I, the leader of the esoteric sect, am doing great things in the infinite world!

Unlike the outside, the space inside was covered with a layer of material that resembled a light veil. Both the ceiling and the corners were covered with a layer of shimmering dust, which was alchemical dust to prevent explosions.

In the center of the room, a huge metal chandelier hung from the ceiling, its candlelight flickering and casting solemn shadows on the gleaming walls.

Below the chandelier was a huge sand table, with bizarre chain reaction devices displayed on it, making full use of every inch of space, which seemed somewhat out of place in this alchemy workshop.

135 Li Lin, who is currently in seclusion

This enormous sand table is a first-class magical artifact; its effect is to achieve certain deductive results by activating a series of interlocking mechanisms on the sand table.

As for the cost, it is that every time you turn on the machine, you will bear a small amount of bad luck—this bad luck will manifest itself in some way within a month.

Normally, this kind of bad luck won't kill you; it just causes some trouble.

However, the previous owner of this sand table, who was also an apprentice in this alchemy workshop, was struck by bad luck while conducting alchemical explosive experiments.

The overlooked small variable directly led to the foolish apprentice having his upper body blown off.

Master Li flipped through the manuscript, and with the help of the translation module, some specialized metaphors were expressed in plain language. For example, Nicolas Flamel's earlier "theory of four elements" was essentially the basis of Greek alchemy.

Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, the three wise men of the Athenian school, believed that all things in the world were composed of four elements: air, water, earth, and fire.

Each element represents one of four basic properties: dryness, moisture, coldness, and heat.

Earth is a combination of dryness and cold; water is a combination of moisture and cold; air is a combination of moisture and heat; fire is a product of the combination of dryness and heat.

This idea provided a theoretical basis for the material transformation theory of alchemy, and it can be said that the main ideas of alchemy originated from this era.

Around the 1st century AD, alchemists in Alexandria had essentially established the basic steps of alchemical practice.

The raw materials are obtained, and after undergoing a blackening process, they are transformed into dead matter. Then, through further transformation, the desired product is obtained.

This is the prototype of the later alchemical concept of "understanding, decomposing, and reconstructing".

The alchemists also mentioned the idea of ​​completing the transformation by adding a "seed" during the transformation process.

Nicolas Flamel believed this was the earliest pursuit of the "Philosopher's Stone," but he also pointed out in his manuscript that the concept of the Philosopher's Stone was not yet clear at that time, and alchemists even used things like "Azot" to describe it.

Alchemy and astrology were closely intertwined; the alchemical symbols commonly used were originally astrological symbols.

The sun was used to represent gold and the moon to represent silver. Later, these symbols were slightly modified. For example, the symbol for mercury distillation was a combination of the symbol for Mercury and the symbol for distillation.

After Li Lin finished reading the manuscript from the Greek era, a sudden heat began to spread from his left hand. He took off his glove and found that the Originium crystals on the back of his hand had spread to his wrist.

The condition is showing signs of worsening.

He frowned and flicked his fingers.

laugh.

A piece of brass placed on the table was suddenly burned.

Yes, it was burned.

The white, misty flames spread out like a smoke ring. Within the area enveloped by this smoke ring, a calming power surged like a tidal wave, and Li Lin felt as if part of his mind had gone blank.

Metalworking

【Nature and Appearance: Cast】

Each casting apprentice possesses their own unique skill; in other words, an apprentice without their own skill cannot be considered a craftsman specializing in casting.

[The Art of Melting Gold, Part Six: Brass]

[Effect: Soothes emotions.]

The brass soothed all restless hearts, some saying their skin was blistered from the stag's brass tears.

Just as all apprentices who awaken their skills can open the door, apprentices who specialize in casting their images naturally have their own unique techniques. Now that Li Lin has awakened these techniques, he can be called a true apprentice in casting images.

Using the calming effect of burning brass, Li Lin changed his posture and began to look at the next manuscript.

"The word for alchemy is Alchemie, which is believed to come from Arabic, while in more enlightened times, many sorcerers believed it came from Hebrew, meaning divine revelation."

"Around the 7th century AD, the Arab world rose to prominence and, in the next 300 years, rapidly conquered Persia, defeated Byzantium, occupied Spain, and became a formidable enemy standing in the east of Europe."

Nicolas Flamel's pen trembled slightly as he wrote these words.

"Regarding the origins of Arabic alchemy, the first universally acknowledged master was Khalid ibn Aliend, the prince of Damascus. After research, I am convinced that Prince Khalid received enlightenment from a secret text called the Book of Krasos the Wise."

"Around the 9th century AD, the name of Zabir ibn al-Hayan appeared in the list of Arab alchemists."

"Alchemists and wizards often debated whether the name Zabir belonged to a person or was a inherited holy name similar to a papal title. In any case, thanks to Zabir's contribution, alchemy officially transformed from a technique into a discipline."

“Zabir is a follower of the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam, whose greatest characteristic is the firm belief that there is a truth behind the truth in the world’s classic texts.”

Li Lin frowned even more deeply; this description could only remind him of the "radiance" in the esoteric Buddhist world.

Simply thinking deeply will not yield results; Li Lin's strength lies in his ability to back down when faced with difficulties.

After reading the records of the Arab era, the second metalworking technique also opened its arms to him.

[The Art of Melting Gold, Part Three: Tin]

[Effect: Enhances the five senses.]

Enhance your five senses! The world is always fresher after the rain, with verdant leaves and azure skies, the sun shimmering with golden light behind the clouds. Let us sing praises to all that is new.

These metalworking skills, unique to the casting apprentices, cannot be measured by rank. Just like the "opening" effect of the enlightenment apprentices, they are directly linked to their own spirituality.

