Chapter Fourteen: The Secret Valley

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Network Culture Business License: Wenwangwen [2010] No. 128

The wind rustled through the holly forest, carrying a soft whispering sound.

The once tumultuous clearing had now fallen into an eerie silence, as if death itself had settled over the place.

A faint wisp of soul energy drifted from the corpse of the *Rat Gavney, absorbed into the Soul Devouring Ring.

Xiuyi clutched the wound on his chest, his gaze cold and unforgiving as it rested upon the headless body of *Rat Gavney.

Though the fierce battle had claimed the loser’s life, the victor was far from unscathed.

The red wings bore a hole pierced by the long tongue of the *Rat. Even with the aid of potions, recovery would take time. Xiuyi himself had been struck by Gavney’s *Transmuted Crimson Lotus—a natural spell notorious for its peculiar and ruthless nature, difficult to guard against. The *Transmuted Crimson Lotus possessed a homing instinct and bypassed defenses, though its damage was modest. Xiuyi administered half a bottle of healing potion each to himself and Red to aid their recovery.

What surprised Xiuyi most was Xu’s performance.

All along, Xu had been nothing more than a gluttonous, lazy little brat in Xiuyi’s eyes, never considered a main force on the battlefield. Even after teaching him to wield the Void Blade, it was only as occasional support.

Sometimes Xiuyi wondered why magical dragons, after enduring three dormancy periods, still required such long years to mature before gaining strength. Though they were powerful beings that surpassed the twelfth level, the prolonged juvenile stage made it difficult for them to ensure the survival of their offspring.

But today, he understood.

Advanced species possessed unique survival traits, and it was clear that the scene just witnessed was Xu’s distinct life-saving ability.

Yet now Xu lay on the ground, panting desperately, tongue flailing, exhausted and gasping for breath. The strain was immense.

Xiuyi tenderly scooped him up, soothing him softly: “You truly opened my eyes today, little one. Daddy’s proud of you.”

A faint mental connection reached Xiuyi’s heart. Xu explained that this was the juvenile dragon’s third form, accessible only in dire moments before attaining adult power. Each use drained this ability for a long time, but as Xu aged and grew stronger, the cooldown would shorten and duration extend—until he fully matured, at which point the third form would become his natural state.

As of now, the little one could only activate this form once every month or two, and only for a few seconds at a time.

“No matter what, you did splendidly today,” Xiuyi smiled. “As a reward, Daddy will cook you a feast.”

The little one gleefully licked Xiuyi’s face.

Yet as he watched Xu’s excitement, a heavy feeling settled in Xiuyi’s heart.

He was unsure if encountering *Rat Gavney was mere coincidence or a deliberate setup by Brian Buckler and Hodding.

If this was a trap meant to ensnare Xiuyi, he had to admit it was exquisitely crafted—flawlessly executed. As Hodding once said, a brilliant scheme needn’t be overly complex; by understanding human desires and striking precisely at the coveted part, success often comes effortlessly.

For Xiuyi Glare, possessing a personal laboratory to sow seeds swiftly was unquestionably vital. After all, for alchemists, such a place was the wellspring of their power.

Thus, Hodding could so easily deceive Xiuyi.

But upon reflection, it seemed unlikely.

Hodding had no knowledge of Xiuyi’s seeds and couldn’t have foreseen his need for a secret haven, nor arranged everything in advance.

Moreover, conspiracies require time for planning and preparation. Hodding was not the Wild Wolf Gang’s leader and couldn’t decide unilaterally. Their transaction had been an on-the-spot agreement, with no time for scheming.

No one could devise a trap so precisely tailored to someone’s weaknesses and needs without prior knowledge or consultation. Therefore, this was more likely a coincidence.

If so, then Buckler and Lilith had been extraordinarily lucky. Twice they came close but, for some reason, never disturbed this *Rat, thus never encountering this terrifying creature.

“Perhaps there’s a way to prove whether this is a trap or just coincidence,” Xiuyi murmured.

He released the Wind Warbler.

If this were a trap, Buckler would surely have his men waiting outside the holly forest, attempting to retrieve Xiuyi’s body to claim the Empire’s bounty.

