Mechanical Alchemist

The next morning, only a wisp of blue smoke remained in the campfire.

Su Lun and his two companions tidied up the traces of life in the cave and continued on their way.

Before long, three figures were quickly making their way through the dense primitive forest toward the Emerald Holy Land to the south.

The snow and fallen leaves bore a trail of very light footprints which the cold wind swept over, and as the snowflakes fell, they soon covered up the traces of their journey.

However, without any warning, Su Lun suddenly collapsed onto the ground.

Yuta quickly stopped and helped up Su Lun, whose eyes were shining with a red glow, and asked with concern, "Mr. Su Lun, what's wrong with you?"

Mr. Jing observed his condition, her elegant brows slightly furrowing, and said, "It must be the outburst of those negative spiritual powers."

As she spoke, she reached out her hand, pinched a single sorcerer's seal, and with a delicate finger touched Su Lun's forehead, uttering a light command, "Mirror Seal·Suppress!"

In an instant, a faint blue Hexagram Array sank into his forehead.

The clarity returned to Su Lun's eyes.

....

"Sorry for the trouble," he said.

Now that his sanity had regained control of his body, Su Lun looked at Mr. Jing and Yuta with a somewhat bitter smile at the corners of his eyes. "I don't know what happened, suddenly, I just heard the whispers of death..."

The [Eclipse] totem on his body had already completely collapsed when the time anomaly field was broken that day. Later, when he reaped the soul of the intelligence official and also used the Shadow of the Reaper and the black umbrella, it naturally backfired.

Just now, his attempt to forcefully suppress those irritable negative emotions had caused his body to fall uncontrollably.

However, this backfiring was within expectations.

The reason he wasn't too concerned was that Mr. Jing was by his side, so naturally there was no danger.

He had just thought he could hold on until returning to the Emerald Holy Land, but it erupted unexpectedly.

After Mr. Jing checked Su Lun's condition, her brows knit together slightly in concern. "I can't handle your current situation. I can only suppress it forcefully. If you can't find a permanent solution, you should try not to use the Reaper's second phase abilities in the future," she said.

"Understood."

Su Lun nodded.

He thought that upon his return, he could ask the Deer Tribe Chief and Wolf Granny to inscribe a new totem for him, which should sustain him for a while.

"Um..."

Yuta, who had been silent this whole time, finally spoke.

In front of her elder, she often appeared very reserved.

After waiting for Mr. Jing to finish speaking, she timidly interjected, "Mr. Su Lun, I have prayed to the Divine for this issue before, and He responded..."

"Huh?"

Upon hearing this, Su Lun was taken aback.

It was as if his brain had received a signal that needed processing.

Only after a moment did he come to realize what he had heard and asked in astonishment, "You... you prayed to the nature god about this?"

He knew that Yuta cared about him, but to pray to a deity—what was that about?

Communicating with a god, such an invaluable opportunity, and she used it to ask about this?

And more importantly, that deity actually responded?!

"Yes."

Yuta, still in the presence of an elder, blushed slightly as she explained, "It wasn't a deliberate prayer. The Divine can sense the true convictions and thoughts in a druid's heart. I... I have been concerned about Mr. Su Lun's mental affliction. So, when I was called upon, the Divine also knew of my thoughts. And then He responded..."

Su Lun listened, somewhat dumbfounded.

That works?

Mr. Jing, off to the side, seemed to think of something and a gentle smile appeared at the corner of her eyes.

Yuta naturally noticed that look and, stealing a glance at Mr. Jing, continued, "The laws of nature inherently contain all the beautiful emotions in the world, and the Divine does not mind the prayers of His devout followers. Besides, Mr. Su Lun, you saved our Dalu Tribe, which means you saved the Divine's followers; you're a friend of our Dalu Tribe. The oracle told me that if I go to Sacred Lake and pray, I will be able to use the Divine's power to inscribe a Sacred Totem that could probably completely solve Mr. Su Lun's problem."

"An oracle?"