Li Lin initially thought these skills were part of a secret transmission, but it was clear that only by fully reading "Nicholas's Testament" could he truly obtain the secret transmission left in the manuscript.

Nicolas Flamel was a groundbreaking figure. Before him, most alchemical theories could neither be proven nor disproven. The Philosopher's Stone was merely an "achievement title," and everyone wanted to declare that they had accomplished it, but no one succeeded.

That's why they say alchemy is a wizard's best partner. Your teacher might humiliate you, your wife might cheat on you, your children might not look like you... but alchemy won't, it just won't.

After briefly reading about alchemy from ancient Egypt and the Middle Ages, four more metalworking techniques popped into Li Lin's mind.

They are "steel" for moving objects, "iron" for pulling bodies, "zinc" for stirring emotions, and "cadmium" for slowing down the flow of time.

Of course, the mineral crystals on his wrist had spread all the way to his elbow, which looked quite shocking.

Master Li secluded himself in Nicolas Flamel's manor for a month, completely leaving the turbulent magical world behind.

136 Is this in the Joan of Arc River?

First, Grindelwald, who was in the Soviet Union, announced the establishment of an independent wizarding kingdom, and then announced his formal joining of the Soviet Union, incorporating Durmstrang into the Soviet Union.

The then-leader, Yanayev, was in complete agreement with him. With the help of Grindelwald's currency reform and a large number of wizards, they gradually saved this dying, vast country.

Most wizards, including Dumbledore, were dazzled by Grindelwald's trick. Whether it was the Wizarding Kingdom or the Soviet Union, either alone they would be surrounded by wolves, but when they were bound together, the power they exerted far exceeded 1+1.

Gellert Grindelwald, a European man with some British ancestry, has now become the new Grey Cardinal hiding behind the Soviet Union.

Wizards were unfamiliar with this title, while Muggles couldn't help but recall Mikhail Andreyevich Suslov, who had single-handedly stirred up the storm and maintained Soviet ideology for a full forty years.

At that time, he single-handedly fought against the attacks of the entire Western ideology, and both his own side and the enemy side respectfully called him "the Grey Cardinal".

Grindelwald's methods are more powerful, more difficult to defend against, and more subtle than Suslov's. After all, changing their ideology with words and actions is far less effective than simply forgetting them!

Even with the approval of the Soviet Central Committee, Grindelwald released the Soul Reaper twice, once to deal with the defeated Gotto and Yeltsin.

Secondly, it was Grindelwald who caused this mess.

He announced the formation of a strategic army composed of wizards—the New Red Army.

The already fragmented Secrets Act was completely exposed. However, to the surprise of the conservative wizards, no Muggles came to attack them. Instead, there were repeated consultations and exchanges between leaders of various countries.

The changes initiated by Grindelwald caused all the secular leaders to begin to reflect on the value of wizards, while also feeling fear.

Wizards cannot, or rather find it very difficult to, control a country because their numbers are too small. All the wizards in the world combined can only be considered a minority.

When the Manchus entered the pass, there were still 330,000 of them.

To paraphrase a certain country: I find these wizards' eyes to be very innocent, shining with a wild beauty.

Since there was no need to worry about them turning against them, and we didn't want them to defect elsewhere, we could only offer them benefits, entice them with gratitude, and explain the greater good. In a short time, various countries announced the establishment of their own unique strategic wizard squads.

Just four days later, the United States cast a newly developed strategic-level spell at the Crossroads of the Pacific Ocean, near Honolulu and Honolulu, with the incantation "AccioNucleibomba".

It means "nuclear bombs are coming", and is abbreviated as "nuclear bombs".

The effects of the magic were even more terrifying than they had imagined. A 400-meter-high wave instantly engulfed Honolulu and then continued to surge in all directions without slowing down. About four hours later, the first wave appeared off the east coast of Japan.

The wizards of the magic institute were forced to reveal themselves, and after suffering heavy casualties, they finally stabilized the Japanese archipelago, preventing it from being dragged into the sea by the continuous earthquakes.

Thus, strategic magic rose to the same level as nuclear bombs.

The day after the "nuclear bomb" was released, Grindelwald appeared near the super-deep borehole on the Kola Peninsula and cast a second strategic spell, the incantation "Terrae Reducto".

It means "the Earth's core is crushed".

Grindelwald certainly couldn't destroy the entire Earth by himself, but he had a uniquely advantageous environment for casting spells—the Kora Ultra-Deep Borehole.

This ultra-deep borehole, left by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, reached an astonishing depth of over 12000 meters, making it the deepest man-made object to reach the Earth's surface. At the time, scientists hoped to reach the Mohorovičić discontinuity—the interface between the mantle and the crust—before the United States could do so.

The Mohorovičić discontinuity (Moho) is a strong reflector of seismic waves, meaning that earthquakes can be observed and interfered with within a certain range through this interface.

Generally, the Mohorovičić discontinuity is 5,000 to 15,000 meters deep in the ocean, 20 to 30 kilometers deep in island arcs, and over 40 kilometers deep on the mainland. In the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it reaches an astonishing 80 kilometers deep.

In short, Grindelwald, with the help of the Kola Superdeep Borehole, drilled through the remaining 8,000 meters of strata, meaning that control over earthquakes throughout Europe fell entirely into the hands of the Soviet Union.

With the help of strategic magic, Grindelwald then appeared in the forests of Albania. With the eager cooperation of various countries, all of Albania's forests were hollowed out, and Nagini, who had fallen into the form of a giant serpent, and Voldemort, who could only live on small animals, were wiped out in one fell swoop.

Grindelwald, who possessed Voldemort's power and was suspected of having Voldemort's Horcruxes, immediately made Dumbledore hesitant to act rashly.