Chapter 58: Are You Sure?
By the Silver Moon Lake, the afternoon heat was scorching, but once here, the moonlight-like cool moisture rendered the blazing heat powerless.
Su Xiao sat on a large rock by the lakeshore, gazing into the distance. It felt as if an old friend he hadn’t seen in ages lived on the island at the lake’s center.
Looking far off, with his eyesight, Su Xiao could see a cyan-silver stele standing on the lake island. The inscriptions on it were unclear, and several broad and narrow moonlight greatswords were planted before the giant stele.
Suddenly, a shadow fell from above. Su Xiao looked up to see a celestial body faintly visible behind the clouds. It was one of the five secondary stars orbiting Arcane Eternal Star on its central trajectory—the "Lighthouse Star."
Among these five secondary stars, the most important to Arcane Eternal Star were "Seran Star" and "Lush Land." The former housed over thirty large cities with a dense population—essentially a scaled-down version of Arcane Eternal Star. The latter was a resource star seized by force, producing over ninety percent of the plant-based supernatural resources on Arcane Eternal Star, a medium-sized planet named "Lush Land."
Looking up from the lakeshore each afternoon, one could see the verdant hue of "Lush Land," a testament to how close it was to Arcane Eternal Star.
"Many years ago, a pack of wolves lived on that lake island."
Seraphilia’s voice came from behind.
"Oh? A pack of wolves?"
Su Xiao remained seated cross-legged on the rock, turning his head to look at Seraphilia. She wore a gold-white mage robe. For some reason, she often kept her hood up, casting the upper half of her face in shadow, faintly visible.
"A clan known as the Moon Wolves. They were the strongest known Abyss monitors. Unfortunately, they chose extinction."
At this, Seraphilia’s gaze turned colder than usual, but she shifted the topic, as if making casual conversation: "Holy Flame, I heard you know the last Law Destroyer?"
"Yes."
"Do you know his whereabouts?"
As she spoke, Seraphilia’s pupils began to faintly gleam with a dawn-gold hue.
"That, I’m not sure. He’s one of my old clients, but our interactions are limited to potion sales. What, do you have a deep personal grudge against him?"
"Yes."
"Then there’s no rush. Enemies always meet eventually—it’s just a matter of time."
With that, Su Xiao stepped down from the slope behind the rock and headed toward the lakeside dormitory. His words, "no rush," carried a meaning Seraphilia could never grasp: *Don’t rush. Once my strength reaches the top tier of the ninth rank, you’ll be the first I come to kill.*
Back in the third-floor room of the lakeside dormitory, as Seraphilia entered, a figure lunged at her. The space around her flickered, and the charging figure slammed into the doorframe.
"Master, save me!"
Green Vee, tears and snot streaming, lunged to embrace her master again. Seeing Green Vee crying so messily, Seraphilia’s eye visibly twitched. Her stern gaze seemed to say that if Green Vee dared to hug her, she’d teleport her to the lake bottom for a thorough rinse.
Green Vee immediately stopped her antics. With a mix of grief and a sobbing tone, she said, "Master, I really can’t learn alchemy anymore. I don’t want to study it. My brain is protesting."
Hearing this, Seraphilia frowned slightly and turned her gaze to Su Xiao, a questioning look in her eyes.
"The basics went smoothly, but Green seems uninterested in alchemy. Even if she’s a rare alchemy prodigy, forcing it isn’t right."
Su Xiao sat on a single sofa, his tone carrying a hint of regret. Hearing this, Green Vee almost blurted out, *Mr. Holy Flame, I shouldn’t have secretly cursed you. You’re so kind.*
But Green Vee was still too young. To Seraphilia, Su Xiao’s words meant something else: *Green is an unparalleled genius in alchemy, incredibly talented, and quick to learn. But this child doesn’t like studying.*
Understanding the implication, Seraphilia looked at Green Vee with a faint "smile," making her shiver suddenly.
"If you really don’t like alchemy, then forget it."
"No, no! I love alchemy! I want to keep learning!"
Green Vee spoke with "joy," tears welling in her eyes. Seeing this, Seraphilia’s smile faded, and she turned her gaze to the study.
