Chapter 14
The night's experiment still lingered in Adem's mind when dawn broke.
He hadn't slept much, his thoughts drifting between excitement and exhaustion. The air outside was cool and damp, and a thin mist crawled over the academy grounds. Adem hugged his notebook close as he walked, the pages filled with last night's notes and a few sleepy sketches.
By the time he reached the laboratory, the scent of herbs, metal, and burnt powder already hung heavy in the air. The door creaked as he pushed it open.
Professor Margot was there, as usual — sleeves rolled up, hair tied back, completely absorbed in her work. The flame beneath her cauldron flickered like a living thing, casting shifting light across her calm face.
Without turning, she said, "You're early. Did you even bathe?"
Her tone was casual but teasing, a faint smile audible in her voice.
Adem blinked. "Uh… maybe later."
She finally turned to face him, adjusting her monocle. "Good. Since you're here early, you can help. I've decided to teach you something new today, a Strength Potion."
Her movements were smooth, confident, almost graceful as she demonstrated the process. Every step, grinding herbs, filtering residue, adjusting heat — carried precision. Adem watched closely, memorizing the rhythm of her hands and the faint stir of elemental particles around her work.
When she finished, the liquid in the cauldron gleamed with a faint golden hue. She poured it into a vial and inspected it with satisfaction.
"This is the standard," she said.
Then, turning toward him, she set down ten sets of ingredients.
"Your turn."
"Ten?" Adem asked, raising a brow.
"Not much," she replied, arranging them neatly. "And don't waste them. I've been providing everything up to now — can't have you turning into a spoiled apprentice."
Her voice softened a little. "You'll need to start earning your own soon, Adem. I'm your mentor, not your mother."
That line hit harder than he expected. He bowed slightly, smiling despite himself.
"Understood, Professor. I'll do my best."
Margot nodded. "Good. Begin."
Adem inhaled deeply, centering himself.
He picked up a Blood Vitality Fruit — it pulsed faintly under his touch, warm as living flesh.
"This thing's practically alive," he muttered, crushing it in his hand. The crimson pulp slid into the basin, the air filling with a sharp, metallic scent.
He followed Margot's example carefully: filtering the remains, heating the extract, drawing out the impurities with spiritual resonance. His voice was steady as he whispered,
"Marliwoosha."
Dark vapors hissed away, and the liquid cleared, glowing faintly under the lab lights.
"The first step's done," he said quietly, a small smile tugging at his lips.
But success didn't last long.
When he added the next reagent, the mixture hissed, smoked, and turned black.
"...Well," he muttered, "that's one way to learn."
Margot didn't interfere — she just observed, arms crossed, ready to step in if things got dangerous.
By the eighth attempt, Adem had found his rhythm. His spiritual force flowed smoother, the balance between heat and energy becoming instinctive. The potion finally shimmered amber-gold, calm and clear.
He raised it with quiet pride. "I think this one worked."
Margot leaned over, inspected it, and nodded faintly.
"Barely acceptable," she said. "But not bad for today."
Then her expression shifted back to business.
"Now, take it to the Trading Grounds. Sell it. Use the profits to buy your own materials. Consider it your first step toward independence."
Adem blinked. "Right now?"
"Yes. If you're serious about the Magus path, you'll need to learn early that knowledge and comfort both come with a price. You have talent don't be afraid to use it."
He gave a light bow. "Understood, Professor."
The Trading Grounds buzzed with life when Adem arrived. Rows of wooden stalls lined the square, each glowing under floating lanterns powered by magic crystals. The air smelled of herbs, monster hides, and faint alchemical fumes.
Acolytes moved about in small groups, trading potions, ingredients, and enchanted trinkets. Some looked his age, others carried themselves with the quiet confidence of upper-rank apprentices.
Adem found a vendor in gray robes, his stall cluttered with glass vials and rolled parchments. The man looked up lazily.
"What are you selling, kid?"
Adem placed the vial on the counter. "A freshly brewed Strength Potion."
The merchant examined it under a crystal lamp, swirling the contents. "Hmm… decent clarity. I'll give you ten magic crystals."
Adem frowned. "Ten? The academy rate's thirty. I might be new, but I'm not clueless."
The man chuckled. "For certified potions, yes. You're not certified yet. Still… since you're Margot's student, I'll make it twenty."
Adem hesitated, then nodded. "Deal."
The merchant tossed over four faintly glowing crystals. Adem caught them neatly and wasted no time, five sets of potion ingredients went right back into his pouch.
As he turned to leave, he glanced back at the busy marketplace, the clinking of glass and hum of bargaining all around him.
Alchemy was expensive. Rewarding, but expensive.
He sighed, already planning ahead. "Maybe I should start tutoring some of the younger acolytes at night. Three crystals per session sounds fair…"
With that thought, he tucked the notebook under his arm and disappeared back into the misty streets — already thinking about the next experiment.
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Well , this is an extremely short chapter compared to the previous ones .
I do still own you guys an extra bonus chapter for reaching the required powerstone goal.
It might also feel a bit inconsistent or out of pace . And I have no excuse for it .
I fcked up and didn't save the og chapter so I had to improvise . After I rest a bit , I promise that the quality and even quantity of the chapters will not only return but also improve.
If I'm being honest this is the first fanfic I'm writing and I use A.I to edit it and I double check it to see if it can improve.
The other fanfics of mine were 100% pure A.I so I dropped them .
I plan to make a bit of a twist to the cultivation realms starting from rank 4 morning star, the change will only affect the power level as they'll be stronger than the og novel.
You can also drop your ideas here , I'll read and consider them if they aren't too outrageous.
So this can be considered a AU
And thanks for understanding 🙏