Lord of Prayer

Chapter 213: Chapter 161: Alchemy

The Rebirth Bar parking lot.

Li Xiye rummaged through the trunk and pulled out a leather jacket with a demon emblazoned on the back. She found a hat, put it on, and with a few small adjustments, it was hard to tell she was a girl. She already looked like a tomboy, and her secondary female characteristics weren’t very prominent, so it was easy for her to pass as a boy.

After changing, she told the husky to stay in the car, then headed toward the bar with Zhou Chen.

“This place is a mess. I have to dress like a guy so people don’t start trouble,” she explained.

“Where’s your brother?” Zhou Chen asked. ’His own sister is coming to a place like this, and he can’t even be bothered to greet her?’

“He’s definitely inside having fun. He’s my fourth brother, Li Xiangyang. He’s got great social skills and knows a lot of rich kids. He’s a total scumbag who’s always in bars chasing women. He’s probably flirting with someone right now.” Li Xiye seemed used to it, possessing a maturity beyond her years. She wasn’t shy about discussing such matters.

After Li Xiye identified herself to the bar’s security, the two of them entered without any issues.

Blinding club lights, throbbing DJ music, strippers performing wild dances on the dance floor, a crowd partying like mad… It seemed like every bar was the same.

The two of them walked straight toward the “Presidential Suite” in the back. It was the most luxurious private room in the entire Rebirth Bar, reserved for certain important figures.

The Presidential Suite was exceptionally spacious, truly magnificent and utterly luxurious. Each piece of the crystal chandelier was a top-grade quartz crystal. The expensive carpet was even embedded with a miniature Alchemy Matrix, ensuring it remained spotless and pristine forever.

The entire room was enveloped in a soundproofing Matrix, ensuring no sound from inside could escape.

The leather sofas were crowded with giggling, beautiful women, all with top-tier looks and figures.

In the center of the sofa sat a portly, middle-aged man wearing sunglasses and holding a lit cigar. Both of his hands, all ten fingers, were covered in gleaming gold and brilliant gemstone rings. A thick gold chain hung around his neck, giving him the distinct air of the nouveau riche.

This man was none other than the owner of the Rebirth Bar and one of the leaders of Hong City’s underworld black market—Antonio.

Zhou Chen and Li Xiye’s arrival interrupted the previous conversation, drawing everyone’s eyes. Many of the gazes were scrutinizing.

“Xiao Ye is here! You girls, move over a bit.” Li Xiangyang, with a woman on each arm, smiled and waved, gesturing for the hostesses to make room for them.

“So this is Brother Yang’s sister? I heard she’s the big boss of our Hong City Motorcycle Club. Seeing you today, you really are as cool and impressive as they say!” one of the rich kids who knew him started sucking up, patting his chest. “I’m Li Ze. The director of the Transportation Bureau is my dad. If you ever run into trouble, miss, just come find me. I guarantee I’ll take care of it for you, no problem.”

Li Xiye forced a polite smile. Although she hated dealing with this kind of thing, the situation demanded it, and she couldn’t be rude.

“So you must be the Quasi-Alchemist you mentioned? My friend, I’m Li Xiangyang, Xiao Ye’s fourth brother. Thank you for saving her.” Li Xiangyang stood up and shook Zhou Chen’s hand. His gratitude was sincere.

“It was nothing,” Zhou Chen replied politely, then looked at Antonio, who was smoking his cigar.

“This is the owner of the Rebirth Bar, Antonio. He’s very interested in your identity as an Alchemist. If you need anything, you can make a deal with him. Of course, you’ll have to show him what you can do first,” said Li Xiangyang.

Only by demonstrating sufficient strength would he earn the right to deal with this leader of the underworld.

Zhou Chen smiled faintly. He picked up an empty glass from the table, poured himself some whiskey, sniffed it gently, and remarked with admiration, “Good stuff.”

He downed the whiskey in one gulp. Immediately after, the glass suddenly shattered, breaking down into a fine crystalline powder that swirled in his palm like a stream of water.

Seeing this incredible sight, everyone’s eyes went wide. For a moment, they forgot to think, stunned by the Alchemist’s abilities.

Li Xiye’s eyes lit up. “Can I touch it?”

“Go ahead.”

After getting his approval, she reached out and touched the crystals. It felt like hard grains of sand flowing over her fingertips. To think that just a second ago, these crystals had been a glass… She could only marvel at how incredible the abilities of an Alchemist were.

The powdered crystals in Zhou Chen’s hand continuously changed shape, finally forming a diamond—though it was made of glass and wasn’t valuable.

“If that’s not enough to satisfy everyone, I have other little tricks.”

Zhou Chen smiled and opened his hand. Tiny golden metal fragments appeared in his palm, instantly coalescing into a gleaming gold bar.

If they didn’t pursue the higher realms of Alchemy, Alchemists would actually never be short on money. After all, the art of “Alchemy” was originally used to refine gold from other metals.

But once they stepped into the realm of Alchemy, how many could resist the urge to pursue its ultimate truths? This was why almost every Alchemist was dirt poor.

Li Xiangyang, his face a mask of shock, took the gold bar and weighed it in his hand. “It’s real…”

“Wait…”

It was only then that he came to his senses. A sudden thought struck him, and he stared at Zhou Chen as if he’d seen a ghost. “You… you can perform Alchemy without any equipment?”

“Mr. Li, I’m afraid you weren’t listening carefully to what I said before, were you?”

Zhou Chen reverted the diamond back into a glass and said calmly, “I told you, I’m a Quasi-Alchemist. I just don’t have a certified license. Hand Refining Alchemy is not difficult for me.”