Chapter 73: Nourishment

“Not bad, kid. To defeat Wendy head-on on your first try—I underestimated you. Your physical condition is even better than I expected,” Barrett said with a satisfied look. He nodded approvingly at Wang Yu.

Beside him, Edward was carrying the exhausted Charles on his shoulder. Despite his fatigue, Charles had shown remarkable determination, running alongside the knights during their training exercises until he collapsed from exhaustion. Eventually, the knights had to carry him back.

“What kind of body-strengthening potion are you using? It’s remarkably effective! I haven’t heard of someone like you before. Normally, anyone capable of beating Wendy head-on at this rank would be famous in the capital—it’s not that big of a circle,” Barrett continued.

Wendy, still hiding behind Avia, shot her teacher an annoyed glare. She clearly didn’t appreciate being used as a benchmark. However, as she glanced at Wang Yu, his terrifying punch flashed through her mind, and she shrank back once more.

“I’m an outsider,” Wang Yu replied. “And I don’t think I’ve ever used a body-strengthening potion before…”

He vaguely recalled reading about such potions in knight training manuals. Their primary purpose was to repair micro-injuries caused by intense training, enabling continuous physical improvement—but they had always seemed unnecessary to Wang Yu.

They were expensive and not particularly valuable to him, considering that his unique regenerative abilities meant that he healed naturally after training sessions.

“You’ve never used one?!” Barrett smacked his forehead in disbelief. His normally composed and serious expression was now tinged with shock.

“Yeah. My body’s regenerative ability is so strong that I’ve never needed such potions for recovery. I can just keep training,” Wang Yu confirmed with a nod.

“You’re misunderstanding me. I’m not talking about regenerative potions to prevent injuries, but rather potions you apply or bathe in to enhance your body,” Barrett clarified.

“Such potions exist?” Wang Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“You didn’t know?” Barret asked, even more astonished than before.

“I didn’t,” Wang Yu admitted.

Wang Yu’s training was completely unorthodox. Under the old knight, he had learned through trial and error. Later, when training with Garcia, he only received guidance on basic physical conditioning.

The library in the forest cabin was filled with books on magic and wizardry, with very little on knights. Even the few knight-related texts were mostly theoretical. Practical advice, like using body-strengthening potions, wasn’t mentioned at all.

The capital undoubtedly had better resources, but Wang Yu had only arrived three days ago and hadn’t yet had a chance to peruse them. That was why he was completely unfamiliar with the concept.

Barrett’s expression shifted from shock to thoughtfulness. A sly grin appeared on his face.

“No way, Wang Yu! You’ve never used a strengthening potion, yet your physical abilities are this incredible? My grandfather told me I had top-tier physical talent—was he lying?!” Wendy suddenly exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.

She had genuinely assumed Wang Yu’s strength came from some exceptional body-strengthening potion.

To discover he had achieved this naturally was both shocking and humbling. Compared to Wang Yu, she now felt utterly inadequate.

Wendy was a lively and carefree young woman, but she also took pride in her abilities. She had never considered herself weaker because she was female—but she couldn’t help but feel a sense of defeat when placed against Wang Yu.

“Hmm…” Wang Yu furrowed his brows as he considered the notion of body-strengthening potions. As a self-taught alchemist, he should have known about such potions, especially considering the benefit to his constitution—but why had he never thought of them before?

“Uh… do you have a body-strengthening potion I can take a look at?” Wang Yu asked, glancing at Wendy.

“Here you go, Wang Yu,” Wendy said reluctantly, pulling a well-sealed tube of translucent yellow paste from her pouch. Her tone was laced with resignation.

“How do I use it?” Wang Yu asked, scrutinizing the potion carefully.

“You apply it directly to your body and let it absorb into your skin,” Barrett interjected. He snatched the yellow potion from Wang Yu’s hand. In its place, he handed Wang Yu a small vial of bright red liquid. “Use this instead. That one might be too weak for you. This one’s stronger.”

“Ah, that’s—” Wendy’s eyes widened upon seeing the potion in Wang Yu’s hand. Barret quickly clamped a hand over her mouth, muffling her exclamations.

Wang Yu uncorked the vial and immediately noticed the concentrated smell of sulfur and blood. “Ingredients extracted from wild beasts? Hmm… I can pick up a faint hint of fireweed—it’s very faint. Whoever processed this did a great job. It must be a high-grade potion. Still, will this really work?” Wang Yu murmured.

“It’s made from a molten ground dragon’s liver, spinal fluid from a Rahvent, and venom extract from hemiscorpions—all top-quality ingredients. It’s potent, but you should be able to handle it. Give it a try,” Barrett encouraged.

Barrett thought that Wang Yu had been hesitating because he doubted the potion’s effectiveness, so he listed the ingredients that had gone into it. Wang Yu’s eyes widened fractionally. While his knowledge of herbalism didn’t suffice for a complete understanding of these ingredients, from their names alone, Wang Yu could deduce just how expensive this potion had to be.

