Chapter 113: Chapter 104: Sunflame Essence He carefully extracted that part and placed it into a specially-made small bottle. The liquid shimmered faintly in the bottle, like a star trapped in confinement. Then, he began processing the other materials, wholly absorbed in the complex and delicate process. Just as Ron was fully focused on the experiment, a slight rustling sound interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see the tree spirit using vines to form a few words in the air: "A guest has arrived." Ron was somewhat surprised; he hadn’t expected the tree spirit to communicate in this manner. For the past few days, it remained nearly as silent as a sculpture, leading him to assume it was just a simple, thoughtless being. "Thank you for the warning." He nodded at the tree spirit, carefully sealing his experiment for the time being: "Keep an eye on these for me, I’ll be right back." The tree spirit nodded in understanding, its vines gently retracting, continuing its nearly statue-like stillness. But Ron noticed a glint of understanding and obedience in its eyes, entirely different from its previous blank, dazed look. After straightening his clothes to ensure there were no potion stains, Ron headed to the workshop’s reception room. A short, stout merchant dressed in finery stood there, holding a small basket, anxiously pacing back and forth. "Master Ron!" The merchant greeted him warmly upon sight, waddling forward with his round belly, his face adorned with a wide smile: "I’ve long heard of your famed workshop and made a special trip to visit!" He wondered who had come, and it turned out to be the slave merchant from the Exotic Race Exchange. "Ah, it’s the merchant, sir." Ron nodded slightly, gesturing for him to sit: "What brings you here?" His tone was calm and detached, devoid of waves, but inwardly he became vigilant. The merchant certainly has intentions; a sudden visit must have a reason. "Oh, the way you put it." The merchant chuckled, placing the basket on the table, his eyes constantly scanning the room, seemingly evaluating the workshop’s worth: "I mainly came to see how the tree spirit is adapting here. It’s a rare commodity, and our Blake Commerce Association naturally provides comprehensive after-sales service." He opened the basket and took out two bottles of faintly glowing soil. "This is specially made nutritious soil from our association, which helps the tree spirit better adapt to its new environment. You only need to sprinkle a handful around its roots weekly to keep it in optimal condition." Ron accepted the nutritious soil, inspected it carefully, and only accepted it after confirming there were no hazardous components. "Thank you for your concern. The tree spirit’s condition is excellent; it has already integrated with the workshop’s environment." "That’s good, that’s good." The merchant rubbed his hands, his eyes spinning, contemplating how to get to the point: "By the way, Master Ron, I have some good news for you." "Oh? What good news?" Ron raised an eyebrow, asking, his gaze sharp, locked onto the other. "Early next month, our association will receive a shipment of new goods." The merchant lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously: "They are rare races collected from various places, including some individuals with special bloodlines." Ron was immediately intrigued but quickly suppressed his expression, asking impassively: "Oh? Is that so?" For bloodline research, samples from various alien races are undoubtedly valuable resources. Especially as he’s just beginning to venture into bloodline modulation, all kinds of experimental materials are crucial for him. "You may not know, but our Blake Commerce Association isn’t just a small shop in Black Mist Jungle." The merchant puffed his chest with pride, his voice carrying a clear boast: "We are a vast organization spread across multiple regions, possessing extremely extensive channels and resources." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice: "If you have any special requests, feel free to tell me in advance, and I will prioritize them for you." Ron picked up his teacup, slowly sipping, calculating in his mind. The tea’s temperature was just right, slightly bitter but sweetly enhancing his clarity of thought. If this commerce association is as vast as the other claims, it might help him find some rare materials or special race bloodline samples. Especially with his current research on bloodline activation and modulation, different bloodline references are what he needs. "I do have some requests." Ron put down his teacup, staring straight into the merchant’s eyes, speaking calmly and firmly: "I’m looking for some opponents suitable for swordsmanship training, like the Multi-armed Snake Demon, Sea Siren, and if there are any Dragonman Race, even better." The merchant’s smile noticeably stiffened, his brows furrowing slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing his eyes. But he quickly regained his enthusiastic manner, though his smile was somewhat forced. "Oh, your request is indeed high!" He laughed awkwardly, nervously rubbing the teacup with his fingers: "These races are extremely rare on the market, especially Multi-armed Snake Demons and Dragonman Race; their strength is very close to the level of Official Wizards." He stroked his chin, looking troubled: "With my channels... hmm... it’s difficult to find such high-level goods. But since it’s a request from Master Ron, I will certainly do my best to keep an eye out!" Ron could see the merchant’s hesitancy—the merchant evidently doesn’t believe he can find the slaves that meet the criteria but doesn’t want to lose a potential big client. The forced smile and the evasive speech indicated just how hollow his promise was.