Chapter 198: The Changes In The Ruins
Watson’s palm glowed with light as the notification rang in his head, and a hundred rings appeared in an instant.
“I want to make a wish to recover all my strength.”
Watson made that wish without hesitation and began to use the World Tree branches to construct golden cards to merge with the Nibelung rings. Watson would need 24 cards for every five Nibelung rings he fused. At the same time, he had to make a wish to regain his strength, which would exhaust ten years of the astrologer’s lifespan.
When he successfully fused 100 Nibelung rings into 20 Wish for the World Ring during that cycle, he had already used up 20,200 years of the astrologer’s lifespan.
The 20 rings emitted dazzling starlight. Watson wore eight of them on his remaining fingers, so there were still 12 rings available. He picked one out and handed it to Sylvan after some deliberation.
“Lord Sylvan, I couldn’t have created these rings without the Nibelung rings that you’ve given me. In return, I shall give you this ring. We don’t owe each other anything.”
Sylvan took the ring and carefully examined it. He found that the ring’s ability was as Watson had said, indeed. It could make three wishes, and each wish would only cost half the price.
That was the first time he had seen Watson fuse a platinum-tier item. He did not know what that ability was, but it had shocked him. Sylvan’s focus s.h.i.+fted from the Wish for the World ring to Watson. How could it be easier to master the Wish for the World than to mentor Watson?
If he could mentor Watson, then he could master an endless stream of Wish for the World rings.
Sylvan decided to look for an opportunity to ask Watson to see if he could find out how to fuse platinum-tier items. He had not paid much attention to Watson when he had heard that he could fuse weapons and spells because the items he fused were all silver and gold-tier items. That level of material would not be of much help to him. However, it was different for platinum-tier items.
While he was thinking, Watson had brought the remaining eleven rings to Nightingale and the others and began to distribute the rings.
While he considered that, Watson arrived with the remaining rings and distributed them to Nightingale and the others.
“Sven, this ring is yours. You’ve contributed a lot to the exploration of the ruins these few days, so this ring is your reward. You have to work harder in the future to get more rewards.”
“Thank you, Young Master Watson. I will definitely devote my life to you and Blackmoon Castle in the future.”
Sven held his breath. He appeared ecstatic after he accepted the ring.
He was merely a silver-tier warrior, but he possessed a platinum-tier item. He had informed Watson everything he knew about the ruins and brought them to the Misty Forest, as planned.
“I’ll give the second ring to Miss Nightingale.”
Watson generously handed a Wish for the World Ring to Nightingale and put it on her index finger. He smiled and said, “I hope you will come to Blackmoon Castle as a guest in the future, Miss Nightingale.”
Watson was very close to Nightingale. After all, she had helped train the Blackmoon Knights with a lot of effort in the past.
“As for the remaining rings—” Watson muttered. He felt the eager eyes of the Shadow Guards beside Nightingale. As he heard their gulps, he deliberately put the rings away. “I won’t give them to you for now. If you can help me with the exploration of the ruins, maybe I’ll give you one when I’m in a good mood.”
Those shadow guards were the border count’s subordinates, so it meant more to stay by his side to monitor him. He wanted to change that situation and get the approval of those people.
“Don’t worry, Young Master Watson. We will help you explore more ruins to your satisfaction.”
The group of Shadow Guards began to roll up their sleeves. Initially, they were only loyal to the border count, but now they decided to help Watson on the basis of their loyalty to the border count. They could not resist the temptation of the platinum-tier item in front of them.
“Alright, the rings have been distributed. I’m going to start repairing the ruins.”
Watson was delighted with the reactions of the Shadow Guards in front of him. At that moment, a weak voice echoed from not far away from him. “Watson, you stinky brat, what about me? You used me to create so many platinum-tier items. Don’t you intend to give me some compensation?”
The one who spoke was the astrologer. His body was hunched, and his appearance was much older than before that. His hair was spa.r.s.e, and his teeth were loose. There were also many age spots on his face.
“Of course, I won’t forget you, Master. I prepared a big gift for you a long time ago.”
Watson chuckled and opened his right hand, which was filled with rings. “I want to make a wish. I wish for my master to return to his youth. I’m willing to pay the price with eight Wish to the World rings.”
[Master, it is not possible to fulfill your wish. You will need to consume at least ten Wish to the World rings.]
