Nightwatcher

# 341. Life Alchemy

The rest of the members of the Heaven and Earth Clique were just as astonished as Li Miaozhen. Even the former scholar-gentleman Chu Yuanzhen, looked visibly stunned, his expression frozen in disbelief.

*Xu Ningyan is supposed to be the Jianzheng’s pawn, but that’s meant to be a closely guarded secret. The Arcanists of the Sitianjian shouldn’t have known such confidential information. This meant that the overwhelming respect the alchemists had for Xu Ningyan stemmed from his own merits?*

*What is this “Blue Book”? Judging from their words, Xu Ningyan’s alchemical prowess seemed to surpass even that of Song Qing. At the very least, the alchemists didn’t display this kind of humble and eager attitude toward Song Qing…* Chu Yuanzhen felt he had grasped a critical clue but found himself unable to accept the conclusion.

Number Six Hengyuan already knew that Xu Ningyan was on excellent terms with the Sitianjian—close enough to even convince Yang Qianhuan to help treat that pitiable child. But he hadn’t expected Xu Ningyan’s influence to be this vast.

This wasn’t mere friendship; this was reverence, where the alchemists appeared to come and go at his beck and call.

Even Susu was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Xu Qi'an as he stood surrounded by the white-robed alchemists. Just moments ago, upon hearing from Zhong Li about how much Song Qing cherished his creations, she had been utterly disheartened, thinking this visit to the Sitianjian would end in disappointment.

Xu Ningyan, despite his close ties to the Sitianjian, might not be able to sway Song Qing, who was so unyielding that he didn’t even spare face for his fellow disciples. There was no guarantee Song Qing would give him any special treatment.

Yet, contrary to her expectations, Song Qing and the alchemists displayed fervent enthusiasm toward Xu Ningyan, reminiscent of the reaction of some stinky men when they caught sight of her.

Xu Qi'an raised a hand, and the alchemists immediately quieted down. Clearing his throat, he announced, “There’s no update on the Blue Book for now, but I promise all of you that it will be delivered before the year’s end. I’ll also make an effort to visit the Alchemy Chamber more frequently to discuss alchemical theories with everyone.”

“Wonderful!”

The white-robed Arcanists cheered, their faces alight with joy.

Once the room calmed again, Xu Qi'an turned to Song Qing and asked, “Brother Song, about your creation…”

Susu immediately shifted her gaze to Song Qing, nervously clenching her fists.

Li Miaozhen also glanced at him, her eyes filled with expectation.

Puffing out his chest, Song Qing laughed heartily, “Ever since I completed this creation, my biggest regret was not being able to receive Master Xu’s evaluation and guidance. Today, that regret will finally be resolved.”

*So… humble?*

While Susu let out a sigh of relief, her astonishment deepened. She found herself looking Xu Ningyan over several more times, incredulous.

*If anyone ever says again that the Arcanists of the Sitianjian are arrogant and dismissive of others, I’ll be the first to disagree,* Chu Yuanzhen thought.

Led by Song Qing, the group left the Alchemy Chamber and passed through winding hallways to reach a sealed chamber.

The door to the chamber was constructed from pure steel. Song Qing rapped on it lightly, explaining, “This door is impervious even to the attacks of a Fifth-rank martial artist. I forged it over ten days using high tempered steel. Its greatest strength lies in its durability—an unparalleled safeguard against theft.”

Chu Yuanzhen couldn’t help but interject, “But aren’t the walls of your Stargazing Tower just regular walls? Any thief could simply bypass the door.”

Li Miaozhen nodded in agreement. “Besides, who would come to the Stargazing Tower to steal anything? There’s no historical precedent for such an occurrence.”

So what’s the point of this ‘theft-proof’ door?

…Song Qing’s face darkened as he replied coldly, “Do you two have anything else to say? If not, you may excuse yourselves.”

Both Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen immediately fell silent.

Li Miaozhen sent a message to Zhuangyuan Chu via transmission: “Why do I feel that all of the Jianzheng’s disciples are so strange? There’s the foolish Chu Caiwei who’s on par with Lina, the misfortune-plagued Zhong Li, and now this odd Song Qing. It seems like Yang Qianhuan is the only normal one.”

Chu Yuanzhen snorted and replied, “You’re right about the first ones, but the last part of your statement is far too hasty. Everyone in the capital would disagree with you.”

*You simply don’t understand Yang Qianhuan yet. He and Song Qing are the two strangest of the lot. Chu Caiwei is merely limited by her natural talents, which make her a bit… slow. Zhong Li’s misfortunes have left her timid and self-abasing. But Song Qing and Yang Qianhuan? They’re the ones with truly… peculiar minds,* Chu Yuanzhen thought to himself.

