Chapter Thirty-Three: Two Prescriptions

The fourteen elite registered disciples of the Seventh Medicine Peak, after many trials, finally returned safely! Including Mischa and her companions, all the registered disciples were overjoyed to the point of tears, crowding around Xu Wen, Xie Zhan, Jin Yu, and Xiang Nan as they left the Blackwater Mountains.

Along the way, questions inevitably arose.

Most inquiries were directed at Xu Wen. When Xie Zhan asked about what happened after their departure, everyone held their breath, staring at their hero—the two-star, seventh-tier fire mage who had faced the attacks of a mid-level three-star magical beast alone. The girls, especially Mischa and Jin Yu, cared most about this question, knowing well that the Iceflame Snow Wolf had the power to instantly kill any fire mage below three stars. That Xu Wen emerged alive was both luck and miracle.

Fortunately, after the Iceflame Snow Wolf left, Xu Wen had already devised a plan. He simply repeated what he'd told the rescue team.

“The Iceflame Snow Wolf was previously poisoned?”

“Was it?” Jin Yu and her friends exchanged glances and shook their heads. They had been too far away, and everyone was overwhelmed by the wolf’s imposing presence—no one had time to scrutinize its appearance. Since Xu Wen said so, it must be true.

They examined the gray pill Mischa held between her fingers.

This was something Xu Wen had already revealed, having used it before Jin Yu and her friends; it could not be hidden. Xu Wen named it “Fire Stabilizing Pill,” designed primarily to counter single-target fire magic such as “Grand Fireball,” releasing gas from within that voraciously consumed fire elements.

This was no ordinary formula from entry-level books; even the Hortonklin family lacked the recipe. Mischa couldn’t help but doubt whether the pill truly had the claimed effect.

“Who will try it?” she asked, and instantly all the registered disciples clamored to volunteer.

“I will!” “Me…” “Let me!”

Senior Li, however, strode out of the group with a solemn expression. “I’ll test it. I’ll unleash Grand Fireball with full force; its power should be similar to the Iceflame Snow Wolf’s.” With the senior’s decision, no one objected. They stepped aside, leaving Mischa with the pill standing opposite Senior Li, Xu Wen nearby instructing her on its use.

“As long as the magic doesn’t come within ten meters, nothing will happen…”

Seconds later, the fierce super fireball shot by Senior Li halted its expansion at ten meters from Mischa and Xu Wen, lingering for several more seconds before collapsing from the inside out, dissipating completely and leaving behind a suffocating, unpleasant odor.

“Amazing… Jin Yu, is this how you escaped?” asked Shi Ya.

“To invent such a pill just for the Academy competition…” Jin Yu forgot to answer Shi Ya, staring at the calm figure beside Mischa, murmuring to herself.

“A very successful pill!” Senior Li returned excitedly. “If it needs grading, Xu Wen’s ‘Fire Stabilizing Pill’ is at least mid-level three-star! Tsk!”

Xu Wen arched his brow in silent praise—not surprising for a three-star alchemist, to immediately discern the pill’s grade.

Indeed, the original recipe had a three-star mark in the “Necromancer’s Codex,” created by a renowned necromancer mage to counter “Grand Fireball”—fast to condense, broad in range, and powerful, but lacking in mobility.

Xu Wen had learned this magic to protect his undead army—fire is, apart from light, the element most damaging to undead.

With Xu Wen’s confirmation of the “poison wound” and the appearance of the “Fire Stabilizing Pill,” everyone’s confidence in his survival against the wounded Iceflame Snow Wolf soared; so much so, when Xu Wen said the wolf suddenly abandoned him and left, no one doubted it.

“A three-star beast’s sense of smell far surpasses that of two stars. It likely sensed the rescue party approaching and fled in haste. Such mid-level beasts are actually very timid, especially when wounded—any disturbance and they hide.”

At this, Mischa pulled Xu Wen aside. “Xu Wen, you invented the Fire Stabilizing Pill, but I hope you won’t disclose the recipe to anyone… This formula is extremely targeted against fire mages like us. Do you understand?”

Mischa’s grave tone was a first for Xu Wen. He nodded and promised, “Don’t worry, senior sister. I understand. After the competition, I won’t make Fire Stabilizing Pills anymore. I’ll leave the recipe with the Hortonklin family—after all, it’s thanks to their help that I could create it.”

Xu Wen’s careful reply left Mischa momentarily stunned, gazing into her junior’s candid, clear eyes, somewhat lost. She had worried that if the family elders or teacher demanded the recipe, he might resist or refuse—but now it seemed she was overthinking; Xu Wen considered these matters more thoroughly than she did.

Is he really only fourteen?

With this vague question lingering, the group returned to Seventh Medicine Peak.

Xu Wen had just finished fending off the registered disciples when Mischa led him into a room to see their teacher—Elder Xu.

Elder Xu had been awakened by successive distress signals and had stayed at the training camp, awaiting news. After hearing an outline of events from Mischa, his gaze toward Xu Wen grew increasingly astonished, finally unable to hold back:

“Mischa, leave us.”

“Yes, teacher.”

Mischa understood what her teacher wanted—a new recipe is an alchemist’s true pursuit. But for a novice to independently create a three-star pill recipe in such a short time was even more astounding! No doubt the teacher was eager to discuss the formula with his young disciple.

Now only two remained. Elder Xu waved his hand, enveloping them in a faint, semicircular barrier.

Xu Wen glanced at it, surprise flickering across his face.

Elder Xu chuckled. “This is a soundproof barrier—inside, no one else can hear us.”

“Oh.” Xu Wen nodded, thinking to himself that some features of this world were not found in games, strengthening his resolve to enter the Azure Cloud Academy.

“Open the cauldron.”

“Yes, teacher.”

Xu Wen did not dare delay. He took out his alchemy cauldron from the storage pouch, prepared the herbs—each movement was deft and practiced.

Elder Xu sat opposite him, mirroring his actions. But instead of a pouch, he used a ring, moving faster, as if any herb could be summoned from within.

“What a treasure,” Xu Wen thought, nearly salivating. It must be a top-tier storage ring, preserving the potency and freshness of herbs, with space equal to a basketball court.

“Focus!” Elder Xu’s voice came from across the table.

“Yes, yes.” Xu Wen returned his gaze, reluctantly, took a deep breath. “Then, I’ll begin.”

Elder Xu nodded, his eyes shining brighter than any young man's.

Xu Wen had never performed alongside a master alchemist before.

Seeing Elder Xu perfectly replicate every movement, judging timing and heat solely by scent and touch without even glancing at Xu Wen’s side, Xu Wen couldn’t help but feel a competitive urge.

Determined to excel, he stopped watching Elder Xu, instead focusing intently on the changes within his cauldron and the fragrance of the herbs, adjusting and proceeding as needed, his technique speeding up noticeably.

Elder Xu clearly sensed the shift—Xu Wen’s dexterity, timing, mastery of heat, so practiced and precise, far beyond a novice; even most senior disciples would pale in comparison.

When the pill was done, Elder Xu bottled his own. Even with his master-level nose, he could not help but notice the inferior quality—his was gray and emitted a faint, unpleasant odor, much less refined than Xu Wen’s perfectly restrained Fire Stabilizing Pill. He had hoped to impress this “genius disciple” with his experience, but now saw the gap.

“Teacher, when adding the third ingredient, it must be combined before the Rolling Stone Grass releases its scent, while lowering the temperature to fully preserve its properties and prevent loss. Teacher, yours is still usable if bottled, but its efficacy will be diminished… Also, exposed to air, the pill will evaporate completely within seven days.”

“I see.”

Elder Xu nodded unconsciously, then froze, realizing his attempt had failed completely.

“By the way, teacher, here’s another recipe, though unfinished—could you advise me?” Xu Wen, not wishing to embarrass his teacher, produced “Drunken Breeze” from his storage pouch.

“This is—!”

Opening the bottle, Elder Xu’s expression changed instantly as a powerful fragrance filled the room, fire elements reflexively gathering around him and dispelling the intoxicating aura.

Xu Wen, immune to the spicy scent, watched his teacher’s eyes light up and explained, “I heard ‘Thousand Drunken Grass’ could fell a bull, so once I mixed it with several herbs of similar properties for fun… But its stability is poor, the effect doesn’t last, and it’s hard to preserve—unsafe to use. I’ve been seeking ways to improve it. Also, it seems to have no effect on those above three-star strength, whether people or beasts. Teacher, could you help perfect it… Ouch.”

Before he finished, Elder Xu affectionately yet exasperatedly tapped him, his face alight with indescribable joy. He stood, laughing uproariously:

“Hahaha!”

“What failure? This is a finished three-star pill! You blockhead just don’t know how to use it—”

“What’s the name? Drunken Breeze? Hmm… Good name!”

“Hurry! Write out the recipe for me—I’ll show those old fools who mock me! Hah! Picking up a future grandmaster alchemist off the street… Hahaha!”

Watching Elder Xu laugh like a child, Xu Wen lowered his head, drew out pen and paper from his pouch, and smiled faintly: The matter of the Blackwater Mountains was settled. With these two recipes, let’s see how the Hortonklin family tries to “win over” their new disciple.