In the afternoon of the Black Mist Jungle, the clouds were heavy, and sunlight could barely penetrate those dense branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground.
Ron walked along the stone path towards the tower in the central area of the school.
Today was his first day attending the "Advanced Elemental Magic" course.
Compared to Spiritual Control and Alchemy, Elemental Magic had always been a weaker area for him, even though he had a decent natural affinity for Light and Fire Elements.
"I hope this course can make up for my shortcomings..."
Ron pondered silently.
Since the activation of his bloodline, his sensitivity to elements had indeed improved.
But compared to those apprentices specialized in Elemental Manipulation in the school, his foundation still seemed somewhat thin.
Passing through a gray-white archway, Ron arrived at the Elemental Magic classroom on the seventh floor of the tower.
The setup here was entirely different from the basic courses’ classroom:
The walls were inlaid with various colorful crystal stones, and the ceiling depicted complex Elemental Cycle diagrams.
In the center of the room was a massive Crystal Ball, within which various Elemental Energies flowed, like a miniature elemental vortex.
Several students were already present, and Ron noticed they all wore Middle Apprentice’s sapphire badges, and most appeared much older than him.
He recognized a few faces—it was those renowned for Elemental Manipulation within the school, and some were even Advanced Apprentices.
Ron chose a seat towards the back, silently observing the surroundings.
He had long adopted the habit of not showing off in the school, at least when encountering a new environment for the first time.
As the students whispered to each other, the classroom door opened again, and an elderly woman in a robe with purple edges stepped in slowly.
Her long silver hair was neatly coiled at the back, and the wrinkles on her face appeared deliberately sculpted, yet her eyes were exceptionally bright, gleaming with a rare purple light.
"Wizard Yuni," one student whispered in surprise, and the classroom immediately fell silent.
Ron instinctively sat up straight.
Yuni’s name was not unfamiliar to him; she was one of the official Wizards specializing in Elemental Magic within the school, renowned for her unique research on element combination and transformation.
It was said she had even participated in the design of the gigantic Elemental Pool in the Central Hall of the school.
"Welcome, everyone, to Advanced Elemental Magic."
Yuni’s voice was unexpectedly crisp and pleasant, entirely unlike that of an elderly person:
"I am Yuni Seraphin, succeeding my student Laila, and I will be your guide for the next three months."
She walked slowly to the center of the classroom in front of the Crystal Ball, raised her hand slightly, and the Elemental Energy within the ball immediately formed into more complex vortex structures.
"You have all mastered basic Elemental Perception and Control, and now it’s time to delve into deeper learning."
Yuni’s gaze swept across every corner of the classroom:
"The core of Advanced Elemental Magic lies in understanding the essence of elements and their relationships rather than simply manipulating one or more elements."
Ron took notes earnestly, paying extra attention to each word Yuni said.
Unlike Soron’s introverted and profound teaching style, Yuni’s explanation was more vivid and intuitive, using many specific examples and immediate demonstrations to clarify complex theories.
"Please remember,"
Yuni emphasized, forming a complex symbol with her hands above the Crystal Ball, causing the elements inside the ball to disassemble and reassemble:
"Elements are not fixed entities but different manifestations of energy. Under specific conditions, one element can transform into another, which is the core of the ’Element Transformation Law.’"
With a gentle wave of her hand, a cluster of Water Element within the Crystal Ball gradually turned hot and eventually transformed into Fire Element.
This transformation seemed simple, but Ron knew it required extremely high precision in Energy Control.
"Today’s first exercise,"
Yuni announced: "Try to perceive the elemental fluctuations in the classroom and draw them on this special paper. This not only tests your perception ability but also the precision of your Spiritual Control."
Elemental Servants distributed a special sheet of paper emitting a faint silver glow.
Ron took the paper and sensed a subtle energy fluctuation; evidently, this was not ordinary paper but a special medium capable of recording impressions of Spiritual Power.
Ron closed his eyes and began to concentrate his Spiritual Power.
As his awareness extended, he could feel the flow of various Elemental Energies in the classroom.
Fire Elements danced like flames, Water Elements were smooth and gentle like flowing water, Earth Elements were solid and stable, Wind Elements were light and elusive...
What surprised him even more was that he could sense some rarer elements, such as light, shadow, and thunder, which moved rhythmically with specific rhythms in space.
[Elemental Perception Experience Points + 1]
Slowly opening his eyes, Ron began to illustrate the elemental distribution he perceived on the paper.
His hand glided gently across the paper, his Spiritual Power flowing into it, forming a complex elements mapping chart.
An hour later, Yuni started to collect the students’ works.
When she reached Ron, her eyebrows slightly raised, clearly surprised by his work.
"Ron Ralph..." she murmured his name softly, her gaze alternating between the paper and his face:
"Your range of elemental perception is quite broad, able to capture even those relatively rare elements. Especially your depiction of light elements, the precision is quite high."
Ron nodded humbly:
"Thank you for your evaluation, Master Yuni. I do have some natural affinity for Light and Fire Elements."
"It’s not just a question of affinity," Yuni remarked thoughtfully:
"Your precision in Spiritual Control is also exceptional, which is crucial for Elemental Manipulation. Keep it up, young man."
The latter part of the course involved practical exercises.
Yuni guided the students to try simple element transformations—turning Water Elements into steam or compressing Wind Elements into a visible form.
