A delicate fragrance filled the potion lab while the potion in the beaker gurgled.
Lin Li added nectar from the peacebloom into the beaker as he meticulously calculated the ratio of the three potions. He only raised his hand to wipe the sweat off his forehead occasionally, quickly burying his head back in work.
Behind him were bottles of completed Arcane Magic Potion.
Gerian had come to watch a few times. When he saw the bottles of Arcane Magic Potion, the fat old man nearly bit his tongue off. It had been on his mind even without looking at them, but now that he had seen them, he was behaving like an aggrieved woman who hadn't been satisfied for decades, refusing to leave the potion lab and insisting on getting two bottles for him to have a taste.
Lin Li tried every possible way to dissuade him, but eventually he got him a bottle and sent the aggrieved hag away.
Other than that hag, Kevin also dropped by a few times to take a look.
But the young mage was much more restrained than the fat old man. After greeting Lin Li at the door, he would squat in the corner and draw circles. When something happened, he could also help Lin Li; all he wanted was to witness the skills of a potion master.
It took him almost a week to use up over thousand gold coins' worth of herbs.
It was Wednesday when Lin Li dragged his tired body out of the potion lab.
Lin Li went to Gerian the first thing after he came out, and the old and young pair hid in the reception room once again. Their discussion took almost the whole afternoon, and both emerged with sly smiles on their faces.
Lin Li could finally get a good sleep after finishing all these.
Lin Li was dizzy from exhaustion after so many days of work. He fell asleep and did not wake up till Friday.
By the time he woke up, news had spread through Jarrosus City.
"I heard that Jarrosus Guild of Magic discovered a High Elves relic not long ago and obtained many master potions from it!"
"No, no, I heard they poached a Potion Master. This time, the Guild of Magic hit the jackpot. It was said that the Potion Master had brought a pile of potions with him from the Pharmacists Guild!"
"Brag all you want. Who doesn't know what the Guild of Magic have been like these years? The fellows from the Pharmacists Guild have their eyes on top of their heads; if they really poached a pharmacist from them, I can chew off the spire of the Emerald Tower!"
"I really don't know what they were thinking. Those are potions of the mastery level, they should be keeping them and drinking them in secret, but instead they decided to sell them! Damn… You few, don't leave! Lend me some money, I should buy a bottle too!"
"Dream on! With what little money we have, it's not enough to buy a bottle. Hmm, it's probably enough to buy a bottle cap…"
And the source of all these was a word from Gerian.
"This Sunday, the Guild of Magic will be auctioning 30 bottles of Arcane Magic Potion in the Emerald Tower!"
The mages in Jarrosus, especially those who came from the mage families, could not even remember how many years it had been since they heard of "Arcane Magic Potion".
Although the Jarrosus Guild of Magic had been down and out in the recent years, due to the agreement made during the Dark Ages, they could more or less get some aid from the Pharmacists Guild. Although the aid was paid for with Gerian's old face, they were still happier than the mage families.
The mage families had great wealth and enviable power, but the Pharmacists Guild was not as much an object of wealth and power.
Every pharmacist had the right to look down upon all of these.
The skill they inherited from the High Elves Dynasty was in itself the most precious wealth in the world. If a potion master wished so, he could easily destroy a magic family with a flip of his hands. There were too many strong people in the world willing to go through fire and water for a bottle of potion.
Perhaps only a giant like the Merlin Family had a small chance of getting a master potion, but it was really only a small one…
The entire Jarrosus City was in a complete frenzy ever since Gerian had released the news.
Competent forces were scrambling to make money.
The Merlin Family, determined to acquire these 30 bottles of Arcane Magic Potion, even disposed of several properties in the heart of Jarrosus City in order to gain more bargaining chips in the competition. After all, old Gerian had said that the Guild of Magic would only recognize money this time. Whoever gave the highest price would have the best opportunity, and friendship or whatnot would have to wait after the items were sold!
It was said that Gerian gave a flat refusal even when Old Odin came calling. Everyone in Jarrosus City knew that both of them wore the same pair of pants growing up. The Merlin Family, which was just about to extend a friendly hand, immediately pulled back after hearing that even Old Odin had been turned away…
"How are the properties in the city center handled?" Matthew Merlin was 53 years old this year. He had been the head of the Merlin Family for a decade, but he had never been as agitated as today. He paced back and forth in the living room, stepping on the soft carpet, but his mood could not be calmed for a long time.
The 30 bottles of Arcane Magic Potion was a godsend of an opportunity for the Merlin Family.
He had never seen any force taking out so many bottles of Arcane Magic Potion at once. Even the Pharmacists Guild had never been so generous. When he'd first heard the news, Matthew Merlin, who had never let his feelings show, was so excited that he dropped his wine glass on the spot.
That was 30 bottles of Arcane Magic Potion, which meant 30 chances to permanently enhance magic power.
Although this opportunity was only for mages below level-five, weren't they what the Merlin Family had the most?
For most mages, level-five was a difficult gap to cross.
After crossing this gap, one would be entitled to wear a long mage robe and be called "respected mage". But if one could not cross the gap, they would be a pathetic mage apprentice for life.
A mage and a mage apprentice. It was one of heaven and one of hell…
With the Merlin Family's influence now, should there be another 30 mages beyond level-five… At the thought of this, Matthew could almost see the glorious future of the family…