"Boom... crack!" A yellow meteor burst into the night sky, blooming into a colorful chrysanthemum. The splendid fireworks stunned the entire Oba City, including the Grand Duke, who was amazed. Having witnessed numerous magical performances, the Grand Duke had never seen such a beautiful "fire magic."
Ge Zheng had launched his business in Wangshan City using gunpowder and fireworks and sought to replicate it in Oba City. However, due to potential chaos, he abandoned this idea and turned to producing fireworks. After preparing several dozen fireworks, Ge Zheng invited the Grand Duke to his grand opening, hinting at a special performance.
The Grand Duke, fascinated by the notion of a unique performance, began to appreciate Ge Zheng not only for his alchemical skills but also for his social intelligence. Although the anticipated performance did not materialize, Ge Zheng's prepared display was deemed even more spectacular. As a result, the news of Ge Zheng's store opening spread rapidly among the nobility. Many who regretted not attending the event regretted their absence, while those who did participate were pleased, considering it an opportunity to establish closer ties with the Grand Duke.
Concerns about sustaining the business disappeared on the opening night as the nobility not only gifted but also made substantial purchases, buying out Ge Zheng's items, useful or not.
The establishment quickly aligned with nobility's preferences, with regular visits and substantial purchases from individuals who saw it as a platform for impressing the Grand Duke. These individuals eventually prospered thanks to their abundant collections of Ge Zheng's works bearing the symbol of Tai Chi.
Despite the lack of top-tier products, Ge Zheng's trademark and the craftsmanship attracted avid collectors who inflated the prices of his wares. Compared to Wangshan City, the prices within Oba City were significantly higher, with even the lowest-ranking magic weapon demanding a hundred and fifty gold coins, double the cost in Wangshan City.
Unexpectedly, Ge Zheng's business flourished. The store's limited space frequently got crowded, making it difficult for Cons to manage alone. Seeing the need for assistance, Dunk worked tirelessly, managing the store and ensuring its smooth operation. Dinorah, an enthusiastic patron, visited regularly, drawing awe with her commanding presence, dissuading timid nobles from entering. As for Solgeville, apart from being drawn by the aroma of meals, finding him during other times proved challenging.
Feeling uneasy for several days, Ge Zheng sensed invisible eyes watching him. Although no one eavesdropped, he suspected that he was under some form of surveillance spell.
Walking from the Grand Duke's residence to his own lodging, Ge Zheng felt the lingering sensation of being watched. He sensed the resentment emanating from the magic of surveillance. Pondering over the reason for this, Ge Zheng wondered why, with the exception of Peeko, no one in the city held any grudges against him. He speculated that the resentful energy stemmed from a woman.
Upon returning to his quarters and closing the door, Ge Zheng resorted to a handful of silver powder, which dispersed in a glittering display in the sunlight. Confirming the relief from the surveillance, he smiled and shut the door.
In a dark underground chamber of the Grand Duke's residence, the mischievous Oba City Princess Fee-fee, a twelve-year-old magical prodigy, lay in anguish and frustration. She knelt on the floor, agitated, rubbing her eyes. Fearing retaliation, she muttered, "That rascal, just peeking at your secret spell. Did he have to be so vicious..."
Her maid, Mary, who had served her since childhood, hastened upon hearing her call. Worriedly, she enveloped Fee-fee in her chubby arms, comforting her. Fee-fee implored Mary to keep the episode secret, sitting in front of the silver mirror with watery, swollen eyes.
She clenched her fists, vowing with resentment, "Ge, I, Fee-fee Mares, swear in the name of the supreme god Odin, I won't let you off!"
Sitting in his room, Ge Zheng abruptly remembered: could it be his diligent student?
This evening marked Ge Zheng's first class session with Princess Fee-fee. Promptly, after dinner, he arrived at the Grand Duke's residence. As it was his first class, Ge Zheng intended to be meticulous. The Grand Duke greeted him with a smile, apologizing, "Master, I entrust my daughter to you." Ge Zheng thought, "Clearly, you are forcing her onto me."
As he was about to respond modestly, there came a knock. The butler informed, "My Lord, an envoy from the Temple of Life is seeking an audience." The Grand Duke, surprised, muttered, "Strange, why are so many temple envoys going to Wangshan City recently?" Ge Zheng was equally surprised, "To Wangshan City?" The Grand Duke explained, "That day there were envoys from the Temple of Dark Gods and the Temple of Light Odin, and now, here comes the Temple of Life. Apologies, Master, we cannot afford to offend these. Let's start the class. I will go and meet them."