“Then, use two more rings.”
[Congratulations, your wish has been fulfilled.]
Following the voice in his mind, cracks appeared on the eight rings that Watson had put away, as well as the rings on his two thumbs. All of them shattered with a cracking sound and turned into ashes.
At the same time, an invisible force enveloped the astrologer’s body, causing his spa.r.s.e hair to become thick. The deep wrinkles on his face gradually softened, and his turbid eyes became clear.
In the blink of an eye, he had transformed from an old man to a young man in his twenties.
His platinum hair flickered with a faint l.u.s.ter, and his handsome face was enough to charm thousands of girls. His hunched body had straightened too. The astrologer had looked the same as when he had cast the Time Stripping spell. He was not young for a short period, but his appearance was fixed for a long time.
He raised his hand and looked at his slender and pale fingers, and his arms were lean too. The astrologer was speechless.
“Master, I have been meaning to tell you something. When you led the Mage Guild to attack Blackmoon Castle, I agreed to be your disciple on the surface, but I actually hated you. However, after seeing your selflessness these past few days, I believe that you do see me as your disciple. In return, I have to do something. I didn’t know what I can do to please you, but I have an idea now.”
Watson bowed to the astrologer and thanked him sincerely. “Perhaps allowing you to return to your youth is the greatest way to repay you, Master. If ten rings were not enough, I am prepared to shatter all the rings on my finger. That would fulfill my wish. Fortunately, ten rings had sufficed! Thank you very much, Master. Thank you for your time and effort.”
He had deceived the astrologer many times over the past few days. Not only did he want to obtain benefits, but he also wanted to see if the astrologer would be angry or if he were sincere toward him. He knew that there was no need to continue testing the old man.
The young astrologer looked at Watson with a helpless and gentle gaze. “Antonio.”
“What?”
“Don’t call me Lord Astrologer; call me Antonio.”
Antonio rubbed the corners of his eyes, and his fingertips were a little wet. “Antonio is my real name. It’s too strange to have you call me Lord Astrologer. Just like how you sincerely regarded me as your master, Watson, you are also the most outstanding disciple I have taught in my life. There was no one better than you in the past, and I don’t think there will be any in the future.”
In the beginning, he had only taken Watson as his disciple because of his talent, and he saw a shadow of someone else in Watson. However, his heart was touched when he heard Watson’s words.
It turned out that Watson had given him some serious considerations. He did not give the astrologer the Wish for the World ring because he wanted to help the astrologer regain his youth.
He had never been married or had children, but he felt that his children would look like Watson. He did not know if it was because he was old, but Antonio felt like crying.
“I understand. Lord… Master Antonio.” Watson nodded. “Since you have become young again, can I continue to use your lifespan to replenish those broken rings, Master? After all, to restore your lifespan, two of the rings on my hand are now broken.”
Restoring Antonio’s lifespan took only ten rings, and his lifespan could create 20 rings. That was consistent with the input-output of a relations.h.i.+p. There would be more things as long as it was continuously depleted.
“You little b*stard, I was moved for nothing. So, helping me restore my youth was not a gift at all, but rather, you wanted to use more of my lifespan! Do you know that repeatedly using up one’s life is the cruelest punishment in the world? Are you trying to torture me to death?”
Antonio frowned and glared at Watson. However, his anger was not enough. As soon as he finished speaking, he and Watson looked at each other and laughed simultaneously.
Sylvan stood in the distance and watched that scene. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he moved his lips and did not say anything. His eyes flickered with envy.
When he and Antonio had become master and disciple, they had always maintained a respectful relations.h.i.+p. Even though Antonio was very good to him, he could still feel the distance. It was nothing like what Antonio and Watson had—a noisy but good relations.h.i.+p.
Perhaps Antonio did not want a disciple who was respectful to him. Instead, he wanted a family member who would stand up and criticize him when he was wrong, accompany him when he was sad, and occasionally act coquettishly with him to ask for benefits.
That was the difference between him and Watson, and it was also the reason Antonio’s att.i.tude toward the two of them was completely different.
Crack!
Sylvan was still lamenting when a shattering sound caught his attention. He turned around and saw a force had shaken the shattered pieces of the Dragonspine Snow Mountain. Then something rustled from within the mountain. It was as if something terrifying was about to burst out of it.