Alchemy Principles of Type-Moon World

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Considering that the pace has been improved, I plan to deal with this plot within two or three chapters, so I temporarily let Weber leave the scene. Otherwise, it would be easy to make the dialogue look messy when the focus is on the Sun Festival with three characters in a short space. (

That’s about it. The above is a new book by a new author. Please vote and give me feedback. Thank you!

I have to take a break first, I have to go to a night show tonight.

Volume 16: Symbiotic Relationships: . Primitive Beliefs Did Not Have Systematic Sacrificial Activities

The sun gradually emerged from the haze of the highlands, casting a morning glow across Cusco's Plaza del Sol. Hundreds of pilgrims and villagers, dressed in traditional Inca attire, gathered in the center. Priests, clad in vibrant feather capes and carrying wooden staffs, waited silently.

Xing Qingfu and Kenneth followed the team slowly into the square. They were surrounded by another atmosphere of the festival. The floor tiles under their feet had been worn smooth by years of walking on them, and the air was filled with the fragrance of herbs and the sweet scent of flowers.

"By the way," Kenneth suddenly asked in a low voice, his eyes gesturing towards the group of priests in front of him, "Have you investigated the selection criteria for priests at the local Sun Festival?"

Xing Qingjiu looked at the priests in the center of the crowd, his gaze lingering on them for a moment before he slowly replied, "I've learned a little bit. Candidates are usually recommended by villagers or cultural organizations. Most of them are older members of the tribe, or those who are influential in traditional culture."

"And I've looked through some archives, and they often come from families who have been responsible for the Ōtsu rituals for generations."

"So, even in an election system, the candidates all belong to priest families?" Kenneth nodded, his eyes still fixed on the priests.

"That's about it. But even if they're recommended, they still have to undergo a series of assessments led by Inca cultural research institutions, local elders, and cultural experts. After the assessments, they have to go through a series of practices and rehearsals before they can finally participate in the Sun Festival."

"It still feels a bit strange," Kenneth thought for a moment. "It's clearly a family inheritance system, but all the candidates are ordinary people. Is that right?"

"If they aren't the kind of desperate berserkers who shut down their magic circuits after using all their magic," Xing Qingfeng replied, "then there's no way they could have hidden it from my perception. The residual magic power in a magician's magic circuits is very obvious to me."

"So, these ordinary people from priest families, with the government's intervention, are responsible for this Sun Festival ritual that has been passed down for hundreds of years." Kenneth looked at the crowd thoughtfully, "But they have never discovered anything unusual—"

"--This means that the local mysteries are completely monopolized." Kenneth said, "If there were any magicians involved in this process, or even people with common sense of magic, they would have noticed something unusual."

"But for so many years, there has been absolutely no response," Xing Qingqi said. "Not even a magician has discovered this. If I hadn't traveled to South America, we wouldn't even know about this."

"That's true..." Kenneth paused, "But who would abandon their family's sacred land and come all the way here? In the magic world, it's a recognized taboo not to inquire about other people's sacred lands."

"So most people in the Clock Tower just stay home all day, relying on the food from the spirit tombs, right?" Xing Qingfeng curled his lips in disdain. "Even the most novice anthropologists understand the importance of field research."

As they spoke, the first rays of morning sunlight bathed the square, and the ceremony officially began. An elderly priest wearing a golden crown stood in the center of the square, and the weeping and laughing crowd around him suddenly fell silent.

Kenneth and Xing Qingjiu followed the crowd, watching the priest. He slowly raised his hand, and a gold plaque engraved with a sun pattern reflected a dazzling radiance in the sunlight. Several young assistants respectfully approached, bearing flowers, corn, and herbs, and placed the offerings one by one on the central stone altar. These offerings surrounded the central gold plaque from all sides, symbolizing the sun's omnipresence.

