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"No, I would like to talk business now. Keith! "
As soon as Leylin's words fall, a disturbing calm aura enveloped the office. Keith stopped smiling and a contemplating and calm look replaced his facade of a kind old man. He locked his fingers resting his elbow on the table and his chin on his intertwined hands.
Keith nodded a little, " I would also appreciate to talk about it, I have gathered the items you inquired about previously. "
Leylin eyes glowed a bit with a weird brilliance as a smile appeared on his face, Leylin looked at Keith and knew why he brought the topic rather than showing the goods, he waved his hands and deposited a few crystals on the table.
Looking at the crystals, a fanatic expression adored on Keith's face, but he quickly tried to mask his change in expression, Nevertheless he still looked to be struggling a lot in abstaining from showing his intense desire for them, seeing his futile attempt Leylin sneered.
"Good! Good! I knew my vision was not wrong, you really are a resourceful fella! here! " Keith looked at Leylin's face and knew he wasn't fooling anyone, so he turned a bit embarrassed, he quickly tried to save himself a little face, and brought a few boxes from his ring containing the items Leylin has inquired about.
Leylin looked at the ring Keith was wearing, this ring was bronze in color and was actually a spatial item. In the Beast World, Spatial items are unique but not really a very rare like entity, anyone with a status big enough, and connection good enough could get their hands on a spatial item. Leylin observed these spatial item and knew that they were made through a special way, they are probably just a relic of the past but the sheer amount is enough to satisfy the consumers, The amount of people who can afford it isn't very many. These spatial ring are further divided into various types, this one exactly is a low-grade piece.
Leylin wasn't really bothered because these items are both smaller in space and weaker in defensive ability compared to his own spatial pouch but he still decided to get a few like these, not the low-grade ones but the best ones.
Leylin picked up one of the box and opened it, "You are calling me resourceful, is that some kind of sarcasm. You are the one who is able to procure hearts of a Hell Demon, these things are extremely hard to get." Leylin nodded with satisfaction, 'With all the ingredients here, I can finally attempt to restart my research on the customized potion!'
"Haha, Even though they are hard to come by, if one is willing to spend an outrageous amount of 'Aura Crystal' and have some connections it's not so special, especially when compared to your item, 'Crystallised Darkness energy particles', Now this is a rarity, I wonder where you get it from? " Keith eyed the crystals pocketing them one by one, as he asked with a frenzied expression.
Aura Crystals are the currency used by the Beast Tamers in this world, according to Leylin's research it is just a mutated type of Magical crystals suited for Tamers to cultivate.
Leylin simply shrugged and didn't answer. The item he has given to Keith in exchange of his experimental ingredients is the crystallized darkness energy particles, these are the resources used by a Magi of Darkness attribute to raise their elemental conversion. To the current Leylin it is of not much use, but for Keith it's a indispensable and an extremely sorted after entity.
Keith has a rare 'Fiend Owl' as his beast and he also practices some kind of a Darkness Cultivation techniques, and at his current level these crystallised Darkness energy particles are extremely important for him to breakthrough to the next realm.
These crystal are almost extinct in Beast World and whatever meagre amount is left, is owned and hoarded by only the Four Great Dynasties. Originally Keith had no hopes of reaching a higher level in strength but now with this, the fire inside him that dwindled has reignited.
Keith has reached his current position with blood and sweat, he has sacrificed a lot and been through much. Keith Henry with his ability, experience and power is simply unmatched at his level, he is hailed as the strongest Lieutenant Stage Beast Tamer in all of the Felineca Empire, but the regret of not advancing further and slowly withering with time is just too much for him.
Seeing as how Leylin decided to dodge the question, Keith was a little upset and he released a bit of his Spirit Aura towards Leylin to teach him a lesson, he obviously didn't act with malicious intent because he knew that Leylin is a very dangerous fella, He won't want to create an enemy out of him just because of a little spat. Leylin sensed his approach and also his intent, so he retaliated in kind.
Leylin knew that Keith didn't want to fight, he just wants to establish a more superior front and gain some sort of leverage, although Keith is in guard against Leylin's strength, he belives in his power and ability too.
Leylin also decided to teach him a lesson and acted, he obviously held back because currently with his Peak Rank 2 magus strength he can match a Colonel stage tamer let alone him.
*Boom*
Both of their spiritual attacks clashed and a gale formed, shaking the room and disorienting the decorations. There was not much of a physical damage because the scuffle was mostly in their respective Spirit realm and sea of consciousness.
"Hah!*cough* Thank you for being lenient.....*cough* You have advanced again, your talent is really very brilliant and makes one jealous." Keith breath out heavily, as a small trail of blood flowed from his nostrils. He was rudely made aware that the gap between them is something that he cannot overcome, he has a feeling that not even a breakthrough to Captain stage would change anything.
Thinking up to here, a tremor shook his psyche and he decided to not make Leylin his enemy, quickly apologizing and lowering his head.
"It's okay, I can understand your situation. I will consider this, as two friend sharing experience and having a friendly duel. " Leylin spoke as he stood up and began reaching for the door, he has other important things to take care. Leylin consider this Old geezer as not much of a hassle, he stopped being a concern long ago.
Keith has his usefulness this why Leylin let him off, giving out some benefits is not too much either. As for why he didn't make Keith his puppet, well Leylin recovered just recently and more importantly Leylin doesn't deem him good enough to be even that.
"Yeah, one more thing. That old man Wright is quite stubborn and has accumulated a lot of support against you, I don't think I can stop them for long. Although releasing your Aura before a bunch of kids is nothing special, and normally such complaints aren't even registered, but it's against the rule nevertheless, and once someone starts looking for fault even a sneeze would be intolerable and I also have to uphold some prestige so.. " Keith explained as he showed his awkward position in the matter. He has just decided to not be a nuisance to Leylin but he has no other option.
"Don't worry, I have already reached out to someone who could solve the issue. The protests will be over in due time. Just make sure to keep your end of the deal." Leylin answered unconcerned about the issue and he quickly took his former disguise and left the office. Keith kept looking at his back and thought wryly, ' What a dangerous fella!'.
....
After leaving the principal office, Leylin returned to his mansion and quickly enter inside his laboratory.
Leylin looked at the data projected before himself by the A. I. Chip, his eyes sparkling.
He has been trying to find various ingredients to create a modified potions, which will not only help him reach his peak but even surpass it. He has performed various experiment all resulting in utter failure, and even after all that he has still not given up and continued to do further research for his modified potion named, Basilisk Blood Breath potion.
Basilisk Blood Breath potion is the culmination of a outrageous amount of potioneering knowledge and A. I. Chip calculations. With the knowledge gained from South Coast as the foundation, he was able to create a spiritual force potion suitable for Warlocks.
Leylin has unfortunately tasted only failure yet, but each failure helped him in understanding a bit more about his fault and omission. Leylin started to use various resources from the Beast world too, further increasing the difficulties due to his lack of exposure to it's usage and composition, but in return his potion was nigh nearer to become stabilized.
The reason why Leylin is creating a potions to increase his spiritual force instead of just simply killing and gathering Sentient force, is because it's not actually a Spiritual force increasing Potion in the first place, and the potions ability to increase the spiritual force is just a by-product. It's true function is completely different and to successfully produce that, he has to work his way up, and to achieve that stage he has to first stabilize the potion and create a functional base. This spiritual force increasing potion suitable for Warlocks are that step one he needs to perfect.
"I am currently not much far from recovering and reaching The Rank 3 Warlock level. The requirements to become a rank 3 Magus is to raise spiritual force till the 200 mark, and then completely solidify it! I can accomplish this in 2-3 months without any assistance, if I want to speed it up, it's fairly possible to do so but I need to give my body some time to become adjusted with the previous ritual and to diffuse the suppression slowly. "
Since the ritual for escaping the Suppression, Leylin has been increasing his compatibility even further. He has noticed the slow but constant relieve in his conditions, according to his calculations 2-3 months will be appropriate enough time for him to decrease the suppression by 90-95% , as for the remaining suppression, all will come together in due time. To him it's not a hindrance at all.
Leylin laughed, raising his hand. A thread of bright silver spiritual force shot out from between his eyebrows. Like a mischievous little snake, it wriggled livelily between his fingers.
Though it was only as fine as a strand of hair, this thread held within an immense energy.
The solidified spiritual force of a rank 2 Magus was something lower ranked Magi were unable to comprehend.
All spiritual forces that had not reached this level would be smashed through in a direct clash.
Hence, rank 2 Magi were usually capable of crushing lower-ranked opponents. This was also one of the reasons why rank 2 Magi could lead. This is the power that easily crushed and taught Keith a lesson.
Amongst rank 2 Magi, to appraise the extent of solidification of spiritual force, one needs to look at how deep the silver colour is.
At the early stage of solidification, spiritual force is a light silver. At the middle stage, it will become more concentrated and become silvery-white! At the peak stage of the solidified spiritual force, it will be a bright silver.
He smiled lightly as he peered at the bright silver spiritual force in his hands, and produced by a thought.
This bright silver spiritual force danced in the air, attracting energy particles of various elements and formed spell models of various shapes, and then disappeared back between Leylin's brows.
.....
Leylin spend the whole day inside his laboratory, and in evening the communication device he has given to his butler and maid to inform him about the happenings outside, without disturbing his concentration ranged.
'You are here, huh! '
Leylin smiled as he knew that his servants won't dare to disturb him without a reason, so it means she must have come.
"My Lord, A guest has arrived to meet you. we have directed her to the guest room."
"Okay, Entertain the guest and properly tend to the needs, I will come in a moment! "