206: Chapter 206 Applying Ointment, Constructing Equipment!

Lin Xiao went downstairs and rummaged through the boxes stacked in the corner of the meeting area, pulling out a special-effect ointment sealed in a seashell.

When he returned upstairs, Jiang Wanwan was supporting Wen Yiran as they came out of the bathroom.

Having rinsed her wound with warm water, Wen Yiran was now hunched over, walking like a penguin. Every step was cautious, making the others not know whether to laugh or cry.

Lin Xiao patted the mattress.

"Lie face down."

Wen Yiran obediently followed his instructions, kneeling on the bed before leaning her upper body forward, burying her face in the pillow.

Jiang Wanwan and Tian Xiwei stood to the side, watching curiously.

They looked exactly like interns crowding around a patient at a hospital.

Lin Xiao lifted the blanket covering Wen Yiran and wiped away the water droplets with a towel. The moment his fingertips lightly touched her, the girl's body jolted violently as if she had been electrocuted.

"Mm..."

She bit a corner of the quilt and let out a muffled groan.

"That's what you get for acting tough. Now look at you; for the next few days, you can only watch from the sidelines," Lin Xiao said with a hint of teasing in his voice.

"Waaaah..."

Wen Yiran was so frustrated she slapped the pillow repeatedly, her legs starting to kick wildly again.

But this time the movements were much smaller; she was clearly genuinely afraid of the pain.

Lin Xiao scooped out the sticky ointment from the shell with his finger.

The ointment was light green and carried a fresh scent of seaweed.

He lined up the angle and smeared it right on.

"So cold!"

Wen Yiran instantly arched her back like a startled shrimp.

Her back tensed into a graceful curve, her shoulder blades clearly visible.

The ointment took effect quickly.

"It hurts!"

Wen Yiran's voice changed pitch.

Her insteps were pulled taut, and her ten toes spread uncontrollably, trembling slightly.

Seeing Wen Yiran's violent reaction, Lin Xiao was about to stop applying the medicine.

"Does it hurt that much? How about I—"

Before he could finish, Wen Yiran, her head still buried in the quilt, replied muffledly.

"Don't stop..."

Her voice was even lower than before.

At the same time, a prompt appeared in Lin Xiao's vision.

[Wen Yiran's Desire Value +1↑]

Lin Xiao's gaze paused for a moment.

He glanced at the head buried in the quilt, and the curve of his lips became meaningful.

He continued applying the medicine.

His movements were lighter and slower than before.

Wen Yiran's back tensed even tighter.

As minutes passed, her smooth, pale back was covered in a layer of fine sweat, shimmering with a faint pearly luster under the light.

Her toes remained curled, never relaxing.

"All done. You just lie on the bed and rest today; you don't need to participate in the Black Tide matter."

Lin Xiao closed the shell containing the ointment and spoke in a calm tone.

Wen Yiran didn't answer.

She just took a deep breath, slowly straightened her legs, and lay on the mattress as if she had melted.

Fortunately, the territory had been expanded into two floors, with the more private living area upstairs.

Even if people were coming and going downstairs, it wouldn't affect the upstairs.

Otherwise, if someone saw her like this, she would probably die of embarrassment.

Lin Xiao stood up and looked at Jiang Wanwan and Tian Xiwei, who were watching the show from the side.

He shook the shell in his hand.

"Are you two injured?"

The two who were snickering immediately wiped the smiles off their faces and took a step back in unison.

Jiang Wanwan waved her hands repeatedly, her face showing a hint of surprise: "No need, we're fine. It's just a little swollen; it'll go down soon."

Tian Xiwei also nodded vigorously, her expression very serious.

True.

Lin Xiao nodded.

Wanwan and Xiao Tian's bodies were already sensitive, and they both took the normal routes.

Even if he maintained a high speed, they didn't need auxiliary items like coconut oil.

As for Wen Yiran...

Due to her 'relative' visiting, she could only take a detour.

This had led to the unexpected situation.

Lin Xiao helped Wen Yiran cover up with the quilt and turned to the washbasin to wash the ointment off his hands.

Then he sat at the dining table and ate a little something.

