The Grandmaster’s Secret

The headquarters of the Alchemists’ Guild stood adjacent to the Mage Association—a perfectly logical arrangement. Without the aid of magic, relying solely on raw materials would render the creation of various miraculous elixirs impossible. Consequently, every alchemist was also a mage, their alchemical rank directly tied to their mastery of magic.

To put it another way: while a Sage might not necessarily be an Alchemist Grandmaster, an Alchemist Grandmaster was invariably a Sage. Just like the white-bearded old man before Ziyao, who held the honorary title of President of the Mage Association.

“Oh, did you concoct this, little one?” The old man, holding the golden potion vial, stroked his beard, a hint of confusion in his voice.

Ziyao nodded. The old man was one of the few people Ziyao truly trusted. Though, when they had first met years ago, she had initially thought he was a pervert. After all, what normal person would barge into a young maiden’s home in the dead of night?

“Indeed, you truly are a genius.” The old man sighed with emotion. It had only been a few years, yet this girl was already on the verge of becoming a Grandmaster. “This single potion has already brushed against the threshold of the Grandmaster level,” the old man said, returning the vial to Ziyao.

“Eh? Grandmaster? But this is just a Six-Star Physical Recovery Potion.”

“Alas, you haven’t received a systematic alchemical education, so it’s natural you wouldn’t know.” Shaking his head once more, the old man reflected that in all his long life, he had never encountered such a peerless talent. She seemed to create potions simply by thinking, ‘I suppose this will work,’ and then the potion would manifest. Now, it was even more astonishing; she no longer even needed to ponder.

“Take a look at this book; all the specific details are written within.” The old man pulled a volume from a nearby shelf and handed it to Ziyao.

“The author… Eh? Isn’t this you, old man?”

“Is there anyone in the alchemical world more experienced than me?”

“Oh.” Ziyao opened the book. “So, how exactly have I touched upon the Grandmaster threshold?”

“Little one, you must know the conditions for becoming an Alchemist Grandmaster, correct?” The old man didn’t answer directly, posing a question instead.

Well, although I don’t really understand theoretical things, I do know the answer to this question. Ziyao quickly articulated her response. “First, one must become a Sage, and then, one must be able to consistently refine Grandmaster-level potions.”

“Correct. It seems you still possess some common sense. Now, do you know the difference between an Alchemist Grandmaster and a Seven-Star Alchemist?”

“No,” Ziyao replied, shaking her head. She herself was a Seven-Star Alchemist, but she truly didn’t know the difference between the two, other than the rarity of the potions they could concoct.

“Then allow me to explain it thoroughly to you.” The old man drew a red potion from his alchemical pouch. “Look, what’s the difference between this potion and yours?”

Taking the vial, Ziyao held both potions side-by-side, observing them closely. Her golden potion shimmered with faint blue specks of light, while the old man’s potion glowed with a vibrant red effulgence. However, the old man’s glow was far more abundant and significantly more dazzling than hers.

Wait… could this be the reason? Ziyao remembered that the old man was a fire-attributed Sage.

“Magic power… it’s magic power,” she said, looking up to answer.

“Precisely. It’s magic power.” The old man nodded. “The magic power of a Sage already possesses a fundamental difference from that of lower-ranked mages. Our magic power can now imbue potions. Therefore, the standard for a Grandmaster-level potion is that it is imbued with a Sage’s magic power, which drastically enhances the potion’s quality. Even a mere basic healing potion, crafted by a Grandmaster, will possess effects that surpass a Seven-Star potion.”

“At this point, what determines the potion’s effect is no longer just the ingredients, but the concocter’s understanding of magic power. The deeper one’s comprehension of magic, the stronger the potions they produce.”

It’s really like that? Ziyao felt a dizzying sensation in her head; this was the first time she had learned such a thing. She had always assumed Grandmaster-level potions simply involved more complex procedures and rarer ingredients.

“Furthermore, crafting Grandmaster-level potions requires a Sage to invest their emotions; it’s not something we can simply make whenever we wish,” the old man continued. “You made this potion because you wanted to express gratitude to someone, didn’t you?”

“How did you know?” Ziyao couldn’t recall ever telling the old man why she had made that particular potion.

“Every Grandmaster-level potion contains the emotions of the Grandmaster who created it at that moment. With a sufficient understanding of magic, people can perceive the Grandmaster’s feelings at the time. Concocting combat-type potions with anger can yield twice the results with half the effort, and crafting healing potions with a compassionate heart can break through limits. This is the power of emotion.”

So there were so many intricacies? Truly worthy of the Grandmaster rank.

“It seems I still have much to learn.”

“Haha, little one, take your time. Don’t rush. You have plenty of time,” the old man said with a laugh. “Do you know how old I was when I became an Alchemist Grandmaster?”

“Um, I don’t know, but you must have been quite old, right?”

“You certainly don’t hold back… I became a Grandmaster ten years after I ascended to Sage, when I was seventy-nine years old.”

“Eh? Then how old are you this year, old man?” Ziyao covered her mouth, having assumed he was only in his sixties or seventies.

“Alas, I am already one hundred and thirty-seven this year.”

Good heavens, that old?

“Hahahaha, don’t look so surprised, little one. You’ll probably live even longer than this old man.” Seeing Ziyao’s astonished expression, the old man burst into laughter. “Never mind, never mind, let’s not talk about that. Oh, right, little one, let me see how you refine potions again.”

“Yes, alright.” Ziyao nodded obediently. With the guidance of this venerable senior, her potion refining skills would likely improve at an incredibly fast pace.

****

“You’re back? What did you gain today?” The green-haired girl, holding a cup, asked the black-haired girl who had just entered.

“Hmph.” The black-haired girl tossed the bag she was carrying onto the table, her face filled with anger. “Ten high-grade crystal cores. What do you need these for?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Sophia, are you asking for a beating?” The girl slammed her hand on the table.

“You’ve changed a lot, Youlan. The old you wouldn’t have been so impatient,” Sophia said, taking a sip of water. “Now, you’re almost like Eve.”

“That big-chested, brainless idiot? Don’t compare me to her,” Youlan retorted fiercely. “Why won’t you let me meet Lotia?”

“The time isn’t right yet. Wait a few more days, and I’ll let you act with Lotia.” However, that guy is quite well-protected.

“I hope you haven’t lied to me, God of Lies.”

“I’ve never lied to you.” Sophia smiled.

Hopefully, those guys won’t cause too much trouble… A single clone can’t handle anything too big.