Pei Ze didn't dwell on it for too long.
He didn't know much about this, so it was best to ask someone with experience.
Like Yin Xue.
'I'll go buy a Demon Pet Contract Scroll tomorrow and ask the senior for advice while I'm at it.'
Having made his decision, Pei Ze stopped thinking about the magic pet and turned his thoughts to his next steps.
The promotion standard for a Third-level Wizard Apprentice was to construct twelve Will Runes and have a Spirit of fifty units.
His main task now was still to construct Will Runes step-by-step while also increasing his Spiritual Power.
It was worth noting that with the significant increase in his Spiritual Power, the time required to analyze the three ongoing tasks had also been further reduced.
"Omniscience, accelerate the analysis of Will Rune No. 7."
[Acceleration activated. Estimated time remaining: 1 day, 18 hours, 23 minutes]
Pei Ze nodded to himself. 'One more acceleration tomorrow and the analysis will be complete.'
As for the improvements to Acid Splash and Touch of Fatigue, they would still take about thirty days to complete.
The battle with the Demonized had given Pei Ze a profound understanding of the power and practicality of improved Magic.
Regardless of his other Magic, he was determined to improve Acid Splash, Touch of Fatigue, the Dizziness Technique, and the Flash Skill, which he had yet to master.
But there was no rush. He just needed to finish before the first-year trial arrived.
For now, he should focus on analyzing as many Will Runes as possible and rapidly increasing his Spiritual Power.
It was a classic case of sharpening the axe before chopping the wood. The higher his Spiritual Power, the faster the Eye of Omniscience's analysis would be, and the more significant the acceleration effect.
Pei Ze looked at the empty potion bottle beside him.
'The third bottle of Spiritual Spring Potion only increased my Spiritual Power by 0.35. At this rate, the effect of the fourth bottle should be minimal, and the fifth will probably have no effect at all.'
Pei Ze suddenly remembered that Second-level Wizard Apprentices could already start learning to brew potions.
'Should I give it a try?'
'I might as well ask Senior Yin Xue about this tomorrow, too.'
...
「The next day.」
Pei Ze woke up early, feeling full of energy. His mind and body felt more vigorous than ever before.
His constitution was now more than eight times stronger than that of an ordinary person.
One of the benefits of his superhuman physique was that his required sleep time had been greatly reduced.
He felt fully refreshed after just two or three hours of sleep a day.
After using Energy Particles to clean his body, Pei Ze changed into his Apprentice Robe and pushed the door open, stepping outside.
CAW! CAW!
A harsh, hoarse cry came from above.
Flocks of crows circled and hovered over the rooftops, and many black figures were perched on top of the streetlights.
Looking at the numerous crows, a thoughtful expression appeared on Pei Ze's face.
'Using a crow as a magic pet... that doesn't seem like a bad idea.'
In some myths and legends, crows are also known as Omen Birds, symbols of the Death God.
And in the world of Wizards, any creature connected to myth and legend likely had a complex bloodline.
For example... it was highly probable that a trace of an ancient ancestor's bloodline lay dormant within them.
After a moment of thought, Pei Ze shook his head, pulled the door shut, and left.
Walking down the street, he garnered the usual gazes of envy and awe. Many young girls were even stealing glances at him, looking eager to strike up a conversation.
Pei Ze was already used to this and walked through the district with a calm expression.
After arriving at the academy, he went straight to the Logistics Department, planning to exchange for the Demon Pet Contract Scroll first.
The same Elder with White Hair was on duty in the Logistics Department.
Sensing someone's arrival, he looked up from a thick stack of documents. His gaze paused for a moment when he saw it was Pei Ze.
"Oh, it's you."
Pei Ze was taken aback.
'Did the sun rise in the west? The Elder with White Hair actually greeted me first!'
However, his confusion didn't last long.
The Elder with White Hair suddenly pointed a finger, and a ball of white light shot into the Apprentice Badge on Pei Ze's chest.
"In light of you single-handedly eliminating a Demonized the day before yesterday and rendering a service to the academy, the academy has decided to award you 300 contribution points."
Pei Ze's face lit up with joy.
He had seen the combat missions in the task area; hunting a beast at the level of a Middle Knight only paid around one hundred contribution points.
But the academy had awarded him a full 300 contribution points this time. That was quite generous.
"What are you planning to exchange for this time?" The Elder with White Hair's voice pulled him from his excitement.
Pei Ze said without hesitation, "One Demon Pet Contract Scroll and forty-three Spirit Storage Grass Leaves."
With 300 contribution points in hand, his finances were suddenly much healthier, so he decided to buy everything he needed at once.
Forty-three Spirit Storage Grass Leaves would be enough to last him until the end of November, which was when the trial would begin.
As for the Spiritual Spring Potion, Pei Ze thought about it and decided against it.
Judging from the effect of the third bottle, the fourth would likely increase his Spiritual Power by less than 0.2 points.
And right now, his daily Meditation alone increased his Spiritual Power by 0.2.
Instead of spending 200 contribution points on a Spiritual Spring Potion, it was better to use them on Spirit Storage Grass Leaves to ensure his Meditation resources wouldn't be interrupted.
"A Demon Pet Contract Scroll?"
The Elder with White Hair glanced at Pei Ze with some surprise. A blue light seemed to flash in his eyes, and his expression shifted slightly, showing a hint of emotion.
'A Second-level Wizard Apprentice!'
He remembered that it had only been a month since Pei Ze received the free Magic model.
To advance from a First-level to a Second-level Wizard Apprentice in just one month... with such aptitude, he would be ranked among the very top of the first-years.
'No wonder Zhou Han was so optimistic about him before, even giving him a spot for a free Magic model.'
"Wait here a moment."
The Elder with White Hair's tone was noticeably gentler. After gesturing for Pei Ze to wait, his lips moved silently a few times, as if he were using the Communication Skill.
Before long, a thin Wizard Apprentice walked in, holding a Scroll.
The Elder with White Hair took the Scroll and handed it to Pei Ze along with the Spirit Storage Grass Leaves.
"Everything's here. Count it."
Pei Ze could tell the quantity was correct with a single glance. He put the items away, said his thanks, and turned to leave.
Just as he walked out of the Logistics Department building, he ran into some familiar faces.
"Pei Ze."
Shao Hong greeted him with a smile, followed by Yuan Wanjun, Guan Ling, and the others.
From the looks of it, they had probably just finished a class.
Among the dozen or so members of the Star Spirit Society, Pei Ze was considered the most antisocial.
The others would occasionally attend classes together, but Pei Ze was either in the library or at Medicine Garden No. 8; he hardly ever went to class.
Looking at Shao Hong and his group, Pei Ze began to wonder if he should attend a few classes in the future just for show.
'Otherwise, a Wizard Apprentice who spends all day in the library but never attends classes is just too strange.'
"Are you all here to exchange for something?" Pei Ze asked casually.
Shao Hong nodded. "I'm here to get a Spiritual Spring Potion."
After a pause, Shao Hong suddenly asked, "Pei Ze, how many Will Runes have you constructed now?"
Ever since being outdone by Pei Ze last time, Shao Hong had been working tirelessly, putting all his effort into his training. Just yesterday, he had successfully constructed his fifth Will Rune.
With this achievement, even if he couldn't rank in the top fifty among the first-years, he was more than qualified for the top hundred.
Shao Hong was desperate to know: had he already caught up to Pei Ze?
Or perhaps.
Had he already surpassed him?