33: Blood of the Dire Wolf

"What is it?"

"Brother Rayne, just say it!"

Rayne beckoned Little White, who was crouching beside Cecilia.

"Cecilia, you might not know this, but my family has another name—the Wild Wolf Family—because our founder, Knight Derrick of the Derrick Family, was a Wolf Knight."

Rayne recounted the deeds of Wild Wolf Knight Derrick to Cecilia, who listened with great interest to Derrick's Legendary story.

After a while, having finished the story of his ancestor, Rayne returned to the main topic.

"So, because of our ancestor, our family has a tradition of raising magic wolves across generations. Originally, our family even had a Magic Wolf Knights unit."

"However, during the invasion of the Fel Orcs, to resist them, all our Magic Wolf Knights perished in battle, along with the raised magic wolves and ordinary wolf beasts."

"I want to inherit my family's tradition and continue raising magic wolves. I hope you can help me with something, Cecilia."

Cecilia was quite impressed by Derrick's story, but she was now more curious about what Rayne wanted her help with.

"Brother Rayne, how can I help with raising magic wolves? That's your family's secret method."

Rayne took out a scroll made of animal hide from his chest and handed it to Cecilia.

"To make an ordinary wild wolf evolve into a magic wolf, the wolf beast must consume a special potion unique to our family—the blood of the magic wolf. Originally, only the family heir could learn the method to make this special potion. As the second son, I wasn't even qualified to learn it."

"In the past, the blood of the magic wolf was always prepared personally by my father, with my older brother assisting him. Now that both my father and brother have died in battle, there's no one left who knows how to prepare the potion. Fortunately, the family treasury holds the potion recipe."

"This is that recipe!"

Cecilia had initially wanted to look at the scroll's contents, but upon hearing Rayne's words, she immediately closed it and returned it to him.

"Brother Rayne, since this is your family's secret recipe, I won't look at it. Why are you giving it to me?"

Rayne did not take the scroll back.

"It's fine, you can take it and look. I've already seen the recipe, and it's not some highly advanced secret method. According to family records, this recipe was created by our ancestor after observing the habits of magic wolves while living among a Wolf Pack."

"Essentially, it's just that wild magic wolves eat specific magic plants, which our ancestor witnessed and recorded. Later, through repeated attempts, this recipe was developed."

"After studying it, I found that while it's called a potion, it feels somewhat different—there's still a gap compared to true potions."

"Apart from me, our Derrick Family has never produced a mage. My father and brother were pure knights, without a hint of magic, yet they could still prepare the blood of the magic wolf."

"So, in my view, this recipe is a special potion made from magic plants and ordinary herbs, created by our ancestor through his unique advantages and serendipity."

Cecilia didn't quite understand what Rayne was getting at and asked:

"So, Brother Rayne, what do you mean now?"

Rayne stopped beating around the bush and directly stated his idea.

"Cecilia, you're a genuine Potion Master, taught by Master Capdo for many years, so your skills must be excellent. I want you to optimize the blood of the magic wolf based on this recipe of mine, to create a true potion that will help Little White complete his transformation into a magic wolf."

"Optimize the recipe?"

"Me?"

Cecilia couldn't believe it.

"I can't do it, Brother Rayne. I'm only Bronze Rank. Although I've learned Potionology from Grandpa, I can only prepare low-grade potions now. I've tried several times to make Mid-grade Magic Potions but haven't succeeded—each time, I was just a bit off."

"Grandpa says I still need time to hone my skills. Asking me to optimize your family's secret recipe—that's definitely not possible."

"I can't do it, Brother Rayne."

Cecilia spoke with a hint of grievance. She really wanted to help Rayne but felt she didn't have the capability to solve his problem.

Hearing Cecilia's words, Rayne wasn't disappointed but instead became very happy.

"What did you say, Cecilia?"

"You've already tried preparing Mid-grade Magic Potions? So, you've reached the peak of a junior Potion Master and are starting to advance to an intermediate one?"

"You're only 14 and already this skilled? That's amazing, Cecilia!"

"You can definitely succeed in optimizing the blood of the magic wolf. Don't worry, take a look at the recipe—it's very simple. I believe you can do it."

Rayne had initially thought Cecilia might know how to prepare potions but at a low level, given she's only 14.

He never expected that Cecilia had already started trying to prepare Mid-grade Magic Potions, which delighted him immensely.

"Take a look first, Cecilia."

"Alright, Brother Rayne."

Unable to resist Rayne, Cecilia finally opened the scroll and began reading.

Seeing Cecilia start to read the scroll's contents seriously, Rayne fell silent and waited quietly.

A moment later, after finishing the blood of the magic wolf recipe, Cecilia gently closed the scroll.

"Brother Rayne, I think I have some ideas. I need to go back and think it over carefully. Can I take the scroll with me?"

"Of course, thank you for your hard work, Cecilia."

Watching Cecilia leave with a furrowed brow, Rayne felt confident. Clearly, Cecilia already had inspiration, and the recipe optimization would likely be completed soon.

"Indeed, that recipe is too crude. It needs a professional to optimize and upgrade it."

After obtaining the blood of the magic wolf recipe from the family treasury, Rayne felt the preparation method was too simple and casual.

After becoming a mage and learning spell knowledge, especially through exchanges with Cecilia, Rayne had subtly gleaned some Potionology knowledge from her, giving him some understanding of the field.

Looking back at the blood of the magic wolf recipe, Rayne increasingly felt something was off. So, after becoming more familiar with Cecilia, he decided to have her, a professional Potion Master, optimize the recipe.

The Derrick Family regarded the recipe as a treasure, not even allowing family members to learn it for fear it would spread. In Rayne's eyes, this closed-minded approach was a complete waste.

Rayne had no intention of spreading the recipe, but he also wouldn't follow the Derrick Family ancestors' practice of working behind closed doors.

Originally, Rayne planned to learn Potionology himself and then optimize the recipe. But after spending time with Cecilia, he realized this young girl could complete the optimization earlier, without worrying about the recipe being leaked.

Cecilia is a mage from the Southern Realm, not a noble, and currently seems to have no family—just her and her grandfather.

Two rare Potion Master talents, free from family entanglements—such individuals, Rayne would go to great lengths to keep.

Optimizing the blood of the magic wolf recipe was both an attempt and a test. For Rayne, the worst-case scenario would be Cecilia taking the recipe and returning to the Southern Realm's Immortal Territory, which wouldn't affect him.

If Rayne's plan succeeded, the rewards would be immense.

"I really am a genius."

"Little White, it won't be long before you can transform into a magic wolf. Aren't you happy?"

Rayne excitedly rubbed Little White's head, and Little White, equally excited, couldn't help but bark.

"Hahahaha!"