The most shameless alchemist in history

040 I need a reason

Nan Yin felt a buzzing in her head. Already weakened from being shot three times, she staggered and nearly fell to the ground. She was never the type to easily trust others. Due to her special background, she had experienced numerous conspiracies and countless assassinations since childhood.

Even Duanmu and Old Man Teng had to travel thousands of miles with her to gain her trust. Although she was only thirteen or fourteen years old, she had already tasted the bitterness of betrayal many times. During this trip to Beishan, Du Lei risked his life to save her several times, and she witnessed it all.

After arriving at the Star Stones, she confirmed that Dure was someone she could trust. When Dure fell to the ground, she felt immense pain because she had failed to save him. Building such trust was difficult, like building a tall building, which required repeatedly stacking brick by brick.

But destroying that trust was just a matter of a moment. Du Lei, who should have died, stood up again, held the Star Stone in his hand, and readily admitted the accusations made by Duanmu and Old Man Teng. He also confessed that he was the one who destroyed the North Mountain Road. Nan Yin's face turned extremely pale and she trembled constantly.

"Why would you do this? I really don't understand." Nan Yin kept asking why, hoping Du Lei would give her a negative answer. She hoped Du Lei would suddenly put on a relaxed smile and tell her that it was all a joke, and that they were companions after all.

"You ask me why the answer isn't obvious? Of course, it's to suppress competitors, eliminate those mercenaries who lack strength, and also to use this opportunity to gain your trust. Otherwise, how could I have successfully arrived at this place?" Du Lei laughed sarcastically.

"So, everything that happened here was pre-planned by you? You just wanted to get revenge for the slap I gave you at the mountaintop bathhouse?" Nan Yin's face was filled with pain and despair. Seeing that she was in bad shape, Old Man Teng tried to help her up, but she waved her hand and refused.

“No, I didn’t do all this to get revenge on you. I didn’t know beforehand that you would choose me as your guide. No matter who chose me, I would have done the same thing, just like Blackwind became Riley’s guide and also gained Riley’s trust,” Dure explained.

"You mean I was just a coincidence in your plan, that I just happened to be there, so you set me up?" Nan Yin was still somewhat unwilling to give up. Perhaps even she herself didn't know what kind of answer she wanted, but at least what Du Lei said wasn't what she wanted.

"That's about it. You people are too arrogant. You only see those who have the same strength as you as your competitors, and thus ignore us weak people. In fact, as long as you follow this line of thinking to make a plan, everything is easy to understand."

Du Lei did not deny Nan Yin's speculation. He had seen all the changes in Nan Yin's expression, but he maintained his own expression.

"But when exactly did we get caught?" After struggling for a while, Night Raven was finally able to support his body with the rapier in his hand, but he was still in a weak and powerless state and could not pose any threat to Durei. Red Sparrow, Riley, and even Kashu were in the same situation.

"It was after Black Wind and I entered this place that you fought each other to seize the Star Stone. As for me, I died at the hands of my dear brother Black Wind. This made you lower your guard against me, an insignificant dead man, and I was able to take the opportunity to let the powder completely evaporate into the air."

Dure took a small bottle from his pocket containing white powder. He gently opened the cap, shook out a tiny bit, and blew it out softly. The powder quickly disappeared into the air, colorless and odorless. After demonstrating, Dure put the cap back on and put the bottle away.

"It's the temperature here. The temperature is very high here due to the influence of the crystal. The white powder quickly vaporizes under the high temperature and then adheres to our skin. When we fight, our body temperature rises and a lot of sweat evaporates, so the vaporized powder enters our bodies."

Kashu still held a playing card in his hand, a position he had maintained for some time, but he didn't throw it away because he was aware of his current situation. He realized that this powder was more effective against those with stronger magic, and he was the one suffering the most in the room.

"Although I don't quite understand, isn't this the kind of trick those annoying alchemists often use? I'm so angry that I fell for it!" Red Sparrow didn't understand the nonsense, but she associated it with "alchemists" and was fuming.

