Sunfire Essence

He carefully extracted the component and placed it into a specially made vial.

The liquid shimmered with a faint glow inside, like a caged star.

Then he moved on to handle the other materials, throwing himself wholeheartedly into the complex and delicate process.

Just as Robb was fully immersed in the experiment, a soft rustling sound interrupted his thoughts.

He looked up to see the Dryad spelling out words in midair with its vines: "A guest has arrived."

Robb was slightly surprised, he hadn't expected the Dryad to be capable of this kind of communication.

In the past few days, it had remained as silent and still as a statue, leading him to believe it was a simple, thoughtless creature.

"Thanks for the heads-up." He nodded to the Dryad and carefully sealed his experiment. "Watch over these for me, I'll be right back."

The Dryad nodded in understanding, its vines gently retracting as it resumed its still, statue-like posture.

But Robb noticed a glimmer of understanding and obedience in its eyes, very different from the hollow, vacant stare it had previously displayed.

He straightened his clothes, ensuring there were no traces of potion residue, and went to the workshop's receiving room.

There, a short, rotund merchant dressed in refined clothes was pacing anxiously, holding a small basket.

"Lord Robb!" The merchant greeted him warmly as soon as he entered, waddling forward with a beaming smile. "I've heard so much about your workshop, came specially to visit!"

So that's who it was, one of the slave traders from the trading company.

"Ah, the merchant." Robb nodded slightly and gestured for him to sit. "What brings you here today?"

His voice was calm and distant, but inwardly, he stayed alert.

This kind of man never came without a reason. There had to be something he wanted.

"Oh, come now, no need to be so formal!"

The merchant laughed, setting the basket on the table while letting his eyes scan the room, clearly assessing the workshop's value.

"I just came to see how the Dryad is adapting to its new environment. It's a rare specimen, after all, our Blake Enterprise prides itself on offering complete after-sales service."

He opened the basket and pulled out two bottles of faintly glowing soil.

"These are our guild's specially formulated nutrient soils. Just sprinkle a handful around the Dryad's roots each week, and it'll stay in peak condition."

Robb accepted the soil and examined it carefully, only accepting it after confirming there were no dangerous components.

"Thanks for the concern. The Dryad is doing very well, it's already integrated with the workshop's environment."

"Excellent, excellent."

The merchant rubbed his hands, eyes gleaming as he seemed to search for a way to steer the conversation.

"Oh, and I've got some good news for you, Lord Robb."

"Oh?" Robb raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharp and direct. "What news?"

"At the beginning of next month, our guild will be receiving a new shipment."

The merchant lowered his voice, sounding almost conspiratorial: "They'll include rare species gathered from various regions, some of them with special bloodlines."

Robb was immediately intrigued, though he quickly masked his expression and replied evenly, "Oh? Is that so?"

For bloodline research, exotic species were invaluable resources.

Especially now, as he was just beginning to explore the field of bloodline modulation, he urgently needed a wide variety of experimental materials.

"You may not know this, but the Blake Enterprise is much more than a backwater shop in the Black Mist Forest."

The merchant puffed out his chest proudly and continued in a self-important tone: "We're a vast organization spread across multiple continents with extremely wide-reaching channels and resources."

He leaned in slightly, voice lowering again: "If you have any special requests, feel free to let me know in advance, I'll give your needs priority."

Robb picked up his teacup and sipped slowly, calculating in silence.

The tea was just the right temperature, slightly bitter at first, then sweet, helping him think more clearly.

If the merchant's claims about his enterprise were true, they might be able to help Robb acquire rare materials or bloodline samples from unique species.

That was exactly what he needed for his current research.

"I do have a few requests."

Robb set down his cup and met the merchant's eyes, voice calm and firm:

"I'm looking for sparring opponents suitable for swordcraft training, multi-armed nagas, sirens, or better yet, various draconian races."

The merchant's smile faltered slightly. His brow creased, and a flicker of hesitation crossed his face.

But he quickly recovered, though his smile looked a bit forced.

"Oh my, you sure have high standards!" He gave a dry laugh, nervously rubbing his fingers along the teacup.

"Those races are extremely rare in the market, especially the multi-armed nagas and dragonkin. Their strength is already close to that of formal wizards."

He stroked his chin, looking troubled.

"With my current contacts… hmm… it'll be very difficult to find specimens of that caliber. But since it's your request, I'll do my best to keep an eye out!"

Robb could tell the merchant was wavering. He clearly didn't believe he could find what Robb asked for, but also didn't want to lose a potential big customer.

The strained smile and evasive words said all he needed to know about how empty that promise was.

"No worries. I know my request is a bit ambitious." Robb replied with a relaxed tone.

"But I do have another request, one that might be easier to fulfill."

"Please, go ahead!" The merchant's eyes lit up. He was clearly eager to close a deal.

"I've been very interested in bloodline modulation lately and am looking for some infant beast embryos to experiment on. If your enterprise can bring some suitable for research next month, I'm open to making a bulk purchase."

"Embryos?" The merchant's eyes sparkled, and this time his smile seemed more genuine.

"That's much easier! We routinely collect various alien embryos from different regions for trade. If it's a bulk order, we can definitely offer a discount."

