<h4>Chapter 58: Alchemy VS Magic Medicine (Part 1)</h4>
Trantor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“As everyone should know, the Fourth Dynasty fell apart shortly after it was established. It took centuries of war for the current situation on the maind to form. The current location of the Phoenix Empire used to be the ce where the Fourth Dynasty banished its offenders. Even though thend there is fertile, it is too isted and only two roads link it to the outside world.”
Saleen listened to Baron Cook recount history while he referenced it with knowledge from his memory. Very soon, he understood how everything had begun.
The fall of the Fourth Dynasty had to do with the Phoenix Empire. This used to be a ce where offenders were banished; they were abandoned to survive on their own. Before long, this fertilend experienced a massive poption growth and slowly became a region that was uncontroble.
The Fourth Dynasty possessed the entire maind and were therefore uninterested in this small ce until the emergence of the ck mages. This led to them growing cautious. The ck mages went around setting up altars, executing all who rebelled against them in the name of upholding justice. They repeatedly attacked, expanding their reach to the other regions. At that time, the Sacred Holy See had not yet been built, but many had already given their faith to the God of Light and gained magical skills.
A prophet warned that the maind would eventually crumble due to the existence of the ck mages. The Fourth Dynasty did not believe in the God of Light, but the kingdom had a great amount of mages, alchemists, and astronomers.
The astronomers gave a simr prophecy. The kingdom started fearing for its existence and decided to send an army to end the rebellion.
This clean-up was the first of many defeats for the Fourth Dynasty. After consecutive failures in the clean up, ck magic had extended its reach, already controlling arge portion of the Qin Empire’s present daynd. The Fourth Dynasty’s powers waned, leading to the rise of many lords and numerous rebellions.
The Fourth Dynasty struggled and survived for another century, but could no longer control the entire maind. Thus, they had no choice but to acknowledge the existence of ten independent states. This, however, did not stop the tumultuous times on the maind. Princes from many fragmented states did not cease their efforts in trying to suppres ck magic.
In this period, a particr house rose to power. It swiftly destroyed the many ck mages and seized control of the eastern maind. This was the beginning of the Qin Empire. This house had possessed a great number of mages who had great ambitions of creating a Fifth Dynasty to unite the maind.
At this time, the sacred Holy See had also increased its might during the many years of conflict. Oftentimes, when humans were desperate, they would seek emotional gratification to prevent themselves from mentally breaking down. The pastors of the sacred Holy See rapidly expanded their army and supported the Taggsi Empire.
The Sikeqinya Empire came into power with its army. The Taggsi Empire had the support of the sacred Holy See. The Qin Empire obtained its power from magic along with the remaining powers of the Fourth Dynasty. Together with the formation of the Cloudflow Empire, the Myers Maind was formed. Adhering between the four empires were ten independent states which formed a neutral zone.
The only difference was in the Phoenix Empire. This had been the birthce of ck magic and the lords of the Qin Empire had no desire to rule this ce. Finally, the Qin Empire decided to enfeoff a state out of this area, forming the beginning of the Phoenix Empire.
The duke of the Phoenix Empire had been a favourite general of the Qin Emperor. He had never lost a battle and was named the Undying Phoenix. Under his rule, ck magic disappeared within decades.
“I have been summoned here by the king, in reality, to survey ck mages. This castle used to belong to a ck mage and many unsolved deaths have urred in this ce over many years, with many suspicious people moving about. The duke reported them to the emperor, who ced much emphasis on this matter and has sent arger number of troops to defend the inside of numerous castles. ”
“Why aren’t there any mages?” Saleen asked in surprise. To defeat a ck mage, the best method was to use a mage to suppress them. The Qin Empire was notcking in mages, but in this castle, Saleen had not seen any sign of them.
Baron Cook gave a bitter smile. “There used to be a powerful mage here. However, around this timest year, he brought his student to Sun City saying we could look for him if anything happened. You know, I’m only a baron…”
“How about us? Can we only wait for death toe?” Aini asked indignantly.
“Let’s listen to the baron’s opinion first,” Saleen interrupted. At this point, there was no point inining. He understood Aini’s feelings, as he too was an unlucky person.
“There are six hundred soldiers, a hundred and twenty strong servants, and three hundred women, children, and artists in this castle. Those who can fight do not even make up a thousand. We do not have enough strength to attack, only defend. A hundred and twenty miles from here lies another castle; there is more manpower and a mage stationed there. He can send a distress signal. We can only wait for help from Sun City,” Baron Cook remarked despondently.
The number of soldiers he currently possessed already exceeded the empire’s standard and this was with special permission from the emperor himself. If he had not been in the Phoenix Empire, he would have been impeached by the lower House of Commons. Even so, he wasn’t confident in dealing with ck mages, especially those who possessed a double-headed eagle.
