Chapter 632: New Mask - 632
There were very few tall buildings above two stories, as well as a lack of a central building above them all, as was custom in most cities.
However, it still counted as a city nonetheless.
Skymender made his way to the hospital, his carriage receiving astonished and excited looks from all who saw it.
Here, he was akin to royalty.
Skymender quickly arrived and made his way inside.
As if expecting him, he was quickly met by multiple doctors. Upon sharing his goal for coming, he was brought to another section of the hospital. He met with someone that was half a doctor and half an artist.
He specialized in making better looking medical assistants.
For example, a cane could be customized to look elegant or aged. A brace for a broken bone could be designed with tiger patterns. A mask on the face could be recolored or drawn on.
Of course for Skymender, the options were much greater than others. In fact, as long as his request did not exceed the artist's capability, he could do whatever he wanted.
Skymender thought long and hard before coming to a decision.
His current mask only covered his mouth and nose, but he would design a mask that would cover the entire bottom of his face.
It would be white with golden patterns on the outside.
He stated his idea to the artist, who immediately nodded. He drew up some sketches, and after slight changes, declared that it would be done by tomorrow. Without a doubt, the artist would put his heart and soul into it, especially since it would be created using real gold, a chance he may never get again.
Skymender believed in his abilities and returned home for the day. Skipping school, he returned the next day.
He was instantly brought to the artist, whose eyes were clearly tired. He must have not slept at all.
However, he was clearly excited.
"Lord Skymender. I have completed your new mask to the best of my ability. It has already been incorporated with the same technology on your mask, meaning it is as efficient as your current one and ready to wear." The artist said excitedly.
He then opened the box he was holding, allowing Skymender to see inside.
Skymender saw it and smiled. It was just as he had imagined it.
He gave the artist a nod and spoke. "Very good."
He kept his words short since his throat was still injured and always would be. The artist smiled at his acknowledgement.
Skymender took off his mask and breathed the fresh air. However, he soon felt his breathing become difficult. In less than an hour, it would be hard for him to breathe.
Skymender took the mask out of the box and put it on. For the first time in a while, he felt good. The mask covered more of his face, but it also gave balance.
The pure white fabric and the golden patterns made him seem even richer than he was.
Luckily, the gold was not very expensive since it was in a very small amount. Skymender paid the artist a handsome amount for his good work and left.
Upon returning home, he was greeted by his Mother and Father.
They were surprised to see him wearing a new mask. However, they instantly found it more pleasing to the eye. The other mask looked awkward since it was just a circle on the face.
This made it look much better. It also looked very expensive, but also worth the money.
Baron Sky knew exactly how much money Skymender had been spending, but as long as it was not wasted, he could endure. After all, they made plenty of money. Skymender's spendings combined were around 1% of their yearly profit. This was definitely a large amount, but it was okay since he was, after all, their son.
His mother came closer and studied the mask for a while, but his father continued on with whatever he was doing. His mother soon left, leaving Skymender as the only member of the Sky Barony in the house.
There were servants, but nobody else. Even after living so long, this was a rare situation. He returned to his room and saw Li Youcai standing outside of it.
"Back so soon, Lord Skymender?" He asked.
Skymender nodded.
"I like the new look. I received a letter for you from the Imperial Capital."
Li Youcai handed him a letter. It was naturally from a noble at least, but it was not marked.
Skymender opened it and saw some words written down.
"A pity about your injuries. However, it has not knocked you down. Admirable. A master of poison could be greatly useful to the Empire, but there are very few who survive to reach that level. Most either die alongside the way or get scared into stopping their experimentation. Don't die. Don't give up. I don't want to be disappointed - Imperial Scholar. P.S. Have you ever considered becoming a scholar?"
Skymender was surprised. He did not expect the Imperial Scholar to have noticed him enough to send him such a letter.
Although he had reached the top in the intelligence exam, it had only been because of the adjustment for age.
Yet, the Imperial Scholar had clearly been keeping tabs on him. He even knew about him practicing poison, though it was not as if he was trying to hide it.
This changed his thinking about the Imperial Scholar. Perhaps he had plans for him.
As for becoming a scholar, Skymender had indeed thought of it. It did not seem like a bad path to take, nor an exclusive one. He could still practice poison or research while becoming a scholar. All that one needed to become a scholar was wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge.
Of course, to reach such a level, talent and the correct disposition was needed.
Being a scholar was about being above normal people. Noble scholars were rare since they were born above others and tended to be arrogant, but commoner scholars were like nobles among commoners.