The square erupted in the steady beat of drums, followed by the rising strains of flutes, filling the air. Some locals closed their eyes and quietly followed the priest's chanting. The priest took the bitter tamarind leaves from his assistant, chewed them reverently, and then carefully scattered them around the altar. He then sprinkled a pinch of rock salt from the Maras Salt Mine over the offering to purify and bless it.

After the first phase of the festival concluded, the atmosphere in the square gradually heated up as the sun rose. As the second phase of the Festival of the Sun began, the crowd began to flow toward the Plaza de Armas. The early morning light filtered through the thin mist, shrouding the entire square in a hazy, golden glow. Xing Qingfeng and Kenneth followed the crowd as they slowly made their way to the center of the square. The people around them were dressed in vibrant, colorful traditional costumes, draped with traditional Inca shawls, and some held a variety of flowers and offerings.

Xing Qingfeng glanced up at the meticulously decorated Plaza de Armas. Flags hung high around the square swayed gently in the morning breeze, while colorful banners and garlands swayed gently in the breeze, casting dappled shadows in the sunlight. Several priests in white robes busily moved around the altar, inspecting the decorations and placing offerings. The tall altar in the center of the square was constructed from layers of stone, draped with a gold and red veil symbolizing authority and sanctity. This veil was merely symbolic; after all, the actual gold had long since vanished due to the plunder of the colonists.

"Xing, do you feel something is wrong?" Kenneth suddenly said softly, carefully observing the priests' every move.

"What's wrong?" Xing Qingyu responded while paying attention to the movements around him.

"Look at their movements," Kenneth pointed at the priests' preparations. "Their movements are very precise, almost down to the distance and rhythm of each step. This sense of choreography is more like... a European ritual."

"European sacrifices?" Xing Qingqiu asked doubtfully, glancing around the square. "Are you talking about more formal religious ceremonies, like Easter or Christmas Mass?"

Kenneth nodded slightly, pondering, "Yes. For example, in some large-scale Catholic sacrificial ceremonies, there are strict regulations for the priests' entrance, arrangement, and placement of props. This kind of performance-like process can be seen in many European religious ceremonies, especially in early ceremonies, where every gesture must conform to the regulations to show respect for the gods."

"This is one of the differences between primitive beliefs and systematic religions," Kenneth continued, "but whether it's the historical records I've read or the sacrificial activities I've seen these days, the Inca Empire's religious system wasn't as developed as Europe's—"

"——And this kind of rigid and inflexible sacrificial system only appears when religion has developed to a certain level."

Xing Qingjiu nodded, watching the young priests methodically arrange the offerings before the altar. Indeed, the scene before him seemed somewhat similar to those he had witnessed in some European churches. The priests' actions seemed to have been rehearsed countless times, each movement imbued with a precise sense of ritual.

"But how could this European-style process appear in the South American Sun Festival?" Xing Qingqi frowned and began to observe the crowd and priests carefully.

Offerings were neatly arranged around the square, with torches, garlands, and other offerings arranged in nearly perfect symmetry in every corner, even the color arrangement being meticulously considered. While Inca culture also possessed a rich tapestry of rituals and offerings, these were more focused on primitive symbolism than on such systematic procedures. This ritual arrangement, in turn, resembled the meticulously orchestrated rituals of European aristocratic courts, designed to demonstrate authority and order.

"You just realized something is wrong now?" Xing Qingyu teased softly.

Kenneth shook his head and said calmly, "I just suddenly realized that every step and every movement of this sacrifice is too precise, lacking a certain natural religious piety. This seems more like the result of a modern restoration, or more like a performance ritual for outsiders to see."

"In short," Kenneth whispered, "this form of sacrifice may not be entirely a relic of ancient times—"

"—Xing, has the South American Sun Festival ritual been passed down through generations?" Kenneth frowned, his gaze darting back and forth between the priests. Sunlight slanted down his profile, casting a shadow over his slightly solemn expression. He took a deep breath, as if weighing his own suspicions. "Has it ever been interrupted?"

"Really... Then I'll go back and ask Weber to investigate," Xing Qingyu responded. "And by the way, I'll see how this kid's altitude sickness is doing."

