Ian tensed. ’This woman is no simpleton. Her intuition is sharp.’

He dropped the pretense and said directly, "Lady Mira, I do indeed need some rarer materials. I intend to try refining a higher-level potion and improve my skills.

I heard you have special connections and might be able to help."

"Oh? Tell me, what materials are you looking for?" Mira seemed to have taken an interest.

Ian took a deep breath and slowly listed off the names. "Starlight Vine Marrow Crystal, Moon Soul Essence, Silver Soul Grass Pollen, Extract of the Bark of the Ancient Tree of Life, and Calm Heart Spring Water."

With every name Ian spoke, Mira’s deep purple eyes flickered. Once he had finished, a faint, unreadable smile played on her lips.

"The Concentration Potion... I’m surprised you know the recipe, let alone that you’re trying to gather the ingredients."

Her tone was unreadable. "You’re quite ambitious, young man."

Any one of the main ingredients for this potion would draw the attention of an Official Wizard.

The difficulty of gathering and processing them is far beyond the capabilities of an Apprentice.

"I want to try," Ian admitted frankly.

"I don’t need a complete set. I’m willing to pay a handsome price for even just a lead on one or two of them, or a small amount of low-quality samples or remnants for research."

Mira walked back to her desk and sat down, her fingers tapping lightly on the surface as she seemed to weigh her options.

The room fell silent, the only sound the faint babbling of a stream outside the window.

After a long moment, she finally spoke. "I don’t have any Starlight Vine Marrow Crystal or Moon Soul Essence on hand. The places where they are found are all controlled by major powers. Very little gets out, and whenever it does, it incites a scramble."

Ian’s heart sank.

If there was no hope of obtaining the core ingredients, he would have to consider leaving and heading for a town closer to the core region of the Silver Ring.

He couldn’t afford to delay his cultivation, and the Concentration Potion was the key to rapidly increasing his power.

But Mira’s tone shifted. "However... this is Silver Ring territory, after all. Though remote, it’s still rich in resources.

Periodically, traveling merchants from the core region of the Silver Ring pass through, bringing supplies that are rare in the outer areas."

She paused, her deep purple eyes fixed on Ian.

"As for Silver Soul Grass Pollen, I happened to acquire a vial not long ago from someone who ventured deep into the Silent Death Mountain Range and was lucky to make it back alive."

"The Extract of the Bark of the Ancient Tree of Life... I have a lead on it, but obtaining it is extremely risky."

"Calm Heart Spring Water is relatively easy to come by, but the high-purity kind isn’t cheap."

Ian breathed a sigh of relief. ’As long as there’s a way, that’s what matters.’

Even though the two most critical ingredients were unavailable for now, getting his hands on the auxiliary ones was still good progress.

More importantly, Mira had mentioned traveling merchants from the Silver Ring!

This meant that a channel existed; it would just require time and a price.

"As for the Starlight Vine Marrow Crystal and Moon Soul Essence," Mira continued, "while I don’t have any here, I can keep an eye out for you."

"The next merchant is due to arrive in about a month. They sometimes carry such rare materials, but the price is steep."

"If you can prove your worth, I can make an introduction on your behalf."

Ian composed himself. ’One month. I can accept that.’

’If I can get some of the materials to practice with first, while simultaneously establishing a channel for the core ingredients, then staying here will be worthwhile.’

"Lady Mira, what is the price for the Silver Soul Grass Pollen and the lead on the bark extract?"

Mira didn’t answer directly, countering with a question of her own.

"And what will you be paying with? Magic Stones? You look travel-worn; I doubt you’re carrying a large quantity of Magic Stones."

"Special resources? Or... your skill in Alchemy?"

Ian considered this for a moment before taking two potions from the leather pouch at his side and placing them on the desk.

One was his Limit-Breaking Edition Secondary Healing Potion, which had a Continuous Healing effect. The other was a standard-quality Awakening Potion.

