《Alchemy of salt analysis》


 Chapter 1: What vs. How Much

    The lecture hall at Aurum Academy smelled faintly of sulfur and ink. Rows of students sat hunched over their desks, some scribbling notes furiously, others barely paying attention. At the front of the room, Professor Calder strode to the blackboard and, with a flick of his wrist, wrote in large, chalky letters:


    Qualitative Analysis: Identifies what is present in a substance. Quantitative Analysis: Determines how much of a substance is present.


    He turned to face the class, adjusting his spectacles. "This is the fundamental difference between the two branches of analytical alchemy. One tells you the identity, the other tells you the amount. Simple enough."


    It was a definition every student in the room had memorized before even stepping foot in the academy. Yet, as Cassian watched the professor underline the words, something about them felt¡­ incomplete.


    Professor Calder continued, "Qualitative analysis gives you the essence of a thing¡ªthe elements, the compounds, the presence of impurities. Quantitative analysis tells you the proportions, the exact measurements needed for reactions to occur predictably. Without one, the other is useless."


    Cassian tapped his fingers against the wooden desk. But is that really true?


    A hand shot up from across the room. It was Rhys Everhart, the kind of student who always had an answer, even when one wasn¡¯t needed. "Professor, doesn¡¯t that mean qualitative analysis is inferior? If you don¡¯t know how much of something is present, knowing what it is won¡¯t get you far. Chemistry without numbers is just guesswork."


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    A few students chuckled. Cassian frowned.


    Professor Calder gave a tired nod. "A fair point, but an oversimplified one. Consider this¡ªknowing the exact concentration of an unknown substance is useless if you don¡¯t even know what that substance is. Both are required in true alchemical mastery."


    Cassian¡¯s thoughts churned. He wasn¡¯t satisfied. Something about the distinction between "what" and "how much" felt¡­ off. It felt like a trick, a fundamental assumption that had never been questioned because it had always been presented as obvious.


    "But, sir," Cassian spoke up, drawing a few glances his way, "isn¡¯t there a difference between knowing something exists and understanding what it means? Qualitative analysis might tell me iron is in a sample, but it doesn¡¯t tell me why it''s there. Quantitative might tell me how much iron is present, but without knowing what it¡¯s reacting with, the number is meaningless. So isn¡¯t it less about one being superior and more about¡­ perspective?"


    Professor Calder¡¯s gaze lingered on him for a moment before he gave a small smirk. "Ah. Now that is an interesting question."


    The room was silent, waiting for an answer.


    "Alchemy," the professor continued, "is not just about elements and equations. It is about understanding the very nature of change. It is about finding what is hidden beneath the surface. And sometimes, the most dangerous discoveries are the ones that challenge the definitions we''ve always accepted."


    He turned back to the blackboard and, below the definition, added a third line.


    Alchemy is the study of hidden truths.


    Cassian felt a chill run down his spine.


    The class continued as normal, but he barely heard it. The question gnawed at him. Have we been looking at alchemy the wrong way this whole time?


    As the bell rang and students began to pack up, Cassian remained seated, staring at the words on the board.


    This wasn¡¯t just a lecture. It was a challenge.

 Chapter 2: The Two Halves of a Salt

    Part 1: The Nature of a Salt Solution


    Professor Calder stood at the front of the classroom, his expression unreadable as he scrawled another cryptic statement on the board:


    "A salt is not one, but two."


    He turned to face the students, his gaze sweeping across the room. "Tell me, what does this mean?"


    Silence followed. The students exchanged uncertain glances. Cassian tapped his fingers against his desk, deep in thought.


    Rhys Everhart leaned back in his chair. "It¡¯s obviously just stating the fact that salts are compounds, sir. They¡¯re made up of two or more elements."


    Professor Calder gave a small smirk but shook his head. "Too simple. A water molecule is made of hydrogen and oxygen, but no one calls it ¡®two.¡¯ A salt, however, is two. Why?"


    Lysandra Noir narrowed her eyes, considering. "Because a salt is made of charged components?"


