Chapter 103: CH 103

Paracelsus had no idea that after diligently planning for so many years and enduring so many trials and tribulations, he would suddenly fall to a mysterious fist out of nowhere.

It was incredibly baffling.

He couldn’t even tell what his opponent looked like. A cyan and blue fog had appeared, and an instant later a powerful force struck him in the face and slammed him across the auditorium.

It happened so quickly the alchemist couldn’t react at all.

The person who’d punched him didn’t hold back. Paracelsus felt like his back had been shoved through wooden splinters.

There was always a price for immortality. Although alchemists could enjoy near-eternal life with the elixir prepared from the philosopher’s stone, they always lost something in return.

Their sense of taste, for example, or certain emotions.

Nicholas Flamel lost interest in almost everything, which was why he locked himself in his workshop day and night. If one day he lost interest in alchemy, not even the philosopher’s stone would be able to save a heart that was already buried in the ground.

What Paracelsus lost was his sense of touch. He couldn’t feel pain, so his broken leg didn’t bother him. As he lay on the ground he began to chant a magic pattern. An alchemical array covered with glowing golden symbols emerged on his fingertip, whirling and spinning, quickly covering him with a shield.

As a celebrated alchemist, he was highly experienced in the use of magic patterns. In fact, thanks to the continual energy provided by the philosopher’s stone, he could mop the floor with all lower-level creatures.

Paracelsus’s face was dispassionate, and a crimson gem glittered on his finger. “Esteemed sir, what is the reason for this sudden attack?”

Speaking of which, he was deeply perplexed.

Paracelsus had always been cautious in his dealings. Aside from a few members of the R’lyeh sect whom he personally brought inside MU, there was no possible way anyone else could have discovered his identity, much less expose him at a time like this.

Zong Yan didn’t waste any words. Yun Zhong Jun marshalled his clouds, a light in his palm flared, and the alchemist’s protective shield shattered.

There was no point asking this guy any questions. He’d refuse to answer. Whatever, just beat him up.

It didn’t matter if Paracelsus was one of the most powerful members of the human race. In front of the persona card of a full-fledged Elder God, he still had to kneel.

—

Thanks to Cassandra’s early warning, Miskatonic University burst into activity in the middle of the night.

Everything went according to Paracelsus’s plan. His supporters confused the crowd and led everyone to the main storeroom on the other side of MU. Before Yun Zhong Jun arrived, Paracelsus had told them the auditorium was clear of enemies, so the area was deserted. This also meant the alchemist couldn’t call anyone over to save him.

The evidence his fellow cultists had placed in the storage room was also discovered. Everyone was busy tracking the thieves and didn’t spare a thought to what was happening in the auditorium.

Yog-Sothoth didn’t wait outside for long before Yun Zhong Jun appeared, stepping out from a cloud.

Zong Yan’s expression wasn’t happy. His brows were tightly knitted in a frown.

The Lord of the Gate noticed there was something in his hand. In his palm was a ruby ring inlaid with dark gold filigree. The god instantly recognized it.

This ring was the most precious object in Paracelsus’s possession. The red stone that was the color of blood was the legendary fifth alchemical element, the philosopher’s stone.

Zong Yan beat Paracelsus like a sandbag for a while, but his opponent had barely reacted. It was only when Zong Yan took the ring that Paracelsus finally confessed, so Zong Yan knocked him out with a single punch and left, taking the ring with him.

“He stole the jade piece of R’lyeh long ago.”

Yun Zhong Jun sighed and was about to reply, but his body suddenly relaxed.

A second later, all the mist flowed towards him, enveloping him in a heavy cloud, then dispersed with a gust of wind.

The cold and noble god faded away like smoke. The long, ink-black hair and the luxurious crane cloak disappeared. In their place was a high school student wearing a T-shirt and shorts.

Yog casually extended one of his shadows and wrapped it firmly around Zong Yan’s waist, so that he wouldn’t stumble and fall when the persona card deactivated.

Zong Yan didn’t respond at first. He just stared blankly at his hands, but after a while he uneasily pushed away the nebulous shadow on his waist. He said awkwardly, “Thank you.”

He hadn’t used a persona card in a long time, and Yun Zhong Jun had the shortest duration of all his persona cards. Every time he used it, it cost 70 San points and only lasted for an hour. Unlike the Sun God and the Night Watchman, it didn’t have its own unique rules that reduced the cost.

After several months of touring around inside the body of an evil god, Zong Yan’s San value mysteriously increased to 99 points and didn’t budge again.

He’d previously guessed his San value might max out at 100 points.

“There’s no need to be so formal.” The gray-haired evil god wore a pleasant expression, as if he hadn’t noticed Zong Yan’s embarrassment and resistance.

Anyway, that was nothing. The weirdest thing was that the phantasmal shadow had also rubbed the black-haired teen’s tailbone when it left, either intentionally or unintentionally.

In an instant, a bioelectrical current flashed up his spine straight to his cerebral cortex. Zong Yan almost jumped in place, but when he reflexively turned to look, the Lord of the Gate had an indifferent, ascetic expression on his face, without the slightest hint of anything suspicious.

“There’s no need to rush.”

When Zong Yan began to feel puzzled, Yog slowly added, “The sinking and sealing of R’lyeh are closely related to the position of the stars. Even if the stars do not return, his believers must wait until certain astrological signs in the sky are properly aligned. At that time, Cthulhu’s followers will perform a sacrificial ritual to try to awaken their Lord.”

That was why Paracelsus hadn’t been in a hurry. They’d retrieved the jade piece of R’lyeh long ago, but the South Pacific had been quiet until just recently.

