Mechanical Alchemist

The next day, as the first rays of sunlight entered the forest at dawn.

The bonfire had extinguished, with wisps of blue smoke rising from the pile of burnt ashes. A gentle breeze passed, and shimmering red glimmers could still be seen on the charred wood.

Yuta opened her eyes, feeling refreshed. It had been rare for her to enjoy a sound sleep during the recent days of vigilance. She did not disturb Su Lun, who was meditating nearby, and silently packed up her sleeping fur mat.

Before long, the crisp sound of birds' chirping broke the silence, and only then did Su Lun slowly open his eyes from his meditation.

Having reflected overnight, he had almost fully understood the effects of what had been newly installed.

"Awake?"

Yuta smiled at him, retrieving a few cassavas that were cooked through residual warmth from the bonfire using a stick.

"Mmm."

Su Lun nodded, cleaning his mouth.

Then he grabbed a roasted cassava, eating it with relish.

As daylight broke, there was no more need for the bonfire, so Yuta carefully covered it completely with mud. In the forest, one must use fire with great care; the people of Dalu would not trouble the forest.

While handling the mud, she said, "We're not far from 'Cursed Valley' now. From here, if we continue north, there is a narrow pass. The last time our people came here, they encountered many strange creatures. We need to be careful..."

"Mmm."

Su Lun listened and nodded.

He initially did not want Yuta to join the adventure, but she insisted.

She said, as the ancestors of her tribe would venture for the continuation of their people, she could too. Now that the tribe was facing its most perilous time, she intended to do something.

Su Lun had nothing more to say.

The people of Dalu had their beliefs, and Yuta had her convictions.

She was brave, persistent, kind, and sometimes naively so. Like that time at sea, she knew it might lead to her death yet she unhesitatingly came back to help.

Su Lun thought that was good.

The two packed up their temporary campsite and set off once again.

....

The entrance to the ancient Cursed Valley was about twenty kilometers north of Skeleton Burrows.

Walking cautiously, it took them almost half a day just to reach a cliff pass.

The ground suddenly split open, forming a large crack that extended far into the north, growing wider as it went.

Standing at the pass, their view was greatly limited; they could only vaguely see some blurred mountain silhouettes in the distance.

The winds were strong at the pass, and there were eagle nests on the cliff walls on both sides, occasionally filled with the soaring, distant calls of eagles echoing through the gorge.

Yuta pointed towards the fog-covered gorge ahead, her expression solemn, "Ahead lies the Cursed Valley. Our ancestors left messages saying that this mist can make one irritable. The magical beasts and monsters are also affected, making them extremely fierce. The deeper we go, the more dangerous it becomes."

"Mmm."

Su Lun looked at the fog ahead and assessed it.

[Necrotic Mist]

Details: A mist mixed with the negative emotions of the deceased, containing trace toxins; rich in necrotic energy; prolonged breathing can cause mental confusion, producing irritation, hallucinations, unconsciousness... and other negative conditions;

"Necrotic energy?"

Su Lun looked into the mist, speculating whether the ruins might be some sort of necrotic plane.

Since the mist was thin, with a bit of caution, it wasn't too dangerous. He gave Yuta a gas mask, and he also wore a plague doctor's mask himself.

Thinking it best to be cautious, Su Lun summoned a herald raven.

The raven, fond of such necrotic-rich gorges, cawed and flew down.

After waiting a while, seeing nothing dangerous through the raven's eyes,

Su Lun and Yuta then followed the cliffs, climbing down.

As they descended, he immediately realized why this place was called "Cursed Valley."

The wind howled through the valley, whistling and echoing by their ears. It sounded as though someone was cursing right beside them, causing an inexplicable irritability. But when he tried to listen closely, he couldn't make out anything specific.

Yuta, attuned to the force of nature, was clearly uncomfortable in such an environment rich in necrotic energy.

"Is this the 'Whisper of the Dead'?"

Su Lun listened, furrowing his brows slightly.