"But you still haven't answered why you did this. I need a reason." Nan Yin was physically weak and mentally devastated. She desperately needed an answer, hoping to find some solace in it, perhaps a forgivable reason to support Du Lei.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Something that even powerful figures like you would go to great lengths to get your hands on must be incredibly valuable. Besides, this is Beishan, our hot spring village's territory. You outsiders come in and steal our things, and I haven't even asked you why yet."

Dure scoffed at this; the only reason he had devised such a detailed plan was to seize the Star Stone.

"Is this all it takes to do this for such a reason?" Nan Yin's last glimmer of hope was about to be extinguished.

"You mean that's all the reason? Don't think you're so innocent, so wronged, or so noble. What you did is no different from what I did. We're all cut from the same cloth. I originally thought you two would die in the blizzard, saving me some trouble."

Du Lei looked at Nan Yin with a mocking expression, but the moment their eyes met, he instinctively looked away.

"Boy, I didn't realize you were so young yet so vicious. Humph, so you never expected that Old Man Teng and I would be able to get here. So you've already failed. Let's see how I teach you a lesson." Duanmu was already furious to the extreme. He spat on the ground.

When he was surrounded by the dead, he still thought of entrusting Nan Yin to him, and even had a sliver of approval for him. This made Duanmu feel that this was a great disgrace, and absolutely the biggest mistake he had made in his twenty years of life.

“Before you make your move, I have a question.” Du Lei did not tremble in fear of Duanmu’s threat and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Tell me your last words quickly!" Duanmu said impatiently, poised to strike.

"Aren't you surprised that they all got infected, but you two didn't?" Du Lei retorted.

041 I'm not a chatterbox

Du Lei's sudden question caught Duanmu off guard. He stared blankly at Night Raven, Kashu, and the others lying on the ground, then at Old Man Teng and himself. Du Lei had been announcing his plans and conspiracies, causing Duanmu to overlook this crucial question for a moment.

"The problem is, of course," Duanmu tried to explain, but he was at a loss for words, his throat suddenly choked, and he couldn't explain at all.

"Wait, Duanmu, we've been tricked! Get back quickly!" While protecting Nanyin and treating her wounds, Old Man Teng observed Du Lei's every move. He was a man who had experienced many storms and seen countless people. He had seen countless stunning young people.

However, there are very few people like Du Lei who are so young yet so deep and ruthless. After thinking for a moment, his expression suddenly changed drastically. He subconsciously covered his mouth and nose and backed away. Duanmu was still a little confused when he saw his reaction and had not come to his senses at all.

“You’re right. The reason I’ve patiently explained so much to you isn’t because I’m a chatterbox, but to attract your attention and make you ignore your surroundings, especially since the Star Stone is still in my hands. You certainly won’t back down, but that’s where the problem comes in.” Du Lei paused.

"What problem? Old man Teng, are you out of your mind? He's here, Xing Shi is here, why are you backing down? If you don't teach him a lesson, I'll say Duanmu's name backwards today!" Duanmu was completely confused. He wasn't good at thinking about complicated things.

"Alas, it's too late. The reason we weren't affected was because we came in late, and the vaporized powder hadn't taken effect on us yet. But he deliberately said those things to delay the time, thus increasing the time it took for the powder to take effect. Now even we've been affected." Old Man Teng stopped in his tracks.

After a brief examination, he felt a wave of weakness wash over him. His body swayed, and he could barely stand. He was experienced and his reaction was quick, but all his attention was focused on treating Nan Yin's injuries. By the time he came to his senses, the medicine had already taken effect.

"My arm is starting to give out. No, I have to kill you before I lose all my strength!" Duanmu's arm sank downwards. Even someone as strong as him was starting to feel the effects. Realizing this, he decided to strike first and charged towards Du Lei.

"Have you forgotten the warning from the previous person? The more you use magic power, the faster your body temperature rises. The evaporation of sweat will allow the powder to take effect more quickly. So, you can't kill me or anything like that, at least not in the short term." Du Lei shook his head slightly.

Just as he said, Duanmu charged forward with his spear "Thunder Beast" for seven or eight meters before slowing down. It was clear that his hand was straining and could no longer support the weight of the spear. He sank down, supporting "Thunder Beast" on the ground.

