Wizard Alchemist

Chapter 842 The World of Divine Remains (4-in-1)

In the blink of an eye, it's June 1st.

The new trial day has arrived.

As always, the city of Murren was in the midst of a festive celebration, with lanterns and decorations everywhere and a bustling crowd.

The invisible, blood-red moonlight shone over the continent day and night, bringing a bloodthirsty excitement to the beastmen.

The carnival feast is also associated with various primal instincts and impulses.

They ate and drank heartily, fought fiercely, and vented their pent-up fighting spirit to the fullest.

Recently, there has been a tenfold increase in fights, brawls, and even street killings.

Instead of stopping this, the Orcs' official authorities fueled it.

Because they want to create an atmosphere of spiritual resonance through such behavior, thereby guiding the entire ceremony onto the right track.

Thus, the fighting spirit accumulated over the years rapidly intensified, finally fulfilling the conditions for activation.

Inside the city's arena, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Beast King Lukel appeared and announced: "Heroes, the portal to the secret realm is opening, and a new round of the Crimson Trial is about to begin. The trials of the Beast Gods await!"
As is our tradition, let's drink this cup to the brim and then celebrate to our hearts' content!

"Whoa whoa!"

The orcs cheered.

Roy mingled in the crowd, carrying a huge dinosaur leg in his hand.

This is the thigh of a velociraptor that died in battle.

At this moment, he looked like an ordinary orc guest, holding the free buffet food and preparing to roast it by the campfire.

The surrounding stalls also offer plenty of cheap wheat beer.

Suddenly, he felt a gaze pass over the crowd and fall on him.

Roy remained expressionless and turned to look.

But it was the already elderly Lukel.

Their eyes met briefly in the air, as if they had exchanged a conversation in an instant.

"It's not that person."

A hint of doubt flashed in Lukel's eyes, but his face remained expressionless.

Years of experience have matured him.

He won't be as impulsive as he used to be.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?"

At this moment, an old orc woman with a tiger's head asked a question beside Lukel.

"It's nothing, I just felt that the person's back looked strangely familiar."

Lukel shook his head and said to her.

"Have you still not been able to move on from that person's shadow and completely forget the past?"

The old orc woman was none other than Maggie, the orc princess from back then.

Because of the deliberate protection of the former Beast King and the Marshal, she is still not entirely clear about the entanglement between Luke and Roy.

All she knew was that there was one person who cast a huge shadow over Lukel.

Luke shook his head, saying nothing more, but silently lamenting in his heart.

How could I possibly get over it or forget it?
The one who once usurped the title of Son of the Black Blade, but later avenged the tribe's blood feud.

That person who once fooled himself and the world, yet ultimately made himself who he is today.

That figure I've been chasing my whole life, but it seems I'll never have a chance to catch up with.

My "brother"...

"Big Lukel!"

Maggie comforted him, saying, "You are now the supreme king of the orc world. More than 200 years ago, you were recognized by the gods and mastered powerful divine power. Later, you were promoted to the third level and became a peak existence that all living beings on earth look up to."

Even if that person were to advance in rank and still live to this day, instead of dying of old age like an ordinary first-level wizard, they would no longer be your match.

More likely, they have already perished on their journeys, never even having the chance to grow.

Several close guards and Luke and Maggie's children turned around curiously and listened to their conversation silently.

that person……

Who is it?

It sounds like a long-standing story that has been mentioned many times before.

But now, with the development of the times, war has become urgent.

The true gods bestow power more frequently and under more lenient conditions.

Level one wizards are indeed no longer some unapproachable figures.

They didn't pay much attention to it.

"That person just now seems to be Ruanti, the sword saint recommended by the city of Grassis."

This name does indeed have a style reminiscent of the icy plains.

Lukel, not wanting others to pry into her past, changed the subject.

"However, the identity and origin of such a self-made hero are indeed questionable."

Once inside the trial grounds, keep a close eye on him and don't give him a chance to cause trouble.

If you encounter anything wrong, don't hesitate, just take care of it.

"Yes!"

