The Sevenleaf Herb, often found clinging to cliffside crevices, wasn't as rare as something like Heartbound Grass, but it remained an exceptionally precious botanical specimen. Even major auction houses like the Myriad Treasures Exchange seldom had it in stock—true "priceless when available" merchandise.
For Kael, this single plant was invaluable. With it, he could finally brew the Fusion Elixir—a potion critical to his current needs.
The Fusion Elixir would allow him to fully absorb the power of the Millennium Ice Essence, propelling his strength to new heights.
Cradling the herb, Kael sensed its latent energy and allowed himself a faint smile.
No mistake—this is the real deal. Thanks to The Book of Immortality, identifying its authenticity was effortless. With careful fingers, he plucked the blossom.
The herb's pale blue hue dimmed slightly post-harvest, its petals losing some luster—a normal reaction.
A unique fragrance wafted up, rich and intoxicating, like aged wine. Kael inhaled deeply, satisfied.
He immobilized the Snow Bear Beast with a spell, preempting any mischief. The creature panicked: "Is he silencing me? Brutal humans!"—only to relax when Kael ignored it entirely.
"The Fusion Elixir requires four ingredients: Heartbound Grass, Sevenleaf Herb, Elemental Water, and Crystalstone. Aside from the first two, I've got the others in my spatial ring!"
Kael always kept commonly used alchemical components on hand. This habit had serendipitously paid off.
The Fusion Elixir was no ordinary potion—its rarity evident from the materials alone.
Closing his eyes, Kael entered a meditative trance, his world narrowing to just those four elements.
His fingers moved first toward the vial of azure Elemental Water. A pulse of mana resonated through it, the energy oscillating in a rhythmic, almost musical cadence—swelling and receding unpredictably.
Suddenly, pure flame erupted from his palm, swirling rapidly to refine the liquid.
Bubbles erupted as the water's dense elemental energy boiled under the fire's kiss.
The flames danced in sync with Kael's mana until the liquid distilled into rising vapors, condensing into a flask of crystalline potion.
Next came the Heartbound Grass...
Kael's movements were a blur of precision. His fingers danced deftly as he retrieved an alchemy cauldron from his spatial ring.
That's right—a cauldron!
One forged from Frostgem Crystal!
Though The Book of Immortality had granted him profound knowledge, its seals weren't fully unlocked, meaning his success rate for brewing the Fusion Elixir wasn't guaranteed. But with this cauldron's aid, his confidence soared to 90%.
The cauldron hovered midair, rotating autonomously. Kael poured in the boiling Elemental Water, then added the Heartbound Grass.
The herb's properties dissolved instantly, deepening the liquid's hue and amplifying its energy density.
"Sevenleaf Herb and Crystalstone!" He tossed in the final ingredients while his left hand guided the cauldron's spin. A hissing sound filled the air as the four materials began merging.
With the cauldron's support, Kael worked with effortless mastery.
Ding.
A crystalline chime rang out. The four solutions converged inside the vessel, now radiating an eerie glow—proof of their preliminary fusion. Strands of liquid intertwined seamlessly, becoming one.
"Almost there!"
Kael exhaled sharply, channeling more energy. This was the critical juncture—make or break. His focus intensified, his movements exuding the poise of a grandmaster as he guided the final merger. The cauldron's aroma grew richer, more potent.
Within it, a pale blue elixir had taken form, its fragrance overwhelming.
Perfect harmony.
Yet Kael didn't dare relax. A single misstep now would spell disaster.
Final step.
A calm smile touched his lips. His hands never wavered as the cauldron's rotation intensified, the liquid swirling into a miniature vortex. The four components achieved absolute unity.
Fusion complete.
"Success!" Kael's heart leapt, but he steadied himself as he brought the cauldron closer for inspection.
Inside, the Fusion Elixir had fully coalesced—a dense, pale-blue liquid so viscous it bordered on solidity.
"This is it." Only now did he allow himself to exhale in relief. The elixir was flawless, its perfection undeniable. Even a grandmaster alchemist like the legendary Medicine King wouldn't find a single flaw.
With the potion complete, Kael's mood soared.
"Drinking this will dissolve the remaining power of the Millennium Ice Essence within me—letting me absorb it entirely!" A grin spread across his face as he downed the elixir in one decisive gulp.
"Holy... this human's actually an alchemist?!" The Snow Bear Beast gaped. It knew full well how revered alchemists were among humans—this revelation left it awestruck.
Kael paid no heed. The moment the elixir touched his lips, his body entered a transcendent state.
Mana spirits swarmed around him like fireflies. His magic surged and ebbed violently, torrents of energy converging like raging rivers within his veins.
"Such potent efficacy! The Millennium Ice Essence's power is truly unraveling—I must absorb it now!"
Thrilled yet wary, Kael felt his strength ballooning. Suppressing his excitement, he focused entirely on assimilating the essence.
A treasure like the Millennium Ice Essence couldn't possibly be fully absorbed in one sitting. Last time, he'd only managed to integrate a fraction—barely half at most.
While the essence's energy was pure, it carried water-aligned properties. Kael, however, specialized in fire magic. Fortunately, the essence's absolute purity allowed compatibility with any element—otherwise, his body would've ruptured long ago.
Yet absorption remained grueling.
Fire and water intertwined within him, merging yet never fully harmonizing. Kael's brow furrowed at their stubborn duality.
"Damn, this isn't going smoothly. Do I have to force fusion again?" Kael muttered, recalling the agony of his previous absorption of the Millennium Ice Essence's power.
"Huh?" Suddenly, he let out a soft exclamation. The essence's energy had abruptly shifted—no longer resisting him. His Frostflame erupted uncontrollably from his body, its searing heat so intense that the Snow Bear Beast broke into a cold sweat, eyes wide with terror. That power... it was monstrous.
The Frostflame, catalyzed by the essence, began mutating further!
Fire, water, and other elements intertwined, their energies morphing unpredictably, birthing something entirely new.
Kael felt it—purple lightning crackling across his skin, thick as thumbs, sizzling relentlessly.
Thunder!
The convergence of multiple energies had triggered a colossal mutation, granting him control over lightning itself!
"T-that's... lightning?!" The Snow Bear Beast was utterly dumbfounded. It had never heard of a human wielding such power!
Countless bolts surged around him.
Water, fire, wind, earth, light, darkness—these were the six known elemental affinities. But thunder? That was unheard of.
BOOM!
Kael's body trembled as elemental energies overflowed, as if he'd just kicked open a door.
A door never before opened by anyone.