Another World’s Versatile Crafting Master c1-1074

by Zhuang Bifan

  However, this was the only way. Lin Li had decided to do so from the start of the battle. He had no other choice; the disparity of up to three levels had exceeded Lin Li's limit. Apart from the Vibrant Potion, which could bring about a short-term magic immunity, Lin Li could not think of any other way to overcome this unequalled strong opponent.

  From the beginning of the battle, Lin Li never thought about defeating Argus with strength. His bet was all on the Vibrant Potion. He seemed to have no ability to fight back, when, in fact, he was doing shady things on the sly. Almost every respite was taken advantage of by Lin Li—he quietly extracted the succus, used the temperature to heat it, and finally stuffed it into his mouth quietly…

  To be honest, this was probably Lin Li's most unsuccessful concoction since he'd become a pharmacist. Half a black lotus was used to make this pinch of Vibrant Potion, and it was an inferior product, no less. If it were other times, he would have been so embarrassed that he'd bang his head on the wall.

  But it was precisely this inferior product that saved his life.

  If it weren't for this inferior product, Lin Li would have been killed by the ten Arcane Missiles. How else would he be here alive and kicking at present?

  After ten Arcane Missiles, the outcome was already decided.

  Sean's outburst was just an accident. Even without the earth-shaking disaster and the sudden outburst of Sean, Lin Li still had 100 percent confidence in defeating Argus. The Vibrant Potion would bring about 10 seconds of magic immunity. For a Magic Shooter, 10 seconds could do too much.

  This was the secret of Lin Li's resurrection. Although Argus was an Archmage, and also dabbled in some knowledge of pharmacy, how could he possibly imagine confronting a pharmaceutics guru?

  Not to mention Argus not being able to imagine what Lin Li had done, perhaps even Andoine would not comprehend his actions as well. He could still concoct a potion in the fierce battle and crude environment where he could easily lose his life at any time? Whom was he kidding…?

  Of course, Lin Li had no interest in explaining the complicated process even if Argus wanted to know. He secretly took note of the grudge; when he had the time, he'd have to have a good talk with this Mr Argus. Before that, he'd have to concoct the Gliding Potion first…

  The succus of the rootless grass was extracted, which looked somewhat turbid in the sparkling beaker. Lin Li released the Flaming Hands as he swiftly put several black lotus petals into the beaker. The whole process was astonishingly fast. As soon as his fingers moved, the turbid succus had boiled up. Almost at the same time, several black lotus petals fell into it, instantly emitting a hazy white mist.

  Although the Gliding Potion was a guru-grade potion, its preparation process was not complicated at all. The only thing required of it was speed. The rootless grass contained very unstable properties, especially when heated. It might result in failure if he was any slower.

  However, this was not a big problem for Lin Li. A pharmacist who had broken through the realm of a pharmaceutics guru was technically perfect. Even if he had attained the realm of a Divine Smith, he would no longer have much room for improvement. The difference between a guru and a Divine Smith lay in the understanding of the essence of pharmaceuticals, not in the superiority of skills.

  A bottle of Gliding Potion could not astound Lin Li at all. He had already finished the bottle of guru-grade potion in a dazzling moment. The sky-blue mist permeated the beaker, looking like a scene in the dreams. The Gliding Potion in the beaker was separated into two parts—one was stored in a glass bottle, and the other was left in the beaker until it was cooled. For a distance of less than 100 meters, half a bottle of Gliding Potion would be sufficient. Using too much was simply a waste.

  When Lin Li poured it into the glass bottle he had prepared long beforehand, Argus was completely stupefied.

  He couldn't follow what the fellow was doing. He knew the beaker and the herbs, but what was it about putting the herbs into the beaker and heating them with the Flaming Hands?

  Argus first squeezed out a somewhat ingratiating smile, and after confirming that Sean would not do anything to him for the time being, asked cautiously, "What… what is he doing?"

  "Concocting a potion," replied Sean with a proud expression on his face. Even a dull-witted man like him knew how prestigious it was to be a pharmacist's attendant.

  "…" Argus was flabbergasted. If he hadn't thought that he was a ruined man now, he would have spat on this big lubber.

