Chapter 23: Potions and Debts (Please keep reading, please favorite, please recommend)

Chapter 23

The horns of war echoed through the air as the armies of the Crucible launched fierce attacks against multiple extraordinary factions.

This war was exactly like the Crucible's consistent method of training: tempering the strongest Black Wizards through the baptism of blood and death.

Occurring once every decade, the mortality rate was extremely high; only the elite among the elite could survive the battlefield and return to the Crucible.

The Black Wizards of the Crucible had long been accustomed to such bloody hunts, and this hunt was also a part of the Crucible's tradition.

However, this time, the hunt was somewhat different from the usual.

In the azure high heavens, an elegant Black Dragon soared through the clouds.

Its massive wings stirred gusts of fierce wind, appearing like a streak of pitch-black lightning cutting across the horizon.

Seated upon the Black Dragon's back was a witch.

Her countenance was bright and lovely, her purple eyes deep and moving, shimmering with an irresistible attraction.

At this moment, however, her eyes carried a hint of doubt and contemplation.

"Our battle lines have been stretched a bit too long," Estri said softly, her voice as clear and melodious as silver bells, echoing atop the Black Dragon.

"We have swept through the three nearest extraordinary factions in an incredibly short amount of time. Now, the army has penetrated deep into enemy territory... something seems amiss, especially with the Cult of Bitterness. As a third-tier power, they were actually breached by us within two days. Could it be..."

She paused, a flicker of worry crossing her eyes. "Perhaps something is quietly happening..."

The Black Dragon's wings beat powerfully once more, and a low voice drifted through the wind, carrying a hint of reassurance

"Hahaha, Estri, do not worry. Your teacher wouldn't care about such trivial matters at all. Do you know what the true meaning of the hunt is?"

The Black Dragon suddenly turned its body, slicing through the vast sky, its voice becoming even more steady

"If someone truly dares to target us, it would actually suit the old man's wishes. Believe me, if that were the case, he would instead be delighted and toast with a cup of fine Blood Elf wine..."

Estri frowned, still muttering under her breath, "But it still makes me feel uneasy. It doesn't matter if these apprentices die due to the Crucible's affairs, but if they are hunted down like mere birds for nothing, that would be a waste of the Crucible's resources..."

"Hahaha, you little girl..."

The Black Dragon vanished into the clouds, its laughter continuous.

Her identity was self-evident—Estri, the genius female student personally recruited by the Lord of the Crucible five years ago.

………………………………

As time passed, the Crucible War raged on, and the Magic Potion Garden remained as busy as ever.

The war had lasted for three months.

During this period, Lynn had remained in the Magic Potion Garden. As the war continued, the workload in the garden grew increasingly heavy.

Initially, Lynn and Remy, the two newcomers, were only responsible for processing potions and packaging resources; the work was simple. But as their strength increased, the difficulty of their tasks gradually rose.

Now, they had been taught more advanced knowledge—*Introductory Processing of Potions*.

This was a precious alchemy course; in those wizard academies, studying this course often required paying a substantial amount of magic stones.

In the Crucible, this course was also not free.

*Introductory Processing of Potions* required one thousand points to exchange for.

Based on Lynn and Remy's current wages, they would likely need to work hard for three years just to meet the exchange requirements.

Of course, if they could not pay all at once, the Crucible also provided a thoughtful loan service.

But this meant they would have to shoulder heavy debt.

Both Lynn and Remy had to bear this pressure; after all, learning this course was vital to their future work.

"Paying to work! Knowledge is indeed expensive!" Lynn lamented with a trace of a helpless smile.

As his work progressed, Lynn's working environment quietly changed.

He was no longer stationed in a crude greenhouse but had been transferred to another area, where the types of potions and magical herbs he tended were vastly different.

Lynn had a vague feeling that if he wanted to enter the core area of the Magic Potion Garden, he would likely have to thoroughly understand all the potions and herbs grown within the garden and master the knowledge of *Introductory Processing of Potions*.

Indeed, he had been in the Magic Potion Garden for nearly half a year, working in the outer greenhouses responsible for maintaining the potions.

During this time, he noticed that the garden was not just occupied by himself and Remy, the two new apprentices.

There were many unfamiliar faces; they were likely apprentices who had joined the Crucible and entered the garden previously.

However, because their knowledge of potionology was insufficient, they had failed to enter the core area of the garden to work.

"Three-Tailed Butterfly Flower. It loves sunlight and often disguises itself as a butterfly to attract real butterflies, which it then preys upon. It possesses almost no danger; its primary use is for healing, specializing in mental recovery..."

Walking through the greenhouse, Lynn's gaze lingered on a peculiarly shaped flower.

Its petals were arranged in a pattern resembling three interlocking butterflies, looking as if they might flutter away at any moment.

Lynn stated the flower's effects and uses without hesitation.

This information had been detailed in the *Magic Potion Maintenance Manual* distributed by the garden.

Lynn had long since memorized the book perfectly, and now, he closed his eyes again, beginning to silently recall the knowledge points from *Introductory Processing of Potions*.

"Three-Tailed Butterfly Flower. If paired with the Killer Rainbow Butterfly of the Black Forest, Windless Grass, and half a Queen Bee stinger, one can concoct the precious potion 'The Seventh Night's Kiss.' This potion can significantly boost mental strength within ten minutes and provide a sustained enhancement to mental recovery; it is one of the most expensive medicines..."

Lynn opened his eyes, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

This had become a way for him to entertain himself.

On one hand, he used it to check his mastery of the learned knowledge; on the other, he used constant review to prevent forgetting.

In addition, Lynn often complained about the names of these potions.

He truly felt that many names were vague and obscure, making it impossible to guess the actual effects of the medicine from the name alone.

"Eight out of ten of these potions are just being pretentious. Were they all invented by riddle-makers?..." Lynn couldn't help but mutter softly.

Just as he was about to continue his daily work, a call suddenly came from a distance.

Lynn looked up and saw that it was actually Colin.

Since the outbreak of the Crucible War, Colin had been taking refuge in the Magic Potion Garden.

Three months had passed, and today, Colin had actually come to find him.

"The teacher has finally finished his current business and asked me to find you."

Colin approached with a smile.

Hearing this, Lynn's pupils suddenly constricted.

Since joining the Crucible half a year ago, that "cheap" teacher had never sent any news after leaving for business.

Lynn still remembered that when the man had first accepted him as a student, they were supposed to follow a process for the next steps, but the sudden news had disrupted everything, resulting in Lynn only receiving three books before the man left.

Since then, Lynn had been waiting for his teacher to find him to complete what was left unfinished.

Now, there was finally some movement!

(End of Chapter)