Chapter 217 Chapter215-Eye of Alchemy
It felt like losing footing at the edge of a cliff, falling into an abyss so deep its bottom remained unseen.
Ethan's consciousness was acutely aware of this state, yet unable to actively wake up from it, unable to even control the state of his descent.
The fall endured for what seemed like an eternity.
It could have been a matter of minutes or perhaps several hours; Ethan couldn't discern.
Now, he finally saw a glimmer of light.
Before him unfolded a scene fragmented like shattered glass, distributing over pieces of various sizes and shapes.
It was a landscape all too familiar to Ethan — the Abandoned Temple.
"Why has this scene appeared again?"
Ethan was somewhat surprised, a hypothesis simultaneously birthing in his mind.
Could it be that the first trial at the Hot Spring Ruins was conceived in such a manner?
But evidently, this was different from the trial.
During the trial at the Hot Spring Ruins, Ethan was a participant, yet now he was merely an observer.
In the fragmented scene, there existed another Ethan, one whose luck was clearly far from favorable.
That Ethan had been killed by a Hero in the initial Hero subjugation, the domain known as the Abandoned Temple seized.
Subsequently, the scenes shifted once again.
A different Ethan emerged, not possessing the Golden Divine Dragon Bloodline but rather a distinctly weaker goblin bloodline.
Although he survived the Hero's onslaught, he was severely wounded, succumbing to his injuries not long after.
The panorama transformed yet again.
After an indeterminable amount of time, Ethan felt as if he had witnessed countless lifelines of various Ethans: some potent, some feeble, some transformed into monsters, and others turned into corpses...
"Are these people... me?"
Ethan voiced his confusion, "Or perhaps they are versions of me in parallel universes? Or are they indeed me, showcasing the manifold possibilities that could have characterized my past existence?"
The question was truly difficult to grasp, tantalizingly elusive yet profoundly poignant in its depth.
Ethan couldn't even understand why these scenes were appearing.
As he pondered, he felt that he was gaining control over his consciousness.
It was at this moment that the images shattered one after another.
Much like a mirror being smashed, the scenes transformed into beams of light that began to emerge within this dark abyss.
These rays, with a gentle green hue, slowly converged to form luminous strands.
Subsequently, the strands aggregated at a singular point, morphing into a peculiar rune. It was the Soul-Language of Nature.
The soul, a concept even more elusive than consciousness.
The death of a person signifies the end of consciousness, but not necessarily the annihilation of the soul.
Based on Ethan's current understanding, those deities had some involvement with souls, which explained why many of them could resurrect after hundreds of years, despite the destruction of their physical bodies and dispersion of their consciousness.
The soul was the locus of mystery.
At this moment, Ethan could sense the coalescing of the Soul-Language of Nature, but he could not fathom any secrets about the soul, let alone employ any techniques involving it.
However, the benefits were obvious.
At this juncture, Ethan vividly felt the other three Languages of Nature trembling within him.
The remaining Blood Source in his body was being voraciously absorbed and assimilated, enhancing his physical and mental strength from all angles.
The sensation was extraordinarily blissful, an addictive experience drowning him in its depths.
Outside, Sherry noticed the changes occurring in Ethan and instantly grew worried.
She shouted towards Old John, "Master John, there are changes happening to Ethan!"
Having agreed to become John's disciple, Ethan no longer used his codename but instead revealed his real name and identity to Old John, even though John didn't particularly care for such details.
"Don't worry, he's fine," John reassured her.
"This is a good thing for Ethan. His abilities will increase substantially, drawing him even closer to becoming a deity."
Old John couldn't help but express his admiration.
The potential of this newly accepted student was truly terrifying, even comparable to the offspring of the deities.
Reassured by Old John's guarantee, Sherry eased her mind.
Time gently passed, and in the blink of an eye, two days had gone by.
Having received Mrs. Rhine's permission, Eileen once again assembled her small squad, choosing to return to the battlefield to slay the monsters.
During this time, Rhine commanded the removal of various restrictions on outsiders.
The Angry Dragon Haviss was about to break free, fortunately preventing any worse outcomes from occurring.
Allowing these outsiders to join the army would efficiently help in eradicating some monsters.
This order greatly assisted individuals like Dark Lord Rock.
