Mechanical Alchemist-Chapter 315 - 314: The Daily Life of the Soup Room

"Phew...that’s more like it."

A glowing Chien-Tiao stepped into the house from the courtyard with a bold stride.

She watched Su Lun studying rune scrolls and couldn’t help but praise him, "The volcanic hot springs of Tea Crying Mountain are truly unparalleled, this is the most delightful soak I’ve ever had. Su Lun, lad, you really missed out..."

Princess and Lolota, by her side, also looked refreshed and rosy-cheeked. It seemed as if the hot springs had washed away the fatigue and grime of the past few days.

"Oh, really?"

Su Lun looked up, his lips curling slightly into a smile.

All three of them had changed into the plain white kimonos provided by the inn, which looked like pajamas and felt homey.

Although it was the same kind of clothing, the effects of wearing them differed entirely among the three.

Chien-Tiao was dressed casually, her outer garment draped carelessly, giving off a total gangster vibe. Without a chest binder, her white cleavage was glaringly distracting. In the case of Shinfuku Mitsuko, the kimono seemed tailor-made for her, very fitting and imparting a dignified and elegant aura. Lolota, that little girl, was completely flat, um, nothing much to see there.

If Chien-Tiao was endlessly complimenting the place, then the hot springs here had to be excellent.

Nevertheless, Su Lun’s mind was not on the hot springs at that moment.

The materials he needed, whether from Pirate City or the Mirror Organization, were not immediate solutions, but here was a princess from Mountain Hermit in front of him.

Should he ask her?

...

"Teacher, where are we going to sleep tonight?"

"There are futons in the cupboard, just lay them out there..."

"Oh."

The three ladies entered the house, looking like they were getting ready to rest.

After being chased for several days, with ghost warriors appearing at night, none of them had a peaceful sleep.

Lolota pulled out the futons from the cupboard and laid them on the tatami. Then she slid the wooden lattice door, creating a semi-open bedroom.

Chien-Tiao and Su Lun had shared a room many times, with not the slightest intent to maintain appearances. She sprawled out on the futon without any consideration, her beautiful legs and half of her rounded buttocks revealed under the loose kimono. It was Lolota who, with a face full of worry for her teacher, covered her up with a blanket.

Su Lun glanced over but had something else on his mind.

He was hesitant, unsure how to bring up the matter of the materials.

After all, they weren’t close.

But Shinfuku Mitsuko keenly caught the unusual look Su Lun gave her and took the initiative to ask, "Mr. Su Lun, do you have some kind of concern?"

"Well..."

After a moment’s hesitation, Su Lun finally said, "Indeed, there is a small matter for which I might need Princess’s assistance."

Thinking of this somewhat transactional protection, he did not feel embarrassed and spoke directly, "I need some rare materials..."

"Materials?"

When Princess heard this, she didn’t find it bothersome; instead, her eyes lit up with delight.

This Mr. Su Lun had saved her once, and now she could return the favor; she felt such a cooperative relationship would be more solid.

She moved to the coffee table, knelt down gracefully on the rush mat, and asked, "What kind of materials do you need, Mr. Su Lun?"

"Lake Demon’s Dust of Corpse," "Sixth-rank Sea Monkey Brain Marrow"..."

Su Lun listed off the names of the materials he needed.

Since the scrolls of the magician came from the royal family of Mountain Hermit, there was nothing much to keep secret; he even pointed to the contents on the scrolls and listed his requirements one by one.

Princess, after hearing the names of the materials, took out pen and paper and wrote them down carefully.

Only after Su Lun finished describing the traits of the materials did she offer her suggestions, "The ’Shadow Tentacle’ you mentioned can be substituted with the ’Nail of the Monster Oil Aka,’ based on the traits you described, they are both dead spirit type, fire attribute energy, the effect of the two materials in the formula should be similar. I haven’t heard of this one either, but I think it can also be substituted with ’Revenant’s Bone Powder,’ which might even produce a better result..."

"Hmm."

A flash of different colors flickered in Su Lun’s eyes, which was when he realized that the Princess had a deep mastery of potion studies. This Shinto Shrine Maiden not only had extraordinary knowledge but also was proficient in the medicinal properties and effects of various materials.

Especially some of the specialties of the Mountain Hermit, many of those herbs and magical creature materials were blind spots in Su Lun’s knowledge, yet the Princess knew them like the back of her hand.

Both being proficient in potion studies, their communication was thus very smooth.

With just a little discussion, they could easily understand each other’s meanings.

As soon as they started talking, Su Lun immediately felt that he had found the right person.

The most crucial aspect was the Princess’s dual special status as Royal Princess and Shinto Shrine Maiden, which not only gave her knowledge of these rare materials but even detailed information on where to find them!

