《Exploring Technology in a Wizard World》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 001 Dungeon, Prince, Prisoner, and Science Chapter 1: Chapter 001 Dungeon, Prince, Prisoner, and Science Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` The dark dungeon was damp and cold, filled with the stench of decay and human odor, making it a nauseating place to be. Torches soaked in oil were placed every few meters along the dungeon¡¯s moss-covered walls. The torches crackled and sputtered as they burned, releasing black smoke due to incomplete combustion, because of the stagnant air and low oxygen levels, which cast twisted and fearful shadows on the ground. ¡°Drip, drip,¡± water droplets condensed at the top of the dungeon continually fell, landing on a dungeon guard soldier¡¯s head, gradually soaking his hair, then his cheeks, and finally trickling down his neck, icy cold. Yet the standing guard soldier dared not move, his whole body tensed like a Dragon Cavalry¡¯s javelin stuck into the ground. He made an effort to keep his breathing steady, but his peripheral vision involuntarily drifted to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. At the entrance, a young boy, fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in somewhat simple noble attire, walked in expressionlessly. Behind the boy, the Guard Captain accompanied him obsequiously, a fawning smile on his face, but his eyes filled with an uneasy and immense fear. The Guard Captain couldn¡¯t help but feel afraid; the boy was the King¡¯s youngest son, the second in line for the throne after the Prince. If the boy was even slightly displeased, he could lose his head at any moment. Thinking of this, the Guard Captain¡¯s heart tightened further; even his facial expression became somewhat stiff. Richard, however, paid little attention to the Guard Captain¡¯s demeanor. He had been in this medieval-like world for fifteen years, and his extraordinary psychological resilience allowed him to fully adapt to his identity here. He realized what actions would most efficiently achieve his goals and unlock his ultimate mystery. ¡°Da, da, da,¡± Richard stepped forward into the dungeon, speaking to the Guard Captain, ¡°I previously asked you to lead a team to capture a wizard or someone related to supernatural phenomena for my research. You¡¯ve conducted two attempts already without success, only bringing in a group of ugly farmers as filler. This is your third attempt. Are you sure you¡¯ve really caught them this time? My patience has its limits.¡± ¡°Prince, this time¡­ this time¡­¡± The Guard Captain instantly broke into a sweat, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing a few times as a stiff voice emerged from his throat, ¡°This time¡­ I swear I¡¯ve really caught them.¡± ¡°And what about the situation with the soldiers¡¯ benefits?¡± Richard asked again. ¡°Huh?¡± The Guard Captain was taken aback, ¡°Benefits? What benefits?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me all the compensation for injured soldiers has been embezzled by you alone. If you did that, I¡¯d almost admire your bravery.¡± ¡°No!¡± The Guard Captain widened his eyes, realizing and stammering, ¡°Sir¡­ Prince, there were no injuries or casualties.¡± ¡°Huh? No casualties? Your soldiers captured individuals related to supernatural phenomena without any casualties?¡± ¡°Yes, not a single one.¡± The Guard Captain replied earnestly. ¡°Uh, all right.¡± Richard spoke aloud, having already formed a suspicion in his mind, he continued, ¡°Tell me, what did you catch this time?¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± The Guard Captain steadied himself and answered seriously, ¡°This time we captured four: one White-faced Demon, one Half-human, one Vampire, and one¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°Da, da¡­ da!¡± After a while, Richard stopped in front of a cell deep in the dungeon, squinting at a figure inside. The individual¡¯s skin was unnaturally pale, devoid of any blood color, looking extraordinarily terrifying. He sat on the cell¡¯s floor, his eyes filled with fearful apprehension gazing back. The Guard Captain¡¯s voice sounded, afraid Richard hadn¡¯t noticed, he said, ¡°Prince, this is the White-faced Demon we captured, look¡­¡± Richard only glanced briefly before proceeding to move ahead. The Guard Captain was stunned, unsure why Richard was uninterested, but he nevertheless bent his neck and followed. Soon, Richard stopped for the second time. Within a cell beside him, an odd-looking figure huddled in a corner. The individual¡¯s face was full of wrinkles, appearing over fifty years old, yet standing barely a meter tall, like a child, which made people feel a sense of eerie discomfort. The Guard Captain explained, ¡°Prince, this is a Half-human¡­¡± Before he finished speaking, Richard shook his head and strode forward again, then stopped. In the third cell was a monstrous-looking human, pale-skinned with red blotches all over his face, neck, and the backs of his hands; some areas were even decaying. His mouth slightly open, revealing teeth that seemed unusually long, with a sinister blood-red hue, enough to send shivers down one¡¯s spine. ¡°Sir¡­ Prince.¡± The Guard Captain pointed to the person in the third cell, visibly nervous, he spoke, ¡°This is the Vampire, you have to be careful not to get harmed by him.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Richard sounded; his voice was a bit cold. ¡°Prince, you¡­¡± Richard spoke, ¡°An albino, a dwarf, and a porphyria patient, these are your White-faced Demon, Half-human, and Vampire?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Do you even have any knowledge of biology?! Oh right, I forgot. In medieval times, there was essentially no biology knowledge, but that¡¯s no excuse! You should have realized upon catching them without any soldiers being injured, right? Yet for the previous two failures, you didn¡¯t learn anything?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± ¡°To say nothing of other matters, take the Vampire for instance, did you see him transform into a bat as per legend? Or can he fly?¡± The Guard Captain trembled slightly, but the next moment, he forced courage, ¡°Prince, indeed, I didn¡¯t see this wicked Vampire transform into a bat or fly, but his skin truly can¡¯t be exposed to sunlight, once in sunlight, it decays. Look at him now, it¡¯s because he was exposed to sunlight on the way here. When I captured him, he was also drinking blood, and he particularly despised garlic. Prince, if this isn¡¯t a Vampire, what is it?¡± ¡°However, he merely has porphyria.¡± Richard proclaimed expressionlessly. ¡°Huh?¡± The Guard Captain was baffled. ¡°In other words, he¡¯s just a patient. What you observed are symptoms caused by the disease, albeit much like the legendary Vampire¡­ It isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± The Guard Captain was riddled with bewilderment. ¡°Do you really want to hear the reason?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll explain it to you,¡± Richard said, proceeding, ¡°Porphyria, also known as Porphyrin disease, is a group of porphyrin metabolism disorder diseases caused by a lack of certain enzymes or reduced enzyme activity in the hemoglobin synthesis pathway. It can be congenital or acquired, and once it appears, considering the current era, well, there¡¯s no means to completely cure it, you can only barely survive, becoming this ghostly appearance.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The Guard Captain was still utterly puzzled. ¡°Put it this way,¡± Richard offered a more detailed explanation, ¡°Our blood consists of many components, one of which is hemoglobin. Normally, the body synthesizes hemoglobin using ¡®iron elements¡¯ and ¡®porphyrins¡¯ with the catalysis of a specific enzyme. However, some individuals lack that specific enzyme, hindering hemoglobin synthesis, resulting in extremely high ¡®porphyrins¡¯ levels in their bodies. Porphyrins are highly sensitive to light and harmless in darkness, but once exposed to light, activated by ultraviolet rays, they convert into a ¡®carnivorous¡¯ toxin, causing widespread red spots, blisters, or even ulcers on the body. It also affects the mouth, leading to gum sores and exposed roots, making the teeth appear particularly long, gradually turning purplish-brown due to porphyrin accumulation. Additionally, since they cannot synthesize hemoglobin fully, they can¡¯t produce normal blood; porphyria patients suffer from severe anemia and must supplement blood externally to survive. Intravenous transfusion is one viable method, but given this world¡¯s technological level, they can¡¯t manage it and must therefore opt for the other¡ªdrinking¡ªthe hemoglobin has incredibly strong life force, resisting digestive liquids, entering the digestive system to be absorbed via small intestine. They despise garlic for a simple reason: garlic contains allicin with strong antibacterial effects. Due to their unique physical constitution, consuming garlic can induce and intensely aggravate their symptoms. In fact, if you pierce them with silver objects, they¡¯ll equally detest it¡ªsilver also poses a formidable antibacterial action. In short, you must understand: Vampires are Vampires, while porphyria is porphyria. Maybe their manifestations appear somewhat similar, but they are not the same at all! What I want you to find are true Vampires and phenomena relating to wizards and spells, not merely find patients, understand? When you captured them, they didn¡¯t resist or kill; they pleaded and wailed¡ªin your heart, you didn¡¯t question anything at all? Huh, or do you think merely accomplishing the task on the surface is sufficient? The first two times were like this, and now the third time too. My patience is really limited¡­¡± ¡°Prince, I¡­¡± The Guard Captain could no longer speak, his heart overwhelmed with enormous terror. He¡¯d heard many cruel stories about the Prince, and if the Prince was truly angered¡­ Richard didn¡¯t continue entangling with the Guard Captain, proceeding to stride toward the deepest part of the dungeon, speaking, ¡°You said you captured a fourth, a true wizard. Well, let¡¯s see if it¡¯s genuine or not.¡± ¡°` Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 002: Wizard Magic and Yellow Phosphorus Chapter 2: Chapter 002: Wizard Magic and Yellow Phosphorus Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` The Guard Captain tried hard to raise his head, forcing himself to calm down, and trotted to catch up, ¡°Prince, it must be true, it must be true, I saw with my own eyes that he can release flames¡­¡± Richard, who was walking towards the deepest part of the dungeon, stopped in front of the last cell. Inside was a person dressed like a wizard in a black hooded robe, appearing extremely mysterious but¡­ not at all comfortable. Four iron chains respectively bound his hands and legs, preventing him from moving freely. A rope was tied into his mouth, reportedly to keep him from chanting spells. At this point, the person appeared somewhat calm, not as panicked as the three wrongly accused before him. However, upon noticing his slightly flickering gaze, Richard could guess that maybe he did have some tricks. But the probability of him being a real wizard was close to zero. ¡°Prince, someone reported this man for causing trouble in a tavern, not paying for his food, spreading rumors about seeing a fire-breathing dragon, and claiming to be a wizard, which caught my attention, so I took the team to arrest him. At that time, when we caught him, I saw with my own eyes that he released flames, almost burning one of my soldiers. He is definitely a real wizard,¡± said the Guard Captain. The next moment he took a bundle from his subordinate, and carefully handed it over, ¡°Prince, these are the things the man was carrying with him; there are short wands and all sorts of bizarre casting materials inside¡­¡± At this moment, the captured wizard in the dungeon spoke up. Although his mouth was gagged with a rope, his speech was extremely indistinct, yet still threatening, ¡°You¡­ you better release me, or¡­ or suffer my wrath; I tell¡­ tell you, I am a wizard. Do you know what a wizard is? I can ride a fire-breathing dragon and use magic to easily kill you¡­¡± Richard ignored the wizard, reached for the bundle, and opened it. The first thing he saw was several black sticks approximately twenty centimeters long and about one centimeter in diameter. The rest were bottles and jars of unknown materials. Richard randomly opened a bottle and found inside pieces of a yellow substance that looked like candle wax. After sniffing and detecting a faint garlic-like smell, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly. ¡°Prince, you¡­¡± ¡°The flames you saw earlier, did they appear like this?¡± Richard asked, picking up a short wand from the bundle, rubbing it against the yellow wax-like substance, and then forcefully scraping it against the stone wall beside him. The intense friction caused heating, and with a ¡°poof,¡± a flame burst out from the tip of the short wand. At this moment, the entire wand looked just like an oversized match. The Guard Captain¡¯s eyes widened instantly, ¡°Prince, could it be that you¡­ you also know magic?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Richard retorted, ¡°I do intend to understand the principles of magic and subsequently figure out some other issues. But¡­ reason has to be given; magic is magic, and tricks are just tricks. If I could use magic, would I still need to go to such lengths as to have you arrest people?¡± ¡°But you now¡­¡± The Guard Captain couldn¡¯t help but look at the burning short wand in Richard¡¯s hand. ¡°Just yellow phosphorus,¡± Richard said, tossing the short wand into a small puddle of water on the ground, extinguishing it. ¡°Yellow phosphorus?¡± ¡°Yes, yellow phosphorus,¡± Richard briefly explained, ¡°This yellow waxy solid substance is called yellow phosphorus or white phosphorus. Its melting point is 44.1¡ãC, and it can spontaneously ignite at 34¡ãC, even in humid air around 40¡ãC, just like now. It can be used to make some matches or smoke bombs and has nothing to do with legendary magic. So¡­ you caught the wrong person again.¡± As Richard spoke, he gently patted the Guard Captain on the shoulder. Miraculously, as Richard¡¯s hand landed, the Guard Captain seemed to shrink segment by segment, finally sitting on the ground with a ¡°thud,¡± his face pale and bloodless. Raising his head in panic, the Guard Captain looked at Richard¡¯s indifferent expression, feeling a chill emanate from his soul. ¡°Bang,¡± and he started kowtowing vigorously, ¡°Prince, I was wrong, I was wrong, please give me another chance. I will definitely catch the person you really want.¡± ¡°The last chance.¡± The Guard Captain was initially stunned, then quickly nodded, ¡°Understood, understood.¡± Richard stepped forward, intending to leave with the swindler wizard¡¯s bundle, when suddenly his eyes caught something. He took out an item from the bundle. It was a piece of snake skin, still warm to the touch, just as if it had been toasted before the fireplace, feeling very unusual, somewhat like something he had been searching for. Richard¡¯s gaze sharpened, and he abruptly turned back, walking to the front of the cell, holding up the snake skin and asking the swindler wizard, ¡°What is this? Tell me.¡± Who would have thought the swindler wizard, feeling somewhat backed, would lift his head proudly, nostrils flaring, completely ignoring him? The Guard Captain asked tentatively from the side, ¡°Prince, what do you think, how should we deal with him?¡± The wizard in the cell gazed with dangerous and malicious eyes, as if saying: what do you think should be done with me?! Let me go now, or you¡¯ll suffer. Richard chuckled coldly, drawing out a second short wand from the bundle, rubbing it with the yellow phosphorus, and scraped it against the wall, igniting it, then threw it. The burning wand drew an arc through the air, passed through the cell bars, and landed in the straw-filled cell where the wizard was confined. The straw caught fire instantly, and soon flames and heavy black smoke were rising. Amidst the wizard¡¯s terrified gaze, Richard turned and said to the Guard Captain, ¡°For useless people, how to deal with them? Like those few patients you arrested by mistake, let them go. As for this prisoner, I truly detest him, so¡­ just burn him to death!¡± ¡°Yes, sir, I understand.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Da-da-da,¡± with those steps, Richard walked towards the dungeon exit, the wizard¡¯s vague curses trailing behind, slowly changing in tone. ¡°Kid, you¡­ you come back¡­¡± ¡°Put me down¡­¡± ¡°I beg you¡­¡± ¡°Pri¡­ Prince, I was wrong, I¡¯ll tell you what that thing you asked about was¡­¡± ¡°Pri¡­ Prince, I know you¡¯re interested in things related to wizards; that thing is the skin of a Flame Python that shed¡­¡± ¡°Da!¡± Richard suddenly halted, and before the Guard Captain could react, he heard Richard order, ¡°Extinguish the fire.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The Guard Captain was stunned, and the next moment he quickly turned around, and with a roar, over a dozen soldiers stumbled over, each carrying a wooden bucket of water, running quickly to the swindler wizard¡¯s cell, pouring it in without even looking. ¡°Splash, splash¡­¡± The flames, which were not very large in the first place, were completely extinguished after the dozen or so buckets of water were poured out, though the iron-chained wizard became soaking wet. With a ¡°creak,¡± the cell door opened. Richard stepped onto the damp, waterlogged straw inside, and looked up at the wizard. With a slight gesture, the Guard Captain obligingly stepped forward to untie the rope gagging the wizard¡¯s mouth. The wizard breathed a sigh of relief but hadn¡¯t started speaking before Richard said, ¡°You have one minute to convince me not to kill you. If your words cannot convince me, then rest assured, your subsequent death will certainly be more painful than being burned alive.¡± The wizard shivered all over, ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Still fifty seconds.¡± The wizard, awakened with a shiver, realized his life or death lay entirely in his own hands. He quickly started speaking, ¡°Prince, honestly, I¡¯m not a wizard; I¡¯m just a swindler, I¡­¡± Richard showed no interest in the other¡¯s confession, his expression calm as he reminded, ¡°Forty seconds.¡± The wizard¡¯s tone heightened, ¡°I know you¡¯re interested in wizards and magic. Just a few days ago, I saw with my own eyes a python entirely wreathed in flames. I believe it would certainly be useful to you. And that skin in the bundle is part of the shed skin of the python that I found; I sold the rest¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen a Flame Python? Then tell me, exactly how many days ago was it?¡± Richard asked, his eyes locked onto the wizard¡¯s gaze. The next moment, seeing the wizard¡¯s eyes involuntarily shift downwards to the right, Richard understood this involuntary action during recollection generally indicated he was speaking the truth, ¡°It was exactly three days ago.¡± ¡°Morning or afternoon?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ noon.¡± ¡°What was the weather like? Sunny or cloudy?¡± ¡°Sunny.¡± ¡°Where was the sun relative to you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ on the left.¡± ¡°What did it look like?¡± ¡°Similar to an ordinary python, except it was on fire.¡± ¡°What color?¡± ¡°Red.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°More than three meters.¡± ¡°How much more?¡± ¡°About half a meter more.¡± ¡°Specific location.¡± ¡°On a small hill over ten miles outside the city¡­¡± ¡­ After a brief silence, Richard paused his interrogation, and the Guard Captain quietly asked, ¡°Prince, what do you think¡­¡± ¡°Untie him, then tie him onto a horse. You take a team and leave the city with me immediately.¡± ¡°Ri¡­ right now?¡± ¡°Now,¡± said Richard. ¡°If we capture the Flame Python he spoke of, we¡¯ll release him; if we do not capture it¡­ we¡¯ll slice his flesh piece by piece to feed the dogs!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Prince, Prince!¡± the wizard shouted loudly, fearing for his life. He quickly reminded, ¡°Prince, to catch that python, proper preparation is essential. After all, it is a demonized creature capable of magic, very dangerous.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have people bring more bows and arrows¡­¡± the Guard Captain suggested, thinking quickly, ¡°and bring a big net¡­¡± ¡°No, nets are no use,¡± the wizard urgently advised, ¡°That python¡¯s whole body catches fire, it¡¯ll burn through any net.¡± ¡°Then how would you suggest handling it?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± the wizard¡¯s momentum weakened immediately. ¡°Bring everything necessary, select some elite soldiers,¡± Richard made a decision, ¡°Additionally¡­¡± ¡°Additionally¡­¡± Richard continued, ¡°go to the ¡®KGB¡¯ shop in the city and notify the third steward, asking them to bring the goods I previously ordered, and together they¡¯ll help find the Flame Python.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 003: Flame Python and English Longbow Chapter 3: Chapter 003: Flame Python and English Longbow Editor: Atlas Studios The sun blazed high in the sky. In June, the enormous sun, like a fireball, seemed to go mad, relentlessly scorching the world. The air was unbearably hot, and the water in the river on the plain seemed about to boil. Beside the river stood a majestic city¡ªBlue Lion City, the capital of the Blue Lion Kingdom, grand and imposing like an ancient beast crouching on the earth. Inside the city, the buildings were arranged in an orderly manner, radiating outward with the central palace as the core. Suddenly, the gate of the palace opened, and a team of galloping cavalry surged out of the city, causing pedestrians on the streets to scatter in avoidance. Soon, the cavalry charged out of Blue Lion City, setting foot on the dusty road outside, stirring up a cloud of yellow dust. However, the cavalry pressed on regardless, maintaining their formation as they rushed into the distance. ¡­ An hour later. Richard arrived at a remote hillside, about ten miles outside the city, and leaped off his horse. The cavalry behind him also dismounted, scattering in all directions to vaguely guard Richard and a burly man dressed in black. The burly man in black held a box in his hands. He was the third steward of the ¡°KGB¡± shop, though he had a more confidential role, such as being Richard¡¯s cultivated confidant. In fact, the ¡°KGB¡± and several other shops were either openly or covertly established and controlled by Richard. He wielded an influence far greater than his title as prince. This was partly because he possessed abilities far beyond those of an ordinary prince, even surpassing the standards of this era. Further, he had never valued the title of prince, especially after an incident several years ago. In his view, the title of prince was more a disguise and¡­ a burden. If he could, he would have preferred to discard this identity and conduct himself without any restrictions. For instance, researching this world, and investigating the always-rumored¡­ magic power. Thinking about this, Richard glanced aside. To the side, the wizard, who had been bound to the horse, was pale from the jouncing. After being untied by the dungeon guard captain and yanked off the horse, he could barely stand. The guard captain couldn¡¯t care less. Knowing the wizard was a fraud, fear had vanished, leaving only anger. He dragged the wizard over with kicks and shoves and then smiled at Richard, ¡°Your Highness, look¡­¡± Richard ignored the guard captain and looked at the wizard, asking, ¡°Where did you see the python you mentioned? Point it out to me.¡± ¡°There¡­¡± The wizard raised his head and looked towards the distance, carefully observing for a moment before eventually pointing with his finger, ¡°Under that tree. I was just passing by, and the python suddenly appeared, almost scaring me to death. But fortunately, it seemed uninterested in me and quickly left, letting me snatch back my life and its shed skin.¡± Richard nodded slightly and then turned his head to look at the guard captain. The guard captain waved his hand vigorously, and the accompanying dozen soldiers drew their weapons and quickly encircled forward. Ten meters, twenty meters, thirty meters¡­ They quickly reached the place the wizard indicated, but there wasn¡¯t even a rabbit, let alone a large python. The guard captain¡¯s gaze shifted towards the wizard with some displeasure. The wizard hunched his shoulders, fearing Richard would think he was lying, and hastened to explain, ¡°Your¡­ Your Highness, perhaps that python has gone elsewhere¡­¡± Richard crouched down, his eyes falling on the ground. He peeled back the juvenile weeds, revealing a mark below as if scorched by flames, showing evidence of a flame-stricken python having passed through here. Richard used his fingernail to scrape a little soil and brought it to his nose to sniff. It had a garlicky yellow phosphorus smell, intermingled with a peculiar odor of sulfur. Richard stood up and turned to the guard captain, commanding, ¡°Search ahead, paying attention to the ground and the trees. Snakes are ectothermic, disliking cold and favoring heat. If demonization hasn¡¯t altered this trait, then in such weather, it¡¯s likely hiding somewhere shaded, so be alert.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The guard captain nodded emphatically and, without another word, conveyed Richard¡¯s order to the soldiers, instructing them to spread out and continue searching forward. About a dozen minutes later, a report came back that traces of a python had been found in a dense thicket over two hundred meters ahead, but it was uncertain whether it was the one they were searching for. Richard did not hesitate, hurrying over to a place a few dozen meters from the python, where the guard captain stopped him. ¡°Your Highness, be careful; the python is dangerous,¡± the guard captain said. ¡°Let¡¯s have someone test it first to see if it catches fire entirely?¡± Richard shook his head, said expressionlessly, ¡°No need.¡± While speaking, Richard¡¯s gaze was already fixed on the thicket tens of meters away. A brown, mottled python was nestled inside, its eyes closed as if dozing. The light danced around its surroundings, appearing slightly distorted. Richard knew this was the refraction of light passing through different media. There was only air around the python, so the cause of the refraction had only one explanation: the surrounding temperature was high, significantly higher than the air¡¯s average temperature. Considering the surrounding vegetation wasn¡¯t scorched, it wouldn¡¯t exceed the 200¡ãC ignition point, likely ranging between tens of degrees to over a hundred degrees Celsius. Ordinary pythons couldn¡¯t achieve this, so the answer was clear. Richard spoke up to the guard captain, ¡°Tell your men to prepare. No need to test, proceed directly with the capture. First, use bows and arrows to test its defenses. It¡¯s best to capture it alive after wounding it; if not¡­ dead is also acceptable.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The guard captain nodded and quickly left Richard¡¯s side to begin organizing. Shouts echoed as several soldiers, skilled in archery, soon picked up their bows. The soldiers used bows resembling medieval English longbows, which, in Richard¡¯s view, were similar. Such bows typically reached about 1.5 meters, with some extending up to 2 meters, the bow¡¯s back made from a single bent wood, the material being yew wood, sturdy and elastic. The bowstrings were made from sheepskin or cow tendon tanned. These bows, due to their extended bow-back length, endowed arrows with immense power and an ultra-long range far surpassing modern counterparts, capable of shooting arrows over 350 meters away. Ordinarily, they could penetrate leather armor at distances of 200 to 250 meters. Within 200 meters, they could pierce chain armor. Within 100 meters, they could penetrate plate armor. Within 50 meters, aside from shields and specially crafted armor, almost nothing could withstand their shots, making them virtually unstoppable. At this time, the soldiers and the python were roughly 50 meters apart. The four soldiers were veterans, showing distinctly uneven arm lengths due to years of archery training¡ªa mark of experience. Grabbing their bows, they took bundles of 24 arrows from the quivers on their backs, stabbing them into the ground in front of them after untying them. Each arrow was nearly a meter long, allowing easy grabbing and effortless continuous shooting without bending over. The four soldiers readied themselves, exchanged glances, took a deep breath, each grabbing an arrow to nock onto the longbow, and began aiming. ¡°Whooshing¡± sounds echoed consecutively as four meteoric arrows shot forth toward the python¡¯s position, but not one hit, the closest was still over a dozen centimeters away. After all, not all soldiers were dead-on marksmen, and on battlefields, hit rates were generally ensured by concentrated volleys. Richard remained unfazed by this, continuing to watch. The four soldiers, having failed once, quickly grabbed another arrow each, nocking them onto their longbows, this time taking a bit longer to aim before four more arrows whooshed out. Having been startled, the python was just about to take action when four arrows fell, two hitting directly. One arrow struck its tail, while another pierced its body, causing crimson blood to flow swiftly. ¡°Hisssss!¡± The python hissed, seemingly enraged, twisting violently, snapping two arrows with distinct cracks. Baring its mouth, it spat a big burst of sparks, advancing toward the group, intensifying the tense atmosphere and causing some soldiers to instinctively back away. At this moment, the most excited was neither Richard nor the guard captain, but the wizard. The wizard almost jumped up, grabbing the guard captain, exclaiming repeatedly, ¡°Did you see that? Did you see that? What I said was true; there really is a fire-breathing python here, so His Highness can¡¯t kill me.¡± The guard captain was too tense to bother responding, with a swing of his arm knocking the wizard to the ground, drawing his longsword and using his imposing demeanor to calm his slightly panicked soldiers. He shouted loudly, ¡°What are you afraid of? Keep shooting with the bows, and the rest prepare the nets to capture it alive!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the soldiers responded promptly, getting busy. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 004 Explosion Chapter 4: Chapter 004 Explosion Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh¡­¡± Arrows continuously shot toward the python. The closer they got to the python, the higher the accuracy. Soon, the python was covered with arrows, bleeding profusely. It appeared to be severely injured, and its movement slowed down. Seeing this as a chance not to be missed, the Guard Captain waved his hand, commanding the remaining soldiers to rush in with a large net and throw it over the python. The net¡¯s holes were only the size of a fingernail, and the three-meter-long python couldn¡¯t escape. It struggled within the net, only binding itself tighter. The Guard Captain had a sly smile on his lips, thinking the task was about to be completed. Yet, the soldiers who surrounded the python suddenly let out a scream and quickly scattered. This! The Guard Captain¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he watched. Suddenly, half a meter high flames ¡°poofed¡± up from the python¡¯s body. The orange-yellow color of the flames burned the entire net open and incinerated the arrows stuck in its body. In the next moment, the python¡¯s speed surged. It lunged forward, biting the slowest soldier. The soldier screamed, ensnared by the python¡¯s coils, fell silent almost instantly. A moment later, the python pursued the other soldiers, leaving behind a charred corpse at the scene. Damn it! The Guard Captain¡¯s eyes turned red. Richard watched, his eyes flashing slightly. The color of the flames was closely related to the temperature. Aside from the influence of the fuel, generally speaking, the higher the brightness, the higher the temperature. For instance, the most common ¡°sky blue¡± flames could reach about 2500¡ãC. Red flames, on the other hand, typically had a temperature of around 1000¡ãC. As for black flames, they looked cool but were filled with smoke due to incomplete combustion, with temperatures reaching only about 300¡ãC, far below charcoal fires, which were around 600¡ãC. Based on the current orange-yellow color of the python¡¯s flames, they should be roughly around 1500¡ãC. Although not as impressive as the sky blue flames¡¯ ¡°purest of the furnace,¡± they shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. After all, the melting point of iron was 1538¡ãC, and these flames were almost enough to melt steel. ¡°It really seems like a magic creature,¡± Richard muttered to himself. ¡°This time, I am finally not disappointed. But as for capturing it, it¡¯s not going to be easy to handle¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Another scream rang out as the flame-wreathed python coiled around another lagging soldier, taking his life. Seeing this, the Guard Captain¡¯s eyes blazed with fury, his hidden ferocity flaring within. Watching the python pursue a third soldier, he gritted his teeth, clutching his longsword, and charged toward the python. Thirty meters, twenty-five meters, twenty meters. The intense heat surged from the distant python¡¯s body. The Guard Captain could feel his skin, exposed outside his armor, tingling with pain, but he ignored it completely and continued rushing closer. Twenty meters, fifteen meters, ten meters. The Guard Captain felt his iron armor become scalding hot, like a branding iron searing his skin, his expression twisted in pain. Yet, he still endured it, raised his longsword high, and aimed at the python¡¯s head, intending to slash it down. At that moment, a short arrow whizzed past from behind him, scraping his ear and leaving a burning scratch on his face. The Guard Captain was stunned and instinctively looked back, seeing Richard in the distance, expressionless, holding a crossbow in one hand and making a ¡°come back¡± gesture with the other. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, come back,¡± Richard said plainly. ¡°Prince¡­ I¡­¡± The Guard Captain hesitated for a moment but eventually chose to obey, retreating quickly to Richard¡¯s side, panting. ¡°Prince, this flame-wreathing python is really difficult to deal with. The rope net couldn¡¯t hold it. Should we go back and ask the craftsmen to make an iron net before coming again? Otherwise, at this rate, none of my men will survive¡­¡± ¡°I said when I came here, an ordinary net won¡¯t work,¡± the Wizard mumbled softly beside him. ¡°Say that again!¡± The Guard Captain glared, looking as if he wanted to devour the Wizard. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you hiding the strength of this damned python, my men wouldn¡¯t have suffered such losses! I think you¡¯re doing it on purpose!¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Richard spoke. ¡°Whether he did it on purpose or not is not the point. Even if we go back, an iron net is useless now. The flames on this python are hot enough to melt an iron net.¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± The Guard Captain was anxious. ¡°There is a way,¡± Richard replied, turning his head to look at the burly man in black beside him. The black-clad strongman had been carrying a box, following him quietly, never saying a word, like a shadow. Now, it was time to use that shadow. ¡°Use the latest product you brought from the shop,¡± Richard whispered. ¡°Yes,¡± the black-clad strongman nodded, saying nothing more as he quickly opened the box and took out a bomb. Yes, a bomb! At least it looked like a bomb¡ªa very primitive bomb¡ªa metallic ball with a long fuse attached. After taking out the bomb, the black-clad strongman, without waiting for Richard¡¯s command, acted on his own. Swinging his arm, he hurled the bomb far out. The black-clad strongman was strong, his throwing skills were excellent, and the heavy metallic ball, thrown like a hand grenade, rolled accurately to the flame python. At this time, the flame python was engulfed in its flames, so the bomb¡¯s fuse didn¡¯t need to be lit; it caught fire automatically. ¡°Duck!¡± Richard immediately shouted. No one dared to disobey, and everyone dropped to the ground. The next moment, a loud explosion echoed, jarring their ears painfully. The ground shook violently, and a strong gust of wind swept through, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. When everything settled, the Guard Captain and the soldiers stood up, looking at the python¡¯s original position with widening mouths. They saw the once-unrivaled python now lay with its body broken, nearly cleaved in two like a snapped, dried branch. It lay on the ground, barely breathing. Despite this, the Guard Captain dared not be too careless. With Richard¡¯s permission, he immediately called soldiers to use longbows from afar for a round of concentrated shooting, killing the python thoroughly before heaving a sigh of relief. After finishing this, the Guard Captain turned to look at Richard. Richard did not display much excitement, maintaining a calm expression as he instructed, ¡°Bring the python along and hasten back to the city. I must seize the time to dissect and research. Otherwise, with too much delay, it will lose essential vitality, causing many things to change. Also, everyone, do not speak of today¡¯s events to anyone. Understand?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yes,¡± the Guard Captain quickly responded, ordering soldiers to tie the three-meter python onto a horse, ignoring the poor trembling horse. At this point, Richard turned to the black-clad strongman and whispered, ¡°The explosives were insufficiently potent. As expected, it should have killed it outright, so continue to make improvements. I¡¯ll provide you with some plans.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The black-clad strongman picked up the box and left. Richard mounted his horse, leading the many cavalrymen back to Blue Lion City. Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 005 Personal Guard Captain Chapter 5: Chapter 005 Personal Guard Captain Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` In the afternoon, at the Blue Lion City Palace. The sound of hoofbeats echoed as Richard, accompanied by the guard captain and his party, returned to his residence. The first thing that came into view was a massive square, nearly a hundred meters in circumference, paved with large, smooth slabs of stone, immaculately clean. On one side of the square was a series of ascending steps, leading up to a grand palace. Richard dismounted in the square, and the guard captain instructed the soldiers to unload the dead python and carry it into the palace, with Richard following behind. They hadn¡¯t taken many steps when a voice sounded behind them, followed by hurried footsteps ¡ª someone was catching up. ¡°Prince, Prince¡­¡± Richard turned his head and saw a young man in his twenties catching up, dressed in extravagant clothing, with gold embroidery on the sleeves and intricate patterns on the collar. His golden hair shone like gold, and his face exuded kindness, as if capable of dissolving all malice. The person was Richard¡¯s personal guard captain, responsible for leading the entire personal guard to ensure Richard¡¯s safety. His name was Edward Angell, and he was no ordinary man, being the son of an earl, making him a noble. He willingly became Richard¡¯s personal guard captain not because his family had fallen into decline, but because his family sought to strengthen their ties with the royal family and express loyalty. This was a common practice among medieval nobles ¡ª a form of hostage-taking, but if handled well, it could bring great benefits. For instance, if Richard became the next king, both Edward and his family, as the personal guard captain, would naturally receive special treatment; by then, they might not remain an earl, but become a marquis. Edward clearly understood this point and was diligent in serving Richard daily. However, perhaps because he focused his mind on this, his own skills were lacking, and his courtly swordsmanship was only adequate for display and inferior for combat compared to a soldier. Due to this, Richard did not inform Edward when he went to the dungeon to capture the python, yet Edward somehow learned of it¡­ As Richard was contemplating, the guard captain Edward had already caught up, stopping a step away with a slight pant, and said, ¡°Prince, I heard you went to the dungeon this morning? And at noon, you took people from the dungeon out of the city to capture a python?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Richard responded, stepping forward. Hearing Richard¡¯s confirmation, Edward immediately became anxious and said, ¡°Prince, I am your personal guard captain; the personal guard is your most loyal subordinates. By going alone to the dungeon and capturing a python, what if someone meant you harm? If you were harmed, even our entire personal guard would be unable to wash away the guilt by collective suicide.¡± Richard glanced at Edward, not believing his words to be sincere, but he was too indifferent to delve further, and said blandly, ¡°Edward, if your swordsmanship were better, I might consider taking you next time. Moreover, who in the entire kingdom would dare to harm me?¡± Edward¡¯s eyes shifted, and he leaned in toward Richard, quietly reminding, ¡°Prince, you really must be careful. The elder prince has always been unfriendly towards you, and now with the king sick, what if¡­ what if¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no what if,¡± Richard shook his head with a cold smile. ¡°The king isn¡¯t dead yet, so my dear brother ¡ª William Austin ¡ª wouldn¡¯t dare make a move against me.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Edward wanted to say more, but Richard waved his hand, no longer paying attention, and walked to the end of the square, climbing the steps. Passing through twelve massive marble columns, he entered the great hall of the palace, with Edward quickly following. The entire hall spanned over two hundred square meters, supposedly extremely spacious. But actually, it was quite crowded. The hall floor had dozens of tables, with various instruments and equipment on them. In front of each table was a busy maid, some plump, some slender, some tall, some short, some dark, some fair, tensely operating the equipment. Upon a table near the door rested a complete set of crude distillation equipment, centered around a pot being heated in boiling water. The pot¡¯s mouth was sealed, with only a leather tube leading out, connecting finally to an oddly shaped iron pipe. The iron pipe was submerged in water at its middle, with one end higher and connected to the leather tube, while the lower end was joined to a funnel resembling a bull¡¯s horn, through which colorless liquid dripped into a porcelain bottle. ¡°Puff puff,¡± due to problems with the equipment connections, white mist continually sprayed out, and the air was permeated with a slightly pungent alcohol odor. The speed at which liquid dripped into the porcelain bottle at the end was slowing. ¡°Drip drip, drip, drip ¡ª drip¡ª¡± A maid with a ponytail looked helplessly at the apparatus in front of her, wide-eyed and unsure of what to do. Richard frowned, stepping closer, and the pony-tailed maid stiffened like she¡¯d been electrocuted, her body tense. ¡°Pr¡­ Prince¡­¡± ¡°I asked you to distill high-concentration alcohol. How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± The pony-tailed maid¡¯s voice trembled, but to avoid being scolded, she forced herself to answer, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s okay¡­ I guess¡­¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Richard¡¯s face was expressionless as he pointed at the continuously leaking pungent white mist from the equipment connections, asking, ¡°This is what you call okay? Where¡¯s the airtightness I asked for? The alcohol vapor is leaking. How are you going to collect high-concentration alcohol solution?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Richard reached out to the water basin submerging the iron pipe, feeling the temperature, and spoke again, ¡°How long has it been since you changed the water? It¡¯s warm. Do you think this can cool and condense? Do you think this can turn high-temperature alcohol vapor into droplets, to be collected into the bottle by the bullhorn funnel? I remember yesterday I explained the distillation¡¯s key points to you and others. Why have you done it like this?¡± ¡°Prince, I¡­ I¡­¡± The pony-tailed maid started trembling, her voice tinged with a sob, ¡°Prince, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m too dull-headed, I can¡¯t remember. Pr¡­ Prince, please give me another chance, I¡­ I certainly¡­¡± ¡°Forget it, there¡¯s no need,¡± Richard said calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve said before, any maid in my palace can make mistakes, even murder. But one thing is non-negotiable ¡ª understanding what I convey after my explanations, and executing it. It¡¯s not because you¡¯re stupid if you don¡¯t understand or forget; it¡¯s because your learning ability is poor, and the least needed is someone with poor learning capability. Because I don¡¯t have the time or energy for education, nor the time or energy to develop every person into a scientifically cultured adolescent. Therefore, as of now, you are no longer part of the palace. This afternoon, pack your things and leave. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± As Richard spoke, the pony-tailed and pretty maid¡¯s body trembled, her face pale. Being expelled from the palace meant she could no longer earn five silver coins a month, and her impoverished family could not sustain without it, surely making this nothing short of a disaster. The pony-tailed maid couldn¡¯t help but cry out, ¡°Prince, Your Highness! Please, give me one more chance. My¡­ my father owes others a lot of money, and if I leave here without a means to repay it, he will be beaten to death. I beg you.¡± Richard seemed not to hear, stepping toward the palace¡¯s depths, while the pony-tailed maid¡¯s face grew despairing. Following Richard, the guard captain Edward saw this. He glanced at the pony-tailed maid¡¯s pretty face, then at the rest of the busy maids in the hall who were quite ordinary-looking, his eyes flickering. Quickly stepping forward, he caught up to Richard and said, ¡°Prince, I think that maid named Aifu wasn¡¯t bad, just maybe unfamiliar due to a short tenure, leading to her poor performance. Her family¡¯s in such hardship; perhaps keep her a few more days, and if she tries harder¡­¡± Richard halted, looking at Edward calmly. Edward¡¯s body jolted, displaying a somewhat fearful expression, ¡°Prince, I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Richard spoke. ¡°But I must tell you, Edward, that I can endure ugly appearances, poor character, vile actions, as long as the job is done. In contrast, if someone lacks intelligence, is incompetent, and has poor learning capability, then no matter how beautiful she is, I won¡¯t endure her. Because in the realm of science, it¡¯s all about merits, not appearances. In short, I¡¯m busy; ever since I¡¯ve been here, I¡¯ve been busy for over a decade, busy exploring unconventional matters like spells, solving problems. Therefore, anything that hinders me is an obstacle, and I will not tolerate obstacles. If you¡¯re sympathetic to that girl, fine; she can stay, provided you do her work as well, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Edward lowered his head, his expression swiftly changing, and after a moment, he murmured, ¡°I understand, my prince,¡± before turning to approach the pony-tailed maid. The pony-tailed maid¡¯s eyes flickered as Edward neared, afraid but trying her luck, said softly, ¡°Master, what about me¡­¡± Edward didn¡¯t respond, kept coming closer, and the girl looked puzzled, subconsciously stepping back, then Edward suddenly reached out his hand. ¡°Ah!¡± the maid cried as her ponytail was seized by Edward in a firm grasp. With a harsh yank from Edward, the girl was nearly in tears from the pain. Regardless, Edward dragged her by the hair out of the palace and, with a final tug, knocked her down on the ground, coldly saying, ¡°I warn you, you angered the prince. Get out of the palace immediately and never appear before him again, or mind your life!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± In utter fear, the maid stood, while Edward had already turned back into the palace, a smile on his face as he chased after Richard. ¡°Prince, I dealt with that dense maid for you; in the afternoon, I¡¯ll ensure to find someone smarter, more obedient to replace her. Is that agreeable with you?¡± ¡°Do as you like,¡± Richard replied, ambivalent. ¡°In fact¡­ Prince, I think some of the matters can be delegated. There will be plenty eager to assist you, freeing you to focus on more crucial tasks. After all, you¡¯re a Prince and should be tackling more significant affairs,¡± Edward said with persuasive earnestness. ¡°Such as?¡± ¡°Well¡­ ah, Prince, you see, the king¡¯s health has been poor, this time bedridden, uncertain of recovery. Should anything unfortunate happen, and the elder prince ascends, some things might be detrimental to you, so early preparation seems wise. You might consider reaching out to some nobles for support. At the least, ensuring your interests aren¡¯t compromised would secure a satisfying domain along with a grand duke title.¡± Swallowing hard, seeing little reaction from Richard, Edward continued, ¡°Compared to this, I find the time you¡¯ve spent seeking various peculiarities and conducting wizard-related research truly unnecessary. It¡¯s fine as a hobby, but devoting all efforts is unreasonable¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard laughed softly, ¡°You mean I should delve into crown prince politics?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± ¡°Edward, tell me, do you think crown prince politics is more crucial to me or wizardry and spells?¡± ¡°I believe crown prince politics is more significant, Your Highness,¡± Edward said earnestly. Richard merely shook his head slightly, moving forward to push open a red door and step inside. Startled, Edward halted at the door. He knew this was Richard¡¯s private laboratory, typically used only when Richard personally conducted special research, with Richard greatly disliking interruptions then. Sighing softly, pausing at the door, Edward couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself, ¡°Prince, you really should heed some of my words, or you¡¯ll make things difficult for me. My family has staked half of its future on you, and now with the king seriously ill, if you do nothing¡­¡± Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 006 Extracting "Magic Material Chapter 6: Chapter 006 Extracting ¡°Magic Material Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Richard didn¡¯t listen to what Edward was saying and appeared in the room of the independent laboratory. What he saw was a spacious room more than fifty square meters in size, with walls painted pure white. In the middle of the floor stood several black walnut tables joined together, resembling an operating table, on which lay the snake¡¯s carcass that the soldiers had just brought in. Around the table were numerous wooden stands, some of which held various instruments, experimental materials, and tools, while others were instruments themselves. Most of these were far beyond the current technological level of this world and were created with great effort by Richard. In simple terms, the technology level of the room Richard was in now was more than three hundred years ahead of its time, and the scientific thought contained within was over seven or eight centuries ahead. Squinting his eyes, Richard stepped toward a wooden stand. On the side of the stand was a handle, below which was a spout, and further down was a wooden bucket. Richard reached out and pulled the handle, positioned it under the spout, and after a brief wait, a colorless, transparent liquid with a pungent odor flowed from the spout onto his hand. This was 75% alcohol, which could be used as a disinfectant. Richard carefully scrubbed each finger, ensuring every part was clean, then closed the spout and flicked his hands a few times until the remaining alcohol evaporated. He then stepped toward another wooden stand. He took a set of tools that had already been sterilized with alcohol and approached the wooden table where the snake lay. At this moment, Richard¡¯s gaze fell upon the snake¡¯s body, observing this strange creature capable of engulfing itself in flames with great scrutiny. ¡°The head is relatively small.¡± Richard measured the snake¡¯s head with his hand and remarked. Opening its mouth to see no elongated fangs, he continued, ¡°Non-venomous, snout flat.¡± ¡°There are three pairs of labial pits.¡± Richard¡¯s gaze fell on a part of the snake similar to a human¡¯s upper lip, where he saw three pairs of indentations, indicating the snake¡¯s special structure, akin to infrared sensors. These allowed the snake to detect warm-blooded animals in the environment at night, determining their exact position for tracking and attacking. ¡°Brown.¡± Richard¡¯s eyes moved back from the snake¡¯s head to its entire body and back, noting, ¡°The back is yellowish with arrow-like markings and numerous irregular cloud patterns.¡± ¡°The abdomen is white.¡± With a slight effort, Richard flipped the entire snake over and looked at the lower part, where the snake¡¯s cloaca was, and saw a pair of protrusions, ¡°There are also a pair of vestigial claw-like limbs.¡± ¡°By this measure, it resembles the Burmese Python on modern Earth, likely a close relative.¡± Having completed his observation, Richard spoke to himself, with data about the Burmese Python swiftly passing through his mind: The Burmese Python, also known as the Myanmar Rock Python, Qin Snake, or Double-banded Python, scientific name: Python bivittatus, is one of the subspecies of the Asian rock python within the snake suborder. It is the third-largest python on modern Earth, known for its enormous size, reaching lengths of up to 7 meters and weights of up to 91 kilograms. The longest recorded Burmese Python measured 9.75 meters¡­ ¡°7 meters? 9.75 meters?¡± Richard uttered aloud, looking at the snake on the table, which was just over 3 meters long, pondering, ¡°If it truly is a close relative, it must not be mature yet. But even without reaching maturity, it can emit flames up to 1,500¡ãC; what would it be like when mature? Truly a magical demonized creature.¡± The next moment, Richard took a deep breath and grabbed a set of prepared tools, stabbing into the snake¡¯s body. With a ¡°puff¡± sound, the sharp blade easily cut through the snake¡¯s skin. With a slight force, it glided downward, slicing open the entire body of the snake, revealing all its inner contents. Reaching into the viscera to search, Richard squinted his eyes. According to many modern Earth¡¯s entertainment novels, magic creatures like this snake should contain something like a ¡°crystal core¡± or ¡°magic crystal¡± in their bodies to provide energy for casting spells. And from a scientific perspective, if a snake can engulf itself in flames, it must possess special organs or glands not found in other snakes. But Richard found none of these. Richard frowned slightly, finally setting his gaze on the snake¡¯s skin. He recalled clearly that the snake skin he touched in the pretender wizard¡¯s package had temperature; it was evident that the snake¡¯s skin contained something special. Pressing his lips, he sliced the snake¡¯s skin and flesh apart with a knife, quickly obtaining a complete snake skin. Soaking the snake skin and boiling it for a long time, a layer of viscous, grease-like yellow substance floated to the surface of the water. ¡°This is¡­¡± Without hesitation, Richard quickly scooped up the yellow substance, took an iron tray from a nearby wooden stand, and tried to ignite it. With a ¡°puff¡± sound, orange flames leapt into the air, and the air temperature instantly rose. However, the iron tray showed no signs of being red-hot. Upon touching it, it was astonishingly cold. Watching the yellow substance in the tray gradually decrease, Richard realized something. ¡°This substance present in the snake skin can seep through the scales to the surface, then ignite to produce high-temperature flames for attacking. While burning, it evaporates, taking away a significant amount of heat, maintaining the skin at a low temperature, preventing burns. This is similar to the ¡®fireproof handkerchief¡¯ magic trick¡ªthe trick involves soaking the cloth in alcohol before lighting it. During the burning, the evaporation of moisture absorbs heat, lowering the temperature of the handkerchief below the ignition point of the cloth, so until the alcohol is burned, the cloth remains unharmed¡­¡± ¡°So, by this measure¡­¡± Richard¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°The so-called magic material should be among this. If the water, grease, and impurities can be filtered out, what remains should be the pure magic material.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Richard did not continue speaking but started to work quickly. He extracted all the yellow, oily substances, put them into a jar, and began distilling them. Richard personally undertook the task, naturally much faster than the inadequate maid outside. Before long, Richard distilled out excess water from the golden, oily substance, separating the grease and other impurities, ultimately obtaining a small vial of golden-yellow liquid, resembling molten gold. ¡°Is this the true magic material?¡± Richard squinted at the golden liquid, feeling that some answers he¡¯d been seeking might soon be unraveled. The next moment, Richard swiftly disinfected and washed his hands with alcohol, grabbed the bottle of liquid, and strode out of the laboratory. By this time, several hours had passed, and night had fallen. Outside, Edward was still waiting. Seeing Richard come out, he opened his mouth, ready to continue persuading him. However, Richard waved him off and said, ¡°Edward, have someone clean my laboratory, then guard the palace entrance. I have urgent matters to attend to and must not be disturbed. I won¡¯t be having dinner. Any issues, wait until tomorrow.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± After speaking, Richard strode toward the hall, quickly ascended the wooden stairs to the second floor, and entered his bedroom and the adjoining study, shutting the door with a ¡°bang.