Alchemists do not need self-cultivation

“So don’t say ‘the weak deserve to die.’ One is all, and all is one.” After Isaac finished speaking, he stopped talking and continued to search for a way out with his torch.

Wuming followed behind Isaac with his head down and remained silent.

After a while, perhaps out of boredom, he struck up a conversation with Isaac.

"Hey! What did that sentence mean?"

Which sentence?

“One is the whole, and the whole is one,” said the nameless one.

After listening, Isaac looked at the nameless man with a disdainful gaze.

"What...what are you doing?" Wuming was furious when he saw Isaac's expression.

"If even you knew this, there would be many more alchemists in the world."

"What do you mean?!"

"It's nothing." Isaac completely ignored her and used the torch to illuminate the surrounding buildings.

Although these buildings are damaged, Isaac can tell that they are more like ruins than buildings, exuding a sense of antiquity. Judging from the architectural style…

“Xeroxelus…” Isaac thought of an ancient country that had been destroyed hundreds of years ago.

This once civilized country was destroyed overnight for reasons unknown, and its people vanished without a trace.

The surrounding buildings and ruins in the desert are very similar. Combined with the bones found inside earlier, Isaac guessed that this place was directly related to the destruction of Xerox.

On some of the broken ruins, Isaac saw familiar patterns.

“Sun, moon, twin dragons, lion, gems…” Isaac recorded the fragmented information on each relic.

"The sun represents the soul, the moon represents the spirit, the gemstone represents the body, and what do the two dragons represent? And this lion..."

Seemingly remembering something, Isaac quickly found a platform, dipped his hand in the surrounding blood, and began to draw something on the platform.

In no time, a huge transmutation circle was drawn.

"A human transmutation circle? It doesn't seem like it. What is it?" Isaac looked at the transmutation circle he had pieced together from the fragmented information in the ruins, deep in thought.

"Isaac, can we go back?" Nameless asked worriedly.

“I’m trying to figure something out.” Isaac continued studying the transmutation circle. “From the moment I was swallowed by Gluttony, I felt the same way I felt when I was transmuted, so that means this is the Gate of Truth… but it doesn’t seem so.”

It seems I'm stuck in a vicious cycle.

“Isaac, I’m hungry,” the nameless man said.

"With so much blood on the ground, you can just drink some and you won't be hungry anymore," Isaac said casually, ignoring her.

"I want to drink yours!"

“Don’t even think about it. I’m thinking about how someone could lose blood for no reason,” Isaac said.

"Tch, stingy."

The nameless man angrily turned his head away from him, but soon he secretly looked at Isaac, who was scribbling on the ground.

Isaac murmured, "If my theory is correct, then there is only one way out of here."

Stepping aside, Isaac redrawn a complex transmutation circle and took out the Philosopher's Stone from his pocket.

"This place is neither the Gate of Truth nor reality. It should be an independent existence between two spaces. So as long as I open the 'door' again and transform myself into the opposite form, I can return to reality."

Isaac called out to the nameless man who was looking him over, "Nameless, come stand here when I activate the transmutation array."

Although Wuming didn't know what Isaac was planning, he still said, "Okay."

Isaac took a deep breath and clapped his hands toward the transmutation circle.

Nourishes—

A huge red bolt of lightning shot into the sky, illuminating the entire dark space.

“Now! Jump in!” Isaac shouted to the nameless man.

I'll trust you this once!

Nameless looked at the transmutation array radiating immense energy with some fear, but still closed his eyes and jumped in.

The instant she jumped in, she felt as if her body was being swallowed up.

Gradually, the two were completely disintegrated within the alchemy array.

The space returned to its original darkness and silence.

……

Isaac arrived in a white space, a space he was very familiar with, as this was his fourth time here.

"We meet again, but it seems you won't come up to switch back to your right hand."

A familiar white figure appeared before Isaac, but unlike before, this white figure had grown a human right hand.

