Chương 110: A Way In

A single root of Light-Dust Wood, faintly glowing with a soft radiance, was priced at fifteen gold coins. A petrified lizard's mana core, about the size of a pigeon egg, was priced at forty-two gold coins. Zelier couldn't help but shake his head. The prices were absurd. If these materials were ruined during potion crafting, the loss wouldn't be something he could casually shrug off... After returning to Nightflower Inn, Zelier eagerly laid out everything on the table and began his first attempt at potion brewing.

He first unfolded the parchment scroll containing the spell matrix. Just like when he learned new spells, Zelier slowly infused his mental power into it. Although Talent: Spell Genesis could not fully analyze the spell structures required for potion refinement, it was still incredibly useful when it came to understanding circuits and structures. The moment his mental power swept across the parchment, Spell Genesis automatically engraved the fusion circuit into his mind. Every detail was crystal clear.

After briefly reviewing it, Zelier immediately noticed the difference between potion structures and spell structures. A spell matrix emphasized a complete cycle—from the initial mana input all the way to the final release. The entire circuit had to remain perfectly connected. A potion formula, on the other hand, mainly focused on the fusion process in the middle. Compared to spellcasting structures, it was much simpler. The theoretical portion was complete. Now came the most important part—the actual practice.

Zelier poured some water into a copper basin, then raised Nightfall Rest. First attempt. He placed Mindbell Flower and Earthroot in front of him and activated Extraction Spell. Soft green light bloomed. The two ingredients visibly lost their vitality at a rapid pace. The petals of the Mindbell Flower quickly turned pale and curled up, becoming like dried specimens. The thick roots of the Earthroot shriveled as all moisture was extracted from them.

At the same time, two clusters of glowing essence were successfully separated. One was a tranquil blue. The other was a heavy yellow-brown. They floated silently in midair.

"Great. The first step succeeded." A spark of excitement flashed through Zelier's heart. He immediately guided the two essences, attempting to merge them into the water inside the copper basin. However, the instant the blue and yellow-brown essences touched— A violent repulsion erupted!

"Poof!" A muffled sound echoed. The two essences hadn't even reached the surface of the water before they annihilated each other in midair. A stream of foul-smelling green smoke drifted upward, making Zelier cough violently and sneeze several times. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. He hurriedly opened the window to let the room air out. Failed... Returning to the table, Zelier frowned and carefully reviewed every single detail of the process.

"Was the fusion order wrong?"

"No... the order was correct. The problem should be with the rhythm of the mana guidance..." Essences extracted from different plants naturally rejected each other. Perfectly merging them together was far from simple.

"Then... if I'm just a little more careful next time, it should work, right?" Soon, Zelier began his second attempt. This time, he learned from his mistake. When guiding the two essences together, he became far more cautious. Once again, he extracted the essence from Mindbell Flower and Earthroot, then slowly waved Nightfall Rest, carefully allowing the two energies to intertwine. However...

"Boom..." Just like before, the moment the two plant essences met, gray smoke erupted. The entire batch was ruined.

"Damn it... I was so close." Zelier scratched his head in frustration. After reviewing the process once more, he began his final attempt.

"Extraction Spell. Essence Separation!" This time, the fusion of the Mindbell Flower essence and Earthroot essence did not fail. The two differently colored essences intertwined, creating a mesmerizing sight. However, perhaps because his mental concentration was still lacking, Zelier introduced the mixed essence into the clear water just slightly too quickly. The water did not gently merge with the essence as expected. Instead, it reacted like boiling oil had been poured into a pot of water.

The entire basin violently churned. Dense, murky bubbles rose with a constant gurgling sound. The plant essences that should have neutralized each other instead began violently clashing. The gentle green glow was rapidly corrupted by an ominous gray-black hue. The entire basin turned thick, muddy, and foul.

"Don't tell me this thing is about to explode..." Zelier's heart tightened. He instinctively stepped backward several paces and activated Mist Veil. A moment later—"Fzzz..." With a faint sizzling sound, the entire basin transformed into a disgusting pool of waste liquid resembling rotten swamp sludge. Three attempts. Three sets of materials. All ruined. Zelier dispersed Mist Veil and walked back to the table with a defeated expression.

Looking at the empty ingredient pouch and the failed potion in front of him, he let out a long sigh. His heart practically ached. Three whole gold coins... Gone just like that. Even though he could understand fusion matrices far faster than ordinary people, potion brewing still contained countless details that required careful attention. Zelier shook his head slightly. The precision and complexity of this craft far exceeded his expectations. And unfortunately, there were no shortcuts.

The only way forward was to use materials again and again, slowly paving the path through failure. His savings really couldn't take much more of this......... Night. Drunken Boar Tavern. The place was still filled with familiar noise and warmth. The aroma of roasted meat filled the air, mixed with the rich scent of ale. The members of Marcus's team sat around a wooden table.

"Monster hunting...?" Vaelis looked up curiously after hearing Zelier explain the event, while wiping his curved blade.

"There's actually something like that?"

"I think I vaguely heard someone mention it before..." Grey chewed on a crispy roasted pork rib while furrowing his brows, desperately trying to remember.

"Seems like there really is something like that. Every autumn, those mage nobles who usually stay cooped up at home come out to stretch their legs a bit."

"There is." Marcus knew far more about this kind of information.

"The Mage Guild organizes a monster hunt every year after the Autumn Harvest Festival. To put it simply, it's mainly meant to let newly trained mages experience real combat." He took a large gulp of ale, foam clinging to his beard, then continued.

"Besides members of the Mage Guild itself, they also hire many experienced adventurers from the Adventurer Association at high prices to escort them and ensure their safety."

"Yeah." Zelier nodded.

"My mentor already informed me. So for the next while, I won't be able to join you all on missions."

"That's a shame." Vaelis looked disappointed.

"The team's losing a powerful damage dealer." Marcus felt the same way. Without Zelier, even completing two-star Bronze-Rank missions would require much more careful consideration.

"Speaking of..." Grey suddenly seemed to think of something. His eyes lit up.

"If the Mage Guild is recruiting adventurers to join them... what about the reward?"

"Obviously it's going to be generous." Vaelis answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Everyone knows mages are the wealthiest group on the entire Candia Continent. If you're protecting those precious young masters and ladies from the Mage Guild, they're obviously not going to be stingy."

"Besides the generous payment, I heard they also cover equipment damage during the mission. And if anyone gets injured, the mages can provide immediate healing." Marcus added.

"Then why don't we join this monster hunt?" Grey's brows shot upward as excitement immediately appeared on his face.

"Forget it." Marcus poured cold water over his enthusiasm.

"This kind of opportunity is practically a dream assignment. The competition is fierce, and recruitment notices usually aren't even made public." He lowered his voice slightly.

"It's not something outsiders like us, who have no connections, can get into." As soon as he said that— Grey's expression became even more excited. Even Vaelis realized what Marcus was implying. The three of them simultaneously turned their eyes toward Zelier.

"What?" Zelier coughed awkwardly. He had been eating roasted meat, and being stared at by three pairs of suspicious eyes nearly made him choke. He quickly grabbed his ale and took a large gulp.