"A Monster Hunt led by the Mage’s Guild?"

Zelir was intrigued by this novel event; it was the first time he’d ever heard of it. "What exactly does it involve?"

"You can think of it as an opportunity for you all to get some training."

Manlin explained.

"Most Mages are usually busy with Meditation or researching Magic. They rarely go out, thus lacking practical combat experience. If that trend continues, they’ll end up at a huge disadvantage."

"To address this, the Mage’s Guild organizes a Monster Hunt every year. They select a group of Magic Apprentices and Junior Mages to form a team and challenge Demons under the guidance of an Instructor."

"Wow, they even have such a thoughtful event," Zelir couldn’t help but marvel.

"For this Monster Hunt, not only will there be the three of us Upper Level Mages, but the Adventurer’s Association will also be sending many of their top Adventurers. So, safety won’t be an issue."

Manlin said, "Alright, I’ve given you the news. You should go back and prepare."

"Understood, Instructor Manlin."

Zelir nodded, but he didn’t leave right away.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "But... I have another question, and I was hoping you might be able to answer it."

"What is it?"

"Instructor Manlin, how exactly does the Extraction Skill refine a Magic Potion?" Zelir asked.

"Why do you ask? It’s not like you can use Empowerment Magic." Manlin was a bit puzzled.

"Actually, I can."

Zelir opened his right hand. After gathering his Magic Power, a faint green light sprouted in his palm.

Instructor Manlin’s eyes widened slightly, wondering if she was seeing things.

This unique Magic Wave, this familiar life-like aura...

It was clearly the Extraction Skill!

Instructor Manlin unconsciously leaned forward, her face a mask of disbelief.

"You... you know the Extraction Skill?"

"Yes." Zelir nodded, admitting it openly.

’The fact that I can use Empowerment Magic can’t be hidden for long anyway. It was bound to be exposed sooner or later.’

’Besides, I want to delve deeper into Magic Potion Science, and there’s no better guide than Instructor Manlin.’

’Instead of hiding it and arousing unnecessary suspicion when it’s discovered later, it’s better to just lay my cards on the table in front of the instructor I trust the most.’

"How did you learn it?"

Manlin, as expected, asked this very question.

’A Mage who has mastered both the Elemental and Arcane Magic Systems can also master Empowerment Magic?’

"Um..."

Zelir put on his trademark innocent expression and scratched his head.

"To be honest, I’m not entirely sure either. But ever since I was promoted to Junior Mage a while ago, I’ve felt some strange changes inside my body."

"It’s like my sea of consciousness has expanded, and my understanding of all kinds of Magic has become more integrated."

"At the time, I thought, ’Since I can master the Arcane and Elemental Systems, then maybe... I could give the Empowerment System a try?’"

"And since I was also very interested in refining Magic Potions, I bought a Scroll for the Extraction Skill..."

Zelir paused, a hint of incredulous relief on his face.

"And then I just... kept practicing, and somehow, I actually mastered it."

It took a long moment for Manlin’s mouth to slowly close. Her gaze toward Zelir was still filled with astonishment.

’A strange mutation caused by being promoted to a Junior Mage... It’s certainly possible.’

"But it’s still incredible... The Elemental Mage I’ve seen with the highest affinity for the Empowerment System barely managed to learn Level Three Empowerment Magic, and that was only when they became an Upper Level Mage."

She sat back down in her rocking chair, took a large gulp of her herbal tea, and suppressed the emotions churning within her.

"Alright... since you’re truly interested in Magic Potion Science, let me give you a simple introduction to what this skill is all about."

"Magic Potion Science, at its core, is the technique of extracting, analyzing, and restructuring essences."

Manlin’s voice returned to its usual gentle and professional tone.

"Certain peculiar plants, the Demon Cores of powerful Demons, and even some special Ores—they all contain unique essences within them."

"And the mission of an Alchemist is to extract these essences and, through the precise manipulation of techniques, fuse them together in a stable manner, ultimately creating Magic Potions with all sorts of wondrous effects."

"The precise manipulation of techniques?"

Zelir sharply caught on to this key phrase.

"Do you mean... after extracting the essences, you still need to guide them according to a strict Spell Structure, just like casting Magic, in order to finally fuse them?"

"You’re very clever."

Manlin nodded in approval.

"That’s right. Extracting the essences is just the first step. The real difficulty lies in how to fuse the extracted essences together."

"The purity of the essences, the order of fusion, the ratio of materials, and most importantly—the Fusion Technique used to guide their combination. There’s a science to all of it."

"Just as Magic has its Magic Scrolls, Magic Potions have their own Magic Potion Recipes. Each recipe records a unique Spell Structure."

"A mistake in any step—like getting the order wrong, using the wrong ratio, or making an error while manipulating the Spell Structure—will lead to a failed refining."

"At best, the materials are ruined. At worst, it can trigger potent poisons or explosions."

"That sounds really complicated..." Zelir lamented.

He recalled that when he observed Instructor Manlin refining the Healing Potion and the Overclocking Potion, his Technique Celestial Calculation didn’t react at all.

’It seems it can’t analyze the Spell Structures for the Alchemy of Magic Potions.’

’Sigh, it would be great if I had a talent like ’Potion Celestial Calculation’ or something,’ Zelir couldn’t help but think.

"In short, it is an extremely profound field of study."

Manlin concluded, "It not only requires a vast reserve of knowledge but also a precise Magic Manipulation Level."

She walked over to the tall bookshelf in the room and searched for a moment before taking down two thick books.

Then, Manlin rummaged through a cabinet and took out a piece of parchment that looked similar to a Magic Scroll.

She handed all of these items to Zelir.

"These two are the *Common Magical Plants Atlas* and *Introduction to Magical Potions*. Take them back and study them thoroughly to build a solid foundation."

"And this."

Manlin pointed to the parchment scroll.

"This is the Magic Potion Recipe for a Low Level Recovery Potion. This potion is considered the simplest, entry-level one, perfect for beginners to practice with."

"Instructor Manlin, thank you so much..." Zelir was a little embarrassed.

He had received so much from Instructor Manlin again this time.

"Alright, don’t mention it. These things are nothing."

Manlin just smiled gently.

"Study hard. I’m actually quite curious to see just how far you can go in the field of the Empowerment System."

"Yes, Instructor Manlin."

After leaving the office, Zelir didn’t go straight back to the inn. Instead, he turned and headed to the bustling trade district.

According to the Magic Potion Recipe, the formula for a Low Level Recovery Potion wasn’t complex, requiring only three basic ingredients.

Calming Flower, a small blue flower that emits a soothing aroma, is the potion’s main active and regenerative ingredient.

Earth Root Grass, a short, stout plant with a thick rhizome. Its root contains a gentle essence and is the key ingredient for neutralizing the potion’s properties.

Morning Dew Grass, a plant whose leaves always seem to be beaded with dew. Its juice is clear and pure, rich in trace amounts of Magic Power, making it the best choice for a fusion base.

None of these were rare items, and Zelir quickly found them at a stall specializing in medicinal herbs.

However, even for basic ingredients, the price wasn’t cheap.

Zelir bought enough for three practice attempts, which cost him a full three Gold Coins, and there was no room for haggling.

As he was paying, Zelir’s gaze inadvertently swept over the other medicinal ingredients on the stall, which were carefully protected under glass domes.