Ten minutes later.
Kroya personally escorted the Baron out of the castle.
In the end, they had signed a contract. Kroya agreed to refine his ore, and to do so quickly, delivering it within ten days if possible.
But something struck Kroya as strange... the Baron had never mentioned the sunflower seeds. Not once from beginning to end, as though he knew nothing about them.
Sai Liu had also cast pleading looks his way several times.
He seemed to be asking Kroya not to bring it up.
There was definitely something going on here.
But Kroya had no intention of meddling. Whatever was going on between those two, it was fine as long as it did not affect his earnings.
"Not a bad haul this time. He promised to bring me a magical beast when he comes to collect the goods next time..."
He stood where he was, gazing into the distance for a while.
Then he ordered his subordinates to move all two hundred jin of Sacred White Iron from the Baron's carriage into the storeroom, after which Rob personally led the Kaba Beast inside.
The fact that the Kaba Beast could refine ore absolutely could not get out.
Only someone he trusted could handle it.
"You can take care of the rest."
Once he had watched the Baron leave, Kroya quickly departed and returned to his laboratory.
Just moments earlier, when he activated the Astral Body Inscription Technique, he had heard the magical beast called the Wood Luminary Curved Vine say it wanted the power of waterlight.
What a coincidence!
He happened to have the power of waterlight!
But to be safe, he needed to finish setting up the Seven Luminaries Divine Law Array first. Otherwise, who knew what effects that chaotic waterlight power might have?
So he immediately got to work.
The most difficult part of the Seven Luminaries Divine Law Array was circulating the mana. Everything else was quite simple, and he had reviewed it many times during this period.
Naturally, he also maintained excellent control over the speed of assembly, the mana input pathways, and the precision of the mana pulses.
After an hour of work, he finished assembling the Seven Luminaries Divine Law Array. The array's pathways, which he had previously been unable to connect in a single attempt, were successfully linked as well.
Energy-Gathering Crystals floated into the air, forming a mysterious pattern around the array, with the center of each crystal facing its core.
That core was a metal platform made of mana-absorbing iron.
Seven-colored light passed in turn through the invisible pathways, flashing once inside the Energy-Gathering Crystals. But it lasted only an instant before the blue glow marking the Water Luminary's position was the only one still flickering.
All the other lights dimmed.
This was because, of the seven nodes used to construct the Seven Luminaries Divine Law Array, only the Water Luminary node used a waterlight crystal. All the others used magic crystals of different attributes.
In other words, it could only purify waterlight crystals.
To purify other crystals, he would have to find more Seven Luminary Crystals.
One thing worth mentioning was that the Seven Luminary Crystals came in seven types: earth, water, fire, wind, time, space, and illusion. The first four were relatively easy to find. As for the others... that really came down to luck.
"Whew. It worked."
Seeing this, Kroya quickly placed a waterlight crystal inside the array, then brought his own power into resonance with its ripples.
During this process, he discovered that his mana harmonized exceptionally well with the array, as though they resonated naturally.
Under his control, the mana within danced like musical notes, continuously washing over the waterlight crystal.
Far from the discomfort of expending mana, the entire process gave him a pleasurable feeling he could almost lose himself in.
Soon, the already translucent blue crystal became even bluer, though its somewhat deep blue changed into a pure, clear blue.
It was like the difference between shallow seas and the deep ocean.
The waterlight power inside became extremely docile, with none of its earlier volatility.
"That fast?" Kroya was a little surprised. According to the parchment, a Second-Level Mage would need at least ten minutes of mana manipulation to purify it.
But this had taken... thirty seconds?
He had effortlessly driven out that volatile power in thirty seconds. Could it have something to do with his mana and meditation method?
Perhaps the Song of Red's exceptionally strong control over mana, combined with the Crimson Rondo's resonance techniques, allowed him to quickly take control of the array's mana.
He did not understand, but that did not stop him from continuing to control the array and draw the power out of the waterlight crystal. The blue crystal soon lost its color and turned grayish white.
Then it fell to the ground with a crack, instantly shattering into gray dust that scattered with a gust of wind.
But in the beaker beside the array, there was now roughly one milliliter of liquid glowing with an ocean-blue radiance.
That was the product of purifying a waterlight crystal, and this liquid was what the Merfolk needed.
Kroya stepped forward, picked up the beaker, and gave it a shake. He discovered that the liquid was gel-like, remaining whole as it rolled around.
When he touched it with his finger, he immediately felt abundant Water Magic, but discovered nothing else unusual.
With his experiment yielding no results, he soon accepted it.
"Well, that makes sense. If even I could discover something so easily, wouldn't that tenth-level archmage have discovered it back then?"
He set his questions aside for the moment and continued extracting this strange waterlight essence. Thanks to the unique nature of his mana, it took almost no effort.
Of the hundred waterlight crystals the Merfolk had given him, aside from the one he had given to the Magic-Storing Hanging Flask Grass, he finished extracting all ninety-nine that remained.
Honestly, he could hardly believe it.
According to the parchment, anyone who could successfully extract forty out of a hundred crystals on their first use of the array was considered a genius.
But him?
He had successfully extracted all ninety-nine!
According to the Merfolk, he only needed to extract half of those hundred crystals. Everything left over would be his earnings.
However, he would not hand over even a single extra drop. In fact, he only intended to deliver forty-five or forty-six drops-he could not let the Merfolk think his extraction was reliable. He needed to present a gradual process of improvement.
If he really delivered the full hundred crystals' worth, the Merfolk might decide there was something extraordinary about him. If they abducted him to work for them, that would be miserable.
As for the contract?
By the time the Mage Association learned about it and sent someone over, who knew what inhuman treatment he might have suffered?
Holding a beaker full of waterlight essence, he first approached the Magic-Storing Hanging Flask Grass-it had already put out a tender shoot.
Without hesitation, he dripped a drop of essence onto the shoot.
The azure essence fell onto the soil, quickly seeped into it, and was absorbed by the shoot.
"Grow quickly. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you'll look like once you're fully grown."
After saying that, he took another drop and slowly dripped it onto the magical beast called the Wood Luminary Curved Vine.
The bracelet-like emerald vine immediately began to sway and tremble upon coming into contact with the waterlight essence.
"Ooh, ooh~"
It faintly conveyed a thought, seemingly asking for more waterlight essence.
Without hesitation, Kroya kept dripping it on.
One drop, two drops, ten drops...
Only after fifteen drops did its craving finally cease.
Then, under Kroya's gaze, it rapidly sprouted branches and buds, soon transforming from an ordinary vine into an enormous one as tall as a person.
A gentle voice came from within.
"Praise your kindness, Master."
The voice was like a clear spring flowing through grass. Though formed by vibrations of mana, it sounded entirely natural, as though a woman were truly speaking.
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