by Zhuang Bifan
Thinking about the scene back then, Lin Li was really at a loss whether to laugh or cry. These two, master and disciple, were so desperate because Lin Li made a sound at that time. To tell you the truth, if it was not because that as*hole Connoris was being mischievous, did you think that I would be so free to shout and wrangle that such a time?
Furthermore, even if I were to remain silent, do you think that your disciple would be able to concoct the Void Power Potion?
Why don't you take a look at the timing? He was holding the Moonlight Grass and hesitating for so long. Do you think the temperament of the Sunflower was as good as mine? Even half a second would be hopeless, not to mention that you hesitated for so long. Once the flare flashed, it also meant that Sunflower's heat had already been released. In that instance, it would immediately destroy the composition of the potion. At that point, it wouldn't make a difference even if you put the whole moon in, much less Moonlight Grass.
"Forgive me for being so powerful…" After listening to Amman complaining with tears of blood, Lin Li instinctively rubbed his nose. This was the first time he realized that he was a villainous genius. Listen to that meticulous conspiracy and treacherous plan. If it was used to protect the world's peace, Amman would have been filled with love long ago.
"Ok, now you can be complacent. Because of your distraction, Milo had thoroughly failed and was injured severely. Your aim to seek revenge has been accomplished. How can you still be dissatisfied?"
"Actually, Mage Amman, you're also somebody of old age. Can you not be like a youngster and take everything for granted?" Looking at Amman's sad and angered expression, Lin Li really could not tolerate it anymore. His words were not as restrained as before. "Do you really think that your precious disciple's success was within arm's reach? Stop joking, Mage Amman. I'm not afraid of telling you it honestly. When Milo was hesitating and holding on to the Moonlight Grass, he had already failed. What do you think the Void Power Potion is? A sculpture in the hands of a crystal sculptor that needs to wait for him to slowly think of where should he start and end?"
Amman sneered. "Of course you can say whatever you want now."
"Felic…" Balbo could no longer sit back since the situation had reached this point. "Just now, you seemed to have said that the recipe's name is Void Power Potion?"
"Yes, Void Power Potion."
"How did you know?" Balbo frowned first before he immediately came around. Out of all the hundred or more pharmacists present, this kid was the first person to say its name. This was too crucial. To be able to say its name, he would have some knowledge of it at least. Thinking about this, Balbo's eyes lit up. "Felic, do you know how this potion should be concocted?"
"I only know a little." This time, Lin Li did not hide it anymore, since he also needed this chance to ask for that ring from Balbo. Additionally, he also needed to obtain the Leaf of the Origin Tree. This thing would be difficult to find after he left the Pharmacists Guild.
"Why don't you try it?"
"Sure." Lin Li nodded and walked up to the potion table under Amman's gaze that was filled with hatred.
"Watch carefully, Mage Amman." After lining up ten clean goblets, Lin Li shot a provoking glance at Amman while hastily arranging the herbs. Anyway, he had already offended Amman so much, so he was not afraid of offending Amman further.
"Relax, I will watch closely." Amman gritted his teeth. To him, even if this mage were to die ten thousand times, it would not be able to compensate him for his losses. As long as Milo could concoct this potion, he would be able to befriend the Pharmacists Guild. With his pharmaceutical techniques and his plans, it was not impossible to obtain an important position within the Pharmacists Guild in the next tens of years.
Unfortunately, everything was ruined by this damned mage.
Pff, I really want to see how will you complete this recipe. You think that you can boast around just because you are a disciple of a legendary-mage. When you can't concoct it, it would further prove that you are jealous of Milo. Once it reaches that point, let's see how you are going to quibble. With so many pharmacists and important personnel as well as Balbo and Burnside watching, I don't believe that Andoine would anger the masses just for you.
Amman was very clear on the contents of this recipe. Both master and disciple had spent almost ten years on it. Whatever could be researched was only superficial. Others might not know, but it was explicit to Amman—Milo's attempt just now was the most successful one ever. The nine steps at the front were perfect up till the step where he had to add the Moonlight Grass.
