Above The Sky
Chapter 153 - 153 142 Ian's Alchemy Workshop 23

153: Chapter 142: Ian’s Alchemy Workshop (2/3) 153: Chapter 142: Ian’s Alchemy Workshop (2/3) A single piece of armor isn’t useful for much; it struggles even to stop arrows from the Natives’ short bows.

But hundreds, even thousands, of these armor plates linked together to form a whole can make up the external defense module of an Aether Armament, capable of blocking the fangs and claws of Magical Beast Alien Forms or the bullets from Alchemical Firearms.

If you then add the power boost from an Aether Furnace Core, it can even block Alchemical Cannons!

Ultimately, that is the most powerful trump card of Viscount Grant, the Governor of Harrison Port, used to suppress the surrounding Natives.

Naturally, the more spare parts for this defense module, the better.

Though in theory, these basic inscribed armor plates can be made by any Initiate Inscription Craftsman, not everyone has such steady hands or the trust of the Viscount to be given this evidently crucial and error-intolerant job.

Moreover, inscribing such an armor plate took Ian close to half an hour.

If he were to battle with a warrior of the same level, the rate at which the armor plates were consumed might be several pieces per second.

“Creation is always harder than destruction…

Without relying on the Silver Chip for help, relying solely on my own basic skills, I’m probably only close to the level of a formally trained Inscription Craftsman.

The assessment might be a bit difficult.”

After completing this successful inscription, Ian set down the armor plate and the photolithography pen and stretched, “Mm~ Today’s tasks are complete, but the progress isn’t very noticeable.”

Turning his head to glance at his workbench, he couldn’t help but complain: “It’s still the tools that are underperforming.

You can’t even buy a complete set of proper craftsmanship tools at Harrison Port.”

The youth’s features, still not fully matured, were handsome, highlighted by a pair of light blue eyes, and his waist-length hair was braided into a long braid that fell from his shoulder to his waist.

He wore a black hooded sleeveless vest, with the white robe that should have been draped over him instead tied around his waist, and his waist pouch made of crocodile skin was fastened with a belt, seemingly holding many items.

Even among the Terra People, who were generally good-looking, Ian’s appearance as he was growing up was exceptionally stunning.

An abrupt appearance in an unfamiliar place would certainly attract much attention, so he always wore his hood over his face when he went out to avoid trouble.

But fortunately, he rarely went out and even when he did travel, he moved quickly.

Only during festivals and important gatherings among the White Folks, would he, as Elder Prude’s disciple and a Spirit Energy User who was gradually coming into the limelight with talent in alchemical inscription, made his appearance.

Being too good-looking might bring about many problems for an ordinary person.

However, for a future leader of a clan, possessing both exceptional looks and abilities can make one memorable and provide a significant rallying force.

At the very least, when many of the White Folks couldn’t even recognize all of their own relatives, they all knew Ian.

To be memorable enough to be recognized at a glance is also a form of extraordinary power.

“Today’s schedule has been completed, time to rest.”

Putting away the armor plates and the Inscription Carver, Ian’s handling of the photolithography pen was extremely cautious—despite its old appearance, it was actually the most valuable tool he owned.

Just the tip of the pen, which held an ultra-high purity Lightning Elemental Crystal, was worth fifty Taler Silver Coins…

Keep in mind, a deer skin coat worn by Nobles cost only about twenty Talers.

And the Inscription Arrays on the pen, which could switch between different carving tip sizes with the press of a button, were also worth dozens of Talers.

Such a pen alone could buy half a cow and its price was comparable to the sum of all materials from a First Power Level Magical Beast…

and from a single Thunderhunter Jellyfish, at least thirty tips could be made using the refined Elemental Crystals.

—What does technical added value mean?

What are cutting-edge processed products?

What does outrageous profit mean?

Ever since he found out how valuable his pen was, Ian also came to understand why Viscount Grant was so determined to train him to become a formal Alchemist, Inscription Craftsman, and even a Scholar.

Really, it was simply too profitable…

Six years had passed since the youth awakened his memories from a past life, and four years since his teacher had left.

Thanks to Hiliard’s dedicated teaching and the Silver Chip he left behind, Ian made smooth simultaneous progress in studying Inscriptions and Alchemy—two subjects so challenging that most people would struggle with just one and was able to stride right past the Apprentice and Initiate professional levels, heading towards the Formally Professional Level.

In addition to that, his cultivation in both Sand Armor Apprentice True Form and Wave Singer were also solidly established.

If one included the abundant Origin Quality stored in the Ancient Dragon Heart Core, Ian’s true combat strength was probably second only to the two Second Tier Powerhouses currently in Harrison Port.

Whether it was his own teacher, Elder Prude, or the Viscount’s two aides, or the Mercenary Leader Lubeck, at best they could only draw a tie with him after pulling out all the stops.