"Miss, it was my fault for misjudging people. I actually chose such an ambitious and treacherous person as a guide. Alas!" Old Man Teng knew very well that he had become a fish on a chopping board. Because of his mistake, Nan Yin had also fallen into such a passive situation, which made him feel extremely guilty.

“Nightcrow, you’re so smart, don’t you have any way to deal with him? His face is disgusting. Someone like him doesn’t even deserve to be a toy soldier.” Red Sparrow glared fiercely at Dure. She had looked down on this insignificant little guy from the very beginning.

“The powder will take a while to lose its effectiveness. Until then, unless an outsider breaks in to help us, everything will be in vain.” Night Raven’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. He was a shrewd and perfectionist man who meticulously followed his plan in every step he took.

However, despite his meticulous planning, he made a mistake. He had considered all the possibilities, but he hadn't anticipated that Du Lei, a nobody from the hot spring village, would cause such a complication. All his previous careful planning and schemes had come to naught, and this sense of defeat was a huge blow to Night Raven's heart, causing him great pain.

"Even if you are weak, you can still make up for the difference in strength in other ways and defeat a powerful enemy. That's quite interesting. I'm suddenly starting to look forward to you." Kashu, who was also in a difficult situation, showed no fear. He slightly opened his eyes and scrutinized Dure.

For someone like him who constantly teeters on the edge of death, the most painful thing is being too comfortable. It is this feeling of always being on the verge of death that keeps his heart pounding and gives him a sense of being alive. He has no hatred for Durei, only anticipation.

"Damn it, I, Riley, have traveled all over the country for so many years, what kind of scene haven't I seen? I never thought I'd be defeated here. So be it, kill me or torture me, it's up to you. I accept it." Riley laughed angrily, his eyes showing a hint of vicissitude and loneliness.

"Du Lei, what should we do with these people? Should we kill them all?" Black Wind glanced at Riley, hesitated for a moment, but remained silent. He then asked Du Lei about the best course of action for these people, as the effects of the powder would not last long and would soon wear off.

"Has Tongshan found the control room here yet?" Du Lei asked Hei Feng. They had grown up together and were part of a trio of scoundrels who caused trouble in the hot spring village. Besides him and Hei Feng, there was also the fat man Tongshan.

"He has found the mechanism room according to your instructions. I saw the marks he left behind." Black Wind nodded.

“Then let’s go, let’s ignore these people.” Du Lei shook his head, glanced at the star stone in his hand, and gestured for Black Wind to follow him.

"Kid, are you planning to let us go?" Riley was stunned. He thought he was going to die, but he didn't expect that Dure would not kill them.

At the same time, Nan Yin also looked up at Du Lei. She was greatly frustrated, all thanks to the guy in front of her.

"Do you think I'm stupid for letting you go? Do you want me to let you live, or do you want me to hunt you down? Or do you want me to kill the people of Hot Spring Village? This underground space is half natural and half man-made, and it contains a lot of man-made traps. Usually, where there are traps, there is a control room."

Dure scoffed at Riley's words, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

“My companion is currently inside the mechanism room. He will soon destroy it. Once the mechanism room is destroyed, all the mechanisms here will go out of control. Also, if I'm not mistaken, everything underground, including the lava lake, revolves around this stone.”

"If this rock leaves this place, these things will lose control and go completely berserk. Imagine a lava lake bursting open and pouring down. Oh, and there's a giant lava crocodile inside to keep you company. Maybe you're really lucky and can escape. Black Wind, let's go."

Du Lei left behind only a mocking silhouette, and with a wave of his hand, Black Wind quickly followed him out of the Star Stone Chamber.

042 Just a reminder

Not long after Du Lei and his companion left the Star Stone Chamber, the ground began to shake, cracks appeared in the walls and dome, small pebbles began to fall, the air temperature began to rise, and a strong smell of sulfur filled the air. The crimson color in the cracks was like the blood of the earth.

It was as if a force had torn countless openings in the earth's surface, revealing crimson and ferocity. The power released from underground was the earth's counterattack and response. The two ran wildly for more than a hundred meters, and from the cave on the other side, the fat man, Tongshan, staggered over.

