Chrysos grabbed the alchemy equipment close to him and organized them in a sequential order depending on their size. The biggest equipment will be on the right, and the smallest was on the left.
He was readjusting everything in its place, including the ingredients. Chrysos was making the worktable more accessible for him to increase efficiency and how comfortable it is.
One of the alchemists wearing a bulky gray mask that covered his mouth and nose watching couldn't help but scoff. "Is this really necessary? I would say that this is merely playing around… Young alchemists these days have no sense of discipline to the art."
"Indeed. Unnecessary things like these aren't characteristics of a good alchemist." Another old alchemist that didn't wear his mask at the moment didn't like Chrysos' gestures.
Chrysos took a deep breath and then muttered in his mind.
"I'm making it easier for myself instead of enduring terrible placement. None of you old timers would know that since you guys don't even practice efficiency!"
After saying this, his fingers moved as if he was playing a piano.
His fingers danced around the workplace and every time his hand landed on something, it would finish its job before moving on to another section of the table.
Place, Mix, Extract, Refine, Blend, Purify.
He was moving at such a quick speed that his hands sometimes blurred. And even though he was moving this fast, none of the ingredients fell from the bowls and bottles down to the smallest gram.
The speed that Chrysos was going was enough for others to be shocked. It was already difficult enough to brew potions normally. And when done this fast, it's even more difficult.
Now why was Chrysos making things difficult for himself?
It's because he wanted to make the potion more difficult to understand. Let alone reverse engineer it.
If the alchemists here didn't look at his practices with contempt, he would've been more kind to them. A petty move coming from Chrysos, not Gerald.
Chrysos also mixed different ingredients from a guide he called the "Alchemy Foodstuffs Guide."
In this set of guidelines he discovered, it stated that life Divinious charge works well with sugars and sweeteners very nicely from what he discovered. The sugar's sweetness can be controlled to fit the flavor nicely by adding ingredients with high vitality and natural essence, like plants.
Sugar is the ingredient that Chrysos manipulated to an extent to bring out a better flavor. The tongues of humans here in the Divine Lands have more sensitivity to flavor because as they use more Divinious, the life energy in Divinious helps living creatures strengthen or enhance themselves evolutionarily bit by bit.
This means, the sensitivity in their senses evolves to become better and stronger than normal humans.
And of course, Chrysos abused this discovery and added it to his Alchemy Foodstuffs Guide. He is very proud of it and he even kept methods and procedures from Earth's culinary arts.
The old alchemists looked at Chrysos' brewing method and instead of being impressed, they frowned.
Was there a need to brew this quickly? You need to measure things properly or else the product wouldn't be good.
The old alchemists didn't have a good opinion of Chrysos before. But now, they even scorned him and thought of him as a person that doesn't take things seriously at all. They wouldn't be surprised if the product would end in failure.
Ruvie looked at the alchemist's faces and saw that they were frowning. He couldn't help but feel skeptical if Chrysos was really telling him the truth.
Chrysos picked up a small pile of Mountain Frost Leaves and mixed it with the Blue Lake Apple. He then blended it with a Popping Spined Fruit.
"Wait! What are you doing?? Are you going to blow us up?" An alchemist wearing a short gas mask with a wind magic crystal embedded in the breathing chamber exclaimed. The Popping Spined Fruit does not react well with frost leaves especially if they came from the frigid mountains. The alchemist was prepared to run out of the room because the explosion couldn't be underestimated.
"Relax.." Chrysos used wind Divinious and blew the mixture with the wind using the windslash spell in his palm in the weakest option possible.
The alchemist's left eye twitched under his mask. Even without seeing his face, it was evident that he wasn't amused.
What the hell does air do to the mixture? If he keeps cooling the Popping Spine Fruit, it'll accumulate frost energy and explode!
When Chrysos added another frost leaf, the mixture became unstable and even started shaking violently.
"Oh no! We have to leave now!" The alchemists knew that an explosion was about to occur. They all rushed to the door.
