Surviving The Fourth Calamity

56: Chapter 56 Preparing for the Journey 56: Chapter 56 Preparing for the Journey Hill listened carefully to Fran’s detailed teaching inside the crystal ball.

He vaguely understood why Adrian said it was a completely opposite direction.

Although Hill studied civil engineering, he had a dual degree in geology.

Back then, he thought if he couldn’t get into graduate school for civil engineering, he would go to the geology department to study minerals.

So, he had studied mineralogy.

Years of habit made him instinctively want to research the electronic configuration of crystal ions.

Upon discovering that space crystals were made up of single elements and couldn’t be separated, he began studying crystal defects and valence changes.

To Hill, who had conducted years of experiments, the variability and complexity of single elements were not too difficult.

He felt confident he had summarized most of the laws of definite proportions.

But in this world, such systematic research did not yet exist.

Alchemists still approached crystals from the stones themselves.

Fran initially expanded the capacity of different-sized crystals, then compared them to summarize some rules.

After making enough of them, one could always discover how elements liked to combine or separate.

Hill always thought that most of what he’d learned lost its significance in the fantasy world.

But it wasn’t so; he retained not only the diligent study habits and stable mindset but also the systematic approach of modern science.

Hill recalled carefully that when learning alchemy, Melanie taught him directly and then threw a large amount of debris at him for experiments.

He was busy memorizing a vast amount of knowledge and directly compared, observed, and researched the fragments.

He had carefully studied and analyzed all the minerals he could get his hands on to determine their compositions.

At that time, he couldn’t use spiritual power to break down crystals into elements, but later, after obtaining crystals, he utilized some experimental equipment to crush the crystals and analyze their composition and properties.

Melanie had no objections to his behavior back then, so Hill considered it normal research.

Wasn’t it?

Hill recalled hazily.

Right, it was after he advanced to Magician rank that he could use spiritual power to crush crystals into elements, shifting from the macro to the micro level.

He was very pleased that his spiritual power was like a scanning tunneling microscope combined with a synchrotron radiation instrument and a mineral dissociation analyzer!

It could be done in a high-temperature, high-pressure laboratory!

The books Fran gave back then did not introduce this aspect, but Hill didn’t mind.

Wasn’t this fundamental?

Turns out it wasn’t!

They had merely summarized so many laws from the structural differences of crystals of various sizes!

Hill gulped and decided not to say anything.

After Fran learned this way of thinking, Hill couldn’t imagine how far he would go.

Hill carefully recalled specific contents of Earth’s geochemistry.

Although some were forgotten, he remembered most of it.

A strong spiritual power indeed allowed one to have a photographic memory.

He selected some topics he could discuss and waited for Fran’s arrival.

List appeared by his side: “Sir, I feel more powerful now!”

Hill turned to look at him: “How are the minerals in our warehouse classified?”

“By elemental category!” List said as a matter of course, “The mixed ones are also separated, from two-element to multi-element.”

“Has Uncle Adrian left yet?”

“He flew off right after finishing, in a hurry.”

Hill summoned List’s control crystal and transferred some mineralogical and elemental geochemistry theories he thought could be applied in this world: “Summarize it with your mind comparable to an AI.

Transfer it to Grandfather when he arrives.

If he gives you anything, just take it.”

“You don’t want to negotiate with Master Fran?”

“Grandfather won’t let me suffer losses.

But I really don’t want to discuss this directly with him.”

“Should I add some experimental geology content?”

“That would be fine.

Be mindful of your tone.”

“I will compare it with the alchemy literature.”

Hill sighed and continued researching Fran’s theories.

The thought process of traditional alchemy was what Hill lacked the most.

How did they summarise laws from a large amount of alchemical production?

Hill had no clue.

Fran could now expand the space of a book-sized crystal to be as large as Hill’s Magic Tower.

But only an alchemical golem could retrieve items from inside.

Humans couldn’t enter.

Hill, however, could enter.

But the air inside was thin.

Mages below a certain level would suffocate.

The space only expanded from 10*10 to 1000*100.

And it could only expand to this size, unable to merge into one.

Hill gritted his teeth and instructed List to move all the alchemy books to the laboratory.

He decided to read through them all over again.

Differing ways of thinking didn’t mean others were behind.

This was the accumulated experience of alchemist mages over tens of thousands of years.

If he couldn’t change himself, he would read others’ thoughts repeatedly to understand their ideas.

Hill could do it, seeking common ground while reserving differences.

Researching day and night without sleep or rest.