Li Miaozhen didn’t argue but instead asked, “What about the Jianzheng’s second disciple?”

Chu Yuanzhen shook his head. “I’ve never met the second disciple. It seems they’ve long since left the Sitianjian. Perhaps they’re normal.”

After a pause, he added cautiously, “Probably…”

Song Qing pulled out a key, unlocked the steel door, and led everyone into the sealed chamber.

The space was spacious yet cluttered. Song Qing guided them to the left, where the walls were lined with various magical implements: crossbows, swords, muskets, and other weaponry, as well as unfinished metal blanks.

With pride in his voice, Song Qing introduced, “Every weapon here is crafted from rare and unparalleled materials. Once enchanted with arrays by a Master of Formations, they will become artefacts sought after by all.

“But I dislike that idiot Yang Qianhuan, so he doesn’t deserve to touch my creations. That’s why none of these have become artefacts.”

Among the group, aside from Susu and Zhong Li, Xu Qi'an, Hengyuan, Li Miaozhen, and Chu Yuanzhen all showed undisguised envy.

“These are mere mundane items and do not reflect my true achievements in alchemy. Follow me…”

Song Qing led them deeper into the chamber until they reached a three-foot-tall glass tank. Grinning broadly, he said, “Behold! This is my first successful creation in the field of Life Alchemy.”

Everyone leaned closer, peering into the glass tank filled with a mysterious liquid. Inside was a cat-like creature, its body etched with the patterns and growth rings of a tree. Its form resembled that of a cat, complete with a feline head. Its chest rose and fell faintly as though it were breathing.

What set it apart further was its tail—a thin branch adorned with vibrant green leaves.

“I call it the Tree Cat,” Song Qing announced. “As the name suggests, it’s a fusion of a cat and a tree. I managed to keep it alive, but the price is that it can only survive submerged in water and cannot exist in the outside world.”

Song Qing proudly explained his progress in Life Alchemy, his tone brimming with accomplishment.

“This embryo was created by crossbreeding a human and a horse. I once attempted to merge the body of an adult male with that of a horse but failed. So, I changed my approach and created this embryo. Fortunately, I succeeded in crafting an embryo carrying both human and equine bloodlines. Regrettably, it only survived for three days, after which I preserved it in alcohol…”

“These organs were cultivated from scratch, starting at the cellular level and developing bit by bit. You probably haven’t heard of the term ‘cellular,’ have you? That’s a word coined by Master Xu…”

At first, Chu Yuanzhen, Li Miaozhen, and the others approached these revelations with curiosity and a thirst for new knowledge. However, as the explanations continued, the smiles on their faces faded, replaced by increasingly grim expressions. Their gazes toward Song Qing grew wary, as though they were staring at some monstrous aberration.

*Chu Yuanzhen had been right—Song Qing’s mind isn’t entirely sound. This person is dangerously unhinged. If this weren’t the Sitianjian, I would have already carried out justice on behalf of the heavens…* Li Miaozhen thought, suddenly realising she couldn’t stomach such grotesque experiments despite her initial purpose for coming here.

*I was wrong—Song Qing is the most deranged of all the Jianzheng’s disciples. By comparison, Yang Qianhuan merely suffers from a bit of arrogance…* Chu Yuanzhen thought.

*It’s a good thing I didn’t send that child to the Sitianjian for treatment back then. Otherwise, he might have ended up in a jar…* Hengyuan thought, his gaze toward Song Qing filled with the disdain reserved for heretics.

Susu’s emotions were more complex. She was both repulsed and strangely intrigued.

Song Qing, meanwhile, was thoroughly pleased with their reactions, mistaking their expressions of horror for awe and admiration, akin to country bumpkins marvelling at the grandeur of a royal palace.

Clearing his throat, Song Qing proudly declared, “The reason I’ve made such strides in the field of alchemical life creation is entirely due to Master Xu’s support. It was he who taught me this knowledge and opened my mind to these possibilities.”

The members of the Heaven and Earth Society slowly turned their heads toward Xu Qi’an, their expressions now filled with suspicion.

*So, the real culprit is you?!*

*Could it be that Xu Ningyan is also a closet lunatic?*

*The fuck- How is this my fault? I only taught you some basic biological principles!* Xu Qi’an’s face twitched involuntarily.

