Professor Alder’s tone was cold, almost mechanical. “If conditions allowed, we should extract the blood from a living specimen. Using low-temperature negative pressure would better preserve the stone crab’s blood.”

He used specialized dissection tools to extract pure blood from the crab’s storage areas, dividing it into three portions and drawing them into three syringes.

Then, Professor Alder injected the stone crab blood from one syringe and one bloodline isolation essence injection potion into a small glass vial, handing it to Locke.

“Locke, I’ll now teach you the Mana Centrifugal Extraction Technique. This is alchemical knowledge. In the wizarding world, it would cost at least a hundred magic stones to learn.”

“Do as I instruct, use your mana to guide the mixed liquid, creating a mana vortex within it. This will allow the bloodline isolation essence potion to combine with the stone crab blood and gradually extract the needed bloodline.”

Alder continued, “Your mana’s precision and proficiency will directly determine the purity of the extracted bloodline essence.”

“This is what I can no longer do.”

Alder said regretfully, “Dissection and such can be mastered by a mortal with enough practice.”

“Those are just minor skills.”

“But the Mana Centrifugal Extraction Method is a technique only wizard apprentices, specifically those in the alchemical direction, can master. This is the true challenge.”

“We only have three chances.”

“But I believe in you. If all attempts fail, I won’t blame you. After all, there are no alchemically inclined wizard apprentices on Corfu Island.”

Alder spoke calmly, and for some reason, in the presence of Locke, a young wizard apprentice, he lacked the madness and recklessness he displayed with mortal students.

Instead, he resembled a wise elder, calmly facing death’s approach.

Alder even reassured Locke, “Even if I asked Tongus, and he was willing to help, as a second-class wizard apprentice specializing in the evocation school’s fire magic, he might not do better than you.”

Alder said to Locke, “On the contrary, you’re a third-class wizard apprentice in the life school’s plant magic direction. You’re naturally suited for alchemy, and for some reason, your mana is calmer than that of an average wizard apprentice, even calmer than mine. I believe you have a talent for alchemy.”

“Tongus, that old fool, failed to notice this.”

“That’s his oversight.”

Locke glanced at Alder. “Teacher has three students to guide. He’s busy, so it’s understandable if he didn’t notice.”

Alder smiled at Locke’s defense of Tongus.

“Failing to recognize your wizard talent sooner was my loss.”

Locke looked at Alder, surprised. He hadn’t expected Alder to show such an attitude toward him, a fellow wizard.

There was no trace of the crazed history professor.

Instead, Alder was witty, optimistic, and composed, displaying a wizard’s demeanor.

Perhaps, in Professor Alder’s mind, he never considered Corfu Island’s mortals as equals.

Or maybe, Alder didn’t want to lose face before Locke, a newly minted wizard apprentice, or sacrifice his dignity entirely in front of a peer.

Following Alder’s instructions, Locke gripped the glass vial, channeling his mana into the mixed liquid. He rotated his mana, causing the liquid to spin and form a vortex.

Within this vortex, his mana guided and vibrated, accelerating the bloodline isolation potion’s separation of the useful stone crab bloodline components.

The specific bloodline portion to be isolated was determined by the bloodline isolation essence potion, designed by that formal wizard.

But whether it could be extracted, how much, and its purity depended on Locke, who was using the Mana Centrifugal Extraction Method.

Professor Alder stared intently at the vial in Locke’s hand. “Better than I expected.”

“Locke, what you’re doing is the main work of alchemical wizard assistants.”

“Master this, and in the wizarding world, you could even find work at a wizard shop.”

“Oh no, it failed. Your mana spun too fast. The active components of the two potions didn’t have time to fully interact, reducing purity.”

“No matter, we have two more sets of materials.”

“Quick, start again.”

Locke hesitated, staring at the vial with a frown. Based on his current mastery of the Mana Centrifugal Extraction Method, even two more attempts might not succeed.

His approach was that once he committed to something, he would do it thoroughly, not half-heartedly, with a clear beginning and end.

Moreover, with Corfu Island’s limited magical resources, opportunities to gain knowledge for free were rare. If he had a chance to master the Mana Centrifugal Extraction Method, he should seize it.

“I can’t just follow Alder and restart. That’s bound to fail with little difference from the last attempt,” Locke thought, then had a sudden idea. “Wait, the core of the Mana Centrifugal Extraction Method lies in my mana’s rotation speed and precision.”

“So, even practicing with plain water could work, to some extent.”

“Better to try a desperate measure than waste the second set of materials.”

Locke remained silent.

Alder asked nervously, “What’s wrong? I believe in you. You can do it. Don’t lose heart.”

Locke shook his head and shared his idea.

Alder realized belatedly, “You’re right. It’s a last-resort method.”

“It could indeed improve the success rate.”

“Locke… thank you.”

Locke shook his head. “It’s nothing. We’re just in a transactional relationship.”

“But I don’t like to fail.”

“Since I agreed to help, I’ll make it work.”

Locke took an empty glass vial from the box and stepped outside, while Alder stared at the young wizard apprentice’s back, lost in thought.

Alder sighed. “Young people are so different from me.”

“No matter the outcome, I’ll teach him Skull Explosion well.”