Chapter 21: Midnight Visitor

The formula for the Rejuvenation Elixir includes black centipede mandibles, stone dragon child, mica stone, fire toad venom, and spirit elixir grass, a total of five medicinal ingredients.

Among them, the centipede mandibles and mica stone can be further ground into powder, and the spirit elixir grass can also be added to the pot after extracting its juice essence; all are materials that can be further processed.

Having decided on the refinement direction, Ji Ming sat before the counter, picked up a small wooden mallet, and began pounding continuously.

Unfortunately the tool was not handy, and the black centipede's mandibles were tougher than he had imagined.

He spent a long time before finishing, crushing all the required materials into fine powder.

Having prepared to flee the alchemy room at any moment, he kindly set up a wooden board as a barrier for the lab rat.

Ji Ming rubbed his palms together, eager, and began a new round of brewing.

He lit a small fire, poured in two-thirds of a pot of clear water, then added the ingredients in timed, measured amounts, one after another into the pot.

As usual, the substances mixed together and quickly turned into a puddle of black, sticky, thick liquid.

However, this time the stench was much milder; Ji Ming only gagged fewer than five times.

"Huh, not vomiting counts as success!"

He struggled to cover his mouth, then began to fiercely add firewood to the stove.

While the strong fire reduced the liquid, he also kept stirring with a cooking spoon to avoid scorching the pot.

When the brew reached the warning line water level, he closed the pot lid and placed the lucky ballast stone on top.

Finishing up, this is the most crucial part of brewing the Rejuvenation Elixir; whether it can be shipped depends on the forthcoming fortune.

He quickly hid behind the door, leaving a crack to peek at the interior situation.

Ji Ming waited patiently for a long time, hearing only a heavy 'thud' sound from the pot, after which there was no further movement.

Could it be that it's already over?

He hesitated before pushing open the door, bending low like preparing to defuse a bomb, and cautiously approached the soup pot.

Using the long-handled shovel taken from the counter, he gradually moved aside the stone and lid pressing down on top.

In an instant, a fresh fragrance entered his nose.

"Mmm…"

He twitched his nose, sniffing as if he had smelled cheese like Jerry.

In fact, the big black rat beside him was doing the same, and even more exaggeratedly, drool was about to spill from the corner of its mouth.

"So fragrant, this batch is definitely a good product!"

Ji Ming hurried over to take a close look, discovering that the appearance of this pot of Rejuvenation Elixir was also the best so far.

With virtually no impurities, it beautifully resembled the hue of aged red wine, making it look like an expensive drink and thus enticing.

"Marvelous!"

Selecting the most transparent crystal bottle to hold the elixir, Ji Ming gazed at it somewhat intoxicated for a while.

Turning his head, he saw the big black rat also staring fixedly at the medicine bottle.

He gave a slight smile, skillfully making a cut on the rat's leg.

He poured a little Rejuvenation Elixir onto it, and the deep wound down to the bone quickly stopped bleeding.

Waiting for the blood scab to coagulate, Ji Ming picked up the hourglass and found that the sand inside had just flowed for about a minute.

The healing speed was astonishingly fast; compared to the third generation, it was absolutely a major breakthrough!

The system also promptly popped up a prompt.

"【Congratulations on skill upgrade】"

"【Rejuvenation Elixir Crafting: Basic → Proficient】"

"Ah, just upgraded from basic to proficient?"

Ji Ming was not disappointed; rather, it was a great surprise.

The proficiently crafted Rejuvenation Elixir already allowed the big black rat's wound to shift from danger to safety within one minute.

What kind of presence would an excellent, even perfect, Rejuvenation Elixir have?

Without mentioning raising the dead or flesh and white bones, downing a bottle should directly grant battle continuation, right?

That would be ten, or even nine, points of usefulness—enough to make any royal or noble treat oneself as an honored guest.

"—Wonderful, the future is bright indeed."

However, Ji Ming is destined to start his own stove, so he merely enjoyed the thought briefly before discarding the fantasy from his mind.

"Change of approach—maybe I can keep it to sell to players, letting them work for me…"

He was calculating, about to break off a piece of black bread to reward the cooperating lab rat.

"Bang!"

Then he heard the sound of glass shattering coming from the second floor.

Cold sweat instantly soaked his back; Ji Ming grabbed the iron shovel beside him.

Still pondering whether to flee quickly or sneak away, he saw a pale yellow, massive figure lunge forward and directly pounce into the alchemy room.

"What the hell is that fast!"

Ji Ming was about to click to exit the game, but at the last moment he heard a voice.

"Help me…"

Only then did he realize that the intruder, though having burst in, did not approach him but instead slumped sitting, leaning against the wall beside him.

Yellow base with black rings, variegated fur, furry palms and face, bearing a pair of round ears on a ferocious large head…

However, he was also not an ordinary 'person', but a beastman with a leopard's head!

His sturdy body was covered in ferocious wounds, especially the abdomen he was tightly covering, where the thick soft flesh was almost completely split open.

If it weren't for the beastman's vigorous vitality, he would likely have already died from excessive blood loss.

"Wait, leopard head!"

Ji Ming immediately brought up the interface, but the dialog box only showed the obvious message: 【Target level too high to view】.

Enough, this is enough to prove his guess.

He didn't continue pondering, after all the pressing matter was to stabilize the opponent.

Ji Ming quickly spread his arms, indicating he meant no harm.

With a gentle smile, he was mild and sincere like a true good doctor.

"What trouble have you run into? Is there anything I can help you with?"

The leopard person furrowed his brow, split his blood-flecked lips in a grimace, and drew a ragged breath.

"Save me, I'll repay you……"

Then he closed his eyes and fainted.

The smile on his face gradually stiffened, then faded.

Ji Ming rubbed his temples, caught in a dilemma.

The outer city of Sunshine City was chaotic and disordered, but the inner city was different.

The local Business Union, the Mountain Folk Mercenary Alliance from Shen Lin Wang Guo, and the Adventurers Association with a mixed composition.

The prosperous inner city was divided among these three major forces, each occupying its own territory.

As the name suggests, the Business Union controls the commercial sector of Sunshine City.

Whether buying or renting, one inevitably deals with them, and they are also Ji Ming's current "creditor."

The Mountain Folk Mercenary Corps maintained the Deep Forest people's habit of profiting from both sides.

Backed by nobility, they acted entirely on the principle of profit, caring only for money, not good or evil.

As for the Adventurers Association, it is the hardest to define.

Because the so-called "adventurer" is inherently hard to evaluate.

Also, their backers are not locals, but the three major beastfolk families who came from the Southern Wasteland to Sunshine City.

Specifically, the Claw Family of the leopard people, the Antelope Horn Family of the goat people, and the Truffle Family of the wild boar people.

The leopard person sitting before Ji Ming now is likely a professional of at least level thirty.

—He must be a high-ranking member of the Claw Family!

But why is he here?

Listening to the wind's howl outside the window in the dead of night, Ji Ming slowly clenched his fists.

Either way, this is a hot potato.

But if the gamble pays off, it will also be a rare opportunity!