Not far behind, a burly orc warrior with a powerful aura responded in a deep voice.

This is a Shadow Hunter trained by the Temple. A strong person from this system possesses the professional templates of both Temple Guardian and Shadow Hunter.

They should have been cultivating diligently in the temple, ignoring worldly affairs, and would not have easily obeyed the Beast King's orders.

However, due to the special circumstances in recent years, it has gradually come to the forefront.

Lukel ruthlessly used them to eliminate dissidents and seize control of the entire empire.

But the current arrangement seems to reflect a greater sense of public duty.

Because the news of Behemoth's death could no longer be kept secret, and the official stance was that it was a rumor, no one believed it anymore. Instead, rumors from the outside world spread like wildfire.

The slightest misstep could bring disaster to the entire orc empire.

Now that he sits in the throne of the Beast King, he will absolutely not allow such a thing to happen.

The orcs' true gods, however, did not want that either.

Therefore, they strongly supported him and even intentionally strengthened the centralization of power within the Orc Empire.

……

"Was that Luke just now?"
Before we knew it, more than 300 years had passed...

He's getting old too.

Roy was suddenly touched by something inexplicable, never having imagined that he still harbored such thoughts.

Orc heroes focus their development of life energy on killing and do not cultivate their spirit, so their lifespan is shorter than that of those who develop in a balanced way.

He had already advanced to the third level, but he was still like a first-level wizard, looking old at over 300 years old.

However, Roy had just sensed another, incredibly powerful aura emanating from him.

That is a blessing from the gods.

The true gods of the orc world bestowed special powers upon these important high-ranking individuals, enabling them to cope with the complex interdimensional warfare environment.

Unbeknownst to them, the Heroes' Feast was gradually reaching its climax.

A mirage-like phenomenon appeared in the sky, seemingly from the netherworld, above the celebration.

A massive rift, as if torn open by a beast's claw, appeared, and the gate to the secret realm slowly opened.

"let's go!"

"Trial!"

"campaign!"

Numerous orc heroes, burping contentedly and emboldened by the alcohol, grabbed their weapons and headed inside.

Roy followed the crowd without making a sound and went inside as well.

A moment later, under the crimson sky, a suspended net made of giant interwoven chains appeared before everyone.

******
"This place..."

"How could this be such a place?"

“It’s amazing!”

Many of the orc heroes were visiting the Trial Grounds for the first time and couldn't help but look around.

Roy looked around expressionlessly.

"It seems to have changed slightly from before."

The sky remained blood-red, and the thick chains appeared in a state of half-illusion and half-solidity, like a giant python encircling the world, intertwined and linked together.

The crowd stood atop this "net of all spirits," like ants climbing iron chains.

A chilling aura emanated from it, so intense it took one's breath away, but it wasn't a physical sensation; rather, it was a shiver that seemed to come from the depths of one's soul.

Roy sensed something slightly different from what he had heard before.

That is, the blood color became even darker, and it carried a terrifying pressure that even made one's heart tremble.

At that moment, people from all sides began to act, each choosing a path and heading towards the distance.

This is the advice of heroes who have come to the trial in the past: each team should separate and try to avoid dangers from other people.

Roy looked around but didn't see any mages, demons, or spies from the Interstellar Alliance causing trouble.

Everyone probably thinks the same way I do: to search discreetly and find the body of the Behemoth god first.

"According to the information provided by the Great Wizard, after the fall of Behemoth, the divine kingdom underwent a change that was not easily reversed even by other orc true gods. The only thing that could be done was to temporarily seal away His body along with the entire divine kingdom."

But they did not merely seal it away; they also attempted to inherit and utilize this power.

Just then, several fellow orcs asked Roy, "Lord Ruanti, which direction do you plan to explore next?"

These are orcs, also from the eastern part of the continent, the Lalbu Icefield.

They had previously lingered in the city of Grassis and met Roy there.

In the orc world, the strong are respected, so Roy had to ask first whether he was willing to act with them or not.

Roy shook his head: "I don't know either, let's just take a look."

"Lord Ruanti is truly..."

How dashing!

The orcs exchanged glances, then praised.

