Before the spacious metal corridor, alchemists lined up in a long queue, their eager eyes fixed on the Gate of Truth, awaiting the answer to be revealed.
Can that arrogant mechanical tiger leader become a core member?
Almost everyone, in their hearts, shouted to themselves, "Impossible!"
However, as the complex and profound Alchemical Runes lit up one by one, the bright light made the alchemists' faces appear exceptionally pale, for this was the scene they had been dreaming of, representing the birth of a core member.
Rumble!!
Doors wide open!
The young man, with a calm expression, stepped out. The crowd parted to make way for him and gave him their unquestioning stares. Whether it was jealousy or envy, the entire corridor fell silent at that moment!
After a long while, Crassus smugly put away all the bets, leaving behind the words, "Is it so hard to become a core member?" Then, he puffed out his chest, wagged his tail, and followed after them. His smugness was infuriating, yet there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Because they won!
Their leader is a core member; his future is limitless.
Those who lost money dared not object, partly because it was a fair and square bet by Crassus, and he won after reaching an agreement.
On the other hand, no one would risk offending a core member of the association for such a small amount of money, and potentially ruin their future career here.
Although these alchemists lost a total of over five thousand Star Wheel, which is a considerable sum, if divided among each individual, it's actually not that much. Alchemists are known for their rationality, and even if they were to gamble, they would most likely not go all in.
However, not everyone has the self-awareness to know this.
After a brief silence, someone suddenly said, "Could it be that today's Gate of Truth test has become easier?"
Instantly, the hearts of all the alchemists present were stirred.
Yes, could it be that the Gate of Truth is malfunctioning?
History repeats itself time and time again.
Every time a core member is born, it is accompanied by similar farces. People easily attribute the success of others to luck, which is human nature.
But reality doesn't change according to human will, Gate of Truth soon began to slap us in the face!
The slaps were louder and louder than the last!
Leaving aside the alchemists in the back who were dizzy from being whipped, everyone on Logo's side was beaming with joy. Even the usually composed teacher, Madison, let out a few rare, hearty laughs.
Logo was equally pleased. Everyone thought he had passed the core member assessment, but in reality, Logo had already become the "Son of Truth."
Within the Alchemist Association, the Son of Truth holds a position no less prestigious than that of a Grandmaster Alchemist.
The status of a master alchemist is equivalent to that of a god.
In other words, Logo himself kept the news of his becoming the Son of Truth a secret; if it were to be revealed, the entire Prado Universe System would be shaken.
You should know that in this vast universe, there are only a handful of alchemy masters, each with a lofty status, the kind of big shots that even gods would greet with smiles and quick steps.
There's no way around it; they can forge divine artifacts, concoct God Level potions, and arrange God Level Rune Array. Having ability makes you the boss—that makes sense everywhere!
"The greatest benefit of becoming Son of Truth is that it has broadened my access to knowledge many times over. Compared to the Alchemist Association's vast knowledge reserves, the Aslant Civilization is no match."
"However, the knowledge from the Alchemist Association requires me to spend Star Wheel or Merit Points to acquire; it's not free. Furthermore, there are rank requirements."
"As Son of Truth, my rank is equivalent to a Grandmaster Alchemist, which will be sufficient for a long time. So, I only need to consider Star Wheel and Merit Points. Star Wheel are manageable, but I need to earn Merit Points myself. Unfortunately, some extremely valuable knowledge can only be exchanged for with Merit Points..."
"It's not just knowledge; the Alchemist Association's treasury is overflowing with treasures, including one of my goals for coming to the Astral Realm: the [Philosopher's Stone]... But these resources also require merit points. Fortunately, as Son of Truth, I only need to spend 50% of the original price to exchange for resources below seven stars, which will save me a lot of money..."
With their gains in mind, Logo and his group left the Alchemist Association.
At the same time, news of the Alchemist Association gaining a core member spread rapidly to the outside world, causing a minor stir.
In a lavishly decorated room, upon hearing the news that Logo had become a core member, Ya Er Dun was first surprised, then gave a cold smile, and said with amusement to the succubus Suoerqi beside him, "That three-eyed brat actually became a core member. Madison has indeed taken on a good disciple, or perhaps he shared some of his opportunities with his disciple to cultivate a core member?... Unfortunately, Madison doesn't know that this disciple has already become your spiritual servant."
The Dream Demon Suoerqi was overjoyed. He never expected that a casual move would result in such a huge win, bringing back a core member of the Alchemist Association.
However, Dream Demon Suoerqi soon hesitated and asked, "If the Alchemist Association discovers that their core members have become my mind slaves, will they cause me trouble? Or force me to break free from their control?"
"You don't need to worry about that, don't worry." Ya Er Dun waved his hand and explained, "The Alchemist Association has a rather loose organizational structure. Even core members don't receive special protection. The guild's purpose is to pursue ultimate Truth, not to dominate. Besides, when you controlled that brat, he wasn't a core member yet, so you don't need to worry about the guild causing you trouble."
