Chapter 37 – Ancient Potions
Ancient Potions
“According to the A.I. Chip’s simulations and extrapolations, the elementary meditation technique is most useful when used to construct mind runes. However, after a level 2 acolyte has finished constructing their 24 mind runes, they can only progress slowly with time…”
“No wonder even fifth-grade acolytes get stuck at the bottleneck to advance to a level 3 acolyte!”
Leylin looked at the results of the mathematical formulas and entered into deep thought.
“I have been in the academy for this long, but I haven’t heard of any acolytes who own an advanced meditation technique. Furthermore, the apprentices of the other professors all stop progressing for at least a few years after they have reached level 2 acolyte standards. It seems like even the professors can do nothing regarding this matter of meditation techniques, so I can give up on it first!”
“As for the use of ingredients, there was some basic level potion formulas that could help in the raising of spiritual force. However, the price for them is rather high and the ingredients are also very costly. Even the results are rather appalling…”
“However, my succession rate will definitely be higher than other Potioneering Masters because I have the A.I. Chip. Therefore, increasing my spiritual force with this method is highly feasible!”
Leylin made up his mind. “What’s next is to collect formulas for potions that can raise my spiritual force. In addition, I should sell my potions outside and obtain more potion ingredients!”
“However, it seems rather dangerous outside the academy right now, so how am I supposed to go find those black markets or small-scale trading groups?”
Leylin’s brows furrowed again. “With these problems, the professors inside the academy will definitely not sit around and do nothing. The problems will be resolved after a while; I had better get the potion formulas for increasing my spiritual force before anything else.”
If the problems outside could not be solved by even the Magi, then Leylin would definitely be at even more of a loss. Thinking this, he soon entered a dream state very quickly.
The next morning, Leylin sought out Professor Kroft.
“A potion formula that can raise spiritual force?” Kroft was a little surprised.
“The success rate of brewing these potions is too low and the resources required are extremely expensive. Many Potioneering Masters have lost their family fortunes over this, and only those with a strong family background are able to reap the benefits…”
Although Leylin’s Potioneering talent was highly outstanding, Kroft still felt that his apprentice had set his goals a little too high.
“Sir, you know it too. My aptitude is only third-grade acolyte. For a third-grade acolyte to progress to a Magus, there is an even greater bottleneck. Breaking through to a Magus is easiest when it’s done at a young age, so I want to give it a gamble.”
Leylin spoke softly.
“Oh… You!” Kroft sighed and sat down slowly, “I do have a few basic potion formulas for raising the spiritual force, but I signed a contract preventing me from reselling the formulas when I got them from other parties. As for my own formulas, you are definitely not able to afford them…”
“How many magic crystals are they worth?” Leylin’s heart sank, but he still asked.
“Haha! I knew you wouldn’t give up. 5000 magic crystals, and that’s only because you’re my apprentice!”
“Siii!” Leylin sucked in cold air, and then laughed bitterly, “It seems like I have no hope!”
“Developing a potion formula for raising spiritual force requires a Potioneering Master to spend a dozen, or even several dozens, of years on continuous experimentation, and the consumption for this is immense. Moreover, possessing an exclusive formula usually boosts a Potioneering Master’s family development. Hence, it is within reason for potion formulas to be this costly.”
Having a monopoly will yield the greatest profits. Leylin nodded his head slowly.
However, it also depends on who owns the formula. If it was an acolyte instead of a Magus, even Leylin would have harboured some bad notions. However, Kroft was an official Magus, and he had the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy was behind him as his patron. Furthermore, his human relations were not bad; hence, he did not have many worries.
“However, if you really have this goal, you might not be completely without answers!”
Just as Leylin was prepared to take his leave disappointingly, Kroft spoke these words.
“It seems like I have a chance!” Leylin was secretly elated and hurriedly bowed.
“Although I am unable to give you my personally-developed formulas, I still have a few formulas from the Magi of old, and they were obtained when I went exploring several times before, so you can use them and give it a try!” Kroft said slowly.
“Formulas from the Magi of old?” Leylin felt a little uncertain.
“Indeed! Magi were the most prosperous back in the ancient times. Not only did they construct the Byron empire which spanned over several continents, they had even set their sights on several other distant worlds, conquering different planes one at a time!” Kroft’s face was a little flushed. It seemed as though he held the utmost fascination towards the prowess of the ancient Magi.
“It’s a pity that the Byron Empire collapsed one night, due to some unknown reason, and the legacies of these ancient Magi were lost. We, as Magi in more recent times, have only risen to power through a few remnants of the research and documents left behind by the ancient Magi…”
Little by little, Kroft spoke of the story behind the scenes. This information was never mentioned in the historical books in the academy.
“I wonder how mighty these ancient Magi were?” Leylin put on a fascinated expression, and asked:
“Those formulas, are they all defective?”
“Indeed! You’re very smart! Although the effects of these formulas are good, many of the ingredients have already ceased to exist. At least, I have never come across them in the 200 years of my life…”
Kroft said unhurriedly, “However, many Potioneering Masters still feel some affection for these ancient formulas because they all wish to find a substitute for them. Even if they have only a fraction of the original models, their effects are extremely useful!”
