themonasnovels Chapter 70 Old John's Farewell
Chapter 70 Old John's Farewell
Having done all this, he acted as if he had only accomplished a trivial task. He turned around and, under the watchful eyes of countless fearful and awe-inspiring gazes, calmly walked out of the Wild Boar Tavern.
A night breeze blew, carrying the coolness of the open fields outside the town.
Luo Lin's figure blended into the night as he walked towards the courtyard.
The tavern remained deathly silent for a long time before being broken by suppressed breathing and hushed conversations.
From that day on, everyone in Blackrock Town realized more clearly that the reclusive wizard, Rowling, would not tolerate any offense, not even from those who were even remotely connected to him.
Rowling returned to the laboratory and transferred the "materials" from the dimensional bag to a special sealing array for future experimental use.
He didn't visit Ellie; since she chose to keep it a secret, he pretended not to know.
But he knew that Ellie should understand something after this incident.
Some troubles she doesn't have to bear alone. And some boundaries are inviolable.
After dealing with those adventurers, Roland's life quickly returned to its usual peace.
After resting for seven or eight days, Ellie reappeared in the courtyard.
Her injuries had not fully healed, and her face was still somewhat pale, but her eyes were more determined than ever before, and she practiced even more diligently.
She didn't mention the conflict that day, and Rowling seemed to know nothing about it either. He only gave her two extra doses of more effective treatment potions after she practiced.
More than a month has passed in the routine of research and practice.
Rolin made some progress in deducing the talent spell model and successfully resolved the conflict between the two energy nodes.
The collection of spatial dust was also progressing steadily. He went to the edge of the Gobi Desert again, replaced the magic stone, and collected a few newly condensed dust particles.
Everything is progressing steadily in the planned direction.
That morning, Rowling had just finished a test on the impact of star power frequency on the stability of spell models when Old John came to report on the town's daily affairs as usual, bringing with him the resource allocation list for the month.
However, unlike in the past, after finishing his report, Old John did not respectfully take his leave as usual. Instead, he stood there with a complex and indescribable expression on his face, his lips moving slightly as if he had something he couldn't say.
Rowling put down his pen and looked at him:
"Is there anything else?"
Old John took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly:
"Lord Rolin... I... I've come to say goodbye."
"Farewell?"
Luo Lin's eyes flickered slightly.
Old John had been in Blackrock for over twenty years, handling all sorts of miscellaneous tasks. He was always diligent and conscientious, and was considered one of his most capable assistants in the area.
"Yes, sir."
"My term of office... or rather, my 'debt' has finally come to an end."
Old John looked up, a mixture of bitterness and relief on his face.
He paused for a moment, then began to explain the reason.
It turns out that when he was young, Old John was also a first-class apprentice at the Shadow Raven Tower. Due to his limited talent, he was stuck at a bottleneck for many years and could not be promoted.
In order to obtain cultivation resources and repay the contribution points he owed the academy, he chose to sign a long-term overseas service contract and be dispatched to remote strongholds such as Blackrock Town to handle general affairs, thereby offsetting his "debt".
This contract differs from the indenture signed by Aubrey; it is more like a long-term employment contract that stipulates the length of service.
During the service period, the college will provide basic resources and shelter. Upon completion of the service period, all debts will be settled and the individual will regain their freedom.
"I have been in Blackrock Town for twenty-three years."
"According to the contract, my service period will officially end at the beginning of next month. The academy has already sent a confirmation letter that my debts have been settled."
"I...I can leave now."
Old John sighed.
Rowling listened quietly.
He was not surprised by this; the academy did indeed have such mechanisms for lower-level apprentices to maintain the operation of the large system and absorb redundant manpower.
Old John's perseverance and determination in persisting for twenty-three years until the contract expired can be considered commendable.
"Congratulations."
"I said in a calm tone," Luo Lin said.
For old John, regaining his freedom was indeed something to celebrate.
"Thank you, sir."
"It has been an honor for me to serve under your command for more than twenty years."
"Sir, you are quite different from the others..."
Old John bowed again, his expression somewhat excited, referring to the fact that Rowling was not as demanding or difficult to serve as some wizards.
"What are your plans for the future?" Rowling asked.
