Alchemists do not need self-cultivation

"Lieutenant Atolas..."

"So you finally remembered?" Atolas laughed. "I joined the Cleta army to test my alchemical skills, but all I got were minor conflicts, which left me utterly disappointed!"

He stepped forward and grabbed Julia by the neck.

“Ugh…” Julia pounded on Atlas desperately, but it was no use.

"That's when I met your family."

As he said this, he grabbed Julia's clothes with his other hand and ripped them off.

"what!!"

A large expanse of fair skin was exposed to the air, and this sudden sight made the girl scream.

She tried to pick up her clothes to cover herself, but she couldn't move at all because her neck was being choked.

At this point, Atolas also tore off his own clothes:

"I never imagined that your father would brand his secret onto his own children."

Atolas had a transmutation circle under his ribs, and Julia had a transmutation circle in the same spot, but the two transmutation circles were completely different.

“You were too young back then, and it was too difficult for the transmutation array to combine with Ashley’s part. I’ve waited far too long for these five years.”

Julia, no longer caring about being shy, roared at Atlas:

"What did you do to my brother?!"

“I peeled off his skin, which is the piece you see now.”

“You killed my brother…” Julia’s tears fell, and then she kicked and punched Atlas desperately, “You bastard! Give my brother back to me.”

Bang!

Her resistance earned her a punch from Atlas, and Julia fell to the ground, her clothes scattered in pieces.

Atoras forcibly ripped off the skin bearing the transmutation circle and stuck it onto Julia's skin.

With the sound of burning, the two transmutation arrays were joined together on the bloody piece of skin in Atlas's hand.

"And that's it, the 'map' is complete, hahahahaha..."

Atlas laughed heartily, having achieved his goal.

A dark figure with bat wings entered the tower, walked to Atlas's side, and laughed, "Lieutenant Atlas, the plan was a great success. Five years is a bit long."

Hearing the voice, Julia turned around and saw a familiar face.

“Alan…why…”

Alan was a member of the Black Bats in the Valley and had taken care of Julia for a period of time. For Julia, Alan was also one of her comrades.

"Oh, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Sergeant Raul. It must have been hard taking care of Julia at the bottom of the valley for five years."

Atlas laughed as he uttered a sentence that plunged Julia into despair.

The plan had started much earlier than expected; the Milos people had been manipulated from the very beginning.

Raul also said, "That's wonderful! As long as we find the Holy Star, we can build a nation that rivals Clayta's, and that man named Isaac won't have to be afraid of us anymore!"

“That’s right.” Atoras recalled the scene of being utterly defeated by Isaac’s terrifying combat power, and felt a surge of anger.

However, he quickly calmed down.

"Once I get the Holy Star, the first thing I'll do is take revenge on that Isaac. I'll crush him under my feet and make him cry and beg for mercy." Atolas laughed maniacally, then turned to look at Raul. "By the way, Sergeant Raul, there's something I need you to do."

"What is it? Lieutenant, please give your orders."

"Do you see that pipe in the middle that looks like a megaphone? Stand over there."

"Oh, okay." Raul didn't know what Atlas wanted to do, but he still obediently stood there with his back to Atlas.

Suddenly, Atolas lunged forward and stabbed him with the knife at his waist.

Pfft!

"This...this is...why?" Raul stared at Atolas in disbelief, not understanding why he wanted to kill him.

“I’m sorry, Sergeant Raul, thank you for your efforts over the years,” Atolas said with a smile, “but this device requires blood to activate.”

boom--

The entire city of Tep began to shake, and red light gradually appeared on the ground.

Chapter 353: Is What She Said True?

A dazzling red light rose from the ground in Tep, especially noticeable on the tower in the center.

Isaac, carrying Soins and Kimberly, headed towards the tower.

"Speaking of which, why is it that even though the Earth Transformation has already started, none of us, including ourselves, have been affected?" Kimberly asked as he ran.

“I’ve never seen the structure of this transmutation circle before,” Isaac replied. “However, what I do know is that it is very different from the transmutation circle used by the Man in the Bottle, and it is extremely inefficient.”

