Chapter 111: The Enchanting Elixir

Qi Xiao retrieved from his spatial technique the formulas and blueprints he had previously purchased from the library, among which was the complete recipe for the authentic Beauty Potion.

Five blood corpse worms, twenty crimson eyes, one Maler giant python egg, the heart of a mid-level demon... No, these ingredients were far too potent. The fragile body of a mortal could never withstand such intensity.

Qi Xiao rejected this recipe outright and prepared to make some modifications. Fortunately, he did not need to create a potion that any ordinary person could use unaided. He only needed to refine one that ordinary people could safely use with the assistance of a sorcerer. The difference was significant: the former required extreme caution, forbidding even the slightest trace of harmful or ineffective substances; the latter, guided by a sorcerer’s magic, allowed somewhat more freedom in ingredient selection.

He reckoned Aubremas would not mind serving his mother.

“Blood corpse worms are absolutely out of the question... Even with magical assistance, their nature is too fierce. Not only would the aging cells and dead skin on the face be stripped away, but the entire face might be corroded clean. Perhaps pipe worms or curved craving worms could substitute. If those fail, I’ll try other alternatives.”

Improving the formula was no overnight task. Qi Xiao could only draft a rough plan and then repeatedly refine it through experiments. Progress was slow, but this process allowed an alchemist to gain experience swiftly. Since someone else was covering the costs, Qi Xiao had no qualms.

Five days later, Qi Xiao gazed at the bottle filled with a completely pink liquid and smiled with satisfaction.

“Not bad. The general direction is sound. Next, I’ll gradually lower the potency, replacing ingredients with gentler ones wherever possible.”

Beside his left hand rested two bottles of finished potions—the Beauty Potion and the Charm Potion—to serve as references. He could later resell them to gain feedback from the system. His improved potion differed greatly from the original Beauty Potion, so the system’s reward for feedback would remain unaffected.

After three more days of ingredient substitution, Qi Xiao finally found a suitable lower-tier replacement for the demon’s heart.

“Alligator heart—excellent! Though the effect will be diminished, this is exactly what I need!”

Having found the last substitute ingredient, Qi Xiao excitedly processed all the prepared materials and took out a new tin crucible.

Since the ingredients were either faintly infused with supernatural power or completely mundane, the crafting process following the formula was remarkably simple. Qi Xiao poured the minced flesh of the pipe worm into the crucible, added twenty beetle eyes and an egg resembling a Ninetoon snake’s, then crushed everything together. After mixing in half a cup of water, he stirred continuously.

Next, he dried the blood, sliced the alligator heart into strips, and added it to the mixture. Swiftly, he dripped a single drop of the Hebraya unicorn’s blood—the most precious ingredient in this batch. Only the blood of a gentle holy beast like the unicorn wouldn’t cause severe harm to mortals.

He then added essential ingredients for a warm-natured potion: belladonna essence, belladonna leaves, and finally valerian root. After stirring and heating for half an hour, a pale pink potion emerged successfully.

Qi Xiao instructed Little Mushroom to create a mushroom model simulating a human face. Gently dripping the potion onto the mushroom cap, he guided the magic through its entire body.

Instantly, the mushroom’s slight wrinkles smoothed out to silky perfection, and the dark red spots brightened to vivid crimson—both alluring and fraught with danger.

Satisfied, Qi Xiao stored the potion carefully and prepared a letter to send it off, noting the experimental costs. He arranged for Aubremas to collect it, eager to see how the system would judge a potion whose effect was roughly that of a degraded Beauty Potion but whose rarity and crafting difficulty were clearly a tier above the original.

If the system’s feedback proved meager, he would avoid such custom orders in the future—after all, they were hardly worth the effort.

Qi Xiao rented carrier pigeons for two years directly from the pigeon bureau. These pigeons were easy to train. As an alchemist, he could have crafted an alchemical magical pet, but he was particular about such things. Had he made one previously, it would likely serve only for message delivery and nothing more. Disliking frequent replacements of these pet-like companions, he chose to rent pigeons for now. The cost was modest—just twenty magic crystals for two years.

Aubremas arrived swiftly, having hurried to the lake barely hours after Qi Xiao began researching the blood plague, likely traveling nonstop from the moment he received the letter.

Guests were rare on the island in the middle of the lake, so neither Blood Lotus nor Blood Ru refused to welcome him. Qi Xiao accepted no objections, took two cups of tea from Blood Ru, and handed one to the breathless Aubremas with a smile.

“Stop panting. Have some tea to calm down. Even for those who cultivate elemental paths, as a sorcerer, your constitution shouldn’t be this weak. You need to exercise more.”

“Th-thank you... cough, cough, cough...”

Qi Xiao shook his head and placed the customized pink potion on the table. “Check it out. Its effect is not much different from the Beauty Potion: beautifying, revitalizing youth, and rejuvenating. Though for a sorcerer, it’s merely a low-quality version, for mortals, it’s likely akin to returning to youth, perhaps even slightly extending lifespan.”

Aubremas’ eyes sparkled as he nodded repeatedly. “Thank you so much, Master Qi Xiao. Here is the fee you mentioned in your letter—4,300 magic crystals. All here.”

That sum was astronomical for a potion crafted solely for appearance. Keep in mind, this price already accounted for a discount from the Night Whisperer’s rate. Qi Xiao also provided Aubremas with a copy of the refined formula. Though this potion’s market value was limited—few would spend lavishly on mortals’ looks—it was worth sharing.

Qi Xiao included the experimental expenses in the total price, hoping to improve the system’s feedback. Though unlikely to fool the system, it was worth a try.

He nodded and accepted the payment without counting it, handing several pages of parchment to Aubremas.

“This contains the instructions. The potion must be used with a sorcerer’s assistance, or it could become a disfiguring or even deadly poison. Mortal bodies are too fragile. It’s best if you oversee the process yourself. I detailed every step carefully. As long as you don’t err during the crucial stages, there should be no problems.”

Aubremas quickly skimmed the text, memorizing it, then expressed deep gratitude.

“Thank you, Master Qi Xiao. If you ever need materials, just come to me. Our family loves collecting and trading rare supernatural materials.”