Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe C.390 Methodical

?Adam's workstation was a meticulously organized space. Every tool was at its designated place. The wooden table was filled with various instruments: a mortar and pestle, glass beakers, vials, etc.

He glanced at Halbert with raised eyebrows. "A Grade 2 Potion of Healing?"

The old guild leader nodded. "I wish to see your techniques."

A Potion of Healing was one of the most common potions out there in the market. It was an essential item that every Magus needed to have.

However, the concoction of this potion was not that easy. The difficulty of brewing rose with every grade.

With every rank advancement, a Magus's body would be enhanced, their life essence would be significantly strengthened.

Meaning, a Grade 1 Potion of Healing would not work on a Rank 2 Magus. Similarly, a Grade 2 Potion of Healing would be simply too potent for a Rank 1 Magus to bear.

The higher the potency of the potion, the more difficult it gets to concoct.

Adam knew this well. He had never concocted a Grade 2 Potion before. As a matter of fact, he had barely practiced herbalism after recovering from the battles he had sustained in the war.

Still, that didn't stop him from facing this challenge head-on. If anything, he welcomed it.

As everyone watched him with anticipation, Adam first removed his pointy hat and placed it on Valerian's head.

"Myu?" Valerian, who was sitting on the ground beside him, looked at him with curious eyes.

Adam winked. "Keep it warm for me."

Then, he tied his medium-length raven hair, which was almost reaching to the base of his neck, into a ponytail. He walked toward the wooden shelves and carefully selected the ingredients.

Hmm, how much of my skills should I display? He thought to himself in amusement. Can't show them too much, and can't show them too little as well.

He knew quite a few brewing techniques, after all. In the end, he decided on something that wasn't too showy but wasn't too bland either.

As he was selecting the ingredients from the shelves, the Herbalists that had gathered in the laboratory were paying rapt attention to him.

If it was any other entrance exam, there would not have been so many people gathered. The fact that the Guild Leader himself was present for this test, however, spoke volumes.

The Herbalists started speaking in hushed tones, objectively judging Adam's actions.

"Ah, he's chosen the pomfret leaves."

"So he's decided to go the standard way."

"Some marrow root and purple lavender extracts as well."

"Hmm, mana spring water and troll blood, eh? He's not entirely clueless."

"Tigerbee honey? What's that for?"

Suddenly, the Herbalists' expressions turned strange. The first few ingredients that Adam had chosen were all according to normal standards.

But the last few ingredients that he had grabbed caused them to have doubts regarding whether this raven-haired youth knew what he was doing.

"Why did he choose the grey-veined bugs?"

"Wait, did you see that? He grabbed a vial of hebi blood as well."

Halbert too noticed Adam's peculiar actions. However, instead of being clueless like the other Herbalists, he was actually quite surprised.

The grey veined bugs and hebi blood were ingredients that might seem ordinary at first glance, but if added to the solution in the later stages of the concoction, they could dramatically increase the efficacy of the potion.

He couldn't help but ask the youth, "Adam, do you perhaps have a mentor? Someone who taught you the art of Herbalism?"

"Of course," Adam smiled. "He's a Grade 3 Herbalist as well."

A round of collective gasps was heard throughout the laboratory. The Herbalists gathered—everyone except Halbert

—were stunned by this revelation.

If Adam was someone personally taught by a Grade 3 Herbalist, it was only natural for him to display the level of skills he had.

"May I know his name?" Halbert asked curiously.

Adam's eyes flashed with warmth as he replied, "Berger Glynhorn."

"Hmm," the old Guild Leader stroked his beard. "A human?"

Adam shook his head as he placed all the ingredients on the workstation. "A gnome."

"A gnome, eh?" Halbert muttered under his breath, wondering if he had ever come across a Herbalist with the same name.

A few moments later, he shook his head. "No, I don't think I've met him."

Adam smiled, "That's natural my lord. My teacher lives on the other side of the Murky Mountains."

The Acadian Empire was vast, let alone the Ulier Continent. There were countless Mana Vortex Magi that called this continent their home.

So it wasn't strange for Halbert to not know of Berger. But what surprised him was the fact that this gnomish Grade 3 Herbalist was actually residing in such a backwater region of the continent.

As far as he remembered, the Herbalist's Guild did not have a branch in the Southern Federation. They deemed that region worthless.

"Why is your teacher residing in the Southern Federation?" Halbert asked curiously. "Is he one of those reclusive Magi who doesn't like attention?"

Adam chuckled, "Something like that."

Inwardly, however, he thought to himself, Reclusive? Heh! More like asocial.

Then, Adam performed a simple hand gesture and activated the flame runic formation. A moment later, he adjusted the temperature. The flames burned a steady blue, ideal for controlled heating.

He let the cauldron warm up, meanwhile, he started with the next process - crushing the herbs.

Adam placed a handful of dreid pomfret leaves and a measure of marrow root into the mortar. Then, he began to crush them in a pestle in a rythmic and circular motion.

At the same time, he did something that caused the Herbalists, even Halbert, to be surprised. He infused thin strands of mana around the pestle and began to crush the ingredients in a mystical manner.

The sound of grinding herbs was soft, yet steady. With the addition of mana, the entire process was expedited and the efficiency was further increased.

After finishing this process, Adam poured a precise amount of mana spring water into the cauldron. As the water began to heat up, he stirred it with a long wooden spoon, ensuring even temperature distribution.

His actions were methodical, causing the Herbalists to nod there heads in approval.

Once the mana spring water started to simmer, Adam's eyes lit up.

It's time!