Chapter 174
Ainphent introduced Angele to the crew. The others took a glance at him but did not say anything. Angele walked to an empty chair and sat down.
"One more to go. I found a new guy several days ago. He came to Nola not so long ago, just like Green, but he knew some strong spells."
It seemed like Ainphent was still searching for new members recently.
"One of our original team members decided to quit due to some personal matters and I had to recruit someone new."
He shrugged.
The members did not seem surprised and no one said anything. Another half an hour later, the door was pushed open again.
A bald old man with a cane walked into the door. He was covered in a dark yellow cloak, and only his head was exposed to the air.
"Sorry, I’m late…"
The old man had a muscular body, while his voice was deep and loud. He would have looked much younger without the goatee on his chin. He had a serious look on his face, giving the impression that he was stubborn.
Ainphent stood up immediately and winked at the old man.
"Mr. Belem! You’re here. Welcome!"
"Ain, where’s my material?"
It seemed like the old man named Belem liked Ainphent a lot, and he smiled after Ainphent greeted him.
"I’ll ask my family to prepare it for you after the mission is completed. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise," Ainphent responded with a gentle tone.
"Sure, that’s great."
Belem nodded and sat down on the last empty chair.
Angele sat in the chair and saw the old man touching Ainphent’s leg under the table. He shuddered for a second, pursed his lips, and turned his face to the other side.
Melissa coughed and glanced around the room.
"So, we can start discussing the mission since everyone is here."
The female light wizard named Isabell moved her lips. "I’ll take three followers with me, they're all Grand Knights."
Ainphent took a glance at Belem and said, "I have 8 followers, 5 rank 3 apprentices, and 3 knights."
"That’s way too many people, we need to set up the agreement with the merfolk, and we need to keep the location of the ruins as our secret."
Melissa scrunched her eyebrows.
Ainphent chuckled. "Don’t worry. Nosdana Prince is a good friend of mine, and the agreement can be reached in five minutes. Also, you know most of my followers. They were with me on our last mission and you can trust them for sure."
"Fine."
Melissa looked at Angele and the bald wizard Belem.
Belem stopped rubbing Ainphent’s leg, and his face turned serious again.
"I have two followers. They’re Grand Knights as well."
Angele glanced around, he did not know everyone had their own followers. He was always alone since he carried too many secrets and could not afford for his followers to betray him. He needed someone he could trust, but that person also had to be strong. People like that were hard to find, so he decided not to take in any followers at the moment.
"I don’t have any followers," he said lightly.
Others in the room looked a bit surprised after hearing his response.
Most of the wizards would take in followers or servants after they reached the Gas stage.
However, no one knew it had taken Angele only several years to reach the Gas stage.
"It’s fine." Melissa pointed at the map on the table. "Now, let’s discuss our plan and the route. I have three different plans here…"
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Ten days later.
Public area, the Bull Dock.
Several white clouds were floating in the blue and endless sky.
Angele stood on the deck of a docked s.h.i.+p and looked around.
Bull Dock was small and empty, only several white stone bridges built by the water.
There were more than ten s.h.i.+ps docked by the bridges, their sizes varying. They were much smaller than the Future he'd used to go back home, and they had white harps painted on their flags.
Teams of soldiers with white armor were boarding the s.h.i.+p while wizards were giving orders from the decks.
"Master Melissa will stay on the leading s.h.i.+p. Our s.h.i.+ps are disguised as transport s.h.i.+ps for soldiers. We don’t want any trouble on our way there," a cold
Angele turned around and saw Isabell staring at him quietly. The lady had no expression on her pretty face.
"I saw Ainphent and Belem board the same s.h.i.+p…"
Angele pursed his lips into a smile.
"I know. They’ll use the same s.h.i.+p this time." Isabell slightly nodded. "Kuirman took a s.h.i.+p too. I’m on your s.h.i.+p because I need to discuss the trade with you on our way there."
"You have the Black Rose oil, right?" Angele’s expression turned serious. "What do you want?"
"I have about four kilograms of Black Rose oil. What do you have? I want something that at least has the same value as the oil. Although it has no use to me, I still need to follow the rules."
"Of course. How about one bottle of Jacqueline’s Neutralizer?"
Angele was a bit speechless. He only had one common potion left. He had crafted it while practicing awhile ago, and it was the only valuable item he had at the moment.
