**Chapter 9: The Cafeteria**
“With the recovery speed of a normal level-six aptitude… I need to rest for an hour now,” Jie Ming calculated inwardly.
Though it was a rest period, there were still things he could do.
He glanced at the dorm’s simple but complete setup, then down at the *Basic Alchemy Manual* and the box of alchemy tools on the desk.
To play the part of a diligent alchemy apprentice, meditation alone wasn’t enough.
Jie Ming pulled out the enrollment guide included in Mentor Clark’s wooden box and began reading carefully.
The guide detailed the academy’s structure, course schedules, credit system, public facilities, and rules to follow.
He learned the critical role of credits—they were the sole currency for accessing advanced knowledge, rare materials, lab rentals, and even mentor guidance.
“Lab rentals…” Jie Ming mused, lost in thought.
And in this world, they were incredibly stingy with it.
After all, knowledge here could literally become power.
“If that’s the case… labs shouldn’t have surveillance, right?”
The more wizards prized and hoarded knowledge, the more secure labs would be. If surveillance were discovered, it would enrage the entire academy’s wizard community.
“To secure enough privacy, I need to find a way to get my own lab.”
The guide mentioned that credits could secure a private lab long-term, though it didn’t specify the cost, which was surely substantial.
This added another task to his list: earning credits.
After quickly skimming the guide, he checked the time. During his “mental sea recovery” period, Jie Ming picked up the hefty *Basic Alchemy Manual* and began studying.
The manual was incredibly detailed, covering everything from basic material classification and property identification to foundational alchemy principles, formulas, and experimental steps.
The text was dense, the formulas complex, and many concepts were entirely new to him.
Fortunately, with the Great Dao Book Pavilion as his golden finger, he’d grown adept at learning over the years. Soon, he was immersed in the manual’s contents.
Thus, Jie Ming studied the *Basic Alchemy Manual* during breaks from cultivation, resuming meditation once his “state recovered,” only to “accidentally” skew a critical stroke with his mental strength each time, precisely engineering “failures.”
Each failure was accompanied by subtle signs of pain—a furrowed brow, a slight tremble.
After three such cycles, evening had arrived.
“I’m a bit hungry. Might as well check out the cafeteria.” A thought struck him.
Visiting the cafeteria would not only solve dinner but also let him observe other apprentices’ conditions, helping him refine his “acting” strategy.
With the idea in mind, he put away the meditation book and manual, tidied his clothes, and left the room.
Following the guide’s map, he headed from the Alchemy dorms to the apprentice cafeteria.
The Alchemy dorms were relatively isolated, but the cafeteria was shared by all academy apprentices.
Along the way, he saw many young figures, weary but curious, likely heading to eat after their own initial meditation attempts.
The closer he got to the cafeteria, the more complex the air became—no longer reagents and metal but the enticing aroma of cooking.
Swiping his apprentice badge on the detection array at the entrance, Jie Ming pushed open the cafeteria doors and was quietly stunned by the sight.
This was less a cafeteria and more a luxurious restaurant.
The vast space held neatly arranged tables, the floor gleaming, the air free of grease, filled only with the tempting scent of food.
The central buffet displayed an array of dishes: golden, juicy roasted meat from unknown magical beasts, fragrant mushroom soups, vibrant fruit salads, and even desserts and pastries.
Best of all, the food… was free!
As long as you were an apprentice, you could take as much of these seemingly expensive dishes as you wanted.
Only a special section on one side offered rare ingredients or potions with unique energy effects, which required credits to purchase.
“Tch, no surprise from a wizard academy controlling an entire plane’s resources… the basic benefits are generous,” Jie Ming thought.
For many apprentices from poor backgrounds, this free, lavish food was a fortune in itself.
Ample nutrition also aided mental strength cultivation and physical recovery.
Even for Jie Ming, it was appealing. Refining Essence into Qi consumed his vitality and energy—he was, frankly, a massive glutton.
He grabbed a tray and walked along the buffet.
Instead of loading up, Jie Ming discreetly observed the other apprentices.
Their excited and curious gazes marked most as today’s new arrivals, sitting in small groups, chatting quietly.
With his keen cultivator senses, he could discern their mental fluctuations and physical states.
“That pale guy with erratic mental fluctuations… must’ve failed meditation multiple times.”
“The one clutching their head in pain probably got hit hard by backlash. Looks like entry isn’t easy for newbies.”
“But those few in the corner, looking rosy and full of energy… high aptitude or solid foundations, barely affected. Have they already succeeded?”
He quickly sketched a mental “newbie status map.”
Low-aptitude apprentices clearly suffered in their first meditation attempts.
Even level-five and six apprentices mostly looked drained.
Only a few stood out with excellent condition.
Jie Ming’s gaze landed on a corner where a few distinguished-looking youths sat.
They were clearly the geniuses from today’s tests, handling the challenging meditation entry with ease.
They were surrounded by admiring apprentices, exchanging quiet words.
He didn’t approach, instead heading to a quieter area, casually filling his tray with roasted meat and vegetable salad.
As he sat to eat, a voice suddenly sounded beside him.
“Hey! New Alchemy apprentice? Me too!”