Our Dharma Masters are like this.

Chapter 69 Assessment
Zellier clutched the crystal bottle tightly, his heart filled with indescribable gratitude.

He said no more, but simply placed one hand on his chest and sincerely bowed to his mentor, Manlin.

"Thank you, Mentor Manlin. I will definitely not let you down."

……

After leaving Mentor Manlin's office, Zellier pondered for a while before heading to the stock exchange.

The place was still bustling with people, but this time Zellir wasn't there to buy anything. He wandered around and found a shop that specialized in selling potions.

The store is decorated in a luxurious style and has its own storefront, so you don't have to compete with others for a spot to set up a stall outside.

Upon entering, you'll see a brass emblem hanging at the front desk, engraved with the shapes of several unusual plants, and the air is filled with a refreshing scent.

In the center of the shop are several heavy, enclosed display cases. Through the glass, you can see many different colored potions, each of which is very precious.

"Young master, what would you like to buy?" the shopkeeper greeted him with a smile.

"Um……"

Zellier's gaze wandered through the display cases, and finally, he saw the familiar potion—the healing potion.

However, the healing potions sold in the shop are noticeably inferior in quality to those concocted by Master Manlin.

The green liquid encased in the small crystal bottle was much paler in color and less viscous.

"I'd like to ask, how much does this healing potion cost?" Zellier pointed across the display case.

"Five gold coins can quickly stop bleeding, repair flesh and blood, and also fight some mild toxins."

The shop owner quickly explained, then added, "Potions are not negotiable."

Be obedient...

After listening to the shop owner's introduction, Zelier was secretly shocked.

The healing potion is so expensive, five gold coins...

No wonder Vales said a bottle could buy his life when Gray was injured.

Low-level adventurers can only earn a few dozen silver coins after a hard-earned quest, and even less after deducting the cost of various equipment losses.

For example, in the first wolf extermination mission, if you don't encounter the Mist Demon, Zelier only receives eleven silver coins as a reward.

In other words, Marcus's squad has two major damage dealers, Zellir and Vales, which allows them to frequently take on [Hard] rated missions to quickly earn money.

A bottle of healing potion costs five gold coins, which they simply cannot afford.

Moreover, this is of slightly inferior quality. If it were a healing potion concocted by Mentor Manlin, it could probably sell for seven or eight gold coins.
Two bottles equal fifteen gold coins!
My mentor, Manlin, actually gifted me something so valuable...

Seeing Zelier's slightly surprised expression, the shopkeeper pondered for a moment before speaking again.

"Of course, if you think it's too expensive, you can choose a slightly lower-end recovery potion, which only costs three gold coins, but the effect won't be as good."

"No... no need."

Zellier waved his hand, thought for a moment, and then asked.

"Do you have any potions that can temporarily unleash potential? Like... an overclocking potion or something?"

Upon hearing this term, the shop owner's eyes visibly lit up.

"Young master, this is a hot commodity."

"Overclocking potions can unleash potential in a short period of time. Although there will be a side effect of weakness afterward, they can be life-saving in critical moments!"

"I don't have any in stock right now. If you really want to buy it, young master, I can get it from somewhere else, but you'll have to pay a deposit first."

The shopkeeper rubbed his hands together, thinking he had landed a big sale. "A deposit of five gold coins, and you can pay the remaining fifteen gold coins when the goods arrive." This number made Zelier secretly gasp.

Holy crap, the Overclocking Potion costs twenty gold coins.

For a moment, Zellir felt even more grateful to his mentor, Manlin.

"Thank you for your explanation. I will definitely come back to buy it if I need it in the future." Zellier nodded to the shop owner, then turned and left.

The shop owner stood there, stunned, looking slightly bewildered.

After leaving the potion shop, Zellier, as was his habit, wandered over to the training ground, a place he always visited whenever he came to the Mage's Guild.

However, apart from the first time he came to the guild, when Zellir was lucky enough to get Flame Breath and Arcane Missiles for free, the place was mostly deserted and no mage duels ever took place.

Come to think of it, for most mages, magical duels are really a rather boring thing.

Unlike sparring among warriors, where you can hone your skills, improve your physical fitness, and identify and correct your weaknesses in battle.

When two lower-level mages fight in a ring, they simply stand a dozen meters apart and start exchanging magical blows like cowboys drawing their guns in the Wild West; whoever has the greater power wins.

The whole process is almost devoid of any skill; it's purely a contest of strength. You'd be better off using that energy for meditation or focusing on optimizing the structure of the technique.

Today, Zelier went to the training ground prepared to return empty-handed.

However, as he passed by the amphitheater-style building, Zellier unexpectedly heard a lively discussion coming from inside.

Is there a duel between mages today?

Zellier was overjoyed and quickened his pace.

Upon entering the training ground, dozens of mages were seated on the huge circular viewing platform, most of whom were apprentice magic students who had not yet passed the mage rating.

In addition, there were a dozen or so magic apprentices and a handful of junior mages.

They were whispering to each other, their eyes fixed on the center of the field.

"Hey, do you think Riley will pass the lower-level mage rating this time?"

"He should have a good chance, right? I heard he's always been very hardworking, meditating every day, and making rapid progress."

"If Ruili succeeds, he will be the youngest junior mage in the Blackrock Town branch, and he's only just turned twenty this year!"

"Yes, although he's not as good as Kane Rhodesley from the capital, he's still very strong, and his future is limitless..."

Hearing these words, Zellier understood.

So it's a ranking system for lower-level mages... That's interesting.

He looked toward the center of the field with great interest.

Riley, who was participating in the rating, was tall and had a neat head of short brown hair. His face was full of youthful confidence.

The examiner was none other than Marvin, who nodded slightly to Ruili. "Are you ready?"

“Ready, Professor Marvin!” Riley said confidently.

"Let's begin then." Marvin made room for Riri, indicating that he could begin charging his magic.

Zellier narrowed his eyes slightly.

If I remember correctly, to pass the assessment for a junior mage, one needs to master at least ten types of level two single-layer spell structures and compress the casting speed to within three seconds.

You also need to master a level 3 single-layer spell structure magic with a casting speed of less than five seconds.

Does Ruili... have that kind of ability?
In any case, my own technique, Heavenly Evolution, can play a significant role today.

(End of this chapter)