noveltune Chapter 51 Ellie
Chapter 51 Ellie
Luo Lin first familiarized himself with the new environment.
The interior of the cabin was simply furnished, but clean and tidy.
The basement laboratory was equipped with the most basic energy guiding array, experimental table and some commonly used utensils, enough for him to carry out some not too complicated research.
He carefully arranged all his belongings.
The most important scroll of the "Star Source Meditation Method", the remaining water element essence, the calming silver leaf, and those mysterious metal plates were all carefully stored in a hidden place in the laboratory.
The various materials, potions, and books inside the dimensional bag were also neatly categorized.
Baha seemed to adapt well to the new environment. After circling around the courtyard a few times, it landed on the highest black stone on the courtyard wall. Its three pairs of eyes sharply scanned the surroundings, fulfilling its guard duty.
After settling in, Rowling did not immediately begin large-scale research.
He first spent several days carefully reading the information provided by old John to understand the specific situation of the Black Rock Mountains and its surroundings.
Data shows that the Black Rock Mountains are rich in various metal deposits, especially iron, copper, and a relatively rare type of micro-wind stone.
The mountains are inhabited by earth-type and wind-type monsters, each posing varying degrees of threat.
The Windwalkers, a nomadic tribe on the Windwhisper Plains, maintain a trade relationship with the Academy that is sometimes good and sometimes bad. They are skilled at taming a mount called the Windwhisperer and produce some herbs and animal hides unique to the plains.
In addition, the information also warns of the possibility of unrecorded ancient ruins deep within the mountains, as well as powerful monsters that occasionally roam from the depths of the plains.
After gaining a general understanding of the situation, Rowling began to plan his research life in the area.
The primary task remains the cultivation of the "Star Source Meditation Method".
He engages in deep meditation every day without fail, drawing upon the power of the morning star to nurture his natal star at the center of his spiritual sea, steadily enhancing his spiritual power and special magical abilities.
Upon entering the first ring, a period of rapid growth in strength, he dared not slack off in the slightest.
Secondly, it is important to deepen one's knowledge in various areas, especially those related to the new environment.
He began to systematically study the properties of various minerals and magical plants mentioned in the materials, and used his [Language Proficiency] to study the parchment scrolls recorded in tribal script collected by Old John that occasionally circulated from the Plains Merchants, in order to understand the local customs and the unique resources that might exist.
This could both increase his knowledge base and potentially provide clues for finding materials for innate spells.
The laboratory became the place where he spent the most time.
He first optimized the basic array of the laboratory, incorporating his understanding of energy stability and stellar runes, making the energy environment in the laboratory more stable and more suitable for precision experiments.
He continued his unfinished attempt to incorporate the properties of Star Power into the Corruption Orb.
In the relatively quiet and stable environment of the Black Rock Mountains, after countless careful adjustments and failures, he finally made some progress.
A very faint wisp of starlight was successfully bound to the outer edge of the orb, forming an unstable layer of starlight coating.
Although this coating lasts for an extremely short time, it does slightly enhance the energy penetration of the orb at the moment of its burst. This proves that his idea is feasible, but it requires more refined control of power and a more optimized structure.
He also began to practice metal smelting and basic enchanting using locally produced black iron and copper ores.
This is not his main focus, but mastering these basic skills will be very helpful for him to make his own enchanted items or build enchanted facilities in the future.
He even tried to introduce a trace of star power into the molten metal and found that it could slightly increase the metal's energy affinity, which is another direction worth exploring in depth.
As for those mysterious metal plates, he still had no clue. He could only periodically try to activate them with energy of different attributes, recording any subtle reactions for later use.
Life is not just about research.
Occasionally, he would leave the town to conduct short explorations on the outskirts of the Blackrock Mountains.
On the one hand, it's about getting familiar with the environment; on the other hand, it's about finding potential resource points or testing the effectiveness of newly learned spells in actual combat.
During an exploration, he encountered a small group of stone golems that lived near the mine.
