Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

Three bald men immediately walked in. They were dressed in black suits and dark sunglasses, all Greek. Their features had been obliterated as much as possible, making them look incredibly easy to remember. Their gait was also more determined, a stark contrast to the Mayans who had been temporarily donning suits.

"So, you've all volunteered to participate in this alchemy experiment. The experiment involves taking these 'pills.' I promise you that no matter what happens during this experiment, I will be responsible for restoring everything to its original state. However, I cannot help you avoid the pain that may arise. I hope you are mentally prepared."

"Yes, we are all ready." The three of them put their hands behind their backs and answered in unison.

"Are you all willing? You are willing to participate in the experiment and are willing to abide by the above rules. If you are willing, please swear an oath to the Great Styx."

The three of them swore an oath without hesitation.

"Okay." Phaethon, who had been sitting lightly, stood up. The spear handle fell to the ground. She stood there holding the spear shaft, closing her eyes. "I swear."

After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and said, "Then, let's start the experiment."

The cauldron was on the desk. She pointed the tip of her spear at it and said, "Thales, you eat first."

"Understood." The bald man named "Thales" came up first on the left. The "elixir" in the cauldron was actually a lump of blood-red mineral mud, but he scooped it up with both hands and swallowed it without hesitation, not even drinking water.

"Uh!!!"

Almost instantly, Thales clutched his throat. His lips turned purple at a visible speed, and his eyes were bloodshot to the point of popping. Blood flowed from his nose first, then from the corners of his mouth, his eyes, and finally his ears. He remained clinging to the table, not collapsing, but blood dripped from his face onto the table.

"Hold it!" Phaethon immediately handed over the spear to him, "Hold the tip of the spear!"

Thales's hand twitched, but he struggled to raise it. As if using up all his strength, he suddenly raised his shoulder and let his right hand, which had already lost its strength, fall on the tip of the Spear of the Apollo.

Instantly, golden light burst forth. This was the third time Shangluo had seen a similar golden light, and he could now gaze directly into its center. He saw a figure twitching and standing upright, then returning to its original position in a strange, rewinding motion. A dark red object slipped from its mouth and returned to the furnace, even removing the bloodstains from the table.

The bald man named Thales returned to normal. Although his facial expression was still distorted by pain, he was alive.

"Next." Phaethon retracted the spear tip and instructed the next volunteer to conduct a control experiment.

Chapter 38 Taking Medicine

"You cured him?" Shangluo was shocked by the scene before him. Everything was restored to its previous state, and the elixir maintained its previous shape.

"You seem surprised." Phaethon looked at him with a half-smile, "but you don't seem as surprised as I thought. Is it because Apollo has demonstrated similar power?"

"Yes, but yours is different. Why?"

"Have you heard this legend? It's said that in ancient times, there were ten suns in the sky, and ancient emperors named their reigns after the sun. Heaven and earth, symbol and reality, language and action, yin and yang—they are inherently opposite yet unified. The light of the ten suns manifests itself on earth in different ways."

“So there was Houyi shooting down the sun.”

"You're quite right. My father agrees with Apollonia on this point, and also with your own Daozu of Zhendan, the 'Sun Palace Taidan Yan Guang Yu Ming Tai Yang Emperor'—generally referred to as Daozu. Our only difference lies in the arrangements leading up to the Sun Shooting. The 'Daozu' seems to believe this is a ray of hope, and he will help everyone seize this fleeting opportunity. We remain undecided, but we will do our best to resolve the issue at hand."

"Then why are you still delaying action? Is it because you can't defeat Daozu?"

"."

Shang Luo sneered, "I knew it was like that. Apollonia said that Helios was the weakest besides her?"

"She talks too much. How can she talk about such things? Is this in accordance with the rules?"

"When you shoot at me, there are no rules. And let me be frank, no one can defeat Daozu. Daozu was born long before the gods were born. He was only one step away from transcendence and becoming a saint, but it is only because of certain obsessions that he remains in this world. Phaethon, don't think that anyone who robs Daozu here can escape unscathed."

"Of course, I know that. But if I can see through his plan, it would be worth it even if I die here in the Styx. Next!" She pointed the tip of her spear at another bald man.

"Antigonus, take the medicine!"

"Understood!" The bald man in the middle of the line stepped forward, picked up the "dregs", and also raised his head to swallow it all in one gulp.

The bald man, who had taken the drug, suddenly had both eyes black—even the whites of his eyes turned black. His dark eyes darted around the room, no trace of humanity left in them.

Its gaze rested on Phaethon. To be more precise, on the golden spear.

There was no roar or growl. The dark-eyed humanoid opened its jaw, releasing a dull, low, resonant sound. This was no longer a human sound, not even that of a beast, but rather of the unknown.

"This is at least the Foundation Establishment Stage. Some spiritual energy has escaped, but it's as scattered as a river bursting its banks." Wen Yuan slowly put down the cup. The monster a few steps away from him already made him feel threatened.

"What on earth have you concocted?" This time, Phaethon couldn't help herself. The thing before her was clearly inhuman, and she swung her spear straight at it.

