Hogwarts Raven

Chapter 347, Section 346: A Bountiful Harvest! The Money Pouch Explodes!

The moment Ian stepped into the square tomb chamber, the stone slabs beneath his feet made a slight "click" sound.

“Ah, classic.” He raised an eyebrow, glanced down at the sunken brickwork, then looked up and around—the dense holes in the walls were enough to trigger trypophobia.

Moreover, it was as if countless eyes were peering into the darkness at the people outside.

inside.

They were all scarabs.

"nice one!"

Ian was, of course, very excited.

He wasn't an archaeologist or a tomb raider, but a potion master. To him, these holes weren't a terrifying sight, but a treasure trove filled with potion ingredients.

Therefore, Ian, as a potion master, naturally did not feel fear. On the contrary, he was very happy. Ancient resources were abundant, and scarabs were an extremely rare species in later generations.

High-grade magic potion.

"Quick! Come quick! Babies!"

Ian knew what to do. He chose the coffin closest to the center, which was inlaid with turquoise, clearly indicating that the deceased inside was either very wealthy or of high status.

Scarabs are a type of grave-guarding trap.

This is not.

Ian's feet had only just begun to move.

Rumble——!
A chilling rustling sound emanated from the holes in the wall, like thousands of tiny metal claws scraping against the stone. The next second, a swarm of pitch-black insects erupted forth!

The bronze-colored scarabs are each the size of a fist. Their carapaces gleam with a cold, hard metallic sheen, their mouthparts are as sharp as knives, and their six legs make a teeth-grinding clicking sound as they crawl.

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle~" The scarabs chirped and surged in from all directions like a tide, instantly covering the entire floor of the tomb and crawling frantically toward Ian!
However, faced with this scene that would terrify any tomb raider, Ian's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but smile, feeling incredibly happy.

“Yes, that’s it. Quick, get to my cauldron.” Ian calmly took out his wand and waved it lightly as he infused it with magic.

"Soporifus Totalus." (The Sleeping Spirit)

This is an advanced spell derived from the Stun Spell, possessing the effect of causing mass unconsciousness. It is not only effective on humans, but also has remarkable effects on all living beings.

The curse rose into the air.

It instantly transformed into a pale purple mist.

It enveloped the entire tomb chamber.

The leading scarab suddenly swayed, its six legs began to tangle, and then it collapsed to the ground with a series of thuds, its carapace slightly opening and closing, as if it were drunk. Before the rest of the swarm could react, they crashed into their companions one after another, and then also tumbled to the ground.

Six legs in the air, unable to move, or rather, no longer able to move, all had fallen into a deep sleep. In just a few seconds, the once menacing swarm of insects had turned into a "drunken" carpet.

A few of them were still twitching their legs, but they no longer posed any threat—the live, dormant scarabs were often more effective than the dried ones.

Ian's spell can put these creatures to sleep until their next life. He only needs to remove the sleeping spell on the spot to prepare the medicine when he needs it, which can maximize the efficacy of the scarab beetle.

"Perfect."

Ian nodded in satisfaction, squatted down, and carefully examined the stunned scarabs. He picked one up at random and scrutinized its shell.

His eyes revealed a professional look.

“This one is big, so the potion effect should be good.” He said this as he carefully placed the scarab beetle into the potion material bag he carried with him.

Then he picked up another scarab beetle and shook his head: "This one is underdeveloped, but it's still usable."

talking.

The little wizard also put it into his bag.

He then pulled out an exceptionally plump scarab beetle: "Wow! A top-grade 'Lunar Eclipse Beetle,' with natural runes on its abdomen that can temporarily conceal its presence when used in medicine!"

Ian grew more and more excited as he picked through the beetles, even humming a little tune. He sorted them into different crystal bottles, just like picking crabs at a market.

"This can only be used to make the 'Iron Skin' potion..."

"This only works for the 'poison resistance' formula..."

"This one... wait, a mutant?!"

He suddenly stared at a scarab beetle that was different from the others—its carapace was not bronze, but a deep dark red, and the pattern of the Eye of Horus was faintly visible on its back.

"A scarab king blessed by Horus?!" Ian gasped. "This thing is extinct in later generations! One could be traded for a shop in Diagon Alley!"

He carefully placed the "King of Insects" into a crystal bottle with gold trim, and thoughtfully added a piece of what looked like moonflower and something to enhance the beetle's vitality.

"Good boy, don't die, you're a rare breed." Ian's movements were skilled and methodical, as if he were performing a delicate surgery. While collecting the scarabs, he didn't forget to observe his surroundings. After collecting the scarabs on the ground, Ian looked at the holes in the wall with lingering interest.

