by Zhuang Bifan
Fortunately, Shaun's reaction did not make him appear to be lying.
Lin Li had nothing to say if those few hundred flowers really existed. As for why that fatso was scared of him, he still need to figure it out when he was free.
"Fatty, you follow me first. Then, bring me to the batch of Tricolored Flowers after the gathering. Rest assured, I wouldn't be short of a single copper coin."
"Alright…" Shaun nodded his head, not daring to say anything else.
"Felic, come over quickly." While Lin Li was still talking to Shaun, he saw Andoine waving to him from afar, gesturing for him to go over. "Let me introduce you to an acquaintance."
"Why do you have so many acquaintances?" Lin Li muttered unwillingly.
"Come, Felic, let me introduce. This is President Balbo." Andoine's introduction had never been so formal. It was not like the acquaintances he'd briefly introduced Lin Li to when he just told Lin Li a few sentences—their names and positions—never adding any salutation with their names…
"Balbo, his name is Felic. He became my new magic student a few months ago. So… what do you think of my student?" While Andoine said that, his gaze was filled with a lot of satisfaction.
It was no doubt normal for Andoine to feel so proud of his student. He was absolutely clear how talented his student was. In his eyes, Lin Li was nearly perfect. He was skillful in magic, masterful in pharmacy, and, as Macklin said, proficient in forging. Hence, Andoine was afraid that such a talent would only appear in the next hundred years.
How would he not be thrilled in having the opportunity to be his mentor?
Not exaggerating, the thing Andoine felt the proudest of in the entire hundred-plus years of his life was to count the number of spells he'd taught this young man.
"Nice to meet you, President Balbo."
The man beside Andoine was wearing a long black robe, and looked 60 to 70 years of age. Compared to Andoine, although both of them were scrawny and had white hair, the impression they gave to people were starkly different.
Andoine was always unkempt. His hair and mustache were always in a mess, and there would be potion stains on his robes. When Lin Li first saw him, he even thought that that old man just walked out from a pile of garbage.
The old man donning a black robe before him was completely different. His white mustache appeared to be so carefully trimmed that Lin Li could not find any messy strand of hair. Although his black robe looked very simple, it looked very decent on him. There were no creases and stains on it at all. He did not give people an impression that he was an old man nearly 70 years old. The impression he gave to people was that of a dashing man in the prime of his life.
When Andoine introduced Lin Li, a smile could be seen on Balbo's face. He asked, "So, you must be Felic?"
"Yes, President Balbo." Lin Li nodded his head politely. Yet, he could not help but suspect that Balbo had heard about him before.
"Hehe, I heard Burnside talk about you before," Balbo spoke as though he knew what Lin Li was thinking about.
"I see…" The mention of Old Grimm embarrassed Lin Li. When he was at Jarrosus, he promised Old Grimm that if he were to come to Alanna, he would find time to visit him. Yet, being always caught up in matters, he did not have chance to visit Old Grimm at all.
"How's Mage Grimm?"
"He is very well." Balbo smiled. Then, he continued, "He even told me about you this morning, saying that you would surely come with Andoine today. I didn't expect it to be so…"
"What is he doing now?"
"He had some important things to attend to, and might only come back after the gathering…" After he finished his speech, Balbo joked with him again. "Andoine, weren't you envious of my talented student in the past? Why not be swap our students?"
"Dream on!" Andoine replied without hesitating. Someone like the freakish Felic might not even appear in a hundred years. Even if there were 10 geniuses, he would not agree to swap Felic for them all.
"Hehe, I was just joking. You don't need to be so nervous. Look, since the discussion has not started, why not Iet me bring you to see something good?"
"What's good?"
Chapter 222 - Catalytic Potion
The old man's eyes lit up upon hearing that. Balbo was the president of the Pharmacists Guild; every single pharmacist needed to heed his orders in the whole Felan Kingdom. No one dared to defy him at all.