The black-eyed monster reached out and grabbed the spear's handle. However, Phaethon's momentum didn't stop—she used both hands. With both hands, she grasped the Apollo Spear and thrust it forward with all her might.

The spear shaft slipped from the mindless monster's hand, and the tip of the spear pierced directly into the chest that once belonged to a human.

Without a roar or a rage, the monster silently lowered its hands. Blazing golden light erupted once more, and black energy swarmed out from its seven orifices, returning to the furnace, where it once again transformed into a dark red mass.

The bald man named Antigonus regained consciousness and touched his chest. There were marks on his clothes from the spear tip, but his flesh was not injured at all, as if he had not been stabbed.

"Lord Phaethon! I'm sorry, that's not it."

"I know that's not you." Phaethon panted, holding the spear and standing where she was. She had only taken one step, but the monster was obviously not something she could easily deal with.

Subconsciously, Phaethon turned half a circle with his gun in one hand.

"It's gotten lighter." Shang Luo lowered his voice. "Have you noticed? Her spear has gotten lighter. The sound is different from before. It's much lighter than before."

"Indeed." Wen Yuan nodded. "It's completely different from the beginning. At first, the spear was as heavy as a golden hoop stick. I was afraid it would die if it hit me, and it would be injured if it rubbed me. Now it looks much lighter, but it's still not what a mortal weapon should be. If it were lighter, maybe I could try to take it away."

"Next!" Phaethon was a little tired, but she had no intention of ending the experiment. This was a hard-earned opportunity. He was risking the wrath of the Dao Ancestor by personally conducting this operation. There was no way she could end this operation so easily.

A third bald man emerged. Phaethon flicked his spear. "It's not you. My strength isn't enough. We need to control variables, and we can't have too many control groups. Thales, it's you! Take it again and see if the effects vary from person to person, or if they're truly unpredictable."

She called out Taylor, who was taking the medicine for the first time.

The first two times she took the medicine dealt a heavy blow to Phaethon, and she did not get the results she needed most.

The first time, Volunteer A was nearly poisoned to death.

The second time, Volunteer B transformed into a monster with black pupils.

If Volunteer A, that is, Thales, still suffers from the poison when he takes these pills again, then at least it can be proved that the effects of these pills are "different for each person." In other words, it is due to different physical constitutions - then it will be successful.

Thales's physique is such that he would be poisoned to death if he ate these pills.

Antigonus's physique was such that after eating it, he would be transformed. He became a monster that was clearly inhuman. There was not a trace of human aura in his body. He could even be called a "demon."

Although neither of them succeeded in "building a foundation," that didn't matter. As long as they could prove the drug's effectiveness was stable, all that was left was to find someone suitable to take these foundation-building pills. With the right person, these foundation-building pills would work as intended.

But if you try it again and get completely different results, that would be fun.

Phaethon weighed the spear in his hand. Judging from the feel of it, it was almost half as light as before.

"Is this the power of the 'Foundation Establishment Stage'? As expected, Daozu's own power is unfathomable. Only half of the phlogiston is left."

She looked at Thales who was already in position.

Thales's gaze remained firm and powerful, and after his first experience, he was less afraid. It was merely bleeding from all seven orifices. Though painful, as long as he held onto the spear, the power of the Oath would heal him. Helios's power would protect him.

Chapter 39 Foundation Building Stage

"Take the medicine. Your experience with the medicine has been cleared, so there's no need to worry about the toxicity getting worse. The two doses are isolated from each other. As long as the medicine is fine, your condition should be the same as before."

"Yes, Lord Phaethon." Thales, like the first time, held the pill in his hands and swallowed it.

A radiant light burst forth from him. White, illuminating the entire room. White vapor rose, and foul filth oozed from his exposed skin. Thales's face expressed an expression of utter agony, yet also of blissful joy. His body grew lighter, his breathing quicker, his senses sharper. He could even feel the breath transform from foul to pure with each breath he took.

"He's building his foundation!" Wen Yuan stood up. "He really has! And it's a perfect foundation! This foundation-building pill really works! It's real! Shangluo, how on earth did you refine it? How did you use a bunch of random stuff to refine a real foundation-building pill?!"

"I don't know either. I just figured it out myself."

"Hold it!" Phaethon ignored what they were saying and handed over the spear.

But this time, Thales did not obey his orders.

"Did you hear that? You can hear it!" Phaethon said solemnly, "According to the oath, no matter what the outcome, you must recover! Whether you suffered a shock or gained a 'foundation building', you must spit it out!"

Thales' eyes fluttered slightly, but he still didn't reach out. He spread his arms, and the impurities he had just expelled began to fade from his body. It was as if he had ascended to a celestial realm, his body able to resist the filth. Even his feet began to slowly drift upward.

The light grew brighter and brighter, almost blocking out the outside world's view.

"It's not over yet! He's comprehending the Way of Heaven! The Way of Heaven is blocking our view, preventing us from seeing through the secrets of Heaven. This isn't just the Foundation Establishment Pill; you've also enlightened his mind! He's still breaking through! If this continues, he'll comprehend one of the great ways and lay the foundation for the Dao! Even if he ascends all the way, it will be smooth sailing for him!" Wen Yuan grabbed Shang Luo's hand, "Get ready to run! She can't handle this anymore."

