Three days later, Auric visited Ivan’s dormitory again.
“Ivan, do you accept potion-making commissions?”
“I’ve been rather busy lately,” Ivan admitted frankly.
This was no mere excuse. Following a conversation with his mentor Randall, he had set two goals for himself, to delve deeply into the Insect Breathing Method and the Black Magic Hand. His application to observe the Raw Stone Array Disc related to the Black Magic Hand was still pending, but that didn’t hinder him from continuing to perfect his own array plate.
Research has always been a gradual process, and he wasn’t sure how much time he would need.
Ah, the recent events had indeed left a lingering discomfort for Ivan, Auric sighed inwardly.
“You might want to take a look at this; it’s a special potion, similar to blast potions and Ice Break Potions, but it involves some enchantment techniques. With your skills, it won’t take up much of your time.”
Hearing this, Ivan felt intrigued. He had previously experienced the power of the Ice Break Potion; had it not been for the protection offered by the Green Tree Star, he wouldn’t have just been injured — he could have died.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll provide the potion formula and the ingredients. Take a look at this recipe first,” Auric said, hastily passing a sheepskin scroll.
“Alright, I’ll take a look,” Ivan said, surprised. Auric was essentially giving him a potion formula for free. Wondering why Auric was being so generous, and although slightly suspicious, Ivan still took it.
‘Contamination Potion’
It was indeed very similar to the blast potions and Ice Break Potions. When thrown, it was equivalent to casting a spell, and it could also be used in conjunction with archery skill, though its power was far inferior to the former two.
The vicious aspect of the Contamination Potion was that it contained a mix of toxins that could suppress and contaminate mental power to a certain extent.
If used against unsuspecting apprentices, not to mention the physical damage, just the mental contamination alone could frighten many.
The reason it needed to be combined with enchantment techniques, according to the description in the formula, was that the Contamination Potion needed to be housed in a custom spherical glass bottle. The bottle required engraved disposable runes to help the potion turn into smoke and sweep over the surrounding area.
Ivan wore a strange expression. This was just a smoke grenade.
It was similar to the devices used by the invaders in the Vortex Secret Realm, but their container was a more valuable energy storage crystal, with five or six times the capacity of this one. Also, the nature of the smoke was different.
“What do you think?”
“I can make it.”
“I knew it. This level of difficulty is no problem for you. I’ll have someone send the ingredients shortly. No matter what your yield rate is, I just want ten percent of the raw materials, how does that sound?” Auric seemed relieved, the terms he offered were quite generous.
Upon hearing his suggestion, Ivan slightly furrowed his brow. He could guess what Auric was thinking.
“Auric, you should know that I’m not a petty person. The issue with the Richie family was simply a failure to agree on terms, and it has caused me no loss whatsoever. I’m thankful that you hold me in high regard and are willing to introduce me to opportunities,” Ivan said seriously.
Seeing his serious and earnest expression, Auric realized he had misunderstood.
“How about one and a half percent?”
“Given the formula and raw materials you provided, and the unique value of the Contamination Potion, I’ll give you thirty percent of the finished products,” Ivan said, always generous to those who respected him.
“Ivan, are you sure?”
Auric seemed doubtful. Crafting potions involved a yield rate, and the more challenging the potion was to make, the lower the yield rate naturally became. By seeking someone else to make potions for him, according to the norms of potion makers, he was expected to receive between fifteen and twenty-five percent of the products.
Twenty-five percent was already a high value that talented potion makers could offer, signifying that they were confident in achieving a yield rate of around thirty-five percent. The extra ten percent served as a margin for error and as the potion maker’s compensation.
Ivan’s offer of thirty percent indicated that he believed he could achieve a forty percent yield rate.
“It’s settled then,” Ivan confirmed calmly.
“Alright, you’re getting the better end of the deal,” Auric admitted quietly, inwardly swearing at the stubborn old men of his family.
Even without the enchanted spherical bottles, achieving a forty percent yield rate for newly received potion ingredients indicated Ivan’s superior apothecary skills. Among apprentices, Auric had never seen anyone to match him. Tied to the old-fashioned family traditions, any house that didn’t seek to curry favor with such a talented individual was bound to decline eventually.
“I’ll have someone deliver the raw materials to you shortly. You can craft them whenever you find the time; I’m not in a hurry to use them,” Auric left in a pleased mood.
Both parties were satisfied with the deal. Auric could turn around and sell the potions for sixty to seventy times the profit. For such special items, he stood to earn more than just low-grade magic stones.
Ivan didn’t lose out either. His apothecary skills had reached Level 6, and his yield rates had always been high. Soon, he would have a large batch of Contamination Potions, effectively adding another method to counter his enemies. Additionally, it would increase his apothecary skill experience points—definitely a no-loss situation.
Before the materials arrived, Ivan continued his exploration of the Insect Breathing Method.
As his mentor had said, to enhance the Blackbeard Crown’s rate of promoting sorcerers, the best possibility was to aid the rapid wood silkworm in becoming a Level 1 creature, allowing the breath emitted by the silkworm to match his own mental power.
The only ways he could think of to increase the strength of the rapid wood silkworm were the Spring Bud and the Insect Breathing Method. Once these were confirmed, it would establish a stable training system. When complemented with other methods, such as potions, it would unlikely adversely affect the rapid wood silkworm.
