by Zhuang Bifan
After the banquet ended, Hoffman took out the potion formulas that left many pharmacists feeling helpless, and consulted Lin Li about the problems that had bothered him for a long time. In addition to Hoffman, the three other major shareholders, Thomas, Elvan, and Jerany, also joined in even though they were not interested in pharmaceutics—no one would want an expensive potion formula that had cost them a ton to end up being a useless piece of waste paper.
Chapter 849 - Book of Ten Thousand Incantations
Besides, the three major shareholders had heard a lot about Hoffman's compliments and admiration towards Lin Li. Although they believed that Hoffman wouldn't spout any nonsense, they could not help but be curious. After all, pharmaceutics was extensive and profound. Some people might never become Masters even after spending their entire lives studying pharmaceutics. How did a young man in his early twenties do it? The more incredible bit was the fact that he also had impressive attainments in magic, and had entered the Legendary-realm a long time ago.
Amidst the curious gazes that were full of anticipation, Lin Li grabbed a potion formula and took a glance, which caused him to frown and smile faintly.
It was the formula for the Vulcan's Descent which could make the user turn into flames for a short period of time, which was similar to the changes in High Priest Rogge when they encountered the incident in the big rift. When the user transformed into flames, he lost the ability to use the Elemental Power of other elements, but he'd have absolute control over the fire element. That made it inferior to High Priest Rogge's flame form.
According to the difficulty of preparation and effects of the Vulcan's Descent potion, it was a Master-level potion. However, it was only an average one compared to other Master-level potions. Given Hoffman's current Master-level pharmaceutical skills, it might be difficult for him to prepare the Vulcan's Descent potion, but it wasn't impossible. The potion formula left Hoffman and many other famous Masters of pharmaceutics feeling helpless because it was somewhat different from the real formula.
After a while, Lin Li finished reading the formula of the potion, and handed it back to Hoffman with a smile before saying, "Master Hoffman, I think you've all been cheated."
"What!?" Hoffman got a great shock when he heard Lin Li's words.
When Hoffman first mentioned the formula of the potion to Lin Li, he also mentioned that he had purchased it at a high price. Given how wealthy Hoffman was, the formula definitely cost a bomb since it was expensive even to him. Of course, Hoffman could afford it, and the amount that he had spent wouldn't make a dent in his bank or cause him to fill the pinch. However, Hoffman could not afford to bear the embarrassment, because he had gone around asking various Masters of pharmaceutics about the potion.
The other three major shareholders were naturally quite surprised. As a Master of pharmaceutics, Hoffman actually made a mistake in judgment. Hoffman had gained the recognition of Balbo from the Pharmacist Guild for his level in pharmaceutics, yet he actually made a mistake in identifying a potion formula?
Upon sight of the expressions of Hoffman and the others, Lin Li couldn't help but be amused. He continued, "Don't get me wrong, Master Hoffman. I'm not saying that the formula of this potion is fake, but rather that you can't formulate the potion, because you've all been deceived by the content."
"Oh, what's going on? Please tell me!" Hoffman exclaimed in shock. However, after recovering from the shock, he began to feel puzzled and confused.
"The thing is, this formula is actually locked," Lin Li said smilingly, making everyone feel even more bewildered.
"It… It's locked?" Hoffman and the rest asked unanimously in bewilderment.
Lin Li nodded, and then explained, "This is actually a way to prevent the formula from getting stolen. Simply put, some of the herbs included in the formula are negligible, and can be removed by special techniques. There is a total of 103 herbs used in this formula. In my opinion, 15 of them should be serving as an anti-theft lock which prevents others from formulating the potion, even if they get their hands on this formula. It might even cause a threat to the people trying to formulate it."
As soon as Lin Li explained the problem, even Elvan and Jerany who knew nothing about pharmaceutics began to show plenty of interest, what more Hoffman, a Master of pharmaceutics.
"In this case, will we be able to prepare the potion if we omit those 15 herbs during the formulation process?" Hoffman frantically asked before handing the formula to Lin Li in a bid to get him to point out the herbs that were useless.
"It's not that simple," Lin Li explained, and grabbed the formula when he saw the look of impatience on Hoffman's face. He shook his head smilingly, and said, "These 15 herbs are not completely useless for formulating potions, and the key still lies in the concoction method. In order to open the lock, you will need a corresponding key. The special removal method is the key to unlocking the formula."
Before Hoffman could question him again, Lin Li proceeded to explain about the potion and delved deeper, from the nature of the various herbs and the changes resulting from their interactions to the special techniques needed to prepare the formula.
Hoffman, the President of the esteemed Glittergold Trade Union, was just like a student at this moment. He listened carefully to Lin Li's words with a solemn expression, and even his breathing gradually slowed down. With Lin Li's explanation, the problem gradually became clearer, and a look of excitement and enthusiasm formed in his eyes.
