Chapter 77

"Is this the Yalong magical beast?" Cook looked at the tiny, blue-green turtle that Lucy had hatched, which was no bigger than his palm. The turtle had its head retracted, but unfortunately, there was a small horn on its head that prevented it from fully retracting, making it look quite comical. Cook reached out and picked up the horned turtle, smiling and asked.

"Rubbish! This is a baby, okay!" Horsed said irritably, taking the horned turtle from Cook.

However, the horned turtle became fierce in Horsed's hands, extending its head and baring its teeth at Horsed. At this moment, Cook noticed that the horned turtle's mouth was different from a regular turtle's; it was like a crocodile's mouth, filled with sharp teeth. Horsed quickly put it down, muttering, "It's just a look, is it that serious?"

After the horned turtle was placed on the ground, it did not crawl toward Lucy but toward where Cook was sitting. It then quietly stayed by Cook's feet, nodding its small head at Cook in a very human-like manner.

"Uh!" Dons and Horsed were both extremely surprised.

Lucy, on the other hand, looked helplessly at Little Lei. Yalong magical beasts are naturally suppressed by dragons, and this little horned turtle, upon birth, had keenly sensed Little Lei's presence. This made it ignore its owner, and Lucy glared at Cook in annoyance, while Lori couldn't help but giggle.

"Alright, we'll take our leave. It's already late today. We'll gather at noon tomorrow. In the morning, I want to see if I can be accepted as Lyle's assistant. If I get in, I'll be set for life," Dons said with a smile. Cook and the others naturally knew what Dons meant, and although Horsed was curious, he didn't press the issue.

"Cook, is being an assistant really that profitable?" Cook looked at Connie and asked in a low voice.

"Hehe, do you know how many points Lyle's potion sells for? The cheapest one is 100 points, and I get 5% of that, which is 15 points. Lyle can produce dozens of such potions in a month, and he specializes in high-end potions, which are used by the mentors. As for the price... well, the knowledge in potion-making is deep, and you outsiders don't understand the intricacies," Dons explained in detail, but then realized he had too much to explain and said to Cook, "Thank you!"

Cook had a clear impression of Lyle's strength, which was very powerful and earned a lot of points. Cook looked at Little Lei, who was sucking on two fingers, and at Big Mouth, who was dozing on a chair with one eye open and one closed, and at Caca in his sleeve. These were all big spenders, and Big Mouth's background was also quite extraordinary, as Uncle Neil had made it clear in the afternoon.

After Uncle Neil brought Cook into the tent, he said seriously, "Kid, you've hit the jackpot. This is a mutated Nether Crow. Do you know what a Nether Crow is? It's a species unique to the Netherworld. The Nether Crow is a mental-type magical beast, specializing in soul attacks. In the Netherworld, if a Nether Crow caws three times at someone, that person will surely die. Over time, the Nether Crow has been seen as an omen of bad luck. In fact, this is a soul attack. I've only heard of mutated Nether Crows but never seen one, as Nether Crows can only survive in the Netherworld. So, this one must be a mutation.

However, don't get too excited too soon. No matter what kind of magical beast it is, take the non-elemental spider in your sleeve, for example, it needs to be nurtured. It's not just about fighting but doing what the magical beast needs at the right time. For example, the best thing for your non-elemental spider would be to have tens of thousands of crystals for it to eat, as the more elements a magical beast consumes in its early stages, the stronger it will become.

As for the Nether Crow, it needs to absorb a large number of dead souls to grow. However, unrefined and unprocessed dead souls can make the Nether Crow go berserk, as it will also absorb memories. Too many memories can make the Nether Crow go mad and die."

"Do you have a solution?" Cook looked at Neil and said just that.

"Haha, of course. I have a bag of soul crystals, enough for the Nether Crow for a year," Neil laughed, slightly surprised by Cook's calmness.

"What are the conditions?" Cook asked directly.

Neil was taken aback, then said, "I like your attitude. The soul crystals are yours, but I hope you can take the Nether Crow with us to a place next year where there are a lot of ghosts. It's the most challenging place, but it's a paradise for the Nether Crow."

"How will the spoils be divided?" Cook thought for a moment and asked directly, as he felt this would benefit him. Adventuring with a master appraiser's companion would surely yield great rewards. As for being deceived, Cook didn't think he had anything worth a master appraiser's deception. If Neil really wanted the Nether Crow, he could have taken it by force in a shorter time, and a magical beast's voluntary following cannot be changed by a contract.

