Chapter 97: Chapter 97

Locke snapped his fingers, and immediately a 1,400-degree wood element flame ignited on the stand beneath the cauldron, the green flame having the gentlest nature.

Only simple potions could be brewed using ordinary fire; slightly complex potions all required magical flames.

Only magical flames could extract the natural magical components from those medicinal materials and use the different properties of magical flames to alter these components, creating the potion effects that potion masters desired.

It could be said that in the potion brewing process, the material formula was one aspect, and how to control the timing of magical flames was another aspect.

To some degree, timing and formula were equally important.

Ordinary wizards without the relevant aptitude, even if they knew the specific formula and gathered all the materials, could never brew qualified potions because they couldn't accurately master the timing and temperature.

Locke first placed honey and cowhide gel into the cauldron, quietly waiting for the two to begin boiling.

Next, he poured blue butterfly cocoon powder and cat's eye stone powder into it, then waited quietly. Fınd the newest release on novel★fire.net

Thirty seconds after the liquid in the cauldron turned blue-green, Locke poured birch sap into it, then the magical flame beneath the cauldron suddenly turned red, that was fire element magical flame.

In Locke's mind, he recalled the key points of brewing Focus Ointment.

The main material of Focus Ointment was actually silver leaf mint. Within silver leaf mint were several types of natural magical structures, and these natural magical structures themselves had the effect of calming people and increasing attention.

In other words, within this magical plant called silver leaf mint, there were many natural components that were like magical runic structures of [Concentration] enchantment spell models.

In fact, quite a few spell runic models were borrowed and optimized by wizards from the natural magical structures found in magical plant components.

And this was also one of the foundational bases of magical pharmacology.

By harmonizing, modifying, and extracting the natural magical structural components inside different materials, potion masters could brew various potions with different effects.

And Locke's current transformation of the magical flame into fire element flame was to better extract the different natural magical structural components from the materials in the cauldron.

After waiting for one minute, Locke skillfully placed a piece of silver leaf mint into the cauldron, then changed the magical flame from fire element flame to wood element flame.

Fire element flames in the potion brewing process mainly served to better force the special natural magical structural components within materials to flow out.

But the natural magical structural components inside silver leaf mint were easily destroyed by overly violent fire element flames, so Locke needed to change the magical flame to wood element magical flame.

Wood element magical flames weren't as effective at forcing out the natural magical structural components from inside materials, but their nature was gentler, and without extreme characteristics, they could be compatible with almost all materials.

Locke waited another three minutes. When the liquid in the cauldron turned silver-blue and emitted an intoxicating fresh fragrance, Locke changed the wood element magical flame to earth element magical flame.

Under the influence of the earthy yellow flame, the liquid in the cauldron gradually became a gel-like substance, similar to a medicinal balm.

Locke waited for slightly over five minutes, then immediately extinguished the earth element magical flame, as the brewing work was complete. He changed the magical flame on the stand to water element magical flame.

Water element magical flames had very low temperature, only a mere 100 degrees, which could slowly cool the cauldron, reducing the degree of influence that sudden temperature changes had on the medicinal properties of the Focus Ointment.

This was actually a small technique that Witch Sophia had taught him. This small technique could improve the potion's efficacy by a tiny bit, though not much, it was indeed useful.

Many wizards didn't pay much attention to this point during brewing, rapidly cooling after the brewing ended, causing weak effects on medicinal properties, but Witch Sophia had a different understanding of this.

She believed that after most potion brewing was completed, during the finishing stage, water element magical flames should be used for medicinal property consolidation.

This was also a good habit that many First Circle-level potion masters would maintain.

The three formal wizards, seeing this scene, all nodded slightly.

Wizard Derek Jones praised, "Good habit. Although your theoretical foundation isn't very solid, your practical operation foundation is very good."

"Medicinal property consolidation, this step is one that many potion master assistants neglect. Of course, without sufficient mana stability, doing this final step is indeed quite tiring, which is also why many potion master assistants actively slack off."

The reason Locke could maintain this small habit long-term was also because switching magical flames was too simple for him.

Otherwise, if every switch required concentrated attention and would be very tiring, potion master assistants would indeed try to minimize the number of magical flame switches during the brewing process.

One hour later, all three had completed their brewing.

Wizard Derek Jones first examined the Focus Ointment that Locke had brewed. He first observed the Focus Ointment's appearance, then smelled its scent, then said, "Very high quality."

"Your precise operation made this Focus Ointment's quality at the upper-middle level. This is a level that wizard apprentices who haven't yet obtained potion master assistant certification rarely achieve." Wizard Derek Jones praised, "It seems that potion master assistant is just a stepping stone for your future. I hope you can continue to strive forward."

Wizard Derek Jones returned the Focus Ointment to Locke, "The Focus Ointment that the academy distributes to second-class wizard apprentices is generally at the lower-middle level, and sometimes the quality can be even lower."

"If you become proficient in mass-producing Focus Ointment techniques in the future, you might be able to earn stable magic stones by taking on tasks to brew Focus Ointment for the academy, or even receive academy contribution point rewards."

Locke bowed to Wizard Derek Jones, "Thank you for Lord Jones's guidance."

"I will continue to strive forward."

Wizard Derek Jones smiled and nodded, then walked to Gogol's side and examined the quality of the Hemostatic Moss Balm.

Wizard Derek Jones couldn't help but say, "The quality is somewhat low."

Under Gogol's anxious gaze, Wizard Derek Jones still said, "I'll let you pass."

Gogol immediately breathed a sigh of relief, wild joy appearing in his eyes, and he quickly bowed to Wizard Derek Jones, "Thank you, Lord Jones."

"Thank you, thank you."

Wizard Derek Jones coldly walked toward Bert, examined the Night Vision Potion, and under Bert's trembling gaze, said sternly, "Although you successfully brewed it, such a simple potion with such low quality."

Bert looked bitter. He knew that the academy generally had higher requirements for its own students than for outside wizard apprentices, but when it actually happened to him, he felt incredibly depressed.

After all, Lilith's Cottage was the dominant force in magical pharmacology in the southeastern quadrant, so their requirements for their own first-class wizard apprentices would definitely be much higher than the outside world.

Bert bowed to Wizard Derek Jones, "Thank you for Teacher Jones's guidance. I... I... I will continue to work hard in the next exam."

Wizard Derek Jones waved his hand and turned to leave. "The assessment is over. Locke Augustine, Gogol Harden, you two have passed the potion master assistant assessment and have become potion master assistants."

"Congratulations to you both."

"The field of magical pharmacology is vast and boundless. I hope you can refine your skills in this field, learn more things, and stand out in the future."