At this moment, Ciel's surprise was truly indescribable. Originally, subduing the Acromantula colony in the Forbidden Forest was just to try searching for rare herbs. He had prepared for coming up empty-handed. After all, though the Forbidden Forest was rich in resources, it was too vast. Rare herbs weren't so easy to find.
But anyway, he was only paying with some blood. Even if he gained nothing in the end, it wouldn't be a loss. He just hadn't expected Aragog to give him a surprise right away. An herb that could extend lifespan?
Even with his increasingly deep mastery of Herbology, he could remember very few herbs with such effects. Then he asked Aragog about the specific situation.
Aragog led him deeper into the Forbidden Forest while describing how he had discovered this herb's effects.
"That was about twenty years ago. Though Acromantulas live much longer than ordinary spiders, theoretically approaching human lifespans, that's just theory; few Acromantulas actually live that long. Twenty years ago, I was already very old, dim-eyed, and weak, as if I could see Death beckoning me. I was preparing to find myself a grave. Just then, I discovered blue flowers glowing faintly in the darkness, like blue stars. My body's instinct told me these things would benefit me unimaginably. I ate them, and something miraculous happened: my aged body seemed nourished, and I endured."
But Aragog's eyes showed regret: "Later I kept searching for more of these blue flowers but found nothing in my range of activity. As if the entire Forbidden Forest had only this one small cluster. Since then, I led the colony to migrate near there, guarding this cluster of flowers. But their blooming time is very long, their numbers keep decreasing, and their effects keep diminishing. Early this year, I ate the few flowers that had just matured, but their effect was almost nothing."
He raised an eyebrow, showing strangeness in his eyes. From Aragog's description, he had a vague guess. This blue flower that glowed like stars in darkness – he seemed to have seen it in a book about rare herbs.
"If it really is this herb, then this time, I've really struck it rich."
He took a deep breath, his expression suddenly becoming fervent. He quickened his pace. Of course, he wasn't blinded by the possible rare herb. One must guard against others. Moreover, telling him this news was an Acromantula. He wasn't trusting enough to stupidly follow Aragog into a trap.
Throughout, eighty percent of his attention remained on Aragog and the other Acromantulas. Coldness flickered in his pupils' depths. The blood he had fed Aragog and the others wasn't given for nothing. His Toxin ability had already secreted poison into his blood. If the Acromantulas showed any abnormality, he would detonate the poison in the blood they had swallowed. At least it could paralyse them for some time.
With these precautions prepared, he followed Aragog forward. Fortunately, Aragog and the Acromantulas were truly moved by his blood giving gesture. They showed no abnormalities along the way.
Aragog honestly led him to a grove, pointing at an especially tall, ancient tree in the centre: "Those flowers grow underneath there."
Seeing this tree, his eyes flickered slightly. He was already seventy percent certain of his earlier guess. But for the final result, he still needed to confirm with his own eyes.
Then he stepped forward, looking toward the tree's roots. Indeed, he saw some decayed thin tendrils. Following these tendrils, besides some gnawed, rotted plant remains, what remained were five tiny seeds like grass seeds.
Looking carefully, he could see these tiny seeds had strange blue barbs. These blue barbs had also penetrated the tree's roots.
After witnessing these scenes, he exhaled softly. He completely confirmed his guess.
"I wasn't wrong. The blue flowers Aragog mentioned that could extend its lifespan are exactly the Blue Star Flowers considered nearly extinct in Herbology. This plant looks like a flower but is actually a parasitic plant that specifically parasitises Ironwire Dendrobium trees. Blue Star Flowers continuously absorb the Ironwire Dendrobium tree's life force to provide nutrients for their blooming. But Ironwire Dendrobium trees are also quite rare plants; Blue Star Flower parasitism makes both species increasingly scarce. The Herbology world hasn't discovered new Ironwire Dendrobium trees and Blue Star Flowers for a long time. Though not definitively confirmed, most herbologists are pessimistic about whether these two plants still exist. I didn't expect the Forbidden Forest to still have such a pair."
But looking at this Ironwire Dendrobium tree's condition, he shook his head regretfully. It had almost been drained by the Blue Star Flowers. No wonder Aragog said Blue Star Flower numbers kept decreasing. Without the Ironwire Dendrobium tree providing life force, it would be strange if Blue Star Flowers could bloom.
If Aragog hadn't brought him here, this pair would probably both die in the Forbidden Forest within two years. Brief sentimentality flashed through his heart.
Then he looked at these Blue Star Flower seeds with increasingly fervent eyes.