Ron focused on his practice, surprised to find the theory of Element Transformation remarkably similar to the principle of Energy Conversion he learned in Alchemy.
This interdisciplinary connection deepened his understanding of the elements.
[Elemental Perception Experience Points + 1]
After the class ended, most students quickly packed their belongings and bowed to Yuni to bid farewell.
Ron noticed that Yuni didn’t leave immediately; instead, she stayed in the classroom, seemingly organizing some materials.
Recalling the tremendous help from Soron’s special guidance, Ron decided to try once again.
He organized his notes, and waited until only he and Yuni remained in the classroom before slowly approaching her.
"Master Yuni?" Ron politely began, "I have some questions about Element Transformation. May I seek your advice?"
Yuni lifted her head, her purple eyes gleaming with approval:
"Of course, Apprentice Ron. In fact, I’ve been looking forward to your questions."
Ron was a bit surprised: "You...were expecting my questions?"
"Soron and I are old friends."
Yuni smiled slightly: "He mentioned you to me, saying you’re a student with a strong thirst for knowledge. Moreover, Lady Allen has also recommended you to me."
Hearing Lady Allen’s name, Ron’s heart stirred: "You know Lady Allen?"
"Of course, we were contemporaries at the Crystal Tower, most of the old folks in the school know each other, haha..."
A trace of nostalgia flashed in Yuni’s eyes:
"Allen has a special talent for Magic Potion Making, just like my obsession with Elemental Magic. Although she chose to reside in the herb store, her academic prowess is no less than Magnus’s, if not higher."
Yuni gestured for Ron to sit opposite her: "So, what would you like to ask?"
Ron organized his thoughts and raised the doubts he had during the class:
"I noticed that in the process of Element Transformation, controlling energy loss is a key issue. When water turns into steam, some energy always dissipates as heat. Is there a way to retain energy to the maximum extent?"
Yuni’s eyes lit up: "You’re very smart! This is indeed one of the core challenges in Element Transformation."
She took a small crystal from inside her robe and placed it on the table:
"Look at this, it’s a special Alchemy item—an ’Energy Anchoring Crystal’, capable of capturing and recovering part of the lost energy during Element Transformation."
The crystal shimmered with an exotic light under the lamp, and Ron could sense the intricate energy structure within it.
"Most apprentices focus only on the transformation itself and neglect the importance of energy conservation."
Yuni explained, her fingers lightly drawing a trace of energy above the crystal:
"Truly mastering Element Transformation, a wizard can retain about 95% of the energy during the transformation, while beginners typically retain around 50%."
She pushed the crystal towards Ron:
"Take it. Since you’re Allen’s student, consider this a meet-and-greet gift from a master. The ’Energy Anchoring Crystal’ will help you perceive and capture the energy flow during the transformation, aiding in improving transformation efficiency."
Ron looked at the precious gift in surprise: "This...is too valuable, Master Yuni."
"To me, it’s just a useless old item. Knowledge and tools should flow to where they can be most valuable."
Yuni waved her hand, indicating him to accept it:
"I can see you have an extraordinary talent and are diligent. This crystal will be much more useful in your hands than in my drawer."
"Thank you, Master Yuni," Ron said sincerely, carefully putting the crystal into his pocket.
In the next half an hour, Yuni explained to Ron the advanced theories of Element Transformation, and the interrelations between elements in detail.
This knowledge exceeded the depth and breadth of classroom content, and Ron eagerly absorbed every detail.
"The Elemental World is far more complex than most people imagine," Yuni said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm:
"There is a relationship among basic elements that I call ’resonance’. Once you understand this resonance, you can guide elements to transform and combine according to your will with minimal effort."
She described a complex meditation method, said to help casters feel this resonance more intuitively.
Ron took note of every detail, already planning in his mind how to integrate this knowledge with his own cultivation.
"By the way, about your relationship with Lady Allen..."
Upon parting, Yuni gazed at Ron with words of implicit significance:
"That fellow is actually quite stingy. Even among us old friends, it’s hard to get anything from her. She seldom shows such generosity to others, yet you..."
Ron responded humbly: "Lady Allen has given me much guidance. I am very grateful for her help."
"Good, keep up this humble attitude."
Yuni smiled and said: "After next week’s class, if you have more questions, you can continue to stay and consult with me."
Leaving the tower, Ron felt exceptionally at ease.
......
Back at the workshop, Ron immediately immersed himself in the Elemental Meditation practice taught by Yuni.
He sat cross-legged in the center of the training room on the workshop’s second floor, carefully placing the Energy Anchoring Crystal gifted by Yuni in front of him.
The skill of "Extraordinary Recognition" allowed him to see that there were no traps left within it, indeed merely a gift from an elder.
In the faint light, the crystal emitted a gentle glow, like a miniature star.
"First, concentrate, feel the elemental fluctuations around..."
Following Yuni’s instructions, Ron slowly closed his eyes, adjusting his breathing to a calm rhythm.
With the extension of his spiritual power, his perception gradually penetrated the surface of matter, touching deeper energy structures.
The various elemental energies in the workshop gradually appeared in his perception:
The herbs on the rack emitted faint life element fluctuations, the residual warmth in the furnace contained traces of fire element, and the water element flowed quietly in the bucket in the corner...
Most striking was the special energy fluctuation emitted by the crystal in front of him.
It was like a miniature elemental vortex, gently attracting and releasing the surrounding elemental energy, forming a peculiar rhythm.