Potion Workshop

"Please follow me." The female attendant walked out through the wooden door, and Li Ang had no choice but to follow. But the moment he stepped outside, he discovered that the corridor beyond was no longer the three-story hallway from before.

This gave Li Ang a small shock of wizardry. After all, the so-called wizardry he had encountered so far had seemed like nothing much to him.

It was an enormous circular room. The surrounding walls were entirely occupied by built-in medicine cabinets, where countless crystal bottles, ceramic jars, and wooden boxes were sorted and arranged, holding all manner of strange and bizarre materials.

In the center of the room stood a massive crystal cauldron. Beneath it was a pitch-black object, which Li Ang guessed was some sort of heat source.

Surrounding the cauldron was a circular workbench forged from some black metal, covered with small instruments of every kind—distillers, grinding bowls, scales, and more.

Several large contraptions Li Ang could not name stood in the corners as well. A string of data appeared before his eyes.

[High-Quality Crystal Cauldron Lv0][Magic Heat Furnace Lv0][Everfrost Rune Cabinet Lv0][Dragonbreath Temperature-Regulating Box]...

There were simply too many things. Every item here was wizarding equipment, and Li Ang's heart immediately began to race. It felt like he had come to the right place.

Behind the workbench, a figure stood with her back to them, observing the reaction of a medicinal liquid inside a test tube.

She was not very tall, dressed in a black robe of excellent material and fitted tailoring—except that the fabric over her upper body was stretched taut and full.

Her long, water-blue hair cascaded down like a waterfall to her waist. Between the strands, the pointed tips of nonhuman ears could faintly be seen.

The female attendant bowed respectfully. "Lady Eve, apprentice Li Ang Carlson has arrived."

Hearing this, the figure turned around.

Li Ang saw an exceedingly delicate face. Her skin was so fair it was almost translucent, while her large water-blue eyes were clear yet as unfathomable as a cold pool, without the slightest ripple of emotion.

Her features carried an icy beauty untouched by the dust of the mortal world, while her long pointed ears added a touch of mystery.

Her gaze first fell upon Li Ang as she examined him, then she said to the wizard attendant:

"You may leave first."

Her voice was cool and devoid of emotion, yet it could not conceal its youthful tone.

"Yes." The female attendant bowed and withdrew. The door quietly closed behind her.

Only Li Ang and Eve remained in the room—an instructor who looked like a young girl, yet carried an air somewhat old-fashioned and mature.

She put down the test tube, stepped out from behind the workbench, and walked toward Li Ang.

Her footsteps were light, nearly soundless.

"Li Ang Carlson." She stopped several steps away from him, those water-blue eyes looking directly into his.

"I saw the potion Mori sent over."

There was neither praise nor question in her tone. She was merely stating a fact.

"No foundation, half a day, two sets of materials. One qualified potion, one excellent potion. You used pure water condensed through the [Water Creation Spell]."

She paused, then continued, "You have ideas. Your luck is not bad either."

Li Ang remained silent and gave a slight nod, waiting for her to continue.

"I rarely take the initiative to accept apprentices."

Eve continued in that flat tone. "They are troublesome, and most are foolish. But you passed my test. I can give you an opportunity."

She raised a hand and lightly tapped the air with her fingertip. A badge appeared from nowhere, floating above her palm. It was pure silver, engraved with an exquisite cauldron emblem—the symbol of the Potion School—though its details were slightly different, with a tiny ice-crystal-like mark along its edge.

"Become my apprentice." Her words were exceptionally direct.

"When I am not using it, you may freely use this workshop. Sometimes, the workshop accumulates commissions for brewing low-level potions. You may accept them. After material costs are deducted, the remaining reward will be yours."

Her gaze swept over the various costly facilities and tools around them.

"However," her tone grew slightly heavier, carrying an unquestionable chill.

"All tools in the workshop must be compensated for at full price if damaged. If you cannot afford it, if you cannot afford it..."

Clearly, Eve had not yet figured out how she would deal with the boy before her if he damaged something here worth a fortune.

The expensive items here were worth several thousand gold coins, while even the cheapest cost several silver coins. Even if they sold him, he could not afford to repay it.

At last, she seemed to think of something and continued:

"Then I will make you drink a life potion and have you work here for free for several hundred years. That should be enough to repay the debt."

Li Ang's heart began pounding excitedly. Freely use a workshop that was obviously so high-end? Accept potion-making commissions to earn rewards and gain practice opportunities? These conditions were simply tailored for him.

As for compensating for damaged tools at full price? He was not too worried. He only needed to be careful. And even if he really damaged something, there was no danger to his life. He would merely have to repay it slowly.

"I am honored to become your apprentice, Instructor Eve."

Li Ang answered respectfully without hesitation.

Eve's face remained completely expressionless, as though she had expected this answer all along.

With a light push of her hand, the floating badge flew steadily toward Li Ang.

"The badge is your credential. With it, you may enter this workshop. The workshop rules and commission list are posted on the wall over there."

She pointed to a dark wooden board hanging beside the workbench.

"If you have any foolish questions during ordinary times... you may come ask them for about an hour after dinner."

"But I do not have time to answer basic questions. You may attend classes and learn them yourself."

Li Ang took the badge. It felt icy in his hand, and faint magical fluctuations coiled around it.

"After reading the usage rules, you may leave."

After saying that, Eve no longer looked at him. She turned and walked back toward her workbench, as though Li Ang no longer existed.

"Yes, Instructor Eve." Li Ang clenched the badge, bowed, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and walked over to the wooden board to examine it carefully.

Several rules had been written on the board in white paint. The paint had not yet dried, clearly having been written not long ago.

First: All activities unrelated to potion brewing are prohibited within the workshop.

Second: Materials must be registered with the badge before being taken.

Third: Damaged tools must be compensated for at full price.

Fourth: Apprentices are forbidden from using the workshop from 20:00 to 6:00 each day.

Besides these rules, several request forms were also pinned to the board...

Most of the rules were things Instructor Eve had just mentioned. As for the permitted hours, Li Ang was practically overjoyed. Did that mean he could use it for fourteen hours a day? No, no, he could not be so optimistic. It was not as if he were the only apprentice using it.

After confirming the information, Li Ang glanced at Eve, who was busy brewing potions, and did not speak again to disturb her.

After giving a slight bow, he turned and quietly left this workshop filled with the scent of medicine and a faint feminine fragrance. Yes, Instructor Eve was not only breathtakingly well-endowed—she smelled wonderful too.