Although the Mountain Hermit nation was backward and poor, Su Lun had witnessed the profound depth of the Shinfuku royal family.

After listening to his requests, the Princess didn’t find it difficult at all.

She confidently took on the task, saying in a relaxed tone, "There are a lot of materials stored in the royal treasury, many of which I remember we have. Even if we don’t have some, the pharmacy at the Sugaha Shrine should be able to find replacements. I’ll send a message to the guards, and we should be able to gather everything in a few days..."

Indeed, some things that are difficult for ordinary people

Are but simple commands away for those at the pinnacle of power.

"Then thank you, Princess."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun naturally could not refuse.

If he were to gather these materials himself, who knows how many years and months it would take.

In contrast, the Royal Princess could resolve it in just a few days.

And since he didn’t know how much these materials were worth in Mountain Hermit, it would seem crude to offer payment, and she probably didn’t lack for money.

The Princess smiled slightly, seemingly happy to be able to help, "You’re welcome. Mr. Su Lun, you saved me. I’m just assisting with a trivial matter."

Su Lun’s eyebrows lifted slightly, noncommittally.

This was a favor he owed.

Having said that, the Princess had already folded the piece of paper, inscribed with Xiujuan’s calligraphy, into a paper crane and then gently blew on it in her palm.

Then, a miraculous scene unfolded.

The paper crane glowed with spiritual light, as if it had come alive, flapping its wings and flying out of the window.

Su Lun watched, uttering a soft exclamation of surprise in his heart.

Seeing his curiosity about the paper crane, the Princess volunteered an explanation, "This is the ’Shikigami Spirit Crane,’ a secret Shinto technique. It can only be used by clergy who are well-versed in Onmyoji."

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"Oh."

Su Lun sensed a faint soul fluctuation from the paper crane, yet it didn’t resemble the complex soul oscillations of a truly living creature.

His mind instantly went back to the previous battle with Onmyoji Abe Yasukazu, who had used the "Paper Doll Technique" several times to escape certain death.

How did he achieve that with mere paper?

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Curious about the technique, Su Lun took the opportunity to ask directly, "Miss Princess, may I ask you a question?"

The Princess humbly replied, "Mr. Su Lun, you’re too polite. In front of such a learned Alchemist as yourself, I dare not accept the term ’teach.’"

Su Lun smiled as well, maintaining the necessary politeness given their lack of familiarity.

He didn’t beat around the bush and simply asked, "It’s about that Paper Doll Technique that Abe used before..."

The Princess said, "That is also a very clever ’Shikigami Paper Doll Technique.’ It’s an inheritance unique to the Abe family’s Onmyoji. It’s said that eight hundred years ago, the Abe family had a genius Onmyoji, Abe no Nakamaro, whose spells were so powerful, they subdued many in Shinto..."

Su Lun listened intently to the Princess’s explanation, nodding from time to time.

Sure enough, the most knowledgeable about Shinto secret techniques were still the shrine maidens of Mountain Hermit.

Naturally, the Princess knew that Su Lun was curious about this issue because he wanted to understand the principles behind the technique, so she continued, "The principle of that secret technique is similar to my ’Shikigami Paper Crane,’ which is about granting a certain amount of spirit to inanimate objects, only much more sophisticated. But apart from the Abe family, I haven’t heard of anyone else who can..."

When Su Lun heard that, he asked further, "Granting spirit to inanimate objects?"

"Yes," she affirmed.

The Princess nodded and added, "That is a power bestowed by the gods."

"I see..."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun also immediately understood why he couldn’t comprehend it, it was another god-given ability.

Without being a devout follower, one cannot use those divine spells.

Su Lun also temporarily abandoned the idea of attempting that particular spell.

But only temporarily.

In the eyes of an alchemist, many Shinto spells that seemed incomprehensible were actually just the gods responding to their followers, granting lower-class professionals power beyond their standing.

However, in reality, everything in the world could be understood, inability to understand was just a lack of personal knowledge.

In the future, once his status had increased, he might well be able to comprehend it.

The two of them continued on this topic, with the Princess explaining many aspects of Onmyoji and Shinto to Su Lun, which he found eye-opening.

But there was too much to say, and it couldn’t all be covered in a short time.

Before long, Su Lun noticed the Princess’s undisguisable fatigue. That’s when he realized that dawn was fast approaching.

Upon another look, Sen and Lolota had already fallen fast asleep.

Considering they seemed to be staying together for the next few days, Su Lun felt they would have plenty of time to talk, so he said, "Thank you, Miss Princess, for resolving my doubts. Sorry for delaying your rest, you should go to sleep."

