Mechanical Alchemist

After the battle of Hebertson, Su Lun and Mr. Jing had stayed in Mafa and then they begun to employ guerilla tactics.

They conducted unexpected assaults on the garrisons of the magic armies in various occupied areas and ambushed their experts.

Although there were many Mages descending from the Divine Plane, the territory of Mafa was very broad. As the frontline elongated, the distribution of the magical legions also became very sparse.

In the occupied areas, one could find at most one or two ten-thousand-strong Mage Corps per city.

That had been more than enough previously.

With the augmentation of magic towers, one or two corps were sufficient to hold off mechanical legions more than ten times their number.

Even if they encountered a large-scale siege and couldn't win, they could still wait for reinforcements.

The beings from the Divine Plane controlled dozens of the great cities of Mafa through this method.

However, once Su Lun and Mr. Jing, two top-tier fighters, joined the battlefield, the situation changed immediately.

One of them could match any ninth-tier opponent without defeat, and one puppet army could easily shatter a ten-thousand-strong Mage Corps.

Under their cooperation, the Mages from the Divine Plane had almost no means to resist.

Even if they gathered together ten or eight ten-thousand-strong Mage Corps, the two of them could easily deal with them.

Even if they were truly ambushed due to some special reason, their exceptional Teleportation ability allowed them to retreat unscathed.

The people from the Divine Plane couldn't deal with Su Lun and Mr. Jing, but the two of them could easily breach various cities and magic camps, ensuring that the battle was one-sided from the start.

They were like sharp bullets zipping in and out of the body of a large and bloated bear.

Moreover, Su Lun's long-distance Spatial Displacement ability allowed them to appear flexibly at any point within Mafa's territory, and with the support of the Joint Empire's intelligence, they always managed to find some isolated Mage Corps or ambush and kill top-tier Mages.

Able to fight and flee, the beings from the Divine Plane could do nothing but passively defend against the two.

Thus, in the following few months, the two of them almost singlehandedly swept across the entire territory of Mafa, killing tens of thousands of enemies.

The Mages from the Divine Plane were unable to continue their scattered garrisons and could only gather several tens of Mage Corps to form super corps for self-protection.

Even when new ninth-tier Sages of Law descended in an attempt to change the course of events, after Su Lun ambushed and killed two of them, they too started to behave.

The top-tier experts, even those at the level of Sages, could only keep hiding within their super corps, no longer daring to be alone.

As for the will of the gods, there were also no more descents.

After the battle in Dragon Country Waters, where a god from the Three-eyed Race suffered heavy injuries while possessing Saint Frank, perhaps due to the injury or fear of something, they no longer descended.

It was probably not an urgent matter for them either.

For mortals, one or two years is a long time, but for gods, it might just be the blink of an eye.

They probably thought that the current state of the Alchemy Plane was already within their grasp and that it would eventually be conquered by the Divine Plane.

A little later or sooner, it didn't make much difference.

Moreover, a mere descent of divine will might not necessarily mean victory in battle.

....

In this manner, Su Lun and Mr. Jing, with their powers alone, forced a million Mages to hunker down in their camps, unable to move.

In just a few months, nearly all the occupied cities within the territory of Mafa were liberated.

During this period, the Joint Empire's relocation fleet was also continuously moving the population among various major coastal cities of Mafa.

In the absence of any obstructions, the hundreds of millions of people remaining within the boundaries of Mafa were successfully relocated.

Likewise, the various large factories and equipment that had not been able to be moved before also had the opportunity to be relocated.

Only part of the resistance forces remained on the front lines, secretly constructing underground fortifications in preparation for future battles.

Another part continued to mine and produce in the major mining areas in secret, providing the Empire with enough resources for construction.

With Su Lun and Mr. Jing stationed on the side of Mafa, they also brought a much-needed respite for the Alchemy Plane.

Ruing, with the influx of a large population, saw an explosive growth in national strength.

The policies of widespread alchemy education across the Empire and the benefits of genetic Potions continued to ferment, with both civilians and the military producing a large number of astounding alchemy talents. With a larger base, various rare A and B grade talents, and even a few S grade talents, began to emerge, with top professionals making breakthroughs frequently...

Then there was also the blossoming development in the field of mechanical technology.