Su Lun listened, his expression complex.

He finally realized that there might be a turning point in his mental affliction.

Originally the Dalu Tribe didn't have a seventh-tier Druid who could solve the problem.

But now Yuta had appeared, a Druid who had been summoned anew by the Divine, and she became a variable.

Su Lun also felt somewhat taken aback; he had actually received an oracle directly from the nature god?

Yet, Su Lun also had some concerns.

He wasn't a follower of the nature god, and he wondered if the bestowal of Divine Power wouldn't immediately convert him to the ways of nature on the spot?

If that were the case, then he would be somewhat hesitant.

It was good to completely resolve the mental affliction, but he felt that the atheistic "scientist system" of an Alchemist suited him better. He had no intention of converting to any other faith.

Mr. Jing, seemingly guessing his thoughts, smiled and said, "The nature god operates on a higher plane; He is a superior deity. To receive an oracle is a great opportunity..."

Only from his teacher-sister did Su Lun then learn that the faith of high-ranking deities spread across countless planes, and that the Dalu Tribe in this Alchemy plane was like a mere speck of sand in the desert.

Answering a follower was merely a trivial matter of a divine "thought" for a god.

It was probably like when people eat and casually throw a grain of rice to the ants on the ground.

Far less complex and important than what Su Lun had thought.

"So that's how it is..."

A relief washed over Su Lun's heart.

The surge of negative spiritual power was suppressed, and the three of them didn't stay put.

As they traveled, they talked.

From Mr. Jing, Su Lun learned many top-tier secrets usually known only by professionals, broadening his horizons tremendously.

Ancient myths, legendary battles of the gods, the God's Graveyard, mythological tribes from before the Dawn Era, countless extinct civilizations, the Lost City in the deep sea, giant monsters in the unknown seas...

Some were known from Mr. Jing's ancient books; others were heard from her demigod father, Sir Isaac.

The history of this world was like a multi-layered cake, dense and utterly fascinating.

Amidst the dust of time lay countless treasures and rare oddities, with a random excavation of a relic possibly unraveling a splendid ancient civilization.

Su Lun and Yuta were utterly captivated.

...

The Unicorn Whale Trading Company was one of Luying's three major slave trading firms, with several large slave-catching teams under its banner.

One of these teams was active year-round in capturing demi-human slaves in the Silent Deep Woods.

This constituted a mature slave trade chain.

Recently, the Luying military had been offering highly priced slave orders, which in turn spurred slave traders to dispatch a large number of slave-catching teams into the forest.

With the increasing incursion of slavers and adventurers, the Emerald Holy Land was inevitably discovered.

While Su Lun's group was still on their way, the Unicorn Whale's main slave-catching force had already appeared at the edge of the Holy Land.

They had just raided the "Grizzly Tribe," capturing hundreds of Dalus.

However, they did not transport these "slaves" out; instead, they chained them with anti-magic shackles and slave collars, using them as bait on a cliff at the edge of the Holy Land.

The Unicorn Whale had significant backing; its financial supporters were among the top elite of Luying.

The leader was named "Gold Tooth" Yuke, a fifth-tier professional.

Once a retired officer from the Luying Empire military, his strength was formidable.

Yuke had a mouthful of gold teeth, and at this moment, he was instructing his subordinates to set up traps, "Take a few slaves to the cliff edge. If those demi-humans don't come out, kill a few every hour and toss their heads down."

"Yes! Captain!"

A few slave catchers acknowledged the order and took several slaves towards the cliff edge.

But upon hearing this plan, the deputy leader Doppler felt it was a pity and said, "Captain, the quality of the demi-humans caught in this core area is much higher than those from the outskirts, and they can fetch a good price. What if we can't lure the demi-humans out? It would be a waste to kill them like this, wouldn't it?"

Hearing this, Yuke's face revealed a scheming smile as he countered, "How much can a slave sell for?"