  F*ck, need you be so insulting? I am a level-16 Archmage at the very least, and have received high education in magic. Although I am a bit wretched now, my IQ is still above average. You're calling it concoction of a potion just squeezing some succus out into the beaker and heating it with the Flaming Hands? Then, can I just lie on the ground and say I've r.a.p.ed the goddess of the earth?

  This lubber is indeed not in the right mind…

  Argus looked at Sean, and then at Lin Li, who was in the distance. He admired the fact that it was not easy for two madmen to get together…

  And then, he was dumbstruck…

  … for he suddenly saw that madman called Felic pouring the liquid from the beaker into his mouth.

  "God, he really drank it…" Argus was confounded. Is this guy really a fool? He had taken out a few strange herbs and heated them up with the Flaming Hands, pouring it directly into his mouth. Does he really think he's some potion master? Meanwhile, there was a slight jubilation in Argus' heart. Drink it, drink it. It'll be best if something untoward should happen. Then, I'd have a chance to escape…

  Unfortunately, before he could figure out how to run away, Lin Li had taken flight…

  "Hell…"

  Before Argus' glazed eyes, a gust of wind suddenly rose, and then he saw the fellow suspected of mental disorder steering the gust, flying to the blazing palace in the sky at an astonishing speed.

  "This, this, this… What's going on?" Argus was so taken aback that he plopped down on the ground and almost went insane on the spot. He rubbed his eyes desperately, trying to prove that his eyes were blurry. Are you kidding me, a flying Magic Shooter!?

  Then, Argus realized that his eyes were not blurred. The insane fellow had turned into a black spot, and landed gently on the steps of the blazing palace…

  Lin Li could feel the extreme temperature even when he was wrapped in two layers of Fire Salamandrid armor. When he landed on the steps, he could vividly sense a huge magical wave emanating from the depths of the palace. It was a kind of near-substantive pressure, like a huge rock on his body: no matter how he struggled, he could not straighten his back.

  As soon as Lin Li landed on the steps, he knew that things were not looking good. The pressure was so immense that even with the strength of a Magic Shooter, there was no room for resistance at all.

  Bloody hell, something's weird… Countless thoughts turned in Lin Li's mind in this instant. He even wanted to leave this ghost of a place immediately while the effect of Gliding Potion was still there.

  In his moment of hesitation, the Torrent of Elements Ring on his hand gave off a dazzling light all of a sudden.

  Lin Li felt the pressure lift from his body at once when the dazzling light was released. The enormous pressure a while ago promptly softened; although it still could not be resisted, the feeling it brought to Lin Li was totally different. It was full of hostility earlier on, but presently it seemed extremely gentle. He even heard a voice coming from the depths of the palace, constantly calling out to him…

  Subsequently, the bright red door opened without notice.

  A red carpet extended from the depths of the palace until it reached Lin Li's feet. When he stepped on it with some uneasiness, he felt as if he had stepped on fine silk. The palace was a magnificent sight—there were pure gold candlesticks, bright silver decorations, and moonstone floor tiles so shiny and smooth that they could even reflect a strand of hair clearly.

  Everything in the palace was full of luxury. When Lin L
i walked along the red silk, he felt as if he were in a dream. Such extravagant decorations should not appear in reality at all. Look at the diamonds embedded in the ceiling—from a distance, he could only see a patch of glitters, just like stars in the night sky.

  Under the bright starlight, there was something even more dazzling.

  It was a golden hammer. When Lin Li saw it, he knew what was the origin of the pressure he had felt before right away—it was from the golden hammer. The unending magical waves that emanated from it made Lin Li, who was close to the realm of an Archmage, tremble.

  The power contained in it was so powerful that it gave Lin Li a feeling it was no less than the strength of a legendary mage. Whether it was the powerful Macklin or Argus—who had once put him in despair—it was a difference between a firefly and the sun when put in comparison with the hammer.

  Lin Li felt dampness in his palms as he walked towards the hammer stepping on the soft red carpet.

  The hammer was lying there quietly. Lin Li only had to bend down to hold it in his hands…

  "Despicable! Do you have manners or not? How dare you grope others so casually…"

  "…" At that moment, Lin Li really thought he had encountered a ghost…

  "Why are you spacing out? Aren't you going to put me down?"

