It wasn't until the black curtain of night and the obnoxious blue moonlight had vanished for a long time that Alka and the others gathered in the living room again.
Everyone was looking at Alka, who stood in the center.
Alka had already gone to the Trial Tower and learned some of the information they were looking for.
"According to them, they have a guiding spell and accompanying incantations.
It's used to summon a gate leading to the alchemist's hidden place. It's said that his Libra is stored there.
It can only be summoned within a 50-kilometer radius of the twelve Trial Towers.
It's like using the power of the Trial Towers to activate it.
That's why the summoned gate is also called the Libra Gate."
Alka shared the information he had just inquired about with everyone.
"What are you waiting for? Come on, I can't wait any longer," Jason said eagerly from the side.
Hearing this, Alka nodded.
Then, standing still, he stretched his arms out, palms facing upward, slightly higher than his arms, until they were level with his head.
It looked like a balance scale.
Maintaining this position, Alka began to chant. He began to quietly manipulate his magic, revealing a long string of incantations before him. It was some extremely ancient and secret script.
But Lucelia clearly recognized it. She looked at the long incantations that appeared.
"Give and receive, receive and pay." It was probably similar to the motto of equal exchange, with gains and losses.
Then, the incantations glowed, and magic converged before them.
Vast white mist gathered before them, and then, within it, an ancient door appeared before them.
The door seemed forged from ancient bronze, its pattern unusually simple. A scale symbol centered between the double doors.
Aside from this, the door lacked any other decoration or information, aside from a touch of antiquity.
Alka exhaled softly as he gazed at the door. Then, he stepped forward, placed his hands on it, and pushed forward with force.
With a creaking sound, the door slowly slid open, revealing a passageway leading inside.
Alka then turned to look at the group.
Everyone followed Alka into the doorway.
They entered what seemed to be a closed hall of a stone building.
The most striking feature was a massive scale before them.
The base of the scale reached deep into the ground.
Two sides of a scale appeared on the ground.
And around them were exquisite murals.
Apart from that, the entire hall was empty.
Lucelia looked at the surrounding murals, more interested in them than anything else.
Alka was also observing.
The mural consisted of ten distinct scenes, seemingly connected. A cursory glance suggested it might depict the life of an alchemist.
The first mural began with a figure refining something, pouring herbs into a stone bowl and holding a stone rod. The materials looked simple.
The second mural transformed into an ethereal figure, scolding a large crowd. Among the crowd was the person from the first mural.
The third mural depicted meteors falling from the sky, with many people watching below. The meteors landed on the ground.
The fourth mural depicts numerous stars rising from the earth into the sky. Human figures can be seen among these stars, including the medicine pounder.
The fifth mural depicts the figure from the first mural, gazing at the sky as if lost in thought.
The sixth mural shows the medicine pounder teaching, with a large crowd below him. They are all dressed in simple linen clothing.
The seventh mural shows the medicine pounder discussing something with a group of people, who appear to be of the same level, judging by their clothing.
The eighth mural shows a figure wearing a black hood, conversing with the medicine pounder.
The ninth mural depicts a figure in armor, holding a sword and shield, waging war, presumably over a vast area.
The tenth and final mural shows the medicine pounder, suspended cross-legged in the air, radiating light. Behind him is a scale.
The entire mural formed a continuous line, a coherent story.
Everyone watched Lucelia interpret it.
Soon, she said, "If nothing unexpected happens, this man pounding the medicine is likely an alchemist, the so-called God of Alchemy, or the Equivalent Exchanger."
In other words, he was the leader of the Trial God and his circle.
"The first scene shows him pounding the medicine, perhaps learning alchemy," Lucelia said.
"I don't know what the second scene is about. There's no sign at all, but I see many symbols of gods.
Perhaps it's some kind of divine meeting?"
She said uncertainly.
Alka added, "The second scene shows the World Mother scolding the gods of the time. The third scene shows the gods being banished from the divine kingdom and descending into the mortal realm. The fourth scene shows some gods completing their trials and ascending back to the divine kingdom, including some mortals who have gained power."
Alka had witnessed these three connected scenes firsthand and had carefully studied them. So he began to help fill in the blanks. When he saw these three paintings, he had already figured it out.
