Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Black Death Demon and the Obsidian Minotaur Statues
In the barren wilderness of the secret realm, Orr the Guardian chuckled after hearing Su Nan's recounting.
"True enough," Orr said. "Su Nan, if you wish to undertake Inner Zen, you must be wary of one thing—the Black Death Demon."
Su Nan raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
Orr explained, "It's a creature born from an accident over two thousand years ago. Allegedly, a high-ring wizard was conducting an experiment that went awry, resulting in the creation of this monster.
"This creature was highly destructive to wizards, especially wizard apprentices. The Gray Soil Cemetery's wizards eventually abandoned the land rather than deal with the Black Death Demon, leaving the problem behind."
Su Nan immediately understood the implication. "Are you saying that this creature might attack me during my Inner Zen process?"
"Does it have some specific motive? Orr, have you seen the Black Death Demon yourself?"
Orr shook his head, his tone reverent. "I'm hardly qualified to witness such a thing. I only know what the wizards of old discussed. The Black Death Demon is a being of the Idealistic World, a realm of conceptual existence."
"It thrives within the mind but can also manifest in the secret realm. As the saying goes, anything that can no longer survive can always escape into the secret realm. It's like a giant trash heap."
"But the Black Death Demon is uncontrollable and has become a phenomenon in its own right. It thrives on confusion and anxiety while despising resolve and purpose. During the Inner Zen process, when apprentices often experience intense confusion and doubt, their emotions act as a beacon for the Black Death Demon, like a lighthouse in the dark."
"However, if you remain resolute, it will disdain you and leave."
"I don't know if the Black Death Demon still exists after two thousand years, but if constructs like myself can persist, it likely remains as well."
Su Nan nodded. The land seemed riddled with unresolved remnants of the past.
Learning magic here came with additional challenges, but leaving was not an option for him now, so Su Nan accepted the risk.
Reflecting on Orr's description, Su Nan theorized, The Black Death Demon must be a being of the Idealistic World, fundamentally distinct from creatures of the Material World or the Energetic World.
From my research, creatures of the Energetic World counter those of the Idealistic World, while Idealistic magic often suppresses Material World entities.
Of course, power levels matter. Even with an advantage, the gap may be insurmountable.
"The Death Knight Potion, which blends magical and energetic traits, could prove vital. I should prepare several before embarking on Inner Zen, just in case."
Despite the growing number of factions eyeing the wizard relic in his territory, and the risk of attracting the Black Death Demon during Inner Zen, Su Nan wasn't overly concerned.
His werewolf army provided a robust line of defense, capable of repelling most threats even if Su Nan himself were occupied. Furthermore, Warwick, his most reliable servant, could manage the situation in his absence.
This was the advantage of not fighting alone.
After finishing his discussion with Orr, Su Nan exited the secret realm.
On the last day of the second month of Spring, Year 58 in the Storm Kingdom, Su Nan's Mental Power had already reached 19.9. A few more days of consuming Enhanced Mental Potion (+2) would push him past the threshold of 20.
At this point, Su Nan almost wished for the cultists' bloodline warlocks to attempt assassinating him.
He even ordered his werewolves to raid several nearby cultist outposts, hoping to provoke the warlocks into action so he could extract their bloodline essence and refine it into potions to directly boost his Mental Power. Unfortunately, none had been captured so far.
Sometimes, Su Nan thought, Even if I acquired a proper wizard's inheritance and meditation method, I might still choose not to train conventionally.
Using potions to boost Mental Power is just too satisfying.
Over the past week, two three-eyed obsidian minotaur statues had been erected at the gates of the Peter family castle.
The three-eyed design was a sculptural style currently trending in the Boot Peninsula.
Solon believed the addition of a third eye enhanced the statues' barbaric and muscular aesthetic.
Su Nan, on the other hand, thought, Having two three-eyed statues at the gates might irritate that little b*** Blind Nun. That alone makes it worthwhile.*
Secretly, Su Nan had also infused the statues with the Sacrificial Stone: Obsidian Idol Potion.
The Sacrificial Stone Potions followed similar principles but differed in their focus. For instance, the Gargoyle Potion sacrificed some strength-enhancing materials to include wind-magic-infused components derived from cultist remains, making the gargoyles lighter and more agile.
The Sacrificial Stone Idol Potion, however, prioritized defense and strength.
The obsidian idol potions took advantage of obsidian's ability to absorb magical energy. As a result, the two obsidian minotaurs started with base stats of 1/1/1. However, when subjected to sustained magical attacks, their stats could rapidly increase and remain elevated for extended periods.
The AI estimated their stat caps to be 10/10/10.
In practice, achieving this peak was impossible with the current magical resources of the territory. The conversion efficiency of the obsidian idol potion was simply too low, requiring future upgrades to the formula.
For now, the statues served well as magical absorbers.
The obsidian idols could also absorb the energy of warlocks and energetic beings.
Gazing at the minotaur statues flanking his gates, Su Nan pondered, How can I ensure enemies only use magic to attack these statues?
If that could be arranged, it would be perfect.
Never mind. My current magical capabilities might not solve this problem, but perhaps I'll stumble upon a solution later.
Turning to his servant Robert, Su Nan said, "Prepare the carriage. I'm visiting the cemetery today."
Robert asked curiously, "My lord, is this related to your new potions?"
Su Nan nodded slightly.
The Death Knight Potion formula was complete, and the preliminary preparation was done. However, the final process was complex.
The Death Knight Potion was not meant to be consumed directly, nor was it designed to grant life to inanimate objects.
Instead, the potion was poured over the bone of a deceased warrior (even a common soldier), provided the individual had died within the last three months. When the potion
was shattered, it would summon a Death Knight.
Essentially, this was a potion for the dead.
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