The topic struck a nerve, and the brown-haired girl's gaze sharpened.
"Whatever you do, avoid the mentors who specialize in curses. Those people... they only see their students as expendable resources. Over the years, only one, Oliver, has survived more than five years under such mentorship."
Robb nodded. That matched his previous assessment.
"And one more thing." Talisa hesitated, as if unsure whether she should say it.
"I'm not sure how close you are with Lady Elena, but if she's willing to introduce you to a mentor… that might be your best option."
Robb feigned ignorance and asked, testing her, "Huh? Lady Elena? Isn't she just the herb shop owner?"
A mysterious smile crossed Talisa's face, but she gave away no critical information.
"Do you really think an ordinary herb shop owner could survive alone for so many years in the Black Mist Forest? One who not only possesses exclusive potion formulas, but may also have access to much more valuable extraordinary knowledge?"
She stood and straightened her robe.
"In any case, the choice is yours. I'm just giving you some advice. If you're available to take on another potion order soon, just let me know."
As she was about to leave, Talisa turned back with a glance.
"Oh, by the way, the one-year probationary period for candidate apprentices is almost up. There's only a little over a month left. Do you want to… Never mind. The fate of those 'defectives' doesn't really concern us, does it?"
Defectives, huh...
After seeing his guest off, Robb stroked the increasingly thick fuzz on his chin.
Just over a month ago, he might have been considered one of those "defectives" himself, anxious to the point of sleeplessness every night.
Back then, he never could've imagined the promising road ahead.
"Everything's moving forward steadily. It's been exhausting lately, sure, but this kind of effort, where I can actually see the results, is what keeps me going..."
Once he completes his potion-making and knight training advancements, he might consider picking up books like Basics of Alchemy or Introduction to Enchanting to explore new career paths.
But for now... Robb picked up his pocket watch and launched into the next round of training.
Grind hard, until he becomes not just a wizard king... but a magic god!
…
A month passed, and the seasons shifted quietly in the Black Mist Forest. The colors of the trees deepened, and the ambient magical energy became more active.
The morning mist grew denser. When sunlight filtered through the canopy, particles of magic shimmered in the beams like stardust, creating a surreal scene.
During this time, Robb lived a life of near-brutal discipline.
Every day before dawn, while most apprentices still slept, he was already up and training.
As the first light of morning poured through his window, he would sit cross-legged in the center of his room, a special candle for clarity burning in front of him.
The flame wasn't bright, but under Robb's focused gaze, it pulsed with a strange rhythm, as if syncing with his breath.
"Inhale for seven counts, hold for three, exhale for five."
This was the basic rhythm of the Solar Breath. With each breath, Robb could feel subtle changes in his meridians, as if caressed by sunlight, slowly becoming broader and tougher.
Each inhale seemed to draw in the faint essence of sunlight from the air.
Each hold let that energy circulate within his body.
Each exhale expelled impurities and waste.
The blood-strengthening potions he had crafted using ingredients from Lizard Alley, along with those that enhanced the breathing technique's efficiency, significantly boosted his physical cultivation.
[Breathing Body Training EXP +1]
[Breathing Body Training EXP +1]
[Breathing Body Training EXP +1]
…
A full month of breathing cultivation yielded a noticeable increase in his physical stats, bringing him close to the next mastery level:
[Physique: 1.5 → 1.7]
[Progress: Breathing Body Training (Beginner 90/100)]
After this rigid morning training came the most grueling part, meditation withWhispers of the Star-Eater.
Lady Elena's warning still echoed in his ears:
"Spiritual contamination is cumulative. Every meditation adds some. If you don't purify regularly, it could cause irreversible damage over time."
Before every meditation, Robb would first build a complex defense system in his mind using dozens of basic runes, a first line of defense against contamination.
Only then would he begin meditating on Whispers of the Star-Eater.
In the early stage of each session, as he faced the vast starry void, those living stars flickering in the abyss, a deep, indescribable terror would rise within him.
In the beginning, he always terminated the meditation when the discomfort grew too intense, using his pocket watch's "reset" function to restore his mental state.
But over time, he gradually learned to persist longer using sheer willpower alone.
Each time he resisted the mental erosion of those living stars, his spiritual power increased slightly.
From 2.4 to 2.5, then 2.6… step by step, he advanced steadily.
By the end of the third week, his spiritforce had reached 2.8, just one step short of qualifying as an intermediate apprentice.
Meanwhile, he hadn't slacked off in potion studies either.
Every afternoon at Lady Elena's shop, he not only completed his daily tasks but also spent extra time studying more advanced formulas.
Helping Talisa with her special order had deepened his understanding of certain rare materials.
Though his progress in Alchemy wasn't as visible as his mental strength, it was solid.
From fumbling with the basics, he now had a decent grasp of crafting intermediate-level potions.
His herb identification skills had improved dramatically, he could now assess even adulterated ingredients for their true value and quality on sight.
His core skill, Basic Potion Studies, was nearing mastery.
Robb could feel it, once that skill reached expert level, his potion-making would experience a breakthrough.
At night, while most apprentices wrapped up their studies, Robb began training with Solar Swordcraft.
Though his room was small, it was enough for the fundamentals. Every movement he made was precise, perfectly synced with his breathing technique.
The only regret was that as his Basic Swordcraft neared the threshold of mastery, gaining experience became harder.
Even with daily practice for a month, he was still short of leveling up, but he was close.
Once he did, and combined that with potions to rapidly boost his physique, he'd be able to choose between advancing into the [Bloodline Knight, 2-star] or [Spellblade, 2.5-star] paths.
And maybe, just maybe, he'd finally test the theory he'd long suspected, could two different advancement paths be combined?
…
His training continued deep into the night. When he finally collapsed into bed, every muscle in his body was wrung out.
But with the pocket watch's "reset" at dawn, he started every new day at peak condition.
Hard work pays off. This borderline-insane training regimen had dramatically boosted Robb's strength in a short time.
On the last day of the month, his spiritual power hit 2.9, just a hair away from reaching intermediate apprentice status.
Meanwhile, his progress in Whispers of the Star-Eater had grown from under 10% to nearly 50%.
Today, just after finishing his breathing practice, sweat still clinging to his brow...
After a short break, he slipped into meditation once again, and suddenly, his mind was torn open by a wave of darkness.
[Inspiration triggered, proceed with extreme caution!]