With that, his gaze fell on the altar one last time, narrowing slightly as he surveyed the priests preparing for the ceremony. Then, he pushed his way through the crowd, deftly weaving his way through the onlookers. All around him were layers of Inca tribesmen, their attire adorned with feathers and garlands. A rich aroma, mingled with the scent of earth, permeated the air. Someone accidentally touched Xing Qingjiu's shoulder, but he paid no attention, ducking his head and slightly shifting his body, blending seamlessly into the throng.

Kayneth remained standing, gazing thoughtfully at the altar. The priests, torches in hand, wore solemn expressions in the morning light. Smoke curled up from the altar, blending with the surrounding mist. Kayneth's gaze passed over the smoke, resting on the distant, overlapping mountains.

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By the time Xing Qingjiu finished his investigation, dusk had already fallen. The final stage of the ritual was in full swing at the Sacsayhuamán ruins. Guided by his empathy, Xing Qingjiu made his way through the dense crowd of spectators to the orange zone in the center of the infield, offering an excellent view. He glimpsed Kenneth sitting in the front row, leaning back in his chair, leisurely admiring the grand ceremony.

"Why are you sitting here?" Xing Qingjiu asked, squeezing into a seat next to Kenneth. "I remember the seat I reserved wasn't here at all."

"I've changed the ticket you reserved. This is the best seat," Kenneth said with a casual smile. "Five hundred dollars a person, right in front of the center of the stage."

Xing Qingyu raised his eyebrows, "I thought you would hypnotize them directly."

"Am I so poor that I need to resort to magic?" Kenneth shrugged and smiled proudly. "It's more comfortable to spend some money. Tell me, what are the results of the investigation?"

Xing Qingjiu nodded slightly, his gaze drifting across the crowd to the sacrificial ceremony taking place on the stage. Several priests, clutching gleaming golden props, stood high above, their backs a majestic ancient stone wall. The sun's afterglow shone upon them, painting the altar a brilliant golden hue.

"Indeed, as you guessed, the Sun Festival isn't a long-standing tradition," Xing Qingjiu whispered, his voice almost drowned out by the whispers and cheers of the crowd around him. "In 1572, the Spanish nobleman Francisco de Toledo outlawed it. Afterward, the tradition went underground, lingering on until it died out completely."

Kenneth's brows furrowed slightly, his gaze still fixed on the stage. "Does this have anything to do with the De Valdés family?"

"No, this matter has nothing to do with the magician directly." Xing Qingqiu thought for a moment, a hint of sarcasm on his face. "According to the information, Francisco Toledo seems to be affiliated with the Holy Church. He banned the Festival of the Sun for religious purposes—"

"—as a heretical activity that goes against the Catholic faith."

"Oh, that's just the Holy Church's wishful thinking. The Church's foundation requires a large number of Christian believers, and in South America, the worship of the sun god clearly stands in their way." Kenneth snorted coldly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. "So, the Church is single-handedly promoting the demise of local faith. Coupled with the magical power of the De Valdés family, their goals coincide, and cultural colonization is naturally accomplished."

"In short," Xing Qingfeng continued in a low voice, "because the Inca culture used knotted cords to record events and lacked a complete written system, many details of the sacrificial activities have long been lost to time. The Sun Festival we see today is just a rough reconstruction based on some vague records."

"Do you know what this means?" Kayneth continued in his leisurely tone, his chin slightly raised, his eyes shifting between the crowd in the square and the priests. "This means that even the ritual itself isn't a necessary factor influencing the sacrifice—"

"—This actually supports historical records. South America's belief system had not yet developed to the level of a religion, and therefore did not require any highly systematic sacrificial rituals."

"Isn't this just a circular argument?" Xing Qingwu complained.

In the square, the solemn ceremony has come to an end. The priests are chanting ancient prayers in a low voice, and the audience below the stage almost holds their breath, waiting for the final sacrifice to be offered.