The two great empires each had their own trump cards, such as Lu Ying's divine nerve technology, Ancient Gusmao airships, and the antique mechanical blueprints treasured by the royal families and nobility. Previously lacking the capability to manufacture them, they now had the personnel, technology, and equipment support after forming a united empire with Mafa, and various secret mechanical equipment emerged accordingly.

Internal strife had been eradicated and external threats temporarily posed no hindrance. Empress Yekaterina also demonstrated her astounding ability to govern, implementing policies one after another, leading the United Empire to unprecedented prosperity not seen in thousands of years.

Just like that, two years flashed by.

...

On this day, in Zambula Ironfall Province in the southern region of Mafa.

It was deep autumn, the weather slightly cool—the perfect weather for soaking in hot springs.

It was still the pine forest hot spring deep in the mountains, enveloped in the serenity of the forest with only the sounds of gurgling water.

In the crystal-clear spring water, three people were leisurely soaking in the hot spring.

Su Lun and Mr. Jing would come here to soak once in a while.

After searching high and low, it turned out that the best hot springs within the Mafa region were these mountain springs.

Of course, the most important reason was that nearly all of the Mage fortresses in Mafa had been concentrated near the planar passage. The two of them needed to check frequently on the enemy's arrival, so they would also come here often to soak.

"Pestoya, don't always create mischief while possessing Miss Pandora's body; it's very impolite," one said.

"Ah... but Pandora said it's okay. She has descended as a god to the Northern Quad-Kingdom and Dragon Country to gather faith. She even mentioned that she wants Su Lun to work on figuring out how to amalgamate a divine body for her through alchemy soon. Isn't that right, Junior Brother?"

"..."

In the hot spring, Pestoya controlled Pandora's body, swimming about in the water.

The girl didn't know how to swim before but had finally learned, and now she was showing off at every opportunity.

Suddenly, with a "splash," the submerged figure burst forth.

Pandora's figure was already majestic, and as she rose from the water, waves surged tumultuously.

Su Lun was long accustomed to it.

A wooden tray floated on the spring water, filled with various fresh vegetables and fruits. When they grew weary of soaking, the three would snack on something, a leisurely indulgence.

"More and more magic airships are gathering at the planar passage. It looks like they're preparing to traverse the Imperial Strait. Judging by the rate at which their numbers are accumulating, they will likely take action within the next few months."

"Yes. They couldn't build shipyards along the coast, so they had to use magic airships. Luckily, we've recently received good news from Lyndon—the United Empire has developed quite well in the past two years. The military is also prepared; the Steam Airship Corps has reached a considerable scale and we will have a significant advantage if a battle really breaks out. It's just the sheer number of the enemy's top warriors we fear, if they're too many and go straight for a decapitation strike, that's the big problem."

"Indeed. At least twenty or thirty ninth-rank Sages have appeared over the past two years. There could be others with special abilities. The next great battle is likely to be very bloody."

"Yes. The problem with the planar passage will persist until it is completely resolved."

"Do you have any plans for the Silent Forest?"

"It seems we need to prioritize that. There are now quite a few peak eighth-rank professionals in the Empire, and we have a significant shortfall of primeval essence. If we don't advance a batch of ninth-rankers quickly, future battles will be difficult. And I have a feeling the enemy is preparing for some major move."

"..."

The three of them chatted in the hot spring, exchanging occasional comments.

Others in the Alchemic Plane might feel the crisis had temporarily receded over these two peaceful years, but Su Lun and Mr. Jing, who had always been on the frontline, were well aware that the situation was deteriorating.

The planar portal was becoming increasingly stable, allowing more top-tier masters from the divine planes to descend easier and more frequently.

Although Mr. Jing and Su Lun had been constantly fighting over the past two years and had significantly improved their combat abilities, achieving great victories, the outcome of the plane wars ultimately couldn't depend solely on them.

....

It was an ordinary day, seemingly unremarkable.

The trio had soaked for a while and initially planned to camp overnight as they often did.

But suddenly, Mr. Jing received some news, and her fine eyebrows furrowed.

Su Lun observed and asked, "What's wrong, Senior Sister?"

Mr. Jing replied, "I've just received intelligence from the military. A quarter of an hour ago, a suspected ninth-rank Mage attacked one of the Mithril mines in Manuel Hill with hundreds of men, causing significant casualties. The attackers haven't left; they're still in the mine."

