65: Chapter 65 New Soul-Gathering Potion Recipe
The indicator light on the detection instrument flashed frantically. The numbers on the screen soared all the way up, finally locking onto a startling value.
"The potion's potency... it's 0.5 times higher than the old version! The purity has reached 60%! And I haven't found any residual side effects!"
The senior student in the lab coat was trembling as she spoke. The report in her hand almost slipped and fluttered to the floor.
"How much?!"
Professor Yi Nan snatched the report, her black-rimmed glasses sliding down to the tip of her nose in her shock.
She stared at the numbers, verifying them repeatedly, then suddenly slapped her thigh with a "thwack," startling the nearby beaker so much that it jumped.
"60% purity... the old version was only 45%! This, this, how is this possible!" she muttered to herself, her eyes filled with disbelief.
You have to understand, the primary Soul Condensation Potions currently on the market not only have high costs but can only boost cultivation speed by a maximum of one time.
Yet this one, which Lin Mo seemingly "mixed up randomly," has a cost as low as one-tenth, yet it can provide a 1.5 times cultivation boost.
If this were really launched, who knows whose cake it would end up stealing...
Thinking of this, a layer of cold sweat suddenly broke out on Professor Yi Nan's forehead.
"No, this matter must be discussed with the Dean immediately."
She started to turn around as she spoke, but stopped abruptly after two steps, as if she had recalled something urgent.
She hurriedly turned back to look at everyone in the laboratory, her tone grave: "No one is allowed to speak of what happened today. Remember, if this gets out, not only Lin Mo, but all of you could get into trouble."
"Understood, Professor Yi Nan!" everyone replied in a hurry, their faces wearing a solemnity born from being shocked by this news.
"Lin Mo, come with me."
Professor Yi Nan said, pulling Lin Mo as they walked out, her steps hurried. In her eyes behind the black-rimmed glasses, a lingering shock and a hint of imperceptible worry remained.
The laboratory door was gently closed.
...
In the Cultivation Garden, Da Chun was shaking his leg while watering the spiritual plants. Su Xiaoxiao and Mu Liuli were also attending to their respective duties. Only Lu Mengmeng was shuttling between the spiritual plants, not knowing what she was doing.
"Huh, isn't that Lin Mo and Professor Yi Nan? Where are they going?" Su Xiaoxiao saw Lin Mo and Professor Yi Nan hurrying by and couldn't help but ask curiously.
Mu Liuli, holding a record sheet, also revealed a curious look.
"What else could it be? That vixen is definitely trying to drag my boss into the woods!"
"Lu Mengmeng, why are you stealing food again!" Mu Liuli turned her head and saw Lu Mengmeng holding a peach, eating it leisurely, and immediately got angry.
"It doesn't matter, I've already handled it."
"What you call 'handled it'... is just hanging a regular peach up there?"
"Oh, close enough is fine. Anyway, that peach tree bears many fruits, so it's normal for one or two traitors to appear."
Lu Mengmeng smacked her lips and casually tossed the peach pit into the nutrient soil nearby.
"Besides, I'm also helping it thin the fruit, which helps the other fruits grow stronger."
Mu Liuli and the others were rendered speechless by her crooked logic.
...
On the other side. Professor Yi Nan pulled Lin Mo to the door of the Dean's office. Just as she raised her hand to knock, an argument came from inside.
"Dean Zhou Qingyuan! Don't be stubborn!" a slightly sharp voice rang out.
"For the future of the academy, all students with an S-rank Martial Soul must be organized into one team. Only then can we secure a spot in the Eastern District University Tournament three months from now!"
Professor Yi Nan's hand paused in mid-air, her face instantly turning grave. She made a shushing gesture to Lin Mo, and the two quietly retreated half a step, pressing against the door outside to listen with bated breath.
Inside the office, that aged voice continued to echo fiercely: "You putting those stragglers together is simply a joke! Teacher Liu Mugang's team has already gathered three S-rank Martial Souls; if you transfer that girl Lu Mengmeng over, only then will there be hope of challenging for the top three!"