Thomas understood pharmaceutics, but he was worlds apart from a Master of pharmaceutics like Hoffman. On the other hand, Elvan and Jerany were clueless. However, they didn't have to understand anything or figure out what Lin Li was talking about. They could tell from the look of awe on the face of the mesmerized Hoffman that Lin Li, the President of the Tower of Dusk, was not lying.
Besides, they also knew that Hoffman had requested help from many famous pharmaceutics Masters after obtaining the potion formula, but none of them could give a clear explanation like Lin Li. Although they didn't know much about pharmaceutics, they could guess from Lin Li's laid-back attitude when he was explaining the formula that the problem which had stumped almost all pharmacists was just a minor issue for Lin Li.
After hearing Lin Li's explanation, Hoffman finally figured out the problem with the formula, and he was immensely elated as joy was written all over his face. After putting away the formula for the Vulcan's Descent potion, Hoffman took out another magic book that looked rather old on the outside. "Master Felic, please allow me to fulfill the promise I once made and accept this Book of Ten Thousand Incantations."
It was said that the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was snatched from the palace of a Greater Demon when Highlord Osric conquered the Endless Abyss. Somehow, it landed in the hands of Hoffman. Hoffman could hold a high position in the Breezy Plains and become so powerful that no one dared to provoke him mainly because of his own daunting powers, although the Glittergold Trade Union also had a part to play in it. Besides, if he hadn't been competent enough, he wouldn't have been able to become the President of the Glittergold Trade Union. Hoffman's powers were accredited to the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations. Clearly, it was extraordinary.
Upon hearing that Hoffman was going to give away the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations, the three major shareholders next to him were astonished. Even though they had already heard Hoffman telling plenty of people that he would give up the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations in exchange for the solution for the potion, they found it hard to accept the truth.
However, Lin Li felt a little embarrassed about accepting such a valuable thing from someone else. He frantically declined, "Master Hoffman, you're being too polite. I was just answering some trivial questions. The Book of Ten Thousand Incantations—"
Before Lin Li finished speaking, Hoffman had already shoved the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations into his hands, and said, "Master Felic, please don't turn me down. This is what we agreed on in the first place. For businessmen, cred
ibility is important. Please don't make me lose mine."
Seeing how resolute Hoffman was, Lin Li had no reason to refute, especially since Hoffman had also mentioned the issue of credibility. He said, "Alright then, I'll accept this Book of Ten Thousand Incantations."
With Lin Li's current strength, which was at the peak of the Legendary-realm, he did not value the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations as he used to in the past. After all, he had the Book of Eternity and the debris of the stars. Those items alone were enough to push him to the Sanctuary-realm.
Still, Lin Li couldn't possibly be too casual about it in front of the original owner of the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations. Hence, he solemnly sorted out the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations that was shoved into his hands before putting it away in the Ring of Endless Storm.
However, when Lin Li was sorting it out, he casually flipped through the pages of the book, only to get a great shock. The handwriting in the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was actually similar to the text in the notebook that was given to him by the Ashen Warlock! According to Hoffman, the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was snatched from a Greater Demon by Osric.
Is the handwriting just similar, or does it really have something to do with the Immortal King?
Although a big question popped up in his head, Lin Li did not show any emotions. Instead, he placed the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations in the Ring of Endless Storm.
It was already late at night, and although everyone was a Legendary powerhouse, and they did not feel tired at all, they would be being rude if they were to continue chatting. Besides, Hoffman was already eager to try out the formulation of the potion after having figured the formula out. Hence, he arranged rooms for Lin Li and his subordinates to get some rest in.
Upon arriving in the resting room, Lin Li finally took out the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations after the people who waited on them and led them away left. He then sat in front of the desk and began flipping through it. After reading the content of the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations, Lin Li could not help but admire Hoffman for his generosity. The Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was indeed a treasure for creating powerhouses.
There were tens and thousands of magical spells recorded in the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations, many of which were very precious. Although the war at the end of the Dark Age caused the High Elves to be overthrown, it also resulted in the loss of information and knowledge of various fields, including numerous magical spells.
The magic spells in the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations might not be found in many Guilds of Magic, let alone ordinary Magic Towers. The Alanna Council was probably the only place where most of the spells in the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations could be found. However, it was hard to believe. In the past, Macklin actually gave up the chance to join the Supreme Council for the sake of copying a few more spells for the Alanna Council.
Previously, Lin Li was only a Magic Shooter. When he participated in the trials in the Alanna Guild of Magic, he promised to make a magical weapon for Aldwin for him to win the bet with the Adventurers Guild. The reward he obtained for that was merely a level-15 magic spell. However, Hoffman had similarly made a promise at that time to give Lin Li the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations as long as he could solve the problem. The promise was absolutely generous.
However, times had changed, and Lin Li was no longer the insignificant mage who had just begun dabbling in magic. The Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was no longer as valuable to him now, because he was considered to have already almost stepped into the Sanctuary-realm. After all, with Lin Li's current strength, magic spells were just a tool for manipulating magical elements. The Laws were the essence of magic. With the understanding and control of the Laws, Lin Li would be able to cast any magic he wanted.