Leylin was elated. With the help of the A.I. Chip, he would definitely save a lot of time and effort when researching them.
On the surface, he still put on a frowning and worried expression, “So… You want me to find substitute ingredients?”
“Indeed! Potioneering Masters often rely on flashes of inspiration for their successes. Many new types of potions are developed on this basis. If you really want to, you can try your luck! However, the success rate will be extremely low!”
Kroft’s face darkened. It seemed as if he was reminded of his past failures.
“Sir! I still want to give it a try. Even if I won’t be able to develop a new formula, I can still improve my skills in brewing!” Leylin gritted his teeth.
“I can rest assured if this is your thinking!” Kroft nodded his head. After rummaging through the shelves behind him, he managed to find some dusty scrolls.
“The formulas of the ancient Magi are all here.”
When Leylin received the scrolls, his hands dipped. They seemed to be made of some unknown material with an extremely high density.
Casually flipping to a green coloured formula sheet, Leylin was intimidated by the numerous scribbles of the ingredients required.
“Ghost Spirit Flower, Seven Leaves Grass…… The poison sac of a Human-Faced Snake……The hair of a resentful ghost…”
Leylin had never even heard of over half of the ingredients listed there. As for the remaining one-third, they were precious treasures even to a Magus, and looking at them made Leylin’s eyelids flutter wildly.
“How is it? You’re shocked, right? I had the same expression as you when I first saw them too! However, if you were to brew a potion in accordance with the ingredients listed, I dare say that it would be useful even for an official Magus!” Kroft smiled a little.
Leylin flipped through several other formulas. He tried to find something that would suit the level of an acolyte and would have the easiest to obtain ingredients. A good half an hour later, he had barely managed to sift through and find two.
“I’ll just take these two, the Azure Potion and the Tears of Mary!”
These two potions were better suited to Leylin’s current conditions.
“Alright! These two potion formulas suit you well!” Kroft nodded his head, “Each one is 150 magic crystals, so the total would be 300 magic crystals!”
Although this was a dozen times cheaper than a potion formula for raising the spiritual force, Leylin still felt a little heartache. He drew out all of the magic crystals in his pockets, and the magic crystals clattered and piled up into a small mound in front of Kroft.
Within this mound, there were several pieces with greater energy undulations. These were mid-grade magic crystals, and the value of one was equal to ten regular magic crystals.
“There are 250 magic crystals here, and I’ll add this blade of Snake-Patterned Grass!” Leylin wore a look of reluctance as he drew out a small cloth pouch from his robes. After opening it, there lay a blade of silver-coloured grass. It even had the pattern of a snake’s scales on its surface.
This was something that he commissioned Woox to obtain after a long period of time. However, having extracted a few of its properties, this blade of Snake-Patterned Grass was not very useful to him anymore.
“Oh! Snake-Patterned Grass. Although it is rather damaged, its properties are still intact. I estimate it to be worth about 50 magic crystals.” Kroft’s eyes shone as he inspected the blade of silver grass.
“The trade has been established! These two formulas are now yours!” Kroft smiled and nodded his head.
Leylin then pocketed the formulas for the Azure Potion and Tears of Mary and bowed to Kroft, bidding farewell before leaving the room.
“300 magic crystals! That was all the income I’ve earned from selling potions this year! The ingredients needed for these two potions are also very precious. I can only hurry and head outside the academy to sell my accumulated potions before I can exchange them for experiment resources…”
Leylin felt a little heartache. However, his success were way higher than what the others were estimated to have, and apart from selling potions in the academy, he had still managed to amass many other potions. If he were to sell them outside the school, he would definitely earn a huge amount of magic crystals!
Ever since he obtained the two potion formulas, Leylin’s mind was filled with ideas on how to earn more magic crystals and brew potions.
“Leylin! Leylin!”
A girl’s voice rang and interrupted Leylin from his dazed state.
“It’s you, Bicky! I’m sorry, I was thinking about some things!”
Leylin sized up the girl in front of him. After a year of growth, Bicky’s figure had even grown to be more provocative. Especially those two perky mounds on her chest, they had already begun to take shape.
“Hmph! Even you are like this! Fayle is the same too!” Bicky pouted.
“Haha!” Leylin glossed over it, “What’s the matter, is Fayle ignoring you again?”
“That’s not it! Fayle has been treating me well recently, and we even had dinner at the dining hall on the second floor yesterday!” Bicky said cheerfully, “Only, he seemed fixated on the academy’s recent mission, the one with blood-red writing, wholeheartedly wanting to claim the reward!”
“500 magic crystals, high-grade information, and even an improved spell model. If I wasn’t just a level 2 acolyte, I would most likely be tempted too!” Leylin joked.
“What were you thinking earlier?”
“Nothing much, only that selling potions within the academy are rather disadvantageous for me and I want to try selling them outside!” Leylin spoke with a half-truth.