Chapter 347: Chapter 0344: Aladdin’s Lamp (Second Update)
 

The probability of an Elf Bug evolving into a Little Minor Elf is very low, out of twenty or so Elf Bugs, maybe only two or three will evolve, and there’s a high chance of evolution failure.

As for whether the probability of evolution is related to the transplantation of Cordyceps, Liszt is not clear.

There is no evidence to suggest a connection between the two.

When Jela was still a Thorn Bug, its Cordyceps were planted in Tulip Castle, and it was only after migrating to Fresh Flower Town that it began to evolve and successfully did so. Although the assistance of the Smoke Mission played a part, it at least shows that Cordyceps can still evolve successfully after relocation.

“Perhaps for Elf Bugs, the transplantation of Cordyceps is like… the Tri-Phase Force of the Rubber Bug triplets?” Liszt suddenly thought.

The Tri-Phase Force should be considered a kind of magic, and it shouldn’t affect the evolution of the Rubber Bugs, otherwise, the Smoke Mission’s exploitation of their abilities would be betraying Liszt.

This doesn’t align with the usual style of the Smoke Mission.

“The Rubber Bug triplets recover after using the Tri-Phase Force and resting for a while, the Elf Bugs also recover after transplanting Cordyceps and resting. Maybe for Elf Bugs, this is like a magician casting spells, definitely consuming a bit of energy, but mainly serving as training?”

To exercise control over their “magic” by constantly releasing the Tri-Phase Force, through constantly transplanting Cordyceps?

This speculation doesn’t seem very reliable, the Tri-Phase Force can be explained as being ‘strengthened by training,’ but how could transplanting Cordyceps be considered training? Which Elf Bug would bother moving its own Cordyceps back and forth—for a plant, isn’t it supposed to just quietly grow in the field?

“The essence of Elf Bugs lies in their Cordyceps, so transplanting Cordyceps should be considered harming their foundation; the Tri-Phase Force probably isn’t…” Liszt could only judge so.

At least as for the Rubber Bug triplets, their current condition is very good, showing no negative effects from having used the Tri-Phase Force once.

He waved his hand.

The Smoke Mission surfaced.

It was still the original mission, not completed by the transplantation of Cordyceps.

“Probably because the withering incident in the wheat fields isn’t completely fixed, the mission can’t be considered complete, so I’ll wait another two days to see if that’s the case.”

…

After resolving the conflict with the Little Wheat Bug, Liszt primarily kept his attention on Elkerson and Granney.

These two magicians showed no signs of handing over the Soul Storage Vessel. One was steadily making Magic Potions and cracking jokes at banquets, while the other was engrossed in crafting the Calming Sea Pearl to the point of not wanting to bath, and their apprentices were working obediently, showing no unusual behavior.

No other channels had any information about the “vessel” either.

This made Liszt’s mood somewhat depressed; watching the two magicians eat and drink at the banquet, he was not very cheerful, “It seems like they’re not going to hand over the Soul Storage Vessels unless I force them to.”

Just as he was considering what method to use to force them to surrender the Soul Storage Vessels.

The situation took an unexpected turn the next day.

Bug Guard Members came to report that a horn had sounded by the sea—this was the signal for communication between him and Sea Sprite Ake; he had told the Bug Guard Team in charge of the Fragrant Coconut Tree Cordyceps to report to him as soon as they heard the horn.

So…

He knew Ake was looking for him, as she generally wouldn’t sound the horn unless there was something important, preferring to quietly stay in her room reading and studying magic.

After rushing to the Sea View Villa, Ake somewhat frantically said, “Brother, Ake found an unconscious human in the sea, and I don’t know how to deal with her.”

Following the direction of Ake’s pointing hand, Liszt saw a pale woman lying on the bed in the wooden house on the second floor.

She looked almost like a corpse, and her soaking wet clothes were obviously a Magic Cloak—this is the standard attire of a magician, which means this unconscious female is a magician.

Then.

He saw a pot, similar to a teapot, on the bedside cabinet.

“Soul Storage Vessel?” Liszt’s inspiration burst forth. He realized his previous speculations had been misguided. Perhaps it had nothing to do with Elkerson and Granny. The clue guided by fate was right before his eyes, embodied in this unconscious magician. “Ake, what’s the deal with this teapot?”

“It was hidden in her clothes, and it was in the way, so Ake took it out and put it on the table,” Ake said nervously. “Brother, is she already dead?”

He checked her breathing; it was very steady.

“She is not dead,” Liszt touched his chin, feeling that the magician’s unconsciousness was unlikely caused by drowning since a drowning person’s breathing wouldn’t be this normal.

He then touched her heart, and its beating was also very steady.

“Seems like she didn’t drown but is merely unconscious. The town doesn’t have a doctor, only a few old people who know how to brew herbal medicine. I will ask them to come take a look, and Teacher Marcus should also know a bit about how to save people,” Liszt said to Ake. “You should step out for a second.”

“Okay.” Ake returned to his shell and swam back to the sea.

Liszt ordered the Retainer Knights to summon people immediately, and he continued to stay by the side of the female magician. Watching the unconscious magician, he felt helpless—he didn’t know how to save someone; he only knew the theory behind mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, which didn’t seem to be necessary since she was breathing on her own.

After all, she was breathing.

So he picked up the teapot from the cabinet and began to study it. It appeared to be a copper teapot, yet it was clear its purpose wasn’t for holding tea. The Duchy of Sapphire didn’t use teapots at all.

Because the real tea was owned by Liszt alone.

Others only drank milk tea brewed in cups from the fruits of the tea tree, with no need for a teapot.

“Looks a bit like the lamp from Aladdin’s Lamp in “One Thousand and One Nights”?” While handling the copper teapot, Liszt couldn’t help but rub it.

Expecting a blue smoke-formed Djinn to suddenly emerge.

To grant him three wishes.

However, nothing appeared.

He shook the teapot; nothing was inside, and there was no lid. It was a single piece; probably only the spout served as the mouth of the vessel. “So, is it really a Soul Storage Vessel?” Even after using the Eye of Magic, he couldn’t see any trace of magic power; it seemed like a common piece of teaware.

A teapot carried by a magician couldn’t possibly be an ordinary object.

But Liszt had no leads. He set down the teapot and carefully examined the unconscious magician. Her pale complexion made her look almost like a dead person. Her appearance was average, with some freckles on her face. Her hair was brown, with a height of probably around one meter sixty-five, neither fat nor thin.

Since no one else was around, with no need to be concerned, he began to search the magician’s clothes with his hands, hoping to find something else that could prove her identity.

In the end, he only found a pendant around her neck.

The pendant had a silver coin hanging from it—not a coin that could be used for trading, but a light, silver-colored, round metal coin, feeling somewhat like mithril to the touch.

The front was engraved with a triangular pattern and an eye in the center, the symbol of magicians, the Eye of Truth. Under the Eye of Truth triangle, there were several wavy lines, likely representing water.

The back was engraved with a tiny Serpent Script: “May your voyage in search of Truth be surrounded by the ocean of knowledge, Chris Truth.”

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