Another World’s Versatile Crafting Master c1-1074

by Zhuang Bifan

  If it weren't for the fact that he had already seized the opportunity to turn the situation around by using the Summoning Lamp to summon the Lord of Nightmares from the Abyss, the outcome of the battle might have been different. The thought of it made Lin Li feel terrified even though he remained calm on the surface.

  Although the Lord of Nightmares who used to be a Demon Lord did not show too strong of a combat prowess in the previous battles, Lin Li actually knew that the true power of the Lord of Nightmares should not be reflected in this aspect. The most brilliant thing about the Lord of Nightmares was that he could manipulate dreams. This advantage had never impressed Lin Li; hence, that ability had rarely been showcased on his orders.

  For example, the Lord of Nightmares would be doomed to be powerless when faced with the Lord of Darkness in the Abyss of Tharlen. At the end of the day, the Lord of Nightmares was still just a top-tier Demon Lord who could never compare to the level-27 Lord of Darkness of the Abyss of Tharlen—regardless of how well he could manipulate dreams. That was the Level Law that had existed since a long time ago. It could never be changed, even if the Lord of Nightmares had already been sealed and contained in the Summoning Lamp.

  When Lin Li faced the Crimson Dragon in the underground palace back then, the Lord of Nightmares could not cause the simple-minded wyrm to slip into a complicated nightmare. In fact, it was still a debatable issue as to whether or not simple-minded beasts like wyrms could slip into nightmares and dreams…

  That was the limit of the Lord of Nightmares' abilities, which was also the reason he could only dominate the first few levels of the abyss. However, things were much different during the battle between Lin Li and Vidas. Although the Level-22 Vidas was impressive and formidable, he was still an elf at the end of the day.

  Although it sounded rather contradictory, it was indeed very interesting. Vidas possessed such great power mostly because he carried the elven blood. However, his identity of an elf was also the very reason he'd lost the battle and the gamble.

  Nothing was perfect in this world, and the elves were contradictory entities to begin with. They were unique, and had element affinity as well as long lifespans that humans were jealous of. However, they also had some handicaps, which was rather ridiculous.

  Even a mage apprentice in Anril would know that the best way to deal with an elf was to use Mental Spells, be it a level-5 Delirium or a level-20 Soul Puppet. As long as Mental Spells were used on elves, there would definitely be unexpected effects. This was a characteristic of elves, a race that was inherently full of contradictions. They were born with the power to pursue all the good things, and detested all the ugly beings. The world of elves was always black and white, and their outlook on life was much weaker and worse than that of (human) children.

  The Lord of Nightmares' strongest ability was his proficiency in mental spells, of course. As a true master of Mental Spells, the Lord of Nightmares could manipulate dreams as and when it wanted to. Even though the Legendary-mage Vidas was level-22, he was extremely fragile in terms of mental strength when faced with the Lord of Nightmares who could easily invade his dreams, especially when Lin Li incorporated the Lord of Nightmares into the Light and Darkness Domain and lent its power to the Lord of Nightmares. It then possessed a terrifying power that was unprecedented. That power was close to level-22, and it wouldn't be inferior even compared to Vidas.

  Under such circ.u.mstances, it was only normal for the Legendary-mage Vidas to be controlled by the Lord of Nightmares.

  If it were to happen during other times, such dream manipulation wouldn't be a big deal. After all, a level-22 Legendary-mage wouldn't be destroyed as long as his domain was still intact, regardless of whether his dreams were manipulated. No matter how horrifying and absurd the dream might be, it would be rather difficult to inflict actual harm on Vidas.

  Unfortunately, Vidas ran into Lin Li this time.

  The dreams that Lin Li had created through the Lord of Nightmares were terrifying enough to scare even historical figures like Apophis and Rosario.

