BXBX NOVEL Chapter 98: Shadow Dragon
The city, once known for its strict laws that could restrain even the most vicious sinners, had descended into chaos.
Seizing the opportunity while few were paying attention, many farsighted sinners chose to flee.
Meanwhile, inside one of the wagons, Jeremy, Heber, and an unfamiliar middle-aged man were seated together.
Heber, with a mischievous glint in his small eyes, gestured toward the middle-aged man who had remained silent since entering the wagon. Heber said, "Come, come, Jeremy, let me introduce you to—"
Before Heber could finish, Jeremy waved his hand and interrupted, "Isn't this Master Bard? There's no need for an introduction."
Heber's expression froze instantly. After a couple of awkward chuckles, Heber replied, "Jeremy, what are you talking about? How could this possibly be Master Bard?"
The original Bard was short in stature, dressed in tattered robes, and appeared as if he hadn't bathed since birth.
In contrast, the man sitting opposite Jeremy was of average build, clean-shaven, and had a refined and elegant demeanor.
Ten out of ten people would say he was not Master Bard.
However, Jeremy was an exception. Even if Bard were to change his entire appearance, Jeremy could still recognize him through Bard's habitual gestures—habits that even Bard himself was unaware of.
As time passed, Jeremy's mental acuity had grown increasingly sharp, enhancing his perceptual abilities to an extraordinary degree.
It could be said that now, there were very few who could escape Jeremy's keen senses.
Perhaps it was Jeremy's unwavering gaze that made the middle-aged man uncomfortable, prompting him to scratch his nose and mutter, "Heber, I told you, there's no fooling this kid. Yet you still didn't believe me!"
Gone was the refined and elegant demeanor he had displayed earlier. The man now looked exactly like Master Bard.
Heber, too, appeared dejected, as if failing to deceive Jeremy was a personal defeat.
Indeed, Heber had brought Bard along before departing, which came as a pleasant surprise to Jeremy. Shaking his head, Jeremy didn't take the little prank to heart.
Realizing the charade was up, Master Bard stopped pretending. He removed his elaborate robes and sat nonchalantly on the wagon floor.
Scratching his nose again, Master Bard said, "Kid, Jeremy, if you can safely escort me to Nocturne City, I'll brew two more batches of potions for you."
Clearly, Bard's primary reason for joining Heber's caravan was Jeremy.
What Jeremy didn't know was that on the night Rafael self-detonated, countless individuals had used various means and tools to spy on the battle near the City Lord's mansion—a battle that would determine Dawn City's future.
The outcome of the battle was not only full of unexpected twists but also showcased Jeremy's prowess, astonishing the experienced sinners.
Given Jeremy's battlefield dominance, some even speculated he might have achieved Transcendental Awakening.
Jeremy's strength, combined with the attitude of the City Lord's daughter, Nina, and Rafael's final act of entrusting his daughter to Jeremy, made many see Jeremy as the obvious choice for the next City Lord of Dawn City.
Unbeknownst to many, Jeremy had gradually become one of the most promising candidates to ascend to the position of Dawn City's lord.
Unfortunately, Jeremy's ambitions lay elsewhere.
It was precisely for this reason that Bard chose to follow Jeremy.
After all, it was common knowledge in Dawn City that Master Bard and Rafael had grown up together since childhood, and Bard remained Rafael's most loyal friend.
Seeing Bard's two fingers extended, Jeremy slowly shook his head.
Master Bard immediately grew anxious and said, "Jeremy, don't push your luck. I'm no longer just a senior alchemist, I'm a grandmaster alchemist now. Offering to brew two batches of potions for you is already a huge favor, all for Nina's sake!"
Jeremy remained unmoved, continuing to shake his head. Master Bard's gaze turned icy. "Well, I didn't expect you to be so greedy. It seems you might not be a suitable match for Nina after all!"
Just as Bard was about to storm off, Jeremy's voice suddenly rang out. "I don't need Master Bard to brew potions for me."
Master Bard froze, his eyes filled with incredulity. "Jeremy, think carefully. I'm a grandmaster alchemist now!"
Even Heber, standing by, was taken aback by Jeremy's refusal. His large, hippo-like face was full of anxiety.
Jeremy nodded solemnly and said, "I don't need Master Bard to craft potions for me. I just need you to teach me the art of alchemy. Name your price in energy crystals, and I'll pay it!"
