Chapter 73: Local

First, the biggest harvest is the progress bar.

On the watch, the 1 o’clock mark was already filled with dazzling gold, completely full.

Not just full, it was about to overflow!

Originally, under Ji Jue’s crazy liver-grinding, the progress was already over seventy percent in just one month, and now, after digesting the furnace’s experience pack in one go, the progress bar had been completely burst.

If it weren't for the fact that Ji Jue didn't have a matrix and didn't have a Supreme Virtue blessing, he would have advanced long ago.

Fortunately, reality is not a shitty card-drawing game, and the extra "experience points" were not wasted—all the insights and changes had been thoroughly integrated with Ji Jue’s ability and soul.

No one stipulates that after rank 1 is full, one must advance to rank 2. In fact, when Chosen have a choice at low levels, they will try their best to increase their own accumulation, and only after their ability can no longer be improved will they choose to advance.

To enhance their own numerical values to the greatest extent.

This is also something Professor Ye and Sister Wen have reminded him of who knows how many times: every advantage and strength in the Summoning stage will grow and amplify exponentially in the Transformation, Rebirth, and Transcendence stages.

These days, there is a reason why wild Chosen are not taken seriously by large organizations.

Lack of guidance, matrix, and various auxiliary and support, and even theoretical guidance. Sometimes, being too fast at the starting line means a lack of stamina later. When the enemy becomes a combination of mechanism monsters and numerical monsters, Chosen who overdraw their potential can only eat shriveled losses.

However, Ji Jue’s current situation... is no longer a problem of lack of foundation.

It’s that the foundation was filled by the furnace’s big experience spell, and it was about to explode!

Ate himself into a three-hundred-pound fat man in one go.

Can’t walk anymore.

To use an analogy, it’s like the engine of the car he was used to driving was suddenly replaced by a plane’s, and if he wasn't careful, the output of the Mechanical Descent would be too strong, and there was a phenomenon of being unable to control it.

The solution is simple.

Just advance.

But the problem returned to the beginning... to advance, he must seek a matrix, and then obtain a blessing, otherwise, if the skill tree is crooked, who knows what kind of ghost skill will be randomly generated.

But the matrix 【Non-Attack】 still had no whereabouts.

And compared to the growth of the experience bar, what’s more important is the many senses and records brought to him in the furnace essence, and the memories and experiences of the furnace’s personal experience.

If the previous resonance was giving him an introductory lesson, then the massive records brought by the essence were real practical experiences.

So much so that...

——Fluid Alchemy, thoroughly introduced!

His understanding of the twelve Supreme Virtues has exceeded what it was before by who knows how many times. Not only that, but he also has no small progress in the four elements of alchemy—Ascension, Purification, Extraction, and Coordination.

This is the truly precious part.

From today on, Ji Jue is the official inheritor of fluid alchemy, which is known as the swan song of ancient alchemy!

If you use the beginning of the Cataclysm Era as the standard for division, the alchemy of the Ember lineage is also divided into ancient and modern. Compared with modern alchemy, which has thoroughly completed standardization and independence, the Craftsmen of the past didn't have so many rules and requirements at all.

There wasn't even a separate division called alchemy.

It, along with entropy formulas, Heavenly Origin contracts, Aether divination and prediction, Transformation rituals... and other general abilities circulating among the Supreme Virtue schools, were all classified as secret rites.

At that time, Craftsmen also possessed strong personal characteristics, and at the same time, had different troubles.

Just from the means, it was a mess.

When refining, they used human blood, souls, all sorts of messy things for sacrifice, and all sorts of methods Ji Jue couldn't think of even if he racked his brains...

Don't ask what the principle is, the answer is don't know, the answer is it doesn't matter.

According to Professor Ye—alchemy in the primitive period was like a group of people walking into an elevator. Some laughed at the sky, some knelt and kowtowed, some peed everywhere, and some did nothing. Just like that, everyone went up in a muddle. As for why, everyone felt it had to do with what they did.

But the tricky part of this question is, when you think about it afterward, no one knows who pressed the elevator button...

I suspect that walking four steps backward in the bathroom, shouting "Deep Blue," saying "Don't bully the young for being poor," or shouting "Love and Bonds," and the thing was done.

It was simply one more bizarre than the other.

Except for a common rough system, the underlying logic was completely different from the modern alchemy system, and some were even diametrically opposed.

But this doesn't mean they had no merit. On the contrary, sometimes, after abandoning part of the convenience and popularity, the enhancement obtained was far beyond the imagination of modern Craftsmen.

And fluid alchemy, which was born at the end of the Eternal Empire and before the Cataclysm Era, possessed the strengths of both. At that time, alchemical theory was already trending toward modern, just lacking the integration of several later Sages. At the same time, it also inherited the strong characteristics of classical alchemy.

After abandoning the two elements of Ascension and Coordination, fluid alchemy’s attainments in the path of purification can be called unique in the world.

Its unique skill is the integration of the object’s external and essence—thereby, through the improvement of the essence, reverse-improving the strength and function of the external.

Even if it was just a blade of mortal iron when it came out of the furnace, as long as the user maintains it well and communicates with it with their own spiritual quality over time, nurturing its spirituality, it would be enough to grow into a famous sword with unparalleled sharpness on its own.

And this is just the most basic. Under the hands of Sage Mercury, all works were like natural creations, without any traces of carving or processing, and the concealment was strong to the point of being outrageous, while also possessing multiple forms and functions.

It can be said that it was Mercury who raised fluid alchemy to its current height.

What Ji Jue has learned and mastered today is just a few basic circuits and structural ideas she created, and the distance to true powerhouses like Professor Ye is not something that can be measured in words.

