Origin Paradise!

Lilith promptly disappeared after making fun of someone.

Jiang He coiled the snake around to make sure the little guy wasn't dead, then gestured to the five chef assistants to sit down and eat.

With such a small appetite, he could only taste the food; expecting to be full was utterly absurd. Ever since embarking on the path of the extraordinary, or more precisely, after obtaining the Garuda Egg, he had never experienced a true feeling of satiety.

……

The next morning.

Jiang He ended her fifteen-minute nap and left the villa to head to the teaching building.

The chief instructor of Ash Academy is shrouded in mystery. The outside world only knows that he is an alchemy master. The Empire's alchemy was once all the rage, and he deserves half the credit. Techniques such as memory construction, extraction towers, reverse summoning circles, and howling surgery have indeed greatly contributed to the Empire's development.

Along the way, whenever the trainees saw an S-class traveler, they all tacitly avoided him. While his appearance was indeed astonishing, his demeanor made him difficult to approach.

It's like facing a ghost with outstanding appearance. Even if you know that it can be objectively called beautiful, the instinctive fear brought about by the feeling of inhumanity will still completely shatter any feelings of admiration, not to mention that yesterday's conflict is still fresh in your memory.

In front of the teaching building, or rather, the classical castle.

The silver-haired woman stood waiting, her academy uniform clinging to her beautiful figure. In the students' minds, this elegant duke was always serious and upright, and whether it was her level of life, actual combat strength, or knowledge, she was far ahead of everyone else.

Jiang He knew the other party was waiting for him, because he neither knew his mentor nor the way. Of course, he could figure these things out on his own, but after the mass fainting incident, the school's assessment of him was likely not very positive.

"All eleven mentors, including the principal, are willing to accept you as their direct student. My mentor is Altley, the academy's chief alchemist. If I'm not mistaken, the rings on your hand are all alchemical creations. There are no more suitable choices in this regard."

Duchess Ash looked at the person's hands. They were as white as jade, and the long, slender fingers were secondary. The key point was that the person was wearing a total of six rings, which was truly unbelievable.

"How do I become an apprentice?" Jiang He asked.

For alchemy masters with formal training, specifically those with a well-established lineage or those nurtured little by little by a large organization, this self-taught practitioner using the Devouring Alchemy method actually has no advantage. Following and learning from them is an opportunity to accumulate knowledge and skills.

Besides, this opportunity is destined to be short-lived, because the situation in the Tomb of Ten Thousand Abyss is hard to hide. This tomb is the power supply center of the Holy City. When the periodic energy accumulation is exhausted and the matter is exposed, that will be the day when the peaceful days end.

Duchess Ash held up two textbooks—"Introduction to Alchemy"—and laughed, "Of course, we'll start with the lessons first."

Jiang He thought to herself that the so-called "initial discussion" was even more important, it was incredibly humble, and its level of sophistication was even higher than that of "brief analysis". The implication was that the remarks could not be called analysis, it was just a casual chat.

The two walked side by side into the castle's teaching building.

Jiang He would occasionally take out a piece of mushroom and put it in his mouth, then gulp down two mouthfuls of dragon blood wine.

The mushroom slices come from the Mushroom Abyss Ghost, who has been planted in the portable Imperial City. Abomination Crystals can repair the damage to the slices. The taste comes from the impression of the eater, and to him, it tastes similar to the Fear Mushroom.

"What are you eating?" Duchess Ash whispered, smelling an exceptionally delicious aroma.

"Snacks," Jiang He replied, her words mumbled.

"Sharing half when you meet is basic social etiquette, isn't it?" Duchess Ash said with a dignified posture and slightly parted lips.

Jiang He simply didn't answer. Smelling it was nothing, but the aversion to contamination from eating it would easily give him away.

Duchess Ash gritted her teeth and led the other party to the chief mentor's castle room.

As soon as the door opened, a strong smell of alcohol wafted out.

Many students taking this course covered their faces and noses, and even the Ashes Duchess couldn't help but hold her breath, because the New Humans' exceptional sense of smell made the intense smell quite irritating.

Jiang He silently stopped.

