Reborn as the Genius Son of the Richest Family

Chapter 876: Freshly harvested

She inspected each one, nodding her head in satisfaction. ”Looks like I don’t need to travel far anymore.”

They accumulated about six Darkwood pieces while she was gone, while she netted zero during her adventures.

This was proof that it was much better to have others hunt Darkwood for them, instead of wasting their time searching for it themselves.

It cost them 200,000 Sand Dollars each, but it was still worth it because of the incredible value that Darkwood gave them. Once it was weaved inside a bow, that weapon’s power, durability, and accuracy would increase drastically.

”Welcome anyone trying to sell Darkwood,” she declared.

The male guardian elf nodded. ”Shall I ask Lyra to come in?”

Lady Farren crossed her arms on her chest and said, ”Yes. That girl needs to—”

But just as she was in the middle of her thought, something caught her attention in the corner of her eyes.

She looked back at the cabinet, the collection of Darkwood creating a mythical and ancient ambiance.

The first four shelf partitions at the top were filled with Darkwood, while the fifth one at the bottom was mostly empty, only having one Darkwood on display.

She stared at it. This Darkwood was their most recent acquisition.

The male Elf noticed her piqued curiosity and explained, ”We bought this Darkwood just a few days ago from a golden haired boy.”

”What’s his name?” Lady Farren asked, her gaze still riveted by this peculiar Darkwood.

”If I remember correctly, his name was Keo and he was accompanied by a tall, dark haired woman going by the name Katarina. Why? Is there something wrong with it?’

Lady Farren approached the velvet cushion-lined cabinet, disabling the defensive mechanism by letting the string of her bow run across its edge.

Her Dao Heart glowed for a second, before the everpresent ethereal mist surrounding the cabinet dissipated into the air.

Immediately, a distinct earthy, musky, and a slight bit woody smell emanated from the Darkwood collection. It evoked the invisible but indomitable power of the Earth.

Strangely though, there was a new scent entering into her senses. It was mossy and moist, giving her the impression of petrichor after a long summer drought.

This new and enigmatic scent was just a small wisp, a tiny sliver compared to the overpowering smell of all the Darkwood in their possession, but it was evident nonetheless. It was crisp and demanded her attention.

After all, Darkwood should smell like something ancient, something that was buried on the ground and left to settle and age for thousands of years.

But this new scent almost seemed...youthful. It smelled like a newly clipped scion or branch: just oozing leafy freshness.

It almost seemed as if the Darkwood was newly harvested.

But that couldn’t be... right?

No matter how impossible the thought was, Lady Farren just couldn’t get it out of her mind.

She moved her face closer to the cabinet, basking in the fragrance and aroma of all these Darkwood vines one by one.

She sniffed them all, until she landed on the very last row where only a single Darkwood piece laid amongst empty indents on the velvet cushion.

It was this.

This emanated that sprightly energy that she has been sensing this whole time.

She quickly wrenched the Darkwood from its resting place and observed it closer with her own eyes.

And there, she saw it.

The rough, bone-dry, and crisp surface of the vines on this Darkwood wasn’t desiccated at all! She could still see the hint of green underneath all those bark!

And if that wasn’t enough evidence, she could still feel fresh, moist soil wedged on the knotted vines!

There was no mistaking it. This Darkwood was recently harvested!

”Great heavens...” Lady Farren muttered.

This discovery left her weak in the knees. She backed away from the cabinet and sat on an ornate chair near the door, with the newly harvested Darkwood still in her hands.

”Lady Farren, what’s wrong?!” the male guardian Elf asked.

”Tell me, why has the Elven Kingdom journeyed out this far off from the continent?”

The male elf frowned, confused at this unexpected question. ”It’s because we need the Darkwood, Lady Farren.”

”Why don’t we just grow it ourselves?”

The elf chuckled, thinking that she was joking. But the serious look on her face told him she wasn’t.

”It’s because we can’t, Lady Farren. It’s not just hard, it’s impossible.”

Farren looked back at the Elf.

”Then how come a human succeeded?” she said, bringing the Darkwood closer for him to see.

...

...

...

Meanwhile, Michael returned to the Mermen lake to finish up on the Filter that he promised them.

With the help of a few Mermen, a giant filter was created atop the broken mast of the Sunken Ship.

It took him the whole day. After all, he wasn’t just installing the filter itself, but also the peripherals that went with it. This included all the electrical wirings that would snake around the entire Sunken Ship to provide electricity and energy to every single inhabitant inside.

Many Mermen watched while he worked, their eyes filled with surprise and awe at his magical skills. They’d never seen a human do this underwater before.

And as soon as he installed the Unity crystal into the filter for fuel, the engines inside whirred into life.

Immediately, fresh and magically dense water flowed throughout the Sunken Ship, making them feel renewed and rejuvenated

”Wow! This feels like I’m back in the oceans!”

”I can breathe so easily now!”

”Hey look, mom! So many species of fishes are swimming around us!”

The effects of the filter were immediate. It not only improved the life inside the Sunken Ship, but also its vicinity.

The desolate lake floor was desolate no more.

”Amazing job,” Princess Octavia said. ”This news will spread, and more of my brother’s citizens will migrate to the Sunken Ship. When can you build the next one?”

Michael didn’t give her a specific time. He’d be too busy soon.

After all, he just heard that Lady Farren just arrived back in New Sparta.