Alchemy

In the ancient world of the Blue Star, "alchemy" originally referred to the ancient art of transmuting base metals into gold and pursuing immortality.

Although it never succeeded, it symbolized humanity's thirst for material transformation and the exploration of knowledge.

However, in the highly developed civilization of the Wizard World, alchemy was regarded as an ancient branch of wizardry:

It focused on the study of material transmutation, the brewing of magical potions, or the creation of mystical artifacts, acting as a transformative process in pursuit of material perfection.

Symbolizing the sublimation of matter from imperfection to perfection, it required precise material selection and operational skills.

After an infinitely long period of civilizational development...

Today, the alchemical civilization of the Wizard World had diverged into many more branches:

Such as potion alchemy, mechanical alchemy, biological alchemy, traditional alchemists, or even necromantic alchemy.

There were even more obscure alchemical branches currently being born or dying out in some bizarre planes of existence.

Lizer felt this was quite similar to the engineers engaged in various scientific research fields from his past life; only the areas of study were different.

With nearly 1000 energy points remaining, Lizer spent a full 800 points to completely absorb all the advanced knowledge Felina had prepared for him:

Consumed 100 energy points to analyze the corresponding knowledge of Material Science (Apprentice Rank).

Material Science is the foundation of alchemy.

An alchemist apprentice must be able to accurately identify and know:

What the material they obtained is, what characteristics it possesses, and what functions it can serve.

This massive twelve-volume set, meticulously prepared by Felina, covered over a hundred thousand common and mystical materials compiled by the Crimson Soul Principality.

Through nearly half an hour of system-assisted analysis, all of this had been fully inputted into Lizer's brain.

It even introduced the crafting methods for several types of explosives in this world.

Because explosives, as alchemical products, were themselves a widely used material.

Consumed 300 energy points to analyze the corresponding knowledge of Basic Alchemy Theory (Apprentice Rank).

Lizer's accurate understanding of alchemy in the Wizard World came exactly from Basic Alchemy Theory.

It profoundly elaborated on the combination and transformation process between matter and mystical forces, while also making Lizer realize something.

Profound alchemical techniques involved not only matter, materials, and mystical forces, but also required the study of Wizardry Runology and Wizardry Formation Studies, two even more advanced fields of knowledge.

The former was the foundation for combining materials with mystical forces.

The latter could achieve miraculous results with minimal effort in the mystical realm by combining specific wizardry formations with alchemy.

Basic Alchemy Theory already contained knowledge of fewer than ten basic alchemical rune combinations and wizardry formations.

These pieces of knowledge each had their own wondrous uses, and Lizer already had the idea of forging another revolver-style wizardry artifact.

He also acquired a mandatory skill for alchemists from Basic Alchemy Theory:

Deconstruction Spell (Apprentice) (Initiate 0/100)

Note: Alchemists can deconstruct wizardry artifacts to obtain certain mystical materials and wizardry crystals; the current deconstruction yield is 30 percent.

A wizardry artifact, after being deconstructed by this special zero-circle spell, would only yield 30 percent of its materials.

This seemingly contradicted the wizarding principle of equivalent exchange; perhaps the true mystery lay within those wizardry crystals?

Consumed 200 energy points to analyze the corresponding knowledge of Mechanical Engineering (Apprentice Rank).

The content of Mechanical Engineering had some overlap with Basic Alchemy Theory.

Because fundamentally, it was a branch of alchemical technology, just delving deeper into the path of mechanical engineering.

This also shared many overlapping areas with his research content from his past life.

However, due to the intervention of mystical forces, one of the five great forces of this world, the vast majority of machinery here had been altered beyond recognition.

Even a simple little wizardry streetlight was vastly different from the electric lights of Lizer's past life.

Here, it had to be said that Lizer felt the similarity between the revolver's structure and that of his past life might not be a mere coincidence.

Mechanical Engineering gave Lizer a much deeper understanding of crafting wizardry-artifact versions of firearms.