It was Ge Zheng's first time teaching Princess Fee-fee. Waiting in her study were the formal Duke Mares and his daughter, both dressed meticulously. It was evident that the aristocratic family placed great importance on the education of their next generation.
Apologizing apologetically, the Grand Duke joked, "Master, I am entrusting my daughter to you." Ge Zheng thought, "You're forcing her onto me."
About to respond, a knock interrupted their interaction. The butler informed them of a request from an envoy of the Temple of Life. The Grand Duke expressed surprise, pondering the recent influx of temple envoys to Wangshan City. Intrigued, Ge Zheng inquired about Wangshan City, prompting the Grand Duke to recall the representatives from the Dark Gods and the Temple of Light Odin. Apologizing, the Grand Duke emphasized the importance of avoiding conflict with the temples and suggested commencing the class while he went to meet the envoys.
The road from the mainland to the city of Wangshan is not limited to just the city of Ouba. There are already three temples passed through Ouba, which means it is very likely that all five major temples on the mainland have arrived.
After the integration of the six major races on the mainland, the temples of each race abandoned their racial concepts and began to recruit disciples. Frictions caused by the expansion of the temples became constant, and the major temples fought for followers. Often, the joining of a hero would greatly increase the reputation of the temple, which could be considered a "celebrity effect". Therefore, if a heroic figure appeared in a city, the major temples would immediately rush in to compete, promising various preferential conditions to persuade the hero to believe in their religion.
When all five major temples appear together in one place, there is only one possibility: a heroic figure of sufficient importance has appeared in the city of Wangshan.
Ge Zheng felt puzzled: when he was in Wangshan City, why didn't he notice the hidden talent there?
After the integration of the six major races - human, demon, elf, dwarf, orc, and dragon - each race had its own temple. The human race had the Bright Aoding Temple, which worshipped the great lord of light, Aoding. The orc had the Supreme Sky God Temple, worshipping the shaman supreme god. The elves had the Goddess of Life Temple, worshipping the natural guardian, the goddess of life. Originally, the dwarves did not have a unified belief, and each tribe worshiped different gods. However, to show their unity and strength, they managed to combine all beliefs into a strange "artifact faith". Unfortunately, due to the "quasi-artifact barrier" on the mainland, the dwarves have not yet created a real artifact.
The demon race's faith was quite peculiar. The Dark Temple had five main gods, and each demon worshipped their own main god. Each main god had their own temple, but on the main road, the Dark Temple acted as a unified denomination for preaching.
Among the five main gods, there was Goddess Hel, and this denomination had a unique way of practice— imprisoning battle spirits to enhance their own power, and controlling these spirits to engage in battles. The lowest level warrior was called a "Battle Spirit Master", the middle level warrior was called a "Servant Spirit Master", and the most powerful warrior would be revered as an "Eminent Spirit Master".
Ge Zheng looked at his student, who, the last time he saw her at the banquet, was plain-faced, but now she was heavily made-up. Although the thick foundation concealed it, he could still see a hint of redness around her eyes. Ge Zheng confirmed his suspicion and couldn't help but smile.
Miss Feifei was annoyed, clenching her small fist as if to knock on something: "Why are you laughing?" Then she remembered that this annoying guy was her tutor, not her servant. If she casually hit him, there would be serious consequences— it would trigger the summoning ritual of the Duke of the Berserk.
Ge Zheng cleared his throat: "Alright, let's start the class. Today's topic is the study of alchemy…" Ge Zheng didn't need to prepare; he would teach Feifei the same way Parachellus had taught him years ago.
A thin figure moved like a phantom in the mountains, swift like a monkey. The shadow was very fast, and in the blink of an eye, it had crossed two mountains. Ahead was a wide valley where all four seasons existed. A lake of gem-like beauty was embedded in the valley, surrounded by mist, resembling a fairyland.
"Miss, I'm back." The shadow instantly transformed into eight figures, a confused entanglement, then reformed into a single figure kneeling on the ground, the loyal maid Samael.
The mist shrouded her slender figure as she dove into the lake.
"Where is the Crown of the Star Emperor?" Miss Feifei asked, and Samael lifted a wooden box. Opening the lid revealed a dazzling, diamond-like golden gem, lying in the box, showcasing its brilliance in the crystal palace. The spherical crystal palace was undoubtedly the best place to display the gem; the lake's shimmer and the gem's golden light mingled to create an exquisite sight.
