After nightfall, the entire island plunged into darkness, with only some glowing minerals and mushrooms providing negligible light.
Duke practiced the Meditation Technique while constantly keeping an eye on the movements above through the Shadow Insects.
Initially, everything was calm, but after about an hour, there was some commotion beside the lake.
Two obviously unfamiliar Wizard Apprentices coincidentally arrived at the lakeside, they cautiously glanced at each other but did not take action.
After taking some fresh water from the lake, they retreated on their own.
With no direct conflict of interest, they did not know the opponent’s background and had no confidence in taking them down with a strike.
In such circumstances, taking action is unwise. Most Wizard Apprentices have relatively ordinary abilities, their goal being to survive this test and pass it.
Duke constantly monitored the situation here, noting the arrival and departure of the two.
After this, the lake again fell into prolonged silence.
The island is quite large, with over three hundred third-class Wizard Apprentices scattered all over it, making encounters quite unlikely at the beginning.
This lake where Duke is located is near the center of the island; most Wizard Apprentices initially appear elsewhere, so not seeing anyone for a short while is very normal.
Until midnight, Duke received information from the Shadow Insects.
Near the lake, a young man was sprinting, looking terrified, his left hand hanging weakly as if broken, constantly dripping blood.
Behind him, a giant silver-white wolf was in pursuit.
This was an advanced magical beast named Frost Wolf, which, aside from its powerful physique, possesses Frost Element casting ability.
Judging from the Frost Wolf’s pace, it didn’t seem to be chasing prey; rather, it looked as if it were taking a stroll.
The Frost Wolf even had a human-like mocking smile on its face, clearly toying with this unlucky Wizard Apprentice.
The boy stumbled, seeing the lake ahead as a sign of hope, intending to jump in to evade the advanced magical beast behind him.
Though he knows the chances are slim, the Frost Wolf is surely capable of swimming; this is an island, after all.
But he had no other choice but to try this route.
Receiving this information, Duke immediately opened his eyes in vigilance.
He only hoped this person wouldn’t lead the Frost Wolf here, or he would be implicated.
As for going out to rescue, Duke had no such intention; he knew his own strength well.
Even if he fought with all his might, he might only repel the Frost Wolf, making it hard to kill.
His current offensive methods did not include particularly powerful attack spells, making it difficult to kill an advanced magical beast like the Frost Wolf in one strike.
Just as the boy was about to reach the lakeside, the Frost Wolf’s eyes showed a hint of playful intent, and it spat out a huge ice ball.
The ice ball flew out and directly hit the boy, instantly turning him into an ice sculpture, frozen in place, his blood gradually stopping.
Moments later, the Frost Wolf seemed to be done playing, walked over, and bit off the person’s head, blood splattering everywhere, turning the nearby lake surface blood red.
The Frost Wolf had been on this island for a long time, those damned Wizards wouldn’t let it roam freely, confining it to the island.
Life on the island was too dull; besides occasionally seeking out other advanced magical beasts to fight, there was not much to do.
Today, some humans appeared, and they happened to be damned Wizards, making the Frost Wolf quite excited; within one night, it had already eaten several, its belly nearly full.
The Frost Wolf even thought, "These weak humans better not come yet; let me digest first."
The recent pursuit was considered a form of entertainment, barely a post-meal walk to aid digestion.
After eating, the Frost Wolf came to the lake, lowered its head, and drank some water.
It suddenly raised its head and sniffed around, detecting several different human scents, though none seemed nearby.
Duke dared not breathe below, keeping a constant watch on the lakeside’s movements.
Luckily, he had swum to this location across the lake, the water masking his scent.
If this advanced magical beast had remembered his scent and pursued, it would be troublesome.
After sniffing the scents, the Frost Wolf slowly walked toward them, seemingly not in a hurry.
Perhaps because the Frost Wolf had been here, the lakeside remained quiet throughout the night.
No Wizard Apprentices came here, nor did any other magical beasts or predators come to drink.
Possibly, the Frost Wolf’s scent lingered here, deterring ordinary magical beasts from coming.
Duke kept up his Meditation Practice until dawn, using the Shadow Insects to scout the surroundings, confirming no danger before slowly emerging from the water.
The island was restless throughout the night, contrasting sharply with the peace below the lake.
Duke now only wished to quickly gather the Magic Potion Materials needed for his task, then dive into the underwater cave to hide until the test ended.
He didn’t want to fight it out with anyone on the island; with the Skill Tree in hand, as long as he stays focused on his development, he’ll become stronger over time, so there’s no need to take risks.
"Night Shadow Grass, Blood Moon Root, Starlight Vine, Sharp-toothed Bat’s Tooth, Colorless Lizard’s Eye..." Duke contemplated as he looked at the parchment’s list of Magic Potion Materials.
Among these, Night Shadow Grass, Blood Moon Root, and Starlight Vine are common Magic Potion Materials, which can be gradually found by searching around.
However, the Sharp-toothed Bat’s Tooth and Colorless Lizard’s Eye are difficult to find, as these are relatively elusive creatures.
Especially the Colorless Lizard, unlike a chameleon, it is born transparent, tangible but invisible.
Finding such a thing is not easy, and Duke didn’t hold high hopes.
He planned to observe the situation later; if the island’s situation were chaotic and dangerous, he’d directly gather the three herbs and dive into the cave.
Duke recalled the basics of Herbalism he previously learned, and had an impression of the appearance of Night Shadow Grass, Blood Moon Root, and Starlight Vine.
He walked through the forest while keeping an eye on the ground around him for things he needed.
Meanwhile, a dozen Shadow Insects spread out nearby to ensure that he would be alerted to any movement within a hundred meters, avoiding ambushes.
Despite having Shadow Insects for vigilance, Duke didn’t put all his hope on this and stayed ready for an attack at any time.
About two hours later, he found a patch of Night Shadow Grass under a large tree, took a small shovel from the Space Ring, and uprooted it, preserving the roots intact.