Another World’s Versatile Crafting Master c1-1074
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Lin Li couldn't come up with an explanation for the situation; hence, he had no choice but to temporarily suppress the doubts in his heart while carefully continuing to examine the halo. Perhaps the mystery all lies in the depth of this halo, he thought. Although Lin Li was eager, he dared not have the slightest intention to manipulate mental strength.
However, with the deeper exploration of spiritual power, Lin Li's tightly shut lips slowly opened wider and wider. His frown grew deeper, and he widened his eyes unconsciously as well. Even his breathing became heavier.
Yes, Lin Li was 100% sure that it was a pure-blooded ancient Wyrm, and not a mixed-blood descendant.
Although Lin Li found out about the halo through mental strength, the truth proved to be no different from his theory. Others might get it wrong, but Lin Li was extremely confident in his own judgment because he had seen a Wyrm before.
Back in the Endless World, Lin Li was a pro Hunter who managed to destroy the Dragon of Destruction which was one of the Dragon Aspects using the debris of the stars and Stars of Fury. He obviously could destroy an ordinary ancient Wyrm. It was definitely not an exaggeration to say that the dragon that Lin Li skinned had been powerful beyond imagination. Otherwise, how could he have those high-level materials that he used to advanced in his life career before he traveled to Anril?
If that didn't explain anything, Lin Li's experiences with the ancient Wyrm after he arrived in Anril would. Tutankhamun, who had been safeguarding the three relics of Geresco in the Blackstone Mountains, was actually an ancient Wyrm. He was also the son of the Dragon of Destruction from the Dragon Aspects.
Although the Lord of Darkness in the Abyss of Tharlen was a Demon Lord of the Abyss of Tharlen, it was actually a shadow of the Dragon of Destruction. Hence, it did possess the magical aura of the Dragon of Destruction. The Crimson Dragon in the underground palace in the Dragon Mountains was a pure-blooded descendant of the Wyrm, even though it could not compare to the Dragon Aspect.
Lin Li could be considered an expert on Wyrms, and he was certain that a pure-blooded ancient Wyrm resided dormant in the halo.
However, the problem was… this Wyrm was too damned pocket-sized!
Lin Li managed to see the tiny ancient Wyrm through his mental strength detection. It seemed rather inappropriate to be called a Wyrm, but Lin Li had no idea how to name it. Was it supposed to be an ancient pocket Wyrm?
Staring at the tiny pocket-sized dragon, Lin Li realized that its head was the same size as its body, and it had short limbs as well as an exceptionally thin pair of wings which seemed to be fluttering with its breathing. The dazzling light rays and the halo were emitted by it.
Anyone would be able to tell that it was a baby dragon even if they were not experts like Lin Li. However, it was too small to be called a Wyrm. It was not that Lin Li had never seen other Wyrms before, but rather that most Wyrms were at least 100 times larger than this one.
It would be unlikely for it not to be an ancient dragon, because its magical aura was one that would only be possessed by a genuine pure-blooded Wyrm. Its Menace of the Dragon could not be imitated by mixed-blood descendants.
Just like human beings, Wyrms tended to naturally cultivate a domineering aura after being in a high position for a long time. Hence, it wouldn't require that much power to subdue people of lowly status. The ancient Wyrm was a hegemon of the prehistoric times, and had a domineering power in its bloodline which allowed it to subdue invincible demons effortlessly.
The purer the blood, the stronger the Menace of the Dragon would be. It was an undeniable fact. Lin Li had plenty of experience with Wyrms; hence, he was confident that his detection of the Menace coming from the baby Wyrm was definitely spot on. Reality seemed to have deviated from the theories that he formulated through experience. What was going on? Could there have been a genetic mutation in an ancient Wyrm?
Of course, this was simply impossible. Since the ancient Wyrms could become the hegemons of the prehistoric times, their strong bodies must have already evolved to the most perfect state. Hence, probably even God couldn't cause any changes in their bodies.
How was this related to the Wyrm!? The images of the ancient Wyrm that he had encountered when he arrived in the world of Anril from the Endless World flashed through his mind continuously. He did not want to die without knowing the reason. He would rather wait for the Malfa Family and Dark Blade to arrive before getting a clear idea of the situation.