"This green one is an improved Healing Potion I developed. It’s stronger than the standard version and has a continuous healing property."

"This blue one is an Awakening Potion of above-standard quality. It’s quite effective at helping Middle Level and some High Level Apprentices stabilize their minds and aid their meditation."

Ian explained, "I can pay with potions. Additionally, I have some Demonized Biological Materials that you might find valuable."

Mira picked up the two potions, carefully sensing the energy fluctuations within them. Then, she uncorked the vials and sniffed them with extreme caution.

"This Healing Potion is indeed exceptional. The energy structure is more stable, and the restorative effect is longer-lasting. The purity of the Awakening Potion is also quite good."

She stoppered the vials again, and the way she looked at Ian now held a new level of consideration.

"If you can consistently produce potions of this quality, you could establish a very respectable trading position in this region."

Her fingers tapped the desk again as she came to a decision.

"I can sell you the Silver Soul Grass Pollen. I’ll trade it for your improved Healing Potions and standard Awakening Potions."

"I can provide the lead on the Ancient Tree of Life Bark Extract for free, but you’ll have to figure out how to obtain it yourself."

"Furthermore, if you succeed in acquiring it, I’ll take a ten percent cut as my information fee."

"As for Calm Heart Spring Water, I can supply it at market price. You can pay with Magic Stones or other potions."

A glint appeared in Mira’s eyes. "We could sign a preliminary supply agreement. You would periodically provide me with a certain quantity of these two potions."

"In return, I will supply you with the auxiliary ingredients for the Concentration Potion, help you watch for news about the Starlight Vine Marrow Crystal and Moon Soul Essence, and give you priority notification when the merchants arrive. How does that sound?"

Ian didn’t hesitate for long before nodding. "Agreed. But first, I need the Silver Soul Grass Pollen and the lead on the bark extract."

As for the specific quantities and schedule for the supply agreement, the two of them would need to negotiate the details further.

A smile spread across Mira’s face, making her look less enigmatic and revealing the shrewdness of a merchant.

"Excellent. Hawke, please wait outside for a moment. Mr. Ian and I need to discuss the details in private."

Hawke, taking the hint, nodded and left the room.

For the next while, Ian and Mira hammered out the details of the transaction.

In the end, Ian exchanged ten vials each of the Limit-Breaking Edition Secondary Healing Potion and the Awakening Potion for one vial of Silver Soul Grass Pollen, a trade worth roughly ninety Magic Stones.

The Silver Soul Grass Pollen was only an auxiliary ingredient, and very little was needed for the refining process. This one vial was enough to attempt refining the Concentration Potion hundreds of times.

As for the lead on the Ancient Tree of Life Bark Extract, Mira told him it was rumored to be located deeper within the Silent Death Mountain Range.

The location was near a core zone known as the Whispering Forest, where someone had once discovered traces of a small grove of ancient trees suspected of being a subspecies or distant relative of the Ancient Tree of Life.

However, the area was overrun by an extremely tenacious creature, the Soul-Devouring Tree Demon. Its spiritual attacks were nearly impossible to guard against, the environment itself was bizarre, and those who ventured there rarely returned alive.

"You must be careful. The power of a single Soul-Devouring Tree Demon is comparable to a top-tier High Level Apprentice. It would be best to form a party or spend Magic Stones to hire help."

After reminding Ian once more, she gave him a crude, hand-drawn map that marked the general location and known dangers.

As for the supply agreement, they tentatively agreed that Ian would provide the Dream Weaver’s Cottage with one hundred of his improved Healing Potions and fifty Awakening Potions each month.

In return, Mira would give Ian priority in supplying the basic medicinal ingredients he required at a fifteen percent discount from the market price.

She also promised to introduce him to the traveling merchant when they arrived in a month’s time, and to help him secure an opportunity to purchase either the Starlight Vine Marrow Crystal or the Moon Soul Essence.

With the transaction complete, Ian carefully stored the Silver Soul Grass Pollen away and committed the crude map to memory.