Both master and disciple did not obtain any significant results after researching for ten years. How could this young mage called Felic complete it? Pharmaceutics was a domain that required time and experience. So what if he had seen this recipe before? Without ten or twenty years of hard work and attempts, he would not able to obtain the complex yet meticulous techniques. It was even more impossible for him to contain the infinite accidents during the concoction process.
"Just wait…" Thinking about this, Amman could not help but sneer.
But almost instantly, that sneer froze.
It was because he distinctively saw that young mage had already processed all of the different herbs and he was now mixing the Peacebloom's sap with the Thousand Leaves Grass. The crucible was filled with smoke. The temperature he chose was actually the optimal temperature just before the sap boiled that Amman and Milo had found after researching with more than a thousand tries. This would guarantee that the medicinal attributes would not volatilize too quickly, and it would also prevent the different medicinal attributes from fusing too tightly from the beginning.
"Luck, this is just luck." Amman bit his teeth and consoled himself.
Following Amman's frozen smile, the pharmacists that were onlooking had simultaneously cast their gazes on Lin Li.
At the beginning, nobody cared about him.
It was because many of them still remembered that this young mage was the kid that was called out for not knowing the High Elves Print at the guild hall just now. At that point, the crowd looked at him condescendingly.
Yes, this kid also seemed to be Andoine's disciple.
Just based on Andoine's pharmaceutical level, how brilliant could his disciple be?
When the group of pharmacists looked over, most of them only thought of onlooking. This kid was too brazen today. He had made a pharmacist faint with a kick during this gathering that Balbo had organized personally. Was it hundreds of years ago when such a scene that was likened to a farce had been last seen?
Chapter 233 - Cheering
But after looking, the audience felt something was wrong. It was especially so for people like Hoffman. He had a fat body, but he was somebody that specialized in researching all sorts of details of techniques. He could immediately see that this kid was not somebody that was easy to deal with. There was nothing to fault, be it the details or techniques.
Hoffman had always thought that out of all the emerging young pharmacists in these few years, Elin was the most talented; he was also Balbo's disciple. Hoffman always perceived Elin as the most promising one, but he did not think that two youngsters would appear together at today's gathering. Forget that Milo failed. Even though that weird recipe reached the final point, there was nothing much to commend about his skill. It was only average at best.
But this one was really impressive. This kid's origin was unknown. He looked like he was in his twenties on the outside, but he looked like he was seventy or eighty when concocting potions. Be it skills or methods, they could all be described as perfect. From the time when he stood at the potion table, Hoffman had already noticed a certain detail. This youngster's speed was not fast, but he was terrifyingly steady. From start to finish, his hands had never shaken once. It was as if those were not a pair of hands, but a precision machine.
Hoffman was a master pharmacist and pursued pharmaceutical techniques in a bigoted fashion. From sixteen years old to fifty, he had m
ade contact with all sorts of potions. With perseverance and consistency, he finally tempered his pharmaceutical techniques to the point where it was full of praise from Balbo.
But when this youngster walked over to the potion table, Hoffman suddenly realized that the techniques he was so proud of could not be compared to those of this youngster in his twenties.
Hoffman was in a daze immediately…
"This, this, this… This can't be real, right?" Hoffman stood there stupefied, watching him extract the peacebloom's sap and then separating the Dragon Tongue Orchid from the Silverleaf. Even though his actions seemed slow, there was not a single shred of delay or mistake.
The thing that Hoffman found hardest to believe was that this youngster's mastery of temperature was similar to a magic trick. While processing multiple herbs, he had maintained his spell-casting state. Flaming Hands and Chilling Touch were used interchangeably to constantly adjust the temperature of the crucible so as to allow the liquid within the crucible to be maintained at state near boiling.
"Is this still human?" Hoffman almost went mad on the spot.