“All right.” Zong Yan took out his phone to figure out his schedule, then returned his attention to the ring in his hand.

Zong Yan was intrigued by the legendary philosopher’s stone. After all, it was called a miracle of alchemy. It was claimed that as an energy source, the philosopher’s stone could easily supply a large city with electricity for ten years.

That was amazing in itself, but not only that, alchemists could replenish a philosopher’s stone’s energy. That meant they could use a single gem as a perpetual motion machine indefinitely.

How could such a small gemstone contain so much energy?

Zong Yan thought it was incredible.

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He wanted to examine it with his fingers, but a hand intervened and stopped him.

The other hand lightly touched the gem, and an electric spark flashed out. A shadowy black film pulsed over the gem, then disappeared.

“Paracelsus cursed his philosopher’s stone,” the Lord of the Gate  explained benevolently. “The moment anyone else touches it, the curse will turn the thief into white bones.”

Zong Yan: “…”

He broke out in a cold sweat.

If the Yun Zhong Jun persona was still active, touching the stone wouldn’t have any effect on him. But right now he was just an ordinary high school student. If he actually touched it, the consequences weren’t pretty to imagine.

“Thank you.” This time  Zong Yan’s thanks were much more sincere.

However, the gray-haired evil god in the trench coat had an unpleasant frown. He was dissatisfied with the young man’s polite but alienated words.

According to his knowledge of standard human behavior, humans rarely said thank you to people they were truly close to or held in their hearts. There was an old Chinese saying, “a thank you is insufficient for great kindness”, which expressed this truth.

The black-haired teen said “thank you” and “thank you” again. Didn’t that prove how detached he felt?

It was well known that evil gods applied double standards. They wanted their believers and other ants to be fearful of them, but they didn’t want their possessions to reject their god.

“In that case, let’s go.” The evil god naturally took Zong Yan’s hand, and space-time split open for its lord.

Before Zong Yan could react, they left the medieval, baroque-style Dreamlands and returned to Jiangzhou, full of modern technology.

In an instant, the evil god’s shadowy tendrils once again firmly encircled the black-haired teen’s waist, lifting him into the sky.

A second ago, they were standing on the ground in the illusionary realm of dreams. Now they were floating in the air, shoulder to shoulder with the roof of the Dujiakou Financial Building.

Zong Yan glanced down and saw a river of colorful neon lights below his feet. The streetlamps narrowed into a golden line, stretching like a ribbon of fire through the night-dark landscape. Vehicles sped along the road. and from high above, they looked like glowing electrons orbiting a complicated circuit.

The night was pitch-black, and the pale moon was obscured by heavy clouds. Night had settled on the earth, and the only visible colors were the lights of the city.

“Ahhhhhhhh—what are you doing?!” Zong Yan was still holding the philosopher’s stone that he’d swiped from Paracelsus. Then he froze. “Wait, shouldn’t it be morning in Jiangzhou? Why is it already night time?”

If he remembered correctly, they’d left Jiangzhou at nine A.M. and strolled around MU for an hour or so before returning. It should still be morning. Night couldn’t have fallen already.

The gray-haired evil god walked easily through the air like he was on the ground. He said lazily, “According to the calendar of your Earth, the current time in the United States is twelve hours earlier than in China. I sped it up a bit.”

Zong Yan: ? ? ?

What was he missing?

Wait… The black-haired teen’s eyes suddenly widened. He looked to the side in disbelief.

If time sped up, the next day to arrive was indeed a significant day.

But it was only significant for Zong Yan.

Because it was a day that only Zong Yan and his grandmother celebrated. After Grandma died, he was the only one left who remembered.

“It’s now midnight Beijing time. According to your human customs, today is the day you officially come of age.”

Meeting the young man’s startled eyes, Yog smiled.

The all-knowing, all-seeing god opened his eyes throughout time and space.

“Happy birthday, Zong Yan.”

For humans, this seemed to be an important day, the evil god thought carelessly.

It didn’t matter if no one else remembered. The god remembered, and that was enough.

TL Notes:

Did you know this arc is already two-thirds done? How did that happen? It goes by so fast! 

Regarding the next two arcs: Although it’s not clearly labeled, the next arc (Chapter 110-124) is the final arc of the main text! ♥ What does that mean? It means you can expect many exciting happenings and a big juicy conclusion chapter at the end of the arc. Ahhhhh!! I just read it and I’m so excited o(◕∇◕o)

As with most “arcs” in this series, there are several subsections and it’s not super cliffhangery. Of course, when we get to a cliff I’ll tell you in advance.

After Chapter 124, there’s one more arc (Chapter 125-138) of extras. It wraps up smaller storylines and contains additional relationship scenes. 

Ahhhh!! I love this series. I feel so lucky to work on it. Thank you for the encouragement ♥ ٩(✿◕▿◕)۶

enduring so many trials and tribulations – 忍辱负重 – swallow humiliation and bear a heavy load; bear disgrace and a heavy burden; bear responsibility and blame; discharge one’s duties conscientiously in spite of slanders

esteemed sir – 阁下 géxià – Alternatively: sir, lord, Your Eminence, Your Excellency

fifth alchemical element – 五元素 – fifth element – To avoid confusion I’m going to call it an “alchemical element” instead of just an “element” like in the periodic table

a thank you is insufficient for great kindness – 大恩不言谢 – great kindness is not thanked – (maxim) a mere “thank you” is an insufficient response to a huge favor, (expression of gratitude) words cannot express my appreciation for what you have done

The god remembered – 神记得 – “god remembered”

[ Project Page | Ko-Fi ✿ | Other translations by Confectioner ]

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