“The spinal fluid of a Rahvent? Isn’t that the main ingredient in limb-regeneration potions? And here it’s just a secondary component… Well, I suppose one Rahvent would yield enough spinal fluid for a hundred vials of this stuff. Not bad—nothing seems off. These are quality ingredients, so it should work fine,” Wang Yu concluded, nodding in approval.

Without further hesitation, Wang Yu removed his shirt, revealing a body with a muscular physique, covered in scars of varying sizes. He scooped out some of the red, translucent salve and spread it evenly across his palm before applying a thin layer of it to his body.

As a fiery sensation spread across his skin, Wang Yu’s body visibly turned red. The flow of blood in his capillaries accelerated. He focused intently on his senses and the changes that his body was undergoing.

Barrett watched Wang Yu with a keen eye. Wendy, who had been held back by Barrett, was also staring intently at him, her eyes wide with curiosity. Edward seemed equally serious—likely because he knew what the salve contained—while Avia and Charles watched more out of curiosity. They didn’t fully understand what was happening.

Time passed. Wang Yu remained in the same position, his breath emerging in puffy clouds from the heat released by the salve… and that was it.

“Uh, this stuff doesn’t seem to work,” Wang Yu muttered, scratching his head. Although his body had turned red and started steaming, that was undoubtedly due to the ingredients that made up the salve.

A molten ground dragon’s liver was a catalyst for high-grade fire magic, and the venom from hemiscorpions was highly flammable and could even spontaneously combust. There were a whole slew of auxiliary ingredients that sounded rather extreme from name alone—Wang Yu, at least, wouldn’t have been surprised if his body had caught on fire.

Not only that, Wang Yu was highly attuned to the changes in his body. It was clear to him that he hadn’t gained any physical benefits from the salve. The increased blood flow and the dilation of his capillaries were mere superficial reactions like soaking in a hot spring.

“As I thought. The principles behind this kind of body-enhancing salve just don’t align with what I know of herbalism. These are premium ingredients, but applying them directly on your skin shouldn’t enhance physical strength. Am I supposed to absorb the benefits through my pores? That seems unlikely.”

Wang Yu didn’t find the result surprising. The salve didn’t match his understanding of either traditional medicine or alchemy. He would’ve been more shocked if it had actually worked.

“No effect? But this is one of the most advanced body-enhancing salves—‘Heart of Molten Fire.’ It’s so precious that even my teacher doesn’t use much himself! And you’re telling me it doesn’t work for you?!” Wendy exclaimed. Barrett had momentarily loosened his hold on her, allowing her to voice her astonishment.

“Yes, I can confirm it has no effect on me,” Wang Yu replied, after rechecking his body’s response.

“That doesn’t make sense. This kind of salve is known for its excellent absorption properties—it’s just a matter of expense and whether your body can tolerate the heat. But how can it just fail entirely?” Barrett also seemed puzzled.

“Absorption?” Wang Yu frowned. He hadn’t absorbed the salve through his skin at all.

After reviewing the salve’s ingredients once more, Wang Yu determined that, despite its potency, the salve was something he could safely ingest. Without further ado, he scooped up a small amount and… ate it.

The fastest way to absorb something was, of course, to eat it.

A burning sensation immediately spread down his throat as the salve melted. Soon, the entire dose entered his stomach. A searing pain radiated from within as his stomach convulsed from the heat.

Wang Yu remained calm and began to channel Blood Tempest, accelerating his blood flow to rapidly distribute the excess heat throughout his body. Before long, his whole body was giving off steam.

Gradually, as the salve mixed with his stomach acids, Wang Yu noticed that minute particles were being absorbed through his stomach lining and into his body. These tiny particles were the source of the fiery heat he had been feeling.

As Barrett had mentioned, the salve was indeed easy to absorb—but not through the skin. It needed to be consumed.

He carefully tracked the effects of the particles. Surprisingly, most of the salve seemed inert as far as his body was concerned.

Only a small fraction entered his system, but where it went remained a mystery. The salve did have a subtle strengthening effect, but the results were not particularly impressive.

However, thanks to Wang Yu’s exceptional digestion, he was able to break down the salve’s nutritional components to replenish his body’s reserves. A sense of nourishment spread throughout his body, even though the salve could hardly be considered food.

“With ingredients this rare, it’s no surprise the salve provides some strengthening effects. Unfortunately, I can’t absorb enough to make it practical for enhancement. Still, it’s amazing as a recovery aid,” Wang Yu thought.

The salve’s premium ingredients weren’t limited to body enhancement. It also included components that restored fighting spirit and vitality. Just that small portion contained nutrition equivalent to several days’ worth of meals—and also replenished his fighting spirit.

While the salve didn’t significantly enhance his physique, it was an incredibly potent supplement. Wang Yu felt the surplus energy from the salve healing the last remnants and deepest traces of the injuries that Hela had inflicted.

As Barrett, Wendy, and Edward watched on in shock, Wang Yu gave them a thumbs-up. “It didn’t enhance me much, but it’s incredibly nourishing!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep