Ge Zheng's work may not have any outstanding features, but the fierce aura immediately gave people the feeling of being on a battlefield. Everyone present were alchemy students. No matter where they were on the continent, they were all alchemy geniuses. Naturally, they could see that the reason for the effectiveness of this helmet must be the addition of a spirit-shocking magic array inside. To engrave a spirit-shocking magic array into a helmet, no one had thought of such a creative idea before. Ge Zheng's seemingly simple work had the effect of turning decay into magic, allowing them to understand alchemical works "perfection" from a higher perspective.
Rodi looked ashen, but was not ready to give up: "But teacher, the helmet is a protective gear. Do you know how effective your work is in defense?" Before Ge Zheng could answer, Elonghos, who was sitting in the corner, raised his hand. Ge Zheng pointed to him: "You speak." Elonghos stood up and proposed, "Rodi, why don't we decide the winner of our match now? You want to see how effective the teacher's helmet is in defense, so why don't we compete? I will craft a weapon, and you will also craft a weapon. You wear your helmet, and I will wear the teacher's helmet. I will use my weapon to strike your helmet, and you can use your weapon to strike the teacher's helmet. The one able to break the opponent's helmet wins."
"Ah..." The classroom erupted into a commotion. They were all alchemists, not warriors. They were not skilled in controlling their strength. If they made a mistake, they could end up killing each other! If Elonghos killed Rodi, he would at most be scolded by Mejer the Fourth; if Rodi killed Elonghos, the entire House of Hostinma would probably be held accountable.
Ge Zheng saw a glint of stubbornness in Rodi's eyes, which eventually faded away. Rodi gritted his teeth and said, "I... concede!" Elonghos raised an eyebrow and sat back down. Ge Zheng couldn't understand why he did that, and even Rodi, the person involved, probably didn't realize that he had lost to Elonghos in this mental confrontation, in which he had dared to challenge the prince directly at the start but had now become timid. If Elonghos used some means, even if he couldn't subdue him, at least he would curb any thoughts of opposing him in the future.
Someone from the back raised their hand, saying, "Let me do it." When they looked back, the students were surprised. Rodi was also not happy and said, "Merkel, why are you here?" Standing up, a plain-dressed student at the back said calmly, "I am here to listen to the master's lecture. Although I am not a student of your class, as a student of Dongsheng Academy, I have the right to audit as long as it does not conflict with our class."
Merkel was the top alchemist of the school, and the competition between him and Rodi was heating up. His background was much better than Rodi's, but in terms of academics, he couldn't compete with Merkel. Additionally, there was another issue between them, making them both disdain each other.
Ever since Merkel appeared and confronted Rodi, Peirin in the front row had looked somewhat uncomfortable.
Merkel saluted to Ge Zheng, "Teacher, may I proceed?" Ge Zheng gestured for him to continue, and Merkel walked up to the front, taking out a package from under his desk. He opened it to reveal a thin, black-bladed battle axe.
"What about testing the defensive effect? If you agree, I will use a weapon I crafted to test it," Merkel said.
Ge Zheng furrowed his brow slightly, knowing Merkel's intentions. Merkel breaking the teacher's protective gear would greatly enhance his reputation. This lad wanted to climb up using others' shoulders. However, Ge Zheng didn't mind. Merkel appeared to come from a humble background, and sometimes to stand out, small tricks were necessary.
He nodded, "I have no objections."
"What about you, Rodi?" Merkel challenged, looking at Rodi provocatively. In his mind, even if he couldn't break Ge Zheng's armor that day, breaking Rodi's wouldn't be a problem. It was an opportunity to strike at this potential enemy again.
Rodi, under Merkel's challenging gaze, glanced at Peirin in the front row and gritted his teeth, saying, "Alright, I agree!"
Merkel placed the two helmets on the lectern, took a deep breath, and stared at them intently. Then he raised the thin-bladed battle axe over his head.
A swift, black shadow flashed, and the battle axe fell with blinding speed. With a muffled "whoosh," a green, shell-shaped magic shield appeared on Ge Zheng's helmet. Although Merkel's battle axe was powerful, it could only penetrate the shield halfway and couldn't even reach the helmet's core.
Merkel exerted all his strength but still couldn't budge the shield. Finally, he dejectedly relaxed, and the axe was flung out.
Merkel was not from their class, and while he was the top alchemist in the school, his display of power had sparked dissatisfaction among everyone. His failure immediately provoked mocking remarks from below.
"Merkel, your axe is sharp. Take it back and use it to kill a Pigeon Beast for your father!"
