They sat and ate. They laughed and cried. They looked at the stars, admiring the beauty of wave upon wave of iridescent fire. They formed runic patterns that showered the mountain with a different kind of magic.
“Silly me,” Cha Ming whispered. With the pressure gone, and his spirits high, he could finally see the answer.
Chapter 22: Old Tricks
“Runic alchemy,” Cha Ming said, slapping a book onto Iridescent Wonder’s desk. Younger students and interns, not used to such brashness in front of their master, immediately retreated from the workshop.
“At least try to act with decorum around the youngsters,” Iridescent Tempest said, walking into the office. “What’s that thing?”
“It appears to be a book in which words are written,” Iridescent Wonder said, picking it up gingerly. “A primitive form of conveying ideas. I suppose mortals use such things from time to time, but I never thought I’d see one in the flesh.”
“Oh, come on,” Cha Ming said. “It’s a book. You don’t have to hallucinate every time you want to learn something.”
“I obviously use them to take notes all the time, but to convey ideas, it’s a terrible medium,” Iridescent Wonder said. He grabbed a pair of spectacles from his desk and put them on before opening the book to the front page.
“Ah, mortal alchemy,” Iridescent Wonder said. “I forgot how simplistic it was. Though I admit, you’ve outdone yourself on the specifics and the mechanics.” He flipped through the pages rapidly, only skimming the information. “I suppose that would be necessary in a lower realm. With lower qi reserves and soul force and lower-level ingredients, everything becomes flamingly difficult. Iridescent Tempest, did you know that in mortal realms, demons have to first awaken their bloodlines, then purify them, then force them into a core. They don’t just grow them organically.”
“What?” Iridescent Tempest said. “That’s absurd.”
Cha Ming rolled his eyes. “Yes, and it takes hundreds and sometimes thousands of years for them to do so. But guess what—they can speak before achieving the initiation realm.”
“I don’t believe you,” Iridescent Tempest said, accepting the book from Iridescent Wonder, who was now deep in thought. She flipped through the book and snorted. “Calling this a ‘book’ seems rather generous. It seems more like a reference manual on puzzles that happen to use alchemical ingredients as pieces.”
“That’s because it is a reference book on puzzles that happen to use alchemical ingredients as pieces,” Cha Ming said. “My apologies if there isn’t just a jade or properly inscribed instruction manual to zap it directly into your spiritual sea.”
“The only time I read such dry materials is when I have trouble sleeping,” Iridescent Wonder said. “Especially when they refer to a realm of existence that has no bearing on my own. It would take me days to read this, and they wouldn’t be enjoyable.”
“Then I’ll summarize,” Cha Ming said, pulling up a chair. “Back in the mortal realms, where, believe it or not, very few people could ever hope to match me in alchemy, talisman artistry, and formation arts, I happened upon a disciple. He and I worked together to make a framework to combine these three arts. We decided to call the concept runic alchemy. It is these same concepts that I infuse into my pill recipes and that give you and Iridescent Charity such a hard time.”
“You mean those strange forms you use and the strange things you do with runes?” Iridescent Wonder said. “These are components of this runic alchemy you describe? Forgive me for saying this, but you’re not the first to try such things, and you won’t be the last. Alchemical schools are diverse—there are hundreds, if not thousands of different schools of thought.”
“The rune forms I currently use are just a shadow of what is possible,” Cha Ming said. “Runic alchemy isn’t about applying runic arts to facilitate alchemical processes. Rather, it’s about crafting runes with alchemical ingredients that interact with each other using both runic and alchemical principles.”
“You just said the same thing twice,” Iridescent Tempest said.
“I didn’t. You’re just being stubborn,” Cha Ming said. “Regardless, you can’t deny my approach is effective. Remember how I crafted a late-grade-iridescence pill in everyone’s presence? I used runes to increase my success rate to around eighty percent.”
“That’s impossibly high for your level,” Iridescent Wonder said. “And we’ve only seen you do it once.”