"5%!" Neil said a number.

"5% plus all the wood-type items I can use, and for Big Mouth, all the items the Nether Crow can eat," Cook countered with a number and conditions.

"Wood-type, good! As for the Nether... Big Mouth can eat, we will definitely leave it for you. If we succeed, we will have many more opportunities to go there," Neil was taken aback, then smiled and answered. He then signed a magical contract with Cook.

When Cook left the tent, Neil patted his shoulder and said, "If we succeed this time, our team has a few wood-type items. If you perform well, these items can be yours, of course, at the cost of future spoils."

"Uncle Neil, I have a lightning-type mage and a fire-type mage. Do you think they can join us? Our share of the spoils will remain the same," Cook asked, a bright idea flashing in his mind.

"Lightning-type, good! Fire-type, well, if the level is too low, it might be a problem," Neil said hesitantly.

"The lightning-type mage is also a dual-element lightning and fire mage, at the Mage level. The fire-type is still an apprentice," Cook said without hesitation.

"The lightning-type can join, but the fire-type, I'm afraid, is too dangerous. Cook, the place we're going is very dangerous. If you don't want your friend to be in danger, it's best not to bring an apprentice, as the risk of death is high," Neil said earnestly.

"Then what about air-type?" Cook thought of Mike, who was said to be coming to the academy, but had some family matters to attend to.

Neil looked at Cook with a strange expression and asked, "How do you know so many rare elemental types? The air-type can join, but it won't help much. If possible, it's best not to bring them, but I know some places where air-type mages are needed. Do you need my help?"

"No, let's leave it at that," Cook quickly declined, knowing that owing someone a favor is not good. The previous exchange was a fair trade.

Cook thought about Little Lei needing a large number of lightning-type magic cores, Caca needing crystals, and the Nether Crow needing a large number of soul crystals. Cook casually asked about the price of lightning-type magic cores and found it to be dozens of times more expensive than regular magic cores. As for crystals, they were even more expensive. Cook had never heard of soul crystals before, but he thought they might be comparable to crystals.

Therefore, Cook urgently needed to find a well-paid part-time job. Adventuring? Cook didn't think he had the strength to fight high-level magical beasts, even with Little Lei, but at a certain level, Little Lei might also become a target.

Doing daily tasks, earning a few points a day, Cook didn't know if he could support Caca, let alone Big Mouth and Little Lei.

Technically, Little Lei is Lori's blood-bound familiar, but the old man Wushuang once said that a blood bond has little effect on species with divine blood. Now, Little Lei is Cook's companion, and Cook, with a 30-year-old soul, really likes children. This child doesn't urinate, defecate, or need diapers, which is great. Regarding Little Lei's eating habits, the old man Wushuang provided an answer.

When Cook asked the old man Wushuang, he said with a hint of disdain, "Dragons sometimes don't excrete for decades. Dragon excrement is used to cultivate certain special magical herbs, and its price is astronomical. If what you say is true, you might be the richest person on the continent."

Moreover, the most important thing is that Little Lei doesn't like others. She prefers to play alone on the sofa rather than be held, and those who know her dare not easily hold her, as the little one is very strong.

So, Cook had to plan ahead and asked Dons, "Dons, what is the most critical part of potion-making?"

"What? You're interested? The most critical part is sensing the magical fluctuations between the ingredients. If you master this, the success rate of potion-making is very high," Dons asked in surprise and then answered.

"Uh, just that?" Cook asked in surprise.

"Hehe, that's the hardest part. Other aspects of potion-making can be compensated for. The purity of the ingredients can be refined multiple times to increase purity, and the quantities can be measured more precisely. Only the magical fluctuations during potion-making need to be mastered, which is a matter of skill. The more potions of the same type you make, the more experience you gain. Potions are classified into six levels, with the highest being the sixth level: inferior, qualified, good, excellent, supreme, and perfect. The same classification applies to magical items, alchemical products, scrolls, and magic cores. The price generally doubles with each level, but the gap between good and excellent is five times, and between excellent and supreme is ten times. As for perfect, it's a hundred times more and still hard to come by," Dons couldn't stop talking.

Cook immediately decided, "I'll sign up for Lyle's assistant exam."

"Uh! Are you a potion master?" Dons was almost knocked over by Cook's words.

Cook shook his head and answered, "No!"

"Are you a potion apprentice?" Horsed asked in confusion.

"Neither!" Cook shook his head again.

Both of them rolled their eyes and said, "Then why are you going?"