"Merkel, why are you so weak? Go back and get your father to prepare a few Rhinoceros Whips for you to strengthen your power, hahaha..."
Infuriated, Merkel glared at the jeering students. He came from a family of butchers and was seen as inferior by these nobles, despite his small fortune.
Not saying a word, he suddenly turned and swung the axe.
With a clang, Rodi's helmet, which was glowing just moments ago, was instantly split in half by the force. Its defensive effect was mediocre, and the hanging iron face didn't serve much purpose.
The students who were just mocking Merkel a moment ago were stunned. Rodi's face was a mixture of dark red, and he looked utterly embarrassed.
He snatched Merkel's axe and accused, "You cheated!" Then, he forcefully struck Ge Zheng's helmet with the axe.
"Whoosh..." The shell-shaped magic shield had a tremendous recoil, and as Rodi was not a warrior, his arm went weak, and the battle axe was sent flying, seemingly heading for Rodi's head.
Ge Zheng quickly reached out and placed his helmet over Rodi's head.
Rodi took a few steps back but still couldn't avoid the axe. He closed his eyes, thinking that he was about to reunite with his recently deceased grandfather, but to his surprise, there was a "buzz" next to his ear. After a while, he felt nothing.
As he opened his eyes, his vision was shrouded in shadow, which was the part of the helmet that protected his forehead.
Rodi turned around and was met with the amused yet teasing gazes of everyone. He was overwhelmed with shame and wanted to disappear. Slowly taking off the helmet, he respectfully saluted Ge Zheng and said, "Teacher, Rodi humbly concedes..." He then returned to his seat, bowing his head and avoiding everyone's gaze.
Ge Zheng tapped his own work and said, "Now, do I need to say more?"
"But teacher..." Merkel began to speak. Ge Zheng glanced at him and said, "You're also a student of the alchemy department. Feel free to ask any questions." Merkel seemed prepared and spoke with a clear and organized logic, "Teacher's outstanding performance during the Royal Challenge Night was witnessed by all. However, the teacher only displayed half of the basics of being an alchemy master, and hasn't showed the other half."
The students were a little confused about what he meant by "half" and "another half."
Ge Zheng looked at him and said, "You want to learn?"
Merkel quickly bowed, saying, "I don't dare, I just want to witness the teacher's excellence!" Ge Zheng couldn't help but smile and said, "A sly boy, alright, I will encrypt a formula, and you will decrypt it."
A glint of excitement flashed in Merkel's eyes, "Alright!"
The students then realized what Merkel had referred to were the encryption and decryption of the formula. During the Royal Challenge Night, Ge Zheng displayed his skills in decryption, but no one had witnessed his skill in encryption.
Ge Zheng waved his hand and said to everyone, "Listen up, I will release an alchemy formula to the whole department, and all the students can come to challenge it. The benefits of this competition are significant; if Merkel fails to decrypt it and someone else succeeds, they will replace Merkel as the top alchemist!"
"Wow!" The students burst into cheers. Whether they could win the title or not, the chance was exciting.
Merkel's expression changed. Ge Zheng seemed to have inadvertently glanced at him and seemed to convey a message: 'I don't mind making way for the younger generation, but I won't be anyone's stepping stone. I tolerated you the first time because you were young and inexperienced, but if you want to climb on my shoulders a second time, you'll have to pay a price.'
The news spread like wildfire. Now the entire Dongsheng Academy knows that an unconventional master alchemist has arrived, with extraordinary skills. In the first battle, he broke the arrogant demeanor of the top reactionary faction "Weixi - Pelin" group of Dongsheng Academy. Now, he is planning to select the next top alchemist.
Ge Zheng feels a bit wronged. He isn't scheming to position someone as the top alchemist in the alchemy department, but rather, someone is trying to climb up on his dead body.
Ge Zheng represents two classes, with a two-day interval between them; and after one class, there is a five-day gap until the next one.
Today's lecture is on "Rare Equations", and the next class will be "The Sorcerer in Shadow", in two days.
Upon returning home, Miss Feifei bounced in, saying, "Teacher, you must come up with the most difficult equation, to make life difficult for those guys."
Ge Zheng felt strange, "They have no connection to you, why do you want to make things difficult for them?" Miss Feifei clenched her small fist and said, "Teacher, if you secretly tell me the answer, I'll become the top alchemist, your student will become the top alchemist, and you will have a shining reputation..."
Ge Zheng smiled and pushed her aside, "Nonsense!"