In truth, when Master Bard had first offered to brew potions for him, Jeremy had already made up his mind.
During the crafting of the [Requiem of Life], Master Bard had examined all the materials Jeremy had. Aside from the [Heart of the Tyrant], there were no other ingredients capable of producing exceptional potions.
Given that, it made more sense for Jeremy to learn alchemy directly from Master Bard.
To Jeremy's surprise, however, Master Bard's face took on a peculiar expression.
The expression on Bard's face was not one of discomfort or displeasure; on the contrary, to Jeremy, it seemed almost teasing.
Momentarily perplexed, Jeremy nodded and asked, "What's the matter, Master Bard? Why do you have that look on your face?"
Bard simply shook his head, retrieving a scroll from his storage device and tossing it to Jeremy.
Instinctively, Jeremy caught the scroll and employed The Eye of Omniscience to examine it.
In the next instant, the scroll's attribute panel materialized before Jeremy's eyes.
[Item Name: Basic Alchemy Scroll]
[Type: Skill Scroll]
[Quality: Bronze]
[Level: Blue (Rare)]
[Description: An ancient scroll of basic alchemy. Learning from it grants the Alchemy skill.]
[Note: Fail ten consecutive concoctions before using this scroll to receive recipes for Basic Strength Enhancement Potion, Basic Stamina Enhancement Potion, and Basic Mental Enhancement Potion.]
Jeremy hadn't expected that merely using The Eye of Omniscience on the scroll would grant him four seemingly valuable recipes.
Without revealing his thoughts, he discreetly stored the scroll in his inventory.
Seeing Jeremy put away the alchemy scroll, Bard said, "This is an alchemy scroll. In the Land of Eternal Night, these are quite common. However, those who master alchemy are rare."
After a moment of twisted struggle, Bard continued, "Fine, you can have this as well."
He then retrieved a small, yellowed booklet from his storage tool.
Upon examining the item, Jeremy realized that the booklet was not some extraordinary artifact; it was just an ordinary booklet with no attribute enhancements.
What set it apart, however, was the title inscribed on its cover: "Bard's Alchemy Notes."
Almost instinctively, Jeremy employed the power of The Eye of Omniscience on the "Bard's Alchemy Notes."
The Eye of Omniscience, true to its reputation as an SSS-grade ability, revealed its hidden wonders to Jeremy, even with such a seemingly mundane item.
[Grandmaster Alchemist Bard's casual notes. Note: With Master Bard's guidance, this booklet can impart Intermediate and Advanced Alchemy skills.]
Observing Jeremy as he accepted the alchemy notes, Bard's face displayed an undeniable expression of relief.
Clapping his hands together, Bard remarked, "Jeremy, now that you've taken the items, you must ensure my safety on this journey!"
Jeremy nodded and assured him, "Rest easy. With me around, even if we encounter danger, there's always the option to retreat."
Satisfied with the response, Bard nodded approvingly and stepped out of the carriage.
Meanwhile, in a different carriage, Bonnie and Nina found themselves locked in a tense silence, their eyes fixed on each other.
Despite Nina's radiant, almost angelic appearance, Bonnie couldn't help but harbor an inexplicable dislike for her.
Glaring at the doll-like Nina, Bonnie silently seethed, "Jeremy, you philanderer! Isn't having a teacher enough for you? You're still chasing after others! For the sake of my teacher's happiness, I won't allow this!"
On the other hand, Nina also sensed Bonnie's hostility.
Although Nina held the esteemed position of being the daughter of the Lord of Dawn City and was, at present, the sole legitimate heir to Dawn City, the recent series of upheavals had left her visibly anxious and uncertain.
Bonnie's evident hostility only added to Nina's growing unease.
Unable to contain herself any longer, Nina finally spoke up, "Bonnie, rest assured, I have no intention of coming between you and Jeremy. I don't know how things work where you're from, but in the Land of Eternal Night, it's quite normal for powerful individuals to have multiple wives."
This statement made Bonnie's face turn crimson with embarrassment. Flustered, she quickly waved her hands and denied, "What wife! Don't make such assumptions! I have nothing to do with that scoundrel Jeremy!"
Unbeknownst to Bonnie, her tone carried a hint of coquettishness.
Nina's eyes sparkled at this revelation, and just as she was about to say something, a thunderous shout erupted from outside.
"Shadow Dragon!!"