¡± Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 007 Sphinxs Riddle Chapter 7: Chapter 007 Sphinx¡¯s Riddle Editor: Atlas Studios Standing in the study, Richard saw five or six tall bookshelves lined up against the wall, each filled with books and scrolls. With eyes slightly narrowed, Richard walked to one of the bookshelves, stepped on a special wooden ladder, and reached for the top of the shelf. Pushing aside a large number of books and scrolls, Richard touched a cool Black Iron Box placed at the very back of the shelf. The Black Iron Box was about thirty centimeters long and wide, five or six centimeters high, with intricate patterns engraved on its surface, appearing strange and mysterious. With a slight exertion, Richard pulled the Black Iron Box from the shelf, stepped down from the wooden ladder, and placed it on the wooden table in the study. Placing his hand on the surface, feeling the ice-cube-like touch, his eyes flickered, landing on a depression on the surface. The depression, combined with the metal patterns, looked like a cracked mouth; from a special angle, a barely noticeable line of small characters could be seen: ¡°Awaken me with Magic Power, and I will reveal to you the truth of this world.¡± The Wizard Book! Or rather, this was the shell of a Wizard Book¡­ Richard had found this after considerable effort in the depths of the Royal Library. Its origin was a mystery even to the oldest librarian. It was known only as a peculiar book filled with Evil Power, carrying a malevolent Curse. If frequently handled, it could make one sick at best, and cause sudden death at worst. Richard naturally didn¡¯t believe in so-called curses and Evil Powers. To Richard, this book merely contained a volatile substance harmful to the human body. As long as he ensured proper air circulation, he could completely avoid chronic poisoning. However, unlocking the secrets within the book was not simple. Because the iron shell outside the book had a special design, it was difficult to forcibly destroy. If someone truly forced it open, there was a high probability of damaging the real contents inside. Richard could use some methods to reduce the damage probability to a tolerable level, but he did not want to take the risk, so he had been diligently searching for Demonized Creatures and people related to spells, hoping to obtain ¡°Magic Power.¡± Now, he had done it! ¡°Whew¡ª¡± Richard took a deep breath, slightly tilted his head, and looked at the golden liquid placed on the side of the table. ¡°Right or wrong, the answer will soon be revealed, won¡¯t it?¡± Richard muttered to himself. The next moment, he picked up the bottle filled with golden liquid, uncorked it, and slowly poured it into the depression on the surface of the iron box. Before long, the depression was filled. After a moment of stillness, with a ¡°click,¡± as if causing some chain reaction, the liquid in the depression began to boil rapidly, releasing numerous bubbles, and the entire iron shell started to vibrate slightly. ¡°Pop! Pop! Pop!¡± Then, as if some restriction had been triggered, with a ¡°gulp,¡± all the liquid was instantly swallowed by the book, disappearing without a trace. The vibration of the iron shell intensified, like a human trembling, causing the tabletop to vibrate along with it. Finally, with another ¡°click,¡± the iron shell opened on its own like a box, revealing the genuine Wizard Book inside. Richard gently took the book out and carefully placed it on the table. At this moment, a faint voice emerged from deep within the book, ¡°Who¡­ is it? Who¡­ is it?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow and opened the book. On the first page, he saw not a word, only an incredibly terrifying skull imprinted in the center. The eyes of the skull burned with blazing Flames, as if real. Whether it was an illusion or not, Richard felt the room¡¯s temperature rising sharply. This¡­ In the next moment, something even more shocking happened. The painted skull began to move, its jaw opening and closing, emitting an eerie and chilling whisper, ¡°Who is it? Who on earth awakened me? Who dares to spy on Master Monroe¡¯s trove of knowledge? Answer me, or you will face the harshest punishment!¡± If anyone else witnessed this, they might be scared half to death, but Richard was not. Instead, he squinted his eyes, watching the skull on the book¡¯s page with interest, and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am the Book Spirit created by Master Monroe, tasked with safeguarding this book and screening the qualifications of those who read it.¡± ¡°What can you do?¡± ¡°I can verify whether each reader is intelligent enough. If he is, then he will be qualified to read this book. If not, he will pay the price for his recklessness and ignorance.¡± ¡°What price?¡± ¡°Death!¡± The Book Spirit¡¯s voice was extremely cold. Richard laughed, ¡°Interesting.¡± Richard then asked, ¡°How do you verify if someone is intelligent enough?¡± ¡°I will exchange a question with each person. If he can correctly answer my question and leave me unable to answer his, then he is deemed intelligent enough. During the time I can¡¯t answer his question, he is free to read the book¡¯s contents without punishment.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Richard¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°So, what is your question?¡± ¡°Do you, who wish to peer into Master Monroe¡¯s knowledge, confirm you want to begin the challenge?¡± The Book Spirit¡¯s voice turned solemn. ¡°It¡¯s always worth a try,¡± Richard said, ¡°Whether success or failure, I want to study your mechanism.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Book Spirit was silent for a moment, appearing to ponder the meaning of Richard¡¯s words. After a while, it spoke, ¡°Alright, since you are sure about the challenge, let¡¯s tackle this difficult question: There is a strange creature, which walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon¡­¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. Wasn¡¯t this the Sphinx¡¯s Riddle from modern Earth¡¯s Greek Mythology? In Greek Mythology, the monster with the body of a lion and the face of a human, the ¡°Sphinx,¡± sat on a cliff near Thebes, blocking travelers and asking them the same riddle. Many couldn¡¯t guess the answer and were mercilessly devoured by the ¡°Sphinx.¡± Later, a man named ¡°Oedipus¡± guessed the correct answer, causing the ¡°Sphinx¡± to plummet to her death in shame. The next moment, without waiting for the Book Spirit to finish speaking, Richard interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me your next line is, ¡®This creature has three legs in the evening. When it has the most legs, it¡¯s also when it walks the slowest and is weakest in Physical Strength.¡¯ Then you will ask me, ¡®What is this creature?''¡± The Book Spirit¡¯s voice abruptly stopped, plunging into silence, a lengthy silence as if it encountered such a situation for the first time. Richard spoke again to the Book Spirit, ¡°Alright, if this is indeed the case, then I can only tell you, the riddle is ¡®human.¡¯ For humans, in infancy (morning) they crawl on four legs, as adults (noon) they walk on two legs, and in old age (evening) they walk with a cane, having three legs.¡± ¡°But¡­ is determining intelligence with merely a brain-teaser type of riddle truly rigorous? Or is what you call intelligence fundamentally different from how I understand it? You lean towards cleverness, while I lean more towards Wisdom¡­¡± Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 008 The Death of the Book Spirit Chapter 8: Chapter 008 The Death of the Book Spirit Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Damn brat!¡± Like a form of revenge, the Book Spirit interrupted Richard¡¯s words harshly, scolding, ¡°Damn brat, you¡¯re cheating. You somehow know the riddles and the answers. You must have gotten them from others who successfully passed the validation. Although you answered correctly, your behavior is despicable and shameless. I will never forget you¡­¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Richard spoke up, ¡°You say I got the riddles and answers from others who passed the validation? So you¡¯re telling me there¡¯s only this one question you test everyone with?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence, a long pause again, and after a while, the Book Spirit¡¯s stiff voice spoke, ¡°Brat, stop wasting time. State your question! Complete this validation.¡± ¡°Alright, let me ask you.¡± Richard thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Hmm, here¡¯s a question. In the world, there are only four fundamental forces, namely, the electromagnetic force, weak interactions, strong interactions, and gravity. Do you think it¡¯s possible for a systematic theory to exist that unifies these four forces to explain all physical phenomena? If so, what is the core of this theory?¡± ¡°¡­,¡± Silence, the long and eerie kind. ¡°Is it impossible to verify the grand unified theory?¡± Richard glanced at the page, muttered to himself, and speculated, ¡°Is this type of Q&A too hard? Alright then, let¡¯s switch to a simpler true or false question. You only need to choose between correct or incorrect. For instance, the Riemann Hypothesis, one of the seven major problems in mathematics: In mathematics, some numbers have special properties; they cannot be expressed as the product of two smaller numbers, like 2, 3, 5, 7, and so on. Such numbers are called prime numbers or simply primes. Primes play an important role in both pure and applied mathematics. At first glance, the distribution of prime numbers among natural numbers doesn¡¯t seem to follow any pattern. But a man named Riemann proposed such a conjecture: The frequency of prime numbers is closely related to a complex function. That is, ¦Æ(s) = 1 + 1 / 2S + 1 / 3S + 1 / 4S +¡­ then do you think this conjecture is correct or incorrect?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence, continued long and eerie silence. Richard couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows, ¡°Still unable to answer? So you can¡¯t make responses that go beyond the limits of human cognition, no ¡®super intelligence¡¯ attribute, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Still silence. ¡°Alright.¡± Richard sighed softly, ¡°Then let¡¯s switch to the simplest question, a question you¡¯re sure to know. What is the circumference of a circle in relation to its diameter? Or, to simplify it, how many times is the wheel circumference of a carriage the length of two spokes placed together?¡± This is the simplest explanation for Pi. According to Richard¡¯s understanding, in modern Earth history, ancient Egypt calculated Pi to three decimal places before 1900 AD. Over 200 years before that, the great mathematician Archimedes of Ancient Greece calculated Pi to five decimal places¡­ As long as the Book Spirit in front of him has this knowledge, it should be able to answer this question. Based on the accuracy of the response, he could roughly determine the current mathematical level of this world and thereby indirectly understand the entire wizard-magic system. After all, whether it is spells or science, as long as it¡¯s the establishment of a complete system that conforms to normal logic, the use of mathematics cannot be lacking. With that¡­ The next moment, the Book Spirit indeed spoke, but lacked the momentum it had before, seemingly answering weakly, ¡°3.¡± ¡°More precisely?¡± Richard pressed on, ¡°What comes after the decimal?¡± ¡°3.1415926¡­¡± The Book Spirit¡¯s voice was mechanical. Hearing the other party pinpoint Pi to the seventh decimal place, Richard couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow. This was already the peak level of ancient China on modern Earth, possibly even surpassing it. And once surpassed, the range to be tested expanded instantly, as the precision of Pi¡¯s computation was developed explosively. Around 480 AD, the Chinese mathematician Zu Chongzhi calculated Pi to the seventh decimal place, and it took almost a thousand years before anyone surpassed it. In the early 15th century, Arabic mathematician Kashi calculated Pi to the 17th decimal place. Later, in 1789, a Slovenian mathematician calculated Pi to the 137th decimal place. In 1948, a British mathematician calculated Pi to the 808th decimal place. In 1949, it was calculated to the 2037th decimal place. By 1973, it had been calculated to one million decimal places. In 1989, it was calculated to 480 million decimal places. By 2010, it reached five trillion decimal places¡­ Thinking of this, Richard spoke up again, pressing the Book Spirit, ¡°If this value is defined as ¦Ð, what is the 100,000th digit after the decimal point of ¦Ð?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Book Spirit¡¯s voice stopped abruptly, as if it had never appeared. Richard immediately realized he had been too hasty, his eyes flickered, and he muttered to himself, ¡°What, still haven¡¯t reached that level of precision? Then what about 10,000 digits? 1,000 digits? 100 digits?¡± ¡°Damn brat¡­¡± The Book Spirit¡¯s voice sounded, trembling as if it was a machine unable to bear too high a load, ¡°This damn question of yours is too hard¡­ too hard, I tell you, the answer is¡­ is¡­ is¡­ ah!¡± In the end, the Book Spirit let out a scream, the moving jaws of the book page suddenly froze, and the flames in its eyes solidified in an instant, just like a machine malfunctioning or a computer crashing, with no further sound. After a long while, Richard tentatively reached for the page where the Book Spirit was and found it cold, no longer possessing the previous warmth. ¡°Is this¡­ validation passed?¡± Richard muttered to himself, ¡°Or did an irreparable error occur due to an overload of calculation?¡± Richard examined the pages carefully and didn¡¯t find any special constructs, just an ordinary sheet of paper with a skull icon drawn on it. It was clear that the so-called Book Spirit existed within the pages in a way that he didn¡¯t yet know. The next moment, Richard shook his head, not attempting to waste time figuring out the principles of the Book Spirit, but instead directly turning to the following pages. Dense red writings appeared on the second page. Written at the top of the second page was something like an introduction: Listen to me, remember me, you will witness a new world¡ªMonroe. The text on the second line, slightly larger, was the name of the book: Monroe Chapter! The third line was the actual content: The wizard¡¯s world is mysterious and dangerous. Each reader, as you read this book, a door to a new world is slowly opening to you¡­ Richard squinted his eyes, took a deep breath, and read carefully, then¡­ didn¡¯t sleep a wink all night. ¡°` Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 009 Wizard and Life Remolding Chapter 9: Chapter 009 Wizard and Life Remolding Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` As the new day dawned, Richard had already gained a general understanding of the wizards described in the book and the entire magic system. According to the book, wizards were a group of people with mysterious powers who could manipulate the energies, materials, and even life in nature through special means to produce miraculous changes. Generally speaking, wizards would not actively interact with ordinary people, carefully hiding themselves, spending most of their time gathering with companions to explore ancient secrets and study more advanced spells. Of course, there was a hierarchy among wizards, from low to high, ranging from First-level Wizard, Second-level Wizard, Third-level Wizard, and so on, up to the highest Level 9 Wizard. Generally speaking, a First-level Wizard possessed special abilities that ordinary people could not resist, capable of easily annihilating an entire elite army, killing a kingdom¡¯s ruler, and leaving amidst a thousand troops. Second-level Wizards were even more powerful, capable of performing feats beyond the limits of ordinary imagination, such as turning a pebble into a living giant rock or transforming a living person into a lifeless statue. Third-level Wizards were comparable to gods, possessing the ability to move mountains and overturn seas. Unleashing a spell with full force could cause a natural disaster in one place, make an area suffer from a continuous drought turning it into a desert, or incessant rain turning it into a swamp. As for Level 4 Wizards, Level 5 Wizards, Level 6 Wizards, the methods they wield were completely unimaginable, like creating enormous islands in the ocean to inhabit or altering the climate of an entire continent to their liking¡­ As for Level 7 Wizards and above, their existence was an unproven issue, only vaguely mentioned in fragments passed down from ancient times. In short, the power of wizards was undeniable. As long as one became a wizard, even the weakest wizard, they could scorn the royal power and laws of humanity at will. Of course, many times most people did not have the talent to become wizards, and even if they had the talent, many were stuck at the level of wizard apprentices. A wizard apprentice was the level before becoming a wizard. They were not considered formal wizards. Although they could cast some spells, they were far from comparable to real wizards. While their methods were feared by ordinary people, ordinary people had many ways to kill them. The most important thing was that wizard apprentices often could not confront a well-trained army directly, so they had to abide by the law to a certain extent and obey the royal authority. Many times, out of necessity, wizard apprentices had to attach themselves to some noble, serving them for life. Becoming a true wizard was every wizard apprentice¡¯s desire, but obviously, it wasn¡¯t so easy to succeed. Even becoming a wizard apprentice was extremely difficult because not everyone had talent, and the odds of having it were less than one in ten thousand. Only those with talent, less than one in ten thousand, could undergo three Life Remolding transformations, completing the transition from mortal to reserve wizard to prepare to become a true wizard. The remaining more than nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine people could only choose to remain mortals forever. These three Life Remolding processes were: Star Body Projection, Magic Origin Creation, and Energy Melting. And testing whether a person had talent was simple, namely¡­ ¡­ ¡°Thud!¡± A scroll fell, crashing onto the desktop, Richard picked it up, raised it high, stared at the scroll, and then released his hand. ¡°Thud!¡± The scroll fell again, crashing onto the desktop for the second time. His eyes flickered, Richard picked up the scroll once more, staring intently, exerting all his spiritual power to try and lift the scroll, then let go. ¡°Thud!¡± The scroll fell for the third time. ¡°Whew¡ª¡± Richard exhaled, closed his eyes, feeling slightly fatigued from staying awake all night. He rubbed his temples and murmured to himself, ¡°As expected, the one-in-ten-thousand chance isn¡¯t so easily attained, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be the real world. It seems, after all, that I don¡¯t have talent, which indeed aligns logically, aligns with the probability theory. Assuming for now that the content in the book isn¡¯t all deceitful, the current situation is that after painstakingly deciphering the secrets of the Wizard Book, I am blocked from the Wizard World by reality. This is quite interesting¡­¡± He opened his eyes, glanced out the window, where the eastern sun had just risen, casting light on every corner of the land. Richard slightly squinted his eyes, murmured to himself, ¡°So next, let¡¯s see how thick this door to the Wizard World really is. I want to try using scientific methods to see if it can be forcibly broken. If becoming a wizard relied solely on so-called talent, what would be the point? Only by relying entirely on science to become a wizard, to analyze and apply the principles of the entire magic system scientifically¡ªnow that¡¯s truly interesting. At least this way, it might be possible to uncover most of the truths of this current world, and I could understand how I came to this damned world in the first place. Transmigration, eh? Ha, such a jocular reason from a novel, I don¡¯t need that. I need a scientifically explainable real answer.¡± Richard stood up, facing the sunrise, stretching himself, as sunlight poured in through the window, illuminating the dust-filled air. Countless sand-like dust particles, at that moment, were gilded in golden light, dancing gracefully, floating and sinking in the light, appearing exceptionally splendid. Suddenly, the dust stirred, as if an invisible giant fist punched into it, under the influence of the airwave, the dust scattered anxiously in all directions. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The door connecting Richard¡¯s study to his bedroom was knocked at that moment. ¡­ With a creak, Richard opened the door, seeing Edward standing outside, with a slightly tense expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something the matter?¡± Richard asked, knowing that his Personal Guard Captain rarely showed this expression. Edward spoke, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Delon has come, saying he wants to see you.¡± ¡°Mr. Delon? To see me?¡± Richard¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. Mr. Delon was a thin, old man in his sixties, the steward of the Blue Lion Kingdom¡¯s King, theoretically managing all the affairs of the palace, large and small. Although just a servant, the power he held surpassed that of many Court Officials, even small nobles. Just not knowing what the other party suddenly came for is vexing; I¡¯m busy preparing to solve the three Life Remolding riddles in the Wizard Book, I don¡¯t have time to waste¡­ ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°Waiting in the hall.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go see him.¡± Richard stepped towards the door, ¡°Let¡¯s see what the situation is first.¡± ¡­ Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 010 Super Body State Chapter 10: Chapter 010 Super Body State Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Soon, Richard descended from the second floor to the first-floor hall and from afar, he noticed an elderly man in blue clothes standing there. The man was thin and slightly curious, looking at several maids operating various complex instruments on nearby tables. The maids were well aware of the man¡¯s significant authority and feared causing trouble, so they busied themselves silently, not even daring to breathe loudly. ¡°Tap, tap, tap¡­¡± Richard walked toward him. Hearing the footsteps, the elderly man turned his head, and on seeing Richard, he hurriedly bowed and greeted, ¡°Good day, Lord Richard.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Richard nodded, wasting no time and directly asking, ¡°Mr. Delon, you came to see me, is there something you need? What does my esteemed father, King of Donnas, want to do?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± The old man spoke, his voice slightly hoarse and hesitant, ¡°Actually, Lord Richard, this is not an order from His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Then it seems I have the right to refuse.¡± Richard replied coolly. The old man¡¯s expression tensed as he hurriedly said, ¡°Of course, Lord Richard, you are a prince and the second heir to the king. Naturally, you have the right to refuse unless it¡¯s a command from His Majesty. Just¡­ Just¡­¡± ¡°Just what?¡± Richard asked. ¡°This is how it is.¡± The elder sighed and said slowly, ¡°Lord Richard, recently because His Majesty has been ill for quite a long time without improvement, the Eldest Prince suggested¡­ that we should reduce day-to-day expenses to find better doctors for His Majesty¡¯s treatment. Although the Eldest Prince only proposed it, he has indeed started to implement it. From today, he has voluntarily reduced expenses in his palace by one-third. So, if you do not respond, Lord Richard, it may not look good for the Eldest Prince, and after all, this matter is for His Majesty¡¯s sake, and His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Reduce expenses to treat the king? Has the Blue Lion Kingdom become this poor already?¡± Richard spoke with a slightly cold tone. ¡°This¡­¡± The old man trembled, cold sweat breaking out on his face, ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s not like this. The Eldest Prince may just want to express his filial piety¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Delon, there¡¯s no need to say more.¡± Richard¡¯s cold voice rang out, ¡°I know my dear brother, William Austin¡¯s thoughts and intentions. It¡¯s just¡­ He is he, and I am me. Let him express his filial piety as he wishes, reducing expenses if he likes. Mr. Delon, I know your coming to speak to me about this is out of goodwill. However, my expenses cannot be reduced for now. As you see, there are so many people here in the hall who I need to produce various chemical materials for me. If I have to make them myself, I would tire myself out with just one experiment. So, things will remain the same here; the expenses will not change. It perfectly contrasts with my dear brother¡¯s expression of filial piety. As for whether my dear brother looks good or not, what others and my respected father, King of Donnas think is up to them.¡± ¡°This, this¡­¡± The old man looked at Richard, wanting to say something but stopped. Richard, instead, motioned him out of the door. The old man had no choice but to bow again, exit the door, and leave the palace. Out in the palace¡¯s courtyard, the old man, with some distress, couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself, ¡°Lord Richard, you don¡¯t need to reduce expenses by one-third like the Eldest Prince. Even doing it by one-tenth or one-twentieth would be fine as a gesture. But not even caring to make a gesture, this is¡­ sigh¡­¡± The old man¡¯s silhouette disappeared in the square; inside the palace, Edward approached Richard and couldn¡¯t help advising, ¡°Prince, I think we can actually reduce a little bit of expenses. The palace¡¯s funds are slightly abundant, and the money earned from the shops you opened in the city has been left untouched outside the palace. It¡¯s a waste to leave it like that. Why not¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to bring this up again.¡± Richard waved his hand to stop Edward from continuing, ¡°The money from the shops has a different purpose. Some of the palace¡¯s money also needs to be reserved for emergencies. Therefore, there is no part for creating a fa?ade. I won¡¯t even reduce a single copper coin.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to the laboratory to conduct some research. You keep an eye on the palace. Don¡¯t disturb me unless it¡¯s urgent,¡± Richard said as he walked toward a separate laboratory. Edward hurriedly reminded, ¡°Prince, you haven¡¯t had breakfast yet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll eat when there¡¯s a breakthrough in my research.¡± ¡°But, you didn¡¯t have dinner yesterday either, today¡­¡± Edward¡¯s words trailed off as Richard had already entered the laboratory, shutting the door behind him with a ¡°bang.¡± With a sigh, Edward swallowed his remaining words, unable to help himself, ¡°Sigh, Prince, you make it really hard for me as the Captain of the Personal Guard¡­¡± ¡­ Richard walked into the independent laboratory, finding it had already been cleaned. The snake carcass on the table in the center, and the bloodstains from yesterday¡¯s dissection on the floor, had all been tidied up. There was a faint scent of disinfectant in the air, indicating it had been cleaned as per his specified instructions. Nodding slightly, Richard walked to a wooden shelf, took out numerous bottles, jars, and tubes, and began connecting them, finally assembling an extremely complex apparatus. He placed some whitish plant powder into the first jar and then began heating for a reaction. Richard was attempting to create a plant alkaloid anesthetic. The reason for this was to try scientifically unraveling the Monroe Chapter¡¯s described challenges of the three stages of Life Remolding. According to the Monroe Chapter¡¯s account, those with wizard talent innately possess potent spiritual power, which can intentionally or unintentionally affect lightweight objects, such as preventing a scroll from falling. Only individuals like this can let their bodies automatically enter a special Super Body State, connect with the vast universe, absorb the energy projected by stars in the universe, and complete the first remolding of life. After that, utilizing spiritual power, they put their body in a highly activated state, letting spiritual power act on the body and become highly solidified, constructing a special container called ¡°Magic Origin¡± to store the absorbed star projection energy for later use, completing the second remolding of life. Finally, using spiritual power to let life enter a High Energy State, melting the energy stored in the ¡°Magic Origin,¡± turning it into actual ¡°Mana,¡± which can be used to cast real spells, completing the third remolding of life. Simply put, the three remoldings of life are the preconditions a person must meet to cast spells. After completing these preparatory steps, one can proceed to the casting. How many steps are required for casting is a separate matter. However, if these three steps are not achieved, casting would be an unattainable goal. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 011 Manufacture of Anesthetics Chapter 11: Chapter 011 Manufacture of Anesthetics Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` It was obvious that this ¡°Magic System¡± was extremely complex, nothing like the simplicity described in novels¡ªjust sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, absorbing spiritual energy from the heavens and earth, and then releasing it whenever needed. This ¡°Magic System,¡± even with Richard following the Monroe Chapter¡¯s descriptions and adding his extensive speculations, left him with a multitude of questions about many aspects. For instance, what exactly was the ¡°Super Body State¡± that the first Life Remolding aimed to achieve? What kind of state was the ¡°Highly Activated State¡± required for the second Life Remolding? And what state was the ¡°High Energy State¡± for the third Life Remolding? To these questions, Richard could only speculate, explore, and experiment. According to some explanations in the book, the ¡°Super Body State¡± of the first Life Remolding was a mystical state where the spirit temporarily detached from the body and experienced the wonders of the external world. It felt somewhat like a dream but with maintained self-awareness. Richard interpreted this ¡°Super Body State¡± to be similar to meditation, or what is known as ¡°Mantla¡± in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit, ¡°Mantla¡± could be divided into two parts, ¡°Man¡± and ¡°Tla.¡± ¡°Man¡± meant ¡°mind.¡± ¡°Tla¡± meant ¡°to lead away.¡± Therefore, ¡°Mantla¡± meant leading the mind away from all worldly thoughts, worries, desires, and mental burdens. Yet, the ¡°Super Body State¡± was not entirely equivalent to ¡°Mantla¡± meditation. Comparatively, it was deeper, maintaining a relaxed self-awareness and even more detached from the body, delving deeper into the spirit, akin to the ultimate state of meditation¡ªZen. Or, it could be considered a form of ¡°Nightmare¡± state, known as ¡°Sleep Paralysis¡±: when someone suddenly wakes from sleep, the brain regains consciousness, but the motor centers remain asleep, resulting in a phenomenon where the spirit cannot control the body. One could think and recall, but unable to move any limbs, causing extreme panic for those who experience it. Alternatively, it could be like the ¡°Lucid Dream¡± many people sought: half-awake, half-asleep consciousness, being fully aware of dreaming and able to control and create any dream scenario, becoming like God in creation and destruction, achieving fantasies impossible in reality. Simply put, the ¡°Super Body State¡± was a deep level of ¡°Mantla¡± meditation, and achieving this was no easy feat. Even real Yoga Masters could not guarantee complete immersion into meditation at will. As for the so-called ¡°Nightmares¡± and ¡°Lucid Dreams,¡± they were even rarer, with success rates less than one in ten, even after deliberate sleep adjustments. Such unreliability was entirely unacceptable to Richard. From a scientific perspective, only a 100% success rate could prove a method¡¯s feasibility. To make the elusive ¡°Super Body State¡± consistently achievable, Richard considered relying on drugs. Admittedly, using drugs would have some impact on the body, but drugs might be the most convenient and quickest method. Normally, one could not remain consciously awake while the body slept, but with certain special drugs, such as alkaloids with anesthetic effects, it was entirely feasible. Many plants contained these alkaloids, such as those from the Solanaceae, Fabaceae, Ranunculaceae, Papaveraceae families among dicotyledons. By adding plant materials into equipment and undergoing a series of chemical reactions to remove impurities, high-purity anesthetic alkaloids could be obtained. Thinking this way, Richard set to work. Complex instruments continued their functions, distilling, condensing, filtering, precipitating, dissolving, crystallizing¡­ ¡°Pssssss,¡± a large amount of white steam emerged, ¡°plop-plop,¡± the jar lids constantly bounced, ¡°drip-drip,¡± yellow drops emerged from the horn tube, ¡°gurgle-gurgle,¡± a considerable number of bubbles formed in the beaker¡­ ¡­ After a busy half day, the entire experimental process reached its final stage, with the liquid in a beaker cooling, crystals formed, appearing murky yellow, as if filled with dust inside. With just a glance, Richard couldn¡¯t help but shake his head, realizing this first attempt was a failure for one simple reason¡ªimpurities. His experimental process was correct, having considered various impurity removals, but the entire experiment spanned over twenty segments, and the current world¡¯s instrument manufacturing created inevitable small errors at each step. One error, two errors were acceptable, but ten or twenty errors were problematic, with quantitative changes accumulating into qualitative changes, thoroughly polluting the final crystal product that should have been pure, making it unusable. Failed! Richard shook his head again, yet without showing any anger. Having been in this world for fifteen years, he already understood its nature, knowing that no matter how strictly he demanded of craftsmen, the instruments were always flawed. The solution lay in impurity removal and purity enhancement. To enhance purity and remove impurities, an appropriate solvent, or rather an extraction agent, preferably organic, was required. However, producing organic extraction agents was no easy task. Many organic solvents required high temperature and pressure conditions, was he supposed to figure out how to make a reaction kettle, a fractionating tower? The one easy organic extraction agent could be Ether. Hmm, wait, Ether! Richard¡¯s eyes suddenly squinted, as he recalled something. Ether! Yes, Ether! Ether could be used as a drug extraction agent, but then again, if Ether were available, what more extraction would be needed? Ether itself was a more efficient anesthetic than alkaloids! Yes, Ether was an anesthetic! Ether belonged to a type of liquid anesthetics, one of the most commonly known anesthetics, even if never seen in real life, it was often featured in films¡ªwhere a villain would cover a victim¡¯s mouth and nose with a sudden cloth soaked in a volatile liquid, causing the victim to inhale and shortly after collapse unconscious. In those scenes, the liquid on the cloth was Ether, a colorless, transparent liquid that highly volatilizes and acts quickly as an anesthetic. Yet preparing Ether industrially was somewhat difficult due to the requirement for Aluminum Oxide as a catalyst, and Aluminum Oxide, or Metallic Aluminum, was much rarer in this medieval-like world, ten to a hundred times more scarce than gold or gemstones. But laboratory preparation was much simpler. Laboratory preparation of Ether only required two materials: Sulfuric Acid and Ethanol. Sulfuric Acid was available, and as for Ethanol¡ªwhat was Ethanol¡ªEthanol was the scientific name for alcohol, something he had plenty of. Using alcohol to prepare Ether seemed like basic high school chemistry, perhaps he had overcomplicated things. Richard spoke to himself, slowly standing up, his gaze landing on the instruments on the table beside him. He stepped closer, quickly dismantling the instruments, then used a large test tube, conduit, cork stopper, flask, iron stand, iron ring, and separatory funnel to assemble another set of apparatus. After completing the assembly and checking for airtightness, Richard began to load the chemicals. He poured anhydrous ethanol into the flask, then slowly added concentrated sulfuric acid, plugged in the cork stopper¡­ heated¡­ cooled¡­ ¡­ Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 012 Successful Out-of-Body Experience Chapter 12: Chapter 012 Successful Out-of-Body Experience Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` After quite some time, Richard obtained about 5 milliliters of ether. This amount was only 1% of a bottle of mineral water on modern Earth, but in Richard¡¯s view, it was already enough. He sealed the glass bottle containing the ether with a cork to prevent evaporation and wrapped it with dark linen to prevent strong light from causing oxidation. Satisfied, Richard nodded, took the bottle, and walked out of the independent laboratory. Walking into the palace hall outside, sunlight shone through the window onto the ground. Richard looked up and found that the sun had already moved westward, indicating that he had unknowingly spent an entire day in the laboratory. Yet he didn¡¯t feel the slightest hunger; instead, he felt mentally excited and was eager to return to his bedroom to test the ether he had just prepared. He wanted to see if he could really unlock the so-called life remolding, to see if the power of science could overcome the barrier of the magic system. Anticipation¡­ While thinking this, Richard was about to step upstairs when a voice rang out. ¡°Prince, Prince!¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, and without guessing, he already knew who it was. Turning his head, as expected, he saw Edward jogging over. He stopped nearby, panting, and asked, ¡°Prince, um¡­ is your research finished?¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s temporarily finished,¡± Richard replied, then asked, ¡°During this time, nothing happened in the palace, right?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Edward shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Richard nodded, turned, and was about to continue upstairs, speaking, ¡°I have important matters to attend to now. Continue to guard the palace, and this time, unless the palace is on fire, don¡¯t disturb me no matter what happens.¡± ¡°This¡­ then dinner¡­¡± ¡°You eat by yourself.¡± ¡°Prince!¡± Edward called out anxiously, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday. If you keep doing this, your body won¡¯t hold up¡­¡± ¡°I know my body best. Not eating for a short time isn¡¯t a problem. I¡¯ll have breakfast tomorrow, so don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s it.¡± While speaking, Richard had already gone upstairs, disappearing from Edward¡¯s sight. Edward¡¯s expression was complex, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Prince, if you continue like this, I might not be able to continue my duties as the captain of the personal guard¡­¡± ¡­ Returning to his bedroom connected to the study, Richard didn¡¯t rush to try immediately; instead, he meticulously studied the Monroe Chapter again. After carefully analyzing the content about ¡°star body projection¡± and confirming it was correct, he made up his mind. As night fell, Richard sat cross-legged on his velvet bed in his bedroom, took out the glass bottle containing ether, opened the cork, and brought it to his nose to start inhaling deeply. As air entered his lungs through his trachea, Richard clearly felt changes in his body. When he reached a boundary, he quickly sealed the bottle and placed it on the table beside him. Then he remained motionless on the bed, letting the ether quickly take effect in his body. Just after a dozen seconds, Richard felt his brain tingle slightly, and then his body began to feel heavy. After several dozen seconds, his body felt as heavy as if it were filled with lead. A minute later, he couldn¡¯t move at all, but his consciousness remained clear. Recalling the records in the Monroe Chapter, Richard began to imagine his consciousness as weightless, unbound by gravity, able to float to the surface like a fish, and soar into the sky like a bird. In an instant, Richard clearly sensed his entire body starting to tremble. It wasn¡¯t from shivering due to low temperature but as if something was trying to break free from his body. He continued to use spiritual power to manipulate and control his consciousness, attempting to float out from his body. ¡°Buzz buzz!¡± Richard felt the trembling of his heavy body become more intense, as if he were sitting in a galloping carriage on a dirt road rather than on his soft velvet bed. Something unknown felt uncontrollably about to leap from his body. ¡°Buzz buzz buzz buzz!¡± Unsure if it was an illusion, Richard gradually felt the entire bed start to vibrate, followed by the ground and the house, as if experiencing an earthquake. But Richard knew very well that the plains where Blue Lion City was located had no history of earthquakes, and the chance of an earthquake occurring now was nearly zero. The most likely explanation was that his body was undergoing some special change due to ¡°star body projection.¡± ¡°Buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz!¡± The vibration intensified, and Richard clearly felt his body being roughly pulled by some force. Suddenly, he discovered a multitude of lines appearing in his body¡ªevery line pierced through his chest and emerged from his back, continuously vibrating, carrying high temperatures, threatening to slice his body into thin layers, unbearable pain. Richard suddenly speculated that these lines might be magnetospheric lines materialized from thought. His body was oriented north-south on the bed. Assuming the current world resembled Earth, then the geomagnetic north pole would be at his front, and the geomagnetic south pole at his back (the geomagnetic poles are opposite the geographical poles). Thus, the geomagnetic field starting from the north pole would extend along the ground northward, passing through his body to reach the geomagnetic south pole. Then¡­ Richard had just thought of this when he heard a ¡°crack¡± sound at his ear, as if something broke, and his entire being suddenly lightened. Then Richard felt his eyes open, seeing the scene. This wasn¡¯t opening his eyes physically but rather the ¡°opening eyes¡± of the consciousness floating out from his body. The sight seen was slightly different from what the eyes could perceive, but Richard easily discovered that his consciousness was now floating above his physical body in the form of a white mist. Yes, he was floating above himself. It was a strange experience, clearly aware that the one sitting motionless on the bed was him, yet his consciousness indeed existed in another form. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Richard muttered to himself, quickly speculating in his mind, ¡°Is this a soul state? Or a plasma state? Or perhaps quantum¡­¡± Due to the limited information, Richard couldn¡¯t come up with a scientific explanation for the current situation even after prolonged speculation, so he could only continue observing his surroundings with his mind¡¯s ¡°eye.¡± Then Richard noticed something resembling a transparent band emerging from the back of his consciousness¡¯s neck, connecting to his physical body, forming some sort of link. Richard attempted to move away from his body, and the transparent band automatically elongated behind him. No matter how far he left, there was no length limitation, and it appeared infinite. Richard tried walking to the adjacent study, mentally intending to return to his body. Instantly, the transparent band on the back of his neck transmitted a strong pulling force, drawing his consciousness back to his body like teleportation. Surprisingly, to shorten the distance, the consciousness even penetrated directly through the wall. This led Richard to discover that his consciousness could disregard any tangible substances, easily passing through walls or other obstacles. Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 013 Star Body Projection Chapter 13: Chapter 013 Star Body Projection Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` In that case¡­ The next moment, with a thought, Richard controlled his entire consciousness to float down from the bed and drift toward the bedroom door, easily passing through the wooden door and appearing in the corridor outside. Then Richard turned, dragging a long transparent ribbon behind him, and floated down the wooden stairs toward the hall on the first floor. Soon, the sights of the hall unfolded before him. Although it was already evening, numerous candles and oil lamps were lit in the palace hall, illuminating it brightly, ensuring that activities were not hindered. At this moment, many maids were busy at their respective work tables, preparing various experimental materials according to specified methods. Some were working with dilute hydrochloric acid, some with alcohol, and others with deionized water¡­ At the entrance of the palace, several soldiers from the Personal Guard stood straight, vigilantly on guard. As the Personal Guard Captain, Edward was much more relaxed, leaning against a wall, squinting at a palm-sized book using the palace¡¯s light. As he read, he was very cautious, occasionally raising his head to scan his surroundings before continuing to read. Richard controlled his consciousness to approach, and Edward was completely unaware. Then Richard saw the palm-sized book in Edward¡¯s hand, revealing words that were quite outlandish for this current world: Countess Elizabeth¡­ ¡°Ha, so it is that kind of book.¡± Richard thought after glancing at it, shaking his head somewhat disinterestedly. He had no interest in continuing to watch Edward, so he turned and floated toward a working maid. She was a girl about seventeen or eighteen years old, named Angel. Her appearance was decent, but several freckles on her face significantly diminished her beauty. However, ignoring her appearance, Angel was actually the smartest of all the palace maids, generally able to learn anything taught with just one explanation. Sometimes Richard even considered nurturing her to be his true assistant, to help manage the other maids, but due to various reasons, he had yet to implement this. At this moment, she was meticulously preparing a standard sodium hydroxide solution according to the tasks previously assigned to her. The first step she took was weighing a fixed amount of sodium hydroxide solid using a balance. Because of a reminder from Richard before, she wisely avoided using papyrus to contain the sodium hydroxide on the balance tray, knowing that sodium hydroxide is prone to deliquescence and would corrode the paper. Instead, she placed the sodium hydroxide in a beaker and weighed it along with the beaker, then subtracted the beaker¡¯s weight to obtain the true mass of the sodium hydroxide. Then the second step¡­ The third step¡­ Watching Angel work methodically, without making any errors, Richard nodded slightly in satisfaction. He suddenly thought of something, extending his hand toward her work table. Without a doubt, his hand easily passed through the tabletop. Richard furrowed his brow and, in the next moment, concentrated his spiritual power, feeling the ¡°hands¡± of his consciousness becoming somewhat solid, and lightly tapped a beaker on the table. With a sudden ¡°splash,¡± the beaker shook violently, almost falling off the table and breaking. Angel, who was working, was startled and quickly withdrew her hands to steady it. Then, with a slight furrowed brow, she looked suspiciously toward the palace door, finding no wind blowing in, and couldn¡¯t help but mutter to herself, ¡°What happened?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t answer her, but from the previous action, he already knew what he could do now: influence the real world through his current consciousness, albeit with much effort and to a very slight degree. Furrowing his brow in thought for a moment, Richard willed himself, and a huge pulling force emanated from behind his neck, swiftly pulling him back toward the bedroom. In an instant, he penetrated upward through the second floor¡¯s ground and several walls, returning to the bed in the bedroom. ¡­ On the soft velvet bed, Richard¡¯s body remained sitting cross-legged, motionless, his chest gently rising and falling as he maintained normal breathing. His consciousness halted beside his body, then floated down from the bed, gliding to the nearest wall, focusing all his spiritual power to carefully carve a pattern on the wall with the ¡°fingernails¡± of his consciousness. Nodding at the pattern, Richard then remembered the main task of this test¡ªStar Body Projection. The separation of consciousness from the body was evidently one of the roles of Star Body Projection, but not its core part. According to records in the Monroe Chapter, the reason it was named as such was primarily because¡­ Raising his head to look upward, Richard, with a thought, floated swiftly, quickly passing through the roof, through the palace top, and landed onto the summit of the palace. Outside the palace, the night had deepened, with the profound darkness blanketing the world like a canopy. Everything around was silent, devoid of any sound¡ªeven the wind seemed to have halted¡ªas though time had frozen. But Richard knew this was merely an illusion. He wasn¡¯t disquieted by the extreme silence, controlling his consciousness to continue floating upward, rising higher and higher, elevating to a height of a hundred meters. Looking down from a hundred meters high, the entire Blue Lion City lay beneath his gaze. Presently, this medieval-like world did not have the prosperity of modern Earth. Due to the expensive lighting materials, the whole Blue Lion City was mostly shrouded in darkness at this time of night, except for the palace; only occasional spots of light appeared, and they were locations of various noble residences. Richard quietly gazed, observing the entire Blue Lion City below, feeling a slight sense of wonder. ¡°The power of a wizard?¡± Then came the sound of flapping wings, as a black bird flew over from afar. It looked similar to a crow but was larger than an average crow; Richard recognized it as a raven. The raven flew swiftly, and while passing by Richard, seemed to sense something, twisted its neck warily to glance around, but finding nothing, it eventually flapped its wings and flew far away. Suddenly, a brief but faint screech was heard. ¡°Ah!¡± Hm? Richard looked over and noticed the raven¡¯s figure had disappeared, with a faint large figure swiftly darting past in the distance, resembling a powerful predator. Was it a large falcon? Richard speculated, but didn¡¯t pay it much mind, retracting his gaze, calming himself, then lifting his head to look upward. At this moment, in the night sky resembling a canopy, countless points of light twinkled, but they weren¡¯t stars. They were the energies transmitted in the form of light from the stars, known as star body projection. Star Body Projection! Richard spread his arms open, attempting, as recorded in the Monroe Chapter, to absorb the energy into his body utilizing spiritual power. In an instant, it felt as if sunlight shone upon him, with the entire consciousness suddenly warming up, and massive amounts of energy quickly flooding in, continuously, then transmitting through the transparent ribbon behind his neck into his cross-legged body. Yet all the energy entering his body was like a guest, not lingering once inside, quickly dissipating. Thus, despite the energy continuously flooding in, none of it was stored. This was precisely because his body lacked the special structure capable of storing energy¡ªa Magic Origin. Constructing a Magic Origin was the second challenge of Life Remolding. The first Life Remolding was responsible for separating consciousness from the body to practice Star Body Projection and strengthen spiritual power. The second Life Remolding enabled cosmic energy to be stored within. The third Life Remolding allowed the stored energy to become usable mana for spell casting. Richard contemplated the Monroe Chapter¡¯s contents, expanding his consciousness in the night sky, continually absorbing energy. At this moment, it felt like lounging in a hot spring; although he couldn¡¯t acquire any energy, his spiritual power was continuously strengthening. Thus, a consciousness floated above Blue Lion City, like a king, relishing the vast energies of star body projection under the night sky until¡­ Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 014 Medieval Style Breakfast Chapter 14: Chapter 014 Medieval Style Breakfast Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Early morning. The sun had just risen not long ago, the air carried a slight chill, not yet heated up. The streets of Blue Lion City gradually began to have pedestrians: merchants busy understanding the market trends, craftsmen looking for short-term work opportunities, hunters selling furs, coachmen soliciting passengers¡­ Everyone treaded on the bluestone road, walking briskly with urgency. The windows on the second floor of the roadside buildings were opened one after another because of the lack of a proper drainage system, basins of wash water were directly poured onto the streets. Those walking on the road, if unlucky, could get soaked unwittingly. Amidst the cursing, noise, and hubbub, the atmosphere gradually became lively, Blue Lion City like a giant who had just woken up stretched lazily. The Blue Lion City Palace was the heart of the giant, compared to other places in Blue Lion City, it appeared slightly quieter and more orderly: maids diligently cleaned the floor, gardeners carefully pruned the plants, guards and soldiers vigilantly stayed at their posts¡­ At the left atrium of the heart¡ªthe east palace of the palace¡ªa breakfast was taking place on a dining table. Richard sat alone at one end of a four-meter long and over one meter wide dining table, surrounded by maids ready to serve, solitary like sailors on a shipwreck, floating alone at sea. But Richard did not say anything, after all, fifteen years had made him sufficiently adapt to various lifestyles in this world, too lazy to waste time on changing such trivial things. So he held a knife and fork, maintaining a calm expression while having this medieval-style breakfast. The main course was white bread, as its name suggests, it was white in color, baked from heavily sifted wheat flour. However, the taste was not pleasant, because the fermentation of bread in this world was very incomplete, once slightly fermented, it was placed in the oven to bake. This resulted in bread that was not soft like that on modern Earth, it was very hard, biting into it was like gnawing on unleavened bread, severely wearing down the teeth. In fact, this was only because Richard was a prince that he could eat this kind of bread, if he were a civilian, he would be eating even worse ¡°black bread.¡± So-called black bread, the ingredients were the same as white bread, all made from wheat flour. The difference was, to save on flour, when making black bread, the wheat flour was hardly sifted, so large amounts of bran would be mixed in, making it taste extremely coarse. Some unscrupulous bakers, to increase the weight of black bread, even deliberately added sawdust, pebbles, and such substances into the bread. At the same time, to increase the shelf life of the bread, the moisture content was minimized, leading to black bread being unbearably hard after baking, and with the passage of time, becoming harder. Generally speaking, black bread freshly made within the first two days could still be chewed. After two days, it could only be sliced with a dining knife and soaked in soup before eating. After a week, even the dining knife could not cut it, as it would have become rock hard enough to be used as a weapon. Historical records from the medieval period were not devoid of such instances: foolish thieves, when stealing in poor villages, were accidentally exposed and beaten to death by angry farmers and farmwives wielding black bread. Of course, bread also had high-end varieties, such as the so-called Queen¡¯s bread, or sometimes called the Queen¡¯s bread. This kind of bread was made with fine flour mixed with eggs, milk, and wild honey, using beer yeast instead of ordinary leaven to undergo thorough fermentation, and then carefully controlling the oven temperature for baking. The size was only palm-sized, but its taste rivaled, if not surpassed, the high-end cream bread on modern Earth. However, such an item was considered a luxury more valuable than gold, even a spendthrift King or Great Nobles dared not eat it recklessly, typically it was given to those who made outstanding contributions as a special reward at banquets. The significance was akin to a medal, providing more spiritual satisfaction than flavor gratification. In summary, medieval staple food, no matter how powerful, in general, could only humbly eat the hard white bread. Richard held the knife and fork, cut a slice from the white bread, delivered it to his mouth, chewed forcefully, and then swallowed. His expression exhibited neither joy nor sorrow, really accustomed to it. After a moment, Richard swallowed down the white bread, and footsteps sounded at the dining table, a maid cautiously brought a serving tray to the table and placed it before Richard. On the tray was a fully cooked pork chop, considered one of the main dishes for breakfast, but it did not look appealing, as the cooking was not well controlled, with some parts already charred. Richard wielded the knife and fork to gently cut a small piece from the pork chop, delivered it to his mouth, chewed for a long time before breaking it down, and simultaneously a gamy flavor spread in his mouth. This was because medieval biological knowledge was really poor, most people did not know that meat from male livestock should be castrated, resulting in the poor quality and gamy taste of meat from male livestock. Finally swallowing the pork chop, Richard quickly picked up the cup on his right side and brought it to his mouth. The cup contained the drink for breakfast. Generally speaking, in the current world, the most common breakfast drink was not water, but low-alcohol drinks. This was not due to people being fond of liquor, but because of hygiene. Yes, hygiene. Westerners from ancient to modern times never had the habit of boiling water to drink, where all fresh water lacked disinfection, teeming with bacteria, drinking could easily cause intestinal infections. In this world lacking antibiotics, an intestinal infection would mean a significant chance of dehydration death. Comparatively, low-alcohol drinks were slightly better, cleaner than fresh water. So many people frequently treated ale or malt wine as water to drink. This kind of wine was different from beer, lacking hops, thus lacking alcoholic flavor and easily turning sour. To mask the odd sour taste, brewers often added all kinds of peculiar things, making drinking wine similar to drinking herbal medicine. Many people were indifferent to this, drinking malt wine with various flavors heartily, but Richard still found it hard to endure, so the dining table cup contained water¡ªplain boiled water¡ªboiled and disinfected clean drinking water. Reaching for the cup, he drank a few sips of water, rinsed away the gamy aftertaste in his mouth, and then Richard began to continue eating the sliced bread. Just after swallowing a slice of white bread with difficulty, suddenly Edward rushed in, exclaiming, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Delon has arrived.