The inside of the hole was surprisingly smooth, as if something was frequently going in and out. Ian gently ran his fingers along it, feeling the depth of the hole and the direction it extended outwards.

He discovered that these holes were not just simple caves, but connected to some kind of complex ventilation system, and he didn't know if it was because the scarab beetles needed air to live.

of course.

Ian didn't want to research this further, after all, he wasn't a magical entomologist. Ian's only interest in these beetles was taking them back to use as ingredients for potions.

"Since we're already here... we must make the most of it and leave no regrets." His gaze fell on the hole in the wall, and a bold idea surfaced in his mind.

He rubbed his hands together, walked directly to the nearest hole, reached in and rummaged around. "I don't care about antiques, but I can't waste potion ingredients."

Ian was always good at finding excuses for himself. He groped around inside the hole a few times with his fingers and quickly pulled out a handful of sticky insect eggs.

“Scarab eggs! Freshness is top-notch!” Ian’s eyes lit up. “These are much more valuable than adult scarabs; they’re the base for making the ‘Rejuvenation’ potion!”

The so-called "rejuvenation" potion is certainly not an immortality potion. Admittedly, it has a slight effect on prolonging life, but its greatest effect is to make the elderly return to their youth.

However, the body's functions cannot return to youth; only the outer skin can be changed. Ian has been trying to explore and improve the drug's advanced version.

If a way could be found to rejuvenate internal organs as well, then a relatively inexpensive version of the elixir of immortality would certainly have a significant impact on the elixir of immortality that requires magic stones to create.

They might be eliminated outright.

It's like choosing between a budget smartphone and a Nokia flip phone costing tens of thousands of yuan; those who need it naturally know how to choose. Seeing that there were still many scarab beetle eggs in the surrounding holes, Ian didn't hesitate to empty several nearby holes, collecting all the eggs he could find into a specially made preservation bag. The Potions Master went out.

All the necessary containers were so comprehensive. Then, while he was busy in the Pharaoh's tomb, he discovered a luminous fungus clinging to the cave walls.

"This is... 'Styx Fluorescent Bacteria'?!" Ian's voice trembled. "A legendary, extinct material that can be used to concoct 'Necromantic Communication Potions'!"

He searched through every hole in the wall like a treasure hunter, not even missing the insect droppings in the crevices—after all, scarab beetle excrement is a superior alchemical catalyst.

Once he was sure he couldn't extract any more value from the money, Ian reluctantly stopped, looked at his bulging purse, and sighed contentedly.

“This trip was incredibly profitable.” Now, only the turquoise-inlaid coffin in the center of the tomb remains. Ian dusted off his hands and walked to the coffin.

His fingertips gently traced the hieroglyphs on the coffin lid.

Those who disturb the Pharaoh's slumber will suffer the torment of countless insects devouring their hearts.

This was one of the most common methods of preventing tomb raiding in ancient Egypt, and there really was a curse attached to the coffin. However, even such a childish curse could not stump the legendary Ian.

"It's already been devoured, thank you." He apologized to the coffin without any sincerity, first using his wand to cleanse the curse, then slamming his palm on the coffin lid!

boom!
The heavy stone coffin lid was blown off and smashed into the wall, breaking in two.

Inside the coffin, a mummy wrapped in bandages lay quietly, its hands folded over its chest, with a palm-sized piece of gold foil pressed in its palm!
Just as Ian was about to reach for it, the mummy suddenly opened its eyes!
"I knew this would happen." He rolled his eyes, then took a small bottle of "corpse-dissolving water" from his purse and splashed it directly on the mummy's face.

——Sizzle!
The mummy let out a silent scream, and the bandages quickly decayed, turning into ashes.

"Do you even know the value of Ian from the Nine Gates? You think you can scare me?" Ian easily picked up the gold leaf and blew away non-existent dust.

"It's done."

Ian weighed the cursed gold foil in his hand; the thin gold sheet glowed with an eerie red light under the torchlight.

Logically, a normal person would leave the eerie pyramid immediately after obtaining the target item, but the Potions Master's thinking was clearly different from that of ordinary people.

“Since we’re already here,” Ian said, repeating his previous statement. He looked around, his eyes gleaming with excitement in the darkness. “Wouldn’t it be a waste not to empty this place outright?”

