Chapter 288: The First Student
The apprentice recruitment fair’s plaza was slightly busier than it had been decades ago, but the crowd had only shifted from “sparse” to “somewhat less sparse.”
This year’s batch of just over four hundred new students was still a drop in the bucket for such a vast academy.
As he had for decades, Jie Ming sat calmly behind the Alchemy Faculty’s recruitment desk, a heavy tome in hand.
He appeared engrossed in reading, but his mind had long wandered, mulling over the finer points of an energy circuit optimization plan.
He held no expectations for this event, treating it as a routine obligation requiring his presence.
Yet, fate always seemed to enjoy playing subtle tricks.
A small, hesitant figure, lingering uncertainly for some time, finally shuffled up to his desk.
Jie Ming’s thoughts snapped back to reality, and he looked up with mild curiosity at the girl before him, who appeared no older than eleven or twelve.
She wore a clean but plain cotton dress, her brown curly hair slightly frizzy, her hands nervously twisting together, her eyes avoiding his gaze.Noticing Jie Ming’s attention, the girl flinched like a startled fawn but mustered her courage, stepping closer and speaking in a voice barely above a whisper: “G-Good… Good day, Instructor Jie Ming.” She stole a quick glance at the nameplate on his chest, confirming his identity. “I… I’d like to join the Alchemy Faculty.”
Jie Ming regarded her calmly, his potent spiritual force instantly recalling fragments of information faintly carried from the distant testing hall.
Despite the distance, capturing the announced talent grades and corresponding soul aura ripples was no challenge for a full-fledged sorcerer.
“Level 4 talent, Anita Chack. Correct?” Jie Ming’s voice was even, stating her name and talent directly.
Anita seemed startled by his precise recognition, nodding rapidly like a pecking chick. “Y-Yes, Instructor.”
A surname, Chack… Jie Ming understood immediately.
This typically indicated she hailed from a family with at least some sorcerer heritage.
Such children choosing a support faculty were likely following the guidance of family elders rather than a personal passion for knowledge or a keen eye for long-term gains.
Realizing this, the faint ripple of interest in Jie Ming’s heart quickly subsided, replaced by a barely perceptible trace of disappointment.
Still, he maintained his impassive demeanor, recalling and mimicking the posture of his own mentor, Clark, from years past. With a slight nod, he spoke in a tone tinged with weariness and detachment:
“A wise choice. The path of a sorcerer is long and perilous. Only by ensuring survival can one speak of a future. Persevere, and even with ordinary talent, you may one day glimpse a vista uniquely your own.”
These words, once profound and inspiring to him, now felt rote as he spoke them.
“Yes, thank you for your guidance,” Anita replied cautiously, her tone respectful but lacking heartfelt conviction.
Jie Ming said no more, retrieving a seemingly crude parchment scroll from beneath the desk and handing it to Anita.
“This is the standard apprentice contract of Noren Workshop,” he explained matter-of-factly. “Read every clause carefully. If you have no objections, leave your blood and spiritual imprint upon it. Be warned: once the contract takes effect, violating its terms will exact a price you cannot bear.”
The scroll, though appearing rudimentary, was a finely crafted sorcerous artifact.
Its “parchment” was actually leather from a full-fledged sorcerer-grade magical beast, typically used for single-use, high-potency artifacts.
Using it for a contract was an extravagant gesture.
The scroll’s surface was enchanted with subtle light-shadow sorcery, making it a “display” of sorts.
Only half the contract’s text was visible; to view the full document, one had to slide a finger upward across its surface.
This was Noren Academy’s second hidden test for apprentices, particularly those without sorcerer backgrounds, designed to gauge their observation, curiosity, and comprehension.
For apprentices like Anita, with family backing, this was an open secret.
Jie Ming watched as she deftly slid her finger upward, the light shifting to reveal the full contract.
She skimmed it quickly, clearly pre-briefed by her family elders on its key points.
Jie Ming shook his head inwardly, his last shred of expectation fading.
Anita soon followed instructions, pricking her finger to drip a bead of blood.
With Jie Ming’s guidance, she extracted a wisp of her still-feeble spiritual force and merged it into the scroll.
Buzz!
The scroll flickered with a subtle glow before returning to calm, signaling the contract’s binding.
