Chapter 5: The Divine Fruit of Rebirth

It was not until evening that Ah Dai finally woke up, feeling a sense of fear from the soreness in his body and the unfamiliar surroundings. He suddenly sat up, letting out a sigh of relief upon seeing Goriss sitting cross-legged in meditation across from him. He did not disturb Goriss but merely looked around; the vastness of the space was almost immediately apparent, and there was nothing particularly special about the surroundings. His gaze was quickly drawn to the empty chair beside Goriss, or more precisely, to the basket of brightly colored fruits on that chair.

Goris said gently: "That was originally prepared for you. This is the teacher's home, and it will also be your home in the future"

Yes, teacher. For the past three months, Goriss has maintained a lukewarm attitude towards Adai, with all household chores being handled by Adai. Aside from meditating in the evenings, Goriss spends all his time in the laboratory

Ah Dou tightly held the book in his arms, tears streaming down his cheeks. In his heart, there was now one more person who was more important than a steamed bun.

After spending three months with Goris, Ah Dai was no longer surprised by these unusual phenomena and simply watched quietly. A solid mass of green had formed in the cauldron. Goris frowned and sighed, saying, "It still won't work; it seems that without the incense grass, it cannot be refined."

"Yes, teacher." A-Dai finally breathed a sigh of relief. The prolonged use of the fire spell had left him feeling dizzy, and he certainly did not understand that this was due to excessive consumption of magical energy. Sticking it out for over twenty minutes was already his limit. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he hurriedly brought the items that Goriss had requested to his side

Goris placed the small cauldron on top and turned to A-Dai, saying: "A-Dai, I may need to leave for a while to find some incense grass. Incense grass is only found in the Empire of Washington, which is quite troublesome. During the time I am gone, you should take good care of the house here, understand?"

Ah Dui continued to eat eight pieces of fruit before finally stopping. Although he was not full, he still left most of them behind, carefully placing them back in their original spot. Opening the ajar door, Ah Dui stepped outside, and what greeted his eyes was a white misty expanse. Including the wooden cabin he had just been in, there were a total of three houses here, with the one to the north being the largest, appearing to be about fifty to sixty square meters. Within a radius of thirty meters around the houses, there was no fog or vegetation; beyond thirty meters, everything was completely shrouded in mist. Tall trees could be faintly seen in the fog, and even the sky above was enveloped in mist, obscuring the sunlight. As it was already evening, the sky gradually darkened, imparting a sense of eeriness to the surroundings. Is this... the teacher's home?

Goris recited the labels of the leftmost row of drawers from top to bottom, and Adai followed along, memorizing them. Goris left him here and began his preparations nearby

Although he did not know what it was, the hunger in the early morning stirred Ah Dai's appetite. He held the fruit in front of him and examined it carefully. Such a fragrant fruit surely could not be poisonous. With this thought, Ah Dai could no longer resist the hunger in his stomach and took a bite of the fruit. A rush of cool juice immediately flowed into his mouth, tasteless and refreshing. Instinctively, he swallowed it down. The icy sensation penetrated deep into his lungs, how comfortable it was! In just a few bites, he had finished off a white fruit.

A layer of frost gradually formed on Ah Dui's skin, and everything before him began to blur. Suddenly, amidst the haze, he seemed to notice a red glow flickering continuously in the spot where the small red tree had withered. His whole body trembled, and in a moment of unconsciousness, he grasped a soft red fruit in his hand. The scorching sensation from the fruit transmitted into Ah Dui's palm, and his frozen hand immediately became much more agile. Filled with joy, Ah Dui did not care whether the fruit was poisonous; seizing the opportunity while his body could still move, he stuffed the red fruit into his mouth.

As soon as his right foot touched the ground, a piercing pain nearly made A-Dai cry out. However, the temptation of the fruit was simply too great; he gritted his teeth against the pain and carefully hobbled over to the chair. He glanced at the evenly breathing Goriss and quietly picked up the basket to return to the bedside. He meticulously counted the number of fruits—there were a total of 17, each a different color, with very few being the same. The hunger in his stomach made A-Dai cast aside all concerns, and he picked up a fruit and bit into it with force. The sweet juice flowed down his throat, and A-Dai felt an indescribable refreshment throughout his body, even the pain in his foot seemed to lessen.

