Chapter 186: Two Plants
Chapter 186: Two Plants
Nina's face was ashen, her eyes filled with despair.
Currently, the Walker Family was in a dire situation, and even outsiders could see that.
The reality was even worse!
She had to retaliate against the Perro Clan like a mad dog to gain the support of the other two major families; otherwise, she would be abandoned at any time.
The Walker Family had become a means for the two major families to control and weaken the Perro Clan.
But this situation couldn't last.
The Perro Clan would eventually bare its fangs, but would the other two families offer timely assistance?
Not necessarily!
Most likely, they would watch the two families fight, and then swoop in to reap the benefits.
Nina had no choice but to act this way. Firstly, she had to avenge her father, and secondly, showing weakness would only make her more vulnerable.
The Walker Family was like walking a tightrope filled with danger, where one misstep could lead to their destruction.
Only by becoming a Late First Rank Wizard could she stabilize the situation and lead the family to regain its footing.
Otherwise,
sooner or later, they would be swallowed up by the other three major families.
To advance, she had to obtain the Demon Face Bloodvine, and she had spent half a year gathering the necessary materials.
Despite her efforts, she still failed, and naturally, she felt desperate.
According to the book, the Humpback Leviathan was hundreds of meters long and had a massive body. Its eggs were as large as bird eggs.
After collecting the eggs, Karl addressed the crowd in the arena:
"My trade is complete. It's rare for all of you to come from various places, so it would be a shame to leave empty-handed."
"Why don't we put up the materials we have for trade and see if we can find suitable buyers?"
"I have some First Rank consumables. Although they're not very valuable, I have a large quantity. Anyone interested?"
He threw out some materials collected from other worlds, filling the high platform.
"Beast Bones!"
"Dragonhawk Grass! This is a First Rank witchcraft material for making anesthetic potions, and there's quite a lot of it."
"..."
The crowd whispered to each other, each trading what they needed.
With Karl taking the lead, others also put up their items for sale, letting others bid on them.
The transactions were mostly conducted with magic stones.
Bartering was only used for certain specific items.
"I need potions to increase mental energy. I'll take as many as possible, and we can negotiate the price," Roger said slowly, waving his hand. A stack of neatly arranged mana crystals appeared on the table in front of him.
There were nearly a hundred of them, worth over ten thousand magic stones!
"Hiss..."
The crowd couldn't help but gasp, and even Karl, who was known for his wealth, couldn't help but twitch his cheeks.
Was this the confidence of a Second Circle Wizard? He offered ten thousand magic stones right off the bat, and a large family could only muster that much.
Roger spoke again:
"I'll take potions that mid-stage wizards can use, or materials for making potions."
"I have two Storm Potions!"
"I have a Fortune Spirit Potion!"
"Life Bone Flower..."
Before long, Roger's table was piled with various potions and materials, and some of the mana crystals had disappeared.
These potions could increase the mental energy of a mid-stage First Rank wizard apprentice, but not by much.
At least,
in Karl's eyes, the trade wasn't very profitable.
But for a Second Circle Wizard, using magic stones to enhance mental energy might be quite suitable.
"Ladies and gentlemen..."
During the trading, Karl asked,
"I encountered a Death Wraith not long ago. Does anyone have a solution to deal with it?"
"I can offer magic stones for a solution."
Engle, wrapped tightly in his cloak, spoke up:
"This thing is quite rare and usually spawns in desolate places devoid of life. However, its soul core is valuable. If you grind it into a powder and mix it into a soup, it can slightly increase mental energy."
"Oh?" Karl's eyes flickered:
"You seem to know a lot about Death Wraiths. Do you have a way to deal with them? They seem to have high resistance to witchcraft."
"Yes," Engle nodded:
"Ordinary witchcraft is ineffective against Death Wraiths, unless it's Light, Life, or... Undead witchcraft."
"To deal with them, it's best to use holy power-infused potions or witchcraft that targets souls. It's slightly less effective than holy water."
"Holy water?" Karl shook his head slightly:
"There are no deities here."
"Then use potions condensed with life force or witchcraft that targets souls. It's a bit less effective than holy water," Engle added after some thought. "A knight's martial will can also harm Death Wraiths. In any case..."
"Killing a Death Wraith is often not worth the effort, and it spawns in desolate places, so there's no other benefit to gain."
"If you have a choice, I suggest giving up. Even the weakest Death Wraiths are born with a death aura that poses a threat to First Rank wizards."