    Professor Calder nodded approvingly. "Closer. A salt solution given to you is, in truth, a mixture of opposites¡ªone part with more electrons than protons and another part with fewer electrons than protons. Two distinct halves, bound together by attraction."


    He turned back to the board, adding to his statement:


    "One part holds more electrons¡ªcall it the anion, or the acidic radical."


    "The other holds fewer electrons¡ªcall it the cation, or the basic radical."


    Cassian sat up straighter, the concept clicking into place. That¡¯s why salts dissolve into ions in water. They weren¡¯t just singular entities; they were charged pairs, constantly seeking balance.


    "These two parts," Calder continued, "define the very nature of a salt. The acidic radical, the anion, determines many of its reactive properties. The basic radical, the cation, defines its stability. And yet, when we analyze salts, we do not study them together. We separate them."


    He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he underlined the anion. "Which brings us to our next question¡ªwhich half should we analyze first? And why?"


    The class stirred, and whispers of debate filled the room. The puzzle had only just begun.


    Part 2: The Standard Approach to Qualitative Analysis


    Rhys Everhart was the first to break the silence. "Surely, we analyze cations first? They define the nature of the compound more clearly. I mean, isn¡¯t a copper salt completely different from a sodium salt?"


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Lysandra Noir scoffed slightly, arms crossed. "That¡¯s too simplistic. Many anions alter the properties of salts just as much as cations do. Sulfates, for example, behave differently from nitrates even with the same metal present."


    Cassian leaned forward. "But what if the cation is more reactive? Shouldn¡¯t we identify it first?"


    Before the professor could respond, Sylvaine Ashford, who had been quiet until now, interjected. "Wait¡ªshouldn¡¯t we consider which half is more likely to interfere with the analysis? Some reactions might give false results if we don¡¯t account for the interfering component first."


    Professor Calder let the students debate, his arms folded behind his back. Then, with an almost imperceptible nod, he turned back to the board and added another line beneath his previous writing:


    "Anions first. Always."


    A murmur spread through the room. Some students nodded as if they had suspected this, while others frowned in confusion.


    "Why?" Valencia Rozen finally asked, tilting her head.


    Professor Calder tapped the board. "Because certain anions interfere with the identification of cations. If you analyze cations first, you may end up with misleading or incorrect results. Let me give you an example."


    He walked over to his desk and picked up a vial of a clear liquid. Holding it up, he swirled it slightly. "Suppose this solution contains both lead and chloride ions. If you attempt to test for lead first, you might use a reagent that precipitates lead chloride¡ªrendering the chloride test inconclusive later."


    A few students nodded in understanding. Cassian frowned. "So, if we test for anions first, we prevent false negatives in cation identification?"


    "Correct." Calder placed the vial down and picked up a piece of chalk. "The standard practice in qualitative analysis is simple: identify the anion first, as it may influence how we detect the cation later. By separating the two processes, we ensure precision."


    Rhys tapped his quill on the desk, still unconvinced. "But aren¡¯t cations more important overall? We define salts based on their metals more often than their acid radicals."


    Professor Calder chuckled. "Ah, the illusion of importance. Just because we name things a certain way doesn¡¯t mean they are best studied in that order. Consider this: the human body is mostly water. Does that mean we study its hydrogen content first? No. We analyze based on what provides the most meaningful distinctions."


    Cassian scratched his chin. "So qualitative analysis is about avoiding interference. That means we start with anions. But doesn¡¯t that mean we need to know which anions interfere with which cations?"


    Calder gave him a knowing look. "Yes. And that is precisely what we will explore next."


    At the back of the room, a new voice joined in. Mireille Faust, who had been listening intently, finally spoke up. "So, if we mess up the anion test, everything else can fall apart. That makes it the foundation of the entire analysis."


    Professor Calder smiled. "Exactly. And that is why mastering anion identification is the first true challenge in qualitative analysis. Get it wrong, and every step afterward becomes unreliable."


