Mechanical Alchemist

Su Lun and Mr. Jing's surprise attack plan had achieved very ideal results.

By releasing the two-dimensional worms, they not only caused heavy casualties in the magic camp at the planar passageway but also, due to the loss of personnel and resources, left the enemy without the capability to wage a full-scale war for the short term.

Moreover, the enemy had to constantly guard against another potential raid by Su Lun and his accomplice.

After all, it had been proven that the camp's standard defenses had vulnerabilities.

And this vulnerability was not something that could be rectified.

The enemy had no idea where these two-dimensional worms came from, nor could they be sure whether Su Lun would repeat his trick and attack the camp with more bizarre items.

The two Magic Gods also dared not leave the camp now, having to guard it around the clock.

Furthermore, Princess Octavia J. Fielding had already tried and failed to kill the top-tier combatants of the Alchemical plane, which became their greatest concern.

Clearly, more Magic Gods would be needed to ensure absolute victory.

Whether it was resupplying resources or descending more masters, all these would take quite some time.

The magic camp once again returned to its state of shrinkage from two years ago, and any significant maneuvers would have to be postponed for at least a few months.

On the other hand, Su Lun and Mr. Jing did not linger in Mafa.

He first returned to Luying, then made a trip to pick up someone from the Eternal Night, and afterward, he and Mr. Jing went straight to the Silent Forest in the northern part of Luying.

They were well aware that the enemy would not take any significant action for a while, so there was no point in staying in Mafa.

Besides, with Empire intelligence personnel under strict surveillance, they could rush back in time if there was any movement.

....

Previously, Su Lun had left Yuta a necklace with a fixed teleportation coordinate, making transportation very convenient.

A few hours later, he arrived at the Dalu clan's Emerald Holy Land with Mr. Jing.

The Emerald Holy Land had changed dramatically, with the massive gray elm in the center now blotting out the sun. As soon as Su Lun and his companion arrived, the dense force of nature hit them in the face.

After the Empire banned the slave trade, there had been an explosive increase in the population of the Dalu clan, with the inhabitants of the Holy Land alone being ten times more than before.

Standing on the edge of a cliff, Mr. Jing, looking at the dense forest in front of him, murmured, "The Emerald Holy Land has changed so much..."

Her last visit was when the Dalu clan re-signed the alliance agreement, which, counting the time, was already several years ago.

Listening, Su Lun nodded and casually said, "Yes, it has changed a lot."

But just as he uttered these words, a ghost lady suddenly popped out of the runic umbrella, exposing his pretense.

"Su Lun, didn't you just come here last month? Do you really think it's changed that much?"

Pestoya teased him with a mischievous smile on her face, never tiring of calling out Su Lun's bluffs.

Su Lun rolled his eyes and reached out to pinch the girl's cheek.

He wasn't really surprised; after all, he would teleport here every few months to chat with Yuta, absorb some natural force, and exchange insights on their practice.

"Ah... you despicable Su Lun, pinching my face again!"

Although Pestoya was in her Spiritual Body state, Su Lun still managed to stretch her face out long.

She huffed and straddled Su Lun's neck, turning into a little devil with long horns on her head, and declared fiercely, "I'll strangle you!"

Mr. Jing, who was used to seeing the two bicker, simply smiled and said, "Alright, stop messing around, someone's coming."

While Pestoya was in the midst of sinking her neat white teeth into Su Lun's head, upon hearing this, she responded, "Sis, you don't know, Su Lun is a creep... I also know about that succubus maid of his who turned into..."

Before she could finish, Su Lun flicked his finger and tossed a piece of soul candy made from spiritual energy into her mouth.

"Smack... smack..."

Pestoya's words were cut short as the candy landed in her mouth; instinctively, she chewed a few times, seemingly forgetting what she was about to say, her eyes instantly sparkling with stars: "Wow... what flavor is this? It's so delicious~"

"Rainbow candy."

Su Lun had used this trick many times before, and it was very effective.

