"That's enough! That's enough!"
Heisenberg hurriedly interrupted. For him, nothing was more valuable than new and unknown alchemical knowledge. But suddenly, he grew cautious and added, "I mean, the price for the pigeon whistle is enough, but I never said it covers that alchemical pattern!"
"Of course, I will honor my promise," Rhett said with a smile, giving Heisenberg some reassurance before continuing in a mysterious tone, "Aside from our earlier transaction, I have even more revolutionary alchemical knowledge, even new alchemical principles…"
"I want them all!"
Heisenberg, despite being a Saint, was anything but the composed and mature figure typical of his rank. Before Rhett could finish his sentence, he was already yelling, "Name your price, Dagula! I don't care where you got this information from, but as long as you're willing to share everything with me, I promise to give you a fair deal!"
Rhett felt even more satisfied after hearing that. He liked Heisenberg's straightforwardness. Though eccentric on the surface, Heisenberg was direct and didn't beat around the bush.
Rhett was even a bit grateful that it was Heisenberg he was dealing with—an alchemist with little hidden agenda or deep scheming. Had he gone first to the renowned alchemist of the era, Timus, things might have involved much more trickery and careful negotiation.
After glancing at the note Manu held up, Rhett smiled confidently and said, "In that case, let's stick to the principle of fair exchange—I want all of your experiences, insights, and results on alchemical fusion!"
"What?" Heisenberg instinctively wanted to explode but managed to hold back. He narrowed his eyes, contemplating the incredible information Rhett had shared earlier. Slowly, he responded, "That's quite the request... What exactly are you offering in return?"
Rhett's face lit up with confidence. "Plenty, for example, a remarkable breakthrough in human anatomy research—blood core condensation. It involves a process using fiery root stems, shadowblade grass, and the heart of a gale wolf..."
Rhett paused, having read Manu's signal to stop. Heisenberg, initially full of suspicion, became deeply intrigued as he listened, his expression growing complex as he muttered, "This is indeed another outstanding breakthrough. Although it may not have the same epoch-making significance as alchemical fusion, it's certainly ingenious..."
"Well? Does it meet your expectations?" Rhett asked with a grin.
Heisenberg's expression flickered with hesitation. After a moment, he spoke slowly, "It's still not enough. You see, I've made my own progress in human anatomy studies, and while what you've shared is innovative, it doesn't compare to the potential of alchemical fusion. Alchemical fusion is the future—it has a value beyond your imagination!"
Rhett frowned slightly and looked over at Manu, who sighed but quickly began writing more notes. As Rhett scanned the fresh content, his eyes lit up with newfound confidence.
"In that case, I have another technique. It's still in its early stages, but it's undoubtedly a vital area of future alchemical development. If you're not interested, then we can simply end this negotiation here."
Heisenberg's expression shifted. He didn't believe Rhett could provide any more valuable knowledge, but still, he said, "Let's hear it."
"It's a technique related to plant enhancement..."
Rhett explained calmly, summarizing the content Manu had provided through the pigeon whistle in about three minutes.
Immediately, he heard Heisenberg's heavy breathing.
On the other side of the connection, Heisenberg was utterly astonished, swallowing hard to control his rising excitement. "I have a question—just how much of this plant enhancement knowledge do you have?"
"It's not fully developed, but there are successful cases and some valuable experience. Together with the blood core process I mentioned earlier, would that be enough to exchange for your alchemical fusion research?" Rhett asked persuasively.
"Whoa..." Heisenberg hesitated for a moment before letting out a deep breath. "I don't know how you've come to possess so much knowledge, but that so-called 'ruin' you've been talking about... it must be a lie. I should never have believed you so quickly."
At this point, Heisenberg had realized something was off and knew that he'd been caught in a scheme. The alchemical pattern and everything that followed—none of it seemed like something one would uncover from an ancient ruin. Especially with so many details, it was unlikely they could have been preserved so perfectly.
He now suspected that Rhett had acquired this information from somewhere else.
However, strangely enough, Heisenberg wasn't bothered by the deception. To him, it was just a fair exchange—trading knowledge for knowledge.
In the end, he felt quite satisfied. In fact, he realized he was about to come away with twice as much knowledge as he'd initially hoped for.
"Alright, I agree to the exchange, but I have one condition: you cannot share any of this information with anyone else, especially not... Timus!" Heisenberg emphasized the last part, his voice serious.
"Timus again?" Rhett, curious, asked through the pigeon whistle, "Could you explain the conflict between you two? It seems like there's quite a bit of bad blood between you."
"First, you need to agree to the condition."
Heisenberg's tone left no room for negotiation; it was clear that if Rhett refused, the deal would be off.
Rhett raised his brows in surprise but quickly realized that uncovering historical mysteries was the whole point of this simulation. Without hesitation, he replied, "As long as we adhere to the principle of fair exchange, I agree to the deal being exclusive to the two of us."
Rhett phrased it carefully. He was agreeing that the deal would be exclusive to the two of them, meaning that while he couldn't share the information, Heisenberg would be similarly bound—he couldn't disclose the information either.
If Heisenberg broke the rule, Rhett wouldn't feel compelled to keep the secret.
"Hmm..."