“Yet I’m confident in my assessment because runes are predictable,” Cha Ming said. “But that’s only one advantage. You see, I haven’t been trying to perfectly incorporate the two arts these days—I only needed shortcuts and consistency. But that is only the surface of what’s possible, since runes have a power of their own. Runes derived from matching ingredients are effectively pieces of a talisman or formation. They amplify the efficacy of the component. If you were to make several of these amplified components and combine them alchemically, forming new runes every time, you would eventually reduce things down to a single rune. This final rune is your pill.”
“And what are the benefits of this… runic alchemy?” Iridescent Wonder asked.
“Back in my prime, I could consistently remake alchemical formulas into new pills and increase their potency by a full half step.”
Iridescent Wonder froze, and his expression focused. “Interesting.”
“But that’s impossible, isn’t it?” Iridescent Tempest said. “You heard Iridescent Virtue. He said that this was the function of an iridescent seal.”
“Was your Grandmist seal compatible with these runic pills?” Iridescent Wonder asked.
“Fully compatible,” Cha Ming confirmed. “Which means that it may be possible to make pills that are both more potent and more adaptable. Would this not make it possible to win the competition? I assume there’s an unbiased way of assessing everything.”
“The judges are Phoenix Clan elders, so it’s not a perfect process,” Iridescent Wonder said. “That being said, if any of the elders tried to sabotage you overtly, they’d be disqualified. There are pretty strict parameters for a legitimate assessment, including skill of the crafter, number of failed attempts, difficulty, efficacy, and flexibility, among other things.” Then he shook his head. “I still think iridescence is the way to go. Tell me, boy, how long did it take you to write this… book.”
“Years,” Cha Ming admitted. “But I do have the experience of having done so before. In addition, I wouldn’t need to think up a full framework. I only need to create a framework that incorporates the final pill I wish to craft. This way, I also wouldn’t need to risk my life—or my demon brother’s—by attempting another burning.”
“There are alternatives,” Iridescent Wonder said. “I’ve been thinking about it all night. For example, I know of a spirit doctor who found a way to substantially reduce the risk of self-immolation. That aside, it’s also possible to achieve a burning with personal enlightenment. In this case, the risk is rather low.”
“Enlightenment can’t be sought,” Cha Ming said. “It can only be found.”
“I’ve thought of a few other things we can do as well,” Iridescent Wonder said. “We can work with modified ingredients to introduce iridescence into pills artificially. This might not be the same as a seal, but perhaps we could achieve some bleed-over if the pill is of a high enough level. Moreover, we could try to make sacrificial pills and infuse their potency into the main pill. A sacrificed late-grade-iridescence pill could greatly improve your chances.”
“That’s… actually a very good idea,” Cha Ming said.
“I’m proud of that one,” Iridescent Wonder said. “Even Charity admitted to it.”
“I still think my idea is better,” Cha Ming said. “For one, it works with my knowledge base. For another, I could even use this method to incorporate your sacrificial idea. Substituting ingredients into an existing pill recipe is actually much easier when performed using runes.”
“Because of the stab
ility, I gather,” Iridescent Wonder said, scratching his chin. “Fine, we’ll do it your way.” He picked up the book gingerly and handed it back. “We won’t be needing this lesser tool of learning. We’ll go where real books are stored. To the library!”
“May I come?” Iridescent Tempest asked.
“Of course not,” Iridescent Wonder said. “You’re needed here. With the plants. If we don’t have a constant supply of iridescent flames, we won’t be able to grow the ingredients he needs.”
“Yes, Master,” Iridescent Tempest said, deflating.
Cha Ming felt bad they couldn’t take her, but it couldn’t be helped. He followed the excited elder out of the workshop. The man was hovering more than he was walking, so it took a fair amount of effort for him to keep up. Fortunately, there were no challenges this time—he wasn’t sure whether it was due to the elder’s presence or his smashing Iridescent Charm’s face in. Either way, he was happy.
They didn’t go to any library on the ninth floor but instead went one floor down. “This is one of the best libraries in the city,” Iridescent Wonder said. “The Nirvana Institute of Higher Learning.”
