Chapter Fourteen: The Potion Turmoil (Part 1)

After dinner, Wanqi Lianhao took his daughter for a stroll around the star-class ship, treating it as a way to aid digestion. Only after that did he escort her back to her quarters for some rest. Lately, she had been sleeping a great deal, but since her body had only just recovered, more rest could only be beneficial.

Once Xuanxuan was settled, he returned to his study. There was much to deal with these days, yet just as he arrived, he received a call from his father, Wanqi Yi. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes—his father should typically be occupied with official business at this hour, so it must be something important. He accepted the call. “Father.”

Wanqi Yi’s expression bore a trace of weariness, but upon seeing the son who made him so proud, his features softened, the sternness of his presence ebbing away. Then, recalling something, his brows furrowed slightly. He spoke: “This afternoon, someone auctioned a vial of potion on the StarNet’s Pearls Pavilion. It was called the Volcano Elixir, said to double a D-level psychic’s power for ten minutes, increase a C-level’s by thirty percent, and a B-level’s by ten percent. The only side effect is an hour of weakness, with some impact on mental strength for up to ten hours afterward.”

“Father, are its effects confirmed?” A grave note entered Wanqi Lianhao’s voice; his eyes were full of astonishment.

He had always known that the military possessed certain substances capable of temporarily boosting strength, but their side effects were severe, seldom used except by death-soldiers or for special missions. Decades of research had not reduced the aftereffects of such drugs, and their results were always limited, enhancing only physical prowess and not by much. Even the Federation’s military research division, despite years of effort, had never produced anything truly satisfactory.

But this new potion specifically enhanced mental power. Even with today’s advanced technology, few dared claim any real understanding of psychic force, let alone how to increase it without long-term consequences. It was common knowledge that any substance capable of stimulating or amplifying mental strength brought severe dependency, akin to narcotics. For something like this to suddenly emerge, available for casual purchase, was truly astonishing—and deeply suspicious. What was this person’s purpose?

Wanqi Yi’s brow remained furrowed. “Its effects haven’t been confirmed. The seller didn’t submit the elixir for the Pavilion’s testing, just put it up for auction directly. There’s much debate now, but that’s not my main concern. What worries me more is whether this Volcano Elixir is connected to the potion Xuanxuan recently used.”

Wanqi Lianhao’s heart skipped. He had to admit he was worried, too. If it truly came from the same source—or, as he preferred to believe, from an organization rather than a lone individual—how could one person alone have developed such a potion, and then, after Xuanxuan used it, have it appear for sale in the Wanqi family’s own Pearls Pavilion? The thought reeked of conspiracy. No matter how he pondered, he found no answers. Nor had any leads surfaced regarding the origin of Xuanxuan’s potion. He sighed. “It’s been three days, but not a single clue has turned up.”

Wanqi Yi had expected as much. After all, anyone who could slip in and out of Wanqi Lianhao’s villa like a ghost would hardly leave any evidence—unless, of course, they intended to. The total lack of leads was within his expectations. What troubled him more was something else. “How is Xuanxuan’s health? Any sign of side effects?”

“So far, none. She’s been well these past two days, no discomfort. But as you know, we lack sufficient equipment here to be certain. I think we should wait until we reach Imperial Star for a thorough examination.” Wanqi Lianhao had monitored Xuanxuan’s health closely, having doctors check her daily—and, thankfully, they had found nothing unusual.

Wanqi Yi nodded. “Of course. I’ll have someone buy that elixir at auction and investigate the seller.”

“Yes, Father. But even at full speed, it will take us another ten days to reach Imperial Star. Things have been far too quiet lately.” He understood the schemes of those around him all too well; his safe return to Imperial Star was not everyone’s desire. This unnatural calm left him unsettled. It was always quiet before the storm.

“In five days, your elder brothers will rendezvous with you. I’ve had people investigating the capital’s situation these days, but the waters run too deep—even I can’t see everything clearly, and I worry my probing will only muddy things further. Still, if anything stirs, I’ll know. I’ll inform you immediately if something happens. You must be cautious—your safety and Xuanxuan’s must come first.”

“Yes, Father. I understand. Please don’t worry.” Wanqi Lianhao ended the call, frowning. News of this new elixir troubled him deeply. He was confident in his own abilities, but when it came to Xuanxuan, his heart was full of worries and unease. He could not bear for Xuanxuan to be in danger, not even a little; any harm that befell her, no matter how slight, would grieve him deeply. The discovery of this potion had not only unsettled the Wanqi family but also stirred up a storm across StarNet.

Of course, Xuanxuan herself, in her cheerful ignorance, had no idea that a commotion was raging in the Pearls Pavilion all because of her. But even if she did know, it was likely she wouldn’t care.

She certainly had no idea that, in her haste to enter a starting bid for the auction, she had accidentally added an extra zero—turning three thousand into thirty thousand. Ordinarily, an extra zero would mean little, but Xuanxuan was unaware of the value of StarNet’s currency.

In fact, the exchange rate between star credits and Federation credit points was one to one, and Federation credit points held considerable purchasing power—thirty thousand could sustain a moderately well-off family for a year.

Even though StarNet closely mirrored real life, it was still a virtual world, and there were precious few willing to spend thirty thousand credits on an item of unknown efficacy. Most would call anyone who did so a fool.

Moreover, in the item description, Xuanxuan claimed the potion could double a D-level psychic’s power for ten minutes, boost a C-level’s by thirty percent, and a B-level’s by ten percent. Even with minor side effects, few believed it—no stimulant or drug had ever been so effective.

This was not the era of two thousand years ago: D-level individuals now possessed immense physical strength, and psychic D-levels were rare indeed. For a potion to boost mental power so dramatically, with so little aftereffect, seemed preposterous. The auction’s message board quickly filled with skepticism and mockery. Even after two millennia, humanity’s love of spectacle had never faded, and so, after the two Emperors’ war, here was another storm brewing.