The corn porridge Jiang Wanwan made was very fragrant; with added coconut slices, it had a sweet and refreshing taste.

Tian Xiwei sliced a plate of Di Peoples Kingdom flavored snacks, along with some black-veined goji berries to replenish energy.

Lin Xiao ate until he was half full. While leaning against the table to rest, he looked at Tian Xiwei, who was nibbling on a small piece of corn.

"Xiao Tian, I need your help with something."

Tian Xiwei looked up, her cheeks bulging.

Lin Xiao took out the [fantasy potion - Seeking Knowledge] from his backpack and placed it on the table.

"I want you to try and see if you can duplicate this potion."

His thinking was simple.

If Xiao Tian could duplicate fantasy potions and the mental energy consumption was within an acceptable range, then he could try to fuse even higher-level fantasy potions.

What would be born if three [Seeking Knowledge] potions were fused?

Just thinking about it was exciting.

Tian Xiwei swallowed the corn in her mouth, wiped her hands, and cautiously took the potion.

She closed her eyes, holding the glass test tube filled with swirling gray-blue star-sand in both hands.

An invisible force surged from her palms, attempting to seep into the interior of the potion.

Then, that force was bounced back.

Tian Xiwei snapped her eyes open, a look of confusion appearing on her face.

"It won't work..."

She tried again.

This time, her brow furrowed tightly, and fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead.

It still didn't work.

"Brother Xiao, the moment my star emblem ability touches the potion, it gets reflected back by some kind of force."

She put down the potion, her expression a bit dejected. "I can't analyze it at all, let alone construct it."

Lin Xiao was somewhat surprised.

He picked up the potion and examined it before his eyes.

The gray-blue star-sand swirled slowly in the test tube like a miniature sea of stars.

The essence of a [fantasy potion] was purified and refined source essence.

source essence was a mysterious substance that touched the origin of the world.

The abilities granted by star emblems were, at most, a rewriting of the world's rules.

And the origin stood above all rules.

Unless Xiao Tian could continuously advance her star emblem and eventually become an Emanator of that Path, reaching a high rank.

"I see."

Lin Xiao placed the potion back on the table, understanding dawned on him.

Unable to help, Xiao Tian looked very guilty.

She lowered her head, her hands wringing together. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something but didn't know how.

"I'm sorry, Brother Xiao... I..."

Lin Xiao let out a light chuckle and reached out to rub her head.

"What's there to apologize for? It was just an experiment. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work."

His tone was casual, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

Tian Xiwei looked up into his eyes.

There was no disappointment or blame in those eyes.

Only a faint, reassuring certainty.

She bit her lip and plucked up the courage to continue: "You mentioned before that when I had free time, I should duplicate some set pieces and skill books..."

Tian Xiwei didn't want to disappoint Lin Xiao.

She took several pieces of equipment out of her backpack and placed them on the table.

They were pieces of the [vermilion scale flowing fire] set.

One was a fine silver ring, its surface engraved with continuous wave patterns and vine reliefs, with three silver leaves decorated with dark red enamel hanging from the clasp.

The other was an iris flower head-chain.

The silver chain was made of small oval links, with a hollowed-out iris flower suspended in the center.

The petals were layered, each edge carved with vein textures using micro-carving techniques, and a pigeon-blood ruby was embedded in the flower's heart.

"Since entering this sea, Brother Xiao, you've been constantly hunting Calamity Creaturess. As your teammate, I naturally share in the kills."

"Therefore, the darkness stacks of the [seal ring] have been rising," Tian Xiwei explained.

"Whenever I have time, I construct second-tier sets for Wen Yiran and myself. Currently, I've successfully duplicated two sets of [bayonetta]. Brother Xiao, you can use them to synthesize a third-tier set."

"As for [vermilion scale flowing fire]..."

Her voice dropped as she pointed to the equipment on the table. "I'm still missing the last four pieces—the anklets and the iris flower head-chains. In a few more days, or if Brother Xiao hunts another batch of Calamity Creaturess, I should be able to gather the full amount."

After speaking, she looked at Lin Xiao cautiously.