Chapter 21: The Alchemy Academy (2)

Upon entering the Alchemy Academy, one would immediately sense an almost jarring contrast with the other academies, as if they belonged to entirely different worlds. This disparity was not in the quality of the architecture itself; the Royal Academy’s buildings and gardens were all designed and constructed with equal rigor—there was no favoritism or neglect in their creation.

Yet, it was precisely this uniformity in design that made the contrast stand out even more. The difference lay in the academy’s atmosphere: elsewhere, the paths bustled with people, but here, one might walk a long distance before encountering a single soul, and sometimes not even that.

Although the Alchemy Academy was not as large as the other two, its sparse student body made it feel even more deserted, creating the illusion that it was the grandest part of the Royal Academy. In reality, the alchemy students numbered fewer than a hundred, divided between only two classes. This was as expected: those admitted to the Royal Academy were all scions of distinguished families, and few would choose a discipline so little esteemed.

Yet, the Alchemy Academy had its own peculiarity: the number of instructors far exceeded the number of students—by a considerable margin. This was easily explained, for most of these teachers sought to use the academy’s resources to test their own alchemical theories. After all, the materials required for alchemy were far beyond the means of ordinary folk.

The Royal Academy also welcomed such instructors, for those who achieved significant results would be absorbed as royal alchemists. The same held true for certain students as well. This quirk resulted in the Alchemy Academy having the oldest students in history, as well as the longest-enrolled. And the record continued to be broken.

Of course, newcomers like Thirteen would not encounter these students; they were sequestered in their laboratories, absorbed in their research. Thirteen’s class was the academy’s only freshman group, numbering twenty-one, nine of whom were girls—the most female students the academy had ever seen.

Within the Royal Academy, the Magic Academy boasted the highest proportion of female students, followed by the Martial Arts Academy, with the Alchemy Academy trailing behind in both number and proportion. In fact, the total number of girls in the Alchemy Academy did not even match that of a single class in the Magic Academy.

As for quality, among Thirteen’s nine female classmates there was variety—some slender as swallows, others more substantial. But do not misunderstand: the “substantial” here does not refer to the classic plumpness of Yang Yuhuan, but true obesity. One girl, Zhen Xiaoyan, could alone account for half the class’s feminine presence by sheer volume.

Of course, there were beautiful girls as well. Sharan, with her golden hair and sapphire eyes, was their most notable representative. According to self-styled connoisseurs of female beauty, when Sharan matured, she would become an enchanting and irresistible siren.

As for the others, those connoisseurs would say they were all girls of elegance and charm, quite presentable with a bit of grooming—except for unique cases like Zhen Xiaoyan.

Curiously, Thirteen rather liked Zhen Xiaoyan, for she never tried to chase or bully him. He did not realize, however, that this was not for lack of desire, but simply because she knew she could never catch him.

When Thirteen and Tigress entered the spacious, sunlit classroom, all chatter instantly ceased. Every eye fixed on Thirteen as he walked in and took a seat at an empty desk.

With a stifled laugh, nearly everyone nearby immediately stood and moved to the other side of the room, putting as much distance between themselves and Thirteen as possible. Then, as if nothing had happened, they resumed their discussions.

Thirteen paid it no mind, simply taking out his alchemy textbook and reading. Seeing him absorbed in his book, the others seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief. They kept a wary eye on him, but as long as it was only a book, they could relax. Everyone knew he was at his quietest when reading, and unlikely to do anything else.

As for Thirteen, he never joined any discussions—partly because his debating skills were limited, and partly because his ideas tended to drive people to distraction. With no one to agree with him, discussions were impossible.

Soon, class began. As usual, their class advisor arrived and commenced the lesson. Students at the Alchemy Academy were free to choose any alchemy teacher as their mentor, but they all had a class advisor to guide them, for not every student could find a willing mentor. The mentors were proud, high-spirited individuals who would not accept just anyone. For those with remarkable talent, it was different, but for someone like Thirteen, they would never agree.

If Thirteen had only been dull-witted, they might have accepted him, if only to cultivate ties with the Ye family and obtain free materials—precisely their reason for remaining at the academy. The problem was that Thirteen’s approach to alchemy was so outlandish that no one could guide him; only a reincarnated master craftsman could hope to be his mentor.

“In alchemy, the two most important things are formulas and arrays. These are the precious legacies left by our predecessors, earned through years of painstaking effort. We must master them,” began the class advisor.

“Alchemy formulas are a highly complex discipline, and the hardest to master. Their effects are endlessly variable; you must experiment yourselves. By comparison, alchemy arrays are much simpler, built from basic components. In essence, they are divided into transmutation arrays and synthesis arrays, and by effect into offensive, defensive, and restorative types.

“A transmutation array alters the shape or nature of a single substance—it is comparatively simple. A synthesis array combines two or more materials to produce something new. Different combinations yield different results, and that too you must learn through experimentation.”

As he spoke, some students down below mouthed his words in perfect unison, as though reciting a passage they had long since memorized by heart.

“I repeat these things every day so you will understand: alchemy is a discipline built on foundation. Only by constant repetition of the basics can you hope to reach new heights, and perhaps someday, realize that what you once thought useless is the very key to the puzzles you seek to solve.”

The class advisor spoke with heartfelt conviction. Though he was aware of his students’ reactions, he persisted in this daily ritual, never deviating from his opening remarks.

That, truly, was consistency forged over decades.