by Zhuang Bifan
"Why are you here, idiot?"
Macklin felt very offended by the word 'idiot'. He had always been the one hurling the insults in Alanna Guild of Magic, not the other way round. Yet in front of Andoine, he did not dare to rebut him. After touching down, he laughed sheepishly at Andoine.
"Hehehe… It was my utmost honor to be the mentor of your student in this trial…"
Hearing this, Andoine shot him a suspicious glance, and asked, "You—an idiot—are Felic's mentor?"
"Of course, you could also verify this with him," Macklin admitted. Andoine's insults came like mosquito bites on his face. Being a thick-skinned man, Macklin could only put up with him. Smilingly, Macklin carefully persuaded, "Why not give Aldwin some face by forgiving this chap…"
"Yeah, if it's Aldwin, it is not impossible to do so…" Andoine agreed as he nodded his head. To be frank, he would also not want to offend Aldwin. After all, Aldwin was the great level-21 legendary Mage, and also the President of Alanna Guild of Magic. Although he was not afraid of that man, it would not be worth it to create such a tense relationship with him…
After considering the matter for a moment, Andoine's gaze fell on Macklin again. He asked in a concerned tone, "What if I let him go, but he continues to create trouble for Felic?"
"He wouldn't! I could vouch for him!" Macklin cried as he shot Aeron a deadly glare. He could not understand how a great man like Aldwin had such a foolish son.
Apart from being the student of Andoine, Felic was also the hope of Alanna Guild of Magic. The magical weapons this young man could forge had a direct impact on the mausoleum of Highlord Osric.
Even an old man like me doesn't even bear to speak a harsh word to him, and you tried to attack him? If you ever dare to kill Felic, your father, Aldwin would beat you to death… "How are you going to vouch for him?"
"Calm down and listen to me…" said Macklin as he led Andoine away to a secluded corner. Then, he told him about Lin Li's talent in forging, as well as the bet between the Guild of Magic and the Adventurers Guild.
Their conversation continued for at least 10 minutes…
"In short, you don't need to worry—today's only an accident. I, Macklin, would absolutely not allow anyone to hurt Felic. Aldwin, too, would never allow Aeron to be so reckless!" Macklin concluded his speech by assuring Andoine again.
"Mid-Middle-grade Blacksmith?" Andoine shot Lin Li a glance from afar. He was amazed. How would there be a second person as freakish as his student?
He only knew that Felic was a one-of-a-kind prodigy specializing in the field of Magic, as well as a master in pharmaceutical knowledge… No, even a middle-grade Blacksmith as well?
What else could be a challenge to that fella?!
Nothing?! Oh, of course, let's not mention giving birth…
Chapter 126 - Crystal of Eternity
"To say the truth, he is indeed a Blacksmith…" Macklin said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"This young man…" Andoine murmured while he scratched his head in a daze. How could a human be so extraordinary? Being such a remarkable genius in forging, Lin Li was really a rare individual—like a dinosaur. Furthermore, Andoine clearly remembered that his man had extremely deep Pharmaceutical knowledge. The old man absolutely could not comprehend how this freak was able to scale such great heights.
After trying all possible ways in his persuasion, Macklin finally convinced Andoine to forgive Aeron for the time being.
"I will let today's matter pass. But, Macklin, don't blame me for killing this fella if Felic gets hurt in Alanna. My decision will be final even if Aldwin comes over to beg me. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes, yes!" Macklin nodded profusely. After they returned to Alanna Guild of Magic, he would get Aldwin to lock up that bastard son of his. 'F*ck you, Aeron… why am I taking the blame for you?'
Even if he were Aldwin, he would not have dared to have any direct confrontation with Antoine or mess with his students. Unless… he was tired of living.
"Take him away…"
Macklin was greatly relieved. With these words, it meant that Aeron's life had been spared.
