The Alchemist's Guide to Flesh and Blood Ascension

I wonder if that unusual theory from a few days ago became the final straw that ignited the flame...

Iseria's situation within the entire academy was extremely delicate.

As Marcus once said, one half of people will want to burn you alive, and the other half will want to beg you to stay.

Some people approached Iselia and Eunice privately, trying to discuss academic matters with them—most of them were students who had run into obstacles with traditional theories and were eager for new perspectives.

Of course, some people regard it as a complete "alchemy heresy," a heresy that pollutes the orthodox teachings of mages.

But what makes things even more complicated is the group list for "Element Shaping Practice" posted this morning.

"Iseria Thor, design a stable wind element mimicry organism that must exist for at least fifteen minutes, strictly according to the Level 3 theoretical model—Lorenz Eisen."

The group list was surrounded by people, and even their whispers became noisy.

"Professor Lorenz? Why would he bring an auditor?"

"And this topic...shouldn't it be a final-year course of difficulty?"

"Shh... I heard Professor Lorenz leans towards the 'conservative' camp. This is going to be interesting."

Those glances cast in secret... pity, schadenfreude... Iselia, standing outside the crowd, gripped the hem of her robe tightly.

She had seen this name in Marcus's "Brief Explanation of the Academic Factions"—the traditional elementalist master who publicly criticized the "alchemy textbook" proposal.

Is this a test? Or a warning?

……

The "Elemental Mimicry Laboratory" of the third experimental tower.

The twelve independent workstations are arranged in a circle and illuminated by a light-focusing crystal that is supposedly used for "disinfection".

Each platform is equipped with an elemental condensation array and a monitoring device.

Lorenz, the slender old man in a dark blue robe adorned with medals, stood meticulously at the forefront of the laboratory and spoke in a clear voice.

"Elemental shaping, the first step for mages to 'master' nature... The experience of countless predecessors, spanning hundreds of years, is condensed in your teaching materials."

"Today, I want to see your understanding, I want to see... your unique expressions!"

His gaze swept across the entire room, but lingered on Iseria for a long time, his eyes calm, yet seemingly heavy with scrutiny.

"Let's begin. In six hours... we'll conduct a unified acceptance review of the results."

The laboratory was instantly thrown into chaos as students frantically activated magic arrays, injected magic power, and begged and pleaded to stabilize the magic source.

Various colored lights then lit up, and the air was filled with the hum of the instruments and the crisp sound of collisions.

At her own console, Iseria flipped to the page she had previously folded out—the basic bird construction chapter of wind element mimicry, which was only briefly mentioned... something that could be considered "try it if you're interested."

Birds can soar freely in the air... She didn't choose this topic on a whim.

As soon as she received the heavy book, Iseria eagerly began flipping through it, asking Yunevo questions...

The construction of the magical network, the stabilization of nodes, and then the input of elements...

Following the steps in her mind, she focused her thoughts into the magic circle, using her mental power to guide the blue wind to create the outline of the wind sparrow.

Wings...tail feathers...beak...the shape of this creation gradually became clear.

There's a reason why this topic isn't presented to students until the third grade.

With the input of magic into the node... the wind sparrow did indeed begin to flap its wings, but within a few seconds it turned into a turbulent current that tousled the girl's white hair.

On her second attempt, she infused the problem loop with more magic—the effect was obvious: the phoenix was much more agile, but unable to take flight…

The third time... the seventh time, each time he fell short of success! The blue light that lit up and went out on stage time and time again seemed like a silent mockery.

Soft cheers of success could be heard all around; some students had already completed their assigned projects…

Iseria stared at the wind elemental that had collapsed once again, her fingertips trembling slightly—the moment the bird fully "came back to life," something always snapped in response.

"It lacks the 'axis' that connects everything... Dynamic equilibrium exists because its underlying components are free and unconstrained."

At that time, Ionevoy held up a container filled with gas in front of her—on the left was normal air dyed visible color, and on the right was what he called a "vacuum".

As the partition was removed, the gases naturally mixed together...

There's also the concept of mutual fusion... How could an isolation array constructed with magic completely restrict the free and active "wind"?

She looked up, her gaze unconsciously searching for that familiar figure in black robes in the laboratory.

That figure that brought me peace of mind upon first meeting now seems to be separated by a partition...

I must find the answer myself… Iseria calmed her breathing, closed her eyes, and sensed the dancing “cyan” light spots in the air.

It's not about simply fabricating fixed nodes... but about "inviting" the invisible wind to briefly transform into a bird.

Gradually, the feathers of the wind sparrow became more lustrous, and its figure became more agile and elegant. Instead of taking flight, it gently pecked at the scattered fragments of wind element.

Fifteen minutes... twenty minutes...

Become!

The surrounding noise had subsided at some point... Several pairs of eyes turned towards them, filled with undisguised surprise.

Lorenz stood quietly beside Iseria, his eyes narrowed with a scrutinizing gaze, and said in a deep voice.

"Miss Iseria, your model seems to differ greatly from the textbook. I have said that it should be constructed strictly according to the theoretical model."

"Professor...the wind is the element of freedom. Just as water will always flow out of the cracks, the wind will also find its favorite shape," her voice was a little weak.

Lorenz fell silent.

Indeed, this project was designed as a final assignment for third-year students because they have a stronger ability to control magic, and they can "suppress" the source of magic to some extent to construct it into the shape they want.

What this tests... is actually the ability to control magic and mental power, and absolute focus.

"Did you come up with this yourself?" Lorenz stretched out his fingers, feeling the strangely harmonious and flowing "wind".

Iseria nodded honestly, but then suddenly shook her head.

"It was...it was Yunevo who came up with it. He said...everything follows its own 'balance,' alchemy is like that, and I think...may might also have something in common."

"Yonev..." Lorenz chewed on the name repeatedly, his face not showing the mockery and displeasure that Iseria had expected. Instead, he continued to ask.

"He's that alchemist, right? The kid Marcus recruited as a teaching assistant..."

He waved his hand, indicating that Iseria could leave, then walked to the next control panel, leaving behind a casual remark.

"Iseria, remember to include your theory in the report... The academy requires that every grade be kept on file."

As Iseria walked out of the experimental tower carrying reference books, the warm golden light of the setting sun bathed the entire ground...

The water elements frolicking by the fountain, and the wind elements, still joyful from "playing together," continue their journey...

But Iseria had long since lost interest in all of this!

Her pace quickened from a slow walk to a jog as she ran towards the "Heisenberg" laboratory to the south.

The familiar scent of herbs... the familiar white noise...

And there was that figure standing in front of the lab bench, muttering complaints under his breath...

Iseria laughed.

"Yonev!"