Chapter 49: Potionist II

After listening to the explanation, Ryan gained a general understanding of the certification process.

The Potionist Association divided its qualifications into several grades, with each grade requiring a different level of knowledge and practical ability. The higher the qualification, the more difficult the examination became.

Candidates had to demonstrate their ability to identify ingredients, understand their properties, follow potion recipes, and prepare potions without making serious mistakes.

For the higher grades, the examination also included more complicated recipes and the use of rare ingredients.

"Understood. I’d like to attempt the highest grade available to new applicants," Ryan said.

The receptionist looked at him with slight surprise.

"The highest grade? Are you certain? Since this is your first registration, you might want to start with a lower qualification. You can always take the higher examinations later."

She wasn’t trying to look down on him. It was simply that most people needed years of practice before they could qualify as advanced Potionists.

Even those with exceptional talent usually started with the lower grades.

Ryan smiled.

"I’d prefer to give it a try. If I fail, I can always take another examination later."

The receptionist hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Very well. I’ll register you for the Advanced Potionist Assessment. However, please understand that the examination fee won’t be refunded if you fail."

"Just so you know, Advanced level is simply Level 3 and All Potionist Starts from level 1 and with the highest Level being 10."

"That’s fine."

Ryan paid the required fee and received a registration token.

"Please proceed to Examination Hall Three on the second floor. An examiner will explain the remaining details before the assessment begins."

"Thank you."

Ryan put away the token and headed toward the staircase.

As he climbed the stairs, he checked his system interface.

Although he had obtained the Serendipity Witch Doctor’s knowledge through Perfect Loot, he hadn’t actually prepared many potions himself since acquiring it. Most of his understanding came from the Witch Doctor’s memories, which included years of experience and countless experiments.

However, that didn’t mean he could simply rely on the knowledge without thinking.

He still needed to understand how his abilities interacted with the ingredients and equipment available in the Origin Tower.

Fortunately, he wasn’t worried about the examination itself.

Even without Perfect Loot, Ryan possessed several advantages that ordinary candidates could only dream of.

He could identify ingredients with ease, recognize subtle changes in their properties, and recall numerous recipes without needing to consult a manual.

The Witch Doctor’s accumulated experience had also taught him how to handle mistakes and adjust the brewing process when unexpected reactions occurred.

The examination would be a good opportunity to put that knowledge to use.

Soon, Ryan arrived at Examination Hall Three.

The hall was divided into several rooms. Some contained desks and shelves filled with books, while others were equipped with potion-making tables, heating devices, ingredient containers, and various types of glassware.

Several candidates were already waiting inside.

Most appeared nervous, and a few were quietly reviewing their notes. One young elf was carefully examining a collection of dried herbs, while a dwarf with a thick beard was checking the tools in his bag.

Ryan glanced at them before finding an empty seat.

He didn’t have anything to review, so he simply waited.

A few minutes later, an elderly man wearing a dark green robe entered the hall.

His hair was almost entirely white, and a silver badge bearing the emblem of the Potionist Association was pinned to his chest.

The moment he entered, the conversations in the room gradually stopped.

"I’m the examiner responsible for today’s Advanced Potionist Assessment," the elderly man announced. "My name is Eldric. Before we begin, I want to make one thing clear. This examination isn’t a competition to see who can prepare the most complicated potion."

He looked around the room.

"A qualified Potionist must understand the ingredients they use, recognize the risks involved, and produce a reliable result. A complicated recipe is worthless if you cannot prepare it correctly."

He waved his hand, and several assistants entered carrying trays of ingredients.

"For the first stage, you will be tested on ingredient identification and theoretical knowledge. Each candidate will receive a selection of ingredients and a series of questions. You must identify the ingredients, explain their properties, and determine which combinations are suitable for specific potions."

One of the candidates raised his hand.

"Sir, will the ingredients include rare materials?"

"Some will be uncommon, but none will be impossible to identify for someone qualified to attempt this examination."

The elderly examiner paused before continuing.

"The second stage will test your practical skills. You will be given a selection of recipes and must prepare the required potions using the equipment provided. Your results will be evaluated based on quality, stability, purity, and adherence to the recipe."

Ryan listened carefully.

The format was straightforward.

First, theory.

Then, practical work.

For someone who had inherited the Witch Doctor’s knowledge, neither stage should be particularly difficult.

"Now, let us begin."

The assistants distributed the examination materials.

Ryan received a sheet containing several questions and a tray holding twelve different ingredients. Some were familiar medicinal plants, while others were dried monster organs, mineral powders, and small containers of liquid extracted from magical creatures.

He looked at the tray.

Then he began answering the questions.

He identified each ingredient, listed its main properties, and explained how it could be used in potion-making. When he encountered questions about incompatible materials, he wrote down the reactions they could produce and the precautions required to prevent them.

He didn’t rush, but he didn’t need much time either.

For Ryan, most of the questions were little more than a review of knowledge he already possessed.

After completing the theoretical section, he checked his answers once before submitting the paper.

The elderly examiner took it and glanced through the first few responses.

At first, his expression remained unchanged.

Then his eyes paused on one of the answers.

He read it again.

A moment later, he turned to another page.

Ryan had identified an uncommon ingredient that was often confused with a similar-looking plant. More importantly, he had explained a subtle difference in how the two reacted when combined with a particular mineral powder.

It was a detail that many intermediate Potionists overlooked.

The examiner raised his head and looked at Ryan.

"Where did you learn this?"

Ryan replied calmly, "I studied the properties of different ingredients."