Emma and Powell have been waiting for him for a while, Ge Zheng apologized with a smile, "Sorry for keeping you waiting." Powell stepped forward and firmly patted Ge Zheng's shoulder, "Alchemist, the boss has agreed!" He took off his chain hammer and arm guard, "Hey, please help me modify these!"
Emma also removed her longbow and pulled a short knife from her toned calf.
Xiong Ren also carried a bundle behind him, containing the equipment of Saniel and Duke.
Emma said, "The boss said, as a gesture of our sincerity, the loot from this mission, you have the priority to choose." Ge Zheng nodded, "Thank you! When are you leaving?"
"Ten days from now."
Ge Zheng said, "Alright, leave these things with me for now, and come to collect them eight days later."
Nolodon drafted a contract, and both parties signed it as proof.
When Ge Zheng saw Emma and Powell off, he happened to see an old man walking slowly from the street. Ge Zheng hurried forward, "Dean Lamil, you're here."
The old archmage waved his hand, "Let's talk inside."
Actually, Ge Zheng could guess his purpose. Indeed, Dean Lamil sat in Ge Zheng's study and immediately asked, "Ge, how's your research going with that fragment?"
Ge Zheng squeezed out an awkward expression, "Your Excellency, I think you are well aware of this peculiar material. It's not easy to find a solution. I've been considering lately, and neither magical nor physical methods work, so the only way is..."
He was just speaking off the cuff, but unexpectedly, as he spoke, a word suddenly came to his lips, and Ge Zheng himself hesitated for a moment, forcefully swallowing the word, "I haven't figured it out yet."
Lamil glanced at him and did not expose his insincerity, saying lightly, "Alright, take your time then." "I know." Ge Zheng nodded and escorted the old dean out.
Turning around, Ge Zheng was pondering the word he had just said: "Sound waves!"
Ge Zheng fell into contemplation: sound waves, yes, sound waves. At least from the current perspective, this is the best choice to deal with that creature. It's unexpected that with just a casual word, he thought of this answer. It seems that, like alchemical equations, there's not only one solution. He didn't say it, as he was concerned about his own safety. He didn't want the sound wave weapon he created to become uncontrollable and eventually harm him.
Many monks' artifacts are used to harm people with sound waves. For Ge Zheng, crafting this type of device is not unfamiliar. And he already has the materials at hand: Python-crocodile tendons.
But this matter has to be put on hold because he has to produce an encrypted equation within two days.
The next morning, while Ge Zheng was contemplating the equation, Nolodon suddenly returned. "Master, the whole city now knows that the alchemy grandmaster who shone brightly in the royal championship is going to compete in alchemy with a student from Dongsheng Academy!"
Ge Zheng was taken aback, "How did it go from the academy to the city?"
At noon, Miss Feifei came back for lunch, pouting at Ge Zheng, "Teacher, Merkel launched all his acquaintances to spread the news all over the city that you're going to compete with him!"
Ge Zheng sighed internally, "Why is he doing this? Is he so confident that he will win?"
Miss Feifei said, "I've inquired, Merkel is the most talented alchemy student in these several generations of the academy. In the recent intercollegiate exchange competitions of the five major academies, the alchemy competition, in terms of mentors, was solely supported by Master Aquinas, and in terms of students, it was this Merkel. In last year's exchange competition, he even won the championship in the encryption competition."
Ge Zheng sneered, "I see, it seems he really thinks he's a sure winner."
Overnight, the news spread throughout the city, evidently, this time Merkel was well-prepared. Ge Zheng thought of his performance in class, effortlessly splitting Roddy's helmet with an axe. Yes, Merkel is indeed a cut above the others from the academies. But now, Ge Zheng feels a conspiracy in Merkel's response to his challenge.
Ge Zheng grinned, "It looks like the butcher's son has set his mind to climb over my head. And to lure me in, he specially set a trap."
Ge Zheng didn't like this feeling. Throughout his life, he always played with others, but now he's being used, and it made him feel sick.
He rubbed his chin, squinted, and smiled sardonically: Well, since someone has touched a sore spot, let's play a couple of rounds!
In the afternoon, the highly publicized alchemy competition in Delson City had piqued everyone's interest, and the tutor had made a move.
Ge Zheng's equation was magnified by a magic screen and projected high onto the alchemy teaching tower.
Simultaneously, in the Nairi Imperial Palace, Meji IV grumbled, "This royal alchemist, when the empire needs him, doesn't work for the empire, but competes with a student, hmph!"