After a pause, he said meaningfully, "Doppler, you're not seeing the real valuables! This demi-human tribe has continued for countless years and once had top-tier powerhouses. Tell me, wouldn't there be treasures in their lair? Heh, I'm certain that the Holy Land must be filled with numerous treasures. Gemstones, demon crystals, leathers, curse materials... there will definitely be no shortage. Once we get our hands on a few high-grade materials, won't they be worth more than a few hundred slaves?"

As the clarity of the plan settled in, his lackeys were delighted, "Haha, the captain is wise!"

Yuke, squinting at the misty basin not too far away, said, "What a pity, the restrictions in this place are ingenious, and we won't be able to break through it in a hurry. We only have a chance to find a way to breach them if we lure them out."

At this point, someone else spoke up, "Captain, it's said that there's a fifth-tier presence in this demi-human Holy Land. Aren't we risking a mutually destructive battle by doing this?"

"Heh..."

Yuke let out a cold laugh.

He was confident that this would not happen, and said confidently, "Heh, I'm afraid they won't come out! We've been capturing slaves for so many years; if those old things had the determination to fight to the death, could they have waited until now? They're probably hoping to keep their tribe going and are cowering inside, struggling on their last breath. Besides, we're at their doorstep, and they still dare not come out, which means that the people inside the Holy Land certainly don't have the power to crush our 'Unicorn Whale Squad.' Without a seventh or eighth-tier professional, they can't really compete if it comes to a fight. With our equipment, should we fear these primitive savages? If they don't come, so be it; if they do, we'll take care of them all in one go."

...

The lackeys finally realized the true intent.

...

On the cliff at the edge of the Holy Land, the beheaded Dalu bodies were thrown one after another.

The patrolling young druids relayed the news back to the village.

Meanwhile, in front of the Divine Tree hut in the Emerald Holy Land, the Deer Tribe Chief and the Wolf Grannies were leading their people in earnest prayer.

For hundreds of years, their prayers had never been answered.

But they remained devout.

Without the Great Druid, they had lost the ability to communicate with the spirit of nature.

To the east, near the cliff edge, the sound of cannon fire erupted sporadically as the slave catchers tested the Holy Land's restrictions with their artillery.

Boom, boom, boom...

Each blast trembled in the hearts of the tribespeople.

After prayers, the elders discussed how to deal with the unavoidable crisis.

Outside the treehouse,

the Dalu people were agitated.

Especially the young druids, each burning with the desire to immediately confront the enemy and fight to the death.

"Clan Leader, let's go out and fight those damned slave catchers to the end!"

"Right! Even if we don't venture out, those greedy humans will eventually break in..."

"..."

Compared to the impulsiveness of the young ones, the dozen or so elders sitting around the circular table in the treehouse seemed much more rational.

But their eyes were also clouded with worry and bitterness.

The crisis of annihilation was so oppressive that each and every one of them found it hard to breathe.

The Deer Tribe Chief and Wolf Granny remained silent.

An elder spoke up, "Now that the sanctuary has been discovered, more and more slave hunters will flood in. If real high-level professionals come, even with the sanctuary's restrictions, I'm afraid it won't be long before we can no longer hold out..."

Upon hearing this, another elder chimed in, "Yes, Clan Leader, we think we should consider an escape route. Let us old folks stay and defend the sanctuary, and arrange for the young ones to relocate. There's no place for us in the Silent Forest anymore. Head to the east of Mount Rug. Although it is dangerous there, it at least offers a glimmer of hope for the continuation of our tribe..."

"..."

With that said, the people in the treehouse lapsed into a prolonged silence.

They realized that the future of the Dalu tribe no longer offered any alternatives.

....

The daytime in the Silent Forest wasn't very long; by noon, the sun had already moved significantly westward.

Su Lun and his two companions were deep in the Silent Forest, half a day's journey away from reaching the Emerald Holy Land.

The anticipation on Yuta's face grew stronger, excited about the surprise she would bring to everyone upon her return.

But that anticipation came to an abrupt halt.