"You will know it later…" Balbo laughed, refusing to reveal what he was referring to. He brought the two people through the hall and along the flight of stairs on the right side up to the third floor.
It was rare to meet any pharmacist since it was a rare occupation. Although the Pharmacists Guild was huge, it was quieter than the Emerald Tower. When the two men followed Balbo behind his back, they only saw two students rushing around, busying with their things. As for the real pharmacists, they did not see any at all.
Most of the doors leading to rooms on level-three were tightly shut. At times, the smell of the thick potion could be smelled. While they walked along the corridor, they could smell the fumes coming out from the crack of the doors.
"Please follow me," Balbo said as he pushed the door open gently.
"Good morning, President Balbo." A cloud of white fog filled the air. A few pharmacists were observing the bubbling liquid in a beaker, and were mostly holding onto a glass test tube filled with red liquid. When Balbo walked in, they were pouring a specific amount of red liquid into the beaker drop by drop.
"Good morning, everybody." Balbo could not help but frown when he saw at the liquid in the beaker. "How is it? Do you have any ideas?"
"Yes, President Balbo."
The voice belonged to a pharmacist around 40 years old. He was considered one of the youngest among all the pharmacists. When Balbo walked in, he'd already put down his fingers to report his progress politely.
"Oh, I see…" Balbo nodded his head, and did not say anything more. He only looked at the surrounding suspiciously, and asked, "Oh, yes, where's Elin?"
"Elin said he had an idea that might work. Thus, he went back to the lab to get some materials."
"Alright, then, do your things now. I will bring the two guests around for a tour."
"Alright, President Balbo."
"You two…" Balbo paused when he saw that young mage, whom Burnside claimed to be a prodigy, screening the bubbling liquid in the beaker. "Felic, do you know this type of potion?" Balbo asked curiously.
"N-no, no…" Lin Li was surprised to hear that question from Balbo. He regained his focus, and told him, "I'm just here to look around."
"Oh, is that so?" Balbo smiled. Yet, his curiosity about Lin Li increased a little.
He was a freak who had lived more than a hundred years—unlike normal humans beings. When that young mage looked at the beaker, he was not in a daze like those without experience. His was a stare of surprise and pity.
Although Balbo did not really understand why he was shocked and saddened, he knew that the phrase "just looking around" should not be trusted.
Of course, not trusting was just not trusting.
Balbo's position today would not require him to expose a young man's lie. Since Felic said he was just looking around, he would just treat him as if he was really looking around.
Yet, deep inside his heart, he'd improved his impression of that young mage by a little again.
How could normal people have the ability to recognize the red liquid?
It seemed that Burnside was telling the truth. That young mage's skills in pharmacy had surpassed his age as he was only a step away from the experienced pharmacists in the guild. That old man Andoine had really found a treasure this time…
Balbo's room had a simple design. There was a desk in the middle of the room, with piles of paper stacked on top. Beside it were a few rattan chairs made with delicate craftsmanship. Nearer to the windows was a bookshelf filled with different types of books. Lin Li gave them a quick glance from afar, only to realize that those books wer
e unrelated to pharmaceutics.
"Make yourselves comfortable while I leave the room for a while." After inviting both of them to sit down, Balbo apologized again before heading out of the room.
Like Balbo, Andoine was also not a fuel-saving jet. Since Balbo could read Lin Li's mind from his expression, how could Andoine not understand his student? The moment the president left the room, the old man asked impatiently, "Felic, do you know what type of potion they are trying to make?"
"What potion…?"
Andoine exposed Lin Li mercilessly when he still wanted to act as though he wasn't aware of it.
"You can continue to act…" The old man pursed his lips. "Who has a better understanding of your ability than me? If even you don't know what potion that was, who the heck in the entire Pharmacists Guild knows it?" Andoine asked in disdain.
