Chapter 123: The Serpent-Human Demon

"This is truly a poisoned bait; I never imagined this lad could withstand such temptation."

Hussain sighed to himself, secretly reflecting that even at Borne’s age, he lacked such self-restraint. It must be said that the vast majority of people would never refuse such a sweet lure and would instead devour it with glee.

"The brat is sharp enough to see through it. The title of 'Archivist of the Blazing Fire' is far too heavy for him; it would only make him a target," the Count said calmly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "However, it seems the Alchemy Workshop is even more attractive than we imagined, if they are willing to dangle the title of 'Archivist' just to get their hands on it."

In truth, when Borne first conceived of the Alchemy Workshop, he was already prepared to face all manner of schemes and the prying eyes of wolves. Though he had steeled himself, feeling the pressure still stirred his irritation. To put it plainly, he was simply too weak. If he possessed the strength of the Archmage, who would dare challenge him? When the Archmage created the 'Ioun Stones,' if he hadn't chosen to contribute them himself, who would have dared to force his hand? If Borne had accepted that title today, the Court Mages would have demanded he contribute the technology for his 'Mana Storage Device' tomorrow.

He needed to increase his strength quickly; only by reaching the High Rank would he have any real leverage.

Just as Borne was lost in his own thoughts, the Count swept his hand through the air, and a thick stack of golden scrolls appeared in his grasp.

"Ah!" Guild Leader Lisperelle covered her mouth in surprise.

"Oh? Netherese scrolls!" Hussain remarked with an intrigued expression.

Borne, however, was no longer as exhilarated by the sight of golden scrolls as he once was. He knew that everything had a price. Unknowingly, he had become much more composed and mature. Since his grandfather had brought them out, they were likely intended for him, yet Borne did not reach for them, watching the Count quietly instead.

The Count nodded inwardly and said, "This is a reward from the Archmage."

"The Archmage? Lord Concanio?" Borne was taken aback; he had not expected to draw the attention of such a titan.

"Indeed. The Archmage is already aware of the situation at the Academy. He uncovered the truth within two or three days of the incident, successfully salvaging the Academy's reputation. More importantly, he discovered the Yuan-ti hidden beneath the streets of Sevinthon, saving the lives of many students and citizens."

The Count smiled. "Since you have already read nine volumes, take the remaining nineteen. This is the Archmage's gift to you."

Borne was overjoyed. As expected, the Archmage was truly magnanimous. This was a substantial reward, far better than some hollow title. If the Court Mages had tried to lure him with golden scrolls, he would have agreed on the spot without a second thought. He would have even accepted a few gold coins if that was all they offered. The poor Court Mages had no idea that Borne’s unconventional mindset was unlike anyone else’s; they thought they had played a trump card, while Borne hadn't even blinked.

Looking at the thick stack of golden scrolls in his hands, Borne's eyes shone. He couldn't wait to find a place to lock himself away and study them in depth. The Academy held the *General Introduction to Arcana* series, which consisted of thirty volumes. Two had been lost on their way to the Elves, and after subtracting the nine he had already read, these nineteen were the ones he had yet to see.

Borne instantly understood the Archmage's intent. After reading the *Mechanics of the Planes*, he knew that reading an entire series would yield unexpected rewards. The Archmage had clearly taken note of Borne's investigative capabilities and hoped he would recover the two lost Netherese scrolls.

Borne was genuinely impressed. This was what one called a real 'lure'—it made you willing to take the bait and even act on the sender's behalf. Knowing the benefits of reading a complete series, how could Borne not seek out the final two? He wouldn't feel resentful; he would be actively enthusiastic. This was true political maneuvering—an 'open conspiracy.' Compared to the petty tricks of the Court Mages, it was leagues ahead.

With the rewards distributed, the two masters fell into deep thought.

"Grandfather, is it because of the Yuan-ti?" Lisperelle could see her grandfather was troubled. Whenever Hussain was deep in thought, his hair would flicker like flames.

"Yes," Hussain nodded. "Although we have discovered that the Yuan-ti tribe is hiding in the underground sewers, Sevinthon is vast. Especially after several expansions, the sewers have become a complex labyrinth. Finding their specific hiding spot is as difficult as finding an Elf in the High Forest. Even deploying two legions might not be enough to flush them out."

Hussain paused, his expression grave. "There is another reason. Their camouflage is too potent. I need to know if all Yuan-ti possess this ability, or if it is only a select few."

Lisperelle froze, her face turning pale at the memory of that half-human, half-snake monster. The most critical point was that so many people had been present, yet no one had noticed it—the camouflage was truly terrifying.

If Count Iolum hadn't discovered it, the Court Mages would have been kept in the dark indefinitely. Lisperelle glanced at the Count; he was indeed powerful enough to serve as the Vice-Chancellor, but not everyone possessed his strength. A 'tainted' individual who had consumed the Yuan-ti concoction could live alongside you for years, only to strike when you least expected it. Thinking of how she had been standing right over a group of them, Lisperelle felt her knees go weak.

She caught a glimpse of Borne, who was hugging the scrolls and looking dazed. Rolling her eyes, she reached out to snatch them, but Borne's instincts were lightning-fast; he pulled the scrolls back before she could touch them.

"Hmm?" Borne looked at her, confused. "What are you doing?"

The Guild Leader was annoyed, snorting, "My dear Archivist of the Blazing Fire, great scholar, polymath—why don't you tell us what this is all about?"

"Yuan-ti?" Lisperelle hadn't expected Borne to know anything, just asking on a whim, but to her surprise, Borne began to explain.

"The Yuan-ti are a humanoid race, half-snake and half-human. Legend says they are the descendants of an evil crossbreeding between humans and ancient reptilian creatures."

"They exist in three distinct forms: Purebloods, Halfbloods, and Abominations. They have also created two types of servants: the Tainted Ones and Broodguards."

"Oh, the one Grandfather killed was a Pureblood. Ironically, the more 'pure' they are, the more they resemble humans. Purebloods possess subtle reptilian traits, such as slit pupils, forked tongues, fangs, or scales."

"Purebloods possess a special shapeshifting ability that hides their features, making it incredibly difficult to spot them among humans. They often pass themselves off as people."

"Purebloods are also the weakest of their kind, acting as servants or slaves to the others. They are human-sized and blend into society as informants, foremen, spies, or assassins. They answer to the Halfbloods, Abominations, and even more powerful entities."

"The Abominations are the most powerful and least human-like; they are the rulers of the Yuan-ti. Almost every tribe leader is an Abomination. They have a human head and a serpentine lower body..."