Chapter 231
Chapter 231
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Genius? He was definitely a genius!
Looking at the two Space Rings on Aaron’s fingers, their near-perfectly disguised appearance and tightly-knit, complicated patterns, Yang Ling understood Aaron Thomas’ true abilities without Goode’s elaboration. He slipped into silent deliberation, thinking about how he could get the old man to stay.
Even though he could force the other party to stay using his military might, it was definitely the most foolish idea. He did not want to use this option unless he absolutely had to.
Currently, his territory lacked capital and manpower, but more than that, they lacked talents of various kinds, especially top-notch Alchemists!
Even though Elder Klive had promised to send over a hundred experienced Alchemists, no one was clear as to how high their standards actually were. But the cynical Aaron was different. As someone who was hailed as a Genius Alchemist by the Delar Empire at just a little over ten years old, there was no doubt about his abilities.
The Magical Spell Formations of the Gnome race could be drawn onto weapons and armor, or even on the castle walls. They had immense power. Unfortunately, they were not able to produce them in batches because of limitations in skill and were therefore unable to form a large-scale battle force. But this problem would be solved if they had a top-notch Alchemist. They would be able to draw Magical Spell Formations by the batch.
Even though the Fox Elder and the rest had unintentionally discovered Black Gunpowder and had created miniature bombs from it, its power was still insufficient due to various factors. Regarding this, there might also be a possibility of a breakthrough if they had a top-notch Alchemist in their ranks!
Getting Alchemists with a high level of ability was imperative to achieving their goals if they wanted to create magical staffs of premium quality. Furthermore, exceptional Alchemists were also required for creating weapons and armors, establishing a fleet of ships, or even helping Alice produce poisons in large quantities.
There would obviously be immense benefits to the development of the territory if they got Aaron to stay. But being able to leave his luxurious family and wander the continent for dozens of years meant that Aaron was already disillusioned, and no longer valued fame or money. With his unrestrained, cynical personality, he was definitely not a person that could be tempted by crystal coins or a few beauties!
What would a wandering Alchemist who does not value fame or money be most interested in?
Yang Ling was silent in deliberation as he looked at the beggar-like Aaron.
Every person had their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their basic emotions. Some men adored authority, and the intense desire to conquer; some chased after crystal coins, wishing that they could sleep on a bed of money; some lusted over beauty, unable to find joy without women; some would rather be alone, concentrating on the tasks that they were most interested in…
Yang Ling arrived at an idea after a moment of deliberation. Without changing his expression he said, “Master Aaron, humiliating a woman is punishable by death in the Magical Beast Territory. If you wish to leave Wissen Town, you would either have to leave behind the two Space Rings as compensation and apologize to Miss Bess or accept our punishment!”
“Sir, these two Space Rings are very important to me. I cannot hand them over!” Aaron was not flustered despite his unfortunate predicament, still unable to teleport away with the Teleportation Scroll. He continued, “Tell me, what is the punishment?”
Yang Ling let out a faint smile as he looked at Aaron, who had remained calm, “Master Aaron, are you sure that you would rather accept the punishment?”
“I am sure, tell me what it is!”
After hearing Yang Ling ask him for his two Space Rings, Aaron did not have to think too deeply about the matter to understand his intentions. He knew that Yang Ling was the same as the nobles he had dealt with in the past who had wanted him to create a few treasures. At the very most, all he would have to do was waste a few materials and stay in Wissen Town a little longer.
“The weather is going to get warmer sometime soon, which is when the Sharo Boars will be in heat,” Yang Ling said, letting out a laugh. “There’s an ancient rule in Wissen Town. Anyone who humiliates a lady in public will have to stay with a Sharo Boar in heat for a length of time. I would think, Master Aaron, since you are so interested in women, you naturally won’t mind this ancient punishment!”
Stay with a Sharo Boar in heat for a period of time?
The crowd was dumbfounded when they heard Yang Ling say this, unable to come to their senses for the longest time. This was especially the case for Aaron, whose mouth gaped open wide in surprise. He had expected Yang Ling to want him to create a few treasures for him. He had expected that Yang Ling would forcefully get him to stay. But no matter what, he would never have expected such a punishment to exist on the continent!
After coming to their senses, looking at the old lecher Aaron, and imagining the scene of him going at it with a female Sharo Boar in heat, the crowd’s faces turned red as they tried to hold in their laughter. They did not dare laugh out loud. The soldiers who had grown up in Wissen Town bit down tightly on their lips, afraid that they could not hold it in.
They had never heard of something like this, even when they were young. When spring arrived every year, most people entered the Terras Forest to capture a few wild Sharo Boars so that they could breed with the female Sharo Boars they had reared. But they had never heard of someone locking a person in with a Sharo Boar in heat.
“Sir, tell me, what exactly is your request?”
