novelraw Chapter 236: The Messenger, the Diviner, and the Lamp Keeper
Chapter 236: The Messenger, the Diviner, and the Lamp Keeper
Gentle sunlight softly filtered through the window, comfortably bathing everyone in the room.
This small room was instantly filled with a pile of materials... Jin Li introduced them one by one:
“Fire lizard tails, unicorn horns, mud beast liquid, sea dragon scales, X-type potions... these are all the good stuff I recently acquired, perfect for making rare potions. Flower Witch, take a look—anything you want to buy! Everything here, I’ll sell to you at the lowest prices!
These prices are four-fifths of the black market rates!”
Rare materials! The Flower Witch was particularly moved upon hearing this.
As expected, she wouldn’t lower the prices... Chen Qi glanced at Jin Li.
As a Shell affinity transcendent, Jin Li strictly adhered to her sole principle, Shell.
Everyone who abides by an affinity receives additional special bonuses.
As a legendary merchant, she must always maintain a strong desire to make money to keep the Shell affinity transcendent bonus stable.
The Shell affinity transcendent bonus grants the ability to appraise treasures and reduce shop prices within dimensional rifts.Even if the buyer is the Flower Witch, Jin Li would never give things away for free.
For legendary transcendent individuals, profession tasks and unique affinities are especially important.
Of course, selling at such low prices was already very rare for this notorious merchant.
Jin Li habitually continued her sales pitch:
“This mud beast liquid can make a potion specifically to dissolve clothes! Only 100,000 Shell Coins! This is the Cat Potion! It grants the drinker cat-like habits! 200,000 Shell Coins! This fire lizard tail! It can be used to make the Flesh Awakening potion! Just a small amount costs 1 million Shell Coins! You can have it, Miss Fen!”
Faced with the sales pitch, the Flower Witch furrowed her brows:
“You actually have fire lizard tails? I’ve always wanted one, but unfortunately, I can’t buy it.”
Jin Li asked curiously:
“Why not?”
The Flower Witch raised her head and said:
“I have no money.”
Jin Li was momentarily stunned, then instinctively rubbed her hands together:
“No worries, Miss Witch. I also offer loan services. With just a little soul, you can exchange for a million Shell Coins...”
As expected from a notorious merchant so hated that even her own leader wouldn’t spare her... Chen Qi couldn’t help but mock silently, scanning the chaotic assortment of materials Jin Li had brought out.
Lizard tails, an X-type potion that lowers mutated cell rates, are excellent tools for flesh mutation surgeries.
Besides that, there were Dragon Bone Tears. If they could find the skeletal powder of the Skeleton General, they could entrust the Flower Witch Fen to make potions that enhance the entire skeletal system, greatly improving endurance in prolonged combat.
However, these items were too miscellaneous... Chen Qi shook his head.
The Flower Witch took out her potions and exchanged them with Jin Li for some materials.
Then, Jin Li excitedly produced a sea chart:
“By the way, Miss Witch! This is from our ship’s slave—no! Our esteemed captain, Captain Palu, who has been searching for information on the Witch Trial Grounds. This is a new map he drew after the dimensional tide.
You can take a look, no charge at all!”
“Oh!”
Fen eagerly took the excited map from Jin Li and unfolded it.
Chen Qi curiously leaned over Fen’s shoulder to look at the map.
Unlike ordinary sea charts, this one focused more on resources and faction markings.
It marked four Trial Grounds.
They were the Goblet Phase, Blade Phase, Floral Phase, and Scale Phase.
Among them, Blade Phase and Floral Phase were both located in special sea areas, but the Witch relics in these two places had already been taken by Fen.
Besides those, there were the Goblet Phase and Scale Phase—
The former was located at the Sea God Pirates’ base, and the latter at the Navy’s Moonstone City headquarters.
“Why... are they in these two places?”
The Flower Witch widened her eyes and asked in confusion.
Jin Li silently replied:
“According to our captain’s info, the Goblet Phase relic has become a sacred treasure of the Sea God Pirates, while the Scale Phase relic was collected and sealed by the navy ten years ago.”
Jin Li’s meaning was very clear.
The remaining relics! Could only be taken by force!
Fen rubbed her forehead; neither the Sea God Pirates nor the navy were factions they could afford to offend.
Wait—Chen Qi’s eyes suddenly gleamed as he looked at the sea chart:
“Fen, let me borrow this map for a moment.”
Chen Qi’s tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed as he rapidly scanned the map.
This chart marked many rare resources and special locations.