Suddenly, countless flames of souls drifted across the distant sky.

They were like candles, or fireflies in the night, countless in number, as if disturbed by something, swirling in the air.

In this astonishing scene, the remnants of the spirits of some ancient heroes emerged.

"These are the souls of warriors!"

"Oh my god, how could this happen!"

Many orcs who were visiting this place for the first time found it hard to accept.

This is a secret that the Orc Empire has been trying its best to hide, and many heroes who have left this place have also kept it a secret.

Because it involves their ancestors and their beliefs.

But in any case, we have to face it head-on now.

Roy wasn't a native of this world, and he just wanted to take the opportunity to get some relics.

Defeating these remnant souls and spirits can yield loot such as holy relics.

……

"It has begun! An ancient war, and souls trapped due to the machinations of wizards!"

At this time, the other side.

On the mage side, Pekkato, a high-ranking mage who had come here under the weight of guilt for special reasons, looked up at the scene above and muttered to himself.

“Trace their origins, find the weakest part of the dimensional crystal wall, and then install an ether bomb to detonate it.”

"Yes!"

Beside him, several high-ranking warriors disguised as orcs responded.

They were Pekkator's followers, and upon hearing this, they immediately dispersed, but did not go too far. Instead, they installed small magical devices that looked like geological exploration instruments nearby.

This thing contains a very sophisticated ethereal space and soul energy positioning technology, which can automatically eliminate interference from biological energy and analyze and summarize it.

Before arriving here, the people of Achinila had already prepared a special array for its operation, which had been made portable and user-friendly by using arcane knowledge.

Therefore, these soldiers can also assist.

All you need to do is bring the item to the designated location, turn it on according to the instructions, and then keep an eye on it from the side.

However, before they could carry out the order, the flickering candles in the air rushed down as if they had gone mad.

Like a man-eating monster fish in a river...

Billions of wandering souls launched a frenzied invasion, drifting around and taking shape under the call of battle, condensing into semi-transparent phantoms.

Orc infantry.

Orc infantry leader.

Wolf riders.

Dragon Knight.

……

"These are all the wandering souls of soldiers from the past empire!"

"They have been materialized!"

"My God, the will of this secret realm has given them physical form!"

Amidst the gasps of surprise, some people from the high-magic world outside noticed something amiss.

For example, during the apprenticeship stage, after manifesting the will rune, one can materialize it.

A great wizard, or a fourth-level being of demigod or higher, can trigger another higher-level "manifestation" of "spiritual materialization".

Therefore, at this moment it was as if an invisible giant, with his own spiritual will, propelled the wandering souls, combined with the natural magic between heaven and earth, to condense these monsters.

They were born of an ancient will, carrying the longing of lingering souls.

Under the influence of the special laws of the secret realm, it solidified into a physical form and roared as it charged forward.

Without hesitation, the orc heroes drew their weapons and began to slash.

In an instant, the souls of those warriors were wounded and bleeding, falling down like real flesh and blood.

A moment later, it turned into smoke and dissipated.

What remained was embers, like ashes.

Faintly visible among them are some coarse salt or even larger crystalline gravel.

……

"Are these things essentially relics?" On the other side, Roy, wielding his longsword, cut down several squads.

He discovered that the orc soldiers still maintained their tactical style and thinking habits from when they were alive, and the coordination between different troop types was also quite orderly.

Perhaps this is the meaning of the trial.

Let these orc heroes of later generations see what an elite ancient army is like.

However, as an alchemist from the wizarding world, Roy was more concerned with the crystal particles.

Under the illumination of the Eye of Hermes, it appears grayish-white, with some parts faintly tinged with green.

However, without exception, each of them contained golden-orange threads.

That was the condensed entity of thoughts and intentions, fragments of sacred relics.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, an axe fell out of thin air and struck the ground with a metallic clang.

The infantry leader beside him fell to the ground, his figure filled with regret and resentment, and slowly drifted away.

However, the axe remained; it did not disappear.

******
Roy looked over with a hint of surprise.

"Elite-grade Refined Steel Axe (Level 1)..."