  For a moment, Lin Li was wide-eyed and dazed. He stared at the hammer that was desperately struggling in his hand, and after a long while, he stuttered, "It's… it's you who's talking?"

  "Duh!" The hammer scoffed as it struggled violently again. "Hey, did you hear me?!"

  "Yes, yes, I hear you…" Lin Li nodded distractedly, but did not loosen his grip at all. Instead, he clutched the hammer tighter in his hand.

  This was probably what it meant by "there are all kinds of fish in the sea"…

  Lin Li was totally thrown off balance. Before picking up the hammer, who would have thought that it could not only jump, but also swear at people? Lin Li was at a loss as he held it in his hand.

  "Hey…"

  "Oh, oh, oh. Put you down, right?" Lin Li snapped back into composure after being urged for another time, and he quickly put the hammer down. After a careful deliberation of words, he asked with a cautious look on his face, "Uh… How do I address you? Mr Hammer, or?"

  "What Mr Hammer? That sounds awful…" Mr Hammer seemed to be in a good mood after being put down. Although there was still some dissatisfaction in his tone, he did not swear. He merely told Lin Li in discontentment, "You can call me Moradin; by the way, lad, you look like a human being?"

  "Yes, I am a human being…"

  "Weird. How did a human come here? Aren't they all hanged by Osric, that moron…"

  "O… O what?" Lin Li was so startled that he stammered as he talked. "You mean Osric? You know Highlord Osric?"

  "Duh…"

  "…" Lin Li almost bit his tongue when the words reached his ears. "Then, what's this place?"

  "This is the Eternal Furnace, the private smithy of Osric."

  "…" Lin Li only felt a constant buzz in his head in that moment.

  He finally remembered…

  There was a story in Osric's legend. In his later years, the amazing Highlord became interested in forging techniques. So, he sent the Magic Legion to conquer the Dark Iron Dwarves. Countless Dark Iron Dwarves craftsmen were sent to his palace to demonstrate forging techniques day and night. The Highlord had attained the level of the Master of Forging in just a short year.

  There had always been a rumor circulating in Anril—Osric, when conquering the Dark Iron Dwarves, also took away the Thor's Hammer, a sacred relic that the Dwarf clan had inherited from generation to generation.

  Moradin… Moradin…

  Didn't this name mean Mjölnir—Thor's Hammer—in Khuzdul 1 ?

  Lin Li felt his scalp go numb abruptly as he stared at the bizarre hammer… The language of the Dwarves

  Chapter 193 - Gates of Ashes

  "Heh heh, now you know…" Perhaps it was because Moradin hadn't spoken to anyone for a long time, but it seemed very excited at present. After triumphantly showing off, he began to engage in a talk with Lin Li. "Oh, yes, how did you get the Brand Of Dusk?"

  "Brand Of Dusk?" Lin Li paused, looking bewildered. "What is that?"

  "Bloody hell, you don't have the Brand Of Dusk?" Moradin cursed, sounding exasperated. "Then how did you get past the Gates of Ashes?"

  "What is the Gates of Ashes…" Lin Li scratched his head. He was in confusion when he suddenly recalled the moment when he'd passed through the colorful spectrum, and his expression froze. He raised his right hand unbelievably and flashed the Torrent of Elements Ring that was shining with a faint light. "The… The Brand Of Dusk you mean, is this…?"

  "Yes, yes…" Moradin uttered a cry of alarm as soon as the Torrent of Elements Ring was flashed. For a moment, even his words were incoherent. "It's really with you; the Brand Of Dusk is really with you. Heavens… I am saved, I am saved at last…"

  "This thing is important to you?" Lin Li looked at Moradin strangely. The bizarre hammer was trembling slightly because it was too excited.

  "Too important!" After a long silence, Moradin suddenly said, "Lad, let's do a deal!"

  "What deal?"

  "The Brand Of Dusk is very important to me. I need to borrow it. Rest assured, you won't be lending it in vain. In exchange, I can help you get powerful magical equipment." At this point, Moradin asked casually, "By the way, you should be a warrior, right?"

  Lin Li took a glance at the Fire Salamandrid armor he was wearing, and nodded without a change in countenance. "That's right."

