Chapter 71 second part The Masked Alchemist

Chapter 71: 71 second part The Masked Alchemist

71 The Masked Alchemist

Yun Che pointed toward the space around the furnace.

"I will establish a formation."

"An alchemy formation?"

"Yes, exactly."

Nysara immediately approached.

"Do you intend to use a formation to control the energy during the refinement?"

Yun Che looked at her.

"More than that."

He knelt down and, with the tip of his fingers, began drawing lines across the ground. A faint spiritual light emerged.

First one line, then another. The two crossed, and then a third appeared. The lines began forming increasingly complex patterns.

Su Meilin approached.

"This structure..."

Chen Ruyue also crouched down.

"It doesn’t look like an ordinary refinement formation. It’s similar to the formations we found in the mausoleum. Don’t tell me that he..."

Yun Che continued working.

"That’s right."

"What is its function?"

"Control and destruction."

"Control of what?"

Yun Che raised his eyes.

"Everything that cannot be allowed to move."

Su Meilin fell silent. The answer was brief, but there was logic behind it.

A small mistake during high-level alchemy could destroy not only the materials but also the alchemist himself.

Yun Che finished the first layer.

Then he began the second. The formation expanded across the ground and passed around the furnace.

It climbed along the sides, and then small marks appeared on the surface of the furnace itself.

Nysara watched every movement.

"How many crystals are you going to use?"

Yun Che did not answer.

Instead, he opened his hand, and spiritual crystals began to appear.

One.

Two.

Ten.

Twenty.

Then dozens more, and still the crystals continued to be arranged across the ground. The sound of them touching the stone echoed through the hall.

Nysara lost her neutral expression.

"Stop. That’s enough to energize five different formations."

Yun Che continued.

More crystals were placed into the formation.

Nysara took a step forward.

"That’s enough."

Yun Che finally stopped when she looked at the crystals scattered across the ground.

"Do you intend to consume all of these?"

"It’s necessary."

"Do you know how many resources you’re using?"

"They’re my resources. Of course I know."

Nysara was surprised.

"Then why are you using so many?"

Yun Che looked at her.

"Because I don’t need to save them."

The elder fell silent.

Mirevra watched Yun Che attentively.

"You seem very confident."

"If you say so."

Yun Che stood up.

"I simply don’t have time to make too many mistakes."

Those words made Lian Yue look at him, remembering the monstrous performance the masked man had displayed during the mausoleum’s trials.

She noticed something.

The voice of the mysterious masked cultivator was different.

Heavier.

His posture remained firm, but there were subtle signs of exhaustion.

His breathing was slightly slower, and his movements, although controlled, seemed to require more effort.

Lian Yue narrowed her eyes.

"Are you alright?"

Everyone looked at Yun Che, who remained motionless.

"I’m well enough for what I have to accomplish today."

"Are you sure?"

"Try asking me that question again tomorrow, and you’ll have a surprise."

Lian Yue did not completely believe him, but she did not press further. Yun Che then returned to the furnace.

Ariselle approached.

"What exactly do you want me to do?"

Yun Che looked at her.

"Enter the formation."

The queen hesitated.

"Then?"

"When I give the command, release your profound spiritual energy."

"How much?"

"I’ll tell you exactly how much to release."

Ariselle remained silent.

"What if I release too much energy?"

"The formation will absorb part of it."

"And if it’s too little?"

"I’ll ask for more."

"Is there any risk?"

Yun Che answered immediately:

"Yes. There is no such thing as a free lunch."

Ariselle stared at the mask.

"For me?"

"For everyone."

The answer made the hall fall silent.

Yun Che continued:

"If the energy is released uncontrollably, the formation may collapse. If the spiritual flow is interrupted at the wrong moment, the materials may lose their stability."

Chen Ruyue swallowed nervously.

"So this is really dangerous."

"Yes. Very dangerous."

Ariselle took a deep breath.

"When do we begin?"

Yun Che looked at the three warriors.

"Now. They don’t have much time left."

The queen entered the formation, and immediately, the spiritual lines illuminated around her feet.

Yun Che positioned the ingredients. Each herb was placed at a specific point.

None had been chosen by chance. Guo Han watched every movement.

"He’s separating the materials according to their spiritual nature."

Su Meilin nodded.

"Not only that."

"Then what is he doing?"

"He’s creating a sequence."

Chen Ruyue looked at her.

"A sequence?"

"If it’s correct, the materials won’t be integrated at the same time."

Su Meilin moved closer.

"He’s preparing each essence to receive the next."

Chen Ruyue fell silent.

That required extraordinary control. Yun Che placed the final herb and then closed his eyes.

For a moment, the entire hall became silent.

He felt his core, and the deep pain came immediately. It was as if something were pressing against the center of his body from the inside out.

His core was deteriorating. His cultivation had fallen to Tempered Body Level 1.

And time was running out.

He could not fail.

Yun Che opened his eyes.

"Begin."

Ariselle released her energy. A powerful spiritual current coursed through the formation.

The spiritual crystals began to glow, and the furnace responded. A flame emerged.

At first, it was small.

Then it grew.

Yun Che raised his hand.

"More."

Ariselle increased the flow, and the flame grew.

"Stop there. That’s enough."

She stopped.

Yun Che placed the first herb inside. The material entered the flame, and an almost imperceptible change occurred.

Yun Che observed it.

Sweat began to appear on his forehead.

Then a window appeared before his eyes.

[Consuming the user’s vitality to provide analysis.]

[Insufficient temperature.]

Yun Che narrowed his eyes and quickly adjusted the flame.

[Temperature stabilized.]

He added another material, and the essence began to dissolve.

Then a second message appeared.

[Unstable spiritual flow.]

Yun Che gritted his teeth.

"Redirecting energy."

The formation changed. Part of Ariselle’s energy was diverted into another layer.

The queen felt the impact.

"That amount..."

"Continue."

Ariselle gritted her teeth as the energy flowed, causing the formation’s lines to grow brighter.

The crystals slowly began to lose their luminosity.

Su Meilin could not take her eyes off the scene.

"He’s using the crystals as regulators."

Guo Han replied:

"And the queen’s energy as the primary source."

"That’s insane."

"Yes."

Inside the furnace, the first essence began integrating with the second.

Yun Che felt another wave of pain in his core.

His body trembled slightly.

Lian Yue noticed.

"Necromancer."

He did not answer.

"You’re suffering."

"I’m concentrating."

"Your body..."

The mask prevented her from seeing his expression.

But it could not completely hide the tension in his body. Yun Che spoke without looking at her:

"Don’t distract me."

Lian Yue remained silent.

Ariselle began breathing with difficulty.

"How long?"

"I don’t know."

"My flow is decreasing."

"Continue."

"I can’t maintain this for much longer."

Yun Che finally looked at her.

"Then don’t try to maintain it."

Ariselle frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"I control the formation. You only provide energy when I ask."

The queen took a deep breath.

"Understood."

Yun Che returned his attention to the furnace. The essence inside it began to change, and the scent of the herbs spread throughout the hall.

The cultivators of the Profound Flower Sect followed every stage.

Guo Han no longer seemed interested in discussing their withdrawal.