    The class lapsed into silence, the gravity of the lesson settling over them. Some scribbled furious notes, others sat deep in thought. The debates had ended, but the true test was only beginning.

 Chapter 3: The Art of Finding What You Seek

    Professor Calder stood before the class, holding a single ornate key between his fingers. The metal gleamed under the laboratory lights as he turned it slowly, his gaze sweeping across the students. "Let¡¯s talk about certainty," he began. "What if I told you that you had to prove, beyond a doubt, what an unknown compound is? How would you proceed?"


    Cassius Falken leaned forward. "We¡¯d use a confirmatory test¡ªsomething that reacts in a unique way only with that compound."


    "Correct," Calder said, nodding. "Confirmatory tests are highly specific. For example, if we suspect the presence of chloride ions, we add silver nitrate. If a white precipitate forms that dissolves in ammonia, we can be certain it¡¯s chloride. But¡ª" He paused, letting the silence stretch. "What happens if we don¡¯t even know where to begin?"


    Vesper Quinn frowned. "Then we¡¯d have to test for everything."


    Calder raised a brow. "And that¡¯s a problem because...?"


    "Because it¡¯s wildly inefficient," Lysandra Noir answered. "If you don¡¯t know where to start, you¡¯d be running dozens of confirmatory tests blindly, hoping to stumble upon the right one."


    "Exactly," Calder agreed. "Imagine testing a thousand different locks with one key, rather than narrowing it down first. That¡¯s why chemists use Preliminary Tests. They help eliminate possibilities before running a confirmatory test."


    <hr>


    Understanding the Two-Step Process


    "Let¡¯s put this into perspective," Calder continued, writing two key terms on the board: Preliminary Tests and Confirmatory Tests. "What do you think is the purpose of a Preliminary Test?"


    Sylvaine Ashford was the first to respond. "To narrow down options¡ªto get a rough idea of what we¡¯re dealing with."


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "Correct. Think of it like solving a mystery. If you find footprints at a crime scene, that gives you a general suspect¡ªhuman or animal. But you don¡¯t yet know exactly who made them."


    "And the confirmatory test would be like DNA analysis," Valencia Rozen added. "Once you know where to look, you run a precise test to be sure."


    Calder nodded approvingly. "That¡¯s a fantastic comparison! Confirmatory tests give us certainty, but without preliminary tests, we wouldn¡¯t know where to start."


    <hr>


    Practical Application: Narrowing Down the Possibilities


    Professor Calder placed three vials on the demonstration table, each containing a different unknown solution. "Your task is simple," he declared. "Determine the cation in each vial. But here¡¯s the catch: you may only use one confirmatory test per sample¡ªso choose wisely."


    The class broke into murmurs. The challenge was clear: they had to use preliminary tests first before committing to a single confirmatory test.


    Aether Crowne and Valencia Rozen teamed up, starting with simple solubility tests. "If it doesn¡¯t dissolve in water, that already tells us a lot," Valencia noted.


    Thorne Nacht ran a pH test on another sample. "This one¡¯s acidic¡ªit might contain an iron or copper salt."


    Lysandra Noir, meanwhile, ran a flame test on the third sample. "Green flame! This is probably a copper compound."


    Cassian Falken glanced at her. "But what if it¡¯s barium? It also gives a green flame. You need a confirmatory test."


    Lysandra smirked. "I know. I¡¯ll add ammonia. If it turns deep blue, it¡¯s copper. If nothing happens, I¡¯ll know it¡¯s something else."


    Professor Calder clapped his hands once. "Excellent! You¡¯re using Preliminary Tests to make an informed choice about which Confirmatory Test to use. That¡¯s how real analysis works!"


    By the end of the experiment, the students had successfully identified the cations in all three vials¡ªwithout wasting unnecessary tests. The lesson was clear: an intelligent approach saves time, effort, and resources.


    As the students packed up, Calder¡¯s voice echoed through the room. "Remember¡ªdon¡¯t waste your tests. Science isn¡¯t just about accuracy; it¡¯s about efficiency." He twirled the key in his hand one last time before slipping it into his pocket. "Find the right lock before testing the key."


