Free Web NovelChapter 205: Chapter 200: Return and Shock
On the way back from the Underground Palace, Ian didn’t rush to the airship.
He found a secluded mountain hollow, changed into clean clothes, and carefully scrubbed off the blood scabs and scorch marks. Only then, with Gaga in tow, did he return to Shadow Moon Tower, staying concealed the whole way.
The main gate of the High Tower looked the same as always. Vines crept up the dusty gray stone walls, and a few Apprentices were huddled by the entrance, yawning.
The moment Ian approached, the Apprentices glanced up and looked as if they had seen a ghost.
"W-Wizard Ian?" one Apprentice stammered.
"Yes," Ian acknowledged with a nod, not breaking his stride.
The Apprentices watched him walk through the gate, only daring to whisper amongst themselves after he had passed.
"How did he get back so soon...?"
"I don’t know. Maybe something happened..."
"Shh! Keep your voice down!"
Ian paid them no mind and walked straight to his quarters in the High Tower.
The small building was just as he had left it. The crooked-necked tree by the entrance hadn’t even sprouted a few more leaves.
He pressed his Token to the door. Runes flared to life, and the door clicked open.
A thin layer of dust covered everything in the room, and the air carried a faint, musty smell.
Ian frowned. With a wave of his right hand, a gentle breeze swept through the room, gathering the dust into a ball that flew out the window.
Gaga hopped down from his shoulder, did a lap around the room, and finally settled comfortably on the arm of the sofa.
"Nothing beats being home, Ian! Quick, give me a couple of Blood Essences to calm my nerves! Gaga!"
Ian tossed Gaga a few pieces of Blood Essence but didn’t sit down himself.
He took the two Jade Boxes from within his robes and placed them gently on the table.
The larger one contained the small silver tree and the Dark Soil Core.
In the smaller one, the Five Fruits were huddled together, fast asleep.
’First, let’s get you settled in a new home.’
Ian looked around his quarters and finally chose the empty room next to his bedroom.
The room wasn’t large—about twenty square meters—with gray stone brick walls. It was fairly clean and inlaid with Constant Temperature Runes.
He walked to a corner, squatted down, and lightly traced his fingers across the floor.
Spiritual Power flowed from his fingertips like a carving knife, etching a series of complex Runes into the floorboards.
These weren’t just random scribbles.
The Runes came from the fragmented records on the Stone Slab fragment from the Soul Weaving Civilization. They formed an array designed specifically to stabilize the Energy supply for living Magic Plants.
Halfway through the carving, Ian stopped.
The array required two core materials: high-purity Blood Essence and a Flawless Magic Stone.
He had the Blood Essence. He’d accumulated a good amount from Refining large quantities of Bloodline Potions recently, enough to last for a while.
But as for the Flawless Magic Stone... Ian frowned.
In the Wizard World, that item was also known as a "Magic Crystal," and a single one was worth a hundred High Level Magic Stones.
However, almost no one was willing to trade one away. They had a price, but no market.
’I’ll have to make do with High Level Magic Stones for now.’
He took out several dozen High Level Magic Stones from his Dimension Ring—all of them were either spoils from past battles or from his personal savings.
Each was about the size of an egg, with a smooth surface and a deep gray halo of Energy flowing within.
Ian embedded the Magic Stones into the floor one by one, placing them at the array’s nodal points.
With each stone, he used his Spiritual Power to meticulously adjust its angle, ensuring the uninhibited flow of Energy.
Finally, he carefully placed an egg-sized Tier One Blood Essence in the center of the array.
HUMMM...
A faint blue light shone from the Magic Stones, spreading along the lines of the Runes and fanning out like a spiderweb.
The Blood Essence’s surface began to glow with a dark red light as the two types of Energy met and fused within the array.
It finally stabilized, forming a thin, silvery-gray mist of Energy that hovered about half a foot above the array.
Only then did Ian open the Large Jade Box.
The small silver tree was still curled up, its branches and leaves trembling slightly. He could sense its anxiety.
"You’re home now," Ian said softly.
He carefully lifted the small tree, along with its Dark Soil Core, and placed it in the center of the array.
The moment the small tree’s roots touched the silvery-gray mist, they unfurled, absorbing it frantically like a thirsty man finding water.
The bottom of the Dark Soil Core began to fuse with the array. The cracks on its surface slowly healed, and the silvery-gray soil regained its luster.
The small tree slowly straightened its trunk, growing from palm-sized to about a meter tall. Its branches and leaves unfurled, bathing the room in a soft, silver light.
"Mama!" Lucy cried out from inside the Small Jade Box.
The other four fruits woke up as well, chattering as they crowded the edge of the box to "look" at the small tree.
The small tree swayed gently, sending out a wave of comforting consciousness.
Ian placed the Small Jade Box next to the array and opened the lid.
The Five Fruits popped out—POP! POP! POP!—and began to circle their mother.
"Mama, are you okay?" "You scared me to death!" "Hungry..."
The small tree extended a few silver threads, gently touching each of its children as if checking them for injuries.
Ian watched for a few moments before turning to leave, gently closing the door behind him.
’Let them have their reunion.’
He walked back to the living room, sank onto the sofa, and let out a long sigh.
’This trip was exhausting.’
He took out his Dimension Ring. Extending his Spiritual Power into it, he began to take stock of his spoils.
Twenty-eight Void Anchor Stones, piled heavily in a corner, their silver patterns flowing slowly.
The Crystalized Origin and the information within his Sea of Spirit, as well as the Stone Slab fragment...
And finally, the Dimension Bags and Rings he had stripped from the corpses.
Ian took them out one by one, laying them on the table. He opened each and emptied its contents.
The Magic Stones formed a small mountain. Most were Middle Level, but there were also several dozen High Level ones.
There were even more materials: bones, pelts, and blood from various Magic Beasts, as well as some rare ores and herbs.
There were quite a few Potions as well—Deep Red Bloodline Potions and Withered Death Potions—all of decent quality.