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he come yesterday, what¡¯s he here for today?¡± Richard raised his head, asking aloud. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Edward shook his head, ¡°He revealed nothing, only said he wants to see you.¡± ¡°Ping, ping,¡± two light knocks sounded as Richard put down the dining knife in his hand, pondered for a moment, and said aloud, ¡°Invite him in here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Edward responded, swiftly went out, and soon brought the lean old Mr. Delon into the dining hall. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 015 Highly Activated State Chapter 15: Chapter 015 Highly Activated State Editor: Atlas Studios Richard raised his hand upon seeing Mr. Delon, gesturing for him to sit opposite at the dining table, and asked, ¡°Would Mr. Delon like to join me for a meal?¡± ¡°No need, thank you for your kindness, Lord Richard,¡± replied the gaunt Mr. Delon promptly. After being declined, Richard didn¡¯t insist further and directly asked calmly, ¡°What brings Mr. Delon to see me this time?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Mr. Delon hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°It¡¯s like this, Lord Richard. The Eldest Prince specifically brought the pharmacist today to see the ailing King.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard¡¯s eyes flickered, sensing there might be more unsaid and prompted, ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°So¡­ I was thinking, perhaps Lord Richard should visit His Majesty as well? After all, during these special times, the King bedridden needs some care. Besides¡­¡± Mr. Delon¡¯s voice turned somber, tinged with sadness, ¡°Fifteen years ago, Queen Sofia gave birth to you in a difficult labor. In her final moments, she instructed me to remind you, Lord Richard, not to become too distant from the King. Now¡­¡± ¡°So now, you¡¯re preparing to persuade me to follow the example of my beloved brother, William Austin?¡± Richard said aloud. ¡°After all¡­¡± Mr. Delon faltered mid-sentence. ¡°I understand you¡¯re considering my interests, Mr. Delon,¡± Richard said, joining his hands on the table. ¡°However, I visited my ailing, esteemed father, the King of Donnas, just a week ago. As I see it, even if I visit him to express concern, it might not aid his condition. Hence, it¡¯s better to let him rest.¡± Mr. Delon listened to Richard¡¯s words with a slight startle, then suddenly alarmed, hearing some unsettling implications. Knowing Richard often had strange yet accurate insights, Mr. Delon couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Could it be that His Majesty¡­¡± A waxy yellow face rapidly surfaced in Richard¡¯s mind. His eyes flickered as he looked at Mr. Delon without responding. Mr. Delon¡¯s heart chilled instantly because sometimes silence signified the worst response. ¡°Then¡­¡± Mr. Delon¡¯s voice trembled slightly, ¡°then¡­ can His Majesty see the falling leaves this autumn, Lord Richard?¡± Richard still gave no response. Mr. Delon finally understood, lowering his head. After a moment, he lifted it again, stood up, and walked toward the dining room exit, preparing to leave, his departing figure appearing somewhat aged. At the entrance, Mr. Delon paused slightly, turned back to look at Richard, and said, ¡°If His Majesty¡¯s condition is truly as dire as it seems, Lord Richard should indeed visit. Though a few years ago, His Majesty punished you due to false words, he is, after all, your father, correct?¡± ¡°Of course, His Majesty is certainly my esteemed father,¡± Richard replied with a smile. Mr. Delon sighed, said no more, and exited the dining room, disappearing from sight. Richard then picked up his knife and fork and continued having breakfast. Afterward, he consumed about three more slices of bread, half a roasted bird, a salmon, and drank two glasses of water, finally concluding his meal. ¡­ After breakfast, Richard wiped his mouth with a napkin, stood up, and walked into the palace hall outside the dining room. Edward followed closely behind and asked, ¡°Your Highness, are you planning to visit His Majesty? As Mr. Delon mentioned earlier¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s put this matter aside until I have time,¡± Richard replied. ¡°Then, Your Highness, what are you planning now¡­¡± ¡°I have a very important research experiment to conduct,¡± Richard stated. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Edward was left speechless. Richard ignored Edward and walked towards the busy maids in the hall, pointing to two of them, ¡°You two, come with me to the laboratory.¡± Saying this, Richard entered the private laboratory, and the two selected maids nervously stood up. One was the smartest among the maids, the freckled girl Angel, and the other was a slightly plump girl Luna, not as clever as Angel but smarter than the other maids. Both looked at each other in wonder, unsure of Richard¡¯s intentions, but obediently followed into the private laboratory. Inside, Richard was already waiting. Seeing the two maids enter, he directly said, ¡°Today, I¡¯ll be doing some very tedious tasks, so I need both of you to assist me, understand?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± they quickly nodded. Richard showed a satisfied expression. The reason for calling the two maids was mainly to research the issues related to the second life remolding. Last night¡¯s first attempt at life remolding, using anesthetics, had achieved perfect resolution, allowing the free acceptance of star-body projection energy. Solving one of the three difficulties marked a third of the spell¡¯s preparation completed. To proceed further, to truly release the spell, the issue of the second life remolding¡ªconstructing the Magic Origin¡ªneeded resolution. According to the records in the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± the Magic Origin is a very special vessel within the body, responsible for storing the special energy absorbed by star-body projection. The size and shape of the Magic Origin can vary based on individual preference; if someone doesn¡¯t mind the hassle, they could construct a Magic Origin with 365 facets. However, for simplicity and stability, many wizard apprentices construct their Magic Origin in a cocoon shape. Moreover, the Magic Origin is not singular, as it can be self-constructed with spiritual power; thus, multiple Magic Origins can be created within the body if desired. Yet, due to the Magic Origin¡¯s high-energy reactions, it is critical during construction to avoid vital organs such as the brain and heart, to prevent affecting their functions. Additionally, as the energy source, the Magic Origin is vital for every wizard. Any damage to it can cause significant harm to the body. For this reason, many wizards prefer to destroy their opponent¡¯s exposed Magic Origin during combat to end the battle easily. Therefore, each wizard must carefully hide and protect their Magic Origin. Without equivalent strength, recklessly developing new Magic Origins is a waste of time and energy, increasing exposure risk¡ªequivalent to suicide. However, for the second life remolding, the essential focus is on the conditions for constructing the Magic Origin. The ¡°Monroe Chapter¡± describes that, besides entering star-body projection, constructing a Magic Origin requires an attempt to awaken the body with the consciousness, putting it in a ¡°highly activated state.¡± The body is always somewhat activated, but generally, it cannot achieve the height necessary for Magic Origin construction, relying on talent for ¡°exceptional performance¡± to reach. Once successfully entering the ¡°highly activated state,¡± the spiritual power can officially construct the Mana Source. But what exactly this ¡°highly activated state¡± entailed puzzled Richard greatly. Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 016 Battery Production Chapter 16: Chapter 016 Battery Production Editor: Atlas Studios After a great deal of thought, Richard had a hypothesis, that the so-called ¡°Highly Activated State¡± was very likely a ¡°Charged State.¡± In a normal human body, cellular metabolism and nerve signal transmission were accompanied by the flow of potassium and sodium ions across cell membranes, generating bioelectricity. This bioelectricity was very weak, and the voltage was generally in the millivolt range (a millivolt or mV, 1 volt equals 1000 millivolts). Although weak, bioelectricity was significant to humans. Its changes could directly cause alterations in cellular metabolism or function within the body. For example, when nerve fibers were locally electrically stimulated, the excitability at the cathode would increase, and the membrane potential would decrease (depolarization), while at the anode, excitability would decrease, and the membrane potential would increase (hyperpolarization). According to the description of constructing a Magic Origin in the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± it was very clearly about inducing some form of modification in the body structure. Among this description, the so-called spiritual power was used, which was highly likely related to this bioelectricity. Perhaps it was about increasing the bioelectric current within the body to a certain level, thereby enabling the body to develop the new ¡°organ,¡± the ¡°Magic Origin,¡± under the influence of the spiritual power. Of course, this was just a hypothesis and whether it was right or wrong needed to be verified. The primary reason Richard called the two maids was to attempt making a battery that could release a current in this completely ¡°non-electrified¡± medieval environment for testing. First, Richard planned to make the simplest fruit battery possible. The raw materials required only a piece of copper, a piece of zinc, a segment of metal wire, and a fruit. Because of the different reactivities of the two metals, copper and zinc, when inserted into the fruit, the zinc would undergo an oxidation reaction, lose electrons, and pass them to the copper piece, thereby generating an electric current in the wire. Because it wasn¡¯t difficult, Richard briefly explained to the maid, Angel, and let her make it. She didn¡¯t disappoint him and quickly finished the task. Soon, a thin wire connected a copper piece and a zinc piece, both about the size of a fingernail, inserted into a pear. The maid, Angel, carefully handed this fruit battery to Richard, and upon touching it, he frowned, knowing immediately that the fruit battery was inadequate. It wasn¡¯t an issue with the construction. After all, the method was so simple that it couldn¡¯t possibly go wrong; it was the fruit itself that was the problem. Because the fruit juice was acidic, it could allow the chemical reaction to proceed and produce a current. But compared to real acid liquid, the acidity of the fruit juice was too weak, thus the current and voltage generated were too small. Richard tested it using a self-made simple tool and found the voltage was less than 0.5 volts, and the current less than 1 milliampere. This current was stronger than the normal bioelectric current of a human body, but it was far too weak to influence the internal body structure. After all, the human body had electrical resistance. If the bioelectric current increased internally by itself, there was naturally no issue, but an ordinary person without the wizard¡¯s talent couldn¡¯t possibly achieve this. To influence the body by applying an external current scientifically to decipher Life Remolding, it would be essential to overcome the electrical resistance of up to 1000¦¸ in the human body by applying a stronger current. The current issue was, how to obtain a stronger current? Richard furrowed his brow, thought for a few seconds, and began instructing the two maids to make different fruit batteries. Different fruit types had varying acidity, and thus, the current produced would vary in strength. Finding the strongest one might just bypass the body¡¯s 1000¦¸ resistance and meet the requirements. Medieval fruits weren¡¯t exactly scarce. Common ones included cherries, strawberries, blackberries, apples, pears, cherries, plums, grapes, sloes, gooseberries, mulberries, blackthorn, figs, sea dates, limes, lemons, and more than a dozen kinds. With a word from Richard, people naturally gathered these fruits. Shortly after, except for those unripe due to seasonal reasons, the rest were placed on the experiment table. Richard waved his hand, and the maids Angel and Luna began making them quickly. Soon, various kinds of fruit batteries were lined up in two rows on the table, Angel¡¯s on the left and Luna¡¯s on the right. It was obvious that Angel had produced more. Richard didn¡¯t comment much, picked up a fruit battery to test, put it down after a while, then picked up another. Repeating this multiple times, after testing all the fruit batteries, Richard had an understanding. Because of the different acidity levels in the fruits, some of the currents generated were indeed stronger than the initial pear, like the apple and the gooseberry. The strongest was the lemon, but even so, the voltage barely exceeded 0.5 volts, and the current just over 1 milliampere. Under normal circumstances, the minimum current to cause sensations in an adult male averaged about 1.01mA. This meant that, under the influence of body resistance, this current level would just barely be perceptible to an ordinary person. This was not what Richard wanted. Richard stood in the laboratory, deeply furrowed his brow, and the two maids, observing Richard¡¯s serious expression, exchanged glances but didn¡¯t dare to breathe loudly, lowering their heads cautiously. Although they were well aware the Prince wouldn¡¯t lose his temper easily or punish servants without reason, it was never a good thing when the Prince was displeased. Richard didn¡¯t know what the two maids were thinking, only continued earnestly pondering a method to solve the problem. Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 017 A Sudden Inspiration Chapter 17: Chapter 017 A Sudden Inspiration Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` How to obtain a stronger current? Perhaps using other plants besides fruit to make batteries could be worth a try. For example, the famous potato clock is made using potatoes. But¡­ it seemed that potatoes did not exist in the current medieval setting. After all, according to Earth¡¯s modern history, it wasn¡¯t until the Age of Discovery after the medieval period that someone brought potatoes from South America to Europe. In this world similar to the medieval period, Richard could not be sure if it was the one from Earth¡¯s history, or if South America and Europe even existed. But it was true that there were no potatoes, so a potato clock was out of the question. Besides, even if a potato clock were made, there was a high chance it would be a dud. After all, for plants to ensure their normal growth, their acidity couldn¡¯t be too strong. It¡¯s likely that even after experimenting with all the local plants in this world, the current generated by the batteries produced would only fall within the same limited range. Given that¡­ Richard squinted his eyes, blinking rapidly. Given that, then he would have to make a real battery, such as a Voltaic pile, Baghdad Battery, Alkaline Battery, and so on¡­ Although he felt like ¡°slacking off,¡± it seemed that slacking off couldn¡¯t solve the problem. Richard thought to himself, turning around to instruct the two maids again before starting to operate. After spending most of the day, using the materials at hand, he produced every kind of battery he could, lining them up in a big row on the table. Richard tested them and found none met the requirements. Either the current was too weak or the voltage too small. Although it could be solved by configuring them in parallel or series, the power supply couldn¡¯t be stabilized, fluctuating between strong and weak. Although he wasn¡¯t sure what effect this would have on ¡°Opening Magic Source,¡± Richard felt it was likely not a positive one. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s still not working,¡± Richard murmured, exhaling a sigh of frustration. He shook his head, pushed open the door of his independent laboratory, and walked out. The maids Angel and Luna hurriedly followed. The other maids in the hall, seeing Angel and Luna still with Richard, couldn¡¯t help casting envious glances at the two. However, they quickly noticed the Prince¡¯s displeased expression, and Angel and Luna seemed flustered, causing their gazes to turn into schadenfreude. There was competition among the maids, and it was quite fierce. In the eyes of the other maids, Angel and Luna apparently failed to complete Richard¡¯s task, angering him, which was good news for them. ¡°Tap, tap, tap,¡± Richard¡¯s footsteps echoed as he crossed the hall and reached the palace entrance, realizing it was close to the afternoon¡ªhalf the day had unknowingly passed. After three experiments, the current problem still wasn¡¯t resolved. What could be the solution? Richard fell into deep thought. The Personal Guard Captain, Edward, appeared, seeing Richard, intending to remind him not to forget lunch. But noticing Richard deep in thought, with his brows furrowed, Edward rationally stopped in his tracks, refraining from disturbing him. The entire world suddenly became quiet, with the guards and maids in the palace tiptoeing around, trying to avoid making any noise that might disturb Richard¡¯s thoughts and anger the Prince. Richard, in this eerie silence, pondered long and hard, searching for a way to solve the problem. After a while, Richard suddenly lifted his head, looking at the square in front of him. ¡°Flap, flap¡­¡± Two gray sparrows nearly skimmed the surface of the square. Turning his head, he looked above the palace doors. In a corner, a spider was spinning a vertical web quickly. Squinting his eyes, Richard stretched out his hand, feeling the air¡¯s humidity increase. He glanced at the sky; the Sun was still out, but the clouds were thickening, and the southern sky darkened bit by bit. ¡°Is it going to rain?¡± Richard squinted his eyes to a line. Theoretically, this was normal, considering the days of scorching heat, with large amounts of water vapor evaporating into the air, having a high chance of rain. It looked like there would be a heavy downpour. And once it rained, it would be accompanied by thunder. Thunder, as a form of natural electricity, theoretically, was strong enough to alter the bioelectric current within a human body. But how to attract it down and control its use was the problem, especially since he didn¡¯t want to be struck by lightning; that would be not scientific research but suicide. In that case¡­ After a moment, Richard turned around with a plan and addressed the Personal Guard Captain, Edward, ¡°Bring the craftsman from the Palace; I have something for him.¡± ¡°Um, yes¡­¡± Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 018 Leiden Bottle Chapter 18: Chapter 018 Leiden Bottle Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` As the afternoon approached evening, the sky above the Palace quickly darkened, casting the entire world in a strange amber light, heralding the imminent arrival of a heavy rain. On the plaza in front of Richard¡¯s palace, a Personal Guard Soldier held a peculiar kite crafted by a craftsman, staring nervously at the sky overhead. With a ¡°boom,¡± a muffled thunder resounded between the clouds, and a gust of cool wind suddenly swept across the plaza. The Personal Guard Soldier turned to look to the side and saw Richard nodded. He swallowed hard with a ¡°gulp,¡± gathered his courage, and launched the kite. The kite was no ordinary kite; it was a lightning-attracting kite. A small chain of gold hung from it, and its string was woven with fine silver threads, with a strangely shaped bottle attached at the end. This was a method Richard had thought of after failing in three consecutive experiments¡ªto capture lightning with a kite. In fact, many had such an idea, and some had even put it into practice. In the modern history of Earth, in June 1752, American scientist Benjamin Franklin, together with his son, sent a kite with a copper key into the air. When the kite was struck by lightning, the electric current successfully traveled down the kite¡¯s wire, proving that lightning was also a form of electricity. From then on, Franklin¡¯s name became famous. This is considered knowledge from modern Earth primary school textbooks, with no difficulty in execution. The only thing to consider was how to store the lightning captured. Richard¡¯s choice was the Leiden bottle, the bottle hanging at the end of the kite¡¯s rope. The Leiden bottle was developed by Dutch scientist Masonbrock in 1745 in modern Earth¡¯s history. The earliest Leiden bottle was just a glass or ceramic bottle with the inside and outside walls coated with tinfoil. The tinfoil inside the bottle connected to a metal rod inserted inside through a metal chain, with a metallic ball about one centimeter in diameter on top. This structure, based on the principle of capacitors, could store a certain amount of charge and release it when needed. Despite its simple structure, the current released was strong enough that during a 1748 experiment in Paris, the current from a Leiden bottle made over two hundred monks holding hands jump at once. So this method was definitely up to the task. Richard thought so, looking towards the Personal Guard Soldier. The wind on the plaza gradually picked up, and the kite in the soldier¡¯s hand soared higher and higher, reaching the sky. A flash of lightning streaked across with a ¡°whoosh,¡± abruptly illuminating the gloomy land, and a massive blurry black shadow swept through the electric light, followed by the sound of thunder. The Personal Guard Soldier was startled but gritted his teeth, held his breath, and controlled the kite to continue ascending. The wind howled vigorously, and flashes of lightning crossed frequently between the clouds. Suddenly, with a ¡°boom,¡± explosive thunder roared, and a bolt of lightning struck the kite in the sky. With a ¡°bang,¡± the entire kite caught fire, turning into a fireball, with flames swiftly spreading down the kite line. The Personal Guard Soldier¡¯s face turned white in an instant, eyes widening. Watching the flames, his hand released involuntarily, and the Leiden bottle, dangling at the end of the string, plummeted to the ground. Edward, standing nearby, saw this and cursed, rushing forward. He kicked the Personal Guard Soldier hard and pounced to catch the falling Leiden bottle in both hands. The next moment, Edward¡¯s eyes widened too, witnessing a blue electrical flash travel down the kite string and enter the bottle in his hands. A weak numbness enveloped his body, and simultaneously, all his hair stood on end involuntarily, filling him with immense fear¡ªfear of the unknown that paralyzed him momentarily. After a long while, as the numbness dissipated from his body and his hair returned to normal, Edward took a deep breath and finally moved. He glared sharply at the nearby Personal Guard Soldier, then swiftly carried the Leiden bottle towards the palace where Richard was. As soon as he entered the palace, a torrential downpour followed immediately behind, instantly turning the entire world into a white blur, with nothing but the sound of rain pounding in his ears. Edward was slightly surprised, feeling a hint of relief, then turned to Richard and carefully handed over the Leiden bottle. ¡°Your Highness, it is all done.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Richard took the Leiden bottle, nodded lightly, and without saying more, turned around and left. Edward quickly added from behind: ¡°Your Highness, you didn¡¯t have lunch, so for dinner you¡­¡± Before he could finish, Richard¡¯s figure was already ascending the stairs to the second floor, disappearing from sight. Edward watched, chuckled helplessly, and muttered to himself: ¡°Sigh, is he going to skip meals again for a whole day? If he doesn¡¯t eat again tomorrow morning, it will truly be another full day. Being the Personal Guard Captain is really hard¡­¡± ¡­ The next morning, before dawn had fully broken. Yawning, Edward walked past the palace dining hall, glancing casually, suddenly widened his eyes as he saw Richard inside, eating breakfast. This! Edward rubbed his eyes vigorously, realizing he hadn¡¯t seen wrong, and with some disbelief, he walked into the dining hall, greeted him: ¡°Your Highness, you¡­ you got up so early today?¡± ¡°Mm, just couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± Richard responded faintly, slicing white bread with a butter knife, spreading sour jam on it and putting it into his mouth. As Richard ate, he frowned, as if contemplating something. The test with natural lightning and the Leiden bottle failed, as expected. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be sitting in the dining room eating breakfast so early. Last night, according to the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± Richard attempted a second scientific decryption of the Life Remolding. After entering the Star Body Projection state, he worked hard to awaken his Consciousness, which then released the electric current from the Leiden bottle into his body, hoping to enhance the bioelectric currents to enter a ¡°Highly Activated State¡± and subsequently ¡°Opening Magic Source.¡± The strength of the current from the Leiden bottle was indeed sufficient, as Richard clearly felt a miraculous change in his body within a very short time. But¡­ it was only for a very short time. Because the nature of the Leiden bottle is that of a capacitor, the current is released in one go, depleted, and no more. So when the stored charge was fully exhausted, the ¡°High Energy Activation State¡± dissipated instantly, and his body returned to normal, making it impossible to ¡°Opening Magic Source.¡± ¡°Indeed, to truly decrypt this second Life Remolding, shortcuts won¡¯t work; genuine effort is necessary,¡± Richard said to himself inside. Swallowing another slice of white bread covered in sour jam, leaving a cardboard taste in his mouth, Richard¡¯s mind was already made up. Obtaining a stable high current wasn¡¯t actually difficult, even in this medieval world; it could be achieved with simple materials. The main issue was the tedious process, which he had been reluctant to bother with too much, thus testing fruit batteries and the like. Since those hadn¡¯t worked, he could only resort to the most tedious, troublesome, and direct method now. He reached out for his cup, drank the water inside, and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Richard looked up at Edward and instructed, ¡°Bring the craftsman from the Palace here?¡± ¡°Now, here?¡± Edward was slightly startled. Richard nodded to confirm, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Uh, yes, Your Highness,¡± Edward quickly walked out. Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 019 Craftsman Chapter 19: Chapter 019 Craftsman Editor: Atlas Studios The craftsman from the Kingdom soon arrived at the restaurant where Richard was. The food on the table had already been cleared away, and Richard was spreading out a long scroll on top, rapidly sketching something with a quill pen. Edward, looking puzzled, stood nearby, not daring to interrupt. The craftsman was even less inclined to disturb, obediently keeping his head down without saying a word, only occasionally sneaking glances at the scroll Richard was drawing, feeling that the prince seemed to be sketching some kind of machinery. It looked like a windmill but appeared to be more complex¡­ ¡°Swish, swish, swish¡­¡± After a long while, Richard put down the quill in his hand, glanced at what was drawn on the scroll, nodded slightly, and then turned his head to look at the craftsman who had been waiting for a long time by his side. The craftsman looked like a man in his fifties, but he was actually in his forties. Artisans in this world didn¡¯t have an easy life; even being employed by the palace was only slightly better than being a serf. The long hours of labor had made him look quite old. His face was full of wrinkles, his eyes were deeply sunken, and heavy bags dragged underneath them as he gazed nervously. ¡°You are Hans, right?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Uh, g-gulp¡­ Answering the prince, I¡­ I am Hans,¡± the craftsman quickly replied, surprised that the prince could accurately call out his name. His voice carried some astonishment and¡­ fear. After all, for a small person to be remembered by the prince wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing. Richard waved his hand directly, saying, ¡°Come over here, take a look at this design I¡¯ve drawn, see if you can understand it.¡± ¡°Uh, yes.¡± The craftsman hurriedly stepped closer, looking at the scroll, carefully examining it. He confirmed his earlier guess and tentatively asked, ¡°This¡­ this seems to be¡­ a windmill, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Exactly, it is indeed a windmill, so can you manage to build it? I¡¯ll give you no more than five days,¡± Richard said. ¡°Uh, this¡­¡± The craftsman hesitated for a moment, looking at the design, estimating the workload, uncertainly replying, ¡°I think I should be able to.¡± ¡°Take a closer look, confirm it before you say anything. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, you can ask me now, and I will help you solve it. Don¡¯t wait until later to tell me there¡¯s a problem and that you can¡¯t complete it,¡± Richard said. ¡°Uh, yes, yes,¡± the craftsman said, unable to stop sweat from appearing on his forehead, and looked at the design once again. His eyes twinkled as he suddenly realized that the design wasn¡¯t as simple as he had initially thought. At least compared to an ordinary windmill, it had many parts he didn¡¯t understand. He quickly pointed at a part, saying, ¡°Your Highness, this¡­ this part¡­ seems a bit problematic. Normally, windmills are mounted on a single column, so why is this windmill installed like this¡­¡± Richard glanced at it and slowly explained, ¡°This is the Turning Tower.¡± ¡°Turning Tower?¡± The craftsman was puzzled. ¡°Ordinary windmills, indeed, can be installed on pillars. The structure is simple and easy to make. However, the downside is that they cannot always adjust to the wind direction and require manual adjustment, which is laborious and not very efficient. But according to this design, by mounting the windmill blades on a specialized Turning Tower, the tower can automatically rotate around the central axis to face the wind direction, allowing for the maximum utilization of wind power at all times,¡± Richard explained. The craftsman widened his eyes in amazement: ¡°Really¡­ can it really do that? But¡­ but your highness, how does it achieve this, since the wind¡­ does not always come from one direction; it could come from any direction¡­¡± ¡°Because this part is on the Turning Tower.¡± Richard pointed to a part on the design, ¡°Behind the main blade, there¡¯s a tail fan perpendicular to it, connected to the gear track on the edge of the Turning Tower. So no matter which direction the wind comes from, as long as it blows over this tail fan, it will propel the Turning Tower to rotate, ensuring that the wind tower¡¯s main blade always aligns with the wind direction.¡± The craftsman scratched his head, still somewhat confused, but at least he understood one thing from Richard¡¯s words: The prince was not speaking randomly; he genuinely understood, and he understood more than the craftsman did. In that case¡­ The next moment, the craftsman took a deep breath and asked about the next part he didn¡¯t understand: ¡°And, Your Highness, what about here¡­¡± ¡°Uh, these two weights extending outward on the lever are the centrifugal governors. You don¡¯t need to understand the principle¡ªjust know that they can automatically adjust the rotor¡¯s speed to suit different wind speeds.¡± ¡°Uh, okay¡­ and, Your Highness, this rotor¡­¡± ¡°This, ah,¡± Richard waved the quill again, crossing out the corresponding part, ¡°this part is a bit complicated; you don¡¯t need to worry about it. I will handle it myself. It¡¯s for generating electricity and requires artificial magnets, which you can¡¯t make yet.¡± ¡°Okay, so, Your Highness, this part¡­¡± ¡°This is an improved crankshaft used to transmit energy to drive the rotor. Pay attention here¡­¡± ¡°And here, Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°This is the part for storing current, I¡¯ll take care of it; you just need to reserve the relevant section¡­¡± ¡°And what about here¡­¡± ¡­ ¡­ The craftsman and Richard talked for more than an hour, finally clarifying all the details on the design. Wiping the sweat from his face, the craftsman said, ¡°Your Highness, this windmill seems really difficult to make; I¡¯m afraid five days¡­¡± ¡°Then make it one week,¡± Richard said, his voice a bit stern, ¡°but no longer than that, as my time is limited and cannot be delayed.¡± ¡°Uh, this¡­¡± The craftsman shrunk his neck, afraid to refuse, grit his teeth, and nodded, ¡°Alright, Your Highness, I will definitely have it done in one week.¡± ¡°Good, that¡¯s settled then.¡± The craftsman took the design and left. In the next moment, just as Edward was about to say something, Richard looked at him first and instructed, ¡°Edward, go find me some iron filings and some rust powder.¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Edward was puzzled, finally asking what he had wanted to say earlier, ¡°Your Highness, what exactly are you trying to do here?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when the time comes,¡± Richard replied. ¡°Uh, alright.¡± This answer was not much different than no answer at all; Edward shrugged and left, helplessly. By the afternoon, the iron filings and rust powder had been delivered to Richard¡¯s private laboratory. ¡­ Afternoon, private laboratory. The afternoon sun shone in, extremely bright. Richard looked at the table filled with dozens of pounds of iron filings and rust powder, nodding in satisfaction. Although Edward¡¯s swordsmanship was mediocre, he did have a talent for handling tasks. According to Edward, the combined weight of the iron filings and rust powder exceeded 100 pounds. A pound was a unit of mass in the British and American systems, equivalent to 0.45359237 kilograms, or 0.9071847 jin. However, as a habit, whenever he heard others mention this British and American unit, Richard automatically converted it into the familiar units in his mind. One pound was about 0.9 jin, so a little over 100 pounds was 90 jin, which was indeed a lot. The reason for needing so much iron filings and rust powder was none other than to make the rotor for the windmill. This was the fundamental, foolproof method Richard had decided on for generating electric current. Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 020 Medieval Electromagnetism Chapter 20: Chapter 020 Medieval Electromagnetism Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` To create an electric current, one needed to understand electromagnetism. In the history of modern Earth, on October 17, 1831, Faraday first discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction, thereby obtaining the method to generate alternating current, which was considered a significant achievement in electromagnetism. The so-called phenomenon of electromagnetic induction meant that when a magnet passed through a closed circuit, an electric current would be generated within the circuit. Using this phenomenon, by keeping the closed circuit stationary and continuously rotating the magnet, the closed circuit, in its static state, cut through the magnetic field lines emitted by the magnet. This caused a continuous generation of electric current within the circuit, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, thus becoming a simple generator. This was high school physics textbook knowledge, not considered very profound, though the realization of basic materials and components was somewhat troublesome. To keep this engine running continuously, relying on manpower was not feasible, as it was inefficient and prone to errors. Only natural resources could be utilized, either wind power or water power. Richard chose wind power and thus designed a wind turbine to be made by the craftsman. But the craftsman could only make some simple parts, such as the complex rotor, energy storage devices, and shafts, which had to be done by Richard himself, which was quite laborious. Because of this, Richard didn¡¯t want to do it unless absolutely necessary. However, since the decision was made, he had to proceed. First was the fabrication of the rotor. The main material for the rotor was magnets. Neodymium iron boron magnets, samarium cobalt magnets, aluminum nickel cobalt magnets, and iron chromium cobalt magnets would all do. But currently, in the Blue Lion Kingdom, there was no type of magnet available, so he had to make them himself. The type he chose to make was the simplest and most common one¡ªiron oxide (Fe3O4) magnets. To make iron oxide magnets, he needed to obtain iron oxide material. And to obtain this material, there were many methods, such as the hydrogen reduction method of ¦Á-ferric oxide, slow oxidation method of ferrous hydroxide, Haber method, addition method, and alkaline addition method. He chose the addition method. The two most critical reactants in this method were pure iron (iron filings, Fe) and iron oxide (rust powder, Fe2O3)¡­ Richard took a deep breath, washed his hands, put on a dust mask to prevent powder from entering his nose and mouth, and began the procedure. First, Richard placed the iron filings into sulfuric acid. Visually, as soon as they were added, the beaker immediately bubbled a lot, reacting violently. In this process, ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) would be generated. After the reaction was complete, Richard began adding baking soda (NaOH) and iron oxide (Fe2O3). He then heated it to 95-105¡ãC to allow the solution to undergo an addition reaction, ultimately producing iron oxide. However, the iron oxide at this time was not pure. Richard transferred the solution to a funnel equipped with filter paper to begin filtration. After filtering, the solid material obtained was dried, followed by a series of operations. After a considerable effort, he finally produced pure iron oxide. Then, through magnetization, the iron oxide became a real magnet, a pitch-black piece. By repeating this step, he made a sufficient number of magnets to fix them in an annular mold, thus completing the most important part of the generator¡ªthe rotor. After finishing these, Richard did not rest but began making the energy storage device. After all, the turbine generated electricity, but electricity needed to be stored to be used. This required a real rechargeable battery, not a fruit battery, much less a Leiden bottle-type capacitor. What Richard prepared to make was a lead-acid battery, which was the cheapest and most common electric vehicle battery on modern Earth. The reason for choosing it was twofold: materials were easy to collect, and the structure was simple, consisting of only the positive plate group, negative plate group, electrolyte, and container. Aside from the sulfuric acid used as the electrolyte, practically only one material was needed, or rather two: Firstly, lead, used to make the negative plate group. Secondly, lead oxide in air, lead oxide, used to make the positive plate group. In the current medieval world, perhaps many things were lacking, but lead alone would not be missing. Because according to modern Earth¡¯s development, by the year 2000, humans had begun massive extraction of metals such as iron, copper, silver, and lead. Therefore, without much effort, Richard obtained sufficient lead and lead oxide. Taking a deep breath, Richard¡¯s gaze became somewhat solemn. Both lead and lead oxide were toxic. Excessive inhalation or ingestion would cause heavy metal poisoning, ranging from physical discomfort to death. In the ancient Roman era on modern Earth, the Ancient Romans did not know the dangers of lead and thus used lead pipes for water delivery and lead containers for drinking, resulting in widespread chronic lead poisoning, becoming an important reason for Ancient Rome¡¯s decline. Richard was aware of this and did not want to repeat the same mistakes, not wanting to be afflicted with illness before becoming a wizard, so he took ample protective measures before conducting the experiment. He first put on a dust mask, then added a bird-beak mask over it, changed into a black protective suit that covered his entire skin snugly, and finally donned gloves made from ox bladders. With preparations complete, Richard took a deep breath, feeling the air pass through the herbal pouch in the bird-beak mask and fill his lungs. He focused his gaze and began the work. First, he poured a sufficient amount of sulfuric acid into the prepared container as the electrolyte. Then, he inserted the gray fluffy lead plates, serving as the anode, into the container, securing them. Next, he placed the brown lead oxide plates, serving as the cathode, securing them. Between the anode and cathode, he placed a separator to prevent the electrodes from contacting each other. Then came the continual repetition of this process, sequentially inserting lead plates and lead oxide plates into the container until the entire container was completely filled. The reason for doing so was to allow multiple groups of anode and cathode plates to act in series, thereby increasing the lead-acid battery¡¯s voltage. After completing these tasks, Richard exhaled slightly, knowing that he had finished the main work of the lead-acid battery. What followed were the trivial details of setting up the external wires, etc. Piece by piece, until evening, Richard finally completed everything. With two light ¡°thump thump¡± sounds, placing the completed lead-acid battery and rotor on the wooden frame, Richard turned to take off his gloves, removed the bird-beak mask, took off the dust mask, and shed his protective suit, realizing that his whole body was soaked through. After all, it was a hot summer; even in the relatively cool palace, working an entire afternoon was extremely taxing. He hadn¡¯t noticed it while working, but upon completion, Richard felt the inner clothing clinging to his skin, and the stickiness all over his body. Frowning slightly, Richard pushed open the door and walked out of the independent laboratory. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 021 Guidance Chapter 21: Chapter 021 Guidance Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` The night was serene and tranquil, a hemispherical starry sky suspended over the earth, stars twinkling like a cradle inset with gemstones. Blue Lion City lay sprawled on the plains, most of it darkened, like a sleeping child lying still. Occasionally, a flicker of light would appear, not from the startled eyes of a child awakened from sleep, but from the Palace of Blue Lion City. Palace, hall, bath. A massive bath barrel was placed in the center of the bath, with Richard lying inside with his eyes closed. The bathwater filled most of the barrel, maintaining a temperature of about 45¡ãC. This level, slightly above normal body temperature, allowed Richard¡¯s skin pores to expand gently, letting his whole body relax bit by bit, yet not too hot during the summer heat. A few maidservants stood several meters away, waiting for orders. Further away, in the corner of the bath, a maid was heating smooth cobblestones over a fire. Once they were red-hot, she used tongs to place them into a nearby bucket full of water. ¡°Sizzle,¡± accompanied by the hot cobblestone, the water in the bucket roiled violently, releasing large amounts of steam that dispersed into the air and then condensed into tiny droplets as it cooled, turning into a white mist and releasing heat. The mist hovered, keeping the entire room at bath temperature, and the maidservants began to perspire but dared not move or speak, afraid of disturbing the Prince. Suddenly, Richard opened his eyes in the bath barrel. A maid cautiously asked, ¡°Prince?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Richard responded. ¡°Yes,¡± the maid nodded, a flash of light in her big eyes as she quickly walked over to Richard. Reaching the bath barrel, she bent down to take a porcelain jar from a bamboo basket, pouring a bath oil made of herbs and rose petals onto her hands and rubbing it evenly. Standing up, she gently placed her hands on Richard¡¯s body, carefully applying the bath oil and massaging, helping to relieve Richard¡¯s fatigue. Richard closed his eyes again. After several minutes passed, feeling his muscles relax a lot, Richard waved his hand gently. The massaging maid understood and whispered, ¡°Yes,¡± then retreated backward. With a ¡°splash,¡± Richard stood up, stepping out of the bath barrel onto a non-slip wooden board on one side, silver water droplets rapidly rolling off his body and wetting the floor. Three maids quickly approached, one carrying a bucket, pouring water over Richard¡¯s body from behind. This time, the water was a cooler 30¡ãC, not too cold for Richard, but causing his expanded pores to contract slightly, tightening the relaxed muscles and skin, invigorating his spirit. Another maid used a large dry cloth to quickly wipe Richard¡¯s body. Once he was dry, the last maid stepped forward to assist Richard in dressing in fresh clothes and boots. Once everything was complete, Richard stepped out of the bath. The remaining maidservants swiftly cleaned up and then left in sequence. ¡­ The night deepened, and the Palace lights gradually dimmed, except for a few persistent ones. In the northwest corner of the Palace, there was a row of low houses that clashed with the Palace¡¯s overall architectural style, where the craftsmen and male servants lived. At this moment, in one house, an oil lamp flickered as Hans, the craftsman instructed by Richard, squinted at the design scroll spread on the table, his nose almost touching the scroll. After a long time, Old Hans furrowed his brows, staring at a part of the design and repeatedly saying, ¡°What¡¯s going on in this area? Why can¡¯t I understand it? This is terrible, I didn¡¯t ask Lord Richard about it back then, and if we can¡¯t make it, then¡­¡± With a worried expression on his face, Old Mark turned and left the house, heading to the shed outside. Inside the shed stood a wooden rack assembled by him in a day, a crude model of the Turning Tower. Reaching out to a part of the model, Old Hans muttered to himself, ¡°Still can¡¯t figure it out, what¡¯s this part supposed to do? Placing it here, how on earth can it not interfere with rotation¡­¡± For a long time, Old Hans couldn¡¯t make sense of it, feeling somewhat despondent as he walked back into the house, looking at the design scroll with a hint of despair. Suddenly, his eyes sparkled as he discovered a faint, nearly imperceptible note at the part he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°¡­Wing panel¡­axle¡­gear¡­¡± Old Mark read out loud, his eyes gradually lighting up, instantly solving the puzzle. But then Old Hans furrowed his brows again, perplexing himself, ¡°I recall, this part didn¡¯t have markings before. How did they suddenly appear? Or have they always been there, and I just didn¡¯t see them? Strange, strange, and nobody came in. No one dared to touch Lord Richard¡¯s things either, this¡­¡± Old Hans looked around the room, quiet and empty, then peered at the doors and windows, which stood motionless. This¡­ ¡°All right, no matter what, I understood it, so I should get to work quickly,¡± Old Hans muttered, exiting the house to head into the shed, working through the night. After all, the one-week deadline set by Richard was still tight for him. ¡­ ¡°` Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 022: Invisible Eyes Chapter 22: Chapter 022: Invisible Eyes Editor: Atlas Studios At the same time, in the very center of the Palace where the king¡¯s palace resided. The palace, the bedroom. Within the enormous bedroom spanning nearly sixty square meters, numerous candles and oil lamps were lit, illuminating the place brightly. However, this brightness did not bring much vitality; even in this hot summer night, the entire room still appeared eerie and cold. A luxurious wooden bed was placed in the middle of the bedroom, as lonely as a canoe drifting in an ocean. On the bed lay an elderly man with a face full of wrinkles, the king of the Blue Lion Kingdom¡ªDonnas Austin. At this moment, Donnas¡¯s face was pale, and the exposed skin was an eerie black in color. Some areas were already decaying; even though ointments had been applied, a faint stench still lingered. A thin blanket covered his body, his chest heaving, nose and mouth struggling to breathe, and the life force of the sleeping King Donnas appeared weaker than the flickering candlelight beside him. Suddenly! ¡°Cough¡ªcough!¡± The sleeping King Donnas jolted awake, opened his eyes, and felt a suffocating sensation. A thick phlegm clogged his throat, making him want to cough but unable to, his face flushed red. Under the loose skin, veins bulged as he exerted himself to sit up, trying to attract the attention of others to help him. But the two guards standing at the bedroom door seemed to have turned deaf, allowing His Majesty to pound on the bed, making ¡°bang, bang¡± sounds, standing motionlessly in place. Under the swaying candlelight outside, the shadows of the two guards cast onto the bedroom floor slightly twisted, like souls struggling after being tempted by demons. ¡°Bang, bang, cough!¡± King Donnas continued to pound on the bed, his fists clenched tightly, knuckles whitening, and veins bulging on his temples as he opened his eyes wide. His mouth opened, yet he couldn¡¯t breathe any air, like a fish tossed onto the shore by waves. Then, at that moment, King Donnas suddenly felt a heavy blow on his back as if someone had struck him. His whole body jolted, his throat loosened, and the clogged phlegm was coughed out onto the floor. ¡°Wheezing, wheezing¡­¡± Donnas began to take deep breaths, his chest heaving violently, making the sound of an old bellows being pulled. At this time, the two guards outside the bedroom finally heard the noise and stepped forward to come in. However, a figure was faster than them¡ªit was Mr. Delon, the palace butler. He had been stationed outside the bedroom, but due to his age, he couldn¡¯t stay awake and dozed off. Awakened by the commotion in the bedroom, he hurried in to check on the situation. Seeing Donnas sitting up, leaning over and gasping for air, with sticky saliva still dripping from his mouth onto the blanket, Mr. Delon immediately understood the reason. He approached, gently patting Donnas¡¯s back, causing him to cough again and expel the remaining phlegm from his throat. Using a handkerchief to wipe Donnas¡¯s mouth, he then cautiously asked, ¡°Your Majesty, are you alright?¡± ¡°Barely¡­phew¡­still alive,¡± Donnas said, panting as he replied. ¡°In that case¡­ Your Majesty, should you continue resting?¡± ¡°Forget it, now that I¡¯m awake, I might not be able to sleep anymore tonight,¡± Donnas waved his hand, his face, tormented by the strange illness, appearing particularly pale at this moment. He spoke, ¡°How about you chat with me about what¡¯s been happening lately? How are my two sons¡ªWilliam and Richard? They haven¡¯t caused any trouble, have they?¡± ¡°No,¡± Mr. Delon shook his head, ¡°both princes are doing well. Eldest Prince William took the initiative to cut palace expenses, saying it¡¯s to find a physician to heal you, Your Majesty. Yesterday morning, the Eldest Prince even came to see you, but since you were finally asleep, he didn¡¯t dare disturb you, and he left. He also reminded me not to mention it to you, lest you get disappointed.¡± ¡°Well, William is indeed good,¡± Donnas nodded, then asked, ¡°What about Richard?¡± ¡°Second Prince Richard¡­¡± Mr. Delon hesitated slightly and said, ¡°Lord Richard is also very concerned about you, Your Majesty, but he¡¯s been busy recently, so¡­¡± ¡°So, since his last visit, he hasn¡¯t cared about me anymore, is that right?¡± Donnas spoke, slowly closing his eyes as if calming himself. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Mr. Delon spoke softly, ¡°perhaps Lord Richard is still upset with you; after all, you did indeed wrong him several years ago¡­¡± Donnas opened his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke slowly, ¡°I was impulsive about the matter three years ago, but if he hadn¡¯t been involved in those strange affairs related to sorcery, how would I have misunderstood? Since it happened, what can be done? Should I, the king of a kingdom, apologize to him and ask for his forgiveness? Even if I apologize, I doubt he would accept!¡± By the end, Donnas¡¯s face showed a trace of anger. ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down,¡± Mr. Delon hurriedly said, ¡°naturally, Your Majesty cannot apologize to Lord Richard; however, it¡¯s possible to punish those who fanned the flames back then. It is said that the news initially came from an attendant in Prince William¡¯s palace, and then¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not bring that up.¡± Donnas waved his hand, ¡°The reasons behind it, William has already explained to me in detail, and it wasn¡¯t the attendant¡¯s issue. A few years ago I made a mistake, so must I make another mistake to make up for it? Richard¡­let him endure it. After all, I am his father! I can¡¯t, for the sake of fairness, chill William¡¯s heart, can I? Moreover, is there fairness in this world? You should know, I have high hopes for William. Whether in demeanor or approach, he¡¯s far superior to the younger me. I believe that entrusting the Blue Lion Kingdom to him will make it more prosperous, and as the next king, he mustn¡¯t have any blemishes. As for Richard, after enduring some grievances, William will compensate him later with the best fief and tax exemption. He should be pleased! After all, the matter earlier ended up being a misunderstanding of a few people close to him, confining him for a while. The ones killed, which he claimed were valuable assistants he nurtured with great effort, I saw as nothing more than ignorant peasants and bumpkins, not even considered fine maids. They were killed, and in exchange for a lifetime of wealth, what is there to be dissatisfied with? Even he needs to endure it, for I am his father, and the king of this country! Everything on this kingdom¡¯s land is my property, and everyone must obey me! I am not dead yet, so I do not allow anything against my will to exist. I¡ªdo not wish to hear any negative voices!¡± ¡°Uh, yes,¡± Mr. Delon dared not refute, only replied with gleaming eyes, ¡°But¡­ Your Majesty, isn¡¯t it a bit early to say these things now?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Donnas laughed, seeing through Mr. Delon¡¯s thoughts, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand my health condition. Though this strange ailment torments me and my body weakens day by day, I can still hold on for now. Speaking of which, when the birch trees outside the city turn yellow come autumn, I still wish to see them.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good, that¡¯s good,¡± Mr. Delon said repeatedly, his expression somewhat complex as if something crossed his mind. Engrossed in conversation, Donnas did not notice Mr. Delon¡¯s unease and continued talking. During their chat, a candle ignited in a corner of the bedroom burned. The candle core lengthened as it burned, making a ¡°crackle¡± sound, causing the flame to gradually become unstable. Suddenly, an invisible force appeared, snapped off a section of the candle core, and the flame became stable again. Neither Donnas nor Delon in the bedroom noticed this, nor did they observe an invisible pair of eyes gradually leaving the palace and rising into the sky. ¡­ Deep in the night, the darkness intensified. The night sky was filled with resplendent stars. A transparent invisible tether floated in the air, with one end connected to Richard sitting cross-legged in a bedroom in the northwest palace, while the other end linked to Richard¡¯s star body projection in the sky. The energy from the star body projection spread in various colored light spots. Richard extended his consciousness, beginning to absorb and assimilate the immense energy. Although, without ¡°opening a magic source,¡± the absorbed energy couldn¡¯t be stored, it helped him familiarize himself with the process and strengthen spiritual power. In the distance, a massive figure, unlike any bird, quickly swept by¡­ Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 023 The First Spell Chapter 23: Chapter 023 The First Spell Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` A week later. An oddly shaped wind turbine stood behind Richard¡¯s palace. A gust of wind blew, and the turning tower atop the wind turbine automatically adjusted, making a creaking noise. The main blades mounted on it aligned with the wind direction and began to spin. Mechanical energy transmission. ¡°Swoosh, swoosh!¡± The rotating blades drove a magnet rotor below through gears and crankshafts. A metal coil surrounding the rotor continuously generated current, which flowed downward through metal wires. Mechanical energy was converted into electrical energy. Below, a simple yet practical lead-acid battery was fixed, absorbing the current to store it, ready to release it when needed. Electrical energy was then transformed into chemical energy. ¡­ Nighttime. Richard¡¯s palace, bedroom. Richard sat cross-legged on the bed, in front of a lead-acid battery filled with stored electricity. With his eyes tightly shut, Richard, who was in deep meditation, felt his body vibrating rapidly. Then, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, his consciousness burst out of his body. Using the eyes of his consciousness to look at his physical body, Richard attempted to summon spiritual power to gain control over his body. Having done this many times before, it was easy for him, and soon, the body sitting cross-legged began to move. His hands slowly raised, reaching for the two external wires of the lead-acid battery. ¡°Crackle!¡± At the moment his physical hands touched the wires, his body, acting as a conductor, formed a closed circuit with the lead-acid battery. The current flowed out of the battery and surged rapidly through his body. The sensation of being electrocuted spread throughout his body and was transmitted to Richard¡¯s consciousness through the transparent band on the back of his neck, feeling numb and burning hot. The bioelectric current in his body started to significantly increase, and his body¡¯s cells entered a ¡°highly activated state.