These monsters had skin as hard as stone and immense strength. Instead of using the energy-consuming [Corrosion Orb], Rolin unleashed a first-level [Acid Splash], firing out a barrage of dark green acid that precisely targeted the stone golems' relatively vulnerable joints and eyes. Combined with the interference of [Mage's Hand] and Bahamut's aerial attacks, he quickly dispatched the group of monsters.
The battle was clean and efficient, demonstrating his skillful control over the first-level power.
Through Old John, he also established initial contact with other garrison personnel in the town, as well as some resident adventurer teams.
Rowling wasn't keen on socializing, but it was wise of him to maintain necessary information channels.
From them, he learned more about the anecdotes of the tribes deep in the mountains and on the plains, as well as some rumors about the appearance of rare materials.
Time passed smoothly in this fulfilling and orderly process of research, practice, and moderate exploration.
Like a patient scholar and practitioner, Luo Lin quietly took root in the new land, steadily improving his strength and knowledge reserves, and silently accumulating capital and opportunities in order to find those rare and precious materials for innate magical arts.
……
Time flies.
After months of research and practice, Luo Lin had become quite familiar with Black Rock Town and the surrounding area.
Inside the laboratory, the improvement of combining star power with the corrosion sphere once again encountered a bottleneck. Several days of attempts failed to achieve a breakthrough, and the intense concentration of mental energy caused some fatigue.
He decided to temporarily put aside his research and go for a walk in town to clear his mind.
After tidying up the laboratory, he put on an ordinary gray cloak to conceal the obvious features of his wizard robes and strolled out of the courtyard.
The afternoon in Black Rock Town was somewhat languid.
Sunlight shone on the dark stone houses, reflecting a dim luster. The streets were sparsely populated, with the occasional pack animal laden with goods slowly passing by, its bells ringing dully.
The air was filled with the rustic aromas of dust, metal, and scones.
Rowling walked aimlessly along the main street, his eyes scanning the shops on both sides:
The sound of hammering echoed from the blacksmith's shop, dried herbs and animal hides hung outside the general store, and a faint commotion emanated from a small tavern.
This ordinary yet vibrant scene was so different from his usual immersion in the world of energy particles and rune structures that it allowed him to relax a little.
As he walked to a street corner, a thin figure huddled against a wall caught his attention.
She was a little girl who looked only seven or eight years old. She wore a coarse cloth dress that was patched and faded from washing. Her face was dirty, but her eyes were exceptionally bright, like dusty gems, with a kind of intelligence and vigilance that did not match her age.
Unlike other beggars who have broken bowls in front of them, she simply sits there with her knees drawn up, quietly watching the passersby.
Rowling intended to walk straight past, but the moment his eyes met the little girl's, her eyes lit up slightly, as if she had made a decision.
She suddenly stood up, jogged over to Luo Lin, but instead of begging, she looked up at him with her clear eyes and spoke in a crisp voice:
"Sir, do you need someone to run errands for you or clean your yard? I just need a piece of dark bread."
Her voice was clear and crisp, with a hint of barely perceptible tension, but it was articulate and logical, unlike the numb pleading of ordinary beggars.
Luo Lin stopped in his tracks, somewhat surprised.
He looked the little girl over.
Her body was very thin, but her posture subtly conveyed a rare sense of coordination, as if containing remarkable resilience. More importantly, the moment she approached, Rowling's keen mental power did not detect any energy affinity fluctuations unique to wizarding talents from her, which meant that she indeed lacked wizarding aptitude.
However, the intelligence shining in her eyes was something that ordinary children could not possess.
"What's your name? Why are you here?"
"I asked in a calm tone," Luo Lin asked.
"My name is Ellie, sir."
The little girl Ellie answered without flinching.
"I...I have no home anymore."
"My parents encountered a cave-in in the mine last year... The uncles and aunts in town sometimes give me some food, but I want to earn it myself."
Her answer was simple and direct, without any attempt to elicit sympathy; instead, it conveyed a mature and composed attitude.