    <hr>

 Chapter 4: The Special Test Announcement

    The heavy doors of the alchemy hall swung open, sending a hush through the gathered students. The air smelled faintly of old parchment, sulfur, and nervous anticipation. At the front of the hall, Professor Varian stood with his arms crossed, his piercing gaze sweeping over the class. Behind him, rows of identical glass vials gleamed under the flickering light of enchanted lanterns.


    He tapped the desk once, and silence fell.


    "You will each be required to ingest the contents of one of these vials," he announced, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight.


    For a moment, the class remained still, as if collectively frozen in time. Then, a wave of murmurs surged through the room. Someone audibly gasped. A few students exchanged nervous glances, hands clenching their robes. Others whispered frantically, debating whether they had misheard.


    "What kind of test is this?" a voice called from the back, barely masking its fear.


    Professor Varian raised a hand for silence. "Each vial contains a sodium-based salt. Your task is to determine the identity of the anion before you make your selection." His lips curled into the faintest hint of a smirk. "The anions in the vials are one of the following: carbonate, sulfite, sulfide, acetate, nitrite, chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrate, oxalate, phosphate, or sulfate. Choose incorrectly, and the consequences could be... unpleasant."


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Panic spread like wildfire. A few students shot out of their seats, scanning the vials lined up before them. Others whispered among themselves, trying to recall any notes or lessons that might save them from making a deadly mistake.


    "You can''t be serious!" cried one of the weaker students, their face pale. "Some of those salts could be toxic!"


    "Perhaps," Professor Varian replied smoothly. "Perhaps not. That depends on your ability to think."


    A tense silence followed. The weaker students reeled from shock, but some of the sharper minds in the class had already begun processing the information.


    A calm voice cut through the tension. "Wait. The test is survivable if we can find one of the safer salts¡ªlike sodium chloride."


    Heads turned toward Cassius, a well-known prodigy. His sharp, calculating eyes flicked between the notes in front of him and the vials. "Panic won¡¯t help us. We need to piece together what we know."


    Another student, Valencia, nodded in agreement. "He¡¯s right. The notes provided might hold a clue. We should go through them carefully before jumping to conclusions."


    Despite the pressure of the situation, a few students began to calm down. The ones who had originally let their fear consume them clung to this newfound hope, listening carefully.


    Professor Varian stepped back, his expression unreadable. "You have until the end of the lesson. Work together, or don¡¯t. Either way, you must make a choice."


    The weight of the challenge settled upon them. Some students took deep breaths and started forming small groups, pooling their knowledge. Others hesitated, uncertain whether to trust their classmates or look out for themselves. Rivalries were momentarily pushed aside as necessity forced even the most stubborn individuals to cooperate.


    The hunt for the sodium chloride vial had begun.

 Chapter 5: The First Clues

    Cassius placed the old, worn research notes at the center of the table. The students clustered around, eyes scanning the faded ink, trying to make sense of the fragmented information. Some of the pages were missing, others smudged or torn, making the puzzle all the more difficult.


    ¡°We could just do a confirmatory test for chloride on every vial,¡± suggested a younger student.


    Cassius shook his head. ¡°That would take too long. Some of the reagents needed for confirmatory tests are limited, and we don¡¯t even know if we have them all. We need a smarter approach.¡±


    Valencia ran her fingers over a portion of the notes, reading aloud. ¡°First, eliminate unnecessary variables.¡± She frowned. ¡°That means we have to narrow down the number of possibilities first.¡±


    Aether, a tall student known for his keen logical mind, traced a finger over another segment of the notes. ¡°Look at this part¡­ it mentions using an acid to test reactivity. If we recall from our earlier lessons, strong acids can donate hydrogen ions to an anion, sometimes creating a conjugate acid that exists as a gas or a volatile substance.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Thorne interjected. ¡°That means we¡¯re looking at anions that form volatile acids when combined with strong acids. Sulfuric acid should work.¡±


