Chapter 640: Section 427: Encouraging Progress
Seeing Lan Zao immersed in his new training, Shuang Tu called up another Magic Image and watched it repeatedly.
The image showed the entire process of the battle between Ba Qi and Cai Jing.
Shuang Tu paused the Magic Image on the last scene, his brows slightly furrowed, watching more carefully and intently.
As the dust settled, clusters of giant trumpet flowers stood tall around Mage Cai Jing, continuously spraying colorful magic potions. And beneath the trumpet flowers, the ground cracked open, revealing an underground space.
Shuang Tu recognized Cai Jing’s trumpet flowers and knew the effects of the mixed-color potions.
“Each giant trumpet flower costs at least 100 gold to create, and the maintenance cost is about one gold per day.”
“Cai Jing planted over a dozen here, and there must be even more underground.”
“After arriving on Flower Skirt Island, he moved around the island for over a month before settling in the southern part, from then on leading a reclusive life and claiming to be conducting alchemy experiments.”
“But even for an alchemy room, there was no need to plant so many giant trumpet flowers.”
“Such a great expense, invested in defense… It seems my previous speculation was correct. Cai Jing has discovered that inheritance and has been secretly developing it all along.”
Shuang Tu had been lurking on Flower Skirt Island for a longer time than Cai Jing had been there.
Though Cai Jing was expelled from the Alchemy Guild, as the most notorious forger in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, his every move drew attention.
Cai Jing’s disguise was good. To mislead others, he even recruited a local young man to act as his Magic Potion Apprentice.
However, he couldn’t deceive the intelligence organization Shuang Tu was part of. Through various clues, the organization had long guessed that Cai Jing had been scrutinizing the inheritance of Flower Skirt Island.
This inheritance came from a legendary Druid who had transformed the deserted island into what is now Flower Skirt Island.
Getting close to Cai Jing and trying to take away the inheritance was Shuang Tu’s biggest mission.
Thus, Shuang Tu this time used Ba Qi to probe Cai Jing’s defenses and even conveniently killed the son of Sang Shu.
The latter was Cai Jing’s only apprentice on Flower Skirt Island!
“Now, it’s just a matter of waiting for Cai Jing to recruit new apprentices,” Shuang Tu’s eyes gleamed with a faint light.
For this moment, he had prepared for a long time.
As the owner of the largest medical center on Flower Skirt Island, Shuang Tu had the most Druid Apprentices and Mage Apprentices.
This was an advantage of the Elf race.
Their magic talent was much more widespread than that of the Human Race, Dwarves, and so on.
According to Shuang Tu’s estimation, Cai Jing would not recruit Silver Level apprentices as they posed a certain threat to Golden Level.
But in terms of Bronze and Black Iron Level apprentices, Shuang Tu had the most. Not only that, but he had also secretly nurtured and supported several promising seeds.
Shuang Tu looked towards the southern part of the island and murmured, “If there’s no opportunity, create one. I hope there will be good progress this time.”
Meanwhile,
“The opportunity has already been given to you. Whether you can grasp it is up to you. You may go,” Cai Jing gave Sang Shu his last instruction.
“Yes,” Sang Shu bowed out, “I will certainly handle this matter properly!”
Among all the Silver Level members on Flower Skirt Island, he had the closest relationship with Cai Jing.
Primarily because his son had been chosen by Cai Jing to be his Magic Potion Apprentice for a while.
During that time, Sang Shu also procured a large amount of Alchemy Materials and Magic Plants seeds for Cai Jing.
Backed by Gold Level, he gradually became the highest-ranking Silver Level administrator on Flower Skirt Island.
But now, his son was dead!
He himself had narrowly escaped death at the hands of Ba Qi, if it weren’t for Cai Jing’s intervention.
He witnessed the battle between Cai Jing and Ba Qi. Ba Qi was not defeated, and ultimately, both parties ceased fighting, a result that greatly disappointed Sang Shu, but as a Silver Level, he could only harbor his grudge.
When Cai Jing summoned him, he dragged his wounded body and immediately accepted Cai Jing’s new order.
His son was dead, his enemy right in front of him, yet he was powerless to take revenge.
And still, he had to complete the task Cai Jing assigned, to recruit new Magic Potion Apprentices for him.
“This time, Master Cai Jing wants to recruit 20 apprentices. Twenty… that’s the minimum number. According to Master Cai Jing, the more Magic Potion Apprentices, the better!”
Sang Shu knew that he couldn’t accomplish this task on his own.
So he decided to first contact other administrators.
And the first one he needed to reach out to was Shuang Tu, who controlled the largest medical center on Flower Skirt Island.
“Twenty Magic Potion Apprentices, and the more, the better?” Shuang Tu showed a troubled expression when he heard this news from Sang Shu.
Sang Shu said, “On Flower Skirt Island, only you, Shuang Tu, have the most Druid Apprentices and Mage Apprentices. Please do me this favor, for the sake of our many years of friendship.”
Sang Shu thought Shuang Tu was reluctant.
In his view, if these apprentices under Shuang Tu were lured away by Master Cai Jing, they would essentially not return to work at the medical center again.
Little did he know, Shuang Tu’s real emotions were of surprise and delight.
He had originally thought that Master Cai Jing would take on one apprentice, at most two or three.
