Chapter 358 : 0355: Air Capture Record (Fourth Update, Alliance Hierarch's Additional Update 16/18)
Chapter 358 : 0355: Air Capture Record (Fourth Update, Alliance Hierarch's Additional Update 16/18)
One hour.
Two hours.
Three hours.
When Liszt had sliced open the covers of all the knight's novels on the shelves, he found that none were like "The Vulture Knight Stephan's Expedition" of years past, with golden parchment hidden inside the cover, upon which the Dou Qi Secret Technique "The Eye of Magic" was recorded.
"Why is this happening? Could it be that 'Breath Decay' isn't hidden within knight novels? If not, then how did it come into my hands?"
He pondered hard but couldn't come up with an answer.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, "The locals of Fresh Flower Town definitely wouldn't know any Dou Qi Secret Techniques, not even the Tulip Family possesses such techniques; the serfs that were bought surely don't know any Dou Qi Secret Techniques either—they are just a group of commoners... But Chris is not a local, she might know!"
His follower, Charles Trap, wasn't a local either, but if he truly knew Dou Qi Secret Techniques, he wouldn't be in such a sorry state.
Paris wasn't a local either, but since she had never practiced Dou Qi before, she most likely wouldn't possess any secret techniques. Otherwise, given the relationship Liszt felt he had with Paris, she would have presented them to him with both hands.
Therefore.
He went straight to Chris's living quarters, which were arranged next to Paris's, both in the noble living area.
"How are you resting?" Liszt asked gently.
"Much better, thank you for your concern, Baron," Chris replied, having donned her magic cloak and currently holding a magic book for reading—a book that Liszt had lent to her. He had already signed a contract with Chris, officially hiring her as his magical consultant.
Liszt had originally planned to pay her.
But Chris refused and decided to work for Liszt without compensation as a way to repay the debt of saving her life.
Of course, all her basic needs such as food, clothing, lodging, and traveling expenses had to be funded by Liszt, as well as supporting magic books, experimental materials, and so on from the castle—this situation left Liszt quite perplexed, wondering whether he had acquired a free magician, or she had acquired a free patron?
Luckily, the talent of Chris Truth was promising. She had advanced to magician at the age of seventeen, and there was hope for her to aim for the rank of Grand Magician in the future.
She was proficient in the Water, Fire, and Wind Systems of magic and had a slight understanding of the Earth and Lightning Systems. Since she had long been engaged in theoretical research, she wasn't very skilled in making magic equipment, but her potion making was very adept, having relied on her potion making for income at the Goat Assembly.
"I should have let you rest for a few more days, considering that your body hasn't fully recovered, but as you know, the situation I am facing is somewhat tense."
"I understand, Baron. Please command me for any work you have," she responded.
"Currently, Fresh Flower Town is cooperating with two magicians, Elkerson and Granney; Granney is responsible for making magic equipment for me, occasionally visiting... Elkerson makes magic potions for me, and I plan to transfer his duties to you," said Liszt.
He had already planned to have Elkerson focus solely on collecting magic books and acquiring magic through various channels, so there was no longer a need for him to stay in Fresh Flower Town making magic potions.
He believed that second-hand books and magic trade would be enough to fill his coffers abundantly.
Chris nodded, "I am very skilled at making magic potions. There will be no problem."
"By the way, do you happen to know what auxiliary magic medicine means?" Liszt asked, thinking of his auxiliary magic medicine Dragon Hollyhock, whose seedlings had yet to sprout, so research had not yet begun.
"Sorry, Baron, I haven't heard any knowledge about such magic potions."
"It doesn't matter. Someone told me that my Dragon Hollyhock has mutated and it has become a variety of auxiliary magic medicine, but it hasn't grown up yet. When they mature, I hope you can help me research what the effects of auxiliary magic medicine are."
"Of course."
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"The town currently has Black Tulips, Rapid Growth Magic Thorns, Common Flame Mushrooms, and the auxiliary magic medicine Dragon Hollyhock. In winter, we can also grow Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms, totaling five types of magic potions. Your job is not an easy one. Have you considered selecting some children from the town to be your magic apprentices?"
"If I need to, I will choose magic apprentices. Baron, the inheritance of truth requires a lot of energy to complete, and I may not be suitable for it yet... I haven't recovered from the shock of my last magic apprentice's death; she was killed in an explosion during an experiment."
It seems being a magic apprentice is indeed a high-risk occupation.
He decided not to beat around the bush anymore, "Chris, you work at the Goat Assembly, have you ever come across any knightly Dou Qi secret techniques?"
"Dou Qi secret techniques?" Chris thought carefully, then shook her head, "No, I rarely have contact with knights. The closest I ever got was probably being chased by one."
"Really none?"
"None."
Liszt pressed down the disappointment in his heart and continued with a smile, "Then, can you tell me the casting scheme of the Spring of Water from the six Water System spells that you know? I have always had a great interest in studying magic."
He actually had no interest in it.
But Sea Sprite Ake was very interested. She had already learned the Water Arrow Spell, Water Arrow Barrage, Water Wheel Wall, Water Bullet, and Water Whirlpool, and started studying the Water Wave Shield—a spell only a Grand Magician could master. However, due to her insufficient proficiency in magic arrays and magic runes, her progress in learning the Water Wave Shield was slow.
Another spell like Spring of Water could enhance Ake's foundation.
In fact, Liszt was also preparing to have Ake write down all the difficulties she encountered while studying magic and have them solved through him by Chris.
Effectively finding Ake a teacher.
"Baron, you don't need to be so polite. You are my lifesaver; just command me if you need anything. I will organize the casting scheme for the Spring of Water right away and hand it over to you."
"Mmm, I might ask you for some knowledge related to Water System magic in the future."
"I am willing to provide answers for you."
"For any needs in life, just let me know. If possible, I will try my best to satisfy them. Consider Fresh Flower Town your home and start a new life here."
Chris's eyes shone brightly, "Yes, Baron."
...
Returning to the study, Liszt continued to ponder where he might obtain the Dou Qi secret techniques.
Logically speaking, if he didn't seek them out, the Dou Qi secret techniques would probably appear on their own soon, but he had grown accustomed to collaborating with the Smoke Mission to proactively obtain his rewards—knowing that the Dou Qi secret techniques were within reach yet unable to obtain them was quite distressing.
He annoyedly downed a cup of milk tea to calm his mood.
He casually flipped open a magic book on the desk, titled "Cavendish's Air Capture Records," which were the research notes of a great magician named Cavendish Truth. The book documented Cavendish's research on air, which he believed differentiated magic by its combination with substances in the air.
This book was valuable, not because of the experimental content—actually, the content was dull and tedious, with no research results, as Cavendish thought that air was composed only of fine dust and free magic power, without even considering the vital elements required for breathing.
The real value lay in Cavendish's detailed record of the entire process of preparing his Mage Tower, including the necessary materials, their prices, the manufacturing of experimental equipment, and the efficiency of potion production.
This gave Liszt a very clear reference for the experimental costs of magicians, potentially reducing the likelihood of being swindled by unscrupulous magicians in the future.
Of course.
Now when he opened this book, it wasn't to read it, but to consider a possibility, "Why couldn't the Dou Qi secret techniques be hidden inside the covers of magic books?"
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