CHAPTER 84: CHAPTER 82: THE ACTIVATED "BOONS

Andre looked around, lowering his voice:

"Cynthia has suddenly become unusually quiet recently, which is very atypical. From what I know, she’s always been someone who repays grievances with animosity."

Ron let Andre into the house and closed the door: "Are you worried she’s plotting something in the shadows?"

"It’s highly possible." Andre nodded, "What worries me more is that, reportedly, she’s been getting very close to Oliver lately."

"Oliver?" Ron’s brows furrowed even tighter, "Marcus’s brother who’s skilled in Curse Magic?"

"That’s right." Andre took out a slip of paper from his pocket: "This is the news my informant sent last night, Cynthia went to Oliver’s laboratory and hasn’t returned all night..."

Ron took the note, quickly skimmed it, and his expression grew grim: "This indeed isn’t good news, but for now, all we can do is speed up our own progress."

Andre nodded: "Of course, I understand, I’ve also been stepping up my preparations for the Bloodline Awakening Ceremony recently. By the way, how are your exam preparations going?"

"They’re going quite smoothly." Ron pointed to the notes and formulas spread out on the table:

"Lady Allen gave me some crucial advice, and I’ve been able to proficiently prepare most of the Magic Potions that might appear in the assessment."

Just as they were speaking, there was another knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Ron asked cautiously.

"It’s me, Norris." The voice outside was slightly hurried: "Captain Holt sent me to deliver a letter to you."

Ron and Andre exchanged a glance, then cautiously opened the door.

Norris stood at the door, holding a tightly sealed letter in his hands: "The captain asked me to personally hand this to you, saying it’s about your Alchemist certification assessment."

Ron took the letter, thanked him, closed the door, and quickly tore open the envelope.

"From Lord Holt?" Andre curiously leaned over.

Ron nodded, quickly reading the contents of the letter, his brows first furrowing, then slowly relaxing:

"Holt tells me he got word that my examiner is likely to be Master Magnus, who’s adept at discerning the purity and stability of Magic Potions."

"That’s good news!" Andre patted Ron’s shoulder excitedly: "Master Magnus is known for his fairness and won’t be influenced by external factors."

Ron nodded, internally noting Holt’s help once again:

"Yes, that means as long as I ensure the quality of the Magic Potions is excellent, I won’t have to worry about other interference factors."

"Then I should be on my way, so I won’t disturb you from your exam preparations."

Andre stood up, adding before leaving: "Oh, by the way, if you need any auxiliary materials, feel free to ask. I have some favors saved up with Otto the dwarf that I haven’t used yet and can exchange for some stockpile herbs at a low cost."

After seeing Andre off, Ron carefully put away the letter and took out a materials list, preparing to seek Lady Allen to address some pressing questions.

When he pushed open the door of the Herb Store, the wind chime made a clear sound, but he did not see the hunched figure of Lady Allen.

The shop was dimmer than usual, with an air filled with a slightly familiar rich aroma, somewhat like night-blooming jasmine, but with a sweeter scent.

"You’re just in time, young Ron."

A voice—which was a bit unusual from the norm and came from within, carried Lady Allen’s characteristic hoarseness, but with added lightness in tone.

Following the voice, Ron saw once again the enchanting witch dressed in a silk nightgown, standing behind the counter arranging herbs.

Her cascading pink-purple long hair shimmered with a dreamy radiance in the light, her skin as white as jade, and her large bright eyes sparkled like gems.

"Madam, is it that time of the month again?"

Ron couldn’t help but blurt out, even though he already knew that during the period of Lady Allen’s strongest Magic Power fluctuation each month, she would regain her youthful appearance, yet witnessing this contrast firsthand still left him slightly amazed.

The pink-haired witch chuckled softly, in that slightly acerbic aged laugh unique to Lady Allen: "Why, do you have to be surprised every time you see me like this?"

She took a small flower from her hair, casually tucking it behind her ear, and this unconscious gesture made the young man take another look unintentionally:

"Alright, let’s get to business. Coming to me at this time must mean you’re here about the exam."

"Yes, madam." Ron snapped out of it, placing the material list on the counter: "I want to ask about some issues concerning the stability of Awakening Potion."

Lady Allen put down her work, moved a bit closer, and carefully examined Ron’s eyes.

At this distance, though he was stung painfully by the radiation she unintentionally emitted, he could smell an exotic scent that was both floral and not:

"You haven’t had much sleep for several days, have you?"

She slightly frowned, imperceptibly drawing back the intense radiation field she was unconsciously emitting:

"Though you seem pretty energetic, that deep-seated weariness can’t fool anyone."

Ron was slightly taken aback, then smiled wryly: "You’ve seen through me, I haven’t really rested while practicing various formulas these past few days."

Lady Allen was silent for a moment, her slender fingers tapping lightly on the table; after a few seconds of thought, she turned and walked into the inner room: "Follow me."

Ron followed her into a delicately furnished small room, equipped with a tea table and several lounge chairs.

Lady Allen gestured for him to sit down, then adeptly opened an intricately carved wooden box, from which she took a small crystal vial.

"Drink it, it will make your mind clearer." She handed the vial to Ron through the air, with long eyelashes casting a shadow on her exquisite face:

"But remember, this is not a long-term solution; overexerting your Spiritual Power always comes with a price."

Ron gratefully accepted the vial: "Thank you, madam."

After verifying it, he carefully sipped a bit, immediately feeling a cool energy travel from his throat to his brain, dispelling the fatigue instantly, and sharpening his thoughts.

"This is..."

"A composite potion of Moonlight Extract and Soul Spirit Flower, a formula I improved myself."

The witch twirled a lock of her pink-purple long hair at her fingertips: "Alright, tell me your question."

"Regarding the stability of Awakening Potion," Ron found the relevant page in his notes:

"I’ve noticed that when Star Dust Pollen is added, if the temperature is slightly high, it causes the potion to deteriorate. Is there any way to improve its heat resistance?"

Lady Allen nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes:

"Good question, the traditional formula does indeed have this flaw; however, if you premix three drops of Moon Dew into the Star Dust Pollen, it significantly improves its stability."

"Moon Dew..." Ron was thoughtful, quickly jotting down this crucial hint in his notes.

"One more thing." Lady Allen continued, leaning forward, her elegant collarbone subtly revealed:

"Magnus is likely to prefer Magic Potions with uniform coloring; you might want to consider the traits of Silver Tree Root."

Ron looked up in surprise: "You also know Master Magnus will be my examiner?"

Lady Allen’s lips curled into a mysterious smile:

"There are no real secrets in the Black Mist Jungle, child, especially not for those astute elders."

She stood, gracefully walking to a nearby medicine cabinet, her slender fingers deftly moving among the drawers.

"These are what I’ve prepared for you." The pink-haired witch placed several meticulously selected materials on the tea table:

"Each is of top quality, enough for you to practice with until the assessment."

Ron accepted the materials, feeling both moved and a bit guilty: "This is too generous, madam."

"No need to be so polite." Lady Allen waved her hand, revealing a gentle smile:

"You’re the most talented student I’ve ever seen, and I have high hopes for you. Besides..."

She paused, the emerald gleam in her eyes showing a satisfaction Ron had never seen before:

"You may not have noticed, but your growth has started to give back some ’favors’ to me recently."