After dismissing Macklin, Andoine walked towards Lin Li with an anxious expression. "Felic, please help me take a look this bottle of the Bull's Strength Potion…"
"He hasn't changed much…" Lin Li said, and laughed under his breath. He opened the cork stopper of the dark-red glass bottle Andoine passed him and took a sniff…
"The ingredients are alright," replied Lin Li. With just a sniff, he could tell that this Bull's Strength Potion was more powerful than before. He had no issues with the ingredients of the potion. All four ingredients inside were in perfect ratio, and… it was very rare that the old man did not add any other weird things inside.
And just because of this oddity, Lin Li could not help but ask, "Who taught you this?"
"Grimm Burnside." While replying him, the old Mage suddenly realized that he had been tricked. So, he tweaked his answer. "Grimm Burnside gave me some suggestions. I thought they were good, so I adopted them reluctantly…"
"Why don't you admit it, hahaha…" Lin Li laughed as he put the cap back on the bottle and returned it to Andoine. "This bottle of Bull's Strength Potion was generally well made, with the exception of the temperature it was created in. I remember telling you that when you are heating up the terocone juice, you need to maintain the temperature at the boiling point—not too hot or cold. Or else, there would be a violent reaction from the dracaena grass, leading to dire consequences—and that's no laughing matter. At the very least, the Bull's Strength Potion would turn into poison. Or else, it would emit a toxic effervescence that would kill anyone—regardless of whether you are a legendary Sword Sage or a legendary Mage!"
"Oh, maintain the temperature at the boiling point…" Andoine nodded as he repeated Lin Li's advice in a serious tone.
"Oh yes, how did you find this place?"
"It's a long story… Let's find somewhere quiet to take a sit, and I will tell you everything!" the old man said excitedly as he pulled Lin Li away, ignoring the people around him.
While the two of them found a secluded spot to speak, the others were left dumbfounded…
Especially Macklin—he totally could not believe his eyes!
Illusion! It had to be an illusion! Macklin rubbed his eyes vigorously, yet he had to admit: everything was real…
That old fella, Andoine, came with a bottle of potion to consult Lin Li?!
Goddammit, I'm going crazy…
Macklin was really going mad. He was definitely clear about Andoine's identity. Although that old dude did not get into the Pharmacists Guild, he was a true Pharmacist!
And now, this true Pharmacist came here to consult his student…
Macklin thought he saw a dinosaur.
W-what a monster…
Not to mention his freakish potential in Magic, he was also immensely talented in the art of forging and in pharmacy! Most importantly, that fella was still under the age of 20!
It was then that Macklin gradually realized how the seemingly down-and-out Jarrosus Guild of Magic had trained Lin Li into…
"O-Orrin, did I see wrongly?" Mason asked in admiration as though he was dreaming.
"N-No…"
Both of them were utterly stunned; their stupefied gazes were fixed on the old man and the young fellow. It was such an unbelievable experience for them. The manner in which the young Felic gave the legendary Andoine advice was so natural as though it was expected!
"The guy who advised Master Andoine… was really Felic?"
"Should be…" This time, even Orrin could not believe his eyes.
"I'm turning crazy…"
Whether Mason would turn mad was not a concern of Andoine.
He fiddled in his pocket.
"Look what I've found just now…"
What Andoine took out from his pocket was a sky-blue-colored crystal. It was the size of a fist, and when Lin Li held it in his hand, he felt a cooling sens
ation from the crystal. The refreshing feeling spread from his palm to his entire body. "The Crystal of Eternity?" Lin Li's eyes lit up as he exclaimed in excitement. How would he not know the origin of this treasure? Lin Li had acquired a piece of it when he was a Hunter at the Endless World. Unfortunately, while in search for a suitable crystal sculptor, he did not manage to bring the crystal with him when he transmigrated.
To pharmacists, this item was a real treasure. Although it looked like an ordinary slab of stone, once it was carved into a medication bottle, its value would multiply by a hundred times. Any medication the bottle was to contain would have no expiry date, and thus could be stored for eternity. On top of that, the medication inside the bottle would grow stronger with the passage of time.