Hearing this, Su Lun's thoughts raced, and he instantly had an idea: "Oh, are they coming for us?"

In the past two years, the two of them had struck down too many from the divine planes, and the enemy was already aware of their tactics.

It would be impossible for a ninth-rank to come out alone just to be killed.

But now that one had appeared, it meant the adversary was confident.

Mr. Jing also nodded, "It should be."

Clearly, this was a deliberate show of force, a provocation meant to draw them out.

After pondering for a moment, she spoke with a grave tone, "I fear a 'Demigod' might have descended."

Su Lun narrowed his eyes slightly as he listened, "A demigod, huh… having hidden for so long, are they finally making their move?"

He thought so too.

Generally, those of the ninth rank stood no chance. And since the enemy dared to provoke with just a few hundred men, the most likely scenario was that among the enemy, there was a power far surpassing the ninth rank.

And it could only be a "Demigod".

Su Lun had harvested the memories of those several ninth-rank Sages of Law before and had come to a precise understanding of the Demigods of the magic plane.

In the understanding of Mages, these were magicians who had not congealed a godhood but had mastered some divine power, commonly referred to as "Magic Gods."

That title represented the pinnacle of human power.

Su Lun wasn't entirely ignorant about the powers above the ninth rank, and in his view, those Magic Gods were likely beings who had grasped some "force of rules."

If such a mighty being did indeed descend, Su Lun himself would not be able to swallow this slight either.

The magicians had been holed up for two years, bound to come out for a breath of malice.

The assailants at the mine had not yet left, and after a brief discussion with Mr. Jing, Su Lun already disappeared into the hot spring pool.

Even if it was a deliberate provocation by the enemy, they had to make the trip.

First was to witness the strength of a Demigod-level Mage;

The second was to find out what exactly the fellows from the divine plane were planning.

The longer they waited, the greater the chance for change, and the sooner they obtained intelligence, the sooner they would be prepared.

...

Su Lun had left spatial coordinates in almost every major city of Mafa, and after a few instances of teleportation, they arrived at Manuel Hill, known as the second-largest city of Mafa.

Once a super-mining city with a population of over ten million, it was now a ruin.

Besides some rebels, there were hardly any residents left in the city.

The population had all relocated to Mafa during the past two years of migration, and even the factories and steel structures in the city that could be moved had been transported to Ruying.

As soon as Su Lun and Mr. Jing arrived, they heard the sound of explosions from the mine outside the city.

There was a high-yield Mithril mine outside the city, immeasurably valuable. This had once been the foundation for the development of this city, and over the past two years, it had continuously been mined by the rebels.

With another instance of teleportation, Su Lun and his companion were already on a desolate mountain.

The moment they arrived, they saw over a hundred individuals dressed in Mage robes levitating in the open-air mine above.

The vast majority of Mages seemed to be spectators.

Only a few of fifth, sixth, and seventh rank were bombarding the area with magic, attempting to collapse the underground mine with the Earthquake Technique.

The rebels, on the other hand, were well prepared, having detonated some explosives that had been buried in advance.

There was a lot of noise, but not many people were seen.

A flash of light passed through Su Lun's eyes as he watched the group of Mages, and he immediately distinguished: "There are two at the ninth rank."

Now his ability was merely to glance once, and along with Soul Perception, he could immediately discern the approximate rank of the target.

Normally, two individuals of the ninth rank wouldn't pose a big problem for the two of them.

But upon seeing the female magician wearing a silver robe and a Golden Mask for a split second, Su Lun's pupils suddenly constricted.

The Golden Mask were identified as a legendary-quality magical artifact, enveloped in a faint halo of light. Ordinary people, upon looking directly at it, felt as though they were beholding a deity and couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

The female Mage wearing this mask stood at the most conspicuous position.

The other hundred people, including the elderly ninth-rank, appeared to be...servants.

This display had already indicated her exceptionally distinguished identity.

Upon seeing the patterns on the Golden Mask, Su Lun immediately recognized her identity and warned, "Sister, be cautious. That's likely Princess Octavia J. Fielding of the Ascieden Empire. It's said she is a naturally born being with the three-eye anomaly of the divine race!"

The Three-Eyed Divine Race, also known as the holy race of the divine plane, are people closest to the deities.

Mr. Jing's expression also turned stern as he sensed a strong threat.

