Chapter 23: Magic Potion

Chapter 23: Potion

After returning to the mage tower, Li Wei retreated into his room to cultivate,

making up for the time lost that morning.

When he opened his eyes again, twilight had already fallen.

In the blink of an eye, a day had slipped away. Starving, Li Wei stepped out,

intent on treating himself to a good meal.

Just as he reached the main gate of the mage tower, a young man clad in knight’s armor spotted him and approached.

With a gentle smile, he asked, “Excuse me, do you know where Mage Li Wei resides?”

Li Wei glanced at him, calm and unreadable. “Why do you ask?”

The youth replied, “I am Philu, squire to Lady Leina. She has entrusted me with delivering an item to Mage Li Wei.”

Seeing this, Li Wei said, “I am Li Wei.”

Philu’s expression shifted to one of surprise—this mage spoken of by Leina was younger than himself.

“How can you prove you are truly Li Wei?”

He studied Li Wei intently, his tone serious.

At that moment, school ended.

Lander, Neil, and Delilah walked toward the tower’s entrance.

Delilah’s eyes lit upon Li Wei at once.

“Li Wei!” she called joyfully. “Are you free tonight? Let’s go eat together!”

Hearing her, Lander and Neil also waved and greeted him.

Li Wei turned and waved back.

Then he faced Philu again. “Do you still need proof?”

Philu glanced at Delilah, Lander, and Neil, then shook his head. “No need.”

He recognized them all.

“Mage Li Wei, I offer my sincerest apologies. Forgive my rashness.”

With that, he bowed deeply.

Li Wei froze for a moment, unprepared for such formality.

It flustered him, made him feel oddly honored.

“It’s fine,” he hurried to say. “No need to be so formal. It’s not a big deal.”

Straightening, Philu produced a sandalwood box and handed it over.

“This is the item entrusted to me by Lady Leina. She also asked me to deliver a message:

‘This is your reward. From now on, this matter concerns you no longer.’”

Delilah, Lander, and Neil, standing nearby, exchanged glances after hearing this—

their minds instantly alight with speculation.

*What secret could Li Wei possibly share with Leina?*

Li Wei merely smiled and took the box. “Thank you.”

“My duty, nothing more,” Philu replied.

“Now that the item has been delivered, I shall take my leave.”

And with that, he turned and departed.

The three watched, eyes wide with curiosity, as Li Wei tucked the box away—

clearly not intending to open it in public.

Delilah quickly seized the moment. “Li Wei, were you heading out to eat? Can we join you?”

Li Wei looked at the trio and smiled. “Of course. Where to?”

Delilah beamed.

Neil chimed in, “Let’s go to Laifu Gourmet Restaurant! My treat—don’t hold back!”

Lander grinned. “If you insist, I won’t be shy.”

“I’ve heard their signature dish is roasted beast meat from magical creatures. Always too expensive for me. Tonight, I’m feasting at your expense!”

Delilah nodded eagerly. “Their monster meat really is delicious—better even than the dishes served in the lord’s mansion.”

Laughing and chatting, they set off toward Laifu Gourmet Restaurant.

Li Wei secretly hoped the monster meat might have special effects—perhaps enhancing physical strength or accelerating cultivation.

But alas, by the time he returned to the mage tower, he felt nothing unusual at all.

After the meal, Delilah tried inviting Li Wei to visit the lord’s mansion that evening.

He politely declined.

Back in his room, he retrieved the reward from Leina.

Curious, he finally opened the box.

Inside rested a vial of pale red liquid.

Tiny specks of light swirled within, shimmering endlessly under the glow of enchanted glowstones.

A note lay beside it:

*Beginner’s potion. Usage: Place 1–3 drops under the tongue before each cultivation session. Overdose is dangerous.*

Li Wei picked up the vial, surprised and delighted.

Never had he imagined obtaining his first potion in such a way.

He gently swirled the bottle—the viscous crimson liquid barely rippled.

After a moment of observation, he lit a calming incense, uncorked the vial, and prepared to test the potion.

For his first attempt, he was cautious—only one drop touched his tongue.

The instant it landed, it dissolved.

In the next breath, a surge of magic elements welled up inside his mouth.

He quickly sealed his lips, capped the vial, and closed his eyes.

Sinking into meditation, he entered cultivation swiftly,

rushing to absorb and refine the magic elements spilling from the potion—

lest they dissipate and waste its power.

Half an hour passed. The potion’s effect began to wane.

An hour later, it faded entirely.

Li Wei ceased cultivation and opened his eyes.

In the air before him, drifting motes of dust arranged themselves into lines of text:

[Basic Meditation Technique (Minor Mastery)] 1700/2000

[Minor Fireball Spell (Zero-tier Proficiency)] 345/2000

[Invisible Armor Spell (Tier Zero Mastery)] 8/2000

With the aid of the potion, an hour of cultivation yielded results that would normally require three.

It was a pace far outstripping even the absorption of elemental crystal stones.

He cast a glance at the novice potion resting beside him; the remaining liquid within was enough for at least thirty or forty more sessions.

"No wonder potions are so prohibitively expensive. The gift Reina gave me is simply too precious!"

Levi now had a rough idea of how many drops of the potion were required for his training.

A single drop could sustain the needs of a one-hour cultivation session.

When his mental fortitude was at its peak, he could cultivate for nearly four hours.

Thus, he could confidently pour out three drops of the potion.

Over the ensuing days, Levi remained cooped up inside the mage tower, throwing himself into his training.

There was no word from Reina's side either.

He did not know whether Orne could persuade Reina to abandon her search for Susan.

This matter no longer had anything to do with him.

Levi paid no further attention to how the situation unfolded.

He poured his entire heart and soul into cultivating his mana and practicing his spells.

On the seventh day, a sudden tremor shook Levi's mind, and he felt a mysterious resonance form between the mana inside him and the magic elements of the world.

It allowed the magic elements to fill his spells at a much faster rate when he cast them.

The elements in his perception shifted directly from a blurred background of colors to a distant, starry sky.

He could now perceive most of the specific magic elements.

Water elements, earth elements, light elements, air elements, nature elements...

Yet, though these magic elements were clearly right beside him, they gave him a sense of profound distance, like stars hanging high in the night sky.

Elemental affinity dictated the distance between a person and the magic elements.

It was not a physical distance, but a psychological, perceptive one.

When two hearts were connected, they would share a mutual understanding no matter how far apart they were.

When two hearts were indifferent, they could not communicate even if they stood face to face.

As long as he could perceive them, he would touch them sooner or later.

Levi was in no hurry.

Focusing his mind, his perception of the surrounding magic elements coalesced into three lines of script.

[Basic Meditation Method (Grandmaster)] 0/4000

[Lesser Fireball Spell (Tier Zero Mastery)] 666/2000

[Invisible Armor Spell (Tier Zero Mastery)] 56/2000

After several consecutive days of grueling, relentless effort, his Basic Meditation Method had finally leveled up.

Levi attempted to cast a spell, his mana resonating with the surrounding fire elements.

In a mere five seconds, the Lesser Fireball Spell was fully cast.

Constructing the spell model took three seconds, while the elemental filling took only two.

His casting speed had improved dramatically.

Looking at the small fireball in his hand, Levi curled his lips into a smile.

Instant casting was well within his reach!

(End of Chapter)