Seeing these locations, numerous ideas flooded in like tides.
The drifting Book Ship, the abandoned Lighthouse Ship, the Sea God Cult, the Black Blade marching ships—
With the Smiling Moon disaster approaching, many foreign powers had entered the Witch Sea region.
Currently, as a steadfast Lamp affinity individual, Chen Qi’s next profession would definitely be related to Lamp affinity.
He had three fairly conventional choices.
First, the Messenger, a third-tier Lamp Shell affinity profession. Besides moderate enlightenment in Lamp Floral affinity and agility skills, it also grants extremely strong escape abilities.
This profession has two “express boxes.” No matter how far apart they are, items placed in one box can be delivered to the other.
Additionally, as a Shell affinity profession, it opens a small shop.
Furthermore, it initially masters “spatial travel” and can study advanced auxiliary abilities like “weather forecasting” and “spatial jumping.”
The profession task is to deliver letters, with rewards of spirit points plus special messenger coins.
The more difficult the delivery destination, the higher the reward.
This profession is a legitimate subordinate profession of legendary Lamp affinity careers like the Disaster Messenger and the Great Reporter.
In Beiguo’s Meteorological Bureau and the White Pigeon Press, Messengers are the most common and most fiercely competitive profession.
Besides that, the White Pigeon Press also has a special profession for photographers who can use cameras to capture ghost forms and immobilize others.
However, without joining the White Pigeon Press, obtaining this profession is impossible.
Second, the Diviner, a third-tier Lamp Book affinity profession. It grants moderate enlightenment in Lamp Book affinity, increased comprehension, and overall inspiration.
This profession comes with a simple “tarot card” divination method and can also learn pendulum divination, astrology, numerology, and more.
In combat, Diviners can create many buff-type special spells. Some gifted Diviners can even cast powerful meteor spells at tier three.
The profession task is divination—a weekly grand divination. Depending on the subject and results, the profession gains special “divination inspiration,” which can be used to enhance skills and release Lamp dissolution.
The superior legendary Lamp Book affinity profession is the Astrologer Master.
Third, the third-tier Lamp Scale affinity profession, the Lamp Keeper, who gains moderate enlightenment in Lamp Scale affinity.
This profession obtains a very special “lamp lighting technique,” along with night vision and strong resistance to darkness.
This skill can enhance light sources within fifty meters, evolving them into a powerful “holy light.”
Within the illuminated area, all hostile creatures receive a weakening debuff, and the light inflicts terrifying true damage to all dark creatures.
Additionally, the profession gains “day-night reversal,” meaning active time during the day decreases, activity at night increases, and all attributes receive special buffs.
Generally, elders at lighthouses on islands often hold this profession.
The profession task is to guard the lamp—in simple terms, to light a lamp in dangerous areas and ensure it stays lit until dawn.
The more dangerous the area, the greater the rewards. When rewards reach a certain point, additional “lamp inspiration” is granted, which accelerates skill card learning.
The superior legendary Lamp Scale affinity profession is the Lighthouse Keeper.
Besides these, there are also Lamp Shadow affinity arsonists and Lamp Ice affinity ascetics...
However, these Lamp affinity professions are hard to develop without joining transcendent organizations.
Messenger, Diviner, Lamp Keeper... Chen Qi’s fingers silently hovered over various locations on the sea chart.
These three Lamp affinity professions can be obtained without joining transcendent organizations, though with varying probabilities.
For Messenger, the best way to acquire it is through kidnapping or robbery. As long as you can kidnap someone from the Meteorological Bureau or White Pigeon Press and get a profession card, the difficulty isn’t high.
For example, Pelu from the White Pigeon Press is the best kidnapping target.
For Diviner, this profession relies on the Book Ship that wanders the border between the Witch Sea and the Book Sea.
The Book Ship comes from the White Tower Federation, which explores the Witch Sea.
As long as one is willing to spy for Beiguo, agree to help the White Tower Federation collect information on Beiguo’s navy bases and Trial Grounds, obtaining a Diviner profession card isn’t too difficult.
As for the Lamp Keeper, acquiring it depends on the keepers atop lighthouses.
Mad third-tier transcendent beings drop certain special materials upon death.
Though these materials cause slight mutations in profession cards, they are the best materials to make third-tier profession cards!
Chen Qi placed his finger on the area governed by the Sea God Pirates.
During the battles between the Blood Blade Pirates and the Blackfin Crew, the Sea God Pirates secretly took many islands in various sea regions.