"You broke your oath!" Phaethon's entire attention was focused on the ball of light.

"I know. I know everything. I know everything." A disembodied voice loomed within the ball of light. Unlike Shen Ji's voice, this one resonated with the very space of this world. The tables, chairs, benches, even the entire building, vibrated with the tone of his voice.

Phaethon took a step, and the floor cracked. He swung a punch, sending the massive desk, along with the cauldron, flying toward the ball of light just feet away. However, upon contact with the outer edge of the ball of light, the entire desk was shattered into dust—but the cauldron flew into it.

With a "clang", the furnace hit something solid, making a loud and distant sound, just like striking the bronze bell of the Da Baoen Temple.

"Phaethon, are you going to stop me?" The light ball slowly turned. The breakthrough hadn't yet ended, but Thales could already control his breath. His face slowly emerged from the light ball.

He looked at Phaethon and said, "Your strength is already inferior to mine. You can't stop me. Considering that you were once my employer and that we once served the great plan, I can spare your life."

"Shut up, oath-breaker." Phaethon thrust his spear forward without hesitation.

"You're looking for death!" A jade-like hand swung out from within the ball of light, striking directly at the incoming golden spear. Phaethon's strength was far inferior to his, and he only needed one palm to knock Phaethon away.

The golden light appeared again. Shangluo subconsciously closed his eyes, because this time the light was more blazing than any other time before.

"Ahhhhh! My cultivation!! My foundation!"

Shangluo was drawn to the exclamation. When he opened his eyes again, his jade-like right hand had been crushed by the Sun God's Spear. The debris fell to the ground, melting like dry ice. The fragrance of Dao Fruit wafted away—the hands that represented his cultivation were truly shattered.

"No!" The ball of light took a step back, horror showing on his face, but Phaethon's spear showed no sign of stopping.

She lunged forward, piercing the outer edge of the ball of light, piercing into the body of a cultivator comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and then piercing through it.

"No!!!" Thales roared in despair. He subconsciously reached out to block the spear, but his other hand also shattered on the Spear of Apollo, like ice hitting a branding iron.

Phaethon stood firm and used her spear to challenge the Oathbreaker. Her entire body trembled, and the phlogiston in her spear slowly drained away. All oaths would be fulfilled, but the cost of executing a contract for a Foundation Establishment cultivator was too great.

噗

A puff of smoke dissipated. Nothing remained at the end of the spear. But the table had somehow returned to its original position, and inside it lay the red pill Shangluo called "Foundation Building Pill."

"Is he dead?" Shangluo asked in a low voice.

"He broke his oath and was burned by the sun's rays. But..." Phaethon loosened his hands. The Spear of Apollo fell to the ground.

It landed lightly on the ground, as if it weighed no more than a clothesline.

"Why. Why is it like this?" Phaethon, already exhausted, held onto the table and tried to fight back. "Why is it different every time?!"

Three experiments yielded three completely different results. A took the first bite and failed. B took the first bite and failed. A took the second bite and succeeded.

At first glance, it seemed like taking it twice would be enough to make it work. But Phaethon knew that the test subjects had already made a promise before taking it. Their entire condition was restored to its previous state.

In other words, eating is the same as not eating. A's two states are completely independent, and are exactly the same except for the difference of tens of seconds in time, but they produce completely different results.

"Why is it the first time, the second time, the third time, why is it different every time? Why can't I find a pattern? Why?!"

There was no chance. The Spear of Apollo, so light that it could be lifted with a finger, lay on the ground. Now it could do nothing, just a sharp spear.

"We've fulfilled our promise, Miss Phaethon." Shangluo stood up. "I've given you all the information, and you've failed. So, is this it? We're leaving. Your father promised us."

"No." Phaethon raised her head, her eyes filled with anger and unwillingness, but hope still burned in them.

"What do you want to do?"

"The experiment. It's not over yet. And me."

"Hey! Don't do anything stupid!" This time it was Wen Yuan who raised her hand. "I've said it before, there's no way you can figure out the secrets laid out by the Taoist Master! Don't be so stubborn! If you keep doing this, you might kill all of us! Don't eat it! Don't eat it!!"

Chapter 40 Obsessed

“Don’t eat it!!”

"I'm sorry, but I have no choice!"

"No! No! No fighting! Damn it! No swallowing it whole!"

Before he could finish, Phaethon picked up the "pill" and swallowed it.

His pupils turned black. A black aura, like substance, surged out like black mud. The temperature in the room plummeted—ice crystals were rapidly spreading within the wine.

The bottle and glass shattered, and the wine that spilled onto the floor froze into ice.

"Tsk. I told you not to eat it. You just don't believe it. You deserve it. A good person has turned into a cauldron." Wen Yuan waved his hand backwards, motioning Shangluo to push back slowly with him.

The two men who stood up slowly retreated towards the wall, while Phaethon, whose aura was getting darker, had not noticed this yet.

"Hey, do you Jinyiwei have a plan for this situation? What should we do?"

"Let me put it this way." The shadow gradually grew larger, and Wen Yuan also slowly retreated: