When Kemo Stryker returned home, it was already completely dark.
After a family dinner, he returned to his study and documented the crystal glass's raw material formulas and material selection techniques in his work *The Gate of Alchemy*. The book chronicles his journey from apprentice to chief alchemist, while also compiling all the alchemical formulas developed by the Chishui City Alchemy Workshop over the years.
Kaimo believed that this book would etch his name into history, and even a thousand years later, the alchemists would still remember him fondly.
Only when the candle flame was close to the base did Kaimo put down his quill pen and get ready to undress and sleep.
Suddenly, he remembered a letter from Prince that remained unread. Glancing at the candle—now reduced to the length of a fingernail—he resolved to finish reading it in the remaining time before replying verbally to the messenger the next day. The candle's stubby tail, barely long enough to write a few dozen words, was more than enough to read through a letter of no real value.
When he opened the envelope, he found three thin sheets of paper inside. The first page contained standard formalities—his title and jurisdiction. Kei Mo didn't bother reading it and skipped straight to the second page.
The second page surprised him slightly—it contained neither recruitment nor reprimand, but rather peculiar five-character phrases. Upon closer inspection, each line consisted of three sentences.
"Ah, quite intriguing," he chuckled. "Regardless of Prince's true intentions, he's at least skilled at playing the mysterious game."
He skimmed the first line of the formula.
"Nitric acid is produced through the dry distillation of saltpeter." Saltpeter... dry distillation... acid—these are all terms from alchemy. Wait, Kaimo's mind suddenly jolted. Wasn't this precisely one of the acid preparation methods using double saltpeter in the alchemy workshop?
The acid solution produced from the dry distillation of saltpeter must be collected in special containers. It appears indistinguishable from ordinary steam and is difficult to detect. However, its corrosiveness is extremely potent, capable not only of burning and eroding skin but also of dissolving certain metals.
This... turns out to be an alchemy formula? Could it be that Border Town has its own alchemists?
He swiftly shifted his gaze to the next line—if the first sentence had left him utterly astonished, the second was utterly incomprehensible.
It was made up of a jumble of cryptic symbols strung together to form two equations. Kaimo frowned—he'd never seen anything so bizarre before.
Moving further down, the third sentence seemed to explain the second one, detailing the names and meanings of those symbols. Truth be told, he still couldn't grasp it after reading it. The tongue-twisting words appeared to be made up, and he had to reread them multiple times to connect the words with the symbols. Even so, the overall meaning of the sentence remained completely baffling to him.
Just then, the flame of the candle wavered twice and went out.
Damn it! Kaimo cursed inwardly and without hesitation took a candle from the drawer, rekindling it.
...
As the second candle burned to its midpoint, the chief alchemist's hand clutching the letter began to tremble.
The seemingly blank letter paper took several times longer to read than usual.
The five-line formula on the second page of the letter turned out to be nothing but alchemical formulas!
This might be acceptable, but it's remarkable that an eminent alchemist could independently formulate five formulas. What's more, all five formulas—except the first acid production method—interact with each other. Certain invented terms recur, forming a seemingly balanced cycle.
"Nitric acid reacts with silver to form silver nitrate, water, and nitric oxide." "Silver nitrate reacts with iron to form ferrous nitrate and silver." "Silver nitrate reacts with copper to form copper nitrate and silver." "Copper nitrate reacts with iron to form ferrous nitrate and copper." He also conducted alchemical experiments by placing silver rods in acid, where some rods were visibly dissolved and disappeared—precisely the corrosive nature of acids. Yet he confidently claimed that since silver nitrate dissolves in water, it appears to vanish, but in reality, the silver merely exists in a different form rather than being annihilated.
How is that possible?
No... Kaimo shook his head. The other party had clearly anticipated his thoughts—the formulas 'mutual correspondence was no coincidence. He realized the other was giving him a chance to verify: whether silver, iron, or copper, all were common minerals. If alchemy followed the subsequent formulas, the silver could be recaptured to prove it hadn't been destroyed but remained in the acid solution.
The sight of formulas neatly arranged on paper made his breathing labored—were these alchemical formulas all true, then his years of accumulated experience, his peers' efforts, and the *Door of Alchemy* he was writing would all be nothing but a joke!
"Go to bed with the kids first, I'll head to the alchemy workshop!" Ignoring his wife's astonished gaze, Kaimo threw on his coat and dashed into the night.
Upon arriving at the alchemy workshop, he immediately summoned three assigned disciples to announce his upcoming alchemical experiment, instructing them to light as many torches and candles as possible. The orders were swiftly carried out—the firelight illuminated his long table, while the disciples moved between the material storage and refining chambers, preparing the necessary materials for the chief alchemist.
The acid produced from nitrate pyrolysis still contains significant amounts, and verification can be directly initiated from the second formula line.
He took out some acid solution and poured it into a glass cup, then placed a silver rod inside. As the reaction began, the rod gradually corroded while bubbles emerged.
In the anxious wait, Kaimo casually opened the third page of the letter.
The message was a single sentence: "I've done just a little work. If you want more answers, come to Border Town." Damn it, this sentence was as good as nothing! If the letter's claims could be verified, he'd go see that obscure alchemist no matter what. Otherwise, he'd be sleepless and restless for the rest of his life.
Only when the bubbles stopped rising did he take out the broken silver rod and add a small piece of copper to the cup.
An incredible phenomenon occurred: white spots rapidly appeared on the copper surface, resembling the scales of a ladybug. These spots gradually expanded, eventually covering the entire copper plate, while the acid in the cup turned from colorless to blue.
Just like in the letter!
"The white precipitate is silver, and the newly formed substance, copper nitrate, is as soluble in water as silver nitrate, but its solution appears blue." Kemoschier stood frozen in place, gazing at the result in the cup.
...
The next morning, when Chamis arrived at the alchemy workshop, he was startled by the chief alchemist, who looked haggard with dark circles under his eyes.
"Did you sleep all night yesterday?" he exclaimed in surprise. "For the second batch of crystal glass?" Kemo shook his head, guiding Chamis to the long table. "You were my most accomplished disciple. May I ask your views on alchemy?" "Uh... just as you taught me," he noted the glassware on the table, some still holding colored solutions. A sky-blue cup stood out conspicuously. Could this be why the Chief had stayed awake all night? Though puzzled, Chamis answered earnestly, "I feel the same. Alchemy's essence lies in discovering the world's truth amidst chaos..." "No, no, no, Chamis," Kemo interrupted. "Everyone's mistaken. Alchemy isn't like that." "Not like that?" Chamis found the question odd. After working through the night, the Chief now asked baffling questions. Before Chamis could respond, the Chief continued: "Alchemy is more systematic than we imagine. It's even rigid—like one plus one equals two. Matter neither increases nor disappears." "Neither increases nor disappears? What do you mean? Mixing common materials to create something extraordinary isn't what alchemists do!" Chamis asked, puzzled.
"Indeed, I thought so too until Lord of Border Town wrote me a letter..." Kaimos Thiel patted his shoulder, his words sending Chamas' heart racing. "I shall soon depart for Border Town to seek answers. Would you... allow me to go with you?"