NOVEL NEXT Chapter140-The Terrifying Potential of the Life Sorcerer
A fleeting trace of astonishment flashed across Aurek's eyes.
Even though he had already reviewed their abilities through the system interface, witnessing with his own eyes this process—so efficient it seemed to defy all common sense—forced him to reevaluate, once again, the extraordinary nature of the Life Sorcerer.
This spectacle overturned every traditional notion of alchemy and potion-making.
In the established understanding, refining an elixir demanded elaborate instruments, strict control over fire, temperature, and time, and countless precise operations.
Yet here, these young sorceresses were accomplishing with bare hands and spiritual focus what entire laboratories struggled to achieve.
Eva, standing at the forefront of the Life Sorcerers, maintained a humble yet confident smile.
She supplemented her demonstration with calm words, her tone carrying the dignity of someone explaining natural law rather than personal craft.
"My Lord, what we are currently doing is merely the most basic process—directly guiding and condensing the life essence of a single herb. The product we obtain is nothing more than the purest, most fundamental medicinal effect of that one plant."
Her eyes shone faintly as she continued, voice gaining a subtle fervor.
"However, all things in the world exist in cycles of harmony and opposition. The essence of life itself is capable of blending, clashing, and ascending to higher forms. If one seeks to refine composite medicines of immense and specific power—for example, a Sacred Healing Elixir that could instantly mend fatal wounds, or an Awakening Draught that permanently enhances a knight's life force and innate ability, or perhaps a Purification Remedy strong enough to dispel curses and plagues—then the path becomes vastly more complex.
"We must collect, understand, and master the unique essence traits of a great multitude of species. Only by discerning the intricate patterns of their interactions—patterns as complex and majestic as the movements of stars in the heavens—can we attempt safe fusion and creation. Only then can we imbue medicinal essence with entirely new forms of 'life' and new 'missions'."
Aurek listened to this alchemical philosophy while gently holding up a crystal-clear droplet of essence that shimmered in his palm—the refined extract of the Calming Blossom.
With a decisive motion, he placed it into his mouth.
The moment it touched his tongue, the essence dissolved instantly into a fragrant, cooling liquid.
Its gentle aroma, carrying the signature soothing scent of the blossom, spread through his senses.
Immediately, a current of warm yet pure vitality coursed through him, like a mountain stream flowing along its destined path.
Wherever it passed, the accumulated weariness from weeks of balancing imperial affairs was quietly washed away. His mind, once strained and fogged, felt soothed, clear, and sharp.
That single personal experience was proof far stronger than any report.
Aurek knew at once: the Life Sorcerers were not ornamental beauties of the court, nor were they to be dismissed as mere auxiliary medics for the army.
Their ability to directly manipulate the essence of life and efficiently convert the forces of nature represented an entirely different category of power.
It was strategic, revolutionary, and could even determine the fate of an empire.
His voice, calm yet filled with decision, resounded across the chamber:
"Your immediate task is this: devote yourselves wholly to mastering the life-essence patterns of the materials already stored in the imperial treasury. Refine them into fundamental essences at the highest efficiency possible."
Aurek's gaze grew sharp, already planning several moves ahead.
"I will order the Royal Explorers' Guild, as well as the patrol divisions of the Imperial Knights, to scour not only the lands of the empire but also territories beyond our borders for additional samples—plants, minerals, even docile magical beasts. As long as it can be safely obtained, it shall be brought to you. And should circumstances permit, you may personally venture into the Royal Hunting Grounds or the nearby Whispering Forest, accompanied by a powerful escort, to sense and collect such life sources yourselves."
For Aurek, the truth was self-evident: the more knowledge and records inscribed into the Tome of Life, the deeper the mysteries it would reveal.
And the deeper the mysteries it revealed, the greater the potential of the Life Sorcerers.
At present, limited by lack of formulas and references, they could not yet craft those legendary composite potions.
Yet even the ability to extract the purest essence from single ingredients—producing vast quantities of foundational medicinal energy—already heralded a revolution.
These pristine essences could first be supplied to the most loyal and vital forces of the empire: the Imperial Knights.
With them, the knights' overall endurance, recovery, and combat strength would soar.
Compared to the crude broths and bitter decoctions of traditional healers, this represented a leap across centuries.
Eva, seizing the moment, raised a further point with determination flashing in her eyes.
"My Lord, the road toward knowledge of the unknown is forever lined with thorns. To embark on the creation of compound potions, we cannot avoid countless repetitions, experiments, and risks. We shall require living test subjects—rats, beasts, perhaps even low-level anomalous creatures. We will consume immense quantities of base essences as we attempt different combinations. Failure will be our daily companion."
Aurek answered without hesitation, granting her authority without reservation.
"For this matter, I grant you full power. Present your complete list of needs directly to Grand Chamberlain Angie. He will mobilize imperial resources at the highest priority to fulfill them. There must be no delay, no compromise. Remember this: your work concerns the very foundation of the empire's future."
As he spoke, Aurek's mind began sketching a grander blueprint:
At the heart of Eryndor City, he would build an unprecedented institution—the Institute of the Source of Life.
This vast complex would integrate research, cultivation, and production.
Within it would bloom the most complete medicinal gardens of the continent, the most advanced alchemical laboratories, and the safest vivariums for living test subjects.
It would become a holy sanctuary where the Life Sorcerers could pursue the mysteries of vitality and forge new powers for the empire.
Moreover, given that the Emperor's Scepter now generated a hundred new Life Sorcerers each day, Aurek recognized the need for an entire district dedicated to housing, training, and supporting them.
Such plans would take time and resources, but they were no longer dreams—they were inevitable steps on the imperial road.
Yet, for the moment, his thoughts turned to an even more urgent matter: the report delivered by Prince Toby.
In the Venus Mountains, a colossal Energy Stone Vein had been discovered. This was not merely treasure. It was the empire's lifeline—fuel for its rapid growth, the pulse sustaining its legions. Whoever controlled it would hold in hand the very heart of future warfare.
Leaving behind the tranquil, life-infused air of the Kazint Palace, Aurek immediately issued his next command.
"Angie, summon Secretary William, Prosecutor Heimerdinger, and the other core ministers. They are to drop whatever matters they hold and present themselves before me at once."
During the eight days prior, the Emperor's Scepter had already bestowed upon the empire an astonishing 4,800 warriors:
1,600 Hero-Rank Mountain Shieldbearers
1,600 Hero-Rank Doomsday Warriors
1,600 Hero-Rank Elemental Assassins
This force alone was enough to tip the balance of any regional conflict.
But Aurek's mind worked not in battles, but in strategic dominion.
How best could he employ this force to secure the vital Energy Stone vein with minimal cost and maximum certainty?
Even more exhilarating was the Scepter's most recent evolution.
The Doomsday Warriors and Elemental Assassins had both undergone a quantum leap in authority.
Their daily output had doubled, now at 400 each.
More importantly, their base level had risen to Level 6, meaning every new warrior born possessed the might of a Master-Rank combatant!
This was not merely growth—it was a revolution.
Every single day, the empire now gained 800 new Master-Rank elites. With time, the empire's cutting edge strike force would not simply grow—it would multiply exponentially.
Against such numbers, the concept of rank barriers became laughable.
When enough of these warriors had been amassed, ancient sects and houses that had endured centuries—Sixth-Rank, Seventh-Rank, even certain Eighth-Rank forces—would crumble like brittle clay before a steel hammer.
Their destruction was no longer some distant fantasy. It could now be scheduled, calculated, and executed as a precise military campaign.
Aurek, standing at the dawn of this transformation, felt the empire's destiny surging within his grasp.