  The terrifying world that was made of reinforced concrete contained big steel birds that flew in the sky and poor human beings who were locked in boxes. As if that wasn't daunting enough, there were still Sword Sages who could contort their bodies into horrifying shapes. The handsome demon, Brother Zeng, the Legendary-mage who controlled meteor showers, and the prophet Phoenix Lady whom no one could match up to in the past 500 years1…

  Everything was beyond Vidas' imagination; he could not understand how the young President of the Guild of Magic would have such a shameful past1.

  Although the battle had already ended, people like Vidas would be able to figure out the reason for their loss with some brief analysis. However, he had no choice but to admit that the young President of the Guild of Magic was indeed a true genius.

  His talent went far beyond magic, and although it was horrifying that he had become a Legendary-mage despite being only 20 years old, what truly shocked Vidas was the incredible talent that the young Lin Li had showcased during the battle. It was an impressive ability that Vidas had never seen before, be it Lin Li's usage of magical power or his grasp of the changes in magical waves, as well as his determination.

  There was no doubt that the young mage had defeated him by manipulating dreams, but as a level-22 Legendary-mage, Vidas obviously knew that dreams were not created out of nowhere, and there must have been an actual source to make it possible. He was sure that the realistic dreams he had were experiences that Lin Li had gone through.

  That was what scared Vidas the most—he couldn't imagine how tough a person had to be to remain normal after such terrible experiences. Although Vidas did not lose in terms of magical abilities, he was convinced by the young human Legendary-mage. Therefore, although Lin Li took away Helios' Scepter which he could not bear to give away at all, his pride as an elf prevented him from going back on his word.

  As the winner of the Legendary-realm battle, Lin Li's gains today were undoubtedly the biggest. However, achieving a breakthrough under the massive pressure and suppression of one's opponent was not that great of a gain or accomplishment, since he'd already been at the peak of level-20, and it had only been a matter of time before he'd break through to level-21.

  Lin Li was very clear that the benefits that the battle had brought him went far beyond the advancement to level-21. A battle between Legendary powerhouses, especially those like Vidas, was rather rare for most, and one might never experience one in their entire life. Hence, it was an extremely valuable experience for Lin Li.

  Fighting with a Legendary-mage who was also an acquaintance could at most only be regarded as a spar because no one would exert their full power. However, many things could only be comprehended when one was on the brink of death. What Lin Li had been lacking after becoming a Legendary-mage was exactly an actual opponent.

  The impact of the Legendary-realm battle was absolutely great on Lin Li. Although the effects had yet to show, Lin Li was well aware that the impact on himself left by this battle was far more than just the seemingly simple increase of control of strength and familiarization with Laws. The near-death experience would take him to greater heights in his magic journey.

  Oh, and this…

  Lin Li took Helios' Scepter out of his hand. The gains of the battle extended beyond just valuable experience, and the scepter was definitely an unexpected surprise. Originally, he'd believed that if Vidas could not recognize the new debris of the stars, he wouldn't have known the true value of the branch. Hence, the so-called stake of equivalent value would not have been too great. However, Lin Li could immediately tell the extraordinariness of the scepter.

  The rod of Helios' Scepter was not as elaborate as the currently existing staffs. Instead, it was rather simple, awkward, and had a typical Dark Age style. The material that the scepter was made of was mentioned in many historical books, and was said to have come from the Tree of Life of the Emerald Forest.

  Lege
nd had it that in the era when the High Elves ruled the world of Anril, there were countless Trees of Life growing next to the Tree of Eternity. The Trees of Life were just like subjects cl.u.s.tered around the king of trees—the Tree of Eternity. In fact, the relationship between them was almost the same as it seemed. The Tree of Eternity possessed endless power, and had brought about a major calamity and disaster to Anril when it collapsed back then. The energy was actually provided by the Trees of Life, which continuously absorbed the Elemental Power between Heaven and Earth, and supplied it to the Tree of Eternity. They were like worker bees and their queen bee.

  Therefore, the branches of the Trees of Life were undoubtedly one of the most suitable materials for making staffs. The natural element absorption ability of the trees was sufficient for the mage holding the staff to cast any spells as he pleased. They're probably all fictional characters from movies and whatnot.No idea where this came from. Maybe Vidas assumed MC had to experience such stuff to show him all of it later. Which is partly true. Well, read on.