"Vice Dean Liu, please watch your tone." Dean Zhou Qingyuan's voice remained calm. "Don't forget, I am the Dean of the Eastern Martial Soul Academy."
Vice Dean Liu let out a cold laugh: "The tournament three months from now concerns the academy's resource allocation for next year! If we lose, we won't even be able to keep our status as a second-tier academy! When that time comes, let's see how you explain it to the Academy Association?"
"Hmph, that is my business, so there is no need to trouble Vice Dean Liu." Dean Zhou Qingyuan's voice was flat, revealing no emotion.
"Stubborn and thick-headed!" Vice Dean Liu slammed the table in anger, the impact causing the teacup inside to clink lightly.
"I have already submitted the application to the Academy Association, requesting a re-division of the teams! Even if you are the Dean, you must follow the rules!"
Then, a burst of hurried footsteps came, as if someone was about to come out. Professor Yi Nan hurriedly pulled Lin Mo back a few more steps, pretending they had just arrived.
"Click—" The door opened. A bald, middle-aged man walked out of the office; it was Vice Dean Liu.
When he saw Professor Yi Nan, he was stunned for a moment, then squeezed out a friendly smile. "Professor Yi Nan, so early!" He looked at Lin Mo behind her and asked curiously, "Do you have something to discuss with the Dean?"
A flash of disgust quickly crossed Professor Yi Nan's eyes, but she put on a professional expression: "Yes, there is something I would like to discuss with the Dean."
"Oh... alright." Vice Dean Liu's eyes rolled, and he smiled again: "If the research lab needs any cooperation from the academy in the future, you can also bring it up to me; no need to always trouble the Dean."
"Thank you for your concern, Vice Dean Liu." Professor Yi Nan replied indifferently. "I am only looking for the Dean for a private matter, so I won't trouble you."
Vice Dean Liu hit a soft nail; the smile on his face stiffened, and without saying anything else, he turned and walked away, flicking his sleeves.
Only then did Professor Yi Nan let out a sigh of relief, turning to whisper to Lin Mo: "Let's go in and talk." As she spoke, she raised her hand and knocked on the office door.
"Please come in!" Dean Zhou Qingyuan's slightly weary voice came from inside.
Professor Yi Nan and Lin Mo opened the door and walked in. Seeing who it was, Dean Zhou Qingyuan was stunned for a moment. "You two... what is this?"
She didn't understand how this kid Lin Mo had ended up with Professor Yi Nan again.
"Dean, good news..." Professor Yi Nan poured out Lin Mo's accomplishments all at once. Dean Zhou Qingyuan listened with her mouth slightly open, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"A new Soul Condensation Potion formula! You aren't lying to me, are you?"
As the Dean, Dean Zhou Qingyuan naturally understood the significance of the primary Soul Condensation Potion. This item was practically the lifeline for those ordinary awakened individuals without any background.
Currently on the market, one primary Soul Condensation Potion sells for 15,000 dragon soul coins, and its effect is to allow an awakened individual to double their cultivation speed within two hours.
Major colleges and universities can get them at a lower price, but even so, one still costs 8,000 dragon soul coins.
In order to save costs, colleges have to set up their own research institutes to formulate potions to keep costs down. However, the formula the academy uses is the version circulating outside.
Not only do they have to pay a licensing fee every year, but the potions formulated can only be used internally and are not allowed to be sold outside.
Even so, the credits students earn through hard work might not be enough to buy ten bottles a month. Many people have to use them sparingly, treating the potion as a "lifeline" when breaking through bottlenecks.
At this moment, Dean Zhou Qingyuan's gaze toward Professor Yi Nan and Lin Mo grew even more profound. If the potion Lin Mo formulated could truly increase efficacy while lowering costs... the result would not only be a reduction in the academy's costs, but they could also establish a new brand to make money.