20demayo Chapter 338 In the Rainbow
Chapter 338 In the Rainbow
Chapter 338 In the Rainbow
François has been stuck in the Deathstroke Alchemy Group's laboratory for the past few days. Ever since he created an alchemical potion without any side effects, the people in the Alchemy Group have been pestering François like madmen.
These alchemists' thirst for knowledge reached an obsessive level.
These people probably won't let François off the hook until they find out the truth.
François had no choice but to tell the truth.
Actually, this was just his guess.
He was able to create flawless alchemical elixirs primarily thanks to those spices.
After all, the only unexpected factor was that his hands were covered in spices.
After receiving the answer, Rand immediately asked François for the spices.
Then, they immediately began experimenting with spices.
However, François still returned a little, since he had planned to buy spices for cooking.
Although no money was ultimately paid, Mr. Leo, out of respect for Mr. Mosley, gave François some for free.
So these days, the alchemists are conducting alchemical experiments with spices, while François is doing random experiments.
Spices are truly magical things; just a little bit can change the taste of food.
It's as if its very existence was designed to lure humans into acquiring it.
According to Leo, there are a total of twenty-two spices.
François actually managed to create complex flavors by mixing different spices together.
Now, François finally understood why Mr. Mosley had said that if he mastered spices, he could become a great chef.
Different spices have different effects. Once François understands the interactions between various spices, he will surely be qualified to return to his hometown!
Therefore, François planned to find an opportunity to ask Mr. Leo to buy some more spices.
Suddenly, Commander Rand found François.
François asked hesitantly, "Sir, is there something you need?"
"The experiment has made some progress," Rand said with a smile. "Come and see!"
It was probably because of François that Rand was able to learn about the existence of spices and realize the importance of adding them to alchemy.
Rand will then feel grateful to François and be willing to share his achievements with him.
However, it could simply be because François is a member here, and the Deathstroke Alchemist's data is shared?
François didn't think too much about it and followed Rand to a laboratory table.
On the table are various spices ground into powder or pressed into juice.
Rand laughed and said to François, "Look at these spices; they perfectly correspond to the four elements of alchemy!"
The four elements of alchemy are wind, earth, water, and fire.
François looked at the table, where the spices were indeed arranged in four rows.
Rand continued, "The wind corresponds to seven spices, while the other three elements each correspond to five spices."
François knew that different elements played different roles in alchemical elixirs.
The four elements can also transform into and correspond to each other, and can cooperate with each other.
For example, by using fire elemental alchemical materials to achieve combustion, combined with the intensification of water and the blooming of earth, a beneficial potion can often be produced.
Since spices can be classified as one of the four elements, it means that they were indeed used as materials for alchemy.
However, François was somewhat puzzled:
"But why are there two more spices for the air element?"
However, Rand shook his head: "This is still under investigation. There are two guesses: either there are still spices that have not been fully discovered, or there are duplicate varieties among the wind element spices."
François nodded; he too was inspired.
Perhaps he could also categorize the spices and see what role each spice plays in cooking.
However, since spices could perfectly avoid side effects, François's aversion to alchemy was not as strong as before.
Perhaps, he was also trying to refine gold?
After all, Mr. Mosley's second task for François was to master alchemy.
Just as he was thinking this, François realized something:
Why is the balance of spices corresponding to each element so perfect?
"I don't know yet," Rand sighed heavily, "but it's definitely a question worth studying, such as the different spices that correspond to a single element, representing different branches of that element."
"What branch?"
“That’s unclear,” Rand said. “I initially thought of three elements, but they don’t quite fit.”
The three essential elements for alchemy are mercury, sulfur, and salt.
These three elements represent: spirit, soul, and body.
This is an important concept in alchemy.
Alchemy originated with the process of refining gold, but as it developed, some people gradually began to use alchemy techniques to refine themselves.
However, all attempts ended in failure, and no one achieved any results.
Therefore, the three elements are more like an extra compared to the four elements.
Of course, these were just François's superficial understandings; he never studied alchemy in depth.
François had no idea what kind of changes the advent of spices would bring to alchemy.
François simply listened quietly to Rand's narration and silently took notes.
After the other party finished speaking, François took the opportunity to leave.
François breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed there was nothing important for him.
And probably nothing else will happen today.
