Chapter 237: Pocket Cottage

Luo En was very satisfied with their performance.

These two capable assistants each had their own strengths; whether in scientific research or daily affairs, they could share a significant portion of his workload.

Just as everything was ready, a dull, rumbling sound came from the distance, like the low growl of an ancient behemoth.

Luo En looked up and saw that in the extremely distant edge region, the ground suddenly rose, and strands of earthy-yellow magical power fluctuations formed twisting vortices in the air.

Subsequently, building after building was lifted by an invisible hand, rising from the soil; their outlines gradually became clear, and walls and roofs rapidly took shape.

"That is..." Lilia widened her eyes in surprise, temporarily forgetting the inspection work in her hands.

"The school's temporary settlement area."

Luo En explained calmly, a trace of academic interest flashing in his eyes:

"Earth-element wizards are using 'Fossil to Mud' and various construction spells to build temporary shelters for the evacuated personnel. By reorganizing the underground mineral and rock structures, those spells can create building complexes that meet basic living needs in a short time."

As the Vulture Dragon approached the temporary settlement area during its high-speed run, Luo En could already clearly observe the strange scene of high-rise buildings rising from the flat ground.

Following the spellcasters' movements, the ground trembled, and beams of earthy-yellow light surged from underground.

Guided by magical power, the soil and rock flowed and deformed, reorganizing into walls, roofs, and foundations as if they had a life of their own.

Building after building with simple exteriors but solid structures were rapidly taking shape.

Luo En observed the entire process intently, his mind already beginning to analyze the construction principles and energy flow trajectories of these spells.

This knowledge derived from practice was often more precious than theories in books, especially for a wizard like him who enjoyed pursuing interdisciplinary applications.

"It doesn't look exquisite, but it is practical enough."

Luo En felt both academic analysis and some praise for the school's efficient crisis-response capability:

"At this speed, all evacuated personnel can be settled within a few days. The value of earth-element wizards is particularly evident at such times."

His gaze swept over the newly built houses, and through his "Extraordinary Identification" ability, he could clearly see the magical power flow lines within the buildings.

Although the appearance was simple, even somewhat rough, the internal structure was clearly meticulously designed.

The traces of magical power flow showed that these buildings not only possessed basic living functions but were also imbued with defensive and stabilizing arrays, sufficient to withstand general abyssal corruption.

"Luo En!"

A familiar voice came from behind, carrying a hint of urgency.

Luo En turned around and saw Lady Ailan flying toward him on a broom, just like a real old witch from those fairy tales.

But what made him even more curious was the small wooden box floating behind her, only about the size of a palm, its surface covered with complex runes.

Those runes flickered with a faint light in a peculiar rhythm, forming a mesmerizing cadence.

"My lady, this is..." Luo En looked at the box curiously, a strong academic interest flashing in his eyes.

A rare look of pride appeared on Lady Ailan's face:

"I've come to show you something interesting. After all, as your mentor, I should leave you with some impression at the time of parting."

This expression was extremely rare on Lady Ailan's face, making Luo En even more curious about the floating box.

This old lady was always calm and self-possessed on weekdays, rarely revealing such near-boastful emotions.

When the group arrived at an open space near the temporary settlement area, she gently placed the small box on the ground.

Lady Ailan took out a silver key from her bosom, its surface engraved with runes similar to those on the box, glowing with a faint blue light in the sunlight.

She inserted the key into an almost invisible keyhole on the side of the box.

"Watch closely," she said softly, then turned the key.

The box emitted a faint light, and the runes on its surface lit up one by one, forming a flowing halo.

Subsequently, the top of the box suddenly opened, and a rich surge of magical power poured out, forming a translucent sphere in the air.

That magical power was completely different from ordinary energy fluctuations; it was heavier, more ancient, and seemed to carry some indescribable weight of time.

The sphere expanded rapidly, and blurred outlines appeared inside, gradually becoming clear—it was Lady Ailan's familiar herb shop!

Complete, every brick and tile is no different from the original, from the dilapidated porch to the window frames etched with the marks of time.

Even the strange, nameless plant in front of the door was perfectly restored.

With a slight "pop" sound, the sphere shattered and disappeared, and the herb shop stood steadily on the ground, as if it had always been there.

The entire process had no smoke, dust, or energy aftermath; it was quiet to the point of being incredible.

"This..." A rare flash of surprise crossed Luo En's eyes, and he even forgot to maintain his usual calm expression:

"Space folding? Or some form of transformation? Or dimensional crossing?"

His mind raced, trying to analyze everything he had just seen.

This type of spell clearly exceeded his current knowledge scope, involving principles at a deeper level than the spatial theories he had learned.

This unknown was the best catalyst for stimulating his curiosity.

Lady Ailan smiled slightly, a hint of pride flickering in her deep green eyes:

"It's a bit of both, but not entirely either. This is 'Pocket House Art,' an ancient space-type spell that can shrink and re-enlarge buildings while maintaining the integrity of their internal structures and items.

It is very suitable for someone like me who needs to move frequently but is unwilling to give up a comfortable residence."

Her tone carried a hint of pride, clearly quite satisfied with this spell:

"Think about it, isn't it convenient to be able to carry your own little nest no matter where you go?"

Luo En's eyes sparkled with intense academic interest, almost unable to hide his inner envy.

For a wizard who constantly explored and traveled, this spell was undoubtedly a priceless treasure.

There was no need to worry about accommodation problems, no need to re-adapt to the environment every time he arrived at a new place.

There was even no need to worry about the safety and privacy of personal items—these were conveniences that could not be measured by money.

"My lady, can I ask you to teach me this spell?"

He finally couldn't help but speak, his voice carrying a rare eagerness.