"Du Lei, I've destroyed the mechanism room as you instructed. It will collapse completely soon. Is there anything I've missed?" Tong Shan scratched his head and asked Du Lei, the backbone of the trio. He wasn't good at making plans, but he was particularly interested in mechanisms.

“No, you did a great job. The path we came on is guarded by a lava crocodile. With this place being destroyed, it will definitely come out of the lava lake. We can’t take that path anymore. Have you prepared an alternative escape route?” Du Lei patted Tong Shan on the shoulder to show his approval and asked about the retreat.

“It’s ready. That’s the escape route prepared by the craftsmen who built this place. It will allow us to escape back to the ground in the shortest time. I’ve found it. Shall we go now?” Tongshan nodded again. While Du Lei and Hei Feng led Nan Yin, Riley and the others into the mountain, he didn’t stop working.

"We've got the stuff, let's leave now. As for those people..." Du Lei turned around and looked at the crumbling Star Stones. Soon, the entire area would collapse and become a complete ruin. Under the dual attack of large-scale rock and magma, there would be no chance of survival.

"Hey, Dure, do you really want to see them die? That guy called Night Raven and Kashu deserved to die; they killed a lot of people. But the one you brought to the mountains, I can tell that even though she's fierce, she genuinely cares about you. Is it really okay to just leave like this?"

Before leaving the collapsing cave, Black Wind couldn't help but ask Dure one more question. Although he knew that Dure was very stubborn and rarely listened to other people's opinions, he still hoped that Dure would not regret his decision today.

"What, do you expect me to go back and rescue her? You know they were after Star Stone all along, and with what we did, she'll definitely kill us. Even if she can tolerate it, can the two people around her? Don't do anything unnecessary."

Dure shook his head. From the moment he made the decision, he knew what choices and trade-offs he would face, and he firmly believed in the correctness of his decision. He was a rational person, and a rational person would not make the mistake of being emotional. He constantly reminded himself of this.

“I know you won’t change your mind, but I’m just reminding you not to regret it later. Since you’ve made up your mind, let’s go.” Black Wind sighed. He and Du Lei had grown up together, and they had fought together since they were kids. He knew this guy’s thoughts all too well.

"Tch, regret? What's that? I've never regretted anything I've done in my life. Let's go." Du Lei waved his hand heavily and left without looking back. The collapse of the cave intensified, and lava began to overflow from the cracks, with hissing white smoke rising in the air.

Meanwhile, inside the Star Stone Chamber, both Night Raven and Kashu were weakened and unable to move due to inhaling the vaporized powder. This was a carefully prepared powder by Durei, and its effects would last until the entire cave collapsed. They could clearly see the cracks widening.

"Hey, Night Raven, can you think of something? Aren't you supposed to be so smart? Tell me what to do! I'll listen to you from now on, and I won't eat any more candy, okay? I don't want to die here!" Red Sparrow was starting to get scared as it saw the lava overflowing all around.

"It's all my fault that led to this outcome. Not only did I fail to complete the mission, but I also died here. I'm very sorry, Red Sparrow. I'm powerless to help you when you can't move." Night Raven shook his head slightly. Although he was unwilling to admit it, he was indeed at his wit's end.

"Coo coo coo coo. It's ironic that I didn't die in a fierce battle with a powerful opponent, but instead fell victim to a conspiracy. But it doesn't matter. It's only by walking on the edge of death that the blood boils and the soul trembles. This is an unparalleled feeling."

Despite being trapped in this desperate situation, Kashu was not panicked; instead, he felt a sense of exhilarating satisfaction. Stones kept falling from the dome, and with each passing second, death drew closer. This way of dying was both unbearable and despairing.

"Although I misjudged Black Wind, the fact that you could do this much proves that my judgment was correct. You are indeed a formidable and ruthless character. It's not a loss to fall into your hands, but I can't go back to the Dog Kingdom to deal with those guys anymore," Riley said with a bitter smile.

Even at the very last moment, he harbored no resentment towards Hei Feng, because it was his own choice, and Hei Feng was someone he trusted. To resent Hei Feng would be tantamount to denying and hating himself. He wouldn't do something so foolish. Even if he died, he would die wisely.

