BXBX NOVEL Chapter 74: Master Bard
The once-vibrant earth below had turned an ashen, lifeless expanse, with desolation and death as the only prevailing themes of this forsaken world.
Countless grotesque and bizarre creatures, each more sinister and malevolent than the last, ceaselessly fixed their eerie gazes upon a singular point of light.
This faintly glowing beacon illuminated a figure that lay prone upon the ground, exuding an air of sanctity despite the chains wrapped tightly around her form, which hinted at her recent struggles.
This figure, unmistakably, was none other than the Goddess of Class Change, Janna!
At this moment, Janna's once elaborate and ornate divine robes were torn in many places, exposing her snow-white skin. Even the pink buds of her chest were faintly visible through the gaps, a sight of such beauty, yet there was no one to admire it.
Not far away, a figure nearly identical to Jeremy lay unconscious on the ground, similarly bound by chains.
Finally, after an indeterminate amount of time, a faint moan escaped from Janna's cherry lips, and her eyes fluttered open.
In that instant, two beams of divine light pierced through her gaze, akin to supreme swords, instantly tearing asunder the monstrous entities lurking in the sky.
A vast, oceanic aura erupted forth, causing even the undulating darkness to momentarily waver.
Alas, such a phenomenon was but a fleeting glimpse.
The next moment, a pained groan slipped from Janna's lips as she appeared to struggle to rise.
However, after a long moment, Janna couldn't even move a single finger.
Janna cursed angrily, "Damn the Fool! Damn the Magician! Two against one and you lock me in the Prison of All Souls, have you no shame! Just let me out, and I will make sure you pay dearly!"
After venting her anger, Janna noticed the boy who had dared to insult her statue lying not far from her.
She snorted coldly, intending to say something to "Jeremy," but the puppet seemed to reach its limit, emitting a barely audible cracking sound as its aura suddenly changed.
Janna's mouth opened slightly, staring intently at the puppet gradually revealing its true form, unable to believe that she, a dignified goddess, had been tricked by a mere mortal!
After a while, Janna's eyes reddened, her voice tinged with a hint of sobbing, "Even you are bullying me..."
...
Meanwhile, Jeremy finally stepped into Dawn City.
Upon entering Dawn City, Jeremy's eyes were immediately drawn to the absurdly wide streets teeming with a bustling crowd.
Contrary to his medieval expectations, the streets were impeccably clean, devoid of the ubiquitous filth he had anticipated.
Individuals, all neatly attired and brimming with vitality, moved back and forth in a constant stream.
However, these "people" were an assortment of bizarre creatures.
The half-beast, half-human hybrids were among the more conventional sights, Jeremy even spotted a Slime dressed in a business suit.
Lining both sides of the street were numerous shops with wooden signboards: tailor shops, bakeries, blacksmiths, herbalists--everything one could possibly need.
And, of course, the ubiquitous presence of various brothels was unmistakable.
On the main street, scantily clad beast-women openly solicited clients, making Heber a bit restless.
Despite their differences from male Sinners like Heber, these beast-women had only slight beastly features, with faces and figures more akin to humans.
To someone, the beast ears were the very charm of these exotic women.
Even Jeremy, with his discerning taste, found them intriguingly exotic.
But at this moment, Jeremy had little interest in exploring the differences between these beast-women and human women.
Inside the carriage, Bonnie's condition was worsening.
What started as a swollen ankle had now spread, swelling her entire left leg to three times its normal size.
Her face was turning a deeper shade of purple-black, and even her faint breaths carried a faintly sweet, metallic scent.
If not for Heber's extensive experience and the practical antidotes he carried, Bonnie wouldn't have lasted this long.
Knowing the urgency, Heber reluctantly tore his gaze away from a scantily clad beast-woman with small horns and ample, exposed skin.
Resolutely, he turned and led Jeremy toward a more secluded part of the city.
Along the way, Heber reassured Jeremy, "Bro, don't worry. Master Bard is a highly experienced alchemist. With that desert worm's gallbladder you have, this girl will be fine!"
Jeremy nodded in response but said nothing.
