Chapter 586: The Collapse of Natural Magic

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Digging a canal is no easy task.

However, the distance from Thorn Fortress to the seaside is less than a kilometer, and this section of the canal to the sea is relatively easy to dig. For this labor-intensive work, Liszt raised the basic wage again, adding an extra copper coin per day for each serf.

While the canal to the sea was being dug bit by bit, Fred Wellshaft, the master driller, led his drilling team to complete the excavation of the second well in Mushroom Town.

He was then reassigned to dig a well for Thorn Fortress.

There is no water source near Thorn Fortress, and water can only be fetched from Port Town. However, with the fortress now in use, the water demand for so many people cannot be met solely by fetching water from Port Town.

During the initial days of the project,

Liszt frequently visited the construction site to monitor progress, eagerly awaiting his named fortress. Of course, at this stage, only the peripheral facilities of the fortress were being built, and it would likely take more than half a year before the main building of Thorn Fortress was completed.

At least not until next year.

After visiting the site a few times and seeing little new progress, he gave up on this tedious inspection and focused on other busy tasks.

Acheronides's progress in decoding natural magic was accelerating, and most of the cultivation magic related to magical plant seeds had been largely deciphered. However, many details in the cultivation magic, written in Sun Script, lacked corresponding references, making it difficult to accurately describe, which stumped Acheronides.

She has now turned her attention to studying animal-related combat magic in Druid magic.

The latest breakthrough is the decoding of a book that primarily describes a structure of the Sun Children—the Sun Tower. According to the book, the Sun Tower draws power from the sun, thereby granting the entire city the power to grow. A city with a Sun Tower is known as a City of Light.

"Brother, the Sun Tower seems to be from a different system than Druid magic. Druid magic stems from chaotic magic power, while the Sun Tower utilizes the power of the sun... Brother once told me that the sun is a star, constantly emitting powerful light and heat."

"Correct," Liszt nodded.

He thought that the City of Light and the Sun Tower seemed to be harnessing solar energy? It is indeed fitting for the Sun Children to use solar energy, but mentioning solar energy raised some doubts: "Acheronides, do you think there is any connection between solar energy and light-attribute magic power?"

"Light-attribute magic power and solar energy?" Acheronides thought seriously for a moment before replying, "I believe they are similar but not identical. Light-attribute magic power is merely a type of magic power with sunlight-like properties, but it is still magic power, not actual sunlight."

"That's right, light-attribute magic power is just magic power," Liszt agreed deeply.

If sunlight were magic power, using Magic Eye would flood one's vision with magic aura, so sunlight is merely physical light. The Sun Children's use of the sun's power likely involves harnessing solar energy—using solar energy to accelerate plant growth.

He then asked, "Acheronides, can you decode the construction method of this Sun Tower?"

"Brother, there are too many specialized terms, and without corresponding Sun Script references, it's very difficult to decode," Acheronides said in frustration, as even a skilled cook can't prepare a meal without ingredients.

With only a few Sun Script books available and no 'dictionary,' Sun Script is especially complex.

It's truly challenging.

Liszt then asked, "What about the animal-related combat magic in Druid magic? How's your progress on that?" Those combat spells are essentially various Druid transformation magics, allowing one to turn into bears, eagles, leopards, and the like, and fight in these animal forms.

Acheronides shook her head, "Brother, I find it very challenging. In these transformation books, there's always mention of something related to the Sun Children's bloodline, but I can't find a suitable description... Without this, Druid transformation magic is impossible."

After Acheronides's explanation,

Liszt understood that the bloodline of the Sun Children holds a great secret, like a specific genetic code—no wonder those boxes and drift bottles could only be opened by Old Cobbler Phil, a descendant of the Sun, using his blood.

After realizing this,

Liszt completely abandoned his focus on natural magic, as it was useless without practical application. He couldn't help but say, "Acheronides, if you have time, continue researching natural magic, compile it into a book, and share it with the mages in the magic tower for further study, to see if there can be any new breakthroughs."

"Yeah," Acheronides remained enthusiastic. She wasn't sure of its usefulness, but the wonders of natural magic had given her great inspiration.

...

Natural magic shattered the hope of the territory quickly becoming wealthy.

Liszt adjusted his attitude and continued to carry out construction step by step. This month, the territory's income was fairly good. Besides the gold income from white liquor and glass, the addition of the Giant Kelp Magic Potion also led to a bountiful harvest of magic potions. Especially given the rapid growth rate of Giant Kelp, it could be harvested every twenty days.

As long as the main root of the Giant Kelp remained intact, it could keep growing, roughly ten centimeters daily.

Additionally, by purchasing some from outside, potion supply was essentially guaranteed.

The income from spirit bugs was decent as well.

The alfalfa spirit bug had already been bound, the lithops spirit bug had yet to emerge, and the two tulip spirit bugs were also healthy and growing, amounting to four spirit bugs.

Four spirit bugs in a month was a high yield for a viscount's territory.

Especially since there were two tulip bugs among them, which meant a large amount of magic potion would be produced.

So.

Time passed day by day, and in the blink of an eye, July had arrived.

After a week of intense work, the sea canal had been fully excavated, and Liszt personally took part in reinforcing the canal embankment. The Blizzard Beast Squad made a dramatic entrance, with rock spikes piercing out one by one on both sides of the embankment to fix the banks of the embankment.

Even the bottom of the canal was pierced by rock spikes one by one, and then the serfs smashed the rock spikes and laid them flat on the riverbed.

Basically, this sea canal could not be destroyed by a tsunami.

Now all that was left was the construction of the railings, greenery, and walkways on the riverbank, but this was no longer within the scope of the smoke mission.

"Mission completed, reward a Fish Fountain that gushes all year round."

"A gushing Fish Fountain, what does that mean?" Liszt was a bit confused, literally understanding "Fish Fountain" as a fountain that spouts fish.

But why would fish spout from a fountain?

This question did not trouble Liszt for long before it was replaced by the surprise brought by the new mission.

"Mission: Two new tulip bugs are about to arrive, bringing a great sense of crisis to another tulip bug whose lifespan is mostly over. It may have already foreseen that it is about to be submerged in mediocrity, although it has never been outstanding, it still hopes to make a final effort. Please encourage it. Reward: a spirit bug."

He couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile: "Another spirit bug!"