53: Four potions

For the next few days, Renn stayed in the barracks, teaching the Derrick Family's Wild Wolf Breathing Technique every day.

After several squads that had been out on patrol returned, they all swore fealty to Renn. By now, the entire Guard Army had sworn their loyalty.

Renn taught the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique bit by bit to the 250 members of the Guard Army.

Apart from the thirty or so Professionals who were literate, the rest of the 200-plus members of the Guard Army were basically illiterate; even if he gave them the scrolls recording the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique, they wouldn't be able to understand them.

Renn had no intention of giving them the scrolls either; he personally took charge and taught them step-by-step, starting from the basics.

As the secret inheritance technique of the Derrick Family, the original Renn had practiced the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique since childhood and had long since reached the level of perfection.

Later, Renn went to the Raging Bear Fortress Knight Academy for further studies and learned the Gold Rank Breathing Technique, the Angry Bear Breath Technique, after which he focused on the Angry Bear Breath Technique.

The Wild Wolf Breathing Technique, created by the Wild Wolf Knight Derrick himself, was a high-tier Silver Rank Breathing Technique. It was only one step away from breaking through to the Gold Rank, but that single step, though seemingly short, was actually a world of difference.

Derrick never managed to elevate the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique to the Gold Rank in his lifetime; he himself had broken through to the Gold Rank by practicing the Angry Bear Breath Technique.

As a descendant of Derrick, Renn followed the same path as his ancestor.

As the days Renn spent teaching the Breathing Technique passed, individual differences within the Guard Army soon became apparent. Ross took only two days to get the hang of it, and then it was just a matter of practicing repeatedly to gain proficiency.

Eric, Wayne, and others took five days to get started. As for the rest, Renn had taught them until the seventh day and they still hadn't grasped it, still slowly learning.

During those seven days, Renn demonstrated the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique over and over again and explained it repeatedly, talking until his throat was dry every day.

Every time he saw Ross skillfully beginning to use the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique for cultivation, Renn felt very gratified, but when he turned to look at the crowd on the other side who were still scratching their heads and unable to find the way in, he felt quite helpless.

Everyone's talent was fixed, and there was nothing he could do to change it.

"Fortunately, these seven days haven't been in vain. Ross and a few others have already started. I can let them handle the introductory teaching from now on."

Renn took out twenty Black Iron Rank magic cores from his spatial ring and distributed them to Ross and the others who were the first to master the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique as a reward.

At the same time, he had Ross take over his teaching duties and lead the remaining soldiers in practicing the Wild Wolf Breathing Technique.

"Lord, I've only just started. Will I be okay?"

Ross was a bit uncertain. If he happened to teach it wrong, wouldn't he be leading everyone else astray?

"It's fine. I've watched you, and there haven't been any problems with your practice these past few days. Just teach them exactly how you're practicing now, and it'll be fine."

"If there's anything you don't understand, you can come directly to me. Besides, I'll often take the time to come and explain things to you all personally, so don't worry."

"Cecilia and Fornal have many affairs waiting for me to handle. I can't be in two places at once, so I need you to take care of things here at the barracks."

As he spoke, Renn placed another Bronze Rank magic core into Ross's hand.

"You are only half a step away from a breakthrough. I expect it won't be long before you reach the Silver Rank. Take these magic cores and use them well to complete your breakthrough as soon as possible."

The most efficient way to use magic cores is to refine them into potions or magic equipment; having Professionals absorb them directly is somewhat wasteful, but Renn had no other choice right now.

Cecilia and Kapdo were not his people, and he couldn't just order them to refine potions for him.

Besides, Cecilia was already giving him a lot of face by refining the blood of the magic wolf for him.

Thinking of this, Renn couldn't wait to find Cecilia.

He had just received a message from Cecilia saying that the finished product of the blood of the magic wolf was ready and she needed him to come and see it.

"Alright, that's all. Everyone, listen to Ross and practice hard. I'll come to check on you from time to time. If I see anyone slacking off, don't blame me for being unkind."

Renn looked around at the Guard Army captains and squad leaders standing nearby.

"Yes, sir!"

Having arranged the barracks' affairs, Renn walked quickly to Cecilia's temporary workshop.

It was a large room inside the castle, currently filled with magic equipment for refining potions.

Cecilia and Kapdo were in the room waiting for Renn.

Seeing Renn arrive, Cecilia stood up and greeted him warmly.

"Big Brother Renn, you're here."

"Thank you for your hard work, Cecilia, and Master Capdo!"

As soon as he entered, Renn saw several bottles of potions placed on the workbench.

"It's nothing, Big Brother Renn!"

"Come and see my results; they will definitely surprise you."

Cecilia eagerly pulled Renn to the workbench to show him the fruits of her labor during this period.

"A total of four bottles of finished potions!"

"The bottle on the far left is my first creation. I optimized the original recipe for the blood of the magic wolf, removing two auxiliary herbs, adding three others, and reducing the amount of magic wolf grass slightly."

"Big Brother Renn, your family's previous recipe was a bit too crude. A lot of the energy from the magic wolf grass was lost during the preparation, so a larger amount of magic wolf grass was needed to enhance the potion's effect."

"After my optimization, the blood of the magic wolf potion has become a formal low-grade potion. The cost of use is twenty percent lower than before, while the potion's effect has increased by thirty percent."

"Looking further to the right, this bottle of blood of the magic wolf is the second improved version, co-produced by my grandfather and me, with him personally guiding the modification of the recipe."

"Five more herbs were added as auxiliary ingredients to this recipe, and the amount of magic wolf grass was also increased. In the end, the cost of refining it increased by fifty percent compared to the first one, but the potion's effect has doubled."

"This improved version of the blood of the magic wolf has basically reached the peak of low-grade potions. If we can find suitable magic plants to incorporate into the recipe later, it might reach mid-grade."

Cecilia spoke proudly, her small face looking at Renn with a spirited expression, as if saying, 'come and praise me.'

Renn, of course, was not stingy with his praise and gave Cecilia a round of compliments.

"As expected of our Cecilia, a genius girl. You're amazing, being able to modify, upgrade, and even refine such a powerful blood of the magic wolf in just a few days."

"Incredible!"

Cecilia thoroughly enjoyed Renn's praise and couldn't help but laugh.

"Hahahaha!"

"Hmph!"

Kapdo, sitting to the side, suddenly gave a light snort, interrupting the self-satisfied Cecilia.

"It's alright, it was still Grandfather who taught me; otherwise, it wouldn't have been completed so quickly."

Sticking out her tongue, Cecilia quickly put away her smile and continued to introduce the remaining two bottles of potions on the right.

"Let's look at these last two potions!"

"These two potions were also modified from the blood of the magic wolf recipe, but they aren't for magic wolves; they're for humans."

"For humans?" Renn asked curiously.

"Yes, magic wolf grass is widely distributed throughout the kingdom, in all four regions. In other places, the potions people refine with magic wolf grass aren't just for magic beasts, but also for humans."

"The difference lies in the auxiliary herbs paired with the magic wolf grass, which vary from place to place. Big Brother Renn, you were using herbs that are specialties of the North."

"Grandfather and I re-selected and paired these common herbs to refine these two potions suitable for human use."

"I've named them warriors blood and heros blood."