Ian felt a slight chill in his heart. This woman was indeed no simple person; her instincts were sharp.
He stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "Ms. Mila, I do need some more precious materials to try refining more advanced potions and improve my skills.
"I heard you have special channels here. Perhaps you might have some connections."
"Oh? Tell me, what materials do you want?" Mila seemed to have taken some interest.
Ian took a deep breath and slowly listed several names. "Starlight Vine Marrow Crystal, Lunar Soul Essence, Silver Soul Grass Pollen, Ancient Tree of Life Bark Extract, and Tranquil Spring Water."
Each time he named one, Mila's deep violet eyes flickered slightly. Once Ian finished, a faint, ambiguous smile appeared on her face.
"[Concentration Potion]... I never expected you to know this formula, much less try to gather its ingredients."
Her tone revealed neither pleasure nor anger. "Young man, you have quite the ambition."
Any one of this potion's main ingredients would draw the attention of Formal Wizards if it appeared outside.
The difficulty of gathering and processing them was far beyond what an apprentice could manage.
"I want to try," Ian admitted frankly.
"I don't need a complete set. Even just clues about one or two of them, or a small amount of defective material or scraps for research and experimentation, would do. I'm willing to pay a sufficient price."
Mila returned behind the desk and sat down, lightly tapping her fingers against its surface as though weighing her options.
The room fell silent, with only the faint sound of a stream outside the window.
After a long while, she finally said, "I don't have any Starlight Vine Marrow Crystal or Lunar Soul Essence on hand. Their places of origin are controlled by major