Noticing this, Green Vee reluctantly walked to the study and closed the door herself. Suddenly, she opened it and stuck her head out, saying, "Master, are you two going to the Soul Forest later? I haven’t had Spirit Spring in a long time. It boosts memory..."
"You can come along."
"Master, you’re the best."
Finally getting a chance to go out, Green Vee’s mood lifted, and her reading of the alchemy introductory book became smoother.
In the living room, Seraphilia raised her hand, and magical energy sealed the study door, cutting off all sound and aura.
"Holy Flame, since you think so highly of Green’s talent, you surely don’t want her to die in a few years."
"Speak plainly."
"Fine. Green’s birth... is special, different from ordinary people. The bigger problem is her cells. They’re too strong, so strong that they constantly drain her life..."
After Seraphilia’s rough explanation, Su Xiao understood Green Vee’s situation. Though Seraphilia didn’t say whose cells were used to artificially cultivate Green Vee, Su Xiao had long guessed it was the female Law Destroyer, Green Gillian’s cells.
When Green Vee was a few years old, Seraphilia discovered the problem. Using her connections and resources, she quickly found a solution: a rare secret potion called [Enlightenment]. Drinking it could massively replenish the upper limit of life force, not just fill it.
To compare Green Vee’s situation: if her lifespan were health points, it wouldn’t be 5100. Instead, it would drop to 55 over time, still appearing full. But this was a reduction in the upper limit of life force, not a loss. A reduced upper limit was far more terrifying than simple life force depletion.
The [Enlightenment] secret potion Seraphilia found was created by alchemists of the Second Era for prophets, a high-grade potion.
As everyone knew, prophets in their later stages had abilities that defied logic, even predicting the trends of an era. But each prediction came at a terrible cost, like a massive reduction in lifespan upper limit. This couldn’t be fixed with longevity elixirs—once the upper limit dropped, replenishing was useless.
Now, this potion, specifically created for prophets, became Green Vee’s lifeline. When she was a few years old, Seraphilia found the [Enlightenment] recipe and, after investing massive resources, gathered the required materials.
The key problem: who to ask to brew it? After obtaining the recipe, Seraphilia repeatedly contacted Tree Sage. Eventually, with materials ready, she personally went to the Mist Fire Forest where Tree Sage resided.
When they met, Seraphilia showed Tree Sage the recipe. Both looked at each other in confusion. Tree Sage’s expression asked, *What do you want?* Seraphilia’s expression asked, *At least give me an attitude?*
Given Seraphilia’s status, Tree Sage was tactful: "Thank you for thinking so highly of me. Goodbye, no need to see me out."
It took Seraphilia less than a year to find the recipe and gather materials, then she got stuck at this step.
That’s why Seraphilia was so eager to recruit Holy Flame Alchemist, and why the other three factions didn’t interfere. Frost Wind King, Ancient Ya Dean, and Soul Lord all knew that meddling would completely enrage Seraphilia.
Su Xiao took the secret potion recipe Seraphilia handed him. The fine, tough texture told him it was made from Dragon Eye Whale skin. Ignoring the content, the recipe itself was a treasure.
Su Xiao examined the recipe, frowning deeper as he read. Finally, he placed it on the table. Across from him, Seraphilia seemed calm, but inside, she couldn’t hide her dejection.
From the attitudes of older alchemists, it was clear how outstanding Holy Flame was in alchemy. If even Holy Flame Alchemist had no confidence in brewing [Enlightenment], then no one else could.
"Is there really no hope?"
Seraphilia spoke softly.
"What?"
Su Xiao looked at her suspiciously.
"Your expression just now clearly said..."
Before she could finish, Su Xiao said, "Oh, I meant that brewing this potion is very difficult, so I’ll need to charge more."
"?"
Seraphilia looked Su Xiao up and down, took a deep breath, and decided to pretend nothing happened.
"Also, the alchemy I know isn’t from the same lineage as this recipe. Though the core content is the same, the specific steps differ. It’s like running versus flying—both reach the destination. Does that make sense?"
"I understand."