After hearing Alka's explanation, not only Lucelia, but everyone else looked at Alka, as if wanting to know how he knew.
After all, compared to Lucelia, Alka was not the type to read.
"Your eyes?" Sofia asked.
While it might be different from what Sofia had imagined, the answer was similar. Alka nodded, but explained, "When I became a god, I saw history through my eyes."
Everyone understood this. Perhaps the history Alka saw was from the Golden Age.
However, he could only confirm these three episodes.
Lucelia nodded in understanding and continued, following Alka's words.
"Act 5 should be about the alchemist's realization of some kind of rule, perhaps one of equal exchange, or a willingness to accept it.
Anyway, it represents his realization, a significant one, that changes his behavior."
"Act 6 is about him preaching in the human world. Did you see those people? They're wearing the clothing of the earliest alchemists.
So they're not former gods, just ordinary mortals."
"Act 7 is interesting. Those he's talking to aren't his followers. If nothing goes wrong, they're probably the gods of the Ascension Society."
Arka, hearing the term "Ascension Society" again, looked at Lucelia with some surprise.
Sofia asked, "What is the Ascension Society?"
"It's the secret organization founded by the God of Alchemy. The God of Trials and the others are all members.
The purpose of this organization is to imbue the world with its will, to exist eternally within the world.
To make the rules change according to its will."
"I'm curious how you know this?" Alka asked.
"Haven't you seen it? The Great Library has precise records. The former Crystal Dragon King was also a member. He was just a peripheral member, mainly communicating with them. He wasn't a core member, and he wasn't planning to integrate himself into the rules."
Everyone shook their heads. They really hadn't read it. After all, the Great Library had so many books, how could they possibly read them all? They generally only looked at the books that were relevant and interesting to them.
I'm just too ignorant.
"But I can't see Act 8. It's probably important, but I don't know who he's talking to," Lucelia said. Alka added, "The one he was talking to is the Four-Part God, the same god worshipped by the Vastwa people."
"How do you know? I don't see any relevant symbols?" Lucelia asked.
"I've seen him in history, and the Wise One is a god created from one half of the Four-Part God.
The other half was spread to the human world, granting wisdom to all mortals. In short, that's how meditation came about."
Alka then dropped a bombshell.
Everyone looked at him in surprise. After a moment's thought, Alka continued, "Both the alchemist's equivalent exchange and the twelve Trial Towers are essentially the work of this Quarter-God.
You can actually attribute the source of the world's destruction to him.
He has been making preparations and repairs to atone for his mistakes.
This image shows him explaining to the alchemist how to integrate his will into the rules.
It accelerates the process of the Ascension Society integrating its will into the rules, at least until the world is destroyed.
It is precisely the integration of these rules, imbued with will, that has led to the completion of the final twelve Trial Towers."
While all of this can be considered part of the Quarter-God's work, it actually differs from the scenario he envisioned.
He had assumed that these things would have already been effective in preventing the world's destruction, but he didn't expect them to be of any use. Instead, they are now being used to protect the world and restore it. It could be considered a lucky break. After all, at that time, he no longer had the ability to see through secrets, and naturally, he couldn't foresee future changes.
Hearing Alka's words, everyone around him began to process the information he had said, somewhat dazed.
"So Act 9 is actually the war started by the God of War, and Act 10 is the alchemist becoming the first to integrate his will into the rules."
Alka simply finished explaining what was on the mural.
Everyone had roughly digested some of the information. As for any questions they had, they would naturally discuss them later. There were more important matters at hand.
Following Alka, they arrived at the base of the giant scale.
"How do we use this thing?" Jason asked.
"Just use it directly, but first, we need to figure out who will use it."
He waved his hand, and in his hand, a red triangular gem had appeared out of nowhere.
A crown-level treasure.
That's right.
Now, everyone except Alka is eligible to use this treasure in exchange for something more suitable for them.
So who should be the one to do it?
Seeing everyone's expressions, Alka said, "Don't try to be polite here. Let's just let luck decide."
As he spoke, a silver snake, representing luck, appeared in his hand.
He then reached out and grabbed everyone.
Although no one noticed anything,
"Did you steal anything from us?" Julia asked Alka, puzzled.