“I didn’t expect her to recruit so many at once… It seems that Cai Jing is starting to feel anxious,” Shuang Tu reflected briefly before understanding the reason.
Previously, Cai Jing had been covertly investigating the heritage site, but ever since her recent battle with Ba Qi, she felt exposed and thus began to race against the clock, hoping to quickly seize control of that land of inheritance.
Having realized this, Shuang Tu did not agree immediately, but instead shook his head in refusal, “Every apprentice here has undergone my strict examination and long-term cultivation. They are indispensable to the operation of this clinic. I will not agree to this cooperation, as it is entirely detrimental to me and offers no benefits.”
Sang Shu hurriedly explained.
At first, Shuang Tu would not budge, but as Sang Shu kept raising the stakes, his tone softened.
Sang Shu, invigorated, pushed on, haggling back and forth with Shuang Tu.
Sang Shu knew that securing Shuang Tu would mean completing more than half of his mission!
Half an hour later, Sang Shu and Shuang Tu reached an agreement. Although he paid a great price, he ultimately achieved the goal of his mission.
Sang Shu left the clinic filled with joy.
Shuang Tu was also delighted in his heart. Sang Shu seeking negotiations was exactly what he had hoped for, “This time, the progress of the mission is indeed substantial.”
In the distant Blood Kin City, Zi Di made progress in her research on Alchemy Puppet fragments.
These fragments and pieces of Alchemy Puppets stemmed from a battle in Cold Wind Valley.
Following a failed ambush, a Golden Level fighter and Light Mage took the initiative to retreat, leaving behind many Alchemy Puppets to hinder their enemies.
Zi Di collected these destroyed puppets, gathering up their remaining fragments.
Upon arriving in Blood Kin City, Zi Di first took over the shop, then achieved cooperation with the Axe Gang. After that, she observed the market and researched these spoils of war.
“This is the Magic Model of the Ice Freeze Technique…” Zi Di held a small spherical bead in her hand.
The bead was ice-blue in color, semi-transparent, and many intricate Magic Runes could be seen sparkling faintly from within.
“It’s hard to imagine what kind of alchemy technique can concentrate the Magic Model of the Ice Freeze Technique in such a small space,” Zi Di, with weak alchemy skill, exclaimed sincerely.
“This is the primary culprit that caused us the greatest casualties!”
The Alchemy Puppets would often self-destruct at the moment of their destruction, instantly freezing unprepared enemies in blocks of ice.
Even breaking the ice block was to no avail because the enemies were frozen to death the moment the explosion occurred.
As for means of Resurrection, Zi Di did not possess any.
The most common Resurrection Technique could at least be performed by a bishop-level Divine Officer.
“Fortunately, we bought the Little Thunder God Flying Hammer; relying on its attack effects, we prevented all the Alchemy Puppets from self-destructing. Otherwise, the casualties would have been much greater.”
“If I’m not wrong, this should be a modified version of the Ice Explosion Pearl,” Zi Di’s eyes glittered with insight.
The Ice Explosion Pearl was a throwable weapon the size of an adult’s fist, capable of creating explosions and instantly killing enemies within a certain range.
Despite the baby-fist size of the bead in Zi Di’s hand, the similarities between the two were too many.
As time passed, Zi Di became increasingly familiar with the state of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.
She knew that the military alchemy technology of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom almost entirely originated from frost-related Spells.
The foundation of the Ice Explosion Pearl was the Ice Freeze Technique.
“The thin ice high wall shield used by Teng Donglang in his valorous duel evolved from the Ice Wall Skill.”
“Furthermore, the Ice Crystal Bayonets, which are commonly equipped by the Ice Sculpture Kingdom Army, are alchemy weapons developed from the Ice Spear Skill as the base. In ordinary times, they can be used as spearheads or daggers for stabbing. At critical moments, they can also be launched. Upon hitting a target, they often create penetrating wounds.”
Ice Explosion Pearls, thin ice shields, and Ice Crystal Bayonets are characteristic equipment of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom Army.
“So, is this miniature Ice Explosion Pearl in my hand, actually a military product? Developed from the basis of the Ice Explosion Pearl, specifically adapted for Alchemy Puppets?” Zi Di couldn’t help but speculate further.
“Could the ambushers be people from the military?”
Zi Di slightly shook her head, dismissing this guess.
Not only was there no Conflict between the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps and the military of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, they even had a partnership.
The Lijian family, currently working with them, controlled the second Navy of the Kingdom.
“If it’s not the military, then it’s most likely that the enemy obtained this military product through some means.”
“Perhaps some Black Market is the way?” Zi Di speculated quietly.
Since the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps could obtain “retired warships” from the Kingdom’s Black Market through the connections of the Snowbird Port City Lord, why couldn’t others obtain these miniature Ice Explosion Pearls?
“There’s another possibility, that these miniature Ice Explosion Pearls are privately modified.” Zi Di’s thoughts ran wild.
“An investigation is necessary…”
For her, the best outcome would be that such items are not sold on the market, and that the miniature Ice Explosion Pearls are indeed the result of personal innovation.
In such case, this clue would be very valuable.
Eventually, with the opportunity, Zi Di and her companions could trace back this lead and uncover the true identities of their ambushers.
But if the Black Market was already widely circulating these miniature Ice Explosion Pearls, then the value of this clue would be greatly diminished.