The Alchemist's Doubts
Finn is currently facing a major problem. The business of "Oriental Secret Medicine" is booming, with orders so high that production is almost impossible to keep up with. However, a serious problem has arisen – the consumption of basic materials is enormous, especially for several commonly used auxiliary medicinal herbs, whose inventory is about to run out.
That day, he reported to Ling Yao with a long face: "Miss Ling, we're almost out of Purple Floss Flower and Silver Leaf Grass! We've emptied the town's herbal medicine shops of almost all their stock, and it will take at least half a month for new stock to be transported from outside!"
Ling Yao was busy working on a newly arrived light blue magic core when she heard this. Without even looking up, she simply pointed to the door, her meaning clear: If you're out of stock, go find some. What's the use of telling me?
Finn rubbed his hands together, leaned closer, and said cautiously, "Um... the alchemy workshop inside the academy seems to have a large stock of high-quality medicinal herbs, much better than those sold outside... but... they generally don't sell them to outsiders, only supplying them to professors and students for research..."
Ling Yao finally raised her head and glanced at Finn. Better medicinal herbs? That meant they might contain more energy, and the resulting potion might be more potent?
She put down the magic core, stood up, and walked decisively towards the door.
Finn was taken aback and quickly followed, "Miss Ling? Where are you going?"
Ling Yao turned around and gave him a "lead the way" look.
Finn immediately understood—this meant going straight to the alchemy workshop to get the goods! He was both excited and nervous. Excited because he had the chance to see the core alchemy workshop of the academy, but nervous because… given Miss Ling's style, was she going to force her way in?
“Miss Ling! Wait! The alchemy workshop is very strictly managed. You need to apply or be led by a professor to enter…” Finn jogged to catch up while trying to explain the rules.
Ling Yao completely ignored them, continuing on her way. Rules? What are those? Can I exchange them for medicinal herbs?
The two arrived one after the other at the alchemy workshop area on the side of the academy's main castle. A heavy marble door was tightly shut, its surface engraved with intricate magical runes, exuding an aura that warned outsiders to stay away. Sure enough, a stern-faced guard dressed in an alchemy apprentice's robe stood at the entrance.
"Halt! This is a forbidden alchemical site; unauthorized personnel are not permitted!" The guard reached out to stop them.
Finn quickly stepped forward, smiling obsequiously, "Hello senior, we're from 'Eastern Secret Medicine,' and we'd like to inquire if we can purchase some Purple Floss Flower and Silver Leaf Grass..."
"An Eastern secret medicine?" The guard frowned, seemingly familiar with the name, but his attitude remained firm. "The workshop's materials are not for sale! Unless you have a special permit from Dean Morris or Professor Silver Bud! Do you have one?"
Finn was speechless. Where was he supposed to get a special permit?
Just then, the workshop door suddenly opened from the inside. Professor Eleanor Silverstalker walked out, holding several rolls of experimental data, her brow furrowed, as if she had encountered some problem. She immediately spotted Ling Yao and Finn outside the door.
"It's you?" Professor Eleanor adjusted her glasses, her gaze lingering on Ling Yao for a moment, her expression complex. The shock of that last "academic exchange" hadn't fully subsided yet.
"Professor Silver Bud!" Finn exclaimed as if he had seen a savior, and quickly explained the situation briefly.
After listening, Eleanor pondered for a moment. She had been struggling to find a suitable reason to continue approaching and studying Ling Yao, and this was an opportunity. Perhaps she could further observe the other party's methods during the materials transaction?
“Come in.” Eleanor finally nodded and gestured to the guards. “They are my...advisors.”
The guards then allowed them to pass.
Finn was overjoyed and quickly thanked her, then pulled Ling Yao inside.
Upon entering the alchemy workshop, a complex aroma, a blend of various herbs, minerals, and magical energy, immediately filled the air. Inside the spacious hall, dozens of students dressed in identical apprentice robes were bustling about. Some were weighing materials, others controlling the furnace fire, and still others carefully pouring magic into the cauldrons while chanting incantations. Smoke and light of various colors rose and fell, creating a rather lively scene.
Ling Yao's gaze swept over the area indifferently, initially showing little interest. However, when she saw several students carrying out the material purification process, her steps faltered slightly, and her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
A student was facing a pile of mixed mineral powder, chanting lengthy incantations and making complex magical hand gestures, trying to separate the necessary metal particles using his meager magical power. The process was slow and inefficient, and the separated metal powder was still mixed with many impurities.
Another student was processing a herb, carefully scraping off the parts he needed with a knife. The amount of waste far exceeded the amount usable, and his method was clumsy and wasteful.
In Ling Yao's view, these methods were outrageously primitive, with shockingly low energy efficiency, a complete waste of resources. It was like watching a group of modern people manually assemble a space shuttle—a suffocatingly clumsy experience.
Professor Eleanor noticed the subtle change in Ling Yao's expression and, with a sudden thought, deliberately led them deeper into the workshop, explaining, "This is our workshop's latest 'High-Efficiency Magic Extraction Method,' which uses precise control of magic vibration frequency to separate the effective components from materials. Compared to traditional methods, the purity can be increased by about five percent."
She pointed to a complex, operational magical device, a hint of pride in her voice. The device, composed of several crystal containers and metal conduits, was powered by a magic core and hummed as it separated a purple liquid. While it was indeed faster than an apprentice could do it manually, it was still incredibly slow.
Ling Yao looked at the device, then at the large pile of raw materials waiting to be purified beside it, and finally couldn't help but shake her head slightly. This? They dare call it efficient?