It was said that the claim had been verified by someone in the Endless World.
He poured a mana potion into one such bottle and only drank it after a few months. The effect of that bottle of potion was already on par with the Awakening Potion!
That treasure was what all pharmacists dreamed to own. Especially Lin Li, who had already reached the level of a Pharmaceutics guru. He had always been bringing at least 17 bottles of potion around with him. If he were to have one such bottle with him, he would be elated.
After returning the Crystal of Eternity to Andoine, Lin Li asked, "Where did you find this?"
"I found it in the Northern side of the jungle, not too far from here. If you are interested, I could bring you there. But… I don't think there's a need to, since there would not be crystals there anymore. I only found one piece of the Crystal of Eternity at that place after venturing for about two or three days… Who knew I would meet you on my way back!" Andoine said as he put the crystal into his pocket, his face beaming with pride.
"Hehe… luck played a part in that too. I went to the Adventurers Guild a few days before, and met an adventurer who was selling a broken fragment of the Crystal of Eternity. Nobody wanted to buy it from him for the entire afternoon. How foolish they were not to know what's the Crystal of Eternity! I even tricked him into telling me where he found that fragment by buying it from him with 100 gold coins!"
"Where?"
"You really intend to go?" Andoine could not help but feel surprised. Did he not tell him that he spent at least two days to find this crystal? Even if there was a crystal, he would already have found it. Why was this fellow still in a rush to go?
Wait a minute… This fellow was no ordinary human being. He must have known some other things he did not have any knowledge about…
"Is there… any problem with that place?" Andoine asked as he wanted to test Lin Li.
"Of course there is…" Lin Li looked at him helplessly. He did not know how to describe this foolish old man… How could he concentrate on such a trivial matter and neglect the big picture?
"Then, let's go there at once. When I left, I saw people walking towards it!" Andoine cried out nervously. He immediately got more anxious than Lin Li when he heard that he'd missed something crucial.
"Hold on, now is not the time to do so. It is still too early, we've got to wait for the sun to set."
"Why?"
"The reason is complicated. I will tell you when I have the time…"
"…"
Chapter 127 - The Mineral Veins of the Eternal Adamantine
When the two people finished discussing the details, Macklin was already gone. Accompanying him was Aeron, who was severely injured and in grave danger.
But Lin Li was not concerned with all these.
What mattered to him most was the Crystal of Eternity with Andoine.
As a master of mineral veins, how could Lin Li not remember its association with those crystals? It meant that anywhere with the Crystal of Eternity, there would sure be the mineral veins of the Eternal Adamantine.
The Eternal Adamantine was a treasure as well. Having the properties of a stabilizer, it was suitable to be used to forge not only gold rods, but was also commonly used as coating for armors. With this thin layer of coating, the protection the armor could provide would be even greater.
Also…
In the mineral veins of the Eternal Adamantine, apart from the Crystal of Eternity, many types of rare gems could be found as well. This would include the Dragon's Eye, the Heart of Gaia, as well as the Star's Lament. Being precious and authentic jewels, even the weakest of them would not be inferior to the ruby on Aeron's ring.
If they were lucky, they would find a Mana Crystal—the natural source where mana was created from. Even if it was the size of a thumb, the mana it could generate would not be less than a level-15 Magical Crystal's.
Ever since he transmigrated, Lin Li always regretted not bringing more high-grade Magical Crystals with him.
Well, having that Gold Rod that was coated with the Deep Silver, he could only use his low-grade level-12 Magical Crystals for it previously.
Unfortunately, it was still too early.
As the properties of the Eternal Adamantine were generally stable, he could not detect it with magic. Even for a master of mineral veins like Lin Li, he could only find the glowing Eternal Adamantine after the sky darkened.
For that, Lin Li was not anxious at all.
