Chapter 87: Chapter 85: Circuits In the afternoon, Ron appeared punctually at the door of the seventh classroom on the third floor on the east side. When he pushed the door open, he found that over a dozen apprentices were already seated inside. Most were wearing the gray robes of elementary apprentices, while a few donned the dark blue uniforms of intermediate apprentices. He chose a seat towards the back, glanced around, and noticed that the expressions of the apprentices varied—some looked nervous, some expectant, and others appeared indifferent. A few people in the front row were whispering, discussing the difficulty of this course and the passing rate from previous terms. "I heard this course’s assessment is quite strict, with only thirty percent of students passing each term," said a long-haired apprentice in a lowered voice. "That’s already considered high." The person next to him responded, "I didn’t pass the ’Spiritual Stability Techniques’ last term, so I had to re-enroll, which cost me another twenty-five pieces of magic stone fragments." At that moment, the front door of the classroom swung open, and all conversations abruptly ceased. To Ron’s surprise, it wasn’t the official wizard who entered but a young man who looked just over twenty, dressed in a deep gray robe edged with purple typically worn by advanced apprentices. The young man walked to the front of the lectern and surveyed the room: "I am Eric, Master Victor’s assistant, and I will be teaching this term’s ’Magic Circuit Optimization’ course." Ron frowned slightly, not expecting a paid course to be taught by an advanced apprentice. Yet, he quickly noticed that the surrounding apprentices showed no signs of surprise, as if this was a completely normal occurrence. Eric seemed to sense his confusion, and a barely perceptible smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth: "Perhaps some new students aren’t familiar with our course system, but as an advanced apprentice, my skills are more than sufficient to teach most of you who aren’t even intermediate apprentices." His tone carried a condescending hint, which made Ron somewhat uncomfortable. But seeing the other apprentices accept it apathetically, this kind of arrogance seemed to be all too common. "Our course is divided into three terms, each lasting a month," Eric continued to explain: "At the end of each term, there will be an assessment. Only those who pass can proceed to the next term. Only students who complete all three terms have the eligibility to participate in the advanced class taught personally by Master Victor. Of course, you can also pay separately in magic stone fragments to request individual guidance from the master." Ron quietly noted down this information. Previously, he thought that his tuition fees would directly earn him guidance from an official wizard, but it turned out that it merely provided the opportunity to approach a formal wizard. "It’s worth mentioning that we conduct weekly tests, and those who perform exceptionally can jump directly to the next term, saving a lot of time." Eric’s tone suddenly grew a bit more enthusiastic: "Furthermore, each day’s course will start with thirty minutes of basic content, followed by thirty minutes of advanced content. Outstanding students may even gain the privilege of post-class questioning." These words stirred something within Ron. It seemed that the school’s course design placed a strong emphasis on talent—outstanding students could accelerate their learning and receive more guidance; While those who were mediocre could only repeatedly pay tuition fees and stagnate in basic courses. "Enough talk, let’s start today’s lesson now." Eric slightly raised his hands, and the glow of the magic crystal lamps on the walls dimmed, leaving only the light above the lectern to cast his silhouette on the wall behind him, forming an enlarged shadow. "Magic circuits are the foundation of a wizard’s casting, similar to how blood vessels are to the human body." He began explaining: "Everyone is born with a set of magic circuits, but most are in a closed or semi-closed state. The Basic Meditation Technique can open these circuits, but optimizing their flow efficiency is what we will learn today." As he explained, Eric drew a three-dimensional silhouette of a human figure in the air, with blue energy lines flowing inside, forming a complex network. "This is a standard diagram of a magic circuit. Notice these nodes..." His finger pointed to several junctions of energy lines: "These are the key hubs of magic flow and the most likely points for blockages." Ron focused on taking notes, realizing that although the content Eric taught was basic, it was exceptionally clear and much more effective than his own explorations. Halfway through the course, as promised, Eric began teaching advanced content. He first demonstrated a special breathing technique said to effectively promote the circulation of magic within the body and invited a few students on stage to try it. "Now I need a volunteer." Eric’s gaze swept across the classroom, finally landing on Ron: "You, in the last row with the gray robe, come up and give it a try." Ron was a bit surprised but still stood and walked towards the lectern. "Try using the method I just taught," 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺 Eric instructed, raising an eyebrow at the unfamiliar face but still guiding: "Focus on sensing the flow of magic in your body. If you can’t, step down, and I’ll choose someone else." Ron closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing as instructed. With his spiritual power already at an intermediate apprentice level and various professional bonuses, he quickly sensed the flow of magic within him—streams coursing through meridians, branching, diverging, and rejoining. He noticed that the magic flow indeed slowed at certain nodes, which should be the so-called "blockage points". Following Eric’s guidance, he tried to concentrate on a clear blockage, imagining the magic as water breaking through barriers. After several seconds, he felt that the blockage loosened, and the magic flow became smoother. [Magic Construction (beginner) Experience Points + 1] "Very good." Eric’s voice interrupted his meditation, and Ron opened his eyes to see a hint of surprise flash in Eric’s eyes: "For a first attempt, your response and proficiency are quite outstanding." Returning to his seat, Ron noticed changes in the gazes from surrounding apprentices—surprise, envy, and some undisguised jealousy. In the remaining course, Eric introduced a few simple techniques for magic circuit optimization, and Ron recorded them all in his notebook. By the end of the class, he found that his magic construction skill had already increased by several experience points, much more efficiently than his solo practice. "The paid course is certainly worth the investment," Ron silently concluded, "I must seize this opportunity to accelerate my progress." Getting ready to head to the next class, Ron noticed Eric standing by the door, signaling him to wait a moment. "Apprentice Ralph, is it?" The advanced apprentice’s tone was much friendlier than during the lecture: "Your performance in class was impressive, particularly your perception of magic flow, which far exceeds that of typical elementary apprentices." "Thank you for your guidance, Master Eric," Ron humbly responded, "I’m just particularly interested in magic circuit optimization." Eric nodded: "If you maintain this level of performance, I will consider including you in next week’s special test. If you pass, you can skip the first term and move directly to the second." Ron nodded quickly, exactly what he hoped for: "I will work hard, sir." "By the way," Eric seemed to recall something: "I once taught an apprentice named Trish, also from the Faruk Kingdom. Her progress was remarkable, mastering all the course content in just half a term and directly gaining the master’s recognition." "Trish..." Ron pondered briefly, "Oh, I’ve heard of her; she’s said to be a disciple of the Wizard Corina now." "Indeed." A hint of reminiscence flashed through Eric’s eyes: "She’s probably one of the most talented students I’ve ever taught, even more outstanding than Holt." He paused for a moment and added: "Holt was also a genius. He completed all of Master Victor’s designed tests within his first two years here. However, his accomplishments still do not surpass Trish’s." Upon learning that both Trish and Holt, whom he was somewhat familiar with, were his "senior apprentices" and displayed extraordinary talent, Ron felt a peculiar pressure arising within him. Saying goodbye to Eric, Ron headed to the third classroom on the north side of the fifth floor. As he left the classroom, he noticed several apprentices looking weary. "Did Carl take a commission to the Edge Forest again?" one of the female apprentices conversed. "If he didn’t take any tasks, he’d have to sleep on the street with others," responded another after letting out a sigh: "Yet I was going to concentrate on preparing for next week’s task." she muttered to herself, her voice a mixture of envy and sighs. """