    Valencia tapped her chin in thought. ¡°If we use dilute H2SO4 first, it might let us separate the weaker conjugate acids from the stronger ones.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Cassius nodded. ¡°Yes, sulfuric acid would help us break things down into recognizable reactions. We can divide them into groups: those that react visibly with dilute H2SO4 and those that don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°And if we then use concentrated sulfuric acid,¡± Valencia added, ¡°we can further separate the more stable anions, which would form stronger conjugate acids.¡±


    Aether turned the pages, scanning quickly. ¡°The notes hint at this too, but they don¡¯t outright state it. That must be the missing step we¡¯re meant to deduce.¡± He looked up. ¡°This method lets us separate anions systematically. Carbonate, sulfite, sulfide, acetate, and nitrite should react immediately, releasing gases. Chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrate, and oxalate won¡¯t show immediate reactions with dilute acid but might behave differently with concentrated acid.¡±


    Thorne exhaled. ¡°That means we can get rid of at least half of the vials without needing to check them one by one with a confirmatory test.¡±


    Cassius straightened up. ¡°Then that¡¯s our plan. First, preliminary acid tests to divide the salts into groups. Then, when we¡¯ve reduced the number of possibilities, we use a confirmatory test on the most likely suspects.¡±


    Sylvaine Ashford nodded. "This makes sense. Most sulfate salts are insoluble, which means that once we introduce sulfuric acid, the cation won¡¯t interfere. That gives us time to focus solely on identifying the anion."


    A ripple of realization passed through the group. They finally had a structured approach. Instead of blindly testing every vial for chloride, they could now systematically eliminate possibilities.


    "Alright," Cassius said, straightening up. "Let¡¯s divide into teams. Some of us will handle the preliminary sulfuric acid tests, while the rest will organize the remaining notes and determine the next step once we have results."


    The students moved with renewed purpose. The challenge had become a puzzle, and now they had the first piece of the solution. The true test was about to begin.

 Chapter 6: The Trial of Five Mists

    Elder Yueh sat atop his high platform, arms lazily draped over the armrests of his seat. His sharp eyes glimmered with amusement as he watched the hopeful young alchemists below.


    ¡°They think this will be easy?¡± he murmured, stroking his beard. ¡°Na?ve. They believe the salts will yield their truths without protest.¡±


    The vials, resting in their holders, trembled ever so slightly as though they had heard his words.


    <hr>


    Cassius, Valencia, Aether, Thorne, and the others moved swiftly. Their plan was clear¡ªeliminate as many vials as possible before committing to confirmatory tests.


    Cassius steadied his hands and measured out dilute sulfuric acid into a dropper. The others followed suit, each carefully selecting a vial and applying the acid drop by drop.


    A moment of silence.


    Then¡ªchaos.


    <hr>


    A colorless, odorless gas seeped out from the first vial, curling in slow, lazy tendrils like an unseen specter. The students barely reacted at first¡ªuntil one of them suddenly gasped, clutching at his throat. His breath grew shallow, knees buckling beneath him.


    ¡°Brisk effervescence... an unstable reaction... This must be phantom carbonic essence!¡± Aether hissed. ¡°CO?, from the spirit of Carbonate (CO?2?).¡±


    The realization came too late for the gasping student, who fell to his knees before another managed to drag him out of the immediate vicinity.


    <hr>


    Another vial erupted violently, releasing a sickly yellow-green vapor that slithered across the ground. The instant it touched exposed skin, boils began forming. A nearby student let out a sharp scream as black veins spread across his arms.


    ¡°Rotten egg¡­¡± Valencia recoiled, covering her nose. ¡°Only the breath of the Abyss smells this way! This must be Hydrogen Sulfide (H?S), formed from the essence of Sulfide (S2?).¡±


    The afflicted student trembled, desperately wiping at his skin. Another tossed a neutralizing compound his way, allowing him to prevent further damage.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    <hr>


    A sharp hiss came from a third vial, followed by a sudden explosion of white mist. The surrounding air became acrid, stinging their eyes and burning their throats.