Isaac immediately recognized the white figure's right hand as the 'toll' he had used to exchange for it.

Isaac: "Of course not, I'm giving you my right hand, don't be so polite with me."

The little white figure: "..."

Isaac continued, "I just saw the fake door, so I was just passing by."

"Alright, if you have nothing else to do, leave now, alchemist." After the white figure finished speaking, the Gate of Truth slowly opened, extending countless tentacles to drag Isaac out.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In the real world, Gluttony has been killed several times by Violet and Lanfang, and his resurrection energy is almost exhausted, and his wounds have not yet healed.

"It hurts... I hate you all..." Gratoni's eyes were now full of tears.

He looked as wronged as a 500-kilogram fat man.

When the two girls approached him, intending to kill him again, he suddenly knelt on the ground, his expression one of pain.

"Ouch, that hurts!!"

Gratoni's stomach suddenly split open, emitting red lightning.

The next second, to Violet and Lanfang's surprise, two figures popped out of his stomach.

"Ah, I can breathe fresh air again, it's so exhilarating!" Isaac took a deep breath after jumping out of that space.

"Brigadier General Isaac!"

Before Isaac could react, a petite figure leaped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

Violet hugged Isaac tightly and whispered, "Welcome back."

Isaac saw Violet in his arms, paused for a moment, then smiled.

"I am back."

Chapter 162: Departure and Division of Spoils

Lanfang was right next to him and was overjoyed to see Isaac suddenly appear.

Then she saw Violet throw herself into Isaac's arms.

"Ahem!" Lan Fang coughed twice, trying to get Violet's attention.

However, Violet ignored her and continued to hug Isaac.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!"

"What's wrong, Lanfang? Is your throat bothering you?" Isaac asked.

"No...it's alright, it's good that Your Highness is safe." Lanfang sighed.

Wuming also stood up from the side and immediately assumed an attack stance when she saw Gratoni lying on the ground. She knew very well that this monster could resurrect an unlimited number of times.

"So, what's Gratoni's condition now?" Isaac asked, looking at Gratoni lying on the ground.

Red lightning kept crackling from his body, but the wounds were healing very slowly, suggesting that the Philosopher's Stone had run out of energy.

“A fake Gate of Truth? That’s something worth studying.” Isaac said, looking at the soldiers running towards him. “Tie this guy up and take him to prison.”

"Yes."

Harbock ran over and asked, "Brigadier General, are you alright?"

“Yes, I’m fine,” Isaac said, then grabbed Hubble’s head, his face contorted with terror. “But you’re in trouble, Captain Hubble.”

"Um... what's wrong?" Hubble asked nervously.

I have a feeling the brigadier general is very angry. What happened?

"Did you tell Wuming where I live?"

“Yes…yes, but isn’t your address known to everyone?” Habock quickly said.

"Your performance bonus and salary for this month are gone."

"No!!!"

----------

"Brigadier General, thank you very much for bringing the nameless man back," Mima Tentori said to Isaac.

"Not at all, it was just something I did."

Mima Tenzin took a list out of her pocket and handed it to Isaac, saying, "This is the additional ammunition order we need. Please take a look."

Isaac took the list and looked at it: "There are quite a lot of them. Are there many creatures called Kabane where you live?"

“Because once others are bitten by the Kabane, they become their companions, so their numbers keep increasing,” Mima explained.

“Alright, I understand the general situation,” Isaac said. “I’ll prepare the ammunition for you tonight.”

“Then I thank you in advance, Brigadier General,” Mima said.

Isaac went back to prepare ammunition, and Mima Tennori also returned to her place.

He found Wuming and asked, "Wuming, where were you when you were swallowed up?"

Meima had observed Gratoni, and logically speaking, even though his belly was large, it was impossible for him to fit both Isaac and the nameless man inside.

“Yes, brother, we’ve arrived in a very large space. The floor is covered in blood, and there are no walls around.” Wuming said excitedly.