Chapter 46: Old Gold Tooth and Spring

"Look, how beautiful these lights are, even more beautiful than the lanterns those pointy-eared ones brag about. Ah, though I've never seen those colorful lanterns they speak of either," Old Gold Tooth said. Perhaps unable to turn his neck, he didn't even look at the two people who had come to his side, just stared straight upward. "This is good, this is very good. Better than dying of old age bit by bit, better than being bitten to death while hunting. To see the light growing from my own body, they're sprouting, becoming more and more beautiful..."

"Do you know? You certainly don't know. Legend says kobolds used to live in places where light could be seen, too."

Old Gold Tooth didn't blink for a good long while.

This old kobold seemed to have already resigned himself to leaving this world.

"You look, look at this beautiful little thing. They spiral upward, growing. In order for me to see these lights, they're working hard too," Old Gold Tooth finally spared a glance to the side. "Didn't go to waste eating those unpalatable things, especially those tiny, hard-to-find pointed mushrooms."

"How much longer can you hold on?"

Luge had to interrupt the old kobold's words.

Old Gold Tooth didn't seem anxious at all. His calm demeanor was even less like a kobold than when he told those bizarre stories.

"I already said not to let Aijin disturb you. They just grew a bit fast. I've still got plenty of time to live! At least, at least until my belly gets hungry a few dozen more times, maybe a hundred times." Old Gold Tooth stared at the light silk without blinking.

Although the old kobold said this, Aijin wasn't Dasha. She judged based on details like the old kobold not eating, and only then decided to go find Luge.

Calculating by a normal kobold lasting a long time on one meal, Old Gold Tooth could still live a not-short stretch of days, provided he was telling the truth and the judgment was accurate.

"I believe you," Luge said. "I've already found a way to save you. For a secure success, some preparations are needed. Then we'll prepare according to the time you said."

He finished, instructed Aijin a few words, then turned and left.

After walking a few steps, he could still hear behind him Old Gold Tooth quietly asking the kobold girl.

He returned all the way to his San Tong Tou Da Wo Shi.

Leaving here to visit Old Gold Tooth could also be called part of the experiment. During the time he left, the spatial door remained wide open on that cave wall.

The plan to take Aijin for a stroll through this strange space was also interrupted by Old Gold Tooth's matter and didn't come to pass.

So, he planned to go in himself.

Of course not right now. He took out a book, sat to the side, and began flipping through it.

He wanted to see how long this door could stand roughly when completely undisturbed, with no one entering or exiting.

The appearance of this strange dragon disrupted his plans and also disrupted his spell-learning sequence.

Spells needed to be re-chosen.

Since Old Gold Tooth could still hold on, there was no need to waste the Spirit Heart Potion. This potion that could almost help enhance comprehension ability — he only had one bottle left.

Pages flipped continuously in his hand.

This book contained precisely a spell outside the original plan. In the list of spells he most wanted to learn in his heart, it was absolutely among the last few, but now he had to strive to learn it as quickly as possible.

Zero-Circle Spell, Light Body Technique.

His current reading strategy was: first flip through once roughly without seeking thorough understanding, get a general grasp, then start researching carefully from page one.

Just as he flipped to the book's last page for the first time, the spatial door before him flickered several times, then with a *Swish* sound vanished completely.

He raised his head, glanced at it, and continued reading.

This spell didn't look too difficult, but it wouldn't go as smoothly as Magic Skin Technique. You have to know, Magic Skin Technique rode a tailwind and enjoyed half a bottle of Spirit Heart Potion.

But no need to overthink. Slow learning is fine. If Old Gold Tooth was lying, Aijin would definitely come find him in a couple days to come clean.

This old kobold was still relatively smart, understood how to assess the situation.

From what he saw and heard on his last outing, Luge generated many thoughts. For example, more application thoughts on spells — different ways, different occasions, even using them on unsuspecting targets. Like Ba'angte using Phantom Sound Technique to simultaneously influence two targets' judgment, sending away the guy he disliked. Although later it proved the disliked guy was very hard to leave on his own. That guy most likely had already become a contributor to the strongman's new spoils of war.

Luge roughly calculated. Even with those lizardman encounter conflicts along the way, the number of times he cast Bull Strength while hurrying was far higher than in battle.

Spell use in daily life could also be called an important component of spell training and application-method expansion.

He raised his hand and cast Spiritual Boiling on himself. This was something he recently realized — could be called a sharp tool for staying up late reading. The effect was much better than imagined.

Yet in the Inheritance Scroll it was only mentioned in one simple sentence: after casting, spiritual power becomes more active for a short time, maintaining wakefulness. Behind that was another sentence evaluating the spell's overall usefulness as not great. Luge considered this "not great" evaluation unfair. Making one more spirited and easier to concentrate — perhaps it really is a small thing, but accumulated over years or decades, the boost to learning efficiency would be enormous.

He even gave himself another Bull Strength. Who says reading won't make your back ache? Good physical endurance makes reading comfortable no matter how you look at it. It's also very powerful. The strength amplification also keeps reading posture from deforming, reducing fatigue accumulation from another angle. Anyway, he was already a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice. Spiritual power was more ample. Hiding in the cave, he wasn't afraid of this bit of spiritual power consumption.

Time always slips away fast when focused.

Five days passed.

He stood up and stretched. His small frame emitted a series of crisp cracking sounds.

Stretching complete, he began warming up, then assumed a squat posture and jumped fiercely. The effect was surprisingly good.

Only a *dong* sound was heard — he had already slammed into the cave ceiling.

Light Body Technique already mastered.

Nineteen nodes of the spell model were floating in his spiritual space.

Speaking of it, he still hadn't cast a spell on anyone else. Of course not counting Freezing Ray. But spells like Light Body Technique and Bull Strength — he could use them on Aijin and the others. The effect on them might be weakened. Specifically depends on their compatibility with the spell. While spells like Foul Skin and Magic Skin Technique could only be cast on oneself.

After eating a full meal, he planned to start arranging the Abyssal Bedroom Space.

The spatial door, like light yet like illusion, appeared again. These past days, during breaks from reading and resting, he had practiced opening this door. Although practice results weren't great, he still didn't give up. At least now he didn't have to lean against the cave wall to trick himself into opening the door.

The effect he imagined — or rather, the effect he wanted — was to open a door at will, with a wave of his hand, letting himself easily escape inside.

He slowly stepped forward, first extending one foot in and shaking it a bit.

This was already his second time entering, but it still felt very strange. Finally crossing that door and stepping on the land he had paved, a dark red fissure flickered in the distance. On the other side, several large rocks pieced together served as a dining table or a makeshift large bed.

He started working. After a bout of busywork.

A large pool made of stone blocks and freezing earth was quickly built with spell assistance, reaching a barely usable degree.

He stood at the poolside, hands on hips, looking satisfied.

Since Old Gold Tooth already counted as heavily injured and near death, then use this pool to give him a second spring. While saving the old kobold, it also counted as letting him make a contribution. This strange dragon's blood bath always needed a test subject. Let Old Gold Tooth blaze the trail for them.

Wait for Old Gold Tooth to succeed, and observe a while until everything is normal, then consider letting Aijin and the others come into contact.

Could also let Tu Ya cut in line and try again, see what effects there would be. He thought with hands on hips.

(Chapter End)