Who Tested the Pink Potion

The faint sound of a rooster crowing drifted from afar, and Kraun let out a yawn.

Nourished by the Golden Light Incantation meditation, his energy remained abundant; even after an all-nighter, the fatigue weighing on his body was not particularly heavy.

He removed the heating apparatus, waited for the medicinal liquid in the crucible to cool for a while, and then skillfully decanted it into various test tubes.

He tossed the stoppers aside; the liquid needed to cool completely before he could seal them.

He went to the backyard, drew fresh water to wash his face and rinse his mouth, and began to prepare a meal.

After a hearty meal, Kraun sat cross-legged in his east-facing bedroom and began to meditate, welcoming the rising sun.

Ever since the Golden Light Incantation reached the first tier, he had discovered that the proficiency gained from a single complete cycle of the meditation technique had significantly decreased.

Before the advancement, each complete cycle brought two to three points of proficiency, but now, it took two cycles to gain even a single point.

This drop in efficiency dampened his enthusiasm; although he still insisted on dedicating enough time to meditate every day, he no longer felt the same sense of urgency as before.

Only during the hours of the Rabbit (5:00–7:00 AM) and the Rooster (5:00–7:00 PM) did he race against time, as each cycle performed during these two periods could increase his proficiency by four to five points, leaving him no choice but to take them seriously.

Unfortunately, the Frostfall Month had arrived, and the sun rose later and later. If he could not bathe in the sunlight, even if he formed the Great Sun Seal during the hour of the Rabbit, the progress remained slow.

The same held true for the hour of the Rooster; without the enhancement of moonlight, the increase in proficiency was no different from any other time of day.

The sun did not shine in until around 6:30 AM. When the sunlight touched Kraun's face, he immediately captured that faint warmth.

He ceased his ongoing meditation, and his hand gesture instantly shifted from the Golden Light Seal to the Great Sun Seal, beginning to visualize his heart as a red sun, radiating through his entire body and out into the world.

The hour of the Rabbit passed, and Kraun felt his body temperature shift from warmth to a faint, dry heat. He slowly withdrew his energy, ending the meditation.

Through these days of familiarization, he discovered that it was not impossible to form the Great Sun Seal after the hour of the Rabbit, but if he meditated then, his body no longer felt comfortable, and his proficiency would not even increase.

The same situation occurred when forming the Moonlight Seal after the hour of the Rooster. He vaguely understood that it was not that he could no longer perform the Sun or Moon Seal meditations after those hours, but that doing so was not only unhelpful but actually harmful to his body.

After eating two more bowls of rice with stew, he went to a shaded bedroom and began to take a nap.

The person in the room formed the Moonlight Seal, a faint joy on his face.

When he felt the slight coolness on his body begin to turn into a chill, he understood that the hour of the Rooster had passed, so he withdrew his energy and dispersed the hand seal.

A golden wall appeared before his eyes.

[Herbalism: 32/5000; Tier 3]

[Marksmanship: 456/5000; Tier 3]

[Golden Light Incantation: 1276/50000; Tier 1]

[Cooking: 7/5000; Tier 3]

The three Tier 3 skills were in green font, while the Tier 1 Golden Light Incantation was in blue.

The increase in Herbalism proficiency had become very slow. Based on Kraun's research into his "golden finger," he understood that if he continued to produce only ordinary potions, the growth of this skill's proficiency would eventually come to a complete standstill.

Cooking, which he had never seriously practiced, had reached Tier 3 while he was making dinner, which was completely unexpected.

In the description following the skill, there was already a special effect: You have gradually grasped the true essence of cooking, capable of fully bringing out the inherent deliciousness of ingredients, and you have a faint intuition for how to combine foods to spark a flavor that transcends the ingredients themselves.

Kraun stood up and brought over the rice he had kept warm in the steamer.

Tonight's main course was still white rice, accompanied by two dishes: chicken stewed with mushrooms and dry-fried pork intestines.

The people of this world had no habit of eating animal offal, which was Kraun's gain.

He had obtained several large intestines at a low price from a new butcher in town.

One bite of the fatty intestine was bursting with oil, yet it did not feel greasy.

Kraun had soaked and cleaned the intestines in ginger water, so the gamey smell was very faint, leaving only a natural spiciness that was incredibly satisfying to eat.

The fragrance of the chicken and the freshness of the mushrooms were fully brought out, and the potatoes inside were soft and waxy, soaked in the rich broth, tasting equally divine.

He nearly bit his own tongue several times.

Three bowls of rice and two large portions of dishes were wiped clean by him. Only after finishing did he realize he had eaten far too much!

If I become a chef in the future, I'll be top-tier too!

Holding a toothpick, Kraun paced back and forth in the room with small steps to speed up his digestion.

"Ugh," after a full burp, he felt his stomach was not as bloated as before.

Leaving only a small amount of potion in reserve, Kraun packed the rest into a large medicine chest, then shouldered his leather bag, hoisted the chest, and walked out the door.

At this hour, the Goat Inn was always bustling with noise and excitement. When Kraun arrived, two drunks were brawling at the entrance, with a group of men nearby who loved to watch the chaos.

"Ham, break his nose!"

"Robin, go for it! I bet on you this time. If you win me some money, I'll buy you another drink!"

It seemed someone had organized a gambling pool; the atmosphere at the inn's entrance was heated.

Only glancing at it, Kraun did not stop. He lifted the leather curtain and stepped inside.

Perhaps because most people had gone outside to place their bets, there were fewer than ten people in the room.

Passersby caught sight of the young man lugging the large crate, their faces etched with astonishment.

Kraun swept his gaze across the room, but he did not spot his new friend anywhere.

"What are you doing?"

Old Jason, standing behind the counter, wore a look of utter confusion.

Kraun chuckled, "I just closed a big deal with the Gisai."

He walked up to the counter and pulled three Pink Potions from his person. "The usual price, 18 silver coins each."

Jason cast a quick look around, stowed the potions away with surprising speed, and then pulled out some silver coins to count them out. "Here you go."

"See you later." Taking the money, Kraun strode toward the back door.

If a crate that large were filled with potions, how many Gold Shields would that fetch?

Jason watched his retreating back, letting out a sigh of envy.

The clutter on the table had been cleared away, and several Gisai were taking the potions out of the crate to count them.

Kraun sat sideways in his chair and asked, "How are the effects of the Pink Potion? Who tested it?"

Lemanski let out an "um," a faint flush appearing on his face. "It's quite good. We are very interested in purchasing this type of medicine."

Could this old man have used it himself? A thought flashed through Kraun's mind.

That was fine, too; it only made his case more convincing.

He shifted into a more comfortable position, beaming. "We can talk about the price now."

The old man said in a deep voice, "After discussing it, the caravan has settled on the highest price we can afford. We are willing to purchase the Bupleurum Potion for 3 silver coins and 50 copper coins, and the Pink Potion for 18 silver coins each."