"Wait, did you craft it yourself? Are you a potion master?"
Isabell was surprised.
"Yes, I am."
Angele nodded. Although he had never learned from a true potion master, he had still created his own crafting method with the accurate simulation his chip could do.
"I heard Jacqueline’s Neutralizer is common but extremely hard to craft. However, it can only be used to make potions so it has no value for me. Actually, I have a special formula. If you can craft the potion for me, I’ll give you the Black Rose Oil as a gift," Isabell said with a serious tone. It seemed like the potion she mentioned was important.
"What do you want me to craft?"
Angele’s brow furrowed.
"There are not many potion masters around even in Nola. To train a potion master, it takes a ton of resources, and even the three major organizations can’t handle it. I already visited more than 50 potion masters but none of them could fulfill my request. If you can successfully craft the potion for me, I’ll pay you some extra besides the promised Black Rose oil."
This was the longest speech that had come out of Isabell’s mouth since Angele met her.
"There’s nothing I can do without the materials and equipment."
Angele was a bit curious, he wanted to know how complicated the formula was.
"That’s not a problem."
Isabelle walked to the other side of the deck. Her three Grand Knights were chatting beside the cabin. Two were male and one was female, all of them equipped with black leather armor.
The three stopped talking after seeing Isabell walking toward them.
Isabell whispered to her followers and one of them talked to a soldier that was still on the bridge. The soldier nodded and ran to the carts with supplies.
After several minutes, a team of soldiers boarded the s.h.i.+p with black cases in their hands.
The cases were lined up on the deck. Isabell nodded and walked to Angele, looking satisfied.
"We decided to use the sleeping powder after the s.h.i.+ps start moving. We need to make sure that no one leaks our location. You can start crafting after that," she said in a low voice.
"Sleeping powder? Why? Even we wizards are having trouble with the ruins. Why do we bring so many soldiers and followers anyway?" Angele wondered.
"Not all of us can fight like dark wizards," Isabell answered lightly. "I think everything you need is here. The potion equipment and the necessary materials. Give it a try first."
"It’s not that easy. I need specific materials…" Angele was speechless. "I may find better materials to use during the crafting process. The formula is important for sure, but it doesn’t mean I can’t improve it. The materials here might be essential but I need more."
"Is that so?"
Isabell was confused. Angele a.s.sumed this lady had never read anything about potion crafting.
"Well, show me the sample first. Maybe I can make it without any special materials. I can’t promise you at the moment, though."
He looked at Isabell.
"For sure."
She quickly took out a small crystal vial from the pouch on her belt.
The vial was about the size of a finger with some b.l.o.o.d.y red liquid inside. Isabell handed the vial over to Angele.
"That’s the sample."
Angele removed the stopper and sniffed the liquid. The fragrance smelled like lemon mixed with flowers. He then poured some of the liquid into his mouth, the taste was bitter and spicy.
"This is the blood of… the earth rhino?"
Angele was not sure if he guessed it right.
"You’re right. It’s from an adult female earth rhino."
Isabell nodded.
"So, you want me to make this into a potion? It’s extremely unstable, no wonder you can’t find a potion master that will accept your order…" Angele scrunched his eyebrows. "Rhino blood is usually used in making explosive potions. Are you sure you want to neutralize it and make it a normal potion?"
"Is there anything you can do?"
Isabell stared at him.
"Well, I can try and make it more stable, but I’m not sure if I can do it well."
Angele shook his head.
Isabell looked disappointed.
"Fine. Do that for me then, but make sure the blood stays active."
"No problem." Angele pointed at the cases. "Send the equipment to my room. Also, find me some fresh roots from a dark-skinned tree."
He turned around and walked into his cabin with the vial in his hand.
Isabell sent her words to Angele using energy particles. "I’ll prepare the Black Rose oil for you."
"It’ll take a while before I can finish it. Also, if you find the heart of the tree in the ruins, just keep it for me," Angele responded to the message using energy particles as well.
"… Heart of the tree…" Isabell replied. "… That’s nearly impossible…"
Their trade was completed. Black Rose oil was much more valuable than a vial of rhino blood.
Angele still had no idea what Isabell wanted to do with the blood, but it seemed like obtaining stable rhino blood was one of her priorities at the moment.