Dragon Clan: I am Lu Mingfei, the Intelligence Strategist, the God of Concepts!

Chapter 210 Arno, do I look like the Black King to you? (10k)

"Mr. Li...Gu, are you heading to Portugal?"

"Are you alone?"

The customs officer looked at the young and handsome man in front of him and wondered why any parents would give their child a single name containing the character "古" (gu). Wasn't that implying old age?
Fortunately, the staff had seen too many strange names, so they maintained a warm smile throughout.

"Yes, I'm planning a trip there soon."

Li Gu returned the smile politely, one hand resting on the brim of his hat, like a proper European gentleman.

Old Li, who had just come out of Fenglong Hall, decided after much thought to go to Portugal. For some reason, he and the activator of the sculpture had a momentary spiritual resonance.

From that brief encounter with spiritual energy, he sensed a strange and wonderful flavor.

The other party's mental strength was quite remarkable, certainly no less than his own back then, and he might have sensed his presence.

This is a hidden danger.

Or... how about we become friends?
As Old Li's thoughts began to stir, the staff continued with their routine questioning, "What do you do for a living?"

"I usually shoot travel vlogs and post them on social media platforms on the internet."

Li Gu took out his new iPhone and said, "This is my platform account."

"Traveler Nicholas... Oh, it's you! I was wondering why you looked so familiar; I've seen your videos before! I'm a fan! I love your travel videos about famous mountains and rivers in China. We need more people like you to showcase our unique features to the world!"

The staff member looked enlightened, and their expression became slightly excited.

"That's wonderful, that's wonderful! When I've saved enough money, I want to be like you..."

Traveler Nicholas, with the same username on three major video websites—YouTube and Twitter—has over ten million followers worldwide. Many say he has the air of a 'recluse,' living the free and elegant life he dreams of.

Thank you for your attention. I appreciate your help.

Li Gu smiled and accepted the stamped document.

"I will do my best to bring you more high-quality works."

……

Porto night market, Portugal.

Lu Mingfei took his girlfriend on a trip and had a great time eating and drinking.

The 'Port wine' produced here is a sweet wine with a rich and strong aroma. It was originally a combination of wine and brandy, which not only prevented the wine from fermenting further but also preserved its natural sugar content. Nowadays, huge wine cellars stretch for miles along the Douro River, and 'wine boats' sit in the river. Even Erii's little face is flushed from drinking, and she looks extremely happy.

Nuwa followed her out the door, seemingly deliberately not transforming human feet so that Lu Mingfei would carry her on his back.

The long snake tail coiled inside the skirt, secretly reaching into Lu Mingfei's clothes from behind and wrapping around his waist. Every time Ling approached, whether intentionally or unintentionally, she would secretly tighten her grip.

As the only one in the group who could speak Portuguese, Su Xiaoqiang naturally took on the role of tour guide.

She knows this area very well; her mother brought her here when she was little.

As night deepened, the group returned to their base.
At this moment, Old Tang was squatting by the curb, holding a string of kebabs in his left hand and a book in his right, reading by the light shining from behind him. If he were to stroke his chin from time to time, he would look every bit the scholar-general.

"What are you doing standing here, Old Tang!"

Lu Mingfei got out of the car.

Lu Mingfei had originally suggested that he take Lao Tang along to the night market.

But he was ruthlessly rejected. Recently, this guy seems to have become obsessed with alchemy, and his so-called travels are just a way to continue studying in a different place.

"You're finally back! Come, come, come!"

Old Tang's eyes lit up, and he stood up, stretching out his greasy paws towards Lu Mingfei.

"Damn it! What are you doing? You didn't even wipe your hands, you've gotten my clothes dirty."

Lu Mingfei looked terrified and avoided the bear hug.

Old Tang chuckled, grabbed two tissues haphazardly, and wiped his hands.

"No! I don't understand these questions. They've been stuck on me all night. You're a top student! Can you explain them to me?"

"Alchemy isn't something you can learn by just doing practice problems."

