Chapter 44- Plants Vs. Minerals

While the battle raged on agains the insect alchemist, the air thick with the scent of death and destruction. As the insects swarmed, consuming everything in their path, Alchemist Li reached for a vial filled with a shimmering liquid. With a flick of his wrist, he dropped a tiny amount of the liquid onto the ground.

Immediately, the insects scurried away in terror, as if they had caught a glimpse of something terrifying. The liquid was derived from a predator of most insects, the emperor-grade beast, the fiery chameleon. With this momentary reprieve, Li Jing and Du Hong launched a fierce attack on Liao Zhengshong.

Their movements were graceful and precise, like two dancers executing a perfectly choreographed routine. Li Jing swung his sword with deadly precision, while Du Hong unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with.

But even as they fought, Alchemist Li struggled to contain the raging mineral inside the bell. The force emanating from it threatened to tear the very fabric of reality apart. With no other option, Li used brute force to suppress the mineral's power.

Alchemist Liao Zhengshong reached for his weapon of choice, a crude-looking club that appeared to be nothing more than a branch from a random tree. But as he infused his qi into it, the club came to life, moving with fluid and unpredictable grace. Li Jing and Du Hong, who were locked in battle with Liao Zhengshong, struggled to keep up with the weapon's movements.

As the fight raged on, Alchemist Li tried to reason with his former friend and colleague, urging him to see the error of his ways and abandon his alliance with Master Feng and the Karma Order. "Why do you side with them?" Alchemist Li shouted over the din of battle. "You know that this path will only lead to destruction!"

But Liao Zhengshong was resolute in his beliefs, sneering at Alchemist Li's words. "You know nothing of the true nature of this empire," he spat back. "I will do whatever it takes to bring about the downfall of those in power. I'd rather see it in the hands of the Karma Order."

As Alchemist Liao Zhengshong stood there, holding the crude-looking club in his hand, memories flooded his mind. Suddenly, he was transported back in time, to a moment around 60 years ago.

He was a professor at an alchemy university run by the empire, and he was a fanatic of the empire. He passed this level of loyalty on to his son, who would often tell him that he would serve the kingdom with loyalty. His son would often tell him how he dreamed of becoming a soldier of the empire, who had been so good to them.

"Father, I will make you proud," his son would say with excitement in his voice. "I will become a soldier of the empire and repay them for all their kindness."

When his son reached the right age, he took the exam to become an army. He was overjoyed when he passed and was assigned to be a city guard. Although it may have been the lowest position, he thought that it was still an opportunity to repay the empire.

Since his son was assigned to a faraway city, they hadn't seen each other that often. However, one night, after Liao Zhengshong was done with his academic work, he heard a strange noise. He readied himself, thinking that someone might have intruded into his house. He heard the noise coming from the basement. Upon opening the basement, he saw his son, bleeding to death.

"Father, this empire is not what we think it is," his son said, struggling to speak. "There are people working in the shadows."

As Liao Zhengshong clutched his son's hand, tears streaming down his face, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Father, I was sent to that city to quell a rebellion. But it wasn't just a rebellion, it was a genocide. The empire orchestrated it all. They used us, the soldiers, to conceal their wrongdoings."

Liao Zhengshong's heart ached as he listened to his son's dying words. He had devoted his entire life to the empire, believing in their cause. But now, as he held his dying son in his arms, he realized that everything he had believed in was a lie.

"I will make them pay," Liao Zhengshong vowed, as he closed his son's eyes for the final time. From that day forward, he dedicated himself to uncovering the truth about the empire, and to bringing those responsible for his son's death to justice.

As he stood there, in the basement of his home, surrounded by the blood of his own flesh and blood, Liao Zhengshong made a decision. He would no longer be a pawn of the empire. He would use his knowledge and skills as an alchemist to fight against them, and to bring about true justice for all those who had been wronged by the empire's machinations.

Liao Zhengshong recounts his past, his mind is filled with memories of his son. He remembers the day his son enlisted in the empire's army, filled with excitement and pride to serve the kingdom that had been so good to them. He remembers the day he received the news of his son's death, and the revelation that the empire was not what it seemed.

With a heavy heart, Liao Zhengshong turns to Alchemist Li and says, "Do you remember the war between the empire and the pagans of the North, where the Dahaigong Sect currently stands? My son was involved in that war. They were told that they had to stop the pagans from summoning a demon lord, but it was all a lie. They just wanted to steal the secret rune formation of the clan."

Alchemist Li's eyes widen in shock and anger as Liao Zhengshong continues, "That's when I realized the true nature of this empire. I will never serve them again, no matter what they promise."

Alchemist Li's expression turned grave as he listened to Liao Zhengshong's words. "I had no idea," he said, his voice heavy with guilt. "But you must understand, Liao, that the Union is still our best hope for fighting against the empire's corruption. We cannot give up on it now."

Liao Zhengshong shook his head, his eyes filled with bitter determination. "I cannot trust the Union anymore. There are pawns of the empire that infiltrated it, slowly corrupting it from the inside. No, I will not stand idly by and watch as the empire destroys everything and everyone I hold dear."

