"What are you thinking about?"
Anju waved her graceful hand before Xia Zuo's eyes.
Xia Zuo snapped out of his thoughts, saying, "Let's go, let's check out the next painting."
"Okay~ This way," Anju said, holding onto his arm, leading them deeper into the gallery.
Putting aside his perpetual motion machine idea for the moment, Xia Zuo accompanied her, leisurely exploring the entire art exhibition.
Historical paintings displayed the grandeur of art from a broad perspective. Landscape paintings, although realistic, lacked the same awe-inspiring impact as historical ones, reducing the profound insights into the direction of the wind.
Around five in the afternoon, they emerged from the exhibition hall.
Looking at the bustling streets and the surging crowd, Xia Zuo felt it was not as serene as strolling along the lake within the academy grounds. It was quieter and more relaxing there compared to the bustling streets.
"Let's head back to the academy. After dinner, I plan to visit the mentor."
Anju smiled, tilting her head up towards him. "I'll be in the dormitory studying then. Let's meet at the cafeteria tomorrow morning."
...
7 PM that night.
Xia Zuo escorted Anju into the girls' dormitory corridor and then made his way alone towards the Alchemy Poisoning Zone.
Every evening from Monday to Thursday, he spent his time formulating the White Jaw Poison and its antidote, repeatedly testing and detoxifying.
Kurov lay on a soft couch, occasionally setting his book aside to glance up.
This mentor with long, ash-colored hair was almost always engrossed in reading inside the alchemy chamber.
But tonight was different.
To Xia Zuo's surprise, the mentor wasn't present.
Just as he hesitated about leaving, a letter floated in from the doorway.
Kurov wrote in the letter that he was discussing matters with other professors, allowing Xia Zuo to attempt the apprentice-level poison under secure conditions.
Xia Zuo rejoiced and glanced at his character template.
【Level】LV.9
【Experience】230+80→310/1000
【Earth Element Resistance】0%→0.37%
【Willpower】3+0.37→3.37
The closer the Earth Element Resistance approached 0.5%, the less additional experience the White Jaw Poison and antidote provided. The rewards in willpower attributes and resistance also diminished.
The efficiency of its experience conversion had rapidly decreased, evidently reaching its limit. It was the perfect time to try out a new poison.
He flipped open the "Encyclopedia of Poisons," finding another apprentice-level poison formula.
【Formula Name】Black Eye Poison
【Formula Type】Composite Poison
【Formula Grade】Apprentice Level
【Basic Toxin 1】
Dried Brown Essence: Distorts vision. Derived from the withered vines of a certain dried old plant.
【Basic Toxin 2】
Ginger White Essence: Deprives hearing. Sourced from the moldy parts of a certain type of ginger.
【Composite Toxin】
Black Eye Toxin: Causes the user to lose hearing. When the eyes are open, objects in the field of vision appear distorted in shape and color. When closed, random, distorted images are seen.
【Composite Toxin Configuration Method】
Omitted... (Several alchemical formulas)
【Solvent Needed for Poison Mixing】
Highly sweetened syrup
【Poison Mixing Method】
Add the Black Eye Toxin into the syrup, stirring and heating simultaneously. Once the Black Eye Toxin completely dissolves, let it settle to room temperature.
To ensure the safety of the solo trial, he opted for a non-lethal Black Eye Poison. Because it was non-lethal, there was no accompanying antidote.
In terms of the production process, this poison was much more complex than the White Jaw Poison.
Standing at the alchemy table, Xia Zuo used his left hand to pull the bellows' rope for heating, while his right hand poured one-fifth of clear water into the crucible, just enough to cover the bottom.
A row of bottles containing potions and toxins rested on the lower shelf to his right.
Once the water in the crucible boiled, he poured in the green potion as the base medicine, gently stirring it to turn the water a bubbling emerald green.
The next step was crucial.
Xia Zuo cautiously brought over the bottle of Dried Brown Essence, using a dropper to draw out three drops, which he then dripped into the crucible.
The deep brown toxin liquid collided with the surface of the water, emitting a hiss of black smoke.
Sealing the toxin bottle, he slowly stirred the crucible to prevent the brown toxin liquid from adhering to the crucible walls, potentially rendering the entire potion useless.
When the liquid inside the crucible changed from emerald green to the color of soil, Xia Zuo repeated the previous steps with the Ginger White Essence.
For the next ten minutes, continuous stirring was required to evaporate the moisture from the liquid, using a low flame.
Because he had to closely monitor the changes in the water to prevent burning, this step had to be done manually.
The mask Xia Zuo wore covered only the splashing liquid, unable to block the pungent odor emanating from the crucible.
As the liquid in the crucible rapidly evaporated, emitting a pungent smell that stung the eyes.
【Health Regeneration Speed】
【Basic Health Regeneration Speed】
0.1 points/minute
【Real-time Health Regeneration Speed】
0.1-0.07→0.03 points/minute
Xia Zuo's expression changed as the real-time health regeneration speed nearly turned negative.
Fortunately, this process was short, and the amount of toxin evaporating into the air was minimal. The real-time health regeneration speed quickly recovered.
Only a thick, gray substance remained in the crucible.
Xia Zuo used a spatula to flip the substance, allowing the moisture on its back to evaporate. After ensuring no clear water remained, he poured a few spoonfuls of sickeningly sweet syrup into the crucible and used the remaining heat from the stove to heat the crucible's base.
The gray, thick substance rapidly dissolved into the syrup, turning it into a black liquid.
He took three small, thumb-sized glass bottles, pouring the black liquid into them, sealing the bottles, and labeling them as "Black Eye Poison."
【Item Name】Black Eye Poison
【Item Type】Poison
【Item Grade】Apprentice Level
【Item Quality】92% Completion, Excellent
【Related Resistance 1】Wind Element Resistance
【Related Resistance 2】Earth Element Resistance
Once both elemental resistances reached 0.5%, the impact of this item on the host would significantly diminish.
【Item Description】Created by Xia Zuo.
【Item Effects】
After drinking the entire bottle, the user will experience 1 layer of hallucination and 1 layer of deafness, each lasting for 1 minute.
The Black Eye Poison unexpectedly related to two resistances!
Xia Zuo swiftly tidied up the alchemy table, eagerly sitting on a stool and tilting his head back to gulp down the first vial of Black Eye Poison.
Instantly, the surroundings fell silent.
He flicked the empty glass bottle with his finger, unable to hear any sound
in either ear. The slender bottle seemed to twist as if a snake in his hand. The legs of the desk and the clock's hands warped into waves.
His pupils dilated, pushing the whites of his eyes to the edges, allowing more light to enter.
The light from the alchemy lamps grew increasingly intense, as blinding as the sun.
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