Chapter 677: Section 464: Shuang Tu: Hen Fa, you have exposed yourself.
Master Colorful Eyes looked at the metal door before him, and although he felt disappointed at heart, he maintained a calm façade, “At least, this proves that our strategy was correct.”
Ever since he changed his excavation strategy and started recruiting Magic Potion Apprentices en masse, the progress on conquering the heritage left by Prosperous · Hybrid had surged rapidly.
Taking a deep breath, Master Colorful Eyes calmly analyzed, “Thanks to the Ice Chilling Technique you provided, it maintained the grafted Magic Plants and allowed them to earn brief recognition from the inheritance gate. However, it also led us to fail at the very last step.”
The evaluation standard set by Prosperous · Hybrid required the inheritors to master certain grafting techniques, followed by cultivating grafted Magic Plants that met the criteria.
In reality, Master Colorful Eyes had not reached this standard. He had achieved the result through mass cultivation, first by grafting enough Magic Plants in the first round and then selecting suitable ones from those that were in good condition to force growth and a second grafting, resulting in inferior Magic Plants.
They were unstable and could not survive for long. Once a certain time limit had passed, they would collapse, wither, or die on their own.
Zhong Bei took the initiative and used the Ice Chilling Alchemy, which is a relatively advanced alchemy technique within the Alchemy Guild of the Ice Carving Kingdom. To a certain extent, this technique could stabilize the state of life.
After employing the Ice Chilling Alchemy, the lifespan and stability of the grafted Magic Plants had greatly improved.
During the verification by the inheritance gate, the vast majority of them had withstood the test, only failing at the very last moment.
Zhong Bei was still pondering the reason for the failure when, inspired by Master Colorful Eyes’s words, he had an epiphany, “The yellow light represents the sun, containing latent heat. Therefore, it negated the Ice Chilling Alchemy, causing the Magic Plants to reach their limit prematurely and collapse!”
Saying this, Zhong Bei frowned.
This would be troublesome.
The Ice Chilling Technique used the principle of freezing to stabilize the state of life, which was in direct conflict with the sunlight.
“We might need to find another direction to solve the final problem,” Zhong Bei said.
Suddenly, Ba Qi suggested, “I think the Bloodline Stabilizer should be useful!”
“The reason why the grafting and insertion cultivation techniques of Prosperous · Hybrid are unstable and prone to collapse is due to the bloodline conflict among the grafted Magic Plants.”
“I have realized that the purpose of Master Prosperous · Hybrid’s grafting was to utilize the cooperation between bloodlines to enhance a certain Magic Plant, or to have multiple Magic Plants work together cleverly, creating a positive cycle.”
“Like grafting Life Fiber Grass onto the roots of Earth Rhizome. The Life Fiber Grass wouldn’t lack fertility, but it still requires sunlight. Thus, the master grafted Flash Pearl Flowers, which greatly reduced the Life Fiber Grass’s need for sunlight, allowing it to survive in cool environments for extended periods.”
“The reason our grafted Magic Plants collapse so easily is because of bloodline conflict. Isn’t the Bloodline Stabilizer exactly what we need to solve this issue?”
“Indeed,” Zhong Bei nodded, looking at his son with a gratified expression.
Master Colorful Eyes remained calm.
The Bloodline Stabilizer was primarily aimed at those with Bloodline Awakenings and Mutants.
Bloodline Mutation was rare, but there were many who had experienced Bloodline Awakening.
At the lower and middle class, Bloodline Awakening was not common, but it was quite frequent among the upper class.
For large powers like the Lijian family, where the Bloodline Concentration was high, family members would experience Awakening as they grew up when a certain concentration was reached. (Of course, after Awakening, the concentration was not always consistent. 100% concentration was considered the best result.)
At that point, using the Bloodline Stabilizer was highly beneficial for them.
Master Colorful Eyes said, “I do not have the formula for the Bloodline Stabilizer, and even if I did, it would take too much time to refine such a high-level Magic Potion.”
