Chapter 135: Purity

The brewing of the Radiant Potion is actually not overly complicated when complete records are available to reference; the true difficulty lies in acquiring the various materials.

Furthermore, in the absence of pristine ingredients, one must figure out how to employ various alchemical processes to yield substances with similar properties, while utilizing diverse methods to maintain the stability and efficacy of the substitutes and the potion.

Mulan, however, was free from such vexation. Backed by the resources of the Black Castle and the Kingdom of Dilga, and equipped with the Sun Stone he had brought back, all the ingredients strictly met the original requirements. He merely needed to meticulously execute the proportional formulation process.

At this moment, inside Mulan’s small villa, Hendel stood nervously to the side. In a beaker resting on an alcohol burner, a pitch-black liquid was being continuously heated, bubbling incessantly.

"The stabilizer is finished. Now comes the final step."

As Mulan spoke, he opened the small box on the table, and instantly a beam of light shone forth from within—it was none other than the Sun Stone.

Mulan used a pair of large tweezers to grasp the Sun Stone, then placed it into the beaker containing the dark liquid.

"Bubble, bubble, bubble..."

Upon entering the liquid, the Sun Stone began to melt instantly, resembling streams of glowing molten iron pouring into the dark liquid, quickly mixing and merging with the original concoction.

Merely a dozen or so seconds later, neither the Sun Stone nor the original black liquid remained in the beaker. In their place was a pure, radiating liquid emitting a brilliant glow.

At this point, Mulan heaved a slight sigh of relief. Even though he knew failure was virtually impossible, seeing the successful concoction with his own eyes finally put his mind completely at ease.

"Professor, did it work?"

"Mm, it worked."

Mulan retrieved a test tube, poured all the liquid from the beaker into it, and sealed it tightly with a specially crafted stopper. Not a single drop too many or too few, it filled exactly one test tube.

A Radiant Potion of exceptionally high purity was thus completed.

"All the solutions made from other materials during the brewing process of this potion exist solely to ensure that the Sun Stone can be stably dissolved in the final step, preserving this energy while maintaining its activity," Hendel deduced, drawing inferences from the example.

"Then, if there were no Sun Stone, a considerable portion of the other materials would also need to be replaced, depending entirely on the composition of the final primary ingredient?"

Mulan turned back and gave Hendel an approving look.

"Correct. Thus, it would correspondingly increase various uncertainties, requiring a professional alchemist to make gradual adjustments. But as things stand now, I can complete it by myself."

Thinking along these lines, Mulan inevitably recalled Professor Alorfa, that alchemist who had coveted his blood.

Mulan was exceptionally sensitive to both positive and negative emotions and desires.

That alchemist’s outward manifestation was a somewhat exaggerated yearning, but the desire concealed within the shadows of his emotions was intensely profound—so much so that it gave Mulan a faint creep, making it impossible to continue sharing a room with him.

Previously, Mulan had not interacted much with this alchemist, perhaps because the alchemist had little interest in him at the time, but clearly, Mulan’s blood had now aroused the alchemist's greed.

Leveraging his official position and personal relevance, Mulan had long since reviewed his own blood analysis report, the contents of which were authored by that very alchemist. The report indeed described his blood as possessing high activity and proved that wolfsbane was ineffective against him, yet Mulan believed the man had definitely held back certain details.

"Professor, once you use this potion, just how powerful will you become?"

Hendel finally could not suppress the question he was most curious about. After all, in his eyes, Mulan was already exceedingly powerful. Yet such a professor had told him that he had not truly become a complete transcendent—at least not in the literal, defined sense. What about after this?

Mulan grasped the Radiant Potion and looked earnestly at Hendel.

"Hendel, I tell you with the utmost solemnity: as someone situated within the surging tide of mystical power, the first thing you must understand is that the ultimate essence of power stems from the self. Any potion, or any other element for that matter, serves solely to allow you to evolve closer to that self within your heart."

Mulan took a step closer to Hendel, locking eyes with him.

"Resonance is likewise a form of cultivation aimed at reaching that self! If your self-awareness is not yet pure enough, and you are still incapable of wielding the commensurate power of existence, and you acquire a powerful potion or even a fourth-tier-or-higher element that matches your nature at such a moment..."

Mulan narrowed his eyes.

"Never, ever attempt to use it directly for advancement."

Hendel swallowed hard.

"What will happen?"

Mulan closed his eyes, then opened them again, turned, and walked back to his workbench to begin tidying up his simple alchemical tools.

"In my lectures, I have constantly popularized basic theories from various perspectives precisely so that you can truly understand them and comprehend the dangers within. The very name 'power of existence' conveys the most profound of truths: if your own power of existence cannot sustain itself, then..."

A violent jolt struck Hendel’s heart. He faintly understood that if it came to that, his own existence would become extremely perilous. But what would happen if one's existence became unstable? Death?

Mulan’s voice continued.

"Then, you may experience an existential collapse, or you might be actively or forcibly distorted and even replaced by other states of existence, producing alienation and transforming into something dangerous and terrifying."

Mulan paused his voice for a moment, then spoke in a low tone.

"Hendel, although the transcendent world holds many diverse sights, it is not all that beautiful. When one day you see through its essence..."