Is this actually a real object, a relic from an ancient battlefield?

The intense green light indicates that this is a level one weapon.

However, weapons of this caliber are not worthy of Roy's attention.

What truly surprised him was that this thing had appeared out of thin air, demonstrating a higher form of transformation between spirit and matter.

Materialization...

Beyond manifestation and embodiment...

Spiritual materialization!
Moreover, the moment I saw this level one axe, I felt a faint stinging pain between my brows, and a semi-transparent illusory panel appeared directly on my screen.

[Alchemy talent gain in progress (100%)]

【Arcane Darkness (Gold Rank)】

[Emphasizing the "materialization" of the material realm, achieving the creation of a physical entity, "Creation" level +3, magic power gains the "Permanent Materialization" attribute]

Without a doubt, this is an alchemical talent related to the materialization of the spirit.

If "spiritual materialization" is a universal ability that all level four beings can master, then this [Secret Art of Darkness] is undoubtedly a further deepening and strengthening of that ability.

The inexplicable thoughts emanating from his mind allowed Roy to immediately understand the process by which the axe transformed from an "intangible" object into a "physical" object.

"How amazing!"

In fact, more than 300 years ago, Roy had a vague feeling that the fragments of the relics here had begun to possess the properties of materialization.

However, at that time, my level was insufficient to fully digest these source substances, so the corresponding puzzle structure was not completed.

I never expected that revisiting this place would bring me such a rewarding experience.

"This trip was definitely worthwhile. This seems to be a rather important ability that will help me advance my alchemy skills!"

Roy immediately made a judgment based on his past knowledge.

However, now is not the time to delve into this.

The battle is still ongoing.

Throughout, my mind raced, and I thought about so many things.

In reality, it was just a fleeting moment in the past.

The clanging sound of the axe falling to the ground still echoed.

More wandering spirits immediately attacked.

"The wandering souls here have accumulated for countless years, and are probably the final resting place for many beings from various worlds within the entire orc world, and even the planes covered by the divine realm..."

If we cannot find their source, the battle will likely be endless!

In an instant, Roy made a judgment on the current situation.

The wandering spirits drifting in the sky stretched as far as the eye could see, their numbers clearly considerable.

Although for the time being, all that has appeared are minor characters at level zero or one, if this continues, sooner or later they will face truly formidable opponents.

Most people will exhaust their physical strength and energy in endless battles and be swallowed up by countless enemies.

Therefore, the most urgent task is to leave this place as soon as possible and find a place to hide.

"Logically speaking, this place is open and there is nowhere to hide, but because of the characteristics of the 'Net of All Souls' laid by wizards during past wars, some places still retain magic that targets souls."

The orcs didn't understand magic, but they used these wandering spirits to fill the void, forcibly attaching the souls to the surface and negating its absorption capacity.

Without timely cleaning and maintenance, it will gradually lose its effectiveness.

However, before that, the "Net of All Spirits" was still very effective.

Like trenches in positional warfare, they can at least delay the enemy until they are filled.

Although Roy sometimes secretly wondered if the orc gods were deliberately driving the orc heroes who came here to participate in the trials to those places, then killing them, extracting their fresh souls, and continuing to fill the pits.

But now, that place has become a relatively safe place.

Everyone else knows about this.

This news had already been spread by some people during the previous trials.

Soon enough, all the teams rushed to the place under the blood-red sky where there was still some light.

It was a web woven from enormous chains, with two huge iron chains interlocking and passing through each other.

Not every such "crossroads" has similar characteristics.

However, due to the presence of some special force in the conflict, the light it emitted was exceptionally conspicuous.

All you need to do is look for the place where white light still lingers beneath a blood-red glow.

……

"Ah, we're finally safe!"

"This is really great."

A moment later, Roy slashed down the velociraptor knight who was blocking his way with a single sword stroke.

This is a carnivorous animal, several times larger and much fiercer than a swift dragon, that has been domesticated into a mount and equipped with thick iron armor. It is a heavy cavalry force composed of powerful orc elites wielding spears.