Seeing the slight change in Ba Qi’s expression, he realized that Master Colorful Eyes showed no sign of surprise, clearly indicating he had already considered this option.
Suddenly, Ba Qi understood why Master Colorful Eyes had invited them to collaborate.
The next moment, Ba Qi offered proactively, “High-level Magic Potion concoction often requires extensive practice and a significant amount of resources to achieve a certain success rate.”
“There is no need to refine it personally since we are short on time. We can simply make outside purchases.”
“Any major family would have a demand for such a potion, and every family typically has a stock, though it’s less common on the market.”
“But if we’re talking about who holds the largest inventory, it would be our Alchemy Guild.”
“My father and I can reach out to the Guild, and based on our status, we can directly purchase a batch of Bloodline Stabilizers at cost price from the Alchemy Guild!”
Seeing Ba Qi take the initiative, Master Colorful Eyes responded with a slight smile, “Working with your father has always been a pleasure. You’re quick-witted and quite good yourself. Let’s do just that.”
“Money is a minor concern; the key question is how many would be appropriate to buy?”
“If there’s too little, we won’t be able to obtain the inheritance. If there’s too much, I’m afraid it might trigger an investigation by the Alchemy Guild, right?”
Discussing this, Zhong Bei knew it was his turn to speak.
So he said, “Then this time, I’ll put my old face on the line and strive to secure the maximum amount of Bloodline Stabilizers to delay the related investigations!”
Master Cai Jing laughed heartily, finally satisfied, and he said to Zhong Bei, “Then I’ll leave it to you. Remember, the faster, the better!”
To rise to the Golden Level, Master Cai Jing was naturally no simple character.
He made use of the yet unobtained legendary inheritance, borrowed the strength of Zhong Bei and Ba Qi, and even let this father and son duo act as a bridge to leverage the power of the Alchemy Association of the Ice Eagle Kingdom, aiding him in conquering the trials of the inheritance.
Meanwhile, at the Barbaric Duel Arena.
“Be careful!” The Spring Boxer in the Observation Room couldn’t help but let out a low cry.
He was in the Waiting Room, staring intently at Lan Zao engaged in combat in the arena.
The environmental conditions of the Barbaric Duel Arena had turned completely underwater.
The deep blue seawater surged incessantly, with Lan Zao moving as swiftly as a fish, constantly weaving through.
His opponent in this battle was two vicious sharks.
That’s right, two of them!
One of Black Iron Level and the other of Bronze Level.
The two sharks were of the same species, hence there was no infighting. They worked in tandem, sandwiching Lan Zao from front and back.
Lan Zao’s precarious situation had many spectators on edge.
Of course, those who had bet on the sharks’ side were exceptionally excited.
In the moment before the fierce sharks struck, Lan Zao swiftly darted away, nimbly avoiding the attack. Instead, the two ferocious sharks, charging too fiercely, failed to avoid each other and collided head-on.
Seizing the opportunity, Lan Zao drew his scimitar and hacked fiercely.
His primary target was the Black Iron Level shark, upon which he inflicted three fresh wounds.
Blood spurted from the wounds, and the severe pain sent the shark into a frenzy, its attack growing even more fierce. The surrounding seawater was stirred into a disorderly, brief maelstrom.
“I can do it!” Lan Zao’s confidence grew stronger.
He danced with the shark.
The turbulent flows caused by the shark were skillfully utilized by him. He used the currents to accelerate his evasions, and even exploited the water flows to propel his scimitar as he chopped.
The spectators couldn’t help but cheer loudly, such thrilling combat captivating many, with some even dancing in the Observation Room.
To many, blood-obscured vision and the sharks’ coordination to circle around for a surprise attack meant Lan Zao was like walking a tightrope at the edge of a cliff; the slightest inattention could cost him his life.
But in Lan Zao’s perception, it was a completely different story!
He felt very steady.
Even if the surrounding seawater was chaotic, it all served as his aide. After his awakening, his field of vision had expanded significantly. Even if he couldn’t see behind his head, the currents generated by the sharks’ surprise attacks could alert Lan Zao of the impending strikes.
