Chapter 34: Clues to Potions
Li Wen reflexively wanted to use Transcendent’s Eye to escape, but then she realized that the sword was not aimed at her, otherwise she would already be dead.
The young knight stood at the door, the sunlight from behind him bathing him in what seemed like a golden sacred robe. His face was hidden in shadow, filled with inhuman Divinity.
Grandma Martha, a Ghost Fairy, licked her jagged teeth, her gaze full of greed.
“Arrogance and impulse are sins written in the teachings, young man. I have yet to taste a Holy See Knight.”
“That’s not for you to decide.”
Moria Einon, the Eldest Son of the Holy See, calmly walked into the treehouse. His Knight’s Sword was still surrounded by flames, yet its temperature showed no change.
Li Wen did not want to be drawn into a fight beyond her capabilities. Neither Moria nor the Ghost Fairy were someone she could handle. However, Grandma Martha clearly did not intend to let her stay out of it.
“Girl, if you still need the Fallen Shadow Potion, hurry and kill this knight. Of course, driving him away is fine too.”
Before Li Wen could speak, Moria’s gaze, sharper than any sword, pierced through her.
“Fallen Shadow Potion? Are you an ascendant of the Dark Lineage?”
Glor and Dark are opposing lineages. Opposition means an irreconcilable conflict, and where they meet, one side is bound to die. Li Wen inwardly cursed her bad luck. Even now, the Ghost Fairy was trying to shift the blame, truly a born scoundrel.
Li Wen didn’t bother explaining. She directly prayed and cast Prayer upon herself.
Glor is the best pass for the order faction. Those who serve Glor are all true believers with firm faith and hearts toward the light, except for Players, of course.
Moria, not having understood Players yet, immediately lowered his guard upon seeing Li Wen perform a divine ability. He smiled warmly and openly, even though Li Wen’s attire did not resemble a believer’s at all.
“So you’re a brother or sister from the Church. I am Moria, an unknown Holy See Knight.”
Disciples of the various churches serving Glor call each other brothers and sisters. Although Moria hailed from the Holy See, he also served the Secret Church. Thus, he used such terms when outside.
“I’m just unsure what this fellow believer needs the Fallen Shadow Potion for, as the Dark is our great enemy.” Moria’s expression and gaze did not change, but the sword in his hand subtly shifted its aim towards Li Wen.
As expected, he was not easily deceived. Li Wen sighed.
“One of my companions was afflicted with a very peculiar curse. He constantly develops crescent-shaped bite marks and will die in seven days. He needs the Clear Spirit Potion to neutralize the Darkening Potion, which would then be used as an antidote to remove the curse.” Fortunately, Li Wen’s mind was quick. In her past life, she had encountered a great deal of miscellaneous information from the Strategy Team, so she was able to answer quickly.
“There’s such a curse?”
Moria frowned. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to believe, but such a matter seemed to have touched his knowledge blind spot.
“It does exist, and the antidote is indeed prepared this way. I can swear on my potion knowledge. I remember that curse being called ‘Netherbite’… How strange, ever since I arrived in Arthur, I haven’t heard any news of this curse.” Grandma Martha said, giving Li Wen a deep look.
Moria nodded, deciding to take her word for it for now. He raised his Knight’s Sword and pointed it at the Ghost Fairy.
“In that case, you should hand over the potion quickly. Don’t delay my fellow believer’s companion’s life.”
The Ghost Fairy bared her teeth and smiled, ignoring him. She picked up her bowl and spoon and scooped from the crucible again. She tasted the delicious liquid within, thick yellow fluid dripping along her fangs and cracked lips.
“Even if you kill me, you won’t get the potion. It simply doesn’t exist anymore; it’s long lost. Perhaps you can find them in some ancient ruins and remnants, if they are still well-preserved. Of course, I still remember some of the formulas, but one of the main materials, the Gloomy Tree Root, has long since disappeared. Perhaps it can be found further north in Arthur.”
Moria looked at Li Wen. After a moment of silence, Li Wen nodded.
What the Ghost Fairy said was at least partly true, otherwise she wouldn’t have come to the Fairy to try her luck. After all, fairies liked to collect treasures and had extremely long lives. Many things that had long vanished from the human world could be found in a fairy’s hoard.
However, Martha claimed to only know the formula but not the main ingredient, which Li Wen believed was a lie.
Moria thought the same, so he immediately activated his divine ability.
Burning candlelight appeared in his pupils. The candlelight was incredibly bright, so much so that the light in the treehouse dimmed. Li Wen held the Transcendent’s Eye in her hand, unobtrusively stepping back a few paces, ready to flee at any moment.
“You can choose to tell the truth, or become fuel for the candlelight, burning eternally.”
Moria’s voice was loud and righteous, not like someone who would lie. The Ghost Fairy, who had been fearless, became afraid of him suddenly exploding and said with a dry laugh, “It’s not that I don’t know where to find them… There is one place where you can definitely find both the potion and the raw materials.”
“What place?”
Moria maintained his divine ability. The visibility in the room continued to decrease. Conversely, the candlelight in Moria’s eyes intensified, reaching a point where merely looking at it caused pain.
The Ghost Fairy’s expression changed. She summoned a layer of black mist to surround herself: “It’s in the Underground Ruins of the Black Forest! That was once the laboratory of an alchemy master! You must be able to find that thing there! Stop that damned spell of yours! Unless you want everyone here to be buried with you!”
Having received his answer, Moria immediately stopped casting his divine ability. Li Wen then asked, “What is the Black Forest?”
“It’s this forest,” Moria replied with a slight frown. “It’s been frequented by adventurers for years. Even if there were any secrets, they wouldn’t remain. Can we really find it?”
Li Wen was thinking about something else. The dwarf stall owner had indeed mentioned places like dungeons before. Li Wen hadn’t paid much attention then, but now she thought it must be the alchemy laboratory the Ghost Fairy mentioned. Perhaps the entire Fairy Market was built around the Underground Ruins, otherwise why would so many Transcendent beings and knowledgeable ordinary people gather here?
Furthermore, the dwarf had indeed produced the potion Ghost Solution with the same formula. If the ruins contained Ghost Solution, why wouldn’t they also contain Fallen Shadow Potion?
“I understand. I know where to look, thank you both for your help.”
Let the Eldest Son of the Holy See and the Ghost Fairy fight as they pleased. With a clue, Li Wen just wanted to leave quickly.
But as if seeing through her thoughts, Moria reached out and stopped her.
“Although the alchemist master’s laboratory in the Black Forest has become ruins, the dangers within have never diminished. Many people die there every year. For safety’s sake, let me accompany you.”
Moria’s tone was sincere, his expression serious, and what he said was very practical. Li Wen couldn’t think of a good reason to refuse him.