In fact, they might even be slightly inferior to him.

Throughout the Southern Ridge Redwood Forest Area, only a few Holy Grounds worshipped by the Natives with Totem Spirit Totem Masters were not easy to intrude upon.

For the youth, the rest of the area was nothing difficult.

But Ian did not like to fight.

If possible, he would rather read a few more books, conduct an experiment, or engrave a few more inscriptions to hone his skill rather than waste his energy fighting.

His time was precious.

He had much research to do and a sequence of future plans and schedules to fulfill, which he did not want to waste on meaningless disputes.

Of course, this did not mean Ian was a gentle Mr.

Nice Guy.

On the contrary, it meant that if Ian took action, his enemies would no longer have the chance to waste his time.

However, life had been quite peaceful for Ian over the past four years.

No short-sighted enemies had come to waste his time, allowing him to comfortably consolidate four years of knowledge and techniques and mature physically, fully meeting the requirements to advance as a Sand Armor Apprentice and continue his cultivation.

It was also during these four years that Ian had made a name for himself in the “Appraisal Circle.”

An appraisal shop relies on reputation, fame, and hype to earn money from wealthy patrons.

With the support and recommendation of Viscount Grant, Ian, relying on his Spirit Energy and the aid of the Silver Chip, appraised ores, herbs, unknown Demonic Beast Materials, and some ancient artifacts for numerous wealthy merchants, Sublimators, and even Alchemists.

In the Viscount’s view, Ian’s Spirit Energy tended towards “analysis” and “clairvoyance,” allowing him to perceive changes in the Spirit Energy Field.

This was a rather high-level Observational Spirit Ability, which, with some nurture, could develop into an extraordinary vision.

And indeed, Ian did not disappoint him.

Apart from a few unsuccessful appraisals of Demonic Beast Materials, Ian could ascertain the properties and potential uses of most natural ores, herbs, and even badly damaged ancient relics.

Especially with ores and ancient artifacts, because of his abilities to see through and analyze things, Ian could even accurately deduce the internal structure of an unknown ore and discover precious Source Quality Crystals hidden deep within.

As for ancient artifacts, since Ian could see the changes in the Spirit Energy Field, he was always able to accurately judge all of their Origin Structures and, using his knowledge of Alchemy and Inscriptions, deduce their possible functions, with an accuracy rate above eighty percent.

This was something that many formally professional Appraisers could not achieve.

Today, Ian had a bit of fame in the entire Southern Territory Appraisal Circle, strength being a part of it, but youth and appearance were additional bonus points.

After Ian found a natural Pure Silver Crystal among many primitive ores, a businessman from Nauman City not only wanted to invite Ian to work in his company with a hefty salary but also wanted to betroth his daughter to him.

Ian was not foolish, of course; he tactfully declined.

However, the businessman, despite regretting it, did not lessen his esteem for Ian, and whenever he had a need, he would always come to Ian for appraisal.

Naturally.

All these biases were feigned.

In reality, with the abilities of Foresight View and the Silver Chip, there was nothing Ian could not appraise, no oversight he could not spot, and no chance of error.

But who would be so foolish as to show everything before one’s wings are fully grown?

So, he deliberately set a few weaknesses and strengths for himself, such as the ‘inaccuracy in the appraisal of animal-related things,’ and the advantage in the ‘non-living things.’

The former is a weakness common to all Observational Spirit Ability users who can observe the Natural Spiritual Energy Field, while the latter is mainly because Ian wanted to gather more information about ancient artifacts from previous eras, so he showcased his strengths to encourage more people to bring him unknown ancient artifacts for appraisal.

In doing so, he might gradually piece together a complete picture of the ancient Terra of the previous era using the information database of the Silver Chip.

This was a lengthy process.

The four and a half pre-era artifacts that Ian had appraised in recent years were pieces of some sort of insulation facility, a pre-era alloy fruit knife — even after removing the rust and the outer plating, Ian really felt like cursing — an ordinary heating kettle, the rotating base of an ancient statue, and a fragment of an alloy structure from a large engineering construction.

If these things were at all useful, they wouldn’t be utterly useless!

However, Ian was not impatient.

Truly useful ancient artifacts were unlikely to be handed over to a novice like him for appraisal, and their owners were not likely to come to a place like Harrison Port.

All he needed at the moment was the reputation.

With a reputation, there would be no lack of opportunities.

Just as Ian was about to pick up a book and do a few Alchemy problems to relax his mind, he suddenly heard the sound of a wind chime at the shop entrance downstairs.

“Oh?

A client for appraisal?”

With a slight raise of his eyebrows, Ian naturally knew the intention of the person who had come to his shop and rang the wind chime in advance.

The youth looked up, revealing a business-like smile, “I hope it’s something interesting.”

He set down the book he was holding and went downstairs.

He greeted the tall visitor, “Thank you for waiting.”