The elderly man examined him for a moment before returning his attention to the paper.

He didn’t ask any further questions.

Instead, he continued reading.

The more he examined Ryan’s answers, the more surprised he became. The young man had not only identified every ingredient correctly but had also provided detailed explanations of several uncommon reactions.

Some of his answers demonstrated knowledge that went beyond what was usually expected of an applicant attempting an advanced qualification.

After finishing the evaluation, Eldric placed the paper on his desk.

"Your theoretical results are excellent. You’ve passed the first stage."

Ryan nodded.

"Thank you."

"Don’t celebrate yet. The practical examination is still ahead."

"Of course."

The examiner gestured toward the potion-making rooms.

"Follow me. You’ll each be assigned a separate workstation. The association will provide the necessary equipment and ingredients, but you must prepare the potions yourself."

Ryan followed the other candidates into the practical examination area.

Each workstation contained a small furnace, a set of glass containers, a stirring rod, a precision scale, and several basic tools. The ingredients were stored in separate cabinets, and a list of available materials had been placed on every table.

Once everyone had settled into their assigned positions, Eldric announced the task.

"For this stage, you must prepare three potions: a Basic Health Potion, a Mana Recovery Potion, and a Purification Potion. You must produce stable potions that meet the association’s minimum quality requirements. You have two hours."

He paused before adding, "You may consult the recipe sheets provided to you, but you are not permitted to use personal notes, external assistance, or any ability that directly creates a finished potion."

Ryan glanced at the three recipes.

A Basic Health Potion.

A Mana Recovery Potion.

And a Purification Potion.

He almost laughed.

These were extremely common recipes, and he had already mastered far more complicated ones through the Witch Doctor’s knowledge.

Nevertheless, he didn’t underestimate the task.

The association wasn’t simply checking whether he knew the recipes. It was testing whether he could reproduce the results consistently using ordinary equipment.

Ryan examined the ingredients provided at his workstation and began organizing them.

He checked their quality, measured the required quantities, and prepared the containers.

Then he started with the Basic Health Potion.

He adjusted the furnace temperature, added the ingredients in the correct order, and carefully controlled the heating process. Once the mixture reached the required consistency, he reduced the temperature and stirred it at precise intervals.

The liquid gradually changed from a cloudy red to a clear crimson.

Ryan watched for a few more seconds before transferring it into a glass bottle.

[High Grade Basic Health Potion successfully prepared.]

Although the system notification was visible only to him, Ryan couldn’t help feeling satisfied.

All Potions are divided into Low, middle, high and Perfect Grade.

’High at first try not bad’ he nodded and continued.

He moved on to the Mana Recovery Potion.

This time, he had to be more careful with the heating process because several of its ingredients were sensitive to temperature changes. Fortunately, he had already learned how to handle similar materials from the Witch Doctor’s memories.

He followed the recipe, adjusted the flame when necessary, and completed the brewing process without any problems.

The resulting potion was a clear blue liquid with a faint magical glow.

Finally, he began preparing the Purification Potion.

Unlike the previous two recipes, this one required a more delicate balance between its ingredients. Adding them in the wrong order could reduce its effectiveness or cause the mixture to become unstable.

Ryan carefully measured each ingredient before beginning.

He controlled the temperature, adjusted the stirring speed, and watched for changes in the liquid’s color.

Several minutes later, the potion settled into a transparent silver liquid.

Ryan placed the bottle on the table and checked his work.

All three potions were complete.

He looked around the examination room.

Some candidates were still struggling with their first potion, while others had already moved on to the second. A young man at the next workstation had accidentally overheated his mixture and was hurriedly trying to correct the mistake.

Ryan didn’t pay much attention to them.

Instead, he checked his potions one final time and waited for the examiner.

When Eldric eventually arrived at his workstation, he examined the three bottles in silence.

He checked their color, tested their stability, and used a small assessment device to measure their purity.

After finishing the inspection, he looked at Ryan with a noticeably different expression.

"You’ve completed all three potions?"

"Yes."

Eldric picked up the Basic Health Potion and examined it once more.

"The purity is considerably higher than the minimum requirement. The same applies to the Mana Recovery Potion and the Purification Potion."

He turned toward the other examiners who had accompanied him.

"Please conduct a second evaluation."

The assistants carefully examined the potions themselves.

After comparing their results, they confirmed the initial assessment.

All three potions met the requirements, and their quality was better than expected for a first-time applicant.

Eldric nodded slowly.

"Excellent. You have passed the practical stage."

Ryan smiled.

"Does that mean I’ve obtained the qualification?"

"Not quite. Your results have exceeded the normal standard for this assessment, so I’ll need to review them before issuing your final qualification."

Ryan blinked.

"Review them?"

"Yes. Your theoretical answers were unusually detailed, and the quality of your potions is higher than what we typically see from first-time candidates. I need to confirm whether your results meet the requirements for a higher qualification."

Ryan understood what the examiner meant.

He had intended to test his abilities, but he hadn’t expected his performance to attract this much attention.

Still, he wasn’t particularly worried.

If the association wanted to conduct another assessment, he had no reason to refuse.

"That’s fine with me."

Eldric nodded.

"Very well. Please wait here while I consult with the chief examiner."

With that, the elderly man gathered the evaluation sheets and carefully stored Ryan’s three potions before leaving the room.

Ryan watched him go, then glanced at the remaining ingredients on his workstation.

He had come to Myrioge hoping to obtain a professional qualification.

It seemed he might end up getting more than he had originally planned.