Chapter 333: The Annihilation Era

Chapter 333: The Annihilation Era

"Welcome to the Forbidden Knowledge Archive, Lalflecturer."

The Construct's tone grew reverent:

"May you find the answers you seek here. But remember, some knowledge, once obtained, can never be forgotten."

As Luo En crossed the threshold, he felt as though he'd pierced an invisible Barrier.

This space clearly operated outside normal physical laws. The ceiling stretched into an unfathomable void, while the floor extended infinitely in all directions.

The shelves here were made of living bones—skeletal structures writhing slowly yet unmistakably, their surfaces coursing with nerve-like filaments that shifted colors in response to his thoughts.

Sinisterly, the shelves rearranged their contents based on his mental inquiries.

When he thought "Three-Phase Magecraft", relevant archival records instantly materialized at eye level.

When he shifted focus to "Ancient Techniques", the shelves transformed accordingly.

"This environment..." Luo En activated Hermit's Insight to perceive the space's essence.

The bookshelves were "ribs", the floor "muscle tissue", and the ambient mana "blood."

This living library constantly analyzed, reorganized, and refined its knowledge, ensuring the most relevant information always surfaced.

The reading area featured spirit stabilizers and emergency medical equipment.

Dangerous spiritual fluctuations would trigger automatic sedative releases or emergency quarantine protocols.

Choosing a seat near the Three-Phase Magecraft section, Luo En settled into a chair that immediately molded itself to his body's contours.

A soft voice whispered in his ear:

"User privileges verified as associate professor level. Access granted. Recommended reading duration: no more than four hours. Prolonged exposure may accumulate spirit fatigue."

Nodding, he began flipping through the archival records that caught his attention.

First was The Evolutionary Trajectory of Mainstream Magecraft—an 800-page compendium authored by the late Archmage Isaac Mendelsohn, rumored to have mastered seven magecraft disciplines simultaneously.

The moment he opened the cover, a subtle spiritual pressure washed over him. Each page brimmed with high-density information requiring significant spiritual energy to comprehend.

Mendelsohn's writing was rigorously academic, each conclusion supported by extensive examples and data. Yet beneath this precision lurked deep unease:

"Ascending magecraft tiers isn't merely accumulating experience. Each leap requires altering knowledge's essence, drawing closer to perilous powers.

Many mages lose themselves in this pursuit, becoming slaves to power rather than masters."

"I witnessed a brilliant alchemist transform his relatives into perfect alchemy materials three days after ascending to Alchemy Grandmaster. When I confronted him, he replied with chilling rationality: 'Emotion impedes efficiency. I merely optimized resource allocation.'"

Continuing deeper, Luo En discovered detailed advancement criteria for various professions.

Mendelsohn dedicated an entire chapter to Potion Master progression:

"Becoming a Potion Professor requires unparalleled excellence in theory, practice, and instruction."

Requirements materialized before him as if answering silent questions:

[Potion Professor (Three Stars) Advancement Criteria:

1. Prerequisite Profession: Potion Master (Two-Star) √

2. Core Profession Skill at Expert Level

3. Must create at least one original potion formula

4. Must train at least five Potion Master-level students]

The Alchemy Grandmaster section weighed heavier:

"Alchemy stands as the transcendent art closest to divine domains. Grandmasters seek to understand and control substance essence, creating lifeforms that never existed.

This very act challenges natural order."

[Alchemy Grandmaster (Three Stars) Advancement Criteria:

1. Prerequisite Profession: Alchemist (Two-Star) √

2. Core Profession Skill at Expert Level

3. Must craft a "semi-perpetual" Simulation Combat Device (self-operating for 50+ years)

4. Must complete one "Life Reconstruction" Experiment]

Mendelsohn inserted a disturbing account:

"I observed a "Life Reconstruction" experiment. The applicant fused seven species into a new lifeform.

The creature lived, displaying intelligence surpassing its predecessors, but its eyes held unbearable anguish. It didn't understand its existence or origins, emitting eerie sounds blending multiple species' cries.

It chose self-destruction on the third day post-experiment."

Finally came Rune Experts—Enchanters' advancement path:

"Rune Experts pursue the riskiest progression among three professions. They push rune power to extremes, even fusing runes with living beings.

Mastery often erodes one's grasp of boundaries."

[Rune Expert (Three Stars & a Half) Advancement Criteria:

1. Prerequisite Profession: Enchanter (Two Stars & a Half) √

2. Enchantment & Rune Studies at Mastery Level

3. Must create personal specialized runes

4. Must master "Flesh Rune" techniques]

Mendelsohn's final note on Rune Experts was chillingly brief:

"Few Enchanters throughout mage history have ever mastered 'Flesh Rune' techniques..."

