Chapter 473

Chapter 473: Encounter

When Midi first entered the Crystal Dragon Fortress, he’d barely reached Level 63, still at its initial stage. Yet after just one day of gathering materials and brewing potions, he’d already advanced beyond the early phase of Level 63.

Progress beyond Level 60 grew brutally slow, but this potion delivered instant results.

With two or three more Grade Eight "Crystal Heart Fire Potions," he might even reach Level 63’s peak and push toward Level 64!

He also sensed the aura of his Black Dragon Remnant Token intensifying within him.

This token was a fighter’s sole lifeline to remain in the Crystal Dragon Fortress. From entry onward, it steadily drained energy. Within days, it would vanish entirely, ejecting its holder via teleportation.

Replenishing it required specific methods.

One way was hunting the fortress’s native creatures, as Midi had done. But this proved inefficient.

The magical beasts here were fearsome—slaying one could take half a day. Even then, the token absorbed minimal nourishment. The effort outweighed the gain.

A fighter stubbornly choosing this path would waste all their time hunting, only to watch the token expire regardless.

Another method involved refining plants. Like the crystallized beasts, the fortress’s trees and flowers could replenish the token—though ordinary flora offered negligible energy, worsening the imbalance.

Yet one plant here defied this: Black Crystal Grass. A single stalk extended the token’s duration by over a day. Its superior counterpart, Black Crystal Flower, added three days.

Midi had planned to search for Black Crystal Plants the next day to avoid expulsion. But now, he discovered something astonishing: while beasts provided scant energy, potions brewed from them supercharged the token!

Despite half a day passing, drinking one Grade Eight potion hadn’t just halted the token’s depletion—it swelled the aura, possibly surpassing Black Crystal Grass’s effects!

This revelation thrilled him. The potion’s power mattered less than its implication: he could ignore the Black Crystal Grass struggle altogether.

In the fortress, Black Crystal Grass was a contested treasure. Time meant everything. From small-family fighters to arrogant core disciples, all fought bitterly for it.

Now, with Grade Eight potions, Midi could level up effortlessly, avoid the bloodshed, and strengthen his token unimpeded. The advantages staggered the mind.

“Alchemy is a marvel,” Midi murmured, savoring the Black Dragon Remnant Token’s surging aura within him.

At first, Midi studied alchemy simply to take shortcuts, better utilize scarce resources, and earn money after escaping slavery to avoid poverty.

Later in the Death Scorpion family, alchemy became his tool to attract the family’s higher-ups and secure a fighter recommendation.

At this stage, alchemy remained optional for Midi.

But after drinking the Grade Eight potion, Midi realized he truly needed to master alchemy.

This wouldn’t waste his cultivation time—instead, it’d boost his leveling speed far beyond normal methods!

“Rot, let’s brew more potions!” Midi declared to the Eighth Apostle.

“If you’ll learn, I’ll teach,” Rot chuckled, noticing Midi’s shifted tone as he nodded approvingly.

Steadying his aura, Midi left the cave and dissolved into mist, darting deeper into the Crystal Forest.

Over following days, Midi fell into a cycle: hunt beasts, craft potions, improve cultivation.

Stronger cultivation let him hunt tougher beasts—both consolidating his growth and yielding better materials.

These materials then made better potions for further advancement.

The cycle repeated.

Throughout this, the Black Dragon Remnant Token absorbed energy, extending Midi’s stay in Crystal Dragon Fortress from days to over a week.

Midi had rocketed from early Level 63 to Level 63 peak, one step from Level 64.

His psychic energy surged too—activating Half-Sight Perception became effortless. Rot predicted Midi would soon attempt Full-Sight Perception.

Midi’s Dragon bloodline also purified dramatically.

Previously, his brief “Dragon Transformation” during the Kanis fight unleashed a roar overwhelming the Steel War Scorpion bloodline—but only for one breath.

Now he could maintain dragon form for seconds—a game-changer in critical clashes.

Finding Risen’s Dragon Heritage would let him immediately train it with his enhanced bloodline.

Crystal Forest’s resources elevated every aspect of Midi’s power.

He’d gladly stay forever—but remained clear-headed.

He’d come to the Shaded Realm not for Crystal Dragon Fortress, but the Black Dragon Conference!

Though leveling quickly now, he calculated Grade Eight potions would weaken after breaking through Level 64. By Level 65, Fortress beasts would offer little help.

The underground Dragon Tower might have better resources, but nothing supporting level-70.

This area had limits—he’d need to leave eventually.

Abandoning Death Scorpion family tasks would cost his Black Dragon Conference chance. Trading Dark Dragon City for Crystal Dragon Fortress? He’d never make such a foolish trade.

“After reaching Level 64, I’ll seek the underground Dragon Tower and regroup with Zaknavan,” Midi resolved.

With boosted power and allies, he’d claim his place even in Thor’s team.

As he planned, a Tide of Magic erupted from nearby ruins in his Half-Sight Perception.

A battle!

Normally Midi ignored passing fighters with different goals. But preparing for Dragon Tower meant gathering intel.

He masked his presence, teleporting via Demon Shadow Flash toward the commotion.

The ruin held collapsed pillars and temple-like structures. Three dark elf fighters—one woman, two men—fought five crystallized lizards.

The central lizard dwarfed others—either leader or mutated type with fearsome battle strength.

Three versus five, including a mutant in cramped ruins? Disaster for agility-reliant dark elves.

Midi didn’t know them, but remembered their backgrounds from Thor’s betting list—three small family fighters banding together.

Such teams often recruited strong members.

“I’ll help,” Midi decided, ghosting above the ruins before plummeting toward the mutated lizard!