Chapter 346: Wanting to Learn Something

Chapter 346: Wanting to Learn Something

Just as Zheng Yichen was about to create a new sensation, Annie, who had left not long ago, returned with a dark expression on her face. The container she had been holding was gone. After coming back, she glanced at Zheng Yichen, picked up the research materials he hadn’t put away yet, looked through them again, and then placed them back…

It wasn’t that she couldn’t create that kind of eye. Referring to Zheng Yichen’s research materials—especially these unpolished, draft-like ones—unless one had his Assimilation Ability, any attempt to truly develop something would be futile.

But she could produce an identical eye using “normal” methods. The main issue was, what would be the point of creating such an eye?

Was that thing precious? To ordinary people, of course it was precious. In Annie’s view, however, it held little significance for her. At her level of strength, battles were no longer about competing in Dynamic Vision or Insight. No matter how strong one’s Insight was, even if they could detect her tells, so what?

A wide-area sealing move would render such sight useless! What about extremely high Dynamic Vision? If the body couldn’t keep up with the reaction, one would only watch themselves get hit. What truly mattered were the things Zheng Yichen created—those made using his ability were like black technology. Even if they had the same effects as other things, the underlying technological content was completely different. Those were the important subjects for research.

It was like comparing a Modern Era flashlight to one from two hundred years later… both emitted light and served the same purpose, but their internals were entirely different. Why did she return with a dark face? The thing she had just obtained hadn’t even warmed in her hands before Dan Marina snatched it away right after she stepped out! Damn that woman! If she got the chance, she would definitely prank her hard!!

Annie’s originally cheerful mood had now sunk to an extremely dark point. “The operational method of the Arcane Arts, and… could you make two more eyes for me?”

“Not right now. I have other things to do,” Zheng Yichen said, spreading his hands. He took the booklet Annie handed over. Arcane Arts were different from Magic; Magic was studied through Magic Rune Arrays, while Arcane Arts were recorded in written form. “If you know any Witch who is exceptionally skilled in Potionology and can help me solve a problem, I might be able to free up some time to make a new pair.”

Though he didn’t know what Annie had encountered, it was easy to tell from her face that the pair of eyes she had “snatched” had surely met an unfortunate fate!

“No. No matter how deep one researches Potionology, it ultimately isn’t hard power. Not many focus on studying it; most just learn it on the side. Seeking them out would be worse than you researching it yourself,” Annie said bluntly. Irene liked researching Magic because studying Magic enhanced her own abilities—it was an improvement in hard power. She herself enjoyed researching matters in the Life Domain, but such research also enhanced her own strength.

After all, once a powerful result was researched, it could be applied to oneself… What? People researching the Life Domain wouldn’t experiment on themselves? If not, then what were they researching? To develop amazing, usable results and let others benefit? Think again!

There was no need to doubt; in this world, those who researched the Life Domain, as long as they achieved enough, had more or less modified themselves in some way—including herself. However, Annie’s ability itself was life-type. The modifications she underwent weren’t like others’, which might leave traces or obvious external features. These side effects had been smoothed out by her ability during the modification process. Even if not innate, they could be considered semi-natural.

As for potion research, no matter how much was developed, they were ultimately external objects. Even if there were Magic Potions that could temporarily boost one’s strength, could such potions be taken continuously?

As for those who studied it on the side, even if many had decent skill levels, Annie didn’t want those Witches to know about Zheng Yichen’s existence. So what if they were Witches? Even Witches with good reputations—so what? She had her own selfish motives too. In fact, Annie felt quite conflicted. If she had met Zheng Yichen first instead of Loris, there wouldn’t be so many troublesome matters now.

She would have long taken Zheng Yichen to dominate in the Life Domain and stride toward a new world. With his ability’s characteristics, a few years would be enough for him to achieve what others couldn’t in decades.

Plus, amplified by his ability, he could truly soar.

“Then you’ll have to wait a bit longer.”

“…” Annie slightly pursed her lips and said nothing more. “Then hurry up with your research.”

“I can’t guarantee that. With good luck, results might come immediately. If not, all previous steps might need to be broken and restarted…” Zheng Yichen shrugged and returned to his Workshop. There, he saw Loris waiting for him. He paused briefly, then walked over. “What’s up? Interested in visiting my Workshop?”