When the mountain of alchemical products manufactured traditionally grew, Hill finally saw a glimmer of hope.

Earlier, he had been too proud.

No wonder Fran and Adrian had no interest in the devices made with his previous life mindset.

It was just because Hill had only been learning alchemy for a short period; they had no intention of reprimanding him for making some toys.

Melanie, who liked alchemical jewelry, had also misled him.

The pinnacle of alchemy in this world was only weapons and protective items.

Like Fran’s Magic Tower, the airship revolved around protecting oneself and defeating enemies.

Hill had been too well-protected.

No wonder Adrian specifically said Hill’s life was long and there was no rush to become legendary.

Hill understood the hardships of life, but he could only understand them.

Growing up in a peaceful world, he couldn’t feel the struggle and bitterness of low-level mages clawing their way to higher ranks in this world.

He advanced to Magister too quickly.

Hill sighed slightly: He should venture out.

Hill stood in the warehouse with his hands on his hips while List stood beside him pointing things out: Fran had indeed been here.

Knowing that Hill was hiding in the lab, he could only reluctantly take the crystal ball List gave him and leave behind a pile of supplies with a wave of his hand.

Fran had given Hill a legendary golem in exchange for the knowledge Hill provided.

This terrifying weapon, costing a million crystal stones per use, stood silently in front of Hill.

Fran had considered Hill’s ability to summon a large number of tri-elements and had chosen a metal golem.

Unwilling to spend time on appearances, this golem looked very ordinary: Shining black-gold hair, a masked face, and simple swordsman’s attire made from the same material as the hair, also black-gold.

This was a legendary swordsman.

The metal ability gave it higher attack power, capable of shattering a legendary mage’s magic shield.

Very useful for Hill, who had strong defensive power.

After all, Hill was an earth magister who could defend, heal, control, and detoxify.

Hill knew, Fran providing such a legendary golem meant he thought Hill’s knowledge was worth that price, not to mention a large number of ordinary minerals and crystals.

List said, “Master Fran said you shouldn’t accept any students until you’re 200 years old.

If anyone wants to learn alchemy from you, refer them to him.”

Hill frowned, “What did you tell Grandfather?”

“I said that when Melanie taught you, she only provided a pile of debris; you analyzed everything yourself.

Even after you got complete stones, you still crushed them out of habit to study.”

“Why did you say that?”

“I spoke the truth!

Didn’t you discover she used her own scrap stones for making jewelry for you to use?”

Hill shook his head, “Don’t do that anymore.

After all, she did teach me.

Even if not seriously, I did receive her instruction.”

“Ah!

The personality you gave me is your mother’s!

She’d irrationally protect you like a tigress!”

“Shut up, List.

You’re male.”

“Yes, sir.

Master Fran thinks you stumbled upon something useful but without theoretical basis.

It’s best not to draw attention.”

“I understand.

I am not interested in taking students, either.

Finding students among earth mages would be too troublesome.”

“You no longer care about the earth element status at all!”

“Heh, it must be upsetting for those with elven bloodline ties to me, right?

If I become legendary and people research my life, they’ll be particularly interested in who gave me the Earth Bear bloodline.

Grandfather is of pure human bloodline.

The saying that Earth Bears love druids was spread by the elves themselves, wasn’t it?

People wouldn’t care about me until I become legendary.

As long as I thickened my skin, I feared nothing.”

“Alright, sir.

As long as you can convince yourself.”

“Fetch those materials for me!

I’m going to travel and need to make myself a good coach.” Hill handed List the list irritably.

“Yes, sir.”

Hill put the legendary golem into his ring and returned to the lab to wait for List.

It took Hill a year to build himself a highly protected puppet coach, almost like a moving micro magic tower.

The expanded space at the bottom of the coach was filled with elemental crystals.

Hill wasn’t worried about being robbed.

Not knowing the technique would lead to an explosion powerful enough to kill a legendary mage.

Currently, only a legendary mage or a player could rob him.

Either of them getting blown up would be worth celebrating.

Hill also mastered his magister spells with great proficiency.

He had heard Kexlote was finally established.

Reportedly, William merged the nearby border city under his control into the royal city.

Hill recalled and noted that the two cities were 200 kilometers apart.

This meant Kexlote now covered at least 10,000 square kilometers!

No wonder it took a year to build, despite many players.

Fran’s airship was completed, just delivered to William a few days ago.

Hill decided to start his journey from the new Royal Capital!

Of course, before that, he would visit Black Rose City to sell some miscellaneous goods.

To build this coach, Hill almost bankrupted himself.