These warnings only ignited Luo En's curiosity.

Dangerous? Absolutely. But true power always carried risks. The key was maintaining self-control while acquiring it.

He mentally dissected the three paths:

"Potion Professor seems most achievable. My alchemy's nearly expert-level, with numerous original formulas accumulated. Training students..."

He thought of his Elite Group, especially Lise's pure alchemical passion:

"Elite Group members have strong foundations. With time, I could cultivate two or more qualified Potion Masters within years."

"Alchemy Grandmaster's criteria are most stringent, especially the 'semi-perpetual' device production. Requires mastery of time, space, and mana..."

His Mobile Simulation Combat Device project came to mind:

"Perhaps upgrade the simulator to semi-perpetual status? If soul fragments and Phantom Heart Stones could self-sustain, theoretically achievable."

"Flesh Rune techniques concern me most but offer unmatched allure. Mastering them safely, combined with my bloodline formulation ability and Puppet Substitute's sinister fusion..."

He glanced at his right hand—once fused with Puppet Substitute:

"Perhaps begin experiments with Ink? As my handcrafted alchemy construct, their trust is absolute. The autophagic slime mold traits also mitigate risks."

(Note: "handcrafted" maintains consistency with prior translations of Ink's creation, while "mitigate" strengthens the contrast between risk and safety. The phrasing preserves the clinical yet speculative tone of alchemical experimentation.)

Yet none of these professions mentioned attribute requirements...

Perhaps completing these trials inherently implied attribute thresholds?

Closing the first tome, Luo En moved toward another bookshelf.

These volumes appeared ancient, almost predatory. Some spines bore eye-like organs that tracked his movements.

He selected The Annihilation Era's Legacy—a thick, ominous archival record by Vasi Gould, a Moonlight Rank mage and seasoned Historian.

They say he spent his entire life chasing ancient secrets, only to vanish during an Abyss Exploration.

The moment Luo En turned the first page, a chilling aura seeped from the parchment itself.

This book recorded more than mere knowledge - it documented the blood-soaked history behind that knowledge.

Gould, with an almost obsessive tone, meticulously detailed the legends and tragedies of the Ancient Alchemists:

"Lance Hewitt - this name shines brightly in mage history, but few understand the dark truth behind his success."

"He was indeed merciful... relatively speaking. Compared to other alchemy masters of his era, Lance's experiments rarely involved unnecessary cruelty."

"But between 'relative mercy' and 'true mercy' lies a chasm paved with blood."

"According to records I discovered in abandoned laboratories, Lance 'consumed' one thousand three hundred and seventy-two experimental subjects during his research before becoming an Ancient Alchemist."

"Among them: two hundred volunteers, nine hundred prisoners of war, and one hundred seventy-two 'purchased' slaves."

"He would apologize to each experimental subject before every experiment, mourn the dead afterward, and even record every subject's name and family circumstances."

"But this 'mercy' cannot change one fact: one thousand three hundred and seventy-two living souls were transformed into experiment data by his hands."

"Yet what truly haunted my sleepless nights was a single sentence left by Lance:"

"'If I have another life, I hope to find a research method that doesn't sacrifice others. But in this life, I must achieve breakthroughs within limited time - for the greater good, I can only tolerate smaller evils.'"

Gould's analysis plunged Luo En into contemplation:

"This is the true face of Ancient Alchemists.

They weren't simply madmen or demons, but researchers making extreme choices under extreme circumstances.

When the value of life conflicts with the value of knowledge, they chose knowledge."

The book then introduced several other Ancient Alchemists - each a fusion of miracle and nightmare:

"Alexander Kim, known as the 'Merciful Alchemy Master' - like his title suggests, Alexander never actively harmed the innocent."

"But his 'mercy' rested on a different foundation - he used only his own body for experiments."

"In his last hundred years, Alexander had transformed himself into a living laboratory.

His blood was replaced with various potions, his organs became Simulation Combat Devices, even his bone marrow was transmuted into mana storage units."

"Witnesses described the final Alexander as a transparent human-shaped vessel, with multicolored liquids flowing inside.

He could synthesize any known potion directly from his body, but at the cost of losing all human emotions and consciousness."

"Elana Moonshadow - one of the rare female alchemy masters in history. Her specialty was Emotional Alchemy - the art of transforming emotions into physical forms."

"Elana created a vast 'Emotional Treasure Vault' containing the love, hate, fear, and despair of tens of thousands.

