Just How Difficult Is the Path of a Mage?

As a mage nearing fifty, Dwight knew just how difficult this path was.

He began learning meditation at the age of five, and it took him five years to master it. He became a novice monk at the age of ten, and a monk at the age of eighteen.

It took him a full twenty years to become a first-ring mage, and another twelve years to become a first-ring mage.

How many twelve-year periods does one have in a lifetime?

To advance in rank, a mage needs constant meditation, integrating magical power into their body. An apprentice mage needs to adapt one of their organs to magical power, allowing it to be stored within.

The apprentice mage needs to demonize this organ so that it no longer rejects magical power.

The first-ring mage needs to decide on the next route.

Should we crystallize that demonized organ, or use it to forge a magic crystal?

During this period, the daily meditation consumed countless gold coins and expended countless amounts of energy.

And this is still the most basic threshold.

Learning magic is an insurmountable chasm. Even a zero-level spell requires years of practice and memorization.

These spell models, observed and learned from monster crystals, are so complex that they can make one dizzy just by looking at them. Most apprentice mage novice mages cannot even understand one spell model in a year, let alone use it.

Even if you memorize it, you still need to review it every day, otherwise you might forget the specific information about the spell model and easily make mistakes when casting spells.

How many spells does a mage need to learn in their lifetime?

Dwight had no idea of ​​the answer; all he knew was that he had transformed himself from a naive child into a fifty-year-old first-circle mage.

Even with magic tricks included, he only memorized about fifty spells.

He couldn't even research a second-circle spell, let alone learn it.

Breaking through a level requires the body to have more mana crystals or mana organs to hold more mana, and also requires learning two levels of spells.

Each of these would place an unparalleled burden on the mage.

Each time mana is consumed, meditation is required to replenish it.

They controlled three fireballs, making them float and keep burning, as they arrived here from the city gate.

How much mana will it take?

How many years of training are needed to develop magical control skills?

Taking a deep breath, Dwight picked up his staff and solemnly walked down the stairs.

When he arrived at the VIP room on the first floor, three or four of his apprentices had already gathered around him.

Dwight looked at his excited apprentices and let out a deep breath.

"That's fine, it'll let you see what other mages are like."

When a group of people pushed open the door and entered, Lou Le had already eaten most of the fruit.

However, the sight of the bread crust that had been cut off by the knife still puzzled the mage apprentices.

—To be able to waste food so casually is such a luxury, such a grand display.

Dwight sat down in the chair opposite him.

The mage apprentices stood behind Dwight, looking nervous.

The three fireballs floating around Lou Le were constantly shaking.

"What an astonishing reserve and control over magical power!"

Dwight gripped his staff and exclaimed, "You truly deserve the name of the Spellweaver. I wonder what brings you here? I am Dwight, a first-ring mage here."

"Lou Le is also a first-ring mage."

Lou Le took off her hood, and her stunningly beautiful face stunned everyone opposite her.

But the mage apprentices all lowered their heads nervously, afraid of offending the mage opposite them.

Dwight was taken aback, but he didn't stare directly at Lou Le.

They were simply waiting for Lou Le's reply.

"A one-ring mage? I don't believe it."

Dwight did not believe that Lou Le was a first-ring mage.

"A dungeon."

Lou Le held up one finger: "I observed a dungeon in the Ghostwood Forest, which may contain magical items beyond imagination."

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

The monks and their apprentices even swallowed hard, as if by unspoken agreement.

Even Dwight's eyes were burning with passion.

"A dungeon..." Dwight murmured, then looked on with a complicated expression. "Dungeons, or rather, dungeons, are formed by a mysterious phenomenon in the world. No one knows why they appear. But every time they appear, they bring monsters and treasures."

"But recently, nothing unusual has happened in the Ghostwood Forest."

"This world actually has dungeons? And they appear randomly?"

The little witch was secretly pleased, but her face remained serious.

Lou Le took a sip of fruit tea and said to the mage in front of him, "You can send someone to investigate. I can give you the exact location. Besides, I'm only telling you this because I'm really not confident about exploring the dungeon."

"You should understand the importance of this news."

"Sir, of course I understand," Dwight said. "If this is true, I owe you a huge favor."

"I'll be staying in Ghostwood Town for a while, and I'll also be brewing some potions to prepare for the upcoming dungeon exploration," Lou Le said. "You can use this time to investigate whether the dungeon is real or fake."

Dwight's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded: "Your Excellency Lou Le, all the houses around here are my property. You can choose any house you like, and I will give it to you."

Lou Le said, "I won't take the house for free. As long as you provide the raw materials, I can provide you with potion-making services. Of course, you will have to purchase each potion at the market price."

"certainly!"

Dwight was finally relieved; he had given Lou Le the house for free precisely because that was what he wanted.

There are very few alchemists who can actually concoct potions, and the alchemists in Ghostwood Town are basically the kind who don't know much and just randomly stew various herbs together based on experience.

The effects of the medications vary greatly, and some may even lead to death.

"I just don't know what kind of potions you can concoct," Dwight said, looking at Lou Le.

"[Fire Potion] [Frost Potion] [Poison Potion] [Healing Potion]"

Lou Le revealed the four types of potions she knew how to make, and the Star Gazing Technique allowed her to refine these potions with a 100% success rate.

However, more potions can only be unlocked by obtaining their recipes.

Of course, it can also be used to move the medicine bottle in the star-gazing method back and forth in the mist to dispel the mist.

This way, if a new potion star is found, you only need to light it once to know what potion it represents.

Unfortunately, the map in the star-gazing method is simply too large.

The medicine bottle is like a speck of dust, while the star is just a slightly larger speck of dust. If I were to explore on my own, I don't know how many materials I would waste to obtain a new potion star.

She said, "If you have the potion recipe, I can make it too. And if you provide the raw materials, I can make three bottles for you free of charge."