"Why would a villager like you, who doesn't even have a girlfriend, buy such a thing?"
Lureia teased, but then a thought struck her.
"Wait, you're not planning to use it on me, are you? So that I'd willingly obey you, or perhaps even willingly wear a collar to please you when I lose my senses and am overwhelmed with desire? Are you trying to completely corrupt a sane elf like me?!"
Her elf ears flushed a deep shade, and she wrapped her arms around herself.
"Stop daydreaming! There may be instances that suggest elves can be affected by this potion, but I am a pure elf, not the kind who'd easily succumb to pleasure!"
"Don't always voice the nonsense in your head! With all that wild imagination, you're surely not as pure as you claim!"
Xia Mi pocketed the bottle into his Demon King Ring. If it wasn't for the resurrection of the slime, he wouldn't have wasted his money on such a bizarre item.
Why would a slime's resurrection need an aphrodisiac? It has nothing to do with natural materials like tree sap!
After leveling up to level 2, the cooldown time for [Demon King's Teleportation] decreased significantly. Given the relatively short distance this time, the skill was already available again.
Without hesitation, Xia Mi summoned the portal, ready to return.
Despite the teasing, Lureia obediently followed Xia Mi through the portal.
...
Upon returning to the village, Lureia kept giving Xia Mi wary glances.
"If you're so scared of being caught, why don't you just stay at the inn?" Xia Mi suggested.
"No way! Humanoids are even more terrifying!"
[Water of Life Collection Completed]
Now, all the ingredients were gathered. The only step left was to resurrect the slime, completing the first pictorial task.
Though this was Xia Mi's first time reviving a monster and he had no experience to speak of, he knew he needed a secluded spot away from the villagers, in case something went wrong.
"You... You're not collecting materials to resurrect a slime, are you?"
A voice behind him interrupted his thoughts. Turning, he saw Lureia crouched by a bowl of tree sap, gazing thoughtfully at him.
"I've read about it in the academy's library on demon biology. Slimes are among the most common monsters, mostly made up of natural tree sap, with a small amount of a bioactive liquid. Though their jelly-like bodies are harmless, many animals go into heat after consuming a slime's corpse."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Xia Mi replied, shifting his gaze away.
Lureia gritted her teeth. "Do you really think I don't know what you're up to? Why pretend not to understand?"
Though she had some knowledge of slimes from textbooks, this was Xia Mi's grand attempt to resurrect one. How could she miss out? This was like a once-in-a-lifetime biological experiment!
"This afternoon, I have to leave the village for a bit. If you have nothing to do, just go back to the inn," Xia Mi said.
Standing up, Lureia asked, "You're always out and about. Don't you think people will get suspicious?"
"I may not know why you always leave the village, but constantly disappearing will surely draw attention. Normal villagers tend to their fields and don't vanish."
Xia Mi turned to face her. Lureia looked back with one eye open wide and the other slightly squinted.
"Coincidentally, I'm here to study the geography and climate, and I happen to need a guide familiar with the local terrain. If you agree to guide me, it would make sense for us to come and go, even for extended periods."
Xia Mi paused, processing her proposal.
Lureia's face lifted in a slight smirk. "Impressed, aren't you?"
"Affection +1."
"Why only +1? Don't respond so calmly, like some game NPC! Show some gratitude! You're just a mere villager!"
Lureia huffed in exasperation.
But she was destined to be a hero, sworn to oppose the Demon King. She couldn't possibly aid him. All she was doing now was getting close to gather information about him. Once she had all she needed, he'd be done for!
In the afternoon, the two borrowed a carriage from the innkeeper, loaded the tree sap into it, and with Lureia's excellent excuse, Xia Mi was appointed as the coachman. They headed out of the village.
Upon reaching a secluded spot, Xia Mi began unloading the carriage.
"Keep watch for me. Make sure no one sees us," he instructed.
"Don't boss me around! I'm not your subordinate!" Lureia retorted, but she still cast a wide level 1 Spirit Protection Barrier. "Now, it's just the two of us."
Following the Monster Codex's instructions, Xia Mi mixed the tree sap and Water of Life in a 1000:1 ratio and then infused it with his magic.
He stood by the mixture, channeling his magic downwards, forming a dim light beam.
"Revive! My monster!"
Above the wooden basin, a small, dark purple glow emerged. Lureia, witnessing the scene, couldn't help but comment.
"Xia Mi! Such an old-fashioned incantation! That's clearly a line for the Demon King!"
After the glow faded, a jelly-like creature formed in the basin, about half a meter tall, with eyes nearly indistinguishable from its body.
[Codex Quest Completed!]
[Successfully Revived a Common Slime!]
[Consult the Monster Codex for more on slimes and their care.]
[Experience +150]
[Level 2→3]
[Automatically Acquired Skill: Demon Link]
As the gray box on the Monster Codex lit up, Xia Mi had successfully revived his first common monster, unlocking more details about slimes. The process was much simpler than he had imagined.
Examining the empty Water of Life bottle, he realized he had used up every last drop.
The slime, wobbling like pudding, jumped out of the basin. A magical bond, carrying Xia Mi's scent, connected them. It blinked its large eyes, nuzzling up to Xia Mi's feet.
It reminded Xia Mi of a loyal pet dog.
He crouched down to touch the slime, finding its texture smoother than expected. The magical process had enhanced the quality of the tree sap.
[Name: Common Slime]
[Race: Demon·Common Monster]
[Intelligence: 1 (Very Low)]
[Attack: 1 (Very Low)]
[Defense: 2 (Low)]
[Health: Full]
[Status: Affectionate]
[Level: 1]
[Skills:
1. Reduces damage from sharp objects by 30%.
2. Regeneration (When fatally injured, the slime temporarily splits and reforms after a while, restoring its health).]
[For detailed feeding, breeding, and leveling information, please consult the Monster Codex]
As Xia Mi stood up, processing the information, Lureia rushed over in excitement.
"Oh my god, it's my first time seeing a slime!"
She crouched down, imitating Xia Mi, and touched the slime.