Jie Ming retrieved two brick-thick books—Basic Alchemy Manual and Basic Meditation Method—along with a heavy wooden box containing basic tools and a catalog of common materials, setting them before Anita.
“These are your essentials for starting out,” he instructed. “You have ten days before classes begin. During this time, you must master the Basic Meditation Method and achieve initial proficiency. Failure to do so will result in the forfeiture of your first month’s standard resource allocation.”
He gestured to the box. “This contains your basic tools and common material references. The academy has public labs, but you must reserve usage times in advance.”
His expression grew stern, his gaze sharp as he looked at Anita. “Remember these fundamental rules: First, safety is paramount—every operation must strictly follow protocols, with no room for carelessness! Second, private conflicts are forbidden within the academy; all disputes must be submitted to an instructor for arbitration. Third, respect knowledge—books borrowed and equipment used must be carefully maintained, never damaged. Fourth, points are the sole currency for acquiring resources and knowledge in the academy. Earn them through diligence in tasks and study!”
Having briskly laid out the rules, Jie Ming directed her to the general location of the dormitory area, then sat back down, picking up the book he’d barely touched, signaling she could leave.
“Thank you, Instructor. This student takes her leave.” Anita gave a respectful bow, struggling to carry the heavy books and box as she staggered away.
Watching her slight figure vanish into the crowd’s edge, Jie Ming sighed helplessly.
He felt a twinge of disappointment but then reflected that he might have been too quick to judge.
Concluding her “lack of wisdom” based solely on her background and adept handling of the scroll might have been unfair.
“Fine, since I’ve taken her on…” he murmured to himself, “I hope you can bring me some unexpected surprises in the future.”
Ten days later, Jie Ming stepped into the Alchemy Faculty’s dedicated laboratory for the first time—a vast, rarely used space assigned to his discipline.
In the cavernous, empty lab, only Anita waited, her solitary presence starkly apparent.
Jie Ming showed no particular reaction; the initial thrill of being a mentor had long been worn down by decades of disinterest.
“Welcome to the Alchemy Faculty, one of Noren Academy’s most stable and foundational disciplines,” he said flatly, his tone measured, paying little heed to Anita’s response.
“Here, you will learn the core of alchemy—understanding, deconstruction, and reconstruction.”
“Understanding is the recognition of a substance’s essence, analyzing its elemental makeup and energy properties. Deconstruction is breaking it down to its fundamental units. Reconstruction is reshaping it according to your will, using spiritual force to guide energy and matter into new forms or imbue it with new properties.”
He glanced at Anita, his tone growing serious. “Alchemy demands exceptional spiritual force. Your spiritual force is your greatest tool. The precision of your control determines your ceiling in alchemy.”
He moved to a small workbench by the podium, where a heavy, irregularly shaped gold ingot rested.
“You should have previewed basic alchemy, so I won’t waste time,” Jie Ming said calmly. “Today’s first lesson is basic shaping, one of alchemy’s foundational practices, manipulating an object’s form through spiritual force. You’ll practice with gold.”
Without further ado, he handed Anita a standard alchemical gold ingot.
“Watch closely.”
Jie Ming kept his words brief, demonstrating the fundamental gold-shaping technique.
His fingertips channeled a gentle yet precise flow of spiritual force, guiding the ingot to flow, stretch, and transform as if alive.
Throughout, he explained key points about energy input rhythm and material structure stability.
Once the demonstration concluded, he guided Anita through her first alchemical practice.
The lesson ended in a slightly dull, mechanical atmosphere.
Anita followed the steps rigidly, making no mistakes but showing no spark of inspiration, as if merely completing an assigned task.
Back in his core laboratory, Jie Ming reflected on the class and sighed again.
This time, it wasn’t about his student’s potential lack of wisdom but her attitude, plain as day on her face.
He could understand her lack of interest in alchemy, given it was likely her family’s choice.
But to let that disinterest show so openly in class, affecting her focus and efficiency, was something Jie Ming found hard to fathom.
“If she continues with this attitude…” Jie Ming murmured, gazing out at the eternally burning skies of the Infernal Sulfur Plane, “she may truly remain confined to the ‘support’ level, never touching the true core of sorcery.”
His first student hadn’t brought surprises but instead highlighted the stark gap between ideals and reality.