Wizards: Starting as a Potions Master!

Chapter 151 Entering the Witches' Gathering!

In the long-uninhabited forest, Su Nan, along with Vasilyan, Wolf Big, and Wolf Two, found the pit the merchant had mentioned where he had fallen.

There were also some weeds and wildflowers growing next to the pit.

Through the scents emanating from these wildflowers and grasses, Su Nan sensed that these plants possessed some therapeutic properties for humans. Moreover, he noticed that within these groves, there were stone statues as tall as children.

These stone statues are like roly-poly toys, with almost no trace of human carving on their surfaces. Moreover, due to the passage of time, they are pitted and uneven, like natural stones.

But it was these stone statues that formed a magical ritual.

The specific purpose of this magical ritual is still unknown.

However, Su Nan realized that this magical ritual contained at least a basic effect that those with a mental strength below 20 could not find.

In other words, this gathering is likely an elimination event for wizards below the level of first-class wizard apprentice.

To attend the gathering of petrifying witches, one must be at least a first-class wizard apprentice.

Perhaps there will also be some second-class wizard apprentices who were brought in by first-class wizard apprentices.

Therefore, it seems that the witches deliberately let the merchant in and allowed him to hear their conversation from inside the pit.

Su Nan looked up at the sky and heard a clap of thunder, followed by a downpour.

Countless raindrops fell on the muddy ground.

The once bright sky suddenly darkened, and what was a sunny midday day turned into a day covered with dark clouds.

At the same time, Sunan and Vasilyan noticed that there were many figures around them. Several people had suddenly appeared in a place that was originally deserted.

Su Nan promptly put on the wooden mask that she had prepared in advance.

The witches' gathering has begun.

"AI, begin recording the current environmental changes and analyzing the current situation," Su Nan thought.

Yes. The weather in your previous environment hasn't changed at all. According to the scan, the forest is still bathed in the clear midday air. Instead, you yourself have been pulled into a special dimension.

[It is speculated that this witch gathering took place within a special realm. The pit in this forest of Samori territory might even be just one of the entrances to this gathering, meaning that the wizards and witches you are currently seeing are not actually present in front of you.]

In the gloomy weather of the storm, all the raindrops that fell on Su Nan and the others automatically moved to the side.

A tall, slender first-class apprentice witch wearing a golden priestess mask remarked, "Oh dear, it seems there are two newcomers at this transaction. How rare; it's been a long time since any new members joined the gathering."

"Chariots, Justice, Petrifying Witch, World, we meet again. I hope you'll bring something new and exciting this time."

The first-class apprentice witch, wearing a tarot card "The World" mask, seemed indifferent to the newcomers, urging, "Let's hurry up and make the deal; everyone's time is precious. I recently refined a new batch of [Glimmering Herbs] that can help increase the growth rate of your spiritual power."

"I want you to pay me with universal magic stones."

"If you have other magical resources that interest me, that would be fine too."

Don't try to negotiate with me.

"After all, I am the only wizard in this gathering who can reliably provide this kind of potion that can enhance mental power."

Su Nan looked at her in surprise.

So that's how it is. This is most likely the female herbalist apprentice that the merchant mentioned to me.

I am somewhat interested in her [Glimmering Herb], and perhaps I can get some inspiration from it to create a third kind of magic potion that increases mental power and speed.

The witch, wearing a tarot card "High Priestess" mask, retorted, "You don't need to be in such a hurry. The gathering is divided into three stages."

"The stages of introducing extraordinary experiences, exchanging information, and directly trading magical resources."

"Besides, you're not the only wizard here who can provide unique magical resources. [Chariot] clearly comes from a wizarding family and can provide a stable magical item appraisal service. [Justice] always manages to bring out some rare magical resources. I think he might be one of the Forsaken."

The "World" witch snorted coldly.

The 'Chariot' hurriedly explained, "You've misunderstood. I'm just an old wizard apprentice who has received some inheritance. I'm not particularly useful, and I'm not from a wizarding family. I'm already quite content that I can exchange my magical item appraisal skills for some magical resources from you."

"I'm just a useless old first-class wizard apprentice, currently just living a peaceful life in some country."

Please don't make wild guesses about my identity.

"Justice" also seemed to be a witch, and she said coldly, "I am not some Forsaken. I just dared to fight and risk my life, which is why I obtained some precious magical resources."

"So, the 'World' witch wasn't wrong. She can reliably produce special potions, and among the regulars at this market, she's quite an important figure. Many wizards and witches who occasionally come to the market come specifically for her."

"However, those wizards who come occasionally are just so-so; they basically can't bring out anything good."