¡± Richard recalled the content of the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± simultaneously remembering while gathering spiritual power. When spiritual power was concentrated to the extreme, it became a semi-physical, minuscule substance, resembling a grain of dust. Controlling this grain of spiritual dust, he guided it towards his heart, fixing it in place, and then gathered another grain of spiritual dust to stick together. This process was akin to swallows building nests and was a time-consuming endeavor. According to the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± ¡°opening the magic source¡± was crucial for wizards, often taking tens of days or even months to accomplish. The longer it took and the larger the magic source constructed, the more mana (energy) it could store, allowing for the release of more spells. Of course, since a magic source could be constructed, it could also be modified. Many wizards initially opened a small magic source, only to find it insufficient later, prompting them to modify and enlarge it. However, the process of modifying a magic source was not much easier than opening a new one, so some wizards instead continued to open new magic sources as their strength increased. It¡¯s said that the most powerful wizards possessed more than ten magic sources, and their mana was virtually inexhaustible. Of course, possessing more than ten magic sources, and how to perfectly utilize the mana in each without causing conflicts, was also a big concern. However, for a wizard who had not yet entered the discipline¡ªapprentice wizard¡ªthe consideration was evidently a bit premature. While Richard pondered, he continued to condense spiritual dust, slowly constructing his first magic source. After working busily for an entire night, he had barely built an area smaller than a fingernail, far from forming a complete magic source. However, Richard was not in a rush, knowing he would patiently keep building for a long time in the future. Thus, as days went by, the magic source gradually took shape, eventually forming a standard diamond shape at the center of Richard¡¯s chest cavity. Following this, Richard faced the wizard¡¯s third life remolding¡ªenergy melting. According to the explanation in the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± the purpose of energy melting was to convert the energy absorbed through star body projection into the purest standard energy, known as mana. Simply put, due to the distinct nature of different stars, the energy projected by them was a chaotic mix of various types. Even if stored in the magic source, it was difficult to utilize without undergoing ¡°melting¡± to transform into unified mana used to release spells. To carry out ¡°energy melting,¡± the third life remolding, the body needed to be in a ¡°high energy state.¡± During the process of opening the magic source, Richard had numerous suspicions about this ¡°high energy state,¡± with the most probable being ¡°magnetic field.¡± The ¡°Monroe Chapter¡± described that both the second life remolding and the third life remolding involved energy covering the whole body, showing certain similarities but not entirely the same. Considering the relationship between electricity and magnetism, this third life remolding was determined. With the determination, it became easy to deal with, simpler than the first and second life remoldings. Because of electromagnetic induction, electricity and magnetism were inseparable¡ªmagnetism could generate electricity, and electricity could generate magnetism. Arranging metal coils around the bed in the bedroom, a magnetic field naturally formed when the current from the lead-acid battery flowed through the coil. Therein, Richard clearly sensed the energy stored in his mana source being refined, eventually transformed into mana. At this point, the three barriers to becoming a wizard, the so-called three life remoldings, were all scientifically broken. The door to releasing spells suddenly opened. ¡­ Half a month later. Late at night. The entire Blue Lion City had fallen asleep, and the palace was also utterly silent. Richard¡¯s palace, bedroom. Tonight, instead of meditating, Richard stood by the window, pondering something unknown. After a while, he turned his head, his gaze landing on the ¡°Monroe Chapter¡± lying on the bed, opened to a certain page, recording a Zero-Circle Magic spell. Zero-Circle Magic. According to the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± spells could be categorized into Zero-Circle Magic, First Circle Magic, Second Circle Magic, Third Circle Magic, and so on, corresponding to different wizard levels. Among them, wizard apprentices could release Zero-Circle Magic and occasionally release weaker First Circle Magic. A first-level wizard released First Circle Magic, and in an explosive state, could release some Second Circle Magic. A second-level wizard usually released Second Circle Magic, and in desperation, could release some Third Circle Magic. And so on. Each circle of magic was further divided into three levels: low-level, middle level, high-level. Obviously, the higher the circle of magic, the stronger the spell¡¯s power and the more challenging it became. In fact, the power of First Circle Magic alone was already considered terrifying, with the highest-level First Circle Magic comparable to modern Earth¡¯s missiles in power. Zero-Circle Magic, however, was the lowest level of magic, most of which lacked destructive power and could only play some indirect roles, such as lighting, opening doors, repelling enemies, alerting against wild beasts, and so on. The weakest presence in Zero-Circle Magic¡ªlow-level Zero-Circle Magic¡ªwas often referred to by wizards as trickery. The spell Richard was looking at was considered such a trick, named ¡°Phosphorus Candle.¡± ¡°Coret¡­ Uh¡­ Plas¡­ Te Ke¡­ Anize¡­¡± Obscure incantations were uttered from his mouth as Richard slowly extended a hand. The next moment, his magic source within vibrated; mana surged forth, coursing swiftly through the veins and undergoing some specific transformation during the process. As the speed increased, the mana became active, similar to boiling water, and the passage through the veins brought a distinctly scorching sensation. Richard¡¯s palm trembled, and the active mana flowed along the radial artery, entering the palmar veins to reach the fingertips, and then burst forth. Richard¡¯s five fingers on his right hand twitched violently, causing five small, bluish flames to appear with a pop, burning quietly. The five fingers came together, and the five flames fused into a single flame, burning more fiercely, illuminating the whole bedroom. The forest-blue glow made the atmosphere in the room eerie, adding a hint of coldness to the sultry summer night as if the air had suddenly dropped several degrees. ¡°Phosphorus Candle, phosphorus combustion? So, the flame¡¯s color is blue?¡± Richard muttered to himself as he carried the flame to the window, looking outside where there was no one. With a flick, he tossed the flame from his hand, watching it fly through the air¡ªits size quickly expanded from a fist to that of a basin, then to a bathtub. The flame, more than half a meter in diameter, bathed the ground in front of the palace in a ghostly blue, unbelievably bizarre. Just as it was about to expand further, it extinguished with a puff, vanishing without a trace as if it had never existed. The Personal Guard Captain Edward, standing vigil at the palace entrance, suddenly looked up, his eyes flickering. It felt as though he glimpsed something extraordinary out of the corner of his eye, but after scanning the surroundings, he saw nothing. ¡°Did I see wrong?¡± Edward shook his head, refocusing on the palm-sized book in his hand, revisiting the ¡°knowledge¡± he had learned. ¡°The Countess Elizabeth chuckled¡­ suddenly¡­ glug¡­¡± ¡­ Inside the bedroom, Richard sensed a unique energy wave dissipating outside the window. He looked at his hands, which bore no burn marks, with his eyes slightly aglow. ¡°A spell, a real spell? Is this pseudoscience that defies explanation by science, or is it unexplored science not yet discovered by modern Earth? But regardless, it seems the legends of wizards in this world are true. In that case, I¡¯m all the more eager to understand the truth of this world, to figure out how I came to this world. Interesting.¡± Closing his eyes as if savoring something, he opened them again after a while, nodding seriously and speaking aloud, ¡°Hmm, truly interesting.¡± Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 024: Kings Will Chapter 24: Chapter 024: King¡¯s Will Editor: Atlas Studios The next day, the King¡¯s Palace. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting into the bedroom. On the bed in the bedroom, King Donnas lay in a fitful slumber under a thin blanket. After a while, Donnas opened his eyes, staring vacantly at the ceiling, his eyes occasionally wandering. As his mind gradually cleared, he turned his head to the side. Mr. Delon was standing there, raspingly asking, ¡°William¡­ and Richard, are they here?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all here, and they¡¯ve been waiting outside for a while, Your Majesty,¡± Delon answered quietly. ¡°Mmm.¡± Donnas listened, closed his eyes, as if he had fallen asleep again. After a long while, he reopened them, slowly sitting up from the bed, and said to Delon, ¡°Let them in.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Delon immediately walked briskly to the bedroom door, and momentarily returned with the two Princes following behind. Leading in front was Prince William, dressed in ordinary clothes, with no sense of grandeur. His eyes carried a tinge of sadness as he quickly walked to Donnas¡¯s bedside, half-knelt, and greeted, ¡°Father, are you feeling better?¡± Richard walked calmly behind, his face devoid of any emotion. He approached King Donnas and said, without any discernible emotion, ¡°Honored father¡ªKing Donnas, greetings.¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Donnas coughed several times, his complexion far worse than it had been over a month ago. He first grasped William¡¯s hand, patting it, then looked at Richard and said, ¡°You¡­ do you hate me this much, to remember what happened three years ago for so long?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Donnas sighed, somewhat helpless, saying, ¡°Pour me a glass of wine, and then stand with your brother, William. I want to talk to both of you.¡± Richard¡¯s eyes flickered briefly, but he said nothing. He stepped to the side of the bedroom, took out a cup and poured half a cup of wine. Sunlight from the window illuminated the cup, revealing fine black particles swirling before settling to the bottom. Richard brought the wine to Donnas, noticing the extended hand, whose skin was deeply pigmented, appearing as if tinged with pigmentation, with corn-sized bumps on the palm. As the hand was raised, its deep color turned pale, then purplish, then flushed, before returning to its original deep color¡ªclassic Raynaud¡¯s syndrome. Watching the black particles settle to the bottom of the cup, Richard handed it to Donnas, saying, ¡°You¡¯d better drink less of this wine, my dear father!¡± William turned his head, somewhat puzzled, and said, ¡°Brother, what are you saying? Father is ill, racked with pain; only wine can relieve it. How can he drink less?¡± ¡°Indeed, William is right,¡± Donnas said, raising the cup to his mouth and taking a gulp, he caught his breath before speaking, ¡°Without this wine, I couldn¡¯t bear it a day. By the way, I owe much to William; the wine he brought tastes far better than any I¡¯ve had before.¡± Richard said nothing, only shaking his head slightly. Donnas lifted the cup again, drank the wine within it heartily, his complexion appearing slightly better as the alcohol numbed his senses, improving his spirit considerably. He looked at William and Richard and said, ¡°Initially, I thought I might survive this winter, but my illness has worsened recently. It¡¯s likely I¡¯ll meet your mothers sooner than expected. I summoned you today to entrust you with some matters.¡± ¡°The Blue Lion Kingdom, though small with only a population of tens of thousands, is still a nation. Therefore, I wish to entrust it to the capable hands of William. It¡¯s not that I deem you inferior, Richard¡­ cough, cough¡­ but clearly, your interests lie elsewhere. So, come this autumn when the Baihua Forest outside the city turns yellow, I will leave the city, move there, and meet my end there, to be buried there. At that time, William will inherit my throne. As for you, Richard, you will be made a Duke, with a large territory. As long as you don¡¯t cause trouble for your brother, you¡¯ll live in peace.¡± Raising a hand to stop William from speaking, Donnas closed his eyes, concentrated his spirit again, and slowly said, ¡°Do not refuse; this is my already made decision. However it turns, I hope that after my death, both of you will live well, maintaining this country well. Additionally¡­¡± ¡­ A long moment after, the two Princes, William and Richard, having heard what seemed to be King Donnas¡¯s final words, left the palace. Outside the palace, their Personal Guards had been waiting for a long time. They immediately followed, and the two men quickly broke into two separate groups. The sound of footsteps echoed on the palace¡¯s square, the two groups walking silently to the end, heading in opposite directions. Suddenly, William stopped, turning his head to look at Richard, and called out, ¡°Richard! Brother!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard stopped, showing an inquisitive look. At this moment, William¡¯s eyes still held an indelible sadness, and he spoke with a somewhat depressed tone, ¡°My dear brother, with Father like this, I believe neither of us is in good spirits. If one day Father really passes away, the Blue Lion Kingdom will have only us two Royal Family members left. We two brothers haven¡¯t sat down and had a good talk in a long time. Today, I invite you to have dinner with me in my palace. Although I have recently been economizing to find a physician for Father, leading to simpler meals, I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Richard shook his head calmly, then calmly said, ¡°But I don¡¯t have time.¡± ¡°Well, this¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk some other time, my dear brother¡ªPrince William, goodbye.¡± Richard waved his hand, turned, and left, with his Personal Guard following closely. Edward, as the captain of the Personal Guard, glanced warily at William. William stood in place, watching Richard¡¯s group fade into the distance, and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head with a bitter smile. ¡°Your Highness!¡± A voice came from behind William; it was his Personal Guard Captain, unlike Edward, not a Noble, but a loyal Soldier. At this moment, he spoke with slight anger, ¡°Your Highness, Lord Richard was too much. You clearly had good intentions, yet he¡­¡± The Personal Guard Captain¡¯s words abruptly stopped because William was staring at him coldly, eyes like knives! ¡°Prince¡­ Your Highness, you¡­¡± ¡°Remember one thing,¡± William said deliberately, ¡°no matter what Richard does or says, he is still my brother. Besides Father, only I may judge him; no one else can! Do you¡ªunderstand?¡± ¡°I¡­ understand¡­¡± ¡°Good, then go back,¡± William said. ¡°But your Highness, with Lord Richard not attending dinner, should the kitchen continue to prepare?¡± the Personal Guard Captain asked softly. Recently, William had said to economize and had been following through, eating only breakfast, lunch, and a simple dinner, consisting of a white bread and some jam. Today, however, to invite Richard, though not overly lavish, William had the kitchen prepare something a little special. But clearly, Richard not attending the dinner would largely be¡­ Unexpectedly, William spoke, ¡°Let the kitchen continue preparing. My dear brother isn¡¯t attending, but perhaps other guests might come.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask more.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Personal Guard Captain quickly said, lowering his head. Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 025: Dinner and Target Chapter 25: Chapter 025: Dinner and Target Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Nighttime, in Prince William¡¯s palace, the dining room. On the long dining table, the candle flames flickered, making the entire room appear dim. Prince William sat quietly at one end of the table, as if waiting for someone. Suddenly, with a creak, the dining room door opened, and a figure stepped inside. Due to the dim light, the person¡¯s face was indistinguishable, but from the silhouette alone, it was evident that this was a handsome young man. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± The figure walked in, quickly attempting to greet, the voice exceedingly respectful. William raised a hand to halt the formalities, and softly said, ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± According to etiquette, the other person should have sat at the opposite end of the table, but William gestured toward the seat close beside him. The figure hesitated slightly, then apprehensively sat next to William. William clapped his hands, and immediately a maid entered the dining room, bringing the prepared food to the table; a simple fare of white bread, pork chops, half-cold roasted hare, mushroom soup, and malt wine. The two began to eat, the process somewhat silent, the atmosphere slightly oppressive. William said nothing, focusing solely on eating as though it required one hundred percent of his attention. No matter the taste of the food, he chewed it earnestly, then swallowed. The figure beside him seemed somewhat tense, although also eating with noble-standard etiquette, the pace was painfully slow, cutting a pork chop into small fragments, sending one piece at a time to the mouth. In the oppressive atmosphere, beads of sweat trickled down the face. Suddenly, as if recalling something, William placed his knife and fork lightly on the table, causing a gentle ¡°tap,¡± and turned to look at the figure beside him. The figure gulped down all the food in the mouth rapidly, placing the cutlery down at the same hurried pace, meeting William¡¯s gaze. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± William spoke, ¡°You should be quite familiar with my brother, correct?¡± ¡°His Highness, Lord Richard? Of course¡­ of course familiar,¡± the figure cautiously replied. ¡°Then what do you think kind of person my brother is?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± The figure hesitated, pondering a long time, preparing words, ¡°From what I understand, Lord Richard is very intelligent, but also quite peculiar, always researching things related to wizards or conducting various experiments. In short¡­ appears completely different from you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± William nodded, as if in agreement, his eyes flickering, ¡°Richard¡­ hmm, my brother, he is indeed very intelligent, very peculiar. In fact, he¡¯s been like this since childhood. You should know I¡¯m two years older than him. But you certainly didn¡¯t know, he was fluent in speaking and communicating with others at the same time as I was¡ªwhen I was three and he was one.¡± The figure¡¯s face showed surprise. ¡°Of course, in reality, I don¡¯t know these things myself, considering being so young, who would remember. These were all things Father told me. Father also mentioned that my brother exhibited many strange behaviors in childhood, such as never crying or laughing, utterly unlike a child, as if someone else¡¯s soul was hiding in that little body. He learned to read quickly, studied quickly, by six, the court tutor could no longer teach him. Afterward, he frequented the library the most. According to the librarian, even Richard¡¯s reading speed seemed faster than ordinary people; others were truly reading, while he was merely flipping through the pages. Crucially, after flipping through, he remembered everything very firmly. I recall when I was ten and he was eight, Father tested us one day, and¡­ do you know what happened?¡± William looked at the figure, who shook his head in confusion. A glint appeared in William¡¯s eyes: ¡°The result was, I didn¡¯t even have the chance to think; essentially, Father¡¯s question wasn¡¯t even finished, and he already answered. Finally, Father asked how to be a good king. Looking back, if he gave Father a satisfactory answer, perhaps Father would have directly established him as Crown Prince. But do you guess how he responded?¡± The figure shook his head again. ¡°He said¡­¡± William smiled complexly, ¡°He said he couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer that question. He said that being a king was a troublesome affair, and he had more important things to do, couldn¡¯t be bothered with becoming a king.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The figure didn¡¯t know what to say. William shook his head, as if talking to himself: ¡°Do you know how I felt back then? Surprised, hmm, and also fearful. Because I suddenly realized, this brother is actually far superior to me; if he wishes to do something, he would do it better than I could, but he simply doesn¡¯t want to, as though he had already foreseen the result. My brother¡¯s peculiar¡ªpeculiar person, peculiar prince. Especially after Father¡¯s test, even more peculiar, starting all kinds of experiments, researching wizard-related things, creating all sorts of frightening objects. Like acid liquid capable of easily corroding sharp iron swords, or stones thrown into water causing a massive booming explosion. No one knows what he wants to do, nor what his purpose is. In the end, even Father was somewhat fearful of him; otherwise, three years ago, there wouldn¡¯t have been that misunderstanding.¡± At this, William sighed lightly, looking at the figure, ¡°I called you here not for other reasons. I want to be a good brother, to protect his safety, irrespective of what he does, as long as it¡¯s not too excessive, to let him have his way. At the same time, I wish to be a good king, to protect this country properly.¡± ¡°So!¡± William¡¯s gaze became serious. The figure straightened up, the next moment hearing William say, ¡°You must do something for me, and that is¡­¡± The figure¡¯s expression changed rapidly, after a long time, resolute, replied, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡­ Nighttime, Richard¡¯s palace. In the bedroom, Richard flipped through the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± his eyes constantly shimmering, occasionally revealing thoughtful expressions. Although he successfully cast the first spell yesterday, he was not even regarded as a Level One Apprentice currently. A Wizard Apprentice has three levels: First-level Apprentice, Second-level Apprentice, Third-level Apprentice. Only after reaching Third-level Apprentice and successfully advancing was one considered a wizard. Currently, he merely just entered the wizarding world, just the beginning, how to proceed with the remaining path still needs exploration and decision. Furthermore, relying solely on one Wizard book to decipher the entire world was plainly impossible. He needed to acquire more wizard-related things, even to encounter actual wizards and magic creatures in this world. ¡°The road is long and arduous, I shall seek upwards and downwards,¡± Richard muttered to himself. The road was long, but Richard didn¡¯t think he couldn¡¯t complete the task of scientifically analyzing spells. Even if spells are miraculous, they must conform to chemical and physical principles, surely shouldn¡¯t freeze someone with flames or burn someone with ice cubes. Even if not conforming to chemical and physical principles, then at least they must fit within logic and mathematics, surely spells couldn¡¯t be random¡ªshouldn¡¯t two identical spells combined be less powerful than one. If truly like this, Archimedes, the leader of logic and geometry, would really use a lever to tilt the planet. Or as a math master and circle maniac, Archimedes wielded a big stick and directly slaughtered the Roman soldiers preventing him from drawing circles. Anything unknown may appear mysterious, just like things that exceeded one world by far often were deemed as magic, but it always adheres to certain laws, and these laws are science. Science is not some immutable entity, more so a way of thinking and a worldview. What Richard genuinely wanted to do was unravel the science within the spells, understanding the reason for his arrival in this world, comprehending everything. Transmigration, conquering the world, this phrase was merely for hearing pleasure, only upon happening would one realize how unreasonable it was. If like ostriches, as described in many novels, choosing not to heed, pretending everything was normal to live, persuading oneself to be assimilated by the world, living according to the ways of this world or striving under its constraints to become the strongest, obviously was a choice. But Richard did not want this. To Richard, that was no different from artificial insects raised in a box. Being futile was an insect, striving hard, becoming stronger or even the strongest, still an insect, still inside the box. What Richard wanted was to understand what was going on with this box, why he ended up in this box, then to step out. The reason for becoming a wizard wasn¡¯t fundamentally wanting some earth-shattering power but figuring out what this pseudo-science completely absent from modern Earth was about. Understanding its core principles, mastering, and utilizing them. Even the strongest wizard remains a wizard, remains the insect in the box. Unearthing all principles, stepping out the box will become a God. This is a qualitative difference. After all, living in the box, one will never know if something will crash onto the box the next moment, directly obliterating the entire world. ¡°The road is long¡­¡± Richard muttered to himself, ¡°So I mustn¡¯t waste time, must proceed swiftly¡­¡± ¡­ Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 026 The Death of the King Chapter 26: Chapter 026 The Death of the King Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` In no time, more than a month had passed, during which everything remained calm. Prince William continued to be frugal, King Donnas was still entangled with a severe illness, and Richard persisted in studying the Spells in the Monroe Chapter. After some time of studying, Richard finally learned several Zero-Circle Low-Level Magic spells besides the ¡°Phosphorus Candle¡±: namely, Flame Impact, Water Droplet Condensation, Wind Barrier, Wind Repel, Wind Light Spirit, and Wind Force. Flame Impact emitted a ball of flame that struck the enemy, causing damage. Richard tested it, and its power was roughly akin to a sudden burst of flames from a wok. It could indeed inflict some burns if it hit a person, but killing someone with it was beyond its reach. After all, Zero-Circle Low-Level Magic was really akin to tricks, with generally weak power. Its greatest function was not in dealing damage but in causing panic. By the standards of this era, an ordinary person seeing someone suddenly conjure a ball of flames would be as shocking as a modern-day person seeing someone pull out a firearm. Water Droplet Condensation gathered moisture from the air, creating droplets around. Simply put, it was similar to small-scale low-altitude artificial rainfall, or one might say water vapor condensation. Combined with the aforementioned Flame Impact, it was sufficient to solve the problem of making fire and obtaining drinking water for people living in the wild, but as for attack power¡ªapologies, none. Wind Barrier, Wind Repel, Wind Light Spirit, and Wind Force all derived from the same source. Just as Flame Impact was a Fire Magic spell and Water Droplet Condensation was a Water Magic spell, these four were all Wind Magic spells. According to Richard¡¯s study, they all used the movement of air to achieve certain effects. For example, gathering air to swiftly form an impenetrable air wall to block attacks was the Wind Barrier. For example, gathering air to crash into an enemy like a strong wind, making the enemy uncontrollably retreat, was the Wind Repel. For example, gathering air to enhance the lower limbs, increasing speed and jump height while reducing weight, thereby becoming more agile, was the Wind Light Spirit. For example, gathering air to enhance the upper limbs, amplifying explosive power to deliver an unexpected strike, was the Wind Force. Richard learned these spells partly for their effects but primarily to attempt to study the internal mechanisms for achieving these effects. Fiery Flame Impact was obviously the combustion of fuel, complying with the law of energy conservation. Water Droplet Condensation involved cooling liquefaction, obeying the laws of thermodynamics. The four wind spells fell into the category of fluid dynamics, adhering to principles like the Prandtl-Glauert Rule, the K¨¢rm¨¢n-Tsien formula, etc. Richard endeavored to explain these spells using scientific methods, then re-mastered them, with the outcome being that Richard¡¯s spells were not as rigid as those recorded in the Monroe Chapter. For instance, Wind Barrier, documented in the Monroe Chapter, was merely an air wall about one meter long and wide, and over thirty centimeters thick. But Richard could create a super-compressed air wall two meters long, two meters wide, and two meters thick. He could even transform it into spherical or cylindrical shapes. For another example, Wind Repel in the Monroe Chapter recorded the use of fixed-volume compressed air to launch an impact at an enemy, resulting in a repelling effect. Yet, after scientifically deciphering it, Richard could choose to use more or less compressed air to achieve the desired effect. He could even stack several Wind Repels together, transforming them into Strong Wind Repel or even Extreme Wind Repel. Admittedly, these were still Zero-Circle spells, but Richard could make them play a larger role. Richard believed that if the research continued, much more could be achieved. ¡­ In the blink of an eye, another month passed. When the first yellow leaf fell in the Baihua Forest outside Blue Lion City, King Donnas¡¯s black coffin was being carried out of the city. The weather was continuously rainy, just like the day he died¡­ Three days earlier. The sky was overcast, and a silky autumn rain fell, hitting people with bone-chilling cold like needle pricks. This signified the end of the hot summer and the sudden arrival of autumn. From the morning, perhaps because of the weather, the entire Kingdom felt somewhat dull, brewing something amid this dullness. The falling autumn rain and the sudden drop in temperature drove people indoors, making the vast Palace exceptionally cold and silent. Richard was conducting experiments in this silence. A beaker was placed in a water bath for heating, and the boiling water produced bubbling sounds, large plumes of white steam rising. Richard watched from the side, then heard faint waves of sound coming his way. The first wave arose from the King¡¯s Palace, accompanied by sudden cries of sorrow and panic, quickly spreading throughout the Palace and then to Blue Lion City. ¡°Knock, knock, knock!¡± The door of the independent laboratory was knocked hastily, Richard frowned, and shouted, ¡°Come in.¡± Immediately, Edward stumbled in, followed by the old butler Delon, his face full of sorrow. ¡°Prin¡­Prince, bad¡­bad news¡­¡± Edward spoke between gasps. The old butler Delon behind him spoke, ¡°His Majesty¡­¡± Without waiting for him to finish, Richard raised his hand and said expressionlessly, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The old butler Delon turned to lead the way, Richard glanced at the liquid still heating and eventually followed them out of the laboratory and out of the Palace. Through the cold autumn rain, across the square, and into the King¡¯s Palace¡¯s bedroom. Richard saw that it was now empty, the wine cabinet in the corner was empty, and some furnishings had been removed. A bed was placed in the center, with King Donnas¡¯s corpse lying on it, his skin a dark purplish hue and already lifeless for a while. At the window stood another person, who received the news earlier, Prince William. His head rested on the bed, his shoulders shaking, no sound being made; whether he laughed or cried was unclear. As if hearing the sound, William raised his head to look, tears on his face, he said to Richard with a hoarse voice, ¡°Brother, Father¡­ he¡¯s gone¡­¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Richard responded, neither joyful nor sorrowful. William visibly paused, seemingly surprised by Richard¡¯s calmness, wanting to say something, yet did not, turning to lean back against the bed repeatedly saying, ¡°Father¡­ Father¡­¡± Richard just stood beside, watching as if watching¡­ a joke. Moments later, the Funeral Master arrived, beginning to tidy King Donnas¡¯s appearance, which included trimming hair, cleaning the body, and donning clothes and armor. The rest of the attendants also started to set up the mourning hall: covering or taking down mirrors with black cloth, extinguishing the fireplace, opening all doors and windows, unlocking all locks, untying all knots, lighting candles¡­ Under these circumstances, William and Richard had to leave the room. At the Palace entrance, the two stood. A gust of cold wind blew, and William tightened his clothes, turned his head slightly to glance at Richard, his voice still hoarse, said, ¡°Brother, Father is dead, we¡­¡± Richard did not respond, just looked at the continuously falling rain and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting colder, dress warmer.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Surprised, William reacted momentarily, feeling as though Richard was kindly reminding him, nodded in agreement, ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°When the rain falls¡­¡± Richard continued, as if there was more to the sentence, yet did not finish. Shaking his head, he directly stepped into the increasingly dense curtain of rain. ¡°I¡¯ll be there for the burial,¡± said the voice from the rain. Watching, William¡¯s lips parted a few times but ultimately closed, saying nothing. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 027 The Face in the Shadow Chapter 27: Chapter 027 The Face in the Shadow Editor: Atlas Studios Three days later. The sky was dark, heavy with clouds, and the rain fell incessantly. The earth was dark, dull and lifeless. The coffin was black, carried by soldiers, heading towards the cemetery outside the city. Behind the coffin followed a long procession. Leading it, of course, were the two princes¡ªWilliam and Richard¡ªfollowed by nobles of varying ranks from Blue Lion City, and lords hurriedly arriving from across the Blue Lion Kingdom. The atmosphere was solemn and solemn as the crowd trudged along the muddy road in silence. All around was the cold patter of rain upon the ground, mourning King Donnas for no less than three days, lowering the temperature by more than ten degrees. White breaths exhaled constantly from the crowd. It was destined to be a torturous funeral. The funeral continued as the procession reached the cemetery. Surrounded by vast yellow leaves in Baihua Forest, the coffin was carefully lowered into a dug grave in a clearing within the forest. The priest began to recite the eulogy, dirt sprinkled into the grave, followed by flower petals. ¡°You now have been prepared for burial, the time of departure has come¡­¡± ¡°Swish, swish, swish¡­¡± ¡°You have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith¡­¡± ¡°Swish, swish, swish¡­¡± ¡°Henceforth, the crown of righteousness is bestowed upon you; unmatched glory remains¡­¡± ¡°Swish, swish, swish¡­¡± ¡°The world will remember your greatness, the earth will preserve your body, the sky will embrace your soul¡­¡± ¡°Swish, swish, swish¡­¡± ¡°You shall become eternal¡­¡± ¡°Swish, swish, swish¡­¡± As the eulogy went on, the grave was slowly filled in, soldiers brought large pieces of sod to ensure that plants would grow over the grave and it wouldn¡¯t become a barren spot. After this, the attendees stepped forward one by one to place the flowers they carried on the tombstone, soon transforming the whole cemetery into a colorful display. The funeral drew to a close. Some closed their eyes before the tombstone, whispering memories of King Donnas during his life. Others quietly departed. Prince William stood by the tombstone throughout. After placing a bunch of flowers, someone slowly approached him, leaned in, and whispered, ¡°Prince, everything is ready.¡± William¡¯s gaze turned to Richard standing afar, he did not speak. After a long pause, he murmured, ¡°Link, do you think I will be a good king? Do you believe I will do better than my father?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± the other replied assertively. ¡°Is it just you who thinks so, or does everyone?¡± Prince William asked. ¡°Prince, it¡¯s everyone! Everyone believes you will be more outstanding than King Donnas,¡± the other replied. ¡°Phew¡­¡± William exhaled, his eyes flickered, then he turned his head towards the other person and simply uttered one word, ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the other¡¯s eyes lit up brightly. ¡­ The funeral ended, and Richard returned to the palace. Personal Guard Captain Edward, along with the entire Personal Guard, escorted Richard back. Upon entering the palace, Edward paused, looking at the empty hall, and couldn¡¯t help but speak: ¡°Where¡­where is everyone?¡± The maids who usually filled the hall, preparing various experimental materials for Richard, were all gone. Richard spoke flatly, ¡°I gave them all a long holiday.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Edward was still puzzled. Richard walked into the laboratory, Edward followed closely. Richard took out a black wooden box, began placing various experimental reagents and some small experimental instruments inside, while busy, he spoke, ¡°My honorable father¡ªKing Donnas is dead, my dear brother¡ªPrince William is to become the new king, so I must leave as well.¡± ¡°Prince, are you going to the fief?¡± Edward asked, probing. To be honest, Richard¡¯s fief had not yet been decided. Packing up now seemed premature. Richard replied indifferently, ¡°Since I am leaving, I should travel light. Those I can¡¯t take, let them go.¡± Richard continued packing. After tidying up the laboratory, he moved to the bedroom upstairs, Edward still following. Putting the Monroe Chapter and several scrolls into the box, suddenly chaotic footsteps sounded outside the palace, not just a few or a dozen¡ªhundreds. Hundreds of soldiers surrounded the entire palace! Richard glanced out the window, unsurprised, and continued packing. However, Edward¡¯s eyes contracted sharply, breathing somewhat rapidly, he said, ¡°Prince, these people¡­these people¡­seem to be Prince William¡¯s, seems¡­Prince William intends harm on you!¡± The next moment, without waiting for direction from Richard, Edward shouted aloud to all the guard soldiers: ¡°Secure all the palace entrances, do not let them break in, protect the Prince¡¯s safety!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Personal Guard soldiers, filled with tension and panic, commenced action, firmly securing each entrance of the palace. In the bedroom, Richard¡¯s face remained unperturbed, placing item after item into the wooden box. Edward watched Richard calmly, but couldn¡¯t help speaking out, ¡°Prince, let me cover your escape. Though I don¡¯t know why Prince William does this, there¡¯s a chance to break through while there aren¡¯t many of them yet!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush, wait a moment,¡± Richard said, turning around, his back to Edward, took several books and scrolls from the bookshelf. Edward looked at Richard¡¯s back, stunned, then his facial expression grew complex. He took a long breath, eyes flickering, teeth biting through his lip, blood seeping, hand resting on the hilt of the longsword at his waist. ¡­ Over a month ago. In Prince William¡¯s palace, a simple banquet was underway. William spoke while next to him, a figure listened intently, features indistinct in the dim light. Suddenly, William¡¯s tone turned grave: ¡°I called you here, actually, for no other reason. I want to be a good brother, protect his safety, no matter what he does, as long as it isn¡¯t excessive, to comply with his wishes. Meanwhile, I also want to be a good king, and properly protect this country. Therefore!¡± The figure trembled, leaning forward, revealing his face in the candlelight: a head of gold-like hair, the face of a twenty-something-year-old man, full of goodwill, a face seemingly able to dispel all malice, with a terribly serious and reverent expression¡ªEdward Angell! ¡°If I must choose between being a good king and a good brother, I¡¯d choose the former. Originally, there¡¯s no conflict between the two, but my brother is so intelligent, to an extent that frightens me. He has no passion for power, doesn¡¯t want to become a king, so I have the opportunity to become king. But if¡­one day he suddenly becomes interested? Father wanted me to allocate him a large fief, granting him sufficient freedom. In such a case, I wouldn¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing in his domain. I¡¯m truly afraid that, one day soon, I¡¯ll awaken to find he¡¯s arrived at the city gates with a powerful army, even possibly breached the palace, with a longsword at my throat. I believe he would kill me as easily as one might kill a chicken, without blinking. He¡¯s cold-blooded, always has been. Calling me dear brother, addressing the father as Your Majesty. Behind his polite facade is intense detachment. I feel he never regarded himself as a brother or son, but as a stranger. Indeed, this ¡®stranger¡¯ has done nothing outrageous, everything according to protocol, but I still cannot be at ease. His indifference to life genuinely terrifies me. Three years ago, when blood flooded his palace, his expression never changed, he merely watched calmly. Those six months of imprisonment, too. This person is truly terrifying. Furthermore, three years ago, I personally orchestrated the event. Who knows when he¡¯ll ascertain this and seek revenge? Phew¡­ So, you must perform a task for me, which is¡­seek the opportunity to kill him. I¡¯ll create opportunities for you, but you must also strive. Once you succeed, then your family¡¯s double-sided wager will be forgiven and forgotten, I will ensure your family¡¯s safety and interests. In any case, do a good job! Moreover, Mia asked me to convey her greetings to you.¡± Edward¡¯s expression shifted several times, then he resolutely replied, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡­ Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 028 Betrayal and... Death Chapter 28: Chapter 028 Betrayal and¡­ Death Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` The longsword was drawn out silently, bit by bit, one centimeter, two centimeters¡­ ten centimeters. Suddenly, the drawn longsword was retracted. Richard finished tidying the bookshelf, turned around, and looked at Edward. Edward showed a puzzled expression. Richard said nothing, only watched with interest. Edward, struggling to hold back, slowly spoke, ¡°Prince, you¡­ what are you doing?¡± ¡°Do you know, Edward?¡± Richard asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°In my eyes, you¡¯re a typical medieval noble.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Edward was stunned, and after a moment, lowered his head, ¡°No, I¡­ I¡¯m just your loyal guard captain.¡± ¡°Say what you will, but no matter your identity, you will always put your family¡¯s interests first.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Edward hesitated. Richard waved his hand, saying, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. It¡¯s because of nobles like you, constantly striving, working hard, even sacrificing for a family, that a family can successfully rise. Hmm¡­ it¡¯s a sentiment worthy of greatness, but¡­ the problem is, you¡¯re not smart enough.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Edward¡¯s lips moved slightly, his expression a bit flustered. ¡°Over a month ago, you took leave saying you needed to return to your family, and I granted it. But I know you didn¡¯t leave the palace; you went to William¡¯s palace.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Edward¡¯s eyelids twitched suddenly; panic set in. ¡°At William¡¯s banquet, you agreed to William¡¯s request¡ªto find an opportunity to kill me, and William promised to ensure your family¡¯s interests wouldn¡¯t suffer any loss,¡± Richard asked. ¡°However you look at it, it¡¯s a win-win deal, but the question is, do you think William would keep his promise, especially after you¡¯ve killed me?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Why do you think the Crown Prince¡¯s battle has caused nobles large and small to pick sides so eagerly? It¡¯s because they all know that the victor can feast on the loser¡¯s spoils, thus strengthening themselves. Your family is betting on both sides, thinking itself smart and safe, but in reality, neither side sees you as confidants. When you kill me, you¡¯ll also be branded a traitor. Do you think William will choose to help your family against attacks, or slightly push you, tossing your family onto the dining table of those greedy nobles who¡¯ve been backing him all along? Even if William truly kept his promise and vowed to protect your family, do you think a new king can do whatever he wants? Really do as he pleases? He only truly commands a few hundred soldiers, while the private armies of Blue Lion City¡¯s nobles are dozens of times that number. When those greedy nobles prepare to enjoy the fruits of their victory, can he stop them?¡± Edward was completely flustered, his hands trembling, ¡°Prince¡­ I¡­ I was wrong, I¡­ shouldn¡¯t have listened to William, shouldn¡¯t have considered hurting you, I¡­¡± ¡°You indeed were wrong,¡± Richard shook his head, ¡°but not in wanting to kill me. It¡¯s because your family has liked to play smart from the beginning. In Crown Prince politics, it¡¯s better to choose a side randomly or remain absolutely neutral than to try and leave spots in both camps. Crown Prince politics is gambling; have you ever seen a guaranteed win in gambling? So, no matter how hard you try, your family¡¯s outcome won¡¯t change. A strategic mistake can¡¯t be remedied with tactical effort. From when your family chose to support me as the Crown Prince, sending you to me as the personal guard captain, and at the same time sending your sister to William, the current situation was decided. All I can say is my condolences, for foresight and wisdom are truly hard to come by. Alright, I must leave, and of course not to my territory, for I never intended to from the beginning. I will leave Blue Lion City, leave the Blue Lion Kingdom, and then see what this world is all about, study and understand its principles. As for you and your family, strive¡­ struggle, maybe there¡¯s a glimmer of hope.¡± After speaking, Richard picked up the heavy box and walked out directly, seeming not strained at all. Edward stood dazed in the bedroom, his body lowering, eventually collapsing to the floor, covering his face with his hands and shaking all over. Suddenly, Edward lifted his head, showing an expression of some despair mixed with madness, murmuring, ¡°What if William was telling the truth, what if¡­¡± With a ¡°shing,¡± the longsword was drawn, Edward stood up ready to walk out. But suddenly, he stepped back. With a ¡°creak,¡± the bedroom door opened; Richard, who had left, returned. With a ¡°thud,¡± the heavy wooden box was placed on the ground, and Richard looked at Edward, speaking slowly, ¡°Hm, initially, I thought I would leave calmly. But as I walked downstairs, I realized there¡¯s still one thing I can¡¯t let go of, and that is¡­ betrayal.¡± Edward¡¯s eyes narrowed suddenly, the next moment reacting as if provoked, he roared, ¡°I didn¡¯t want this either! But my whole family has half its fate resting on you, what can I do? Now, I must try to salvage it! How many times did I advise you, if you really listened to me and did things properly, with your ability, you could definitely surpass William. Then I wouldn¡¯t have to betray you! But¡­ when have you ever listened to me?! You¡¯re always researching strange things, studying wizardry, and what has that gotten you besides the torture three years ago?! Even if I don¡¯t kill you, what then, can you really get away?! Huh?! Damn it, before, when the family made me and that hybrid Mia choose, I should¡¯ve chosen to go to William¡¯s side¡­ not come to you! Then everything would be different; the one betraying you would be my hybrid sister¡ªMia¡ªI don¡¯t care if she¡¯s alive or dead! Don¡¯t care!¡± Richard smiled, a dangerous smile. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, my dear personal guard captain¡ªLord Edward! Sometimes reality is just so cruel, making one wrong step means nothing can be undone. I hope if your family ever gets another chance, they can act more wisely. Of course, if you were truly dead set on my side, there could have been some compensation. I actually have some plans to remedy your family¡¯s losses and arranged a decent position for you. However, your loyalty didn¡¯t reach that level. So, only the worst result remains.¡± As he spoke, Richard quickly approached, his lips moving swiftly as if chanting. Edward looked at the unarmed Richard, breathing heavily; the next moment, he gritted his teeth, preparing to swing his sword down, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, your fault, it has nothing to do with me!¡± But then, Edward saw Richard wave his hand toward him, a powerful current appeared, like a sudden gale in the room, crashing into him. Even clad in iron armor, under the force¡¯s power, he staggered backward, barely able to keep from falling. Spell¡¤Wind Repel! This! Edward was shocked, while Richard approached again, his lips still moving rapidly. Edward gripped the longsword tightly, about to stab Richard¡¯s abdomen, but then his eyes widened. He felt the longsword slicing through the air as if entering a mass of viscous liquid, seeing Richard right in front of him, yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t stab through. Even pulling out the longsword became extremely difficult¡ªthe weapon was stuck by some mysterious force. Spell¡¤Wind Barrier! This! Edward¡¯s worldview began to collapse, but Richard was already beside him, his hands gently pressing on his shoulders, then pinching his head. ¡°Do you know, Edward, why I didn¡¯t want to engage in the Crown Prince battle? It¡¯s because I have really important things to do. And this thing is quite interesting, just like what you see now. That¡¯s why I apologized, instead of regretting¡ªsince the path I chose, I would never regret. I hope you can as well.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Farewell, my personal guard captain¡ªLord Edward.¡± ¡°Crack!¡± Edward felt an irresistible force on his neck, twisting his entire head 180¡ã suddenly around to his back. Spell¡¤Wind Force! ¡°Is this what my back looks like?¡± thought Edward as his vision quickly darkened, ¡°thump,¡± falling to the ground, breathless. Richard looked at Edward¡¯s corpse, his eyes flickered, then slowly exhaled before turning around and walking toward the bedroom door. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 029: The Secret from 3 Years Ago Chapter 29: Chapter 029: The Secret from 3 Years Ago Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` When Richard descended the stairs into the first-floor hall, all the Personal Guard Soldiers were still guarding the various entrances and exits with extreme vigilance and tension, fearing that those outside might suddenly storm in. After all, they numbered just over twenty, facing an enemy force several times their size, which would be hard to withstand. They had no idea what had just happened in the bedroom nor why the current situation arose, only that they guarded something unknown while earning meager wages at the risk of their lives. One Personal Guard Soldier saw Richard appear and hurriedly approached, speaking quickly in a low voice, ¡°Your Highness, the people outside likely have ill intentions, with many archers aiming at the palace entrance. Your Highness, you¡­ you must not appear in their line of sight, or else it may be dangerous¡­ um, by the way, where is Captain Edward?¡± At the end, the Personal Guard Soldier asked in puzzlement. Richard looked at him, his eyes flickering as he said, ¡°Your captain has betrayed me, and I have killed him.¡± ¡°What?¡± The Personal Guard Soldier¡¯s eyes widened instantly. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°To speak frankly, even your captain betrayed me for half of his family¡¯s interests, actually¡­¡± Richard said softly, ¡°You, as his subordinates, need not protect me anymore. It¡¯s unnecessary and meaningless; you should disperse.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The Personal Guard Soldier opened his mouth wide, unsure of what to say, but he finally gritted his teeth and said, ¡°No¡­ I will always protect Your Highness, unless I die.¡± ¡°Hmm? Why? Is it worth it?¡± Richard asked. The Personal Guard Soldier hesitated, as he wasn¡¯t a noble, just a farmer¡¯s son who couldn¡¯t read and thus couldn¡¯t articulate his reasoning. He panted, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know, but I do¡­ do understand that leaving the Prince now is wrong. I¡­ I don¡¯t know why Captain Edward betrayed Your Highness, but I¡­ I won¡¯t betray Your Highness, even¡­ even if it means death¡­¡± ¡°Bill,¡± Richard said. The Personal Guard Soldier shook all over, more surprised and astonished. Until today, he hadn¡¯t spoken with Richard, never expecting Richard to call his name accurately. He quickly responded, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I have a task for you,¡± Richard said calmly. ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will accomplish it,¡± The Personal Guard Soldier struck his right fist to his chest, kneeling with one knee and speaking aloud. ¡°You are now the captain of the Personal Guard. In the palace kitchen, there is a tunnel leading outside the city. Although it¡¯s a bit low, people can pass through it. Later, you will lead all the Personal Guard through the tunnel and escape. Don¡¯t rush to refuse; I know you are more loyal than Edward. But¡­ the highest loyalty isn¡¯t dying for it but striving, humbly, and arduously to live for it. A senseless sacrifice holds no meaning. If you are truly loyal, then escape and survive. Perhaps many years from now, I may find you again and ask for your service. I hope by then you haven¡¯t forgotten me.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The soldier named Bill widened his eyes at Richard. ¡°Then¡­ then Your Highness, won¡¯t you come with us?¡± ¡°Taking the tunnel is rather tiring; I prefer to leave through the main entrance. Of course, don¡¯t worry about me, I have my own plans. Also, I want to have a word with someone,¡± Richard said, lightly tapping the Personal Guard Soldier on the shoulder before turning to walk outside the palace, his gaze sharpening. Outside the palace, spears were densely arrayed, swords drawn and tense, filled with a murderous aura. However, when all the soldiers saw Richard emerge, they were slightly stunned, showing bewildered expressions. This seemed somewhat inconsistent with the orders they had received. Richard observed this, then spoke, ¡°William, come out. If you don¡¯t come forward, your men won¡¯t dare to act. After all¡­ I suspect¡­ you absolutely wouldn¡¯t let them kill ¡®the Prince,¡¯ but rather ¡®the traitorous captain of the Personal Guard,¡¯ would you?¡± With rustling, the crowd parted to either side, and the new King¡ªWilliam, in an exceedingly luxurious robe, stepped forward. The robe shone gold, with colorful patterns embroidered all over and embedded with many gemstones of varying sizes. At this moment, William¡¯s expression was not angry but carried authority. After stepping out, he regarded Richard for a moment before suddenly smiling slightly. ¡°My dear brother, you actually came out alive. This means Edward¡­ he betrayed once more? Not only betraying you but now betraying me too? Well, I¡¯m a bit curious about how you persuaded him,¡± William said squinting. ¡°Simple. I killed him,¡± Richard said calmly. William¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, though his demeanor remained calm, ¡°So, you knew of his betrayal in advance? Which means, you were prepared for him, and then had the rest of the Personal Guard Soldiers kill him? That would be logical, after all¡­ given his swordsmanship, he could hardly defeat an ordinary Personal Guard Soldier. But I do admire your sharpness and intelligence!¡± ¡°But speaking of which, no matter how smart you are, you never expected today to happen, did you, my dear brother?¡± William¡¯s tone shifted slightly. ¡°Actually, I foresaw it long ago,¡± Richard still maintained a calm demeanor. ¡°No! Not! Possible!¡± William denied, enunciating each word with open eyes. ¡°Heh,¡± Richard said, ¡°Do you need me to explain it to you again? In fact, I know far more than you think. For instance, the rumors from three years ago¡ªI am well aware that you spread them. You instigated our respected father¡ªthe former King Donnas¡ªto suspect me and create a Voodoo Doll curse on him. The massacre throughout the entire palace, almost killing everyone from top to bottom¡­ over a hundred lives; blood stained the plaza in front of the palace¡­ then my six months of imprisonment, heh¡­ I think, back then, you were certainly very proud and assured, believing I would no longer be qualified to contend with you. Even if I wished to contest with you, our respectful father¡ªKing Donnas¡ªwould have reluctance in his heart toward me and wouldn¡¯t let go. But the thing is, from the beginning, I never intended to compete with you. I said, I have something very important to do. Though, three years ago, it did solidify my resolve to leave. Frankly, if I weren¡¯t a Prince but an heir to a small noble in this world, things might be a bit better. The role of a Prince is somewhat high, attracting much attention, with many imposed responsibilities. I don¡¯t like these responsibilities; to better achieve what I want to do, leaving is the best choice. I will leave the Palace, leave Blue Lion City, leave the entire Blue Lion Kingdom.¡± William said nothing, looking at Richard, his expression somewhat strange, ¡°You¡­¡± After a long moment, he took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, ¡°Even if you say this, I still will not let you leave.¡± ¡°` Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 030 Wizard and Spell Chapter 30: Chapter 030 Wizard and Spell Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Of course I knew you wouldn¡¯t let me leave,¡± Richard said, ¡°because if I leave, you won¡¯t have a perfect excuse. