Across the entire South Coast, there were only a scant handful of Apothecary Grandmasters, and they were widely courted and sponsored by all the major powers!
Leylin naturally dared not reveal his true level of skill.
Reaching the second tier at his age was already shocking enough — if he also displayed astonishing Apothecary Grandmaster-level alchemy, he would no longer be some kind of genius or prodigy! He would be a monster!
An Apothecary's advancement couldn't be achieved through theoretical research alone — it required a vast amount of practical work and the expenditure of enormous resources before one could continuously accumulate experience and make progress.
No matter how talented Leylin was, it was impossible for him to have silently advanced to the realm of an Apothecary Grandmaster.
If that came to pass, under the scrutiny of numerous Wizards, there was no telling whether even the existence of the Chip would be exposed!
Precisely because of this, Leylin had always concealed his true Apothecary level, choosing to quietly amass his fortune.
And the most important hallmark of an Apothecary Grandmaster was innovation! They could draw upon their vast knowledge and accumulated experience to improve upon existing recipes, achieving an impressively high success rate.
With his current level of expertise, Leylin only needed to think briefly before coming up with several methods for compounding the Ice Jade Scorpion Breath Crystals to eliminate the aftereffects.
"Hmm! To completely eliminate the aftereffects of the Ice Jade Scorpion's Breath, I'll need Arrow Frog venom, Red Bezoar, and Black Goat Eggs, then perform a neutralization procedure..."
Leylin ultimately settled on one plan: "As it happens, I've already collected everything I need!"
Immediately afterward, he plunged into the tense process of compounding the potion.
The utilization of the Ice Jade Scorpion Breath Crystal was directly tied to whether he could eliminate the bloodline aftereffects — he could not afford to take it lightly.
……
Two days later, Leylin finally emerged from the laboratory.
But by now, he looked subtly different from before — his bearing had grown more aloof, giving off an air that warned strangers to keep their distance. His skin had become smoother as well, with a lustrous sheen flowing across its surface like polished jade.
Around his black hair, faint traces of frost had begun to drift, lowering the temperature of the surrounding area by several degrees.
Having finished compounding the potion, Leylin eagerly administered it to himself, successfully suppressing the bloodline-induced emotional surges within his body.
The Chip had given a definitive answer — during the period the potion was active, even if Leylin fought bloody battles every day, it would not stimulate the bloodline eruption or affect his rational judgment.
Only now did Leylin have the confidence to scheme for the Ice Jade Scorpion's Breath Crystal.
"Siegfried! I asked you last time to gather intelligence about the school behind Xiling — any results yet?"
"Xiling! I have time now — name the location! We can have a proper discussion about the Ice Jade Scorpion!"
The first thing Leylin did upon emerging was send out two short messages through his Arcane Sigil.
A few minutes later, he received a reply — a yellowish-brown mechanical arm sigil was the first to light up on his Arcane Contact Book.
"I already managed to collect some information last time, and on top of that, the payment you offered was quite generous. I've now pretty much got the lay of the land when it comes to the Nature's Alliance school. I'll send it over to you shortly!"
Siegfried brought Leylin some good news.
"Thanks! I'll come visit you soon!" Leylin replied with a smile.
Compared to Siegfried, Xiling's response was far more concise — just a specific time and place, with everything else deferred until they could discuss matters in person.
"Clever woman!" Leylin remarked with a faint smile. "I just hope you don't end up trapping yourself in the process!"
……
"This is the place!" Leylin came to a stop in front of an elegant club in the Eastern Domain's capital.
The architecture here was a complete departure from the underground world's emphasis on defense. Instead, the buildings were resplendent and ornate, filled with all manner of plants and flowers arranged for the sake of beauty and refinement, pushing defensive capability to an absolute minimum.
This strikingly different style, combined with the top-tier amenities within, had long made this establishment a magnet for every major noble in the Eastern Domain's capital. However, the club enforced a strict membership system, admitting only a limited number of guests each day. Its backing was formidable as well — after turning away the requests of several noble houses in succession, it had somehow become even more sought-after than before.
Leylin stepped into the club, recalling the information Siegfried had sent over.
Nature's Alliance — that was the name of the small school Xiling belonged to. This minor school was said to have come under the influence of some planar entity from another world that held dominion over plants, and it possessed highly unique insights into Plant Cultivation and environmental research.