Fortunately, the leap in Spiritual Power from an Elementary Apprentice to an Intermediate Apprentice is not as noticeable as the leap from an Ordinary Person to an Elementary Apprentice.

As long as he doesn't actively reveal his level, even an Official Wizard would find it hard to detect his true level unless they actively use Spiritual Power to probe, which gave him the possibility of hiding his abilities.

"After all, in this place where the weak are prey to the strong, it's not wise to reveal one's talents too early."

The market was as bustling as ever, with various apprentices shuttling between stalls, the sounds of haggling and hawking incessant.

Ron headed straight for the herb section, first replenishing the most needed moonflower and velvet pollen, then adding some basic materials like Morning Dew Grass and Fire Snake Scale Powder.

After checking out, he noticed an apprentice walking by with a beast race girl on a leash, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind:

"Having successfully passed the Alchemist assessment, I'll likely apply for an independent workshop, and by then I'll probably need some servants to assist with daily tasks."

The candidate apprentices from the human realm aren't reliable, as most of them harbor their own intentions, which makes it hard to ensure they won't steal or leak his research results.

"The Slave Trading House seems like a good option," he pondered, "Contract-marked alien slaves can at least guarantee basic loyalty and diligence."

"There's an Exotic Slave Exchange on the east side of the market, might as well take a look."

.........

Andre stood in a secluded clearing, surrounded by a circle of stone pillar remnants inscribed with weathered runes.

This place once served as a wizard's experimental ground in the Black Mist Jungle, now abandoned, it had become an excellent location for his secret cultivation.

He closed his eyes and swayed slightly with a specific breathing rhythm.

A layer of hot essential oils had already been evenly applied on the crucial meridian points of his body, his skin reddened upon contact, but his expression was unusually calm.

Just as the third breath was about to be completed, Andre took out a small bottle from his pocket, containing a dark red liquid—precisely the "Qi Blood Potion" formulated by Ron to break through the knight cultivation bottleneck.

Without hesitation, he drank the potion. Immediately, the heat flow within his body clashed with the potion, resulting in an explosive chemical reaction.

"Ah!"

The blond-haired youth let out an uncontrollable low growl, kneeling on one knee, clenching his fists tightly.

His entire body was trembling violently, undoubtedly bearing immense pressure.

The meridians in his body were filled with energy, almost to the breaking point.

"Boom!"

No audible sound, but a silent explosion had already occurred within his body.

Surging energy instantly broke through the bottleneck that had long troubled him, flowing to every corner of his body.

A subtle change happened in his body in an instant.

His muscle lines became more toned, his bones emitted a slight creaking sound, as if rearranging.

His skin also showed a healthy glow, even his breath became steadier and more powerful.

"Finally..." Andre exhaled a long breath, his face filled with joy and relief, "Finally broke through!"

He stood up, feeling the new power flowing through his body.

"Better tidy up and quickly tell Ron this good news!" Andre thought to himself.

But when he returned to his room, he found a letter placed at his doorstep, clearly left by someone who knew he lived here.

Andre's uncontrollable joy froze at once when he saw the Farouk Royal Family's wax seal on the letter.

Taking the letter back to his room, Andre frowned and carefully opened the envelope.

"Dear Prince Andre:

Lady Cynthia has inquired multiple times about when you might visit her, and we must express our disappointment on behalf of the royal family.

As the Thirteenth Prince of the Faruk Kingdom, you are expected to fulfill basic obligations.

Please make sure to visit Lady Cynthia's tower by the beginning of next month, without further delay..."

Though the wording of the letter was polite, it was filled with an undeniable tone of command.

Andre's expression darkened instantly.

He knew the hidden meaning behind this letter—the royal family was losing patience, eager to send him to the bed of that notoriously ruthless female apprentice to become her newest plaything.

"Damn it..." he cursed softly, but quickly calmed down.

He rapidly drafted a reply letter:

"Dear Sir Lance:

Thank you for your letter reminder. I must inform you of an exciting development: I have made a significant breakthrough in knight cultivation, reaching the Third Stage.

According to royal tradition, this means I am eligible to begin preparations for the 'Bloodline Awakening Ceremony,' a necessary step before becoming an Official Knight.

The ceremony requires a month of seclusion and preparation beforehand…"

Such an excuse would be hard for even the harshest royal advisors to outright dismiss.

"At least this will buy me a month's time," he breathed a sigh of relief and sealed the letter.

Having taken an important step forward, he felt more determined to become an Official Knight.

As long as he could make the final breakthrough, he could escape the fate of being sent as a male concubine.

And all of this was thanks to the potion support provided by Ron.

Without those carefully formulated Qi Blood Potions, he might have lingered at the bottleneck for months, or even longer.

"Ron... I never thought it would be you who changed my fate..." Andre murmured to himself, a complex look in his eyes.

.........

Elsewhere, since it was still early, Ron prepared to check out the Slave Trading House on the other side of the market.

After paying with Magic Stone Fragments and packing up the materials, he walked towards the east side of the market.

This area was starkly different from the bustling materials section, featuring low and dim buildings, with the air filled with a scent mixing sweat, blood, and some peculiar spice.

The "Blake Exotic Race Exchange" wooden sign hung above a rickety pillar.

Several eerie green oil lamps hung above the front entrance of the exchange, illuminating the intimidating faces of the two half-beastman guards stationed at the door.

Ron glanced at these burly half-beastmen and headed directly for the entrance.

The two half-beastman guards, initially intent on stopping any unfamiliar visitors, became respectful upon seeing his Apprentice Badge.

They lowered their scarred, ugly heads and stepped aside.

"Welcome, esteemed Apprentice, to the Blake Exotic Race Exchange."

A short and stout man heard the commotion, quickly coming over with a flattering smile. With each step he took, the key ring on his waist jingled:

"We happen to have received several new 'goods' in the past few days, which might be of interest to you, sir."

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