His firearm crafting skill was directly integrated into a new major skill category:

Mechanical Alchemy (Apprentice) Initiate 0/100

Note: You have mastered advanced material knowledge, basic alchemical theories, and mechanical engineering principles among other advanced knowledge.

As a slightly mature wizard apprentice, you have begun to step through the gates of Mechanical Alchemy. The machine is eternal!

You possess the ability to forge alchemical products with a magical energy level below 4.0. The upper energy limit for crafting mechanical wizardry artifacts is granted an additional +1.0.

When crafting mechanical wizardry artifacts, their effects and durability are slightly increased.

Magical energy level 3.0 was a dividing line. Whether it was the spells or the artifacts that an apprentice typically encountered, their magical energy levels ranged between 1.0 and 15.

Among them, 1 to 4 were considered Zero-Circle Elementary, 4 to 7 were Zero-Circle Intermediate, 7 to 9 were Zero-Circle Advanced, and 9 to 15 were Zero-Circle Limit.

The quantification of 1 magical energy was roughly equivalent to the total energy released by 9000 kilowatt-hours of electricity.

His expertise in the direction of mechanical alchemy allowed him to craft moderately weak mechanical wizardry artifacts even at the elementary stage.

This was one of the advantages of specialization!

Moreover, machinery itself was a discipline that exerted greater power through combination.

Lizer was confident in cleverly utilizing his skills to craft items of even higher energy levels.

For example, a level 4 energy revolver firing level 4 energy bullets.

Of course, it wouldn't reach as high as level 8 energy, nor would it remain as low as level 4, but it could at least reach level 5 or 6.

The specific energy level data also depended on the specific conditions of the crafted artifact and could not be generalized.

This was a highly complex discipline, which was exactly why Lizer had set his sights on the field of mechanical alchemy early on.

As a major skill category, its incorporated sub-skill, Firearm Crafting, would share its skill bonuses.

Any firearms Lizer crafted in the future would possess stronger performance and durability.

However, if he crafted other types of machinery like a small wizardry donkey, they would not be able to enjoy the skill bonuses that might arise from future promotions in Firearm Crafting.

This mutually reinforcing relationship among major skill categories highlighted the technological lineage of the wizarding civilization.

It was just like the subordinate relationship between the major Potioneering skill and minor defensive concoctions.

Finally, the two advanced knowledge books gifted by Felin consumed another 300 of Lizer's energy points, leaving him with only 300 energy points for emergencies.

Only those who spent resources knew the joy of spending resources!

If his funds hadn't restricted him, he would have even wanted to directly upgrade all his learned skills to the proficient level.

Just to see what the effects of the upgraded skills would actually be like.

Unfortunately, this week's quota of gold coins had run out, but this week's joy was far from over.

The books meticulously prepared for him by his woman had, in just a few short hours, all been transformed into genuine, tangible power.

How could he not properly thank her?

He excitedly made his way to Felina's study...

Today, she was wearing a sky-blue silk dress with dark patterns. The hem of the skirt was embroidered with fine silver elven runes, and as she moved, it seemed as though flowing light drifted around her.

Golden blonde hair, styled in voluminous waves, cascaded over her shoulders. The tips of her hair shimmered with a faint magical glow, while a few stray strands were loosely pinned back by a vine-shaped hairclip inlaid with a moonstone.

She sat quietly, leafing through An Overview of Elven Bloodlines...

Her movements as she gently turned the pages were tender and elegant. On her finger rested a silver ring engraved with a starburst, its deep blue gemstone faintly pulsing in time with her breaths.

Her long, curling eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly. A pale golden magical beauty mark at the corner of her eye added a touch of mysterious allure, making her entire figure seem enveloped in a hazy, enchanting halo.

Lizer quietly approached her from behind, slipped his hands under her arms to lift her up, and pressed her onto the desk.

He whispered into her ear:

"Darling, I missed you."

Felina propped her elbows on the desk. Feeling her lover pressing against her backside, she shyly murmured:

"Mhm."