Chapter 1040 The Successful Trade <TOC> Chapter 1042 The Phantom Imp
Translator: SumTLMan
There were three irreplaceable materials, and Angel had only heard of the Immortal Flame Bone from the Black Gold Nightmare.
The Black Gold Nightmare is a peculiar demon in the Abyss. Sanders had once integrated the bloodline of the Black Gold Nightmare, and even his Original Spell, Nightmare Double, he had developed before was referring to the Black Gold Nightmare.
The Immortal Flame Bone of the Black Gold Nightmare, to an alchemist, is actually also considered a valuable demonic material. In the Wizarding World, there should be stock.
However, he currently had no way to leave the Abyss, and finding such demonic materials would be somewhat difficult.
Besides the Immortal Flame Bone of the Black Gold Nightmare, Angel had never heard of the other two materials, but that senior had written out the sources of these two materials.
Emberstone that has accumulated for over a thousand years, Angel initially thought it was some kind of mineral when he heard it was a ‘firestone’. But after careful reading, he found out that it was a kind of semi-elemental life in a state of enlightenment and ignorance. It was also the favourite delicacy of Fire Demons.
This kind of semi-elemental life usually slept under the magma.
With Angel’s current body’s resistance to high temperatures, he was unable to support him going under the magma to search.
Therefore, this was also not an easy material to find.
However, among these three materials, the most difficult and most important to find was the Ashen Flame Solvent refined from the Abyss Ghost Flame. Is it hard to find? Not exactly, because the hard part is not the Ashen Flame Solvent, but the Abyss Ghost Flame.
From what Angel understood now, the only ones that could release the Abyss Ghost Flame were… the Fire Demons.
In other words, to refine the Ashen Flame Solvent, there must be a Fire Demon to cooperate.
This made Angel very troubled. Seeing a Fire Demon, if it didn’t kill him, it was already a great fortune. And he still had to ask them to cooperate?
Moreover, Fire Demons all exist at the level of true knowledge. Even if Angel wanted to intimidate them with brute force, it would prove to be an impossible task.
Upon the thought of these three ingredients, a bitter expression painted Angel’s face.
He initially presumed that with the method of synthesis at his disposal, he could afford to breathe a little easier. However, it now appears that having this method has amplified his worries rather than easing them.
“It seems, you are not satisfied with this synthesis method, eh? But, the trade is already made, there’s no room for remorse,” Balalaika remarked, a hint of intoxication in her voice as she sipped on her ruby-red wine.
“No regrets, just that these ingredients are extremely difficult to acquire,” Angel retorted, casting a pitiful gaze at Balalaika, the message was clear.
Balalaika merely shrugged, “I am but a purveyor of information, occasionally dabbling in the sales of heinous deeds, but I am no supplier of materials.”
Disappointed, Angel lowered his gaze.
“However, I might suggest a place where you could find some of the materials you seek,”
Balalaika’s words rekindled Angel’s hope.
——”La Sutherland.”
Upon hearing this name, an image of the Mobius strip formed in Angel’s mind. Was it so that no matter the path he chose, he could not avoid this city of demons?
Unbeknownst to Balalaika, Angel’s original route was indeed to La Sutherland. His diversion to the Resting Grounds in search of her was the unexpected detour.
“La Sutherland has shops run by demons, you should be able to find the materials you need there, such as the Immortal Flame Bone of the Black Gold Nightmare, and the Emberstone that has been accumulating for over a thousand years. Most importantly, you need thousands of fragments of Firestone for the synthesis, and they are available there as well.”
Previously, Angel had only considered those three irreplaceable materials, but among the substitutable ones, there were some that were tricky to handle. For instance, the fragments of the Firestone as mentioned by Balalaika.
In the hands of Angel resided a portion of Firestone fragments — remnants from their previous expedition to the Emberstone Titan. However, they were far from sufficient to compose a complete Firestone.
Thus, his options were limited: either slaughter a horde of over a thousand Fire Liches or resort to purchasing what he needed.
Should he choose the latter, the only place within the Abyss that could satisfy his requirement was the Demon City.
Angel remained silent for a moment, then asked, “Could one procure Abyss Ghost Flame in the Demon City?”
“If you have the means, you could employ a Fire Demon to spew Abyss Ghost Flame specifically for you,” replied Balalaika after a brief pause. “However, if a Fire Demon were to witness you crafting Ashen Flame Solvent with the Abyss Ghost Flame, what do you suppose it might infer about your intentions?”
If a Fire Demon were to discover his attempt to produce Ashen Flame Solvent, the outcome was likely to be unfavorable. Yet, without approaching a Fire Demon, the acquisition of Abyss Ghost Flame remained an insurmountable obstacle.
It was as if he was caught in a paradoxical loop, with every possible path leading to an impasse.
Suddenly, Angel recalled the half-demon mentioned by Odeklaes: “Could a half-demon possessing the bloodline of a Fire Demon spew out Abyss Ghost Flame?”
This time, Balalaika offered an affirmative response: “If their power matches that of a Fire Demon, it is indeed possible.”