“Miss, it’s all my fault for dragging you down. If I had discovered it sooner, things wouldn’t have come to this.” Old Man Teng was filled with deep self-blame. He took all the responsibility upon himself. If he hadn’t found Du Lei, perhaps the following events wouldn’t have happened.

"That kid is absolutely despicable, especially his face. Don't let me leave here, or I'll kill him!" Duanmu was furious. He had never suffered such a loss in his life, but this one loss was going to cost him his life. He was really unwilling to accept it.

"You don't need to blame yourselves. Didn't he say that even if he hadn't been our guide, he would have been someone else's? Once you come to the Star Stone Interval, you'll fall for it just the same thing. Instead of blaming him, blame yourselves for being too weak. If it weren't for that, why would we have come to the Western Continent?"

Nan Yin gently shook her head. Although her wounds had been bandaged, compared to the injuries she had sustained, the cave that was about to collapse was the most dangerous thing. She still vividly remembered Du Lei's care for her and his many life-risking rescues along the way.

Not long after all that, they all turned into phantoms. It all happened so fast and so suddenly that she was caught off guard.

"It seems I won't be able to return to the Phoenix Kingdom. I'll have to disappoint everyone." Nan Yin closed her eyes. She had already resigned herself to the fact that death was all that awaited her next.

043 The village needs to be renamed.

The large-scale collapse of the sealed cave located underground in Beishan is no small matter. Even in the hot spring village, the tremors were clearly felt. The snow that had accumulated on the rooftops and trees was shaken off and fell to the ground. Even the furniture in the houses was shaken to the ground, and many pieces were even broken.

The children playing outside fell to the ground, stumbling and scrambling. But before they could even cry out, they clearly saw a crimson mass shoot out of the northern sky, staining a large area of ​​the sky red. Meanwhile, the air was filled with a large amount of gray dust, making it difficult to breathe.

"Hey, what's going on? What's happening over there in the north? How could things have turned out like this? Is the sky going to collapse? This is terrifying!" The villagers came out of their houses and were shocked when they saw the sky to the north. They had never seen such an apocalyptic scene before.

"It's those mercenaries! Their entry into the North Mountain must have angered the gods of the snow mountain. Damn it, the gods are angry now, and the village is going to be destroyed. Quickly beg for the gods' forgiveness! Those mercenaries are the real culprits; our Hot Spring Village is innocent!" an old man began to pray.

"You little rascals, don't run around! Hurry up and get to the house, it's going to collapse! Get to that open space over there and stay there. Don't go anywhere, hurry!" Some people were worried about the children's safety and began to take action frequently. This sudden change was filled with fear and awe.

Meanwhile, on a small hill near Beishan, Du Lei witnessed up close the lava erupting from the abyss. The lava flowed rapidly down the slope, melting the snow the instant it touched the snow, turning it into plumes of white smoke and filling the air with a pungent odor.

The penetrating power of the lava didn't stop there. The melting snow reached a depth of more than a meter, exposing the hard rock beneath. Under the pouring lava, even the rocks crackled and popped. Trees around the area had stood firm for a long time, enduring the onslaught of wind and snow.

But under the engulfing influence of the lava, the tree quickly crashed to the ground, turning into a charred mess. This crimson torrent, like a demon emerging from the abyss, mercilessly devoured everything in its path. Du Lei witnessed firsthand the lava spreading downwards for hundreds of meters with overwhelming force.

In other places, such as hot regions, magma of this magnitude would be enough to engulf the surrounding area from a great height. But here is a vast snow-covered mountain range, covered by snow for thousands of years, belonging to the realm of frost, where the temperature is very low.

Even the unstoppable magma finally slowed down under the blizzard. The air was filled with a lot of steam with a pungent smell. The surrounding area for hundreds of meters was pitch black, turned into charcoal, and red embers of dead fire could be seen on the exposed ground.

Just when everyone thought the lava would stop, something crawled out of the black abyss. If what had swallowed the nearby land was just a small fry, then what appeared now was definitely the demon king of the abyss—a giant beast with a crimson body, enveloped in lava.