Karl sighed, his face filled with helplessness.
"I know a lead," a wizard spoke up:
"The artificer Lin En from the Dream Marketplace has a heritage artifact that can release holy light and should be able to restrain Death Wraiths."
"Oh!"
Karl's eyes lit up.
"Thank you."
He took out some magic stones and gave them to the two.
Not long after, the transaction concluded, and everyone gradually left, except for Harvey, who remained as a disciple.
"Mentor."
Harvey bowed respectfully, his previous anxiety replaced by hope and excitement.
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome." Karl took out the second Demon Face Bloodvine and asked, "Where is the item?"
Looking at the bloodvine, Harvey took a deep breath and presented the prepared item to complete the trade.
"How did you know there was a second Demon Face Bloodvine?" Karl inquired.
"I guessed," Harvey smiled. "When Grandfather and Mr. Gold made the arrangement to explore Snake Valley, I suspected there would be at least two Demon Face Bloodvines inside."
"But my aunt and I thought you would keep one for yourself, and we only sent the message as a last resort."
"I never expected..."
"That you would truly be willing to part with it!"
"Thank you!"
Harvey expressed his sincere gratitude.
After all, the Demon Face Bloodvine was a treasure that no aspiring wizard could afford to miss.
Speaking of which, the Walker Family owed Karl a debt of gratitude. Despite their difficult situation, he didn't take advantage and was even willing to trade with them. Karl felt obligated to accept their offer.
"The items you provided were enticing enough for me." Karl looked at the items before him and smiled. "Seven thousand magic stones, plus the incomplete heritage of a Holy Knight, even if I had offered the second Demon Face Bloodvine, no one could have outbid you."
"Just to be safe," Harvey spoke up, "and also, if others find out that my aunt obtained the bloodvine, it might not bode well for us."
"Acquiring it discreetly creates opportunities."
"Hmph..." Karl raised an eyebrow. "Suit yourselves!"
He wasn't interested in the Walker Family's situation or plans; as long as it benefited him, he was satisfied.
...
"A good harvest!"
After seeing Harvey off, Karl took inventory of his gains and smiled with satisfaction.
"With the eggs of the Humpback Leviathan and these additional resources, I should be able to cultivate the fourth layer of Divine Demon Transformation and possess second-rank combat power within a year or two."
"And the heritage of a Holy Knight..."
"Martial Will!"
Karl opened a book, his eyes gleaming with interest.
The path of a knight differed from that of a wizard; one focused on physical cultivation, while the other honed mental prowess.
Wizards sought to gradually sense astral energy within their mental sea, ultimately enabling them to traverse the astral void and become legendary life forms—godlike beings capable of infinite transformations, creating realities from the ethereal, and turning the imaginary into tangible existence.
Knights, on the other hand, emphasized physical prowess and the present world. They needed to continuously temper and strengthen their bodies until they could rival legendary creatures.
"To advance from a Legendary Knight to a Holy Knight, one must refine their Martial Will, allowing it to influence every limb and organ, and eventually, every cell and strand of hair."
"What a pity!" Karl shook his head lightly. "Refining Martial Will requires life-or-death battles, pushing oneself to evolve at the brink of survival. It's too dangerous!"
"Fortunately, if one's mental energy is sufficient, they can still envelop their body with Martial Will and succeed in the advancement."
If that's the case...
Is cultivating both martial and magical arts the right path?
"What's going on?" Mr. Gold's face darkened as he glared at the wizard. "You couldn't secure it?"
"Yes, sir. You weren't there to witness the situation. The Walker Family was desperate for the bloodvine, gathering resources as if their lives depended on it. Our preparations fell short."
"Thankfully..."
"The Walkers didn't succeed either."
"Oh!" Mr. Gold's expression remained grim.
"Who got the Demon Face Bloodvine?"
"A mysterious wizard named Roger," the wizard replied after a moment's thought. "I suspect he might be a Second Circle Wizard."
He proceeded to describe the scene in detail.
"Second Circle?" Mr. Gold's eyebrows furrowed.
On the Calim Continent, he wouldn't have feared a Second Circle Wizard, but this was the Magic Forest.
Taking a deep breath, he spoke quietly. "Was there no second bloodvine?"
"No." The wizard shook his head. "I believe Conn kept it for himself."
"But don't worry, Mr. Gold. I left a mark, and he might show up at the Dream Marketplace soon."
"Then..."
"We'll have our chance!"
(End of Chapter)
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