Kenneth smiled, a hint of teasing in his tone. "Humanities and archaeology aren't like your mathematical world. How can there be such a strict logical structure?" He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. "Besides, the evidence on the table is the most powerful proof."

"I'm not a math major," Xing Qingfeng said angrily. "Who are you calling a math major?"

"You're so fond of yelling," Xing Qingyu continued to chatter, "How do you plan to further prove your guess? Is this just an inference?"

"I plan to talk to a few people after the Sun Festival," Kenneth glanced at Xing Qingjiu and continued, "But aren't you the best at analysis? Why are you just ordering people around?"

"Heh, I had a rough idea the moment you finished speaking." He turned his gaze towards the center of the square. The golden mask glowed faintly in the sunlight, like a guide. "Let's watch the competition first... No, let's watch the Sun Festival first—"

"—We are about to reach the final stage of offering sacrifices, and I have observed that spirituality is bestowed during this stage."

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That's pretty much it. I'll mention the Festival of the Sun again in the first half of the next chapter and that'll wrap up this part of the story. Then I'll go back to the Spanish magician and continue the story. That's pretty much the end of the storyline in the city, and it's time to explore the Amazon jungle (x

As I write this, I suddenly feel that this plot is not really hard science fiction. It just combines magic with historical events while maintaining the Type-Moon worldview. It is just analyzed from the perspective of rationality and humanities.

The above is a new book by a new author. Please vote and give me feedback. Thank you!

Volume 17: Symbiotic Relationships: . A Magical Tool More Effective Than Hypnosis Magic

As the Sun Festival ceremony entered its final stages, Xing Qingjiu and Kenneth slowly moved through the crowd, surrounded by the bustling throng of worshippers and tourists. They finally found a vantage point near the stone wall of Sacsayhuamán, offering a clear view of the altar. Standing still, they cast their gaze intently upon the altar. The priests wore resplendent red and gold robes, emblazoned with symbols of the sun and earth. Sunlight shone on their shoulders, casting a sacred glow over these devout guardians.

On the stage, a symbolic alpaca stood quietly beside the priest, a colorful ribbon tied around its neck. The alpaca tilted its head slightly, its gaze gentle. As the priests began chanting, the alpaca was led to the altar, a gesture that seemed particularly solemn under the gaze of the audience. Traditionally, this part of the Sun Festival ritual involved animal sacrifice, offering blood and life as tribute to the deity, symbolizing humanity's supreme reverence for Inti. However, today's rituals, with their festive atmosphere, no longer cling to blood sacrifices, perhaps because this ancient practice was considered too cruel, or perhaps because modern Sun Festivals are more often presented as performances.

The priest lowered his head, gently pressed the alpaca's head, and then symbolically offered the prepared sacrifice to the sky, as if to pass this gift to the sun god Inti.

"Wait a minute," Kenneth said, his tone full of surprise, "they uh... took the sacrifice away like that?"

"It seems that the current Sun Festival has the same process," Xing Qingfeng replied, "leading the offerings around the stage and then it's considered a sacrifice."

"But...actual animal sacrifice should be one of the few remaining parts of primitive faith. Yes, they've even abandoned this—"

"——How on earth did they manage to make the sacrifice actually work?!"

"Let's continue reading," Xing Qingjiu said, "It's almost over. The offerings only gain spirituality when the entire sacrificial process is completed."

The priest lit a torch prepared on the altar and held it aloft, symbolizing the sun's radiance illuminating the earth. The flames danced in the breeze, illuminating the faces of the audience with a faint red glow. As the flames burned, the priest led the crowd in a prayer to the sun, praying for a good harvest, peace, and family well-being. Some in the audience bowed their heads in silent prayer, others clasped their hands together, and some even made the sign of the cross.

Just as the prayers were completed and the ceremony officially ended, Xing Qingjiu and Kenneth both felt that the offerings on the altar suddenly showed spiritual characteristics -

——And it’s not just the final Sacsayhuaman. The offerings in the previous Temple of the Sun and the Plaza de Armas also convey spirituality.