Mulan’s voice trailed off. After a long silence, he spoke.

"I will clean up here myself. You should head back first. Go to class normally tomorrow, and I will return to teaching in a short while."

Hendel hesitated for a moment, but ultimately obeyed the order.

"Professor, then I'll head home first."

"Mm."

Mulan walked out of the room, glanced back inside from the corridor, and suddenly asked, "Professor, for someone like Mr. Moore, is his power of existence very strong?"

With his back to Hendel, the corners of Mulan’s mouth curved slightly upward. Without turning around, he replied in a calm voice.

"Academically speaking, that cannot yet be called the power of existence. But when a person develops a profound awareness for the sake of a certain conviction, at least on the level of willpower, an indestructible and precious existence is born, and its power begins to manifest."

"Thank you, professor! I'm heading back now!"

Only after receiving Mulan’s answer did Hendel leave the premises. As he packed up his tools, Mulan fell into deep contemplation.

In truth, Hendel’s earlier question had also provided Mulan with academic inspiration.

The scope encompassed by the so-called power of existence was not necessarily confined to the realm of transcendent mysticism. When a charismatic person earnestly pursues a task and often influences and drives others, that too is a form of radiation of the power of existence into the minds of those around them.

When great individuals accomplish great deeds, they frequently gather like-minded comrades and individuals of similar aspirations by their side. Many of these people were not originally steadfast or brave, yet they were influenced by the great figure—whether moved or awakened, it was all the same.

If the mystical world possessed some unified research journal, Mulan’s current thoughts, if extended and supplemented, could certainly be published as a major article in a prominent position. Unfortunately, no such journal existed.

Mulan smiled. Perhaps one could be created.

...

"When does Lord Ion斯特 intend to hold his advancement ceremony? What materials are required, what sacrifices are needed?"

In the Queen’s office within the Dilga Royal Palace, Nicehelier suddenly inquired of her attending aides after finishing some official business.

Both the male and female aides shook their heads.

"We haven't received the relevant proposal yet, so we're not sure."

"Is that so? Then send someone to ask him. I heard a few days ago that he had already brewed the Radiant Potion; why hasn't he submitted his advancement proposal yet?"

The two aides were long accustomed to Nicehelier’s concern for Mulan. The female aide, who understood the Queen best, smiled.

"Then I shall make a trip on Her Majesty's behalf to inquire of him at the Black Castle."

"Mm, going to ask is a good idea. If he has any difficulties he feels too embarrassed to speak of, tell him to come and raise them with me in person."

Nicehelier smiled as well, while the male aide to the side merely shook his head helplessly.

...

Roughly an hour later, a woman with bound black hair and wearing a female suit arrived at the Black Castle. Her tall stature was enough to pressure ordinary men, and combined with her sharp gaze and deportment, this impression was only heightened.

After walking for a while, the woman entered the castle district and quickly arrived at the office area of the Ministry of Magic. Stopping outside the second office on the inner side—Mulan’s office—she gently knocked on the open door.

"Tap, tap~"

Mulan, who was writing furiously, seemed only then to notice that a guest had arrived, and raised his head to look toward the doorway.

"Lord Glandor? Coming in person—does Her Majesty have some matter?"

"Indeed. Her Majesty is anxious to know why her guardian knight has yet to submit his advancement requirements. The venue, the altar, the ritual requirements... you could just as well go to the royal palace and discuss it with Her Majesty in person."

Mulan looked mildly surprised, then laid down his pen and gazed calmly at the woman.

"I have already prepared long ago; I simply haven't reported it to the Queen yet."

Now it was the woman's turn to be astonished. She was hardly unfamiliar with the path of the Radiant Knight.

"When? How did you equip it? Did you requisition materials from within the Black Castle?"

Mulan offered a slight smile, then replied in a firm and resolute voice.

"Aside from the Radiant Potion—a substance that shatters boundaries—the so-called rituals, altars, and even sacrifices are all merely in service of ensuring a stable advancement. But ultimately..."

Mulan stood up. In truth, he had been waiting for this very moment. To achieve his own objectives, he needed to continuously score points with the Queen and the upper echelons of Dilga.

"The fundamental reliance of a knight is his own willpower and conviction, alongside the absolute purity of his power of existence, which gives birth to absolute self-confidence!"

"Using the Radiant Potion is because I am not arrogant; I know that the boundary between mortals and the transcendent is a chasm. But having obtained the potion, I, who uphold the Radiant Oath, have no need for other dispensable things."

As Mulan spoke, Glandor could faintly perceive vague, linear streams of light wrapping around him, radiating a faint, brilliant, and dazzling glow outward into the surroundings!

"The highest glory of the Radiant Knight's path is to be born upholding the light and to face the dark in death. I will never die in the ridiculous process of advancement. If I am to die one day, it will surely be to burst forth with the ultimate radiance within the darkness!"

"I understand. I will convey your words to the Queen."

Leaving behind these words, Glandor turned and strode away. It was not until she stepped outside the ancient castle that she began to pant slightly, her heartbeat quickening considerably. She found herself recalling Mulan’s appearance just moments before, and only by pinching herself fiercely did she quicken her pace and leave.