Chapter 81: Rising Troubles… Purchasing Array Materials

After cultivating for a while, Kranos decided to continue studying arrays. It would be perfect if he could start crafting Rank 3 arrays. Previously, if it hadn’t been for the Pause Array he’d carved, there was no way he would’ve escaped the academy. The importance of arrays couldn’t be underestimated.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have many array papers left. At that thought, Kranos frowned. He decided to wait for Leroy to return before asking if he could acquire Rank 3 array tools.

Kranos opened the Foundation of Arrays book. Since he was now far from the academy, he no longer worried about his location being tracked. Before long, he immersed himself completely in the study of arrays.

Time flew by, and before he realized it, Leroy was back. Hearing the door shut, Kranos walked out of his room and headed to the parlor to meet him.

He immediately asked, “What’s the update? Any auctions ongoing, or peculiar items available?”

Leroy shook his head. “There are no auctions for now. As for unique treasures, there are a few—but most are already sold, and the rest are outrageously priced.”

Kranos nodded, having already guessed as much. “Are there any array books available here?” he asked next.

Leroy’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re an Array Master?”

Kranos responded with a faint nod.

Leroy went quiet for a moment, clearly thinking, before speaking again. “There shouldn’t be any array books here, but array papers might be possible. This place is a major trading hub between humans and elves. The elves possess a wide range of knowledge, so getting your hands on a few array papers should be doable.”

After a brief pause, he added, “However, the price for those papers will likely be steep. They might even demand rare treasures in exchange.”

Kranos frowned again. It seemed getting his hands on array books would be more troublesome than expected. He sighed inwardly but ultimately decided to browse through whatever array papers the elves had. Who knows? They might contain the knowledge he needed to push his time arrays one step further.

After considering everything, he turned to Leroy. “Rest for the night. Tomorrow, we’ll head out and purchase some array materials.”

Since they might possess rare array language papers, Kranos assumed they would also have the other materials since they were not as rare.

With that, they both retired for the night. Kranos returned to his room to continue cultivating, while Leroy entered the room next to his. The house they’d purchased wasn’t extravagant, but it was comfortable enough for two cultivators to live in peace.

…

Outside Old Valarya…

A whooshing sound cut through the air as a large, bird-like demon descended from the sky. Three masked figures leapt down from its back.

Demule glanced around, then turned to the woman beside him. “Summon your demon to trace his aura. He should be nearby.”

The woman nodded and swiftly formed a series of hand seals, summoning the same demon as before—the one that could detect auras.

It resembled a humanoid dog. As soon as it materialized, its eyes gleamed as if sensing something. The summoner had already conveyed her intent to the beast, so without hesitation, it began scanning the area.

After a few minutes, the demon’s head snapped in a particular direction.

It was precisely where Kranos was.

Seeing this, Demule and the others’ eyes lit up with excitement. A smirk curled on Demule’s lips. “Looks like the prey is mine this time, Rose.”

With that they quickly stepped into the city, ready to strike. But just as they were on their way, a group of elder cultivators passed by heading in the direction of Kranos’ house. Sensing that they were far from being their match Demule and the others quickly gave up.

“The mission’s postponed until tomorrow,” he informed the others with a frown. Although he was clearly displeased, he knew there was nothing they could do. They could only wait patiently. Slowly their figures quietly dispersed into the shadows as they used a bizarre movement technique to find a place to stay for the night.

…

Meanwhile, a few seconds after Demule and the others left, a place a few meters from where they were standing, a flash of light rippled in the air, and a familiar figure emerged.

“Senior Sister, you really love toying with people. We could’ve reached the city long before them, but you intentionally slowed down,” the young man said, exasperated.

The woman in front of him smiled playfully. “Demule may be clever, but he’s reckless. I can use that to my advantage. I want to see how the boy handles trouble. That way, I’ll know how to counter it later.”

The two men behind her nodded in silent understanding.

A moment later, their figures faded into the night and everything returned to calmness.

…

The next morning…

Golden sunlight streamed through the windows, and Kranos slowly opened his eyes, emerging from his deep meditation. He remained seated for a moment before standing and walking out of his room.

As soon as he walked out of his room and noticed Leroy standing not too far away, he was already dressed.

Since Kranos had changed into a casual outfit the moment they arrived in Old Valarya, there was no need to dress up again.

“Lead the way,” he said calmly.

The two quickly left the house. Leroy, familiar with the city, led them through winding streets for several hours until they arrived at an antique shop.

The shop was unusually luxurious, decorated with ornate embellishments. Kranos raised an eyebrow—this was more extravagant than he’d expected.

By his side, Leroy quickly introduced the shop. “This is Gravel’s Antique Shop. They specialize in all sorts of equipment—array papers, pens, alchemy tools, forging gear, and so on.”

As Leroy spoke, they slowly stepped into the shop. As they stepped inside, Kranos was taken aback. The first thing he noticed were the jewelry in the antique shop, he was stunned. For a moment, he wondered if they’d entered the wrong building.

Noticing his confusion, Leroy scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly. “It’s said that Gravel is obsessed with collecting unique jewelry. He puts them up for display.”

Kranos understood immediately.

What peculiar taste, he thought, shaking his head slightly. They walked deeper into the antique shop and soon encountered a…

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