Souls can't taste flavors, and this ghost lady hadn't tasted food in over a thousand years, particularly since she had quite a sweet tooth.

Su Lun thought of a method.

The flavor of food is a signal transmitted to the brain through the taste nerves and, in theory, it can be simulated. He made candy using soul material and then added some psychic signals to simulate the taste, which allowed the girl to also enjoy the flavors.

These soul candies were also used to bribe the young lady.

After Su Lun had been complained to by the ghost girl for putting the rune-black umbrella into the little void realm at the apartment in Spirit Dun Lena, he had been carrying it with him ever since.

Firstly, it was to respect Pestoya's wishes; secondly, it was for his own protection.

So the quirky ghost girl almost knew everything about him.

Aside from some personal privacy, there was nothing shameful or secret to hide.

Su Lun let her be.

Of course, awkward situations would occasionally arise.

He would give the girl a piece of candy to eat, to keep her mouth shut.

Mr. Jing watched the two of them bickering in their daily life, his expression showing no sign of discomfort. After nearly two years of living together, they had become very familiar with each other, with no hint of unease.

It was during their conversation that the blue-tailed hawk soaring in the sky already informed those in the Sanctuary Forest that there were guests.

Several figures dashed out from the forest quickly.

The leader, a white-haired girl wearing an animal skin skirt and with a graceful figure, turned out to be Yuta.

Seeing Su Lun, a surprised expression immediately appeared on her face, and she greeted him from afar with enthusiasm, "Mr. Su Lun!"

Behind her were her brother Arcu and some of the Dalu tribespeople who all knew Su Lun; they were there to welcome him.

Before the words were finished, he was already enveloped in a tender touch, as Yuta gave Su Lun a warm embrace.

During the embrace, a ghost girl floated out from Su Lun's body, but Yuta was not at all surprised and instead greeted her familiarly, "Pestoya is here too."

"Mm. Hello, Sister Yuta~"

Pestoya floated in the air, smiling with curved eyebrows and still chewing on candy, calling out sweetly.

The girl might have a quirky temperament, but she naturally liked pure souls. Su Lun had visited the Emerald Holy Land a few times in the last two years, and she had become quite familiar with Yuta.

After greeting Su Lun with an embrace and not losing etiquette, Yuta turned to look at Mr. Jing beside her and bowed, "Mr. Jing, welcome to the Emerald Holy Land."

The friendly treaty between the Dalu tribe and humans was a bridge established by Isaac's family; hence, she had deep respect for Mr. Jing.

Mr. Jing smiled faintly, "Elder Yuta, you are the great Druid of the Dalu tribe; there's no need for such courtesy."

The presence of Su Lun made the atmosphere less formal.

Yuta also smiled upon hearing this.

Seeing that Mr. Jing had also come this time, she asked, "Mr. Su Lun, did you come this time to go to the Cursed Valley?"

Su Lun nodded seriously, "Yes."

He had discussed the plan with Yuta during his last visit and had detailed the potential ways to break the seal.

The "Tree Seal - God Burial" inside the Cursed Valley was a divine seal of the Dalu tribe. With the help of the Dalu tribe, the risk would be smaller.

Yuta, aware of the seriousness of the matter, asked, "Then, Mr. Su Lun, when do you plan to go? Do you want to rest in the village first? Everyone will be very happy to know that you and Mr. Jing have arrived."

Su Lun considered it and replied, "We might have to go directly to the seal."

Nowadays, with the interplane war changing daily, today a demigod had appeared, and perhaps a real god would descend tomorrow. Time was running short for them.

The matter of the God Burial Ground had to be sorted out as soon as possible.

Yuta understood and nodded her head, "Okay!"

She turned to her brother Arcu behind her and said, "Arcu, go inform the tribal elders in the village that we'll make a trip to the north."

Arcu, who had grown into a robust young White Wolf tribesman over two meters tall, responded, "Okay!"

With that, he turned and left, disappearing into the forest.

Before long, a group of people quickly arrived from the forest.

