Riyao bid farewell to the noisy guild and followed a familiar path to a small forest cabin on the outskirts—this was Granny Porlyusica's residence, where the courtyard full of drying herbs emitted a bitter yet comforting fragrance.
He knocked gently on the door, and an aged but clear voice came from inside: "Come in."
Pushing open the door, Porlyusica was sitting on a low stool pounding medicine, the sound of the wooden mallet hitting the stone mortar rhythmic and steady.
"Go away, brat, leave quickly! I hate humans the most."
Riyao walked up to her, stood obediently, and recounted the anomalies that occurred during this mission in detail: "Granny, this time in the forest, I suddenly resonated with the vitality of the trees in the entire forest. At that time, my magic power was almost exhausted, and the situation was urgent, so I didn't bother filtering and directly absorbed that vitality. It was very mixed, but fortunately, the quantity was large enough to refill my power instantly."
As he spoke, a faint green glow swirled around his fingertips: "I just don't know if this method of forcibly infusing mixed vitality will leave any hidden dangers?"
Porlyusica put down the mallet, looked up at him, and a sharp glint flashed in her cloudy eyes. She reached out a thin finger and gently placed it on Riyao's wrist, as a gentle probe of magic power slowly seeped into his body.
After a moment, Porlyusica withdrew her hand, picked up the mallet to resume pounding medicine, and spoke in a flat but certain tone: "The life energy in your body is indeed mixed, and it's also mingled with some wild residues of vegetation. Fortunately, your own 'Hundred Battles' markings contain pure combat magic, which can barely suppress these impurities, so there won't be any major issues for the time being."
"The mixed vitality probably includes the death energy of dead wild beasts in the forest mixed in as well."
"But in the long run, if too many impurities accumulate, it may affect the purity of your magic power, and even lead to situations where your power goes out of control during battle." She paused, took a small ceramic jar from the medicine shelf behind her, and handed it to Riyao, "This contains Purifying Herbs. Take one small spoonful each time, mixed with warm water, and drink it for seven consecutive days to clear the impurities from your body."
Riyao took the ceramic jar and hurriedly thanked her: "Thank you, Granny Porlyusica!"
"Being able to resonate with natural vitality is a rare talent." Porlyusica looked up at him, her tone becoming more solemn, "But talent must be used with caution. Next time you absorb external power, remember to filter it with your own magic first. Don't be so reckless again."
Riyao nodded heavily: "I'll remember!"
Holding the warm ceramic jar, he walked out of the cabin as the forest breeze blew by, carrying the scent of herbs. Thinking of Granny Porlyusica's advice, and recalling the danger and gains of this mission, Riyao clenched his fist. He would master this power well, live up to his companions' trust, and not waste this rare talent.
"Now that you know, get lost!"
As Porlyusica spoke, she snatched up a broom from the corner and swung it at Riyao with a whistling sound through the air.
Riyao was already prepared; he happily ducked, clutching the ceramic jar of Purifying Herbs tightly, and ran toward the door as if his feet were on the wind: "Thanks, Granny! I'll come visit you again next time!"
Behind him came the 'thud' of the broom hitting the door frame, accompanied by the old woman's grumpy grumbling, but Riyao only laughed harder.
This was Granny Porlyusica's style: a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
Walking back toward the guild along the forest path, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, falling in dappled patches on his shoulders. Riyao felt the warm ceramic jar in his arms, but his mind was repeatedly turning over the idea that had just popped up.
"Getting a piece of land for myself... it seems like it could really work." He muttered to himself, his pace slowing as his eyes lit up.
If he could find a place with good soil and sufficient spiritual energy to plant specially cultivated trees and flowers, he could produce relatively pure vitality. If he encountered a magic emergency in the future, he wouldn't have to risk absorbing mixed energy from the wild.
It would perfectly solve the situation where the Hundred Battles Technique requires a long time to charge.
Tsunade had accumulated over ten years of vitality by the time of the final decisive battle, which was why she could restore her body even after being cut in half.
Furthermore, he smacked his lips, starting to calculate more practical benefits. "Fruit with vitality would definitely supplement the body and relieve fatigue; and then there's tea—tea brewed from it might be able to refresh the mind and even slightly nourish magic power. The guys at the guild would definitely love to drink it!"
Riyao stepped onto the main street of Magnolia, where the sunlight spilled onto the cobblestone road, making the signs of the shops on both sides shine brightly. He headed straight for the town center's real estate agency, "Magnolia Land House," which was the most famous real estate business in town; even the guild often came here for consultations when buying materials.
Pushing open the creaking wooden door, the smell of ink and paper greeted him. Behind the counter sat a middle-aged man wearing round-framed glasses, his head down as he checked the ledger.
"Hello! I'd like to inquire about the prices of land outside the city, preferably somewhere not far from the Fairy Tail Guild." Riyao got straight to the point, his tone full of anticipation.
The man looked up, pushed his glasses, and his eyes lit up when he saw the familiar guild emblem on Riyao's arm: "So you're a Mage from Fairy Tail! We happen to have several plots of land suitable for planting. Which aspect are you interested in?"
After giving a rough explanation of the situation, Riyao's goal was quite simple.
Riyao was just stopping by to get a feel for the market prices. After scanning the quotes for the plots he liked, he understood the situation.
He set his sights on a piece of ordinary land that was close to the guild, flat, and had average but easy-to-manage soil. It had nothing special about it; it was simply suitable for clearing land to plant vegetables and trees, to cultivate crops, and to accumulate clean, pure vitality for his Hundred Battles Technique.
This well-located flat land was priced on the high side, and his existing savings were still a bit short.
He had only come to take a casual look anyway, so he thanked the agent and turned to leave. The cheap wasteland the agent recommended was in a remote location with poor soil and would be a hassle to manage, so he skipped it directly.
Walking back to Fairy Tail, as soon as he pushed open the main doors, the familiar clamor and lively atmosphere of the room rushed over him.
Makarov glanced at Riyao and asked with a smile on his face: "Riyao, has something good happened?"
"I just went to look at a plot of empty land." Riyao's tone was relaxed, "Only those with good soil and water are useful, and the price is a bit high. Today was just a look; after I take on more requests, I'll slowly save up enough money."
Cana, who was nearby, leaned over: "Want to save money? Team up with me, and the efficiency will double."
"Next time for sure, next time for sure."
He temporarily put aside his thoughts of buying land and saving money, merging into the lively atmosphere. In any case, it was just an ordinary plot of empty land; he could just slowly take on missions and save money, there was no need to rush.
Laughter, clinking glasses, and playful banter intertwined as sunlight filled the hall. This celebration of his return from his first long journey remained lively and full of warmth.
Once I buy that empty land in the future, I'll build a small house and plant some things. He felt secretly happy; this life was much more comfortable than his previous one.