François felt he should take this opportunity to get some fresh air.
He really disliked being in the tense environment of the laboratory, and would never stay there if given the chance to leave.
But where should we go?
After thinking it over for a while, François decided to go to see Mr. Leo.
He's running low on spices and needs to buy some from Mr. Leo.
I just hope the price of spices won't be too high.
François went to the address Mr. Rio had given him last time and successfully found the ship.
Halfway there, a sudden downpour soaked François to the bone.
We're lucky today; Mr. Leo is on the boat.
"Haha!" Leo let out a strange laugh. "What's up?"
"I'd like to buy some spices—"
"I see. But I don't have much stock left, so I can't give you much," Leo said.
François nodded: "No problem."
Rioma summoned his sailors to retrieve the cargo.
While waiting, François noticed that the person next to Rio was sucking on his lips, seemingly enjoying it.
Sparks were still rising from the tip of the spout, and the white smoke drifting out told François that something was indeed burning inside the spout.
François also noticed that the person sucking the slurp was short, had a different skin color, and had a hood that covered the upper half of his face, so his expression was not visible.
Suddenly, he exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke.
It smells a bit good, but it's also a bit pungent.
Leo explained, "Those are pipes, a product of those people's hometown."
"It contains tobacco shreds, which are made from a special plant that has been dried and roasted; it's like wood chips. They also added a carefully blended blend of spices to enhance the aroma."
"I tried it, and just one puff was enough to refresh my mind. I plan to add this product to my business portfolio later. Its commercial value may be no less than that of spices."
François nodded slightly, still staring at the "pipe".
Just then, the man seemed to notice François as well and handed him the pipe.
François didn't understand what the other person meant at first, but then the other person suddenly spoke:
"Here you go, give it a try!"
The other person's Mandarin was not standard and had a strange accent, so François judged that the person was probably not from the Kingdom.
This is not surprising, as the city gates are home to all sorts of people.
François sensed the man's hospitality, and he was never good at refusing.
So he took the pipe and put it in his mouth.
The other person immediately encouraged, "Inhale!"
Upon hearing this, François closed his eyes and took a deep breath—
Thick smoke entered his mouth and went straight into his lungs.
François was not used to it and started coughing violently.
The other person burst into laughter, and it took François a long time to recover.
But the other person said, "Keep going! Slow down!"
Is this teaching me? François An.
He then mustered his courage and tried again.
This time, a warm and fragrant aroma entered his lungs.
And he actually felt relaxed and happy, even a little bit of transcendence.
Leo then asked, "Haha! How was it?"
"It's amazing."
François replied, then quickly took another breath and felt himself calm down.
Is this due to the tobacco or the flavoring?
François couldn't tell the difference, but he knew the pipe wasn't his.
He took another sip, then had to give it back to the short man.
After a while, someone brought the spices and gave them to François.
François wanted to pay, but Leo refused again.
However, Rio said that it was no longer possible to supply spices to François for the time being.
Even though François wasn't particularly clever, he understood what the other person meant.
Mr. Leo's meaning was clear: if François were to come back asking for spices again in the near future, he would be being rather tactless.
François thanked Rio and, carrying the spices, left the captain's cabin.
When Leo got onto the deck, he found that the rain had stopped.
I don't know if it was the effect of those few bites I took earlier, or because of the heavy rain.
François suddenly felt that the world had become clear.
A rainbow appeared in the city.
François could clearly see the distinct colors within.
However, François vaguely noticed that the rainbow seemed somewhat different.
So, François, filled with curiosity and seemingly tempted, tried to approach the rainbow.
As a child, François also chased rainbows, but all his attempts ended in failure.
But this time he actually came to the rainbow!
To his surprise, he discovered that something was hidden within the rainbow.
It was an emerald green object, resembling a stone slab or a book.
When François squinted and stared intently, he actually saw words in it.
François was not very literate, and the text he was seeing was unlike anything he had ever seen before.
François swore that this was the first time he had ever seen these words.
But—he was able to recognize the meaning of the words on it—
"This is the completion of the work of the sun."
Immediately, François seemed to have an epiphany, realizing what was hidden in the rainbow before him.
His pupils trembled, and he involuntarily murmured:
"The Jadeite Chronicles of Light and Shadow"