Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 86 Loops and Stabilization Techniques

In the afternoon, Ron appeared in front of the door of the seventh classroom on the east side of the third floor on time.

Pushing the door open, he found that there were already more than a dozen apprentices sitting in the classroom. Most of them were wearing the gray robes of novice apprentices, and a few were wearing the dark blue uniforms of intermediate apprentices.

He found a seat near the back and looked around, noticing the varying expressions on the apprentices' faces—some nervous, some expectant, and some seemingly indifferent.

A few people in the front row were talking in low voices, discussing the difficulty of the course and the pass rates in the past.

"I heard that the assessment for this course is quite strict, and only 30% of the students can pass each session." An apprentice with long hair said in a low voice.

"That's already high."

The person next to him responded, "I failed the 'Spiritual Stabilization Technique' test last time, so I had to re-register and spend another twenty-five magic stone fragments."

Just then, the front door of the classroom was pushed open and all conversations stopped abruptly.

The person who walked in was not the official wizard Ron had expected, but a young man who looked to be in his twenties, wearing a dark grey robe with purple edges, which was unique to senior apprentices.

The young man walked to the podium and scanned the audience:
"I'm Eric, Instructor Victor's assistant and the instructor of this 'Magic Circuit Optimization' course."

Ron frowned slightly. He didn't expect that the paid course would be taught by a senior apprentice.

But he soon noticed that the students around him did not look surprised, as if this was the most normal thing.

Eric seemed to sense his doubts, and a barely perceptible sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth:

"Perhaps some new students don't understand our curriculum system. As a senior apprentice, my level is more than enough to teach most of you who are not even mid-level apprentices."

There was a hint of condescension in his tone, which made Ron feel a little uncomfortable.

But looking at the numb attitude of the apprentices around him, this kind of arrogance seemed to have become commonplace.

"Our course is divided into three sessions, each lasting one month." Eric continued to explain:
"There will be an assessment at the end of each term, and only those who pass can enter the next term. Only students who complete all three terms are eligible to join the advanced class taught by Instructor Victor himself. Of course, you can also pay for magic stone fragments separately and request individual guidance from the instructor."

Ron quietly wrote down this information.

He previously thought that the tuition he paid was for direct instruction from a formal wizard, but now it seems that it was just an opportunity to get close to a formal wizard.

“It’s worth mentioning that we have quizzes every week, and those who perform well can jump directly into the next course, saving a lot of time.”

Eric's voice suddenly became slightly excited:

"In addition, each day's class will first cover the basics for 30 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of advanced content. Students who perform well will also have the privilege of asking questions after class."

His words made Ron's heart move.

It seems that the school's curriculum system reflects the emphasis on talent everywhere - those with outstanding performance can accelerate their learning process and receive more guidance;

Those who are mediocre can only pay tuition fees repeatedly and linger in basic courses.

"Okay, enough small talk, let's start today's class."

Eric raised his hands slightly, and the magic crystal lamps on the walls of the classroom dimmed, leaving only the light source above the podium, casting his figure on the wall behind him, forming an enlarged shadow.

"Magic circuits are the foundation of a wizard's spellcasting, similar to blood vessels in the human body." He began to explain:
"Everyone is born with a set of magical circuits, but most are closed or semi-closed. Basic meditation can open these circuits, but how to optimize their flow efficiency is what we will learn today."

As he explained, Eric sketched a three-dimensional human figure in the air, with blue energy lines flowing inside, forming a complex network.

"This is a standard magic circuit diagram. Pay attention to these nodes..."

He pointed his finger at the intersections of several energy lines: "These are the key hubs for the flow of magic power, and they are also the places where blockages are most likely to occur."

Ron took notes attentively and found that although Eric's lectures were basic, they were extremely clear and much more efficient than if he had figured it out on his own.

Halfway through the course, Eric began teaching advanced content as promised.

He first demonstrated a special breathing technique, which was said to be able to effectively promote the circulation of magic power in the body, and also invited several students to come on stage to try it.

