บท 30: Chapter 30 Inauguration Ceremony
"Shadow Alley" black market had many treasures, and the items in various shops were dazzling.
However, Su Lun didn't plan to stay long.
The black market had its own rules of survival, naturally housing those who lived in the shadows "rats." Before coming here, Kai had specifically warned Su Lun. Gangs of vagrants often roamed near the market, fond of committing robbery and murder. Even the members of the three major gangs were not picky about their victims.
Having just spent tens of thousands on materials, Su Lun's wealth was now exposed.
For the people of the outer city, this was a fortune tempting enough to drive one to murder.
Leaving "Rosen's Alchemy Shop," he passed a bookstore and casually bought several beginners' alchemy books including "Book of Secrets," "Natural and Secret Things," "Basic Alchemy Knowledge..."
In the outer city, knowledge was expensive. Apart from antiquities from scavenging, all books came from the inner city, especially those on alchemy, which were particularly costly and truly considered luxury items.
Even though Su Lun had previously extracted some alchemy knowledge from a corpse, it was fragmented and not systematic.
He even lacked many basic pieces of knowledge.
He was aware that if he wanted to progress further in alchemy, his need for knowledge would only increase.
....
Su Lun left the black market and took a steam train back to Green Street.
He sought a secluded place to set up his initiation alchemy formation, only to discover that the gang had not arranged any living quarters for him.
It was probably deemed unnecessary.
After all, for the vast majority of gang members, taverns and bordellos were "home." Even if living quarters were provided, those fellows wouldn't spend many days there in a month.
Eventually, Su Lun found a hotel.
The walls were not soundproof, and strange noises came from both sides: rhythmic creaking of metal beds, the soft moans of women, the snapping sounds of whips...
Su Lun automatically filtered out these seductive sounds, twitched his lips, and muttered, "This is truly filthy..."
Looking around the room, the corners were moist and tattered, the simple iron bed had a grayish-white mattress. There were some stains on the sheets, possibly blood. Under the bed, layers of old dust, cigarette butts, and hair accumulated.
The room always seemed to have a persistent musty and fishy smell that invaded the nostrils.
But it didn't matter to him, as Su Lun did not plan to sleep anyway.
As a common gang member, as long as he wasn't foolish or too ostentatious, he didn't seek out a super-luxurious hotel for the night. He simply wanted a place undisturbed, where he could set up the transformation ceremony.
He pushed the bed aside, swept under it with a broom, and cleared a space about three meters in diameter.
Then he took out the alchemy materials he had bought in the black market.
Using six clear quartz crystals as focal points, he laid out a hexagram pattern. Then, mixing copper powder and lizard powder in specific proportions and using the mixture as ink, he drew a circular pattern, which he then completed with symbols of an ouroboros and a balance using a mercury salt solution...
The alchemical transformation formation needed for the initiation was a basic beginner-level formation; the runes were simple, and the variety of materials needed was not complicated. As long as the specific materials and patterns were correctly placed, a marvelous magical reaction would occur.
Su Lun carefully set it up, and about half an hour later, he had fully drawn the transformation formation.
"Whew... even a slightly advanced basic alchemy formation costs tens of thousands, no wonder 'Old School' magicians are rare; it's purely a money-burning profession..."
Su Lun felt slightly emotional.
He remembered that for ancient school magicians, each spell required setting up a similar alchemy formation to transmute elements.
Casting a spell was essentially just burning money.
An adage also circulated in the world of alchemy magicians: There is nothing in this world that alchemy can't accomplish; if there is, then not enough money has been burned.
He didn't ponder much about the past. Being able to grow stronger made any sacrifice worthwhile.
Su Lun took out the wooden box containing the "Rune Puppet" and opened it without hesitation.
The most important thing needed to become a professional was the "job materials."
....
The essence of "induction" was actually to transfer the extraordinary characteristics of the materials into the body through a conversion ritual.
Various induction materials were sold on the market as well, and they were not too expensive—about ten thousand Risso approximately.
Such materials were generally harvested by Scavengers who ventured into dungeons to kill magical creatures and then extracted cursed materials from them, producing alchemical substances with specific magic patterns.
Su Lun had now learned that all the materials sold in the market were black iron materials.
But in fact, there were higher quality "silver materials" available.
However, silver quality induction materials belonged to "controlled goods" and were almost only seen in big businesses within the inner city, besides being rarely seen rarities monopolized by large families and financial conglomerates.
This was almost the best induction material that Old Lington's Magicians could produce.
But in fact, the best induction materials were not silver materials, but rather "cursed objects" passed down from ancient times.
This type, also known as "gold materials," was unattainable yet desperately sought after.
Just like the gold-quality "Cursed Object · Rune Puppet" that Su Lun had acquired.
Because any induction material that could withstand the erosion of time was an exceptionally high-quality item. It was often left by the best of ancient alchemists, who could awaken unique abilities for rare professions.
For example, the mysterious role of a Puppeteer.
.....
"It brings up feelings of longing that have long been missing..."
Su Lun took out the Rune Puppet and revealed a hint of excitement on his face.
The "induction" ritual was not without risks—failure meant that the cursed characteristics in the induction materials could backlash and deform the person.
But for Su Lun, he did not have to worry about this issue.
The All-knowing Eye assured that the magic array he drew could function normally, and the compatibility between the induction items and his body was very high, so there was no reason to fail.
He stood in the center of the Hexagram Array, placed the puppet exactly at the center of the ouroboros pattern, and then began to chant a spell: "By the law of equivalent exchange, praise the glory of the original creator, and witness the wonders of creation through alchemy..."
The content of the spell was simple, not the kind mages chant to gods asking for power—merely a phrase resembling a maxim.
It is said that actually, not chanting it would also work.
Chanting such a phrase was merely for adding a sense of "ritual."
Because Magicians believe in no deity. In their view, even so-called deities are merely higher beings who have mastered certain high-level laws and must also follow the principle of equivalent exchange.
If they really believed in anything, Magicians only believed in the "original creator," who created the initial form of the universe.
Su Lun was attentive, sticking to the necessary procedures.
And as expected, when the spell concluded, the Formation Conversion Array lit up with a dazzling blue light.
Six white crystals gathered the entire formation's magic power, and then grew brighter and brighter, the mysterious power intensifying.
Su Lun watched calmly as the puppet doll on the ground seemed to melt within the light, slowly integrating into the Hexagram Array.
Then, the bright light, like tendrils of vines, wound around him, particles of light visible to the naked eye darting into his skin.
The mysterious power gradually merged into his body.
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