Chapter 177: The Potent Potion

Though Vladir appeared unkempt and somewhat careless, he was in fact incredibly focused and meticulous whenever he was brewing potions. Every step was executed with extreme caution and precision. Now, with the accurate vial Merlin had provided, Vladir's chances of success increased even further.

As the process continued, Vladir added the final ingredient and began heating the mixture.

"Hiss… hiss…"

The thick liquid inside the glass flask, initially green, began to boil intensely, gradually darkening to an inky black and releasing a pungent smell. Vladir's gaze remained fixed on the black potion in the flask, a look of excitement starting to show on his face. Once the potion had turned completely black, he brought it close to his nose and took a cautious sniff.

An irrepressible look of exhilaration appeared on Vladir's face, and his voice trembled slightly as he exclaimed, "Ha! Success! It finally worked! After half a year of failed attempts, I've finally brewed it!"

His face was lit with joy as he carefully held the black potion, savoring the achievement. Merlin, watching closely, felt a sense of awe. Clearly, Vladir had exceptional skill in alchemy. Merlin had only pointed out a minor flaw in Vladir's process, yet with that adjustment, Vladir had achieved success instantly.

To Merlin, this was almost unbelievable. Even if he followed the Matrix's precise instructions, he doubted he could have brewed the Alkaline Earth Elixir successfully. What Merlin lacked was a mastery of the finer details. Without control over these subtleties, even with the Matrix's guidance, his success rate remained limited. In terms of understanding the nuances of alchemy, Vladir was clearly far ahead of Merlin.

"This is excellent! Such a precise vial is rare indeed!" Vladir held the glass vial Merlin had given him, clearly delighted with it. Merlin gave a slight smile and said, "If Mage Vladir likes it, consider this vial a gift."

These vials were plentiful in the Omnifarious Tower, easily exchangeable for a modest amount of contribution points. Moreover, before leaving the Dark Spirit Domain, Merlin had stocked up on alchemical vials, so gifting one was no issue.

"Mage Vladir, what exactly does this Alkaline Earth Elixir do?" Merlin asked, eyeing the dark potion in Vladir's hands. The strange name alone made him curious.

Vladir gave a sly grin. "The effects of the Alkaline Earth Elixir, you ask?" He looked over at Brunton's alchemical creature before handing the potion to him and saying, "Mage Brunton, give this potion to your 'pet.'"

"This potion is for alchemical creatures?" Brunton looked doubtful, but he had his creature drink the potion.

A moment later, the red-haired woman's complexion turned red, and her body began to swell, her skin stretching tight as large veins bulged visibly beneath it, pulsing with rapidly flowing blood. She appeared almost frenzied, and an overwhelming aura radiated from her.

"Roar!" She let out a deafening bellow that was nearly unbearable, and simultaneously, the green scales on her skin took on a black hue, adding to her already intimidating appearance.

Vladir nodded in satisfaction and said, "Mage Brunton, you can test your 'pet' now."

Brunton nodded and pointed to a massive tree in the courtyard.

"Whoosh." The woman dashed forward, appearing before the tree in an instant, then unleashed a punch.

"Crack!" The force shattered the tree trunk, which was now held together by mere splinters that could be felled by the lightest breeze.

All present stared in stunned silence. Brunton, too, was visibly shocked. The creature's speed and power had doubled or even tripled in mere moments.

This sudden increase in strength was astounding and intimidating. Brunton's gaze toward Vladir now held a fervent admiration.

"Heh, that's the Alkaline Earth Elixir's effect," Vladir explained. "It's a specialized potion for alchemical creatures, boosting their speed, strength, and agility two to four times across the board for up to two or three hours."

Vladir described the effects briefly. This elixir, crafted solely for alchemical creatures, was dangerous for regular humans to consume, often leading to death. But alchemical creatures, with their unique durability and lack of self-awareness, could handle the powerful effects without issue. After the effects wore off, the creatures merely required a period of rest to recover.

"Amazing, amazing! Mage Vladir, do you have any more Alkaline Earth Elixir? I'll buy a few—just name the price in elemental stones!" Brunton eagerly asked, fully aware of the value of this potion. In a critical moment, his alchemical creature could turn the tide of battle, even overwhelming opponents with sheer force.

Once the Alkaline Earth Elixir circulated among alchemists, it would undoubtedly become highly sought after. Most alchemists focused on creating alchemical creatures, not on other forms of research. Thus, potion specialists often developed unique elixirs whose effects, ineffective or deadly for humans, worked wonders on alchemical creatures.

However, Vladir shook his head slightly and replied, "The materials for this potion are incredibly costly, beyond the means of most alchemists. I only just succeeded in making it, and producing more would require considerable time."

His message was clear: Brunton would have to wait if he wanted more.

Brunton looked eager but quickly composed himself when he remembered Merlin and Hill. He slapped his forehead and said sheepishly, "I almost forgot! Mage Vladir, let me introduce you to Mages Merlin and Hill. They're new to the Floating City and are looking to purchase rare alchemical ingredients."

Since Vladir had just received the high-quality vial from Merlin, he responded warmly, "Ah, so Mage Merlin is seeking alchemical materials? I noticed earlier that Mage Merlin pointed out my mistakes while brewing, so you must be well-versed in alchemy yourself. Perhaps we could exchange insights sometime."

He continued, "What ingredients do you need, Mage Merlin? Just let me know."

Vladir was confident in his collection. Through years of selling potions, he had amassed considerable wealth, most of which he had reinvested in more alchemical materials. He was sure he could provide whatever Merlin needed.

Merlin nodded and listed the ingredients required for the Illusion Potion and Blueberry Potion. Vladir initially seemed relaxed, but as Merlin continued naming rarer and rarer items, Vladir's expression grew uneasy.

Finally, when Merlin finished, Vladir, who had seemed so sure of himself, now wore a strained expression.

"Mage Merlin," he said, "you must need these materials for the Blueberry Potion, correct? That potion is only for enhancing mental energy, so I assume you need it to increase your mental capacity?"

Most mages faced difficulties constructing spell models, especially complex ones. Mental energy rarely posed a problem; rather, they struggled to find spell models compatible with their specific strengths.

Merlin offered no explanation. After all, no one would guess he had the Matrix, which made constructing spell models the least of his concerns—his real challenge lay in increasing his mental capacity.

Vladir pondered for a moment before pulling out some materials from his ring and pointing them out to Merlin. "I only have these ingredients for the Blueberry Potion—enough for a few doses. As for the other materials, I don't have them. You might find them in one of the major shops here in the Floating City, but be prepared; they'll be costly."

Merlin inspected the materials Vladir had offered and felt satisfied. The Illusion Potion recipe was ancient, used by the mystic sorcerers of old, so it wasn't surprising that Vladir didn't have the ingredients. With these Blueberry Potion supplies, Merlin could accelerate his mental energy growth, possibly even enough to construct another level-one spell.

Vladir gave the Blueberry Potion ingredients to Merlin as a token of gratitude for his assistance in successfully brewing the Alkaline Earth Elixir and for the gift of the precise vial.

"Mage Merlin, you seem to have a knack for alchemy. Should you have some free time, feel free to visit. I'd enjoy exchanging alchemical insights with you."

Merlin nodded. "Thank you, Mage Vladir. I'll certainly return if I have the chance."

With that, Merlin, Hill, and Brunton bid Vladir farewell and departed his residence.