Seraphilia’s expression remained normal, but her heart felt inexplicably stifled. She felt his last sentence subtly insulted her comprehension.
Sensing her displeasure, Su Xiao began explaining the principles of the [Enlightenment] recipe using highly professional alchemy terminology—so professional that even Tree Sage would get confused if he lost focus for a moment.
By the end, Seraphilia’s gaze was a bit dazed. Seeing this, Su Xiao asked, "Does this explanation make sense, Lady Seraphilia?"
"Ahem... roughly, I understand."
After speaking, Seraphilia quickly changed the subject: "Holy Flame, if you use your method to brew the potion, what changes in materials are needed?"
"The core materials don’t change much. The main issue is compressing the soul source matter and life condensate when brewing [Enlightenment]. This requires a very high-intensity energy to provide sufficient resonant pressure. There are two options: Abyss or Sun. Use one of these energies as the source of resonant pressure. Arcane Eternal Star is your territory—both energies are dangerous. You choose."
Hearing this, Seraphilia’s gaze turned dangerous. She asked, "Abyss? Abyss energy isn’t easy to obtain..."
"Find a world with a ‘hole.’ Entering such a world, you’ll have no shortage of Abyss energy."
"Holy Flame, let’s stop this topic. Let’s go with Sun. Use solar energy as the pressure source."
Seraphilia’s tone was firm, even unyielding. Clearly, Abyss energy was taboo for Arcane Eternal Star.
Noticing this, Su Xiao confirmed a previous suspicion: whether Arcane Eternal Star was coveting Abyss energy to gain power. Now, it seemed almost certain. These spellcasters, who devoured elemental power, coveting Abyss energy wasn’t surprising.
"Are you sure you want to use solar energy? It’s not corrosive, but its intensity is too high. A slight mistake could cause an explosion. As far as I know, aside from the Sun God Clan, most civilizations use solar energy as an explosive."
Finally, Su Xiao directly linked solar energy to explosives. It couldn’t be helped—to trick Seraphilia into the trap, he had to do this.
"Though Abyss energy’s corrosion is terrifying, at least it won’t explode. Personally, I’d prefer you get Abyss energy. At least I won’t worry about being blown up."
By the end, Su Xiao was practically refusing outright.
"Holy Flame, this isn’t negotiable. Or, should we use another high-intensity energy besides Abyss or Sun?"
"..."
Su Xiao didn’t speak, but his meaning was clear: if it were possible, he’d have said so.
"Using solar energy has risks. I’ll need to charge more. I have a friend who often uses this energy to make high-power explosives."
The "friend" Su Xiao mentioned was himself. He deliberately brought it up.
Earlier in the Treeborn World, he had detonated the Sun Holy Sword. The Crow Woman was present, so Arcane Eternal Star likely knew about the Sun Holy Sword.
The more they knew, the more they’d suspect. So Su Xiao had to proactively mention it. The reason: the decision to use solar energy wasn’t his—it was Seraphilia’s. From start to finish, his attitude was that he wanted to decline, but she was offering too much.
Su Xiao looked at Seraphilia across from him. His expression clearly showed reluctance to take the commission. Finally, he grabbed a piece of paper and began writing a material list:
Sun Fragment (7300–7400 grams).
Source-less Spring (1.2 liters).
Flame Flow Crystal Block (16,000 grams).
Life Aggregate Substance N (270 grams).
Fire Gold (812 kilograms).
Stardust Powder (1.82–1.85 grams).
Soul Crystal (Large) × 670–700 pieces.
Soul Source Matter (120 grams).
Life Condensate·Liquid (3.5 liters).
Sunlight Amplifier (1–2 portions, high quality required).
High-Pressure Purification Substance (200–230 kilograms)...
Did this list look familiar? Of course it did. Highlight the key points: Sun Fragment + Flame Flow Crystal Block + Fire Gold + Soul Crystal (Large) = Blazing Sun’s Wrath·Apollo.
But these materials were separated by other items, not directly connected. Using these to gather solar energy—any alchemy master or craftsman would find no fault. In fact, they’d give a thumbs up, saying this method of gathering solar energy was highly efficient.