Standing up, Goriss let out a gentle sigh and walked out of the room, where he saw Ah Dai standing there in a daze

Having reviewed the contents of his notes once again, Ah Dai walked into the orchard, preparing to gather the ingredients for his three meals of the day. As soon as he entered the orchard, he suddenly caught a whiff of an exceptionally rich fragrance. Identifying the direction from which the scent emanated, he found himself drawn towards it involuntarily. He was thoroughly familiar with this orchard; even with his eyes closed, he could find his way out.

Ah Dui let out a breath, his clothes completely soaked with sweat. The feeling of extreme despair turning into hope made his whole body feel weak. To his astonishment, he discovered that his skin was faintly emitting a white glow. Wherever the warm air flowed, a comforting warmth enveloped him. He lay on the ground, gazing at the sky, his mind unusually clear, with the notes he had memorized flashing through his thoughts. Ah Dui thought to himself, it’s finally over, am I still alive? I will never eat recklessly again. He lay on the ground, gazing at the sky, his mind unusually clear, with the notes he had memorized flashing through his thoughts. Ah Dui thought to himself, it’s finally over, am I still alive? I will never eat recklessly again

Ah—" A-Dai rolled on the ground in pain, constantly moaning in agony. Yet, in this boundless, hallucinatory forest, who would come to his rescue? Cold sweat dripped down, and A-Dai's face alternated between red and pale, his body spasming under the onslaught of the contrasting currents of heat and cold. What he did not know was that if it had not been for the Nine-Transformation Bone Marrow Pill given to him by Goriss, with his originally frail body, he would have perished from the overwhelming energy breaking through his meridians.

In the prolonged entanglement of two streams of energy, A-Dai's skin gradually oozed fine beads of blood. Enduring intense pain for an extended period caused A-Dai to involuntarily spit out a mouthful of fresh blood, which splattered onto the nearby plants. One side of the plants instantly withered, while the other side was coated with frost.

Alright, extinguish the flame, go fetch some clean water, and then take one or two crystals of powder

"Yes, teacher, the fire element that permeates the world! Please grant me the power of combustion. In my name, with your strength, appear, blazing flames." With a whoosh, a small flame with a hint of blue appeared in Ah Dui's hand. He carefully extended his hand under the cauldron, concentrating his mind to control the size of the flame.

Eat up, this is your breakfast. We still have many things to do when we return

Ah Dui held the leather-bound book, his eyes reddening. He had never imagined that there would come a day when he could read. Sincerely, he said: "Thank you, Teacher. Please make sure to return quickly; Ah Dui will miss you."

Goris gazed at the small cauldron before him and said in a low voice: "A small piece of saltpeter, one tael of silver ingot, three qian of Tianfeng flower, quickly."

On the morning of the second day, before dawn had fully arrived, Ah Dai was called up by Goriss. After getting dressed, Goriss took him to the forest where they had picked fruits the day before, saying: "The fruits that grow here will be our food in the future. You must remember, when you come to pick fruits, do not wander far, otherwise you will lose your sense of direction. Do you understand?"

"Alright, starting today, you will officially become my apprentice, assisting me with experiments," said Goriss淡淡.

Oh, understood

Goris was taken aback for a moment, turned his head, and said coldly: "What are you thinking about? I don't need your thoughts. Just focus on memorizing your lessons; I will be testing you when you return. Do you understand?" After saying this, he walked away without looking back.

"Ah, I am finally back." Goriss looked at the several unremarkable rooms before him, who would have thought that this was the laboratory of the Fire Mage Goriss. He glanced down at the fool tucked under his arm, excitement coursing through his body, as he could finally proceed with the final preparations before the experiment. After years of effort, it would truly come to fruition in just one year.

