Chapter 283: 034: Magic Potion and Mirror Flowers Water Moon
In the tranquil and mysterious repository of knowledge, towering bookshelves held classics that shimmered with runes. On the oak desk, a magic lamp illuminated recipes, while fine sand trickled within a sand timer. The air was filled with the aroma of paper and the faint scent of magic potions.
Lynch sat at the desk, absorbed in flipping through the books on the shelves. The treasures of knowledge amassed by countless wizards seemed, at this moment, like girls undressing, exposed and defenseless.
Was foundational knowledge really so easy to obtain? So unguarded?
Of course not. The Magic Potion Manor had an extensive array of protective measures, from knight patrols, fairy alerts, surveillance magic, and even spiritual recognitionâall forming an exceptionally stringent defense.
But all these measures had been neutralized by Lanice, an insider. As someone with the highest authority here, she understood the manorâs systems thoroughlyâhow the rules operated, where the loopholes were, and how to exploit themâall was crystal clear. What appeared to be an impervious defense was nothing more than a facade before her.
Yet, it wasnât solely Laniceâs faultâit was a problem inherent to the manor itself, or, on a broader scale, an issue rooted in the foundational rules of this land.
The rules governing this land had been in place for far too long. Years of stability had led to negligence; the defensive measures hadnât been updated for ages, becoming rigid and outdated. On the surface, they seemed unbreakable, but internally, they were riddled with flaws.
This issue wasnât exclusive to the Magic Potion Manor; similar problems were widespread across most wizard organizations within the Ancient Ruins.
Lynch wasnât the first to exploit loopholes to acquire knowledge. During his apprentice period, he had been able to purchase authentic magic models leaked from wizard organizations in the marketâa prime example of insiders colluding to reap profits.
Were the wizards truly unaware of this? They likely had some inkling but chose not to address it, as no major incidents had occurred. Besides, at times, they themselves were probably benefitting from these loopholes.
In short, though the land appeared to vigilantly safeguard its knowledge, the outflow of information had never ceased. The wizards seemed to believe that as long as they tightly controlled key assetsâsuch as meditation skills and Su Ya Waterâthat determined tier advancement, they could rest easy. As for other things, even if they leaked, they wouldnât cause much harm.
[âMagic Potion Technique: From Beginner to Masteryâ Skill Level +126]
[âSoul Resonance Potionâ Skill Level +213]
[âMoonlight Potion Brewingâ Skill Level +336]âŠ
The crisp system notification sounds echoed in Lynchâs ears, as one message after another popped up on his system panel.
Given such a rare opportunity, Lynch naturally wouldnât let it slip by. From potion knowledge to potion recipes, whether related to apprentices or wizards, every magic potion book he could find in the library was uploaded to the system panel.
With the help of the âMagic Masterâ trait, learning First Ring knowledge posed no challenge to Lynchâhe could master it without a teacher. This trait proved equally effective when applied to potion knowledge.
Except for a few Second Tier mystic techniques, every piece of potion knowledge or recipe that came before him was comprehensible at a glance, with skill levels skyrocketing rapidly; he could finish a book in just a few moments.
As for those mysterious Second Tier knowledge books, though somewhat obscure, their skill levels were steadily increasing as wellâit simply required more time to fully digest them.
Lynch wasnât in any hurry, though. Having stirred up such major trouble, the world outside was currently searching for him all over. Naturally, this was the perfect time to lay low and absorb the knowledge available here.
Sadly, the library didnât yield any viable solutions for dealing with the soul-eating worm. Knowledge regarding the Abyss proved far too enigmatic and profoundâbeyond even the understanding of wizard-level practitioners.
However, fortunately, Lynch did find some potion recipes here that could heal souls, just in time to help restore Grahamâs battered and fragmented spirit.
Thus,
Lynch spent the following period hiding out in the Magic Potion Manor, cultivating, reading, studying, and treating Graham.
Before anyone realized, several months had passed.
The Magic Potion Manor, Laniceâs living quarters, garden courtyard.
âClang!â
âClang!â
The crisp sound of metal clashing resonated through the courtyard, as two Cross Swords repeatedly collided in mid-air, dazzling sword flourishes flashing continuously. In the center of the grounds, two figures were engaged in a swordsmanship duel.
One was a young man, his long black hair streaming; the other was an elder, with radiant silver hair and a commanding presence.
The young man, of course, was Lynch, while his sparring partner was none other than Ilio Milanâthe head of the Knight Guard responsible for the basic security forces of the Magic Potion Manor.