Along with the inquiry, he habitually reached for the magic stone bag at his waist, preparing to pay the corresponding tuition.

In his past apprentice life, asking Lady Ailan for any knowledge required paying corresponding magic stones; this had become his conditioned reflex.

However, Lady Ailan waved her hand, stopping his movement.

This action surprised Luo En somewhat; he knew that Lady Ailan always cherished the value of knowledge and never taught it casually.

"Put away your magic stones; I don't intend to charge you for this."

Lady Ailan's eyes carried a teasing look, and the corners of her mouth curled into a shallow arc:

"You are a formal wizard now, and the relationship between us has become more equal. Besides, this spell itself has average value and is not as rare or complex as you imagine."

Luo En felt slightly surprised, his eyebrows raised slightly: "But it looks so practical..."

"The difficulty is not in the spell itself."

Lady Ailan pushed open the door of the herb shop, signaling for the others to follow:

"But in the construction materials of the building; that is where the real secret lies."

Walking into the herb shop, the familiar scent of herbs rushed toward them, as reassuring as ever.

The layout inside the shop was exactly the same as before, with every item in its proper place, as if it had never been moved.

"It must be built using materials containing spatial characteristics to perform such spatial scaling and folding."

Lady Ailan explained, her tone carrying a hint of professional rigor:

"Ordinary materials would directly shatter or deform under such operations, unable to maintain structural integrity."

Luo En immediately noticed some faint light in the corner that was almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

Using the "Extraordinary Identification" skill, he saw that a special energy pattern was hidden in the walls and floors of the entire shop, forming a complex stabilizing array.

Those patterns were arranged in a near-perfect regularity, both fixed and flexible, capable of maintaining the building's structural stability during spatial changes.

"These materials..." Luo En touched the wall thoughtfully, feeling the subtle energy fluctuations coming from his fingertips.

The feeling was extremely peculiar, as if the wall existed in multiple tiny spaces simultaneously, and every touch caused a subtle spatial resonance.

"'Black Sand' and 'Blood Crystal' from the abyss, mixed with 'Twisted Wood' from the fourth layer, plus a small amount of 'Void Iron'."

Lady Ailan listed them as if counting her family treasures:

"Every material possesses some degree of spatial characteristics, and after special processing, they are woven together to form a building structure highly compatible with spatial spells."

Hearing these names, Luo En's heart stirred.

In the "Abyssal Creature Illustrated Handbook," he had once read records of these materials.

"Black Sand" could spontaneously form micro-wormholes;

"Blood Crystal" could store and release spatial energy;

"Twisted Wood" came from the ecosystem in the fourth layer that violated natural laws, and its fiber structure could withstand spatial deformation;

And "Void Iron" was a rare metal capable of maintaining stability between different spatial states.

These were all rare resources that could only be obtained through abyssal exploration, and the risks and difficulties involved could be imagined.

"So, to build such a residence, one first needs..."

"To go to the abyss for exploration."

Lady Ailan took over the conversation, her deep green eyes looking straight at Luo En, flickering with a complex light that was both a warning and encouragement:

"As you thought, this is where the real difficulty and value lie."

Luo En pondered for a moment, feeling a subtle guidance of fate.

From the destruction of the bloodline altar's seal to the appearance of the "Throne Seed," and now this spatial spell, everything seemed to be leading him in the same direction—abyssal exploration.

After arriving at the Central Land, this seemed to have become an imperative task.

Not only for the materials for this mobile residence, but also for the abyssal-characteristic metal needed to forge the activated magic sword, as well as various abyssal substances with peculiar effects.

However, rashly breaking into the abyss was obviously extremely dangerous, especially knowing that he had already been targeted by the Supreme Apostle.

Luo En's thoughts turned to a safer strategy—using the substitute puppet to explore first.

Since the charging reached 50%, he had been able to control it to leave his body 100 meters away, and this distance was expanding at an astonishing speed, now reaching a full several thousand meters.

This meant he could control the substitute puppet to conduct preliminary exploration from a relatively safe distance, collecting information and materials, and minimizing personal risk as much as possible.

"Perhaps I can send the substitute puppet to the shallow areas of the abyss first for preliminary exploration..."

Luo En conceived a detailed plan in his heart:

"When the puppet's charging reaches 100% and the advancement of the Glorious Heritage is completed, the limit control range should have a greater improvement. At that time, I can try deeper exploration."

His train of thought extended to the more distant future—the combination of the substitute puppet and the activated magic sword.

Using the puppet in the form of a Demon Hunter as a carrier and fusing the characteristics of the magic sword, perhaps a brand-new combat system could be created.

This combination could not only enhance the ability to restrain abyssal creatures but also obtain more precious resources while ensuring safety.

"What are you thinking about so intently?"

Lady Ailan's voice interrupted his thoughts, her deep green eyes flickering with the wisdom of insight.

Luo En smiled slightly, no longer hiding his plan:

"Just thinking about future abyssal exploration. Since all kinds of high-stage materials need to be obtained from there, this path will have to be taken sooner or later. But full preparation is needed; after all, the danger level of that place far exceeds the Black Fog Jungle."

Lady Ailan looked at him meaningfully, a flash of approval in her eyes, but also carrying a hint of hidden worry:

"Caution is a good thing, but don't miss opportunities because of excessive caution. The abyss is both dangerous and full of possibilities; the key lies in finding a balance between the two."

She walked to the counter and took out a folded piece of parchment from underneath, its surface glowing with a faint light:

"This is a simple map of the first to third layers of the abyss. Although the structure of the abyss is always changing, some key areas are relatively stable.

I drew it when I entered the abyss years ago. Some details may have changed, but the general framework should still be accurate. Perhaps it will be helpful for your future exploration."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 238 =====