Before coming, Su Xiao had considered making Blazing Sun’s Wrath·Apollo but decided against it. Given the alert level on Arcane Eternal Star, the moment he took out such a high-power explosive from his storage space, he’d likely be locked onto and captured by incoming spellcasters.
Originally, Su Xiao planned to give up on using Blazing Sun’s Wrath·Apollo this time. But Seraphilia really gave him an opportunity.
Since bringing a pre-made one was dangerous, he’d make it on Arcane Eternal Star, right in front of the spellcasters. Seraphilia repeatedly insisted he use solar energy to compress the "soul source matter" and "life condensate" with resonant kinetic energy. He refused multiple times, saying solar energy was dangerous, but Seraphilia wouldn’t budge—she insisted on solar energy.
Moreover, Su Xiao emphasized multiple times that solar energy was a high-grade energy with explosion risks. To use it for resonant compression, it must first be pressurized, like forming it into a sphere or soaking it in a solution. Don’t worry—this was standard procedure. Holy Flame Alchemist guaranteed, on his reputation, that this wouldn’t explode, with Seraphilia as the guarantor.
Su Xiao handed the list to Seraphilia, saying, "The soul source matter must be pure enough. It directly affects the potion’s final quality."
"Mm. I’ll have it prepared. It won’t take longer than tomorrow morning." Seraphilia stood up and continued, "Holy Flame, let’s go."
As she spoke, she lifted the seal on the study. Green Vee immediately opened the door and happily said, "Are we leaving?"
As they exited the lakeside dormitory, Su Xiao saw three magical energy guards waiting ahead. Their heights varied greatly. One, holding an ice-element long-handled warhammer, was the tallest, nearly four meters tall, clad in form-fitting armor. Its eyes, under the thick helmet, glowed blue-white, like an ice bear in winter.
The other two were about one and a half meters tall, with slender figures, each carrying a curved long blade nearly as tall as themselves.
These magical energy guards were modified by the "Soul Faction" and "Magical Energy Faction," possessing formidable combat power. The best among them could reach the top tier of the ninth rank, showing how powerful the garrison stationed on Arcane Eternal Star was.
But in Su Xiao’s view, though these guards were strong, their magical energy endurance was likely imperfect. Otherwise, Arcane Eternal Star would have sent them to kill him earlier. Considering they were a garrison force, the endurance issue wasn’t a big problem.
The tall magical energy guard, called Ice Dog, stood imposingly beside Seraphilia. It was one of her "weapons." The other two, the Silver Sisters, were custom-made "weapons" for Green Vee.
Besides these three guards, a pair of Feather Clan siblings were also waiting. The sister wore a dark purple feather robe, her light red eyes adding a touch of charm to her beautiful face. Such looks—truly befitting the Feather Clan.
This Feather Clan woman was named Yao Yi, one of the most promising young members of the Feather Clan. Many favored her in the upcoming young generation combat competition.
Her brother was a youth with spiky hair, wearing a white feather robe, named Yu Li. As a standout among the younger generation, Yu Li couldn’t help but be proud. But facing Mage Sage Seraphilia, Holy Flame Alchemist, and Green Vee—who had once beaten him half to death—he had to restrain his usual arrogance.
Even so, Su Xiao could still see Yu Li’s pride. He noticed the Feather Clan youth’s expression resembled that of Donkey Brother·Os·Guin from the World of Paintings—the God King’s brother, Donkey Arrogant. Especially when Yu Li unconsciously lifted his chin, the resemblance was uncanny.
When everyone was assembled, space fluctuated, and the next moment, Su Xiao arrived at a rail station. Looking into the distance, he could see the [Elemental Superconductivity Tower] towering into the clouds—the Supreme Being’s domain.
Mastering high-level spatial abilities was incredibly convenient. Su Xiao decided that when he returned, he’d have Baha allocate more resources to the "Demon Hawk Domain" ability, to prevent Seraphilia from escaping with spatial abilities when he dealt with her later.
Here, spatial abilities couldn’t be used freely. They had to take the rail train, following a semicircular route far from the [Elemental Superconductivity Tower]. Approaching within dozens of kilometers of it was generally forbidden.
