Chapter 248: Two Systems Fulfilled, January 1st, Year 3 Before the New Calendar
Imina quickened her steps to catch up with Tang Zheng, who had already walked ahead. Her narrow eyes glanced at his profile—a figure who appeared gentle, seemingly blending into the lively atmosphere of the celebration.
For some reason!
Imina always felt that the man before her was unfathomable. Despite his youthful appearance, it was as if an invisible barrier separated him from everyone else.
"What exactly are you trying to do, Tang?" Imina pursed her lips and suddenly spoke in a low voice.
"What?"
The surrounding clamor was so loud that Tang Zheng didn't seem to hear Imina's question. He turned his head and asked, puzzled.
Did he really not hear?
Obviously not. They weren't ordinary people.
"It's nothing," Imina said flatly after a moment's hesitation.
They didn't walk much further.
Tang Zheng paused, stopping in front of a stall where various brightly colored ornaments were on display.
Imina was a little puzzled. Looking at the items on the stall, she saw they were mostly women's accessories of no great value.
"How much for this hairband?"
Tang Zheng looked at the stall owner, pointing to a black, ring-shaped hairband decorated with a pattern of golden silk thread.
"Two silver coins." The stall owner looked up, his eyes brightening as he saw Tang Zheng and his companion, and he immediately stated the price.
Hearing the price, Imina frowned. The hairband was clearly not worth that much. However, what made her more curious was why he was buying a gift like this.
Tang Zheng nodded without haggling and took out two silver coins from his pocket, handing them over.
The owner's eyes widened for a moment, then his face was wreathed in smiles. He quickly grabbed an exquisite gift box from the side and placed the hairband inside.
Tang Zheng accepted the gift box, immediately reopened it, and took the hairband in his hand. A flash of magical light shone from his palm.
"Magic Imprint."
After casting the spell, Tang Zheng then put the hairband back into the gift box and handed it to Imina beside him.
"Who buys a gift for someone right in front of them?" Imina was stunned, but her eyes lit up as she took the gift box without hesitation.
"It's not for you. Help me give it to Leinas," Tang Zheng said calmly. "It has my residual magic on it, the same kind I've cast on you before."
Imina's face darkened. "Then where's my gift?"
Clearly, Imina didn't care about the magic at all.
"This is for you."
Tang Zheng raised his palm and flipped it over, as if performing a magic trick. From his item box, he retrieved a wine pot sealed with a wooden cork.
"This is wine brewed with dwarven techniques. Consider it an unexpected acquisition of mine."
He had left the "Great Wine Jug," the lizardman sacred treasure, with the group of dwarves in the Lava Zone, letting them drink from it.
After drinking for a long time, the dwarves felt the alcohol content was too low, so they purified it using their own brewing techniques.
"Who gives a girl a wine pot as a gift!"
Imina looked at the proffered wine pot, her amber pupils shifting. She complained out loud while quickly taking the pot into her hands.
Her pointed ears, hidden under her hood, were now slightly red.
Her greatest hobby was drinking, something Tang Zheng logically shouldn't have known, as she had never drunk in his presence.
After all, she couldn't hold her liquor well. Back in the Imperial Capital, she would often get into arguments after drinking and had even done many things she now found embarrassing.
This pot of wine might not be valuable, but it was clearly prepared with thought.
Imina carefully stole a glance at Tang Zheng, gripping the wine pot a little tighter. Feigning indifference, she said, "Since you gave me a gift, I have some good news for you."
"Then let's go."
Tang Zheng stopped and looked directly at Imina.
"Um, shouldn't we let them know?" Faced with his direct black-eyed gaze, Imina subconsciously couldn't meet his eyes.
"Cuiye is with them, so there's no need to worry about their safety," Tang Zheng said softly, turning his head to glance at Enri and the Green Leaf Witch, who were in high spirits amidst the crowd.
The figures of the two quickly disappeared into the crowd.
"Where's Lord Tang Zheng? I can't see him. He was right behind us a moment ago."
Enri belatedly realized and turned her head to look for Tang Zheng, but couldn't find him anywhere.
"He has his own business to attend to," the Green Leaf Witch said coolly.
"Oh."
Enri was a little disappointed, but soon her eyes lit up as she saw a crowd gathering in the distance. "Miss Cui Ye, look over there!"