Of course, no matter what, the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was undeniably a good thing. Even if Lin Li couldn't use it now, the numerous mages in the Tower of Dusk could.
After flipping through a few pages, Lin Li could not help but shift his attention to the texts about the magic spells in the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations. When he first received the book, he had doubts about the handwriting in the book, but similarities between handwriting were not that rare. A casual glance was not enough to deduce or assume anything. However, after carefully flipping through the pages, the feeling of doubt within him became even stronger.
Although Lin did not know how to professionally identify handwriting, he could still simply compare handwriting. Hence, he placed the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations on the table before pulling out the Immortal King's journal. There was a book that recorded thousands of magic spells as well as one that included the technique for creating the perfect body. However, it would still be easy to spot similar words.
Lin Li was completely shocked after making the comparison. The handwriting in the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was actually shockingly similar to that in the Immortal King's journal. It would be impossible for anyone to replicate it to such a similar extent. Lin Li could conclude that there was a 90% possibility that the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was left behind by the Immortal King.
However, facing this conclusion, the first thing Lin Li thought was that it was impossible. Apart from the handwriting, Lin Li could not think of a reason to link the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations and the Immortal King together.
Indeed, the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was a valuable and precious book of magic for mages. However, it also depended on the person using it. Back when Lin Li was only a Magic Shooter, he was extremely excited to obtain a level-15 magic spell, what more a Book of Ten Thousand Incantations. However, Lin Li had already understood a trace of power of the Sanctuary-realm; hence, he naturally knew that magic spells were dispensable for a top-grade mage.
Chapter 850 - Cooperative Exploration
Magic spells were essentially descriptions of Laws, like theoretical formulas that had been summed up by people. The mages below the Legendary-realm were still unable to really comprehend the mystery of the Laws, and could only use magic spells to activate and mobilize the nomological power in order to cast magic. Putting aside the Sanctuary powerhouses that were almost godly, even the ones in the Legendary-realm were almost free from relying on magic spells.
The Immortal King was a powerful existence that was probably not at all inferior to actual gods. The Immortal King's mastery of the Laws was already beyond just comprehension and simple control. In fact, he had already reached the level of being able to change existing Laws and create new ones. Given the Immortal King's level, how could he solemnly write the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations? Surely he couldn't have been thinking of using it as teaching material for the High Elves who were beginners in magic?
That was not an exaggeration at all. Stepping into the Legendary-realm was not a difficult task for the High Elves, who compared themselves to the gods, at all. The Book of Ten Thousand Incantations, which was considered priceless in Anril today, was only regarded as a book about the introduction to magic during the era of the High Elves.
The Immortal King had indeed played a vital role in the rise of the High Elves. He could be considered the one who single-handedly pushed the High Elves to the top and built seven Sky Castles to guard the High Elves' Dynasty. However, the Immortal King was not the High Elves' nanny. If the Immortal King had had to worry about things like them getting started with practicing magic, what rights would they have had to establish the unprecedented dynasty in Anril back then?
On the other hand, Lin Li looked at the journal left behind by the Immortal King, and felt that the content was reasonably more profound and in line with what a godlike powerhouse should be like. Although the soul creation technique that Lin Li had expected previously was not mentioned in the journal, there was an in-depth analysis of the creation of the body, which was far more perfect than Osric's notes.
In the Immortal King's journal, the techniques involved in the creation of the perfect body belonged
to different fields, such as Alchemy, pharmaceutics, Inscription, and many others, and were all at the peak of Guru-level. They were probably just a small step away from reaching the level of the Divine Smith. In the entire Anril, there was probably no one except the Immortal King who could possess such profound knowledge.
Looking at the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations and the Immortal King's journal which were in front of him, Lin Li felt like his mind was in a whirlwind. Regardless of how he tried to sort them out, he couldn't figure anything out at all. The Immortal King's journal was definitely genuine, and the handwriting in it was similar to that in the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations. The similarity seemed to prove that it was also written by the Immortal King. However, the slightly superficial content in the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations made Lin Li feel like it could not be associated with the Immortal King. However, if it didn't belong to the Immortal King, Lin Li couldn't think of a reason for the similarity between the handwriting…
Lin Li thought a lot about the two books, but he could only put them away in the end and forget about his doubts for now. No matter what, the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations was definitely valuable for the Tower of Dusk, and it would at least be able to help the mages equip themselves with more offensive and defensive means.
On the second day, Hoffman and Lin Li sat together for a casual chat again while the others went on to discuss the cooperation between the two parties.
"What's the matter? Master Hoffman, you probably gained a lot this night, didn't you?" Lin Li asked when he noticed that Hoffman had a look of excitement on his face. He knew that Hoffman had spent the entire night in the laboratory, and reckoned that he should have made plenty of gains.