Lu Mingfei gestured to the girls behind him to take the drunk Erii upstairs. This girl rarely had the chance to try drinking alcohol, and she really thought it was a girl's juice, so she gulped it down until she was dizzy.

Reluctantly, he took the notebook.

Time has passed, and Lu Mingfei has actually become a top student.

Old Tang agreed to come to Portugal as a third wheel largely because he wanted to keep Lu Mingfei entertained with his questions.

The alchemical questions he asked were tricky and bizarre, somewhere between traditional and modern, and the teachers in the academy often couldn't handle them. Perhaps only another genius could deal with a genius.

Lu Mingfei glanced at Lao Tang's study progress... it was a bit scary.

"I need to use a model to explain this to you, otherwise it's hard to explain clearly."

"well."

Old Tang led Lu Mingfei to the basement, loudly boasting about his current insights. He said that everything needs positive feedback, and in the path of alchemy, the amazing moment when matter was refined was so amazing that it made his soul almost fly away, which was a huge part of his passion for craftsmanship. It was incredibly satisfying.

A moment later, in the basement, Lu Mingfei picked up a complex polyhedral structure and fiddled with it for a while.

He stood there for a few seconds, frowning, thinking for a moment.

Old Tang immediately understood.

"Oh! I get it! I understand! Wow, I'm a genius!"

"Cough cough..."

Lu Mingfei coughed lightly, thinking to himself, "This guy is no genius at all."
Just like remembering your account password in a game, even if you accidentally forget it, you can easily recall the rest of the password just by mentioning the first two digits.

"Alright, alright, I completely understand now, you can go back to your work."

Old Tang waved his hand with great delight, already eager to put this code into practice.

"No rush, Lao Tang, there's something I need to tell you."

Lu Mingfei shook his head and pulled up a chair to sit down.

"What's the matter?"

“It’s something very important, it might be a little scary, but don’t be afraid.” Lu Mingfei’s gaze was serious.

"Very important?"

Old Tang was stunned for a moment before hesitatingly saying:
"Uh, is it... which sister-in-law is pregnant?"

……

boom!
Old Tang rubbed his head as Lu Mingfei slowly withdrew his hand, his face turning somewhat dark.

Lu Mingfei planned to confront Lao Tang. According to previous estimates, Norton's consciousness would recover to the point where he could communicate tonight.

In that space of consciousness, a glass of water and a lake did not merge together.
Whether it was Norton's own control or some other reason, it shows that Old Tang and 'Norton' are now two completely different individuals.

Next, Lu Mingfei plans to try to completely solve Norton's problem.

Then we inevitably have to talk about Lao Tang.

"Just tell me what's wrong!"

Old Tang wasn't afraid at first; after all, he had been a hunter for almost ten years and had witnessed so many supernatural things.
But seeing Lu Mingfei's serious expression, Old Tang felt a little uneasy, especially him...

"Old Tang, remember when you first introduced me to this field, right?"

Lu Mingfei slowly said, "The gateway to the world of hybrids."

"Uh... I dare not take credit for it. It was my elder brother who led you into this door and you never looked back."

Old Tang said in a low voice.

The eldest brother, of course, refers to that most loyal friend.

"..."

The emotions that Lu Mingfei had finally managed to build up were ruined by the sudden, off-key singing.

"Well, it's pretty much the same."

Lu Mingfei sighed, "Never mind."

"Let me be frank with you, didn't you always think you were some kind of reincarnation of the Human Emperor?"

"Huh? What's wrong? Have you found clues about my past life?" Old Tang asked, puzzled.

Lu Mingfei nodded: "Yes, but it's not what you imagine. That's what I'm going to tell you next, so don't be nervous."

"Don't worry, Mingming, I've already said that even if my wives get pregnant, I won't be nervous," Old Tang said dryly.

But his expression clearly showed extreme tension, and cold sweat was beading on his forehead.

“…You’re not human,” Lu Mingfei said.