She claimed these emotions were 'voluntarily donated,' but survivors recalled her 'donation rituals' always involved strong spiritual control."

"Eventually, Elana was devoured by her own creation.

The extracted negative emotions coalesced into a massive hatred entity, trapping her deep within the Treasure Vault.

They say she still lives today, but fused with that hatred entity, becoming a manifestation of pure malice."

Reading this, Luo En couldn't help thinking of the moment he created Ink.

Though he only modified some Abyssal Creature tissues, the feeling of creating life was indeed intoxicating.

Without sufficient self-restraint, one could easily get carried away on this path.

Gould's account included even darker examples:

Eggs Lacroux, who degenerated completely in his pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone.

He claimed to have found the method for producing Philosopher's Stones, but all I found in the records was his mass storage of pure souls from tens of thousands of children of different species."

"Damian Pucci - when his laboratory was discovered, over five thousand corpses in various states were found.

Some were modified into living organ culture dishes, some fused into multi-headed monsters, others produced into tools with partial consciousness.

Most horrifyingly, many experimental subjects were still alive upon discovery, maintaining full consciousness."

These records made Luo En deeply understand why modern mages revere yet fear the Ancient Alchemists.

Their achievements were indeed great, but the means to achieve them were abhorrent.

Yet in the book's final chapters, Gould presented a thought-provoking perspective:

"What right do we have to condemn them? The progress of modern mages also rests on the sacrifices of countless lives.

Thousands of explorers 'disappear' monthly in the Abyssal Chasm. The underground laboratories beneath the Crystal Spire hold countless experimental subjects from various species. The slaughtered exotic races in conquest wars are innumerable."

"The only difference between us and the Ancient Alchemists is we're better at hiding our sins and finding moral justifications for atrocities.

We say 'for civilization's advancement,' they said 'for knowledge's breakthrough' - how different are these in essence?"

"Perhaps the real issue isn't what they did, but whether we have the courage to admit: in the pursuit of power, no hands remain completely clean."

This perspective left Luo En momentarily speechless.

As a power-seeking researcher, he certainly understood the impulse to use any means for a breakthrough.

But rationality told him that completely abandoning one's moral boundaries often leads to self-destruction.

"The key is finding the balance point."

He summarized mentally:

"Not outright rejecting special methods, but ensuring those methods serve a greater objective rather than becoming the objective itself."

As he progressed in his reading, Luo En began feeling increasing spiritual pressure.

These forbidden knowledge acted like living parasites, trying to root themselves in his consciousness.

His headache intensified, sharp pains lancing through his temples.

His vision occasionally blurred, showing images that weren't there - ancient alchemy laboratories filled with twisted creatures writhing in glass containers.

Faint whispering sounds reached his ears - voices from ancient academics whose souls remained trapped within this knowledge.

His fingers trembled slightly; turning pages required extra care to avoid triggering hidden spiritual traps.

But surprisingly, this burden felt lighter than expected.

The oppressive aura from last night's encounter with the Phantom King had indeed provided valuable training for his spiritual structure.

Though still uncomfortable, this level of knowledge impact was within his tolerance.

"It seems high-dimensional beings' oppressive auras, while painful, can indeed strengthen one's spiritual resilience",

Luo En evaluated his condition:

"This 'vaccine-style' training method might warrant further research."

As afternoon sunlight began tilting westward, he closed the last archival record.

Prolonged reading left him exhausted, his temple pain reminding him his spiritual load had nearly reached its limit.

But the gains were enormous.

He now had clear direction for his future development path, understanding which objectives were realistic and which required long-term effort.

On the other hand, he'd gained deeper understanding of "power's cost."

Every mastery of a technique required corresponding sacrifices - the key was ensuring those costs remained acceptable.

He had originally wanted to research Deep Abyss materials, but the mental burden from forbidden knowledge had reached a dangerous threshold.

Continuing would only increase spiritual contamination risks - not worth the trade-off.

Besides, the Abyss Observatory actually retained more detailed and practical materials than the library.

When he returned to work next week, using the privileges Cassandra granted him to apply for access should yield more valuable information.

As he exited the forbidden zone, the crystal construct scanned him again.

"Detected moderate spiritual fatigue. Recommend resting for 72 hours before re-entering the forbidden zone."

The construct's voice carried concern: "I hope you'll make proper use of the knowledge gained."

"I will." Luo En responded briefly, already contemplating how to transform today's gains into concrete development plans.

As the sun set, the towering structures across the Central Lands glittered in the afterglow.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end