"It seems to have worked. Among these people, ordinary apprentices simply can't resist.
However, Pimier might have some resistance.
It's best not to alert him..."
Roy thought to himself, covering his nose and mouth with a sleeve soaked in Mind-Calming Calamus Water Perfume, silently approaching the camp.
From start to finish, he controlled his spiritual power, showing no trace of killing intent.
Because he knew that advanced apprentices could manifest their spirits, cultivating various extraordinary powers.
Among these was the ability to sense malice.
He didn't target Pimier, but instead abducted one of the night watchmen, taking him up the hill and waking him.
"Wh-where is this?" The man suddenly woke from his sleep, his face filled with shock.
"If you don't want to die, answer whatever I ask!" Roy pressed his sword against the man's neck.
"Ah!" The man froze in fear.
"What's your name?"
"Wi... Winter..."
"Good, tell me, what are you doing here?"
Winter was still dazed, his words stumbling.
But Roy was patient, guiding him with further questions, finally learning that this was indeed the place where Olen crafted his Automata.
The Chalk Soil he was looking for was also at the bottom of the stone pit, though now obscured by rotting flesh and corpse water.
"Is there a way to enter without alerting the Stone Fiend? How did you do it before?"
Roy pondered for a moment, asking the crucial question.
"Tell me everything you know, and I'll spare your life."
"Really?"
Winter's eyes widened, reigniting his hope for survival.
"We have tokens given by Senior Olen. Carrying them marks us as allies, so we won't be attacked.
But we mustn't damage the pool or its contents, nor can we channel Wizardry Energy nearby."
Roy thought for a moment, ordered him to hand over the token, then bound him with chains and led him inside.
...
Soon after, the two arrived at the edge of the pit, greeted by an overwhelming stench of decay.
But Roy didn't mind; instead, he looked excited.
Because a faint pain in his brow signaled the reappearance of a translucent, illusory panel.
[Alchemy Talent Acquiring (84%→85%)]
"Go and help me fish them out."
Roy turned to Winter.
"Huh?" Winter pointed at himself, the chains on his shoulders clinking, "Me?"
"If not you, then who? Me?" Roy said expressionlessly.
"Please, don't seek your own death! Senior Olen values these things highly!" Winter, misunderstanding something, hurriedly explained.
Roy said, "Don't worry, I'm just taking a look. I won't take a single piece of flesh from him."
Winter was deeply skeptical, but in the end, he couldn't fight against Roy's will, so he jumped into the swamp-like stone pit and got to work.
He knew he couldn't retrieve all the corpse pieces, and it was indeed very smelly inside, so he focused on the larger chunks, soon pulling out several big pieces.
Roy felt the faint pain in his brow, feeling a bit of surprise.
But upon seeing what had been fished out, he couldn't help but feel puzzled.
"What exactly are these?"
"We've discussed it privately; they might be Homunculus Flesh crafted from Chalk Soil!"
"Homunculus Flesh..."
[Alchemy Talent Acquiring (85%→90%)]
Roy looked at the translucent virtual panel displaying the information and commanded, "Continue!"
Winter, both fearful and disgusted, had no choice but to continue the task.
After a while, another batch of white flesh chunks was fished out.
Some of these white clay-like substances could stimulate the brow, eliciting a reaction, while others remained inert, showing no response.
This filled Roy with both surprise and more questions.
"Even within the same pool, there's such a big difference?"
Regardless, the progress on the virtual panel gradually filled up.
When Winter fished out another piece of "Chalk Soil" resembling a human arm:
[Alchemy Talent Acquiring (100%)]
[Blackening (Iron Level)]
[Mastered the Blackening Art from the Four-Color Theory, capable of dissolving various substances into black Original Broth]
As if enlightenment had struck, knowledge poured into Roy's mind. His face remained expressionless, but inside, he was ecstatic.
Finally, it was done!
Blackening...
This was a term in alchemy that described the process of decomposition, dissolution, and decay of substances.
"Alchemists, through observing nature, have long understood that all things decay and deteriorate.
The first step in alchemy is often the decomposition or melting of substances, which is the initial stage of refinement.
Since many decaying substances naturally turn black, this process is called Blackening!"
In the "Blackening" stage, substances are broken down, returning to a primitive, chaotic state.
The pool of corpse water before them was the most direct example.
Roy quickly drew a parallel to the human process of consuming and digesting food.
Various foods are chewed and ground by teeth, then enter the stomach, where they are corroded by acid, dissolved, and reduced to nutrient-rich broth.
This, in essence, is also a form of Blackening.
Whether it's chicken, duck, beef, lamb, or vegetables and tofu...
All kinds of substances are reduced to sugars, fats, and proteins in the stomach.
This is also a process of "death" (the disappearance of the food's original form) and "rebirth" (the absorption and utilization of nutrients by the body).
The "Blackening Art" is infinitely profound, one of the top secret techniques of alchemists.
Why did the Okmi Wizard Tower choose spells like "Strong Acid Refinement" as a main course, even listing it as an option in the subsequent inheritance sequence?
The reason lies in the fact that understanding the process of acid corrosion and digestive dissolution aids in mastering "Blackening"!
But now, he had directly mastered the ultimate form of these "acids," the "Blackening Art" capable of dissolving all things!
It didn't seem to have the additional level bonuses like the previous [Sulfur-Mercury Theory], which could elevate one to the level of a Wizard prematurely.
However, since the "Blackening Art" has a broader scope and greater utility, with diligent study and deep research, one could still achieve considerable heights!
Roy pondered for a moment and instructed Winter, "Throw all these things back in."
Hearing this, Winter secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got busy again.
After a while, the two left the valley and returned to the vicinity of the camp.
"Lord Roy, you've seen what you needed to see. Could you let me go?" Winter pleaded with a bitter expression, whispering, "I promise to behave and won't reveal that you were here."
Roy said, "Don't worry, I'll keep my promise. Whether you're honest or not doesn't matter. I'm just here to see what's in the pit, nothing more."
He t
hen beckoned him over, intending to unlock the chains and set him free.
But just at that moment, the two suddenly heard a commotion ahead.
Immediately after, a scream rang out, followed by a flurry of shocked exclamations.
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