Chapter 421: Peace and Quiet? Not a Chance

Chapter 421: Peace and Quiet? Not a Chance

“Ugh~ So boring.” Zheng Yichen sat lazily on a chair, sunbathing and yawning. A few days ago, many people had actively requested Zheng Yichen to brew Magic Potions for them, but now the number was very small… Hmm, it wasn’t that those people rejected him, but recently there were many people badmouthing Zheng Yichen online. Also, not everyone who came here brought sufficient materials with them.

People brought their own supplies beforehand, so they didn’t really need extra Magic Potion brewing. As a result, Zheng Yichen was completely idle now. The attitude from the Potion Department during this period was also somewhat subtle. Although they didn’t directly show any rejection towards Zheng Yichen, the doors to the exchange meetings were no longer open to him.

If they let him go, some short-tempered Magic Pharmacists might come looking to ‘compete’ with Zheng Yichen. On the Forum, Magic Pharmacists were now divided into several factions. The once firmly opposed faction found themselves in a very awkward situation. Many Magic Pharmacists from this faction were fuming inside. If they saw Zheng Yichen, could they hold back?

As for some younger individuals, they actually held Zheng Yichen in quite high regard.

“Tsk~ Never mind.” Zheng Yichen waved his hand at the staff at this convenience point. “I’m going out for a walk.”

At first, these staff members didn’t pay much attention. But later, when they heard that Zheng Yichen had actually gone inside the Containment Barrier, they were immediately shocked. There was no way to find him now. They could only quickly report this to Jenna. When Jenna heard about this, her head throbbed. Could he please not do this? The previous matters hadn’t even been resolved yet.

The Potion Department had finally managed to discuss and reach a conclusion. They expressed a certain level of support for Zheng Yichen’s method. As Zheng Yichen said, it indeed could produce some prodigies from among the large number of Magic Pharmacists with mediocre aptitude. As for the claim that it ruins people, there were many historical records here at the Border Great Wall as well. When the Arcane Arts first appeared, they also ruined many people. Back then, due to the unique nature of the Arcane Arts, many Spellcasters became obsessed with them.

Countless talented Spellcasters were ruined by the Arcane Arts. But now that everyone had a thorough understanding of the Arcane Arts, the mistakes of the past wouldn’t happen again. The method Zheng Yichen introduced now was the same. Once this period passed and this method stabilized, it would also become a very good path.

Offering some support was possible… After days of research by the Potion Department, this method was truly as Zheng Yichen said. As long as one could restrain that gambling-like impulse, it was indeed very beneficial for Magic Pharmacists.

But now that guy actually went inside the Containment Barrier?! And he went in without any guards! How on earth did he get in… Looking for him… Of course they had to look for him. Based on the contributions he made for the Border Great Wall, they couldn’t turn a blind eye to this matter. Not just the unorthodox, conflict-fueled, mutation-style method of researching Magic Potions, but also the assembly line method was like this. Regarding the assembly line method of Magic Potion production, the Potion Department here had already modified several low-level Elixir Formulas.

They indeed achieved part of the assembly line method Zheng Yichen described. Although those few Magic Potions were so simple that any novice Magic Pharmacist could make them by hand, simple to the extreme, this at least completely proved that such a method was feasible. After dividing the production process of a Magic Potion that a novice Magic Pharmacist could make, Magic Pharmacist apprentices could participate in the making. There were far more Magic Pharmacist apprentices.

Generally, before becoming novices, those apprentices could only make potions lower than Magic Potion grade. It was basically impossible for them to make Magic Potions. But now they could produce the Base Potion. This meant they could play a role through more avenues during their learning, and it further lowered the requirements for becoming a novice Magic Pharmacist!

Making one portion of Base Potion is making it. Making several portions is also making it, isn’t it? It’s not that one person must master only one part; they could also master all parts. Gradually producing the Base Potion and then mixing it, wouldn’t that become a finished Magic Potion?

For now, this was the extent of its performance. Once this technology matured in the future… Some of the Magic Pharmacists involved in this experiment couldn’t help but marvel. Once truly mature, this meant that in the future, intermediate Magic Pharmacists could also produce high-end Magic Potions. Although the Elixir Formula would still be an issue, this was no longer an impossible thing.

It seemed a bit like cutting corners, but wasn’t this also a kind of progress?

It was like the difference between walking and riding a Bicycle. When there were no Bicycles before, to go to a distant place, one’s physical condition had to be sufficient to endure the journey. But with a Bicycle, even someone with only half the physical condition of the other could reach the destination smoothly. This was the power of progress.

Making difficult things simpler.