From their conversation, Su Nan figured out the identities and relationships of these people.

It seems that these four people are regulars at the market, and the petrifying witch is the market's organizer.

I was a newcomer to this market who had suddenly entered it.

However, because of Vasilian's exceptionally high mental strength, they seemed to regard him as a first-class wizard apprentice as well.

The petrifying witch revealed her true form directly. She was an old witch with silver-white hair and wrinkles on her face. She maintained a smiling expression and looked just like an ordinary old lady next door.

But her eyes were bright and piercing.

Su Nan speculated that she was probably a witch from the curse school who was skilled in curse magic, and of course, she might also be skilled in some transfiguration spells.

The petrifying witch glanced at Vasilian and Su Nan, then her eyes lit up, and she said with a smile, "You're really amazing."

"In the early stages of the magical tide, when magical power was still so scarce, it was possible to create such a powerful life form using magical power."

"You are truly a powerful psychic wizard."

"If I hadn't sensed something was amiss and carefully discerned the aura of death emanating from the death knight beside you, as well as the potential mental connection between you and him, I might have been misled as well."

Su Nan glanced at the petrified witch with surprise.

She is clearly a more powerful and accomplished wizard than Guca.

This guy immediately saw through his true relationship with Vasilyan.

Moreover, her mental strength... the scan data is actually 100!

His mental strength was only 62.02.

In other words, in terms of mental strength, the petrifying witch in front of us already meets the standard to become a first-circle wizard. It's just unknown whether she is struggling with first-circle magic or the wizard tower.

Of course, it's also possible that it's due to the Magic Tide, which has only just been summoned back.

Currently, it's uncertain whether this land can support a first-level wizard.

As soon as the petrifying witch uttered these words, 'World', 'Chariot', 'Justice', and 'Priestess' all turned to look at Su Nan.

They never expected that Vasilian was actually a Death Knight created by Su Nan.

Su Nan also secretly checked the mental and magical power levels of these four people.

While looking only at the panel data for mental strength and mana cannot objectively evaluate a wizard's magical abilities, it can still reveal some information.

As a first-class herbalist wizard apprentice, 'World' has a mental strength of 70.

The Priestess's mental strength is only 50, the Chariot's mental strength is 60, but Justice's mental strength is at least 80.

It seems that the regulars at the petrified witch gatherings are at least at the level of first-class wizard apprentices.

As for those wizards who weren't particularly skilled, according to the "Justice" witch, they were probably just ordinary first-class wizard apprentices, so they couldn't offer anything of value.

Because they lack trading capabilities, they don't come every time. They can only accumulate magical resources for a period of time before coming to this market to exchange them for some usable magical resources.

The petrifying witch smiled at Su Nan and said, "Most wizards don't want to reveal their location and identity in the real world. After all, once it's known, it could become information for others to trade magical resources."

"Therefore, we all choose a code from the Tarot cards and wear a corresponding mask, and we use the code to address the other party when making a transaction."

"When you choose a code name, you can choose one that is similar to the direction of your magical research. This will make it easier for others to remember the type of magical resource you are trading or the category of magical resources you need."

"Our gatherings are divided into three phases. The first phase is for everyone who meets once a month to share the strange and wonderful things they have encountered."

"Anyone who shares strange and unusual stories can exchange them for a magic stone from me."

Su Nan immediately understood what the petrifying witch was doing.

This was one of her methods of gathering intelligence, although some of the anecdotes were of little use.

But the petrifying witch probably used this method to determine whether any of those strange tales contained magical resources that could help her become a formal wizard.

But what is the Philosopher's Stone?

Without hesitation, Su Nan asked the petrifying witch, "What is a magic stone?"

The herbalist "world" witch mentioned earlier also said that her "Glimmer Potion" had to be exchanged for a magic stone.

The petrifying witch paused for a moment, then laughed, "I'm quite surprised that a powerful wizard like you doesn't know what a magic stone is."

"A magic stone is a natural mineral vein, a crystalline object containing residual magic that remains in some ley lines when the magic tide recedes."

"Later, it was discovered by those of us who were forced to stay on this land, the marginal members of the orthodox wizarding society. By crushing the Philosopher's Stone, one can absorb its magical energy to replenish one's own magical power, or, in the years before the magical tide arrives, maintain one's magic through the Philosopher's Stone."

The petrifying witch explained, "Even now, the Philosopher's Stone is very useful. Absorbing the magical energy within the Philosopher's Stone can accelerate the efficiency of learning meditation techniques."

"Therefore, it became the common currency among wizards."

(End of this chapter)