To obtain monster materials, Dark Lord Rock had no choice but to head to the frontlines to battle the monsters.
For this, he reached out to Dark Lord Blood and a few others, persuading them only after agreeing to a substantial payment.
"Could that Black Dragon guy have fled?" Dark Lord Blood lamented.
The group had searched for Ethan in Maya City but found no trace or hint of him.
Dark Lord Rock waved his hand, indicating that discussing Ethan was unnecessary, and said, "Being without Black Dragon isn't a big deal. However, the sudden lift of restrictions in the Maya City barracks feels somewhat off. Therefore, once we reach the frontlines, follow my command to avoid any issues."
After finalizing their plan, they joined the camp and headed to the frontline together.
In these two days, Rhine had come looking for Ethan, hoping he could once again use the Holy Light to heal some injured soldiers.
She was informed by Old John that Ethan was undergoing a transformation, a situation not suitable for disturbances.
She told John that once Ethan woke up, he should head to the command room to find her.
All these developments went unnoticed by Ethan.
At this juncture, he was at a critical moment.
Surrounding Ethan's body, a stream of blood-colored flow encased him, forming a gigantic blood-colored egg.
The powerful aura emanating from it startled even Old John, who couldn't help but frown and remark, "This transformation seems to be much more substantial than anticipated. I wonder what the kid's limits are."
"If only I had such power when I was young..."
Old John sighed deeply, letting go of his reminiscing thoughts soon after.
Within Ethan's perception, it was a different experience altogether.
Under the influence of the Soul-Language of Nature, the other three Languages of Nature he commanded were mobilized, jointly devouring and absorbing the remaining Blood Source in his body.
Ethan felt an incessant surge of strength, growing more potent with every passing moment.
Until the last trace of the Blood Source was absorbed completely, Ethan realized it was time for him to wake up.
So, he opened his eyes.
But just as he opened them, he noticed something amiss.
"Why are there labels on everything?"
Ethan shook his head, but rather than disappearing, the annotated information became even clearer, presenting itself in textual form on every object he saw.
It was like this...
[Wooden Table: An ancient wooden table previously used to display reagents and tools.]
[Life Potion: Capable of healing the majority of injuries.]
[Compendium of Alchemy: An encyclopedia documenting basic alchemy knowledge, one of the essential texts for learning alchemy, suitable for beginners.]
[...]
When Ethan concentrated, he could see even more detailed information.
[Wooden Table: A dated wooden table used for placing tools and reagents, it has suffered considerable damage. Twenty-five days ago, it was corroded due to a spill of a corrosive reagent. Twenty-nine days ago...]
However, this brought about consequences; Ethan felt a wave of dizziness, and his mind grew heavy and muddled.
"Drink this down."
Old John suddenly handed Ethan a bottle of reagent.
There were no labels on the reagent bottle, and the text that Ethan could perceive became blurry and indistinct until he drank the potion in one gulp, only then did he feel considerably better.
"Old John, what's happening?"
Ethan asked curiously, eager to understand the phenomenon.
Old John smiled and said, "Kid, welcome to the world of Alchemy. What you witnessed is a skill that only high-level Alchemists can control, the Eye of Alchemy. It's the core competency of an Alchemist. Only those who have mastered the Eye of Alchemy can truly be called Alchemists."
"The Eye of Alchemy consumes one's spiritual power, but it allows you to discern the essence of things."
"Theoretically speaking, if your spiritual power is sufficiently strong, the Eye of Alchemy can decipher an entire world. But I would advise you not to do so; in fact, unless necessary, refrain from using the Eye of Alchemy. Once it's activated, it isn't up to you to decide what to see. Encountering powerful and mysterious creations can consume a tremendous amount of spiritual power, potentially rendering you unconscious."
Following this, Old John instructed Ethan on how to deactivate the Eye of Alchemy.
After several attempts, Ethan fully mastered how to activate and deactivate the Eye of Alchemy, prompting Old John to marvel once more at Ethan's innate talent.
Old John reflected on how it took him a fortnight just to barely grasp how to control the Eye of Alchemy when he was learning.
"Ethan, you're awake."
At this moment, Sherry walked in, a radiant smile illuminating her face.
Ethan nodded, gently hugged Sherry, but his gaze was fixed on the attribute panel.
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