After speaking, Lu Mingfei fell silent, observing the subtle changes in Lao Tang's expression.

Old Tang also fell silent, and after a long while, he scratched his head sheepishly.

"and then?"

"There is no more."

"...This doesn't mean you're insulting me."

"Yes, you are not human."

Lu Mingfei crossed his hands and rested them on his chin, his gaze unreadable.

The atmosphere inside the sealed basement, which should have been extremely serious and focused on the showdown, was strangely somewhat comical.

Old Tang's expression kept changing, sometimes looking weathered, sometimes resolute, and sometimes struggling...

"Oh."

Finally, he seemed to relax, and uttered a single syllable in a muffled voice.

"It seems you've already guessed it yourself," Lu Mingfei said with a knowing look.

"Hey...that's right, after all, I'm so smart."

Old Tang put down his textbook, scratched his head vigorously, and sighed: "Tell me in detail?"

Lu Mingfei's expression was serious: "Well, based on my careful observation and analysis, you are not actually the reincarnation of a human emperor, but a dragon with amnesia, and a dragon king at that. In your previous life, you were harmed by villains, and you did not have time to recover your memories after your resurrection this time."

Which Dragon King?

"Norton, the King of Bronze and Fire, the Dragon King who was most skilled in alchemy."

"……Sure?"

"determine."

Old Tang was silent for a few seconds, and the expression he had managed to maintain visibly turned miserable.

"Damn it! I knew it!"

Upon hearing the name Norton, Old Tang trembled as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth.

At least he's been studying diligently lately, whether it's the school textbooks or the access the library has given him. Old Tang understands the meaning behind Lu Mingfei's words very well.

And... he had indeed anticipated that he might have some problems, so he had been frantically studying alchemy, which is said to be one of the two cornerstones of the dragon civilization.

But to his surprise, his identity was actually that of the god of alchemy, the king of bronze and fire.

What's the point of learning then?!

No matter how hard we try, it's all in vain!
"Holy crap... Holy shit... Holy crap..."

Old Tang failed to light his cigarette three times, managing only a bitter smile.

"I'm sorry, Lao Tang, I actually noticed it before. I didn't tell you directly at first because I was afraid that you would regain your memory on the spot after being stimulated."

"After all, who can learn alchemy so easily? Just like those equations, they can't even understand the answers when they're placed in front of them. Including those alchemical tools, most people need a long time to practice before they can activate them, but you can use them as soon as you pick them up. This is your bloodline talent."

Lu Mingfei sighed.

They stopped talking and waited quietly for Lao Tang to process the news.

pat-

A few minutes later, Old Tang finally lit the flame, took a deep breath, and exhaled a cloud of smoke as he spoke.
"Dragon King, that's not a good situation."

"It's not easy to handle," Lu Mingfei frankly admitted.

"Then... why don't you just kill me?" Old Tang asked in a low voice, puffing on his cigarette.

"According to the book, the Dragon King will be in a period of extreme weakness before he regains his memories, which is the best opportunity to kill them."

“It wasn’t them,” Lu Mingfei corrected.

"But it's not us either."

Old Tang understood what Lu Mingfei meant, finished the cigarette in three puffs, and shook his head.

"Regardless of the King of Bronze and Fire, regardless of Norton."

He carefully corrected him, word by word: "I am human, I, Ronald Don, am human."

Before Lu Mingfei could speak,
Old Tang lit another cigarette, this time the movement was much smoother.

“I’ve never told you this before.”

Old Tang choked twice from inhaling too quickly, trying to keep his voice calm.

“I don’t have many memories of my childhood. The earliest I can remember was when I was in an orphanage in Brooklyn. You don’t really understand what that kind of place is like. The hierarchy of discrimination is very serious. Fortunately, the director of the orphanage was a Chinese person with yellow skin like me, so I wasn’t mistreated. I had meat at every meal and even learned some basic Chinese.”