The Wind Warbler circled the forest’s periphery but found nothing. Xiuyi then took out a crystal ball to observe Staghorn Town’s conditions, confirming all was normal before finally exhaling in relief.

To be honest, he was not in a state to engage in another fierce fight.

Nor did he wish to fall out with Buckler.

Dismissed the Wind Warbler, Xiuyi’s gaze settled on Gavney’s corpse.

“A unique magical beast… I wonder if its materials are unique as well?” A satisfied smile crept across his face.

It was time to reap the rewards.

As an alchemist, Xiuyi’s strength lay in profound knowledge and the ability to trace origins. Discovering the principles behind magical operations was their survival’s foundation.

He quickly discerned that *Rat Gavney’s spellcasting relied on two slender conduits at the center of its back, both leading to an adenal sac at the tail’s end, containing a strange fluid brimming with potent magical energy.

Common-source magic? This was Xiuyi’s first realization.

The adenal sac served as the magic source for many magical beasts. Unlike human mages, beasts liquefied ambient magical elements and stored them in these specialized sacs. The sacs converted this energy into magical liquid—the purest form of magical elements—ideal for crafting powerful magic restoration potions.

Different magical attributes usually corresponded to different sacs: for example, the Blazing Phoenix possessed a fire-attribute sac. A dual-attribute beast like *Rat Gavney would typically have two sacs for each magic type.

Yet Xiuyi observed something entirely different—this *Rat had only one sac but two conduits of distinct magical energies. What could this mean?

Confusion filled Xiuyi’s mind.

Could this *Rat transmute magic into different elemental attributes? The notion was incredible.

Suppressing his strange thoughts, he carefully extracted some of the magical liquid from the adenal sac into an empty vial.

Tracing down Gavney’s adenal sac, Xiuyi noticed a small crystalline core at the third segment of its tail.

Not every magical beast possessed a magic crystal core, and not every core had function. Studying this one carefully, Xiuyi hypothesized it was the key enabling the *Rat’s single sac to channel multiple magic types.

Gently prying off the tiny crystal, he soaked it in Gavney’s magical liquid and stored it safely.

Having completed this, Xiuyi severed the long, rigid whip-like tail segment.

Composed of thirteen articulated bones and as agile as a serpent, the tail was the *Rat’s toughest part. Being a demonic creature, its tail was non-metallic but highly compatible with magic. If forged into a weapon, it would outperform metal counterparts for enchantments, greatly enhancing power.

“Some modifications… this could make a fine whip.”

What truly pleased Xiuyi was the discovery of the *Rat’s Heart inside the body. Its surface was ultra-smooth, yet it radiated immense magical energy. Analyzing it, Xiuyi found the heart had a unique affinity for metals—a superb material for weapon enchantment.

However, since Purgatory Island had long neglected research into weapon enchantments, alchemical progress here was limited. Xiuyi decided to hold off on using it for now. Weapon enchantment required better technology, and the *Rat’s Heart was singular and irreplaceable.

Moreover, Xiuyi realized this *Rat was a treasure trove. Its skin was suitable for crafting earth-elemental armor, its liver possessed potent detoxifying properties, and even its lungs, when processed, could serve as rare ingredients for potions. How to fully exploit these materials would require further study.

Lastly, Xiuyi broke off Gavney’s teeth and claws, skinned and dismembered the body. After stripping all usable parts, he kicked the corpse away. The *Rat’s stink sac could be used to make stench bombs, but the flesh itself was horribly foul—no appetite for Xu.

This cunning *Rat, which had long plagued the Lance Empire and eluded countless skilled hunters, had been thoroughly slain by Xiuyi without a trace left—its corpse exposed to the wild.

The once hardened ground sealed by Xiuyi had softened again.

Glancing at the cave entrance, a sudden thought struck him.

Why did this *Rat dwell here? Could there be something else in its lair?

With that in mind, Xiuyi decided to explore.

Climbing down the entrance, he discovered a web-like network of interconnected underground tunnels.

Descending to the cave’s lowest level, he found an enormous space nearly fifty meters beneath the surface.

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