“How can I help you, esteemed elder?” a young attendant asked as they entered.
“Begone,” Iridescent Wonder said. “I don’t need your help. I know my way around.”
The man hesitated but wisely decided to give in and let Iridescent Wonder do as he pleased. Their confrontation broke the silence in the library, and Cha Ming was quite sure that if he wasn’t the Elder Iridescent Wonder, some of the readers or teachers might have considered dueling him on the spot.
“The restricted section?” Cha Ming asked as they entered a dusty, locked-off portion of the three-story library. This section was decrepit and poorly lit.
“You said you had unlimited access, yes?” Iridescent Wonder said.
“I did,” Cha Ming said. Iridescent Wonder started pulling books off the shelves and tossing them into stacks on the floor. Cha Ming winced.
“If you will not respect the rules of this institution, I’ll throw you out,” a voice called out. A short and shrill investiture-realm phoenix of the fourth burning stomped over. She glanced at the books that had piled up on the dirty carpet. “Well?”
Iridescent Wonder grumbled and floated the stacks up. They wandered over to an unused table. A cloud of dust filled the air when they landed with a light thump. “How’s this?”
“It’s a start,” the librarian said. “Could you show a little more decorum? Half the students in the library saw you tromping about. One can only hope they won’t imitate you should they become elders in the future.”
“Don’t worry, my dear, I highly doubt any of those fledglings have that sort of potential,” Iridescent Wonder said. Then he glanced at the door. “Ah, it looks like Charity found us.”
“There you are,” Iridescent Charity said as she entered the room, gasping and wheezing. “He didn’t cause any trouble, did he?”
“Not too much,” the librarian grumbled. But Iridescent Charity had already taken off. She ran through the bookshelves, an iridescent flame in hand to light up the grimy covers.
“No open flames!” the librarian said. “And stop eating things!” She plucked a sandwich out of Iridescent Charity’s hand. Crumbs fell on the floor.
“Don’t worry, I have perfect control over my flames,” Iridescent Charity said. “I won’t be destroying any of your precious books today. Now run along, child. Or do you think you can rein us old geezers in?”
The red-faced librarian glared, shook, then, to Cha Ming’s surprise, stomped off angrily. He hoped they wouldn’t blacklist him once the elders were gone.
“I was under the impression that the Shimmerwing Alchemical Library had all the best content,” Cha Ming said.
“It’s better if you’re looking for ordinary things,” Iridescent Charity agreed. She grabbed a book from a shelf and slapped the ancient tome down on a table. It was torn and dusty, and Cha Ming could swear he heard a rip and a soft whimper from a librarian peeking out from behind the doorway, frightened by their barbaric ways. Cha Ming approached the book and read the title.
“Runic Cauldrons and Their Usage: A Primer,” Cha Ming said. “A good find.”
“But a terrible book,” Iridescent Charity said. “This one was written by someone who’d gotten one from further inland but had never learned how to use it. Apparently, you need to be at least a rune-gathering cultivator or an investiture-realm demon to make good use of one.”
“I seem to be getting along fine,” Cha Ming said.
“But you could maybe do better,” Iridescent Charity said. “I didn’t find the book you were looking for, by the way.”
“I didn’t think you would,” Iridescent Wonder said, fingering through books in the shelves. “Someone must have hidden it. Probably Old Dusty. If that’s the case…” He walked over to a bookshelf and blew, filling the air with a cloud of filth. He then fingered books by their spines, lightly scanning their contents before finally settling on a plain-looking booklet. “Thought so. He likes using dust to cover up the books he uses. He’s quite territorial.”
“I always wondered where he got his name,” Iridescent Charity said.
Cha Ming accepted the book from Iridescent Wonder. “Sacrificial Pill Making: A Modular Approach to Alchemy. Is this what you were talking about? Bleeding essence from one pill and combining it into another?”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Iridescent Wonder said.
“You mean completely theoretical?” Iridescent Charity asked. “I’ve tried it a few times, and the results were catastrophic.”