As another core member of the Alchemist Association, Ya Er Dun was quite familiar with how the organization operated.
Simply put, the Alchemist Association is like a platform for alchemists to help each other, similar to the combined functions of an intermediary organization and a public library.
The biggest advantage of becoming a core member is, on the one hand, the ability to acquire more and more advanced alchemical knowledge, and on the other hand, the enhancement of one's own status.
Regardless of their origins, whether they are natives or elites from the Astral Realm, becoming a core member of the Alchemist Association is like adding a halo to their status. Not only will they be more respected when they go out to do business, but they will also avoid a lot of difficulties.
Of course, it's not without its downsides.
Some vicious dark organizations enjoy kidnapping people who have been certified by the Alchemist Association, and they wield the hoe with remarkable ease.
It can only be said that the Alchemist Association brand certification is indeed highly regarded and widely recognized, regardless of its merits.
Ya Er Dun didn't know was that Logo had become the Son of Truth, and the Association's attitude towards members of this level would be completely different.
Even if he doesn't cause trouble for Ya Er Dun and the succubus Suoerqi, he will still help Logo break free from mind control.
Ultimately, the alchemist community believes in the supremacy of talent. With enough talent, no problem is a problem; without talent, obstacles and Thorn are everywhere.
After hearing Ya Er Dun's words, the Dream Demon Suoerqi felt relieved. Just as he was about to say something, Ya Er Dun suddenly stood up and walked outside. The Dream Demon Suoerqi quickly followed and met a person in the hall.
The thirteenth prince of the Reynolds Civilization, a young man exuding nobility and authority in every move.
"Greetings, Thirteenth Prince!" The arrogant and domineering Ya Er Dun appeared exceptionally humble upon meeting the Thirteenth Prince, and this humility was not feigned but a genuine expression of his inner feelings.
Seeing this, Dream Demon Suoerqi clicked his tongue in surprise. He had long heard that the pure-blooded lineage of the Reynolds Civilization valued bloodlines to the extreme and had a clear hierarchy, but he never expected it to be this serious.
Despite being an alchemist of High-Rank Demigod status and possessing royal blood, Ya Er Dun acted like an old servant when facing the much younger thirteenth prince.
Suoerqi suddenly recalled something a senior had once said, "Order is a terrible thing. When you live under a system of order for a long time, even if you seem to despise it, when others disrupt it, you will show unprecedented anger, regard them as enemies, and do everything in your power to Destruction them."
Those in power euphemistically call this state "loyalty," but I would prefer to call it "naturalization" or "institutionalization"!
"That's why those super-strong individuals, raised from childhood, even with the power to overturn everything, still choose to obey. You think they obey the rulers? No, they obey the order, or rather, their own habits!!"
In other words, what Ya Er Dun respected was not the thirteenth prince, but the royal bloodline flowing in the latter's veins; to some extent, this was his faith.
In comparison, the Dream Demon Suoerqi suddenly felt a deep sense of awe for the order that she had once scorned.
This is a different kind of mental enslavement!
Moreover, it is even more subtle and silent, like a gentle rain nourishing the earth, making you unknowingly sink into it, willingly being influenced and molded into the form required by the order, becoming a brick or a tile, building a magnificent palace.
The complex thoughts in the mind of the Dream Demon Suoerqi were known only to himself.
After the thirteenth prince took his seat, he first confirmed that the Dream Demon Suoerqi was trustworthy, and then quickly stated his purpose. "Once the auditors from Star Sea Bank arrive, they will definitely check past accounts, and it's only a matter of time before they find that the quantity of supplies in the warehouse is incorrect. The Bazel Brothers informed us that we should find a way to destroy the supply storage warehouse before the auditors arrive."
Upon hearing this, Ya Er Dun was taken aback. "Fire Dragon Burning the Warehouse? Isn't that too obvious? Won't it offend Star Sea Bank?"
"Heh, half of the senior executives at Star Sea Bank are on our side, how could we possibly offend them..." The Thirteenth Prince sneered.
"So what do you plan to do?" Ya Er Dun asked cautiously.
"Simple. The Bazel Brothers have already made the arrangements. We'll just have a few Demigod engage in a chaotic battle outside the warehouse, and then use the aftershocks to destroy it."
The thirteenth prince's plan was quite simple and brutal, and he seemed very confident, indicating that this was not the first time he had done something like this.
Ya Er Dun did not object further. After discussing the details with the thirteenth prince, he immediately went to arrange the manpower.
A day later, an explosive piece of news spread.
A massive supply warehouse located in Stafis' second largest port was struck by a Void meteor during a battle between Demigod. The Berserk Void Energy and meteor fire Destruction everything, even creating a spatial rift that swallowed up a significant portion of the port.
Fire Dragon Burning the Granary?
No!
Meteorite hit the warehouse!