"What’s the matter?" Gauss was confused.
"It’s nothing, I just wanted to say that when you’re condensing your Profession Tier, if you need some supplementary herbs or potions, I can help provide them."
"Do you need herbs and potions to condense the Profession Tier?" Gauss asked curiously.
"You don’t have to, but having the right supplements can speed up the process and might improve the effect slightly," Lawrence explained when he saw Gauss didn’t understand. "For Caster Apprentices like us, it’s necessary to supplement with some mind-calming and brain-nourishing food or potions, Warriors need strength-enhancing supplements, and other Professional Apprentices each have their own required supplements."
"Got it." Gauss nodded. "Then I’ll trouble you to help me purchase them."
Lawrence’s family owned an herb shop, and after spending some time together, Gauss felt he wasn’t the type to take advantage of others, so having him help with the purchases saved a lot of worry.
"It’s a small favor."
Seeing Gauss agree, Lawrence also felt relieved.
This also indicated that Gauss’s relationship with him wasn’t too unfamiliar.
After a dungeon exploration, everyone in the team understood that Gauss’s future was limitless.
He definitely wouldn’t stop at just crossing the professional threshold; he would continue forward to see sights they might never see in their lifetimes.
Befriending him early was like befriending a future High-Tier Professional.
"I’ll foot the bill for this meal, don’t fight with me over it," Edith quickly stood up and said. "Thank you, Gauss, for saving me. If you ever need my help, feel free to contact me anytime."
As she spoke, she winked at Gauss.
Sometimes being helped can also be an opportunity to deepen a relationship.
Isn’t interpersonal communication all about reciprocity?
...
Inside an unremarkable three-story red-brick building.
"Bang!"
A glob of acid shot onto Gauss, and dark green acid splashed everywhere.
"Sizzle!"
The Mage Armor on Gauss’s body emitted rippling light, with wisps of white smoke continuously rising from his body. It looked scary, but it never penetrated the protective layer of the Mage Armor.
Gauss raised his hand, stopping the apprentice’s attempt to continue casting tricks.
The apprentice abandoned the casting action, initially puzzled by the excitement and joy on Gauss’s face, but soon looked at him with disbelief.
"Yes, I did it." Gauss laughed heartily. "Thank you for your help."
After practicing for several more days, the proficiency of Mage Armor finally broke through Level 3 to successfully advance to Level 4.
Mage Armor Level 4 (0/100)
Gauss felt the Natural Magic around him gradually gathering towards his body, his eyes gleaming brightly.
What a wondrous feeling.
It’s as if a sublime force from the heavens was watching over him.
He quickly headed to the Association’s Cultivation Chamber.
He pushed the door open and entered.
Inside were a large number of supplements and food Lawrence had helped him purchase, especially in the center of the shelf where a small bright blue bottle stood, the most expensive item.
The cost price for a bottle of Nourishing Potion was 95 Silver Coins, which could rapidly provide his brain with necessary nutrients when needed.
Many Caster Apprentices prepared a bottle in advance if they had the means during their Profession Tier condensation process.
It’s not that it’s indispensable.
Rather, the condensation of the Profession Tier is a procedural stage, also known as the "guidance" by others.
During this process, the world’s will offers gifts to each apprentice about to ascend to a Professional, helping them enhance their physical constitution, ultimately condensing a source of power—the Profession Tier—within, formally stepping into the professional threshold.
If there is a lack of specific supplements, the "guidance" process could be relatively prolonged; physical constitution might gradually improve over time, possibly fast, possibly slow, and there is even a chance of failure.
Gauss sat on the bed in the Cultivation Chamber.
He felt his state becoming peculiar, his brain surprisingly active, as if refreshed.
At every moment, numerous new ideas would pop into his mind, like a child faced with a new world, filled with various thoughts.
In front of Gauss, the prompt from the Adventurer’s Handbook began to refresh frequently.
"Condensing Profession Tier..."
"Intelligence growing slightly..."
"Constitution growing slightly..."
"Mage Armor proficiency +1"
"Mage Armor proficiency +1"
"...."
Gauss exhaled white breath.
A mysterious power seemed like an invisible large hand continually transforming his body and spirit!
So hungry!
Isn’t this supposed to be a slow, continuous process?
Gauss had originally prepared for a prolonged battle, ready to cultivate for several days or even longer.
But he didn’t expect the feedback from changes to come so suddenly and rapidly.
Fortunately, this Cultivation Chamber was fully equipped, not only stocked with a lot of living supplies and supplements but also having a rest area, a washing area, and other spaces.
He got up, grabbed some drinking water and food, and stuffed large amounts into his mouth.
So hungry! So hungry!
Gauss felt an intense hunger about to devour him! If there were meat in front of him, he thought he could bite it raw.
Luckily, plenty of supplies were prepared in advance; otherwise, following others’ experience at a leisurely pace would be disastrous.
"Poof!" While eating, Gauss suddenly had a nosebleed.
But he dared not stop eating, as the hunger inside pushed him to eat more!
Eat! Keep eating!
Gauss didn’t know how much he had eaten, just followed his instincts and continued eating.
Jerky, oatmeal cakes, bread, nuts, water, medicinal cakes, nourishing pills, Nourishing Potion, all consumed completely.
"Burp!" Gauss burped.
Strangely, even after eating food that could last an ordinary person several weeks and various supplements, his abdomen didn’t swell excessively.
It was as if the food had disappeared.
Thankfully, the intense hunger had subsided.
Alive again!
Gauss breathed a sigh of relief.
After finishing the dry rations, as he prepared to grab other supplies, he noticed his arm, feeling the urge to bite into it.
Luckily, he managed to restrain himself in the end.
After consuming lots of food, Gauss soon felt strong drowsiness again.
Every cell in his body seemed to urge him to rest.
Eat then sleep? Is this how my Profession Tier condensing process is?
Gauss shook his head, but he also knew that during such crucial moments, resisting instincts on purpose wasn’t advisable.
As, at this time, the instinct is essentially guidance from the world’s will; resisting it is refusing the world’s will aid.
He locked the door.
Gauss returned to bed and lay down.
Closed his eyes.
After just a few breaths, he quickly sank into a baby-like slumber.
Lying on the bed, his chest rose and fell continuously. Though he was asleep, the cerebral cortex was exceptionally excited, continuously releasing numerous signals and hormones.
Once his consciousness descended into deep sleep, his body began to emit a faint, pure white glow, like a layer of armor firmly guarding him while he slept.
Beside him, the White Bone Staff also subtly glowed.
Within his body, the Magic Power that had been like a trickle began to surge, expanding rapidly in an extremely short time.
Each cycle around his body saw the Magic Power swell in volume!
And the Rapid Digestion talent coincidentally supplied a massive logistical backup for the virus-like rapid proliferation of Magic Power.
Moreover, not only Magic Power was changing.
If there were outsiders present, they would feel that around the sleeping Gauss, the air started to warp, making it hard to see him clearly, like looking at flowers through the mist.
Dust floating in the air around him also vanished instantly, and ants, mosquitoes under the bed fell into a frozen state.
As if an invisible force was suppressing the entire space!