Wolf Granny Mara, Elder Pasu, Elder Tagu, Elder Koula... all were Dalu tribespeople whom Su Lun had known for a long time.

...

The venture to undo the seals of the God Burial Ground came with great risk, and Su Lun originally did not want the Dalu tribe to be involved.

But once Yuta knew he was going, she insisted on joining.

Now she was the Dalu tribe's Grand Druid, possessing two sacred artifacts: the "Chalice of Fal" and "Dagda's Magic Cauldron," along with the blessing of the Nature God, her strength was not to be underestimated.

With Yuta's help, the plan's chances of success were slightly increased.

And when the Dalu tribespeople learned that Su Lun needed their help, they too wanted to contribute.

They worshipped the gods of peace and nature and couldn't actively participate in war, but they could offer this help.

Su Lun couldn't refuse the enthusiasm of his tribespeople.

Before long, the assembly was completed, and everyone headed towards the northern Cursed Valley.

They needed to set up defensive measures in the forests along the way to prevent the emergence of dangerous entities once the seal was broken.

Most of the Dalu tribal elders were setting up defensive perimeters, while Su Lun, Mr. Jing, and Yuta were inside the Cursed Valley.

The valley was still shrouded in a thick mist of death.

Su Lun remembered the last time he had come here at tier three, when the negative spiritual power in the mist affected him, making him hear the whispers of the dead. Now at tier eight, he no longer felt any discomfort.

In a flash of spatial fluctuations, the three of them were already standing atop the hundred-meter high broken city wall.

This was the ruins of a giant race's city, and the entire relic rested atop a massive tree.

This tree was the result of the "Tree Seal - God Burial Ritual" once cast by the Dalu ancestors.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, the cascade of white water from the tree canopy still abundant, and bizarre winged creatures could be seen flitting among the treetops...

Looking at the towering giant tree again, Su Lun felt a sense of nostalgia for the old haunt.

The three of them stood on the city wall, observing for a moment.

Then Yuta, with a hint of uncertainty, asked Su Lun, "Mr. Su Lun, shall we unseal it now?"

Although she had absolute trust in Su Lun, she was still somewhat worried about the place that had almost led to the Dalu tribe's annihilation.

While she was quite powerful now, she still lacked confidence.

Su Lun, seeing Yuta's concern, smiled lightly and said, "Mm. We'll get started once I summon our comrades from Dawn Group."

Even if the three of them were strong, they were not presumptuous enough to think they could open the burial ground of the deities by themselves.

Yuta was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, "Mr. Su Lun's comrades?"

"Mm."

Su Lun nodded and without further explanation, formed sorcerer's seals in an instant, creating an ever-growing black hole in his palm.

Just then, a stream of figures began to emerge.

Old Sword God Bartolo, Mr. Hei, Barrett, "Duke of Blood" Wazhuas, Kit, Number Nineteen, his disciple Abek, Lolota, Tanni... Almost all the combat members of the Dawn Group were there.

A total of tens of thousands!

Having been at the front lines with Mr. Jing for so long, Su Lun had not seen everyone for a while.

Previously, in a hurry, he had called them into the miniature void without the chance for interaction. Now that they had arrived, the place immediately grew lively.

"Hahahaha... Captain Barrett, did you advance to the eighth tier after a month of secluded cultivation?"

"Yes, I was lucky!"

"Kit, you're at tier seven now?"

"Ah... is it strange for me to be at tier seven when you're at tier eight already? It would be embarrassing to say that I, the 'Empire's Number One Phantom Thief,' was still at just tier six."

"Yo, Lolota has reached the realm of Sword Saint?"

"Of course. After Chian went to train in hell, Lolota has also been practicing very hard. She has now comfortably secured the position of 'Dawn's Third Swordsman'..."

"Wow, Miss Nineteen, your mechanical gear is updated again? Looks so cool."

"Yeah, the Imperial Royal Mechanical Factory produced a batch of super mechanical warriors and helped me customize some special components."

"..."

Over the past two years, there had been almost no battles on the frontlines, and Dawn Brigade hadn't gone on adventures; instead, they entered a state of rapid development.

