Research

Chapter Research

When they arrived at the laboratory, Athos took his leave. Lincoln took out Athos's jade bottle, then summoned another Low-God divine beast and obtained some of its Quintessence Blood. He mixed the two drops of Quintessence Blood together, used Wind Divine Power to catalyze their fusion, and continuously added various precious minerals and plants. A day later, a transparent, green, spherical crystal the size of a soccer ball appeared in Lincoln's hand.

Standing before the Cocooning Pool, Lincoln quietly reviewed what he had learned from his research. In truth, the Dragonblood Warrior's method of activating the bloodline by drinking living dragon's blood was very similar to the bloodline awakening brought about by the Ancestral Hall Baptism. One was merely complicated and mysterious, while the other was simple and brutal, but their essence was the same. One greatly enhanced a person's physical constitution and weakened bottlenecks before Saint-level, while the other allowed a person to become a god directly and awaken an Innate Divine Ability.

Two Saint-level attendants were pouring large quantities of leaves into the pool. These leaves had a similar effect to Blue Heart Grass: they reduced the pain of bloodline awakening. Lincoln had named them Blue Silver Grass. The water in the Cocooning Pool was specially prepared, too, and kept warm year-round to activate the bloodline to the greatest extent. The true catalyst was the Awakening Crystal. Only when it combined with the mysterious factor hidden deep within the bloodline could a person awaken it.

And Milotic's Quintessence Blood was the key to promoting this fusion.

Once everything was ready, the divine beast's child, who had been waiting outside, was summoned in, trembling with apprehension. If he successfully awakened his bloodline, he could leave this prison-like, god-created plane and venture into the Four Supreme Planes and Seven Divine Planes, provided he swore to the Overgod that he would keep the secret. What was more, according to the Chief God's promise, he would also get the chance to choose another Material Plane to visit—a price many powerful beings from the Divine Planes couldn't afford!

Fortunately, in the past hundred thousand years or so, no one had failed the awakening and exploded. Otherwise, he would have been thinking not about what came after success, but what came after death.

Of course, attempting bloodline awakening wouldn't devour his soul. As a magical beast that had never become a god, he could still venture into the Underworld after death.

Lincoln tossed the crystal into the Cocooning Pool, then said to the Saint-level magical beast with two horns, "Go on. Good luck!"

The beast swallowed nervously, squeezed his eyes shut, and jumped in. The water gradually dissolved the crystal, then enveloped the beast layer by layer. The Blue Silver Grass soaking in the water also wrapped around the two-horned beast.

I hope it works, Lincoln thought. Over the years, he had first managed to awaken the bloodlines of Water-element divine beasts' descendants, then succeeded with the descendants of other single-element divine beasts. But he had never succeeded with a Multi-Element Divine Beast.

He was currently pursuing two approaches: first, enabling the descendants of Multi-Element Divine Beasts to awaken their bloodlines; second, separating a Multi-Element Divine Beast's bloodline so that its descendants could awaken as single-element divine beasts.

Earl Moken explained, "My wife is unwell and resting at home, so she couldn't come out. Besides, she's been quite upset at home because she'll miss Her Highness the Princess's engagement banquet."

Aier smiled gently at that. "I have some pills in my carriage that are especially effective for illnesses. They work wonders for ailments that aren't caused by sharp weapons. A few years ago, I gave some to the prince of the Yero Kingdom, and the illness he'd suffered from since childhood cleared up at once. You can send a servant to collect some later. Consider them my thanks for the Earl's care and support for our trade association, and a small token of my wish for your wife's speedy recovery."

Lincoln shook his head helplessly. He would have been happy enough to enjoy the scenery with Aier, but these sorts of events left him feeling utterly bored.

After his bloodline research failed, Lincoln was about to continue studying divine beast talents when he suddenly froze, then burst out laughing.

"So President Aier truly is richer than an entire nation. Even attending Her Highness the Princess's engagement banquet is just a change of pace for you." A crisp young girl's voice came from behind them, her tone hostile.

Aier smiled, too. "This is my husband, Lincoln. Lincoln, this is Earl Moken, who has been very supportive of our trade association. And this must be the Earl's daughter. May I ask why your wife didn't come?"

Lincoln and Aier turned around and curiously sized up the girl. She was dressed in finery and had lovely features, but her expression was arrogant. Her hostility seemed to come from nowhere. Lincoln glanced at Aier, who shook her head innocently. Naturally, they had noticed the people nearby, but they hadn't paid much attention to a stranger with no strength to speak of.

Earl Moken thanked her repeatedly, while Aier took Lincoln by the hand and excused them so they could go on ahead.

The imperial capital of the Putuoluo Empire, the royal reception hall.

Carriages arrived one after another along Dragonhorn Avenue. Dressed in formal attire, the heads of noble families, their wives, young masters, and young ladies strolled down the avenue, chatting and laughing in groups of two or three. Their presence brought a lively bustle to the broad road, which was usually quiet to the point of desolation.

Lincoln smiled and shook Earl Moken's hand, then said nothing more.

Seeing this, Lincoln sighed. "It failed again." But he didn't leave. Instead, he carefully observed the two-horned beast's changes. Perhaps some small detail would help him succeed next time.

Lincoln and Aier had disguised themselves as jewel merchants and were enjoying their time among mortals. With the overwhelming strength of Deity-level experts behind them, every obstacle had been swept away. In just five years, Aier's trade association had become a renowned colossus across the continent, welcomed and courted by many nobles. As for Lincoln, running a merchant caravan was utterly pointless and held no interest for him. It was merely a small amusement in his long life as a god; Aier alone handled all the caravan's operations and decisions.

Half a day gradually passed. Lincoln continued watching the pool, and nearly half of the bloodline crystal had been used up.

"Themis, don't say things like that. Apologize to President Aier at once." A calm, middle-aged man's voice followed immediately.

Another half-day passed. The crystal stopped dissolving, but the aura within the cocoon began to weaken instead of strengthen.

His main focus was on researching the second approach. After all, even if he succeeded with a Multi-Element Divine Beast, getting one with all seven elements would still be very difficult.

"I'm sorry, President Aier. Themis has been spoiled by me. I'll be sure to give her a good scolding when we get home." The middle-aged man smiled, then shifted his gaze to Lincoln. "I don't believe I've met the gentleman beside you, President. Would you mind introducing us?"

"Lincoln, look. They're all great nobles of the Putuoluo Empire, the true upper echelon of the empire," Aier said, introducing them as she exchanged greetings. "Over there is Earl Hall and his family. Up ahead are Duke Ampere and his wife." Seeing Lincoln's distracted expression, she teased him, "I know you didn't want to come, but even the finest delicacies get tiresome if you eat them every day. A simple meal now and then is nice, too."

Time turned back to the Wata Plane.

After they'd walked a few steps, Lincoln finally couldn't hold back his laughter. "You're still going around peddling those lousy pills of yours." The pills were nothing more than ordinary medicinal herbs that Aier had infused with a trace of Water Divine Power. They also incorporated some healing laws, so they worked very well on mortals, though they couldn't rapidly heal wounds or regenerate severed limbs.

Aier rolled her eyes. "You'll never understand the fun of setting aside brute force and carefully running a trade association." With that, she walked ahead, leaving Lincoln behind.

Lincoln smiled and shook his head. What did she mean, setting aside brute force? Hadn't she relied on their strength to suppress the troublemakers? Their presence was sickening, but under normal circumstances, running a trade association meant having to deal with them. In this world, when faced with absolute strength, running a trade association—or even governing an empire—was like playing house.