“Baron Cook, how is the strength of these soldiers?” Saleen saw the defeat in Baron Cook and was afraid that he would give up on mounting a defense. If the baron were tp be captured, there was a chance that he would not die since he was of value. However, if Saleen were to be captured by the ck mages instead, it was over. To a ck mage, a mage’s soul was worth ten thousand times more than any othermoner’s.
“Sijia is an intermediate swordmaster with nine beginner swordmasters under her. Out of the six hundred soldiers, arge portion of them are beginner swordmasters; only the officers are slightly stronger.”
“Baron, there is still us,” menco uttered.
Baron Cook’s eyes lit up. That’s right, Saleen might have only been a Grade 1 mage, but this was not a battle in the wild. In the castle, Saleen’s powers would be amplified greatly. menco and the others were swordmasters too, so this would multiply the great powers in the castle.
ck magic might have been powerful, but unlike normal magic, it could not control elemental powers. A normal soldier could kill a ck puppet, but with this many swordmasters, defeating a headless rider was possible. As to whether the ck mages would personally strike, all of that would be left to fate.
Baron Cook was not rubbish; he too was a hardworking swordmaster. As long as the enemy was not targeting the castle, there was still a chance of victory.
“Baron, are there any magicboratories in the castle? Sir Aini is an alchemist, and I know how to refine some magic medicines as well,” Saleen wondered. Since the original mage had left for Sun City, he wouldn’t stand by ceremony. They should use up any remaining things the original mage had left behind.
Baron Cook pondered for a second and agreed to Saleen’s request. At the brink of death, he couldn’t care less about offending some great mage anymore. Even if this reached the ears of the emperor, he would be in the right. If he died, there wouldn’t be any trial to fight.
“Sijia, bring Aini and Saleen to theboratory.”
“Yes sir.”
Saleen stood up and followed Sijia to the doorway before abruptly turning around and addressing Baron Cook.
“Baron, I hope you will not let the soldiers know about the double-headed eagle. Only let them know of the emergence of the ck puppets.”
Baron Cook nodded in agreement; he had expectations of Saleen. This was a very traditional mage, unfazed in the face of danger. If he hadn’t been reminded by Saleen, the news might have spread. He immediately realized that if the soldiers knew about the existence of the double-headed eagle, it could destroy their morale.
“Sijia, besides your people, no one else is allowed up the tower. Is that understood?”
Sijia nodded without a word and left the study with Saleen and Aini. Sika looked left and right and departed with Saleen. She did not understand a word from the others and hence saw no point in staying.
The magicboratory was not locked. As the great mage saw it, no one in the castle would dare step in even half a foot. Despite how flourished magic was in the Qin Empire, for amoner, it was still too cryptic. Towards cryptic things, humans were usually respectful but distant, and from a certain perspective, mages had overstepped the boundaries of humans.
Mages carried a curious attitude towards experimentation, analysis, and returning things to their original states. Since the passing of the Goddess of Nature, the number of mages believing in the gods had gradually decreased. By present day, no mages believed in anything anymore.
A mage’s existence was for uncovering the truth of the world.
This motto had been etched into every mage’s heart.
Sijia led the three to the doorway of the magicboratory. With one foot through the door, Saleen turned to Sijia and said, “Actually, there’s nothing to be afraid of with ck magic.”
“You’re a mage. Of course you can say that.” Although Sijia had regained her fighting spirit, she couldn’t dispel her fear of ck magic. If it had been ck puppets, she definitely wouldn’t have been afraid, but the enemy had ck mages who had been able to create a double-headed eagle. Headless riders and evil dragons had once been the nightmare of the entire maind, and hundreds of millions had died because of them.
“You’re afraid because you do not understand it. If you had a chance to be near a ck mage, even if you were only a beginner swordmaster, you would still have a chance of killing him,” Saleen finished, and without waiting for a reply from Sijia, took a step back and closed the door of theboratory.
Sijia stood dazed along the corridor for a second, her eyes giving off a determined look atst. She was a genius swordmaster. No matter the problem, she could use the sword in her hands to settle it. Retreating blindly was a sign that one was staying in the same spot without advancing. She was grateful for the guidance from Saleen, and giving a salute to the door, she turned and left.
Theboratory was very big, with three tables and a small study area in the back. However, there were no valuable magic books inside, only somemon books found in the Qin Empire.
All theboratory tools were presented on the table. Evidently, the great mage had not had enough space to store them. Empty spaces lined the four walls, and a great amount of magic ingredients were ced on the wooden shelf. Saleen nced at them: they were cheap items. The precious ingredients must have been taken away by the great mage.
Aini was slightly disappointed. Saleen patted his shoulder and remarked, “Aini, even if there were any precious ingredients, you wouldn’t have been able to use them anyways.”