Ah Dou nodded slightly, gazing at the vast array of fruits before him, reminiscing about the delightful taste from yesterday, and saliva unconsciously dripped down.

On that day, he got up early in the morning and briefly reviewed his notes. Goriss had been gone for over a month, and during this time, Adai's relentless efforts finally bore fruit; he had managed to memorize all the content in the notes. Upon reaching the last page, he noticed that it seemed to have been torn out. He did not think much of it, assuming that Goriss had removed it because he feared the content was too profound for him to understand.

Early the next morning, Goriss packed a simple set of belongings and prepared to set off

Goris said: "If things go quickly, it will take a little over a month; if slowly, it may take two months. If you are hungry, eat the fruits in the forest; if you are thirsty, drink the spring water behind the house. Remember, do not venture too deep into the Enchanted Forest, otherwise, if you lose your way, you will starve to death inside, do you understand?"

Suddenly, everything became clear, and several small houses appeared before Goriss

Goris chanted a spell, drawing a裂缝 in the air, from which floated a bamboo basket he had purchased in Nino City. When he initially left in search of a suitable subject, he had no specific destination in mind and simply walked northward, eventually arriving at Nino City without realizing it. He chose A-Dai because he felt that this was a controllable child. If the subject did not sincerely cooperate with his experiments, even the best qualities would be of no use. A-Dai, being somewhat foolish, appeared very easy to deceive, which is why he was selected. When he initially left in search of a suitable subject, he had no specific destination in mind and simply walked northward, eventually arriving at Nino City without realizing it. He chose A-Dai because he felt that this was a controllable child. If the subject did not sincerely cooperate with his experiments, even the best qualities would be of no use. A-Dai, being somewhat foolish, appeared very easy to deceive, which is why he was selected.

Goris casually picked a few red fruits and handed them to Adai, saying: "This is the Miz fruit. Eating it can provide most of the nutrients your body needs, and it will be our main food in the future. You must remember its appearance. Although there are many fruits in this forest, not all of them are edible; some contain deadly toxins. I will gradually inform you about them later. Your task today is to remember the shape of this fruit, do you understand?"

Goris took a deep breath and said, "You don't need to do anything today. Starting tomorrow, you will assist me. The teacher needs to conduct some experiments"

After Goriss left, Ah Dai, in order not to disappoint his teacher, spent every day, aside from meditating and eating, memorizing the contents of the notes. The words used by Goriss in the notes were easy to understand, and after such a long time together, Ah Dai was basically able to grasp their meanings. The more he read, the more he was captivated by the wonders within. However, he was a very obedient child, and even though he was curious, he did not venture into the laboratory to experiment.

In a large forest located to the northwest of the Varyag Province, Goriss instructed the driver to stop, paid the fare, and sent the driver away

The foolish Xunfeng knows that there is a drawer on the cabinet, but the light blue little grasses inside have already been exhausted

Upon hearing that Goriss was leaving, Ah Dai suddenly felt a sense of emptiness in his heart and asked, "Teacher, how long will you be gone?"

The scalding hot flow coursed down his throat, instantly rushing into his lungs, alleviating the previous chill significantly

What surprised Goriss even more was that he originally thought Ah Dai would be able to endure for only ten minutes. However, twenty minutes had passed, and the water in the cauldron was nearly evaporated, with only then did fine beads of sweat appear on Ah Dai's forehead. Goriss never expected him to last this long. A murderous intent flashed in Goriss's eyes again as he thought that if he truly took the time to teach this kid well, perhaps within ten years, he could reach or even surpass his current level.

What kind of fruit is this? It really smells wonderful! Ah Dai cautiously touched the fruit with his finger, and the milky-white fruit suddenly fell from the small tree at his touch. Ah Dai was startled and instinctively caught the fruit in his hand. A warm sensation emanated from the fruit, and the fresh aroma became even more intense. After the fruit fell, the red little tree gradually withered, and in just a few seconds, the red little tree had completely shriveled into the ground. A warm sensation emanated from the fruit, and the fresh aroma became even more intense. After the fruit fell, the red little tree gradually withered, and in just a few seconds, the red little tree had completely shriveled into the ground.