"I need a volunteer now." Eric's eyes swept across the classroom and finally stopped at Ron:
"You, the gray-robed apprentice in the last row, come up and try."

Ron was a little surprised, but he still stood up and walked to the podium. "Try the method I just taught you."

Eric frowned when he saw the other person's unfamiliar face, but still gave instructions:

"Concentrate on sensing the flow of magic power in your body. If that doesn't work, get down quickly and I'll replace you."

Ron closed his eyes and followed the instructions to breathe.

With his mental strength that had reached that of an intermediate apprentice and multiple professional bonuses, he quickly sensed the flow of magic power in his body - thin streams rushed through the meridians, converging, branching, and then converging again.

He discovered that at certain nodes, the flow of magic power did slow down, which should be the so-called "blocking point".

Following Eric's instructions, he tried to focus his attention on an apparent blockage, imagining the magic flowing like water through the barrier.

After a few dozen seconds, he felt the blockage loosen and the flow of magic power became smoother.

[Spell Construction (Beginner) Experience + 1]

"Very good." Eric's voice interrupted his meditation. Ron opened his eyes and saw a flash of surprise in the other's eyes.
"For a first attempt, your reaction and speed of grasping are quite impressive."

After returning to his seat, Ron noticed the changes in the looks from the apprentices around him - some were surprised, some were envious, and some were jealous.

In the remaining classes, Eric also introduced several simple magic circuit optimization techniques, and Ron recorded them one by one in his notebook.

When the course ended, he found that his spell-building skills had increased by several experience points, which was much more efficient than his own hard practice behind closed doors.

"The paid course is definitely worth it," Ron concluded silently. "I must seize this opportunity to speed up my progress."

As he was about to head to his next class, Ron spotted Eric standing by the door, motioning for him to stop.

"Apprentice Ralph, huh?"

The senior apprentice's tone was much kinder than when he was teaching. "Your performance in class was very good, especially your ability to perceive the flow of magic power, which far exceeds that of the average novice apprentice."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master Eric." Ron responded modestly, "I'm just particularly interested in optimizing the magic circuit."

Eric nodded. "If you keep up this performance, I'll consider letting you take the special test next week. If you pass, you can skip the first period and go straight to the second."

Ron nodded quickly. This was exactly what he hoped for. "I will try my best, sir."

"By the way." Eric seemed to remember something:
"I once taught an apprentice named Tracy, also from the Kingdom of Farouk. Her progress was astonishing. She mastered all the content in just half a semester and was immediately recognized by her instructor."

"Tracy..." Ron thought for a moment, "Oh, I've heard of her. I heard that she's now a disciple of Wizard Corinna."

"That's right." A hint of reminiscence flashed in Eric's eyes. "She's probably one of the most talented students I've ever taught, even better than Holt."

He paused and added, "Holt is also a genius. He completed all the tests designed by Professor Victor within two years of arriving here. But to be honest, his results are still not as good as Tracy's."

After learning that Tracy and Holt, two people he was relatively familiar with, had both been his seniors and had shown amazing talent, Ron felt a strange pressure in his heart.

After saying goodbye to Eric, Ron rushed to the third classroom on the north side of the fifth floor.

When leaving the classroom, Ron noticed several apprentices standing in the corridor talking with tired faces. They had obvious scars and marks of magical burns on their bodies, and it was obvious that they had just returned from some dangerous mission.

"Has Carl accepted another commission from the Edge Forest?" one of the female apprentices whispered. "This is the third time. He almost lost his life last time."

"There's nothing we can do," another voice responded. "The rent for the tower room has to be paid in two weeks. If we don't take the mission, we'll have to sleep on the street."

The female apprentice stared at Ron's back silently, a complicated look flashing in her eyes.

"Another rising star."

She whispered to herself, a mixture of envy and resignation in her voice, "Just like Holt back then and Tracy last year, they had a smooth journey. And I've already taken this course for the third time."

His companion sighed, "Just focus on preparing for next week's mission. The venomous snakes in that dead forest won't go easy on you just because you're jealous of others."

(End of this chapter)