Chapter 17: Spiritual Catalyst and Trap

"What news?"

"It’s said to be from a merchant who claims to provide ’special channels’." Andre’s tone carried a hint of unease:

"Recently, such news has been widely circulated among the candidate apprentices, and those merchants claim to have ways to significantly enhance spiritual power in a short time."

Ron’s heart stirred: "So Locke got fooled?"

"No, it’s worse than that."

Andre shook his head, "Those forbidden potions can indeed boost spiritual power in the short term, but the cost is..."

He didn’t finish, but Ron already thought of that twisted flesh and those constantly trembling eyeballs.

"I’ve heard that these merchants seem to have the support of wizards behind them."

Andre continued, "They need a large number of experimental subjects, and those desperate candidate apprentices are the best targets."

Ron’s mind suddenly became alert, so, from the start, Locke was a predetermined prey?

Then he connected it to how as soon as something happened to Locke, there were whispers around here discussing the special channel through which Locke obtained the spiritual catalyst, such a coincidence was rather unusual.

"So, I’m here to remind you..." Andre’s voice became extremely serious, "No matter what kind of temptation you receive, don’t try those dubious things."

"Don’t worry, I’m not that foolish." Ron forced a smile: "Haven’t I already found the correct path now?"

Andre nodded slightly, a bit relieved:

"Indeed, even Lord Holt recognizes your talent in magic potion making, and your cultivation of the ’Crown Breathing Technique’ is progressing smoothly..."

"However, speaking of which." He suddenly shifted the topic, "How do you plan to deal with Lady Allen’s guidance today? She’s famously strict."

"Well..." Ron glanced at the notes on the table, "I’ve already reviewed the part about simple potions in ’Basic Magic Potion Theory’."

He picked up a notebook filled with dense notes, casually showing his understanding of the herbs:

"Moreover, yesterday’s practical exercises at the herb store gave me new insights into many materials."

Andre took the notes, flipping through them, showing a surprised expression:

"Did you summarize all of these yourself? Even the reactions and habits of rare herbs are recorded in such detail..."

Suddenly, there was a chaotic commotion outside, mixed with a few suppressed exclamations.

"Someone else..." Andre’s expression instantly darkened, and even his usually elegant tone became hoarse.

The two exchanged glances, as disturbances occurring at this time often meant that someone desperate had chosen that road of no return.

"Shall we check the situation?" Ron hesitantly asked.

Andre’s fingers unconsciously rubbed the collar of his clothes, a habitual action when he was caught in a dilemma.

But he eventually nodded slowly:

"Go ahead, it’s good to take a look, but be sure to keep your distance. At times like this, those white-robed mages, short of experimental materials, always ’visit’ promptly."

By the time they reached the corridor’s end, a crowd had already gathered, even though the sky hadn’t yet brightened, clearly, no actual layabouts lived here.

Unlike the morning’s incident with Locke, this time everyone tacitly kept their distance, as if fearing something.

Under the flickering magic crystal lamps, Ron saw a twisted figure curled up in the corner.

The morning light streamed through the window panes, falling upon that once delicate female face, yet now it appeared so monstrously frightening.

"It’s Emily..." someone was the first to recognize.

This name sent a shock through Ron’s heart.

He had just seen this duke’s daughter yesterday afternoon. Though she was disheveled, she still wore a luxurious silk gown, with a gemstone necklace adorning her neck.

This noble girl, even after becoming someone else’s servant, maintained her noble elegance.

And now...

Emily’s appearance was not only disfigured, but her body was twisting in ways that defied logic, her expensive silk gown soaked in sweat, sticking to her skin and outlining an eerie silhouette.

It seemed something was writhing inside her, making what had been a slender figure become bizarre and distorted.

"I heard she went to Marcus apprentice’s room just a few days ago..." a female apprentice whispered.

"Ha, Emily would never settle. She’s always dreamed of becoming an elementary apprentice..."

"Indeed, thanks to selling her body for magic stone fragments, she could afford the ’Spiritual Catalyst’."

"Tsk tsk, such a pity. I remember when she first arrived, she was so proud, saying, ’Even if I become an experimental subject, I’d rather stay here.’ Now look at her..."

The murmuring ceased abruptly as a tall figure in a white robe appeared at the corridor’s end, a contemptuous snort coming from beneath his mask.

"Another reckless pitiful being."

The voice of the white-robed mage carried no emotion: "Just in time for studying new transformation formulas, lacking suitable test subjects."

He casually waved an invisible ripple, enclosing the mutating Emily in it, preparing to take her away.

With the white-robed mage’s rough actions, the girl’s originally delicate features twisted and deformed under the pressure, the gemstone necklace deeply embedding into her gradually swelling neck.

At this moment, she struggled slightly, lifting her head to look towards the surrounding apprentices.

Ron noticed those eyes, once as beautiful and clear as gemstones, now bloodshot like a spider’s web.

In that bloodshot landscape, he could barely make out some strange object constantly restructuring.

"Help... help... ugh," she tried to make a sound, but her voice was only a garbled moan.

The wizard, somewhat disgusted, reached into his cloak and took out a vial of potion emitting an eerie glow: "Seems like you need to settle down a bit..."

"Let’s go." Andre grabbed Ron’s arm: "There’s no need to watch what happens next."

They had only turned and walked a few steps when a piercing scream echoed behind them, mingled with a creepy low growl, as if coming from the depths of the abyss.

Back in the dormitory, Ron found it hard to calm down for a long time.

Everything that had happened today was too heavy, from seeing Locke last night to Emily now, all reminding him of this world’s cruelty.

"I must quickly strengthen my abilities..."

In this dark and cruel world, power is the fundamental way to stand firm.

Be it to survive or to avoid becoming a piece of meat on the white-robed mages’ chopping block.

He opened his notebook and continued studying the traits of herbs.

He was about to receive guidance from Lady Allen, and he must be fully prepared.