Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Magic Potion Refining, Stimulant Potion In the early morning, the Black Mist Jungle was still shrouded in thin fog, but Ron had already arrived in front of the herb store. He gazed at the mottled wooden door, his mind filled with countless thoughts. The tragic scenes of Locke and Emily constantly flashed through his mind, and everything that had happened in the past few days made him restless, yet it strengthened his resolve to improve his strength. He looked at the sky; he was half an hour earlier than the agreed time. This caution had become a habit for him—he dared not gamble on the consequences of being late. The bronze wind chime at the door jingled crisply in the breeze. Although the store door was tightly closed, he could vaguely sense Lady Allen’s unique magic power fluctuations. Ron took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door. Soon, Lady Allen’s distinctive husky voice came from inside: "Come in, young one." As soon as he opened the door, various peculiar smells rushed towards him. Having familiarized himself over the past few days, Ron was already able to distinguish most of the herbs’ traits. He could distinguish the crispness of the Moonlight Grass, the spiciness of the Snake Fang Grass, and some other distinctive scents that he couldn’t name. "Arrived earlier than the agreed time." Lady Allen stood behind the counter, and a hint of approval flashed in her emerald green eyes: "It seems you’re indeed not a slothful person; this is good." Ron imitated a noble gesture he remembered being taught by his etiquette teacher: "It is my honor to have your regard, madam." "Spare me the useless pleasantries." The old witch waved her hand, her gaze becoming sharp as an eagle’s again: "First, let me check on your homework." Ron nodded and immediately replied: "Yes, madam. I’ve reviewed the part on the Stimulant Potion in ’Basic Magic Potion Theory’ three times and even organized some notes." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞 Saying this, he took out a thick notebook from his chest. It recorded densely various materials’ traits, reaction rules, and even some detailed observations. Lady Allen casually flipped through the notebook, the gleam in her eyes gradually brightened: "Interesting... You not only recorded the book’s content but also added your understanding. This idea of linking spiritual perception with herb traits is quite novel." She closed the notebook, staring at Ron intently: "Follow me, there’s a lot to teach you today." The old witch led Ron through a narrow corridor to the refining room deep within the store. Unlike last time, the workbench was already filled with various tools and materials, plainly meticulously prepared. A bronze crucible was perched on a specially made stove, with an eerie blue flame flickering beneath. "First, I’ll teach you to configure the most basic Stimulant Potion." Lady Allen said as she began to introduce the materials on the table: "Although this potion is common in the market, producing a perfect product is not easy. You must grasp the right amount and timing for each material." Ron approached the workbench, using his Herb Recognition ability to carefully observe the materials on the table. The fresh Moonlight Grass leaves were still dewy, shimmering with a silvery sheen under the ghostly blue firelight; The Carbon Breath Grass’s stalk was emitting a light blue smoke, marking the presence of still active ingredients; And some unnamed but uniquely scented materials were neatly placed in glass dishes. "Every material has its specific ’Rhythm’." Lady Allen’s voice sounded, "A true alchemist must understand the materials’ properties and master their resonance." This statement moved something in Ron’s heart. He recalled the insight from practicing the Crown Breathing Technique yesterday—be it spiritual power, breathing technique, or these herbs, they all seemed to follow a specific pattern. "You seem to have gained some insight?" Lady Allen keenly noted the change in his expression. "Yes." Ron nodded, "Like the Star Grass yesterday, when I placed it in a certain way, it seemed I could sense a kind of rhythm it contained." "Not bad." The old witch showed a slight smile, "Every true alchemist is in pursuit of this balance of ’Rhythm’." She pointed to the materials on the workbench: "Now, let me see your understanding." Ron took a deep breath and began preparing the potion according to his understanding. This time, he didn’t completely follow the textbook method but tried to feel each material’s characteristics. The silver glow of the Moonlight Grass was very similar to spiritual power’s fluctuations, so he tried to handle these materials in a rhythm similar to Meditation. As he proceeded with the preparation, Ron gradually entered a wondrous state. Each material seemed to have its own "voice," and his task was to harmoniously integrate these "voices." "Interesting..." Lady Allen suddenly spoke up, "You are guiding the materials’ fusion with the Rhythm of spiritual power?" Ron was slightly taken aback: "You mean..." "Continue, no need to answer me." The old witch interrupted him: "Let me see to what extent you can achieve." Ron nodded and continued focusing on the preparation. When the last material was added to the bronze pot, the potion’s color began to change—from turbid to clear, finally presenting a faint amber hue. In his perception, the energy fluctuations in the entire pot of potion reached a subtle balance. "As expected..." Lady Allen murmured softly: "You do indeed have some talent in spiritual perception, this method of utilizing the rhythm of spiritual power in potion mixing isn’t something just anyone can think of." She scooped some potion with a silver spoon: "Though still coarse, the direction is correct." Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside the store, gradually approaching. "It seems a customer has come." Lady Allen retracted her teaching tone: "I’ll go attend to the customer first. Later, organize the shelves. While working, carefully think about what I taught you today—in this world, every power follows a specific rhythm, the key is in perceiving and utilizing it." She was about to turn and leave but suddenly seemed to remember something. She glanced back at the potion in the crucible: "Although the potion is mostly fine, it’s still a subpar product. You can pack it up and take it with you, whether to sell or keep for yourself, it’s up to you." Ron felt a surge of joy, truly an unexpected gain. He nodded, expressing his thanks, and after Lady Allen left, he began placing the potion into several small bottles. Before leaving the refining room, Ron glanced back at the bronze crucible still emanating heat, lost in thought. Ever since crossing over to this world and completely integrating with the original soul, his growth rate had far surpassed that of ordinary people. The key factor among this was certainly the progress solidification brought by the Golden Finger, but his unique Dual Soul talent was undoubtedly also indispensable. "Two souls, two ways of thinking..." Ron muttered lightly in his heart, his fingers unconsciously tapping a rhythm on the tabletop. He recalled the description of the Dual Soul on his panel: "Comprehension increases; at a certain limit of spiritual power, double casting can be performed." Initially, he only focused on the latter part, the "double casting" ability, but overlooked the seemingly ordinary "comprehension increase" at the front. Now he finally understood what this "increase in comprehension" truly meant. It was precisely because he possessed two utterly different souls that he could understand this world’s extraordinary rules from a fresh perspective. "Rhythm..." Ron slightly closed his eyes, feeling the flow of spiritual power inside him. In his perception, spiritual power was no longer just a vague energy but carried specific rhythmic notes, each flow resembling a refined symphony. His Earth soul’s understanding and perception of music and art perfectly merged with this world’s original soul’s instinctive perception of extraordinary power. In the bridging effect of the Dual Soul, allowing him to comprehend various powers’ ’Rhythms’ faster than others. Magic Potion Making, Meditation Technique, Breathing Technique, even Magic Construction, they may seem completely different, but like a musician who understands multiple instruments, he can easily switch between them..." His Dual Soul granted him the ability to understand ’Rhythms’ across different realms, allowing him to draw parallels between seemingly unrelated fields. As for the multi-casting ability that might awaken later, for now... it seems... it still seems... a distant prospect..." """