Goris felt a warmth in his heart. Over the past three months, no matter how he treated A-Dai, A-Dai accepted it willingly, immediately responding to any task assigned to him. Eventually, there were times when Goris merely had to reach out his hand, and A-Dai would know what he wanted. Where could one find such a obedient apprentice? ... However, for the sake of the final experiment, it was unavoidable. ... Goris shook his head vigorously, dispelling his good intentions, and said coldly, "Alright, you go into contemplation. I will leave early tomorrow morning." He knew what he wanted, and where could one find such an obedient apprentice? ... However, for the sake of the final experiment, it was unavoidable. ... Goris shook his head vigorously, dispelling his good intentions, and said coldly, "Alright, you go into contemplation. I will leave early tomorrow morning."

Goris carried a bamboo basket to a nearby orchard beside the wooden house. The orchard was filled with a wide variety of fruits. It took Goris a long time to learn the names of these fruits, which ones were edible and which were not. After picking some edible fruits to stave off hunger, he returned to the wooden house, casually ate a few, and then sat down in meditation.

A fool, in a daze, asked: "Teacher, what is this?"

Looking at the vast forest before him, Goriss felt an immense sense of joy; it was only by returning here that he experienced true satisfaction. Thirty years ago, he moved to this enchanting forest primarily because it was rich in precious medicinal herbs and minerals. Over time, he became accustomed to this life. For the past thirty years, apart from occasionally going out to procure essential supplies and special items, he rarely left this place. After three decades of experimentation, he finally felt confident that he could fulfill the wish he had held for many years. The key to realizing this wish lay with this foolish simpleton.

Goris cast a complex glance at him and said: "This is my experimental notebook, which is divided into three parts: the methods for concocting medicines, the methods for identifying poisons, and the methods for forging weapons. You can take a look when you are bored; the words on it are mostly the names of labels, and you should be able to understand most of the associated simple terms. However, you must remember that reading is one thing, and you absolutely cannot conduct experiments in the laboratory on your own, do you understand? How much you can comprehend depends on your own capabilities."

Finally, through continuous exploration, Ah Dai discovered the source of the fragrance. It was a small tree with bright red bark, which seemed to have sprouted overnight, as it had not existed before. The tree had no leaves, and its fire-red trunk was as clear and translucent as crystal. At the very top, there was a milky-white fruit, beneath the skin of which, it appeared that light was constantly flowing. The waves of fragrance emanated continuously from the fruit. Ah Dai crouched down, carefully observing the fruit before him, recalling the plants mentioned in the alchemy section of his notes. However, even after he had completely recalled the entire alchemy section, he still could not find a definitive answer.

Fool

Goris looked at the familiar experimental tools, sighed, and said: "From now on, you must remember the names of several items every day. I will test you the next day, and if you cannot remember, you will be punished by missing a meal. Today, you need to remember all the labels on this row of cabinets." As he spoke, Goris walked to the far left of the cabinets and pointed to the small drawer at the top, saying: "The two characters on this drawer are 'saltpeter.' Saltpeter is something we alchemists often need. All the drawers here contain various different items."

Goris ignored A-Dai and walked alone into the forest, while A-Dai hurriedly followed closely behind Goris

After walking for half a day, Ah Dai was both exhausted and hungry, gritting his teeth as he followed behind Goriss. The surroundings were shrouded in a white haze, with visibility of less than three meters. If he lagged even slightly, he would lose sight of Goriss's figure. The feeling of fear awakened the potential within him, ensuring that he did not fall behind.

After entering the forest, Goriss deliberately ignored Ah Dai, wanting to see if he would ask for his help. However, Ah Dai's resilience truly surprised him; he managed to hold on for more than half the journey before fainting. At his age, even with the Nine-Transformation Bone Marrow Pill, achieving such a feat was already quite remarkable. Well, having a bit of tenacity is good. Goriss carried Ah Dai into the southernmost wooden cabin, which was empty except for a wooden bed and a few chairs. After throwing Ah Dai onto the bed, Goriss sat down beside him, raised his hand to draw a hexagram in the air, and a red light began to glow. He silently sensed the fluctuations of the magical elements. After a long while, Goriss opened his eyes and smiled with satisfaction. Through the magical inquiry he had just performed on the surrounding magical array, he felt that no one had come here during his absence.