His spiritual power was very sensitive, and he immediately realized this was not merely the sound of the wind, but the whisper of the dead.

This voice wasn't actually heard by the ears, but rather an influence on spiritual power.

Could it be because of the great battle that previously took place here, where a large number of powerful beings died and their resentful spirits lingered?

Or could it be the cause of the ruins?

Su Lun speculated two possibilities in his mind, but he hadn't delved deeper, nor could he verify them.

Thinking about it, he opened his black umbrella, covering both himself and Yuta beside him.

The human-skin black umbrella could absorb substances related to undead spirits, and opening the umbrella was like setting up a barrier, immediately isolating the two of them from that voice.

Yuta's complexion improved significantly in an instant.

....

The canyon was formed by an earthquake hundreds of years ago, so a dense forest had already grown beneath it.

However, the trees here were generally grey and black, giving an utterly lifeless sensation whether it was the leaves or the trunks.

The fog would limit the perception of most normal people, but Su Lun's Soul Perception wasn't hindered at all. Even undead creatures had some sparse "soul bodies." Moreover, there were crows ahead to clear the vision; they weren't in much trouble handling the creatures in the canyon as long as they were careful.

The two gradually ventured deeper into the canyon, with the fog sometimes thick and sometimes thin.

They walked a long distance without encountering any danger.

However, this Cursed Valley had once caused a Dalu clan's exploration team to suffer heavy losses. It definitely wasn't so simple.

Even with Su Lun being extremely cautious, they inadvertently entered the territory of a "Face Rot Flower" monster.

To be precise, the monster's tentacles were buried underground and spread for miles, like a fishing net set across the canyon to trap prey. There was no avoiding it.

These roots had no soul, so Su Lun didn't sense them.

As soon as the two stepped into its hunting range, the tentacles came to life and wrapped around them tightly.

Luckily, Su Lun noticed there were no normal living beings around and had his guard up in advance. Furthermore, the monster's body wasn't very strong, only having the third-tier silver "weird" strength.

The "Phosphorous Fire Doll" burned fiercely in a large area, and the tentacles couldn't escape it easily, making them easy to kill.

It was a close call.

Su Lun also discovered that the environment here was very similar to that of Old Lington.

The "Face Rot Flower" had flesh and blood and characteristics of both animals and plants.

This wasn't a normal creature, nor was it a being from another dimension.

According to Old Lington's monster classification system, this was a "mutant creature."

It was a local species that mutated due to the inability to withstand the pollution of undead energy.

After this minor incident, Su Lun and his companion became even more cautious.

Later, they encountered several strong monsters but managed to avoid them.

Because they weren't traveling quickly, their progress through the canyon was slow. The day darkened unusually early in the canyon, so instead of risking travel at night, they found a rock cave to spend the night.

The next day, after the sunlight entered the canyon, they continued on their way.

By noon, they had finally discovered traces of the ruins.

....

The last time the Dalu clan came to Cursed Valley was decades ago. There were essentially no paths in the jungle, nor any specific routes to speak of.

The only identifiable features were a few major landmarks like "Winter Spring," "Dog Head Rock," "Red Pine Forest"...

Although Su Lun had strong perception, Yuta's observational skills far surpassed his in the jungle.

When the two walked into an area resembling a forest scorched by lightning, Yuta suddenly exclaimed, "Mr. Su Lun, look there!"

Su Lun walked over for a closer look and realized that the inconspicuous stone was actually a man-made carved pillar.

Due to the passage of time, the pillar was covered in green moss.

Su Lun also felt a surge of excitement, seeing the pillar meant they were very close to the ruins.

He examined the patterns on the pillar and uncertainly said, "This appears to be a worship totem of the giant clan. According to myth, the giants worshipped the earth, so mountain patterns are often seen on their totems."

Yuta nodded in agreement, "Yes! The elders in the tribe also say so."

Su Lun further examined around and found other pieces of man-made construction in the soil layer.

It was a large scale, looking like a collapsed temple.

The pair didn't linger long and continued forward.

