Chương 59: Extraction Spell

The next day. Mage Guild. By the window, Manlin sat in a rocking chair with an ancient tome resting in her hands, her legs elegantly crossed. Her eyes moved across the lines of text, a faint trace of contemplation lingering on her face. Suddenly, a knock came from outside the door, followed by a familiar voice.

"Mentor Manlin, I'm here to flatter you—" Manlin let out a quiet laugh.

"Come in, Zelier." The door opened, and Zelier stepped inside. He first gave Manlin a slight bow before placing the cloth bag containing the Moonlight Grass on the table.

"Mentor Manlin, here's what you asked for. Please check if it's correct."

"Pretty efficient, aren't you, little one?"

"The task you assigned me, of course I had to complete it properly." Zelier answered with a serious expression. Manlin opened the bag and took out a handful of Moonlight Grass still covered with damp soil. She carefully examined it before nodding in satisfaction.

"Excellent. The roots are intact, and the vitality is strong. This batch of Moonlight Grass is of very good quality." She arranged the Moonlight Grass neatly on the table. Then she stood up and walked over to a row of neatly organized medicine cabinets. With practiced movements, she selected several supplementary ingredients—bright crimson Flame Fruits, twisted Snake Vines, and several dried Silverleaf Herbs. Judging by the materials, she was clearly preparing to brew something.

"Do you know Water Orb?" Manlin asked, turning toward Zelier.

"I do." Zelier nodded. Manlin took a copper basin from the shelf.

"Put some water in it." Zelier placed the basin in front of him and began constructing the spell matrix of Water Orb inside his mind. However, there was a small problem. If he released Water Orb using the original spell structure, the moment the orb formed, the compressed mana would launch it forward. It might end up splashing water everywhere instead. So Zelier made a small adjustment on the spot. When the mana was about to pass through the final acceleration circuit, he deliberately reduced the output.

Just as he expected, a clear water orb formed in his palm. But instead of shooting outward, it gently flowed down into the copper basin. Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Manlin noticed the modification and nodded approvingly.

"Your understanding of spell structures and mana manipulation isn't bad at all. You're able to adapt and apply what you know." After placing the basin of water beside the ingredients, Manlin took out her wand. It was clearly an old piece of craftsmanship. The shaft was carved from aged oak with natural patterns running through the wood. Its surface was rough, and several knots were still visible. At the top of the wand was a teardrop-shaped pale green crystal.

Several vine-like mithril ornaments extended from the crystal's base, wrapping around the shaft and forming elegant mana-conducting patterns. Zelier held his breath, watching every movement Manlin made. Manlin gently waved the wand. The crystal at its tip immediately lit up, and a hazy green glow enveloped all the herbs. Through the light, Zelier clearly saw the transformation. The Moonlight Grass, Silverleaf Herbs, Flame Fruits, and Snake Vines rapidly withered and lost their color.

The life essence contained within them was forcibly extracted. Under Manlin's guidance, those essences flowed in an orderly manner into the water inside the copper basin.

"Gurgle... gurgle..." The clear water immediately began bubbling, churning as if it were boiling. Steam rose into the air. Manlin calmly continued the fusion process. Finally, after all the extracted essences reached a perfect balance, the surface of the water gradually settled. The steam slowly faded away. The liquid inside the copper basin had transformed into a pale green mixture with a pleasant fragrance. Its texture appeared slightly viscous. At the same time, Zelier felt a familiar sensation.

Sure enough, beneath Matrix Deduction, a new spell had entered the analysis queue. [Extraction Spell, Analysis Progress — 1%]"Mentor Manlin." Zelier stepped closer.

"The spell you just used... was it?"

"This spell is called Extraction Spell. It's also an Empowering spell. You won't be able to learn it." Manlin answered casually.

"Then what exactly does Extraction Spell do?" Zelier asked curiously.

"Well... Extraction Spell allows the caster to draw out the essence contained within materials and fuse them together, creating potions with unique effects. Most potions sold on the market are made this way." Manlin explained.

"But you need to be careful. Every potion has its own formula. The ingredients and proportions must be followed precisely."

"If you randomly mix things together, the potion may simply become useless. At worst, it can trigger a mana reaction, causing an explosion. Quite a few mages have accidentally lost their lives this way."

"I see..." Zelier nodded in realization. Empowering Mages really were valuable. Not only could they heal wounds in battle and provide allies with various enhancements, they could even produce potions for logistical support. No wonder their status was so high. Mentor Marven was also an Upper-tier Mage, but he still had to conduct evaluations and train newcomers at the guild. Meanwhile, Mentor Manlin could simply spend her days relaxing in her office.

Manlin took out a delicate funnel and poured the liquid from the copper basin into two transparent glass bottles.

"This is a Potion of Healing."

"It has the effects of rapidly stopping bleeding, accelerating flesh regeneration, and counteracting weaker poisons. It's considered a fairly useful low-grade potion."

"For injuries like the one you suffered last time, drinking a bottle would restore you almost completely. During an adventure, it could very well save your life." As she spoke, Manlin handed both bottles to Zelier. Zelier froze for a moment.

"Mentor Manlin, this is...?"

"Didn't you come here to flatter me?" Manlin tilted her head slightly, a playful smile appearing at the corner of her lips.

"I have to give you something in return. Otherwise, what if you stop coming next time?"

"Take them."

"When I meet a talented junior like you, I naturally want to help nurture them." A warm feeling rose inside Zelier. He accepted the potions and sincerely bowed.

"Thank you, Mentor Manlin."

"You're welcome." Manlin waved her hand.

"If you encounter any rare plants while adventuring in the future, bring them back for me to examine. They might happen to be key ingredients for some potions."

"Sure! I definitely will." Zelier immediately agreed. Having an Upper-tier Empowering Mage help him brew potions was something countless people would dream of.

"By the way, don't forget your cane. You left it here yesterday."

"Oh..." Zelier carefully stored the two Potions of Healing, picked up his cane, and thanked Manlin once more before finally leaving her office with satisfaction. The outskirts of Blackstone Town. Clear river water shimmered beneath the sunlight. A group of spotted deer cautiously gathered by the riverbank, lowering their heads to drink.