Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Extraction Skill
「The next day.」
「Mage’s Guild.」
In a rocking chair by the window, Manlin held an ancient tome, her legs crossed elegantly.
Her gaze danced across the lines of text, a thoughtful expression on her face.
Suddenly, a knock came from the door, followed by a familiar voice.
"Instructor Manlin, I’ve come to butter you up—"
Manlin chuckled softly. "Come in, Zelir."
Zelir pushed the door open and entered. He first gave Instructor Manlin a slight bow, then placed a cloth bag filled with Moonlight Grass on the table.
"Instructor Manlin, this is what you asked for. Please take a look and see if it’s right."
"That was fast, little one."
"Of course. I have to do my best on any task you give me," Zelir said with a straight face.
Manlin opened the bag, took out a clump of Moonlight Grass with damp soil still clinging to its roots, and examined it carefully before nodding in satisfaction.
"Not bad. The roots are perfectly intact and full of vitality. The quality of this batch of Moonlight Grass is excellent."
Manlin arranged the Moonlight Grass neatly on the table.
Then she rose and walked over to the neat rows of apothecary cabinets, skillfully selecting several other ingredients—bright red Flame Fruits, gnarled Snake Vines, and a few dried leaves of Silver Leaf Grass.
It looked as though she was about to prepare some kind of concoction.
"Do you know the Water Ball Skill?" Manlin turned and asked Zelir.
"I do," Zelir replied with a nod.
Manlin took a copper basin from a shelf. "Put some water in it."
Zelir placed the copper basin in front of him and began to outline the Spell Structure for the Water Ball Skill in his mind.
There was just one small problem.
If he cast the Water Ball Skill using its original Spell Structure, the ball of water would be launched forward by the surge of Magic Power the moment it formed, likely splashing water everywhere.
So, Zelir decided to try a little improvisation.
Just as the Magic Power was about to flow through the final charging and acceleration circuit, he deliberately reduced the output.
The result was just as Zelir had expected. A clear ball of water formed between his palms, but instead of launching forward, it simply flowed gently into the copper basin.
Manlin observed this and nodded in approval.
"Not bad. You have a good understanding of Spell Structures and Magic Manipulation, and you know how to apply them flexibly."
Placing the copper basin of clear water beside the ingredients, Manlin took out her Magic Wand.
It was a wand that looked ancient. The shaft was made from a piece of Old Oak with a natural grain. Its surface was rough, and one could even see a few knots in the wood.
A teardrop-shaped, pale green Crystal was set in the tip of the oak. Several vine-like ornaments of secret silver extended from the Crystal’s base, wrapping tightly around the shaft and forming elegant Demon-Guiding Patterns.
Zelir stood to the side, watching with bated breath, his eyes fixed on Manlin’s every move.
Manlin gently waved her Magic Wand. The Crystal at its tip immediately began to glow, and a hazy green light enveloped all the herbs.
Zelir could see clearly that as the green light permeated them, the Moonlight Grass, Silver Leaf Grass, Flame Fruit, and Snake Vine rapidly withered and lost their color. The Essence of Life hidden within them was being forcibly stripped away.
Under Manlin’s guidance, these essences flowed in an orderly fashion into the clear water of the copper basin.
BUBBLE BUBBLE...
The once-clear water immediately began to bubble, roiling as if it were boiling as steam filled the air.
Manlin methodically continued the fusion process. Finally, once all the essences had achieved a perfect balance, the water grew still.
As the steam slowly dissipated, the water in the copper basin had transformed into a pale green, fragrant liquid that looked slightly viscous.
At the same time, a familiar sensation washed over Zelir.
Sure enough, a new Magic had been added to the analysis queue under his Technique Celestial Calculation.
Extraction Skill, Analysis Progress: 1%.
"Instructor Manlin."
Zelir leaned forward. "The Magic you just cast... what was it?"
"That Magic is called the Extraction Skill. It’s also part of the Empowerment Magic System, so you won’t be able to learn it," Manlin said casually.
"So what does the Extraction Skill do, exactly?" Zelir asked curiously.
"Well... the Extraction Skill allows you to extract the essence hidden within materials and fuse them together to create Magic Potions with unique effects. Most of the Magic Potions on the market are made this way," Manlin said.
"However, you have to be careful. The recipe for every Magic Potion is different, and you must strictly follow the ingredients and their proportions. If you just mix things together randomly, at best, the potion will fail. At worst, it will trigger a volatile surge of Magic Power and explode. Quite a few Mages have lost their lives to accidents like that."
"I see..." Zelir nodded in sudden understanding.
’Empowerment Mages are really in a league of their own.’
’Not only can they heal injuries and provide all sorts of buffs for their teammates in battle, but they can also create support-type Magic Potions.’
’No wonder their status is so high.’
’Instructor Marvin is also an Upper Level Mage, but he still has to conduct assessments and mentor newcomers at the Guild. Meanwhile, Instructor Manlin can just relax in her office all day.’
Manlin took out a delicate little funnel and divided the liquid from the copper basin into two small, transparent vials.
"This is a Healing Potion. It can quickly stop bleeding, promote the immediate regeneration of flesh, and even counteract less severe poisons. It’s considered a fairly useful Low Level Magic Potion."
"With an injury like the one you had last time, one bottle of this Healing Potion would have you mostly healed. It might even save your life during an adventure someday."
As she spoke, Manlin handed both bottles of Healing Potion to Zelir.
Zelir was stunned for a moment.
"Instructor Manlin, this is..."
"Didn’t you come to butter me up? I have to give you a little something for your trouble, otherwise what if you don’t come back next time?"
Manlin tilted her head slightly, a smile spreading across her lips. "Take them... When I meet a talented junior such as yourself, I feel an urge to help cultivate that talent."
A warm feeling spread through Zelir’s chest. He accepted the potions and thanked her sincerely.
"Thank you, Instructor Manlin."
"You’re welcome."
Manlin waved her hand. "If you ever come across any rare or unusual plants on your adventures, feel free to bring them back for me to take a look. They might just be the main ingredient for a new Magic Potion."
"You got it! I definitely will!" Zelir readily agreed.
’Having an Upper Level Empowerment Mage willing to concoct Magic Potions for you was a privilege many people could only dream of.’
"Oh, right. Remember to take your crutch. You forgot it here yesterday."
"Oh..."
Zelir carefully tucked the two bottles of Healing Potion away, picked up his crutch, and after thanking her one more time, left Manlin’s office feeling content.
「The outskirts of Black Stone Town.」
The clear river water sparkled under the sun. A herd of sika deer was gathered cautiously at the bank, drinking from the shallows.