A fool closely followed Goriss, when suddenly, something tripped him, and with a thud, he fell to the ground. It seemed that Goriss did not notice, as he continued to walk ahead.

The fragrance emanated from deep within the orchard, the rich aroma continuously stimulating Ah Dai's sense of smell. How delightful! I wonder what it could be.

Ah! Teacher, you are awake. I, I just ate a few of your fruits.

Ah Dou had never seen such an endless forest before and excitedly said, "Teacher, do you live here? The air here is so nice!"

As soon as Adao stepped out of the room, Goris opened his eyes. He had already awakened from his deep contemplation the moment Adao got out of bed. He was fully aware of everything Adao had done. Watching the remaining nine pieces of fruit in front of him, Goris's mind was in a constant state of flux.

"Nitre? Nitre." The fool kept muttering.

Until the night enveloped everything, the two energies within A-Dai finally merged into one, transforming into a warm current that began to circulate continuously

Seeing the flickering green flames, Goriss was momentarily taken aback. The flames released by Ah Dui had already reached the level of a novice mage. In just three months, he never expected that this incredibly foolish kid would experience such rapid growth in magical power

Ah Dui's memory was truly poor; after a whole day of effort, he had repeated the names of the ten labels to Goriss more than thirty times before he barely managed to remember them. From that day on, Ah Dui began his memorization process. At first, whatever he remembered on the first day, he would inevitably forget by the second day. Although Goriss claimed he would not feed him, he always gave him extra fruit during the second meal. Ah Dui felt Goriss's concern and became more diligent in memorizing these characters he had never seen before. His daily task was to gather the fruits needed by both him and Goriss while memorizing the names of these labels. Goriss, on the other hand, was busy tinkering with his experimental apparatus, constantly using magic to merge and configure something. In the evening, Goriss would not let Ah Dui sleep but instead made him sit in meditation. At first, Ah Dui was quite unaccustomed to this and often fell asleep while trying to memorize the labels the next day. However, after some time, Ah Dui's spirit improved, and meditation became his best form of sleep; a night of sitting could rejuvenate him for the next day. The only regret Ah Dui felt was that since coming here, Goriss had not taught him any magic spells. When he had nothing to do, he could only amuse himself with small fireballs and fire spells. Occasionally, when Goriss was in a good mood, he would teach him some simple characters.

"Yes, teacher." A-Dai quickly handed over the items that Goris needed. Goris placed these items into the small cauldron and then said: "One tael of red cotton, a basin of clear water, hurry up."

The two fruits consumed by Ah Dou, even if personally seen by Goriss, would remain unrecognizable. Given Goriss's caution, he would never casually eat an unfamiliar fruit. These two fruits are born from the essence of heaven and earth, requiring thousands of years to mature, and are known as the Rebirth Fruits. To unleash their maximum efficacy, both the red and white fruits must be consumed together. However, their medicinal power is exceedingly potent; once the inherent medicinal energy is fully absorbed, the individual who consumes them will experience an ever-expanding life force, with vitality flowing endlessly, making them a treasure in the eyes of the clergy of the Holy See. The greatest benefit of the Rebirth Fruits is that they can generate a form of life energy within the body, which can mitigate any damage caused by dark energy.

Ah Dou nodded and said, "Teacher, please come back soon"

"Yes, teacher." Just now, the prolonged use of the flame technique indeed made A-Dai feel very fatigued, so he went back to his room to meditate alone

The primary reason this forest is referred to as the Enchanted Forest is that there is no solid ground within it. The abundant growth of various plants makes it difficult for individuals to discern directions, and the elevated terrain, combined with the occasional mist, creates an air of mystery. Even those who live nearby seldom venture deep into the forest, fearing they may not find their way out. After Goriss arrived here, he set up numerous magical mechanisms within the forest, particularly a device designed to attract the mist, which he considers his masterpiece. The occasional mist generates a sense of mystery, and even the locals rarely explore its depths, apprehensive about becoming lost. After Goriss's arrival, he established many magical devices in the forest, especially one that attracts the mist, which he takes great pride in.