"What's wrong?" Duchess Ash asked, turning around in confusion.

Jiang He replied without hesitation, "Master, I can tell."

Duchess of Ash: "..."

That's a really weak basis for judgment.

Jiang He stepped into the room, surrounded by the strong smell of alcohol. He felt as if he had returned to the small courtyard on Anping Island. Except for the absence of the revolving lantern, everything felt incredibly comfortable.

Chapter 414 Alchemy Master

The classroom in the castle.

The A-level students who came to listen to the lectures came in one after another, and found seats in groups of three or five.

The alchemy courses taught by the academy's chief instructor are not open to most students below Grade A, except for a few exceptionally talented apprentices.

Generally speaking, strength and control are directly proportional, and control is the foundation of alchemy. The main task of B-level and C-level students is to learn combat and survival skills, hone and increase sin energy, and improve their compatibility with the contracted Abyss Demon. Getting involved in alchemy too early is, in a sense, a waste of time.

Nevertheless, there are still plenty of students in the classroom who use all sorts of underhanded methods to eavesdrop on classes.

Because as long as one successfully advances to the rank of alchemy apprentice, regardless of their status or strength, they will receive treatment corresponding to an A-level rating. If they are fortunate enough to become an alchemist, their status will be directly comparable to that of a high-ranking noble or a legion commander, and may even slightly surpass them.

Jiang He went straight to the last row and sat down. A dense and low conversation could be heard in front of her, and students would occasionally turn around to look.

"Platinum hair is quite rare."

"Why does the duchess follow him around like a shadow?"

"I hope this guy doesn't suddenly pounce on me and attack me."

Jiang He ignored him and casually looked around the room.

A huge wrought iron chandelier hangs above the ceiling, the candlelight flickering in the glass dome. The alchemical patterns on the surface are not difficult to engrave, but the technique is extremely exquisite, and the effect is to increase the concentration of intelligent beings within its range.

In the center of the room, dozens of old oak desks were neatly arranged, each with two high-backed chairs. The chair backs were carved with exquisite dark green patterns, which had a very obvious effect on suppressing negative emotions such as boredom, impatience, and anxiety.

The lectern, made of a single piece of dark marble, was located at the front of the room. Behind it was a huge blackboard, and the bookshelves on both sides were piled high with heavy ancient books and parchment scrolls, the gilded lettering on the spines shimmering in the candlelight.

To the left of the classroom was a row of arched windows, the stained glass depicting various alchemical symbols and patterns. The faint light from the clouds shone through the glass, suddenly becoming warm and gentle, clearly indicating an alchemical matrix related to energy restoration.

In the left front corner of the classroom is a small exhibition area displaying various instruments: glass flasks, copper stills, celestial globes inlaid with gemstones, etc. The display case itself is made of dark mahogany with more intricate patterns.

"Extremely extravagant."

Jiang He finally understood why nobles and military officers sent their offspring to Ash Academy for further study. As soon as he sat down, four or five normal buffs related to learning took effect, and the cumulative effect would become more and more obvious as the study time increased.

The silver-haired woman sat down on the high-backed chair next to her, took out her textbook, and turned to...

"The relationship between alchemical symbols and pattern matrices."

"Practical application of extraction techniques."

Jiang He turned her head and asked, "Have you already learned about symbolism?"

Duchess Ash answered softly, "This is the last semester before graduation. The symbol was introduced two years ago. It lasts for seven years in total. This year's students are said to be quite talented. In the end, three or four people should be able to graduate successfully, which means they will reach the level of aspiring alchemists."

On the path of alchemy, understanding that symbolism is the foundation of alchemy is basically the minimum baseline for an apprentice. Creating one's first alchemical pattern, such as the ouroboros pattern, roughly puts one at the level of an alchemist. Once one creates a unique alchemical method, one can be promoted to a master, which is equivalent to founding a school of alchemy.

"What is a quasi-alchemist?" Jiang He asked in surprise.

"They can successfully engrave matrix patterns, but they can't create their own." Duchess Ash explained to the newbie, "Such talents are capable of manufacturing weapons, repairing facilities, and designing buildings. They are basically assigned to various parts of the empire before graduation."