  Chapter 566 - Little Plan

  It was just like the Helios' Scepter in his hand which possessed an astonishing ability to absorb the magical elements of the world. Usually, a level-13 or level-14 mage would be able to command magic close to the Archmage level by using the scepter. Not to mention, Lin Li himself had once experienced it himself. Vidas had managed to give him a hard time just now by using Helios' Scepter…

  The top of Helios' Scepter was encrusted with a milky white gemstone that was the size of an egg. It emitted a mellow glow, but do not be fooled by its appearance and think that it was as weak as its appeared. When Vidas whipped out Helios' Scepter, Lin Li instantly recognized it to be the brilliant Sun Stone which contained the most vigorous solar power.

  It was said that the brilliant Sun Stone was a fragment of the sun. Had it been before he came to Anril, Lin Li would have definitely disregarded the mythical backstory. However, he was now in Anril, and had no idea how the sun above him had come about. He was clueless as to whether it was a celestial body or a real deity1. Hence, it didn't seem impossible for the Sun Stone to be a fragment of the sun. After all, its appearance indeed had something to do with the solar activity of this world.

  In this world, brilliant Sun Stones were rare, and those that had been found every now and then were all pea-sized. However, every tiny gemstone contained enough power to render it comparable to level-15 magical crystals. The egg-sized Sun Stone encrusted on the top of Helios' Scepter was by no means inferior to a Legendary magical crystal.

  The brilliant Sun Stone had two magical attributes: light and fire, both of which had great strengthening effects on Light Magic and Fire Magic. Even if it were placed in the Brilliance Shrine, it would definitely be a treasure. If it were to be put up for auction, it wouldn't be a problem for it to be sold for tens of millions of gold coins. In fact, any Legendary-mage who had obtained such a gemstone would never be willing to put it up for auction. Such a brilliant Sun Stone was definitely a rare treasure.

  In addition to the branch of the Tree of Life being the body of the Helios' Scepter, there was also a huge, brilliant Sun Stone encrusted on the top. The mageweath used by the scepter was also a highlight that couldn't be ignored. Lin Li, who had the judgment of a Guru, felt that the mageweath of the Helios' Scepter could be considered a rare work of art, and was definitely the masterpiece of a master.

  Mageweaths of such high standards were rare in Anril. Several wars broke out at the end of the Dark Age, and although the High Elves were overthrown, the wars resulted in succession issues in various professions and industries. Although there were also masters in various professions, like Master Pharmacists and Master Blacksmiths, they were obviously inferior to those of the Dark Age. Even after thousands of years of research and improvement made by humans, Lin Li could still confidently assert that there was absolutely not a single Master who could draw the mageweath on the Helios' Scepter.

  In the eyes of Lin Li, who was a Guru, the mageweath on the Helios' Scepter was only a masterpiece of a Master, though there were plenty of highlights about it which he could learn from. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that if a Master of inscriptions thoroughly studied the mageweath on the Helios' Scepter, he wouldn't be far from being promoted to a Guru.

  This Master-level mageweath had closely combined the brilliant Sun Stone and the branch of the Tree of Life. It was not just a combination of gemstones, but was also the forging of the powers of the two through communication between mageweaths. The merging would mean that they were no longer individual entities, and the fused body would exert power that was far more complicated than just one plus one.

  The Helios' Scepter could be considered second to none amongst all of the magical equipment currently owned by Lin Li in terms of power. The staff that Lin Li had been using was already the best one in his inventory. However, it seemed to pale in comparison to the Helios' Scepter, which overshadowed it immediately. Even the debris of the stars was not as powerful as the Helios' Scepter.

  While Lin Li was rejoicing, he could not help but secretly feel thankful for summoning the Lord of Nightmares in time. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to suppress Vidas who was using the powerful Helios' Scepter that could probably only be rivaled by a Legendary-mage who was at his peak or a powerhouse of the Sanctuary-realm.