"Mr. Mentor, could you be less serious…" Lin Li rolled his eyes. He did not know how to react to Andoine being unreasonable, as he indeed knew the name of the potion. After looking at Andoine and at the unlocked door, Lin Li sighed, and decided to satisfy the curiosity of the old man. "Yeah, you are right. I know what that potion is…"
"Tell me more about it?" Andoine's eyes lit up. To him, nothing else could be as attractive as new potions.
"If I did not remember wrongly, the potion they are making should be the Catalytic Potion."
"What's a Catalytic Potion?"
"Something very dangerous…" Lin Li revealed to Andoine secretly after looking around the surroundings for a while. "You should have heard of the Rampage Potion, right? This Catalytic Potion is comparable to the magicians' Rampage Potion, but it's more powerful and more dangerous. The consumption of it could to a large degree activate the highest potential of any mage.
"Regardless of mana or mental strength, it can reach unimaginably terrifying heights. By estimation, it can raise their ability by four levels. Although it can only sustain its effect for 30 seconds, it's this crucial 30 seconds that can allow a magician's ability to reach that height."
"It's that powerful?" Andoine was shocked. He'd never heard of a potion having the effect of making someone stronger by four levels.
"It is just so powerful." The mention of the Catalytic Potion reminded Lin Li of his time as a hunter in the Endless World. When he'd been trying to fight for the legendary weapon—Stars of Fury—back then, he'd met a magician who had consumed the Catalytic Potion. The destructive burst of energy made Lin Li so helpless that he'd nearly died. It was beyond horrifying…
Fortunately, the Catalytic Potion was usually underrated. Its formula might not even be known to master pharmacists. Only monsters like Lin Li who had broken through to the level of a guru would have the chance to come into contact with it.
Not only that—it was known to many that it was extremely difficult to create the Catalytic Potion.
In the process of making the Catalytic Potion, a great number of Rainbow Herb would be needed.
The most incompetent pharmacist would know that the Rainbow Herb did not have a stable attribute—especially if it was used in a great amount, when it would create unimaginable and damaging effects.
It was fated that if someone wanted to make the Catalytic Potion, he had to be extremely proficient in pharmaceutics and be someone that could handle every minute change that would happen in the process. If any small mistakes were to occur, it would be devastating. Not only would the product be damaged, it would cost lives as well.
Every herb that the Catalytic Potion contained had great elemental energy. If the energy were to be unleashed, it would create an explosive reaction and cause a building to fly up into the air.
Sh*t. Those people outside had better keep it a secret… Lin Li understood that it was a dangerous deed. Although they were at the Pharmacists Guild—the most prestigious place in the entire Felan Kingdom for their pharmaceutical ability—the Catalytic Potion was not something that anyone could put their hands on. If something bad were to happen here, wouldn't he be in bad luck as well?
However, it was not the right time to reveal it yet, since he was still feigning ignorance in front of Balbo. How could he swallow everything back and go over to Balbo to say, "Mr. President, the potion you are making is actually very interesting. If proper precautions are not taken, the Pharmacists Guild might fly up into the sky alright…"
Lin Li could not bring himself to do it…
"You don't know how to make it?" Andoine did not want to know how dangerous that potion was. To him, any new potion would be worth exploring despite the danger it would entail…
"I know how to do it, but—" Lin Li knew that the old man had taken an interest in the Catalytic Potion.
"Could you teach me?" Andoine interrupted Lin Li excitedly before he could finish his speech.
"I…" Lin Li scratched his head. He did not know how to explain it to Andoine.
"What's the issue?"
"Mr. Mentor, I want to teach you that, but I don't have the materials needed. Why don't you find them for me and I demonstrate for you once on the spot?" Lin Li tried to discourage Andoine.
Even if he was willing to find the ingredients, Lin Li would just tell him about those that would require great difficulty to find. Lin Li was confident that Andoine would not be able to find things like the blood of the great wyrm, the feather of the phoenix, and a lot of others…
"This…" Just when Andoine was stuck and did not know how to answer Lin Li, the room's door creaked. Balbo came in with something in his hands, smiling. His grin was unusually wide, and the moment he entered the room, he asked Andoine, "I think I heard Felic say he wanted some materials? Andoine, don't be too formal with me. We, the Pharmacists Guild, don't have many other things, but we have an unlimited range of herbs. You can just tell me frankly, and I will ask my men to prepare it for you."
