Chapter 168 - Giving The Nystic Clan Shaman Instructions
The moment Arthur went towards the leader, the latter adjusted his body to face him. from just the face of Arthur, he knew something was really wrong.
"Do you have this shaman?" Arthur immediately asked, and the leader pointed to a middle aged mage, with an ashen white face as god knew what was going to happen to him if not for the sudden appearance of Arthur, saving his life.
"He isn't the one doing this," Arthur firmly said before totally ignoring the leader as he asked the shaman:
"Do you know the healing techniques? The medicinal herbs?"
The shaman didn't know who he was, or what was going on here, but he sensed that his angry leader was treating him with respect. Taking this rare chance to save his life, he hurriedly nodded as he instantly replied:
"Yes, it's me, I can heal anything, and I have a great knowledge of many healing herbs."
"Good," Arthur then turned to the skeptical leader as he said with clear words and strong decisive tone:
"We have less than forty minutes, or else everyone infected by this poisonous gas would be hopeless to save. I need all you healthy mages to start collaborating with this shaman, and search with extreme care and rapidness to find the things I will tell the shaman about."
The leader didn't get what was going on, as this long explanation of Arthur didn't help in making him understand, instead it made him lose focus, feeling lost. "Just summon your mages, now!" Arthur sensed he used the wrong words with this leader, so he hurriedly acted and shifted his attitude, giving clear and simple orders to this mage.
The leader's body shivered slightly, as he nodded, and instantly turned to shout at his men, to call everyone here at once. while the leader and his aiders were busy summoning and organizing everyone, Arthur then turned to look at the shaman as he started to state his demands:
"I'm looking for a plant with a sow-like leaves, brown in color and had a heart of redness, with thin white lines on its flower."
"I know something similar to that, but the color of the heart is pale pink, not red," the shaman immediately replied, as he sensed his saving was real, and near, and in the hands of this mysterious mage.
"Just listen and memorize what I'm saying. You have only forty minutes to find these plants. The second one is growing on the barks of the thick long old trees, like fungus but it's not that. it had very thin leaves, pointed like thin threads.
The next one is a flower, not so remarkable except it only blooms in the middle of the moonless nights. Away from that, it will make its leaves collapse on itself, closing up.
The next plant is a long thick bamboo like plant, with height reaching to the adult mage height. It had sharp edges, and thin protrusions like needles. It feeds on the blood of its victims, makes sure to grab them and ensure to soak them with blood. Make sure to bring their roots intact, and grab as many of them as you can.
The last herb is a rock like plant, that might be mistaken for a grey rock, but it grew on a thick grass. This plant is identified by fire, as when it touched fire it started to open its leaves, and show off its long cylindrical heart, with many small buds like a tongue. I want that tongue, and make sure to bring at least ten of it."
Arthur then waited for the shaman to nod to him, making him quite satisfied with his response. As long as he was there, his eyes would be enough to spot these plants, and help these mages here to collect them.
"We are ready," the leader suddenly said, as he was surrounded by hundreds of his mages, covering their faces with clothes soaked with water.
This scene made Arthur wonder, as he didn't use this way to protect himself, however he wasn't infected. He had some vague explanation, as his dragonair strength protected him, making him immune to this poison.
"Good, listen up, our task is to help the shaman find and collect herbs he knew of. Just act fast, and bring everything you collect all the time here. you have a forty minutes window, don't waste any second in it and start looking now," he then turned to the shaman as he added, "go now, and don't forget to bring as many as possible of these plants in the least possible time. don't stop until I send for you."
The shaman and the mages just nodded, before they all exited the camp. This strange scene startled everyone watching this camp, as they hurriedly relayed the news to their superiors.
The orders came for them to follow these mages, find out what was going on. the whole place was now puzzled by the Nystic clan actions, thinking hard about what might be happening.
However, as they were just nearby, the poisonous airborne toxin started to spread by wind, infecting many distant camp mages, making them all suddenly weaker, coughing up blood and then losing consciousness.
As there was no one there to identify this strange toxin, the numbers infected by it started to grow with time. The leaders of these camps started to panic, as they sent for their home asking for advice regarding this.
All the camps received the same response, ask the Nystic clan, make a deal with them at any cost, save everyone.
As for Arthur, he didn't know that, as he returned fast to the tent where everyone was lying there. the tent was secured by his own mages, and the moment he appeared in front of them, Ron hurriedly asked:
"What's going on?"
"It's an airborne toxin," Arthur simply replied, before hurriedly entered the tent. Despite him asking for materials to manufacture the antidote, he had some things to prepare first.
This toxin was known as a strong and potent stimulator to cultivators' potentials, as those living through this bitter experience successfully would unlock new potentials, and even might breakthrough.