"The Moon's Coronet and the Star Emperor's Crown, the two pieces are finally complete. We can now open the Profaned God's Tomb, hehehe…" Miss Feifei giggled happily, her face pure and innocent.
"Rong-chan, what are you trying to do?" An angry voice came, and the dark alchemist Cross appeared. Miss Feifei seemed delighted to see him: "Cross, you're here. Does this mean your alchemical curse has been perfected?" Cross did not answer, bowing his head, unwilling to meet her eyes, knowing that if their eyes met, he would lose the courage to confront her.
"What do you want to do?" Cross asked coldly.
Miss Feifei casually replied, "What do you think I want to do?" "Do you want to spread the curse across the continent? Do you want to release the Profaned God's Artifact? Is your ambition truly that great?" Cross lamented.
"Giggle!" Miss Rong-chan's laughter was like wind chimes, clear and pleasant. "Cross, who do you think I am? Am I the supposed world-ending Dark Queen about to descend as foretold? Haha… Oh, this is too interesting. Even if I rule the world, so what? After all, I am just one person. A single person's energy is limited, and I don't want to waste my life dealing with endless noble disputes and governing affairs."
Cross was stunned and looked up: "Then what do you want to do?" Miss Feifei gave him a gentle look, causing Cross to worry, knowing he was in serious trouble.
"What do I want to do?" Miss Feifei smiled again. Her smiles were of different kinds—lazy, pure, ecstatic, hazy… Almost every smile held a different meaning, just like how there are no two identical leaves on a tree, this woman had no two identical smiles.
"Look at where we are. This spherical crystal palace cost 7.6 million gold coins to build, and in order to maintain its beauty, it needs to be suspended in the lake, consuming 8,000 gold coins' worth of magic crystals every day." Miss Feifei spoke lightly, as if these enormous expenses didn't matter to her. "If I don't work hard to make money, how could I afford such a life?"
"Money?" Cross found it hard to believe. Miss Feifei, however, wore a look of entitlement: "Of course, when you want power and a good life, and don't want to be troubled by political matters, the best way is to control the entire continent's economy. The emperors of the great empires will have to listen to you— if they rebel, their subjects will have no salt, no warm bedding for winter, no magic crystals for war, and so on. Tell me, if my commercial empire encompasses the whole continent, wouldn't I be the Supreme Empress of the continent?"
With a wave of her hand, she placed the Moon's Coronet on her neck. Her snowy white neck, coupled with the dazzling brilliance of the Moon's Coronet, made her as majestic as an empress.
This type of jewelry, when worn by any other woman, would steal all her radiance, but when worn by Rong-chan, it could only serve as an accompaniment.
"So, you had me prepare enough potions to lift the curse," Cross understood: "You can make a fortune when the curse spreads across the continent."
Miss Feifei seemed to feel wronged: "I only want their money, not their lives. Compared to the image of me as a world-ending Dark Queen in your mind, am I not a bit more kindhearted? You've misunderstood me…" Cross knew she was putting on an act, but he couldn't resist. A woman's greatest charm lies in her ability to persuade a man willingly.
Ge Zheng directed a few robust elephant tribesmen to unload a large crate from a huge cart. His ordered Ghost Flower Tree had arrived.
No wonder it cost ten thousand gold coins; the transportation costs alone were hefty.
Even though Ge Zheng repeatedly cautioned them, the elephant people seemed to have ignored him, causing the heavy wooden crate to fall to the ground with a thud. He sighed inwardly— there were very few elephant people with good temperaments like Baowell.
"Sir, the final payment of nine thousand gold coins, please settle it now," a representative from the Adventurer's Guild approached. After Ge Zheng paid the money, the elephant people left without a word, pulling the enormous cart.
Ge Zheng surveyed the crate, worth ten thousand gold coins: it was about six meters high and three meters wide. In terms of volume, the ten thousand gold coins did not seem like a loss.
He was surprised, however, that such a rough wooden crate could contain a ferocious Ghost Flower Tree.
"Dinora, come and help," he called the female warrior. "Open this box carefully."
"No problem." Dinora's sword moved swiftly, emitting a flash of silver, silently slicing off one side of the wooden box.