Alchemist Li furrowed his brows, deep in thought. "Then what do you suggest we do? We cannot just give up and let the empire win."

"We must fight back," Liao Zhengshong replied firmly. "We must band together and form a resistance against the empire's corruption. We may be small in numbers, but as long as we have the will to fight, we can make a difference."

"I understand your anger and hurt, Liao," Alchemist Li said, his voice filled with empathy. "But we must not let our emotions cloud our judgement. We must think of a way to fight back without resorting to drastic measures that will only lead to more chaos and destruction."

The battle between the four alchemists reached a fever pitch as the minerals inside the bell continued to rage out of control. Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the air as the bell shattered, unable to contain the powerful forces within.

Alchemist Li stumbled and fell to the ground, coughing up blood from the recoil of the blast. Li Jing and Du Hong rushed to his side, supporting him as they prepared for Liao Zhengshong's next attack.

Without hesitation, Liao Zhengshong swung his crude-looking club and the minerals converged, forming a massive scythe that glinted in the light. The three alchemists braced for impact, but just as the scythe was about to strike, a giant root burst forth from the ground, blocking the attack with ease. The root was imbued with Qi, making it as strong as steel, and able to withstand the sharpness of the scythe.

Holes began to appear in the root, releasing smoke that obscured the Alchemist Li from Liao Zhengshong's view. The battle was far from over, and the tension was palpable as the alchemists prepared for the next round of attacks.

Liao Zhengshong's scythe clashed against the root with a deafening roar, sending sparks flying as the two forces collided. The alchemists gritted their teeth and pushed their powers to the limit, determined to come out victorious in this heart-racing battle.

The intense clash between the minerals and the roots continued, with both sides determined to emerge victorious. The sound of the clashing was like thunder, shaking the earth beneath them. Liao Zhengshong's face contorted in frustration as he struggled to maintain control over the minerals, his veins bulging as he poured more and more of his energy into the battle.

Suddenly, a small seed flew through the air and landed amongst the minerals. In an instant, it sprouted into a thick vine that wound its way through the minerals, constricting them and making it impossible for Liao Zhengshong to move them.

He let out a roar of anger as more and more vines sprouted from the seeds, wrapping themselves tightly around the minerals and binding them in place. The scythe he had created from the minerals was now rendered useless, trapped by the vines.

Alchemist Lai Xiaoli's face was set in a determined expression as she launched more and more seeds towards Liao Zhengshong, her eyes locked on her opponent as she sought to end the battle once and for all.

With a final burst of energy, the roots and vines grew so thick that the minerals were completely encased.

Suddenly thick mucus flowed from the minerals like a viscous, dark liquid, seeping into the cracks and crevices of the vines that had ensnared it. It corroded the vines with its potent toxins, rendering them limp and useless.

Alchemist Lai Xiaoli's eyes narrowed as he recognized the danger of the situation. He knew that his seeds, imbued with Qi, would be no match against the deadly toxins of the minerals.

Liao Zhengshong, taking advantage of the situation, manipulated the minerals once more, shaping them into a giant fist that slammed into Lai Xiaoli with devastating force. Despite Lai Xiaoli's quick reflexes and his giant root, which he used to block much of the attack, he was still sent flying through the air.

As the giant fist slammed into Lai Xiaoli, he was sent flying through the air, leaving a trail of debris and shattered earth in his wake. The force of the impact was so great that it created a massive crater where he landed, and the surrounding area was left in ruins.

Despite the ferocity of the attack, Lai Xiaoli managed to get back on his feet and brushed the dust on his robe. Then he let out a chilling smile.

The ground rumbled beneath them, sending vibrations through the earth that shook the very foundations of the land. Cracks appeared, snaking out in all directions as the earth split open with a deafening roar.

And from the depths of the chasm, a massive predator plant emerged. It was a towering, monstrous being, with thick vines for limbs and a maw that dripped with a potent poison saliva that could melt anything it touched. Juanxiu, who had just escaped from Master Fenge's trap formation, recognized the plant as the one from Alchemist Lai Xiaoli's garden.

"Dammit, it took too long for my plants to arrive," Alchemist Lai Xiaoli exclaimed as he watched the massive predator plant emerge from the crack in the ground. "Liao, be careful, this plant is not to be underestimated. This one could be rather rebellious."

The massive vines swept across the battlefield, lashing out at everything in their path. Liao Zhengshong struggled to defend himself against the onslaught of the relentless vines, but they proved to be too powerful.

But the vines didn't stop there, they also targeted the people wearing robes, wrapping tightly around them and sapping their energy. As the vines coiled around them, they could feel their vitality being drained away.

The plant seemed to come to life as it fed on the vitality of its victims, growing more vibrant with each passing moment. The fight was intense, with the vines whipping and lashing out in every direction, leaving destruction in their wake. As it continues to sap on the vitality of its victim, an ominous looking flower bloomed on top of the predator plant.