"It's not that he requires you to be a potion master to participate. This is the best way to earn points, and I don't want to miss it," Cook said, a bit embarrassed, while Lori and the others rolled their eyes at him.

Lucy puffed out her cheeks, thinking, "Yes, you're not a potion master or an apprentice, but you used potions to poison dozens of nobles and a prince, leading to the failure of a war and the death of over a million people, and the capture of a five-star general and his bodyguards."

To Dons and Horsed, Lori's and the others' expressions made it seem like Cook was always arrogant, and they didn't know him. As newly acquainted friends, they couldn't say much. Dons finally confirmed, "Cook, are you sure you want to go? If you're going, I'll call you."

"Of course, if I can make ten or eight perfect potions, I'll be set for life," Cook said with great anticipation.

"Uh! You rest well, I'm going to sleep. Come on, little chicken!" Dons couldn't bear it and quickly pulled Horsed away, indicating that Horsed would stay at Dons' place tonight.

"Ha ha! Hehe!" Once Dons and Horsed left, Lori and the others burst into laughter.

"Hmph! I'm going to sleep too!" Cook knew they were laughing at him and went to sleep, annoyed. As for how they slept, that was their business. There were plenty of rooms.

When Cook returned to his room, he didn't rest but meditated and practiced his martial arts. Cook found that using earth elements to stimulate his meditation and then practicing martial arts improved his mental strength a bit more, although it was very painful. Little Lei had a good habit: as long as Cook was nearby, she would fall asleep as soon as she touched the soft bed.

"Are you sure you want to sign up? It costs one point," Dons and Cook stood together, and Dons felt the gazes of the people around them. Horsed looked very pleased, and Dons' face was a bit red, not because he was stingy with the point, but because it was strange for a grown man to bring a baby to a mentor's assistant exam.

However, most people were just curious and didn't say anything. Cook saw this and knew that Dons and Horsed were well-liked in the academy. Cook nodded firmly in response to Dons' question, "I'm sure!"

"Alright!" Dons took Cook to sign up, and the registration place was at the task assignment area.

"Alright, let's go to the lab!" When Cook and Dons returned, they each held a black badge with the numbers 32 and 33, indicating that only about 30 people had signed up.

This didn't mean only 30 people had signed up, but Dons had used connections to get the task. In reality, there were probably over a hundred people, as Wushuang Academy didn't just recruit talented combatants. For those with exceptional talent in potion-making, scrolls, magic arrays, and runes, the academy offered generous benefits, including free food and lodging, free magical materials (within certain standards), and guaranteed employment after graduation, even for those who didn't graduate.

"Take care, you're in the fourth batch, I'm in the fifth," Dons and the others arrived at the exam site and found that the exam was conducted in batches of eight people. A batch had already gone in.

Cook looked around the lab and found nothing unusual, except for more guards in the corridor and many doors and areas in the lab. The lab was two levels underground, divided into alchemy and potion-making areas.

"Numbers 8 to 16, come in." Eight people came out, looking dejected, and quickly left the lab area under the supervision of a young man, who then called out.

"Damn, we can't even know what the exam is about?" Dons was very frustrated, and without a badge, no one could enter.

"Hehe, if you want to know, 10 points!" Horsed somehow got a badge and grinned.

"Hmph! Say it or not!" Dons glared at him.

"Alright, since I've already earned over a hundred points, I'll tell you for free. This is a practical exam. Lyle's disciple will demonstrate the making of a potion, and then you'll do it yourself. The exam tests your practical skills, not theoretical knowledge," Horsed said with a smile.

"I'll kill you! You greedy merchant!" Dons, upon hearing Horsed had earned over a hundred points, immediately went to grab him.

"Ouch, my stomach hurts, I can't, I can't, I...!" Horsed quickly jumped away, calling out and running off under the guards' watchful eyes, clearly having achieved his goal of earning points.

"Number 13, stay, the rest can leave. Numbers 16 to 24, come in!" After about ten minutes, another eight people came out, and a pretty girl, number 13, was left behind, with an assistant taking her to another place.

"Numbers 19 and 23, stay, numbers 24 to 32, come in!" The young man came out again, and two more people were left behind.

"Don't be nervous, just be natural!" Dons looked like he was sending someone off to their death.

"I know!" Cook took a deep breath and followed the others into the lab.

Cook and the others walked through a deep corridor, and Cook's intuition told him this was the thickness of the wall. When he entered the lab, the light was a bit glaring, coming from several light sources above. Cook was unfamiliar with this