"What do you mean? I took it."
Alka emphasized, then explained, "I took a little bit of your luck from each of you."
Then, Alka opened his hand, and invisible luck wrapped around the lucky silver snake.
"Now, this silver snake, representing luck, is wrapped with each of your luck, and everyone's luck remains equal."
Then he looked at the silver snake in his hand and pondered.
The silver snake transformed into an eight-sided dice in his hand.
Each side bore a portrait of each person.
"Now it all depends on who gets the heads up. The person with the heads up gets to use it."
After saying this, he looked at the crowd.
Everyone thought about it and nodded, agreeing that it was meaningless and indeed fair, leaving everything to luck.
"Then let luck cast its own vote."
With this, Alka swung the dice forward, and it remained fixed in the air.
Luck exploded beneath the dice, propelling it upwards.
He threw the dice into the air.
This time, everything was left to luck. Alka didn't use his power to influence the dice's rotation, nor did he even use his own strength to cast it.
Instead, he let luck spin on its own.
Everything was left to the boundless fate of fate.
The moment the dice rolled, everyone present felt the pull it brought.
That boundless connection.
They all felt it.
With a crisp sound, the dice rolled across the floor in front of them.
Until it slowly came to a stop.
The portrait revealed on it was Lucelia.
"Ah? Me?" Lucelia asked, a little surprised.
Then, somewhat uncomfortably, she said, "But I just mastered a scepter-level artifact yesterday."
Alka looked at her and smiled, saying, "But that doesn't prevent you from mastering a crown-level artifact today, does it?
It's just a little more troublesome. Don't refuse the favor of Lady Luck. This is a rare opportunity. Perhaps this time you'll obtain something perfectly suited to you."
Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.
Yesterday, she mastered a scepter that perfectly suited her, and today, she had the opportunity to master a crown. This meant that luck was allowing Lucelia to master the perfect artifact today and begin her journey to godhood.
She shouldn't refuse.
Looking at everyone's gaze, Lucelia took a deep breath, nodded, and stepped forward, accepting the triangular gem from Alka's smiling face.
"What should I do now?"
Hearing this, Alka said, "Place the red gem on any side of the scale. Remember, place it on any side, and follow your first thought."
Lucelia nodded and walked to the right, placing the red gem on it.
"Now stand in the center of the scale and perform the actions I just performed. Recite the words I just recited, and use your magic to recreate the words I just revealed.
The ritual for opening the gate of the scale is the ritual for using the scale."
Lucelia nodded after hearing this.
He took a deep breath and assumed the previous position.
He chanted a spell, and the words it formed appeared before him, forming a long string.
As the spell manifested, the scale seemed to be activated.
A ball of invisible light appeared on the other pan of the scale.
The triangular gem on the other side was also enveloped in the glow.
…
Above the world.
What did the gods sense?
They cast their gazes everywhere.
But the problem was, they couldn't find where the hidden object had flown to.
Only the Mother.
Her figure appeared within her own building, gazing at the enormous nursery.
As if sensing something, a bright smile spread across her face.
And it wasn't just her.
All the gods protecting the world smiled, for this meant something important had found its master.
"Chaos will once again vanish, and order will once again grow," the Mother murmured.
This is a good thing for the world and for them.
And at this moment.
In the midst of the scales.
Lucille finished her gesture and looked toward the ball of light on her left.
The ball of light dispersed.
The object at its center was revealed.
It was a spherical gem.
Within the round gem, one black and one white shifted, alternating between them.
Then it instantly transformed into a ball of radiant light, plunging directly into Lucelia's body without waiting for her to control it.
This divine essence didn't even seem to need Lucelia to attempt to grasp it; it was eager to be mastered.
"Huh?"
Watching this, Alka was incredibly puzzled.
Is it really that compatible? Is there a need for such impatience?
Are you a crown-level divine essence?
It seemed as if a little slower wouldn't allow you to master it.
He was deeply puzzled.
But the moment the treasure slammed into her, Lucelia closed her eyes and gently floated into the air.
She was already beginning to grasp the treasure.
"It seems... it's truly something extraordinary."
Sofia said, watching Lucilia floating in the air.
The others also watched intently.
So...
What exactly was this treasure?