novelraw Chapter 83: The Witch's Invitation
Chapter 83: The Witch's Invitation
Chen Qi asked curiously.
At this point, Pelu looked as dejected as a drenched kitten:
"Nothing."
Pelu pointed to the bruises on her face.
It was clear she had been beaten while searching for the Flower Witch.
"Indeed, the Flower Witch isn't someone easily found..."
Chen Qi shook his head.
He still needed to find the Flower Witch to complete their transaction.
According to her words, once he obtained the Dragon's Breath Grass, she would have her own way of locating him.
Logically speaking, even if he fled to the ends of the earth, it should be easy as pie for a witch to find him.But with the Flower Witch, he couldn't shake this uneasy feeling...
Better wait here a while.
Though he might need to wait until Pelu leaves... Chen Qi lay outside the boat house.
After being beaten, Pelu became unexpectedly quiet.
After finishing her book, she tinkered with her radio receiver.
Finally, receiving a message from the Beiguo Meteorological Bureau and due to work obligations, she rode her white pigeon away from Flower Island.
And so Chen Qi lay on the boat, basking in the sun, feeling the sea breeze.
Occasionally, just lying in a sunny spot without any worries or goals.
Comfortably sunbathing all day until he felt like getting up.
Such days weren't bad either.
The small houseboat rocked gently.
Gradually, Chen Qi closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.
In his dream, he hadn't escaped the Blackfin Crew but instead chose to stay aboard the Sawshark, fighting daily alongside Little Crow and Captain Blackeye, striving to become a great pirate.
Ruthless and cunning, relying on his Deep Sea Affinity, he rose from ordinary sailor to boatswain, then first mate, finally becoming a captain with his own ship, renowned across the seas.
Eventually, his talents were recognized by higher-ups.
Then he was dragged into a dark room where a group of kindly doctors curiously stripped him naked, began dissecting him, and injected strange black blood potions.
His body started feeling strange.
His head burned, his body ached... Chen Qi slowly opened his eyes to look at the sky.
The daylight flames gradually weakened as the sky donned crimson hues.
He had slept half the day.
"Awake now?"
A gentle female voice came from beside him.
There really was a doctor next to him!
The scent of flowers... Chen Qi turned his head where he lay on the deck.
The Flower Witch was half-kneeling beside him, head slightly lowered as she gazed at him.
"Flower Witch, when did you arrive?"
Chen Qi sat up groggily.
The Flower Witch answered softly:
"Four hours ago."
"Four hours ago, and you didn't wake me?"
Chen Qi hadn't expected to sleep so defenselessly on the open sea for so long.
Fortunately it was the Flower Witch who came.
Had it been anyone else or some non-human creature boarding his boat, that would've been troublesome.
The Flower Witch whispered:
"You seemed to be sleeping soundly, and were seriously injured. I didn't want to disturb your rest."
Less than a day had passed since Chen Qi entered the dimensional rift until his departure.
Thus, the Flower Witch assumed he must have suffered some major setback in the rift before escaping, hence the long sleep.
She figured letting him sleep more might help.
Many troubles feel better after a good sleep.
"......"
Chen Qi shook his dizzy head.
For the Flower Witch to wait patiently for four hours was quite remarkable.
Then he touched his chest, waves of pain radiating through his body.
The injuries!
The internal damage from the Headless Skeleton's final strike was more severe than he'd realized.
Moreover, his head burned - had he contracted some strange illness?
The Flower Witch hesitated before answering:
"You might have a cold."
"A cold..."
Chen Qi touched his forehead - burning hot.
Seemed like a bad one too.
He recalled his recent activities:
Playing with sea dragons in heavy rain, playing with dragons on volcanoes, playing with water spirits in the ocean.
About time he caught a cold.
Would've been impolite not to.
Chen Qi took out his water bottle and drank.
At this moment, the Flower Witch asked curiously:
"Are you really alright?"
She observed the large, sunken-looking bruise on Chen Qi's chest.
"It's fine, shouldn't be a problem. Just minor injuries that'll heal with rest."
As long as he wasn't dying, it was no big deal.
After drinking some water and adjusting his breathing, the pain gradually subsided.
Wait, why were they discussing this? Like a doctor concerned about a patient?
Shouldn't they be talking about the mission first, about the Dragon's Breath Grass?
He'd obtained a full ten plants.
Why wasn't the Flower Witch asking?
Chen Qi took the initiative:
"Flower Witch, I've obtained the Dragon's Breath Grass."
"Obtained?"
A surprised little yellow flower bloomed above the Flower Witch's head.
She had assumed Chen Qi encountered misfortune at Dragon's Roost.
That's why she avoided mentioning the grass, fearing it might bring back painful memories.
"So efficient."
She murmured, as if seeing a speedrunning workaholic.
Chen Qi took out ten Dragon's Breath Grass plants from his Backpack Card.
"Enough?"
Ten Dragon's Breath Grass!
The Flower Witch's blossoms could barely contain themselves, several more sprouting instantly.
Ten plants were enough to brew five potions.
Nodding, she accepted them:
"More than enough actually, but I lack extra funds to buy the surplus ingredients. I can only prepare potions for you."
How honest... Chen Qi returned to the boat house and sailed the small houseboat out to sea.
Then he handed the Pale Scale Fruit to the Flower Witch.
Having obtained the ingredients, it was now the Flower Witch's time to shine.
"Genuine article, and fresh too."
Holding the fruit aloft, she examined it carefully.
Before coming to Beiguo, her elder sister had told her the Witch Sea was full of hidden talents among simple folk.
Indeed, the Witch Sea hid dragons among common fish.
Even a mere chef could be this capable.
The Flower Witch marveled.
Chen Qi asked:
"Well, Flower Witch, can you handle it?"
Gazing at the distant sea, she replied:
"Yes, but to craft perfect potions, I need an alchemical cauldron, herb grinding tools, etc.
In short, I need a proper potion-making workshop."
"A workshop? Where?"
Chen Qi inquired.
Given her current situation, obtaining a workshop would be difficult.
Her bounty alone could buy several workshops.
The Flower Witch crossed her arms:
"A mysterious island at the sea's edge - my childhood home when I apprenticed as an apothecary."
Then her cheeks flushed slightly as she gazed enviously at Chen Qi's cozy houseboat.
What a wonderful little boat!
If only she had one herself.
Stubborn by nature, the Flower Witch disliked relying on others.
Moreover, her teacher had warned never to bring outsiders home.
But sometimes, needs must.
Must earn more money... Coughing twice, she whispered:
"Well... I don't have my own boat, so... could you give me a ride?"
The dizzy Chen Qi looked at the impoverished witch:
"No problem, but be warned - my boat's somewhat fast."
"Eh?"
Entering the boat house, Chen Qi retrieved nautical charts like a seasoned captain:
"Mark the location! Prepare to depart!"
Time to showcase his sailing skills.
After long consideration of the charts, the Flower Witch said:
"Should be around here... I lived there as a child, but my memory's fuzzy now."
Looking at the marked location sobered Chen Qi instantly.
On the chart, blue areas represented normal waters, red-lined zones were dangerous seas.
But the deep black patches meant absolutely forbidden territories.
Simply put - certain death for trespassers!
Only the brain-damaged would sail into these black waters.
Even the Ice Demon Pirates' charts lacked details about these dark regions.
Turning back, Chen Qi asked:
"Flower Witch, just where exactly is your home?"