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you¡¯re planning to first accuse me of ¡®killing Edward out of betrayal¡¯ to besiege the Palace. After killing me, you¡¯d announce that I poisoned dear father, the former King Donnas, out of old grudges from three years ago. This way, you can explain all your actions and become the sole master of this Blue Lion Kingdom.¡± William¡¯s expression stiffened a bit, looking at Richard as if seeing him for the first time. A trace of panic flashed across his once-calm face, ¡°You¡­ how did you¡­¡± ¡°How do I know? Haha, because you were too obvious. From a long time ago, I knew that the former King Donnas didn¡¯t die of illness but was poisoned. The poison was in the wine you sent, and it was arsenic, that is, arsenic trioxide. However, I think you should execute the pharmacist who did this because he was too sloppy. The arsenic he used wasn¡¯t pure at all. Generally, arsenic trioxide is colorless and tasteless, considered an excellent poison. Due to the current lag in world technology, during extraction, some sulfur and sulfur compounds inadvertently mix in, which can blacken silverware; but that¡¯s no big deal. After all, the former king didn¡¯t like using silver cups. The issue is, the arsenic mixed in the wine was not only adulterated with sulfur and sulfur compounds but also with elemental arsenic. This led to the former King Donnas also showing very distinct symptoms of arsenic poisoning along with arsenic trioxide poisoning: skin pigmentation, Raynaud¡¯s phenomenon¡­ I don¡¯t know how careless your pharmacist was, but here¡¯s a kind piece of advice, never take his medicine when you¡¯re ill.¡± ¡°Then you knew, why didn¡¯t you¡­ stop me? Do you hate him that much?!¡± William asked. ¡°Ha, are you, as the murderer, pointing fingers at me, the bystander?¡± Richard countered. ¡°I¡­¡± William was speechless. ¡°Alright, let me explain briefly,¡± Richard said, continuing, ¡°I knew you killed the king because of your ambition, you can¡¯t wait to become the new king. And I didn¡¯t intervene because I have no feelings left for him. Yes, no feelings. I knew you were behind the massacre three years ago, but the king¡¯s handling also made me cold, showing me a man¡¯s stubbornness, ignorance, arrogance, and unrepentance. Have you ever heard of the concept of the original family, referring to the family a person is born and grows up in? In a good atmosphere, where parents are rational and positive, it¡¯s beneficial for the children¡¯s growth. In a bad atmosphere, where parents have many flaws, children are affected. This influence lasts a lifetime. For instance, overbearing parents inevitably lead to timid children, and overly controlling parents produce children who cannot stand on their own. Often, children believe it¡¯s their fault, breeding inferiority. The scariest thing in this world is that parents don¡¯t need to pass any test ¡ª regardless if they¡¯re qualified. Thus, becoming a prince was not my choice, and the king just became my father. This gave me a high starting point, but I cannot deny one thing ¡ª the king¡­ was not a good father. If I were an ordinary person, I might happily accept everything, but¡­ I¡¯m not. Some believe that parents managing children like possessions, with children completely obeying parents, is perfectly natural. However, I don¡¯t see it that way. I have my independent views and understanding, so if the original family leans towards the good, I try to integrate; if it leans towards the bad, I choose to break free. In other words, if a baby without cognitive ability encounters so-called parents, good or bad, due to its limited capacity, it can only be controlled by parents. But if an adult with a complete worldview suddenly meets his parents and finds them to be villains, fanatical and arrogant, often unreasonable, this person can choose to escape. Now, do you understand?¡± William didn¡¯t quite understand Richard¡¯s words, but it didn¡¯t stop his face from turning unsightly. He looked up at Richard with a gaze that became incredibly serious, ¡°My brother¡ªRichard, you are really smart, so smart it¡¯s¡­ a little frightening. To be honest, I initially felt some reluctance to kill you. But¡­ what you said today has firmed my resolve. I don¡¯t care why you¡¯re so clever or how you know so much, but you must die! Because if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll never sleep soundly.¡± William closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them, saying, ¡°People like you shouldn¡¯t exist in this world. Your presence is a disaster for everyone around you. Since childhood, everyone who comes into contact with you, whether me, father, maids, or soldiers, feels a kind of fear as if you could see through what everyone is thinking. I know you¡¯ve always been studying these things related to wizards, but even before you master them, I feel like the legendary wizard might just be like you. I¡¯ve changed my mind; I won¡¯t say you poisoned father, I¡¯ll say you turned into an evil wizard. And being an evil wizard, you must die!¡± ¡°Whoosh,¡± William raised his hand high and shouted at the archers, ¡°Kill him!¡± The archers¡¯ bodies shuddered, they glanced at each other, but no one moved. After all, he was the Kingdom¡¯s Second Prince, the future Duke, and they were just soldiers. And, having heard those words just now¡­ But William¡¯s authority still held. Seeing the archers remain motionless, he directly drew his sword with a clang and said coldly, ¡°I said kill him! Or you¡¯ll die!¡± ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh!¡± Under William¡¯s command, rows of longbows were raised, arrows nocked. ¡°Fire!¡± ¡°Swish swish swish swish swish swish!¡± In William¡¯s roar, arrows shot like locusts, aiming directly at Richard from dozens of meters away. At that distance, not to mention Richard wearing a robe, even wearing plate armor wouldn¡¯t stop them. Yet Richard, as he watched the rain of arrows flying toward him, remained utterly composed. His lips moved slightly, and the next moment, a large whirlwind of air surged and solidified in front of him. ¡°Whish¡ª¡± The feathers on the arrows quivered rhythmically, drawing nearer and nearer to Richard, then¡­ Suddenly, as if hitting an obstacle, entering an invisible force field, their speed drastically reduced, then slowed even more. Moments later, when all their momentum was spent, the arrows were suspended in mid-air. One, two, three¡­ Finally, nearly a hundred arrows hovered half a meter in front of Richard, completely unharmed. Spell¡¤Extreme Wind Shield! This! The archers widened their eyes, and William¡¯s mouth slowly fell open. ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I¡¯m an evil wizard, so I must be killed? Hmm, in a sense, you¡¯re right. Indeed, I am a wizard, though more accurately, a wizard apprentice.¡± ¡°Kill him! Fire at an angle! Shoot!¡± William¡¯s voice rang from deep in his throat, filled with indescribable terror. ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh!¡± The archers, arms trembling, raised their longbows even higher, arrows nocked with great difficulty, fired at high angles upwards. ¡°Swish swish swish!¡± Then each arrow traced an arc overhead, falling from the sky, some directly deflected, others burrowing into the invisible barrier before again halting ¡ª above Richard¡¯s head, a mass of arrows floated. Silence, a death-like silence. Autumn rain fell, the droplets hitting the skin cold and bone-chillingly cold, a cold that made the spirit shiver. Richard waved a hand, and the surrounding air returned to normal, the arrows suspended in the air clattering to the ground, breaking the silence, disturbing the autumn rain. The soldiers grew slightly restless. A cluster of green flames flickered into being in Richard¡¯s hand, burning quietly in the rain. The next moment, Richard raised his hand, and the green flames suddenly soared skyward, rising higher and higher, finally swelling into a massive fireball a meter in diameter before bursting with a ¡°puff,¡± as if signaling something. Richard waved his hand again, sending a crimson flame flying straight towards William. Before anyone could react, it struck William¡¯s face, then spread to his hair, eyebrows, luxurious robes¡­ Flames surged up, and William let out a terrified shriek, tumbling to the ground, rolling to extinguish the fire. The soldiers, anxious and uneasy, looked at Richard, already feeling the urge to lay down their weapons. Although Richard hadn¡¯t killed a single person or displayed overpowering combat ability, who knew how many more terrifying spells were hidden within this prince¡¯s body. The unknown was the truly terrifying thing. Richard took a step forward, and immediately all the soldiers recoiled in terror, like a retreating tide. Richard smiled, William rolled on the ground, almost screaming, as from afar¡­ outside the Palace, a black four-wheeled carriage swiftly approached. The wheels rumbled over the flagstone surface, producing a sound like thunderclaps. ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 031 Kidnapped by the Giant Dragon Chapter 31: Chapter 031 Kidnapped by the Giant Dragon Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Boom, boom!¡± Amid the thunderous noise, the black four-wheeled carriage drew closer to the Palace. The driver was a burly man dressed in black, wearing a full set of chain armor underneath, making him look bulky. Upon closer inspection, one would recognize him as the third steward from the ¡°KGB¡± shop back then. Inside the carriage, there were many other men dressed the same as him. Their gazes were steady yet slightly excited, knowing they were carrying out an extremely critical mission that must be completed. The black-clad driver furiously whipped the horses, urging the carriage forward at its fastest speed, and simultaneously shouted to his companions inside the carriage, ¡°You should be very clear about the key to this mission, and that is speed! We need to rendezvous with Prince Richard in the shortest time possible, then quickly retreat, and regardless of what obstacles we encounter, we must eliminate them at all costs. Now, start checking the equipment!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The men inside the carriage shuddered in unison and immediately began checking the various packages around them, which contained technology weapons surpassing the current era. For instance, battle knives made of special alloy, mechanical crossbows that could shoot accurately over 200 meters, and highly powerful yellow explosive powder¡­ ¡°Boom, boom!¡± The carriage continued moving when the black-clad driver suddenly saw something. In the next moment, he looked up, his eyes widening slightly, his mouth slightly agape, ¡°This is¡­¡± At the same time, in the Palace, William¡¯s soldiers suddenly looked towards the sky with expressions of utter shock, ¡°This¡­this¡­¡± Richard frowned, following suit to look upward, then his eyes constricted. A massive shadow unexpectedly swept across the sky. A terrifying monster came howling unexpectedly, its great wings gently flapping, its neck slightly bent, mouth agape. This reminded Richard of when projecting a star body at night, seeing several times the immense, vague black shadow drifting by. This¡ª ¡°Roar!¡± With an earth-shattering roar, massive flames spewed forth, spreading over the Palace like magma. The raindrops in the air vaporized into white steam, and one building after another caught fire. Under the dark sky, the firelight flickered, reflected on the faces of people who were stunned in terror. A dragon, a dragon that appeared out of nowhere and without warning, rudely crashed into everyone¡¯s sight. ¡°A dragon! It¡¯s a dragon!¡± someone shouted, followed by everyone screaming, scattering like birds and beasts, panicking and fleeing in all directions. By this time, there was no distinction between prince and soldiers; they were all mere insects fleeing in panic under the flames of the fire-breathing dragon. William didn¡¯t know where the soldiers took him. In no time at all, the entire square was empty, the palace behind burning furiously. Richard squinted his eyes, observing the giant dragon circling the sky. The dragon continued its rampage, spewing massive flames, setting numerous parts of the Palace ablaze, letting fear spread in all directions. Richard¡¯s eyes flickered. The so-called dragon was obviously a Western dragon, one of the demonized creatures recorded in the ¡°Monroe Chapter.¡± It had a physique similar to a lizard¡¯s, with wings growing from its back, regarding everything with huge and cold vertical pupils, occasionally opening its mouth to spew fierce flames. ¡°Interesting.¡± Richard murmured, but the next moment his eyes narrowed abruptly. The view before him suddenly darkened. The dragon¡¯s body abruptly swooped down, and the surrounding air churned wildly under its dive, making the robe on his body rustle. The next moment¡­ ¡­ Inside the Palace. The soldiers, who had finally settled down, all quickly took water to put out the fires. A few soldiers carried the unconscious William, shouting continuously, ¡°Physician, physician, the King has fainted! Physician, come quickly¡­¡± Outside Blue Lion City. In the yard of an abandoned village, personal guard soldiers crawled out one by one from the tunnel. Bill looked toward the Palace, where the flames rose ever higher, his gaze flickering as he muttered involuntarily, ¡°Your Highness, the Prince¡­¡± Inside Blue Lion City. On the bluestone road, the four-wheeled carriage had already stopped. The black-clad driver looked at the increasingly higher flying black shadow and the black spot on its back, cursing, ¡°Damn it, that dragon kidnapped Prince!¡± ¡°What¡­do we do now?¡± the men inside the carriage collectively stood dumbfounded. ¡°What else can we do? Follow the plan Prince Richard set at the beginning and execute Plan Four.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°Puff-puff-puff-¡± The dragon flapped its wings continually as it climbed higher. Richard sat on the dragon¡¯s back, checking some small gadgets in the suitcase. Some of these gadgets were small in size but powerful, and others could be modified for high-altitude gliding escape. After checking, Richard felt slightly relieved, although the dragon under him hadn¡¯t shown any particularly strong hostility, he was still accustomed to having some ability to protect himself. Looking at the dragon beneath him, Richard recalled the words from the dragon earlier, his eyes flickering, ¡°Gregory, right? Hmm, you said earlier that you kidnapped me, a prince, just to find a playmate for your daughter? I must say, that¡¯s a pretty far-fetched reason, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Roar!¡± The dragon didn¡¯t respond, just continued climbing higher, and the surrounding temperature began to drop. Richard exhaled lightly, looking at the dragon, he tried asking other questions. ¡°How do you fly?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The dragon was silent. Richard began to speculate, his gaze falling on the dragon¡¯s body, focusing on its wings for a moment, then shaking his head. Generally speaking, a creature or object doesn¡¯t just fly because it wants to; at least there are principles and science behind it. For flight, either there is a special structure like birds, or a special power source like airplanes or rockets. Judging by outward appearance, the dragon clearly didn¡¯t have the special structure of birds. As is known, birds have made compromises in various body parts during the evolutionary process to be able to fly. For example, the body is covered with feathers, not only providing insulation but also shaping the body to streamline, reducing air resistance. For instance, bones are thin and light, hollow bones filled with air, a complete skull, and bones of various parts connected, with hook-like projections on the ribs for hooking, both reducing weight and strengthening flight capability. Moreover, the special lung creating ¡°double breathing¡± and the simplified excretion system. These structures ensure that when birds flap two wings, stirring air currents, they generate enough downward resistance to ensure flight in the sky. Comparatively, the dragon had no feathers at all but only scales. To support its enormous body, its bones were definitely solid, very dense, and extremely strong. The wings only occasionally flapped, merely adjusting altitude and direction, generating almost zero downward resistance. Even if the wings were constantly flapping, given the dragon¡¯s size and weight, unless the frequency reached hundreds of times per second, it could not possibly fly. But in reality, the dragon was flying steadily in the sky. Richard pursed his lips, could it be that it had a special power source inside? Like an airplane engine? Hmm, without propellers, it was clearly not a turboprop engine. So it must be something similar to a jet engine¡ªcontinuously jetting high-speed fluid outward, using the recoil to generate power for flight. According to the usual logic, the position for expelling gas should be at the very rear, which was¡­ Richard suddenly stood up, walked a few steps on the dragon¡¯s back, and attempted to look under the dragon¡¯s tail. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 032 The Giant Dragons Dwelling Chapter 32: Chapter 032 The Giant Dragon¡¯s Dwelling Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°`html The giant dragon keenly perceived Richard¡¯s malicious intent, quickly swinging its tail to block Richard¡¯s view. Richard had no choice but to look at the airspace behind where the giant dragon had flown, then noticed there was no contrail. This was a bit peculiar. Generally speaking, when a jet engine plane travels through the air, the engine sprays high-temperature gases laden with water vapor backward. If the surrounding temperature is relatively low, these hot and humid gases rapidly mix with the surrounding air, quickly cooling and abruptly increasing in humidity. Coupled with the expelled particulate matter, it quickly condenses to form an aircraft contrail, colloquially known as a contrail line. But this phenomenon was absent with the giant dragon, perhaps because the surrounding temperature wasn¡¯t low enough, or maybe¡­ it was flying by some unknown third method, such as¡­ magic. The ¡°Monroe Chapter¡± seemed to have recorded a First Circle High Order Magic, which included an anti-gravity spell that enabled creatures to fly. So the giant dragon was really¡­ Richard looked at the giant dragon and asked aloud, ¡°Gregory, let me ask you, just now when you breathed fire, did you use Dragon Breath, or was it a so-called spell? If it was a spell, then it means you¡¯re also something like a spellcaster, right? In that case, your internal structure should be similar to that of a wizard and possess a Magic Origin type structure, so is your flight comprised of using magic?¡± ¡°Roar!¡± the giant dragon vocalized, yet did not answer, replying with a buzz instead, ¡°Boy called Richard, you¡¯ve asked me so many questions, may I first ask you a question?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard heard this, his eyes flashed, he nodded, ¡°Of course.¡± The giant dragon was about to speak. But the next moment, Richard said, ¡°But your first question has already been asked, Gregory.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence, the giant dragon named Gregory was silent for a long time, seeming to react to Richard¡¯s words, as if enduring a roar. After a long while, it buzzed again, ¡°Then can I ask you two questions?¡± Richard said, ¡°You can, but¡­ that¡¯s your second one already.¡± ¡°¡­Then can I ask you four questions?¡± ¡°You can. But you¡¯ve finished asking again.¡± ¡°Nonsense, when? I clearly asked you only three questions.¡± ¡°Just now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence, a long silence, Richard could clearly feel Gregory¡¯s massive body trembling. In fact, Richard had already known what the other wanted to ask and purposely acted this way to prevent the opponent from succeeding. However, Gregory, confronted with frustration, didn¡¯t want to give up easily, so it roared, ¡°Then can I ask you ten questions?!¡± In Gregory¡¯s view, surely now there¡¯s no way. But Richard¡¯s solution was simple, he replied airily, ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡­ roar roar roar!¡± Gregory was about to lose his temper; he originally hoped to solve this problem in a gentlemanly manner, but now he couldn¡¯t be bothered anymore, shouting, ¡°Damn boy named Richard, I don¡¯t care whether you agree or not! I must tell you once again, you are now my captive, I have kidnapped you! I¡¯m going to take you to my daughter. If you dare not to listen, or dare to speak nonsense again, I will roast you first and then throw you down from the sky. Understand?!¡± Richard raised an eyebrow slightly, and just when Gregory thought Richard had settled down, he heard Richard slowly speak, ¡°Speaking of which, someone who is kidnapped should be called a hostage, or a victim. Someone captured after losing a battle or surrendering is called a prisoner. These are not the same concept, right? Furthermore, regarding threats, it¡¯s ultimately a threat to one¡¯s life. But a person has only one life, even if you roast me and throw me down, I won¡¯t die twice. So why do repetitive work? Selecting one method for threat seems simpler. Also¡­¡± ¡°Enough! Roar!¡± At this moment, if possible, Gregory would have undoubtedly covered his own ears, but he couldn¡¯t, so he could only roar to cover Richard¡¯s voice. At this moment, Gregory regretted, regretting why he had kidnapped Richard. Perhaps immediately throwing Richard off was a better choice, so¡­ Gregory¡¯s slit dragon eye slowly turned¡­ ¡­ In the afternoon. The blazing red sunset sank towards the western horizon. Above a forest, the giant dragon Gregory flew, persistently buzzing, ¡°Shut up! Roar! Shut up! Roar¡­¡± This was the solution it finally thought of ¨C to prevent Richard from talking and asking questions as long as it made louder noises than Richard. Richard, sitting on its back, showed a slightly helpless expression. Looking at the lush forest below, his eyes flashed, and he muttered to himself, ¡°We¡¯ve left the Blue Lion Kingdom by over a thousand miles. This should be another kingdom or empire, so¡­¡± ¡°Roar! Shut up! Roar! Shut up¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Pff¡ªpff¡ªpff¡ª¡± Suddenly, as Gregory flapped its wings and dove downward, Richard turned his head to see an immense black castle standing on a not-so-high mountain in the forest. ¡°Hmm? Do dragons not reside in caves but in castles? Although it¡¯s different from legend, it does make sense¡­¡± ¡°Roar! Shut up! Roar! Shut up¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Swoosh, thud!¡± Gregory¡¯s massive body landed atop the mountain, its limbs making huge dents in the ground, and did the first thing it could think of ¨C shaking its body vigorously to throw Richard off. It would be best if he landed awkwardly on the ground. Gregory thought revengefully. But he was disappointed. With the Wind Light Spirit enveloped on him, Richard gently landed on the ground, carrying his suitcase. Gregory gave a glance, disdainfully turned his head, then shrank his entire body, transforming into a forty-something-year-old man. His complexion seemed somewhat sallow, but under his clothes, there was an eruption of bulging muscles, he was imposing and gazed sternly. ¡°Is this¡­ transformation magic?¡± ¡°Cough, shut up!¡± Gregory rubbed his dry throat and spoke. But, now in human form, his voice was evidently not as loud as when he was a dragon, unable to overpower Richard¡¯s voice. Just as Richard asked aloud, ¡°This kind of transformation from one life form to another, the volume and structure should be entirely different, right? Also, the most important thing is the mass, which is also different. This doesn¡¯t conform to the law of conservation of mass, surely ¡®Lomonosov¡¯ would turn in his grave. So¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, kid¡­¡± Gregory shouted a few more times, realizing he couldn¡¯t completely block Richard¡¯s voice, he gave up somewhat and turned to walk aside, muttering, ¡°Just wait, someone will deal with you.¡± Just when Richard thought Gregory was heading for the nearby black castle, to his surprise, Gregory instead turned and headed for a nearby cave. ¡°So¡­ still living in a cave?¡± Richard¡¯s eyes flashed. The next moment, he frowned, suddenly sensing something. Richard spun around abruptly to see a slightly petite figure walking up from the mountain¡¯s base. ¡°` Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 033: Dragon Clan Girl Pandora Chapter 33: Chapter 033: Dragon Clan Girl Pandora Editor: Atlas Studios Standing on the back of Giant Dragon Gregory, as they flew through the sky, Richard had once wondered what Gregory¡¯s daughter would be like. Initially, he imagined she might be a relatively small giant dragon. Compared to Gregory¡¯s massive, fighter-jet-like form, she might be four or five meters long and weigh several tons. Though categorized as a ¡°Mini Dragon,¡± visually, she should have more impact than a giant crocodile. Not long ago, Gregory had transformed into a middle-aged sturdy man with a sallow complexion. Richard thought, if his daughter were in human form, she might be a muscular girl standing about 1.7 meters tall, akin to female weightlifters on modern Earth. However, Richard hadn¡¯t anticipated that the daughter would look completely different. A petite figure walked up from the foot of the mountain. As she slowly approached, what eventually appeared before him was a human girl of no more than seven or eight years old, about 1.2 meters tall, enveloped in purple. Her hair was purple, like lilacs, smooth and natural. Her clothes were purple, like lavender, exuding a faint fragrance. Her eyes were purple, like two purple gemstones, clear and bright. The pendant on her delicate white neck and the bracelet on her fair wrist were also purple, like drops of purple stardust from the sky, dazzlingly bright. She seemed to be a girl who had walked out from a purple world. The purple girl¡ªPandora! But more noticeable was not her appearance; it was her aura, an impenetrable, cold demeanor. During her walk, through her gaze, in the aura she exuded, it constantly conveyed the same message: Don¡¯t provoke me, don¡¯t look at me, don¡¯t come near me, and definitely don¡¯t talk to me! ¡°Tap, tap, tap¡±¡ªthe dragon girl named Pandora walked past, casting an icy gaze at Richard before turning away and coldly walking into the Black Castle. The impression she left on Richard was like that of a high-energy girl character named ¡°Hui Yuanai¡± in ¡°Detective Conan.¡± ¡°So, the father and daughter live separately?¡± Standing in place, Richard mused to himself aloud, ¡°However, this daughter seems a bit different from what I imagined.¡± Then he shook his head. If he was kidnapped to be a playmate for such a girl, it was likely more complicated than he had previously thought. But that wasn¡¯t the important thing; what mattered was continuing his research, uncovering the truth of this world. Speaking of which, with even dragons appearing, how many more magical things were waiting for him in this world? ¡­ As evening approached, In the clearing between the Black Castle and the dragon¡¯s lair, a bonfire crackled, grilling a plump wild rabbit. The rabbit¡¯s fat slowly seeped out, shimmering like gold across its surface. Occasionally, droplets fell into the flames below, hissing as they ignited and swiftly sending out a fragrant aroma. The Black Castle stirred with movement, accompanied by the sound of footsteps, as the girl named Pandora emerged, stopping about three or four meters from the bonfire, eyes fixed. Richard turned his head, blinking his eyes, and pointed to the rabbit over the fire. ¡°Want some?¡± The purple girl did not answer, her cold gaze unchanged, showing no hunger for the food. It seemed more like disapproval and a warning, akin to¡­ ¡°The bunny is so cute; if you dare eat the bunny, then I¡¯ll¡­ eat you.¡± In the absence of mutual understanding, silent communication was inevitably difficult, especially when one side¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Richard blinked, speaking again, ¡°Hungry?¡± ¡°¡­¡± No response, as if she didn¡¯t understand at all. Raising an eyebrow, Richard recalled that he had communicated with Gregory in the common language of the continent without issue. Perhaps Gregory had learned it over his long life. This meant that the girl, Pandora, likely couldn¡¯t speak the common language and might communicate in another tongue. ¡°Podtonian?¡± Richard tried another language. ¡°¡­¡± Still no response. ¡°Klingon?¡± Richard tested another language. ¡°¡­¡± Again, no response. ¡°Fiji?¡± He tried a third language. ¡°¡­¡± Still no response. ¡°Asgarnian? Maskorian? Rakdanian? Montpeak¡­¡± Richard began testing a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth language, one after another. Having lived on this world for fifteen years, Richard had thoroughly mastered several things, particularly languages. Although not all languages of this world could be mastered, he had the most comprehensive knowledge essential for exploring the world. After all, this was a real world. Richard didn¡¯t believe that everyone on a continent would speak only one language. The problem now was that after testing the languages across these seven or eight language families he knew, Pandora showed no response. ¡°In that case¡­¡± Richard turned the rabbit over the fire, unwilling to give up, contemplating other methods. Language was the most crucial communication tool for intelligent beings (humans); it was the primary means of interaction. Generally, language emerged in specific environments out of necessity, leaving a distinctive imprint on it. Using a biological perspective, several languages evolved in specific environments from particular ancestral languages. According to the relationships among various languages, they could be categorized into several language families, which further divided into language groups, branches, and specific languages. Simply put, language has a four-tier relationship of ¡°language family ¡ú language group ¡ú branch ¡ú language.¡± From the source, language fundamentally stems from those specific ancestral tongues. Languages under the same ancestral language might differ significantly, but not fundamentally. Some are even quite close, such as Chinese and Japanese. As long as the counterpart¡¯s language family could be identified, it could greatly reduce language barriers, possibly not enabling fluent communication in a short time but allowing the expression of simple ideas. Since the current world¡¯s language family couldn¡¯t communicate with Pandora, what about some modern Earth languages? Earth¡¯s language system was more extensive, comprising 13 language families, 45 language groups, and countless branches and languages. In that case¡­ Decision made, Richard didn¡¯t hesitate, looking at Pandora and consecutively testing some widely used languages from 13 language families. ¡°English? Sanskrit?¡± testing the Indo-European family. ¡°¡­¡± Pandora remained unresponsive, merely looking cold and curious. ¡°Finnish?¡± testing the Uralic family. ¡°¡­¡± Pandora still gave no response. ¡°Mongolian?¡± testing the Altaic family. ¡°¡­¡± Pandora continued to remain unresponsive. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 034: Deaf and Mute Girl? Chapter 34: Chapter 034: Deaf and Mute Girl? Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Huh¡­ Chinese? Tibetan?¡± Letting out a breath, Richard began testing the Sino-Tibetan language series, then noticed that when he pronounced the word ¡°Chinese¡± in standard Mandarin, Pandora blinked, furrowed her brows, and showed slight emotional fluctuations. Richard immediately spoke more Chinese vocabulary for testing, but Pandora reverted to her usual self again. It seemed as though her previous reaction wasn¡¯t due to understanding Chinese, but being curious¡­ about how long Richard could keep talking. In response, Richard pressed his lips together, testing the Afro-Asiatic language series again, ¡°Arabic?¡± Testing the Austronesian language series, ¡°Javanese?¡± Testing the Niger-Congo language series, ¡°Lolofo¡­¡± Testing¡­ ¡­ Finally, Richard tested all the languages he knew and found Pandora maintaining her original pose without moving, her brows slightly raised. By now, there were only two possibilities left. The first possibility was that the language Pandora knew was a lost or unknown language, such as the likes of ¡®Indo-European-Romance-Eastern branch-Dalmatian¡¯ which had vanished, or the legendary Dragon Tongue, which wasn¡¯t any known human language. In that case, communication would naturally be impossible. The second possibility was that Pandora might not have the ability to master language at all; in plain terms, she could be a deaf-mute girl. Because she couldn¡¯t hear sounds or make sounds, vocal language was meaningless to her. In this instance, compared to the previous possibility, there remained one last mode of communication¡ªsign language. Richard looked at Pandora, pointing at her with his right hand, then withdrawing it and forming a fist, leaving only his thumb out. This was the simplest and most universally strong sign in sign language: ¡°Hello!¡± In fact, even people who didn¡¯t understand sign language could grasp the meaning; however, Pandora clearly couldn¡¯t, as she stood there, slightly tilting her head and continued looking with a cold and peculiar gaze. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± With that, Richard thought for a moment and began changing gestures. Sign language uses hand gestures to mimic actions; depending on the change, it simulates images or sound syllables to form a language with specific meanings or words. Actually, sign language also has different categories, meaning even among deaf-mutes, communication could potentially encounter language barriers. Fortunately, Richard knew a few different forms of sign language expression. However, after testing them all, he found that Pandora still showed no reaction. ¡°Alright¡­ it seems no communication is possible,¡± Richard gave up trying, shaking his head, and grabbed the rabbit he was roasting beside him. Pandora watched beside him, possibly getting tired after a while, sitting on a stone nearby with her white arms supporting her chin as she continued watching. Watching Richard roast the wild rabbit, eating it, and cleaning up afterward¡­ ¡­ Late at night. Pandora stood up, glanced at Richard, and walked into the castle without saying a word. Richard watched as Pandora entered, turned his head to glance at the nearby Dragon Cave, then looked at the open space on the mountaintop, pondering a question: where should he spend the night? He was not someone very particular about enjoyment or luxury. Previously, as a prince, directing maids, craftsmen, and soldiers to do things was a privilege and certain rules bestowed by his status. After all, the current world was a medieval-style feudal world. If, using his prince identity, one went to express concern to a bunch of maids, craftsmen, and soldiers, it would likely not move them; more likely, it would scare them. It is necessary to do things corresponding to one¡¯s identity. However, after discarding his identity, he knew clearly what kind of person he was. All necessities for life, if necessary, could be lowered to the minimum standard needed to maintain life, as long as they didn¡¯t affect the achievement of his goals. Of course, having said that, if there were choices available, one would naturally choose the most beneficial option. The current choices were: resting on the flat ground under the mountain wind; entering the Dragon Cave to rest on stones with Gregory, or entering the Black Castle to find a suitable room for a rest. So which one should he choose? Richard didn¡¯t think long, picking up his heavy suitcase and walking into the Black Castle. Inside the Black Castle, it was quiet. Upon entry, the first sight was a spacious hall. A huge crystal chandelier hung above the hall, with many oil paintings on the walls and several statues in the corners. The hall had corridors on both sides and at the back, connected to various rooms of different sizes and purposes, such as dining rooms, bedrooms, storage rooms, kitchens, and so on. In the corner of the hall, there was also a spiral wooden staircase leading up to the second floor. Richard, carrying his suitcase, thought for a moment, turned left into a corridor, and chose a room at random to enter. Using wind magic, he drove the airflow, simply clearing the dust, cleaning the room, and then put his suitcase down. There were no sheets on the bed in the corner, just the wooden boards. Richard didn¡¯t mind, sitting cross-legged, and began to meditate. So far, after long-term assistance using anesthetics, electricity, and magnetic fields, Richard could already detach from the assistance to meditate and open his magic source and melt mana. This was similar to learning how to ride a bike at the start by using training wheels, then removing them once learned. Richard considered that if his method were to be promoted, it would allow many ordinary people the chance to become wizards. If controlled properly, it could even birth an army of wizards sweeping the entire world. Of course, it was just a thought. Most importantly, it was to figure out what exactly was going on in this world. And to figure out the world, the current task was to enhance power through meditation. Thinking this, Richard sat quietly cross-legged on the wooden bed. ¡­ ¡°So quiet?¡± At the entrance of the Dragon Cave, Gregory, who transformed into a burly man with a sallow complexion, poked his head out, gazing at the Black Castle for a long time, then listened for a while with a puzzled expression, talking to himself, ¡°Hmm? No sound? That kid wasn¡¯t thrown out by Pandora? This¡­ doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡± After a long while, Gregory retracted his head, returned to the Dragon Cave, showing undisguised disappointment, ¡°In that case, it¡¯s quite disappointing, I thought that kid would get some lesson, making him endlessly bother me¡­¡± ¡­ On the second floor of the Black Castle, in a small room. Pandora, dressed in purple, hugged her knees, curled up in a corner. Her large eyes shimmered in the darkness, pondering unknown thoughts. Suddenly sensing something, she abruptly turned her head to a certain position below, her gaze suddenly becoming somewhat dangerous. ¡°` Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 035 The Soul in the Ancient Castle Chapter 35: Chapter 035 The Soul in the Ancient Castle Editor: Atlas Studios The room on the first floor of the ancient castle. Richard sat cross-legged on the wooden bed, clearly feeling his body grow heavier bit by bit, like a stone sinking rapidly in water, while his consciousness grew lighter and floated up swiftly like a feather caught in the wind. A sense of vibration arose, a cellular-level tremor resulting from the separation of consciousness from the body. Richard distinctly sensed one burning magnetic line from the star penetrating his body, inputting energy to accelerate the separation process. ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz!¡± The vibration quickly reached its peak, and under the control of his spiritual power, his consciousness moved toward the outside of his body. But suddenly, Richard felt an invisible force acting upon his consciousness, pushing it back just as it was about to leave his body. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s going on?¡± Richard was slightly puzzled, as this had never happened before. After pondering for a long time, he tried controlling his consciousness to ¡°drill out¡± from the side of his body, but as soon as he ¡°poked out,¡± the obstructive force appeared again, forcefully pushing his consciousness back into his body. The feeling was like sitting on a chair with someone beside you glaring intently. The moment you attempted to stand up, this person would immediately push you back down, pinning you to the seat so you couldn¡¯t move. This was somewhat infuriating. Richard wasn¡¯t angry, but he found it rather odd. What was causing this situation? He had exited his body without the aid of anesthetics many times before with no obstacles. Why couldn¡¯t he do it now in this ancient castle? Could there be something in the castle? Richard thought it over and decided not to give up easily and try again. Composing himself, he chose a spot directly above his body, and controlled his consciousness to break away from his body forcefully. The familiar sensation settled over him, a power appeared, pressing firmly on his consciousness as it attempted to break free from his body, trying desperately to push it back inside. Richard summoned his spiritual power, resisting this force with all his might. In the next moment, he exerted a tremendous effort and heard a ¡°bang,¡± as if something had been overturned. His consciousness shot out from his body forcefully, going through the ceiling to the second-floor room. Then, Richard noticed with some surprise that Pandora was curled up in a corner of the room upstairs, her purple crystal-like eyes gazing at a certain spot in the room below. ¡°This is¡­¡± With a thought, Richard quickly understood two things. First, Pandora couldn¡¯t see him. In that case, Gregory likely wouldn¡¯t be able to see him in his consciousness state either. Second, Pandora knew something strange was in his room, something that likely almost thwarted his earlier attempt to exit his body. What could it be? Thinking of this, Richard controlled his consciousness to quickly pass through the ceiling again and return to his original room, looking around and then freezing. Richard realized that in the room, besides himself, there was another consciousness present. To be precise, it couldn¡¯t really be considered a consciousness, but something similar. Compared to the solidity of his own consciousness, the other resembled a very thin gray mist and lacked the transparent tether connected to a body. In other words, it was independent, a kind of entity that existed without a body. It hovered in mid-air, occasionally moving to reveal a vague female face, indistinct enough that even her age couldn¡¯t be determined. ¡°This is¡­¡± Richard¡¯s thoughts raced. There was no need to guess¡ªit was evidently this entity that had been preventing him from exiting his body. But why was it obstructing him? And what exactly was it? A soul? A ghost? A spiritual body? Richard quickly pondered over it and, in the next moment, saw the entity approaching cautiously, reaching out with two arm-like appendages to wave quickly in front of him, emitting a faint consciousness fluctuation. Upon analyzing carefully, Richard realized the entity was conveying a few words: ¡°You¡­ me¡­ good¡­ go back¡­ danger!¡± This¡­ While Richard was contemplating the entity¡¯s meaning, he saw it float backward, reaching out to grab the transparent tether connecting his body and spiritual body. Instantly, a sense of extreme danger surged within Richard. He had a vague premonition: if the transparent tether broke, his consciousness might never return to his body, possibly transforming into an existence similar to this entity. ¡°Whoosh!¡± In the next moment, the spiritual power¡ªenhanced through long meditation¡ªexploded, an invisible force rapidly spreading toward the entity¡¯s ¡°soul body.¡± ¡°Bang!¡± A silent collision occurred, and the soul body didn¡¯t have time to touch the transparent tether before it was bounced off by the spiritual power, slamming ruthlessly into the wall. Then Richard noticed something: the entity didn¡¯t pass through the wall but instead stopped upon impact, as if stunned, taking a considerable time to regain its movement. Was it a difference in density? Could it be that the entity appeared somewhat similar to his own consciousness but was an entirely different existence? Like filtration in an experiment, though impurities and solutions mixed, the solution could pass through filter paper (the wall), while the impurities would be intercepted. Had it lost its connection to the body, and as it weakened, something within it depleted, eventually becoming what it was now? Richard quickly conjectured, somewhat unsure. He didn¡¯t understand this world all that well yet. Some research had just begun, and despite minor breakthroughs, phenomena like souls and dragons clearly required long-term study to attempt scientific explanations. For now, only simple guesses could be made. As Richard speculated, the soul body, having recovered from its ¡°dazed¡± state, became extremely fearful, frantically waving its arm-like appendages, transmitting more unclear information through consciousness fluctuations: ¡°No¡­ kill¡­ me¡­ fear¡­ dare not¡­¡± Richard prepared to emit some consciousness fluctuations himself, attempting communication. But unexpectedly, the entity suddenly floated out the door, leaving the ancient castle rapidly. ¡°Gone?¡± Richard murmured inwardly. After shaking his head in the next moment, Richard didn¡¯t waste more time and instead controlled his consciousness to float upward, rising to hundreds of meters high to begin absorbing the energy projected by the star. A vast amount of energy was absorbed into the Magic Origin within his body, stored and refined to become the mana needed to cast spells. This was the wizard¡¯s cultivation process. Tedious and lengthy, but inevitable. Leaving a sliver of caution for the soul body that had just escaped, Richard devoted the rest of his focus to intense meditation. The energy within the Magic Origin swiftly grew¡­ ¡­ In the room upstairs, Pandora¡¯s eyes flickered as she slowly turned her head to look into the distance, sensing something she disliked leaving. But¡­ that thing had always been in the castle. Though she found it somewhat annoying, she hadn¡¯t the power to drive it away. How did it¡­ With a slight tilt of her head, looking down, Pandora¡¯s eyes flickered once more. Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 036 The Story by the Pool Chapter 36: Chapter 036 The Story by the Pool Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` Morning. Sitting cross-legged on the wooden bed, Richard opened his eyes, stretched his body, and walked out of the old castle. Outside, a gentle breeze blew across the clearing, carrying a chill that refreshed Richard¡¯s spirit. The eastern sun was slowly rising, its rays shining upon the earth. Richard turned around, heading towards the back of the hill to survey the surroundings. After all, he might have to stay here for a significant period, so it was best to understand the area better. Moreover, if he found a water source at this time, he might also encounter some early-rising wildlife coming to drink, possibly securing food for the day. Thinking so, Richard descended the hill. After walking only a few hundred meters, he spotted a small stream meandering from afar, forming a pool about a dozen meters wide in a nearby low-lying area. It was an excellent water source. At the moment, two black shadows were drinking there. Taking a few steps forward, Richard squinted and saw that the two black shadows were a spotted leopard and a robust black bear. Both beasts were clearly at the top of the food chain in this vast forest and considered each other as prey. Thus, they drank while cautiously eyeing each other, remaining very alert. However, it seemed that both intended to leave after drinking, avoiding a fight. Richard¡¯s eyes flickered, and he hesitated slightly, wondering whether to make a move. With the help of his spells, he could definitely handle the two beasts¡¯ attacks. However, breaking their defenses and seriously injuring them would be difficult. This was mainly because the spells he currently mastered lacked attack power, and he didn¡¯t have any weapons with him. Among his belongings in the castle, there were a set of dissection knives, some capable of directly dissecting the two beasts, but returning to fetch them might mean the beasts would be long gone by the time he returned. So¡­ Richard pondered when suddenly he noticed the two beasts simultaneously lowering their bodies, a low growl emanating from their throats, a warning before an attack. ¡°Hmm? About to fight?¡± Richard wondered slightly. Just a moment ago, they were fine, so why did the two beasts suddenly want to fight? Then Richard realized he might have misunderstood because the two beasts weren¡¯t facing each other but rather him¡­ behind him. Hmm? Richard was slightly shocked, ready to turn around when he felt a strong breeze pass by. A small purple figure dashed out at incredible speed. It leaped up near the pool, covering seven or eight meters, and landed heavily like a cannonball. With a ¡°boom,¡± the ground shook, and waves splashed from the pool. The two beasts by the pool, like mice seeing a cat, tucked their tails and turned to flee in opposite directions, displaying some wisdom. The petite purple figure watched briefly before decisively chasing after the fastest leopard, disappearing into the forest in the blink of an eye. Richard¡¯s eyes glinted as he was about to follow, but shortly, the leopard emerged from the forest at even greater speed, with the small purple figure riding on its back. ¡°Swish, swish, swish¡­¡± Dust flew as the leopard galloped on all fours, carrying its pursuer and heading toward the direction where the black bear escaped. It seemed that within a short time, to save its life, it had already defected to the other side. ¡°This¡­¡± Richard watched with twinkling eyes as the leopard disappeared into the forest again. This time it took a little longer. About a few minutes later, accompanied by the sound of footsteps ¡°da da da,¡± Pandora walked out of the forest. The exhausted leopard followed her, panting as if taking three breaths for every step, and behind it was a black bear with a bruised body, as if trampled by a dragon. At this point, the two beasts were utterly obedient, following Pandora to the pool¡¯s edge, eagerly eyeing the water. After the wild run, whatever water they drank was long gone, leaving their throats parched, and the cool spring water was an enormous temptation. However, for them, they¡¯d rather die than drink¡ªbecause drinking could very well get them killed unless they got permission from the Little Demon beside them¡­ Ignoring what the two beasts were thinking, Pandora reached out a hand, grabbed the leopard by the neck, and dragged it to the pool, pressing its head towards the water. The leopard¡¯s eyes lit up, initially startled by the sudden surprise, then unreservedly stretched out its pink tongue to lick the water surface. Then¡­ ¡°Bang,¡± a delicate yet powerful fist landed heavily on the leopard¡¯s head, making the leopard feel as if the whole world was spinning. Only then did the leopard realize that what had just happened wasn¡¯t meant for it to drink but was merely a test. Barely understanding this, the leopard¡¯s neck was grabbed again, its head pressed closer to the water. This time, no matter whether it risked being hit or not, it refrained from sticking out its tongue, keeping most of its head submerged, remaining still. Pandora was satisfied, tossing the leopard aside and heading towards the black bear. The black bear, weighing over 300 pounds and standing about 1.6 meters tall, was similar to an adult human in size. At that moment, the black bear stood straight as wood where it was. The 1.2-meter Pandora walked in front of it, trying several times without managing to grab its neck. Becoming impatient, Pandora gave a barefoot kick, making the black bear immediately fall prone. Expressionless, Pandora grabbed the black bear by the neck and dragged it toward the pool. Successfully dragging the black bear to the pool, Pandora repeated the same action, pressing the black bear¡¯s head towards the water. Even though Pandora dragged it like a dead dog, the black bear felt it had lost all its dignity but didn¡¯t lose its intellect. At least its head understood from watching what the leopard had just endured that drinking water meant getting hit, while refraining ensured safety. So, it stubbornly refused to open its mouth. Then¡­ ¡°Bang! Bang!¡± Two mighty, tender fists landed on the black bear¡¯s head. In an instant, the black bear was stunned. It hadn¡¯t drunk any water, so why was there still a beating? Could it be¡­ The next moment, tentatively, the bear opened its mouth, sticking out its rough, red tongue, and noticed Pandora nodding in apparent approval. Immediately, the black bear licked the water, its large eyes widening in disbelief. How could this be¡­ ¡°Bang!¡± The next second, a spine-chilling sound halted the leopard¡¯s thoughts, and a punch heavier than before mercilessly struck the black bear, toppling its massive body into the pool. Pandora didn¡¯t stop there. With two more ¡°bangs,¡± the water surface erupted, and the black bear was utterly shattered before realizing what had just happened had merely been a test. But this was unfair! The leopard bowed its head, pretending as if it hadn¡¯t seen anything. After three punches, Pandora pointed to the side. Although the black bear felt wronged, it obediently climbed ashore. Watching the black bear, Pandora gestured to the pool, and the black bear shook its head furiously. Another gesture prompted another shake. After the third, still a shake. Pandora turned to the leopard, and this time, before Pandora could act, the leopard started frantically shaking its head, assuring it had no interest in the pool¡¯s water. Pandora finally nodded in satisfaction, then pointed to the forest. The two beasts, as if granted amnesty, scrambled into the forest, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Richard, watching on the side with amusement, genuinely wanted to ask Pandora why she did all this. The next moment, Pandora turned to look in one direction within the forest. Hmm? As the sun gradually rose, Richard heard the sudden chorus of animal sounds from the direction Pandora was looking at. ¡°` Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 037: Spell Research Chapter 37: Chapter 037: Spell Research Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` The next moment, the first thing that appeared in Richard¡¯s sight was a bouncing, plump, and large gray hare. Then came a monkey, followed closely by a goat, a large antlered deer, and then a gray fox, wild buffalo, and wild boar¡­ A mighty animal army walked out of the forest from the same direction, lined up to the water¡¯s edge, drinking in an orderly sequence before quickly leaving, without any conflict between them, harmoniously unlike anything else. Suddenly, a slight commotion appeared in the middle of the line, caused by a wild boar using its snout to push forward, trying to cut in line for a drink. However, in the next moment, the wild boar¡¯s body froze on the spot as a pink fist quickly loomed larger in its eyes. ¡°Bang!¡± The wild boar¡¯s entire body shook violently and, with a thud, was slammed to the ground, its four short legs trembling frantically before struggling to stand. Pandora stood next to the wild boar, her face cold. She pointed to the back, and the boar squealed twice, lowered its head, and frantically ran to the end of the line, obediently queuing. Richard suddenly understood. The harmony of this animal army was established under Pandora¡¯s terrifying violence, no wonder¡­ But¡­ how was this list of water-drinking animals determined? Why could these animals drink now, but the cheetah and black bear earlier couldn¡¯t? Was it because the cheetah and black bear were carnivores? No, the gray fox and hyena in the line were also carnivores. Was it because the cheetah and black bear were larger in size? That¡¯s not right either, as the wild boar and wild buffalo in the line were even larger. Could it be because the cheetah and black bear were uglier? Well, maybe it was. However, the most likely reason was that the cheetah and black bear were drinking for the first time and didn¡¯t know the rules. Not only did they not queue, but they also jumped ahead of the animal army. Naturally, they were beaten. Alright, alright! Richard watched as the animal army continued to drink water, shook his head, and turned to walk back up the hill. Instead of fighting with a group of animals for the water source, Richard used the ¡°Water Droplet Condensation¡± spell to liquify some water for himself, washed simply, and began his research. From the suitcase in the palace room, Richard took out his materials and read through the contents of the Monroe Chapter. When he encountered something that needed careful consideration, he would use materials for experimental tests, occasionally going to the empty space outside the old castle when there was bigger noise. After a few instances, Gregory came out of the Dragon Cave with a dark face, watching Richard¡¯s every move, and after a long sigh, he yawned and spoke in a buzzing voice, ¡°Hey, kid, what are you doing! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m sleeping?¡± Richard glanced at Gregory and said, ¡°Doing something interesting, researching the principles of spells.¡± ¡°What nonsense, I don¡¯t understand,¡± Gregory responded. Richard looked at Gregory and said, ¡°To put it simply, I¡¯m analyzing the most fundamental principles that make spells possible. Once I successfully analyze them, I can figure out many things. Like why I can release burning flames, why condensation can occur in water vapor, like why you can fly in the sky, and why you can switch between two different bodies¡­ things like that.¡± Gregory¡¯s eyes flashed, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. ¡°What¡¯s the use of that?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s useful,¡± Richard said. ¡°Once you understand the principles, you can truly understand it, master it, and make it part of your own strength. Otherwise¡­ you¡¯ll always be under someone else¡¯s control.¡± ¡°Strange kid, I¡¯ve never seen anyone else do that,¡± Gregory remarked. Richard shook his head. ¡°Strange? I think those who don¡¯t do this are the really strange ones, those who defy logic.¡± Richard asked aloud, ¡°Gregory, if you encountered something strange, would you try to figure it out, or would you completely accept it, even if it¡¯s extremely unreasonable? For example, one day you suddenly find out you¡¯ve grown eight legs. Would you think you were supposed to have eight legs and continue to live normally?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Richard said. ¡°The current situation is like suddenly growing eight legs. No matter what, you must find a way to understand the reason. Once you understand it, you can try to restore the number of legs to normal. Or, you might find that more legs are useful and figure out how to grow even more. Similarly, understanding the reason behind releasing flames allows you to release more powerful flames or prevent others from doing so. Understanding why condensation happens with water vapor lets you condense a greater quantity of water vapor, or maybe even something different. Understanding why you fly in the sky allows you to do the same, or find a way to make you fall during flight.