He rubbed his hands together excitedly and leaned forward.

"For bulk purchases, the price for common species' embryos can go as low as fifteen magic stone shards each, at least thirty percent cheaper than buying individually!"

"Good. When your shipment arrives next month, send someone to notify me directly." Robb nodded, already forming a plan in his mind.

After seeing the merchant out, Robb returned to the lab, where the Dryad stood silently in its corner, vines swaying gently, almost as if silently welcoming him back.

He remembered what he had read about Dryad care the previous day and decided to follow the suggestions to improve its living environment.

He loosened the soil in the workshop's garden so its roots could extend more comfortably.

He watered it, then added a special nutrient mixture to the water.

The mixture had been prepared based on the book's formula, containing trace elements and magical components specific to Dryad needs.

"This should make you feel better."

Robb smiled at the Dryad, watching as its vines stretched slightly in the sunlight, like someone stretching lazily, seemingly expressing satisfaction.

The Dryad gently touched Robb's arm with a vine, like a silent thank-you.

Then, it spelled out a few words in the air: "Thank you, Master."

"You can't speak?" Robb asked curiously. He had never heard the Dryad make a sound.

The Dryad shook its head and spelled again: "Cannot speak. Only this way."

"Got it." Robb nodded. After a moment's thought, he asked: "Do you have a name? Or… would you like me to give you one?"

The Dryad hesitated, vines quivering slightly as if thinking. Then it finally spelled out a word:

"Valenwood."

"Valenwood, it sounds gentle. Very fitting." Robb nodded and said warmly: "From now on, I'll call you Valenwood."

The Dryad, Valenwood now, nodded lightly, vines quivering with what seemed to be joy.

Just as Robb was about to turn away, Valenwood spelled out another line: "May I help with your experiment?"

Robb stopped and looked back at Valenwood.

He knew Dryads had a unique perception of plants, able to sense their vitality and properties directly. That was an incredibly rare talent in potion-making.

"Of course." He smiled, eyes full of expectation and appreciation. "We'll resume the experiment shortly. With your help, I'm sure we'll get twice the results with half the effort."

…

Robb frowned as he looked at the sample of bloodline activation potion on the table.

"No, this still won't do."

The liquid had a strange reddish-orange hue, with tiny golden particles floating on the surface, flashing faintly. It looked beautiful.

But beauty didn't mean success. Judging from the unstable energy waves, the formula still had a fatal flaw.

He had made significant progress, the preliminary principles of bloodline modulation had definitely improved its targeting.

But the most critical step, precisely directing the bloodline activation, was still unresolved.

"If used as is, the targeting is much better than before, but still not precise enough."

Robb murmured, tapping the table rhythmically with his fingers.

"Stability is also a concern. The higher the potency, the greater the risk of mutation."

Just then, Valenwood's vines swayed gently, interrupting his thoughts.

Words formed in the air: "A very noble guest has arrived, an elder."

Robb immediately realized: Valenwood not only sensed guests but could distinguish certain characteristics.

This perceptive ability was incredibly valuable, far beyond his initial estimation. The Dryad had proven a worthy investment.

"I'll go greet them. Please keep an eye on the experiments."

He carefully returned the test tubes to the rack to avoid any accidents, then quickly made his way to the receiving room.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Lord Magnus standing outside, his long white beard swaying gently in the breeze.

"Lord Magnus!" Robb exclaimed in surprise, quickly bowing. "I didn't expect you to visit in person, what an honor!"

He hadn't expected such a highly respected Alchemist from the Alchemy School to visit a newly independent rookie like him. This level of treatment was far beyond what a junior alchemist typically received.

"Haha, no need to be so formal, young man."

Magnus waved his hand and entered the room, his voice calm and kind with the gravity of age.

"I just came to congratulate you on your new home, and brought a small gift."

Once seated, Magnus pulled a small wooden box from his robe.

He opened it, revealing a yellowed parchment scroll. Intricate rune patterns lined the edges, a telltale sign of a high-level potion formula.

"This is a new formula for a vitality potion, one of my earlier research projects from my younger years."

He pushed the scroll toward Robb, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"I heard you're interested in knight training, and your friend Andrey is quite the talented knight himself. This formula should be helpful for both of you."

Robb carefully accepted the scroll, slowly unrolling it.

The parchment had a unique texture, seemingly treated to preserve it for centuries without decay.

It was a detailed formula for an advanced vitality potion called Sunfire Essence.

It could not only enhance physical strength but also boost the flow of solar-aligned energy, perfect for those practicing sun-based breathing techniques.

"This… is incredibly valuable," Robb said sincerely, astonished.

He knew formulas like these were usually private treasures for potion masters, rarely shared:

"I don't know how to thank you, sir."

"No need to be so formal," Magnus replied, sipping his tea and nodding.

"Your talent during the certification exam left a deep impression on me. And knowledge only has value when shared. We old folks must pass something on to the next generation."

"Besides," the elder continued, a trace of nostalgia in his tone, "When I was young, I too was helped by someone. I'm just paying that kindness forward…"

Robb understood exactly what he meant. That was the true spirit behind the Law of Favor, ensuring the wizarding world didn't devolve into a dark forest.