Refining

Three Portlands was always drenched in persistent rain. At least, Xia Xiu had rarely seen a clear sky that week, though it had not bothered him much.

He actually quite liked rainy days.

Rain pattered against the transparent umbrella in Xia Xiu's hand. In his left hand, he carried a bag with a bottle of red wine poking out of it. Make no mistake: it was an ingredient for the ritual he planned to perform that day.

The Petroshapian species DNA template had arrived several days earlier. He had spent the intervening days gathering the ingredients for the suppressant, and had finally collected everything that day.

His week of basic education happened to end that day, too. Xia Xiu planned to carry out bloodline containment before the day was over.

In three weeks, Three Portlands would leave Fog City for Farlan. An "old friend" of his was waiting in Farlan, and he intended to retrieve it as soon as possible. To do that, he needed to build up his strength. After all, a vicious dog was guarding it.

Three Portlands Observatory.

This was the shadow of Three Portlands, the only place beyond the reach of Deer College's think tank, and the best spot for observing the [Ether Sea].

In previous years, whenever Three Portlands opened to the public, this had been the most popular tourist attraction and photo spot.

It was worth mentioning that admission was free for Deer College students.

Xia Xiu arrived outside a café with a distinctive sign.

[This is not a fucking Starbuck café!]

Xia Xiu casually set his umbrella in the wooden cylinder beside the entrance, then stepped onto the soft red carpet.

"Hello, I'd like an alchemy and observation room," Xia Xiu politely told the elderly man making latte art in front of him.

The elderly man had his hair meticulously slicked back and wore a long black shirt beneath an orange barista's apron.

His most striking feature was his right arm, exposed by his rolled-up sleeve. It was an alchemical arm, and from where Xia Xiu stood, he could see the gears turning inside it.

He was a very handsome-looking old man.

"New students, show your student identification. Your first rental is free," Philip said, looking up at the blond boy.

"Jarvis," Xia Xiu said softly.

[Student number: BK-20241111]

A blue pop-up appeared before Philip. After a quick glance, the old man opened the drawer in front of him and took out a key.

"Room 6."

"Thank you." Xia Xiu accepted the key the old man handed him.

"Would you like something to drink?" Philip casually offered.

"Is that free too?"

"Of course not." Philip rolled his eyes at Xia Xiu.

Remembering the sign outside, Xia Xiu looked at the menu overhead and told the old man:

"A latte, please. A large."

"One moment."

Philip really did take out a large cup, then began preparing the drink.

Espresso + milk + a spoonful of milk foam.

The old man worked very quickly. Before long, he slipped a straw into the finished large latte and set it before Xia Xiu.

"This tastes good." Xia Xiu picked it up and took a sip, his eyes lighting up despite himself.

Xia Xiu had Jarvis pay. Carrying his alchemy ingredients in one hand and drinking his latte with the other, he headed toward the door at the very back of the café.

He opened the door to find rows of neatly arranged room doors inside.

There was nothing strange about it. This was Three Portlands' proprietary spatial folding technology, so it was perfectly normal for a café's interior to be as spacious as a hotel.

[Room 6]

Xia Xiu pushed the door shut with his heel, then carried the ingredients farther inside.

The room was spacious, with all manner of alchemical equipment neatly arranged in wall cabinets.

A circular depression occupied the center of the room. An Astral Orrery standing over a meter tall sat in its middle, its orbital rings rotating at a constant speed.

[Reality-extraction-type Reality-Stabilizing Anchor]

Xia Xiu recognized the Astral Orrery's function at a glance. After all, these things sold for a high price, and he had made quite a few in his previous life whenever he was short of money.

It was a special instrument used to stabilize distortion at a particular value. Reality-Stabilizing Anchors of this type imposed certain restrictions on Thaumaturgy without completely negating it. They were usually used to stabilize spirit bodies during observation.

The device was quite expensive. Down on Terra's surface, only thaumaturges from wealthy families could generally afford to use one.

In Three Portlands, however, it was merely standard equipment for a meditation room.

Xia Xiu approached the alchemy bench, set down his ingredients, and took out the complete [Mercury] alchemy kit sitting nearby.

[Flesh-{Flesh Sculpting}-Divine Feast Elixir]

Prerequisite: inject the corresponding supernatural DNA template.

Divine Feast Elixir refining requirements:

① Ingredients: one and a quarter ounces of [Callisto Psilocybe] + ten quarts of [mercury water] + one drop of sacred red wine.

② Magic circle: [Energy-gathering structure-Star of David]

③ Alchemical method: "Joseph Quercetanus's twelve processes"

Effect: drinking the Divine Feast Elixir grants sixty seconds of spirit vision: [Sacramentally devouring the divine].

Listen to "Yarn's Song of the End." This is Yarn's blessing.

(During spirit vision, any flesh rejection reaction can be suppressed.)

(Sacramentally devouring the divine-[The Boundless Covered by It] is regarded by the Church of the Flesh as the supreme power in the universe. Although respected, It is not worshipped by the faithful, and is even considered Yarn's servant to some extent.)

That was the formula for the Divine Feast Elixir. It also served as a suppressant for aberration.

Xia Xiu began drawing the energy-gathering structure-the Star of David-with alchemical powder.

[Material: lead]-[Color: blue-gray]-[Magic circle conduction efficiency: 5.40]

Once the magic circle was finished, the next step was balancing the four qualities.

The four qualities were heat, cold, dryness, and moisture.

This was one of the most important stages of an alchemical ritual. Only by balancing the four states could one construct the "One of All."

Xia Xiu raised his right hand and summoned the Red Book, then began adjusting his frequency and loudness.

As an experienced alchemist, Xia Xiu naturally knew how to stabilize the four states quickly. He had the sort of "cheat code" a protagonist in Dragon Raja might possess-the kind that took effect on the world as soon as it was spoken.

"τɛτραμɛρɛῖυτὴνφιλoσoφίαν"

Xia Xiu spoke in a low voice, his expression solemn.

This was-[The Philosopher's Fourfold Division].

[The Philosopher's Fourfold Division]

Incantation: τɛτραμɛρɛῖυτὴνφιλoσoφίαν

++ Loudness: 4 dB

++ Frequency: 0.08051 cph [(cycles/hour)-tidal frequency-M2 constituent]

Effect: balances the four states.

Once the four states had stabilized, refining began.

Add one and a quarter ounces of [Callisto Psilocybe].

Add ten quarts of [mercury water].

Add one drop of sacred red wine.

Proceed through Joseph Quercetanus's twelve processes: calcination, dissolution, elemental separation, conjunction, putrefaction, congelation, cibation, sublimation, fermentation, exaltation, multiplication, and projection.

After undergoing the twelve processes, a vial of liquid with a blood-red sheen appeared in Xia Xiu's hand.

(End of chapter)