Compared to the light cavalry forces formed by small mounts like dire wolves and swift dragons, these behemoths are practically like armored chariots from a technological world.

But he still managed to cut him down with a casual sword strike.

With a "ding," the treasure fell to the ground.

It's another piece of equipment with a physical form.

"Blessed Ancestor Ring (Level 1)..."

Originating from shamanic spells, these soul artifacts are made using ancestral rings that have been worshipped by the tribe for a long time, and possess a function similar to totem stones.

Special effect 1: When worn, grants +10 Strength, +5 Agility, etc.

Effect 2: When Spirituality is activated, Ancestral Protection, equivalent to a 3rd-circle "Blessing" spell, increases saving throws against Fear...

In the eyes of ordinary people, such items are already considered legitimate magical jewelry, possessing a certain degree of practical value.

However, since it didn't bring him any more pieces of the talent source puzzle, Roy didn't care. He just realized that these monsters did indeed possess unusual "value".

"I got another piece of gear!"

A fellow orc nearby quickly picked it up and, with a chuckle, presented it to Roy as if it were a treasure.

"Lord Ruanti, these are your spoils of war."

"I don't like this, you can have it."

Roy glanced at it and confirmed that there was some faint source energy being absorbed, but the progress bar wasn't increasing at all. He then casually said something to him.

Once something becomes a physical object and is completely fixed in form, it loses the malleability of a relic, so he becomes less interested in it.

The fellow villager was taken aback for a moment, then overjoyed: "Thank you for your generous gift, sir!"

"Ah, I was a step too slow!"
Damn it, damn it all!

When the other "fellow villagers" saw this, they were so annoyed that they wanted to slap themselves, and at the same time, they looked at the lucky guy from before with such envy that they wanted to kill him.

I had long heard that Lord Ruanti was generous and indifferent to fame and fortune, but I never expected that he would not even care about such a treasure.

Why didn't you hurry up and help him pick up the treasure first?

******
Roy chuckled to himself, ignoring the few guys whose greed had been stirred up by him and who had unknowingly fallen into a trap, and turned his attention to his surroundings.

This place, shrouded in white light like a natural campfire, is indeed a temporary safe haven under this blood-red sky.

It was probably a place that had once bound souls. After being freed by the orc heroes, the power of the beast gods also seeped in, purifying and transforming it.

The wandering spirits outside won't attack this place; they just linger outside, too afraid to come in.

Roy asked a few of his fellow villagers to keep an eye on the outside situation. Then, taking advantage of the opportunity to sort through other spoils of war, he took stock of the artifact remains and focused on the new talent he had just acquired, [Arcane Darkness].

"Physicalization..."

Roy seemed to be deep in thought.

In chemical and alchemical terminology, "solidification," along with the related concept of "sublimation," refers to the process by which matter transforms from a higher-energy state to a lower-energy, more stable state.

The difference is that solidification is when a liquid freezes, such as water turning into ice.

Sublimation is the process by which a gas "skips" the liquid stage and directly "freezes" into a solid.

For example, water vapor can directly turn into frost.

However complex it may be, and regardless of whether it involves melting, vaporization, sublimation, or liquefaction...

Essentially, they all still revolve around the material level; they are all changes in the state of matter.

Only the relationship between "virtual" things like consciousness, information (concepts), or the soul and "physical" things like matter can be considered a materialization.

This is the essence of the embodiment of the spirit.

Or it could be called "concretization".

This is related to the "manifestation of mental power" in the advanced stage of wizard apprenticeship.

That's the beginning, the root of the problem.

I once possessed a bronze-level talent called "Sixfold Transformation," which relates to six changes in the state of matter: melting, solidification, vaporization, liquefaction, sublimation, and deposition.

However, without a doubt, this [Secret Darkness] is a talent that is even more powerful and profound than [Sixfold Transformation]!
Suddenly inspired, he took advantage of the moment when the orc "fellow countrymen" weren't paying attention and forcefully crumpled the artifact fragments he had just obtained into a ball. Then, using the [Extract Essence] function, he separated their various attributes, transformed them into seeds of concepts, and sorted them out.