"There are some clothes. Have you found anything?" Xing Qing asked Kenneth who was frowning at the side.

"I can only say," Kenneth sighed, "that the process of the ceremony has nothing to do with the success of the sacrifice—"

"—The ritual has now become almost entirely a performance, but it still allows the sacrifice to be completed and the spirit to appear. In other words, the process itself is completely ceremonial."

"Then we have to find a way to conduct a controlled trial," Xing Qingjiu said in a low voice. He turned his gaze back to the empty altar and nodded slightly in thought. "Let's start preparing tomorrow."

"What are you going to do?" Kenneth asked.

"First, let's find a way to invite a priest who has participated in today's sacrifice," Xing Qingjiu said after thinking for a while, "and then find a few locals and tourists."

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The room was dimly lit, a few lit candles emitting a faint orange glow, dimly illuminating a statue in the center. Carved from rock, it had a smooth surface and rigid lines. The statue of Ra sat majestically, holding a staff symbolizing the sun in both hands, its eyes fixed coldly ahead. The ancient Egyptian symbols adorning the statue's crown and body were faintly visible. This Egyptian sun god was not part of Inti's belief system, yet now, he stood in this ceremonial hut as Inti's incarnation.

"Right, right, right. Just worship this statue as if it were Inti." Xing Qingjiu stood aside, crouching slightly, trying to appear sincere as he explained in a low voice to the young priest, "He is also the Sun God. Just worship him as his incarnation."

However, the priest's face still showed some hesitation and confusion. He was wearing a bright red cloak embroidered with gold lines, and his hair was covered with colorful feathers.

——It’s exactly the outfit I wore at yesterday’s Sun Festival.

"But this statue... isn't Inti..." The priest looked hesitantly at the statue of Ra before him, clearly still confused by this abrupt arrangement. "I really don't understand what you're doing."

"We're folklorists!" Xing Qingfeng patiently continued to explain. "We're investigating the connection between the sun gods. As for this statue, you can simply worship it as if it were Inti."

The young priest was still somewhat skeptical. This was undoubtedly a kind of... blasphemy against his faith. But there was nothing he could do. Xing Qingjiu was offering too much. In just a few days, it was enough to cover his annual salary.

He nodded reluctantly, sighed softly, and finally agreed to it. Then, he picked up the prepared offerings and began to pray symbolically.

The priest chanted a Quechua prayer as he slowly placed an offering before the statue. His voice gradually lowered as the prayer rose and fell, and he gently raised his hands, holding the offering before the statue with a solemn gesture, as if beseeching Inti's blessing. Xing Qingjiu stared intently at the offering, waiting for any spiritual arousal, but after a long moment's observation, the offering remained unresponsive, lying lifeless on the stone platform, as if it were just an ordinary object.

"What's wrong?" The priest noticed Xing Qingjiu's slightly disappointed expression and asked curiously, "You seem quite disappointed."

"Well... this just rules out one possibility," Xing Qingqi forced a smile, turned around and replied, "We are studying the Inca Inti belief... um..." He stopped vaguely halfway through his words.

"Uh... did you deliberately arrange this place like this?" the priest suddenly turned around and asked.

"Ah, yes," Xing Qingfeng thought for a moment and said, "I arranged this place based on the layout of most temples..."

The priest's eyes suddenly widened. He looked at Xing Qingjiu in surprise and shook his head. "That's not right! Even if it's a ritual performance, the statue should be placed where it can be exposed to sunlight, not just in the house." He muttered dissatisfiedly, "If you don't even know this, how dare you call yourselves folklorists?"

"That's why I asked you to guide me because I don't understand!" Xing Qingyu nodded seriously, his expression full of sincerity.

"Alas... no matter what, the statue must at least be moved to a place where it can get sunlight." The priest shook his head and sighed, clearly still feeling that Xing Qingjiu and his group of "folklorists" were a bit off the mark. He added in a low voice, "During our usual ceremonies, we always ensure that Inti's statue is bathed in sunlight from dawn to sunset, so that the prayers can be transmitted."

