The silence of Spirit Mountain's library was suffocating. The air was thick with the scent of aged parchment and the faint hum of spiritual energy flowing through the walls. Shelves upon shelves of ancient texts stretched into the shadows, their titles long forgotten by time. In this sacred place, alchemists and cultivators came to seek knowledge, wisdom, and power. Edil, however, wasn't here for the usual tomes of theory and history. His mind was consumed by a singular thought: revenge.
After the battle with Kael, Edil knew his path forward wasn't just through brute strength. He needed more—he needed to understand the deeper arts of cultivation and alchemy, and the secrets of the powerful sects that dominated this realm.
Mara had warned him about the dangers of greed when seeking power. But in this moment, standing among the dusty old books, he couldn't help but feel drawn to something far darker. A tingle of energy brushed his fingers as he reached for a hidden shelf at the back of the room. It was tucked away, out of sight from the other cultivators, its edges worn and faded. As his fingers brushed against it, a faint pulse of Qi surged from within the text. His heart raced.
"This one," Edil whispered, almost to himself. "This is it."
The scroll was heavy with centuries of power, an ancient artifact forgotten by time. As he unfurled it, the golden symbols glowed faintly in the dim light. His eyes widened as he read the first line: "The Forbidden Alchemist's Path."
The text was written in a language Edil had never encountered before. It was a blend of symbols and ancient alchemical runes, each line more complex than the last. His heart raced as he deciphered the meanings, his alchemical knowledge giving him the key to unlocking its secrets. But as he delved deeper into the scroll, a sense of unease washed over him. There were techniques here—powerful ones—that he knew were forbidden. Some even spoke of life transmutation, the manipulation of souls, and the creation of immortality.
Edil's hand shook as he turned the page. "This is... impossible," he muttered. He had heard rumors of such techniques, but to see them written in such detail, the alchemical formulas so precise—it was beyond his comprehension.
But as he continued, a name surfaced—The Eternal Flame. A technique said to grant alchemists the ability to bind their life force to the spiritual world, rendering them effectively immortal. The price was steep: it required the blood of those closest to the practitioner, the essence of life itself to fuel the ritual.
A dark smile crept onto Edil's lips. He had always known that power came at a price. But this? This was a price he was willing to pay.
"Maybe... maybe I'm not so different from them," he whispered, the words slipping from his lips before he could stop them.
But the moment the words left his mouth, a sudden jolt of energy surged through the scroll, sending a shockwave through his body. His vision blurred, and he staggered back, clutching his head as if something was trying to tear him apart from the inside.
"You have chosen poorly," a voice echoed in his mind, cold and ancient.
Edil's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to regain control. "No... I—I didn't choose yet!"
The voice laughed, hollow and cold. "You have already made the choice. The path of immortality is not for the faint of heart. And those who walk it... become something else entirely."
Edil dropped the scroll, his breath ragged, his pulse racing. The room seemed to close in around him. He felt the weight of the text pressing down on him, as if it were alive, aware of his presence.
"I have to get out of here," Edil muttered, backing away from the scroll. But as he turned to leave, he noticed something—another text on the shelf, a small leather‑bound book with a faint golden symbol embossed on its cover. The title read "The Lost Alchemist of Val".
His heart skipped a beat.
The book was tied to his family. He could feel it, a pulse of recognition deep in his bones. Without thinking, he reached for it. As soon as his fingers touched the cover, the air around him shimmered. A faint energy, familiar yet foreign, washed over him.
The voice returned, softer now. "You will need both paths, Edil Val."