"quiet!"

"The alchemy committee member suddenly said."

The classroom in the castle fell silent immediately.

Jiang He felt a rare sense of novelty. He had never been to university and his education level was limited to high school graduation. The day he received his acceptance letter, it felt like he had just returned from killing someone on an island.

Bang!

The classroom front door opened.

Before the figures appeared, the smell of alcohol arrived first. The chief instructor was at least a golden being, so his alcohol tolerance was naturally not "half a catty or eight taels". His superhuman physique meant strong abnormal resistance. The strong smell, as if soaking in a pool of wine, immediately hit them, and some female students couldn't help but blush.

"Alchemy is composed of symbols, and materials are merely tools to carry those symbols. Therefore, disparate materials can sometimes achieve the same result. In response to this commonality, alchemists adopted the form of corresponding symbols, namely, pattern matrices, to simplify the alchemical process."

"Using a pattern matrix reduces the need for materials and the alchemy cycle. As a trade-off, the effectiveness of the results is inevitably reduced. At the same time, there is an implicit premise: to use the matrix directly, there must be a symbolic initial result; otherwise, the pattern is just a bunch of scribbles."

"Just as '⊙' represents the sun in the Ash language, the matrix pattern also has the nature of words. Weaving the pattern together is equivalent to piecing together words to form sentences. The alchemical power that is ultimately presented is no different from the meaning conveyed by the sentences."

“Some of you may have a chance to become alchemists in the future, creating unique pattern matrices, or alchemical patterns, which can be seen as creating your own script.”

"Only then can one be considered to have taken the first step towards a more refined life and be qualified to make a living from this craft."

An extremely burly old man slammed into the classroom doorway, casually hanging his cloak on a coat rack. He carried a wine barrel that was almost half his height, had two horns on his head, and was surrounded by a faint smell of sulfur.

"Alchemical symbols and patterns are like food and tableware. You can certainly eat directly with your hands, but learning to use tableware is the symbol of the formation of civilization..."

Without giving the students any time to ask questions or even refute, the chief instructor, Akateli, or rather, the Flame Demon Lord Ramanf, carried out his cramming-style teaching. In his view, if independent thinking ability needs to be cultivated, then this student is not suited to become an alchemist.

Jiang He's expression showed a hint of surprise.

The chief mentor was someone he knew well, and more importantly, his guide in alchemy.

[Executor's Exclusive Notification: You have encountered the End's Special Scholar—Flame Ramanf/Akatri (Demon Language: Will Be Great), a being brought from the World of Remnants to the World of Ashes by the End's Player Adventure Team (the remaining members of this adventure team escaped execution for their merits in the failed conquest)]

[Note: After the death of the first emperor, Flame Ramanf usurped the power of the empire. However, compared to his role as chairman, alchemy master is his true calling. At the invitation of the Battlefield of the End, he is in charge of alchemy education at the talent base. In addition, for some reason, he seems to want to change this era.]

……

"...patterns are like words, combined patterns are like sentences, and the patterns formed by combining patterns are like chapters."

Flame Raman walked to the podium and glanced at someone without leaving a trace. Before this guy arrived, his direct subordinate had already shown him the crystal portrait, including the S-rank rating, which was also determined by him personally.

When they first met, Ramanf had a premonition that the other party would become an alcoholic. If that was the case, then at the very least, he should be at the level of an alchemist.

The oral account lasted for five hours without any interruption.

Lamanov completely disregarded whether the students understood or not. The alchemy theory course had no exams or assignments, only an academic presentation at graduation.

There were quite a few A-level students scratching their heads in frustration. Rekri, the Thunder Sin Sorcerer from a noble family, was initially able to keep up, but halfway through, during a period of deep thought, his own thoughts turned out to be completely different from his mentor's explanation.

Duchess Ash was feeling dizzy from listening, but fortunately, as the only direct student of the former chief mentor, she already had the foundation of a quasi-alchemist, and she would have the opportunity to catch up and ask questions later.

"...In written language, there exists a narrative technique called flashback, and the Alchemy Matrix is ​​no exception..."

"For example, the currently popular reverse summoning circle."