    ¡°This is the mark of a pungent battlefield scorched by sulfur¡¯s wrath,¡± Thorne muttered. ¡°It must be Sulfur Dioxide (SO?), the specter of Sulfite (SO?2?).¡±


    As the gas spread, metal objects in its path began to corrode, darkened by an invisible rot. The students quickly moved back, avoiding direct exposure.


    <hr>


    Then, blackened storm clouds began to gather above them, summoned by yet another reaction. A toxic brownish-red vapor billowed forth, choking the air with its noxious presence. The moment it touched the damp ground, it reacted violently, turning the dirt into a bubbling, rust-colored sludge.


    ¡°These brown fumes...¡± Cassius narrowed his eyes. ¡°A demon¡¯s breath, corrupt and tainted¡­ this must be Nitrogen Dioxide (NO?), a creation of the Nitrite specters (NO??).¡±


    Lightning crackled within the unnatural storm, feeding on the volatile energies below. The test site itself was becoming a war zone.


    <hr>


    The first drops of acidic rain began to fall. The ground hissed as it mixed with the dust of an ancient battlefield, creating a murky, brownish-red fog.


    Then, a sharp, vinegar-like scent filled the air.


    Elder Yueh, still seated comfortably above, took in a slow breath before sighing theatrically.


    ¡°And now, the alchemist¡¯s curse.¡±


    The acidic rain mixed with something underground.


    ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± Cassius¡¯s mind reeled as he realized what was happening. The rain was reacting with an old reservoir of decayed plant matter beneath them, forming an acidic swamp.


    Valencia paled. ¡°The scent of old vinegar and bitter pasts¡­ this is Acetic Acid (CH?COOH), born from the lingering wraith of Acetate (CH?COO?).¡±


    <hr>


    The weaker students panicked, stumbling blindly through the chaos. The trial had transformed from a simple test into a deadly, shifting battlefield.


    But the smarter ones were already calculating their next moves.


    Each reaction had revealed a key clue. They now had evidence of five distinct anions. But without proper confirmation, any attempt at neutralization could backfire.


    The test had become a battle of intelligence.


    Cassius turned to the others, voice steady despite the crisis unfolding around them.


    ¡°We need to confirm our deductions before we set up counter formations,¡± he said. ¡°If we don¡¯t, this entire place will be lost to the fumes.¡±


    Aether nodded. ¡°And we have very little time.¡±


    <hr>


    But not all students were thinking of solutions.


    Some had already begun to plot sabotage amid the chaos. If others failed, their own success would be guaranteed.


    The battle of alchemists was no longer just against the reactions.


    It was against each other.


    <hr>


    End of Chapter.

 Chapter 7: A Dance with Death

    Elder Yueh watched from above, a smirk playing on his lips. These students thought themselves clever. They assumed elimination was easy. Fools. The truth of alchemy was cruel, and the salts they disturbed would make them pay for their arrogance.


    Below, the students moved quickly, scrambling to execute their confirmatory tests while the five deadly gases thickened around them. But the notes¡ªah, the notes¡ªwere leading them astray.


    <hr>


    The First Trial ¨C The Ghost¡¯s Shroud


    ¡°Quickly! The notes say the essence of Phantom Carbonic must be bound with a dissolving sigil!¡± Valencia shouted, flipping through the pages.


    Cassius and Aether moved in tandem, inscribing the formation with practiced precision. The runes glowed for a brief moment before flickering and vanishing.


    Then the mist thickened.


    The students coughed violently as the invisible gas coiled tighter, their chests constricting as if unseen hands were gripping their lungs. One student fell to his knees, gasping for air.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t working! The formation is failing!¡± Lysandra coughed, eyes burning. ¡°We¡¯re being suffocated!¡±


    Cassius, through sheer force of will, forced himself to think. The notes had led them astray. But why? His mind flashed back to their lessons.


    ¡°Carbonate! When dissolved in acid, it releases carbon dioxide!¡± he gasped. ¡°We need to confirm it! Someone, pass the gas through limewater!¡±


    Valencia hurriedly took a beaker, guiding the gas into the milky solution. Within seconds, the liquid turned cloudy.


    ¡°It¡¯s CO?! The anion must be Carbonate (CO?2?)!¡±


    They carved a new sigil, one that dispersed the gas instead of trying to bind it. The mist finally thinned, allowing them to breathe.


    Elder Yueh chuckled. ¡°Ah, so they do have brains after all.¡±


    <hr>


    The Second Trial ¨C The Abyssal Breath


    A foul, yellow-green vapor coiled around them next. One student gagged violently, collapsing to the ground.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Rotten eggs¡­ this must be the breath of the Abyss¡ªHydrogen Sulfide!¡± Thorne muttered.


    ¡°The notes say we should burn it away using alchemical fire,¡± Sylvaine stated, flipping the pages.


    Cassius frowned. ¡°No. This could be another trick.¡±


    ¡°Do we have time to doubt it?¡± Valencia shot back.


    The mist thickened. The air turned acidic, their skin prickling painfully.


    Aether¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°We verify before we commit. The wrong sigil could be worse than no sigil at all!¡±


    He ripped a strip of lead acetate paper and exposed it to the gas. It darkened immediately.


    ¡°There! That confirms it¡¯s H?S. The anion is Sulfide (S2?)!¡±


    Instead of fire, they used an absorptive sigil, drawing the gas into a contained essence field. The air cleared, but their nerves remained frayed.


    The notes had nearly killed them again.


    <hr>


    The Third Trial ¨C The Battlefield¡¯s Curse


    A sharp, burning scent filled the air. Some students recoiled as their eyes burned.


    ¡°This is Sulfur Dioxide,¡± Valencia declared. ¡°Sulfite anions reacting!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Cassius countered. ¡°It¡¯s another deception. We confirm first.¡±


    Lysandra, however, snatched the testing reagents before Cassius could intervene. ¡°I don¡¯t need your permission.¡±


    Rivalries flared as different groups debated which confirmatory test to use. In the chaos, someone dumped the gas into potassium dichromate instead of acidified potassium permanganate.


    A loud crack echoed, and an explosion of volatile mist sent several students sprawling.


    ¡°The wrong test,¡± Aether hissed. ¡°We wasted time!¡±


    With little choice, they performed the correct test. The acidified potassium permanganate solution turned green.


    ¡°Sulfite (SO?2?),¡± Cassius muttered darkly. ¡°This was a mistake we can¡¯t afford again.¡±


    <hr>


    The Fourth Trial ¨C The Demon¡¯s Breath


    As soon as the brown fumes curled around them, the students didn¡¯t argue. They worked in sync, setting aside rivalries.


    ¡°The demon¡¯s breath¡­ Nitrogen Dioxide,¡± Aether said quickly.


    ¡°This time, no errors,¡± Valencia stated. ¡°We go by the book. Acidified potassium iodide with starch.¡±


    The moment they performed the test, the solution turned blue.


    ¡°Confirmed. The anion is Nitrite (NO??),¡± Cassius said. ¡°Set the formation.¡±


    No hesitation. No arguments. They moved as one, and the mist dissipated like it had never existed.


    <hr>


    The Final Trial ¨C The Alchemist¡¯s Gamble


    The last mist came swiftly. Too fast.


    A vinegar-like scent coated the air, and panic swelled. They had no time. No reagents left for confirmatory tests. The formation had to be set immediately.


    Aether looked around. ¡°Do we have anything left?¡±


    ¡°Only this,¡± Sylvaine said, holding up a strip of blue litmus paper. They dipped it into the gas.


    It turned red.


    ¡°Acid,¡± Cassius whispered. ¡°But which one?¡±


    They had to gamble.