At that moment, Lan Zao seemed like a son of the water; this place was his home ground. Every action of his enemy was under his control.
“Although the Fluid Perception talent can’t be used directly for offense, it’s really so useful! Truly very practical!” Lan Zao was deeply moved.
In his heartfelt exclamation, Lan Zao delivered a death blow to the Black Iron Level shark.
As he passed by the evil shark, his Bronze Level scimitar plunged into its body. Almost entirely submerged, only the hilt of the scimitar remained outside the shark.
Of course, a Bronze Level scimitar couldn’t easily pierce through a Black Iron Level shark, but Lan Zao’s previous attacks had already caused many wounds of varying depths on the shark’s body.
He precisely targeted a deeper wound to thrust his scimitar into the shark, piercing its internal organs.
In its dying moments, the evil shark furiously thrashed.
Yet the chaotic currents it generated each time only enhanced Lan Zao’s mobility.
Half a minute of extreme frenzy exhausted all of the shark’s life force.
The Black Iron Level shark was gone, and the remaining Bronze Level ones were even less of a match for Lan Zao.
It didn’t take long before Lan Zao successfully took down the remaining one.
Lan Zao felt very satisfied with the outcome of the battle.
“Having the ability of Fluid Perception makes fighting in the water feel like cheating.”
“The most crucial thing is that I didn’t reveal my air bombs with added alchemy bullet cores during this battle, I’ve managed to keep that trump card hidden.”
To be honest, Lan Zao felt somewhat nervous when he first started fighting against the two sharks.
But after this battle, he felt as if he had been baptized, breaking through some invisible barriers, and his confidence had greatly increased.
His Bloodline had already surpassed his previous limits on the physical level.
The numerous psychological barriers had to be broken through by himself, time after time.
“This is a 100% Fish Bladder Bloodline, after reaching this concentration, the Fluid Perception talent is incredibly powerful,” Ice Eagle said with both shock and joy after observing the battle.
The Human Race leader said expressionlessly, “It’s also because Hen Fa has a talent for combat that he could improve his combat strength so quickly. Of course, the Black Iron leather armor he acquired recently was also a big help in this battle.”
The Saber Gang had been secretly watching over Lan Zao.
Thus, they were aware of how Lan Zao won a piece of Black Iron Armor thanks to a wager at the tavern.
The Human Race leader continued, “Hen Fa has defeated his opponent again, gaining a significant amount of funds. The Black Market on Flower Skirt Island is about to open, and he’s very likely to purchase more equipment there. He’s now entered a positive cycle, having moved past the initial weak stage. If we let him continue to develop like this…”
The Human Race leader trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Ice Eagle understood the unspoken implication and nodded slightly, “We indeed need to invest in him while he’s still weak. Once he becomes strong, our efforts will be less effective.”
Ice Eagle himself deeply appreciated Lan Zao’s talents.
Not too long ago, he received a reply from the Axe Gang concerning the background check, which alleviated most of his doubts.
Now that Lan Zao’s background was cleared, Ice Eagle began to consider recruiting him.
“Recruiting Hen Fa now would significantly enhance our underwater combat capabilities.”
“The Saber Gang may have a stronghold in Snowbird Port, but they don’t actually have many sailors. And now, there are even fewer of them.”
“According to our current plan, we need to develop in Flower Skirt Island for a while, so we can’t do without going to sea and making a living on the water.”
“Hen Fa’s future is certain, as long as he continues to grow successfully, he’s destined to become a Silver Level leader.”
“One more thing, Hen Fa has already started to build some reputation through barbaric duels.”
“If the Saber Gang recruits him, it will also help boost our reputation, making more people on Flower Skirt Island look favorably on the Saber Gang.”
Ice Eagle unconsciously started counting the various benefits of recruiting Lan Zao.
This was Shuang Tu’s strategic planning.
With Shuang Tu’s secret help, Lan Zao had grown rapidly, and the value of recruiting him had surged, enticing Ice Eagle even more.
