The Cornflower Witch Chapter 233

“Sylphidya has advanced!”

Returning to the mansion in town, Sylphidya had originally planned to finish her work for the past two days. Unexpectedly, shortly after she walked in, other students noticed something different about her.

Upon hearing this shout, many students who were working gathered around, looking at her with curiosity and surprise.

Sylphidya’s talent was strong, and everyone had known and expected that she would advance faster than them. However, the speed at which she did so still surprised them.

Normally, even first-tier students with the highest overall talent evaluation would take about 1-2 years to advance from Tier 1 to Tier 2. After reaching Tier 2, advancing further would take at least 4-5 years, and this was for the most talented individuals.

For students with average talent, after entering the Woodland Association, it would take about 6-10 years to reach Tier 2, and perhaps 30-40 years to reach Tier 3. This is why most Tier 3 professionals seen on the surface continent are almost always over 40 years old. Only less than 10% can reach Tier 3 around the age of 30, which is considered exceptionally talented.

As for advancing to Tier 3 within 30 years old, that would truly be considered a genius, which was once Iona’s goal.

Sylphidya reached Tier 2 half a year after coming to the Woodland Association, spent her first year in the Golden Glades, and then two years in Lantern Town. This was despite her being busy with outpost affairs and spending the past few months in the Iron Wall Cliff, which delayed her considerably. Even under these circumstances, she still managed to stand out and reach Tier 3 within two years. Her exceptional talent left many students envious and speechless.

Furthermore, according to Sylphidya’s own estimation, if she was 16 when she awakened, she is still under 20 now, making her exceptionally young.

News quickly spread throughout the town, surprising and shocking many students. Even some travelers temporarily staying in town were quite curious.

“Such an amazing girl, truly a formidable junior.”

Two middle-aged men sitting in a restaurant, listening to the noisy discussions nearby, felt a sense of emotion.

They too had progressed through Tier 2 and Tier 3, and naturally understood the difficulties involved. Unlike previous advancements, reaching Tier 3 was almost a comprehensive test of oneself.

Advancing from nothing to Tier 1 only required condensing ‘attribute power’. The difficulty of advancing to Tier 2 was not high either; it merely required learning and training multiple abilities, accumulating through ‘attribute power’ to gradually break through.

However, Tier 3 was different. It required developing one’s core abilities from scratch and achieving breakthroughs in knowledge, concepts, and practical experience to become complete. This process could not be achieved through crude accumulation.

He picked up a large wooden mug, chugged the foaming beer, and a refreshing sensation surged through him. He then set down the mug and looked across the table.

“How long did it take you?”

“Heh, it took me nearly ten years back then.” The other person held his wine glass, taking slow sips.

“After I reached Tier 2, I traveled through the Green Vine Jungle with my medicine box, identifying and collecting herbs, and studying the pharmacology of various plants. This took about two years to build a foundation. After that, I left the Green Vine Jungle and went to Cadmus’s Hut to become an alchemist apprentice, helping process herbs, learning potion concoction, and advanced pharmacological knowledge. I spent four years there.”

“Later, when I had learned enough, upon my teacher’s recommendation, I went to Snowdrift Harbor on the surface continent and reported to the Physicians’ Association there, becoming an intern physician, assisting others. Another three years passed like that.”

“Once my experience and knowledge were mature, I went to a remote town on my own, replacing a retired elderly physician to treat the local people and learn from the old physician. That was another three years.”

“After these ten years, I felt the time was right, and everything was prepared, so I stepped into the threshold of Tier 3.”

“After advancing, the seniors in my faction said I had good talent, reaching Tier 3 within ten years, making me an outstanding person among my peers.”

“What about you, Zaria?” The topic shifted to the knight drinking beer across the table. “I’m a bit better; it took me nearly 7 years.” He picked up a piece of bread and began eating it steadily, taking slow, even bites.

“When I first went from Tier 1 to Tier 2, I was relatively poor. At that time, to get as many resources as possible in the Woodland Association, I chose the remote and dangerous ‘Grotto of Perilous Monsters’ outpost.”

“There are many Twilight Beasts invading from the edge of the Shadow World, which are what we commonly call monsters, unknown alien creatures, and so on.”

“In the first month after going there, I was severely injured, struck by a black evil bird that swooped down from the sky. If not for the fellow ranger who shot down that strange bird, I probably would have been dragged to a monster’s nest right then.”

“From then on, I began to train desperately, learning all sorts of knowledge and combat techniques, studying and training almost day and night. This went on for a year.”

“A year later, I joined the Mountain Path Patrol, participating in confrontations with those monsters and constantly engaging in battles.”

“Because I was only Tier 2, even with the enhancement of abilities and armor, facing some Tier 2 monsters was still extremely difficult. Their forms were bizarre, and their attack methods were unpredictable.”

“In order to win and survive, I had to quickly understand the behavior patterns and weaknesses of these monsters, as well as my own shortcomings.”

“I spent five years in this high-pressure environment.”

“One day, five years later, it was as if I reached a critical point and suddenly had an epiphany. I no longer feared these monsters and could fight them with increasing courage. Even when encountering an unfamiliar enemy, I no longer panicked.”

“I suddenly understood that even monsters are not perfect. Even if they are indeed more powerful than me in some aspect, this power must have come at another cost. They cannot completely overpower me in all aspects, and my fight is never hopeless.”

“With this mindset, even when facing seemingly powerful enemies, my mind was exceptionally stable, and I could fight courageously and calmly.”

“Just like that, in the next two years, I emerged from the patrol team, defeating one monster after another that was far stronger than me, completing the trial of the knight’s path.”

“Everyone said that I embodied the knight’s virtue of [Knightly Bravery]. I think I simply gained a sense of composure after understanding a certain truth.”

“I know what I want, and I understand what I might lose, so I am not afraid to face challenges. In the end, through thrilling combat, I find opportunities and defeat my enemies.” He concluded his insight and then cleared his finished lunch plate.

“You…” the physician opposite him shook his head.

“You say you’re not brave enough, but a person like you probably wouldn’t fear death either.”

“Everyone’s path to advancement is different. Though I’m not a knight, I can see that you are already a model among knights.”

The two finished their lunch and got up, gradually leaving.

Listening to the students’ discussions along the way, a sense of curiosity also arose in their hearts.

‘What concepts and truths did that Sylphidya comprehend when she advanced?’