The First Arch-Alchemist Drops His Mask

I am Carlton Helfer, the most useless alchemy student in Crucible. Whenever I tried to craft pills, I somehow blew up the entire compound to pieces. So, my teacher, Caspian Hemlock, never allowed me to touch a cauldron, and my female peers always took the blame for me. Then, Zephyr Tierra arrived in town. He was a once-in-a-millennium prodigy at pill crafting. He swore he could raise our order to glory, and he loathed worthless trash like me above all else. So, he organized a pill-crafting tournament with my female peers, using me as a negative example every single day. On the day of the Arch-Alchemist’s election, he and my female peers drugged me with a crippling draught and cast me into the Miasma Woods. I died, but my soul stayed. I bound myself to a Zero to Hero System. The system spoke, “Carlton, you have fulfilled the prerequisite: A Wretched Death. The First Alchemist’s Legacy acquired.” When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day Zephyr Tierra arrived in town. This time, when I flicked my finger, Enneaphyllon, an herb extinct for ages, sprouted from my palm. Zephyr’s eyes went wide. “I-Impossible!” I sneered and said, “Don’t you know that a true arch-alchemist doesn’t need a cauldron?” Every herb and every tree in the whole of Crucible was my elixir. Chapter 1 I sat up quickly and scanned my surroundings with a sharp gaze. Memories flooded my mind. I recalled Zephyr Tierra’s hypocritical smiling face, my female peers’ cold, indifferent gaze, and that agonizing, heart-wrenching pain right before I died. Then, a ton of information hit me all at once. I saw flashes of things from tens of thousands of years ago. The entire world was my cauldron. All of nature was my ingredient. With a wave of my hand, dead trees bloomed again. I could raise the dead and bring them back to life. Long-buried memories came flooding back like a tide. It turned out that in the past, I was actually the First Arch-Alchemist! A hundred years ago, I fell due to an accident. I returned as Carlton Helfer, a lowly little alchemist at Crucible. My real power and memories were deliberately sealed away in the Arch-Alchemist Dimension, waiting only for the right moment to awaken. My wretched death in the past was exactly that trigger. I slowly raised my right hand. With just a thought, a wisp of pure wood energy flowed out of my palm. My spiritual power had fully recovered. “Carlton, are you in there?” One of my female peers, Melissa Vesper, spoke from outside the door. I withdrew the energy that had been nourishing the Enneaphyllon in my hand. Then, I pushed the door open and walked out calmly. Several people were standing in the courtyard. Melissa stood at the very front. Behind her followed my other peers, Ella Cinnabar and Helena Silverthorn. Beside Melissa stood a man. He stood tall in a plain white alchemist’s robe. His posture was dignified, and his gaze was cold and proud. He was Zephyr Tierra. I remembered that face from my past. I would never forget it even in death. “Carlton, this is Zephyr, a once-in-a-millennium prodigy at pill crafting who just joined Crucible,” Melissa introduced him warmly. “Zephyr’s very talented. He was highly regarded the moment he walked in.” He looked at me indifferently. His voice carried authority as he said, “Sure, I joined late, but I’m older than you. So, you better show me some respect.” That was exactly how it went in the past. He used his age to demand respect from me. Back then, I could not be bothered to argue over that, so I obediently agreed. From then on, he used his seniority to suppress me at every turn. “Yeah, Carlton. Zephyr’s older than you. You should show him some respect,” Ella chimed in from the side. In the past, I probably would have just gone along with it. This time, I looked at his cold expression and gently shook my head. Then, I said in a slow, deliberate voice, “Crucible is a major alchemist order. Respect is earned, not given. You don’t get to demand mine just because you’re older.” Melissa was stunned at first, then nodded. “Carlton has a point.” Zephyr’s expression instantly darkened. “Ugh, what a pain! I’ve always been blunt and straightforward. I don’t have time for all this beating around the bush! “Listen, the only things that matter to me are talent and hard work. The weak get weeded out. There’s no room for people who coast on connections or favoritism.” Chapter 2 A few students who happened to pass by looked over. Everyone knew I was the most useless alchemy student in Crucible. They also knew Zephyr, the extraordinarily gifted newcomer. I smiled faintly and said, “Fair point. If that’s the case, then we ought to abide by Crucible’s ordinances. “Since you just got here, you should show me some respect.” “You—!” Zephyr’s expression