With Shang Chuan and the High Priestess coordinating the materials, all that remained was the wait.
Today was the final day before the mana tide. Once midnight passed, the tide would arrive.
She didn't plan on turning in early.
The primary reason was that she wanted to witness the arrival of the mana tide firsthand.
Though she had experienced it once before, she wanted to see if any unexpected issues would crop up. It was better to be ready to react than to be fast asleep while trouble brewed outside.
Having prepared for every eventuality, Lan Qingyou wasn't the least bit worried.
Even if the materials failed to arrive in time, she wouldn't panic.
After all, her Level 4 Magic Shield Core held a full 40,000 energy points. Even if she just sat there and did nothing, it would take eleven hours to deplete.
That was plenty of time to top it off, whether she spent it sleeping or brewing potions.
Still, Lan Qingyou didn't just sit idle.
She intended to spend the time before midnight reading and refining her plans for certain potion recipes.
After all, the monthly grading would take place after the mana tide.
She hadn't made any contributions this month, and her level had only increased by two.
If contributions were cumulative, she might have earned a higher score, but if they reset every month, her current grading might not be very impressive.
While she didn't care much for the meager rewards, something was better than nothing.
Of course, the most important factor was the sense of urgency.
While joining the Tarot Villa allowed her to absorb a wealth of knowledge and broaden her horizons, it also showed her that there was always someone more capable.
Leaving aside the Tarot cards they had co-developed—which were more functional and convenient than even a magic desk—the daily discussions these people had regarding magic and mana were enough to make her realize her own shortcomings.
The competition was intense.
It wasn't overt, but the undercurrents of rivalry were everywhere.
If someone proposed a theory today, someone else would present counter-evidence tomorrow.
If someone created something new today, someone else would produce an alternative tomorrow.
It was perhaps the most direct manifestation of the idea that in intellectual pursuits, there is no absolute superior.
In such an environment, it was impossible for Lan Qingyou not to feel a sense of pressure.
Furthermore, she had her own research objective: to 'go out' into the world.
Lan Qingyou didn't want to be bound; that much was clear from the talent she had received.
Whether it was being confined to a bed or restricted to a shelter, neither was what she wanted.
The world of magic was vast; why shouldn't she go out and see it? What was wrong with having a 'grand adventure'?
This was an inspiration she had taken from The Fool, Hells Mo.
Wandering around to enjoy the scenery while seeing if she could encounter anything interesting.
But all of this was predicated on safety.
If her safety couldn't be guaranteed, she wouldn't venture out recklessly.
With a goal in mind, her research direction naturally became clear.
First was combat capability.
For Lan Qingyou, who currently relied entirely on potions to act as a human bomber, the only other way to increase her combat power was through golems.
Then there was travel.
While Hells Mo's method of carrying his shelter everywhere solved many problems, the issue was that her shelter wasn't a rootless rock.
The idea of lugging such a massive tree around was pure fantasy.
Therefore, the most fundamental issue to resolve was the magic shield.
She needed to research magic shields and other travel essentials.
Only then could she set up a temporary shelter in the wild, allowing her to survive the night safely.
The matter of golems could be put on hold for now, as she hadn't finished studying the books on the subject yet.
However, other matters could be moved up the agenda.
For instance, the lighting required for the wilderness.
While magic lanterns provided light, they weren't quite what Lan Qingyou had in mind.
She needed a light source capable of repelling nearby monsters, snakes, and insects.
When traveling in the wild, things like mosquitoes and pests were unavoidable.
Even though she had already experienced such conditions during those first three days, she still hoped for a higher quality of life if possible.
This was also one of the reasons she was helping Gu Xiaobei.
After all, who doesn't want to eat well?
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Right then, a message arrived from Shang Chuan, informing her that the materials had been packed and sent over.
Lan Qingyou's eyes lit up.
Though her train of thought was interrupted, she needed to prioritize upgrading the shelter to Level 5.
Checking the alarm clock nearby, she saw that the mana tide was about to begin.
Without hesitation, she chose to upgrade.
She selected the elemental herb field, the Crystal Nest, and the storage room expansion as the facilities for this upgrade.
After all, the Crystal Nest was required to hatch the butterflies.
While she didn't know exactly what an elf butterfly was, the fact that Albert had preserved them suggested they were something impressive.
At the very least, they were rare and precious.
Based on those two points alone, she had to choose it.
Besides, wouldn't the herbs she was growing eventually need butterflies for pollination?
The elemental herb field and the Crystal Nest complemented each other perfectly, and butterflies weren't as aggressive as creatures like bees.
As for the storage room, its utility was even greater.
Especially with the current constant temperature, storing items would be incredibly convenient.
Poof!
She clicked upgrade. The materials were deducted, and as usual, a cloud of white smoke appeared.
However, this time was slightly different.
“Whoa! What is this?!”
Lan Qingyou stared in shock at the white smoke that had completely enveloped her.
The smoke was colorless and odorless, but it felt as cool and refreshing as menthol to the touch.
Since she was inside her shelter, she wasn't worried about any accidents.
While she stood there dazed, a virtual model of a giant tree appeared before her eyes.
Looking closely, it was her very own shelter.
Beside the virtual model were three lines of text.
【Through your unremitting efforts, your shelter has finally reached Level 5.】
【Shelters at Level 5 and above allow for the manual placement of facilities.】
【Simply drag the facilities on the virtual model to complete your desired shelter layout.】
“I see. So all this smoke means I can manually choose the layout? That's perfect.”
Previously, the bathroom, alchemy workshop, and storage room had all been built on the first floor, severely encroaching on the herb field.
Furthermore, their presence made the first floor look quite cluttered.
Being able to readjust everything now was a welcome change.
Lan Qingyou reached out toward the virtual model.
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