"On the contrary, I am the one who has let the dean down, because I dropped out of school in junior high and followed the local gangsters around. Sometimes I would even do some petty theft. I believed that this was the way to make a future, and that one day I would be able to make a lot of money, move to Manhattan across the bridge, eat the best buttered bread, and wear the best suits."

Lu Mingfei shut his mouth and listened quietly.

Old Tang said in a low voice, "But the truth is, the underworld gangs are never something that can be brought to the table. No matter how ruthless or hard-working you are, you'll always be a dog in the eyes of the big shots. If they're in a good mood, they'll give you a couple of bones; if they're in a bad mood, they'll kick you to death. But I thought to myself, isn't it the same if I stay in the orphanage? Puppies are always lovable, but if they grow up and keep barking, they'll become a nuisance. They'll put a leash on you, so it's better to be free outside."

"Until one time, I got into a fight and ended up in the police station."

Old Tang rubbed his cheeks: "Because of my skin color, I had a terrible time inside. The gang leader never paid any attention to me. I was almost dead after two days inside... In the end, it was the director of the welfare home, whom I hadn't contacted in a long time, who paid bail to get me out. He used his own money, his pension."

“Hmm.” Lu Mingfei nodded silently.

“He didn’t say anything, but I knew he just wanted to turn over a new leaf.”

Old Tang chuckled to himself: "Thinking about it now, it's really damn strange. So many kids have come and gone from the orphanage, but he insisted on keeping an eye on me and not letting me die in the police station."

"After all, this is what people are like. I am a person too, and people always have feelings."

"He succeeded. Later, I didn't go into gangs anymore, but I was never cut out for studying. I thought I was going to wash dishes in a Chinese restaurant for the rest of my life. By chance, I came into contact with the Hunter platform. A few years later, the old dean died. He died of old age. He was already very old. I only found out at the funeral that he had taken care of more than just me."

“Many of his former children came to see him, including business elites from Wall Street and professors from prestigious universities. On the surface, I was still a hoodlum, too lazy to show my face, too embarrassed to show my face. So later on, I anonymously donated 70% of the bounty from each mission to the orphanage. In terms of being a good person, I, Ronald Tang, am no worse than anyone else!”

Old Tang stubbed out his cigarette, and his last words were almost shouted out.

Being a person is not necessarily about 'being a person,' but it is definitely not about 'being a dragon.'

a long time.

Old Tang slowly calmed down, his gaze lowered, making it impossible to see his expression.

"The successor is the same person as the former director. He's not in it for profit, but through a model of giving back, he's kept the orphanage alive and expanded it three times its original size. This isn't just my achievement. There are gangsters and heartless rich people in the world, but ultimately, there are more good people than bad, so..."

He fell silent.

"So you don't plan to become a dragon, you're afraid of becoming a dragon, afraid that dragons will destroy this world and return to a cold and cruel era?" Lu Mingfei whispered.

Old Tang leaned back in his chair at a 45-degree angle, gazing at the ceiling with a dreamy look in his eyes, and said, "This world is not bad. Although it may sound a bit pretentious to say that, I don't want it to be destroyed in my hands."

"I see."

Lu Mingfei stood up and patted Lao Tang on the shoulder: "So you're a guy who's starved for love. That makes sense. I'm the same way."

"But there's no need to be too pessimistic."

"What do you mean...?" Old Tang was stunned.

"There's something to talk about with Norton."

……

Click——

The temporary alchemy laboratory, located underground, was locked from the inside, with the exhaust fans running at full blast.

"Damn it! You, you, you... you've wasted my feelings!"

Old Tang was almost numb.

I quickly pulled out my third cigarette of the night, lit it with trembling hands, and almost choked to death after taking a puff.

His eyes were bloodshot, and tears welled up from the smoke.

"Damn it, why didn't you say so sooner that we could negotiate!"

"It's because you didn't give me a chance, right? Later, seeing how enthusiastic you were about to talk, I didn't interrupt..."

Lu Mingfei blinked innocently.

