Chapter 332 Ice Cedar Table of Spiritual Timber (1/2)
That waft of smell was a scent resembling clear springs unique to spiritual energy. Only spiritual soil and spiritual materials would have such a fragrance. It wasn’t very strong, but Ning Tao was very sensitive to such a smell. Even the faintest bit of it would not escape his sensitive sense of smell.
He was puzzled, thinking to himself, “Could there be any spiritual soil or spiritual material in Ruitian’s royal palace?”
He activated his state of looking and smell as he was pondering over the question. That faint spiritual energy scent was growing stronger. He tracked down the source of the scent.
It was a closed door. Strands of spiritual energy were emanating from its gaps. Ordinary people would be unable to detect their presence, but to him, it was highly possible that a massive amount of spiritual soil or a rare exotic spiritual material was hidden behind that door.
“Why did you stop?” Shalim Talman asked curiously.
Ning Tao pointed to that door. “What’s that place?”
Shalim Talman answered, “That’s the royal store room. Would you like to go and take a look? There’s still some time left until the banquet. I can take you there for a visit.”
“Okay.” Ning Tao could not wait.
“Follow me.” Shalim Talman headed over to that door.
A royal guard pushed open the heavy wooden door for Shalim Talman.
Ning Tao followed Shalim Talman into the room. There were many booths and showcase racks. There were some rusty armor and weapons, exquisite sculptures, and an array of porcelain, jewelry, and ornaments. The range of the collection was stunning.
Ruitian and Switzerland were nations famous for advocating neutrality, watching from the sidelines during the two world wars. They had not suffered from wars, and would logically have many artefacts left.
Ning Tao was uninterested in the assortment of antiques. He was locked on the source of the spiritual energy once he entered the store room, and walked directly towards it.
It was a very old table, without any ornamental carvings, nor coating. It was very modest and simple. On the table was a weapons’ rack which was holding a battle ax. It was unknown how old the battle ax was. It didn’t have any rust, but there were a few cracks on its blade.
“What’s the matter? Are you interested in this battle ax?” Shalim Talman asked curiously.
Ning Tao was actually completely uninterested in the battle ax. It was actually the table—holding the weapons’ rack and the battle ax—what he was interested in. Despite it being incredibly simple, it was a treasure to him. Based on its patterns, smell and color, it matched the traits of the spiritual ice cedar recorded in the Compendium of Spiritual Materials. Such a spiritual material only grew in cold climates, and required to grow in spiritual soil. Only after millennia of evolution would an ordinary cedarwood evolve into spiritual timber. That spiritual ice cedar was also one of the seven spiritual materials required by the Tianbao Weaving Method. He already had the spiritual cherry blossom wood, Power Moss and Flower of the Night. If he could acquire that table, he would have one of the four spiritual materials required. Only three more and he would be able to make a magic garment.
The magic garment made by the fabric woven with the Tianbao Weaving Method would be invincible and impregnable. Wearing it would be equated to possessing a couple of additional lives. How wouldn’t he be eager and excited to make a magic garment?
However, even though he was excited, Ning Tao appeared indifferent and said, “This ax looks powerful. It must have some story, right?”
Shalim Talman said, “It’s called the Storm Ax. Our ancestors had once used it to hack open the English people’s castle door.”
“What about this table?” Ning Tao probed.
Shalim Talman thought before saying, “I’m not sure about this. Perhaps it was from that era. It was already here even when I was very young. It’s so simple, why would you be interested in it?”
Ning Tao said, “I’m still missing a suitable table in my clinic. It’s very quaint, so it matches the style of my clinic very well.”
Shalim Talman smiled. “Then your clinic must be very old.”
“Yes, it’s very old,” Ning Tao said. Even though he wasn’t sure when it was created, it had to be older than all the artefacts in the world.
“Let’s go, it’s about time,” Shalim Talman said.
Ning Tao nodded, and thought to himself, “Was I too indirect? Couldn’t she tell that I want this table?”
Drawing a blood lock inside that royal store room and later going to steal the table during night time was the most direct and simplest way. Ning Tao had the intention to simply go about doing so when he saw that table made of spiritual ice cedar. But he had dropped the idea in the end. How could the owner of the Sky Clinic commit theft? If he wanted that table, he would find the means to make the king of Ruitian give it to him willingly.
After leaving the royal store room, a royal guard closed the doors.
Ning Tao turned to glance behind him, then followed Shalim Talman down the corridor, arriving at the royal dining hall.
The Ruitian king and the prince had yet to arrive, but a few invited aristocrats had already arrived ahead of time. However, Ning Tao didn’t recognize a single one of them. Among the Ruitian aristocrats, he only knew Harley Poche, but that guy was still unable to leave the bed and walk independently. After all, the treatment didn’t go through the clinic. Even the doctor with the godliest skills would also be unable to make an unconscious person due to multiple gunshots recover, to the point of being able to attend a banquet in full health within 24 hours.
The sight of a few aristocrats had been cast on Ning Tao. Their gazes were filled with curiosity and novelty, along with a bit of suspicion and doubts. Meanwhile, some of the others were looking on expressionlessly. They seemed to have heard of what had happened in Florence, along with Shalim Talman’s outstanding bust. It was completely logical for people to harbor curiosity and some guesses about that doctor from the Hua Country.
Shalim Talman introduced Ning Tao to a few aristocrats. With that, only then did Ning Tao learn that those seemingly ordinary aristocrats all came from prolific backgrounds. Their ancestors were either feudal lords or generals of military troops, or important chancellors from the Ruitian dynasty. Even though they had lost their lands and power, they still had the glory of their ancestors. They also held positions in the government or the military and were important figures in Ruitian.