With access to the best resources of the entire Alchemy plane, everyone in the brigade naturally progressed quickly, with most experiencing a sharp increase of one or two major ranks.

Even those who were previously in the lowly first or second ranks soared to become mid-level experts of the fourth or fifth ranks.

The elite forces of Dawn Brigade also made breakthroughs one after another.

There was a time when the upper limit of the fragmented Alchemy plane's laws restricted them to reaching only the sixth or seventh ranks, as their talents were one in ten thousand. Now, after the connection of the planar channels and the completion of the laws, they found it easier to break through than others.

In these two years, hundreds advanced to the sixth rank, and dozens reached the seventh rank.

Barrett successfully stepped into the eighth rank, and Old Sword God Bartolo touched the threshold of the ninth rank, and No. 19's mechanical body was fitted with secret black technology akin to "dark matter weapons"...

Young geniuses of Dawn Brigade like Tanni, Lorraine, and Yaberk also climbed to the sixth rank and touched upon the seventh.

Most astonishing were Mr. Hei's Dragon Tongue Magician Corps!

Alchemists are not like the devout followers of gods who reject all powers outside of their faith system; to alchemists, everything in the world is potential material for Alchemy as long as it can be utilized.

They had firsthand experience of the formidable power of the Divine plane's tens of thousands-strong Magic corps, which is why in these past two years Mr. Hei devoted himself to creating Dawn's own unique corps of sorcery.

Dawn Brigade's home base also had the foundation to become a top-tier fighting force.

Most of the members had undergone various degrees of dragon gene bloodline enhancements and even integrated some draconic breeding armor, which endowed them with certain innate dragon talents.

Not only did this give them strength far beyond that of their peers,

but since they were all Dragon Blood warriors, the compatibility of their powers was very high, making the battle arrays they formed even more potent.

Mr. Hei also personally designed an exclusive 'Dragon Tongue Legion Battle Array' tailored to Dawn Brigade's forces!

The draconic tongue is a high-level language system capable of mobilizing the laws of heaven and earth, a realm that only those above the ninth rank could delve into.

However, Mr. Hei, who attained wisdom from drinking from the [Mimir's Spring], not only mastered this superior language, but he also used his wisdom to create a tiered Dragon Tongue Magician system.

As a result, the people of Dawn Brigade could harness a portion of it as well.

This is the Dragon Tongue Battle Array!

When the language of dragons was fused into Alchemy, its might increased exponentially.

The tens of thousands-strong Magician corps of Dawn was now taking shape and was far stronger than any Magic corps of tens of thousands.

This Magician corps' combat power was even above that of the ninth rank!

...

Yuta observed the sudden appearance of Dawn Brigade's members, and it was clear to her that there were many formidable warriors among them.

Only now did she understand the confidence behind Su Lun's decision to open the seal.

The forebears of the Dalu clan had indeed paid with their lives to seal the God Burial Ground centuries ago—it was definitely one of the most dangerous places in the Alchemy plane.

But Dawn Brigade's current combat power was far stronger than the Dalu clan's had ever been.

Apart from Mr. Jing, a supreme powerhouse capable of matching a Magic God, there was Su Lun, everyone else, and Mr. Hei's tens of thousands-strong Magician corps...

It could be said that even if two or three Demigods appeared, they might not be able to do anything against them.

Clearly, now was not the time for idle chat. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Su Lun said, "Gentlemen, prepare to take action."

"Yes!"

The crowd responded in unison.

Previously, in the lesser void world, Su Lun had thoroughly briefed the members of Dawn Brigade on the situation, and the strategists had also drawn up a detailed plan; there wasn't much else to say now.

No sooner had these words been spoken than over ten thousand people dispersed to begin setting up a huge Alchemy array around the massive tree.

Before the seal was undone, they needed to be fully prepared.

If something unexpected did happen, they would have to ensure that this dangerous place could be sealed once more.

PS. The writing is a bit choppy, and shorter than usual.