135: Chapter 0135 Alchemy Techniques

After Felin mailed the Alchemy Runes for improving vision, Li Size could, in theory, devote himself to the research of over-the-horizon firearms.

But he had been too busy lately, barely finding the time for firearms research.

Currently, his top priority was manufacturing sorcery machine tools every day and refining sorcery potions to improve his Potion Refining skill and the proficiency of these potion formulas.

Now that he had accepted Lilith, who had been persistently pursuing him, he needed to help her become a Wizard Apprentice as soon as possible so she could assist him; this also required the help of the brain in a vat.

Today, after intensive practice, his major Potion Refining skill (Zero Ring) was finally approaching the Great Master level proficiency of 100/100, at which point he could perform skill deduction and optimization.

Thus, he decided to set aside machine tool production tonight and put all his effort into sprinting for the final bit of proficiency for Great Master level potion making (Zero Ring).

The rune lamp in the Laboratory cast a pale golden halo, illuminating the bronze cauldron in the center.

The surface of the cauldron was engraved with dual runes for "Constant Temperature" and "Purification," while the Sorcery Array at the base slowly outputted steady heat.

Li Size's fingertips hovered in mid-air, his Mental Energy enveloping the Materials on the table like a fine-mesh net:

Three Stardew Flowers (their petal edges shimmering with starlight patterns, and liquid energy particles condensed at their centers).

Eight milligrams of Primrose silver powder (which emits a moonlight halo at night and resonates when encountering Mental Energy particles).

And Windbreath Grass ground into a fine powder (each grain of powder is entwined with a miniature cyclone, emitting a light chime like a wind bell when touched).

He took a deep breath and injected Mental Energy into the cauldron's runes—

With a "buzz," the air inside the cauldron instantly formed a vortex. The Stardew Flowers were precisely tossed in, their juices and the powder fusing into a pale purple liquid under the catalysis of Demonic Energy.

Li Size's brow furrowed slightly as his fingertip swiped through the Void Realm, activating the "Precise Stirring" sorcery rune:

Ripples spread across the liquid's surface; every rotation corresponded to a subtle adjustment of Mental Energy to prevent the formation of Impurities.

When the liquid's color turned from purple to blue, he quickly added the Primrose silver powder—

Upon meeting the heat, the silver powder turned into a silver mist, intertwining with the blue liquid into a brilliant vortex, as if the entire starry sky had been kneaded into the cauldron.

"Ding—" A Pay-to-Win notification came through the Mental Energy fluctuations:

[Potion Refining (Zero Ring) Proficiency +1, currently 93/100]

[zero-ring mental power amplification potion Formula Proficiency +1, currently 93/100].

A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Li Size's mouth. Without pausing, he immediately began the second refinement.

His movements grew faster, and his control of Mental Energy became more precise. The time from weighing to injecting Demonic Energy was shortened by one-twentieth, and the fluctuations of Demonic Energy within the cauldron became steadier.

As the eighth refinement began, fine beads of sweat broke out on Li Size's forehead. The continuous overextension of Mental Energy caused his vision to blur slightly.

Yet his fingertips remained as steady as a rock. To prevent any errors, however, he took out and consumed a dose of the Zero Ring mental energy recovery potion he had previously refined.

When the last drop of Primrose silver powder merged into the liquid, the cauldron suddenly erupted with a blinding blue light. The liquid solidified into a translucent crystal, its surface flowing with silver patterns—

[Perfect Quality!]

The System notification sounded at the same time:

[Potion Refining (Zero Ring) proficiency has reached 100/100, promoted to Great Master Perfection!]

[zero-ring mental power amplification potion Formula proficiency has reached Mastery level 100/100!]

A double blessing!

Li Size clenched his fist suddenly, Demonic Energy overflowing from his palm due to his excitement.

He immediately brought up the Pay-to-Win interface and simultaneously selected "Deduce and Optimize Potion Refining Skill" and "Promote zero-ring mental power amplification potion Formula to Great Master."

[Consuming 50,000 Energy Points, Potion Refining (Zero Ring) is being deduced and optimized...]

[Consuming 5,000 Energy Points, zero-ring mental power amplification potion Formula is being promoted to Great Master...]

A stream of pale golden information flooded into his mind, and the rune matrix of the Potion Refining skill reorganized within his consciousness.

Waves of newly born sorcery knowledge information surged like violent billows, fiercely striking his mind's memory sectors and giving him a bloated sensation!

The torrent of information this time was too massive for him to accept all at once; he could only grit his teeth and endure with difficulty.

It wasn't until about half a sorcery hour had passed that the sense of impact gradually subsided, nearing its end.

He took a deep breath, calming himself from his euphoria to sense the information of the newly upgraded skill and formula.

The new information made his recently calmed heart start pounding wildly again:

Enhanced Potion Refining (Zero Ring), non-upgradable, can be advanced to First Ring.

Advancement Requirements:

1. 20 Zero Ring potion formulas at Great Master level, or First Ring Potion Refining Legacy knowledge, or Analysis of five First Ring potion formulas.

2. Mental Energy reaches 15 points.

Remarks:

Through long-term, diligent, and unremitting study and Potion Refining practice, your refinement of Zero Ring potions has reached a level of Perfection, a Realm almost unprecedented and unparalleled.

You have already gained insight into the path for advancing to the First Ring Potion Refining skill; all that remains is to meet the requirements one by one.

Skill Effects:

1. Mastery level of all Zero Ring potion formulas is automatically promoted to Proficient, and the rate of proficiency gain is doubled.

2. Can expend more Mental Energy to batch-produce ten portions of potions simultaneously.

3. Able to increase potion effects by 70%, with a 30% chance for the effects to double.

The optimized Enhanced Potion Refining (Zero Ring) is truly Heaven-Defying!

He had heard that other Potion Great Masters should also have similar effects for Effect 1 and Effect 2.

These two effects could greatly increase the speed at which he refined potions and practiced potion formulas in the future.

Now, when learning a new Zero Ring potion, not only would he automatically master it to the Proficient level, but his practice speed would also be increased twenty-fold.

Formulas that originally took five to six months can now be grinded to Great Master level in less than ten days.

More importantly, for some Zero Ring potions with rare Materials that make regular practice impossible, such as the brain in a vat, his proficiency would improve directly without needing practice.

This would raise the effects of the rare potions he refined by another notch!

Compared to the Heaven-Defying Enhanced Potion Refining (Zero Ring), the zero-ring mental power amplification potion upgraded to Great Master (Great Master 0/100) seemed like a mere side dish, yet its potent effects still made him incredibly excited.

zero-ring mental power amplification potion (Great Master):

Can temporarily increase the consumer's Mental Energy by a moderate amount of 2.4 points.

Duration: 1.6 hours. Side effect: Dull Thinking (Mental Energy -1.4). Side effect duration: 1.4 hours. Potion resistance time: 14 hours.

He couldn't help but chuckle lowly, his voice echoing in the Laboratory:

"Double Perfection!

Now Lilith's brain in a vat and the subsequent potion production are all set!"

He picked up a portion of the mental power amplification potion he had just refined:

The potion refracted rainbow-colored light under the rune lamp. With a gentle shake, it emitted a faint "humming" sound, as if living Mental Energy were hidden inside.