“It’s not theoretical further inland,” Iridescent Wonder said. “I saw someone do it once. It’s not my fault he was a hoarder and wouldn’t tell me how he did it.”
“So it’s not well studied?” Cha Ming asked.
“It’s an advanced crafting technique,” Iridescent Charity said. “I called it theoretical because at our level, we can only conceptualize such things. We lack the knowledge required to advance past early investiture. Most of our efforts are spent on theorizing and testing in alternating cycles.”
Iridescent Wonder nodded. “Pill sacrifice is very difficult, but if what you’re saying about runic alchemy is accurate, it might be worth a shot.”
“If I’m going to completely overhaul a pill recipe, I might as well try working iridescence into it,” Cha Ming said.
“I believe I missed a significant portion of this conversation,” Iridescent Charity said.
“The boy wrote a book,” Iridescent Wonder replied. “I didn’t bother reading it. Maybe you’d be interested in reading five thousand pages of lab notes?”
“Actually, that sounds—”
“Later,” Iridescent Wonder said. “The boy thinks he has a way to work runes into pills to make them stronger. Assuming this works, it bypasses the need for an iridescent-pill seal. The only problem we’ll have then, assuming this works, is procuring ingredients. I had Tempest check. All the ingredients for any of the top-tier pills have been bought out.”
“Virtue checked as well,” Iridescent Charity said grimly. “Someone didn’t rein in their temper last night, it seems, so half the clan thought it fitting to punish you.”
“Then I’ll just need to master a lower-tier pill and use that as a template,” Cha Ming said. “There ought to be some top-grade pills with relatively abundant materials. Pills that don’t look very threatening, and people would be happy to let me try at the competition so I can embarrass myself.”
“Yes, that just might work,” Iridescent Wonder said. “There are a few dozen types you could try.”
Cha Ming thought a moment, and an idea came to mind. “Why don’t I try optimizing some sort of enlightenment pill?”
Iridescent Wonder frowned. “Enlightenment? That’s two tiers down. At least settle on a high-tier recipe.”
“Hear me out on this,” Cha Ming said. “Compatibility and flexibility are b
oth important when modifying a recipe, aren’t they? A pill of this tier is both, and better yet, there will be even more ingredients available for such a pill. Besides, what better pill to craft? I’ll be able to consume those I make to gain enlightenment on how to better optimize that same pill recipe.”
“Smart,” Iridescent Charity said. “The recipe is also compatible with iridescence, as it is a mind- and soul-influencing pill.”
“Then the only problem will be gaining ingredients that contain iridescence,” Cha Ming said. “From what I’ve seen, higher-tier ingredients with these properties are difficult to obtain.”
“Don’t worry about that part, boy,” Iridescent Wonder said. “Tempest has been working on it since you got here. She’s a mediocre alchemist, but she’s got a talent for growing plants. It’s a rare skill in Shimmerwing. Low-tier ingredients can’t handle her flames yet, but if it’s higher-tier ones...”
“Then it sounds like I’ve got a chance,” Cha Ming said. “Which is a lot more than I had yesterday.”
“We’re not out of the woods yet, boy,” Iridescent Wonder said. He picked another book off the shelf. “Now read this. And this.”
“And this stack should also be instructive,” Iridescent Charity said, placing another dozen books on a table. “And give me that journal. Old Wonder doesn’t have a mind for numbers, but Virtue and I will get cracking on it right away.”
Cha Ming handed her the book and got straight to work.
Chapter 23: Instinct
Mi Fei woke to an aching throat. Her head was pounding, and her nightclothes were soaked with sweat. She was shaking and shivering, and for a moment, she wondered if she’d caught some sort of illness.
Then she remembered the nightmare. The faceless shadow nipping at her heels. He bore a double-bladed scythe, and his black eyes were filled with hatred. They called him the Curse Sovereign, and he was a blight upon the world. He’d killed her once. And now, he was back to do it again.
Claddings of Light : Book 12 of Painting the Mists Page 35