The carriage was empty except for them. Su Xiao looked at the Feather Clan siblings. The sister, Yao Yi, gave a polite smile.
"I’m Green. What’s your name?"
Green Vee grinned at Yao Yi. Her brother, Yu Li, opened his mouth to retort but, noticing Green Vee’s increasingly fierce gaze, turned away resentfully.
"Talk to me. If you don’t, I’ll beat up your brother."
Green Vee laughed happily. Yao Yi’s expression grew uneasy. She wanted to say something but didn’t know what.
Green Vee’s behavior wasn’t deliberate—it was purely instinct.
"You’re really pretty. You still haven’t told me your name."
"Yao Yi..."
"Oh~ In the Feather Clan language, Yao Yi means purple light?"
Green Vee laughed even more happily. After all, she was cultivated from Green Gillian’s cells, so this was normal.
"Ahem."
Seraphilia coughed lightly, silencing Green Vee.
Soon, Green Vee started making faces at Yao Yi again. Minutes later, she was tied up and sitting in the "VIP seat" on the train roof, with Ice Dog standing guard over her.
When the train stopped, Su Xiao stepped off and saw a towering semi-transparent mist wall ahead, faint light flowing across its surface.
Below the mist wall was an entrance over ten meters high, heavily guarded by magical energy guards.
With Seraphilia’s lead and multiple proofs, they passed through smoothly, arriving at a flat grassland.
Following a winding gravel path, after half an hour, they reached a stone bridge.
The bridge was gray-white, ancient beyond measure, about five meters wide, with no railings. Its length stretched beyond sight.
Walking onto the bridge, a hundred meters below, black river water surged—the "Dark Ring River." The river was several kilometers wide, with nothing hovering above it. Not a bird, not even a tiny insect. No flight method could cross this river.
Advancing along the seemingly endless "Rock Bridge," Su Xiao sensed new danger with every step. Below, in the black waters of the Dark Ring River, a "Magical Energy Tower" was stationed every few meters.
Such defense was expected. On the other side of the Rock Bridge lay the "Black Maple Courtyard," "Soul Forest," and "Elemental Wetlands"—each a vital secret realm for Arcane Eternal Star.
They continued until the setting sun bled red on the horizon, finally reaching the end of the Rock Bridge. Lush, natural scenery unfolded before them. Continuing forward, they saw a cyan-blue glow from afar. Entering it, they were awed by the sight.
Soul trees’ branches hung down like tentacles, glowing with cyan-blue light. Being here made one’s soul energy feel more active.
"This is... the Soul Forest?"
Though Yu Li was proud, the stunning scenery and the forest’s effect on the soul left him in awe.
As they admired the view, they reached the Soul Forest’s center. A spring well stood there, crystal water overflowing, flowing through shallow channels to the surrounding soul trees.
Near the Soul Well, several female spellcasters waited—Seraphilia’s disciples. After Yao Yi and Yu Li drank the Spirit Spring water with cupped hands until dizzy, Seraphilia’s disciples, along with Ice Dog and the Silver Sisters, escorted the Feather Clan siblings back the way they came.
Su Xiao stopped before the Soul Well, cupped some spring water, and drank slowly, showing "surprise." In reality, his soul strength didn’t increase by even 1 point. With 650 soul strength, improving it wasn’t easy without using his talent.
"This spring is nice."
Su Xiao examined the Soul Well. With his rich experience in... acquiring resources, he knew there must be a source inside. If he ever fought Arcane Eternal Star and reached this place, he’d take it.
Seraphilia had no idea that Su Xiao’s praise of the spring was actually him planning how to dismantle it and take the source. If she knew, she’d have her magical energy at full power.
"Holy Flame, there’s a small issue at the Black Maple Courtyard. How about Green Vee escorts you back first?"
As she spoke, Seraphilia glanced at Green Vee.
"Master, I sprained my ankle on the way here, and now my head hurts. Walking the Rock Bridge is dangerous."
Green Vee understood the situation, but her playful nature made her say things that invited a beating.
