CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 41 DIVINE ARTIFACT SHARDS AND NEW MISSION (TWO IN ONE 4K)_2

Upon learning that the Enlightenment bloodline only consumes a certain amount of energy, Lin Ke felt relieved.

By then, he thought Ove could help with the Enlightenment bloodline. At worst, he would just have to pay for it.

During their conversation, Lin Ke accidentally brought up the matter of the ugly "fish people root" at today’s auction...

"What? Fish people root?!"

Ove was so surprised that he stood up suddenly, "Has it been eaten by that Baron Puxin just now?"

He had thought that the baron’s name was Puxin all this time.

"Probably, but what exactly is it, Teacher?" Lin Ke was very curious.

Even Ove, who was at level nineteen, was so shocked. What exactly was it?

"Well... you know the fish people are a ferocious and stupid inferior race, right?"

Ove explained, and Lin Ke nodded, indicating he understood.

Ove continued to elucidate.

Simply put, fish people are considered an inferior and brainless race, at least in Ove’s understanding.

This kind of race had long been extinct in Naseng, and it seemed nobody found a second one even in the Endless Plane. Of course, it might have been hidden by someone.

Originally, this was nothing unusual since new races are born in this world all the time, just like the Deep Blue Giant Tiger tribe before.

And races perish in history all the time, like the fish people, kobolds, and wild boar-men.

But then one day, an almost-starving adventurer gained a stronger talent after eating a certain plant root in the fish people ruins.

After investigation, experiments, and selling the information, all of Naseng was in an uproar.

Talent means easier advancement, better element capture during meditation, and bloodlines being able to accommodate more elements during a single meditation session until "full".

And the fish people root seemed to greatly enhance talent.

Though Naseng had things that could enhance talent, they were extremely precious and their effects were difficult to stack.

For instance, eating a legendary Chia Fruit works only the first time in one’s life, boosting talent by one or two levels.

However, the talent-enhancing effect of the fish people root... was infinitely stackable!

"That Prince of Stars, his parents exchanged immense resources to obtain a large amount of fish people roots, almost emptying out Naseng and other planes of them, so that the prince had Andrew-level talent."

Ove sighed with emotion, "It’d be great if the fish people root still existed. You could eat it too, and enhance your talent."

The Prince of Stars was the second, or rather the first, Andrew-level talent holder in the Endless Plane, since Andrew’s own talent was unknown.

In Ove’s memory, Lin Ke’s talent wasn’t Andrew-level, as he had sealed his own memory to protect Lin Ke.

Lin Ke was aware of this and said nothing.

Yet hearing this, he felt a little wistful.

It was surprising that something from the long-extinct fish people could enhance human talent, something nobody anticipated.

But this also proved the majesty of nature.

Listening to Ove’s introduction, Lin Ke couldn’t help but think of how Ove treated him.

The concern Ove showed him was genuine.

Humans are social creatures, societal animals.

Ove had been alone for many years, and now with Lin Ke as his pupil, he truly cared for him deeply.

If that’s the case...

Lin Ke pondered, and after some thought, he reached into his pocket and took out a rotten wood piece.

"What’s wrong, Little Lin Ke?" Ove was puzzled.

"Teacher, this afternoon during meditation, I discovered a large green element..." Lin Ke began to share his judgment and hypotheses.

After Lin Ke finished, Ove took the rotten wood piece, carefully observed it, and then closed his eyes to enter a state of meditation.

After a while, Ove opened his eyes and nodded slightly, "There certainly is an element..."

Then Ove stroked the wood piece and retrieved his Thunder Staff from his Space Ring.

Electric currents began to zip around him, and he brought the gemstone at the Thunder Staff’s tip close to the wood piece.

"Buzz..."

The gemstone emitted a faint purple glow.

The rotten wood piece also emitted a cyan light, as if resonating with it.

However, it was apparent that the glow from the Thunder Staff’s gemstone was being suppressed by the rotten wood piece.

Suppressed?

Lin Ke looked at Ove.

"Yes, it seems this is indeed an item above level twenty-one, and from my perception, it should be a Divine Artifact rather than a fragment of a Legendary Weapon." At this, Ove also put away the Thunder Staff, and the electric currents around him subsided.

He returned the rotten wood piece to Lin Ke, then explained, "The owner of this Divine Artifact should be some deity of Naseng, but for some reason, this rotten wood piece has already become ownerless."

While speaking, Ove chuckled, "This wood piece is very beneficial to you, and it seems this wood piece’s appearance isn’t its original form. Perhaps over time, as it absorbs your aura and recognizes you as its master, it will change its form again."

"A Divine Artifact of some deity, already ownerless? And this isn’t its final form?" Lin Ke mused internally.

They were passing through this forest, precisely near where they’d encountered the Deep Blue Giant Tiger before.

Thinking about it, he’d completed two tasks here already!

Besides...

The King of Gods back then, could it be Him? Lin Ke speculated internally that this Divine Artifact fragment might be the relic of that old man.

It’s crucial to know that Azanen is an extremely remote border, located in the southernmost part of the Gula Kingdom.

According to the information Lin Ke gathered, many gods and legends should be congregated in the kingdom’s central area, rarely seen, or not at all, in rural areas like this.

Consider the fact that even a Baron Puxin was already the apparent overlord of Parrot City.

So, Lin Ke surmised that this rotten wood piece must be a Divine Artifact of the King of Gods.

Based on his previous encounter with the King of Gods, this rotten wood piece might be a remnant lost when the King of Gods fought with some powerful entity and got shattered.

A relic of the King of Gods!

Lin Ke couldn’t help but clutch the rotten wood piece tightly, then loosen his grip, looking at Ove, "Teacher, does this Divine Artifact fragment help you?"

Lin Ke handed the rotten wood piece over with clear eyes.

Ove looked into Lin Ke’s eyes and suddenly smiled benevolently, "This wood piece is of greatest help to you. You keep it."

He gently pushed Lin Ke’s hand back to hold the wood piece and then in an informative tone said, "A Divine Artifact is just an object nurtured by deities. A deity nurtures it based on their divine aura, and that becomes a Divine Artifact."

"Teacher..." Lin Ke gripped the wood piece tightly.

"However, a deity’s bloodline doesn’t necessarily align with their divine role, whereas a legendary weapon perfectly aligns with the bloodline and profession of a legend." Ove showed a trace of pride:

"Those who walk the path of legend ultimately do not need to emulate the power of deities. Our power comes from within us, unlike the deities... merely parasites of the rules."

Parasites of the rules... Power coming from within...

Lin Ke pondered Ove’s words, gaining a vague understanding of the path of legends versus that of deities.

However, he remained unbiased; his teacher Ove, who walked the path of legend, might subconsciously belittle those on the deity path.

Therefore, in matters like these, Lin Ke chose to remain objective and not jump to conclusions.

"Teacher, what about your Thunder Staff..." Lin Ke was curious about Ove’s artifact.

Ove chuckled and patted Lin Ke’s head, "My Thunder Staff can be considered a level nineteen artifact! In a while, I’ll prepare a gift for you, and by then you can gradually upgrade it!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Ke became filled with anticipation, "Okay, Teacher!"

Then, the two began discussing what kind of equipment to choose in the future.

Thinking of all kinds of swords, spears, sticks, Lin Ke decided not to choose any.

The real world isn’t just about fighting and killing as in novels.

War and battles are always extensions of interests.

When interests align, many times conflict can be avoided.

However, after a long discussion, Lin Ke still couldn’t decide what he wanted, having to wait and see later.

As time passed, they drew near Azaenn Castle.