The fool carefully observed the red fruit in his hand, which resembled a gourd, meticulously noting its characteristics

"Let us go; the remaining journey will be on foot," said Goriss淡淡.

A fool had just let out a sigh of relief when a sudden, intense cramp gripped his abdomen. Two distinct currents of heat and cold abruptly divided into opposing factions, continuously entangling and attacking within his internal organs, as if they were intent on tearing everything apart.

After having breakfast, Goriss brought Adai to the largest wooden cabin in the north. Upon entering the cabin, Adai was taken aback; this room was vastly different from the one he had stayed in yesterday. Inside were various peculiar items. What struck him as most unusual was the circle of large cabinets against the walls, each composed of numerous small drawers. Each drawer had a label, but to Adai, the words on these labels were merely indecipherable symbols.

Three months later, through Ah Dai's relentless efforts, he finally memorized all the labels and the names of all the fruits in the orchard. Although he learned slowly, once he fully memorized something, it was difficult to forget. No matter which label name Goriss mentioned, he could immediately find the corresponding drawer

Ah Dou was startled by the sudden gentleness of Ge Li Si; in his memory, he had never seen Ge Li Si with such an expression. The cloak that had always covered his head was now removed, revealing a wrinkled face adorned with a faint smile. "O-Old Master, how can I assist you?"

After entering the forest, Goris remained silent. The thick fog surrounding him made him feel exceptionally comfortable. Those who study dark magic do not favor sunlight, and Goris was no exception. Relying on the positioning magic array he had set up at his residence, he did not need to discern directions at all

Ah Dui had just thought of getting up to return to the wooden house when suddenly, a wave of cold surged from his lower abdomen, rapidly expanding and filling his meridians in an instant. Cold, so cold, Ah Dui trembled incessantly, the cold wave generated within him rendering him unable to stand any longer. With a thud, he collapsed to the ground, the cold seeming to freeze into his very marrow, continuously stabbing at his nerves. Ah Dui thought to himself, it's over, it's over, for a moment's indulgence, it seems I am going to freeze to death. Cold, so cold, Ah Dui trembled incessantly, the cold wave generated within him rendering him unable to stand any longer. With a thud, he collapsed to the ground, the cold seeming to freeze into his very marrow, continuously stabbing at his nerves. Ah Dui thought to himself, it's over, it's over, for a moment's indulgence, it seems I am going to freeze to death

It hurts so much! A-Dai propped himself up to sit up. After a morning of hurried walking, he could no longer hold on. His vision blurred, and a sense of dizziness filled his mind. He wanted to call out to Goriss, but he couldn't make a sound. The surrounding white mist seemed to swirl around him. A-Dai could no longer support himself and collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness.

The black flame in Goriss's hand had replaced the fire spell just cast by Adai. The various items in the cauldron had completely melted into a paste, taking on a light green hue. Goriss grabbed a handful of crystal powder from the container in Adai's hand and evenly sprinkled it over the small cauldron in front of him. With a hissing sound, a green flame shot up into the sky, flaring briefly before extinguishing, leaving a faint fragrance wafting through the air. Goriss grabbed a handful of crystal powder from the container in Adai's hand and evenly sprinkled it over the small cauldron in front of him. With a hissing sound, a green flame shot up into the sky, flaring briefly before extinguishing, leaving a faint fragrance wafting through the air.

"Adao, do not forget what I told you yesterday. By the way, here is this for you." Gelisi took out a book that was not very thick and handed it to Adao

Receiving the items handed over by A-Dai, he placed them all into the cauldron. Gelis glanced at A-Dai and said: "Use your fire magic to heat the cauldron from below, and do not stop without my command"