Chapter 96: A Genius’s Magical World

Xi En was becoming more and more familiar with Hogwarts Castle day by day.

Even with his eyes closed, he could walk steadily down to the dungeon.

The glass cabinet filled with ingredients was like Xi En’s warehouse; he could now even remember the placement of most potion ingredients.

The notebook used to record his potion practice was already filled, which forced Xi En to tuck Master Libatius Polage’s note between the pages of another notebook.

Sometimes Xi En felt that the inheritance of knowledge in the wizarding world was not continuous.

Harry’s potion skills advanced by leaps and bounds after obtaining the Half-Blood Prince’s notes, even for a time surpassing the hard-studying Hermione in some respects;

Xi En was the same. With Master Libatius Polage’s improved ritual combined with the willpower guidance technique, Xi En could even brew an Anti-swelling Potion at the 【proficient】 level right from the start.

According to common sense, an ordinary wizard would need at least one or two years of hard study to reach this level.

This exposed a significant problem: in some, even many, aspects, magic was not necessarily developing continuously.

Overall, the wizarding world was of course progressing. The uses of dragon blood were discovered by Headmaster Dumbledore in this century, and the Wolfsbane Potion was clearly a magical breakthrough as well.

In alchemy, the later twins Fred and George had many whimsical ideas that were invented and realized.

And flying broomsticks were also obviously becoming more advanced and faster.

In addition, the magical world was constantly absorbing Muggle technology. For example, the Knight Bus, steam trains, cameras, newspapers, and wizarding radio. These clearly surpassed the medieval era.

But to say that the progress was enormous would not be accurate.

Headmaster Dumbledore’s discovery of the twelve uses of dragon blood was one of the greatest research achievements of this century.

Professor Snape already counted as part of the innovative faction, yet he had only discovered such improvements as using a silver knife to extract juice more quickly and stirring counterclockwise to make things work at once.

Furthermore, Xi En discovered that the magical world had long lacked the creation and updating of spells. The only instance of self-created spells he had seen in modern times was still Snape’s Powerful Curse, from his memory of Professor Snape.

Another fact was that Xi En was shocked to find that the Hogwarts textbooks had not been updated for forty years.

The textbooks Xi En used were exactly the same as those Professor Snape had used forty years earlier. In other words, for these forty years or even longer, wizards’ knowledge had basically not been renewed, which was unimaginable in the Muggle world.

All of this made Xi En realize one thing.

That was that breakthroughs in magical branches always rested upon exceptionally gifted wizards, such as Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and Professor McGonagall.

This also seemed to be universally true throughout the history of the wizarding world. For example, Master Libatius Polage’s discoveries alone were enough to push forward the progress of the entire potions system by a hundred years.

Therefore, how to find these exceptionally gifted wizards and understand the reformative achievements they had made vaguely became a necessary path in learning magic.

Fortunately, Hogwarts had professors readily available.

Professor Snape was the contemporary Potions Master; his attainments in potions even allowed him to modify the content in 《Advanced Potion Making》.

Professor Flitwick was a former dueling champion; his theoretical and practical spellcasting abilities were absolutely among the very forefront of the wizarding world.

Professor McGonagall was one of the only seven registered Animagi; her profound knowledge reserve in transfiguration was enough for Xi En to study for seven years.

Once outside Hogwarts, where else could Xi En find so many powerful wizards willing to teach knowledge?

Not to mention, if he could stay at school during the summer holidays, he could almost receive one-on-one guidance from all the professors.

After all, when professors worked at Hogwarts, they were far too busy and rarely had any free time.

For example, Xi En often saw Professor Snape correcting assignments with a cold sneer while staring at him brewing potions from within the shadows.

……

The cauldron’s billowing steam pulled Xi En back to reality.

He was still preparing the Anti-swelling Potion. Last time, with the help of the improved ritual, he had already reached the 【proficient】 level.

A few days earlier, he had read a passage in 《Potions and Elixirs》:

【Careful use of the Swelling Potion is clearly a must. A witch named Loria accidentally splashed herself while using Swelling Potion to water plants; for six whole days her neck was huge and thick, as if a Quaffle were hanging from it.

Fortunately, her mother—a witch who had only just begun studying potions—promptly brewed a cauldron of Anti-swelling Potion for her, which finally soothed her and eased her pain】

There was always useful information hidden in the secret corners of books.

Xi En guessed that “soothe” and “ease” were likely the key emotions.

The leaping flames cast flickering light and shadow across Xi En’s face.

He held his breath and carefully sprinkled the last spoonful of galangal powder into the cauldron—the deep purple potion instantly surged with orange bubbles, giving off a spicy yet warm scent.

Recalling the steps in his notes, he interwove the improved ritual into the brewing process step by step.

Ingredient processing, fire control, stirring technique, boiling time…

His technique was always precise and scientific; each brew drew upon the experience of the last, never repeating the same mistake.

In a cobwebbed corner, Professor Snape watched the young wizard, watching his focused face and continuously scribbled notes, occasionally offering guidance with a cold sneer.

Before long.

Xi En once again felt the familiar focus and emotion brought by the improved ritual. He silently adjusted himself, imagining he was the wizard who urgently needed the Anti-swelling Potion to soothe and ease another’s pain.

Under the effect of this emotion, the potion fusion guided by willpower underwent a tremendous change.

In an instant, Professor Snape appeared right in front of Xi En, his eyes fixed on that cauldron of potion:

“If there is any wisdom left in that troll-like brain of yours, you would know what consequences await those who alter rituals without permission!”

He was furious, wand already in hand, not daring to take his attention off the young wizard for even a moment.

Fool! Arrogant! Hopeless!

He was roaring inwardly, but in the end did not dare to interrupt rashly. He only furrowed his brows, suppressing his anger as he stayed at Xi En’s side.

Xi En heard nothing. With the help of the improved ritual and the willpower guidance method, he seemed to have truly used a kind of ritual to turn himself into that wizard.

His magical power surged into the steaming cauldron along with his emotions. Within the boiling potion, he actually felt the wonder of potions—it was helping wizards overcome difficulties and solve troubles.

He gradually understood Professor Snape’s words in the first lesson:

“I do not expect you to truly appreciate the exquisite beauty of a cauldron simmering gently, its steam rising in delicate curls, its fragrance floating into your nostrils. You will not fully understand the subtle power of the liquid that slips through human veins, bewitching the mind and ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death.”

Everything Professor Snape had said was the truth.