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Gregory¡¯s eyes widened, looking at Richard, growing an odd sense of emotion. This seemingly frail boy, who often spoke words he could barely understand, sometimes gave him an inexplicable sense of pressure. After hearing his words, he began to worry that if one day he flew, he might indeed inexplicably fall. He thought he should fly lower and slower from now on. Damn it, bringing him here¡ªis it right or wrong? After a moment of silence, Gregory asked, ¡°Are you sure you can really do these things?¡± ¡°Right now, I¡¯m just conducting some preliminary research. I can¡¯t do it yet, but if there¡¯s a breakthrough in the research, I will be able to,¡± Richard said. ¡°So¡­ what you¡¯re saying is, there¡¯s no use for it now, right?¡± Gregory asked, feeling somewhat reassured. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Richard replied. ¡°Research is a long road; it¡¯s not just about reaching the end to be considered successful. In fact, progress at any point offers corresponding rewards, like this.¡± Richard quickly chanted an incantation, and a ghostly blue flame appeared in his hand. ¡°Spell, Phosphorus Candle!¡± ¡°This is a Zero-Circle Low-Level Magic used for illumination, and its essence is combustion.¡± Waving his hand to disperse the magic, Richard recited another incantation, and a blood-red flame appeared. ¡°Spell, Flame Impact!¡± ¡°This is also a Zero-Circle Low-Level Magic used for attack. Its essence is still combustion.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Despite both being combustion, why is the color completely different?¡± ¡°How should I know¡­¡± Gregory muttered. ¡°Combustion is an exothermic, luminous chemical reaction,¡± Richard slowly explained. ¡°The process is complex, but the principle is a free radical chain reaction, and the phenomenon involves light and heat. Because the flame elements¡¯ spectra differ, the flame color reactions differ. For example, the Phosphorus Candle Magic combusts phosphorus oxide, making it blue. Furthermore, temperature significantly affects flame color. When the flame temperature is very low, around 200 to 300 degrees Celsius, incomplete combustion causes much black smoke to be produced, resulting in a black flame. When the temperature is slightly higher, rising to about 500 or 600 degrees Celsius, the flame turns dark red. As the temperature continues to rise, the flame¡¯s color becomes brighter, turning to cherry red, scarlet, and blood red. For example, the Fiery Flame Impact is blood red, with a temperature reaching 1000 degrees Celsius.¡± ¡°` Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 038 Magic Rune Spells Chapter 38: Chapter 038 Magic Rune Spells Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°So, kid, what exactly are you trying to say?¡± Gregory was a bit confused. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is, the same burning flames can have different powers and manifestations due to various reasons. If everything is understood, then it¡¯s possible to make changes in some way to release more powerful spells, even breaking the limits of strength. By using some Zero-Circle magic in combination, one can release power comparable to First Circle or even Second Circle spells. For example, before you brought me here, I was conducting rather interesting research. That was using wind magic to change the pressure of the air, then using ¡®Condensed Water Drops¡¯ spell to try liquefying the oxygen in the air at a certain temperature.¡± ¡°Liquefy oxygen?¡± ¡°Yes, liquefy oxygen.¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Oxygen is needed by all living things, including you and me, and without oxygen, ninety-nine point nine percent of all life in this world would die, with only anaerobic bacteria remaining. Normally, oxygen only exists in a gaseous state, but at 10 standard atmospheres, lowering the temperature to -183¡æ will liquefy it. 10 atmospheres is manageable, but -183¡æ is quite difficult. Although the principle of the Water Droplet Condensation spell is cooling, it cannot lower the temperature to this extent. I¡¯ve been trying for a long time, attempting to stack effects and using techniques recorded in a wizard book, until I barely succeeded.¡± As he spoke, Richard straightened his expression, waved his hand to cancel the ¡°Fiery Flame Impact¡± spell, and began chanting long incantations. The air around moved rapidly, gathering toward his palm. After a while, drops of liquid appeared, forming a group, suspended one centimeter above Richard¡¯s palm. ¡°Whew,¡± Richard exhaled lightly, showing it to Gregory, ¡°this is liquid oxygen, and when it ignites, its volume explosively increases by over 800 times, releasing powerful energy and causing an explosion.¡± With that, Richard¡¯s expression became serious again, he chanted the spell, and the next moment focused his gaze, throwing the liquid oxygen group forcefully, a mass of blood-red flames appeared on its surface. To the naked eye, the liquid oxygen group flew far away, the blood-red flames on the surface flickered briefly, then burst into a light brighter than the sun, followed by a ¡°boom¡± sound, as if a thunderclap exploded. The dirt flew, raising dust several meters high. The shockwave was born, sweeping across the entire mountaintop like a gale, where it passed, grass and trees bowed, and Gregory could feel his clothes tightly pressed against his body by the wind, only returning to normal after a long time. Sound waves propagated outward, causing a large number of birds in the forest to take off in confusion, flying far, far away¡­ When everything settled down, looking at the place dozens of meters away, a charred pit a few decimeters deep appeared. This! Gregory was a bit surprised. To be honest, in terms of actual power, this ¡°liquid oxygen group¡± was no match for his fire breath in dragon form, but the problem was that it was released by Richard. He knew very well, Richard was just a weak wizard apprentice, and this power clearly exceeded Richard¡¯s limits. This meant that everything Richard said earlier was indeed possible. A mere wizard apprentice could release First Circle spells, even Second Circle ones, then¡­ Gregory¡¯s eyes flickered, looking at Richard, he spoke: ¡°No! There is a problem!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Although what you created is very powerful, you also spent a long time, and in the same time in battle, you would have been killed by the enemy dozens of times already, so no matter how powerful you are, you wouldn¡¯t have a chance to release it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve considered this problem, and the result is¡­ solvable.¡± ¡°How could it be possible?¡± ¡°Because in the spells of wizards, there is a type of spell called¡­ magic rune spells.¡± ¡°You can understand them?¡± ¡°I think I can.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gregory suddenly became silent. After a long moment, Gregory looked at Richard, softly but tentatively asked: ¡°Why don¡¯t I fly you back?¡± ¡°Uh, no need. Before you brought me here, I was already preparing to leave that place, but I hadn¡¯t decided where to go. So, staying here isn¡¯t a problem, and I can be a playmate for your daughter.¡± ¡°Hearing you say that, I am not reassured¡­¡± ¡°Not reassured about what?¡± ¡°Pandora¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t beat her,¡± Richard said, thinking for a moment, ¡°at least according to what she¡¯s shown now, I¡¯m not her opponent.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s just for now,¡± Gregory said seriously in a buzzing voice, ¡°for the safety of my daughter, Pandora, I think it¡¯s necessary to send you away.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that exaggerated? Aren¡¯t you here, Gregory?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gregory went silent again, after a long moment continuing in a buzzing voice, ¡°No matter what, sooner or later I will send you away. If not now, it will be someday in the future¡­¡± After saying that, Gregory turned around and walked into the Dragon Cave. Richard watched his back and shrugged. ¡­ In the evening, in a room on the first floor of the ancient castle. Richard took a porcelain bottle from the suitcase, poured fat into an ancient bronze oil lamp, then inserted a treated lampwick grass and used magic to ignite it. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± a small flame lit up, illuminating the room, bringing a bit of light to the dark castle. Richard opened the Monroe Chapter, continuing to study its content. After a moment, he took out a piece of white jade from the suitcase, seven or eight centimeters long and three centimeters wide, thin like a slide used under a microscope. In the medieval era, the West and the East had two completely different cultures¡ªgem culture and jade culture. Due to the lack of origin, the precious jade of the East was rare in the West and not favored, its value was almost like that of rocks. But according to the records in the Monroe Chapter, jade, gemstones, and crystal could all be used as materials for magic tools. With a flip of his hand, a small carving knife appeared in his palm. Richard squinted his eyes, aimed it at the white jade, and etched, the sharp blade cutting across the surface, jade chips flying, leaving strange carvings rapidly appearing on it. Richard carved with extreme concentration, occasionally pausing to think, pondering for a moment to determine the depth and angle of the next carve. Finally, when the carving was complete, the entire piece of white jade looked vastly different, both sides were covered with peculiar patterns. Those markings were not designs, there was no symmetry or beauty, rather it was mostly complex and intricate. Richard put down the carving knife and exhaled heavily. Even for him, completing such a piece of white jade was quite labor-intensive. And this was just the simplest and most basic application of magic runes. Reaching to grasp the white jade piece, Richard slightly squinted his eyes, controlling the mana within him to surge from the magic origin, through the veins to his fingertips and then into the white jade piece. In an instant, the mana was absorbed by the white jade, some mysterious change occurring within the white jade. ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz!¡± The white jade vibrated, and the next moment, accompanied by a ¡°crack¡± sound, it split open, and a ghostly blue flame emerged. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 039 The Magic System Chapter 39: Chapter 039 The Magic System Editor: Atlas Studios The current world was a truly existing world, and the wizard magic system was also an actual existing system, having undergone a series of processes: birth, development, maturity, and change. According to the Monroe Chapter, the magic system originated from the ancient wizard civilization. Long ago, the earliest group of wizards, through their wisdom and abilities, created the initial spells, forming the rudimentary outline of a system. Later on, over long epochs, the rudimentary system gradually evolved into a mature and vast system, complex and intricate, through the improvement and development by numerous outstanding wizards. Meanwhile, the entire ancient wizard civilization had reached its peak, establishing inexhaustible energy sources, the sky-piercing Babel Wizard Tower, and a floating city accommodating hundreds of thousands, even venturing beyond their origin to explore a greater world and universe. However, one day, a catastrophe suddenly struck. There were no records indicating what the catastrophe was or how it occurred. It was only known that it had destroyed the entire ancient wizard civilization at an unimaginable speed. After that came an extended dark age, an era without any historical record. Perhaps hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years passed before the remnants of the ancient civilization gradually developed into a new civilization. The new generation of wizards, relying on fragments of transmitted knowledge, began the arduous task of reviving the former magic system. During this process, inevitably, many spells were lost. Perhaps, with prolonged development, they could all be recovered, or maybe not. But, regardless, the eventual restoration resulted in a fragmented magic system, the present-day system. According to the Monroe Chapter, this system has five levels: the overall magic system, primary magic categories, magic series, magic branches, and magic schools. Primary magic categories are the starting point for classifying the magic system, with nine currently restored categories: Shape-shifting Magic, Spiritual Magic, Transformation Magic, Prophecy Magic, Summoning Magic, Space Magic, Time Magic, Magic Rune Magic, and Other Magic. Shape-shifting Magic, as implied, involves shaping, controlling, and utilizing energy. Fireballs, ice cones, wind blades, and lightning can all be included in this category, which is the most common, practical, and currently the largest magic category. This category is further subdivided into nine series: Water Element, Wind Element, Fire Element, Earth Element, Wood Element, Thunder Element, Dark Energy, Light Energy, and Pure Energy. Some series have only one branch, while others have multiple. For example, the Water Element series includes the water, ice, and acid branches. If a wizard makes significant contributions to a branch, creating a series of related spells, it can develop into a school. For instance, in the ice branch, there is the ¡°Nockno School,¡± created by a wizard named Skeeno, containing a series of spells: Skeeno¡¯s Snowball (Zero-Circle), Skeeno¡¯s Ice Cone (Zero-Circle), Skeeno¡¯s Ice Rain (Zero-Circle), Skeeno¡¯s Ice Storm (First Circle), Skeeno¡¯s Extreme Cold (Second Circle). Following Shape-shifting Magic, we have Spiritual Magic. Spiritual Magic, as the name suggests, affects a person¡¯s brain, spirit, or consciousness. It comprises five series: attack, defense, illusion technique, control, and soul, with one to three branches each, making it the second-largest magic category. Attack, defense, and illusion technique series are relatively normal, but control series spells can directly alter a person¡¯s mind, transforming someone into a completely obedient slave. Some lascivious wizards even use spells of this series to control groups of young, beautiful women as their private possession for personal enjoyment, night and day. These might include pairs of twin sisters and mother-daughter combinations, leading to condemnation from many righteous wizards. Next is Transformation Magic. Transformation Magic allows for temporary or permanent changes to the whole or parts of a life form, currently the third-largest magic category. Many spells in this category are bizarre and evil, possessing immense power while challenging morality and even humanity itself. For example, the spell ¡°Corpse Attachment¡± requires a wizard to couple with a corpse to absorb terrifying attack, defensive, and recovery powers, transforming into a humanoid battle machine, capable of fighting for three days and nights without rest. Another spell, the ¡°Black Death Wave,¡± can spread a plague across an entire kingdom in just a few days and extend to neighboring territories, directly obliterating an entire region. Its effects are impressive, yet if it spirals out of control, it could potentially destroy the entire world. Consequently, even the most reckless wizards dare not delve deeply into this category of spells. Next are Prophecy Magic spells. Prophecy Magic employs mysterious mechanisms to insight, alter, and utilize certain information to achieve the spellcaster¡¯s objectives. Because much of this series is lost, only a few series like Detect, Mislead, and Judgement have been restored, along with several branches. Then there are the Summoning, Space, and Time magic categories. Summoning involves calling life forms from unknown realms for the spellcaster¡¯s use. Space magic alters spatial dimensions to create certain effects. Time magic modifies the flow of time to produce specific outcomes. Similar to Prophecy Magic, these three magic categories have lost much of their content, resulting in only a few series and branches remaining. Moreover, a knowledge gap exists within them, making it challenging for the new generation of wizards to comprehend the inherited elements, leading to their inevitable decline. Aside from these, we have Magic Rune Magic. Magic Rune Magic employs special runes to produce specific spell effects. This type of magic, when applied to some swords, can enhance their durability and sharpness, thus called enchantment. When used within a building, it can endow the entire structure with formidable attack or defense capabilities, therefore known as an array. In simple terms, Magic Rune Magic has numerous applications and extensive functionality; it is theoretically a standalone magic category but can replace all other magic categories because it can use runes to perfectly reproduce the effects of other spells. Of course, this requires the rune carvings to be absolutely meticulous and precise; a slightest error results in failure. For this reason, Magic Rune Magic is no less difficult than Summoning, Space, and Time magic categories. Hence, when Richard announced he could comprehend Magic Rune Magic, the Giant Dragon Gregory was suddenly silent, followed by a series of unusual expressions. However, in Richard¡¯s view, Magic Rune Magic was not very difficult. In a sense, it was somewhat akin to modern Earth circuits, with the only difference being the incorporation of the current world¡¯s wizard traits. A circuit is simultaneously simple and complex, simple to the extent that a conducting wire and an energy source form a circuit, yet so complex that Earth¡¯s most advanced technology¡ªcomputers, rockets, satellites¡ªare just manifestations of abundant circuits. Evidently, magic runes are both simple and complex. Simple enough to follow a prescribed carving routine, yet constructing each mark into a whole to achieve spell effects requires extraordinary wisdom. It¡¯s akin to modern Earth¡¯s computer languages that, using just ¡°0¡± and ¡°1,¡± can create an entire virtual world. ¡­ The night was deep, the forest was tranquil like a sea. Large tracts of branches swayed under the moonlight, creating sounds akin to waves as they rose and fell. ¡°Shusha¡­hualala¡­¡± ¡°Shusha¡­hualala¡­¡± In the middle of the forest, the terrain was slightly undulating, with several peaks standing still, like several adjacent islands in the ocean. On the smallest ¡°island¡± stood a black castle. A faint light emanated from a room within the castle, resembling a lighthouse guiding maritime ships. In a castle room, Richard held a piece of white jade that broke in half, igniting a phantom blue flame that burned quietly. Richard knew his attempt at ¡°Magic Rune Spell¡± had succeeded. This was the simplest spell¡ª¡±Phosphorus Candle¡±¡ªbut being able to cast this spell meant being able to cast others as well. With the aid of magic runes, the time to cast spells could be significantly reduced. In this way, ensuring within one spell¡¯s casting time, multiple even dozens of spells could be cast simultaneously, unleashing power that breaks the limits of magic circles. In doing so, even a First-level Apprentice could, in a short time, contend with Second-level Apprentices, Third-level Apprentices, and even First-level Wizards. This was Richard¡¯s objective, the first small goal he set in researching the entire Wizard Magic System. For now, achieving this objective still posed certain difficulties, yet¡­it could still be accomplished. He waved to extinguish the flame and put away the broken white jade plate. Richard stretched his slightly stiff body and began crafting the second Magic Rune White Jade, engaging in more experiments. Then came the third, fourth¡­ The night grew deeper, yet the light in the castle room remained bright, much like a lighthouse intending to persist all night¡­ Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 040 The First Sentence Chapter 40: Chapter 040 The First Sentence Editor: Atlas Studios In the blink of an eye, many days had passed. The weather had turned a bit cooler, and the leaves on the trees in the forest turned yellow and fell one by one. Standing on the hill during the day and looking into the distance, one could see a mottled scene, like a child¡¯s random watercolor painting. During these days, Richard did not idle; he continued his research on Magic Rune Spells while busy crafting various things. Although there were plenty of materials and instruments in the suitcase he brought, they would run out one day, so he had to plan ahead. Therefore, Richard began making lime using chalk, extracting ash and pure alkali from wood ash, obtaining acetic acid, acetone, and methanol by dry distilling wood, and preparing sulfuric acid from sulfurized ore. During the process of preparation, one by one, simple structures appeared in the clearings on the hilltop, like windmills, a mixed feed vertical kiln, and shallow water ponds. Regarding these changes, Pandora and Gregory neither approved nor objected, so Richard continued with his construction. During this period, Richard also noticed some other things. For example, Gregory was not always in the Dragon Cave. From time to time, he would leave and fly to other places. Sometimes he returned in half a day, other times it took several days, and no one knew what he was doing. As for Pandora, there was still no verbal communication. Generally speaking, even a truly deaf and mute person would make some ¡°ah-ing¡± sounds, but after all these days of contact, Richard never noticed any attempt by her to speak. All communication was almost completed with a glance or a gesture, with meanings expressed very clearly and distinctly. For example, ¡°move farther away,¡± ¡°even farther,¡± ¡°still farther,¡± ¡°don¡¯t talk to me.¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but speculate whether the reason she didn¡¯t speak wasn¡¯t because she couldn¡¯t understand or express herself, but because¡­ ¡­ That night, darkness surged in like a tide from afar, and the whole sky dimmed quickly, like a beach submerged. Richard, after a day of studying Magic Rune Magic, walked out of the ancient castle and exhaled a breath of stale air. He found the clearing in front of the ancient castle to be quiet, except for the windmill groaning as it turned. Gregory had flown away the day before yesterday and hadn¡¯t returned, and no one knew where Pandora was. Even though he knew both of them were peculiar, Richard couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they were just that confident in him. Were they not afraid he¡¯d run off with all the treasures in the Dragon Cave? Of course, it was also very possible that in Gregory¡¯s smelly Dragon Cave, there weren¡¯t any treasures at all¡ªperhaps just trash and rocks¡­ Thinking this, Richard heard the sound of footsteps, ¡°tap-tap-tap,¡± it was Pandora. But mixed in with the footsteps was the sound of dragging something heavy, ¡°scrape.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard turned his head and saw Pandora, clad in purple, ascending from the foot of the hill, dragging behind her a giant arborvitae tree, decades old, stretching over ten meters long and more than thirty centimeters in diameter, with its roots still carrying a lot of dirt, as if it had just been pulled from the ground. Pandora coldly dragged the tree to the clearing on the hill and dropped it with a ¡°thump.¡± ¡°What is she planning to do?¡± Richard wondered. ¡°Preparing to transplant trees to add more greenery to the hill? But¡­ transplanting in autumn doesn¡¯t have a high survival rate, does it?¡± Pandora did not speak, merely laying down the arborvitae, and furrowing her brows slightly, as if contemplating something important. After a moment, she stretched out her hand to the root of the tree, snapping all remaining roots with a few ¡°crack, crack¡± sounds. Then she moved to the tree crown and started breaking the branches off the arborvitae with her hands. ¡°Crack, crack¡­¡± After a while, there was nothing left in Pandora¡¯s hand but the trunk of the arborvitae, resembling a giant stick over ten meters long. Pandora struggled to hold the trunk with both arms, and with a sudden swing, a whirlwind swept over the entire clearing. ¡°Whoosh!¡± Standing aside and watching, Richard clicked his tongue slightly, already certain that Pandora had not dragged the tree up here for transplanting, but what was it for? ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh!¡± Then Pandora swung it twice more, like testing the feel. After a moment, she held the trunk in her arms, frowned at the expanse of the clearing in front of the ancient castle, and disappointedly dropped the trunk, turning again to descend the hill into the darkness. It wasn¡¯t long before Pandora returned, as expected, dragging back another arborvitae, which appeared older and heavier. In the same manner, Pandora swiftly worked again, transforming this tree into the same shape as before, swinging it again. After a few swings, she shook her head again, put it down, and went down the hill once more. Repeating this process several times, there were now a total of four large wooden sticks over ten meters long, varying in thickness and weight, scattered across the clearing. Picking up the last wooden stick, Pandora blinked and looked a bit satisfied. After a moment, she thought of something, tilted her head slightly, and glanced at Richard standing beside her. ¡°Don¡¯t wander around at night,¡± Pandora said, thought for a moment, and sparingly added two words, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, and after a moment of surprise, reacted. Then he understood three things. First, Pandora indeed could speak, at least like Gregory, she could speak the common language of this world. Second, the reason Pandora hadn¡¯t spoken for such a long time was simply because¡­ well, she didn¡¯t feel like it. Or maybe you could call it¡­ aloof? There was also a certain possibility that the peculiar environment had shaped her unusual personality, like autism. In modern Earth, there are such examples, where a person shut in enough wouldn¡¯t utter a word for years, whether to strangers or family, completely isolating themselves in an independent world. In short, it wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t speak, but that she didn¡¯t want to.; Third, the fact that Pandora hadn¡¯t spoken for so long and suddenly did today couldn¡¯t just be out of interest. Given her strange actions, it was clear that something was going to happen tonight, something very dangerous. What could it be? In the dark, Richard squinted slightly, looking into the darkness below the hill. Long periods of meditation had, to some extent, heightened his bodily senses, and this allowed Richard to keenly notice that after night fell, the forest hadn¡¯t settled down. Instead, it had become more restless. ¡°Oooooow¡ª¡± ¡°Roar¡ª¡± ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± The calls of various beasts rose and fell, all entering Richard¡¯s ears. ¡°Is it going to¡­ a collective rampage? Beast Tide?¡± Richard¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, lifting his head to gaze at the night sky. A great moon broke through the clouds, illuminating the entire forest. For a moment, Richard felt, whether it was an illusion or not, that the moon appeared slightly red compared to before, as if stained with blood¡­ Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 041: Beast Tide Attacks Chapter 41: Chapter 041: Beast Tide Attacks As night fell deeper, the atmosphere in the forest became increasingly unsettling, yet nothing happened. Pandora sat on the open ground with a heavy stick in her arms, her expression icy. She occasionally twisted her head to glance in the direction of the Dragon Cave, but Gregory had not returned, and she looked somewhat worried. She would also occasionally look at Richard, who met her gaze knowingly, at which Pandora instantly switched to a ¡°keep looking at me and I¡¯ll hit you¡± expression. Richard felt somewhat helpless and after a moment¡¯s thought, he headed back inside the castle. Entering his room in the castle, Richard sat cross-legged on the bed and began to meditate. The next moment, his out-of-body experience was successful; his consciousness broke out of the castle and floated toward the hills outside. By now, Richard had grown very familiar with his consciousness. As long as he had enough spiritual power, he could go almost anywhere¡ªincluding underground, deep sea, and space¡ªand now Richard was preparing to explore the forest. Spiritual power surged, and the moving speed of his consciousness increased, finally sweeping over the entire forest like an arrow, with a translucent tether continuously stretching behind his neck. The scenes within the forest swiftly came under the scrutiny of Richard¡¯s consciousness. Tigers, cheetahs, black bears, wolves¡­ Various carnivorous beasts were becoming increasingly agitated, as if provoked by something inexplicable, their eyes turning blood red as they emitted various roars. Goats, sika deer, wild buffaloes¡­ Even the herbivorous animals were acting strangely and crazily, their gentle natures becoming bloodthirsty and irritable. Richard clearly saw a goat, accidentally tripped by a stone, furiously butting the stone with red eyes, continuing relentlessly until its head was bloody. What exactly had caused this? Richard wondered, glancing at the moon in space, which seemed unchanged. After some thought, he raised the height of his consciousness to view the entire forest, seeking answers. Moments later, near the hill where the castle stood, Richard noticed something on another mountain. It was a towering mountain, a hundred meters tall, with an imposing appearance. It was teeming with ferocious beasts engaged in a deadly battle. A tiger roared and pounced on a cheetah; the cheetah quickly dodged, then sprang up like a spring, landing on the tiger¡¯s back and biting fiercely. Several wolves were attacking a wild boar, which, despite being bitten and torn, showed no fear. It started to rush, violently ramming into the midsection of one of the wolves with a ¡°crack,¡± knocking it down. In the next moment, the remaining wolves pounced and devoured their fallen comrade before once again setting their sights on the wild boar. A bizarre wave pulsed from within the mountain, first affecting the many creatures on its slopes, then rapidly spreading to the surrounding areas. Richard could clearly feel waves of spiritual energy sweeping over his consciousness, momentarily throwing his own thoughts into disarray and bringing a surge of negative emotions, with an urge to kill and destroy everything. This viral-like infection kept coming relentlessly, seeming to forcibly control his consciousness. Richard made a quick decision and unleashed all his spiritual power. With a ¡°bang,¡± as if he had hit something, Richard felt his entire consciousness shake violently, then return to normal the next moment. Taking a long breath inwardly, Richard enveloped his entire consciousness with spiritual power to shield it from the continuing assault of the bizarre spiritual power. He couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°So the source of everything isn¡¯t the moon, but inside this mountain. What just erupted must be a kind of powerful spiritual magic, seemingly encompassing and potentially affecting a large part of the forest. To be deployed over such a large area and still have such strength, if it were concentrated on a single creature, wouldn¡¯t it instantly shatter its will, turning it into a pure rage-driven machine? This is somewhat terrifying, but also¡­ interesting.¡± Controlling the Consciousness to rise again, Richard found that as the spiritual power within the mountain peak kept dispersing, all the creatures in the entire forest erupted with unprecedented aggressiveness. Not only tigers, cheetahs, goats, and wild buffaloes participated, but even rabbits, squirrels, and mice joined in, frenziedly attacking everything in sight. On the clearing, two gray rabbits jumped high and bit towards the eyes of a black bear, successfully blinding it. In the forest, a squirrel agilely landed on a gorilla, fiercely gnawing at its back with its incisors, causing the gorilla to scream in agony. Next to the creek, a horde of mice overwhelmed a wounded hyena, leaving only a skeleton behind after a moment¡­ The wave of madness surged on, one wave higher than the last, rolling towards all directions, quickly spreading to the small hill where the ancient castle was located. One creature, two creatures, three creatures¡­ Thousands of creatures gathered at the base of the small hill¡­ ¡­ ¡°Shua!¡± With a thought, a strong pulling force generated by the transparent strap behind the neck of the Consciousness pulled the Consciousness rapidly back to the body. Richard felt a heaviness all over, the scene before his eyes blurred, one moment floating above the distant forest, the next back in the castle room. Controlling the blend of Consciousness and body, a low hum sounded in his ears, and his whole body shook violently. The next moment, Richard opened his eyes, stood up from the wooden bed, and quickly walked out of the room, out of the castle. ¡­ Outside in the castle clearing, Pandora still sat there, holding a ten-meter long wooden staff in her arms, her expression icy, with a hint of boredom in her eyes. She turned her head and glanced at Dragon Cave, her look mixing with a bit of anger. Suddenly hearing a noise, Pandora¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, she stood up sharply and looked towards the base of the hill with a piercing gaze. She could feel a wildly surging tide approaching. Somewhat annoying¡­ The next moment, Pandora sensed something else and tilted her head toward the castle entrance, seeing Richard. She frowned, and after a long while, she spoke, ¡°Go inside!¡± Feeling her tone was too harsh and commanding, to soften it, after a brief silence, Pandora added, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous!¡± and gave him a ¡°defy me and I¡¯ll flatten you¡± look. Standing in front of the castle, Richard¡¯s eyes flickered, his face calm, and he slowly said, ¡°I know you think my combat abilities are weak, and I won¡¯t explain that. You¡¯re telling me to go inside the castle out of kindness, and I¡¯m not angry about that. However¡­ to be honest, with forest animals swarming from every direction, you can only protect one side at most. Therefore, entering the castle doesn¡¯t guarantee safety, as an animal might sneak in and hurt me. It¡¯s safer to stay out here. At least if something happens to me, you can see it and come to my aid. Of course, if you think my safety doesn¡¯t matter to you and you¡¯re too lazy to protect me, then standing here shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t bother you, I can actually be of some help. Even if I can¡¯t defeat even the weakest creature, at least¡­ I can attract some attention for you, right?¡± Pandora looked over with a cold face, studied Richard for a long while, but ultimately said nothing and turned to look down the hill. ¡°Pat, pat¡­¡± The immensely noisy sound arose, as the vanguard of the crazed animals climbed up the hill, appearing on the summit: foxes, gray wolves, mountain cats, black bears¡­ A multitude of frenzied animals surrounded the entire hilltop from all sides, eyeing Pandora as though she were a fortress they must breach. From deep in their throats, continuous growls could be heard, their bodies crouched as if ready to attack at any moment. However, the first to attack was not them, but¡­ Pandora. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 042 Endless Battle Chapter 42: Chapter 042 Endless Battle With a ¡°thud,¡± Pandora smashed the ten-meter-long tree trunk she held in her hands onto the ground. With a stomp that sank a few centimeters into the earth, she leapt into the air, smashing into the closest animal like a cannonball. A loud ¡°boom¡± sounded, and the densely packed animals were blown away by the powerful blast of air. At the center, a wild boar was the most unfortunate one. It was targeted by Pandora¡¯s attack and instead of being blown away by the air blast, it was smashed heavily onto the ground. And then¡­ there was no after that¡­ Pandora stood up from the boar¡¯s body; the boar didn¡¯t move an inch. The animals around her, blown away by the blast, had already landed and were struggling to their feet, enclosing Pandora once again. Pandora clenched her fists, silent, and then stomped hard on the ground again. ¡°Snap!¡± On the ground, the body of the dead wild boar exploded under the immense force. In the rising mist of blood, Pandora leapt up and crashed into the encirclement of animals, slashing ferociously in all directions. In this moment, Pandora¡¯s combat prowess as a young girl from the Dragon Clan was fully displayed. Although she looked just like a human girl, although she appeared to be only seven or eight years old, although she only stood at a height of 1.2 meters, although she looked more coolly adorable, although she seemed to have no lethality¡­ But! She was still a Dragon, a Giant Dragon perched at the apex of all living beings! ¡°Thud,¡± her tender right fist struck out, the air surged, and the beast attempting to sneak attack screamed as it was smashed to the ground. ¡°Thud,¡± her tender left fist struck out, the wild wind roared, several surrounding beasts were heavily injured and sent flying. ¡°Thud,¡± her tender fists struck together, space trembled, and any beast too slow to dodge was instantly blasted to pieces. One second¡­ two seconds¡­ three seconds¡­ A minute¡­ two minutes¡­ three minutes¡­ After three minutes, there wasn¡¯t a single living animal in a twenty-meter radius around Pandora. With a final punch, Pandora knocked down a silverback gorilla, coldly walked back to the open space in front of the ancient castle, then picked up the large wooden stick, frowning as she scanned her surroundings. Endless swarms of frenzied animals continued to pour in from all sides, quickly filling the gaps left by the animals she had just killed; the encirclement at the top of the small hill remained impermeable. The hundreds of frenzied animals she had just slaughtered were but a drop in the ocean to the total mass encircling the hilltop. Although uncountable, there were at least tens of thousands of frenzied animals from the hill¡¯s peak to its base, densely packed. More frenzied animals surged from the forest; those that arrived late had no good spots and could only wait red-eyed in the outskirts. Only when the animals in the front had all died would they have a chance to rush forward and attack. Could they really be killed off like this? Of course not! She could only defend, keep defending, until daylight. Annoying, very annoying! Pandora thought coldly. The same situation kept occurring every once in a while, making her feel both disgusted and helpless. Glancing at Richard at the castle gate and then at the Dragon Cave, Pandora pursed her lips, her gaze filled with displeasure as she looked towards the many frenzied animals. ¡°Snap!¡± Pandora slightly exerted force on her arms, tightly holding the tree trunk in her arms. ¡°Roar!¡± Numerous crazed animals, as if provoked, roared in unison, swarming like a tidal wave. Agile tigers, leopards, and wolves led the charge, while black bears and wild boars, with their massive bodies, squeezed into the middle, and a large group of squirrels and rabbits noisily bounced and hopped behind¡­ Pandora¡¯s gaze sharpened, her expression unchanged, only her eyebrows slightly raising as she grasped a tree trunk and swung it forcefully, striking the multitude of animals. ¡°Roar¡ªsmack!¡± The tree trunk collided with the bodies of numerous animals. Their cries stopped abruptly as the tidal surge halted momentarily, and time seemed to pause. Then time resumed its course, and the tide fell back, turning the animals¡¯ roars into shrieks of agony. Blood sprayed as they were flung backward in the sudden gusty wind. ¡°Hiss! Plop!¡± The injured animals, almost upon landing, were immediately devoured. The overall morale of the animals did not falter; rather, it intensified as they charged at Pandora again. After swinging the tree trunk, Pandora did not stop, but swung it back intensely, furiously smashing it into the crowd of animals, beginning a merciless and ruthless slaughter. She was a Dragon, a powerful Dragon. Facing even the most frenzied ordinary animals, she could overpower them. Each swing of the trunk took at least a dozen lives. Her strength seemed inexhaustible, as if she could fight forever. But the assaulting animals were also relentless. After one fell, two charged forward; kill two, and four attacked. The more she killed, the more frenzied and numerous they became. It seemed both sides were unending. In this battle, who would show signs of defeat first? The answer was¡­ Pandora¡­ her tree trunk. ¡°Swish! Smack! Swish! Smack!¡± After countless swings, after countless smashes into the frenzied crowd, suddenly ¡°crack,¡± the tree trunk in Pandora¡¯s hands split. The end whirled away, knocking down a trail of frenzied animals. In the blink of an eye, Pandora was left with just a short piece of the ¡°weapon,¡± significantly reducing her striking force and range. The frenzied animals seized the opportunity for a sharper attack. Pandora¡¯s brow furrowed tightly; after a brief pause, she was already surrounded by the multitude of crazed animals. A mountain marmot attempted to pull at Pandora¡¯s hair; she fiercely shook her head and punched it away. Another otter leapt at her, and Pandora punched it away too. During this slight delay, a large number of animals had already closed in on Pandora. A black bear behind her stood upright, attempting to embrace her, with its thick bear paws gleaming coldly as they descended. Pandora snorted coldly, ¡°Smack,¡± she threw away the half piece of tree trunk, grabbed one of the black bear¡¯s paws with both hands, and with a fierce effort, she flipped the several hundred-pound bear over her shoulder. ¡°Boom,¡± the black bear heavily crashed to the ground, completely disoriented. Before it could react, Pandora, gripping its paw, swung it again, using the black bear as if it were a tree trunk. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The newly approached frenzied animals instantly suffered, hit by the black bear¡¯s heavy body, their bones breaking, howling as they were hurled away. And the black bear flung up in the air was even more miserable, subjected to continuous severe impacts. After all, force is mutual, and the pain it inflicted on other frenzied animals, it equally felt. Initially relying on its thick skin and tough flesh, the black bear felt it could barely resist and even experienced a somewhat exhilarating sensation floating in mid-air. But this feeling, after more than ten seconds, changed; the black bear began to feel pain, a pain that intensified continually. Its thick skin and tough flesh clearly couldn¡¯t block the continuous impact, especially hitting the horns of goats, deer, and wild buffalo¡­ Why all these horns?! The black bear wanted to roar out in dissatisfaction, but no one paid it any mind. It spun faster and faster, like a fiery wheel continuing to crash into the frenzied animals. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± After about twenty seconds, the black bear felt as if all the bones in its body were about to break, with no place on its body free from pain. After about thirty seconds, the black bear began to seriously contemplate the rest of its bear life, pondering its fate as a completely paralyzed disabled bear. After about forty seconds, the black bear started contemplating philosophical questions: Who am I? Where am I? How did I end up here? Ah! Mom, save me! I want to go home! ¡°Boom!¡± Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 043 The Fierce Rabbit Chapter 43: Chapter 043 The Fierce Rabbit Fifty seconds later¡­ Pandora hurled the half-dead black bear she held in her hands, knocking down the last few frenzied animals in view and once again clearing the surrounding area. Stepping down, Pandora jumped back onto the clearing in front of the ancient castle and then picked up another intact tree trunk. Earlier, in search of a suitable weapon, she had pulled up four trees and eventually felt that the heaviest one was the most suitable, but she hadn¡¯t discarded the other three. Now that the most suitable one had broken, she reluctantly chose a lighter one instead. Although it was a bit unwieldy, it was still a large wooden stick over ten meters long, and the force it wielded when swung was not necessarily weak. The next moment, numerous frenzied animals charged again, and Pandora, with a tense face, fiercely swung this second tree trunk. ¡°Bang, bang, bang!¡± From above, one could see the whole hill was packed with frenzied animals, continuously charging towards the last open space at the peak of the hill. Pandora stood like the last soldier facing thousands of enemies, valiantly holding her ground. Blood won¡¯t dry, nor battles cease till death. Of course, the blood that flowed was all from the frenzied animals; Pandora suffered no injuries, though her eyes showed slight boredom and disgust. ¡°Bang, bang, bang¡­Crack!¡± Not too long later, perhaps half an hour, perhaps an hour, hundreds if not thousands of frenzied animals had died. They were still fiercely attacking, and the tree trunk in Pandora¡¯s hand snapped once more. Watching the broken tree trunk fly away, Pandora hurried back to grab the third tree trunk, but the frenzied animals naturally didn¡¯t allow it, desperately blocking her. Seeing Pandora turn around, they continuously attacked her back. Pandora frowned, her gaze sweeping the surroundings, and she noticed that perhaps the frenzied animals had learned their lesson from before. Now, smaller animals were attacking, such as purple minks, leopard cats, and macaques, whereas larger animals like wild boars and black bears were all kept to the periphery, which prevented her from cleaning out a space as before. Should she ignore the attacks, grab the tree trunk first? Or should she deal with these small animals before grabbing the tree trunk? Pandora appeared a bit conflicted as she thought this over, suddenly feeling a strong gust of wind blow past her side, fiercely towards the group of small animals attacking her. The next moment, she saw numerous small animals emit a series of screams, blown over ten meters away by the wind force, landing among the crowded throng of animals. What? Pandora turned her head in slight surprise, just in time to see Richard slowly lowering his raised hand. Spell¡¤One-Circle Low-Grade¡¤Strong Wind Repulsion! ¡°Perhaps¡­you didn¡¯t need me to do that, maybe you had your own way to handle it, but at least I didn¡¯t make things worse, right?¡± Richard said softly. Pandora didn¡¯t respond, taking a few steps forward, she grabbed the third tree trunk and swung it, knocking down batch after batch of frenzied animals. After clearing the area for the third time, she turned to look at Richard, her mouth opening and closing several times, looking as though she wanted to say something, but in the end, it was compressed into a strange syllable: ¡°Gah!¡± Gah? Richard was startled. What was that? Thanks? He shrugged his shoulders and looked around, his gaze becoming sharper the next moment, his hand flipped, and he now held a scalpel-like knife, its blade sharp, emitting a cold light that captivates the soul. Because some of the animals around were looking over with ill intentions, perhaps because of his intervention just now. With Pandora¡¯s protection, Richard didn¡¯t think large animals like black bears or wild buffaloes could get close to him, but smaller animals like gray rabbits or otters couldn¡¯t be ruled out. As he pondered, a black shadow flashed by. A yellow weasel sprang forward like an arrow released from its bow, its sharp claws viciously aiming for the eyes. Richard¡¯s eyes slightly squinted, his hand moved, and a cold glint flashed in mid-air, followed by a blossoming of blood. The weasel¡¯s claws softened powerlessly; they were half a meter away from touching the eyes when its neck was completely sliced open. The intense movement accelerated the weasel¡¯s heart, pumping blood throughout its body. In such a situation, when the main arteries were severed, the blood instantly spurted out like a fountain, scattering in mid-air like a blooming blood lotus. ¡°Bang,¡± the weasel fell from the sky, crashing onto the ground, convulsing to death. Richard flicked the surgical knife in his hand, and beads of blood strung together flew off as he looked again at the crazed swarm of animals, noticing the worsening situation. Killing a weasel did not instill fear in the animals, instead, it triggered their ferocity. Pandora swung tree trunks wildly, stirring up a storm of blood and gore among the animals, but she couldn¡¯t block them all. Continuously, some got through and attacked. Richard was not frightened; he calmly watched and then acted calmly. There were no special moves, just swiftly slicing with the surgical knife at the enemies¡¯ critical points, ending the battle during a brief encounter. Compared to Pandora, Richard¡¯s fight lacked any sort of spectacle, but it was more precise, straightforward, and efficient. Richard didn¡¯t kill the most, but he was the fastest, and there was one thing¡ª the animals Richard killed were generally not scavenged by the others because any that dared come close became the souls under his knife. Sometimes, several small animals would attack Richard together; at these moments, he would generously unleash a spell. Usually starting with Wind Repel to blow the animals away and then killing them one by one. If that didn¡¯t work, he would use Wind Barrier to ensure his safety before launching an attack. And if that still wasn¡¯t enough, he¡¯d reinforce his body with ¡°Wind Light Spirit¡± and ¡°Wind Force¡± to enhance his agility and strength, continuously attacking the animals¡¯ critical points, causing them to bleed out and die. Gradually, animal carcasses began to pile up around Richard, forming a small mountain. Richard was about to cast a ¡°Fiery Flame Impact¡± spell to ignite the pile of bodies, impeding the onslaught of the frenzied animals. Suddenly, sensing danger, he instinctively turned his head and saw a streak of silver flash before his eyes, immediately feeling a scorching pain on his face. Touching it lightly with his hand, it came away bloody, clearly from a scratch. This was¡­ Richard¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked towards the silver shadow not far away, his eyebrows slightly raising, discovering it was actually a rabbit. The opponent was about twenty-something centimeters long, weighing over ten pounds. The undercoat was blue-black, while the guard hair was white, giving it a silver appearance, evidently a close relative to the modern Earth¡¯s small rabbit or Silver Rabbit species. However, this rabbit was clearly more formidable than the other crazed animals, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have injured him. It wasn¡¯t just its incredible speed, but also its perfect timing just as he was about to release his spell. More importantly, there were slight mana fluctuations within the body of the opponent, indicating it might be a demonized creature, similar to the Flame Python they once captured outside Blue Lion City. Yet, it must only be in the early stages of demonization; otherwise, it might resist the spiritual power emanating from the distant mountains and not join the other animals in frenzied combat. Regardless, this opponent was much more dangerous than many of the other animals. Are rabbits ferocious? Richard murmured to himself, gripping the surgical knife tighter in his hand. Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 044 Spells Unleashed Chapter 44: Chapter 044 Spells Unleashed Moments later, the Silver Rabbit ¡°swooshed¡± towards him again, and Richard quickly swiped with his scalpel, stabbing at the creature¡¯s neck. The blade sliced through its fur, and Richard felt a sticky resistance, as if cutting into an incredibly viscous glue. Is this¡­ Wind Magic? Richard¡¯s eyes flashed with understanding; he began to grasp the direction of the Silver Rabbit¡¯s demonization. As the creature clawed at him, Richard was reluctant to have his face scratched again; he gripped his scalpel and with a backhanded block, he parried the Silver Rabbit¡¯s paw, and to his surprise, sparks flew in the night light. Its limbs have been enhanced, too¡ªhardness and durability. That must be Transformation Magic. Richard thought, his movements not slowing a bit. After blocking the Silver Rabbit¡¯s attack, he slightly altered the angle of his scalpel, stabbing at the Silver Rabbit¡¯s eyes. But the Silver Rabbit deftly dodged, arcing through the air and lightly landing, then spinning around, jumping, and swiping its claws at Richard for the third time. Richard, still wielding the scalpel, parried and slashed toward the creature¡¯s underbelly, forcing it to awkwardly twist and dodge. Following through, the scalpel then swept towards the Silver Rabbit¡¯s hind legs. ¡°Crack, splurt!¡± The Silver Rabbit kicked hard, leaving three deep wounds on Richard¡¯s hand, but its own hind leg was cut open by Richard, with fresh blood flowing continuously. Landing, the Silver Rabbit glared at Richard with bloodshot eyes. Richard, though, paid no attention to the Silver Rabbit, frowning slightly at the three gashes on his arm as he contemplated disinfecting them with alcohol later to prevent bacterial infection and decay. ¡°Snap,¡± the Silver Rabbit, eyes still bloodshot, leaped aggressively for the fourth time. Richard turned his head, his eyes narrowing slightly, already determined to end the fight quickly and kill the Silver Rabbit. On the one hand, as a demonized creature, the Silver Rabbit had some anatomical research value, and encountering it was fortunate. If he let the battle drag on and it escaped, it would be a considerable loss. On the other hand, the Silver Rabbit¡¯s combat ability was not low; dragging out the fight might cause him numerous injuries, making treatment troublesome. So, a quick resolution was best. With this in mind, as he watched the Silver Rabbit attack once more, Richard still held the scalpel in his right hand, but with his left, he tilted towards the ground, sliding a White Jade Plate from his sleeve. The White Jade Plate, three centimeters wide, eight long, and three millimeters thick, its surface intricately etched with countless Magic Runes, emitted a faint ¡°click¡± as Richard grasped it in hand. Mana surged rapidly from his Magic Origin, streaming through the White Jade Plate, bringing it into effect. With a ¡°crack,¡± the White Jade Plate snapped in half, and the surrounding air surged violently. Simultaneously, Richard¡¯s scalpel, clutched in his right hand, fiercely stabbed down, aiming straight for the Silver Rabbit¡¯s heart. The Silver Rabbit, slightly panicked, twisted its body to dodge to the side, only to solidly slam into an invisible Air Wall the next moment with a ¡°bang,¡± uncontrollably flung aside. Magic Rune Spell¡¤Zero-Circle Low Order¡¤Wind Barrier! Richard slid his foot forward; his scalpel¡¯s blade chased the Silver Rabbit¡¯s form like a venomous snake, cutting into its fur, the familiar tacky sensation appearing again. He knew that with the Air Shield in place, he would struggle to hit any vital spots on the Silver Rabbit¡¯s body. Difficult, however, did not mean absolutely impossible. His left hand tilted downward once more, sliding out another White Jade Plate with a ¡°snap.¡± Mana from his Magic Origin flowed into it. Richard acutely felt the air around him stirring, converging towards him, then encasing his body like a suit of Armor. The next instant, strength exploded from his feet, travelling up his legs to his waist, up his spine to his shoulders. It then surged into his right arm, through the elbow and wrist joints to his fingertips. The forming Air Armor felt like an exoskeletal suit from legends, greatly amplifying his strength at every stage until it finally burst forth at the endpoint. ¡°Whoosh,¡± the dagger in Richard¡¯s hand suddenly grew heavy as if thousands of pounds were bearing down. It punctured the Air Shield around the Silver Rabbit in an instant and pierced into its flesh. Magic Rune Spell¡¤Zero-Circle Low Order¡¤Wind Force! With a ¡°spurt,¡± Richard¡¯s dagger slashed through, and a large spray of blood bloomed. ¡°Gurgle!¡± The Silver Rabbit let out a wretched cry, landing and tumbling several times before struggling to its feet. Compared to the other crazed animals, the Silver Rabbit, a creature that had just undergone Demonization, was moderately affected by the burst of Spiritual Power from the nearby mountain. Though its aggression had greatly increased, it wasn¡¯t relentless, particularly after being wounded, and it was already considering retreat. Hissing, it eyed Richard and glanced toward the distance. Richard¡¯s perception sharpened, his gaze intensifying. After exerting so much effort and even using up two Magic Rune White Jade Plates, if he allowed his quarry to escape, the loss would be substantial. He had to keep his adversary from leaving. With that thought, the Silver Rabbit had already made its move. Still as a maiden when still, swift as a freed rabbit when in motion. At that moment, the Silver Rabbit was the fleeing rabbit, bursting into full speed, becoming almost a silver arrow shot through the night, whistling away under the moonlight. Richard didn¡¯t hesitate; he acted swiftly, tilting his left hand downward, another White Jade Plate sliding out to be caught in his grip. Mana surged forth, activating the plate promptly. ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh!¡± The air trembled and surged, solidifying into a solid wall in the path of the escaping Silver Rabbit. Magic Rune Spell¡¤Zero-Circle Low Level¡¤Wind Barrier! ¡°Bang!