Chapter 123 | Survival for All: The Tower Witch with E-Rank Talent

The sight of those rats piled on top of each other gave Lan Qingyou goosebumps.

Even though she wasn't afraid of the little critters, such a gruesome scene was still a bit unsettling at first glance.

In the towel-lined nest next to the box, a well-fed and hydrated Steel Wool had already sprawled out face-down and fallen asleep.

That’s right.

Here’s a fun fact: although the Aurora Snow Owl is a monster, it still falls under the category of owls.

While owls often give the illusion of sleeping while perched on a branch...

In extremely safe environments or when they need to regulate their body temperature, they will adopt this face-down posture to sleep.

Seeing this, Lan Qingyou smiled faintly.

She had sent Steel Wool out specifically to train its flying and hunting abilities.

It seemed her goal had been achieved.

At the very least, she hadn't turned this fast-flying monster into a useless pet.

Or perhaps it was a born hunter and simply couldn't be ruined by being kept as a pet.

With her theories supported, Lan Qingyou began her work.

Producing these things didn't actually require any particularly rare materials; she already had some stored on the shelves of her workshop and in the storage room.

Dark Indigo, Vermilion Grass, Fruitless Flower, Adamant Thorn, Hemp Tube...

Making two new potions at once wasn't too difficult for Lan Qingyou.

It took her four hours to finish both.

【Softening Potion (D)】

【Effect: Can soften hard objects.】

【Description: A very miraculous potion. It didn't exist before, or rather, no one ever thought of it. I'd really like to see what's inside the head of the person who came up with this.】

【Setting Potion (D)】

【Effect: Used for fixing the initial shape of an object.】

【Description: A very miraculous potion. It didn't exist before, or rather, no one ever thought of it. I'd really like to see what's inside the head of the person who came up with this.】

Hmph, what else could be in my head?

Mush, obviously.

Looking at the items she wanted, Lan Qingyou breathed a sigh of relief while feeling incredibly happy, even finding the spirit to joke around.

Checking the time, she saw there was still a while before dawn, so she decided to continue with the next potion-making experiment.

Of course, now that things had progressed this far, the following experiment wouldn't be difficult.

Grabbing a rat, she stuffed a piece of Thorium ore into its mouth. Lan Qingyou stood before the crucible holding the rat, waiting silently.

Bang!

Just like the one before, this rat's body exploded after about thirty seconds.

Blood mixed with bits of internal organs and bone fragments flowed into the potion in the crucible along with the liquid Thorium.

After tossing the rat out the window, Lan Qingyou immediately picked up an emerald stirring rod and began to stir gently, allowing the liquid Thorium to spread thoroughly and evenly within the Softening Potion.

Fortunately, the explosion wasn't very powerful, so Lan Qingyou's hand didn't feel much beyond a bit of tingling.

This was thanks to the strength boost from the Moonstone Dagger.

Otherwise, with Lan Qingyou's pitiful strength, there was a real possibility her hand would have been blown back.

She continued to stir gently for half an hour before pouring in the already ground Vermilion Grass powder.

Turning up the heat, she continued the brewing process.

She didn't stop until the pot of potion had boiled down to just a small amount at the bottom, becoming quite viscous.

After letting it cool slightly, Lan Qingyou took out a glass plate made in Shang Chuan's factory to use as a container. She removed the thick substance from the crucible, and the task was complete.

Looking at the dark green, viscous substance that resembled black sesame paste on the plate, Lan Qingyou brought it to the small screen for identification.

If possible, Lan Qingyou didn't want to wear the glasses.

After all, they were just for convenience. They were uncomfortable, always pressed against the bridge of her nose, and her vision might even be affected if she wore them constantly.

So, she rarely wore them while inside the shelter.

Unless she was particularly busy.

【Thorium Ink (D)】

【Effect: Increases the success rate of magic patterns, circuits, and enchanting by 30%.】

【Description: Should be something used for writing magic patterns and circuits, uncertain. But the fellow who thought of using this as an aid definitely didn't study Semiotics or Magic Circuitry well. It is suggested they return to school and find a mentor for remedial studies.】

...

Great suggestion. Please don't suggest it again next time.

Seeing the usual snark on the small screen, Lan Qingyou couldn't help but retort in her mind.

However, the small screen was right; Lan Qingyou had made this ink specifically to compensate for her deficiencies in those areas.

There was no other way. If there were a school or a mentor, she really would want to go listen to their lectures.

Right now, the books she had... no, it seemed all the books in the entire Kalim world were basic. There were no advanced books for reference at all; everything relied on individual exploration.

If you called it difficult, she could master things well while also quickly designing the potions she wanted.

If you called it simple, some people could never even get started no matter how much they studied.

The influence of Albert's alchemy journal might play a part, but Lan Qingyou felt it mostly came down to 'comprehension' and 'persistence.'

Take Professor Seymer, for example.

He was clearly a chemistry professor, yet under her tutelage, his alchemy remained in a half-baked state, never quite grasping the essence.

Lan Qingyou believed she hadn't cut any corners while teaching, so it could only be a matter of talent.

"Wait! Books?"

Lan Qingyou turned to look at the small screen and realized she still had an unselected book from her previous rewards.

She quickly moved the ink aside and began to make her selection.

To be honest, by now, Lan Qingyou didn't know which direction to choose.

Whether it was potions or alchemy, she could now craft them with ease. She even had her own set of 'experimental' theories, which was a step beyond the basics.

As for golems, although she hadn't started practical work yet, she had gathered all the necessary books and could take her time absorbing the knowledge.