Heisenberg's voice was unusually low, still with a slight edge, but it carried a rare tone of weariness. He then said in a somewhat hoarse voice, "In truth, I'm Timus' adopted son…"
The revelation hit Rhett like a bolt of lightning, leaving him momentarily speechless. "Fa... father and son? Do many people know about this?"
"No one," Heisenberg's voice carried a mixture of resentment and anger. "Timus, that self-righteous figure who basks in glory, would never admit that he used his adopted son as a vessel for his wicked experiments. My stunted height, my face—all of it is thanks to him. He tortured me, abused me, and made me endure every imaginable pain!"
"Hold on, if you were in his hands and he's one of the most powerful figures in the world, how did you escape? You mentioned this was long ago, so I assume you weren't a Saint back then?" Rhett asked, deep in thought.
"Hmph. Yes, it was long ago. I was not only weak but also naive, which is why I fell for his lies! As for how I escaped... well, that's tied to a very important secret..." Heisenberg lowered his voice and said, "That secret is something I'll never share with anyone, but I believe one day, the truth will come to light."
Rhett, unsure of what to say, let out a sigh, offering silent sympathy for Heisenberg's ordeal.
Although it was only one side of the story, Rhett found himself believing most of it. Heisenberg, after all, was a Saint; it didn't make sense for him to lie about something like this.
The mood of the conversation had become unexpectedly heavy.
Rhett no longer felt like joking around. He quickly completed the exchange of alchemical knowledge through the pigeon whistle, then took a deep breath after hanging up. He turned to Manu with a smile. "Did you record everything? Has Heisenberg's alchemical fusion knowledge been helpful to you?"
"Very helpful!" Manu replied with a confident grin. "Although the timeline here is earlier than we anticipated and Heisenberg is still in the early stages of his research, his approach has given me a lot of inspiration. Given some time, I should be able to master the method of alchemical fusion."
Manu's eyes sparkled with excitement as he added, "In fact, seeing his work on alchemical fusion has broadened my horizons. If, one day, we can fully integrate potions, equipment, and formations, we might even achieve semi-automated or fully automated production."
Realizing how far his thoughts had wandered, Manu chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry, I got carried away."
"Haha, no need to apologize. Alchemy requires bold ideas and careful validation," Rhett laughed. "I'm looking forward to the day when your ideas come to fruition!"
But then Manu fell silent.
"What's wrong? You're not confident?" Rhett asked, surprised.
Manu shook his head. "No, it's not that. I've just realized a serious problem."
"What is it?"
"The more alchemical knowledge I gain, the more I understand how challenging future exploration will be. The difficulty will be immense, and the conditions for experiments will be stringent. If I'm limited to simulations, it will be hard to push forward. Relying solely on theoretical deductions without real experiments might not be enough."
Rhett froze for a moment, understanding the truth in Manu's words. Up until now, Manu had relied on a wealth of prior research, but things like plant modification and alchemical fusion would require real experimentation. Without physical tools or materials, it would be much harder to make progress in a simulated space.
"However, you can't leave the simulation..." Rhett said, thinking hard. "For now, continuing research in the simulated world seems to be the only option. But that means I'd have to stay in the simulation as well, which could be troublesome…"
"Actually, there's another way to avoid that problem," Manu hinted.
Rhett raised an eyebrow. "Another way?"
After thinking for a moment, his eyes lit up with realization. "You mean to let my descendants participate in the simulation instead of me?"
Manu smiled. "Exactly. Isn't your son, Taylors, very interested in alchemy? You could create a separate 'archive' for us—let's call it an archive. We could conduct our research there, and the results, whether in alchemy or cultivation, would be transferable to the real world. It wouldn't affect you at all."
Rhett slapped his forehead, his eyes bright with understanding. "That makes sense. I've been too focused on making sure I personally benefit from each simulation. In reality, I don't need to be so attached."
He then nodded firmly. "This plan could work. When I'm not participating in the simulation, what would the time flow be like?"
"From my previous experience with the home system, if you don't participate, the time in both places will flow at the same speed," Manu explained. "After all, you're the primary controller of the home system. When you're in the simulation, it speeds up time within the space, but when you're not involved, the home system can't block your awareness, so time flows equally."
Rhett nodded, accepting Manu's clear analysis. "That makes sense…"
"Then we'll proceed with this after the current simulation ends. We'll create a separate archive for you—and for Ming," Rhett added.
"Thank you!" Manu said gratefully.
In the far north.
A desolate, icy plain stretched for miles, glittering under the freezing light.
A terrifying aura permeated the entire area, the air ringing with a series of thunderous booms. Explosions echoed like a symphony of a thousand storms, shaking the heavens.
Amidst the chaos, colorful flashes of light and mist would occasionally erupt, covering hundreds of miles and flattening nearby glaciers. In some places, the ice was shattered, creating gaping holes that allowed seawater to flood in, forming massive artificial lakes.
It was as though hundreds of figures were clashing at incredible speeds, flickering in and out of sight as they tore through the air with a deafening whoosh.
The atmosphere was charged with the roars of beasts and the shouts of warriors. Darkness swallowed the land one moment, only for dazzling light to break through the next. The air alternated between burning heat and bone-chilling cold, turning the frozen tundra into a hellish battleground.