A drop of sweat slowly trickled down Lin Li's face and onto the dewy green patch of grass. He slowly closed his eyes which had now become thin slits. Since the matter was related to Thunderbolt, which was part of the debris of the stars, he did not want the Malfa Family and Dark Blade to have a slice of the pie. However, if he were to take action without getting a clear idea of the pocket-sized Wyrm's status, he might just end up dying a horrible death.
Time passed slowly, second after second. Lin Li had no idea how things were progressing outside the valley, and the effects of the potion that he had ingested were also slowly wearing off. However, at this moment, Lin Li's eyes suddenly widened as a certain scene seemed to have frozen in his head.
"Could it be…" Lin Li suppressed his shock, and used his mental strength to observe the baby Wyrm in the halo. He analyzed the cicada-like wings and compared its characteristics with the image in his mind.
Elemental Dragon? Could that little thing hidden deep within the halo be that terrifying existence? Lin Li was shocked by his own idea. The Elemental Dragon was an extraterrestrial being amongst the ancient Wyrms, and possessed an unimaginably terrifying power. It was undoubtedly the king of all Wyrms.
Had there been more Elemental Wyrms amongst the dragons during the prehistoric times, they probably would have been able to destroy the Titans and become the rulers of Anril. Unfortunately, ever since the prehistoric times, only the Dragon of Dream, one of the legendary Dragon Aspects of Anril, seemed to be an a.d.u.l.t Elemental Wyrm1.
However, just because an Elemental Wyrm did not exist in Anril, it did not mean that it did not exist in the Endless World. Lin Li did not simply know about the terrifying power of the Elemental Wyrm based on legends and hearsay. He actually had firsthand experience too.
Back in the Endless World, Lin Li's Hunter avatar entered the Sun Well and obtained the debris of the stars and the Stars of Fury, during which time he encountered an Elemental Wyrm that obstructed him. More precisely, it was one of the clones of the Elemental Wyrm that was placed in the Sun Well. However, it still gave Lin Li a hard time.
General ancient Wyrms possessed incredible power, regardless of their proficiency in magic. However, Elemental Wyrms were thin and fragile, and their physical strength was completely different from that of the ancient dragons of the same family. Besides, it was not only compared with the members of the same clan. It was said that the claws of Elemental Wyrm were so weak that they could not even break a wooden table. Its physical strength could be said to be almost non-existent.
However, that did not mean that Elemental Wyrms were pushovers. Although they did not have powerful physical strength, the ancient Wyrms of the same family were no match for the magical power that they possessed. The Elemental Wyrms were natural masters of the four elements of earth, fire, water, and wind, and possessed the highest level of magical power. Even natural-born mages and the High Elves who claimed to be God's most perfect creation had to swallow their pride in front of the Elemental Wyrms.
Moreover, all the magic power of the Elemental Wyrm was derived from the four ubiquitous elements in the world, thus making it inexhaustible. The most terrifying thing was that they could instantly exhibit all of their elemental magic below level-20, which was an enviable feat and ability. Hence, they were still one of the most terrifying beings in the world. A reminder: the author likes to juggle two words: wyrm and dragon. They seem to be the same thing, but we still differentiate between them.
Chapter 592 - Hatching Young Wyrm
To others, they we
re just legends, but Lin Li dared not belittle it at all. He reckoned that it should be the clone of the Elemental Wyrm that was hidden in the Sun Well during the last battle he fought before he got the Stars of Fury. Even though his Hunter avatar was already at the max level, and had used the best equipment, it was still very difficult to win. He had only managed to do so by fluke—despite having the help of all sorts of advanced pharmacy scrolls.
That was a projected clone of the Elemental Wyrm which possessed inexhaustible magic, thus making it akin to a cannon that had limitless ammo. Under the overwhelming magic storm, even some of Lin Li's magical defense accessories were destroyed. The supreme magic defenses recorded on the scrolls couldn't persist for a second in the magic storm, fragile like glass in front of a machine gun.