But just as they were about to leave, Chrysos kept using his magic circle to blow air into the mixture until it became stable.
The alchemists were stunned. Even Ruvie, who was about to run away from the room, stood still.
"Didn't I tell you guys to relax?" Chrysos shook his head at them as if he was disappointed.
This angered some of the alchemists.
Was Chrysos playing a prank on them? If so, that was highly unprofessional.
Chrysos ignored the looks of the alchemists around him and he just continued brewing. He resisted the urge to chuckle after intentionally scaring these old fashioned fellows.
He took a Yellow Crystal Sugar Cane and cut it into small strips using a knife. He then burnt it in open flames which confused the alchemists.
Isn't the sugar cane used for sweetening?
Chrysos threw the burnt sugar cane into a bowl and extracted it.
This confused the alchemists even more. Why would he extract a burnt object? There's barely anything that can be used in it!
Chrysos took the extracted sugar cane and used his wind Divinious to blow more air at it.
The alchemists felt that it was strange that Chrysos kept using air in his ingredients.
Was there a hidden effect that they didn't know?
Short answer, yes.
Chrysos knew that they were all very confused and didn't see the importance of this step.
After a while, he took the apparatus called "Ice Maker" that has a large opening used for extracting Divinious energy to make ice.
He took a Divinious crystal and placed it on the opening, but instead of leaving the crystal, he slowly added it to gradually create the broken ice for the smoothies. After that, he poured the different flavored smoothies in their respective cups and put the right amount of ice by gradually adding Divinious to the apparatus.
And after that, he was done.
Even though the alchemists had doubts, the smoothie looked very delicious and exactly how they were described.
"There you go, that's the smoothies." Chrysos gestured with his hand to present the smoothies in glass jars.
Ruvie had a skeptical expression on his face. He grabbed a smoothie and took a small sip.
His eyes were filled with surprise once he tasted the rich flavor of the mango smoothie. "I- It's... it's delicious.." Ruvue stammered as he took another sip.
The alchemists turned to Ruvie. "Sir Lenth, it's not a failed product?"
"Would I enjoy a failed product?" Ruvie couldn't help but take a large gulp out of his smoothie.
"I don't believe it." An alchemist took one of the smoothies and lifted his protective mask in order to drink a portion of it. After drinking it and experiencing a multitude of sweetness blended perfectly with lime's subtle sourness, he couldn't help his hands from shaking.
"I- Impossible... he brewed it that quickly?? But, all he did was nonsensical brewing methods! How could it be this delicious?"
The other alchemists gasped in shock. They now looked at Chrysos in a new light.
This alchemist wasn't as ignorant as they thought he was. In fact, he even has something they didn't know.
Interrupting the silence, Chrysos looked at them and asked with a smug smile under his mask. "Surely that's enough to prove that the recipe is correct?" Chrysos looked at Ruvie.
"Ah, right... the recipe." Ruvie took the piece of paper and looked at it. All the ingredients and equipment that Chrysos used was all listed there. He found it laughable that he actually doubted Chrysos back then. Of course a unique refreshment has unique ways to make it.
"Is that so? Well then, I'll take my leave now." Chrysos dusted his hands off and left the Alchemy House.
The alchemists all got out of the way as Chrysos walked out of the door. After slamming it shut, the alchemists were trying to recreate the scene of Chrysos brewing the potion in their heads.
Ruvie, seemingly sensing the alchemist's uncertainty. Looked at them and asked, "Can you replicate the process for making this?"
An alchemist laughed bitterly. "It's too complicated.. Even though the process and ingredients are listed in the recipe, I do not have the confidence to replicate what that alchemist named Gerald did. That brewing process is too fast for me to do and it's... strange to say the least."
"Really? That's... a problem." Ruvie knitted his eyebrows together. "Is there any way for you all to work together to make it?
The alchemists looked at each other and saw the hopeless look in each other's eyes.