“Mm…” Loris gave a slight nod, closing the book spread on her lap. Zheng Yichen saw the book’s title: Introduction to Potionology… The books he kept on his shelves all contained substantial knowledge, and this one was no exception. “I felt there was nothing else to do, so I came here to read something.”

“Uh, you have quite a collection of books yourself, right?”

“That’s just accumulated over a long life. Having many doesn’t mean I’ve read them all,” Loris said, making Zheng Yichen nod. It was like browsing online stores in his previous life—he bought many things and accumulated a lot at home, but many were just glanced at and set aside, rarely revisited afterward, like collectibles.

“I see. If there’s anything you don’t understand, I’ll see if I can help,” Zheng Yichen said, scratching his head as he walked to her side.

Loris gave a light nod…

Still trying to make a breakthrough in potion research? Ah~ Magic Potions were external objects; delaying research for a day or two didn’t matter. After all, time was the one thing he lacked the least. With a Dragon Body, even the weakest dragon could live for a thousand or eight hundred years effortlessly—and that wasn’t dying of old age, but because they lived too incompetently and got killed.

A few hours later, she walked out with a potted plant from Zheng Yichen’s Workshop. This potted plant was left by Annie—a flower displaying a deep purple hue. Upon closer look, one could see faint, dark light dots slowly seeping from within the flower, easily captivating one’s attention to the point of being unable to break free. This thing could be deadly… If ordinary people’s wills weren’t strong enough, they would become completely drawn to this flower, and after becoming entranced, they would be drained of energy and die.

Of course, if one could resist this temptation, the flower would produce another effect: promoting the recovery of Mental Energy, making nearby people feel energetic. However, this usage would consume the flower, requiring regular watering… Zheng Yichen didn’t need to worry about this; the bottom of the flowerpot had a Spatial Expansion cast by Annie, containing enough “nutrients” to last a month.

“Tsk tsk, thinking of learning Potionology? What are you thinking?” Annie looked at the potted plant in Loris’s hands, slightly pursing her lips. With a wave of her hand, the flower in the pot trembled slightly, squeezing out a small amount of black residue. A lingering “eye” on it was eliminated by her.

Loris must have noticed the little thing on it; otherwise, why would she bring it out? Even feeding her dog food for several hours?

“Just thought that since I only know how to destroy, occasionally learning something else is okay too,” Loris said.

“Learn something? What can your ability allow you to learn?” Annie said with a somewhat teasing smile. Loris’s ability had a strong contaminating nature… or rather, all Witches’ abilities had a strong contaminating nature. Anything touched by their power would inevitably be tainted with characteristics of their ability. This was also why Witches couldn’t use normal Alchemical Avatars for activities.

Because of this, if Annie used her own Mana to guide the process when making a Magic Potion, that potion would carry an additional characteristic. Putting it in game terms: when using an antidote, a normal antidote only has the effect of removing poison, but a potion made by her would, after curing poison, also restore XXX HP.

Irene’s would restore XXX MP or grant a temporary, weakened version of a ‘Super-Magic’ buff. Dan Marina? Her ability belonged to another type; when making potions, it wouldn’t produce additional effects. This attachment wasn’t absolute; anyway, mystical-type abilities were among those that wouldn’t attach, because such powers were difficult to manifest on substantive objects.

Loris’s destructive ability wasn’t of the mystical type. So, if she didn’t use her own power to guide the process when making a Magic Potion, it might not be a problem. But since it was a Magic Potion, how could that process be avoided? Unless making a simple mixture. If she made a potion for herself, it wouldn’t be a problem… If Zheng Yichen used it, probably nothing would happen either.

There was a reason Annie valued his Assimilation Ability and even wanted to have offspring with him without a second thought. His ability had a contaminating nature similar to Witches’, but on a level higher than theirs!

Moreover, this ability only manifested in Zheng Yichen’s hands—another special point. When others touched it, it was like touching water that couldn’t freeze or evaporate, as mundane as daily necessities. Water could quench thirst when drunk, and when not drunk, it could wash clothes. To ordinary people, there was nothing special about it; no matter what you did, it was still water—its essence couldn’t be changed.

His assimilation was more reflected in its inclusiveness.

Annie had even wondered if this guy was some long-fallen “god.” Although gods had disappeared a long, long time ago—even longer than the history of Witches’ emergence—they had indeed existed before!