CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 58 STONE

"Selling stones?" Kuyi Tulan frowned.

"Hmm, this is new. Recently, someone started peddling these things, which surprised us!" Elder Rostellum stood respectfully beside the Chief of the Alchemy Workshop. When he heard this seemingly inconsequential news from Aliusan, a Politician’s Sound Sensing Skill mysteriously activated in his mind. Disregarding the risk of offending Mayor Babasha by reporting out of rank, he went straight to Kuyi Tulan.

This sensation was strange. Rostellum genuinely hadn’t intended to come here, yet his body had moved involuntarily to stand before Kuyi Tulan.

"I’ve never heard that Gaga County is rich in ores," Kuyi Tulan said lightly.

If anyone else had said this, Elder Rostellum might have been discontented and retorted (even though it was a fact). However, this statement came from an Alchemist, a member of a profession that deals with ores day in and day out. Even if Rostellum was discontented, he couldn’t find any reasonable grounds for rebuttal, especially since the speaker was the chief of the Imperial Alchemy Workshop.

"Indeed, indeed. While Gaga County does have Guru Mountain, it truly hasn’t produced any ores." The humility Elder Rostellum displayed made Aliusan, who was nearby, very uncomfortable. The usually arrogant Rostellum actually had such a side to him!

"So, what you’re here for is..." Kuyi Tulan clearly didn’t understand the purpose of Rostellum’s visit this time.

"Sir, as the chief of the Alchemy Workshop, you are undoubtedly knowledgeable and experienced. You must know a thing or two about the peculiarity of this stone." Rostellum’s political instincts kicked in again. At this moment, he finally understood why he had to see Kuyi Tulan. His Sound Sensing Skill might have made him realize things a bit late, but at least it hadn’t led him astray.

Aliusan, standing to the side, now understood Elder Rostellum’s intention: he wanted to find out the reason behind this and get a piece of the pie. This Rostellum was truly an opportunist; as long as there was a profitable deal, he wanted in. Thinking about this, Aliusan suddenly felt that his earlier idea of opening a pleasure den seemed a bit low-class in comparison.

"How do you need my help in this matter?" Kuyi Tulan looked at Rostellum, neither refusing nor accepting.

Rostellum had a naturally sleazy appearance. His flared mustache curled upwards, and his goatee drooped, making him look like a scheming wizard constantly harboring devious plots.

"Sir, with your status, we are only fit to hold your boots. How could we possibly impose on you for help? You merely need to spare a moment to look at this stone."

"Oh?" Kuyi Tulan wasn’t averse to this Politician, despite his rather sleazy appearance. "You brought the stone with you."

"Indeed, indeed. Guru Mountain is full of such stones. My eye isn’t very discerning, and I can’t see anything special about it. I hope you can enlighten me." After Rostellum finished speaking, he glanced at the limping Aliusan beside him. The latter hastily hobbled forward and presented a stone.

The stone was exceedingly ordinary, with no special features—just the kind one might randomly pick up on a mountain.

Kuyi Tulan took the stone and inspected it. An ordinary stone with no special characteristics. Kuyi Tulan’s first impression was that this stone didn’t even have many impurities. Alchemists often require ores for refining materials. They can extract rare elements from these ores. Thus, as soon as a stone reaches an Alchemist’s hands, its worth can be quickly evaluated.

"This stone has no value." Kuyi Tulan examined it for a moment before looking up at Rostellum. "No mineral components. I can’t even sense impurities. It’s pure limestone."

"Err..." Rostellum didn’t know what to say.

"Strange. If it’s worthless, why would anyone peddle it?" Aliusan blurted out, frank as ever.

The Alchemists’ skill for perceiving Spirit Power is called the Substance Sensing Skill. This Substance Sensing Skill is quite different from the Spirit Sensing Skills of other professions. Alchemists can use their Substance Sensing Skill on objects with no Spirit Power. They categorize all things into two types: Spirit Items and Dead Objects.

So-called Spirit Items are objects that Alchemists believe can be used as materials for an Exchange Spell. Alchemists can use the Substance Sensing Skill on these types of objects.

Dead Objects, on the other hand, are considered by Alchemists to have no use in an Exchange Spell. These objects can neither serve as a medium for an Exchange Spell, nor can the Substance Sensing Skill be used on them.

Kuyi Tulan attempted to use his Substance Sensing Skill on this stone, and then he understood why he couldn’t detect any impurities. This stone was a Dead Object, thoroughly worthless.

"This stone is a Dead Object," Kuyi Tulan truthfully informed Rostellum and Aliusan of his finding.

"A Dead Object!" Rostellum obviously couldn’t believe it. He understood the meaning of ’Dead Object’ very clearly.

These Treasure Hunters had dug up a pile of Dead Objects from the mountain, and yet someone actually wanted to peddle them! How incredibly illogical!

Kuyi Tulan, however, frowned again. What he cared about wasn’t the selling of stones, but the factors behind this Dead Object’s formation.

Generally, Dead Objects only appear in completely lifeless places. ’Complete lifelessness’ refers to areas with absolutely no Living Beings and no Spirit Power. Such places are very rare. On the Yowein Continent, only battlefields that have recently experienced great slaughter have a chance to become completely lifeless.

Since this stone was a Dead Object, it implied that Guru Mountain itself was a completely lifeless place. The mountain would be a dead mountain, the trees dead trees, with no Spirit Power to speak of. However, Guru Mountain looked lush and green, showing no trace of such lifelessness.

Kuyi Tulan fell into deep thought. In that instant, he felt that the sleazy-looking Rostellum had provided a very valuable piece of information. His impression of this Politician immediately improved somewhat.

「Meanwhile, Milo and other Alchemists of the Golden Seats walked into Lubin Tavern. They had important matters to discuss with the Chief.」

When Rostellum saw the Alchemists from the Alchemy Workshop approaching in unison, he knew something was amiss and immediately considered retreating. He pulled Aliusan along and hastily bid Kuyi Tulan farewell. He certainly didn’t want to be a third wheel while others were discussing important matters.

"Chief!" Milo and the others bowed in unison.

"Encountered difficulties?" Seeing several Alchemists returning at once, Kuyi Tulan guessed their plan must have hit a snag.

"The Heaven and Earth Bind Array was disturbed and could not be successfully deployed," Milo recounted the minor setback in detail.

"The people who can disturb an Alchemy Array wouldn’t be outsiders. It seems we’re close this time. The Black Crow’s information is quite reliable."

"What should we do now?" Milo always disliked beating around the bush.

"Before we discuss our next course of action, all of you take a look at this first." Kuyi Tulan handed the stone to Milo.

After passing the stone around, Milo and the others were puzzled. What’s so interesting about a Dead Object!

"This stone is from Guru Mountain."

Kuyi Tulan’s statement stunned those from the Golden Seats. If the mountain is a place of complete lifelessness, how could anyone interfere with the Alchemists’ grand array?