After obtaining the cursed gold leaf, Ian didn't leave immediately. Instead, he began wandering through the pyramid tomb, as if he were there to buy goods rather than to rob a grave. Of course, the powerful and wealthy always like to bury themselves with many treasures, but Ian had no interest in gold and silver; he was only interested in the extraordinary.

Around the corner of the tomb chamber, several fist-sized black scorpions stood guard, their venomous tails raised. These were the "Death Guard Scorpions" kept by the pharaoh; it was said that a single drop of their venom could kill an elephant within ten seconds.

“This is good stuff too!” Ian’s eyes lit up as he pulled a specially made glass jar from his purse. “We just happen to be missing a key ingredient for a ‘highly toxic neutralizer’.”

He snapped his fingers, and a wisp of silvery-gray magic coiled around the scorpions like a thread. These ferocious venomous creatures were instantly frozen in place, obediently lining up to crawl into the jar.

The last scorpion king tried to resist, but Ian gently pinched its tail with tweezers and lifted it upside down.

"Wow, this venom sac is so full it's almost overflowing."

He shook the scorpion with satisfaction. "Enough to refine three doses of the 'Immunity to All Poisons' potion."

Ancient resources were much richer than those of later generations. These things almost became extinct in later generations and were all cultivated artificially. However, as we all know, the medicinal effects of artificially cultivated things are definitely not as good as those of wild ones.

This is similar to how dragons in dragon farms can't beat wild dragons from the outside world.

"Da da da~"

The little wizard wandered through the pyramid.

After passing through a narrow passageway, he discovered a stone chamber filled with bottles and jars. This was clearly a mummification workshop, with various preservatives displayed on shelves.

"Nyquist resin, Natron salt... and complete records of organ preservation techniques?" Ian flipped through the papyrus scroll with great excitement. "These formulas have all been lost to later generations!"

He unceremoniously pocketed all the potion formulas, not even leaving behind the preservative ingredients in the corner. When he discovered a perfectly preserved jar of "Pharaoh's Liver," he whistled with delight.

"The perfect ingredient for treating heart disease!" There's a reason why eating mummies was popular in Europe for a time; the wizarding world does indeed have a tradition of using parts of mummies in medicine.

It's unclear which wizard spread this to the Muggle world, but it sparked a wave of criticism from historians who considered it foolish, since eating mummies normally wouldn't have the effect of a potion.

"I doubt that the collection in Diagon Alley is as comprehensive as mine."

Ian continued to plunder.

The Pharaoh's final resting place was indeed full of treasures, but what surprised Ian the most was the secret chamber hidden behind the murals. Pushing open the hidden door, a fully equipped ancient alchemy laboratory appeared before him.

A bronze still, an obsidian mortar, and a jewel-encrusted balance. Each instrument is engraved with the mark of the Eye of Horus. Most striking of all is the thick Book of the Sun on the lab table.

The cover is also inlaid with intricate constellation patterns in gold.

"The legendary and famous magic book."

The Book of the Sun is an important text in ancient Egyptian mythology, representing the Pharaoh's divine approval, similar to a "code of the gods," and is considered one of the two great treasures of ancient Egypt, along with the Book of the Dead.

The latter governs resurrection, while the former symbolizes the "power of the sun" and the "principle of death," which were lost in later generations. Unexpectedly, Ian has rediscovered them in ancient times using cheating methods.

“This is a treasure.” Ian carefully put away the Book of the Sun, his voice brimming with excitement. “The ancient Egyptian alchemy and magic systems were truly unique.”

Many spells in later generations were influenced by the ancient Egyptian magic system.

This shows that ancient Egyptian magic was indeed extraordinary. Without saying a word, Ian stuffed the entire scripture into his money bag and also packed up the equipment on the experimental table to take with him.

As he tried to move the bronze furnace, which was half a person's height, it suddenly emitted a protesting hum.

"Oh? It's a sentient alchemical instrument?"

Ian was even happier.

"Then we absolutely must take it with us."

At the very bottom of the pyramid, Ian discovered a dark chamber filled with seals. The walls were covered with all sorts of cursed items: a bronze mirror that sucked blood, a shroud covered in eyes, a holy grail that constantly oozed black liquid, and many more. When Ian finally emerged from the pyramid, his purse was almost overflowing.

It was filled with all sorts of rare materials and ancient secret texts.

outside.

The sky was already turning a pale white.

"One objective achieved, plus a bunch of rare materials as a bonus... This trip to Egypt has gotten off to a good start." Ian's figure quickly disappeared on the road leading to the next stop.

He was going to find Anubis to "borrow" the Styx oar.

(End of this chapter)