But he couldn’t argue. It was true that he had provided Song Qing with the initial spark of inspiration and guided him down this path. Just like the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, which might seem reasonable to most but would be earth-shattering to a master like Arhat Du’e.

“Ahem!” Xu Qi’an coughed lightly and said, “Senior Brother Song, we’re all eager to witness your grand transformation demonstration.”

He tried to steer the topic with a touch of humor.

The group’s mood grew tense again, however, as they turned to see a figure lying on a simple rack ahead, covered by a white cloth.

Song Qing stepped forward, pulling back the cloth to reveal a man-like figure. The "man" had a frail, emaciated frame with unremarkable features, and his chest rose and fell faintly with breath.

*Whew…* Everyone collectively exhaled in relief. This creation seemed relatively normal; they had braced themselves for something far worse.

“When he was first created, his body was no different from an ordinary person’s,” Song Qing explained. “But he’s been deteriorating day by day. I estimate he won’t last more than three days before dying. Medication has proven ineffective.”

*Medication is ineffective?* Xu Qi’an stared at the humanoid creation, his mind racing. He hadn’t expected Song Qing to actually produce a living organism—this was akin to wielding the power of a creator god.

Hearing Song Qing’s remarks, Xu Qi’an couldn’t help but ponder. Was it because the body couldn’t absorb the medication? Or was it rejecting the world’s natural substances altogether?

Alternatively, could there be some inherent defect in the body—something rooted in its genetic makeup?

Inheritance is crucial in the realm of life sciences. Humanity’s ability to survive in nature and benefit from medicinal properties hinges on hereditary traits. Xu Qi’an had once heard a theory: if modern humans were to travel back to ancient times, they might become walking vectors of disease, bringing devastation to the world.

The essence of this theory lay in the idea that ancient humans lacked immunity to modern viruses. Humans’ resistance to natural pathogens was something passed down through generations.

Perhaps the inability of this body to respond to medication was due to a similar reason.

Li Miaozhen scanned the body with her senses, her eyes lighting up. “This body is clean—it has no soul or spiritual intelligence. It’s even better than a living vessel, making it the perfect host for Susu.”

This raised an important point: the compatibility of a soul and its body. Normally, a ghost possessing a living body would face incompatibility, leading to mutual rejection. The living host’s yang energy would weaken, while the ghost’s yin energy would dissipate, harming both parties.

Once the host dies, their body inevitably decays, rendering it unsuitable for long-term use.

But this vessel lacked a soul. If Susu were to inhabit it, the body might even nourish her spirit, allowing her to function as if alive.

Li Miaozhen turned to Susu. “Why don’t you give it a try?”

Susu had been eagerly waiting for this moment. She immediately nodded and exited her paper doll form, slipping into the body.

*Hey, wait a minute! You promised to be my concubine. This isn’t what I had in mind! I wanted a jade dragon entering oceanic depths, not to be a shit-stirring rod…* Xu Qi’an’s thoughts ran wild, but he couldn’t bring himself to voice them out loud.

After all, he had to maintain his dignity.

However, moments later, Susu was ejected from the body, returning to her paper doll form.

Li Miaozhen furrowed her brows. “What happened?”

Susu shook her head, her expression one of disappointment.

After a long silence, Li Miaozhen speculated, “I see now. This body differs from normal ones. Though it appears human, it’s more akin to stone.

“A ghost like Susu can’t attach herself to a stone.”

Song Qing frowned. “So, what I’ve created is a human-like body that’s essentially just a stone?”

He looked thoroughly disheartened, struggling to accept the result.

Li Miaozhen fell silent.

Susu bit her lip, her once-bright eyes now dim with despair.

*So it was all for nothing after all…* Chu Yuanzhen and Hengyuan exchanged a helpless glance and sighed.

“Master Xu, you’re a genius in the field of alchemy. Your expertise in life alchemy surpasses all others,” Song Qing said as he bowed deeply, a full ninety degrees. “Please, teach me.”

Susu’s dim eyes reignited with hope, and she looked at Xu Qi’an with anticipation.

*That’s right. Xu Ningyan was the one who taught Song Qing life alchemy. He even wrote a ‘Blue Book.’ The sixth-ranked alchemists all treated him with the utmost respect…* Li Miaozhen, Hengyuan, and Chu Yuanzhen immediately turned their eyes toward Xu Qi’an.

*How would I know? I mean, I could bluff my way through this, but this question is way out of my league…* Xu Qi’an thought.

Out loud, he said, “Give me your notes on life alchemy first. I need to study them.”

*To buy time to think of an excuse, of course,* he added silently.

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