Chapter 157 - 157 139 Magic Potion

157: Chapter 139: Magic Potion 157: Chapter 139: Magic Potion The gray-black test tube lay on the table, the sludgy liquid was nauseating to watch, but the tiny bottle warranted a price starting in the five digits. “… Let me see, before drinking, I need to wait until 2 PM when it’s cloudless, face southeast direction, prostrate to the sun three times, raise the potion, and shake it…” Lu Ping’an was still going through the newly acquired instruction manual but was getting more and more puzzled. “Big Cat? How is drinking a potion like performing a ritual? What will happen if I don’t do it?” At a time like this, it was natural to seek advice from his beloved Big Cat. By the way, Lu Ping’an had already confirmed that Big Cat didn’t have a part-time job in potion crafting. Otherwise, a gardener distributing magic potions, an auto-farm paired with an assembly line could save a lot of money. “If you don’t do it, the magic potion could become ineffective at its lightest or turn into a poison at its worst,” Big Cat was knowledgeable about such common sense. In a sense, magic potions can be considered a simplified type of curse technique ritual, and their effectiveness is the result of the curse technique. The creation of a magic potion begins with a “ritual”, and the final consumption of the potion completes the “curse technique” process, or rather, it is the means to trigger the effects. Like other curse technique rituals, the simplified procedures for “magic potions” require certain fixed procedures and may even borrow the power of a deity or the position of stars. There are many requirements for the location and sequence of the ritual. “It’s not too bad as long as there are not any unpleasant specified actions. Many potion makers use a bunch of chaotic stuff to put locks on their potions. Not only does this one have no lock, but it’s also very pure; it just borrows the power of a star. For a low-rank potion, this Red Blood (Boiling) potion is quite conscientious and the potion maker’s skills are not bad,” Big Cat commended. With Big Cat’s words, Lu Ping’an reluctantly proceeded. Following the instructions, at a specific time, he shook it towards the sun and saw the pitch-black potion gradually change to golden color. “Does this mean that I’m the executor of the ritual? With the help of the magic potion, I used a disposable curse technique? No wonder it can bypass the talent and take effect, it’s as if I cursed myself…” Lu Ping’an pondered, then clenched his teeth and swallowed the potion in one gulp. “Cough, it’s a bit disgusting and spicy.” However, this “excellent” Red Blood potion had an immediate effect. Lu Ping’an felt a burning sensation all over his body. His whole body heated up and felt restless. After taking a few steps, he felt dizzy and had to sit down reluctantly. The boiling blood flowed through his body, his skin gradually turned red – perhaps this was how the “Red Blood Potion” got its name. His body temperature had exceeded fifty degrees, a normal person would have fainted or kicked the bucket by this time, or perhaps this is why one needs to be a “competent professional” to consume this potion. After a full fifteen minutes, Lu Ping’an finally felt his blood calm down, and his vision, which was a reddish haze, finally returned to normal. Lu Ping’an had a vague feeling that something within his body seemed ready to be probed. He closed his eyes, perceiving his surroundings to be clear, calm, and in such a state, he could even hear the birds chirping in the trees. “It seems I can touch it?” He subconsciously summoned a tentacle of spiritual power; but before it could touch the bird, it dispersed on its own. Simultaneously, he was also hit by a wave of emptiness. He rested for a while before attempting to probe again and found that the range of the spiritual power was not broad, only around one meter around him. “A very good potion, the effects are quite satisfactory. Don’t rush, the magic potion only opened the door for you, you still have to train yourself from now on.” While Lu Ping’an was uncertain about the outcome, Big Cat was quite pleased. However, the system’s prompt was quite straightforward. [Consumed Red Blood Potion (High Quality), the ritual was performed well, the potion is being activated…] [Congratulations Host, you have awakened ‘General Skill, Spiritual Power Projected Lv1’].] This undoubtedly indicated that the potion consumption had succeeded. Little did Big Cat know, there were still two more potions in Lu Ping’an’s bag, but even if the conditions were met, Big Cat didn’t recommend him to take potions in succession. “In a sense, consuming a magic potion is like voluntarily guiding pollution to transform yourself. You need to allow your body and soul to overcome the foreign substances. That requires time.” Whenever Big Cat understood something, her explanations were always principle-based, instead of just teaching the students how to do it, like regular teachers. The cost of these three potions combined had nearly wiped out Lu Ping’an’s nearly hundred thousand savings. If it weren’t for the pressing circumstances, the tight-fisted Lu Ping’an wouldn’t have parted with his money so easily. [Quality ‘Body Enhancing Potion’ (Black Iron Lower Level Cursed Object): After consuming, it increases physical strength, enhances