As soon as he finished speaking, he rolled up his sleeves and motioned for Xing Qingjiu to help carry the statue out. But before he could move, Xing Qingjiu took a quick step forward, firmly grasped the statue's sides with both hands, and with a sudden force, lifted the heavy statue off the ground. The priest's eyes widened in surprise, staring blankly at this seemingly frail "scholar" as he effortlessly lifted the nearly motionless stone statue, scooping it up steadily and walking straight out.

"It's okay, it's not heavy." Xing Qingfeng whispered, a faint smile on his face, as if he had accomplished something insignificant. The priest stood there in a daze, and when he came to his senses, he immediately chased after him, muttering in disbelief, "This thing... is it really that light?"

The statue was carefully placed in the center of the yard. The sunlight shone directly through the eaves and sprinkled on the stone statue. The air around it seemed to tremble slightly because of the light.

"Shall I do it again now?" the priest asked Xing Qingjiu who was carrying the stone table and walking briskly.

Xing Qingjiu strode towards the center of the yard carrying the stone table, his hands firmly grasping the heavy corners of the table, but his steps were so steady as if it were just a small object as light as a feather.

"Ah, if you think now is the right time, then of course it's fine." He placed the stone table in front of the statue without even taking a breath. He looked up at the young priest, raised an eyebrow and smiled, "I thought we had to wait until the morning to start."

The young priest frowned slightly but shook his head. "Any time is fine, as long as there's enough sunlight." He clasped his hands in front of him, lowered his eyes, and a hint of helplessness crossed his face. Even though he knew the statue before him came from distant Egypt, he still felt a certain resistance to recognizing it as the incarnation of Inti.

In the sunlight, the statue of Ra gazed down at them silently. The priest looked at the stone sculpture with a look of stomachache, frowning slightly and sighing deeply. He still felt that it was a bit difficult for him to mistake this thing for Inti...

At this moment, Xing Qingwu suddenly clapped his hands, interrupting his thoughts, "Oh, by the way, to thank you for your guidance today, I will give you an additional reward later."

...As expected, it has to be me.

The priest's originally suspicious expression softened immediately after hearing these words, and a relieved smile appeared on his face.

He slowly walked to the stone tribute table, pulled a handful of grain from his bosom, and reverently knelt before the statue, chanting a familiar prayer. The young priest closed his eyes, raised his hands slightly, and slowly scattered the grain onto the tribute table, his gestures smooth and his posture respectful.

As the young priest's prayers rang out, the grain he slowly scattered gradually emitted a subtle yet distinct spiritual fluctuation. Xing Qingjiu immediately caught this subtle change, his eyes lighting up. He quickly stood up and walked back into the house, activating the demonic eye in his left eye to establish long-distance communication with Kenneth.

The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled spots of light across the room. The slightly floating dust in the air moved with the light, creating a scene of extraordinary tranquility and mystery. However, the other end of the line showed a completely different picture.

"—What?" Kenneth, lazily basking in the sun, suddenly looked up at Xing Qingjiu's voice. He lowered his sunglasses and glanced past the lounge chair in front of him to where Weber, who was busy pushing a wheelchair and directing tourists and ordinary people to pay homage to the statue of Inti, was not far away. Seeing that Weber was still busy directing the scene, Kenneth sighed with satisfaction and leaned back in his chair. "Any results over there?"

"Well, the statue of Ling Meng Er Jiu ⊙ Wu San Ba Qi Yi San here has actually completed the sacrificial ceremony," Xing Qing's voice came through the magic eye, with a hint of excitement. "It's quite strange. How are you doing over there?"

Kenneth sat up from the recliner, took off his sunglasses, and changed into his magician's attire. He glanced in Waver's direction with a playful look, and after confirming that nothing unusual had occurred, he leisurely replied: