Lord of Prayer

The Alchemy Department.

Inside a sweltering workshop.

Flames soared from the furnace. An old Alchemist tossed all sorts of strange and bizarre Extraordinary Materials into a massive crucible, stirring constantly. As the materials gradually dissolved, he poured in a series of colorful, bizarre liquids, continuing to stew the concoction over a high flame and carefully brewing it.

After more than ten minutes, the liquid in the crucible had been brewed down to just a third of its original volume.

The old Alchemist’s apprentice approached, pushing a flatbed cart. On the cart stood a sealed, three-meter-tall tank. Through the glass, a massive heart could be seen submerged in a special liquid. It was as fiery red as a blazing flame and had a stony texture, resembling a majestic piece of red rock from a volcano.

—The Magma Giant’s Heart.

The apprentice pressed a button, and the tank’s lid opened automatically. Another apprentice, who had been waiting nearby in a mechanical vehicle, lowered a robotic arm, gripped the enormous heart, and lifted it out of the sealed tank. He then placed it into a large, pre-prepared vat of clean water to rinse it off.

Five minutes later, the robotic arm, carrying the rinsed Giant’s heart, moved over the large crucible and slowly lowered it.

The stony heart melted silently the instant it touched the liquid in the crucible. In less than half a minute, the Magma Giant’s Heart dissolved completely, like cotton candy in water, dyeing the liquid a fiery red and causing it to bubble.

The furnace doors opened layer by layer, and the increased airflow made the flames burn even more fiercely. The extreme heat was so intense it seemed to twist the air. From a distance, Zhou Chen clearly felt a searing wave of heat wash over him.

As the old Alchemist stirred, the red liquid in the crucible rapidly evaporated and concentrated. After a few minutes, only a thin layer remained, barely covering the bottom of the pot.

“It’s done,” Jiang Che said abruptly.

The old Alchemist used a specially made metal ladle to scoop the viscous, fiery-red liquid from the large crucible—just enough to fill a cup. He sealed it with a lid, turned, and walked over to hand it to Zhou Chen.

“Here. Just lie down in the Secret Ceremony and drink it in a bit.

It might be a little hot. Remember to take off all your clothes first. The Alchemy Department doesn’t have any spare clothes.”

‘A little hot? And I have to take my clothes off?’ Zhou Chen nodded to show he understood. He carefully held the cup as if it were a precious treasure. This was the crucial potion for his Advancement; if he accidentally spilled it, he’d have to pay for another one out of his own pocket.

Besides, these materials weren’t something you could just buy anywhere. If he failed this time, there was no telling how long he’d have to wait for the next chance.

‘I have to succeed on the first try.’

「In the chamber.」

An Advanced Secret Ceremony Array Plate had already been inscribed on the floor. Within a three-meter-diameter circle, complex Alchemy Runes were carved, surrounded by numerous Advancement materials. Among them, the Gilded Fire Spirit Crystal and Star Mangoes were already embedded into the Secret Ceremony itself.

“You should know the sequence. Drink the Alchemy Potion, lie down in the Matrix, and use your Essence to communicate with the Secret Ceremony… As long as you don’t make any serious mistakes, the success rate is over ninety percent. If you’re lucky, you might even awaken Derivative Abilities.”

Jiang Che looked at Zhou Chen and reminded him, “Remember to hold on. If you can’t endure the pain from the potion, all your previous efforts could be for nothing.”

“I know.”

Zhou Chen let out a breath to relax, then walked into the chamber carrying the potion. The heavy door boomed shut behind him.

As this was the most important moment of Advancement for any Ascender, all external disturbances had to be blocked out if conditions allowed.

Jiang Che sat on a chair outside the chamber, calmly waiting and playing on his phone.

Inside the chamber, Zhou Chen placed the potion on a table. When he opened the lid, he couldn’t help but freeze.

Inside the cup, the viscous, fiery-red liquid was steaming. It looked like molten lava scooped from a volcano, its red so bright it was blinding. Just by looking at it, he could feel the terrifying heat it contained, almost enough to scorch his eyes.

‘This is what that old man called ‘a little hot’?’

‘No wonder he told me to take my clothes off…’ Zhou Chen obediently stripped himself completely naked. He guessed he would probably catch on fire during the Advancement, and since his clothes were expensive, he didn’t want to see them ruined.

He carried the cup to the center of the Matrix, sat down, and stared at the crimson, viscous liquid. After hesitating for a moment, he steeled himself and poured it all into his mouth.

HOT!

SCALDING HOT!

It was countless times hotter than drinking freshly boiled water. It was as if he had actually chugged a cup of magma. The viscous, scorching liquid flowed down his esophagus, releasing a terrifying heat. It felt like he had swallowed an entire furnace that was about to burn him to a crisp.

Even Zhou Chen’s breath became fiery. He tossed the cup aside, lay down in the middle of the Matrix, and used his Essence to communicate with the Secret Ceremony.

WHOOSH… Pale flames ignited out of thin air, surrounding the Matrix and burning fiercely, bathing the area in a brilliant light.

The Advanced Secret Ceremony activated.

Relying on the wish value he had accumulated over the past few days, he silently made his wishes.

‘I wish for a successful Advancement.’

‘I wish to successfully obtain the Derivative Ability, Flame Jump.’

‘I wish to be able to obtain more Derivative Abilities.’

The moment he made his wishes, Zhou Chen felt the Alchemy Potion in his body suddenly explode. It churned in his stomach, setting his internal organs ablaze before spreading throughout his limbs. Every cell in his body felt like it was about to combust. His skin turned crimson and scorching hot, like a piece of iron in a forging furnace. A violent wave of heat and pain washed over him, forcing an involuntary roar from his lips.

The Advanced Secret Ceremony guided the violent circulation of Essence within his body. In the searing light that illuminated the entire chamber, the Gilded Fire Spirit Crystal, the Star Mangoes, and the various other materials embedded in the Matrix completely melted into liquid.