nagpurpolice Chapter 55 Ellie's Changes
Chapter 55 Ellie's Changes
Ignoring her curiosity, Luo Lin walked straight to a wooden shelf with many small bottles and jars, took out a clean ceramic bowl, and skillfully took out a small amount of pale green paste and some shimmering powder from several different jars.
A barely perceptible wisp of magic flickered around his fingertips as he swiftly mixed and stirred the ingredients in the ceramic bowl with precise and efficient movements.
Ellie held her breath, watching as the seemingly ordinary ingredients gradually blended in Rowling's hands, emitting a cool and refreshing fragrance, and finally forming a small bowl of evenly textured, warm-colored light green ointment.
Rowling placed the ointment into a small wooden box and handed it to Ellie:
"After daily practice, apply a small amount to the arms, legs and feet where they are under stress to relieve fatigue and strengthen muscles and bones."
"It can also be applied to old scars; although it may not completely eliminate them, it can improve their appearance."
Ellie took the wooden box, which still retained a trace of warmth, with both hands. She felt the cool fragrance enter her nostrils, and an indescribable warmth welled up in her heart.
The master not only taught her cultivation methods and cared about her progress, but also considered even these small details.
"gentlemen……"
Her voice was choked with emotion, and she didn't know what to say.
"Go."
Luo Lin waved his hand, his attention already back on the copper ore on the experimental table that had not yet completed its energy conductivity test.
Ellie bowed deeply, carefully held the small wooden box, and left the laboratory.
From that day on, the box of ointment that exuded a cool scent became another precious treasure for her, besides the breathing technique booklet.
She followed Luo Lin's instructions carefully, applying the ointment after each practice session. Sure enough, she felt the muscle soreness subside faster, and her skin seemed to become firmer and more elastic.
The old scars seem to have faded a little.
As her cultivation progressed, Ellie's appetite increased considerably.
In addition to black bread, Rowling sometimes gave her copper coins as payment, or dried meat strips that he didn't need but were nutritious.
Ellie never squandered her money; she saved most of her copper coins and used the rest to buy more food to replenish her body's energy.
Her changes gradually attracted the attention of some people in the town.
The poor, dirty little thing who used to cower in the corner has now become, though still simply dressed, upright with bright eyes and a nimble and composed demeanor beyond his years.
Occasionally, when the town's patrolling guards saw her carrying buckets of water or moving some not-too-heavy items, her obviously coordinated and powerful movements would make them glance at her slightly.
"Hey, isn't that little girl the orphan from Old Ed's family? She's changed so much."
"I heard she often goes to help that new wizard with cleaning; she probably got some pointers from him..."
"What great luck to have caught the wizard's eye..."
Similar comments would occasionally reach Ellie's ears, but she never responded. Instead, she practiced even harder and cleaned Rowling's yard spotlessly.
She knew that everything she had now was thanks to her husband's kindness.
All she could do was not disappoint her husband.
Luo Lin paid no attention to the outside world's discussions.
His research achieved a small breakthrough: by repeatedly adjusting the amount and timing of the introduction of the essence of water, he successfully extended the stable duration of a basic energy gathering array by about one-tenth.
This progress, though seemingly small, validated his thinking and gave him a deeper understanding of the precise control of refined energy.
At the same time, he also made some progress in his investigation of those mysterious metal plates.
During an attempt to channel an extremely faint stellar energy into one of the metal plates, he keenly noticed that the extremely complex three-dimensional rune structure within the plate seemed to produce an energy resonance that was extremely brief and almost impossible to detect.
Although the resonance disappeared instantly and the metal plate returned to its original state, this was undoubtedly a direction to take.
He speculated that these metal plates might require energy of a specific property or frequency to activate, and that stellar energy might be one of the keys.
The days passed slowly in this regular and fulfilling research and observation.
Ellie's growth is like the wild grass in the yard that grows tenaciously in the spring chill; though slow, it is full of tenacious vitality.
She had become a familiar and relaxing presence for Rowling in this unfamiliar land.
Each step she took forward was like a tiny ripple, spreading gentle waves across the calm surface of the lake where Rowling was focused on the pursuit of great power and knowledge.
That evening, as Ellie finished her practice and prepared to leave, a fine drizzle began to fall from the sky.
Luo Lin glanced at the darkening sky and the slippery road outside, and unusually spoke:
"Wait until the rain stops before you leave."
Ellie was flattered and quickly thanked him, then quietly stayed under the eaves, watching Blackrock Town shrouded in rain.
Luo Lin sat in a chair by the window, continuing to peruse a book about ancient energy runes. Inside the stone house, only the rustling of turning pages and the patter of rain outside the window could be heard.
Ellie stole a glance at Rowling's profile as he intently read under the lamplight, her heart filled with peace and gratitude.
She knew that she and her husband were from two different worlds. Her husband was a high and mighty wizard, while she was just a lucky orphan who received his help casually.
She dared not ask for anything more, only hoping that such days could last a little longer, so that she could learn more, become stronger, and perhaps in the future... have the opportunity to repay her master's kindness even in the slightest.
The rain gradually subsided and eventually stopped. The night sky, washed clean by the rain, appeared exceptionally clear, with a few bright stars twinkling through gaps in the clouds.
"Be careful on the road."
Luo Lin closed the book and said something indifferently.
"Yes, sir!"
Ellie nodded vigorously, thanked him again, and then stepped onto the wet stone path, her figure disappearing into the deepening night.
Rowling walked to the window, his gaze sweeping over the direction Ellie had left, before looking up at the familiar stars in the night sky.
The morning star is not the most dazzling among them, but it steadily emits a cool and serene light.
He felt a sense of peace as he sensed the natal star resonating with him in his spiritual sea.
Studying, practicing, and occasionally giving pointers to that hardworking little girl—this kind of life rhythm seems pretty good. He turned back to the lab table, preparing for his final energy particle manipulation exercise of the evening.
……
As spring deepens, the mountains surrounding Heiyan Town are tinged with a light green.
Rowling's research has finally made a noteworthy progress.
After countless failures and adjustments, he successfully solidified a stable rhythm of the essence of water into the core of a miniature energy gathering array.
This magic circle is only the size of a palm and is engraved on a copper plate that has been repeatedly treated.
When Rolin infused his magic power, the magic circle no longer flickered as before, but instead emitted a stable and gentle blue halo, continuously attracting water-attribute energy particles in the surrounding space to gather at the center of the magic circle, forming a small, visible, slowly rotating, moist mist.
The energy intensity of this cloud of mist was very low, not even enough to support a zero-ring spell, but its stability far exceeded all of Rolin's previous attempts.
This means that he has found the right approach to stabilize the array's energy using the essence of water elements.
While there is still a long way to go before this stabilizing effect can be applied to more complex and higher-order magic arrays, this is undoubtedly a solid start.
He placed the successful copper plate on one side of the experimental table as a reference.
Next, he plans to try applying this stabilizing effect to defensive magic circles, such as optimizing the spell model structure of his [Weak Force Field Armor], which may further improve its defensive efficiency and durability.
Just as Rowling was immersed in the new ideas brought about by this small breakthrough, something neither big nor small happened in the town.