Chapter 108: SPECIAL MISSION(3)

Under different circumstances, Li Yan might have refused his brother’s offer. He was not used to relying on Li Hanye for anything, and accepting his protection still felt unfamiliar after everything that had happened between them. However, Li Yan valued his life more than his pride, especially when he was about to face a level-nine Lizard demon in an unfamiliar place. Since his brother had already offered to protect him, there was no reason for Li Yan to reject the help and make things harder for himself.

Li Hanye reminded him that everyone would gather at the entrance of the sect two days later and told him to arrive early. Li Yan nodded and thanked him again for the gifts before leaving. His master also told him not to come to the Apothecary Department for the next two days and to focus on preparing for the mission instead.

Li Yan followed his master’s instructions and returned to his residence. The mission would take him to Baidun, where he would have to face a level-nine lizard demon, so he did not intend to waste the preparation time he had been given. The Xuanlong antidote Li Hanye had given him was useful, but the woollen sweater was still ordinary compared with what he might need in an extremely cold region.

Li Yan planned to use the resources inside his mythical space to improve it. If he could strengthen the sweater and give it enough insulation to keep his body warm, he would not have to depend entirely on the clothing provided by the sect once they reached Baidun.

After returning to his room and making sure nobody was around, Li Yan entered his mythical space with the sweater and the two bottles of Xuanlong antidote. He found Xiaoxiao inside and immediately brought the sweater over to her.

"Xiaoxiao, what can I use to upgrade this sweater? I want it insulated to the point where I feel heat instead of cold."

Xiaoxiao looked at the sweater and thought about his request for a moment. She knew Li Yan liked learning things for himself, so rather than immediately telling him which materials he should use, she snapped her fingers and pointed toward the shelves of manuals.

"There are manuals about lizard demons over there. Everything you need to know about them is in those manuals, including their ranks, different types, domains, and habits. You will also find guides on how to survive in cold regions in the manuals on the right, so go through them yourself and see what you can find."

Li Yan nodded and walked toward the shelves. He pulled out the manuals concerning lizard demons first and began reading. The information covered lizard demons from rank one through rank ten, allowing him to compare their strength and understand the differences between the various types.

The manuals contained information about their habitats, domains, physical abilities, venom, and the methods they used to defend themselves. Li Yan paid particular attention to the information about higher-ranked lizard demons since the mission required them to deal with a rank-nine demon.

He also found an explanation for why lizard demons guarded treasures so fiercely. Their territories often contained spiritual resources, rare materials, or treasures that could help them strengthen themselves, so they would claim those resources and protect them from anyone who attempted to take them. Some lizard demons even remained in the same territory for years because of the treasures they guarded.

Li Yan continued reading until he reached the section about the different domains occupied by lizard demons. Some preferred caves, while others settled near mountains, forests, or places where spiritual energy gathered. Their surroundings affected their abilities, and entering their territory without understanding the environment could put a cultivator at a disadvantage.

The information about venom was equally useful. The stronger the lizard demon became, the more dangerous its venom could be, and some higher-ranked species could contaminate an area after releasing it. Li Yan made a mental note of the information because he did not want to rely entirely on the antidote his brother had given him.

After finishing the manuals about lizard demons, Li Yan moved to the section concerning cold regions. He initially expected surviving in a cold environment to be a simple matter of wearing thick clothing, but the guides contained far more information than he expected.

The manuals described how extreme cold could affect spiritual energy, movement, breathing, and even the circulation of qi. They also listed ingredients that could be used to create protective clothing and materials that could retain heat for long periods. Some ingredients could strengthen fabric, while others could form a barrier against cold and poisonous attacks.

Li Yan continued reading through the list and found several ingredients he had never seen before. He had expected some unfamiliar materials, but there were enough of them to make him wonder how many useful resources were actually stored inside his mythical space.

When he reached the section about dragon scales, he stopped to read the description more carefully. Dragon scales were said to be nearly indestructible, which made them excellent materials for armour. They could also protect against venom attacks, making them particularly useful for someone preparing to face a poisonous demon.

Li Yan rubbed his chin as he considered the information. Dragon scales would certainly be useful, but he doubted that there were any genuine dragon scales inside his mythical space. He had many treasures stored there, but dragon scales were rare enough that he doubted even the space had it.

He continued reading and found several other scales and materials that could also be used for protection. Some were not as strong as dragon scales, but they could still provide insulation when combined with the right materials. Others were useful for resisting venom, while a few could help maintain warmth without making clothing too heavy.

Li Yan began considering how he could combine the materials with the sweater Li Hanye had given him. He did not want to replace the sweater entirely because his brother had given it to him for the mission, and improving it would be more practical than searching for a completely different set of clothing.

The more he read, the more Li Yan realized that he had underestimated the number of resources required to prepare for a cold region. It was not enough to find one material that could resist the cold. He needed to consider insulation, weight, flexibility, durability, and protection against venom at the same time.

He continued studying the manuals until he had gone through the ingredients listed for both cold protection and venom resistance. Only then did he close the manual and look toward Xiaoxiao.

"Xiaoxiao, how many ingredients listed in this manual do we actually have?"