Ian concealed his aura and stepped into the fog-shrouded Glowing Forest.

The light within the woods was indeed dimmer than outside. The air was damp, and the ambient Magic Concentration was noticeably higher than in Silver Stream Town, though still not as high as the Furnace encampment, let alone the core region of the Shadow Moon Tower.

He followed the faint tracks of a trodden path, venturing deeper into the forest.

After walking for about half an hour, his Eye of Vigilance detected energy fluctuations and faint human voices ahead.

He slowed his pace and adjusted his expression, making himself look more like a travel-worn wandering Apprentice than an intruder.

The fog ahead thinned slightly, revealing a small clearing in the woods.

A few dozen crude wooden huts and tents were erected at the edge of the clearing. A bonfire burned in the center, around which sat a dozen or so men and women of various ages and attire.

Most of them wore gray or dyed robes, and the auras they exuded ranged from Low Level Apprentice to High Level Apprentice.

Ian’s appearance immediately drew their attention.

Several scrutinizing and wary gazes swept over him, lingering on his old wooden chest, his robes, and his High Level Apprentice aura.

A middle-aged man who appeared to be the leader stood up. He had a scar on his face and also radiated the aura of a High Level Apprentice, but it seemed somewhat faint and unstable, lacking the solid feel of battle-hardened individuals like Hank.

He sized Ian up. "New face? Where are you from? What’s your business in the Glowing Forest?"

His tone wasn’t friendly, but it wasn’t immediately hostile either.

Ian stopped, maintaining a relatively safe distance. He gave a slight nod and answered in a steady voice:

"My name is Ian. I’m a wandering Magic Potion Alchemist. I came from the mountains to the east. I heard that some fellow practitioners gather in the Glowing Forest, and I’d like to restock on some supplies."

"A Magic Potion Alchemist?" The scar-faced man’s and the others’ gazes shifted. The scrutiny lessened, replaced by a sense of inquiry and an imperceptible hint of importance.

In this relatively resource-scarce region, any Apprentice with a specialized skill was welcome, especially a Magic Potion Alchemist.

"The mountains to the east?" another Apprentice, a woman in brown leather armor, interjected.

"The Silent Death Mountain Range? You managed to cross through it?" Her tone was filled with doubt and astonishment.

Ian shook his head. "I didn’t cross it. I was just on the outskirts gathering some Magic Potions and ran into some troublesome Demonized Fierce Beasts."

The scar-faced man pondered for a moment, having seemingly made a rough assessment of Ian’s identity as a Magic Potion Alchemist and his strength as a High Level Apprentice.

He pointed to an empty tree stump by the fire. "Have a seat. I’m Hawke, one of the coordinators for this temporary gathering point.

The Glowing Forest is quite large. There are a dozen or so other small, scattered groups like ours. Most of them are deeper in the forest near Misty Creek, where the Magic Concentration is higher and there are relatively stable trading spots."

Ian thanked him and sat down, accepting a cup of fresh water from a nearby Apprentice. The cup was crudely carved directly from a piece of wood.

He took small sips while listening to Hawke and the others talk, slowly piecing together a general picture of the area.

There were no particularly powerful Wizard Organizations near the Glowing Forest, and figures at the Official Wizard Level were rare.

The Magic Concentration here was only considered lower-middle, and resources were limited. Unless one’s family was based here, it wasn’t attractive enough for truly powerful individuals to stay long-term.

It was said that envoys from the Silver Ring would pass through on inspection tours from a great distance away every so often, and merchant caravans would follow in their wake.

But they never stayed for long, and they certainly didn’t accept outsiders easily.

"The Silver Ring?" Ian put on a timely expression of curiosity and longing.

"I hear you say they don’t recruit outsiders?"

An old man with graying hair sneered, his voice tinged with self-deprecation and helplessness. "Recruit? In your dreams!"

