One-Eyed Monster

"I can't understand, nor can I figure it out, so I need to ask directly. I want to know where exactly I went wrong." Kuyi Tulan remained immersed in his own unique sorrow. The Great Mentor still occupied a place in his heart, one he was, for the moment, unable to relinquish.

What he could not let go of was his subtle bond with the Great Mentor, a bond akin to that between a father and son—sometimes distant as strangers, yet at other times so close it was inseparable.

It was precisely this subtle bond that kept Kuyi Tulan distanced from the Dark Arts. His pride was all wrapped up in this subtle bond, and he couldn't let that pride be insulted.

He was the Great Mentor's true disciple, and he was meant to be the Mentor's proudest one. So, his every word and action were not just his own; he existed, in part, for the Great Mentor.

This is why he would not accept the Dark Arts, even though they offered many shortcuts. However, he did not reject these dark elements, as he believed that everyone pursuing power had the right to choose.

While the Dark Arts might offer appealing shortcuts, choosing darkness on the Yowein Continent of Equivalent Exchange meant giving up many things.

Kuyi Tulan would not choose to give up; his choice was always to gain. He was a proud Alchemist and a disciple of Master Guzan. That subtle bond he shared made it impossible for him to abandon what his mentor had entrusted to him.

That night seemed like a lifetime ago, and even though he wanted to forget, he simply couldn't let go of the thoughts and feelings that gripped him.

He never believed that the Great Mentor would deny his efforts and dismiss everything he had done.

"You have to understand, you will become a mirror, allowing others to see themselves while you struggle to see yourself." Kuyi Tulan clearly remembered the Great Mentor's profound words that night.

He was proud and thrilled at the time and never imagined that the Great Mentor would show up in his workshop.

The Great Mentor even brought a bottle of fine wine, a treasure he had cherished for many years. Kuyi Tulan could smell its pervasive aroma even before the bottle was brought close.

"Mentor, how come you're here!" The elated Kuyi Tulan was overwhelmed by the unexpected visit, almost tongue-tied.

"I've come to take a look at my apprentice's research findings."

The research findings the Great Mentor mentioned were the new Art Kuyi Tulan had been focusing on lately.

This new Art was called the "Contract" by outsiders.

Kuyi Tulan knew that "Contract" was just the colloquial term; the actual name of his entire project was "Purification."

He planned to deliver a great power to King Kayne.

At that time, the new king was ascending to the throne, the kingdom was in much disarray, and everything was awaiting change.

Before the new king's coronation, the National Defense War had grievously wounded the Guardian Army of the Kayne Empire. Had it not been for the Alchemy Array of the Alchemy Workshop, the Kayne Empire would have had great difficulty holding most of its territories. Even so, the Kayne Empire's territory had diminished somewhat.

The young king urgently needed a great power to protect his subjects, his territory, and most importantly, his shaky throne.

The advent of the Alchemy Workshop's Alchemy Array gave the young king direction. He began to employ Alchemists extensively, thrusting individuals previously confined to pondering in laboratories into the spotlight, an adjustment they found somewhat uncomfortable.

Gold always shines, and under such circumstances, Kuyi Tulan was appointed to a Golden Seat at the Alchemy Workshop.

At that time, Kuyi Tulan was a diligent and inquisitive genius.

Throughout the day, he worked tirelessly in the experimental field of the Alchemy Workshop, never pausing for rest.

The Great Mentor was pleased because this diligent Kuyi Tulan was undoubtedly on the path to becoming the chief.

As expected, Kuyi Tulan became the youngest chief in the history of the Alchemy Workshop.

He succeeded in gaining an audience with His Majesty the King.

It was during this meeting that Kuyi Tulan planted the seed for the Purification Plan.

In the glorious Lionheart Hall of Xinbal, Kuyi Tulan met the junior administrator of the Spirit Book Library.

The Spirit Book Library was a contentious place, but the new king frequently summoned its administrators after his coronation. King Kayne was worried. He always wanted to know if there were some unknown powers in this world.

His Majesty the King wanted to find these powers. He needed to strengthen his own power, protect his people...

Kuyi Tulan was ushered into the Spirit Book Library by the junior administrator, and from that moment, another door opened in his heart.

This door led to an entirely new place where people possessed significantly stronger powers. Seeking power, controlling power, cultivating power—all these seeds took root in Kuyi Tulan's mind.

Ever the genius, he quickly discovered that everything these Spirit Books clamored about was connected to the various traits of Adventurers with Class, and moreover, that Alchemy could link these traits together.

Kuyi Tulan began to experiment with using the Alchemy Equation to exchange living creatures.

This marked the beginning of the Alchemy Workshop's Purification Plan, which soon became an imperial initiative.

Kuyi Tulan believed the Great Mentor should be proud of him. But to his surprise, Master Guzan did not consider his findings miraculous; instead, he scolded him for fooling around.

Young and hot-blooded as he was then, Kuyi Tulan, with the support of His Majesty the King, pressed ahead with his plan against the objections of the other elders of the Alchemy Workshop.

The Imperial Warriors who had signed the Contract were part of the elite Guardian Army, all possessing exceptional abilities. Kuyi Tulan did not want to miss this great opportunity, so he disregarded the Great Mentor's admonishments and threw himself into the development of the new Art.

The first batch of twenty warriors who had signed the Contract confidently entered the testing ground of the Alchemy Workshop. They respected the name of the Great Mentor and naturally revered the title of his disciple. Without the slightest hesitation, they fully devoted themselves to Kuyi Tulan's plan.

Among these twenty warriors were Fighters, Hunters, Scholars, Alchemists, and even Six Series Sages from the Wizard Alliance, which had a strained relationship with the Alchemy Workshop. Perhaps the crisis facing the Empire had alarmed them, or perhaps the worried expression on King Kayne's face moved them. They had given everything for the Empire.

"Mentor, so far my plan is going quite smoothly. There's just a small hitch, but I can remedy it. I can remedy it." As the Great Mentor opened that bottle of good wine, Kuyi Tulan was trying his utmost to explain his plan's progress.

"Whether you succeed or fail, you must know that all of this happens because of mutual trust. If you abandon that trust, you'll have nothing left, child." The Great Mentor poured a glass of wine for Kuyi Tulan. With its overpowering aroma, Kuyi Tulan felt slightly intoxicated.

"Mentor, I won't fail!" Kuyi Tulan said with a smile. The Mentor's visit boosted his confidence. He felt that the Mentor no longer thought he was just fooling around and had finally acknowledged his plan.

"Failure isn't necessarily a bad thing, child." The Great Mentor sighed. "Your first toast should be to these brave warriors who boldly walked into the Alchemy Workshop. It's their selflessness that has brought you where you are now!"