From the small size of the Crystal of Eternity in Andoine's hands, Lin Li could tell that the mineral vein of the Eternal Adamantine would not be a rich mine, and that it would also be a very sparse one. Previously, Lin Li had gotten his first Crystal of Eternity from the rich mines of Thousand Pinnacles. It had the size of a human head, and would be sufficient for any crystal sculptor to create an entire set of potion bottles…
To Lin Li, mineral veins were considered relatively safe since they were scattered and barren. Even if there were people who went there, they would not be able to retrieve the treasures. Given their lack of knowledge of minerals, they would not be able to harvest them in such a short period of time.
Antoine, however, was anxious.
He really wished to fly back to Alanna instantly to find a crystal sculptor to help him with the crafting of the potion bottle! How would he have the patience to waste his time in that forest?
After Lin Li introduced Antoine to Mason and Orrin, the old man said in a haste, "I will meet you again tonight."
"Alright," Lin Li replied, and did not ask him to stay longer. He knew what Antoine was thinking.
"See you tonight."
At once, Andoine vanished in the blink of an eye with the help of the Power of Flight.
Then, Lin Li realized a stunned Mason was looking at him in a daze as if he was looking at a stranger.
"Y-you are… really Felic?"
"It's really me," assured Lin Li. When he saw his stupefied expression, he had a sudden urge to knock his head against a tree.
"T-then… how would you know Master Antoine?" Mason asked again with suspicion. He still could not believe his eyes.
"It's a long story… I will tell you when we have the time?" replied Lin Li. He was not lying. The story of how he met Antoine was really complicated, and would be incomprehensible for Mason if given only a short period of time. That was if Lin Li dared to tell him the whole story. The concept of time-traveling would frame him an extraterrestrial being. He would be viewed like an Abyssal Demon, and probably risk being burnt alive.
"…"
Hence, how could Mason insist further? His eyes were just filled with amazement. He could not believe how this self-proclaimed level-seven teammate had such a terrifying background…
That was a feeling shared by Orrin.
For his reserved personality, he would certainly not run up to people to pester them about their background.
That, however, did not mean that he was not feeling shocked.
Any blind man would be able to sense the absurdity.
The interaction between Antoine and Lin Li showed closeness that surpassed a teacher-student relationship.
How would any student in this world use the word "you" when they addressed their own teacher?
Furthermore, Orrin had clearly seen how sincere Antoine was when he consulted his teammate on the bottle of potion.
Orrin could not believe his own eyes at that moment. It was so surreal. A master in pharmaceutical knowledge seeking help on a potion, and that person was his own teammate…
…
They started their mission late that day. When the three of them returned from the Nightmare Mountains, it was already dinner time.
When they'd woken up at noon, Lin Li had to skip lunch since Macklin was rushing them to get started with their training in the Nightmare Mountains. Now, after all the perspiring, he was so hungry as though he could feel his c.h.e.s.t pressed against his back. When he entered the guild hall, he started to search around for food.
Behind him were his curious teammates, who still had not recovered from their daze. Their minds were just occupied with that mysterious teammate.
"Mr. Felic!" Lin Li heard a voice calling from behind.
After he turned his back, he saw Sean, whom he had not seen for two days.
"Hey Sean, why are you here?" Lin Li asked guiltily. After all, it was him who'd brought Sean to Alanna. Yet when they reached the Guild of Magic, he did not interact much with him.
"I was waiting for you…" Sean said as he scratched his head shyly. "I heard that the mages who are here this time would be undergoing their training missions in extremely dangerous places. So I was worried about your safety…"
"Hehe…" Lin Li laughed lightly. Seeing how Sean was so concerned for him, he felt a little touched.
While they continued their conversation, Lin Li suddenly noticed how Sean was still wearing the same leather armor he wore in Blackhills Town. "Oh, yes. Sean, why didn't you change into a different armor?"
"I…" replied Sean as his tanned skin revealed a tinge of embarrassment. After hesitating for a moment, he bashfully continued, "I… I only have one piece of leather armor…"
"Oh!"