[Memory Crystal Ball: A Low-level Demonized Item capable of storing recorded text and images. Its contents can be read by connecting to it with Spiritual Power!]
’Does the Chaos Square have an appraisal function for special items, in addition to its auto-cleaning feature?’
Roy mused to himself.
Although the Chaos Square was one of his Golden Fingers, he still didn’t know much about it.
For one thing, he still had no idea what the gray fog enveloping the square even was.
Roy didn’t know how to channel his Spiritual Power.
But he was certain of one thing: he definitely possessed Spiritual Power.
All living humans had Spiritual Power.
After some thought, Roy decided to use his techniques for channeling Fighting Qi as a reference to try and wield his invisible, intangible Spiritual Power.
He held the Memory Crystal Ball in his right hand, closed his eyes, and began trying to sense the presence of his Spiritual Power.
Time ticked by, and before he knew it, four or five minutes had passed.
Although Roy tried his best to sense his Spiritual Power, it was no surprise that he failed.
Unlike Fighting Qi, Spiritual Power was clearly far more mysterious.
After realizing he couldn’t sense his Spiritual Power at all, Roy sighed helplessly and prepared to return to his original plan: practicing the Giant Elephant Breathing Technique.
However, just then, another message appeared in his mind.
[Covering the Memory Crystal Ball with Fighting Qi will also allow you to read its stored content!]
’Fighting Qi works too?’
The moment the question popped into Roy’s head, the Chaos Square provided an explanation.
[Controlling Fighting Qi requires the use of Spiritual Power!]
’When did the Chaos Square get so thoughtful?’
’First an appraisal function, and now it’s answering all my questions?’
This time, the Chaos Square ignored Roy.
After waiting a minute or two and confirming that the Chaos Square really wasn’t going to answer any more of his questions, he released his Fighting Qi, letting the white, flame-like energy cover his right hand and the Memory Crystal Ball.
Within seconds, the contents of the Memory Crystal Ball surged into his mind like water from a bursting dam.
The sudden torrent of information caught Roy completely off guard.
At the same time, he felt an intense, splitting pain, as if his head were about to burst.
He had no spare energy to process the content being poured into him; he could only focus on circulating his Fighting Qi to ease the agonizing pain in his head as much as possible.
The Memory Crystal Ball’s brutal transfer lasted for little more than ten seconds.
Though brief, the transfer’s impact on Roy was anything but small.
He stood in the square, drenched in sweat, his face deathly pale. His legs felt weak, and he gasped for breath as if he had just completed an incredibly strenuous workout.
A data transfer of just over ten seconds had left him feeling utterly drained and exhausted!
If he hadn’t already cultivated to the level of a Peak Knight, or if the transfer had lasted another ten-odd seconds, he probably would have passed out from the pain and exhaustion.
After taking a few deep breaths, Roy sat down, set the Memory Crystal Ball aside, and began to go through the content it had transferred to him.
Basic Potion Making: From Beginner to Expert
Author: The Magic Potion Prince.
...
’It really is a Wizard’s knowledge!’
’This was so worth it!’
An irrepressible, satisfied smile spread across Roy’s face.
After seeing the Chaos Square’s appraisal, he had guessed that the Memory Crystal Ball’s contents were most likely related to Wizards.
Using a Memory Crystal Ball to record and pass down knowledge was clearly a method employed by Wizards.
After calming his excitement, Roy began to carefully review the contents of Basic Potion Making: From Beginner to Expert.
Although it was titled Basic Potion Making, the amount of content was anything but basic.
Introduction to Potion Making, the history of Potions, fundamental principles of Potions, types of Potions, Potion formula design and optimization, selecting and identifying Alchemy Materials, using Alchemy Vessels, Alchemy Techniques and important considerations, methods for testing Potion efficacy, storing and using Potions...
The table of contents alone was over a thousand words long.
The full text, meanwhile, contained millions of words.
Outside the square, it would have taken at least a week to read it all.
But in the Chaos Square, Roy read through the entire text in a little over an hour.
The first time he had read a book in the Chaos Square, he discovered that the square would temporarily grant him a rapid reading ability that made the content Unforgettable.
After finishing Basic Potion Making: From Beginner to Expert by the Magic Potion Prince, he quickly made up his mind.
’Alchemy!’
’I have to master this Alchemy skill!’
He had made his decision, but he also knew he wouldn’t be able to master the skill of Alchemy anytime soon.
To brew Basic Potions with special effects, there were four essential requirements.
Formulas, materials, Alchemy Vessels, and... an Alchemist.
Roy already met the first requirement: formulas.
The book contained formulas for over thirty Basic Potions.
As for the other three requirements, each was more difficult to obtain than the last!
However, this did nothing to diminish Roy’s determination to master the skill of Alchemy.
Because within the millions of words of Basic Potion Making: From Beginner to Expert, he had discovered a method to cultivate and use Spiritual Power.
Will Runes!
Inside the Memory Crystal Ball, the Magic Potion Prince had deliberately left behind twelve Will Runes used for cultivating Spiritual Power.
’What does "from beginner to expert" even mean?’
’Taking a complete Xiaobai who knows nothing and turning them into an Apprentice Alchemist who can proficiently brew Basic Potions—that’s what it means!’
Of course, this all assumed that the ignorant Xiaobai had the potential to become an Alchemist to begin with.
After resting on the ground for a moment, Roy went to the pile of miscellaneous items in the corner of the square and carefully put away the Memory Crystal Ball, his Hunting Knife, the bones of the Mutated Four-armed Demon Ape, and his other things.
His original plan had been to wait a while, then, as the Dark Night Knight, turn in the Mutated Four-armed Demon Ape’s pelt to Count Rock Lion to claim the bounty.
Now, he had changed his mind.
When he first saw the bounty, he had just thought Count Rock Lion was being extravagant with his wealth.
But after finding the Memory Crystal Ball inside the Mutated Four-armed Demon Ape’s stomach, he knew things weren’t as simple as they appeared.
Roy now had reason to suspect that Count Rock Lion’s willingness to offer a 200 Gold Coin bounty on the Mutated Four-armed Demon Ape wasn’t because he was extravagant, but because he knew it had a Memory Crystal Ball inside it.
While Count Rock Lion might not have known what was stored in the Memory Crystal Ball, he almost certainly knew that the Mutated Four-armed Demon Ape had one.
As for how Count Rock Lion knew this, Roy had no way of being certain for now.
Still, he trusted his own judgment.
Or rather, he trusted his intuition.
After putting away the Memory Crystal Ball, Hunting Knife, and his other items, Roy took off the blood-stained gray robe and changed back into his Noble Robe.
He didn’t immediately return to his bedroom. Instead, he began to practice the Giant Elephant Breathing Technique.
He practiced until noon, only then leaving the Chaos Square and returning to his bedroom.
Over the next week, Roy continued to play the part of his body’s previous owner—a shut-in who disliked going out and spent all day in his room reading.
No one would have guessed that he was actually inside the Chaos Square, furiously practicing the Giant Elephant Breathing Technique.
’I’ll get stronger in secret, and then I’ll shock everyone!’
...