Before Old Tang also evolved into a raging tyrant, Lu Mingfei smiled and patted Old Tang's back to help him catch his breath:
"Don't worry too much, we're good brothers, of course I'll help you. Don't worry, I'm the strongest."

"What else is there to say! Let's do it!"

Old Tang gritted his teeth and snorted, then leaped onto the alchemy experiment table, lying on it looking quite impatient.

"Get it done, get it done faster!"

Lu Mingfei's smile froze.

For some reason, I felt that something was off about the scene in front of me.

Well, whatever, at least Old Tang has vented his frustrations. Being cheerful and outgoing is better than being gloomy, and it will stabilize his mental state a lot. "Eat this first."

"What are you doing?"

Old Tang asked a question, puzzled, and put the suspicious-looking stone into his mouth... It tasted like frozen bamboo shoots.

"Technology and hard work can enhance our condition." Lu Mingfei also ate one.

"Close your eyes!"

He reached out and pressed his hand on the back of Old Tang's head, and Old Tang immediately fainted.

Lu Mingfei entered Lao Tang's consciousness space.

That enormous, dazzling illusory image of consciousness, comparable to the sun, has now begun to take the form of a dragon.

It turns out that Norton had already recovered before Lu Mingfei entered.

However, this King of Bronze and Fire did not display the ferocious nature of the monarch described in the records as most similar to the Black King, who was easily angered and tyrannical, and would lose his rationality at the slightest provocation. His crimson-gold eyes burned with thunderous fury, scorching the earth, sky, and sea.

Instead, he appeared very calm and quiet.

Weird.

Norton saw Lu Mingfei. In this space of consciousness, there was no concept of 'hiding'. Lu Mingfei also saw Norton. For a moment, both of them were silent.

No one spoke.

Lu Mingfei had no choice but to offer a friendly smile first.

"I have arrived, Norton, the King of Bronze and Fire."

"..."

Norton didn't react, remaining silent. The light condensed into the dragon's eye, staring intently at Lu Mingfei in front of him, as if scrutinizing him, or perhaps hesitating.

Why isn't my good brother saying anything?

Lu Mingfei raised an eyebrow, but the 'smile' he conveyed through his consciousness remained undiminished.

However, upon hearing these words, the dragon-shaped ball of consciousness visibly trembled.

Norton finally spoke in a low voice: "Hello."

With a deep sense of apprehension... perhaps emotions can be hidden, but Norton did not hide them at all.

"You've been waiting here for so long, you must want to cooperate with me, right?"

Lu Mingfei pretended not to notice and said in a serious tone, "It just so happens that I also wanted to discuss with you about Lao Tang's problem."

Ronald Don was Norton's other personality. Once the main personality awakened, he could easily learn everything about this consciousness and was naturally aware of the conversation between Lu Mingfei and Don just now.

however,
Norton did not answer, but instead asked a question first.

"who are you?"

Lu Mingfei smiled slightly and asked in return.

"Who do you think I am?"

“You…” Norton stared at the man in front of him who appeared to be a half-blood, and tentatively began to speak:
"Are you the White King?"

“No.” Lu Mingfei smiled, giving a different answer than when facing Jormungandr, his mind open, revealing an emotion of 'honesty'.

"But you are definitely not human."

Norton continued to scrutinize Lu Mingfei, as if trying to determine his gender, and then shook his head.

"I never said I was a person."

Lu Mingfei laughed again, casually tossing out a sentence:

"Norton, do I look like the Black King to you?"

"..."

Norton's eyes revealed an undisguised look of surprise and uncertainty.

That's exactly his problem!
The Lu Mingfei in front of him gave him a very strange feeling.

As a monarch who possessed the most powerful alchemy, Norton had a high level of spiritual attainment. However, he clearly felt that this guy in front of him, who seemed to be a half-blood, was actually... even better than him in terms of the solidity of his 'spirit'.
First of all, we have to exclude humans!
So...theoretically speaking, the only beings who can give him this feeling are the White King and the Black King.