darkened. “What’s the matter?” I asked, tilting my head. “Didn’t you say the only things that matter are talent and hard work? Or do you think your own rules matter more than earning your place here?” The students who had been standing around watching the argument noticed what I had done. Zephyr gritted his teeth and forcibly suppressed his anger. “Fine, you’ve got a point! But let me be straight with you. Once I enter the order, I only acknowledge strength. “Those lazy ones who sit around doing nothing all day don’t deserve anyone’s respect, no matter how old they are!” With that, he turned and walked away huffily. I watched him leave as hatred surged in me. This time around, I would not conceal anything. From that day on, the story of my feud with Zephyr spread rapidly throughout the entire Crucible. The other students whispered among themselves. Some said I was deliberately making things difficult for Zephyr because Caspian and my other peers favored me. Others said Zephyr was simply too arrogant. I could not be bothered with such idle gossip. So, I hid myself away in my room, passing the days reading alchemy texts and basking in the sun. But I knew Zephyr would not let things go so easily. Lately, I had been exploring the Arch-Alchemist Dimension within my mind. Inside, there were herb fields thick with energy. There were also the alchemical writings of the First Alchemist, along with countless lost elixir recipes. One day, as I was studying a lost antidote pill formula inside the dimension, I heard footsteps outside my courtyard. I exited the dimension and pretended to be studying. Ella came in. She carried a plate of fruits and asked in a conflicted tone, “Carlton, have you and that new arrival Zephyr really been fighting?” I shook my head and said, “There’s no bad blood between us. Zephyr’s totally devoted to his alchemy. So, he looks down on someone as untalented as me.” She sighed. “Carlton, don’t be so stubborn. The Arch-Alchemist’s election is coming up soon. You need to concentrate and learn a thing or two from him.” Just as she said that, Melissa walked in. “Mr. Hemlock is in solitary retreat right now, so don’t be so hardheaded.” Helena emerged and quickly chimed in, “Yeah, Carlton, Zephyr’s really talented. I watched him craft pills yesterday. His technique was fast and precise!” Another of my peers, Marie Amber, also came in and nodded. “These past few days, Zephyr has been prodding us about crafting pills. My skills have actually improved quite a bit!” When I heard this, I looked at them with a cold gaze. In just a few short days, Zephyr had won over several of my female peers. I stopped smiling and said in a chilling tone, “So to you, I was in the wrong to go against him, right?” Melissa frowned. “Nobody’s saying you were wrong. We just think you’re taking this too personally. “That’s just how he is. He trains hard and doesn’t really show respect through words or gestures. You should stop slacking off too and try to be more like him—” “No need!” I cut her off. “Whether I train or not is my call. I don’t need you worrying about it.” Helena was displeased. “Carlton, how did you become so stubborn? With your lazy, half-hearted attitude, you don’t deserve to stay in Crucible at all!” Looking at how disappointed she was, I could not help but sneer. “Since you all feel that way, you can show yourselves out.” They were stunned for a moment. They clearly had not expected me to say such a thing. “Carlton, you’ve got some nerve talking like that!” Melissa’s face turned ashen. “You need to apologize to everyone.” Chapter 3 I pointed at the door as I looked at them icily. “Get out.” They wanted to say more, but Zephyr’s voice sounded from outside just then. “Guys, it’s time for practice. We’re going to be late!” Hearing that, they no longer bothered me and hurried out of the room. I stood alone in the empty courtyard and watched them leave. I sneered inwardly as I returned to my room and entered the Arch-Alchemist Dimension again. The Enneaphyllon in the herb field had already grown three leaves. I took an ancient pill formula called the Myriad-Poison Immunity Pill from the attic. Once a person takes it, they would be immune to all poisons for two days. In the past, I lost the strength to fight back only because I had been drugged with Zephyr’s crippling draught. This time, I would not make the same mistake again. Three days later, I successfully refined three Myriad-Poison Immunity Pills. I tucked the pills close to me. ‘Zephyr, I want to see what other tricks you can pull this time,’ I thought. The day of the Arch-Alchemist’s election drew closer. One day, Zephyr proposed to Caspian that they hold a pill-crafting tournament. On the surface, it was meant to motivate the students to improve. In truth, he wanted to use the opportunity to crush