  The Harvest Square had been ruined beyond recognition. Lin Li immediately placed the Helios' Scepter in the Ring of Endless Storm without asking for Vidas' opinion, after which he walked down the ruined square with Wilkinson and the other pharmacists.

  Arathor looked at Vidas, who was still a little embarrassed and shocked. The outcome was not too bad, because there wasn't a major problem, after all. Vidas' loss of the Helios' Scepter would be a problem between them that had nothing to do with him, since he was just a castellan. Seeing that Lin Li and the others had left, he frantically chased after them in a bid to invite them to Castellan Mansion where he could make it up to them.

  Lin Li actually didn't hold anything against Arathor. After all, he was the greatest winner of the battle, and had not only gained precious combat experience, but also attained the Helios' Scepter. He even joked about having to thank Arathor, the middle-man…

  However, he did not accept William's invitation to the auction with the intention to go on a holiday. He could not afford to waste any time at all, and he felt like he was racing against time every single day.

  After turning down Arathor's invitation, Lin Li, Wilkinson, and the other pharmacists got inside a luxurious carriage prepared long ago for them, and followed William to the Time Consignment Store.

  The auction had already ended, and Lin Li was the ultimate winner. However, William made plenty of gains as well. Putting aside the total amount that he had earned from the auction, the record-breaking sale of the potion and the tree branch which were each sold for millions of gold coins gave the Time Consignment Store and William a boost in reputation. That alone was a massive gain.

  Actually, William ought to be happy about making such gains. However, at this moment, he felt more disturbed and anxious than ever. He thought that he had already overestimated Lin Li, but it seemed now that he had actually underestimated him. Hence, he had behaved inappropriately, and probably offended Lin Li earlier on.

  "Master Felic, you should know how precious those potion recipes are. Hence, I didn't bring all of them along previously," William explained conscientiously to Lin Li while seated in the carriage.

  The last time William visited the Tower of Dusk, he was there mainly with the intention of getting Lin Li to take a look at the pharmaceutical formulas that had been passed down from the Dark Age, in addition to inviting Lin Li and others to participate in the auction. Of course, at that time, William had had no idea that Lin Li was so learned in pharmaceutics, and he simply thought that the Tower of Dusk had merely gained the support of a team of pharmacists.

  Due to the fact that William had been requesting help from L
in Li at that time, he'd felt pressured and obligated to give the formula to Lin Li. As he explained just now, the formulas were way too precious, and it was naturally impossible to bring them all with him. After all, he'd merely wanted to verify the feasibility of the formula. The problem was that he'd originally thought about sending those formulas to Lin Li and just forgetting about it since he had plenty of other items that he could offer in exchange for a deal. However, after he returned and looked at those formulas, he discovered a half-formula based on the nuances of the texture of the paper. In other words, he had only given half a formula to Lin Li.

  In fact, William ought not to be blamed. After all, he was not a real pharmacist, and his understanding of the formulas of potions was only limited to the names of herbs. According to logical reasoning of most ordinary people, a formula would usually be written on both sides of the paper. However, he had no idea that one of the formulas he had bought was very likely to help a Pharmaceutics Guru to become promoted to a Divine Smith. It was a formula that was known to be the one for the Divine Potion, and could not be written on a simple piece of paper.

  The formulas of potions included more than just the types, amounts, and proportions of herbs required. There were also instructions on the processing and extractions of required essences of herbs, the method of preparation, and the special issues that required further attention. In fact, it also included a list of necessary equipment, some of which had to be exclusively customized. The design sketches of the equipment were also part of the pharmaceutical formulas.

  Ordinary pharmaceutical formulas naturally did not require so many trivial things and details, because the processing of herbs could be universal, and standard equipment was used most of the time. However, the Divine Potion had the ability to promote a pharmacist to a Divine Smith.

  Lin Li had obtained two pieces of paper, on which the formula of the potion was written. However, there were six other pieces of paper in William's vault, which included formulas and the sketches of the necessary equipment.