Chapter 421: A Sudden Change of Plan

When Saul appeared in the small garden, pushing the main ingredients along with a heap of magic crystals, Anze slightly opened his eyes and feebly said, “Even Saul has arrived. Where’s the Tower Master?”

No one answered his question.

“So… Can we start making the potion now?”

This time, someone finally responded.

Rum chuckled and said, “What? You still don’t get it? The Tower Master had us bring the ingredients here to prevent us from acting dishonestly during the potion-making. If he hasn’t arrived yet and you ask us to start now, what are you going to do when he shows up and asks you to start all over?”

Rum had essentially laid Gorsa’s intention bare for everyone to hear.

Immediately, all eyes turned toward the two of them. A few apprentices even showed a flash of fear in their eyes.

Monica bit her lip, while Kaz and Gudo furrowed their brows.

Anze didn’t seem too anxious. All he had done was expose some of the hidden dynamics.

After Rum spoke, Anze leaned back again, closing his eyes. “Well, what can I do? Just wait, I suppose.”

“If you can’t wait, then let’s start now.”

Suddenly, a gentle voice echoed from the center of the garden.

Everyone—whether standing, sitting, relaxed, or anxious—turned toward the source of the voice.

Gorsa, clad in a black cloak, had silently appeared behind Saul without anyone noticing.

At his arrival, even Anze, who had been lounging lazily on a bench, stood up with a serious expression.

Saul let out a faint sneer in his heart and was the first to move.

Rum, trying to ease the tension, rubbed his belly with his insect-like segmented arms and said with a laugh, “Well then, let’s begin. Making Blue Water Soul on the spot is quite the hassle. I reckon everyone else will be stuck waiting for us.”

“It’s such a hassle… let’s not make it then.”

The hand Rum had been using to pat his belly froze in midair.

All the mentors turned to look. Only Saul continued methodically preparing his materials.

“Tower Master,” Kaz was the first to speak, walking up beside Saul with a puzzled look. “Aren’t you conducting the final test today?”

Gorsa didn’t move, but his gaze shifted toward Kaz. “No. We won’t be using Blue Water Soul.”

“But…” Kaz looked even more confused.

“The primary potion for today won’t be Blue Water Soul. We’re switching to Saul’s rejection-delaying potion.”

Rum’s smile completely vanished. Anze let out a quiet laugh, barely holding back from rolling his eyes.

Kaz spoke again, “Saul’s potion is good, but it’s not ready to be used as the main component yet. We’ve only ever used it as a supplement, to extend the lifespan of the soul body and vessel.”

“The original version wasn’t, but I’ve made some improvements these past few days. I sacrificed some features to extend the duration.”

Even Saul paused at that.

Gorsa had actually improved his potion formula in just eight days?

Of course, maybe not completely—who knew what functions had been sacrificed.

After speaking, Gorsa handed a few messy, scribbled pages to Saul and pressed a hand on his left shoulder, gently pushing him forward.

“For today’s final test, Saul will replace Rum as the lead.”

Countless eyes focused on Saul, but he was staring down at the pages Gorsa had just given him.

The formula was clearly based on his rejection-delaying potion, but many of the supporting ingredients had been changed, and several components Saul considered essential had been removed.

Saul had been researching this potion for nearly a year. Even though the formula was altered, he quickly deduced its new effect.

The efficacy had improved—but so had the side effects.

If this potion were administered to Lady Yura, the “assimilation” process would be excruciating.

She would feel as if she were being branded with red-hot irons every second.

Would anyone even want to be resurrected like that?

“But… if Gorsa could alter the formula to this extent in just eight days, maybe he’s planning to gradually reduce the pain over time.”

Saul stared at the notes for a long while before realizing the entire place had gone silent.

No one was speaking—everyone was either watching him or looking toward Gorsa behind him.

Gorsa showed no concern for their confusion or dissatisfaction. He waited patiently for Saul to finish going through the notes.

“Can you ensure success on the first try?” he asked when Saul finally looked up.

Was he really expected to succeed on the very first attempt?

Saul looked up at the towering Tower Master. The man returned his gaze with a gentle expression, showing no sign of urgency.

Saul exhaled. “Yes, I can.”

Gorsa nodded and then addressed everyone present, “Rum and Kaz, assist Saul. The rest of you, continue with your assigned tasks.”

But most of the people on-site didn’t move.

They seemed thrown off by Gorsa’s sudden change of plans.

A few seconds passed, and still, only Saul was taking action.

Gorsa softly said, “Do I need to repeat myself?”

A warm surge of magic pulsed from him, instantly sweeping across everyone present.

Yet each person who felt it involuntarily shivered.

Then they all noticed—there were no more shadows beneath their feet, though the morning sun still cast long rays.

This time, the silence lasted less than a second.

Everyone sprang into motion.

Even the ever-languid Mentor Anze began personally directing the ten apprentices he had brought.

Mentor Gudo had been holding it in for a while—he finally leaned over and vomited quietly into a bucket.

Keli turned to grab some test tubes. One hand sneakily reached out from under her arm and gave Saul a secret thumbs-up.

But Saul didn’t notice—he was already focused on processing the ingredients.

Rum waved Saul over. “Come on, Saul. I know the materials I brought won’t be used, but you can check to see if any might still be useful. You may be the lead, but asking me to go to you is a bit much.”

Saul saw that the two apprentices Rum had brought had already arranged the tables and glassware. So he pushed his mobile lab cart over.

Kaz didn’t say a word, simply followed Saul in silence.

When Saul arrived, Rum extended his segmented arm. “Let me see the Tower Master’s new plan.”

Since everyone would be working together on this potion soon, there was no reason to keep it secret.

Elsewhere, Lokai smacked his lips and walked over to the rare sight of Anze working with his own hands. “No wonder the Tower Master took back all our Blue Water Soul these past few days. Do you think he—”

Before Lokai could finish, Anze shot him a cold glare.

At that look, Lokai shuddered from head to toe and immediately shut his mouth, pretending to be mute.

“Less talking! More working!”

Anze wasn’t far from Saul, so Saul naturally overheard everything.

“Anze seems unusually irritable today. He never used to speak to Lokai like that.”

Then again, Lokai was acting a little strange too.

But Saul only cast a brief glance in that direction.

Today, almost all the top figures in the Wizard Tower were present. As one of the younger generations, he just needed to do his job well.

Gorsa, meanwhile, was the most relaxed person in the entire garden. Even Monica and Jero were helping to process materials, but Gorsa had simply summoned a sofa, curled up stiffly in it, and calmly observed everyone.

As the sun rose from the east to directly overhead, some of the simpler tasks were already done—only Saul and Gudo were still working.

At that moment, a black silhouette slowly emerged from the shadowless ground.

Gorsa saw it and immediately beckoned, “Come here, Yura. After today, I think you won’t need to wear that skin anymore.”

(End of Chapter)

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