After all, the knowledge of the miniature man in the bottle, a monster that has lived for hundreds of years, is far beyond what the Milos race can comprehend.

Rather than calling Tep City a transmutation circle, it would be more accurate to say that the city is actually a device for activating a transmutation circle.

"We've arrived."

Upon reaching the base of the tower, they saw Julia lying on the ground above, and Atolas laughing maniacally.

“By the way, Kimberly, have you seen that guy up there?” Isaac pointed to Atlas, who was laughing at the top of the tower. “His previous alias was Melbin Boja. He was imprisoned four and a half years ago, in the same prison as you.”

“I think I have a vague recollection of him.” Kimberly stroked his chin and recalled, “There was indeed such a person. He was usually quiet and reserved, but because I was in prison and under strict surveillance back then, I didn’t have much contact with him.”

"The Central City Prison really does produce a lot of talented people..."

Just then, Isaac felt several streams of energy gathering in his direction. And Soins in his hand grinned maliciously.

"I'm really sorry, Brigadier General Isaac, Major Kimberly," Thorins laughed loudly, "your operation ends here!"

"...Are you stupid?"

As Isaac spoke, hundreds of soldiers rushed out from around the tower and pointed their guns at Isaac and his companions.

Soins said smugly, "Can you release me now?"

Bang!

His answer was a punch.

"Damn it! Shoot!" Soins roared angrily at the soldiers as his face bled from the blows.

However, before the soldier could pull the trigger, a huge 'boom' sound rang out.

"what!!"

"What's going on!"

Suddenly, the floor around the tower began to crack, and all the soldiers sank in. Through the cracks, Isaac could see a huge red pool underground.

It is a pool of blood.

The soldiers were all swallowed by a red bolt of lightning after falling into the blood pool.

“So that’s how it is. So this is the secret of Tep City.” Isaac laughed, slowly approaching the crack while carrying the struggling Soins in his hand.

"Wait! What do you want to do? Brigadier General Isaac!" Thorins began to panic, struggling violently. "Let me go, I don't want the Holy Star anymore..."

"What are you talking about?" Isaac smiled as he looked at the terrified Thorins. "How could I possibly steal your Holy Star?"

"Then what do you want!?"

“Just here to lend you a hand,” Isaac said, lifting Soins onto the top of the massive crack.

Looking down at the pool of blood bubbling and churning below, Soins swallowed hard.

"Didn't you want the Holy Star? I'll send it to you right now."

"No!!!"

Isaac released his grip, and Soins screamed as he fell through the crack.

thump!

He fell into the pool of blood, crimson lightning coiling around him. His screams gradually died down as he was slowly submerged in the blood.

"To merge with the Holy Star that you've always wanted, isn't that exactly what you desired?" Isaac mocked, looking at the now-vanished Soins.

His result reminded him of the Man in the Bottle, the one who pursued the truth and ultimately became one with it.

Are we going to the top of the tower now?

“No, to the bottom of the tower,” Isaac said.

------

After killing Raul, Atolas placed his body on the telephone pipe.

The blood flowed into the tubes and into the tiny pipes buried at the bottom of the tower, and the arrangement of the pipes formed a huge transmutation array.

"Finally, it's done! The Holy Star is mine!" Atolas laughed loudly after seeing his plan succeed.

Julia struggled to pick up the clothes from the ground and covered her chest with them. "I won't let you succeed."

"Then let's see what you're capable of!"

Ignoring Julia, Atolas leaped from the top of the tower.

Seeing this, Julia followed unsteadily.

At the base of the tower was a huge secret chamber, filled with scattered pipes, through which flowed the red liquid that was Raul's blood.

In the center of the secret chamber is an altar, upon which floats a red stone the size of a fingernail.

This is the Holy Star, or the Philosopher's Stone.

Atlas saw the red stone and his eyes were filled with desire.

"Finally, finally I have you! Now the whole world is mine!"

He grabbed the stone, his expression suggesting he had the world at his fingertips.

Julia arrived just then, and looking at Atlas holding the red stone, she murmured, "Am I still too late?"

“Of course, you’re useless now, Julia.” Atolas gripped the stone tightly, and a massive current began to gather in his hand.