Generally speaking, this type of research experiment requires very detailed operations, meaning precise instruments, related laboratories, and a lot of time.
And these conditions are currently almost impossible to satisfy.
So, Angel adopted a slightly tricky method.
He prepared an active mineral and slightly modified the external structure of the mineral using the Fire Melting Method, allowing it to present a vortex web surface, and inside, Speedy created a small wind eye that wouldn’t last too long. In this way, a simple active mineral for absorbing wind was completed.
After finishing all this, Angel placed the active mineral outside the Moving Mirage through Earl Mi.
Now all that was left was to wait for the active mineral to absorb the "scent" that filled the surroundings.
Everyone understood Angel’s operation, but they didn’t understand why he used an active mineral. Active minerals can be used to create non-natural Magic Blood Ores. Although the market price isn’t particularly expensive, it’s still a number that previously made Dox feel the pinch. Now using it to store "scent" seemed like an overuse of resources.
If the goal was to capture the external scent, they could have simply used a Qi Bottle. This is an experimental bottle specifically for storing gases, which is not only cheap but also eliminates the risk of leakage.
Faced with everyone’s confusion, Angel didn’t respond.
Because the experimental tool he needed next was the "Extraordinary Extractor," obtained from Culori’s secret room, a tool that didn’t exist in the Southern Domain.
Although explaining the reason wasn’t a big deal, it was quite troublesome.
Seeing that Angel didn’t speak, no one pressed further, as experiments are a very private matter, and it was normal for Angel not to want to answer.
About two minutes later, Angel had Earl Mi retrieve the active mineral.
The surface of the active mineral remained unchanged; however, the small wind eye set by Speedy had disappeared, indicating that the interior had absorbed the "scent" from outside.
The vortex web surface on the active mineral locked in the scent, so there was no worry of leakage.
After confirming there were no abnormalities with the active mineral, Angel took out the Extraordinary Extractor.
The Extraordinary Extractor was undoubtedly useful, but it had a major drawback: it could only extract extraordinary power from inside crystals or minerals. That’s why Angel chose to use an active mineral to absorb the scent rather than a Qi Bottle.
After placing the active mineral in the Extraordinary Extractor, Angel began his observation.
The whole process left others bewildered, as they could only watch Angel continuously operate the device and take out pen and paper to record some strange data.
Initially, Angel’s reactions were normal, just ordinary recording. But when he wrote a set of data filled with question marks, he began to change. Sometimes frowning, sometimes relaxing, sometimes pondering, sometimes deep in thought.
This didn’t seem like data analysis, but rather contemplation of the results.
While everyone speculated whether Angel had already reached a conclusion, Angel removed the active mineral, halfway through the experiment, from the odd device.
Following this, Angel acted even more puzzlingly.
He poked a hole in the active mineral, then brought it to his nose and took a deep breath.
After doing all this, Angel’s eyes grew distant again, as if he was ready to fall into contemplation once more...
Only this time, before the contemplation fully set in, it was interrupted by Dox.
"Why don’t you share your thoughts with us before contemplating further, we can help you think too. You’re making us itch with curiosity, it’s simply..." Dox stopped mid-sentence when he saw Angel squinting at him, a sense of crisis rose sharply, and the words he wanted to say were swallowed back, replaced by a single word: "Naughty!"
This "naughty" was spoken by Dox with the charming and enchanting tone of the previous Clownfish.
On the side, Vay rolled his eyes and clutched his chest, making a vomiting gesture.
Angel was initially somewhat angry because Dox broke his train of thought, but Dox’s antics immediately deflated his anger. Although he didn’t express his emotions as directly as Vay, Angel still took a few steps back, looking as if he didn’t know Dox.
Even though this little episode was somewhat cringe-worthy, Dox’s antics successfully pulled Angel out of his own world.
The Black Earl seized the opportunity to ask, "Have you reached a result?"
If others asked, Angel could refuse to answer, but with the Black Earl speaking, Angel could only sigh and nod.
"Sort of."
Angel: "Earlier, when we just arrived at the Underground Aqueduct, I mentioned that we might encounter some magical creatures."
The Black Earl nodded: "I remember, you mentioned Ghosteye Witches, Flying Skull Demons, and Maneater Flowers."
The Ghosteye Witches had already appeared in large numbers. What hadn’t appeared were only the Flying Skull Demons and... the Maneater Flower.
Seeing Angel’s helpless expression, the Black Earl seemed to understand: "You mean, the scent comes from the Maneater Flower?"
Angel nodded.
When he reached this conclusion, he was also slightly shocked.
If it were just an ordinary Maneater Flower, Angel would have calmly accepted it since he had previously mentioned the potential encounter. However, this time it wasn’t an ordinary Maneater Flower; it had a trace of Nightmare Realm aura.
Due to the scent of the Maneater Flower being diluted in the air, the Nightmare Realm aura wasn’t obvious, and the Black Earl hadn’t sensed it.
But when Angel used the Extraordinary Extractor to more finely separate the scent, he discovered that a trace of Nightmare Realm aura could still be separated from it!
This was the reason for Angel’s shock.
The presence of Nightmare Realm aura suggested that this Maneater Flower had a high chance of originating from the Nightmare Realm.
Could the powerful otherworldly creature that Olao mentioned be this "Nightmare Realm Maneater Flower"?
If that were the case, the Nightmare Realm Maneater Flower might have come through the passage in Naraku City. Could it be a branch of the Maneater Flower King? Or could it directly be the Maneater Flower King itself? If all these assumptions were correct, would it recognize him?
Furthermore, the scent in the air now, due to its dilution, couldn’t have the Nightmare Realm aura detected by the Black Earl. But facing the Maneater Flower directly, the Nightmare Realm aura couldn’t possibly be hidden from the Black Earl.
Angel had, on multiple occasions, released Nightmare Realm aura along the journey, with even the Moving Mirage having traces of it.
Would the Black Earl suspect a connection between the Maneater Flower and him? If so, how should he explain it?