"Blue Star Flower sap is indeed considered to have slight life-extending effects. But for a long time, if someone obtained a Blue Star Flower, they would never waste such a treasure. Compared to that negligible life extension effect, Blue Star Flowers' real use is brewing an exceptionally effective potion. No matter how severe the injury, external, internal, curses, or other Dark Arts, even soul injuries, as long as one hasn't completely died, this potion can sustain the user's life. Though the potion's effects diminish, theoretically, with enough Blue Star Flowers, one could continue sustaining life."
Thinking this, he looked at Aragog with a strange expression. Aragog had eaten so many Blue Star Flowers. If all were brewed into potions, they might extend a dying person's life by one or two years! If Snape knew this, he would probably break into the Forbidden Forest to skin and dismember Aragog, not even sparing the bone marrow to see if he could extract some Blue Star Flower components.
Simultaneously, he thought of Dumbledore's fatal curse in the original story. Even Snape could only extend Dumbledore's life by a year and a half. This left Dumbledore without enough time to complete his guidance and arrangements. Many things couldn't be explained in time; he could only place hope on the Golden Trio.
But with enough Blue Star Flowers, with Snape's potion skills, the brewed medicine could probably let Dumbledore live until after the final battle. If he had discovered Blue Star Flowers earlier, this plant might have directly changed the magical world's future direction!
Unfortunately, mature Blue Star Flowers no longer existed. What remained were five seeds and the Ironwire Dendrobium tree that was almost completely drained. He shook his head regretfully. He could only see if he could cultivate Blue Star Flowers.
Then he examined these five Blue Star Flower seeds' condition more carefully. His heart gradually sank. There were indeed five seeds, but most had lost vitality; they just looked intact on the surface. After screening, only one seed barely retained some vitality, with hope of cultivation.
When his gaze fell on this seed, reward information appeared above it:
[You obtained Blue Star Flower Seed.]
[Cultivating it to maturity grants rewards: One-time Ability — Resist Fatal Damage (Iron Level), Lifespan Extension (Iron Level)]
An iron-level lustre flickered before his eyes. In brilliance, it was far inferior to the various Silver and Platinum level rewards he was used to. But this reward information's impact on him was more shocking than those.
Iron level lifespan extension – this was a reward he had never seen. Though he possessed Legendary Life with formidable vitality far exceeding ordinary humans, unless Legendary Life continued sublimating toward the Mythical level, his lifespan could hardly reach especially exaggerated lengths. It definitely couldn't compare to Nicolas Flamel's longevity achieved through the Philosopher's Stone.
But now, if this lifespan extension ability could stack, even if Legendary Life stagnated on its path to the Mythical level, his lifespan would reach very exaggerated lengths. If Voldemort knew about this reward, he would probably cry with envy.
After all, Voldemort had painstakingly pursued immortality, yet in the original story, his lifespan was actually among the shortest of his generation. Quite ironic indeed. But he could gain a lifespan far exceeding ordinary people just by continuously planting. The difference was truly vast!
This Iron level reward's preciousness probably exceeded many Diamond level rewards! But in his view, even the lifespan extension reward was far inferior to Blue Star Flowers' other reward, One-time Ability — Resist Fatal Damage.
Though this fatal damage resistance could only be used once, if its level could be stacked up, it was equivalent to having an extra life. The further along, the higher this ability's value!
Taking a deep breath, he slowly calmed his emotions. Looking at this Blue Star Flower seed in his hand, whether it was Blue Star Flowers' own potion-brewing effects or the rewards from planting them, he was determined to obtain them. No matter how difficult, this plant had to be cultivated. In the future, it could not only provide safety guarantees for himself but might even protect those around him and change their fates.
Then he waved his wand again, cutting a branch still maintaining vitality from the Ironwire Dendrobium tree the Blue Star Flower seeds parasitised. This branch had hope of cultivating a new Ironwire Dendrobium tree through cutting or grafting methods. This was also indispensable for cultivating Blue Star Flowers.
However, the reward information appearing on the Ironwire Dendrobium branch was quite ordinary. He didn't mind. Getting the Blue Star Flower seed this time was already an unexpected joy.
Then he immediately set off, returning to Hogwarts. Regarding Blue Star Flower and Ironwire Dendrobium cultivation, he hadn't encountered this content before. Probably even Professor Sprout hadn't researched related topics. He needed to go to the library to find some literature.
He walked hurriedly. Returning to the castle entrance, he was about to head toward the library. But just then, a tall figure in a black cloak and scarf walked from outside the castle, appearing in his vision.
That figure's gaze also simultaneously fell on him. Instantly, an extremely cold feeling, as if being targeted by some bloodthirsty monster, surged in his heart. His heart slowly sank.
Quirrell. Had returned.