"Then come along. Holy Flame, I’ll be blunt: you can’t approach within a hundred meters of the Black Maple Tree."
"Mm."
With Su Xiao’s clear agreement, Seraphilia walked deeper into the Soul Forest. Exiting it, they passed through a stone forest and saw a historic manor wall ahead, built of black stone, thick and sturdy.
After passing through layers of guards, Su Xiao reached the Black Maple Courtyard’s main gate. Inside, the courtyard was open, with no buildings. Everything centered on the Black Maple Tree in the middle. It was lush, at least 24–25 meters tall.
Unlike Su Xiao’s Black Maple Tree, this one was lively. Around it, on the soft soil, grew single-stemmed flowers, with bees buzzing around them.
"Are these all the Black Maple Tree’s symbiotic organisms?"
Su Xiao asked. Seraphilia didn’t hide their origins. After all, Black Maple Trees were rare—knowing about these organisms was useless to others.
Around the Black Maple Tree, there were three insect-type symbiotic organisms: a cocoon worm, a tree ant, and a bee with black head and wings and a dark gold abdomen.
These three organisms had a delicate relationship with each other and the Black Maple Tree. The cocoon worms fed on old leaves, not liking tender ones.
After their larval stage, they spun cocoons like silkworms. These cocoon threads were invaluable—all top-quality mage robes on Arcane Eternal Star were woven from these threads, combined with other materials, through multiple steps. The magical conductivity of these threads was unmatched, over a hundred times better than other silk or cotton materials.
Though cocoon worms were rare outside, here in the Black Maple Courtyard, raised on Black Maple leaves, they were extremely precious.
Each time they harvested cocoon silk, they took only half, leaving the rest for the worms to emerge.
When the worms emerged and landed, they entered adulthood, burrowing into the soil.
Then, the second symbiotic organism, the tree ants, came into play. They usually fed on Black Maple resin and were aggressive, driving away any foreign insects or creatures from their tree.
Moreover, if the Black Maple Tree had internal abnormalities, they would bravely burrow in to remove the abnormal tissue, even if it meant dying.
These tree ants sometimes found burrowing cocoon worms and injected a special enzyme. Strangely, this enzyme contained tiny plant seeds.
Afterward, the ants would build an underground nest around the injected cocoon worm. Soon, the worm, under the enzyme and seeds’ influence, would plantify and sprout, breaking through the soil as a single-stemmed flower.
The ants would lay their eggs on the flower’s roots. As a colony without a queen, they were fierce and had decent reproduction.
The ant eggs, when laid, would carry the flower’s tiny seeds. When the ants grew, their enzymes naturally contained the seeds.
When the flower bloomed, the third symbiotic organism appeared: the queen bees. They collected the flower’s nectar to make honey, called Maple Honey.
This honey, even drunk directly, could heal internal injuries and hidden ailments. It was especially popular among female powerhouses for its beauty and skin-nourishing effects. It was so effective that drinking it with warm water at night would show visible skin improvement by morning. Combined with its rarity, it was extremely expensive.
From cocoon worms to tree ants, to single-stemmed flowers, to queen bees—this symbiotic circle wasn’t a complete ecosystem but a chain maximizing output.
After a while, Seraphilia emerged from the Black Maple Courtyard, holding a black crystal box, which she handed to Su Xiao.
Opening it, Su Xiao found over a dozen Black Maple Tree branches, bundled cocoon silk, and several tree ants sealed in glass vials.
From start to finish, Su Xiao never got within a hundred meters of the Black Maple Tree, nor entered the barrier surrounding it.
"So, I’ve seen the Black Maple Tree."
Su Xiao turned and walked toward the Rock Bridge. He made no suspicious moves, as if he had only come to collect Black Maple Tree yields and see one of the three rare trees in the void.
As he walked, the Black Maple Courtyard grew farther behind him: ten meters, twenty, fifty, a hundred, five hundred.
At a considerable distance, everything was fine. Su Xiao was about to leave—the moment when defenses were most likely to relax.
As he walked, the pressure on his right heel increased slightly. A black tentacle, hidden in his shoe sole, sank into the soil, silent and without any fluctuation, as if nothing had happened.