Indeed, this highest-ranking security official for the manor was one of Laniceâs people, which was precisely why Lynch had been able to access the Magic Potion Manor, and even its core library, with such ease.
A moment later, the duel stopped; the two ended in a draw.
Ilio sheathed his Cross Sword, grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from his forehead, tidied up his slightly disheveled hair and collar, and then remarked to Lynch, âAs expected, âDirect Death Without Advanceâ truly lives up to its reputation. No wonder itâs so renowned across the world. This swordsmanship style is remarkably outstanding.â
Although knights proficient in âDirect Death Without Advanceâ were widespread across the Seven Kingdoms, only a handful had mastered it to such an advanced level as Lynch. Upon accidentally discovering Lynchâs skill with it, Ilio had decided to challenge him.
Lynch flipped his black hair aside, chuckling as he replied, âYour âMirror Flowers Water Moonâ caught me off guard as well.â
This wasnât just empty flattery, but genuine admiration.
The old knight before him might not have advanced to the rank of Great Knight, but his swordsmanship was at a level where, in his youth, he had won the championship in the Lorent Swordsmanship Tournament, earning widespread acclaim.
His swordsmanship style was called âMirror Flowers Water Moonâ â a poetic and elegant name. Each movement held unmatched grace, resembling a dance in a ballroom rather than a fight on a battlefield.
It was precisely this characteristic that earned Ilio the title of âWater Dancer.â
Lynch had heard of Ilioâs reputation long ago. Years prior, while traversing the Seven Kingdoms and passing through the Nathan Kingdom, he had even made a special trip to the Royal Capital to visit himâonly to find that Ilio had already left the kingdom for the Wizard World.
At the time, Lynch had regretted missing his chance to witness Mirror Flowers Water Moon firsthand, but unexpectedly, fate had brought them together in this manner.
Lynch remarked, âItâs been a long time since anyone has pushed me to this degree.â
Over the years, Lynch had encountered and studied numerous swordsmanship styles, including some as famous as Direct Death Without Advance, but Mirror Flowers Water Moon was the first to genuinely match its level.
Ilio generously offered, âIf youâre interested, I can teach you.â
Lynchâs eyes lit up. âIt would be an honor.â
Ilio smiled. âYouâre too kind. No one else practices this style, so once Iâm gone, itâll vanish entirely. Passing it on would be a solace to meâespecially since youâre a guest of Lanice.â
Lanice had once saved Ilioâs life. Years ago, Ilio had been severely debilitated by old age, falling victim to a respiratory infection that had spread to his lungs. If not for Lanice, who had intervened during a mission in the Nathan Kingdom, he wouldâve been dead.
Though aged and having agreed to the wizardsâ recruitment, Ilio left the comfort of the Royal Capital for the Wizard World largely because of Laniceâs influence.
After pausing, Ilio added, âBut the sword in your hand right now wonât do. For Mirror Flowers Water Moon, itâs too large⊠too small isnât ideal either. You need a Cross Sword custom-made specifically for this style. For now, you can use mine.â
Ilio handed over his Cross Sword.
This was no ordinary Cross Sword; Lynchâs first impression of it was beauty⊠no, to be precise, its exquisiteness.
Its elegance flowed like running water. The blade was slim and graceful, resembling condensed clear spring water, its entire body glimmering with a faint silver light, akin to moonlight over a tranquil lake. The edge was thin as a cicadaâs wing, with rippling water-like patterns faintly visible. The hilt bore a sapphire gem that seemed to contain swirling streams, exuding an enigmatic glow.
âThis Cross Sword is called Phantom,â said Ilio.
âPhantomâŠâ
Lynch gripped the Cross Sword, admiring it. âWhat a fitting name.â
The bladeâs length surpassed that of typical Cross Swords, nearly matching his own height. Holding it felt like grasping a flowing galaxyâa dreamlike sensation.
âHey!â
At that moment, Lanice poked her head out from the rear door, dressed like a chef, one hand holding a ladle and the other a spatula. She wore a long apron and a frilly hat.
With the setting sun casting its glow on her face, she didnât appear strikingly beautiful but instead radiated a gentle, down-to-earth charmâlike an ordinary housewife.
Raising the ladle, she called out to the pair, âYou twoâdinnerâs ready!â
âŠ
From that day onward, Lynchâs system panel gained a brand-new swordsmanship entry.
[Mirror Flowers Water Moon lv0: 16/5000]
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