Chapter 1046 The Great Scheme for Amassing Wealth <TOC> Chapter 1048 Voyage of Experience
Translator: SumTLMan
“Lord Night, what brings you here?” Angel questioned as he turned towards Night, a trace of curiosity etched on his features.
In the early hours when Angel had established his whimsical little ‘Phantasmagoria’ cabin, Night had shown no interest in visiting. However, curiously, he now stood before Angel.
“I am here to express my gratitude and to apologize,” Night’s voice was a husky yet stable whisper in the quiet, devoid of any signs of restlessness. It was hard to imagine that he bore the lineage of the Fire Demon.
Gratitude? Apology? Angel eyed Night quizzically. The two words were of entirely different essences.
“The half-demon Prapa, who experienced your immersive journey previously, is actually an employee at my Hunting Museum. Its swift enhancement is largely due to your assistance, for which I owe you thanks. However, it behaved thoughtlessly by brawling with a sand demon at your doorstep, almost causing a ruckus inside your establishment. For this, I offer an apology on behalf of Prapa,” Night spoke in a nonchalant manner, yet his sincerity was evident in his apologies and gratitude, making it feel far from superficial.
“I didn’t expect Prapa to be an employee of the Hunting Museum,” Angel waved his hand dismissively, saying without a hint of bother, “No matter, it was the first customer of my shop and, to me, that holds significant meaning.”
Pausing momentarily, Angel scrutinized Night from head to toe, “Apart from this, is there something else, Lord Night?”
Night nodded, pulling out a flaming black bone from his cloak and presenting it before Angel.
Angel, eyeing the burning black bone with surprise gleaming in his gaze, questioned, “Is this… an Immortal Flame Bone?”
“Yes. I was fortunate to encounter a Black Gold Nightmare during a recent hunting trip to the wilderness. So, as for this Immortal Flame Bone, you won’t have to gather it yourself,” Night’s voice suggested a casual dismissal of the event as inconsequential. However, Angel felt a twinge of suspicion — was it truly just a ‘fortunate’ encounter? Or was it something Night had deliberately sought out?
Upon reflecting on the recent apology by Night to his employees, Angel initially envisioned Night as a fearsome half-demon. However, while Night’s countenance is indeed formidable, it seems his heart is not as fierce.
While Angel may have his private considerations, on the surface, his heart is brimming with delight. Whether Night purposefully hunted or merely stumbled upon his prize, the details matter not, as the one reaping the benefits is Angel himself.
The Immortal Flame Bone fetches at least two thousand demon gold coins, saving Angel a handsome sum of money.
Gratitude pours forth from Angel as he receives the Immortal Flame Bone.
“Save your thanks. Since Lord Odeklaes introduced you, it is my duty to assist you wholeheartedly,” Night nonchalantly offers, “If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to seek me at the Hunting Museum.”
“On the topic of difficulties, my greatest current challenge is finding a means to generate wealth,” Angel confesses, his sigh carrying the weight of his predicament, “We managed to earn only eight gold coins after a day’s business today, and that too from your employee. The task of accumulating enough to purchase materials feels insurmountable.”
Having poured his heart out, Angel eyes Night, “I wonder if you could guide me on how to make money faster?”
Rather than offering a silver bullet for wealth generation, Night queries, “I’ve heard from Prapa that experiencing the Rhythm of the Ocean can significantly increase one’s affinity with the water element?”
“It indeed does elevate one’s water affinity, but the extent of improvement depends on individual talent and prior accumulation.”
“In that case, you needn’t search for other opportunities. Continue running your business. Rest assured, once the effectiveness is proven, more patrons will flock to your doorstep.”
Night’s assertion was strong, yet Angel remained perplexed.
“It won’t take long before you understand.” Leaving these parting words, Night turns and exits the small wooden cabin, swiftly disappearing into the surrounding dense forest.
Angel contemplated the Immortal Flame Bone nestled in his hands, a wistful sigh escaped his lips, “In honor of Night’s wishes, we shall keep the store operating. With this Immortal Flame Bone, let’s consider today’s profit tally to stand at 2008 demon gold coins.”
Caught amidst his mumbled musings, Fafnir, perched in repose on the high platform behind the wooden cabin, coincidentally overheard his last remark. With a sarcastic chuckle, she retorted, “You’re considering this Immortal Flame Bone as a profit, but what has Night been rewarded? In your Wizarding World, isn’t the principle of equivalent exchange highly valued?”
Fafnir’s words struck Angel, leaving him rather sheepish.
Curiously, Fafnir’s demeanor, although aloof, had noticeably shifted into a guarded stance following her encounter with Night. Judging by her cautious attitude, Night’s power was undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with.
Night, who had managed to arouse a sense of wary vigilance even in Fafnir, was extending help without seeking any rewards. Was this truly due to a mere statement from Odeklaes?
Angel still remembered Odeklaes stating that he had never met Night before. He only recognized Night because Night was an old acquaintance of one of his friends, who was named “Von”.
Odeklaes had never seen Night before, yet with just his words, Night believed him, which Angel himself found somewhat baffling.
In this world, aside from kinsfolk, nobody extends help without expecting something in return. Night’s casual gifting of the Immortal Flame Bone to him did indeed not align with the principle of equivalent exchange.
Perhaps there was more to this than meets the eye. Could it have been related to that “Von”?
Angel decided that he would clear this matter up the next time he saw Night. Regarding the Immortal Flame Bone that had been gifted to him, he would find a way to compensate.