me. Caspian was in solitary retreat, so Melissa agreed on his behalf. On the day of the tournament, the training grounds were packed with people. Zephyr was the first to take the stage. Before the cauldron, he handled the ingredients with practiced skill. In just an hour, he produced a batch of top-grade Quintessence Pills. The scent of pills filled the air, and everyone praised it. “Zephyr’s really amazing!” “Meanwhile, Carlton can’t do anything but blow up cauldrons. They aren’t even in the same league!” I stood among the crowd, listening to the discussions around me. When Zephyr was done, he scanned his surroundings. His gaze landed on me. He smiled smugly and announced loudly, “Carlton, you’re a student of Crucible. Surely you can manage to craft a single pill? Why don’t you show everyone your signature cauldron-blowing trick?” The crowd burst into laughter. I slowly stepped out from the crowd and smiled faintly. Instead of walking toward the cauldron, I walked over to a withered herb. “You’ve got a point. As a student of Crucible, I really should show what I can do. But my skills don’t come from crafting a pill with a cauldron.” I extended my hand and drew a thread of pure wood energy from the Arch-Alchemist Dimension. It coiled around my fingertip and condensed into a crystal-clear dewdrop. I let the dewdrop fall onto the withered herb. The very next second, the herb sprang back to life before everyone’s eyes, and a colorful flower bloomed at its tip. The venue fell silent. Everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief as they stared at the herb. “I-Isn’t that the lost Art of Verdant Revival?!” Chapter 4 Someone in the crowd let out a shocked cry. Zephyr’s face instantly turned ashen. “You… How did you—?” I smiled and casually brushed the dirt off my robe. “I already told you. The true First Alchemist’s Legacy doesn’t need a cauldron. Every last blade of grass in Crucible is my pill.” With that, I turned and walked away, leaving behind a courtyard full of dumbstruck students. After the tournament ended, I returned to my room. The moment I pushed open the door, I saw several of my female peers standing in the yard, looking at me with complicated faces. Melissa hesitated before she asked me, “Carlton, how did you manage to perform the Art of Verdant Revival?” I looked at her calmly. “That’s a secret. I’d rather not say.” Melissa’s expression stiffened. She wanted to say more, but Helena pulled her back. Helena let out a cold snort. “Forget it, Melissa! Now that he’s got real skills, he thinks he’s too good for us.” I did not argue. I turned, walked into my room, and shut the door. From this day forward, I knew that the rift between them and me would only grow deeper. But I did not care. I entered the Arch-Alchemist Dimension and continued researching my pill formulas. There were only a few days left until the Arch-Alchemist’s election day. Soon, the day arrived. That morning, I heard familiar footsteps coming from outside the courtyard gate. I looked up, and sure enough, there were my female peers, whom I had not seen in days. Zephyr followed behind them. Melissa was the first to step forward. She said awkwardly, “Carlton, today’s the Arch-Alchemist’s election day. Zephyr came all this way to apologize to you. You two need to learn to get along from here on out.” He stepped forward and put on an earnest look. “Carlton, I didn’t know any better before. Today I’m here to make it right. Drink this tea, and let bygones be bygones. What do you say?” He held out two cups of tea and looked very sincere. I looked at the two cups of tea and panicked a little. In the past, it was this very cup of tea that he had laced with a crippling draught. “No, thank you.” I took half a step back, dodging the tea he held out. “There’s no bad blood between us. There’s nothing to make peace over.” Helena said in displeasure, “Zephyr went out of his way to swallow his pride and make peace with you, and you’re just going to give him the cold shoulder?” Zephyr quickly pulled her back and shook his head with mock generosity. “It’s fine. I know Carlton has a grudge against me.” As he spoke, he looked into my eyes and gave me a strange smile. That smile made my heart clench. The next second, a weakness I knew all too well washed over me. “You—” The smile on his face grew more triumphant. “Carlton, you’re a little smarter than you were last time. Unfortunately, you’re still too naive.” He raised his hand and brushed the incense on his sleeve. “The draught is in my incense. All it takes is the two of us being near each other for a moment, and you’re done for. “Did you really think not drinking the tea meant you’d dodged it for good?!” I sneered inwardly but did not give him the satisfaction of seeing me frantic. It seemed Zephyr had returned to the past, too!