regeneration speed a little, and slightly boosts metabolism.] [Quality ‘Sharp Eye Potion’ (Black Iron Lower Level Cursed Object): After consuming, it enhances dynamic vision, has a small chance of enhancing reflex speed, and a minuscule chance of causing Magic Eye Mutation.] Both potions are quite pricey, but Miss Lululu actually gave Lu Ping’an a discount, offering them at a super cost price, deducting all costs of manual labor, rituals, and expenses. If you bought it at the market price, it might cost three or four times as much, which also means that Hua senior sister’s debt would be reduced a little bit more. Who wouldn’t want a potion that could permanently increase the basic abilities? Even if they are pricey, it’s worth it. When Lu Ping’an first inquired about the price at the Green New Shop, it was quite scary. All of these potions are rated as “Quality”, which proves the outstanding skill of a certain potion maker. Lu Ping’an took the risk to acquire these potions, of course not just for the immediate abilities they could provide. “Big Cat, are you sure these potions can help me enhance my spiritual power? I don’t see that written on them…” Lu Ping’an finding the Black Iron Middle-Rank Spirit required by the 2-tier Gardener, an unavoidable hardware condition, was a bit troublesome. Spiritual power in its intangible form is the hardest to elevate. He had already had difficulty with this in the past. At that time, he almost resorted to taking potions to force a breakthrough (expensive and with many potential long-term issues). “You have already completed the three-in-one integration transformation, these three aspects are not individually isolated anymore. Enhancing your body and reflexes will facilitate your spiritual power to breakthrough. Look at it another way, if you have a strong body and quick reflexes, your spirit body will be more lively.” This is the little trick that Big Cat provides, she strongly objects to Lu Ping’an taking potions directly for a spiritual power boost. Why? Because forcibly enhancing spiritual power (spiritual body) under unstable conditions leads to extreme danger and potential damage to the roots. Of course, convincing Lu Ping’an, who doesn’t care about the consequences or the long term… “Why does the potion that can enhance my spiritual power, at least start at the third-tier, and essentially start at 200,000?!” This is the result of Lu Ping’an directly accepting Big Cat’s advice. “Because of market demand, the majority of non-combat professions get stuck at this, and also the process of concocting is a challenge and expensive. Enhancing the body is easier, refining and purifying intangible spiritual power is too difficult.” That’s how the market is, potions that directly enhance the base hardware are super expensive, and among them, the potions that enhance physical strength are the cheapest, not only in variety but also in function. Even the cheapest potion enhancing reflexes, is at least twice as expensive. For spiritual power, you can expect it to be ten times, even a hundred times more expensive. So, out of necessity, Lu Ping’an had to opt for Big Cat’s alternative way. He didn’t even get the specific “Reflex Enhancement” potion. Big Cat said that stuff would cause nerve convulsions for a period of time after use, the side effects were too troublesome. Now, it was time to test whether Big Cat’s experience was effective or not. Lu Ping’an went directly into the Knight’s Secret Realm. It was time to practice his newly upgraded “All Weapon Specialization”. Once he started to engage in combat, Lu Ping’an felt a noticeable improvement in himself. The metal cans that were hard chew in the past, are now just paper people that shatter with a casual tap. “Life Sharing” also enhanced his “(Active Weapon) Life Resonance” characteristic, really sharing the touch of the tentacles, making him more sensitive in various aspects. This wasn’t an increase in quantity, but a qualitative change. Just by using his “Lu Ping’an Style Tentacle Dance”, he made it easily to the 15th floor. At this time, the slightly enhanced opponent started heating him up. Even though he could have continued, he stopped deliberately. He opened his bag, read the instructions, and prepared to down the potion… This was Big Cat’s “alternative method”. “The potion that has a chance to increase reflexive speed is very effective when used after battle. When the body is boiling, the effect is much better.” So, Lu Ping’an followed this advice to save money. [Consumed the Sharp Eye Potion (Quality), the ritual was performed well, potion effect is in progress, please wait……] [Congratulations Host, visual enhancement is slightly enhanced, and reflex (Black Iron Lower Level) has a mild increase.] There wasn’t that hyped up extremely low chance for ‘Magic Eye Awakening’, but that particularly depends on talent and the awakening rate for those with corresponding talent is a very small number even after several zeros behind the decimal point. For Lu Ping’an, just achieving a “Reflection Enhancement” result is already good enough. “Big Cat’s alternative method is effective, sigh, it’s going to cost more money again.” Potions that permanently enhance the same kind of thing mostly only work once, but for different kinds…probably in the next few days, Lu Ping’an’s wallet is going to be busted massively.