Lin Li still felt rather terrified at the thought of the battle that he'd fought back then. All Lin Li felt towards the endless magic storm was a sense of powerlessness and despair. Full of hope, he whipped out his trump card, only to have it be destroyed. Back then, he almost thought of giving up and drowning in the storm.
At the start, Lin Li did not think of the Elemental Wyrm, because the adorable little pocket-sized creature seemed to be worlds apart from the tyrannical and massive Elemental Wyrm. However, after recalling all of the Wyrms that he had encountered, he found that the Elemental Wyrm was the closest thing to the tiny creature.
After having deduced that, Lin Li again compared the characteristics of the baby Wyrm with those of the Elemental Wyrm in his memory. The more he compared, the more certain he was that his guess was correct. That was the case for Lin Li who had memories of the Endless World. If it were anyone else from Anril, even a knowledgeable mage might not be able to identify the baby Wyrm as the legendary Elemental Wyrm.
After deducing that the little creature was an Elemental Wyrm, Lin Li's heart pounded rapidly, and the memories of the legends he heard in the Endless World began to pop up in his mind.
Legends had it that Wyrms had no soul inheritance. All their worldviews were determined at birth because they were the oldest creatures in the world, and were born from nothingness together with the Titans. Although humans classified them as magical beasts, they were actually far from magical beasts. Even prehistoric magical beasts allowed their inherited souls to decide everything for them. However, it was different for Wyrms. Wyrms were like blank canvases that could be painted on, but only after they hatched.
In other words, if one was lucky enough to encounter a newly born baby Wyrm which had no relative nearby, he or she would very likely gain the recognition of the baby Wyrm. Even if the baby Wyrm didn't take him or her to be its relative, it would at least offer its friendship, and thus develop a close relationship with the person who found it. That was the reason for the rampant legends about the Dragon Knights. Tutankhamun of the Blackstone Mountains was a perfect living example. Despite being a descendant of the Dragon of Destruction, which was hatched by the Immortal King, he did not take revenge on the Immortal King for the death of the Dragon of Destruction. Instead, he treated the Immortal King like his father.
It would be amazing under normal circ.u.mstances, but Lin Li was not too interested in being a Dragon Knight. To a Legendary-mage, a Wyrm might be intimidating, but not irreplaceable. Besides, Wyrms had a long growth process, and would require a long time to develop battle power.
Not to mention, Lin Li already owned a Humerus Crimson Dragon which was an Undead creature by nature. However, it had the physical body of a Crimson Dragon and the Heart of the Fallen that was gifted to him by Sendros. The battle power of the Humerus Wyrm was not inferior to that of the actual Crimson Dragon's.
However, it was different for the Elemental Wyrm, which was destined to have unlimited potential by genetics. It was destined to be as powerful as Dragon of Dream, which ordinary ancient Wyrms could not compare to. The Dragon of Dream was leading even amongst the five major Dragon Aspects. If one could become friends with an Elemental Wyrm, it would be tantamount to associating with an existence that was on the same level as the Dragon of Dream.
It was a good idea, but Lin Li was still unsure if the Elemental Wyrm had hatched out of its shell yet. In the beginning, he thought that it was a young Wyrm because it had the standard shape of an adolescent magical beast, with a large head, a small body, and short limbs. However, he could not use that physique as a standard, because an a.d.u.l.t Elemental Wyrm would have the same physical shape too. Besides, he had never seen an actual baby Elemental Wyrm, and thus could not tell if it was a newly born Elemental Wyrm. He could not tell if it was a baby Wyrm or an a.d.u.l.t one that was playing cute.
Lin Li dared not approach it recklessly, because it might just be an a.d.u.l.t Elemental Wyrm. If that were the case, what he encountered next would be an overwhelming magic storm. It was a top existence amongst magical ancient Wyrms. As the leader of ancient Wyrms which had all the power of Dragon Aspect, it was definitely a tough nut to crack for a Legendary-mage.
Back then, Lin Li's Hunter avatar was placed in a dangerous position by a mere clone of the Elemental Wyrm. Besides, it was just a game where characters could respawn after their deaths. However, it was now reality, and Lin Li only had one life. Everything would be over if he were to lose it. Hence, Lin Li dared not take the risk at all.