But even so, it is enough.

"Hahahaha, from today on, please call me—Squid Man!!!"

In the Ghostwork Sphere’s mobile workshop, Ji Jue, in front of the furnace, excitedly spread his arms, and then, four mercury limbs after alchemical processing extended from his back.

Just like a deep-sea monster.

Limp, wriggling, wriggling, floating weakly in the air.

It doesn't look like any strong and powerful arm, but rather more like tentacles... wriggle wriggle~

This is Ji Jue’s first achievement after learning fluid alchemy!

One look, trash.

Xiao An reached out and poked it, and a section broke into two halves, falling to the ground, flopping like a dying fish, wriggling, and returning to Ji Jue’s back.

"So weak."

An ignorant child gave such a sharp critique, only to be refuted by a shame-faced and angry Ji Jue, talking about how ugly things could also be cute, how being able to grow that long was already very impressive, and how stamina was the most important thing, creating an atmosphere of joy.

Good news, learned it. Bad news, there is still a long way to go before formal application.

Fluid alchemy naturally has unique advantages in handling liquid types. For example, the name Mercury comes from her superb application of liquid mercury.

Ji Jue naturally followed suit and learned from her.

Unfortunately, with his current control and attainments as a blank newcomer, he couldn't support the operation of such complex tools at all, and it was completely a showpiece. Instead, after four became one, it was much more sensitive, at least it could help him hold tools and carry bags.

Simply put, a toy.

The real application and results were a pile of other things he did casually... in the box on the backpack next to him, dense bullets.

Inside the warhead, after being drilled, they were encapsulated with specially treated mercury.

Pre-inscribed with the Supreme Virtue emblems of Wild Ruins and Great Group to enhance their sturdiness and destructive power, and at the same time, depending on the situation, they could be replaced with special material warheads inscribed with other Supreme Virtues to exert different effects.

Through fluid alchemy, the entire bullet was strengthened and improved. After using mercury as a carrier, there was no need for Xiao An to charge it temporarily, and it could be pre-strengthened with the Sword Ringing matrix and saved. When needed, it could be triggered at any time.

It solved Ji Jue’s problem of insufficient attack power and difficulty in breaking defense when encountering turtle shells to the greatest extent. Just this hand alone, Ji Jue’s trip was not in vain.

But what about the matrix?

【Non-Attack】.

Professor Ye, the strategy you gave doesn't work, the version has changed who knows how many times.

From entering the Rift Realm to now, he had touched a lot of clues, almost touching the mystery of the collapse of the Heavenly Pillar and the destruction of the Eternal Empire, but he didn't even have a shadow of Non-Attack.

Was he going to be stuck at this level?

Thinking that he might return empty-handed, or might not have a way to return, and would have to grow old in this Rift Realm, Ji Jue felt his scalp tingle.

But just as he was thinking, the Ghostwork Sphere suddenly made a sound.

【Don't just stand there, kid.】

It said: 【Someone’s coming!】

In the void, light outlined, revealing the scene outside—right outside the temporary safe house in the ruins where they were stationed, several sneaky shadows were peeking toward here.

Curious and looking around, their eyes vigilant.

Holding heavy and massive weapons in their hands, they looked like some kind of firearms, but they were in a style not seen in the outside world.

Mainly, their appearance... all had some traces of alienation and shattering, like beasts or limb mutations, and at the very front, the leader...

Was the "local" that Ji Jue had let go once.

Ji Jue froze for a moment.

Is this the sequelae of not cutting the weeds and removing the roots?

But amidst the vigilance and preparation of the two, the middle-aged man hesitated for a long time, actually left his companions, walked toward here, circled the ruins, couldn't find the entrance to the workshop, and the courage he had mustered seemed to dissipate.

Sat down on the ground.

As if waiting for them to appear.

Xiao An stood up, leaning on his crutch, but was pressed down by Ji Jue.

"Not necessarily here to fight." He said: "I’ll go take a look."

After preparing for protection, he pushed open the door.

It was as if he had appeared out of thin air. Not only was the middle-aged man at the door startled, but even those in the distance seemed terrified, raising their weapons, trembling.

"What’s the matter?"

Ji Jue looked at the man’s appearance curiously: "I don't seem to have handled any local TV business? How come the TV bill is collected here?"

"..."

The alienated man hesitated for a moment and said: "Outsider, please come with me."

He said: "The Prophet wants to see you."

This time, it was Ji Jue’s turn to be silent.

Leaving aside the other party’s invitation, just the bizarre, superstitious word "Prophet" made him feel an inexplicable sense of unease and vigilance.

He turned his head and looked at Xiao An, who was focused behind the door.

Shook his head slowly.

"Sorry, I’ve been a bit busy lately, and I don't have much time to participate in your local characteristic energetic club’s team-building activities..." He said: "Let’s skip the meeting."

The man froze for a moment, and the sound from his mouth became urgent, like a human voice mixed with some kind of insect call, as if anxious. After a long time, Ji Jue finally distinguished what he was saying.

"The Prophet says she knows where Non-Attack is."

"..."

Ji Jue stiffened in place.

After a long time, he turned his head, looked at Xiao An, hesitated and thought for a long time, and ultimately sighed silently.

"Lead the way."

I took a day off on the road yesterday, and finally got home.

But the bad news... Bai Ze tested positive. This is the first time in years. I don't have symptoms yet, but I don't know if I’ll be recruited next, but I feel like it’s already on the way.

If I lose my mind and write something wrong in the next two days, I hope everyone will wake me up with a slap in time.

And, the rewards for the previous activities need to be postponed, after all, the operator himself has entered a state of being unable to take care of himself...