As she spoke, Enri happily grabbed the Green Leaf Witch's hand and rushed ahead. For once, the Green Leaf Witch didn't resist.
It seemed Enri had a natural ability to make people feel close to her.
Outside the Royal Capital.
In a manor controlled by the Security Department of Eight Fingers.
Mages in casting robes were below, casting spells to display their abilities.
On the top floor of the manor, Tang Zheng and Imina stood by the window, watching the scene below.
"Well? Is there anyone who satisfies you?" Imina looked expectantly at the thoughtful Tang Zheng beside her.
At this moment, Tang Zheng was looking at the series of notifications flashing on his "Stat Panel," consuming skill points to master them.
Magic Type:
[Illusionist]· "False Death" (Third Tier): Creates an illusion that makes the opponent believe they have killed the caster.
[Court Mage]· "Hot Spring" (Third Tier): A life magic spell that creates a hot spring, which can be used for bathing to relieve fatigue.
Faith Caster:
[High Priestess]· "Dispel" (Third Tier): Dispels a summoned creature. Success depends on the levels, resistances, and skills of both parties.
[Priest]· "Solar Light" (Third Tier): Creates a blinding light, causing a blindness effect. Also deals a certain amount of damage to undead creatures.
[Beast Speaker]· "Animal Communication" (Third Tier): Allows communication with wild animals.
Skill Points: 66→61
...
Tang Zheng had finally selected some skills of value from the many magic casters below, acquiring new Basic Job Classes.
"A cost of five skill points," Tang Zheng mused, feeling it was a bit of a pity.
He hadn't acquired Basic Job Classes indiscriminately because skill points were precious, but now he had no choice.
Because the number of High-Tier Job Classes was too small.
As expected, the number of magic casters who had mastered the Magic Type and Faith Caster systems was the largest, so it was easy to satisfy the requirements for these two systems.
However!
Among the magic casters Imina had found, there was not a single one from the Mental Type or Other Type systems.
Tang Zheng knew from the beginning that the number of magic casters who had mastered these two magic systems was rare, but he didn't expect them to be this rare.
Currently, his four major magic systems were:
......
Magic Type: Potion Master, Alchemist, Magician, Necromancer, Warlock, Illusionist, Court Mage.
Faith Caster: Priestess, Priest, Forest Priest, Divine Official, High Priestess, Priest, Beast Speaker
Mental Type: Wizard, Witch
Other Type: Shaman, Summoner
......
His Magic Type and Faith Caster categories could already use tenth-tier magic, so acquiring more Basic Job Classes for these two systems was of little significance.
Unless it was a Basic Job Class of immense value.
Because the next step up was the domain of super-tier magic, which had little to do with tier magic. Furthermore, there was a prerequisite for a player to reach Level 70.
Because after a player reached Level 70, they could learn one super-tier magic spell for every level they gained. In the game, a player could master a maximum of only 30 super-tier magic spells.
"Stop."
Withdrawing his gaze from the magic casters below, Tang Zheng spoke softly.
"Yes." Imina nodded, leaned half her head out the window, and gestured towards a direction in the courtyard below.
"You didn't find the magic casters you were looking for?" Imina could tell that Tang Zheng was not satisfied.
"Not enough."
Tang Zheng shook his head. He was about to say more but paused in thought.
In the Otherworld, the classification of different magic caster systems wasn't very clear. Furthermore, Imina, who wasn't a magic caster, wouldn't necessarily understand what "Mental Type" or "Other Type" magic casting was.
"What I need are casters who have mastered strange and unusual magical abilities, different from normal magic casters."
After briefly organizing his words, Tang Zheng continued.
A look of understanding appeared in Imina's eyes. "I see. Today is the great celebration. Perhaps among the many magic casters who have come from all over the country, there is a caster you need."
"I'll have to trouble you, Imina."
Tang Zheng said with a smile, but inwardly, he didn't expect to gather them all easily.
He was still short five Basic Job Classes each for the Mental Type and Other Type systems. It would not be a simple matter to complete them.
Actually, there was another way to reduce the number of Basic Job Classes needed.
That was to raise the [Genius] class to its max level of 15, which would reduce the number of job classes he needed to acquire.