An old alchemist named Osiris spoke up and respectfully said, "Mister Ruvie, it is almost impossible to recreate the recipe." Osiris took a bottle filled with a coconut flavored smoothie and examined it. "In order to make that drink, that man used techniques that I have never seen before. If we do not understand the principles behind it, then we can only try with difficulty."
"Techniques? Principles? Like what?" Ruvie knew that Osiris was the smartest of all of them, so if there was something that Osiris couldn't understand, then it must be really difficult.
"He used wind type abilities when he was brewing this thing called smoothies." He put the bottle down the table before he proceeded to explain.
"But normally, wind wouldn't do anything to an ingredient that would change its flavor, right? But somehow this seemingly unimportant process changed the flavor and he even controlled it to suit the taste perfectly. Even with my keen eyes, I didn't understand how that happened." Osiris knows his shortcomings and he knows how to acknowledge those who are better than him.
"Indeed, that alchemist is probably even more knowledgeable than I am." Another alchemist admitted his defeat.
"I am still skeptical.. I'll try to study this for some time." An alchemist didn't agree that Chrysos was superior to him in terms of alchemy. He must've used some trick that he just needed to study.
Some of them applauded Chrysos, and some of them didn't.
Alchemists had their own pride after all.
Ruvie sighed. "Just try to figure out the details.." He didn't expect that they might need to invest to study the recipe after getting it from the creator.
The alchemists nodded. Even though Chrysos' methods were strange, they had confidence that they could learn it if they studied it further.
Even though Osiris said that it was almost impossible, the other alchemists felt that with enough research, they could replicate it soon enough.
Outside the alchemy house…
Chrysos walked out with a satisfied smile. He just earned 4000 gold coins on top of his 428 gold coins in his earnings. He was even richer now.
He laughed as he pocketed the gold notes.
Right now, he sold the smoothie recipe, but without any knowledge about the periodic table, Chrysos was 80% sure that they wouldn't figure out the correct brewing method in such a short time. Not to mention that the smoothies have very difficult timings to perfect. If they missed a step by even a second, the smoothie was going to be a failure or it wouldn't be as delicious.
After that, they would ask him for a better recipe and of course, he had it.
But it wouldn't be free.
Chrysos smiled knowing that there will be more people planning to buy his recipe. If he received money worth 4000 gold coins in his first transaction, then the other transactions might be higher or around that price.
"Hahaha! I earned so much cash!" Chrysos rejoiced in his mind. "Wait, I should upgrade the mind seal since I drank another potion of evolution." Chrysos decided to go back to the Psychic Treatment Center after thinking about his current problems at the moment.
When he arrived in Matile street, he saw the huge Psychic Treatment Center. And just like before, he walked inside and saw that the interior didn't change one bit from the time he last went here.
He proceeded to the reception area and tapped the desk to catch the receptionist's attention.
"Ah sir, welcome to-" The receptionist was about to welcome him but was then cut off by Chrysos.
"Yes I know what you're going to say. Anyway, I need help with mental invasion." Chrysos didn't have time to waste.
The receptionist kept his kind smile. "Understood, room 2 will be available soon the moment the current patient leaves."
"Thank you." Chrysos took a gold coin and placed them on the desk. "Here's a coin for your troubles."
The receptionist didn't expect that Chrysos would casually give him a gold coin. "Ah, sir, there's no need for this." The receptionist waved his hand and rejected it.
"It's fine, take it." Chrysos insisted. He pushed it forward to the receptionist.
"I appreciate the gesture." The receptionist took the gold coins and was in an even better mood.
Chrysos sat down in the waiting area and entered a meditative state. His mental energy was being conserved while being alert with his surroundings at the same time.
He was trying to see if he could peer into more of his past self's memories more.
He saw a few scenes and blurred faces. Aside from that, he couldn't decipher anything else that was coherent.
From what he saw, Chrysos was in a beautifully decorated room in front of a blonde woman who sat in front of him, lecturing him things that he couldn't hear.
He opened his eyes and sighed. "Still nothing about this guy's past."
He waited until the patient inside room two finally left. After seeing this, Chrysos stood up and entered the room. Without knocking like last time.