After navigating through a maze of twisting alleys, they finally arrived at a dilapidated house.
Above the door, a precariously hanging sign boldly read "Bard's Crucible Cottage."
However, it seemed that Bard, the esteemed alchemist, was not home today.
The equally dilapidated door was tightly shut, and no sound emanated from within.
Heber, seemingly accustomed to this scenario, ignored the firmly closed door and gave it a shove.
With a grating creak, the door swung open.
In the sunlight filtering through, Jeremy could see that the interior was cluttered with various sundries, leaving barely any room to step.
Heber motioned for Jeremy to follow, then proceeded to stride into the room.
Astonishingly, Heber's massive frame navigated through the cramped space with remarkable agility, not disturbing a single item as he made his way to the back of the house.
Jeremy wrinkled his brow as the damp, musty odor of decay wafted through the air. "Is there really a master alchemist living here?" he questioned.
In his mind, an alchemist of such high regard should be a distinguished guest in the homes of the elite, not residing in such a dilapidated place.
Shaking his head but placing his trust in Heber, Jeremy carefully stepped into the house, cradling Bonnie in his arms.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures." he muttered to himself.
As soon as Jeremy crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut with a resounding "thud."
Clearly, this seemingly shabby and untidy cottage held secrets yet to be revealed.
Following Heber's lead, Jeremy walked for a good ten minutes before they reached the end of the room.
Heber fiddled with something, and a hidden passageway suddenly appeared in the room.
Heber took the lead, entering the passageway, with Jeremy closely behind. Soon, they arrived at a spacious tunnel.
This was evidently the true residence of Master Alchemist Bard.
Heber knocked on the door and shouted, "Master Bard, we need help!"
Soon, an impatient voice came from within, "Come in, Heber."
Heber quickly led Jeremy inside.
Master Bard was in the first room at the tunnel's entrance.
As Bard pushed the door open, Jeremy saw a small, dwarf-like old man standing on a stool, stirring something in a huge cauldron.
Master Bard, with his white hair, was fervently working on a large pot of purple potion.
With each stir from Master Bard, a pungent odor spread through the air. As Heber was about to say something, the smell hit his nose and mouth directly.
Instantly, Heber's face turned pale, and he dropped to the ground, dry-heaving.
The smell was so overpowering it nearly knocked Heber out, and even Jeremy couldn't help but furrow his brows.
The odor... wasn't much different from socks that hadn't been washed in weeks.
Master Bard disdainfully glanced at Heber, who was kneeling and retching, and said dismissively, "Alright, alright, look at you. Just a mere aphrodisiac potion, and you can't handle it?"
Hearing this, Heber's eyes lit up. Ignoring his retching, he struggled to straighten up and said, "Master Bard, make sure to save me a few doses of that potion!"
Master Bard rolled his eyes and ignored Heber.
Then, Master Bard looked at Jeremy, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, "A new player?"
Jeremy nodded, "Yes, I'm the new player you mentioned."
Bard pondered, "To cross the Death Desert and find this place so quickly, you're quite something."
Jeremy didn't have time for pleasantries. Holding Bonnie, he said, "We can talk later. Master, please, I need you to make a high-level antidote."
Master Bard stroked his beard and said, "If Heber brought you here, you can't be bad."
"Alright, I'll make you a high-level antidote."
"But, while I have the other ingredients for the antidote, you'll need to find the main ingredient yourself."
After a moment, Master Bard looked at Bonnie, who was barely clinging to life, his expression softening with a touch of pity. "Unless you have the main ingredient with you right now, this girl won't make it."
To Master Bard's surprise, Jeremy showed no sign of panic. Instead, he reached into his spatial storage and retrieved an inner core that shimmered with a faint purple light.
Jeremy extended the desert worm's inner core in front of Master Bard and asked, "Master Bard, will this do?"
Seeing Jeremy effortlessly produce the main ingredient for a high-level antidote, Master Bard's eyes widened in surprise.
However, he didn't dwell on it. He simply took the desert worm's inner core and said, "It seems this girl's fate isn't sealed just yet."