Chapter 128: The Pure-Blood Elf: The Se-Tai'quese Clan!

Masters always have a certain distinctiveness. The boss once said that those with true talent are always different from ordinary people. Although I never quite understood why, the boss was always right. This old man is already so unusual; it seems his abilities must be considerable.

As for whether the old man is a fraud, though Leyman had just transitioned to a novice arcane mage, he still retained some intermediate magical perception. He could barely sense the strong natural energy emanating from the old man.

“It seems this old man is a high-level spellcaster,” Leyman judged silently.

As for how the boss would react to such a ragged-looking elf elder, Leyman knew that Borne was a more pragmatic person. As long as the old man had genuine skill, it didn’t matter if he looked disheveled or even like a foul-smelling goblin—the boss would welcome him wholeheartedly.

“Grandpa, didn’t you say this violated the natural laws of growth? How… how is this possible?” After boarding the carriage, little Igg couldn’t help but ask. He simply couldn’t accept the sudden transformation of Grandpa Hill; the towering image he held of him was beginning to crumble.

Hill turned and smiled gently. “Little Igg, do you know what a magic plant is?”

“A magic plant is just a plant with magical power, isn’t it?” Igg asked in confusion.

Hill ruffled Igg’s hair and smiled. “Magic flows through every corner of nature. Even a blade of grass or a stone contains magic. Magic plants are those that contain a higher concentration of magical energy.”

“Well…” Igg began.

Hill shook his head, signaling him to be silent. “Right now, your job is to carefully remember what I say.”

“‘Magical Botany’ and ‘Alchemy’ are branches of the mystical arts. Ancient sorcerers, shamans, and druids used magical herbs to enhance their power. Later, they used spells or rituals to amplify the effects of these herbs, eventually combining various magical herbs to create unique potions…”

“…Potions have incredible power but are also highly dangerous. These are gifts of nature, so whether it’s planting or cultivating magical herbs, one must be extraordinarily careful. As for turning magical herbs into our strength, it requires thousands of experiments to succeed. It’s not something one can casually brew. Even an exceptionally skilled alchemist might fail when concocting the same potion multiple times, let alone mass production!”

The old man narrated the history of potion development to little Igg without excluding Leyman or the ranger. Although Igg was quite confused, Leyman and Habervick, sitting in front, were deeply shocked.

However, as they listened further, both sensed something off. The old man seemed to be subtly criticizing their fanciful ideas about mass-producing magical potions.

They exchanged a knowing smile and paid it no mind. Indeed, this elf elder was a true master. Not many understood the evolution of magical potions as he did, so a bit of temper was to be expected. They would come to realize more once they reached the alchemy workshop.

Before encountering Borne, they could never have imagined that the Arcane Garden could be replicated independently. They would have laughed at the notion, as even the noble families of Seventon considered it a joke. But when Borne truly established the Arcane Garden—now called the Alchemy Workshop—the entire noble class of Seventon was left speechless. Their pride was bruised, and eventually, one by one, they shamelessly came begging for a share.

After witnessing Borne’s marvels, no one doubted the feasibility of mass-producing magical potions. Some still held reservations, but none of them were part of the Leyman Trading Company.

In the end, little Igg could no longer hold back and asked, “Grandpa Hill, how does this relate to interfering with the natural growth of plants?”

“Uh…” The elf elder paused, then flushed slightly with anger. “Artificially cultivated magic plants are meant for use by living beings. They do not count as part of nature!”

“Oh…” Little Igg shrank his neck, not daring to ask further as he watched his grandpa’s embarrassed outburst.

Leyman and the ranger remained expressionless, sitting upright as if oblivious. If one observed carefully, they would notice both gripping their trouser hems tightly.

The black market wasn’t far from Leyman’s company, and the carriage soon arrived at the guild’s entrance.

“Wow!” Little Igg gaped in astonishment, tilting his head to take in the entirety of the alchemy workshop. Even the elder elf, despite his vast experience, couldn’t help but take a second look.

Following Leyman’s lead, the two entered the guild.

Upon seeing the resplendent glass and crystal décor, the elf elder momentarily lost himself in awe. Though he quickly regained composure, it was undeniable—he had been truly shaken.

Little Igg was even more dumbfounded, completely stunned.

Leyman and the ranger stood quietly nearby, a familiar sight. Almost every visitor to the alchemy workshop reacted this way.

“Oh, you’re back. Not bad! Leyman is getting faster and more efficient,” Borne remarked, somewhat surprised to see them return so soon after sending Leyman to find someone that morning.

However, when Borne saw the elf elder, he too was momentarily taken aback before his face brightened. Without needing an introduction from Habervick, Borne approached the elf elder and started a conversation.

And he spoke fluent Elvish from the start, making the ranger’s scalp tingle and leaving Leyman wide-eyed in surprise.

As an outstanding graduate of Giles Academy, Leyman had studied Elvish, and the ranger, having received druidic tutelage, understood some Elvish as well. But their skills were roughly equal, barely enough for basic listening practice. Borne’s pure Elvish was so fluent that even speaking quickly would overwhelm them, let alone holding a conversation.

Except for the elf elder, no one else present understood a word of what Borne said.

Even the elf elder looked on with surprise. He sensed a mysterious force within Borne’s throat, enabling his pronunciation to approximate Elvish more closely.

Though Borne’s accent was not perfect by the elder’s standards, it was the best he had heard among humans. With each brief exchange, Borne’s colloquialisms and intonations grew ever more elvish, a speed of progress that amazed the elder.

“This is… ‘Qi’!” The elf elder immediately perceived it. “He’s using ‘Qi’ to intervene in his throat, making his pronunciation closer to Elvish.”

“So young!” The elf elder was deeply astonished. Borne’s vibrant life force was still as robust as little Igg’s at this age within the elf race. Moreover, the surging magical power within Borne posed a subtle threat even to him.

Borne Iorem, the youngest arcane mage in Nather, the true master behind Leyman Trading Company, creator of the Alchemy Workshop rivaling the craftsmanship of ‘Ain Stone’—such achievements were rare even among elves.

It reminded him of what his mentor at the Yemaer Quintet Tower once said:

“Every era has its heroes—miracle-makers and creators.”

His doubts about the possibility of mass production were instantly shaken. Though he did not know how Borne intended to achieve mass production of magical potions, if successful, Borne would become a pioneer.

A new profession focused on alchemy would be born through his hands. Before he could ponder further, Borne’s next words left him frozen in place:

“Unexpected to see a pureblood of the ‘Setai’ Quaser’ lineage still alive today!”