Ian noted that despite his advanced age, the man was only a Low Level Apprentice, and his tone was laced with resentment. "Oh? What do you mean?"

"The Silver Ring only recruits from within the Mortal Empires under their influence, periodically searching for children and youths with aptitude to train from a young age."

"Their aptitude requirements are extremely high—Middle Level at the very least. People like us..." The old man shook his head and trailed off.

Hawke picked up the conversation, his tone relatively polite. "This area is too remote and the resources are mediocre. The Silver Ring looks down on it.

Most of the people who gather here are wandering Apprentices like us, or small organizations and families run by a few High Level Apprentices.

Everyone either tries their luck in the more dangerous Silent Death Mountain Range to the west—gathering medicinal herbs and ores, or hunting Demonized Beasts—or they save up their assets and try to trade for resources and knowledge from the passing Silver Ring merchants."

"What about ruins?" Ian was reminded of the conflict over the ruins near the Shadow Moon Tower. "Are there no ruins left behind by ancient Wizards around here?"

"There are," a taciturn middle-aged man, who had been fiddling with a few pebbles, spoke up.

"But they’ve either long since been picked clean, or they’re too dangerous. Nine out of ten who go in don’t come out. The occasional rumor of a discovery will attract a few major powers to fight over it, making it hard for us to get involved."

Ian nodded. The environment here was more lax and primitive than Nightfall Town on the outskirts of the Shadow Moon Tower.

’But that also means fewer rules to bind you, and more direct competition for resources. The small number of Official Wizards nearby is good news for me. With my Realm as a High Level Apprentice, my already-Vaporized Spiritual Power, and several types of Instantaneous Witchcraft, I should be able to gain a foothold and have a say around here.’

"So, about the potions you use for your Cultivation..." Ian asked tentatively. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Hawke exchanged a look with the others and nodded. "We certainly need them. But the good Magic Potion Alchemists are either roped in by the larger groups or work for themselves, and their prices are steep.

You said you’re a Magic Potion Alchemist—which potions do you specialize in brewing? If your skill is decent, you’ll have no trouble finding people to trade with here. You could even consider joining a group for a stable supply of resources and protection."

Ian thought for a moment before replying, "I mainly specialize in brewing some basic potions, like the Secondary Healing Potion, Basic Antidote Potion, and Awakening Potion. I can guarantee their quality will be above standard."

He didn’t mention the Rock Bear Potion or any higher-level formulas right away. He still needed to familiarize himself with the environment and wanted to observe a bit longer.

The biggest advantage for Ian here was that no one knew his past, which was equivalent to severing all ties to his unusual experiences.

He deliberately maintained a more mature demeanor. At the High Level Apprentice stage, it was already difficult to judge a person’s true age by appearance alone.

Upon hearing Ian’s introduction, Hawke and the others’ eyes lit up. Someone who could consistently produce above-standard basic potions was a rare talent in this region.

"Excellent!" Hawke slapped his thigh. "If you’re willing, you can stay with us for now. We can introduce you to the larger gathering point over at Misty Creek. They have a permanent trading post and much richer resources. With your skills, you’ll be able to make a name for yourself in no time."

Ian considered it for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Alright. I do need to restock on some basic medicinal herbs and recover my strength."

"No problem." Hawke was very enthusiastic. "I’ll take you to Misty Creek tomorrow. As for medicinal herbs, we have some on hand. You can take a look and see what you need. We’ll just go by the market price.

Oh, right. Most people here won’t bother you, but you should still be careful. There are a few shady characters around who prey on lone Apprentices or newcomers..."

Ian listened attentively, mentally noting the names and factions he needed to watch out for.

In this land lacking any strong sense of Order, strength and vigilance were the best Protective Talismans.

Night fell. Ian was given a relatively clean temporary tent. He set up a simple warning ward, lay down on the bed, and let his mind relax.

The tension and exhaustion from the past half-year suddenly melted away, and he quickly fell into a deep sleep.