Chapter 633: Success - 633
Whether or not he would become a scholar was not something that Skymender really needed to think about right now. He already spent a lot of time learning and knew more than anybody else in his school.
To further his education without going deeper into one or two subjects, he would have to wait until he entered the Imperial School. That was where all the deeper knowledge was gathered for the future talents of the Empire, those who would go on to replace the current generation and take on a role as the upholders of the Empire.
When he got to that point, whether or not he would become a scholar would be decided.
There was still plenty of time before his ten high quality cauldrons arrived, so Skymender began to move on to the next phase of experiments. After school, he arrived at the lab and found multiple different cauldrons made of different materials.
This was to test whether or not the corrosive poison would have an effect on some materials, but not others. From the drops he spilled on himself, he already knew that it worked against living beings.
However, concocting and storing it was still completely impossible. He would either need to find a metal resistant enough to stop the corrosion, though that would lead to the corrosive properties dying out, or something that simply did not trigger the corrosion.
Naturally, with such a metal likely not existing and not being effective regardless, he opted for the second method.
Some of the materials could be used to try and create the poison itself, hence them being shaped like cauldrons. Though, most could not. He still had them shaped as cauldrons because why not?
This was Skymenders second idea. His first was for if this did not end up working.
Skymender started simply. The first few cauldrons were the shapes of various woods. He used one of the metal cauldrons to begin and only poured the substance into the wood cauldrons before adding the third ingredient.
In the end, all of the wood cauldrons corroded.
Skymender moved through cauldrons of various materials, some metal, some made from various plants, and some made from artificially created substances.
However, in the end, without fail, they corroded.
Skymender wasn't sure whether this was a good result or a bad one. What he did know was that it was time to move onto the next plan.
That was to keep the poison incomplete and store it. It would be activated by combining it with the last ingredient. The issue was, he would not always have access to heat and a cauldron.
Therefore, he would need to make it so that they immediately formed the corrosive poison upon touching.
After thinking, he would make the final ingredient the bark of the rot tree. After all, sprinkling some bark would be easier than carrying around a poisoned corpse.
So, Skymender used one of his cauldrons and mixed the body of a poisoned corpse with that of the poisonous swamps mud.
They mixed together smoothly under the heat.
Skymender stored the result in a vial.
He then tested it out. With the bark of the rot tree ready, he threw the vial at the wall and it broke. He then threw crushed up pieces of the bark at the substance.
But nothing happened. This was expected. The normal result would only be seen under heat.
It would be unreasonable for it to work.
So he needed to refine the bark in advance.
How he would do so required experimentation. Logically, turning it into a liquid should allow it to mix better, but Skymender wasn't sure what combination of ingredients would allow for such a mixture to work properly in combination with the unfinished poison.
After thinking for a while, he used more mud from the poisonous swamp. Water would most likely cause the poisonous substance to spread out and weaken, perhaps not activate at all. It was too liquid.
Only the same mud as before seemed reasonable. In a cauldron, he mixed the bark of the rot tree with the mud from the poisonous swamp.
He collected the result in a vial. He then made another batch of the poisonous swamp mud mixed with a poisoned corpse.
With the two vials, he threw them at the wall at the same time.
They broke, and the two substances mixed.
Though it was hidden under the mask, Skymender couldn't help but smile at the result.
He clearly heard sizzling, and as the liquid fell, he saw the corrosion left behind on the wall.
It was a success. Not reveling in it for long, he left the room. He saw Melly, and next to her were two servants. Li Youcai, and one of hers.
Skymender spoke to Li Youcai.
He explained a design for a two sided vial. Li Youcai listened and wrote it down, promising to have it made soon.
Meanwhile, Skymender returned to the lab and began to produce a bunch of the two mixtures. This lasted until he ran out of rot tree bark and was almost out of poisoned corpses. Even his supply of poisonous swamp mud was running very low. But what he had made was enough for a long time.
This was not a poison that could have an antidote. Its effects were instant and deadly. There was no adequate defense against it, and it had a variety of uses.
This ranged from simple killing and destruction to tactical invasions or even assassination.
From what Skymender understood, even Sword Masters would not be able to resist the effects of this poison. Of course, if he was facing a Sword Master, he wouldn't have the chance to even throw the vial before being killed.
But the fact that no normal adversary was qualified to kill him left him relieved.
Skymender stored all of the mixtures in a hidden area and returned home. The next day, after school, many newly created vials were in the room.
They had openings on two sides, as well as two lids.
He poured one mixture into one side and closed it. He flipped it upside down and poured the other mixture in the other side.
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
121 Power
stone 
Paragraph comment