He could only guess at the White King first, because he knew his tyrannical father too well. If the Black King, who had returned, was standing in front of him now, he would definitely not waste words with him and would devour him directly, let alone use the term "good brother".

After a long silence, Norton provided a high-quality answer:
"I do not know."

"You don't know? How could you not know?"

Lu Mingfei continued his aggressive questioning, taking a step forward.
The enormous dragon-shaped consciousness took a step back.

"You...don't come any closer."

Norton hesitated, unable to tell the difference; he truly couldn't tell the difference.

"If I'm neither the Black King nor the White King, then who do you think I am?"

Lu Mingfei then asked another question, his gaze fixed intently on Norton.

"This……"

Norton's enormous dragon eyes widened slightly, as if he were deep in thought.

Theoretically speaking, the person in front of him can only be the Black King or the White King, but if we don't consider the theory, who could he be?

"I... I still don't know."

Norton looked confused; he felt as if he had forgotten something.
But he didn't lose his instinct when facing danger, so even through Lao Tang's skin, he could sense the danger from Lu Mingfei. That's why he didn't choose to fully recover by Lu Mingfei's side, but instead chose a relatively gentler approach.

"It seems you're not sincere about cooperating." Lu Mingfei shook his head.

Norton quickly explained, "No... I'm sincere, but I really can't remember."

"how is this possible?"

Lu Mingfei chuckled.

He clearly remembered that the first dragon rune he obtained, 'Gqotoh', was described in the system database as one of the basic dragon runes in alchemy. Before it was lost, Norton had vigorously promoted it as an introduction to dragon alchemy.

One of its effects is to enhance memory. By mastering this dragon script and the underlying rules behind it, one can obtain permanent memory that will not be forgotten or erased by any means.

According to Lu Mingfei's current development of 'Gqotoh', it can selectively remember anything and has a unique advantage in work involving 'exploration', 'process', 'mechanics' and other aspects.

For example, learning and research.

Norton himself was the one who had vigorously promoted this dragon rune.

But now, in front of Lu Mingfei, he utters such nonsense as "I don't remember."
Isn't this a joke?
Lu Mingfei couldn't think of any other possibility besides deceiving people.

“Gqotoh”.

Lu Mingfei read out the dragon script as if reminding him.

In the real world, he is limited by his physical vocal system and cannot perfectly express this sentence containing 17 short syllables, but in the mental world, he can do whatever he wants.

However, to Lu Mingfei's surprise...

Norton was clearly taken aback: "Huh?"

"I said Gqotoh!"

Lu Mingfei was getting a little impatient and repeated himself, staring intently at Norton.

"I don't understand," Norton said hesitantly. "Is this... a dragon script?"

Lu Mingfei's lips twitched, thinking to himself that these Dragon Kings were all Oscars.

"You dare say you don't know this?"

"really do not know!"

Norton, following Lu Mingfei's example, opened his mind and revealed his 'honest' emotions to prove his innocence.

"?"

Lu Mingfei was slightly surprised.
He met Norton's pair of bright reddish-gold, lantern-like eyes, which were filled with innocence.
"……interesting."

With a slight thought,
He then changed his question to another level: "If I told you that you once possessed this dragon script, what do you think is the reason you for forgetting it?"

Norton paused for a moment, then his expression turned serious: "Memory can be stored in the brain or in the mind."

"Theoretically speaking, during the cocooning process, the Dragon King must discard some redundant elements, such as the discarded physical body and the numerous and irrelevant memories, retaining only the most crucial core memories in its 'spirit'..."

Lu Mingfei frowned; he had previously entered the area of ​​Lao Tang's brain memory projection.

Similar to Chu Zihang's memory projection area,
Within Old Tang's memory projection area, there are many memory orbs sealed by more secure shackles. Different orbs carry different memories and emotions, and the size and brightness of the orbs do not depend on the amount of memory stored, but rather on the importance or depth of the memory.

In terms of sheer numbers, Old Tang's body doesn't have many more memories than Chu Zihang's—it's roughly the difference between twenty years of life and eighty years of life.