Ramanf casually pressed his hand against the wall, and golden energy flowed out. Under extreme control, the energy formed countless patterns, which were then arranged and combined into complex designs.

Bang!

As the pattern spread, a plume of black smoke rose.

Principal Ash landed in a daze. Before he could react, Ramanf flicked his finger, and the alchemical matrix disappeared. The principal, who had come to serve as a teaching aid, returned to his original position.

A murmur of surprise rippled through the trainees. They could conjure up various alchemical matrices with ease; if they were all applied to combat, the actual effect should be remarkable.

Lamanov said unhurriedly, "Based on the principle of the reverse summoning array, the academy began creating the alchemical masterpiece, Abyss Gate, ten years ago."

"This door will allow you to travel directly from the academy to the Rust Iron Fortress on the northern front, fight during the day, and return at night to rest and attend classes."

"Because of the recent Carmel attack, the Empire's main city has lost hundreds of thousands of people. The Obsidian Council has decided to launch a phased attack on the Holy Kingdom's Redemption Fortress, with the Grand Legion Commander personally leading the Holy City Legion to the fortress."

"Your task is to accompany the army and remain stationed there. The specific time is set before dawn tomorrow morning."

Faced with the sudden war, the students remained calm. Those who died peacefully in the Ash Age were extremely rare, and Sin Sorcerers were constantly accompanied by Abominations, with a very high probability of death and corruption.

"Now, let's start refining the practical application."

"To become an alchemist is to restore as many of the extraordinary components of an S-class sin item as possible, achieving a 30% restoration rate."

"Amber, come up and demonstrate."

Raman pointed to the Golden Abyss Ghost Spine and the Alchemy Testing Hourglass on the podium. The former was an S-grade material, which, when converted into a battlefield rating, would be considered the ultimate.

Jiang He, standing in the last row, stood up upon hearing this.

Other alchemy mentors wouldn't even bother with something that doesn't offer obvious benefits. However, since Flame Ramanf and Gun King San from the ancient martial arts world share a mentor-student relationship, he wouldn't mind cooperating as long as it doesn't involve life or death or fundamental interests.

As the legendary S-rank stood up, all eyes in the classroom turned to him. Rekri seemed to have thought of something, and a look of disbelief flashed in his eyes.

Logically speaking, firstly, this freshman's performance on the day of the combat exercise was outstanding, and he displayed an extremely bad temper. Secondly, it is rumored that the opponent killed the fusion of Emperor Yuan Gui and Cardinal, and his combat power is obvious to all. Faced with such a monster, the possibility of the chief instructor humiliating or embarrassing him in public is almost zero.

After all, such humiliation is meaningless and only makes enemies out of nothing. Even if there are old grudges between the two sides, such a method is too low and will only make people laugh at you in secret.

In short, in the eyes of the chief mentor, S-rank already possesses the qualities of an alchemist.

Rekley stared intently at someone's figure. He refused to believe that after six or seven years of effort, he couldn't even see the other person's back. But his aristocratic upbringing told him that the outcome was already predetermined.

Public demonstrations are often given to top students, a principle that was understood by almost all the trainees present, including the Ashes Duchess; everyone paid the utmost attention to it.

Ramanf looked at the newcomer, his rough face appearing quite stern, and warned, "Every failed alchemy attempt means a loss, and losses often lead to failure. Only by remaining calm under pressure can you break out of this vicious cycle."

"Leave the admonitions to the young people."

Jiang He snapped his fingers, and the black sun appeared.

Ramanf's face darkened, and he quickly moved his left hand forward to create his masterpiece, the Anti-Domain Anti-Magic Matrix. Domains are usually used to determine life and death. He really couldn't understand how someone could open a domain in daily alchemy. It was no different from a nuclear bomb blowing up a latrine.

Ramanf's Flame Domain fragmented in an instant. What should have been a spherical domain turned into chains that tightly bound the Black Sun Domain before it could expand.

This is a technology that transcends the armor of the domain, and it is also a variant of the domain confrontation. However, it has evolved from a balance of power with each side occupying half, to an internal and external confrontation, which is like a seal.