With a heavy thud, the thick wooden board fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. What was inside the crate was revealed—a large tree over five meters tall, with a round, lush, and beautiful trunk. The tree's branches carried translucent bark, revealing a network of "veins". The branches also bore numerous vibrant red flowers the size of human heads, creating a stunning sight.
The entire Ghost Flower Tree appeared more like a tree stump rather than a full-grown tree. However, the surprise was that the fierce monster was, unexpectedly, beautiful, contrary to Ge Zheng's expectations.
"Oh, it's so beautiful," Dinora exclaimed joyfully, reaching out to touch the tree trunk, just as Ge Zheng tried to stop her. However, it was too late. Dinora's hand touched the tree, and she wondered, "Why is it so soft? And warm…" The Ghost Flower Tree moved slightly, but there wasn't any extreme response.
Upon closer inspection, Ge Zheng saw that the tree was sealed with some unique iron nails, explaining its docile behavior.
Given the long journey and the sealing, the Ghost Flower Tree appeared quite feeble. Ge Zheng decided to start the experiment immediately, ensuring he did so before the tree perished, or else he would lose his ten thousand gold coins.
The other materials for this alchemical formula were not difficult to find, except for a few more expensive items, most of them were quite common. However, since the Ghost Flower Tree's size was much larger than that of the two-headed insect, Ge Zheng estimated the quantity of the required materials for this experiment to be much greater. Setting aside the rest, the previous alchemical process used half a kilogram of gold, but this time, Ge Zheng prepared ten kilograms of gold.
Gold, unlike gold coins, was a currency that required authorization from the emperor of a nation to mint.
Having gathered all the materials, he stored them in his storage ring and proceeded alone to the city's rear garden forest. This time, he didn't need the dragon's ice chamber, but a special "furnace". In the alchemical world, instances of crafting such large items were rare, making it a challenging feat.
After searching the forest, Ge Zheng found an ideal location within a small hilly area, where a large natural cave was concealed beneath the hill. It may have been a cave left by some large-scale magical beast, but now, it belonged to Ge Zheng.
The cave was large enough to accommodate the Ghost Flower Tree and required some modifications before usage. A passage was dug into the cave's roof, resembling a kiln used for making bricks on Earth. With such a massive furnace, both operation and control would be difficult.
Ge Zheng spent a day reshaping the cave into a giant furnace, then spent the night roasting the soil within to dry it.
If it weren't for his large storage ring, transporting the Ghost Flower Tree by himself would have been quite challenging. He intentionally cleared a storage space in his ring to accommodate the tree, although living beings couldn't typically be stored in such spaces; the Ghost Flower Tree's extraordinary life force allowed it to endure the long journey while sealed. However, when Ge Zheng removed the Ghost Flower Tree from the storage space, the once dominant monster was now gasping for breath, on the verge of death. Startled, Ge Zheng quickly pried open one of its flowers and poured a bottle of healing potion down its roots.
The alchemist's healing potion and the priest's potion are different. In fact, there are no "medicinal" ingredients in them, but rather a solution of life magical power.
After the potion was administered, the ghost flower tree looked much better, and Ge Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.
He placed the ghost flower tree in a giant furnace, then arranged his alchemical equipment one by one on the top of the bottom hole, right next to the tunnel he had dug out.
The entire alchemical process proceeded as usual, almost identical to the last time, except that the two-headed worm turned into the ghost flower tree. In the previous alchemical process, the two-headed worm was placed in various materials, but now the materials were poured onto the ghost flower tree through that tunnel.
The entire process went smoothly, just like last time, but when Ge Zheng poured the scalding gold liquid in, there was a problem. The ten kilograms of melted gold liquid was actually not enough!
Ge Zheng became a bit flustered, as this alchemical process was irreversible. If the liquid gold was not enough at this point, all the previous efforts would be wasted.
Although he had run out of gold, Ge Zheng still had coins. Although the nobles were generous, they couldn't all compete with the Grand Duke in gift-giving. So, most people's gift money was in the range of three to five hundred gold coins, and it was of course cash rather than crystal cards. Ge Zheng stored all his gift money in his storage space, without having the time to transfer it into crystal cards.
A single gold coin could buy the equivalent of about one point one times its weight in gold, but now was not the time to be stingy with money. Besides, alchemists were all a bit crazy, and if asked to choose between a failed alchemy and being penniless, almost all alchemists would choose the latter.
Without hesitation, Ge Zheng took out the gold coins from his storage ring and melted them at the fastest speed before pouring them into the huge furnace.