Cooperation

Allen seemed to notice someone watching him and turned to look over.

"You are... Ian?"

Allen sounded uncertain. Ian's appearance had not changed much, but his gaze and bearing felt unfamiliar. He had completely lost his former playboy demeanor.

"Hello, Allen. I remember you didn't choose Potion Studies before."

"That's right. Mentor Sean noticed I had some talent in Potion Studies and suggested that I take it as an elective."

Ian was somewhat speechless. Was Allen showing off?

Allen's talent was quite good. As soon as he enrolled, a Formal Wizard had taken him under his wing. Although he still spent most of his time studying on his own, he was far better off than a free-range apprentice like Ian.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries before going their separate ways.

"Allen, who was that just now?" an Advanced Apprentice beside him asked.

"Just an old acquaintance. Senior Edgar, regarding the detailed handling of Devil Flower, I still..."

Ian walked out of the classroom, thoroughly satisfied with the lesson. He also realized just how reckless he had been when he drank the Rock Bear Potion yesterday.

Before taking bloodline-type potions like this, one had to make preparations in advance and drink a Neutralizing Potion to balance the impact of the foreign bloodline within the potion.

He had endured it only because of the Life Potion's powerful restorative effects. It was already fortunate that he had not mutated and become corrupted on the spot.

Though he had been reckless, the benefits had also been enormous.

Even now, he still did not know exactly what level his strength had reached. But in the classroom just now, he no longer felt that needle-prick danger from those Advanced Apprentices.

He could still take two more doses of Rock Bear Potion. After that, the strengthening effect would gradually diminish to nothing, but he did not intend to take them consecutively.

His current physique had already perfectly solved his meditation difficulties. He wanted to wait until the Bloodline Purification Art underwent a Limit Break, then use the purified Blood Essence to brew potions...

[Name: Ian Marcus]

[Age: 17]

[Realm: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (11%)]

[Talent: Medium Light Attribute Affinity]

[Skills: Star-Moon Lower Meditation Method: Proficient (258/400)

Wizard's Hand: Mastery (265/400)

Frost Ray: Limit Break x1 (29/800) (Limit Break Effect: 1. Twin)

Eye of Vigilance: Proficient (186/400)

Bloodline Purification Art: Beginner (47/200)

Awakening Potion: Mastery (272/400)

Rock Bear Potion: Beginner (0/400)

Basic Potion Identification: Mastery (86/400)]

"From now on, attending class once a week will quickly make up for my previous lack of knowledge."

It was only a little unfortunate that he had not gotten the chance to interact with Mentor Alivia. She had left immediately after class, without even leaving time for questions.

Ian did not remain at the High Tower. He took a carriage back to Nightfall Town.

Halfway there, a loud bang suddenly rang out ahead, followed by a stream of urgent shouts and curses.

The carriage slowly came to a stop.

"Looks like people are fighting ahead. What happened?"

"I saw people from the Shadow Society, and the White Bear Order too."

"It's probably still about the ruins. We should just watch the show. Don't get out."

The passengers in the carriage all craned their heads out to look ahead, but no one dared leave the carriage to investigate.

Ian also moved to the window. He saw more than a dozen gray-robed apprentices by the roadside ahead, relentlessly attacking three bedraggled figures.

The sounds of various spell chants rang out without pause as attacks rained down upon the three. Their bodies were covered by shields as they desperately fled toward the nearby woods.

"You White Bear Order bastards, using numbers to bully the few is despicable! Just you wait!"

"Haha, in a few days, who knows whether the Shadow Society will even still exist? Brothers, catch up and kill these rats from the gutter!"

The two groups charged into the woods one after another, and their voices quickly faded into the distance.

Ian only glanced over a few times, a strange look appearing in his eyes.

"So this is how these people fight? They can't cast spells while running, or else their casting is extremely slow."

After thinking it over, he found it reasonable. None of those people had worn red robes just now. It seemed that Intermediate and Low-Level Apprentices were all like this.

The carriage continued onward. From the passengers' conversation, Ian also learned why organizations such as the White Bear Order and the Golden Court were hunting down the Shadow Society.

It turned out that, thanks to their thorough preparations, the Shadow Society had gained every advantage in the ruins and been the first to seize the inheritance of an ancient wizard.

Nolan had even been the first to discover the potion garden and had taken its most precious potion: the Tranquil Flower!

