marked that Grimm had summarized and established his unique refining technique for Low-level Wizard Potion.

This was the beginning of a mature 2-Star Apprentice Alchemist.

As expected, it only took two months.

Grimm mastered the other two Low-level Wizard Potions required for the assessment:

Low-level Knight's Water potion, a potion to assist in breaking through to a Formal Knight.

Low-level Mana Recovery Potion, the preferred choice for Intermediate and Low-level Wizard Apprentices to restore mana, a blue potion...

Grimm only spent 4 months.

He met the assessment requirements for a 2-Star Apprentice Alchemist.

This time, the biggest contributor was no longer Grimm's Golden Finger—Hundredfold Harvest.

Instead, it was Grimm's terrible cooking skills, honed over thirty years of bachelorhood on Aqua Blue Star.

Grimm, who usually had no other hobbies, enjoyed a bowl of pork rib soup and a bite of pork rib meat when he had free time.

So, Grimm bought an electric cooking pot and placed it in his dormitory.

Every now and then, he would buy 'Anxingo' cold-fresh meaty marrow bones online; these marrow bones were the most cost-effective and freshest among all the ribs Grimm had tried, although a bit expensive at 9-10 yuan per jin.

Grimm usually ordered two jin online at once to cook.

(Pork ribs were too expensive for Grimm to afford, so he could only eat marrow bones, which were also very good. They were just larger ribs.)

Grimm would cook pork rib soup in his dorm to drink.

He just boiled the ribs in plain water, adding nothing but salt.

If it was too salty, he'd add some water; if it was bland, he'd add some salt.

With a warm, fresh, and smooth bowl of pork rib soup, Grimm, struggling alone, no longer felt so lonely... Reaching the level of a 2-Star Apprentice Alchemist so quickly was beyond Grimm's expectations.

However, Grimm did not immediately go to register for the assessment.

After all, even Ellie took a year to become a 2-Star Apprentice Alchemist.

Grimm didn't want to stand out too much; it didn't align with his cautious strategy.

Therefore, Grimm planned to quietly wait until the one-year mark before taking the 2-Star Apprentice Alchemist assessment...

To adapt to the new pace, Grimm even spent two days creating a new plan.

Now, it was the sprint period for each five-year grand exam, so Grimm didn't need to attend classes anymore, leaving him with plenty of time.

He had already reached the peak of the Knight Breathing Technique.

Grimm now only needed to practice the Knight Breathing Technique a few times a day, quietly waiting for the technique and a bloodline awakening to transform his body.

Mentor Jordan said this transformation and improvement process would last three to five years, after which Grimm would be at the peak of a Grand Knight.

By then, Grimm's Knight strength would increase by another ten to twenty percent.

This process did not require Grimm to actively accelerate it, nor could it be accelerated, as the transformation of the body by a single awakened bloodline was not an overnight process.

Grimm had now indirectly achieved his original intention when he started practicing the Knight Breathing Technique—to comfortably move his body, just like an old lady dancing in the square every day.

Grimm also understood a principle from this.

Only when your strength reaches a certain level do you have the right to enjoy and be comfortable...

This year was precious, a golden period to widen the gap with his peers.

During the previous golden period, Grimm was merely a follower, barely able to keep up with the main group, and too much study pressure had even caused him to fall into an emotional slump.

But in this golden period, Grimm swore he would be a frontrunner!

First was the preview of the study courses for the fourth five-year grand exam.

Grimm had been continuously engaged in this preview activity, but several key courses were particularly difficult to learn:

1: The advanced Apprentice stage of the Plant Heart Meditation Technique—the learning and construction of nine spiritual runes.

2: Advanced understanding and effective leverage of elements.

3: Learning, matching, and casting combat wizardry.

4: Astrological Celestial Studies. (The advanced math of the Wizard World, extremely difficult to learn!)

...To surpass his other classmates, Grimm shamelessly resorted to using his 'money power'.

He joined tutoring classes, paid tutoring classes even! VIP small-group teaching.

To outcompete his other classmates, Grimm went all out...

He signed up for tutoring classes for all four of these key courses in one go.

This once again bled dry the wallet Grimm had painstakingly saved up.

This was Grimm's first time attending tutoring classes in both his lives.

The first time Grimm stepped into a tutoring class, he was met with a big surprise.

Oakes and Ellie were both there...

Oakes even winked at Grimm, as if saying:

Surprised? Unexpected?