  "Well, if you will lend me the Brand Of Dusk, I'll get you a weapon forged by the Dark Iron Dwarves."

  "This…" Lin Li hesitated. It was not that he refused to lend it, but he could not figure out what Moradin wanted to do.

  Moradin was somewhat anxious seeing Lin Li had kept silent for long. "Two magical equipment pieces—one weapon and one armor. This should do now, right?"

  "Let me think about it…"

  Half an hour passed; Lin Li was still deliberating.

  Moradin was getting impatient. "Hey, have you thought about it?

  "Don't rush. This is a big matter, I have to think it through…" Lin Li had not thought it through, indeed. If it was in the past, he'd have lent the Brand Of Dusk without a second word. It was only a loan, and he did not stand to lose, anyway. In return, he could receive two magical equipment pieces forged by the Dark Iron Dwarves. Such a cost-effective deal wouldn't always happen.

  However, this time, Lin Li was really hesitant about it.

  The day's encounter was too strange; whether it was the colorful spectrum or the floating palace in the sky, everything was shrouded in a peculiar aura. Lin Li had to be extra cautious when making decisions like that.

  "Oh, right. Moradin, have you been here for 1,200 years?"

  "Mhm, that's right…" When Moradin finished, it suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, what did you say just now? 1,200 years? You mean, 1,200 years have passed?"

  "Yes, it's been 1,200 years since the Dark Ages. Why, don't you know?"

  "Hell… It's been such a long time." After grumbling for a while, Moradin asked Lin Li curiously, "Is the war over?"

  "It's long over. All the High Elves, including Osric, are gone. Now humans rule the world of Anril."

  "Then, what about the Dark Iron Dwarves?"

  "There are no Dark Iron Dwarves…" Lin Li shook his head, and told Moradin everything he saw in the books. "The Dark Iron Dwarves were exterminated right at the beginning of the war. In Anril, there has not been a living Dark Iron Dwarf for 1,200 years."

  "Strange, before the Magic Legion came, didn't a group of Dark Iron Dwarves escape? Did Osric also…" Moradin's words sounded like a soliloquy.

  "I'm afraid this group of Dark Iron Dwarves did not escape from the Magic Legion…" Lin Li had not spoken without thinking.

  Everyone knew that the Dark Iron Dwarves were born blacksmiths. They had an innate tal
ent for forging. Almost every a.d.u.l.t Dark Iron Dwarf could attain a higher tier of mastery in forging. If they really did escape, how could there be no rumors about them in Anril for 1,200 years?

  Even if the talent of these Dark Iron Dwarves were any worse, shouldn't there be at least dozens of Smithing Masters in these 1,200 years?

  Once there was a blacksmith of the mastery level, unless they had been isolated from the world for 1,200 years, it was impossible to have no hearsay about them at all. Look at the present Alanna and you'd know—how did the Sword Sage of the Storm get his fame in Felan? In addition to his own strength, it was largely due to him being a Smithing Master.

  If there were really such a group of Dark Iron Dwarves, when would it be the Marathon Family's turn to be so arrogant? They'd be crushed by the big group of Smithing Masters long ago.

  "That's really strange. I clearly remembered they escaped…"

  "Maybe they were found later…" Lin Li had little interest in the life and death of the Dark Iron Dwarves, and did not want to go on at it any longer. After a casual mention, he took the topic elsewhere.

  Perhaps it was because Moradin had something to ask from Lin Li, but it had answered all the questions the latter had. Whatever Lin Li asked, as long as Moradin knew the answer, it would give a satisfactory one almost all the time.

  From the conquest of the Dark Iron Dwarves to the establishment of the Eternal Furnace, Lin Li had read most of the stories in books, but how could it compare to hearing from Moradin in person? It was all its personal experience; regardless of the details or the degree of authenticity of the stories, it was far beyond what the books could match.

  Lin Li's jaw dropped at the mention of all the details from behind the scenes.

  No one knew why Osric was interested in forging, and no one knew why he built the Eternal Furnace. Everything looked like a farce. The Highlord suddenly took interest in studying forging, so there was the tragedy of the Dark Iron Dwarves…