Mages and Conjurers were similar professions. How could Hoffman not know what status a mage required to cast spell. Be it mental strength control or mana manipulation, they both required full concentration. During this process, even a small sneeze could be lethal, not to mention doing other things.
It was even harder to be like this kid, concocting a potion that had baffled all the pharmacists in Felan while executing two spells interchangeably. Furthermore, look at his expression. It was as though he was walking in a park—he was so relaxed that it made people feel like smashing their heads into the wall.
Hoffman did not dare to imagine how immense his mana reserve had to be to constantly execute these two spells.
"Andoine, where did you hire this person? Why is he so good?"
"F*ck, what hired? Would I be so despicable? Let me tell you, this is my new disciple. If you don't believe, you can ask the assassin. I just introduced Felic to him."
"For real?"
"Absolutely!"
Ever since he became a mage, Andoine had always been bullied by the pharmacists. He usually talked like a saint, finally adding some precious magical materials before he could exchange for a row of pathetic potions from those high and mighty pharmacists. Although he joined the Supreme Council at the end and made friends with Balbo, those pharmacists had never said anything good about him even though they did not show it on the surface.
Andoine had tolerated it for tens years before he finally held his head up high today. Why would he be so courteous towards Hoffman this time?
The old man's neck was the same, and he looked very c.o.c.ky. "Forget it. With your intelligence, it would be hard to understand."
"You really aren't lying?" Hoffman blinked his small eyes and he still somewhat did not believe it. "He really isn't someone you hired to humiliate the Pharmacists Guild?"
"F*ck, am I that free…?"
"That's true…" Hoffman thought about it carefully, and indeed, the logic was there. He immediately squinted his eyes and had a smile full of flattery. "This, Master Andoine, could you tell me whom did this youngster learn Pharmaceutics from? Why is he so good when he's so young?"
"Nonsense. Of course my disciple learnt it from me. Otherwise, could it be that he learnt it from you?"
"…" Hoffman rolled his eyes, and thought to himself, Yeah, right, as if I will believe you.
Of course, he did not dare to say that.
"Yes, yes, yes, of course you taught him." Hoffman was currying favor continuously, and his smile became even more flattering. "I mean, other than you, did anyone else teach him?"
"Nope," Andoine replied in a proud way.
"…"
Thankfully, Hoffman's skin was thick enough. He did not even get the least bit angry after being taunted by Andoine. Instead, he was eagerly soliciting the old man's answer. He used "master" the whole time, just that he did not use "sir".
"Master Andoine, could you allow your disciple to speak with me after this gathering has ended?"
"I can't make the decision…"
This time, Andoine was not spouting nonsense. He couldn't make this decision. This kid, Felic, was too secretive. Even Andoine, who was the closest to him, frequently did not know what he was thinking. Hoffman said he wanted to speak to Lin Li, but who knew what he wanted to talk about. Andoine did not dare to casually make promises about such things.
"If that's the case…" Hoffman thought about it, and asked in flattering manner, "How about this, Master Andoine. Help me tell him that Hoffman has a few questions for him. If he could help me solve these questions, I would be willing to give him the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations."
"Book of Ten Thousand Incantations!" Andoine's voice was raised by a few decibels, but he quickly realized he was losing his composure. The old man quickly stopped his slavering and looked gentlemanly again. "Ok, I'll try my best…"
"Thank you very much, Master Andoine."
"This damned fatty really does not pay any mind to expenses. He even used the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations…" After watching Hoffman leave, Andoine started mumbling to himself repeatedly. The Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was something really good. Although Andoine was already a legendary powerhouse, even he could not help but slaver when he first heard it. It was not exaggerating to say that of the achievements that Hoffman had now, at least half of it was due to the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations. It was by relying on this thing that Hoffman was able to stand tall in Breezy Plains, where powerhouses ran amok, without ever falling with a mere level-16 power.
Seems like there's a need to tell this to that kid, Felic…
At this point, Lin Li's Void Power Potion was almost completed.