However, the temptation of the Elemental Wyrm was too great for anyone to resist. Was he supposed to let this opportunity pass? Lin Li definitely did not want to miss the opportunity, but he was now facing an Elemental Wyrm that could grow to become as strong as the Dragon of Dream.
To Lin Li, this was just like a huge gamble where he would gain plenty if he won and die if he lost. Lin Li was stuck in a dilemma, and had no idea if he should take the gamble or not. Had he known earlier, he would have grabbed an adolescent Elemental Wyrm in the Endless World and study it back then.
After hesitating for a long time, there began to be some lax in Lin Li's mental strength manipulation. However, that was also the change that put a rare smile on Lin Li's face. Sometimes, a little distraction might not be a bad thing.
In the beginning, Lin Li devoted all his energy to controlling that portion of mental strength. After all, Geresco's techniques were not something he could apply at this stage. The long hesitation and dilemma caused him to be distracted, thus resulting in the detection of the things going on in the background apart from the halo. The magical elements around him seemed to have darted towards that halo at an amazing speed.
Lin Li could acutely detect the changes, and after calming himself down to give it some thorough thought, he immediately had an answer. The abnormal changes of the magical elements around him were a result of the Elemental Wyrm just hatching. It would continuously absorb the magical elements around it, and only open its eyes after acc.u.mulating enough magical power.
The thought of it resolved another doubt in Lin Li's mind. Why did the adventurer team formed by the three major forces still encounter a large number of high-level magical beasts in the supposedly peaceful area in the Haiga Mountain Range despite it being the best route designed according to the adventure journal?
Moreover, Lin Li also noticed that the magical beasts which had attacked the adventurer team were composed of various types and species that assembled at the last minute. The magical beasts which were non-related and even had to fight each other whenever they met appeared in the same cl.u.s.ter. What was the reason for that? Lin Li once guessed that it could have been because of the manipulation of a greater force, like the Black Current that had once appeared in the land of Anril. However, it now seemed that the greatest possibility was that it was because of the Elemental Wyrm.
The large-scale fluctuation of magic elements had even caused the scarcity of magical elements in the Haiga Mountain Range, thus making it easily noticeable for the s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e magical beasts which mistook it for the foreshadowing of a certain catastrophe. When faced with a major catastrophe, the only response magical beasts would have would be to migrate to a safer
place.
Magical beasts had simple mindset, and that was to minimize damage as far as possible. Hence, they would attack all obstacles that got in their way. The adventurer team of the three forces could only be said to be too unfortunate to have become one such obstacle.
Although Lin Li, Cheyenne, and Borg were all Legendary-mages, they were extremely s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to the magical waves in magical elements. However, they were not natives of the Haiga Mountain Range, and hence unaware what original magical waves of the Haiga Mountain Range should look like. The Haiga Mountain Range itself was a special environment, and so the abnormal magical wave was deemed to be normal by them.
Lin Li was now in the epicenter of the magical wave, and he naturally understood everything better after deducing that the Elemental Wyrm lay deep within the halo, and detecting the flow of direction.
However, Lin Li could no longer be bothered, because there was a high chance that the Elemental Wyrm had just hatched and had yet to open its eyes.
A tender Elemental Wyrm was waiting for him to collect it. Even though Lin Li had already reached the Legendary-realm, he still found it hard to contain his excitement. Hence, there was a slight fluctuation in the mental strength that he was controlling.
Chapter 593 - Magical Storm
Under normal circ.u.mstances, the slight fluctuation might not be significant. However, at this juncture, a slight fluctuation would seem like a tossed stone that caused a thousand ripples. There was a massive change in the scenery around Lin Li, causing the tranquil and elegant beauty to vanish like a burst bubble. The fragrant wildflowers, the vibrant green meadows, and the tall and erect trees all turned into various types of magic at this moment. They all bombarded Lin Li unrestrainedly.
Lin Li was plagued with an ominous feeling at the instant that the magical wave appeared. Despite having been as careful as he could, he still made a mistake that he shouldn't have. However, it was too late to regret it at this point. He could no longer be bothered about mental strength, either. Hence, he quickly placed the Helios' Scepter in front of his c.h.e.s.t and chanted a magical spell.