Before they arrived, they suddenly heard the sound of gunfire from a great distance away.

It was normal to encounter adventurers in the Silent Forest, hunting magical beasts or searching for treasures, as well as slave hunter groups; sporadic fighting was common.

But this time, the direction from which the noises of battle came was different.

Yuta's wolf ears twitched slightly as she listened and identified the direction, her crystal eyes suddenly filling with worry. She said, uncertain, "Those gunshots seem to be coming from the direction of the sanctuary?"

Upon hearing this, Su Lun also said, "Indeed, it's coming from the southwest."

Seeing Yuta's serious expression, she didn't delay; with a transformation of her hands into wolf claws, she climbed up a nearby gigantic tree.

Su Lun, wanting to understand the situation, unleashed his spider spear and followed her up.

Once they reached the canopy, their view suddenly widened.

The weather was good that day, visibility was high.

Su Lun narrowed his left eye slightly, and the superior range of vision from his All-knowing Eye allowed him to see clearly the direction where the flashes of gunfire were indeed coming from the edge of the Emerald Holy Land!

Almost at the same time, Yuta also discerned something, her expression changing, "Something's wrong at the sanctuary!"

They descended from the tree, and Su Lun informed Mr. Jing of the situation.

The trio didn't pause; instead, they hurried toward the Emerald Holy Land as fast as they could.

....

Yuta transformed into a white wolf and sprinted on all fours, incredibly fast in the jungle.

There was no need to speak of Mr. Jing; when his shadow flickered, he had teleported several hundred meters away.

In comparison, Su Lun wasn't adept at long-distance sprints; he could only ride on Yuta's back.

In no time, the three of them had already arrived at the location of the gunfire.

Stopping on a huge tree from afar, they paused to observe.

They saw the dense forest in the distance bustling with activity. A massive slave hunter group of over three thousand was chopping down trees to set up a camp. The roaring of steam logging machines was incessant, as huge trees, wide enough that several people could not encircle them with their arms, were felled one by one. These people seemed to have been there for days, having cleared a large open area, and the camp was already taking shape. It looked like they were preparing for a prolonged battle.

Su Lun recognized that flag and thought of some conditions; he then said, "That's the 'Unicorn Whale', one of the three major slave trade guilds of the Luying Empire. A group this size of three thousand people, the leading captain usually has the strength of around fifth rank."

They also saw the members of the bear tribe locked in wooden cages.

Just as they were observing, they witnessed a fully-armed slave hunter party escorting several people toward the edge of a cliff.

The clotted bloodstains on the cliff made it clear what these people intended to do without having to look.

Yuta's expression turned disturbing, she angrily said, "Those people want to lure out the tribesmen from the sanctuary!"

Su Lun's brow furrowed tightly, murmuring, "Greed is truly the vile root of human nature..."

The slave trade was always drenched in blood, and looking at the scene before him, his expression also darkened.

"I'm going down there!"

As they saw several tribesmen about to perish at the hands of the slave hunters, before Su Lun and Yuta could react, Mr. Jing leapt from the tree.

With a casual tug, his Gold-Patterned Cloak enveloped his body, and an overwhelming aura spilled out like a flood toward the slave hunter camp.

The Aisak family had an alliance with the Dalu tribe, and naturally, Mr. Jing would not stand by idly and watch these Dalu tribesmen be harmed.

...

Normally, when faced with such a situation, Su Lun definitely wouldn't have the power to charge in.

Even now, with Yuta's improved strength, caution was still needed.

After all, the combat power of a large-scale slave hunter group couldn't be judged merely by the ranks of a few top professionals.

A well-trained hundred-man team could kill professionals a full rank higher.

A group like this, well-equipped and possibly with a fifth-rank captain, would have even greater battle strength. Not to mention a six-ranker, a normal seventh-rank professional wouldn't necessarily gain any advantage. And as for alchemists, their combat power didn't just depend on rank; there might also be various odd and peculiarly effective cursed objects...

But that was the usual scenario.