Svaria turned around and sighed. "You again? Also, didn't I tell you to knock?"
"Yes it's me.. I need you to upgrade the seal in my mind." Chrysos pointed to his head. "Sorry for not knocking, I'm not a psychic who can remember everything."
She rolled her eyes at him. "What happened?" Svaria frowned.
"Let's just say that the thoughts became more violent with a mix of aggressiveness." Chrysos shrugged casually as if his problem wasn't that big.
Svaria sighed. She knew that she couldn't pry the answers out of his mouth since Chrysos was unwilling to. "Sit down and I'll get to work."
"Is it free this time around?" Chrysos joked as he walked towards the reclined chair.
"No, it's four gold coins." Svaria said with an indifferent tone. She grabbed her cup of tea and took a sip.
"Harsh price.." Chrysos clicked his tongue and forked out four gold coins.
Svaria took the coins from his hand and placed them in her coat. She then held her palm against Chrysos' forehead to start working.
Her vision changed and she found herself in the familiar black void filled with yellow lightning bolts.
She saw that the thoughts bound in her seal grew exponentially more than the last time she saw them. If the thoughts grow any larger, they would've broken through the seal.
"How did they grow this much..?" Svaria modified the seal and increased its storage output. The psychic chains became tougher and thicker than it was before. The seal's energy also grew firmer and sturdier. After checking that there were no flaws to exploit, she left Chrysos' mind.
Swoosh.
Returning to the real world, Svaria retracted her palm from Chrysos' forehead.
Svaria opened her eyes and looked at Chrysos. "Why do you have the minds of beasts in your brain?"
"I personally have no idea." Chrysos' lips were sealed. There was no way he could reveal the Potions of Evolution to her. It was his masterpiece and his secret to strength.
"You're lying." Svaria narrowed her eyes at him.
"I'm not." Chrysos replied with a flat tone.
Svaria rolled her eyes. "Look, whatever you're doing is destroying yourself. If you keep doing whatever is happening to you, the beast thoughts will occupy your brain one day and you won't be able to think like a human being. Are you sure you want that?"
"No, but do you have a solution?" Chrysos asked back. Seemingly unperturbed by the consequences.
"Yes and that is for you to confront those thoughts." Svaria said as she poured tea for herself.
"How?" Chrysos was interested in this method.
"You'll have to go deep in your mind and fight them. But if I were you, I'd rather not since those thoughts are very powerful." Svaria took a sip of tea. "It's going to be a battle between your will and those beast's combined mental power. I wouldn't recommend this if it were anyone else."
Chrysos found this way of Svaria's talking quite amusing. "And why am I different?"
Svaria's face was indifferent. "You have a stronger will than normal. And who knows? Maybe you'll still fail, but it's worth a try, don't you think?" Svaria looked at him with a mysterious gaze.
Chrysos thought about it and nodded his head. "How do I fight them?"
"I'll show you how.. but first, sign this." Svaria took a document from her desk.
Chrysos took the document and when he scanned through the entire thing, he found out that once he signed it, the Psychic Treatment Center wouldn't be responsible if anything happens to him.
"Tch, fine." Chrysos signed it anyway.
"Good, now that will be seven gold coins.." Svaria reached her finger out and curled it twice towards her.
Chrysos' jaw slacked for a second before giving her seven gold coins. "No wonder you're still single."
"Want to change that?" Svaria laughed.
"No thank you." Chrysos immediately rejected the offer.
She put down her cup and reached her finger to the side of his forehead.
"Alright then, let's start." Without delay, Svaria sent a trace of mental energy in his mind. "Now if you allow this energy to enter your mind, your fight with the beasts will begin."
Chrysos took a deep breath and relaxed. He allowed the energy to go deep into his mind.
Zoom!
His vision changed and he found himself in the middle of the forest.
There, he saw a bear, three boars, an elephant and a rhino who looked everywhere confusedly.
Chrysos smiled. "So you guys are the idiots making me stupid…"