Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After putting the crystal into his pocket, Lin Li walked over to the spot where the vampire died. The horn of the Shapeshifter was very firm and strong. It left behind fragments of ice lying around on the ground. Not to mention the vampire that was frozen in ice, a boulder would also shatter into pieces under the long distance attack. Red bloodstain covered the crystalline ice, creating a sinister atmosphere under the moonlight.
While glancing at the surroundings, Lin Li found a pair of blood-red fangs. He bent over to pick those treasures up. Comparable to the horn of a Shapeshifter, those fangs would definitely be of a great help in forging weapons.
By nature, the fangs of Vampires could absorb the abilities of their enemies. When mixed with a little bit of magewealth during forging, anyone could easily adopt the magical properties of the fangs onto themselves. Although they were not as sharp as the horns of Shapeshifters, their abilities in the field of magical defense and fighting would be unimaginable. Furthermore, the fangs were extremely corrosive. There might not be any obvious effect at the start, but in the long run, even the magical shield of an Archmage would show some loopholes.
Lin Li always loved things that were vicious. He had made plans to forge a pair of daggers with that pair of fangs right after he returned. Then, he would coat those daggers with the poison of Manticores…
After putting them in his pockets, Lin Li’s gaze did not leave the shattered ice on the ground. There was a dark-red glow radiating from the pile of bloodstained ice, and Lin Li understood what it was immediately—the magical crystal of a level-18 undead creature…
Compared to the magical crystals one could obtain from beasts, the magical crystal from a Vampire was no doubt more precious. It had the size of a thumb, and a glow of dark-red that resembled that of a blood clot. While holding it in his hands, he felt a burning sensation.
That was the only thing from the body of a Vampire that had warmth. When Lin Li tried to transmit some mana into the crystal, it shook gently as though it was not a crystal, but a heart.
Since Vampires got their energy from fresh blood, the function of that magical crystal was to convert fresh blood into energy. Hence, that crystal was like the heart a Vampire.
If such a Vampire crystal fall into the hands of others, it would be mounted onto a magical staff for the mana like any other magical crystal. Then, when the mana inside was finished, it would turn into trash. Yet if Lin Li were to acquire it, it would be a totally different story.
All five occupations that Lin Li was proficient in had their respective ways to modify the Vampire’s crystal. For example, in pharmaceutics, there was a Black Bloodlust Potion that could be enhanced by soaking it with the Vampire’s crystal. If he were to use a bottle made from the Crystal of Eternity to contain the potion, it would reach the master-level ability after half a year.
But to Lin Li, the crystal was the most suitable for forging weapons.
Since fresh blood was the energy source for the crystals of the Vampires, and weapons were the items that result in blood, every time a life was taken, the crystal would gain its energy. The more deaths the crystal caused, the more energy it would gain, and eventually level up.
The level of a magical crystal had always been fixed, and the Vampire might probably be the only species that could cause this type of sinister abnormality.
To an extent, there were some devilish properties within it. How the crystal worked was as though a type of ritual during the Dark Age, where people gained energy from the sacrifice of others. There was a rumor that eons ago, the higher-ups would slaughter slaves from different races to enhance their own energy.
Lin Li did not like devilish things, but he always loved to have great powers. After measuring the gravity of both on the scale, he decided to put the magical crystal into his pocket.
According to Lin Li’s personal values, no matter how much one’s contributions were, if he were to participate in any mission, he ought to have a share of the pie. This time, however, he did not offer to split the rewards, but threw the item into his own pocket.
Of course…
That did not mean that he wanted to keep everything for himself selfishly. It was because Lin Li understood that normal people would not be able to handle the two items well. If a Vampire’s crystal got attached to a magical staff to be used as a magical crystal, it would be a shame as one’d be wasting it.
What Lin Li absolutely could not tolerate was this type of waste.
Furthermore, there were six people, but only two things. It was impossible to divide the pie equally.
So, he had decided to distribute some equipment to every single man on the team after returning to Alanna as reward for completing the mission together.
Before everyone left, they lit a fire in the Shadowglen to clean up all the bloodstains. After all, it was a place where the undead creatures roamed freely. A ground full of blood would not only trigger the interest of these creatures, but also the Vampires. If it were to lure a more powerful undead creature, there would be dire consequences.
After doing all these, it was already very late.
The team of six returned to that cave again. Since they had not only stayed away from the battle between the undead creatures, but also escaped a high-level Vampire by luck, they did not need to embark on their former plan of hiding deep within the Shadowglen. That cave was indeed a good hiding spot, and should be the safest and cleanest place in the valley.
Campfire, sleeping bags, rugs…
Due to their thrilling encounter with the high-level Vampire, and witnessing the magnificent battle between the undead, everyone except Lin Li and Orrin was so excited that they crowded around the campfire to discuss it through the night. Then, they gradually fell into a deep slumber as a result of fatigue…
The subsequent days were strangely calm and peaceful as everyone hid in the cave.
Apart from Mason, who encountered Hell Ghouls, no one saw any undead creature throughout the three days. Even Lin Li, who was a man who disliked trouble, also complained a couple of times that life was too boring in there…
That situation continued until the sixth day of the trial.
The moment the sky started to light up, Lin Li did not feel like sleeping anymore. Every day felt the same—everyone stayed in the cave, and the only thing they did was to eat and sleep. The one entertainment they had was only to chat with the others. Even a pig would have lost all its desire to sleep.
After he got out of his sleeping bag, he went to the entrance of the cave to reinforce the mana on the mageweath. Then he stood there and started daydreaming…
When Lin Li was thinking if he should look for things to fill up his time, he heard faint footsteps walking in the direction of the cave. What came into his vision afterwards was a small group of young mages walking along the skeleton-filled path towards him…
“Eh…” Lin Li froze for a second before he immediately hid back into the cave. What he saw was a group of sour young mages, and he could recognize three of them.
Those were the three men whom Mason introduced to them on the first day of the trial. Vaguely, Lin Li remembered that one of them was called Kayla.
Frankly speaking, Lin Li did not have a good impression of that Kayla, as he was too friendly.
If they had a close bond with each other, the friendliness would be absolutely justifiable. Hence, the extremely agreeable attitude Kayla showed them was so unnatural as though he hoped to become sworn brothers with them the moment he met them.
Lin Li had always believed the idea that ‘one who was unaccountably solicitous would be hiding evil intentions’.
It was Liubei’s friendliness that landed Guanzhang in dire consequences. [1. Allusion to the Three Kingdoms—the tripatite division of China in 220-280 A.D.]
Of course, Lin Li had nothing to say if Mason was close to that fella. He could only observe silently and try to minimize interaction with him.
Unfortunately, things in the world were always like that. The stronger one wished to avoid a particular person, the greater the chance for him to meet that fella—just like in this case.
Although Lin Li tried to hide in the cave, the four young mages continued to come closer and closer.
And at that moment, Mason woke up, getting out of his sleeping bag groggily. He wanted to go out of the cave to relieve himself…
“Mason—”
Before Lin Li could continue talking, Mason already dashed out of the cave in a daze, and cried out in surprise, “Kayla!”
“Hahaha, Mason, I can’t believe that we meet again so quickly!” Kayla exclaimed in surprise, and urged his teammates over. He was shocked that Mason had such good luck that he had not been sent back to the campsite.
And, the cave seemed to be a good hiding place.
Lin Li shot Mason a glance, and shook his head helplessly before sitting down beside the campfire. Orrin, who had been snuggling up in the blanket, frowned as well.