The difference in the quantity of memories is not on the same level as the difference in the depth of consciousness.

Lu Mingfei was capable of breaking these shackles, but he didn't.

However, compared to countless lifetimes, these memories are clearly too thin, proving that Norton did not lie; these are the core memories that have been filtered out.

"Only retain core memories? Does that mean that every time you cocoon revive, your Dragon King will have to spend a lot of time recovering your memories?" Lu Mingfei frowned.

"That's not it. Many memories don't need to be kept. If we divide the importance of memories into three levels, the first level represents the core memories of my existence, and the third level is the memories of eating, drinking, and defecating as a mortal during each cocooning and rebirth. In the process of a new cocooning, all dragons will selectively discard some of the third-level memories. The memories that are more important but not so important in the second level are stored in the form of 'elements,' which is similar to the ability of cocooning."

Norton explained with a somewhat strange expression, "As long as I awaken on the spot now and gather my spiritual elements, I can immediately regain these secondary memories."

"I see."

Lu Mingfei's eyes flickered; he understood what Norton meant.

And he immediately realized it.
In the eyes of Dragon King Norton, this part of Ronald Tang's life memories must be a part that can be "abandoned," which is exactly what Lu Mingfei has been worried about.

Compared to the long history of the Lord of Bronze and Fire, Ronald Tang is truly insignificant.

In other words, Ronald Don and Norton are destined to be unable to coexist.

"So, is the alchemy you possess considered a level two memory or a level three memory?" Lu Mingfei suddenly asked.

Norton carefully chose his words, "Alchemy is rather special; it's a vast system. You may have heard of me; I am the greatest alchemist of the dragon race, based on my authority, but more so on the process of learning and understanding. I am smarter than them all..."

"However, because this part of the memory is too vast, I cannot fully incorporate it into my mind, otherwise it would interfere with the subsequent cocooning and rebirth process. Therefore, I can only extract the most crucial core theories that can serve as 'keys' and store them in my mind as first-level memories. The remaining vast memories are discarded as third-level memories. I will then leave the relevant alchemical knowledge books hidden away, so that I can find them after my resurrection and relearn them in a very short time, turning the theory into practice..."

"Where is it hidden?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"This is a second-level memory, stored in elements that exist outside the world."

Norton took a deep breath and told a little lie.

"Yes, Baidi City counts as one."

Norton: “…”

"Alright, I must tell you, that dragon script you just saw is one of the basic dragon scripts in alchemy. You once vigorously promoted it as the enlightenment of dragon alchemy. It can promote thinking and accelerate learning efficiency."

Lu Mingfei asked, "Do you think this is a level three memory or a level one memory?"

Norton was immediately shocked: "Is that so?"

"Ah."

Lu Mingfei nodded slightly.

“This function… is definitely a first-level memory!” Norton murmured.

Before Lu Mingfei could say anything more, Norton seemed to suddenly experience a violent emotional fluctuation.

"Damn it! Damn it! What have I forgotten?"

The entire dragon-shaped consciousness orb began to tremble violently, and each of the condensed dragon scales suddenly stood up, looking restless and out of control.

"This is a low-level dragon script, which involves low-level rules. In principle, it should protect memories at the spiritual level and also protect the dragon script itself."

Lu Mingfei continued to explain his understanding of 'Gqotoh' at a leisurely pace:

"But you actually forgot about this dragon script. What do you think is the reason?"

Norton froze, his emotional turmoil subsiding, his tone chilling and tinged with fear: "Are you sure it's a bottom-level rule?"

Lu Mingfei met his gaze, remaining noncommittal.

"Black King did it! It was him! He's back!"

Norton suddenly cried out, "I know! It was him! He used his supreme authority to erase my memory!"

"Only he possesses the power to obliterate the rules at the bottom!"

A frantic, almost screaming sound echoed throughout this space of consciousness.

……

"Sir, would you like a blanket?"

"Could you get me one, please?"