However!
Compared to the cost in skill points, five levels were obviously more precious.
"The warehouses in the territories of the Six Great Nobles are in the process of being purchased. We've already bought a few locations. As for the rotten grain and other food, it's being prepared but will still take some time."
Imina continued, reporting on the second matter Tang Zheng had assigned her.
"Mm," Tang Zheng acknowledged.
He also knew that this matter was more complex and time-consuming, and couldn't be completed in just ten-odd days.
A smile appeared on Imina's face. "As for the demi-human slaves with the 'Wild Transformation' ability, I only managed to buy three. I don't know if that's enough."
Tang Zheng's gaze paused, and he looked at Imina in amusement. "I really want to praise you right now. You have the true bearing of a Worker."
"Cut it out."
Imina rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
This was one of the benefits of using the power of Eight Fingers. It made it easy to accomplish many things that would have been difficult and troublesome for an individual.
The three demi-human slaves were located in a hidden warehouse on the manor grounds.
The first thing that came into view were three two-meter-high metal cages, inside which were three emaciated figures similar in build to humans.
These three demi-humans had ape-like faces, long ears, and grey-brown fur all over their bodies, exuding an aura of wildness.
Despite their weak auras, upon seeing Tang Zheng and Imina, the three demi-humans still swung their arms to beat against the iron cages, producing dull "thud, thud" sounds.
"They do look quite a bit like monkeys."
This was the first time Tang Zheng had seen such a type of demi-human.
"They are hobgoblins, a close relative of goblins. A brutish race with low intelligence. These three are rare among their kind—hobgoblins who possess the abilities of a magic caster."
"According to information from the Smuggling Department and Slavery Division of Eight Fingers, they were reportedly captured from a demi-human tribe that was destroyed by the Slane Theocracy."
"Compared to ordinary, strong hobgoblins that can be used as labor, these three are a bit smarter, but perhaps because they are casters, they are frail and unable to perform physical labor."
Imina pointed at the three hobgoblins in the cages and explained:
"They're smarter than ordinary hobgoblins, which also makes them harder to tame. That's why they haven't been sold. You could say we got lucky and snagged a bargain."
In the depths of the Great Wetland.
In the Dense Forest where the Twin Witches once resided.
Tang Zheng threw the three weak hobgoblins, their bodies covered in whip marks and other wounds, onto the ground.
This time, he had not gone to the Lava Zone, because the environment there was not suitable for the experiment he was about to conduct. The Dense Forest, on the other hand, had all sorts of monsters that could be used directly as materials.
A streak of crimson light rose from the east.
Tang Zheng looked up, saw the sun already peeking over the eastern horizon, and narrowed his eyes. "Three years left!"
Year 3 Before the New Calendar, January 1st!
"Major Wound Healing!"
Tang Zheng raised his wrist and cast healing magic on one of the hobgoblins.
A pure white healing light was released.
The injuries on the hobgoblin's body healed rapidly, visible to the naked eye.
"Ugh!"
The moment the hobgoblin regained consciousness, it bared its sharp teeth, looked fiercely at Tang Zheng, and then turned to flee.
"Charm Species."
Tang Zheng calmly cast the spell.
The hobgoblin's movements froze, its gaze instantly turning vacant. It swayed its arms and stood obediently in place.
"This magic ritual is much more complex, but the materials are all prepared. Now, let's see how effective it is."
Tang Zheng took out the magic ritual he had obtained from the Forest Gnomes from his item box. He carefully scanned the ritual's contents, which he had already memorized, confirming that he hadn't missed any details.
This magic ritual allowed a Forest Gnome to abandon the full ability of "Wild Transformation" in exchange for the power to transform into a monster that surpassed its body's upper limit.
For example, the Forest Gnome named Dogan Stone Lizard had used this magic ritual to transform into a cockatrice, which was more powerful in both size and strength.
Although he had already seen a successful case, Tang Zheng still wanted to conduct another experiment to confirm and observe the specific details of the ritual.
The large quantity of alchemical materials he had been having Enri and the Twin Witches purchase recently was also in preparation for this.
Following the steps of the magic ritual, Tang Zheng set up the entire ritual step-by-step, only breathing a slight sigh of relief once it was complete.
(end of chapter)