In the end, Ice Eagle uttered words that satisfied the Human Race leader, “Let’s have Xiao Dan approach Hen Fa for recruitment. His impression of Hen Fa is not bad, especially after the recent two barbaric duels.”
Ice Eagle did not plan to recruit personally.
The old Gang Leader was wholeheartedly intending to train the Spring Boxer.
In his plans, the Spring Boxer would be the future Gang Leader of the Saber Gang.
The Spring Boxer recruiting Hen Fa would be more beneficial for the future!
Meanwhile, in another Observation Room, Shuang Tu also couldn’t help but smile.
Watching Lan Zao retreat, she silently felt satisfaction: “Hen Fa did not use the alchemy bullet core throughout this battle.”
“This is good!”
“He has already started to hide his clumsiness.”
“Unfortunately, he does not know that we have always been manipulating the barbaric duel arena from behind the scenes.”
“He wants to hide his trump card, yet he does not realize how could I not be clear about his combat power?”
“So, the opponent for the next battle will still exceed him a bit. Let him break through his limits under just the right amount of pressure!”
Shuang Tu really put a lot of effort into cultivating Lan Zao.
The barbaric duel arena on Flower Skirt Island was precisely constructed by the forces behind Shuang Tu. This kind of venue, welcoming and bidding farewell to all sorts of characters, has a much wider reach than Shuang Tu’s medical hall could ever hope to handle, so how could he possibly give it up?
Therefore, Lan Zao’s concealment was in vain; Shuang Tu was all too aware of his current combat abilities.
“My lord, an urgent report!” At this moment, a subordinate suddenly came to report.
Shuang Tu glanced at it and was so startled that he stood up immediately, “What? Cai Jing and Zhong Bei failed at the last step?”
“Is it only the last step to getting the inheritance?”
Shuang Tu’s expression shook.
He had not expected that after the introduction of Zhong Bei and Zhong Bei, the entire process would achieve such a monumental breakthrough.
“They also want to purchase Bloodline Stabilizers from the Alchemy Association…” Shuang Tu’s planted insider brought accurate and detailed new intelligence.
“The situation has taken a turn for the worse.” Shuang Tu’s face darkened.
He could not sit still any longer.
His main task was to prevent Cai Jing from getting their hands on the inheritance.
However, his desire to stop them was futile.
Cai Jing’s side had two Golden Level and one Silver Level Mage, while Shuang Tu’s highest fighting power was merely at the Silver Level himself.
Rushing into battle would be a death wish; Shuang Tu had no chance of winning.
“What should we do?”
“Damn Ba Qi, where on earth have you died off to?”
Up to now, he had not been able to locate Ba Qi and the others.
“If that’s the case, then we can only enlist external help.” Shuang Tu gritted his teeth in fury.
“Contact Qian Xing, she is a Holy Domain Level pirate, a member of the Firebeard pirate group!”
“Let’s seek help in the name of Ba Qi.”
Qian Xing’s location was quite close to Flower Skirt Island.
She was currently the only external force Shuang Tu could rely on.
Her Holy Domain Level strength allowed her to be superior to Cai Jing’s side. It was very possible that Qian Xing would ultimately receive the Prosperous·Hybrid Master’s inheritance.
But there was no other choice.
At the moment, Shuang Tu could only hope to introduce a powerful third party, provoke a fight between Qian Xing and Cai Jing’s side, and create a chaotic scene.
If there was a chance in the chaos, he would fish in troubled waters!
PS: After taking medicine, I had an allergic reaction, swelling up and itching so bad I wanted to scratch myself to death. The more I scratched, the itchier it got, so I had to go to the hospital again. I got a shot, and the allergic reaction subsided. I also switched the previous medicine and endured the pain of changing dressings again.
After confirming with the doctor again, it would take at least two months to heal.
I predict that I won’t be in the best condition this week.
The additional updates at the end of this month probably won’t happen.
I can’t cancel the 700 votes additional update event midway, so I can only grit my teeth and persist (perhaps everyone could refrain from casting votes? Seeing as today’s chapter has a larger word count, please show mercy…)