If a stable cultivation system wasn’t maintained, using potions directly for insects meant instability and mutation; the mere four hundred or so rapid wood silkworms clearly couldn’t withstand such turmoil.
Spring Bud had already been planted, and after such a long time merging with the rapid wood silkworms, it hadn’t caused any adverse effects.
At present, the only thing lacking was the Insect Breathing Method.
After Ivan became a Great Knight, his understanding of Combat Energy and the Breathing Method had ascended to another level, and the penetrative trait of his Combat Energy also aided him in insight into the bodies of the rapid wood silkworms.
After a series of tests, he summarized the approximate data for the rapid wood silkworms.
Strength: 3.3, Agility: 3.5, Body Constitution: 3.0
Such bodily data, placed among humans, would rank in the mid-tier of the Junior Knight stage, unequivocally demonstrating the strength of the rapid wood silkworms.
Theoretically, such a strong body would easily refine the Breath of Life.
“The essence of the Breathing Method lies in refining the Breath of Life, involving three elements, movement, breathing rhythm, and body resonance. Only when the movement and breathing rhythm are in harmony can they induce body resonance, thereby attracting the Breath of Life,” he said.
“Based on the Silkworm Queen’s performance last time, movement can be replaced by insect chirping, which includes sound and vibration; sound can initiate vibrations of certain frequencies,” he said.
After some attempts, Ivan quickly abandoned the idea of having the Silkworm Queen comprehend the Breathing Method.
Although the Silkworm Queen was the most intelligent of the species, the concept of the Breathing Method was non-existent in its cognition, nor did it understand what rhythm and resonance were. Guiding the Silkworm Queen to self-realize was akin to playing the lute to a cow.
“Perhaps, I could first develop a new human basic Breathing Method, substituting some movements with sound, then transition to a Breathing Method consisting only of sound, and finally consider how to modify it to suit the rapid wood silkworm species,” he thought.
“Unfortunately, the Light of Wisdom can’t be used by others, otherwise using it on the Silkworm Queen might result in different changes,” he thought regretfully.
After some thought, he changed his strategy. Relying on his control and understanding of Combat Energy, he decided to experiment on himself first to research a basic Breathing Method that substituted movements with sound, then adjust the Breathing Method to suit the rapid wood silkworms.
That afternoon, Auric had someone deliver the raw materials for refining the Contamination Potion, so Ivan had to first divert some of his attention to potion apothecary.
…
Next to a swamp with tall grass, a robust middle-aged sorcerer stood waiting.
“Sorcerer Toyennes, it seems you are late,” he said.
“It’s you who arrived early,” responded another.
The towering dense grass parted from both sides, and a two-headed monster snake flew out. The snake originally had a pair of wings and three tails, but now two of its tails were broken off, the stubs turning blue-black. The feathers on its wings were also scattered and unkempt.
One head of the monster snake looked stern, while the other drooped.
Amid the monster snake’s illogical assertions, the middle-aged sorcerer didn’t fuss and instead said, “Sorcerer Toyennes, thanks to your information, we managed to plant a stake smoothly in the Flash Vortex Secret Realm.”
“Sorcerer Jeeson, where are the things you promised me?” the two-headed monster snake asked coldly.
“I came here precisely to deliver them.” Jeeson cheerfully took out a box, opened it in front of it, and threw a blood-colored heart towards it.
The two-headed monster snake used its remaining tail to snatch up the box, then turned to leave the area.
“Sorcerer Toyennes, there’s no need to hurry off every time. We have several complete strategies for cases like yours back where we are, provided you trust us,” Jeeson said as he watched the departure.
“No need, I’ll take my leave if there’s nothing else,” the two-headed monster snake responded, uninterested in trusting these outsiders.
“Wait, don’t you want to hear about what happened in the secret realm? Oh, and information about your apprentice, you’ve always wanted to know about him, right?” Jeeson threw out another piece of news.
As expected, the two-headed monster snake turned back around.
“Do you have news of Ivan Marichardon?” it asked.
“Of course, he recently appeared in the Flash Vortex Secret Realm,” Jeeson replied.
“Let’s hear it,” the monster snake said.
A flicker of doubt passed through its eyes; it remembered its apprentice didn’t have remarkable talents, except for a somewhat exceptional perception.
“I must say, you have quite an eye for picking an interesting apprentice. Because of his presence, our plans developed some flaws this time around, and we had to take greater risks. Otherwise, those sorcerers wouldn’t have stood a chance to find any traces,” Jeeson said with a hint of regret. He then briefly recounted the events that occurred in the secret realm as if he had witnessed them firsthand.
“Haha, growing up so fast, worthy of someone who dares make requests of me,” the two-headed monster snake became excited, both heads laughing energetically.
“Your apprentice is very valuable; if possible, we hope you can recruit him to our side. We can help him become an official sorcerer,” Jeeson said.
“I’ll consider it,” the two-headed monster snake, with differing thoughts, hurriedly left.
Watching the departing figure, Jeeson shook his head slightly; he could clearly see Toyennes’s noncommittal attitude, presuming Toyennes had some plan in mind. For now, the apprentice wasn’t as valuable as Toyennes, so he had to let Toyennes have his way.