Her action was witnessed by a young alchemist operating the equipment nearby. This alchemist was one of Eleanor's prized students and was always quite proud of his skills. Seeing a stranger (a girl who looked like a student) shaking her head at the academy's advanced equipment, he was immediately displeased.
“Miss, do you think there’s something wrong with our extraction method?” the young alchemist asked provocatively.
Finn's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly tried to smooth things over: "No, no! Of course your skills are amazing, senior! Miss Ling was just... just looking, just looking..."
Ling Yao completely ignored the alchemist's provocation. Her gaze fell on a small pile of "moonlight moss" that had just been collected and was still covered in soil on the experimental table next to her. This was a low-level magical material containing a weak amount of moonlight energy. It was often used to refine calming potions, but purification was very troublesome and contained many impurities.
She walked over, picked up a small piece of moonshine moss, and weighed it in her hand.
Professor Eleanor and the young alchemist looked at her with suspicion, wondering what she was up to. Finn covered his eyes, a sense of foreboding creeping over him.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ling Yao neither chanted any incantations nor used any tools. She simply extended the index and middle fingers of her other hand, gently pinching the piece of moonlight moss, and then, a barely perceptible glint of light seemed to flash and disappear from her fingertips!
There were no magical fluctuations, no elemental convergence.
But the next moment, something astonishing happened!
That grayish, impure patch of moonshine moss seemed to be disintegrated and purified from within by an invisible force! The surface soil and impurities fell away in a flurry, and the moss itself became crystal clear at a speed visible to the naked eye, emitting a soft and pure moon-white light, and a pure energy aura slowly emanated from it!
The whole process took only two or three breaths!
Ling Yao casually tossed the purified moonspot moss, which was of the highest quality, back onto the lab table, as if she had only done a trivial matter.
The entire workshop seemed to have been muted.
All the apprentices and alchemists who witnessed this scene stopped what they were doing, their mouths agape, as if they had been collectively petrified.
The young alchemist who had just been provocative now stared wide-eyed, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground, his finger trembling as he pointed at the pure, flawless moonshine moss, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
Professor Eleanor didn't even notice the data scroll in her hand fall to the ground with a "thud." She stared intently at the moonlight moss, then suddenly looked up at Ling Yao, her breathing becoming rapid. Behind her gold-rimmed glasses, her gaze was filled with utter shock and...fervor!
No magic! No instruments! No spells!
Barehanded! Instantly! Near-perfect purification!
This completely overturns the foundation of alchemy! This is no longer a difference in technology; it's a dimensional crushing defeat!
"You...how did you do that?!" Professor Eleanor's voice was hoarse with excitement. She took a step in front of Ling Yao, almost grabbing her arm. "What kind of power is that? What's the principle behind it? How is the energy channeled?!"
Ling Yao was startled by her fervor and took a half step back, frowning in disdain. Here we go again? Why do these people always ask about the principles? Isn't it enough that it works?
She was too lazy to explain, and couldn't explain anyway. Was she supposed to talk to them about controlling true energy, manipulating divine sense, or understanding the origin of matter? That would be like casting pearls before swine.
She simply pointed to the pile of purified moonshine moss, then to the purple floss flowers and silverleaf grass she needed, and finally looked at Eleanor, her meaning clear: Trade or not? I'll trade my technology for materials.
Professor Eleanor understood her meaning instantly. A surge of academic curiosity instantly overwhelmed all principles and rules!
“Exchange! How much do you want? I can give you all the stock in the warehouse!” Eleanor agreed almost without hesitation, and even offered more. “From now on, you can have priority in using the workshop’s materials! As long as you… come and exchange ideas occasionally!” She stared intently at Ling Yao, as if she were looking at a walking alchemical treasure.
The young alchemist and his many apprentices were completely dumbfounded. The workshop's material reserves… preferential use? The professor had really gone all out!
Finn was overjoyed! The material problem was now completely solved! And it was the highest quality! The way he looked at Ling Yao was no longer just admiration, it was like looking at a goddess! The big shot had solved a huge problem with a casual gesture!
Ling Yao neither agreed nor disagreed with Eleanor's suggestion, but expressed satisfaction with her promise to provide the materials. Without any hesitation, she instructed Finn to follow Professor Eleanor to the storeroom and pick out as many of the best, most energetic Purple Floss Flowers and Silverleaf Grasses as possible.
So, under the incredibly complex gazes of the apprentices and alchemists in the alchemy workshop, Finn pushed a cart loaded with top-grade medicinal herbs and followed Ling Yao away with an air of arrogance.
Only after their figures disappeared did the workshop erupt into a frenzy of activity!
"What was that just now?!"
"Purifying moonshoe moss by hand? Am I hallucinating?"
"Who exactly is she? Is she a descendant of some reclusive family?"
"The professor actually gave her the keys to the storeroom?!"
The young alchemist picked up the piece of moonlight moss that Ling Yao had purified, feeling the incredibly pure energy within it. His face burned with embarrassment, and his previous arrogance vanished, leaving only deep shock and self-doubt.
Professor Eleanor stood there, watching the direction Ling Yao had left in, her eyes flickering uncertainly. She quickly picked up the data tablet from the ground and began frantically recording every detail she had just observed—even though the details were pitifully few.
She knew that the alchemical world was likely to be thrown into turmoil by what had happened today.
At the heart of this storm, Ling Yao was pondering whether she could use these newly acquired high-quality medicinal herbs to try and concoct an even more effective "Ling Clan No. 2." Perhaps, she could even get more... uh, more magic cores?
She felt that the alchemists in this world seemed...too easy to fool?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
