Old Finn was silent for two seconds, then stepped into the Laboratory.
He placed the tray on a corner of the lab bench, his gaze falling upon the Crystal Bottles.
His gaunt fingers reached out and picked one up.
He raised it before his eyes, holding it up to the light.
The star-blue liquid swirled under the glow of the Crystal Stones, the silver specks of light within spinning slowly as if alive.
Old Finn’s pupils contracted slightly.
What was he seeing?
The purity... was terrifyingly high.
He had seen countless Tier One Potions in his life and had refined a fair number himself.
But he had never seen such a... perfect finished product.
It had practically no impurities. The potion’s essence was pure to the extreme, and its Energy fluctuations were stable yet immense.
This was beyond what "high purity" could describe.
This was... a work of art.
Old Finn’s fingers trembled slightly.
It wasn’t out of excitement, but from a kind of profound shock.
He slowly set down the Crystal Bottle and looked up at Ian.
The previous coldness and scrutiny in his cloudy eyes had vanished.
In their place was a complex emotion.
Surprise, confusion, and a hint of... indescribable admiration.
"You..." Old Finn began, his voice even hoarser than usual, "how did you do it?"
Ian didn’t answer directly.
He walked over to the lab bench, picked up a Feather Pen, and quickly wrote a few lines on a blank sheet of Parchment.
Then he handed it to Old Finn.
"This is an improved method for processing Moonflower and Star Dust Sand."
Old Finn took it, his gaze sweeping over the script on the Parchment.
His pupils contracted again.
What was recorded there were not simple steps.
It was a precise analysis of the materials’ Energy pathways, a redesign of the temperature curve, and an exact grasp of the timing for removing impurities.
Every detail struck at the very core of the process.
Each improvement increased the retention of the potion’s essence by at least five percentage points.
This was no longer just a matter of "technique."
This was... a profound understanding of the very essence of Magic Potion Science.
Old Finn raised his head to look at Ian. This time, the look in his eyes had completely changed.
"You... are not a Tier One Alchemist."
His voice was quiet, yet it carried a sense of certainty.
Ian smiled, neither confirming nor denying it.
"In one week, Miss Aidele will need these Potion samples."
He paused, then looked at Old Finn.
"The Workshop’s material inventory needs to be replenished, the quality needs to be improved, and the equipment... also needs to be updated."
Old Finn was silent for two seconds, and then... he slowly nodded.
"I understand." His reply was succinct.
This stubborn, cold Elder Wizard, who felt both heartache and helplessness for Aidele, had now... made his choice.
He would assist Ian with all his might.
For Aidele, and also for... the terrifyingly young yet unfathomable Magic Potion Alchemist standing before him.
Old Finn turned to leave.
When he reached the door, he paused and turned back.
"Wizard Marcus."
His voice was still hoarse, but it now carried a trace of respect.
"From now on, what you say goes in the Workshop."
With that, he pushed the door open and left.
Silence returned to the Laboratory.
Ian stood his ground, watching the figure disappear through the door, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Gaga flew over and landed on his shoulder.
"Ian, that old man... I think he’s starting to accept you, gaga?"
"A very astute observation," Ian nodded, reaching out to rub its little head.
"But this is just the beginning."
He looked at the twelve Starlight Potions on the lab bench, their star-blue liquid gleaming under the light.
He also planned to use the convenience of the Magic Potion Workshop to further refine the Earth Barbarian Bear Potion.
’If... its effects could reach Tier Two...’
A fire ignited in Ian’s heart, but he quickly collected himself.
’I’m still not ready to refine a Tier Two Bloodline Potion. I need to expand my knowledge of High Level Magic Potion Science.’
’For now, a Tier One Meditation Potion will suffice.’
「In one week, at the family’s internal resource exchange.」
He would make everyone remember his name.
Ian Marcus.
’This... really is just the beginning.’