Chapter 393 Beginning

Under the soft glow of the gas lamp posts, Barclay walked through the cobblestone streets of the Uptown Quarter, heading toward his manor.

His mind was in utter chaos after what he had just witnessed. It felt like a big blow to not only his pride but also his abilities as a Herbalist.

In his hand, he tightly clasped the vial containing the potion that Adam had just brewed. If he held it any tighter, it would shatter. Yet, he didn't realize this.

He glanced at it with complicated emotions - shock, admiration, envy, anger, and hatred.

His expression twisted hideously as he thought to himself, You dare insult me in front of the whole guild... I'll make you pay for—

Suddenly, his thoughts abruptly paused when his surroundings started to transform, much to his shock and horror.

Barclay's pupils constricted when he saw the familiar streets, the buildings, the people, everything turning into smoke. The next moment, he found himself on a bloodied battlefield, littered with shattered weapons and mangled corpses.

"Eeekkk!" Barclay stumbled in his footsteps and landed on his butt. His body trembled in fear, wondering what was happening to him.Thê source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

Where am I? No, did someone cast a spell on me?! Impossible! The man thought incredulously.

He found it extremely suspicious that he was under the effects of a spell without him even knowing about it.

Then, out of nowehere, came the intense bloodlust and pressure, causing his heart to pound wildly inside his chest. He subconsciously turned his head and saw an enormous heap of corpses right in front of him.

Ogres, trolls, orcs, and magical beasts, their mutilated corpses piled on top of each other and created a mound. Atop this mound, stood a black-robed Magus wearing a pointy hat.

When Barclay's gaze landed on him, he shrieked in fear, "It's you!"

Adam coldly looked down on him and muttered with sheer indifference, "You Herbalists are pathetically weak when it comes to magic combat. Dealing with you guys is as easy as swatting a fly.

"Don't make me have to kill you."

At the same time, he also learned about the inner workings of the Herbalist's Guild.

Being a guild member not only allowed him to directly buy raw materials from them at a significantly discounted price, but it also allowed him to sell his potions.

Moreover, he could also receive commissions from other affluent Magi and concoct potions for them. Of course, all the herbs and magical ingredients would have to be provided by them.

There was also the fee that he could charge these customers. Adam could decide the commission fee himself, there would be no interference from the guild on that matter.

Other than that, he also had access to the tomes related to the arcane arts and herbalism that the guild owned.

But the one thing that Adam liked the most was that he was given access to the laboratory inside the guild.

This laboratory was countless times better than the one he had in his house back in Moon City. In fact, it was better than anything he had ever seen. Even Berger's personal laboratory paled in comparison.

This was naturally a given. The Herbalist's Guild was an independent organization that had branches all across the world. They had also amassed quite a large amount of wealth over the years.

So it only made sense that the guild's laboratory would be state-of-the-art. It had everything that a Herbalist needed.

On this day, the rays of the early morning sun gradually colored the sky in shades of orange and pink.

The surface of the Marian Lake was as calm as ever, reflecting the image of the grand castle beside it.

On the upper floors of the East Wing, inside Adam's dorm room, the youth sat on the high-back leather couch directly facing the fireplace.

Valerian peacefully slept on his lap, purring from time to time. With one hand, Adam gently stroked the fur on the young dragon's back, and with the other hand, he held an arcane textbook, reading it with fascination.

He could barely sleep last night due to the sheer excitement flooding his veins. Just as the rays of the morning sun seeped in through the arched windows and touched his face, he closed the book and placed it on the small table beside him.

Adam glanced at the peaceful lake outside through the window, his lips curling up into a bright smile.

"Finally, today marks the beginning of the academic year!"