"Miss Lula specifically asked me to offer you the cost price: five hundred Divine Grace Coins each. How does that sound?"
"Thank you," Carl said. "Please thank Miss Lula for me."
"It's more sincere to thank her in person," Susan said, waving her hand. "Come on, let's check out today's highlight."
Carl's eyes lit up as he quickened his pace to follow.
The Water Monkey he had ordered wasn't the main purpose of this trip. This time, the Chamber of Commerce's sea voyage had been extremely rewarding. Among their gains was the capture and slaying of a Legendary Creature!
The two arrived at a courtyard protected by numerous guards. After the guards confirmed their identities, they were allowed entry.
Inside the courtyard, a gigantic lion with wings sprawled on the ground, a huge gash at its neck its fatal wound.
"A bird beloved by the heavens, a lion blessed by the Water God, a Legendary Creature said to possess Divine Blood," Susan said with awe. "The Gale-Winged Sky Lion!"
The Gale-Winged Sky Lion wasn't as large as the Transformation Serpent, but it was still over seven meters long and more than three meters tall. Its spread wings spanned over ten meters. Its carcass lay on the ground like a collapsed foothill—majestic and solid. Even in death, every inch of its muscle seemed to condense with endless power. In this regard, it far surpassed the Transformation Serpent!
The head of the Gale-Winged Sky Lion was enormous, with a broad and powerful nose. It was said that its every breath could cause violent vibrations in the air, and its bared fangs glinted with a cold light, inspiring awe and fear. Its dark golden fur was even more unique—noble and mysterious. No wonder legends said it was favored by the Divine. Most striking was its pair of wings. Wings were typically flexible, but these were as sharp as blades.
Carl had no doubt that each feather on these wings could be used as a deadly weapon. It was somewhat similar to the griffins of legend, yet distinctly different.
"This creature lives on deep-sea reefs. Although it can enter the water, it mostly soars through the sky, dwelling on uninhabited islands," Susan explained. "They only enter the water to give birth to young Gale-Winged Sky Lions. The offspring live underwater until their wings mature. Its speed is as fast as lightning, it possesses the power to command gales, and its body is as hard as diamond, making it a creature that maritime trading companies least wanted to encounter. The fact that we could kill it this time was because the Guild Leader himself took action."
"Oh!" Carl exclaimed in surprise. "The Guild Leader can slay a Legendary Creature?"
As far as he knew, the Guild Leader of the Dragon King Chamber of Commerce had not yet advanced to the Legendary rank; he was merely a peak-level Great Knight. In all of Freedom Port, only the Lord of Sodan was a Legendary Knight!
"Some can, some can't," Susan said. "Legendary Creatures may possess some intelligence, but it's incomparable to humans. If the right conditions are created, there's a chance to kill them. Of course, a direct confrontation definitely wouldn't work. Even a Legendary Knight couldn't withstand a Legendary Creature head-on. Besides, humans can use weapons, various powerful Dharma Seals, and have allies. They won't fight them single-handedly."
Carl nodded slowly. "I'd like some materials for research," he said, caressing the corpse before him, a fervent look in his eyes. "Blood, feathers, flesh, and if possible, I'd like the eyes, teeth, and some internal organs as well."
Once he analyzed this Legendary Creature, his Bloodline Wizard experience would surge again. Next time, he should be able to try modifying his own body. It had taken Robert over a decade of studying the spider-woman to accumulate enough experience; Carl might not even need a year. That was the difference between analyzing Legendary Creatures and ordinary Magic Creatures.
"Tsk tsk…" Susan shook her head, clicking her tongue lightly. "I really don't understand. The flesh and blood of Legendary Creatures, fine, but what use do you have for the other parts? But it shouldn't be a major issue."
With such a large Gale-Winged Sky Lion, parting with some feathers and teeth shouldn't be a problem; others wouldn't want them anyway.
During their conversation, a girl in a vibrant green dress hurried over.
"Little Moli!" Seeing the newcomer, Susan's expression flickered slightly. "Why are you here? Did Miss Lula send you to find me?"
Little Moli was Miss Lula's personal maid and usually never left her side unless it was something urgent.
"Sister Susan," Little Moli said, her eyes frantic. She pulled Susan to a corner of the courtyard and whispered a few words to her.
"What? How could that be?"
It was unclear what she heard, but Susan's expression changed drastically. She glanced at Carl, her gaze flickering.
"Carl," she said, striding over quickly, her expression serious. "Come with me."
This was a heavily guarded courtyard located in a part of Freedom Port far from the coast. The nearby residents were all either wealthy or noble. Carl didn't know who owned this place, but he could guess they were no ordinary person.
"Remember," Susan said in a low voice as they hurried along, "later, no matter what you see or hear, you must act as if you saw and heard nothing. I'll explain to you later."
Carl nodded slowly. She had already warned him on the way here. Her repeating the instruction now indicated that the matter was indeed extraordinary.
After passing through a long corridor, a stern-faced Lula came into view.
"Susan! Pharmacist Carl."
Nodding at them, Lula gestured. "This way!"
"Yes," Susan replied, hurrying to follow and signaling Carl not to ask questions.
Lula led them into a room piled high with medicinal ingredients, filled with all sorts of aromas. In the center of the room stood a large bed, with a canopy curtain drawn around it, obscuring the figure within. Only a pale, thick arm extended from behind the curtain, hanging limply over the side of the bed.