Its effect was to greatly strengthen and condense Mental Power, increasing an Advanced Apprentice's chance of breaking through to a Formal Wizard by twenty percent!

A wizard's inheritance was indeed precious, but the main reason the Shadow Society was being hunted was the Tranquil Flower!

Even those with superior aptitude faced considerable risk when breaking through to become Formal Wizards.

Ian did not have any particular thoughts about it. In resource battles of this level, the main force was still the many Advanced Apprentices.

The fight by the roadside just now had merely been other organizations venting their anger on the Shadow Society.

After returning to Nightfall Town, Ian's strength had improved considerably, while he was once again short on magic stones. He decided to cooperate with the Magic Potion Shop again.

He believed in the potential of the Rock Bear Potion. With the Magic Potion Shop's channels, it would surely find a good market.

"Manager Malena, our shop doesn't seem to sell any potions that permanently enhance physique. Why is that?"

Malena rolled her eyes at Ian, but still explained it clearly to him.

"Constitution Potions are rare. Mainly because wizards focus their efforts on developing Meditation Potions. After all, this is a world of wizards. Condensing Mental Power is what matters most."

Ian had guessed as much. Wizards had many ways to enhance their physiques, so they would not necessarily choose potions.

"So Constitution Potions are rare and expensive, which is why Wizard Apprentices do not favor them much?"

Malena nodded. "That is indeed the case. Apprentices mainly demand Meditation Potions. The reason potions like Life Potion are so precious is that they can replenish a large amount of Life Energy while also strengthening the physique."

Ian knew that his Rock Bear Potion did not merely enhance the physique. It could also greatly increase strength and improve defense.

If one was lucky, it might even awaken part of the Rock Bear's talents.

Once his Bloodline Purification Art and Rock Bear Potion reached profound levels, their combined effects would surely allow the user to inherit the Rock Bear's Bloodline Talent.

This was extremely tempting to those with poor aptitude who could not break through to Advanced Apprentice.

"If there were a potion that could permanently enhance physique and strength while also granting certain special abilities, how do you think it would sell?"

Malena froze for a moment, then abruptly rose to her feet and stared straight at Ian.

"You have such a potion? But a few days ago, you were still buying Life Potion to enhance your physique."

Ian smiled. "That's true. I hadn't fully understood it at the time, but now I've grasped the key."

He took out a Rock Bear Potion he had brewed yesterday and handed it to Malena.

After taking it, Malena held it up before her eyes. As she watched the golden threads continuously swimming through the potion, shock filled her gaze.

As an experienced Potion Master, she could roughly judge a potion's value even if she had never seen it before.

Within this vivid red potion, the constantly flickering golden threads resembled fragments of Transcendent Bloodline from her memories.

"This... was really brewed by you?"

Malena's expression was complicated. This was a masterpiece that at least a seasoned Potion Master should be capable of producing, yet Ian, an Intermediate Apprentice, had made it.

She did not care how Ian had obtained the formula. Every year, plenty of apprentices encountered opportunities, but very few of them went far.

Even if someone happened to obtain a formula, without exceptional talent, researching and brewing it would still be futile.

Malena truly wanted to know how long he had studied before successfully brewing it, but that was a highly private matter and not something she could ask directly.

No matter how long Ian had secretly researched it, it proved that he was a true potion-making genius!

"You took out this potion because you want to cooperate with us?"

Ian nodded and explained the potion's effects once more.

"Manager Malena, how many magic stones do you think a potion like this could sell for on the market?"

Malena thought for a moment, a bright and captivating smile appearing on her face.

"Although the cost is somewhat high, with a standard portion of materials costing around fifty magic stones, such a powerful potion could sell for at least five hundred magic stones."

This included the cost of the bloodline purification process. For each batch, Ian would need to be paid an additional ten magic stones.

"Compared with other similar potions, the price could actually be raised further. But it should not be set too high at the beginning. Also, Bloodline Potions need to be used with Neutralizing Potions, so ordinary Intermediate Apprentices cannot afford them either."

Ian was not very familiar with market prices, and he was greatly encouraged upon hearing this.

"Then what kind of cooperation do you think would be suitable?"

"We will sell the potions and provide the materials as well. For every potion sold, you can receive three hundred magic stones."

The terms Malena offered were very generous, but there was one condition.

"I need exclusive sales rights for the potion!"