The early morning fog still clung to the Black Mist Forest, but Robb had already arrived in front of the herbal shop.
He stared at the weathered wooden door, thoughts racing through his mind.
The horrific scenes of Locke and Emily kept replaying in his head. Everything that had happened in the past few days had made it hard to sleep—but it had only strengthened his determination to grow stronger.
He looked at the sky. He was a full thirty minutes early.
Caution had become a habit for him—he wouldn't risk the consequences of being late.
The bronze wind chime at the door rang lightly in the breeze. Though the door remained shut, he could faintly sense Madam Elena's unique magical presence from inside.
Robb took a deep breath and gently knocked.
Soon, Madam Elena's familiar raspy voice came from within: "Come in, little one."
As he pushed open the door, a mix of strange scents washed over him.
After several days working here, Robb could already distinguish many of the ingredients by smell alone.
He picked up on the cool clarity of moonflower, the sharpness of fanggrass, and several other distinct but unnamed aromas.
"You're here earlier than scheduled," Madam Elena stood behind the counter, a faint flicker of approval flashing in her glowing green eyes.
"Seems you're not a lazy one. Good."
Robb gave a noble's bow, mimicking what his etiquette teacher once taught him: "It's an honor to have your recognition, Madam."
"Enough with the pointless pleasantries."
The old witch waved her hand, her gaze turning hawk-sharp again.
"Let me check your homework first."
Robb nodded promptly.
"Yes, Madam. I reviewed the section in Basic Alchemy on stimulant elixirs three times and even compiled some of my own notes."
He pulled out a thick notebook from his cloak.
It was filled with dense records of ingredient properties, reaction patterns, and even minute personal observations.
Madam Elena casually flipped through the pages, the light in her eyes growing sharper.
"Interesting… You didn't just copy what's in the book—you added your own interpretations. This idea of linking spiritual perception to ingredient traits... that's quite original."
She shut the notebook, eyes drilling into Robb's.
"Come with me. I have a lot to teach you today."
The old witch led Robb through a narrow hallway to the workshop at the back of the store.
Unlike last time, the workbench was already filled with equipment and ingredients, clearly prepped in advance.
A bronze cauldron sat atop a special furnace, eerie blue flames flickering beneath it.
"Today, I'll teach you how to brew the most basic stimulant elixir,"
Madam Elena began explaining the ingredients laid out on the table.
"This potion is common on the market, but crafting a high-quality version isn't easy. Every ingredient's quantity and timing must be exact."
Robb stepped up to the bench and activated his [Herb Identification] skill to study the materials.
Fresh moonleaf still glistened with dew, glowing silver under the eerie firelight;
Carbonstem's stalk was releasing a faint bluish vapor—a sign its active essence remained potent;
Other uniquely scented but unrecognizable materials were arranged neatly in glass dishes.
"Every material has its own resonance,"
Madam Elena's voice rang out.
"A true alchemist doesn't just understand an ingredient's properties—they learn to sense the resonance between them."
That struck a chord with Robb.
He remembered yesterday's training with the Solar Breath—whether it was spiritforce, breathing, or these herbs, they all seemed to follow certain patterns.
"You've sensed something already?" Madam Elena keenly noticed his shifting expression.
"Yes," Robb nodded.
"Like that stardrop herb yesterday—when I placed it a certain way, I felt it had a unique kind of resonance."
"Not bad," the old witch actually smiled a little.
"Every true alchemist chases that sense of resonance and balance."
She pointed at the ingredients.
"Now show me what you've learned."
Robb took a deep breath and began preparing the potion according to his own understanding.
This time, he didn't follow the textbook method word for word. Instead, he tried to feel the qualities of each material.
Moonleaf's silver sheen seemed to resonate with the flow of spiritforce, so he processed it using a resonance similar to meditation.
As he continued, Robb entered a strange, focused state.
Every ingredient seemed to have its own "voice," and his task was to make them blend into harmony.
"Fascinating..." Madam Elena suddenly muttered."You're using the resonance of spiritforce to guide the fusion of materials?"
Robb was startled. "You mean—"
"Keep going. Don't answer me," the old witch cut him off.
"Let's see how far you can take this."
Robb nodded and continued, fully absorbed in the process.
When the final ingredient entered the cauldron, the potion began to change—its murky color gradually cleared, settling into a soft amber hue.
In his perception, the energy in the potion had reached a subtle equilibrium.
"Just as I thought..." Madam Elena murmured.
"You truly do have talent in spiritual sensitivity. Using the resonance of spiritforce in potion-making... not many people would even think of that."
She scooped some of the potion with a silver spoon.
"It's still rough, but the approach is solid."
Just then, footsteps sounded from outside the shop, drawing closer.
"Seems we have a customer," Madam Elena said, returning to her usual tone.
"I'll handle it. You organize the shelves and reflect on what I taught you—every kind of power in this world has its resonance. The key is learning how to sense and wield it."
She turned to leave, then paused as if remembering something. She glanced back at the potion in the cauldron.
"This batch is acceptable, but still counts as subpar. You can bottle it and take it—sell it or use it, up to you."
Robb was delighted—an unexpected bonus.
He nodded his thanks, and after she left, began bottling the potion into small flasks.
Before leaving the workshop, he glanced once more at the still-steaming bronze cauldron, a thoughtful look on his face.
Ever since arriving in this world and fully merging with the body's original soul, his growth had far outpaced the norm.
Much of that was due to the "cheat system" stabilizing his progress—but his unique [Dual Soul] trait clearly played a major role.
"Two souls. Two ways of thinking..." Robb murmured, fingers tapping a slow resonance on the table.
He recalled the system's description of [Dual Soul]: "Increased comprehension; unlocks dual-casting when spiritforce reaches a certain level."
Initially, he'd focused only on the flashy dual-casting part, overlooking the simple-sounding "increased comprehension."
Now, he finally understood what it really meant.
Because of his two fundamentally different souls, he could perceive this world's supernatural laws from a totally new angle.
"Resonance."
Robb closed his eyes and felt the flow of spiritforce inside him.
It no longer felt like a vague mass—it carried a distinct melody, a complex yet harmonious composition.
This perceptive ability was the bonus gifted by [Dual Soul].
His Earth soul's sensitivity to music and art merged with the native soul's instinctive grasp of supernatural forces.
Together, they let him recognize the hidden resonances in all kinds of magic.
Potion-making, meditation, breathing techniques—even spell construction—though outwardly different, all followed similar patterns. The key was in the timing and harmony.
"Like a musician who plays multiple instruments, switching fluently between them…"
His [Dual Soul] allowed him to comprehend resonance across disciplines, to find links where others saw only differences.
As for the future ability of dual-casting... it still seemed out of reach for now.