Instantly, all the primal matter, under the illumination of the Eye of Hermes, was transferred to different places by mental intention according to its own color and the spiritual light it emitted.

Royna, as the great wizard, projected his immense spiritual power remotely, manipulating it rapidly through the hands of the Beast God's body.

In a short while, a similar "Blessing Ring" appeared.

"Ring of Blessing (Level 1)..."

It was created by extracting the essence of the soul from the relics and combining it with the materialization ability of the Creation Art.

Special effect 1: When worn, grants +15 Strength, +15 Agility, etc.

Effect 2: When Spirituality is activated, Ancestral Protection, equivalent to a 3rd-circle "Blessing" spell, increases saving throws against Fear...

Special Effect 3: Elemental Resistance +25%, Elemental Absorption 2 (Direct addition, level 1 cap is 50%...)

Compared to the ring obtained from "monster drops" before, this Blessed Ring, which I refined and crafted myself, clearly has a higher attribute bonus.

In addition, there is an extra effect that increases elemental resistance and elemental absorption.

This significantly increases its practical value, making it a top-quality item among its peers.

"Some soul essence was consumed..."

These are resources extracted from relics.

This means that I can also simulate this process of natural change, and further utilize the power of spiritual materialization!

Seeing this, Roy was genuinely satisfied.

What surprised him even more was...

A pleasant surprise awaits.

In the "Talent Page" of the Astrological Chart's Soul Shadow, the gem representing the "Sage's Proverbs" shines brightly.

[Words of Wisdom]: 11677 → 11678!

Over the years, the numerical bonus of [Sage's Words] has seen a slight increase again, but the overall increase is not significant.

So there weren't any major projects like the artificial demon god, and Roy didn't pay much attention to them anymore.

But at this moment, the unexpected 1 point increase made him even more surprised and satisfied than if he had gained 100 points or 1,000 points!

Because it means that this spiritual essence is useful to oneself!
It belongs to a higher level of spiritual objects!
"For me at this stage, opening up this channel is the most important thing."

This also means that the value of this [Arcane Darkness] talent is even higher.

However, even with some improvement, it is still insignificant compared to the thousands of artificial demons that were obtained in one go.

It emphasizes the gradual, persistent effort over time.

Roy put it away for the time being, planning to study it properly when he got back.

……

Over the next few days, Roy continued to fight monsters and clear paths, leading several fellow villagers deeper into the dimensional crystal walls connected by the chains of the "Net of All Spirits" to continue their exploration.

The so-called test of the Beast God did not exist for him.

But there was indeed an invisible, unseen sense that drew him in a certain direction.

At this time, the role of the "fellow villagers" who accompanied him became apparent.

Among them were devout believers who worshipped the Tiger King Haigertai.

That fellow countryman named Campar actually pointed Roy in the right direction, leading him to a place marked by the gods.

"This direction does indeed seem to lead us deep into the darkness."

More and more wandering spirits appeared, constantly manifesting physical forms, and attacking wave after wave.

If it were the villagers themselves, they certainly wouldn't easily step into such a dangerous place.

There are too many monsters, and they are too ferocious.

With their own strength, they simply couldn't handle it.

As a result, because he was tempted by the spoils that Roy had generously given away, he inexplicably followed along.

By the time the smart ones among them suddenly realized this, the situation was already too difficult to reverse.

But now that things have come to this, we can't just turn around and repay kindness with enmity, complaining that Lord Ruanti led us into a dangerous place, can we?
So they had no choice but to bite the bullet and keep following closely.

In this way, without any coercion, Roy got Campar and the others to work for him willingly and without anyone knowing.

And so, June 6th arrived.

As they entered another "crossroads," Campar suddenly spoke to Roy with a hint of surprise.

"It seems that His Majesty the Tiger King's divine power remains here, extending all the way deeper into the area..."

He pointed ahead, but there was nothing there.

Roy narrowed his eyes slightly, then suddenly drew his sword and slashed.

Boom!

After a loud bang, a crack appeared out of thin air.

(End of this chapter)