In the first-class cabin of the airplane, Li Gu smiled as he took the blanket, draped it over his lap, and began to close his eyes to rest.

Portugal, Porto, Oliveira... As people get older, it's easy for them to reminisce about the past.

Now, a time long ago when he was still known as 'Nicholas Flamel'

It's been almost seven hundred years.

As is known to posterity, Nicolas Flamel was well-educated, fluent in Latin, and skilled in calligraphy and copying. He made a living in Paris by selling books and copying articles.

In the Middle Ages, before the advent of the Industrial Age, important documents were often recorded on parchment scrolls.

Back then, a parchment scroll could be exchanged for an entire estate. A famous private bibliophile owned seven parchment scrolls, which together were priceless.

The scribes wrote on precious parchment, and after finishing, their finger bones were cut off and used to decorate the cover, signifying that there would never be a second copy of the book. Texts receiving such high treatment often dealt with witchcraft, alchemy, and black magic; therefore, they were also considered books of the dead and books of demons.

Nicholas Flamel did indeed copy a magical book.

One night, an angel-like figure appeared in his dream and told him that he would receive a magical book, which he must study diligently and understand thoroughly in order to gain extraordinary and amazing power.

This is not just a simple dream.

Nicholas, who was energetic from a young age and able to sense all sorts of wondrous natural forces, was well aware of this.

The dream came true, and the next day he exchanged 2 Florin for the ancient, enormous book. Unlike other demon books, it was not made of paper or parchment, but of fine, smooth young tree bark.

It was clearly made recently.

The cover is tightly wrapped in brass and engraved with text or strange symbols... It has three sets of seven pages each, including the first page. The seventh page of each set is blank. On the seventh page of the first set, there is a picture of a magic wand being swallowed by a giant snake.

This mysterious document is called the Book of Abraham the Jewish People.

He then spent 21 years collecting information but could not find a way to understand it until he met a Hebrew scholar who called himself Hermes. With the scholar's guidance, he finally understood the secrets recorded in the Book of Abraham.

It was a very special dragon script.

It consists of 17 syllables, with short, abrupt sounds mixed together to form the pronunciation of 'Gqotoh'.

Nicholas understood the truth behind it all—exploration, memory, process, machinery…

This dragon rune doesn't carry any power, yet it seems to signify everything.

Hermes congratulated him, claiming that the past 21 years had not been in vain, and that Nicholas had touched the 'foundation of the world,' something everyone had dreamed of, a gift from... the king.

In a sense, Nicolas Flamel's rise was inevitable.
He is an anomaly.
His innately powerful mental strength destined him to be remembered in history. Whether in the realm of hybrids or ordinary humans, he never hesitated to showcase his talent.

This magical dragon rune propelled him to a true, divine level.

then……

Nicholas immediately drew the red crystal blade from his waist and pierced Hermes' body in front of him.

Because at that time he was still a human being, and a human being with exceptional talent.

I really dislike words like 'king' and 'gift'.

He guessed the identity of the person in front of him, as well as the 'angel' from his dream.

Nicolas Flamel was born to slay dragons.

……

“Gqotoh”.

Nicholas… no, Li Gu silently mimicked the pronunciation of the dragon script in his mind.

He has now reached the pinnacle of alchemy.

In the early 15th century, he joined the Secret Society, where he left behind 76 obscure dragon scripts and all his insights into alchemy as a legacy.

The only one I missed was 'Gqotoh'.

It wasn't that he was unwilling, but rather that every time Li Gu had tried in the past to materialize this dragon rune in a way that anyone else could access, it was a mistake.

Ultimately, they will all end in failure.

This dragon script has only 17 unremarkable syllables, and its complexity ranks only in the lower to middle range among many dragon scripts.

But it seems there is an invisible hand in the world that ruthlessly crushes success every time it seems possible.

By now, Li Gu has long understood the underlying principles.

He doesn't have enough authority.

"But I already possess the four powers of earth, water, wind, and fire..."

Li Gu murmured to himself.

How did 'he' do it?

(End of this chapter)