Warlock Apprentice

Demon Flower Sprite is actually a type of Flower Demon. Despite its name carrying ”demon,” it actually has nothing to do with the demons from the Abyss.

They are born from a carnivorous flower of evil and use manipulation of desire and illusions to lure mortals into becoming fertilizer for the evil flower.

The mortals who fortunately escaped their grasp described them as man-eating demons to the outside world, thus giving rise to the name ”Demon Flower Sprite.”

Because this kind of Flower Demon is innately capable of controlling desire and emotions, and they are a type of fantastical creature that can form Demon Bloodstones. If the material for Destiny’s Boiling Tune were Demon Flower Sprite Demon Bloodstone, it could definitely enhance Sharley’s talent.

At this moment, Greya also reacted: ”Demon Flower Sprite Demon Bloodstone does indeed complement Sharley’s abilities. However, Demon Flower Sprites have always been rare, and finding their Demon Bloodstone won’t be easy, right?”

Angel: ”Although it won’t be easy to find, it’s at least better than aimlessly wandering in circles. Moreover, this is the Sky Mechanical City—things difficult to find out there might not be so hard to find here.”

If worse comes to worst, he could leverage his privileges to check out the inventory in the Research and Development Institute.

Greya, not having seen any tangible results yet, was still somewhat skeptical of Angel’s experiment. But in the end, it was a path forward, and she nodded: ”Alright, then give it a try. Candy House has some connections in the Sky Mechanical City; I can help you inquire about it.”

Though Greya was still not entirely convinced, Angel himself was well aware that if Sharley could truly suppress Toby’s emotional spikes through Destiny’s Boiling Tune, then this plan would undoubtedly be feasible.

Toby’s greatest difficulty in facing his tribulation was actually his lack of understanding regarding Extreme Resentment Thoughts. It was the danger stemming from this unknown that posed the greatest threat. If the House of the Heart could turn this unknown into the known, then half the battle would already be won.

If they could undergo a few more trials, they could glean insights from each failure. By then, even if Extreme Resentment Thoughts were overwhelming, Toby would be able to face them calmly!

At this thought, Angel couldn’t help but glance at Sharley.

The seemingly insurmountable impasse he had faced earlier turned out to have a sudden resolution, and Sharley was the pivotal factor in this turnaround. This reminded Angel of the moment he met Sharley not long ago. At that time, upon learning of her ability to perceive emotions, he had an inexplicable premonition that Sharley might be useful to Toby.

Facts have proven that his premonition was entirely correct.

Without Sharley, his conceptual plan likely wouldn’t have been so easily realized.

”My earlier promise remains unchanged; if your efforts help restore Toby, I will gift you something that suits you perfectly.” Angel said to Sharley again.

Sharley’s eyes curved into a smile: ”I can’t wait to find out what gift Lord Pat refers to.”

”That depends on whether you can ultimately suppress Toby’s emotions.”

...

Once they finalized the plan, each of them began their tasks.

Greya went to reach out through Candy House’s connections, while Angel left the estate to head to Nail Alchemy House to search for relevant demonic materials.

The crowd in the Sky Mechanical City was noticeably much smaller than it had been a few days ago. It was clear that after the New Star competition, many apprentices lingering in the city had departed. Nevertheless, even though the number of people had decreased, the lively atmosphere hadn’t faded. The city was still steeped in the excitement of the competition.

This mood had even spilled over into Nail Alchemy House.

On the first-floor hall of Nail Alchemy House, where alchemy apprentices would usually share their ideas, Angel found that they weren’t discussing anything related to alchemy anymore. Instead, all the chatter focused on amusing details about the New Star competition, contestant strength comparisons, or speculation about future moves of certain standout competitors.

The New Star competition was, after all, a rare grand event. Angel speculated that this atmosphere wouldn’t easily diminish in the short term.

Angel paid no attention to the gossiping apprentices and headed straight for the counter.

Since Nail Granny had left for the Ancient Asia World, the counter’s attendant had been replaced by a Fragrant Wood Puppet—Niha.

Having used the Disguise Technique to alter his appearance slightly, Angel was not recognized by Niha, who greeted him with a calm tone: ”What does the customer need?”

Angel listed out all the materials he required in one go.

Most of these materials were intended for crafting an alchemy platform to support the ”Destiny’s Boiling Tune” Magical Energy Array.

Niha: ”Arcane Platinum, Mystical Chased Silver, Star Goldstone fallen into Ancient Frost...We have these in stock. However, I’m sorry, we don’t have Demon Flower Sprite Demon Bloodstone.”

Although Angel had expected this, hearing Niha confirm it still left him a bit disappointed.

”Do you know anywhere selling Demon Flower Sprite Demon Bloodstone?” Angel asked.

Niha paused: ”I don’t know.”

Niha’s hesitation was apparent, and suspicion flickered in Angel’s eyes. After a moment of thought, he handed over his identity card to Niha: ”And now? Do you know a place where Demon Flower Sprite Demon Bloodstone can be found?”

Upon seeing the identity card indicating Angel’s credentials, Niha’s expression instantly shifted. Its demeanor became respectful, and its tone turned deferential: ”I do have some information, but currently I cannot confirm it. However, I can help inquire for you, esteemed guest.”

With Angel’s approval, Niha retreated into a private chamber, seemingly to investigate further.

With Niha temporarily away, Angel found himself idle, so he began listening in on the apprentices’ gossip about the New Star competition.

The gossip mostly revolved around dramas of love and hate and heated verbal battles between fans and detractors. Among the loudest were those admiring Phantasm Deer and fans of Onassis, who were arguing vehemently, their voices drawing the attention of everyone present.

Angel found it rather dull to listen, as the main contestants had no direct conflicts, yet their admirers were embroiled in feuds.

Besides these irrelevant stories, Angel also picked up some information about Qi Li and Jiebo.

Due to the flooding incident at Fragrant Plaza, Qi Li and Jiebo were currently caught in the storm of public opinion. Through the apprentices’ discussions, Angel learned about the aftermath of the incident.

The compensation was reportedly settled, but the anger of the Fragrance Alchemists hadn’t subsided.

Qi Li and Jiebo were placed on the Fragrance Alchemists’ blacklist. Until the blacklist was lifted, they would find it difficult to purchase fragrances again.

What amazed the apprentices was how quickly the incident had escalated. Not only did it stir outrage within the perfume community, but the entire alchemy circle had initially been up in arms. Most believed Qi Li and Jiebo would eventually face a complete boycott by the alchemy community. But surprisingly, the repercussions ended up being limited to the fragrance circle, and the blacklist turned out to be not very strict—enforced only on the surface, with little restraint behind the scenes.

This seemingly harsh punishment was, in reality, just a slap on the wrist.

Such an odd shift in direction puzzled many apprentices. Speculation ran wild: did someone pull strings behind the scenes to suppress the matter? But who could possess such immense influence?

Unbeknownst to them, the very person they were speculating about was quietly eavesdropping from the sidelines.