¡± The Silver Rabbit crashed straight into it, letting out a muffled sound, yet without any pause. Leveraging its high speed, it managed to step onto the Air Wall, striding laterally in mid-air. This! Richard¡¯s eyes flickered, ready to thrust with his dagger, but he didn¡¯t anticipate the Silver Rabbit taking several steps along the Air Wall. Then with a forceful push from its four legs, it detached from the wall and flew towards him, claws ferociously aiming for his eyes. A counterattack! Richard¡¯s eyebrows lifted involuntarily; his dagger swept through mid-air, shifting from offense to defense. In the next instant, the Silver Rabbit¡¯s front legs clashed against the dagger, sparks flying. Its body twisted, executing a 180-degree turn, and its front legs became back legs. Pushing off the dagger with even more force, the blade dipped as the Silver Rabbit leaped even higher toward the upper part of the Air Wall. The Air Wall, a creation of Spell, was merely two meters high. The Silver Rabbit easily leveraged over it, continuing its flight toward the distance. Richard glanced at the scene, momentarily surprised that a mere Silver Rabbit possessed wisdom not inferior to a human¡¯s. However, he was determined not to let his target truly escape. In the next moment, another White Jade Plate landed in his hand and was activated. The air around him surged, rapidly gathering on his body, especially around his legs and feet. Richard felt an abrupt lightness throughout his body, stomped down powerfully on the spot, and leapt high into the air in pursuit of the Silver Rabbit. Magic Rune Spell¡¤Zero-Circle Low Level¡¤Wind Light Spirit. Next, Richard took out what was now the fifth White Jade Plate and activated it. In a ¡°whoosh,¡± the air solidified again before the Silver Rabbit, forming an invisible wall. Magic Rune Spell¡¤Zero-Circle Low Level¡¤Wind Barrier. The Silver Rabbit was hindered, and Richard closed in, brandishing and stabbing out with his dagger. The Silver Rabbit repeated its previous maneuver, bursting in speed to stride along the Air Wall, then leaped from the dagger as leverage. Just as it seemed poised to cross over the Air Wall, Richard activated the sixth White Jade Plate in his hand. A burst of bluish firelight exploded right before the Silver Rabbit¡¯s eyes, disorienting it, causing it to uncontrollably fall. Magic Rune Spell¡¤Zero-Circle Low Level¡¤Phosphorus Candle! Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: The 045 Liquid Oxygen Airburst Chapter 45: The 045 Liquid Oxygen Airburst Phosphorus Candle was a lighting spell, with no inherent offensive power, but when it exploded directly in front of one¡¯s face, it could blind them significantly ¡ª especially fatal for creatures like rabbits. Rabbits are different from humans; they have an almost 360¡ã field of vision, meaning they can see everything around their entire body. Compared to the human field of view of 188¡ã, they see much more, and consequently, are more sensitive to the stimulus of bright light. Additionally, rabbits are crepuscular, their vision is strongest at dawn, dusk, or¡ªas in the current situation¡ªunder the bright moonlight of the deep night. Under such circumstances, when the spell ¡°Phosphorus Candle¡± exploded right in front of its face, for the rabbit it was akin to being hit by a flashbang at maximum eye opening, from all directions. The rabbit screamed as it hit the ground, and Richard, without a hint of politeness, swung his dagger down to stab. At the crucial moment, the Silver Rabbit also sensed a lethal threat and unleashed its ultimate reserve. What would a regular rabbit do when cornered? It would bite. But what would a demonized rabbit do? Richard soon got his answer. With a ¡°swoosh,¡± the air around violently surged as the rabbit fiercely opened its mouth, emitting wind blades visible to the naked eye. One, two, three¡­ dozens, hundreds of blades! Hundreds of wind blades glistened in the night, scattering in all directions, as if the rabbit had slashed out hundreds of longswords in an instant. Anyone caught within would be pulverized in a single breath. Richard quickly retreated and saw the frenzied wind blades ruthlessly cut through the surrounding weeds, overturning the ground around, and slicing through the obstructive air walls. After its outburst, the Silver Rabbit seemed somewhat exhausted but still forced itself to flee towards the distance, leaping high and dropping among the crazy throng of animals. Once it landed, its figure would be concealed immediately, and there would be no chance of finding it again. Richard narrowed his eyes into slits, unwilling to let the capturing plan fail. After all, a demonized Silver Rabbit, especially one that could release hundreds of wind blades, held major research significance. The next moment, he flung the scalpel in his hand towards the Silver Rabbit far up in the air. But the Silver Rabbit kicked the scalpel aside with one foot, falling even faster towards the masses of crazy animals below. Richard didn¡¯t give up; the scalpel throw was just to free up his right hand. The next moment, he tilted his right hand forward, and seven or eight White Jade Plates slid out from his sleeve in sequence, each intricately carved with the same yet extremely complex Magic Runes. Without hesitation, Richard controlled Mana from within his body and channeled it rapidly into the first White Jade Plate. With a ¡°crack,¡± the plate shattered, and a fist-sized group of Liquid Oxygen appeared before him, suspended mid-air. Then Richard channeled Mana into another White Jade Plate, and another fist-sized group appeared before him, also suspended mid-air. Then the third group, fourth, fifth¡­ Magic Rune Magic¡¤Zero Circle Middle Stage¡¤Liquid Oxygen Condensation! As all the White Jade Plates were activated, a dozen or so fist-sized groups of Liquid Oxygen appeared before Richard, and with a wave of his hand, they merged into an almost basin-sized mass. Taking a deep breath, Richard set his sights on the distance. The Silver Rabbit had already fallen into the crazed swarm of animals, its figure no longer visible, but that was fine, knowing its general location was enough. With another wave of his hand, Richard sent a half-basin-sized Liquid Oxygen Group flying out at high speed into the distance. During this process, Richard began chanting a spell, and in a moment he raised his hand, sending out a blood-red Fierce Flame that chased after the Liquid Oxygen Group. Spell¡¤Zero-Circle Low Order¡¤Fiery Flame Impact. Richard suddenly thought of something, he turned his head to look at Pandora, who was still swinging a tree trunk in battle, and shouted a warning, ¡°Be careful! Cover your ears!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Pandora cocked her head slightly, her face cold as she looked over, her gaze slightly puzzled. In that brief moment of hesitation, the frenzied animals around her lunged, slashing with their claws. Then the blood-red flames caught up with the Liquid Oxygen Group, swiftly enveloping its surface. Stimulated by the high temperature, the unfettered Liquid Oxygen expanded rapidly in volume in midair, dispersing outwards. The core temperature soared rapidly, burning everything, followed by a shockwave that howled and swept over the entire hill. This time, Richard utilized Magic Runes, creating more Liquid Oxygen than he had initially demonstrated to Gregory, and for maximizing impact, he chose an aerial explosion. The explosion of Liquid Oxygen in mid-air indeed did not disappoint Richard, almost shaking heaven and earth; within the massive boom, creatures within nearly ten meters were instantly killed or charred, while those within several more meters suffered severe internal damage, collapsing heavily injured and unable to rise. Creatures within dozens of meters were all knocked over, blown away, and their bones fractured. Creatures within nearly a hundred meters were affected and staggered to the ground. In the blink of an eye, the massive hilltop was cleared, the scorching air whooshed by, and the frenzied animals fell in droves. Pandora swung her tree trunk fiercely, but it was in vain as the animals in front of her had all already fallen in unison. She pursed her lips, and Pandora belatedly realized that the sudden sound that had just erupted might have been too loud, so loud that her ears hurt, and wondered if she should have covered her ears. Right, didn¡¯t someone just remind her to do so? With a frown, Pandora turned her head to look at Richard. But Richard was already dashing out like an arrow, rushing into the midst of the carnage at the center of the explosion, his eyes swiftly scanning the area. He then fixed his gaze on finding the half-charred corpse of the Silver Rabbit, dead and thoroughly cooked. He grabbed it and rushed back, tossing it inside the castle for later research, then turned to look at Pandora just to see a glimpse of puzzlement, curiosity, and¡­ anger? in her eyes. ¡°Hmm? Are you about to question me why I didn¡¯t use the method I just did earlier to deal with these mad animals?¡± Richard¡¯s eyes flashed, ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking, then all I can tell you is that I can¡¯t use spells of this magnitude often. On one hand, there aren¡¯t enough Magic Runes, on the other, the Mana consumption is too great. Furthermore, although this method can indeed kill a massive number of frenzied creatures in an instant, the truth is¡­ there are just too many attacking creatures now. Even after killing these, there are still more. It hasn¡¯t solved the fundamental problem.¡± Pandora turned her head to look down the hill, only to see that, after most of the creatures at the top had died, those from the lower slopes fearlessly surged upward in wave after wave. It was like the tides, one wave dispersing on the shore only for the next to follow closely behind. As long as the sea exists, the waves will keep coming, one after another, never ceasing. At this moment, the horde of beasts was the sea. Indeed, the fundamental problem had not been solved¡­ In a blink of an eye, swarms of frenzied animals took over the hill again, first tearing and consuming the corpses of their severely injured or dead companions, then with red eyes, they closed in to launch their attacks. Pandora¡¯s brow furrowed tightly as she swung her tree trunk again. Internally, she found this feeling of endless slaughter to be very annoying¡­ ¡­ Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 046: The End of the Beast Tide Chapter 46: Chapter 046: The End of the Beast Tide Richard didn¡¯t know how long it had been; the battle was still raging. He estimated that he and Pandora had killed about a thousand crazed animals, but the onslaught showed no sign of slowing down. ¡°Roar!¡± Two squirrels and a raccoon, their eyes blood-red, slipped past Pandora¡¯s defenses and attacked. Richard shook his head slightly and chanted a spell, casting ¡°Wind Repulsion¡± to knock the three small animals away; he then hurriedly chanted another spell. A fist-sized ball of liquid oxygen formed, then merged with another larger sphere of liquid oxygen floating in the air. Richard glanced at it and saw that the accumulated liquid oxygen was almost the size of half a basin¡ªafter using up nearly all the Magic Rune White Jade Plates, he could only generate liquid oxygen using the most basic method, which was extremely inefficient. At that moment, the three animals he¡¯d knocked away charged back, with the ¡°Instant Noodle¡± raccoon taking the lead, and two ¡°Wang Xun¡± squirrels covering from both wings. These usually adorable creatures now had eyes filled with bloodlust and rage. Richard showed no mercy, flipped his hand, and a smaller scalpel appeared. With ¡°Wind Light Spirit¡± empowering him, he lowered his body slightly to dodge the raccoon¡¯s attack and slashed at the squirrel to his left. With a ¡°pfft,¡± the sharp blade effortlessly sliced through nearly half of the animal¡¯s body, blood spurted out, and the creature fell to the ground with a scream. Then Richard pivoted his body to stab at the squirrel to his right. The right squirrel didn¡¯t even try to dodge and fiercely bit down with its large front teeth at the blade, hoping to notch it. Richard twisted the blade edge, stabbing cruelly straight into the open mouth, through the throat and deep into the body, skewering the creature on the scalpel with a ¡°pfft.¡± With a slight flick, Richard threw off the squirrel that was unlikely to survive, and turned quickly to face the raccoon, which had just launched its second attack after the initial failure. ¡°Whoosh!¡± The raccoon leapt. Richard, after watching, slightly relaxed his grip on the scalpel, allowing his muscles a split-second stretch before gripping fiercely again. ¡°Snap!¡± With thumb, index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers sequentially exerting force, he tightly grasped the scalpel¡¯s handle. Then, powered by his shoulders, elbows, and wrists, he swung forcefully forward. In the night, a burst of cold light exploded, followed by a flash of blood. With a ¡°pfft,¡± the scalpel entered the middle of the raccoon¡¯s body, hit something hard, paused briefly, and then with an outburst of force, sliced clean through. ¡°Crack-snap!¡± The body of the raccoon, over half a meter long in its upper half, still airborne with eyes red with blood, its paws clawing the air, was cut in two. The lower half plummeted to the ground with a ¡°thud¡±¡ªRichard had bisected the raccoon, weighing over twenty pounds. Blood sprayed; the upper half¡¯s paws scratched weakly a few times, the bloodlust in its eyes gradually faded to lifelessness, and it arced through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground. Richard exhaled quietly, glancing at the three animal carcasses with no hesitation; he hurriedly chanted another spell and released a ball of liquid oxygen. By now, the ball of liquid oxygen floating mid-air was about half the size of a washbasin. Richard¡¯s gaze fixed, he released a Wind Magic spell, sending the large ball of liquid oxygen into the distance, followed by a blood-red flame that shot from his hands, catching up as he shouted a reminder, ¡°Watch out!¡± Pandora, now on her fourth log, swung with force. Hearing Richard¡¯s words, she blinked. With a ¡°bang,¡± she swung the log with all her might, scattering countless frenzied animals, then stepped back, reluctantly dropping the log and covering her ears. ¡°Bang!¡± At that moment, Richard¡¯s ¡°Fiery Flame Impact¡± spell successfully caught up with the liquid oxygen, leading to another explosion in midair. ¡°Boom!¡± Intense heat swept by, and the small hill was cleared. Below the hill, yet another wave of eager beasts surged forward. Pandora released her hands from her ears, picked up the log again, and looking expressionlessly at Richard, said, ¡°We can¡¯t kill them all.¡± ¡°Yeah, we can¡¯t,¡± Richard replied with a wry smile. At least according to the current situation, they were endless. Using the ¡°Liquid Oxygen Bomb¡± only temporarily alleviated some pressure but didn¡¯t solve the fundamental problem. As long as the spiritual power from the nearby mountains continued to work and as long as the animals in this forest weren¡¯t all killed, the battle would continue. The night deepened, and Richard couldn¡¯t help but worry. When Pandora¡¯s fourth log broke, when his own mana was spent, the most difficult moment would arrive. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Richard slowly exhaled. In the next moment, however, he caught sight of something alarming out of the corner of his eye. In one moment, Pandora, who had been relatively calm, suddenly furrowed her brow, her eyes widened, and her porcelain-doll face tensed. Then, with violent force, she hurled the log in her arms. ¡°With a swish,¡± the ten-meter-long log flew like a giant arrow, roaring through the sky towards something. This! Richard looked on in puzzlement as he saw a tree trunk soaring higher and higher. Driven by Pandora¡¯s power, it nearly shot toward the massive figure just about to descend from the sky. ¡°Plop¡ªPlop, ah!¡± The massive figure let out a cry of alarm, belatedly realizing the danger. It abruptly soared upward, allowing the tree trunk to pass just inches below it before slowly descending and locking eyes with Pandora. ¡°That, I remember¡­ The Beast Tide is supposed to happen tomorrow night, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gregory, who was flying back through midair, said to Pandora, his tone sounding somewhat feeble. ¡°So, I specifically came back a day early¡­¡± ¡°Today!¡± Pandora said coldly. ¡°Uh, that¡­ might be¡­ maybe I remembered wrong. Pandora, you know, with age eventually¡­¡± ¡°Gregory!¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Pandora stomped her foot, the ground violently caved in, and she launched herself high into the air, throwing a punch while seriously saying, ¡°It¡ªis¡ªtoday!¡± Gregory, frightened, quickly rose even higher. ¡°Thud!¡± Pandora didn¡¯t hit the mark, and she fell back to the ground, her face tense as she stared at Gregory hovering in the air. ¡°Come down!¡± ¡°Pandora, sweet daughter, this really isn¡¯t my fault, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡± ¡°Come down!¡± ¡°My sweet daughter, my precious girl, don¡¯t be like this¡­¡± ¡°Come down!¡± ¡°You see, there are outsiders here¡­¡± ¡°Come down!¡± ¡°Roar!¡± The numerous wild beasts gathered around the small mountain, ignoring the warm father-daughter interaction between Pandora and Gregory, launched an attack after devouring their injured and dead comrades. Gregory breathed a sigh of relief and spoke out, ¡°Pandora, sweet daughter, let me take care of these annoying creatures first, then we can talk about our matter, okay?¡± Without waiting for Pandora¡¯s agreement, Gregory, circling in midair, suddenly turned his head and opened his mouth, ejecting a vast amount of flames that poured down onto the crazed animals on the small mountain like molten lava. ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh!¡± The flames erupted with a vengeance, melting away the frenzied beast horde wherever they touched, as if they were butter cake. The crazed animal army kept charging, but they couldn¡¯t break through Gregory¡¯s fiery barricade; all of them screamed as they turned to ash. The entire scene fully proved one saying: In this world, there isn¡¯t a problem that a Giant Dragon can¡¯t solve; if there is, then call the Dragon¡¯s dad. With Gregory¡¯s appearance, this battle was predetermined to end early. Actually, whenever the Beast Tide occurred and Gregory was there, Pandora hardly had to lift a finger, doing nothing more than taking care of a few stragglers like Richard. Although it was a bit boring and annoying, it was nowhere near as bad as today. Today, she had indeed thrown three tree trunks! One, two, three tree trunks! That¡¯s why Pandora was so angry upon seeing Gregory. Gregory knew he was in the wrong and vigorously slaughtered the crazed animals to cool down Pandora¡¯s fury. With flames soaring, the small mountain was alight, countless frenzied animals roaring and shrieking as they rushed non-stop into Gregory¡¯s flames. ¡°Roar roar!¡± ¡°Hiss hiss!¡± ¡°Howl!¡± For a long time, the night calmed down. Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 047: Anatomy Teaching Chapter 47: Chapter 047: Anatomy Teaching The following morning dawned bright and clear, as if the sky had been washed by water. In the forest, the myriad animals, after a night of madness, returned to normality. The sound of rustling could be heard as the forest animals emerged and lined up by the water at the foot of the hill to drink. Many bore the scars of the previous night¡¯s frenzy, some missing limbs or ears. Pandora stood quietly by the water, showing no particular reaction, even though she had been attacked by many crazed animals the night before. In fact, the animals that now came to drink were mostly those that had not taken part in the battle on the hillock; otherwise, they would have fallen by her trunk or in Gregory¡¯s flames. After a night of madness, all the animals behaved¨Ceven the boars, usually so prone to cutting in line, waited their turn. Pandora looked on, nodded in satisfaction, and turned to leave but suddenly sensed something and whirled around, just in time to see a boar ¡°huffing,¡± ready to push forward. It looked cautiously in her direction as they locked eyes¡­ This time, without Pandora making a move, the boar that was caught red-handed sheepishly left the line and walked to the end with its head down. Pandora stood still, staring straight at the boar until it made the creature uncomfortable; finally, when its turn came to drink, it gulped a few mouthfuls and scurried away with a ¡°splat.¡± Satisfied, Pandora then turned and walked back to the hillock. On the top of the hillock, Richard was busy at work. The Beast Tide had receded without leaving many corpses behind¨Csome consumed by their kind while others were burned to ashes by Gregory. However, the damage wrought by the Beast Tide was significant. The structures built on the clearing were destroyed: the windmill had fallen, the hybrid kiln had collapsed, the shallow pool was trampled flat¡­ It was unavoidable; after all, given the circumstances then, defending the entire hilltop had been impossible. This was a problem. Richard assessed the damage to the buildings and calculated the time needed for repairs, his brow slowly furrowing. Although it was unclear how frequently the Beast Tides occurred, they posed a threat to his research. The current damage was bearable given the few constructions. But in the future, should extensive technological buildings be built and a Beast Tide hit in Gregory¡¯s absence, resulting in total destruction, that would be unacceptable. While pondering this, he sensed something and turned around to see Pandora standing to one side. His eyes flicking, Richard spoke, ¡°About last night¡¯s animal tide, I have some thoughts. Although I don¡¯t know how often these Tides happen¡­¡± ¡°Once a month,¡± said Pandora. ¡°Ah, once a month,¡± Richard nodded with some clarity, ¡°Then it¡¯s once a month. That is quite frequent, and each occurrence is a disaster. Although it may not compromise our safety, it¡¯s still more than an annoyance. Even with Gregory intervening, we can¡¯t completely prevent it. Just last night, several structures I built were damaged. Rebuilding them will take considerable effort.¡± Pausing briefly, he pondered then continued, ¡°We need to find a solution to this. My idea is to build a wall using Shaping Earth Magic to encircle the entire hillock. However, entry and exit could become problematic, and if the crazed beasts are numerous enough, they could simply pile up and climb over the wall. In that case, offense might be more effective than defense. The Liquid Oxygen Bomb from last night worked reasonably well; although it didn¡¯t match Gregory¡¯s Flames, it could still clear the field instantaneously. In fact, we could use some methods to make bombs with even greater power, like cluster bombs, for instance. But time and materials are issues.¡± ¡°Actually, both methods are only temporary fixes. To truly resolve the Beast Tide problem, we need to identify its source. Last night, I sensed that the cause of the Beast Tide probably lies in the mountain nearby,¡± Richard said, pointing. Pandora followed the direction Richard was pointing, blinking her eyes. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Richard said. ¡°But the specifics are still unclear. I plan to sense carefully during the next Beast Tide. By then, if we can figure out the real reason, we can find a way to solve the problem once and for all. However, we¡¯ll need Gregory present because I can¡¯t be affected by the Tide while I¡¯m sensing.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be there,¡± said Pandora, her face stern. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Richard nodded without saying much else and turned towards the castle, noticing Pandora following him with a flash in her eyes, ¡°I am about to dissect a magical creature that I killed yesterday. Are you sure you want to join?¡± Pandora didn¡¯t answer, nor did she deny. Richard walked straight into a room on the first floor of the castle. This was a room that had only recently been cleaned and was now being used by Richard as a dedicated laboratory. At this moment, the body of a Silver Rabbit lay flat on the laboratory table. Many creatures had been affected by spiritual power yesterday, but there were very few Magic Creatures. Richard even suspected that the Silver Rabbit on the table might be the only one. Getting the body of this magical Silver Rabbit was somewhat lucky, but the key point was to research and learn something from it. Thinking of this, Richard washed his hands with alcohol, put on gloves, and began the dissection with his tools. His eyes glanced at Pandora, who stood at the door with a curious look, but Richard didn¡¯t think much of it. He grasped the knife in hand and positioned it at the rabbit¡¯s neck, then made a cut. Gently severing the outermost layer of the rabbit¡¯s skin, Richard saw Pandora suddenly step out. So she really couldn¡¯t accept it after all. Richard thought to himself. Just as he was about to continue dissection, he saw Pandora reappear, somehow having brought over a stool more than a meter tall. She walked into the room, placed the stool next to the table, and sat down on it. Pandora was originally only 1.2 meters tall, significantly shorter than Richard, but now she sat perched on the stool with a sort of commanding presence. She propped up her chin with both hands, looking at the Silver Rabbit that Richard was working on, her gaze seemingly saying: I¡¯ll just watch, carry on. Richard felt a headache coming on. He usually didn¡¯t like having someone nearby when conducting experiments, thinking, and researching; he disliked being disturbed. Of course, this was different from when he was in the Blue Lion Kingdom, explaining to maids while performing experiments, as that involved teaching. ¡°Are you very curious?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Huh,¡± came the non-committal reply. Richard couldn¡¯t help shaking his head; his knife sliced down again as he began to explain, trying to see if Pandora was indeed curious, ¡°What you¡¯re seeing now is me cutting through the skin layer of the Silver Rabbit, a main component of the skin itself.¡± Pandora nodded. ¡°Huh,¡± he let out a breath, pausing momentarily in his explanation before continuing, ¡°Generally, the skin layer can be divided into three parts: epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. The epidermis lies below the fur and directly above the dermis; it¡¯s a thinner layer but has many structures within it, like the stratum corneum, stratum lucidum, stratum granulosum, stratum spinosum, and the basal layer. Beneath the epidermis is the dermis, often used in making leather and furred pelt. It generally consists of fibers, matrix, cells, and so on. Its main function is to provide elasticity to the fur and serve as a site for metabolism. The last one is the subcutaneous tissue, typically made up of loose connective tissue and adipose lobules, lying close to the fascia. It functions to prevent heat loss, store energy, and protect against external mechanical impacts.¡± After explaining all this, Richard glanced at Pandora again and saw no significant change in her expression¡ªshe was just nodding from time to time. Well, okay then¡­ With force, Richard opened up the entire thoracic cavity of the Silver Rabbit, pointing as he continued to speak, ¡°This is the trachea, connecting to the lungs and ensuring breathing. You can see, this Silver Rabbit has two lobes on its left lung and four on its right¡ªleft two, right four. This is different from humans who have left two, right three. Why Silver Rabbits and humans, both belonging to the class of mammals, have this difference can only be attributed to natural selection in the evolutionary process.¡± As Richard spoke, he cut out the entire lung section of the Silver Rabbit and placed it into a container. Pandora sat on her stool, continuing to watch and listen, nodding constantly. Her expression was neutral¡ªshe did not seem particularly fascinated nor disgusted. In fact, Pandora was usually just like this. Richard shrugged and continued with his work. ¡°Next to this is the heart, here¡¯s the left ventricle, this is the left atrium, and this is the left auricle. Well, generally speaking, the auricle is considered part of the atrium. So, it doesn¡¯t act independently but participates in cardiac electrical activity and the secretion of certain hormones. This here is the coronary artery. It¡¯s called that simply because you can see it¡¯s almost encircling the heart, quite like a crown worn by the heart. Then this is¡­¡± Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 048 Power Index Chapter 48: Chapter 048 Power Index Although Pandora¡¯s visit took up some of his time, Richard eventually completed the dissection of the Silver Rabbit and prepared the following research materials. In the afternoon, when Pandora left, Richard began his formal research. According to Richard¡¯s thinking, since the Silver Rabbit had previously been able to shoot out hundreds of powerful Wind Blades, there should be some source of mana within its body, but after searching, he found no organs outside of its normal anatomy. However, every internal organ exhibited extremely high energy reactions. ¡°So, does the energy for casting spells always exist within the internal organs? Or is it because the rabbit was recently demonized and killed before it could develop an organ similar to a Magic Origin?¡± Richard murmured to himself, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it might be somewhat useful.¡± After saying this, Richard got to work, processing the internal organs of the Silver Rabbit. Following the knowledge recorded in the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± he began with a simple anti-corrosion treatment, then hardening, followed by shaping and engraving patterns¡­ Soon, the internal organs of the Silver Rabbit had turned into blocks that were as hard as stone, with intricately complex Magic Runes etched onto their surfaces. The energy contained within was completely sealed, only to be unleashed through a specific method of activation. Once released, it would unleash terrifying destructive power. In a sense, the organs of the Silver Rabbit had now become one-time-use Magic Tools. Magic Tools, as the name suggests, are tools used by Wizards to cast spells. The most common are Magic Wands, Magic Rings, and Magic Pendants that can amplify Magic Power, in addition to Magic Scrolls that can release spells instantly, and explosives that unleash terrifying power. The White Jade Plates that Richard had crafted were a type of Magic Tool, but currently, the White Jade Plates could only withstand Zero-Circle Magic, and weren¡¯t very powerful, plus they were one-time-use, clearly the most low-level existence among Magic Tools. Therefore, the Magic Tools that Richard had created using the internal organs of the Silver Rabbit were more powerful than the White Jade Plates. As for how much more powerful, they would need to be compared by numerical values. Out of habit from his memory, Richard preferred to apply the systems from modern-day Earth for power measurement, such as Joules and TNT equivalent. A joule is a unit of pure thermal energy. 1 Joule (1J) is the energy needed to lift an object weighing 1 Newton (1N, equivalent to 0.1 kilograms) vertically by 1 meter, which in terms of common electrical energy consumption, equals one three million six hundred thousandth of a degree of electricity. This amount is obviously very small, but it is the most basic unit. In addition to joules, there is the equivalent. TNT equivalent generally refers to explosive equivalent, also known as ¡°TNT explosive equivalent,¡± which is specifically used to measure the destructive power caused by an explosion of explosives, converting the power into the equivalent amount of a certain mass unit of TNT. 1 gram of TNT equivalent corresponds to 4184 joules of energy. Of course, the equivalent power in literal terms is hard to understand, and practical examples are clearer. For example, a standard hand grenade on modern-day Earth has an equivalent of about 100g, which is roughly the power of exploding 100g of TNT. Within a radius of 5 meters, it can cause severe injuries or even death to unprotected personnel, and within a radius of 15 meters, it has a certain lethal effect, with a Power Index of 100. The equivalent of a mainstream tank shell on modern Earth is around 5000g, equivalent to 5kg of TNT. It can easily destroy a three-story building and penetrate about 800mm (0.8 meters) thick homogeneous steel plate. For a biological target, even if not directly hit by the shell, within a radius of 25 meters, there is a very high probability of severe injury or even death, with a Power Index of 5000, 5K. On modern Earth, the quite famous Tomahawk cruise missile has a standard model equivalent of about 500,000g, equivalent to 500kg of TNT, or 0.5 tons of TNT. Its power can penetrate any surface warship and demolish most fortified positions. After hitting a target, objects within a radius of 100 meters will suffer severe damage, and unprotected personnel within this range will be fatally struck, with a Power Index of 500,000, 500K, 0.5T. Going one level higher is the nuclear bomb. The first ¡°Little Boy¡± atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, and used in actual combat, had an equivalent of 13,000,000,000g, which is 13,000 tons of TNT. The explosion directly caused nearly 100,000 deaths and nearly destroyed the entire city of Nagasaki. It had a Power Index of 13,000,000,000, 13,000,000K, 13,000T, 1.3M. The Power Indexes without unit, K, T, M, are the four levels in the power system established by Richard. Generally speaking, the power of Zero-Circle Magic is only at the Level 1 without unit degree. For instance, Fiery Flame Impact has a power index of about 5, equivalent to one-twentieth of a hand grenade¡¯s equivalent, about the same as a large firecracker, and it wouldn¡¯t cause any fatal injuries to people. In addition, spells such as Wind Repel also have a power within 10, and even with cumulative casting, it¡¯s just tens or twenties. This shows why Zero-Circle Low-Level Magic is considered a mere trick, and rightfully so. However, by comparison, the explosive power of a Liquid Oxygen Group can reach over 100, and the fusion of seven or eight Liquid Oxygen Groups to form a large Liquid Oxygen Group explosion, such as the two Richard used during the Beast Tide, reach the second level of Power Indexes¡ªK, reaching approximately 1.0K or 1.1K. Now, the power of the Magic Tools that Richard had made using the internal organs of the Silver Rabbit were not low, some even absurdly high. Specifically, Richard had used 5 lung lobes, 2 kidneys, 1 liver, and 1 heart of the Silver Rabbit to make a total of 9 Magic Tools. Among them, the power index of the 5 lung lobes was about 200, equivalent to two standard hand grenades. The power of the 2 kidneys reached 350, the liver had an index of 500. The heart had the most exaggerated power index, reaching 3K. Yes, 3K, which was stronger than the explosion of a large Liquid Oxygen Group and close to the power of a mainstream modern Earth battle tank shell. Due to this, Richard suspected it was likely because the Silver Rabbit had tremendous potential. If the Silver Rabbit hadn¡¯t been carelessly killed by him, it probably could have grown over time to be a presence ten times stronger than before. Then, the Wind Blades it spat out would not be just hundreds, but thousands or tens of thousands, forming a Wind Blade tornado, a terrifying thought. Of course, the Silver Rabbit¡¯s fate now was to be turned into Magic Tools. ¡­ At night, the lights swayed in the laboratory. Richard stood up, stretched his body, and placed the crafted Magic Tools aside before stepping outside. ¡­ In the days that followed, Richard repaired the damaged windmill, the mixed feed vertical kiln, the shallow pool, and built two simple but unprecedented technological structures in the current world. Then life was calm, learning new spells, investigating principles, and the like. Time flew by, and before he knew it, a month had gone by. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 049 Exploring the Great Mountain Chapter 49: Chapter 049 Exploring the Great Mountain Autumn deepened, and temperatures began to drop continuously while daylight decreased day by day. The trees in the forest had almost all shed their green, appearing a dull yellow from afar, like an age-old photograph. At the same time, leaves began to fall in large numbers, covering the forest floor and creating a golden road that was breathtakingly beautiful and mesmerizing. Pandora often sat or stood on a small hill, expressionlessly staring at the forest for long stretches of time, lost in thought. Richard did not lose himself in it like Pandora. He was very aware that all seemingly beautiful scenes were merely basic physiological changes. For instance, changes in temperature and light inhibited chlorophyll synthesis in the leaves, reducing chlorophyll levels while increasing levels of xanthophyll and carotene, turning them yellow. Additionally, an increase in the plant hormones abscisic acid and ethylene led to leaf fall. The same logic was unknown to the forest animals, but they too were not mesmerized by the autumn hues. To them, the autumn scenery held no aesthetic appeal, their concerns more about the reduction in food due to dropping temperatures, which led to a survival crisis. Autumn was here, would winter be far behind? Winter posed a great survival test for all forest creatures. Under these conditions, whether herbivores or carnivores, all began to grow restless¡­ Thus, the date for the Beast Tide came once more. ¡­ It was night. The full moon hung high in the sky, casting a greyish silver light that seemed to lay a thin veil over the earth. Looking closely, one could see under this veil dense clusters of black shadows, these were frenzied animals furiously attacking each other, biting and clawing marks into one another. Not far from the small hill where the Black Castle stood, a giant mountain over a hundred meters tall loomed with steep walls and a flat peak, looking somewhat like a black tombstone half-buried in the soil. The animals fighting on it were the most frenzied, most glowing red-eyed, fearlessly and madly ripping each other apart, even in death not letting go of their adversary¡¯s body. Suddenly, from inside this mountain, waves of invisible spiritual power rapidly spread, sweeping through half of the forest. The already frenzied animals suddenly became more enraged, more ferocious, more bloodthirsty, completely losing their sanity to become Blood Flesh Puppets dominated by the spiritual waves. Under some kind of guidance, they started sweeping outward from the mountain, ready to flatten everything around, eliminating all obstacles. This guidance was so strong that it involved tens, hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of animals, transforming into a frenzied army of beasts roaring as they marched in all directions. The silence of the small hill where the Black Castle stood did not last long, as rustling noises soon began to emanate from the foot of the mountain. In the clearing in front of the castle, Pandora glanced at Gregory. In his human form, Gregory confidently said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll show them who¡¯s boss.¡± With those words, his body rapidly enlarged, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed from a middle-aged man into a giant dragon more than ten meters long, spreading its wings and soaring with a roar. Pandora, expressionless, uttered a sound, ¡°Scare!¡± Scare? What did that mean? Gregory thought¡ªhe had noticed that recently Pandora particularly liked to use this syllable to express meaning, but it was very difficult to understand what specifically she meant. Most of the time, it required leveraging the context, Pandora¡¯s mood, and a bit of mysticism to figure it out. After thinking for a long while, Gregory still couldn¡¯t guess whether Pandora was expressing satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Confused, he flew into the air and clearly saw a mass of frenzied animals rushing up from below the hill. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll stop thinking. I will just deal with the matter at hand. Last time I nearly messed up, and if I don¡¯t do well this time, I might really get beaten. Sigh!¡± Gregory thought wearily, and the next moment, he opened his mouth and a blast of flames shot out. ¡°Whoosh!¡± With an exhaling sound, flames almost materialized, striking down like a huge red saber, ruthlessly slicing through the black tide of frenzied animals below the hill. Wherever it went, there were continuous screams followed by immediate annihilation. When power becomes an absolute oppression, even great numbers lose their meaning. Gregory began his slaughter, his cold, merciless slaughter, and then¡­ his boring slaughter, sighing as he killed, daydreaming as he killed. ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!¡± The flames continuously poured down, eliminating group after group of frenzied animals, but there were always more to fill their places, endlessly rushing forward. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to be a busy night.¡± Gregory yawned, unable to help himself, and another burst of flame shot out, ¡°Whoosh!¡± ¡°Sigh, why did I choose to live here in the first place? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to move somewhere else? Whoosh!¡± ¡°And where have all the other dragons hidden? I haven¡¯t seen a shadow of another dragon for so long. Otherwise, calling a few more dragons over to help, chatting while spewing fire, wouldn¡¯t be so boring. Whoosh!¡± ¡°According to Pandora, that guy called Richard said he could use this Beast Tide to figure out its origin and solve it once and for all. I wonder if that¡¯s true or not. Whoosh!¡± ¡­ In the Black Castle, within a room on the first floor. Richard was sitting cross-legged on a wooden bed, having entered deep meditation. His body trembled, and his consciousness rapidly emerged from his body. The consciousness ascended, breaking through the top of the castle to reach mid-air, where Richard saw Gregory muttering to himself as he breathed fire. Down in the castle¡¯s courtyard, Pandora stood with an icy expression, watching all around. Spotting a few who had escaped to the hilltop, she immediately leaped over and smashed them with a punch. Then, looking up, she shouted unsatisfactorily at Gregory, telling him he had made another mistake. Gregory grumbled and started to intensify the slaughter. Watching for a moment, Richard shook his head, not forgetting his main task. He controlled his consciousness to fly towards the nearby large mountain. During the flight, he deliberately wrapped his spiritual power around his body to prevent it from being eroded by the strange spiritual power fluctuations inside the mountain. Soon, Richard¡¯s consciousness arrived at the mountain surface, discovering a blood-soaked scene; the ground seemed as if it had been drenched in fresh blood, one could only imagine how many animals had fought and bled here previously. Glancing over the animal corpses scattered everywhere, Richard controlled his consciousness to start sinking, gradually merging into the soil below. Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 050 Death Crisis Chapter 50: Chapter 050 Death Crisis The detritus layer, humus layer, illuvial layer, calcic horizon, and ash layer¡­ Richard passed through layer upon layer of soil structure, sinking about one meter down into the rocks. At this point, the reassuring sense of gliding through water like a fish vanished, replaced by the sticky resistance of moving through glue. It was slightly uncomfortable and resistant, yet he still could move freely. Steadying his mind, he traced the source of a spiritual fluctuation within the mountain and continued to sink deeper, attempting to find any possible cracks or passages in the process. After all, he could only introduce his physical body from the outside world after discovering such an opening. But despite searching for quite some time, he found none. On the contrary, the waves from the spiritual source grew increasingly intense. Continuing to descend a few dozen meters, the sensation of swimming through glue abruptly disappeared, and Richard¡¯s consciousness felt suddenly lighter as a space within the mountain came into view. The space was not particularly large, merely the size of two rooms, but it was distinctly square and bore the clear marks of human construction. This was strange. ¡°There¡¯s no passageway connecting the inside to the outside, yet there¡¯s an interior space, how was this constructed? Building a secret chamber first and then piling up a mountain around it? Or perhaps, through some spell?¡± Richard thought to himself as he looked ahead. In the precise center of this space stood a two-tiered altar with a Crystal Skull placed on top, brilliantly clear and life-like. Upon seeing the Crystal Skull, Richard was moved and couldn¡¯t help but recall some related legends from modern Earth. Legend had it that ancient Earth once possessed 12 Crystal Skulls, capable of speaking and singing. These skulls concealed knowledge about human origins and death; they could help humanity unravel the mystery of life in the universe. Humanity must find all 12 Crystal Skulls before the end of the world, or when the 5126-year-long calendar cycle concludes, the world would be destroyed. Another legend suggested there were 52 Crystal Skulls scattered around the world. Of those, 12 movable jawbones, known as ¡°singing skulls¡±, contained a wealth of knowledge and were gifts from a mysterious civilization. The remaining 40 fixed jawbones, or ¡°speaking skulls¡±, held no stored knowledge but could nonetheless enhance human abilities such as Physical Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Wisdom, turning individuals into Guardians who spread the knowledge of the ¡°speaking skulls¡±. There was also a tale that the Crystal Skulls were sacrifices to the Sun by the native Aztecs of Mexico. Yet another claimed that the Crystal Skulls were holy relics of the Mayans, able to summon the mighty Feathered Serpent God once gathered. In any case, the legends varied widely. The Crystal Skulls spoken of in rumors were half the size of a normal human¡¯s head, but the one before him was even smaller, not even a quarter of a normal human body, and could be fully grasped in hand. At this moment, the seemingly mini yet genuinely dangerous Crystal Skull continuously emitted psychic waves to the outside world. Richard cautiously approached, attempting to study it. Five meters, four meters, three meters¡­ Suddenly! Just as he neared the altar, within three meters of the Crystal Skull, it began to violently shake as if threatened, unleashing even more powerful spiritual power. A portion of it burst forth directly targeting Richard¡¯s consciousness. This! Richard was shocked and quickly retreated while using his own spiritual power to block. However, in the next moment, something bizarre happened. Richard found his consciousness bound by some force, unable to retreat. Under the influence of an invisible force, his consciousness was irresistibly drawn closer towards the Crystal Skull on the altar. Three meters, two and a half meters, two meters! The increasingly intense psychic waves kept assaulting, attempting to erode his consciousness. Richard resisted with all his might. After a while, he realized that this could not continue, and with a thought, he intended to use the transparent strip behind his neck to return to his body. Yet, the method that always worked without fail was now being suppressed. Richard could clearly feel a great force coming from the transparent strap behind his neck, trying to pull the Consciousness backward, but the Crystal Skull emitted an even stronger force, continuing to pull toward the top of the altar. The two completely opposite forces, like a tug of war, struggled over the Consciousness in the middle, and waves of pain as if being torn apart passed through. This won¡¯t do! Richard thought to himself, and the next moment he deliberately slowed down the force of the transparent strap, letting his entire Consciousness slide toward the top of the altar. Two meters, one and a half meters, one meter! The erosive psychic waves became stronger, and Richard could feel bloodthirsty, angry thoughts constantly trying to take control, but at the same time, the pulling force eased slightly. Now is the moment! Richard concentrated his Spiritual Power, controlling the transparent strap with all his might to pull backward, his mind filled with one thought: Return to the body, return to the body, return to the body! Swoosh! An unprecedentedly powerful force descended, enveloping the Consciousness. At that moment, the Crystal Skull, as if enraged, unleashed a fierce psychic wave. ¡°Bang!¡± The next instant, the psychic wave from the Crystal Skull violently collided with the surface of the Consciousness, obstructed by the descending powerful force, and then forcefully rebounded. With a ¡°crack,¡± a fine crack appeared on the surface of the perfect Crystal Skull, and an eerie wail emerged from within. The entire altar began to tremble, showing signs of collapsing, and the binding force acting on the Consciousness vanished instantly. Finally, the transparent strap behind made an impact, violently pulling the Consciousness out of the mountain. Richard then felt as though he had fallen into a wormhole. One second he was outside the mountain in mid-air, and the next he had traversed space and time, appearing instantly in a room within the ancient castle, before harshly crashing back into his body. The change was so swift, there was almost no time to react. As he returned to his body, the Consciousness still maintained a super-high speed of movement and then stopped abruptly. An inertia-like force erupted, and Richard, who had just opened his eyes while sitting cross-legged on the wooden bed, uncontrollably fell to the floor. ¡°Bang!¡± He crashed hard onto the floor, pain spreading throughout, and then Richard realized how bad the situation was. Initially, it was just the Consciousness exploring the mountain, but in this instant, the body felt like it had sustained a fatal injury. Blood uncontrollably flowed from his nose and mouth, and his body felt completely broken, with pain in every part. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the most important thing. The most crucial was the heart in his chest which, in a calm state, was beating uncontrollably fast, with a heart rate approaching 200 beats per minute. ¡°Thump thump thump thump thump!¡± At that moment, Richard could clearly feel a stuffiness in his chest, swelling in his neck, and his vision started to darken, followed by dizziness. His body, weakened, couldn¡¯t stand up, and if this continued, he was likely to faint and die. This¡ª Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 051 Before and After Coma Chapter 51: Chapter 051 Before and After Coma ¡°Breath¡ªin¡ª¡± Richard took a deep breath, stretched out his hand to massage the outside of his carotid artery on the neck, and stimulated the surrounding nerves to slow down his heartbeat. Then he moved slowly toward the corner of the room at a crawling pace and grabbed a barrel placed there, tipping it over with force. Water from the barrel surged out, soaking his whole body, causing his body temperature to begin to drop, metabolism to slow down, and his heart rate to decrease¡ªthough not back to normal levels yet. Richard had no choice but to move toward another corner where his luggage was placed. There were some medications in the luggage that could reduce his heart rate. ¡°Breath¡ªin¡ª¡± ¡°Breath¡ªin¡ª¡± Richard struggled to keep his emotions stable, controlling the acceleration of his heartbeat, inch by inch. Just then, footsteps sounded at the door. It was Pandora, who had heard unusual noises from the room and rushed in, staring wide-eyed at Richard. Richard had no strength left to explain and simply pointed at the suitcase. Pandora¡¯s eyes flickered momentarily, then she dashed to the suitcase, snatched it open, and pulled out a test tube, handing it to Richard. Their eyes met, and Richard felt truly awful, then shook his head. Pandora immediately tossed the test tube aside, rummaged through the suitcase, and handed a beaker to Richard. Richard felt even worse and shook his head again. Pandora searched a third time, this time pulling out a bottle of sulfuric acid. Richard knew that drinking it would only end his life faster, firmly shaking his head. Pandora searched a fourth time, found a bottle of baking soda, a fifth, a sixth, a seventh time¡­ It was unclear how many times she searched before finally finding what Richard needed. ¡°This?¡± Pandora asked with her gaze. ¡°Yes.¡± Richard could no longer speak, only nodding vigorously in response. Pandora immediately handed the item over. Richard caught it, poured a bag of medicine powder into his mouth, then swallowed with effort. He lay flat on the ground, taking deep breaths continuously. Pandora stood by, watching, her face still cold, but her eyes somewhat uneasy, uncertain if she was truly helping Richard. Meanwhile, Richard could no longer pay attention to Pandora, focusing all his energy on keeping his heart rate from rising, waiting for the swallowed medicine powder to take effect. During this process, Richard couldn¡¯t help but think about the overwhelming power that had suddenly descended in the mountain, bringing his consciousness back. This force had not only protected his consciousness and robustly counteracted the mental waves of the Crystal Skull but also caused damage to the Crystal Skull itself. No matter how one looked at it, it was incredibly powerful, almost like the protagonist of an action manga bursting forth with cosmic energy in a critical moment. But as it seems, there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch. To achieve this, it cost a significant price: the overdraw of his body¡¯s life energy. If there were another time, he truly didn¡¯t know if he might suddenly die. ¡°Breath¡ªin¡ª¡± ¡°Breath¡ªin¡ª¡± His heartbeat was slowly slowing down, but it would still take some time for the medicine to be fully effective. Richard felt his consciousness uncontrollably beginning to blur; he became somewhat wary, knowing he could not pass out. He must not lose consciousness! Richard internally declared, but just as he finished the thought, everything before him went black. ¡­ Darkness, endless darkness. His consciousness seemed to float in an endless universe. With no up or down left or right, no compass points, no passage of time, his consciousness drifted within the darkness. A light appeared, illuminating the entire space, followed by a bright burst. Richard felt his consciousness awaken, gradually regaining sensation and control over his body, only to find his heart rate had slowed down to normal levels. His body still ached faintly, but it was much better than at the beginning. He slowly opened his eyes. The scene before him appeared, followed by Richard catching his breath, seeing a pair of large, round eyes almost touching his face. His eyes flickered, so did the other¡¯s. His eyes flickered again, and the other¡¯s followed. Just as Richard was about to ask why the closeness, Pandora had already pulled back her head and spoke first, ¡°Boo!¡± Who scared whom here?! Richard struggled to stand up, only to find himself still lying on the floor, a bucket overturned, a suitcase open in the corner, and various instruments strewn about in total disarray ¡ª just as before he passed out. ¡°How long was I out?¡± Richard asked Pandora, frowning. Pandora held up a finger. What kind of answer was that? One minute, one hour? The next moment, Richard knew the answer. As he walked out of the room and looked towards the castle exterior, he saw that it was already broad daylight. Clearly, Pandora meant he had been out for the night. Well, that required some figuring out. Afterward, through some discussion, Richard learned more about what had happened. For instance, shortly after he had passed out, the Beast Tide had suddenly dispersed. Gregory thought he had scared the frenzied animals away by exerting too much force, but it now appeared that it was caused by a crack Richard had made on the Crystal Skull. It was unclear, however, what the extent of the impact would be. Whether it had temporarily pushed back the Beast Tide or it would never occur again, or perhaps, other unforeseen changes might emerge. Considering this, Richard thought it would be best to extract the Crystal Skull from the mountain ¡ª whether for study or any other use, it would put him in an invincible position. After all, if anything adverse arose, he could simply smash the Crystal Skull with a hammer. However, retrieving the Crystal Skull from the mountain was not an easy task. Richard thought for a moment, took the Magic Tools he had made from Silver Rabbit Internal Organs, and walked out of the castle, down the small hill, with Pandora following behind. As they reached the base of the mountain and passed by a pond, Richard saw a troop of animals drinking water. Because of his blackout, Pandora hadn¡¯t maintained order that morning, but still, most of the animals conscientiously lined up. Well, most, except for¡­ a stubborn wild boar. Today, seeing no sign of Pandora, the wild boar was particularly excited. Though it arrived a bit late and was at the end of the line, that didn¡¯t matter ¡ª it just kept pushing forward. Rabbits? Can beat, push! Coyotes? Can beat, push! Squirrels? Can beat, push! Cheetahs? Hmm, a bit tough to beat, no matter, go around and continue pushing! The wild boar was pushing gleefully, getting closer to the pond, its mouth wide open, tongue already sticking out in anticipation. It didn¡¯t care that it had thrown most of the line into chaos, just kept its head low and continued shoving forward. Rock Mountain Goats? Push! White Deer? Push! Mountain Marmots? Push! Leopards, weasels, foxes? Push, push, push! Closer now, even closer ¡ª almost at the water¡¯s edge. Oh, what¡¯s this purple thing? A Purple Mink? Or¡­ Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 052: Prince, Meeting the Prince Again Chapter 52: Chapter 052: Prince, Meeting the Prince Again The wild boar twisted its neck upward and then saw the purple clothes, the purple hair, a familiar face, and a pair of cold, icy purple eyes. Squeal! Pandora! ¡°Thud!¡± The wild boar flipped over onto the ground, scared out of its wits. Before, after having bullied one or two animals, it had been beaten black and blue; after bullying three or four, it had been beaten to a bloody pulp. This time, nearly bullying from tail to snout, wouldn¡¯t it be beaten to death?! The next moment, the wild boar found strength from who knows where, its cumbersome body suddenly twisted, and it struggled to its feet. Its four short legs ran toward the depths of the forest as fast as if pounding garlic, truly a desperate escape. Pandora, watching the increasingly distant figure of the wild boar, furrowed her brow. On any other day, she would definitely chase after it, to beat the wild boar within an inch of its life. But today¡­ Watching Richard walk by, heading toward the great mountain, Pandora ultimately blinked her eyes and didn¡¯t chase after the wild boar, instead turning to follow Richard. ¡­ ¡°Pant, pant, pant¡­¡± The wild boar didn¡¯t know how far it had run, gasping for breath, parched and tongue-tied, feeling like smoke was about to come out of its throat. It felt the effort was hardly worth it. After bullying so many animals today, it had felt good, but it hadn¡¯t gotten to drink any water, a serious loss. Moreover, not only could it not drink today, but it likely wouldn¡¯t dare show up to drink for several days to come; if caught, it would surely be severely beaten. What to do? There was only one good place nearby to drink, and the water in that pond was the sweetest; all other streams and puddles were turbid and undrinkable. It had to find a solution, or it would die of thirst! The wild boar panted and white steam continuously sprayed from its mouth and nose as it rolled its eyes and pondered the big issues of its pig life. ¡­ Not far away. ¡°Clippity, cloppity, clippity¡­¡± The noisy sound of hooves and footsteps arose as a large group moved through the forest. Those riding horses were nobles clad in various ornate armors, and the foot soldiers wore leather armor and carried bows and arrows. The group looked formidable, like an elite army about to attack an enemy, but up close one would find the atmosphere quite relaxed. The mounted men chatted with each other, occasionally bursting into loud laughter. From time to time, there would also be a jibe or a narrow-minded comment. ¡°Viscount Lansite, from your great-grandfather to you, the title has been passed down for four generations now, hasn¡¯t it?