Aaron could not help but blush as he saw the soldiers around him turning red as they held in their giggles, then looked at the female soldier, Bess, who was cupping her mouth, almost unable to stand up straight from laughter. If he was indeed locked in with a Sharo Boar in heat, his reputation would be ruined within the hour that the news got out!
After calming himself down, Aaron took a deep breath and tried his best to compose himself. He knew that this so-called legend was merely Yang Ling’s tactic to force him to agree to another condition.
“Sigh, that makes this hard!” Yang Ling pretended to be put on the spot and knit his brows together, continuing, “Let’s do this instead. Since you are an Alchemist, you’ll be free to leave as long as you can replicate this crystal in my hands. But, if you cannot complete the task in three days, then you will have to stay here forever!”
Stay here forever? Aaron finally understood Yang Ling’s intentions when he heard him say this. Other nobles would, at the very most, get him to create a few treasures for them. He did not expect Yang Ling’s appetite to be this huge, wanting him to stay for eternity.
Sharo Boar, crystal…
After weighing the options, Aaron had no choice but to replicate the crystal, quickly reaching a decision. Even though he did not care about fame or money, being locked in with a bunch of Sharo Boars in heat would be an even worse feeling than being labeled as a cultist. He might as well slam his head against the wall and drop dead!
Even though he knew that the crystal in Yang Ling’s hand was not as simple as it seemed to be, he was confident in his ability. He had even successfully replicated a Divine Weapon of immense power once. A small piece of a crystal would be much less of a challenge. Three days was not a long time, but it would be enough for him to replicate a thin piece of crystal.
After Aaron signed a magic agreement and put down his thumbprint, Yang Ling got Orlando to bring Aaron to a serene villa and got him to replicate the Magic Hunting Cards.
Even though Aaron was hailed as a Genius Alchemist, he did not have Wizard Power, nor did he know the Imprisonment Restriction. There was no way for him to complete the task. Yang Ling believed that Aaron would not be able to create an exact replica of a Magic Hunting Card even if he was given three months, much less three days.
Even though they could both seal Magical Beasts, the Magic Hunting Card was fundamentally different from the Space Necklace hanging around Fatso’s neck. An ordinary Summoner could only be equipped with one Space Necklace and possess one War Pet. But the Magic Hunting Cards were different. As long as one had sufficient mental energy, they would, in theory, be able to carry countless cards with them and summon countless Magical Beasts to do battle for them.
Furthermore, compared to the Space Necklace, the ingredients and materials used to create the Magic Hunting Cards were completely different. Other than himself, there might be no one on the continent who could grasp such a unique method.
Yang Ling headed to the Beast Taming Ground by the Donau River on his Unicorn after instructing Goode to supply Aaron with all the ingredients he needed. He taught Bolso and Viola the most basic Summoning Magic and demonstrated for them how to use the Magic Hunting Cards.
As the frontrunner in the younger generations of the Sumeer people, Bolso had gathered a fair amount of Magical Energy in his body while he was training the Soul of the Wild Beasts. The hunter, Viola, was even more impressive. Despite having never come into contact with Summoning Magic, he himself was a low-level Spellcaster and possessed a good amount of Magical Energy. Not long after, they had both had grasped the important concepts of using the Magic Hunting Cards, each successfully aquiring a War Pet.
“Sir, how many Magic Hunting Cards are there?” After obtaining a level-five Magical Beast, the Violent Earth Bear, as a War Pet like a Summoner, Viola quickly understood the tactical importance of the Magic Hunting Cards.
There were currently over two hundred experienced hunters in the Beast Taming Ground. If each of them had a card, or even a few cards, their battle capabilities would reach unprecedented heights. Then, they would be able to form teams to capture high-level Magical Beasts deep in the Terras Forest.
“I still have seven Magic Hunting Cards with me, take them all!” Yang Ling handed the rest of his cards to the captain of the hunting team, Viola, then continued, “Give me a list of suitable names. Choose hunters who are willing to stay in Wissen Town and work for the Beast Taming Ground. I’ll think of ways to get more of the cards!”
At the very most, he would be able to create about twenty Magic Hunting Cards in a day. Even though it was not much, it should be enough for the time being. Yang Ling was going to use these Magic Hunting Cards to gradually nurture his faction, allowing them to one day become the backbone of the Hunter Association, establishing a solid foundation for his control over the Hunter Association.
Just as Yang Ling was about to make a few rounds around the Beast Taming Ground, Goode rushed over in a hurry and said, “Sir, there are over a hundred black-robed men outside the castle saying that they have something to discuss with you!”
Over a hundred black-robed men?
Yang Ling had a thought as he remembered Elder Klive’s promise of a hundred Alchemists a few days ago. He departed quickly, leaving Bolso and Viola with a few instructions. He then returned to Wissen Castle on the speedy Unicorn, fast as the wind.