Clearly, even if the Mage wearing the Golden Mask was not a Demigod, her strength was far beyond that of an ordinary ninth tier.

Su Lun held his black umbrella tightly, his perception fully extended as he squinted and said, "There are no ambushes around, Senior Sister, shall we make a move?"

The other party had obviously not brought many people on purpose, just waiting for them to show up.

Mr. Jing nodded and said calmly, "Let's try it first."

To others, a Demigod might seem unreachable, and even instill a sense of fear due to the unknown.

But to Mr. Jing, that was not much of an issue.

After all, he had seen the presence of the strongest Demigod in the alchemical plane!

...

While Su Lun and Mr. Jing were observing, the Mage with the Golden Mask floating in the sky above the open-air mine seemed to notice something. She suddenly turned her head to look towards the northwest slope.

Su Lun's expression tightened as he muttered, "Strong perception."

The two of them knew they had been discovered and did not hide any longer. As the illusionary disguise dispersed, their figures were revealed.

Seeing the Gold-Patterned Cloaks on them, the woman in the Golden Mask knew that the people she was waiting for had arrived.

As the two sides locked eyes, two terrifying pressures suddenly overwhelmed the entire mine.

Just the mere leaking of aura from top-tier powerhouses was enough to cause the surrounding mountains and rocks to crumble.

No matter if they could win the fight or not, the royals' pomp and circumstance had to be observed; the noble Demigod princess couldn't personally take the field upon her arrival. The moment the aura leaked, more than a hundred accompanying Mages also reacted and rushed towards the slope.

Seeing the ninth tier old man, Su Lun sneered coldly, and his figure vanished from the spot.

He was very self-aware; he knew he was no match for a Demigod, but he could handle a typical ninth tier.

Although he had identified the identity of the woman Mage in the Golden Mask, that was all the limited information he had.

It was said that the woman Mage possessed divine power, but no one had seen her in action.

However, judging by the aura she emitted, she was solidly above the ninth tier.

Besides, even if she wasn't a Demigod that had touched the limits of human strength, her inherent talents of the Third Eye Tribe were not to be underestimated.

[S-009-Myriad Manifestations True Understanding], an eighth tier Saint Frank was already troublesome, let alone a true ninth tier.

Such an expert was better left to his Senior Sister to probe and test first for safety.

Fearlessly, Su Lun charged towards the ninth tier old man, expanding his domain of Death, and a layer of pitch-black and eerie field swirled around his body.

Two years ago, when facing a ninth tier Sage of Law, he might have been wary.

But now...

Without the oppressive aura of rank, while the Sage of Law was still a threat in his eyes, it was no longer a fatal one.

Since the battle with Clemdon up to now, he had harvested a full seven ninth tier Sages of Law, and his understanding of the magic system was also very thorough.

If one were to measure in terms of combat strength, calling him ninth tier would not be an exaggeration.

However, to Su Lun's mild surprise, that ninth tier old man was a physical and magic dual-wielding Rune Thunder Master, not only with immense magical power but also possessed strong close-combat capabilities emblazoned with runes.

The man moved as fast as lightning, with a crack of thunder in the sky, his figure teleported miles in an instant.

Upon a closer look, he had already appeared right in front of Su Lun. He rushed forward with a barrage of close-range heavy punches, each blow causing a sonic boom in the air, capable of punching a large hole in the mine from hundreds of meters away.

Thunder roared in the sky, the old man's body illuminated with purple lightning. With a casual flick, he could throw a thunder spear comparable to the Eight Forbidden Spells, and approaching his sacred domain, one would feel a strong paralyzing sensation.

Fast speed, strong physical body, powerful magic...

This kind of opponent, mastering both physical and magic, is difficult to counter due to lack of obvious weaknesses, and ordinary people really can't cope with them.

Right from the start of the fight, Su Lun had to admit that this guy was the strongest ninth tier Sage, besides that Time Mage he had encountered.

Unfortunately for him, Su Lun's own physical body was not a bit weaker.

He had previously taken the Thunder Dragon Breath Fruit in the Dragon Country Waters, granting him a very high resistance to lightning.

Even in close-quarters combat, he did not fall behind at all.

Furthermore, no matter how fast the thunder magic-enhanced speed was, in Su Lun's eyes, there was no chance of concealing anything!