Hearing this, a spark ignited in Angel’s eyes. Although Odeklaes had refrained from discussing the half-demon’s power, based on the passage of time, it was plausible that the half-demon, having survived for at least a millennium, might have reached the level of a Fire Demon.
In the end, it seemed he had no choice but to journey to La Sutherland, no matter the obstacles.
After all, as far as he knew, the half-demon with ties to humans seemed to be the only feasible source of Abyss Ghost Flame.
Furthermore, some of the materials needed for crafting the Firestone could only be found in La Sutherland by chance.
However, another problem now presented itself: what was the accepted currency for trading in La Sutherland?
“Demon gold coins serve as a universal currency. If you don’t have them, bartering is also an option.” Balalaika raised an eyebrow as she spoke, “Besides, wouldn’t it be a breeze for a person who can concoct Firestones to amass wealth?”
Given Angel’s current capabilities, making money wouldn’t be a tough endeavor in any world. However, time was a constraint for him. If he could not complete the task within two hundred hours, Toby’s curse would be unleashed, disrupting any undertaking and possibly leading to unfruitful outcomes or even greater losses.
“No other choice but to take it one step at a time,” Angel clenched his teeth, deciding to set off for La Sutherland immediately. He had spent almost half a day in the Resting Ground and could no longer afford to waste time.
Having made his decision, Angel prepared to take his leave.
As he rose, his gaze fell on two small items in the tavern, the harp and the Monument of the Strange Ring. Balalaika looked at these two items with an unwilling gaze. She had promised to trade only the Ouroboros; the two other items had to be returned to Angel.
After a brief contemplation, Angel said, “I have gained quite a bit of insight from Miss Balalaika, consider these two items as tokens of my gratitude.”
Angel’s words lit up Balalaika’s eyes.
However, instead of immediately accepting, she pondered for a moment and pulled out a transparent box from underneath the tavern.
Angel could clearly see a frozen scale in the box.
A flicker of doubt flashed in Angel’s eyes as he found the scale somewhat familiar.
“As a trader with integrity, I wouldn’t take advantage of you. Here, this is a dragon scale of Bina Jonis. I’m giving it to you,” Balalaika casually tossed the box to Angel, “I once crossed paths with Bina Jonis and she gifted me this scale. It functions similar to the Mark of Flame you possess and can suppress your human aura. You could also choose to give it to Odeklaes, but if you choose to do so, it’s better not to tell…”
Balalaika gestured towards the outskirts of the encampment, indicating a dark-skinned woman who was lost in her own world, seemingly bored out of her mind.
A flicker of delight passed through Angel’s eyes. Previously, when he ventured to the Ice Valley, he witnessed the raw power that could erupt from dragon scales, even stone gargoyles took steps back in fear.
With these dragon scales, his safety had at least some level of assurance.
After tossing the box to Angel, Balalaika began to fondly handle the two items that she had just acquired.
Angel murmured in a low voice at this moment, “Miss Balalaika, this harp can be completely unsealed.”
With Angel’s explanation, Balalaika activated the switch underneath the harp. With a loud ‘boom’, the smoke dissipated, and the petite item enlarged several dozen times within a split second, morphing into a full-sized harp.
Elegant and opulent, it shone brightly under the flickering lights, gleaming with a crystalline radiance.
A look of surprise was etched on Balalaika’s face, she had initially thought it was merely a uniquely shaped music box. She had no inkling that it could transform into a genuine musical instrument.
She hesitated for a moment before extending her slender, well-manicured fingers to lightly pluck at the strings.
A ripple seemed to emanate.
The distinctive, crystal-clear notes of the harp resounded. Just one note was enough to make hearts flutter.
The pristine tone brought a smile to Balalaika’s face, the performance after her strum was so satisfying that it brought her much joy.
She strummed casually, even without a specific rhythm, it still formed a beautiful melody.
Balalaika squinted her eyes, they were like a crescent moon in the night sky. She took a gentle breath, with that force, Balalaika felt the darkness before her was torn apart by the brilliant starlight from countless years ago, accompanied by the tender light of the moon.
As the moonlight permeated her field of vision, Balalaika felt a gentle night breeze, accompanied by the plucking of her harp.
The harmonious notes flowed like a tranquil brook, cascading downwards. They reverberated not only within the intimate confines of the tavern, but also with the flickering candlelight, radiating throughout the Resting Ground.
Along with the music, Balalaika closed her eyes and began humming softly.
This was a nocturne filled with nostalgia and a hint of melancholy.
As if it was an ode to the old times of the ancient world.
At this moment, Angel was no longer in the tavern, he was striding towards the distant horizon. However, the enchanting music, and the hum that was more moving than the celestial sound, still lingered in his ears.
The night wind stirred the drapes of the small tavern, Balalaika’s captivating countenance, under the illumination of the lantern light, in the misty haze, in the vibrant dance of the musical notes, became exquisitely radiant.
Perhaps in countless years to come, Angel would not forget this scene.
Not only for the captivating woman, but also for the dimly lit tavern swaying in the rhythm of the music.
Chapter 1040 The Successful Trade <TOC> Chapter 1042 The Phantom Imp