The damp cold wind carried a hint of vine fragrance, sneaking quietly through the valley entrance.
A large shade cloth cast a faint shadow, a touch of frost white, quietly stretching over the gray stone ground.
"These few... have grown a bit taller." Mike crouched by the trellis, lightly touching a newly unfurled leaf with his fingertips.
"Very lively," Louis said indifferently, his gaze landing on the supple yet tense vines.
This place was specifically designed to cultivate Magic Plants in the "Demoness Yin Garden."
The soil here was mixed with "Demon Marrow Soil" refined by Hillco, able to maintain magical activity.
Cold Light Crystal Cloth was hung above the garden to simulate the low temperature and lighting conditions of the Northern Shadow Cliff. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍
To everyone’s surprise, the new seedlings adapted well, not only thriving but even sprouting a few tendrils, gently twining around the railing, as if exploring a new home.
But not all Frost Leaf Vines were so lucky.
The old vines, with yellowed veins and many years behind them, despite careful transplanting, had their roots break and vines shrivel as soon as they were removed from the ground, quickly losing vitality.
"This bunch is beyond saving," Mike shook his head regretfully, "the roots have turned to mush."
"Don’t throw them away," Louis said nonchalantly, "send them all to Hillco."
"Understood." Mike nodded, about to turn away, but suddenly turned back.
"By the way, my lord, would you like to take a look at the Frost Blood Redberry? They’re doing well."
Louis was pleased to hear the name, nodding slightly: "Lead the way."
They passed through the trellis, heading toward another side of the greenhouse.
The air was noticeably warmer, and a layer of pale purple special soil covered the ground, emitting a faint heat.
A few short, purplish-red plants stood quietly, with their leaf edges faintly tinged with red.
"These are the Frost Blood Redberries." Mike bent down, carefully lifting a corner of the insulating cloth, his voice tinged with excitement.
"Planted seven months ago, and now they’ve entered the seedling growth stage."
Louis crouched down, lightly touching a leaf with his fingertips, the warm magical fluctuation exuding a hint of wildness and an untamed potential.
"Not bad," he said softly.
"If the conditions remain stable, they could bear fruit in three to five months," Mike said with a smile.
Frost Blood Redberry.
This was the reason they had managed to acquire those mixed seeds cheaply through the "Daily Intelligence System."
Now they were about to bear fruit, and soon they’d be able to produce a batch of fruits that could enhance Knight’s Fighting Energy.
"Very good, keep an eye on them."
"Understood!" Mike straightened up, an irrepressible pride on his face.
The potion from the Frost Leaf Vine did not take long for Hillco.
The following afternoon, he arrived with a blue-glowing glass bottle, handing it to Louis with an easy smile: "Sir, the potion is ready."
"So fast?" Louis raised an eyebrow as he took the potion.
The bottle was sealed with alchemy glass, and inside was a thick, light blue liquid.
When gently shaken, a thin mist seeped from the bottle’s mouth, carrying a faint mix of grass and mint scents, tinged with a barely perceptible cold magical wave.
Louis gazed at it for a few seconds and spoke softly: "The scent is light, not overpowering. The temperature is lower than the air; it should have a short-term cooling effect... capable of causing Magical Beasts, whose emotions are agitated, to gradually cool down?"
"You’ve got it roughly right," Hillco spread his hands then suddenly squinted and asked, "So what do you plan to use as the experimental subject? Surely not the Snow River Mad Bull? We don’t have enough."
"Of course not." Louis paused before saying, "Furious Rabbit."
"Furious Rabbit?" Hillco raised an eyebrow at the mention, "Hmm... it certainly is a suitable subject. Sufficient stimulation, intense reaction, and clear feedback for observation."
The Furious Rabbit, was the most "illogical" Magical Beast in the Northern Territory.
Small in size, with fluffy ears, when squatting there, it looked like some kind of adorable snow mascot.
But as soon as you got within three meters and made the slightest sudden move...
Like sneezing, picking up a stone, or even just giving a slightly fierce look, it would instantly swell!
The red-platinum-colored spine on its back would spark like a fuse, and the next second...
The whole rabbit would explode into a cloud of blood mist, so intense you wouldn’t even recognize your own mother.
This is no exaggeration; even an Elite Knight clad in armor, without activating Fighting Energy, could end up in pieces scattered around.
Louis continued, "And once we can control this thing, we can selectively collect the ’Red Platinum Magic Crystal’ from them.
This magic crystal, when combined with the explosive effect of Demon Marrow, well, it’s unimaginable."
Hillco’s eyes lit up: "Red Platinum Magic Crystal... Demon Marrow... and if we add a small amount of Flame-Burning Flower crystals...
No, no, that stability isn’t enough, but if we cool the shell first, delay the core’s detonation by a second..."
Since the successful trial of the "Ice and Fire Two Realms" explosive bullet, his interests had shifted, seemingly nurtured by Louis into something a bit peculiar.
His biggest pastime was nesting in the workshop, mixing various Magic Crystals and Demon Marrow, trying to concoct different attributes and ranges of Magic Burst Bullets.
Explosion, that’s art!
"Red Platinum Magic Crystal..." Hillco murmured, his eyes nearly glowing, "It’s a high-purity magic crystal with inherent explosive properties; combined with Demon Marrow and petroleum, it’s a match made in heaven...
Although it might not be as powerful as the magic crystal of an Ice Armor Bear, it’s far more versatile, especially considering once we’ve tamed the Furious Rabbit, we can harvest them indefinitely!"