A hint of anticipation appeared on Old John's face:
"I'm too old, there's no hope for promotion, and I don't have any great ambitions."
"Over the years, I've saved up some money."
"I plan to leave Black Rock Town and go back to my hometown, a small city in the south, to open a general store with my savings and live a stable life."
This is a dream he has suppressed for more than 20 years.
A very ordinary, yet very real wish.
Rowling nodded. For a first-rate apprentice like Old John, this was perhaps the best outcome.
"Before I leave, I have something I would like to offer you as a token of my gratitude, and also... as a final farewell to the past."
As he spoke, Old John took out a leather notebook that looked quite old from his pocket, as well as a small box about the size of a palm, tightly wrapped in oilcloth.
He presented the notebook and the small box with both hands.
"This notebook contains scattered notes I've made over the past twenty years in the Blackrock Town and Windwhisper Plains area, including some observations, anecdotes, resource point information, and some low-level potion preparation tips that I've figured out myself. Although it's rough, it might be of some reference value to you, sir, in understanding this area."
Old John was explaining the notebook.
"As for this box..."
He carefully opened the tarpaulin, revealing a small, well-sealed metal box inside.
He opened the metal box, inside which was lined with soft velvet. On the velvet lay a strange stone, about the size of an egg, irregularly shaped, dark red in color, with what appeared to be slowly flowing lava on its surface.
A surge of pure and scorching fire-attribute energy instantly filled the laboratory.
"This is……"
Rowling's gaze was instantly drawn to the stone.
Although this energy fluctuation wasn't particularly powerful, its purity and restrained heat were far superior to ordinary fire-type magic stones.
"This is a fragment of Molten Core."
"I discovered it by chance deep within a collapsed vein during an exploration of an abandoned mine deep in the Black Rock Mountains when I was young."
"I almost lost my life because of this."
"It contains extremely pure fire elemental energy, which is said to be helpful for fire-based wizards in their cultivation or in the concoction of certain special potions."
"But I am naturally inclined towards earth, so this thing is useless to me. Keeping it around might actually bring me trouble."
"I've kept it hidden all these years and never dared to take it out."
"Now that I am leaving, this thing is of no use to me. I offer it to you, sir, so that it may be put to good use."
Old John said, his eyes filled with a mixture of memories and complex emotions.
Molten Core!
Luo Lin was shaken.
Although this is only a fragment and not the complete Heart of Elements, its essence is already very close!
This is one of the three key materials he needs to construct his innate spells: the fire variant of the Heart of Elements.
Although the properties did not completely match his expectations, their essence as elemental hearts was the same, making them extremely valuable for research and even potential as substitutes or auxiliary materials.
This is definitely a very generous gift!
It far exceeds the value of old John's notes.
Looking at Old John's face, which held both sincerity and a hint of relief, Rowling understood that this gift was not merely a token of gratitude, but also a complete severing of Old John's past as a wizard.
By giving away this dangerous treasure, which was unrelated to his own path, he signifies that he has truly let go of his obsession with power and is ready to embrace an ordinary life.
Rowling accepted the notebook and the metal box containing the Molten Core fragments without hesitation.
He pondered for a moment, then took out three items from his dimensional bag.
A pale green potion, encased in a crystal tube, exuding a rich aura of life.
This is a [Intermediate Life Restoration Potion] he concocted using materials obtained from the secret realm, and its effects far surpass those of ordinary products on the market.
A small bag contains approximately fifty standard magic stones.
And a paper amulet he personally hand-painted, imbued with simple protective runes.
"Consider these a parting gift for you."
"Potions can save your life in critical moments, magic stones are enough for you to settle down, and amulets can withstand several low-level spells or physical attacks."
"The road back south is not peaceful."
Rowling handed three things to old John.
Old John's eyes instantly welled up with tears as he looked at the three valuable gifts before him, especially the intermediate-level life potion and the amulet hand-drawn by the wizard.
He hadn't expected Rowling to be so generous.
These things were a dream come true for an old apprentice like him, who was about to return to an ordinary life.
He took it with trembling hands, his voice choked with emotion:
"Thank you... thank you, sir!"
"John will never forget your kindness, sir!"
"Take care on your journey." Luo Lin waved his hand.