Out of ten herbs, eight had already been placed in the crucible. At this moment, there were two crucibles beside his hand. One was filled with Moonlight Grass, and the other was filled with Sunflower. To guarantee the effects of the Sunflower, Lin Li even specially created some ice cubes and placed them on top. Within the sparkling ice cubes, the Sunflower's unique red color was exceptionally brilliant.
Balbo gaze was fixed, staring at Lin Li's hands from the start. Everything that this youngster had exhibited had once again overthrown his common sense. The perfect fusion of magic and pharmaceutics. Even Balbo, who had pharmaceutics as a partner for tens of years, was instantly lost in wonder.
"Burnside, help me think of a way quickly." When Balbo said this, his expression was abnormally serious. "Whatever the cost, the Pharmacists Guild needs this genius. Otherwise, I will become the sinner of the Pharmacists Guild."
"President, I have no suggestions this time. Just now, I helped you ascertain his feelings. He would definitely not leave the Jarrosus Guild of Magic…" Old Grimm spread his arms in despair and produced a forced smile.
"Then there is no other way?"
"What other way is there?" Old Grimm could not help but feel a bit angered. "Could it be that we both have to appear and accept him as our disciple by all means? Stop joking, it's not like you didn't see it. Andoine has lived for a hundred or more years and he only has this disciple. He treats him like a treasure every day, when we will ever have the chance to get in the way?"
"Andoine, this as*hole, was too lucky." Balbo thought for a while, but he had to admit that what Old Grimm said was the truth. "If only we made a move earlier…"
"Oh, yes. I remembered something!" Just when they were in low spirits, Old Grimm suddenly remembered something. "Maybe you can think of an idea from this."
"What is it?"
"Just now, when I was helping you to ascertain his feelings, Felic once told me that he wanted to wanted to purchase some Leaf of the Origin Tree from the guild. Why not you use this as a bargaining chip to negotiate with him?"
"Let me think…"
When both of them were discussing, the concoction of the Void Power Potion had entered the final phase.
&
nbsp; Just as the red petals of the Sunflower had entered the crucible, all of the pharmacist started to feel anxious simultaneously.
Everyone knew this was the last step.
Just now that young mage, Milo, failed at this step. The question that was on everyone's mind was whether this mage that was younger than Milo would be able to overcome this crucial step. If he could not overcome it, then naturally there was nothing to be said, but if he were to overcome it, it would also mean that a new star had been born in pharmaceutics.
And this star was brighter than any other before.
This recipe had baffled the whole Pharmacists Guild, and even all of the pharmacists in the Felan Kingdom. Hoffman's technique could be considered as flawless, right? The Necromancer Sendros' potion attainments could also be considered unfathomable, right? Yet even they could not complete this weird recipe.
If a youngster that was not even twenty could complete it, it would be something that would shake the whole Alanna.
"Kid, do it well. Let Hoffman, that damned fatty, know that being fat would not mean that pharmaceutical standard would be high!" someone from the crowd shouted, and it immediately invited a roaring laughter.
"Kid, come on!"
"Yes, do it well, kid. If you can complete this recipe, I will introduce my daughter to you!"
"Garrison, you're always so shameless. You should acc.u.mulate some virtue. Your daughter is almost forty, and you got the cheek to allow her to rob the cradle?"
"F*ck, I'm talking about my younger daughter!"
"What the f*ck, your younger daughter is not even thirteen, right? Do you need to be so relentless?"
"What, indignant? Give birth to a daughter too if you have the guts…"
The atmosphere in the guild pharmaceutical lab started to become bustling for no apparent reason.
At this point, almost all of the pharmacists were cheering Lin Li on.
Among them, there were a few of them that had looked down on him for knowing High Elves Print previously. There were some of them that had dealings with the Thunder City Guild of Magic. There were even more unfamiliar pharmacists that Lin Li had never met before. Their cheering had nothing to do with friendship or gratitude or enmity. It was purely out of passion for pharmaceutics.