¡± a middle-aged man dressed in a grand, silver armor rode a horse and said with a somewhat imposing manner. ¡°` ¡°Yes, Count Vick,¡± another man on horseback said. He appeared to be in his thirties, with a chin full of stubble and an unkempt appearance. Compared to other nobles, his armor was anything but ornate¡ªin fact, it could be described as shabby and worn. The surface of the armor showed obvious signs of rust. At the shoulder armor, there were misfits, suggesting that this armor might have been passed down from the previous generation or even the one before. For a noble not to have their own specially tailored armor, not to spend a great deal on maintenance, not to polish with marble and coarse linen, not to buff to a shine with woolen blankets¡ªto not make their armor gleam was, to put it mildly, unbecoming of nobility. To be more serious, it was downright heresy, the mark of an oddball among the nobility. Count Vick, called thus, did not comment on the other¡¯s armor but, upon hearing the reply, said thoughtfully, ¡°Four generations, eh? I remember your great-grandfather was only a lord, and now you are a viscount. To advance two ranks in four generations is indeed no small feat. However, I¡¯ve heard that although you, Viscount Lansite, have risen in rank, your lands have shrunk, and your income has dwindled. That shouldn¡¯t be the case.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± interjected a tall, thin noble, ¡°Count Vick, Viscount Lansite is too kind to his farmers and serfs. Hmph, I¡¯ve heard he collects much less tax than we do, how can he amass any wealth? But of course, this isn¡¯t the key point. I think the real issue is that Viscount Lansite stays cloistered in his castle, sleeping soundly while every kingdom war passes by without his involvement. No war achievements mean no rewards or fame, no one to join his cause, and naturally, no money.¡± The crowd burst into laughter upon hearing this. Viscount Lansite remained expressionless. The tall and thin noble persisted, ¡°Actually, I think it¡¯s far too easy for Viscount Lansite to get rich. He just needs to wait for the next kingdom war, join in, and capture some wealthy nobles on the battlefield¡ªdemand hefty ransoms for them.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the tall, thin noble¡¯s voice took on a sharp tone, full of implications, ¡°before that, Visite Lansite needs to find himself a better suit of armor, or he might get captured by the enemy before he can capture anyone on the battlefield.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± The whole group laughed again. These were nobles from the capital, backed by great nobles with substantial power. Even if they did not inherit titles, they had no fear of a noble from a far-flung domain like Lansite. Lansite¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and he did not choose to simply accept the mockery. They might not fear him, but he certainly didn¡¯t fear them either. He looked at the tall, thin noble who had spoken and sneered, ¡°You whelp from the Caesar family, I might not have fine armor, but do you believe I could still slaughter you, even with your double-layered armor?¡± ¡°You!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, don¡¯t believe me? You can try. Shall I throw you a gauntlet, choose a spot, and have a proper duel? Oh, that¡¯s right, I¡¯m too poor to have gloves, but you have some, don¡¯t you? Why not throw them down as a challenge, how about that, do you dare?¡± After Lansite finished speaking, the young noble¡¯s eyes bulged, and he remained speechless for a long time, his hands gripping tightly on the horse, as if truly afraid a glove might fall to the ground. Lansite sneered at this, and immediately, the young noble¡¯s face reddened. Just as those close to the young noble were about to react, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old noble youth at the very front suddenly gave a light cough. Everyone immediately fell silent. ¡°Clip-clop, clip-clop,¡± Lansite spurred his horse forward, approaching the young noble and asked respectfully, ¡°Prince Gelo, what is the matter?¡± The one addressed as Prince Gelo was dressed in armor inlaid with gemstones and pearls, with brownish hair, his eyes tinged with deep worries. Mounted on his horse and looking ahead with slightly furrowed brows, he asked, ¡°Lansite, didn¡¯t you say this forest is full of beasts? And now in late autumn, the prime time for hunting, we haven¡¯t encountered a single one. Why is that?¡± ¡°` Chapter 52: Chapter 052: Prince, Meeting the Prince Again The wild boar twisted its neck upward and then saw the purple clothes, the purple hair, a familiar face, and a pair of cold, icy purple eyes. Squeal! Pandora! ¡°Thud!¡± The wild boar flipped over onto the ground, scared out of its wits. Before, after having bullied one or two animals, it had been beaten black and blue; after bullying three or four, it had been beaten to a bloody pulp. This time, nearly bullying from tail to snout, wouldn¡¯t it be beaten to death?! The next moment, the wild boar found strength from who knows where, its cumbersome body suddenly twisted, and it struggled to its feet. Its four short legs ran toward the depths of the forest as fast as if pounding garlic, truly a desperate escape. Pandora, watching the increasingly distant figure of the wild boar, furrowed her brow. On any other day, she would definitely chase after it, to beat the wild boar within an inch of its life. But today¡­ Watching Richard walk by, heading toward the great mountain, Pandora ultimately blinked her eyes and didn¡¯t chase after the wild boar, instead turning to follow Richard. ¡­ ¡°Pant, pant, pant¡­¡± The wild boar didn¡¯t know how far it had run, gasping for breath, parched and tongue-tied, feeling like smoke was about to come out of its throat. It felt the effort was hardly worth it. After bullying so many animals today, it had felt good, but it hadn¡¯t gotten to drink any water, a serious loss. Moreover, not only could it not drink today, but it likely wouldn¡¯t dare show up to drink for several days to come; if caught, it would surely be severely beaten. What to do? There was only one good place nearby to drink, and the water in that pond was the sweetest; all other streams and puddles were turbid and undrinkable. It had to find a solution, or it would die of thirst! The wild boar panted and white steam continuously sprayed from its mouth and nose as it rolled its eyes and pondered the big issues of its pig life. ¡­ Not far away. ¡°Clippity, cloppity, clippity¡­¡± The noisy sound of hooves and footsteps arose as a large group moved through the forest. Those riding horses were nobles clad in various ornate armors, and the foot soldiers wore leather armor and carried bows and arrows. The group looked formidable, like an elite army about to attack an enemy, but up close one would find the atmosphere quite relaxed. The mounted men chatted with each other, occasionally bursting into loud laughter. From time to time, there would also be a jibe or a narrow-minded comment. ¡°Viscount Lansite, from your great-grandfather to you, the title has been passed down for four generations now, hasn¡¯t it?¡± a middle-aged man dressed in a grand, silver armor rode a horse and said with a somewhat imposing manner. ¡°` ¡°Yes, Count Vick,¡± another man on horseback said. He appeared to be in his thirties, with a chin full of stubble and an unkempt appearance. Compared to other nobles, his armor was anything but ornate¡ªin fact, it could be described as shabby and worn. The surface of the armor showed obvious signs of rust. At the shoulder armor, there were misfits, suggesting that this armor might have been passed down from the previous generation or even the one before. For a noble not to have their own specially tailored armor, not to spend a great deal on maintenance, not to polish with marble and coarse linen, not to buff to a shine with woolen blankets¡ªto not make their armor gleam was, to put it mildly, unbecoming of nobility. To be more serious, it was downright heresy, the mark of an oddball among the nobility. Count Vick, called thus, did not comment on the other¡¯s armor but, upon hearing the reply, said thoughtfully, ¡°Four generations, eh? I remember your great-grandfather was only a lord, and now you are a viscount. To advance two ranks in four generations is indeed no small feat. However, I¡¯ve heard that although you, Viscount Lansite, have risen in rank, your lands have shrunk, and your income has dwindled. That shouldn¡¯t be the case.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± interjected a tall, thin noble, ¡°Count Vick, Viscount Lansite is too kind to his farmers and serfs. Hmph, I¡¯ve heard he collects much less tax than we do, how can he amass any wealth? But of course, this isn¡¯t the key point. I think the real issue is that Viscount Lansite stays cloistered in his castle, sleeping soundly while every kingdom war passes by without his involvement. No war achievements mean no rewards or fame, no one to join his cause, and naturally, no money.¡± The crowd burst into laughter upon hearing this. Viscount Lansite remained expressionless. The tall and thin noble persisted, ¡°Actually, I think it¡¯s far too easy for Viscount Lansite to get rich. He just needs to wait for the next kingdom war, join in, and capture some wealthy nobles on the battlefield¡ªdemand hefty ransoms for them.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the tall, thin noble¡¯s voice took on a sharp tone, full of implications, ¡°before that, Visite Lansite needs to find himself a better suit of armor, or he might get captured by the enemy before he can capture anyone on the battlefield.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± The whole group laughed again. These were nobles from the capital, backed by great nobles with substantial power. Even if they did not inherit titles, they had no fear of a noble from a far-flung domain like Lansite. Lansite¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and he did not choose to simply accept the mockery. They might not fear him, but he certainly didn¡¯t fear them either. He looked at the tall, thin noble who had spoken and sneered, ¡°You whelp from the Caesar family, I might not have fine armor, but do you believe I could still slaughter you, even with your double-layered armor?¡± ¡°You!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, don¡¯t believe me? You can try. Shall I throw you a gauntlet, choose a spot, and have a proper duel? Oh, that¡¯s right, I¡¯m too poor to have gloves, but you have some, don¡¯t you? Why not throw them down as a challenge, how about that, do you dare?¡± After Lansite finished speaking, the young noble¡¯s eyes bulged, and he remained speechless for a long time, his hands gripping tightly on the horse, as if truly afraid a glove might fall to the ground. Lansite sneered at this, and immediately, the young noble¡¯s face reddened. Just as those close to the young noble were about to react, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old noble youth at the very front suddenly gave a light cough. Everyone immediately fell silent. ¡°Clip-clop, clip-clop,¡± Lansite spurred his horse forward, approaching the young noble and asked respectfully, ¡°Prince Gelo, what is the matter?¡± The one addressed as Prince Gelo was dressed in armor inlaid with gemstones and pearls, with brownish hair, his eyes tinged with deep worries. Mounted on his horse and looking ahead with slightly furrowed brows, he asked, ¡°Lansite, didn¡¯t you say this forest is full of beasts? And now in late autumn, the prime time for hunting, we haven¡¯t encountered a single one. Why is that?¡± ¡°` Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 053 Wizards Divine Artifact Chapter 53: Chapter 053 Wizard¡¯s Divine Artifact ¡°Um, well¡­¡± Lansite hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking, ¡°Prince, you may not know this. There are indeed many wild animals in the forest. However, the Black Forest here is different from other forests. Every month, a Beast Tide erupts, and the animals become extremely ferocious. Yesterday, I prevented your highness from entering the forest for this reason, because yesterday was the day the Beast Tide occurred, when the animals become more irritable than usual, especially at night. Today, just after the Beast Tide passed, the animals have calmed down, so I brought you and the others in, ensuring safety. Nevertheless, because of this, after the Beast Tide, the animals probably suffered heavy losses, so there are fewer appearances than usual.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we might not catch anything today?¡± Prince Gro frowned deeply and took a jewel-encrusted water container from his saddle, gulping down the water and said displeasedly, ¡°That¡¯s disappointing!¡± ¡°Please calm your anger, Prince Gro,¡± Lansite spoke, ¡°It¡¯s not that we can¡¯t catch anything, it¡¯s just more difficult. Actually, if we do encounter them, they are likely to be wounded predators which are easier to handle than usual. We might even catch a leopard, a tiger, or a wild boar.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± After hearing this, Prince Gro¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°Alright then.¡± He carelessly stuffed the drinking pouch back onto the saddle. Since it wasn¡¯t properly sealed, water continuously seeped from the pouch, falling drop by drop to the ground, but Gro didn¡¯t seem to mind. A moment later, having thought of something, Gro suddenly took off a leather glove from one hand and handed it to Lansite. Lansite was startled, ¡°Prince, what is this¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s for you,¡± Gro said quietly, ¡°Um, don¡¯t get me wrong, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re really too poor to afford gloves, but I overheard your argument with the members of the Caesar family just now. I think¡­ you did a great job. Actually, I don¡¯t like the Caesar family either.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°Besides,¡± Gro sighed softly, ¡°who knows when the day will come when I get assassinated, these gloves are a waste on my hands, better to give them to you.¡± ¡°Your Highness is overthinking it. The eldest prince has already become the king, and you are soon to become a Duke or a Prince. Who in the entire kingdom would dare harm you?¡± ¡°Hah, exactly because of that,¡± Gro said, ¡°now that my brother has become the king, I might just become a thorn in his side. He is nearly twenty years older than me, and my existence could threaten his son¡¯s inheritance of the throne. Nothing has happened yet, but perhaps one day, he¡¯ll make his move. Actually, he has been king for three months now, and the titles and lands that our father promised me and my two younger brothers are yet to be honored, which just goes to show that he indeed plans to do it.¡± ¡°But¡­ the Little Prince has already been made a Duke and had his lands allocated,¡± Lansite said softly, ¡°Maybe¡­ it¡¯s just because it¡¯s too soon, and the new king hasn¡¯t had the time yet.¡± ¡°Not necessarily!¡± Gro shook his head, ¡°My youngest brother is only three years old, he poses no threat and thus his land allocation is just a formality, naturally, it can be more generous. But for me and my two other brothers, it¡¯s different, I fear¡­¡± Toward the end, Gro shook his head in irritation, ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s not talk about it any longer, let¡¯s just hunt to clear our minds.¡± After saying that, Gro took off the other glove from his hand and stuffed it into Lansite¡¯s hands. Lansite held the pair of gloves, a glint in his eyes. Obviously, they were fine gloves, made of high-quality deer leather, set with several decorative gemstones. Not to mention anything else, just taking and selling the gemstones would equate to nearly half a season¡¯s yield from his lands. For such a windfall, he wouldn¡¯t refuse. Of course, there was no need for excessive gratitude or to show off, since everyone who came along with Prince Gro, apart from himself, was wealthier than Lansite. However¡­ Just as Lansite was about to stuff the gloves into his chest, he suddenly thought of something, turned around with a smile that was not quite a smile, and looked toward the members of the Caesar family in the squad behind. The noble from the Caesar family who had argued with him earlier paled at the sight of Lansite. Since Lansite had been very close to the Prince when they spoke and had spoken softly, he hadn¡¯t heard clearly what was being said. Now seeing Lansite¡¯s expression, he thought Lansite was purposely borrowing a pair of gloves from Prince Gro to throw them in his face as a challenge, scaring him into standing still, not daring to come forward. Lansite sneered and turned his horse to lead the others forward, with the nobles of the Caesar family cautiously following behind. ¡­ A group of nearly a hundred had left the area when a thirsty wild boar, desperate for water, suddenly rushed forward. Its eyes widened with realization. There¡¯s water! With galloping strides, the boar ran to a patch of yellowed grass. It stuck out its pink tongue, greedily lapping up the moist leaves, feeling its soul quiver with delight. It was water! Real water! And it was sweet, mixed with honey! ¡°Slurp, slurp¡­¡± Eagerly cleaning the water off the leaves, the boar looked toward the trail of water leading away into the distance and quickly followed, its tail joyfully wagging behind. ¡­ Elsewhere. Halfway up a large mountain, Richard and Pandora were walking on a steep trail. Richard could clearly feel a faint spiritual wave emanating from within the mountain, acting upon his brain. Richard knew that every month, this spiritual wave would suddenly surge to its peak, then it would control the minds of many animals in the forest. However, prior to the burst, the spiritual wave had a stimulating effect on the brain¡ªit could train one¡¯s mental strength and develop intelligence. In simple terms, the spiritual wave from the mountain was generally beneficial, except for the monthly peaks, when its overly strong stimulation became harmful. Seen from this perspective, the crystal skull embedded in the mountain seemed like a wide-range intellect enhancer, constantly elevating the intellect of many forest animals. Additionally, it performed a monthly test to eliminate those that didn¡¯t measure up. This explained why the animals in this forest seemed smarter than those elsewhere. This made Richard once again think of a legend about the crystal skulls: there were 52 in total, 12 of which were ¡°singing skulls¡± with movable jawbones that stored knowledge. The other 40 were ¡°talking skulls¡± with immovable jawbones, enhancing human capacities like physical strength, endurance, and wisdom, turning humans into Skull Guardians to spread the knowledge contained within the ¡°talking skulls.¡± Now, it seemed that the crystal skull in the mountain, despite its smaller size, closely resembled the legendary ¡°talking skulls.¡± If one could actually obtain the crystal skull and thoroughly study it to focus its effects on one individual instead of a range, it might be possible to significantly accelerate the evolution of an animal¡¯s brain or instantly break through the mental limitations of a species. Or it could greatly enhance a person¡¯s mental strength. Richard remembered from the ¡°Monroe Chapter¡± that mental strength and mana storage were two critical standards for a wizard¡¯s advancement. Thus, the crystal skull could indeed be considered a divine artifact for wizards. Of course, all this was still just speculation. Only by obtaining the crystal skull could one confirm its effects. The question remained, however, how to extract the crystal skull from the mountain? Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 054 Explosives for Mountain Breaking Chapter 54: Chapter 054 Explosives for Mountain Breaking Richard walked along the mountain path, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. He had nearly circled the mountain but hadn¡¯t found any passage or crack. Combining the previous explorations by the consciousness, he was fairly certain that taking a shortcut to remove the Crystal Skull from the mountain was basically impossible. So, the only option was to carve a tunnel from the outside of the mountain into its interior chamber and retrieve the Crystal Skull from there. This would be a sizeable venture, especially in this world that resembled the medieval era. If they were to rely solely on manpower using hammers and crowbars, it might take half a year to complete. Using magic, the Monroe Chapter indeed contained Earth Magic spells capable of breaking rocks, and he had recently learned one, but at the Wizard Apprentice level, he could only cast them on a very small scale. Even with continuous use, the effect was quite mediocre. He needed to think of a better method. Richard squinted his eyes, stopping on the mountain path, and looked thoughtfully at a rock face beside the path. Richard knew that the chamber lay dozens of meters behind this rock face, but what was the fastest way to drill through this section? After pondering for a moment, Richard raised his hand toward the rock face and recited a spell. ¡°Whirr¡­ Whirr¡­¡± On the rock face, stones crumbled and flakes started to peel away. Shape Earth Magic¡¤Zero Circle Low Level¡¤Earth Stone Control. ¡°Whirr, whirr,¡± stones continued to fall, kicking up a lot of dust. It seemed imposing, but in reality, after a lot of effort, only a hole about three or four centimeters in diameter and a dozen centimeters deep was made. Looking at the hole, Richard pursed his lips and recited another spell. Moments later, a mass of Liquid Oxygen formed and filled the hole. After completing these steps, Richard thought for a moment, then gathered some sawdust and dry grass from the vicinity and stuffed it into the hole until it was packed full. The standard Liquid Oxygen Explosives were thus prepared. Yes, Liquid Oxygen Explosives ¡ª real explosives, differing from the usual Liquid Oxygen Group explosions because they were filled with a combustible material. Liquid Oxygen Explosives are a type of mining explosive, invented in 1895 on modern Earth by a German named Linde. It generally involves wrapping combustibles (such as carbon black, coal dust, scrap paper, wood dust, etc.) into a cylindrical shape and immersing them in Liquid Oxygen before use. Once it is saturated with Liquid Oxygen, it is immediately moved to the location where an explosion is needed to be detonated. Upon detonation, the combustibles inside rapidly burn, the temperature soars, and the volume expands violently, triggering an explosion with more power than nitroglycerin-based explosives like TNT. With a complete industrial system in place, Liquid Oxygen Explosives are extremely cheap to produce. However, because liquid oxygen evaporates quickly at room temperature, the lifespan of the explosives is very short, usually between 15 to 20 minutes, and must be freshly soaked before use. Therefore, they cannot be used in bullets, bombs, shells, etc. It¡¯s a ¡°peaceful¡± type of explosive, its main use being industrial mining. To put it simply, these are explosives specifically designed for rock blasting. Blast the mountain with explosives, and use explosives to blast through the mountain. He stepped back, turned his head, and looked at Pandora, pointing to the side. Pandora¡¯s eyes flickered with understanding, and she reluctantly moved aside to take cover. Richard took a deep breath, his gaze steely, and waved his hand to release a ball of Flames towards the hole filled with Liquid Oxygen Explosives. Immediately afterward, he conjured an Air Wall in front of himself. With a ¡°boom,¡± the flames flew into the hole, detonating the real Liquid Oxygen Explosives. The rock face shook violently, and a large hollow was blasted open along the pre-cut hole. Debris shot out like bullets in all directions and then were ¡°thud, thud, thud,¡± blocked by the Air Wall. When the dust had settled, Richard removed the Air Wall and took a look at the results, finding them quite satisfactory. At least, using Liquid Oxygen Explosives for mining proved far more efficient than manual labor or the mere use of spells, with no need for a month to complete the entire project. However, during this process, he also had to thoroughly consider any potential problems that might arise. After all, carving out a tunnel was not as simple as just blasting away continuously with explosives. Blind violence and destruction couldn¡¯t solve any problems; the real solution still depended on using one¡¯s brain. Excavating a tunnel might seem straightforward, but in reality, there were many aspects to consider, or else modern Earth would not have developed it into a complete industry. The method of drilling holes, filling them with explosives, and then blasting tunnels, known as ¡°drilling and blasting¡± on modern Earth, was primarily used in the construction of mountain tunnels. Apart from the core explosion process itself, it was necessary to consider surveying, lining up, adding structural supports, as well as ventilation, smoke clearance, and slag removal after the blast, among a series of other issues. Although the current tunnel excavation was planned to be a one-time use and not intended for repeated traffic, in which some safety aspects would not need to be as stringent, it could not be entirely neglected. Otherwise, what if the tunnel collapsed halfway through the excavation due to a blast, bringing the whole mountain down? Given the size of this mountain, if it did collapse and bury everyone inside, not to mention a Wizard Apprentice, even a real Wizard would not survive. Therefore, some issues had to be thoroughly thought through, solutions found, and only then could the actual excavation begin. For example, the issue of supports had to be addressed. Using wood for reinforcement was feasible, as the forest was not short of timber. But it would be best to acquire some high-quality iron. The mining, refining, and forging of iron, however, were more complicated than tunnel excavation, and if he had to do it all by himself, it would take far too long. Fortunately, the technology involved was relatively low, and the current world already possessed a mature system, so he could entirely handle it through direct contact with the outside world, buying what was needed. Money, he had it. Among his luggage were quite a few gemstones. After all, his plan to break free from the constraints of his identity and leave the Blue Lion Kingdom had been well-thought-out, considering all aspects. But it wasn¡¯t just about having money; he also needed to find someone to trade with. So¡­ where to look? Or perhaps, think of another way to solve it? Richard pondered and beckoned to Pandora, walking towards the base of the mountain. ¡­ Time shifted back slightly. At the forest base of the mountain, dry leaves blanketed the area, and the sound of hooves resounded. ¡°Clip-clop, clip-clop¡­¡± Prince Gro rode on horseback, with other Nobles vaguely surrounding him. Soldiers scouted and stood guard on the outermost perimeter. Their task was to find wild beasts and notify the Nobles beforehand so that they could hunt them, and to prevent the animals from attacking and injuring the Nobles in a frenzy. Just then, a strange roar suddenly erupted from a nearby mountain. ¡°Hiss, hiss!¡± Some horses, spooked, raised their front hooves high and then slammed them down hard, creating two deep impressions in the ground. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± someone yelled out. Everyone immediately went on alert, drawing their weapons and warily scanning their surroundings. One second, two seconds, three seconds¡­ Half a minute passed in a flash, and yet nothing happened. This¡­ Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 055: Wild Boar Strike Chapter 55: Chapter 055: Wild Boar Strike A moment later, Viscount Lansite rode up beside Prince Gro and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, it seems that¡­ stones on the mountain have split, although it rarely happens, it does occur occasionally. However¡­ as long as one is not on the mountain being struck by the falling stones, there is no danger, so there is no need for concern.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± Prince Roger nodded, then suddenly thought of something, ¡°Stones don¡¯t usually split for no reason, right? Could it have been caused by some animal?¡± Lansite appeared somewhat shocked, ¡°What animal could have that much strength?¡± Roger exclaimed, ¡°A dragon! The legendary Giant Dragon! The reason I came to hunt on your lands was because I heard from others that there might be a Giant Dragon in the forests of your domain. Lansite, tell me, do you actually have a Giant Dragon here? Could that noise just now have been caused by a Giant Dragon?¡± ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± Lansite began with a bit of a rueful smile, ¡°Your Highness, all those stories about Giant Dragons are just fabrications by some foolish hunters and farmers, they are never true. In fact, not only have I heard them vow that they saw a Giant Dragon flying in the forest sky, but they also say that there are ferocious werewolves prowling at night, and at noon, there are Fire Bears with their bodies ablaze, roaring through the forest. ¡°Every time, I have sent people to investigate, but found them all to be false. After severely whipping those who spread rumors, they calmed down and dared not speak nonsense for many days. And the rumors you¡¯ve heard, Your Highness, must have been recklessly spread by some minstrel who left my land.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Sighing lightly, Lansite continued, ¡°Honestly, Your Highness, there are common wild beasts in this Black Forest, and having a Beast Tide occur once a month is indeed a strange occurrence. But apart from that, there are no such things as Giant Dragons, werewolves, or Fire Bears.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s all fake.¡± After listening, Gro nodded his head and showed a trace of disappointment on his face. He reached for the dripping water bottle from his saddle, removed the stopper, and began to drink. Before he had arrived, he had fantasized about hunting a Giant Dragon, rescuing a princess, and acquiring vast treasures, but now his fantasies were shattered. Seeing the Prince¡¯s demeanor, Lansite knew his mood was sour and did not want to touch a sore spot, so he discreetly backed away. Gro gripped the water bottle and gulped it down, his eyes suddenly sparked, and from the corner of his eye, he spotted a gray shadow hiding in the grass ahead. What was this? A plump, big rabbit! Gro¡¯s spirit was slightly uplifted; though there was no Giant Dragon, having a rabbit was still something¡­ well, okay, the scale was a bit off. But in any case, having traveled so far and only just now encountering something that could be considered game, it was a bit of a surprise. In the next moment, without having the chance to return the water bottle to his saddle, Gro quickly jammed the cork back in, hastily placed it into his bosom, and picked up his bow, aiming at the grass ahead. The group of nobles and soldiers behind saw Gro¡¯s actions and realized something, immediately stopping in place, not daring to make a sound, lest they scare away the unlikely hunting target Gro had regained. ¡°Shh¡ªshh¡ª¡± Gro placed a white-feathered arrow on the bowstring, pulled it back forcefully, his eyes sharply watching the gray shadow in the grass, focused on every move it made. But what he failed to notice was that, not far beside him in another patch of grass, a massive Black Shadow was lurking, its large greedy eyes fixed on him¡­ on the water bottle stuffed in his bosom. ¡°Shh¡ªshh¡ª¡± Gro¡¯s bowstring grew tauter, reaching its limit in the next moment, then suddenly released. With a ¡°swoosh,¡± the arrow turned into a dark streak and flew out. The gray rabbit in the front grass was startled and hurriedly tried to flee, but it was already too late. The arrow swooshed down, ¡°thud,¡± piercing its body and pinning it to the ground. The numerous nobles behind Gro, after seeing this, were about to vocalize their admiration¡ªnot because he had killed just a rabbit, but because the archer was the Prince. But before their pondered praises could be voiced, and before the mounted Gro had a chance to rejoice, from the nearby bushes, a huge body suddenly and swiftly charged out. Weighing over four hundred pounds, in that moment, it was like a small mountain itself¡ªferocious and unstoppable! ¡°Wild boar!¡± ¡°Wild boar!¡± ¡°Block it!¡± ¡°Damn it, how did you handle this, why didn¡¯t you spot it sooner!¡± ¡°It¡¯s charging at Prince Gro!¡± ¡°Hell! Stop it!¡± ¡°Hurry, block it!¡± Everyone was shocked by this sudden change. The praises that were just about to be uttered turned into shouts of alarm. In their panic and shouting, they tried to block the wild boar, but how could they stop it? Viscount Lansite drew his longsword, preparing to ride forward to intercept it, but just as he was about to move, he noticed an unfamiliar noble charging out from his side. If he kept his direction unchanged, he would collide with the other in just seven or eight meters, so he quickly turned his horse around, taking a slightly detoured path toward the wild boar. But another unfamiliar noble galloped out, once again blocking his path. Lansite had no choice but to turn his horse again. During this delay, the wild boar had already reached Prince Gro. At that moment, Prince Gro¡¯s heart was struck with terror. Although he had just imagined slaying a dragon, that involved having many soldiers cripple the dragon first, so he could elegantly deliver the final blow and claim the dragon¡¯s life. He had never considered truly battling a dragon. In fact, now facing a more than four hundred-pound boar charging at him, he felt his mind go blank. What to do? What to do? What to do? As he asked himself ¡°What to do?¡± for the third time, the wild boar fiercely rammed into the horse beneath him. With a ¡°bang,¡± the horse screamed, falling to the ground in agony. ¡°Ah!¡± Gro cried out as he fell from his horse, but fortunately, he reacted at the last moment, quickly removing his feet from the stirrups and rolling as he went along. Thus, although the fall was hard, he wasn¡¯t pinned by the horse, which likely would have broken his leg. But this quick thinking during a critical moment couldn¡¯t completely remove him from danger. After hitting the horse, the wild boar didn¡¯t stop, continuing its charge towards him, eyes fixed intently on his chest. Was this¡­ was this about to bite open his chest? Gro thought in horror as he struggled to his feet, not trying to be a hero. He quickly ran towards the distance, continuously crying out, ¡°Help me! Help me! Save me! Save me quickly!¡± But the nearest soldier was seven or eight meters away, and the wild boar had already closed in to less than five meters. This¡­ Was he, a prince, really going to be killed by a wild boar? What a disgrace! Gro thought with sadness and anger, clenching his teeth, wanting to resist. But after feeling around, he realized his weapons were all on the saddle, and his bow and arrows had been lost during the fall. Now he had nothing but a water pouch on him. Could he really kill the wild boar with an almost empty water pouch? Clutching the water pouch in his chest tightly, Gro couldn¡¯t help but think. Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 056 The Act of Letting Go to Capture Chapter 56: Chapter 056 The Act of Letting Go to Capture Gripping the waterskin tightly, in the next moment, Gro realized, for some unknown reason, the wild boar¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red. It seemed provoked and charged at him with even greater speed. The sorrow in Gro¡¯s heart about being killed by a wild boar immediately turned to despair. Damn it, was he really going to be killed by a¡­ killed¡­ killed¡­ Huh? What the hell! Just at that moment, just as Gro fell into despair, his eyes bulged. He saw the wild boar charging at him bulging its eyes even bigger, staring straight past him like it had seen something unbelievable. A figure appeared silently, quietly watching the wild boar. Richard! The wild boar recognized him, feeling a chill run through its body. With Richard¡¯s appearance, could Pandora be far behind? Of course not! In the blink of an eye, the wild boar saw Pandora appear beside Richard, her face cold as she looked at it. At this moment, the wild boar truly felt a chill. How¡­ how could this be? Staring at Pandora with wide eyes, then at the waterskin in Prince Gro¡¯s embrace, it surveyed the aggressive crowd gathering around and pondered the trail of water that had lured it here. This, this, this! An inexplicable thought slammed into its mind like a train, a terrifying conjecture spreading quickly like ripples on a lake. Caught off guard and horrified, the wild boar couldn¡¯t help but think of a ¡°truth¡± that could explain everything it saw¡ªwas this¡­ was this law enforcement by entrapment? Was it deliberately lured out with water mixed with honey, only to be brutally beaten? Although the wild boar didn¡¯t know the term ¡°entrapment,¡± it felt the same. This! How shameless! The wild boar internally shouted, making a split-second decision as its four short legs came to a sudden halt. Under the force of inertia, its legs dug into the ground, plowing four deep furrows. To Gro¡¯s shock and bewilderment, the wild boar slid several meters to a stop in front of him. Its long snout almost touched Gro¡¯s face, a puff of white breath coming out, its stinky odor almost making Gro faint. But the wild boar didn¡¯t care about that; it was vital to escape. One could survive a day without water, but being caught by Pandora might truly mean death. ¡°Hngh, hngh!¡± With a few more puffs of white breath, the wild boar licked Gro¡¯s waterskin reluctantly, then turned tail and ran. It burst through a gap in the encirclement, crazily dashing away, and in the blink of an eye, it vanished into the vast forest. Everyone initially froze in collective astonishment at the wild boar¡¯s bizarre behavior, then quickly rallied around to protect Prince Gro. ¡°Your Highness, are you alright?¡± ¡°Your Highness, are you injured?¡± ¡°Your Highness, should we leave the forest to see the physician?¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± After a round of concerned inquiries and making sure Prince Gro was temporarily unharmed, everyone finally eased their worries. The next moment, however, they collectively turned to Richard and Pandora, eyes full of suspicion, and shouted out. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Why did you appear in the forest?¡± Although Richard and Pandora had, in a sense, scared away the wild boar and saved Prince Gro¡¯s life, who knew what the real situation was? Richard looked at the crowd¡¯s reaction and couldn¡¯t help but sigh; little did he expect that merely walking down the mountain would lead to this. Prince? Nobles? Hunting? Well, alright then. Richard had pretty much guessed how things would unfold from here. As part of the group hunting with the Prince, they had almost let the Prince get hurt, which was clearly a grave mistake. To avoid responsibility, the best choice was to point the finger at him, an unrelated party. It didn¡¯t matter what the real situation was; they would capture and interrogate him first. Come to think of it, when he was a prince himself, he had also encountered this kind of situation several times. Back in the day, his Personal Guard Captain, Edward, was quite relentless when it came to capturing people. In summary, the situation now resembled a typical scene from an entertaining novel: a group of ¡°villains¡± biting the hand that fed them, spouting madness, drawing ire, only to be taught a lesson in manners by his magic in the end. But such matters were truly boring and a waste of time. Richard frowned lightly as he thought this, and the next moment, he had already decided to deal with it at the source. To resolve it at the source meant not to prove his innocence, but to ¡­ display sufficient power. Faced with the crowd¡¯s accusations, Richard didn¡¯t respond. His lips parted slightly, and with a flick of his hand, a gentle blueish flame appeared in his palm. Everyone¡¯s eyes instantly widened, and their shouts caught in their throats as the forcefulness of their demeanor suddenly dissipated, their bodies atop the horses seeming to shrink in stature. It had to be said, the ¡°Phosphorus Candle,¡± a Zero-Circle Illumination Spell, although utterly non-aggressive, was better at intimidating others than any other offensive spells. With a lift of his hand, the Phosphorus Fire in his palm flew into the air, expanding as it went, and eventually detonated into a fireball a meter in diameter, causing the bodies of the onlookers to shudder in unison. The way they looked at Richard had completely changed from before; in addition to caution, there was now a touch more tension and fear. In a calm voice, Richard spoke, ¡°As you can see, I am a wizard living in the forest, merely passing by. If you wish to do something to me, don¡¯t hesitate, of course, I won¡¯t either. But if you don¡¯t want to do anything, then clear the way and let me leave. How does that sound?¡± After Richard had finished speaking, the crowd exchanged glances, and the next moment, they unanimously stepped aside to let him pass. Richard nodded with a smile and proceeded forward with Pandora. Just as they were about to leave, Prince Gro, protected amongst the crowd, revealed a trace of an unusual gleam in his eyes and suddenly spoke up. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Richard stopped and looked towards Gro. ¡°Ah, that is¡­¡± Under Richard¡¯s gaze, Gro was visibly nervous, his demeanor unavoidably becoming more respectful, ¡°That is¡­ Master Wizard¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Gro grew even more nervous, and after a deep breath, he said, ¡°Master Wizard, you just saved my life, and I want to thank you¡­ how about¡­¡± ¡°No time,¡± Richard answered bluntly. The curt reply left Gro frozen, ¡°This¡­¡± ¡­ Night fell. Prince Roger¡¯s hunting party had set up camp in a clearing in the forest. In the largest tent at the camp¡¯s center, a private dinner was underway, with participants including Prince Gro, Richard, and Pandora¡ªRichard ultimately agreed to Gro¡¯s invitation from earlier in the day. In fact, Richard had planned to interact with Gro from the beginning for two main reasons. One was to gather some information about the surroundings through him. The other was to get in touch with him and gain some iron to carry out his tunneling plans. Refusing initially during the day was simply a probe and a way to assume a position of superiority, to have a favorable standing in the ¡°negotiation.¡± Simply put, it was to capture by letting go first. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 057: Forest Banquet Chapter 57: Chapter 057: Forest Banquet The banquet progressed with an abundant selection of food on the table. This was largely because Richard had accepted Prince Gro¡¯s invitation earlier that day and joined him for a half-day hunt, bringing back a variety of game. While there weren¡¯t many large wild beasts, there was no shortage of small animals, now presented as roasted pheasants, ducks, quail, rabbits, and wild goat meats on the table. Prince Gro sat in the center of the tent, in full swing of conversation, enthusiastically waving his arms as he described something. Richard sat on the side, cutting grilled, slightly charred stakes with his knife and fork into small cubes and then slowly chewing and swallowing them as he brought them to his mouth. Since there were no spices, just a bit of salt, the meat didn¡¯t taste very good, even worse than that of domestic livestock. However, Richard continued to eat expressionlessly, occasionally nodding towards Gro to indicate he was listening. Pandora sat next to Richard, finding the utensils more interesting than the food. She hadn¡¯t touched the meat on her plate, instead amusing herself with the silver knife and fork with a faint glint in her eyes, resembling a dragon that had discovered treasure. After playing with them for a while, she brought the fork to her mouth and tentatively bit down on it. To ensure hardness and reduce costs, silverware generally contains some copper and tin, but Pandora¡¯s teeth were far beyond that of an ordinary girl. She bit down lightly, and immediately a clear indentation of her teeth appeared. Another bite, another set of teeth marks. Continuing to bite, a third set of marks¡­ ¡­ After a while, Prince Gro¡¯s topic reached its conclusion, summarizing, ¡°In short, that¡¯s what the entire Jade Kingdom looks like.¡± Richard nodded, now understanding that the Jade Kingdom Gro spoke of was the nation where this forest was located. According to Gro, the entire Jade Kingdom spanned an area nearly three times that of the Blue Lion Kingdom, with a population more than double, nearing three million people ¨C considered a mid-sized kingdom. It might lag slightly behind the likes of Pulan Kingdom or Yasi Kingdom, but it wasn¡¯t too weak either. Having heard this, Richard then asked, ¡°Are there no wizards in the Jade Kingdom?¡± ¡°Wizards?¡± Gro paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, ¡°There should be very few, if any, they¡¯re mostly just passing through. Some say that this island is too barren, lacking the magic materials wizard need. As a result, wizards generally live on the mainland. Those with the talent to become wizards are also periodically taken away by special ships to study on the mainland.¡± ¡°The mainland?¡± Richard murmured to himself, nodding. He had some vague knowledge of geography. As it stood, the Blue Lion Kingdom, Jade Kingdom, Pusi Kingdom, Yasi Kingdom, and others actually all resided on a giant sea island known as Smans Island. Though it could be the largest sea island in the world, it was still an island, not a continent. The true continent lay across a vast stretch of sea, reachable only by ship. However, the ocean was infested with sea monsters, sirens, pirates, and was occasionally subject to powerful storms ¨C a moment¡¯s carelessness could result in both shipwreck and loss of life. Thus, the exchanges between Smans Island and the mainland were infrequent, existing in a semi-closed state, with only a handful of daring captains engaging in trade. At this moment, Gro suddenly looked over with gleaming eyes, full of expectation, and asked, ¡°Um, Lord Richard the Wizard, could you teach me magic, help me become a wizard?¡± ¡°Hmm? Why?¡± Richard looked at Gro and asked aloud, ¡°Why do you want to become a wizard?¡± Gro pursed his lips and took a deep breath before replying, ¡°Because only by becoming a wizard can I survive.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Listen to me¡­¡± Next, Richard heard a story very similar to his own. Prince Gro was indeed a prince of the Jade Kingdom, but he was not the only prince. In fact, Gro¡¯s father¡ªthe previous king¡ªhad five sons, with Gro being the second, and 16 years old this year. Above him was a 35-year-old elder brother. Below him were three younger brothers. The third and fourth brothers were one and two years younger than Gro, respectively, while the fifth was only three years old. Gro¡¯s eldest brother, who had been designated as the Crown Prince by Gro¡¯s father, succeeded smoothly to the throne after their father¡¯s death. Afterwards, Gro began to sense some changes and noticed that there seemed to be people who were against him in various ways. Moreover, only the youngest fifth brother had received a titled noble rank and territory, while he and the two other brothers had been waiting for three months without any grant, which naturally raised his concerns. Gro¡¯s worries were quite reasonable: he and the other two brothers had never been very close to their elder brother due to the age difference and had minimal communication. Now, the elder brother probably viewed them as threats and wanted to remove them all, hence the delay in granting them titles and lands, keeping them confined to the Royal Capital until he saw a ripe opportunity to act. Reflecting on this, Gro felt tense. The reason he had gone hunting was to temporarily get away from the Royal Capital and lay low. But this was only a temporary guarantee of safety. In Gro¡¯s view, perhaps only by becoming a powerful wizard could he make his elder brother wary enough not to act against him and ensure his own safety. After listening to Gro¡¯s account, Richard¡¯s eyes flickered, and he said, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to be so pessimistic.¡± ¡°Hmm? Why not?¡± ¡°In my opinion, your situation isn¡¯t so dire,¡± Richard exhaled lightly, ¡°If your elder brother really wanted to act against you, he probably would have done so already. After all, by delaying until now, you¡¯ve become alert, and taking action against you now would certainly be more difficult than dealing with you at the beginning when you were unsuspecting. Since your youngest brother has already been granted a fiefdom, you and the other two will sooner or later be granted one as well, though it might be in poorer locations. Delaying now is just about wearing down your patience; after a year or two, when the territories are decided, even if they are in worse locations, you will accept them because at that time, having any land will seem better than having none.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Gro murmured thoughtfully. ¡°To be honest, you shouldn¡¯t have left the Royal Capital,¡± Richard continued, ¡°In the Royal Capital, with your elder brother there, you are safest. Because if something were to happen to you, he would definitely be implicated. Therefore, he won¡¯t act against you and will even prevent others from doing so. But once you leave the Royal Capital, it¡¯s a different story. If you die, it can be attributed to an accident. Especially while hunting in the forest, it¡¯s easy to concoct excuses like being attacked by wild beasts, accidentally struck by stray arrows, or falling from a spooked horse. Your elder brother doesn¡¯t wish to kill you, but there are others who may not wish for you to live. For instance, the Great Nobles supporting your elder brother from behind, who as allies in his interests, would benefit from your death, at least they could carve a piece out of the lands meant for you. Then there are enemies of your elder brother in secret, who by killing you could smear his reputation, shake his position, and thus achieve some goals. More extreme still are nearby hostile kingdoms that wish to start a war; killing or capturing you would be an excellent tactic. In short, you are actually safer in the Royal Capital than you think. And now, in this forest, you are far more in danger than you realize.¡± ¡°This!¡± Gro was startled. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 058: The Smell of Blood Chapter 58: Chapter 058: The Smell of Blood Having listened to Richard¡¯s words, Gro wanted to say something, but Richard looked at him and said, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to make clear. That is, I¡¯m not actually a wizard, but rather just a wizard apprentice, um, the lowest level one at that. So, even if everything you said before is true, I can¡¯t teach you spells.¡± ¡°Really, it¡¯s not possible?¡± Gro seemed a bit unwilling to give up. ¡°Really, it¡¯s not possible,¡± Richard shook his head calmly. ¡°Then¡­ do I really have no hope at all of becoming a wizard?¡± Gro said, not hiding the profound disappointment on his face. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case,¡± Richard spoke again, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that some talented people are taken by boat to the continent to study? As long as you have talent¡­¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have talent,¡± Gro said, his face very somber, ¡°I don¡¯t even have the slightest talent, and I can¡¯t even enter meditation.¡± This was quite normal, according to the records in the ¡°Monroe Chapter,¡± the chance of being born with a wizard talent was about one in ten thousand, one in ten thousand people, not so easy to come by. Richard himself had no talent, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have sought scientific methods to decrypt Life Remolding three times. And the Gro before him evidently did not, as a prince, he lacked wizard talent¡ªgood fortune simply couldn¡¯t fall entirely on one person. Seeing Gro¡¯s demeanor, Richard¡¯s eyes flickered and he said, ¡°Actually, as long as you can safely return to the Royal Capital, patiently wait for some time, you will eventually become a duke with your own dominion, and can live better than most people, so why must you become a wizard?¡± Gro was slightly stunned, ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Of course, your desire to become a wizard, or whatever else, is your choice to make. If you really want it, then perhaps we can make a trade,¡± Richard said. ¡°What kind of trade?¡± Gro asked. Richard turned his hand over and took out a small porcelain bottle from his clothes, which contained ether, the anesthetic he had created. Such items as ether and some alcohol, Richard usually carried a few on him to deal with emergencies. Now, he had just run into one. Handing the porcelain bottle to Gro, Richard said, ¡°This is a potion. Just inhale a bit of the vapor it releases and it will help you enter meditation, overcoming the first of the three tough challenges of becoming a real wizard apprentice.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Gro¡¯s eyes lit up, his expression joyous as he reached for it, but Richard did not let go. Gro realized something, remembering the word ¡°trade¡± that Richard had just mentioned, his eyebrows slightly raised with comprehension, ¡°Then what do you want in return?¡± ¡°Ten thousand jin of high-quality iron,¡± Richard said, ¡°I need you to transport the iron to this camp within ten days. What I¡¯ll do with it is none of your business, but it must arrive on time.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Gro hesitated. Ten thousand jin of iron, or five tons, isn¡¯t much on modern Earth, but in this medieval world, it is different. Iron is a strategic material, under strict government control, and the amount of ten thousand jin of iron is enough to forge nearly a thousand cold weapons or several hundred pieces of iron armor, enough to equip a small army. It was only because Gro was a prince that he could consider this; had it been any of the small nobles, they would have refused without a second thought. On the one hand, they wouldn¡¯t have the capability to obtain that much iron in such a short time. On the other, they wouldn¡¯t dare to do so, afraid of being seen as rebellious by the king. Gro hesitated for a while, looked at the small porcelain bottle in Richard¡¯s hand, his brow furrowed deeply, and finally gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Alright, I agree to your terms. Although it¡¯s a bit difficult to get ten thousand jin of iron, I¡¯ll do my best to procure it for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, a pleasure doing business with you,¡± Richard let go, handing the small porcelain bottle to Gro. Just as he took the porcelain bottle, Gro couldn¡¯t wait to open it and took a quick sniff. His eyes shone with surprise as he looked at Richard, ¡°This really seems to¡­¡± ¡°` ¡°Otherwise?¡± Richard carefully put away the porcelain bottle, a smile emerging on his face. ¡­ The dinner eventually continued for a while longer before Richard found it timely to take his leave. On one hand, both goals of ¡°gathering information¡± and ¡°making a trade¡± had been achieved; on the other, Gro¡¯s eagerness to try the ether was hardly concealable, making it meaningless for them to stay any longer, hence the early end to the dinner¡­ Leading Pandora out of Gro¡¯s tent, Richard walked towards the outskirts of the camp. Soldiers along the way, upon seeing Richard, instinctively stopped and made way¡ªafter all, Richard was a mysterious wizard, and a guest of honor invited by the prince, demanding their utmost respect. Thus, Richard walked unimpeded to the edge of the camp, only to hear a faint sound of gnawing at something hard coming from his side. Hmm? Richard turned his head toward Pandora, his brow furrowing, ¡°What are you biting?¡± With a ¡°crack,¡± Pandora responded. One could see Pandora holding the handle of a silver fork, biting down on the tines; the ¡°crack¡± was the sound of her biting off a tip, holding it in her mouth like a silver needle. Richard watched calmly, Pandora glaring back defiantly. Richard frowned slightly and spoke seriously, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t just take other people¡¯s things.¡± ¡°Startled!¡± Pandora reacted, somewhat confused. Richard exhaled slowly, attempting to explain a basic concept clearly to the Dragon Clan girl: ¡°If something is mine, you can take it, if something is Gregory¡¯s, you can take it too. But not from anyone else, because they do not know you. If you want something, you can buy it or tell me what you want and let me buy it for you. But you must never just take it. Because others are not the animals in the forest, you can¡¯t just take their things because they can¡¯t fight back against you. Sure, sometimes it could work, but most of the time you need to respect the unspoken rules. Communicating with people is complicated, many rules can¡¯t be broken, unlike in the forest where you might rely solely on violence to get your way. If you really liked this silver fork, I could have added it as a term in the trade with Gro and then given it to you. But since it wasn¡¯t done, the fork needs to be returned. Even though you¡¯ve bitten it, it still needs to go back.¡± Richard held out his hand, palm up. Pandora¡¯s brow furrowed, and after some deliberation, she handed the silver fork to Richard, but the bitten-off tip remained in her mouth. Knowing not to be overly demanding about such minutiae, Richard shook his head slightly and, taking the damaged fork, turned and walked back towards Gro¡¯s tent. However, as he walked, Richard¡¯s brow furrowed deeper because he suddenly noticed¡­ something was off in the camp. Where there had been many soldiers when he had left, now they all seemed to have vanished as if suddenly called away. The vast camp had become rather quiet, the atmosphere somewhat eerie. As he neared Gro¡¯s tent, Richard detected a faint scent of blood; in the next moment, his eyes narrowed, thinking of a possibility, and he rushed into the tent.