Yuta, watching Mr. Jing boldly charging into the camp, also wanted to follow and help.

Su Lun, of course, wouldn't hide either.

The two exchanged glances, seeing each other's intentions in their eyes, they both leaped down.

Su Lun guessed that Mr. Jing's intervention wasn't just to stop the slaughter, simple as that. With her arrival, the entire Northern slave trade was likely to turn upside down!

Today was bound to make a big stir to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys. Su Lun hadn't planned for her face to appear on a wanted poster.

He also casually pulled on a Gold-Patterned Cloak over himself.

....

"Who are you!"

"Not good, someone's breaking into the camp!"

"Everyone, be on alert!!!"

"..."

With Mr. Jing leading the way, Su Lun and Yuta closely followed behind.

The slavers from the slave hunters' group, holding their guns high, pointed them uniformly at the incoming trio.

The snipers on the towering watchtowers also took aim at them.

If hostile gazes could kill, the three of them would have been turned into porcupines by now.

Mr. Jing didn't immediately take action but stood there and said indifferently, "Call your leader over."

The lackeys, overpowered by her presence, looked at each other in uncertainty, not daring to move rashly.

Soon after, a gaunt middle-aged man with Gold Teeth, leading a group of fully armed people, hurried out of the main tent.

Su Lun sensed for a moment that the soul fire of this Gold Tooth man was strong, revealing that he was indeed a fifth-tier professional.

The few beside him also carried the strong presence of fourth-tier professionals.

Moreover, the group exuded a sharp military air, clearly indicative of their exceptional strength.

A fifth-tier professional was already considered a formidable expert capable of intimidating a region and certainly carried their own pride.

The man with Gold Teeth squinted his eyes as he sized up the three before him, his eyes shooting out a cold glare.

In any situation, forcibly breaking into someone else's camp was tantamount to declaring war.

Because of the Gold-Patterned Cloak's cover, he couldn't figure out the depths of Su Lun and Mr. Jing, but his gaze quickly shifted towards Yuta, whose face was seething with murderous intent, and naturally recognized her as a member of the Dalu Tribe.

In an instant, he made a guess.

The man with Gold Teeth coldly inquired, "Who might you be?"

Mr. Jing said, "The Dalu Tribe is under my protection. From today on, any slavers in the Silent Forest will be killed without mercy."

The tone was calm, but it carried an indisputable sense of authority.

What?

The members of the slave hunters' group all showed shocked expressions upon hearing this.

They originally thought these three reckless people wanted to save a few sub-humans. They didn't expect them to have an even greater appetite, seeking to cut off the entire Northern slave trade.

Haha, isn't that daydreaming?

The eyes of the man with Gold Teeth grew even colder as he scoffed in response, "Are you joking with me?"

Not having clarified the origins of the other party, he also appeared quite cautious.

Yet, the slave trade was a legitimate business permitted by the Luying Royal Household. You say no capturing, and it's no more?

Although this trade isn't well-regarded, behind every large-scale slave hunter is there not a top imperial authority?

The tangled web of interests even has direct ties to the princes of the royal family.

Who dares to cut off the financial resources of these Big Shots?

Even the Empress wouldn't dare to make this claim.

While speaking, he scrutinized the Gold-Patterned Cloaks on Mr. Jing and Su Lun, feeling that they seemed quite familiar. A deputy from the side also mentioned something, and Gold Tooth then had a realization.

The King of the North Sea had a wanted notice out for several individuals in Gold-Patterned Cloaks.

Could it be the two right before his eyes?

However, based on the information he had, there was but a single sixth-tier along with a few who were not even fifth-tier professionals?

Haha.

Pirates, after all. In the eyes of this former Luying officer, they were just a ragtag bunch.

The greatly feared sea pirates often amounted to little most of the time.

Having served in the military before, he had killed his fair share of them.

This cloaked person is probably sixth-tier?

No wonder they had the confidence to barge into the camp.

But they, the "Narwhal Group", feared no one.