After Balbo finished talking, he looked at Lin Li intentionally.
"…" Lin Li really felt like crashing himself to death against a wall.
Goddammit, trouble's big! That old dude must have heard everything!
Chapter 223 - Shadow of the Darkness
"Ha ha…" Lin Li laughed dully. He did not say anything. He had already made up his mind. No matter what you've heard, I will not say anything.
Are you kidding me, how could I admit to something like that?
Admitting to all the trouble he'd caused was a small issue—he was just afraid that Andoine would be interested in the recipe. With his headstrong character, he would definitely think of a way to get Lin Li to teach him the recipe. Furthermore, this old man was a legendary powerhouse. The herbs required for the Catalytic Potion would only take him a few days to gather. Should his brain short-circuit at that time and he would like to find someone to play with him, what could he do? It would be a small issue if the pharmaceutical lab exploded, but if he blew up his old head, it would be a massive problem…
I will not admit it! I will not admit it even if it's the death of me!
Lin Li did not say anything, and Balbo could not do anything as well. He could only pull a vine chair over and sit down. Then, he placed that glittering and translucent jade box on the table with a mysterious smile before he said, "Oh, yes. Andoine, let me show you something nice."
"What something nice…"
"Take a look…" Balbo gently opened the box, and white mist immediately burst from it. After that, a chilling bone-piercing aura started to permeate the air. Even though he was inside this warm little room, Lin Li could not help but shiver.
Through that white mist, Lin Li could clearly see that within the jade box—it was filled with intricate mageweaths. Lin Li knew that this had to be a high-leveled mageweath. It was just that it was very misty inside of the jade box, so he could not see clearly what the features of the mageweath were at that point.
He only faintly saw that there seemed to be a flickering light within the white mist.
"This…" Lin Li frowned. That thing seemed like a ring, but for some unknown reason, the magic
al wave emitted from the ring gave Lin Li an unusually familiar feeling.
"Andoine, I know that you are knowledgeable regarding the research of the Dark Ages, and even more so about the technical authority of the Felan Kingdom. I've invited you today to help me see what is the origin of this ring."
"Let me see." Andoine was also frowning. When he took the jade box from Balbo, he stared at the ring. "Balbo, where did you get this thing form?"
"Last month, someone use this to exchange for a batch of potions with me. I heard from him that he got it from historical remains of the High Elves. Quickly help me take a look, is it something from the High Elves?"
"It should be." Andoine nodded, but he seemed rather uncertain. "But it's weird, the ring's use seems to be Mana Sealing Skill…"
"What's with the Mana Sealing Skill?"
"It's not that I want to criticize you, but you really are not knowledgeable. The High Elves never used the Mana Sealing Skill, because they thought that magical elements are free spirits. They should not be tied by any powers. From the High Elves' perspective, the Mana Sealing Skill is blasphemy towards magic."
"…"
"Wait…" When Andoine reached this point, he suddenly recited two phrases of a curse. After that, a ring of light appeared in his hands and immediately covered the ring inside the jade box. Looking through the rapidly spinning light, it could be clearly seen that the ring inside the jade box was changing into a myriad of colors in tandem with the spinning of the light. It was like a rainbow was constantly flashing within the jade box.
The whole process repeated itself. The seven colors flashed from ring, and then finally went back to the original color.
"That's right…" Andoine dispersed the light in his hands before speaking in a tone full of uncertainty, "I just used Time Lapse to take a look. It's definitely a magical item from the Dark Ages, but it's weird—what sort of High Elf would actually use the Mana Sealing Skill? Wasn't he afraid of angering the masses?"
"Who am I supposed to ask if you ask me…"