    ¡°It¡¯s Acetic Acid,¡± Valencia said. ¡°The anion is Acetate (CH?COO?). We take the risk.¡±


    There was no time to think. They set the formation based on their assumption¡ªand the mist dissolved into nothingness.


    Silence followed.


    Then, slow applause.


    Elder Yueh clapped his hands, stepping forward with an amused expression. ¡°You survived. Barely. But you survived.¡±


    The students collapsed to their knees, exhausted, burned, and breathless.


    The Trial of Five Mists was over. But none of them would ever forget the lessons they had learned today.


    And this was only the beginning.

 Chapter 8: The Acid鈥檚 Judgment

    The chamber was silent except for the students'' labored breaths. The Trial of Five Mists had nearly killed them, but they had survived. That alone was not enough. They knew another trial was coming, and this time, they refused to be caught unprepared.


    They gathered in a secluded corner of the testing grounds, exhausted but determined. The notes, once a source of deception, were now scrutinized with a pragmatic lens. Every possibility was dissected, every contradiction questioned. The students who had previously competed against one another now sat in a tight-knit circle, setting aside their pride for the sake of survival.


    Cassius ran a hand through his hair. "We''ve seen what happened last time. We relied too much on the notes and nearly paid the price. This time, we prepare for everything."


    "Agreed," Lysandra said. "We need to anticipate every possible failure and have countermeasures in place."


    Aether nodded. "If the notes mislead us again, we need to be able to rely on our own knowledge. Let¡¯s break it down. We know concentrated sulfuric acid will react with certain anions. If we identify the gases correctly, we can neutralize them immediately and move forward with confirmatory tests."


    Valencia pulled out a parchment, quickly sketching a sequence of reaction possibilities. "We test the seven vials one by one. The plan is simple¡ªobserve, neutralize, confirm."


    "If a colorless gas with a pungent smell is evolved, that should indicate HCl, meaning the chloride ion is present," Thorne added. "We neutralize the others and quickly confirm Cl? before getting the hell out of here."


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    They spent the next hour inscribing counteractive sigils and refining their contingency plans. Multiple arrays were set in place to suppress any unforeseen reactions. No one wanted a repeat of the last trial.


    <hr>


    When the time came, the vials were arranged before them. Seven in total. The students stood poised, watching with hawk-like precision.


    Cassius took a deep breath. "Let¡¯s begin."


    They added concentrated sulfuric acid to the first vial. Nothing. The second vial¡ªagain, nothing.


    "Expected," Valencia muttered. "Not every salt will react."


    The third vial, however, immediately released reddish-brown gas with a pungent odor. The students instinctively stepped back.


    "Bromide," Aether called out. "Neutralize and move on."


    A sigil flared to life, binding the gas before it could spread further.


    The fourth vial reacted violently, producing violet vapors.


    "Iodide, obviously," Sylvaine noted. "Quick, neutralize it."


    Again, the sigils did their work, suppressing the fumes before they could cause harm.


    Then came the fifth vial. A sharp hiss, followed by dense brown fumes curling upward.


    "Nitrate," Lysandra said with certainty. "Another one to ignore."


    The fumes were contained, and they moved forward.


    When the sixth vial was tested, a colorless gas was released. The room tensed as anticipation spiked. Was this it? Was this chloride?


    One student, overwhelmed with excitement, leaned in to smell it despite the sheer recklessness of the act.


    "Idiot!" Valencia snapped, pulling them back.


    But the damage was done. The student¡¯s expression twisted in confusion. "It¡­ it¡¯s not pungent. It has no smell."


    Silence fell over them.


    "Odorless?" Aether repeated. "That¡¯s not HCl. It must be oxalate."


    Without wasting another second, they neutralized the gas and turned to the final vial.


    By elimination, this had to be the one containing the chloride ion.


    With careful precision, they added the concentrated sulfuric acid.


    Nothing happened.


    A suffocating pause filled the air as their brains scrambled to process the outcome.


    "What just happened?" Cassius whispered.


    The answer should have been simple. But it wasn¡¯t.


    Something was wrong.


    And now, they had to figure out why.