It wasn't long before their path was blocked.

Initially thought to be a mountain, the fog cleared and Su Lun realized it was a high wall.

Even if it had collapsed, it was still a miraculous structure that could leave one speechless.

The city wall, only partially exposed above the soil, rose up to a hundred meters, constructed from huge white stone slabs as large as trucks. There were traces on the wall resembling cracks from an earthquake, and rubble scattered throughout the jungle.

The weather today was nice, and the sunlight suddenly flooded the canyon, significantly improving visibility.

Yuta's eyes sparkled slightly with excitement as she pointed to the city wall and exclaimed softly, "Mr. Su Lun, we've found it!"

Behind those walls was the turning point of the Dalu clan's decline.

To this day, they were unclear about what had happened there.

"Hmm."

Su Lun nodded without rashly climbing over the wall.

In his harvested memories, the Sacred Judgment army of the Emperor Luying's empire should have already reached the ruins.

He released a black crow, which flew over the wall.

Just then, as the wind blew and the mist dispersed, the crow's view broadened, allowing a prefect glimpse of the landscape behind the wall.

But this sight, it immediately shocked him with the shared vision!

"That is...!!!!"

Su Lun had thought the ancient ruins were merely a city of architectural debris, but he had never imagined that he would see a super giant tree behind the walls.

It was a massive tree that obscured the sky like a mountain!

It was an enormous gray elm tree, far beyond Su Lun's comprehension, the same species as those considered sacred by the Dalu clan.

However, the sizes of the two were vastly different.

Indeed, there was a massive relic behind the wall.

Tall stone columns, ruins of palaces, and uniquely styled colossal stone statues could be seen everywhere...

But all these architectural traces were atop the intertwined roots of the giant tree!

"How could this be?"

Su Lun's thoughts raced in his mind.

He immediately concluded that the giant tree must have grown after the ruins were established. Thus, the buildings seemed to be shattered and strewn over the trunk.

Yuta, noticing the strange expression on Su Lun's face, asked, "What's wrong, Mr. Su Lun?" Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire

Su Lun's expression was a bit complex as he replied, "I saw a giant tree…"

Upon hearing the description, Yuta was immediately shocked.

When the ancestors of the Dalu clan came previously, it was all misty, and they only discovered some traces of ruins and monsters before retreating; they had never seen the full extent of the ruins.

They had thought the ruins were on a mountain, but to think it was actually on a tree?

Suddenly, Yuta thought of something, her expression excited as she said, "I think, I might know what it is!"

"Oh?"

Su Lun listened and turned to look at her.

Yuta's eyes trembled with emotion, her voice complex, "That... that might be a lost Divine Art of our Dalu clan—'Tree Seal - God Burial'!"

"Divine Arts?"

Su Lun keenly caught that phrase, surprised, "You mean... this giant tree was transformed by Divine Arts?"

"No, not a Spell."

Yuta shook her head, correcting him, "'Burial God Ritual' could only be performed by a Druid of at least the eighth rank. But the power of Divine Arts is not something mortals can control; after overexerting it, the body irreversibly transforms into a tree. Therefore... that tree might be the Druid's transformed body!"

After pausing, as if she had guessed a tip of some ancient secrets, her voice trembled, "Such a massive seal must have been the combined effort of many top-tier Druids."

As Su Lun heard this, various clues emerged and connected together in his mind, and he seemed to understand why the last battle led to the annihilation of the Dalu clan's top warriors.

Was it because they performed this Divine Art and turned into trees?

However, at the same time, another question arose.

What terrifying thing lay within the ruins that required the entire clan's elites to seal it off with a Divine Art?

The "Source of Calamity" spoken of in the legends of the Nature God, what was it really?

....

The situation in the Cursed Valley ruins was evidently more complex than anticipated.

Faced with something he couldn't understand, Su Lun decided to seek help from outside.

He picked up the communication ring and contacted Mr. Jing.

