Lottie and the Notebook

At last, when Li Ang added the final small pinch of white crystal powder, the potion completely transformed into a gleaming liquid like moonlight.

He had succeeded. Though it was only of ordinary qualified quality, that still proved this potion was indeed highly difficult. Without all his prior preparations, this brew would most likely have failed.

Li Ang carefully poured this potion, which concerned his own health, into a clean beaker.

The moon-white liquid swayed gently in the bottle, giving off a medicinal fragrance that made his lungs feel cool and refreshed with a single breath.

Li Ang lifted the cup and drained it in one gulp.

The potion was warm as it entered his mouth and slid down his throat, then immediately transformed into a cool current that rushed toward both his lungs. The faintly aching areas in his lungs seemed to be soaked in a cool spring, soothing away every trace of heat and pain.

He drew a long breath. This time, the air reached deep into his lungs without the slightest obstruction or dull ache.

The lung disease that had plagued him for so long was finally completely cured at this moment.

Li Ang returned to his dormitory feeling light all over and gently closed the door.

The cool sensation lingering in his chest had yet to fade completely, and his breathing had never been so smooth. It put him in a pleasant mood and left his mind unusually lively.

He switched on the newly bought magic lamp. Its soft, steady white light scattered the darkness in the room, infinitely better than the wavering oil lamp.

Sitting before his desk, his gaze fell once more upon the scrap paper covered in chaotic dots and lines, as well as the old notebook.

His lung disease was cured, and Lottie was meditating at the moment. This was the perfect time for him to settle down and continue investigating the secrets hidden within the notebook.

He tried connecting the dots and lines on the scrap paper, comparing them with the tower's layout as he remembered it. The tower contained countless areas and had a complex structure. At present, he only had a preliminary understanding of the workshop area, the dormitory area on the third floor, and several basic facilities.

At first, he had no clue. Those lines twisted and turned, seeming to match none of the known corridors or rooms.

Yet the starting area marked on the map felt strangely familiar. Had he seen a similar inconspicuous corner somewhere before?

He racked his mind, recalling the routes he traveled through the tower every day—from the dormitory to the dining hall, then to the Potion School hall, then the fourth-floor classroom and Instructor Eve's workshop...

"Knock, knock, knock."

Just then, a light yet somewhat urgent knock interrupted his thoughts.

Li Ang's heart stirred. Who could it be at this hour? He swiftly put the scrap paper and notebook into the drawer, rose, and walked to the door. In a low voice, he asked, "Who is it?"

"Mr. Li Ang, it's me, Lottie." The girl's lowered voice came from outside, unable to conceal her excitement.

Li Ang opened the door. Lottie stood outside, her cheeks flushed with excitement, her eyes sparkling, and her hands clasped nervously before her.

"Mr. Li Ang, I... I succeeded. I condensed an Astral Star!"

Her voice trembled as she all but rushed to share the good news.

Li Ang nodded. This was much faster than he had expected, though it also meant the materials he had prepared as a backup for a Calming Potion would go unused.

He stepped aside to let Lottie in, closed the door, and said, "Congratulations, Lottie. This went much more smoothly than I expected."

"Mhm." Lottie nodded forcefully, so excited that her words came out in a jumble.

"These past few days, I kept meditating and accumulating spiritual power as you instructed. Then just now, my spiritual power naturally wound itself together... and the Astral Star, that Astral Star appeared."

"Very good, Lottie. You did it." Li Ang was sincerely happy for her. "You've already overcome the hardest hurdle."

At Li Ang's affirmation, Lottie's smile became even more radiant, but a trace of unease soon appeared on her face.

"Next... next comes brewing the Night Owl Potion."

Li Ang nodded and gestured for Lottie to follow. The two came to the desk, and Li Ang took out a set of Night Owl Potion ingredients from the drawer. He had previously exchanged for these in the workshop at cost price. Unlike the Calming Potion, which had certain sensitive properties, there was no need to worry about these ingredients drawing attention.

Li Ang had Lottie sit before the desk and pushed his practice crucible toward her.

Naturally, its effect permissions had not been unlocked. To Lottie, it merely felt like a practice crucible identical to the one she had blown up.

"First, calm yourself. Recall the records on the Night Owl Potion in Fundamentals of Potioncraft, as well as the key points Instructor Edwin emphasized."

Li Ang's voice was steady, carrying a reassuring strength.

Lottie drew a deep breath, striving to calm her excited heart, then began lighting the fuel beneath the crucible.

Li Ang watched from the side and found that although Lottie's movements were somewhat clumsy, she remembered the sequence of steps and ingredient proportions without the slightest error. She could even explain the principles behind certain steps.

"Here... the book says the temperature needs to rise slowly, allowing the Darknight Flower's sap to seep out gradually. If the temperature is too high, the photosensitive components inside will be destroyed..."

As she worked, she softly recited the instructions, both reminding herself and seeking Li Ang's confirmation.

A flash of understanding passed through Li Ang's eyes. Just as he had thought, Lottie came from a wizarding family, so her theoretical foundation was extremely solid.

Her previous failure had been purely because she lacked spiritual power as a means of guidance and stabilization. Unable to control the fusion of the potion's properties, the conflicting energies had ultimately blown up the crucible.

This time, with the Astral Star providing spiritual power for guidance, the situation was completely different.

Under the guidance of her spiritual power, the potion in the crucible reacted slowly yet maintained a stable trend throughout, its color gradually shifting toward a deep, inky black.

Lottie focused with all her attention, carefully controlling every change.

Finally, when the last crystal sand was added, the liquid in the crucible turned utterly black as ink, churning with specks of magical debris.

"I succeeded." Looking at the successful potion in the crucible, Lottie was almost moved to tears. She had truly done it herself... though of course, she could not have done it without Mr. Li Ang's help...

"Well done, Lottie." Li Ang nodded approvingly. "Tomorrow, you can go find Instructor Edwin."

Having helped Lottie resolve her greatest problem, Li Ang relaxed. As he watched her carefully pour the potion into a crystal bottle, a thought suddenly struck him.

That map... Lottie was from the Polk Lineage. Could she know something about it?

He took out the scrap paper covered in dots and lines again, spread it across the desk, and asked tentatively,

"Lottie, take a look at this. It seems to be a structural map of some area inside the tower, but I can't make heads or tails of it. I only feel that this section at the starting point looks somewhat familiar."

Lottie leaned closer curiously, carefully identifying the winding lines formed by connected dots on the paper.

At first, she too looked confused. But as she continued looking, her brows gradually relaxed, and a flicker of surprise and uncertainty passed through her eyes.