Just this contribution alone could lead to a reform within the Potion Department. Therefore, Zheng Yichen had to be found.

At this moment, Zheng Yichen was walking alone inside the Containment Barrier. He held the Magic Arms, Flame Judgment, in his hand. The scorching aura emanating from it instantly turned any small poisonous insects, flying mosquitoes, or similar Corrupted Creatures that approached into ashes. Even the plant-type Corrupted Creatures gave Zheng Yichen a wide berth.

It seemed like an easy way to clear the area, but experienced people would never use such a method to solve problems here. It could indeed clean up some minor nuisances, but the consequence was that it was more likely to attract some troublesome creatures. For example…

Swish—

A wave of flames scorched a Corrupted monster that erupted from the ground. The half of the monster’s body that hadn’t yet emerged struggled to burrow back underground, incidentally tearing off the part of its body that had been charred into coke.

Zheng Yichen gently flicked the Flame Judgment. For example, what? There was nothing… As long as the enemies weren’t of a certain level, Zheng Yichen could simply use the fully summoned Magic Arms to deal with those monsters that popped up from who-knows-where. Why did he come to the Containment Barrier? Out of curiosity!

The environment inside the Containment Barrier could be seen from the outside. However, what it was actually like inside could only be known after entering. Also, these past few days, because he had nothing to do, he had flipped through many books in the Potion Department’s Library. From those books, he found many records about materials inside the Containment Barrier. Although the Corrupted Creatures here were full of evil aura, the very fact that they could withstand the influence of the Abyssal Aura meant they were extraordinary.

Those that couldn’t withstand the influence had already died. These creatures that could withstand the influence and undergo Corrupted mutation all possessed unique characteristics. Such characteristics allowed them to produce a special kind of material… For example, some ‘antibodies.’ These were essential items for extremely effective cleansing of Corrupting influences. Or other mutated materials. As long as they underwent Purification treatment to remove the Corrupted parts, those things could be used normally. And the Purification process also required those ‘antibodies.’

With the flames of Flame Judgment scorching, small things couldn’t get close to Zheng Yichen. Zheng Yichen didn’t expect to get anything special from those small things either. As for larger things, if they could ignore the passive burning from the minimum output, Zheng Yichen sliced open the charred part of the body left by that monster. He had held back a bit of force in his attack just now to avoid that part of the body turning directly into ashes.

“Hmm… This should be that thing, right?” Zheng Yichen looked at the dark red, hard-core substance dug out from the monster’s body. This thing, resembling a tumor, was a specialty of Corrupted Creatures. It looked very unseemly, but in reality, this thing was quite rare. It could only be found on sufficiently powerful monsters. And it was very difficult to kill these Corrupted Creatures.

Under the radiation of the aura leaking from the Abyss Entrance, these monsters were like being near their own fountain. Their body recovery speed was exceptionally rapid. They even fed on the Abyssal Aura; even without eating, they wouldn’t starve to death.

Putting away these ‘hard cores,’ Zheng Yichen began collecting other things. For example, the roots, stems, or wood of certain man-eating Corrupted plants. These things all emitted unusual auras, and their material quality was different from the original. They were all very good materials. The materials Zheng Yichen found were all excellent items. And excellent items would definitely not appear in the outer areas of the Containment Barrier. The closer to the entrance, the easier it was to obtain ‘good stuff.’

“Huh?” Zheng Yichen stopped walking, looking at a staggering figure approaching from ahead. The other person wore armor that only knights of the Sanctuary Church could wear. However, the bright armor had now become dull, with many dark stains on it. After being affected by the Corrupting Aura, metallic objects would develop this color. This indicated they could withstand the influence of the Corrupting Aura.

If they couldn’t withstand it, then the consequence would be that piece of metal turning into metal slag.

Several parasitic Corrupted plants grew on one side of the other person’s body, making that half of his body swollen and disgusting, like an infected zombie in a movie. When Zheng Yichen saw him, the other person also saw Zheng Yichen. A trace of vitality appeared in the withered eye on the half of his face that was still somewhat intact. Gray, rotten fluid overflowed from his slightly opened mouth: “Quick… quick! Run!!”

“Huh?” Zheng Yichen looked slightly surprised. To be alive even in such a state… This made him lower the raised greatsword, Flame Judgment. But at that instant, the light in the other person’s eyes completely faded. The withered eyes were replaced by a dark green color. Dragging his half-swollen, burdened body, he rapidly charged towards Zheng Yichen. During the charge, the parasitic Corrupted plants in his swollen half of the body twitched rapidly, shooting several sharp thorns swiftly at Zheng Yichen.

Alright, it seemed that was just a final flicker of life.