……
Canaan is a half-demon.
As a half-demon, eking out an existence in La Sutherland is a herculean task. Even though Canaan has spent nearly a decade in this place, she continues to be the target of other demons’ torment.
Consider the present circumstance.
A Fork Tail Demon, using his trident-like weapon, has pinned Canaan against an alleyway’s wall, blood leaking in torrents.
“If you dare to show your face to me again, next time I will end your miserable existence,” the Fork Tail Demon menaces, uttering his well-worn threats with a venomous gaze.
Then, with no regard for Canaan’s dignity, the demon callously lops off Canaan’s freshly grown dorsal fin before departing with a satisfied smirk.
After some time, Canaan, sprawled on the ground, silently picks herself up.
The earlier tormentor, a low-rank demon with the bloodline of the Naga clan coursing through its veins, takes issue with Canaan primarily due to the hybrid nature of her lineage. Besides her native heritage, the other half of Canaan’s bloodline descends from a purebred ocean demon — a magnificent entity commanding the vast seas and countless marine creatures.
These ocean demons are innately of mid-level, with potential to evolve into powerful ones once they reach adulthood.
However, even the mightiest of demon bloodlines, when diluted, can be weakened by a feeble native heritage. A case in point is Canaan, who, up to now, has been unable to best even a lowly demon.
Excuses such as Canaan being a “thorn in its side” are mere pretenses for the Fork Tail Demon’s true aim — to rob Canaan of her dorsal fin. The fin, an organ cultivated from the rich ocean demon bloodline within Canaan, is the epitome of Canaan’s heritage and the most valuable part of its being.
“Regrowing the dorsal fin will likely take a couple of months,” Canaan calculates internally, “and if I still can’t beat him by then, I wager my fin will be cut off yet again.”
The issue is, when the fin is severed, Canaan’s strength is halved. During the two months of recovery, it’s unlikely that Canaan will be able to regain much of its strength, leaving it once more at the mercy of the Fork Tail Demon.
This is akin to a dismal cycle of reincarnation, once instigated, it invariably concludes with personal defeat.
“Mother, what should I do?” Canaan, holding her legs, curled up at the end of the alley, tears trickling down one after another.
After an unknown period, Canaan spotted a shimmering blue galactic river meandering across the narrow sky of the alleyway. A hint of envy flashed in his eyes: “Has a water demon ascended?”
How wonderful it would be if I could ascend too.
Canaan gazed blankly at the celestial river fluttering in the sky, its effulgence casting light into the somber depths of the dark, desolate alley, seeming to illuminate his dim heart.
When the celestial river disappeared, Canaan licked her wounds at the alley’s end, slowly rose, preparing to depart.
At this moment, he suddenly heard a cacophony coming from next door.
“The one who ascended earlier was me… really, I’m telling the truth… you don’t believe it, you can try it yourself… it’s very effective for water-type advancement…”
Canaan paused, recognizing the voice of the demon. To be precise, a half-demon.
——Prapa.
Canaan knew Prapa, but Prapa did not know Canaan.
Canaan knew of Prapa because Prapa was notoriously weak in La Sutherland. Other demons disdained Prapa, but Canaan was different, he somewhat envied Prapa.
Prapa and Canaan both resided in the dregs of La Sutherland society. But Prapa had a better life because he had nothing of value on him. The demons would only ridicule him, rarely resorting to violence, as it was deemed a waste of energy.
Yet, Canaan was different. She was also weak, but due to its ocean demonic lineage, once fins appeared on her body, she became a target for other demons.
In such circumstances, even though Canaan’s strength far exceeded Prapa’s in the past, she still envied Prapa. At least Prapa could exert all his might for his own goal. On the other hand, every stride Canaan took forward was countered by a blow from other demons, shoving it back to its original form.
“What is Prapa saying? It’s saying that it was the one who advanced previously?” Earlier, Canaan had only recognized Prapa’s voice, but hadn’t discerned the content of its words. Now, with meticulous attention, she heard an answer that stirred doubts within her.
Could the celestial river of sapphire luminescence before have materialized due to Prapa?
For some reason, upon hearing this news, a part of Canaan’s heart felt hollow, as if a segment of a wall had peeled off, leaving a gaping void. As if the beams of her heart chamber were lost, without support, its sky suddenly appeared even more gloomy.
The goal Prapa pursued had already taken a significant leap forward. While Canaan, she was still marking time in the same spot, and perhaps, had even receded countless steps.
“What is my goal?” Canaan murmured.
Slowly, she began to unfurl the memories she had buried deep within for many years.
After she had suffered endless discrimination, and despite leaving the mother who loved her, she came to La Sutherland. Back then, she seemed to have set a goal for herself.
“I have to become strong, stronger… so strong that all those who discriminate against me dare not provoke me… And, I need to punish my never-seen father severely. He is the one who ruined my mother’s life…”
Canan whispered in a hushed tone: “My ultimate ambition has always been to amass strength. But, can I truly gain power at this juncture?”
At that moment, a voice drifted over from next door — it was Prapa again.
“I can’t quite comprehend the circumstances, but my affinity towards water has escalated remarkably…”
“That shop… it’s nestled within the woodland on the southern outskirts… it’s dubbed, ‘Phantasmagoria.'”
Chapter 1046 The Great Scheme for Amassing Wealth <TOC> Chapter 1048 Voyage of Experience