According to his information, the lighthouse keepers on these Sea God Pirate islands have a high probability of being mad third-tier Lamp affinity transcendent beings!
In other words, as long as one can defeat a mad Lamp Keeper and give their materials to a card maker, they can obtain a Lamp Keeper profession card.
Hmm, which one to choose... Chen Qi fell into deep thought.
At this moment, Fen quietly asked:
“What are you thinking about?”
Chen Qi replied with great hesitation:
“I’m pondering my tier-three Lamp affinity path—”
If he chose Messenger and wanted to grow, he would need a large number of agility skill cards and ideally a flying mount like the reporters from White Pigeon Press.
However, the price for escape ability would be a significant reduction in combat power.
If he chose Diviner, he would have to grind White Tower Federation’s favor and become a super spy to get subsequent Book affinity skill cards.
But the White Tower Federation’s exploration ships are not ordinary—they are extremely dangerous organizations.
Their legendary Hunter Corps knowledge hunters can implant knowledge and even alter human common sense.
One slip, and they might alter his memories, turning him into a tool for their Witch Sea exploration.
If he chose Lamp Keeper, it meant his day and night cycles would reverse, increasing activity at night.
At the same time, the Lamp Keeper profession inherently attracts monsters and is prone to night curses.
Choosing Lamp Keeper would raise his adventure danger level by one tier.
Additionally, the Lamp Keeper’s skill build requires many special Scale affinity skills, which are difficult to acquire.
Messenger is too weak, Diviner relies on others; indeed, Lamp Keeper is better...
Besides, I have a special lantern for Lamp Keepers.
Chen Qi wrestled with the decision for a long time, moving among the White Pigeon Press routes, the Book Tower, and the Sea God Pirates’ locations.
In the end, he slowly settled on the Sea God Pirates’ base.
Combat strength was his top priority now.
Under the Smiling Moon environment, night dangers increased, and the Lamp Keeper, who could operate at night, was undoubtedly a very powerful profession.
Suddenly, Chen Qi was surprised to discover a deep blue flame marked above the Sea God Pirates’ sea area.
“Blue flame...”
Chen Qi was stunned.
Deep blue fire is a special flame born only during dimensional tides!
A raging, furious, powerful transcendent flame!
The Ember’s Touch and Ember’s Hand skills on him were forged from this very item!
Chen Qi immediately asked:
“Jin Li, what does this blue flame marker mean? Are the Sea God Pirates mining deep blue fire again?”
Deep blue fire? What’s that? Jin Li looked puzzled:
“The Sea God Pirates attacked Bonfire Energy Company’s ships, stole all their equipment, and started mining there.”
“My Shell affinity intuition tells me that blue flame is extraordinarily rare and a very valuable treasure!”
Deep blue fire... Both Chen Qi and Fen were extremely excited.
This was far from just a good item! It was the strongest flame capable of forging forbidden weapons!
The Sea God Pirates had started mining, meaning they had found a deep sea fire vein!
Good stuff... Chen Qi thought silently, fixing his gaze on the Sea God Pirates’ territory.
Deep blue fire plus a third-tier Lamp affinity profession card!
Even if it was just one item, it was enough for him to make a trip to the Sea God Pirates.
Chen Qi looked around to make sure no one was listening, then raised an eyebrow and said:
“Fen, Jin Li, I’m planning to go to the Sea God Pirates’ sea area next.”
“???”
The moment he spoke, Jin Li and Fen both showed surprised expressions.
What’s going on? Why did this man suddenly decide to head to the Sea God Pirates’ base just after mentioning deep blue fire?
Could it be for me? Fen excitedly looked up, blushing as she said:
“Well, you don’t need to go to the Sea God Pirates just for Witch relics. We can take it slow...”
Jin Li cleared her throat twice and reminded:
“Mister Hunter, that’s the Sea God Pirates’ base. Supported by the Blackfin Crew, that place has countless mutated sea beasts and countless twisted shadows!
And those crazed Sea God Cultists are even more vicious than the most ferocious pirate crews!”
Jin Li smiled coldly.
If the Blackfin Crew were reckless plunderers, the Sea God Pirates were outright mad.
Even the great merchant Jin Li was afraid to enter the Sea God Pirates’ base.
With Chen Qi’s current strength, going alone into the Sea God Pirates’ territory would be tantamount to suicide.
Jin Li tried her best to dissuade the Black Hunter.
“...”
Chen Qi was silent for a moment. The tentacles on his clothes twitched slightly, then he leaned back and smiled:
“Don’t you think the Sea God Pirates and I are quite a match?”