Before coming to the Dalu clan, upon learning about the Cursed Valley Ruins, Mr. Jing seemed to have some speculations. He particularly entrusted her to confirm some information if she were to visit.

Seeing the situation now, Su Lun immediately contacted her.

"Senior Sister, I have a question I need to consult you on."

He briefly and concisely shared his findings.

Mr. Jing was meditating, and Su Lun thought he wouldn't be able to get a timely response.

Unexpectedly, it wasn't long before a rather grave voice came through the communicator, "Are you saying that the valley is thick with necromantic energy and there are high-tier aberrant monsters?"

"Yes."

As Su Lun spoke, he also shared the situation with the giant trees and their speculation.

Listening to the silence on the other end of the communicator, Mr. Jing seemed to fall into deep thought.

Thinking it over, he then asked, "Senior Sister, is there a planar passage beneath these ruins?"

After a long pause, a complex tone came from the communicator, "It's not that simple."

After a pause, Mr. Jing continued, "My father always wanted to trace the real reason behind the collapse of the Dawn Era civilization. Later he traveled around and found some scattered clues from some ancient ruins. He conjectured that there should be a 'God Burial Ground' near the ice fields of the northern continent, close to Silent Forest."

"God Burial Ground?"

Su Lun became interested.

His senior sister had encountered god-tier powerhouses and even killed one.

With her speaking in such a tone, it definitely was not as simple as ordinary gods.

"Yes."

Mr. Jing responded, "According to legend, the collapse of the Dawn Civilization was due to a war. Many top fighters from various planes besieged the Alchemy Civilization, causing a 'War of the Gods.' The details of which are unknown to later generations. My father couldn't find definite clues either. However, he deduced from the laws of fate that this tremendous battle indeed took place. Battles involving god-tier powerhouses are terrifying and can even cause planar ruptures. Our current missing plane laws are very likely a result of the catastrophe from that great battle."

"...."

Hearing this, Su Lun finally understood why his senior sister was so concerned about these ruins.

Ancient treasures were everywhere in this world; Mr. Jing herself had emerged from the Dawn City Ruins, so she naturally wasn't after some ruins' treasures.

At that moment, Mr. Jing added, "The fall of a god-tier powerhouse leads to a collapse on both material and law dimensions, which is extremely terrifying. Those chaotic high-tier laws, necromantic energies, dark energy...they burst out uncontrollably. To transcendental powerhouses, that might be an opportunity. But to mortals, it's essentially a disaster like a plague. The best way is to seal these forces. Once leaked, it's like the source of a calamity, which would be catastrophic for human civilization."

Is this how the necromantic energy of Cursed Valley originated?

With that explanation, everything seemed to make sense.

Had that deep-sea giant come to the ruins just to snatch the opportunities left by the fallen gods of the Dawn Era?

Su Lun suddenly understood why the Dalu clan's ancestors had sacrificed themselves to seal these ruins.

So that was it.

....

But then, another problem arose.

The Dalu clan might not covet the treasures in the ruins, but now it was Emperor Luying's people developing the ruins!

The greedy nobles could enslave humans; could they give up the ruins' treasures?

If Mr. Jing's guess about the "God Burial Ground" was right, wouldn't their actions be like playing with a nuclear bomb, dooming everyone?

Clearly Mr. Jing thought of this too.

Through the communicator, her solemn tone came through, "I will rush over as quickly as possible."

"Senior Sister, you're coming here?"

Su Lun knew that his senior sister was currently in a critical period of recovery and had mentioned that it would take another half a year or so to come out.

And now she was saying she would come?

"Yes."

From the communicator, Mr. Jing's decisive response came

Pausing for a moment, she said seriously, "Su Lun, as much as you are capable, try to stop those people from Emperor Luying's military from breaking the seal. I will be there in no more than three days."

"..."

Hearing this, Su Lun couldn't help but twitch.

The other side had a royal elite legion led by a sixth-tier commander.

You think so highly of your junior brother?

In a moment of astonishment, a concerned reminder came from the other side of the communicator, "Um...stay safe."