The old prime minister, Fenley, hurriedly interjected, "Your Majesty, the situation seems more complicated. Master Ge didn't expect to cause such an uproar, and he has no way out. As far as the old minister knows, there is more to it. That student has had a hand in it, and has done a lot behind the scenes."
The old prime minister knew that his daughter and granddaughter had a great feud with this teacher some time ago. But after that tumultuous time, his precious daughter became much more obedient, and his granddaughter was no longer as wilful. It seemed to be related to this teacher.
He overlooked one thing: his obedient daughter became so because her teacher, Advayden, was in the city. Weisi didn't dare to be disobedient. Peilin's loss of combative spirit was entirely due to the three men at the core of this event: Roddy, Merkel, and Ge Zheng. Among them, two were her admirers. If not for her, Roddy and Merkel would not be at such odds.
Yes, aside from Weisi's unruly and capricious nature, she was a beautiful girl, and boys always liked this type.
Weisi felt extremely awkward, so her heart was heavy, and she no longer felt like being wilful and capricious.
This has absolutely nothing to do with Ge Zheng.
After listening to the prime minister's words, Mei IV snorted, "Young people nowadays are crazy about seeking fame, hmph!" Mei IV was originally petty, and now he was filled with resentment toward this student. He was determined that even if he came across this student in the future, he would never use him.
Merkel didn't know that the path to imperial power he was so determined to take hadn't even begun, as the highest ruler of the empire had already shut this door on him.
After throwing out the equation, Ge Zheng didn't pay attention to it anymore. He used the remaining day to craft two hundred magic arrows for Emma. Because his interests were involved in this adventure, Ge Zheng naturally put extra effort into the magic arrows, which exceeded Emma's expectations.
The crafting of two hundred magic arrows took him the whole day, and the remaining equipment would have to wait until the day after tomorrow.
In front of the alchemy teaching tower, a small square was crowded with people in alchemical robes. Besides alchemy students, there were also alchemy tutors, and even Master Aquinas was attracted, retrieving a copy brought by his own students to peruse.
The competition's impact had spread throughout the entire royal city, and some alchemists from the schools outside came out of admiration. Many of them were graduates of Dongsheng Academy.
The sky was getting darker, but most people were still staying on the square. Every person had a furrowed brow, each with their own thoughts, but no one could be certain that their guess was correct. Moreover, the difficult points in this equation were quite numerous...
Merkel also made a copy and brought it back to study carefully in the magical image.
Above the vast wilderness, a group of creatures with horse heads and dog bodies ran, pulling a balanced-shaped carriage. On the two trays of the balance, one was full of roosters, and the other only had a phoenix-shaped weight.
The things growing in the wilderness were not grass, but poisonous snakes with their heads raised to the sky.
On the carriage wheels were engraved a key, a clock, a sun, a hexagram, and a fish.
...
Master Aquinas lightly tapped the table with his fingers, looking at the magical image of the equation, and murmured, "Doesn't make sense, it just doesn't make sense..."
...
Merkel looked at the equation, while using a quill to scribble on a stack of parchment. He wrote faster and drew more chaotically until suddenly exploding, fiercely throwing the quill, tearing up the notes with both hands, stomping and roaring, "Nonsense, it's contradictory! This alchemist is playing me. This is not a successful alchemical equation. Trying to confound me with an inexplicable equation, let's see how you fare in the end!"
...
Miss Feifei only glanced at the teaching tower and gave up. Although she had been studying alchemy with Ge Zheng for a long time, her talent in this area was far from the level of magic. Facing such a confusing equation, the young princess felt dizzy and overwhelmed after just one look. Since there were teachers to explain, the genius little witch decided not to waste her own wisdom.
...
The magic bell for the class had already rung, but there were still many people gathered outside the classroom. Ge Zheng frowned and asked, "What are you still doing here? Why haven't you come in!"
A student grimaced, "Teacher, it's not that we don't want to go in, but we can't get in..." Ge Zheng was taken aback and looked inside. The whole classroom was packed with people, and there were even people sitting on chairs in the corridors. Apart from students from the alchemy department, there were many teachers as well.
The student said to Ge Zheng, "Teacher, you don't know this, there are also many alchemists from outside the school gathered at the gate, but they were all stopped by Director Da Xiong."
This was the first time that Ge Zheng felt that Director Da Xiong was not completely useless. "They all want to know the answer to that alchemical formula, don't they?" Ge Zheng asked. The students nodded.
Dean Ramille and Master Aquinas hurried over, Aquinas's bald head glistening, sweating.
"Ge, I've decided to change your class into a public class, to be held in the auditorium of the school," Dean Ramille said.