"Having the opportunity to exchange knowledge with such a learned alchemist as Mr. Su Lun has also been very beneficial to the Princess," she replied politely, then asked in turn, "What about you, Mr. Su Lun?"

Su Lun said, "I still need to spend some time in meditation."

"Oh. Alright then."

The Princess gave a slight smile.

She didn’t insist on staying up, stood up, bowed respectfully, "Then good night, Mr. Su Lun."

Su Lun nodded.

...

The rooms in the bathhouse were communal, not due to some cheesy twist of fate, but because this, like "mixed bathing," was also a custom of the Mountain Hermit.

In the mountain retreat, even if people weren’t family, just by coming to the hot springs together, they were considered acquaintances. Nobody would mind sleeping together, and it was even seen as a way to enhance relationships. The Princess naturally didn’t find it strange.

Lolota had laid out four futons, one for herself, and Sen had sprawled out over two. This left the Princess with the one next to them. She removed her kimono, donning only a thin robe that hinted at her elegant figure. This royal Princess, high in status, lacked any princess-like airs and carried herself gracefully and meticulously. After folding her clothes neatly and tidying her sash, she then slipped into bed.

Being used to sharing a room with Sen, Su Lun should have felt nothing unusual about the situation. Yet, for some reason, the presence of an outsider made it feel somewhat odd to him.

Having just received an inheritance scroll of rune spells, Su Lun wasn’t sleepy in the slightest, so he decided to meditate there and then, assimilating the content of the scroll.

The gentle aroma of incense filled the air, aiding sleep.

The room was quiet and still, the atmosphere growing ever more harmonious.

Su Lun wasn’t sure if it was an illusion, but it seemed that the design of this communal sleeping arrangement truly could bring people closer together quickly.

He suddenly felt that the Princess wasn’t that much of a stranger anymore.

Or perhaps,

It was because he was now in her debt?

Furthermore, had she employed some clever tactics of engagement?

Su Lun pondered, then reined in his thoughts.

Regardless, there was no malice, and indeed, the interaction was quite pleasant.

...

Several days passed in a blink.

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Su Lun and the others stayed in the bathhouse.

It seemed like they had completely shaken off their pursuers, and no one came looking for them.

During these days, the Princess Shinfuku Mitsuko did not dare to wander outside and had never left her room. Being a princess who was being hunted, aside from the Takeda shogunate, the situation within the imperial Shinfuku family was also not optimistic. Before she could ascertain the truth, she naturally did not dare show her face.

Over these days, the Princess Shinfuku Mitsuko sent and received the "Shikigami Paper Cranes" many times.

As Su Lun did not deliberately avoid them, he saw everything.

However, he did not interfere.

The two of them tacitly coexisted in this way.

Su Lun was quite reclusive as well; he needed a lot of time to digest all that he had recently acquired and had no time to go out.

As for Chihiro and Lolota, the master-apprentice duo were often nowhere to be seen during the day. They said they were practicing their swordsmanship, and would only return in the evening, drenched in sweat and the smell of blood, then they would take a bath, eat, and sleep... quite blissfully.

Also, because the two were not often in the room, it was usually just Su Lun and the Princess, a man and a woman alone together.

Su Lun was very interested in everything about the Mountain Hermit nation, especially its monsters and cultivation system. Fortuitously, the Princess was the person who was most knowledgeable about this information. And she was also very interested in Alchemy. The two therefore had many academic topics in common, and their interactions were not awkward.

They learned from each other and made progress together, thus becoming more familiar with each other as time went on.

Su Lun also noticed that the Princess gradually lost that "politeness of etiquette" towards him.

It wasn’t exactly a deep friendship, but at least they could be considered friends.

During this period, Su Lun gradually received the materials he needed.

Some were delivered by people, and some were brought by various kinds of mystical creatures. Those creatures would pop out from the mountains, roof beams, water, walls... all sorts of places.

That Princess greatly broadened Su Lun’s horizons.

Finally, on the sixth day, Su Lun gathered all the materials needed to synthesize the [Replica Primordial Rune].

...

Because the required materials were very rare, but Princess Shinfuku Mitsuko still managed to procure two sets of every material needed, regardless of the cost.

Su Lun was not sure he would be able to synthesize it successfully the first time.

Especially for some materials he had never seen before, he needed the assistance of someone knowledgeable.

The Princess was more than willing to help.

The potion studies in Alchemy greatly differed from the Mountain Hermit’s medical system, but certain underlying principles were the same and could complement each other.

So the two of them set up various bottles, jars, and synthesis equipment in the room, cooperating with each other in an orderly manner.

"Mr. Su Lun, is it enough if the [Ghoul Mushroom Powder] is purified to 75%?"

"Is the [Ghoul’s Crimson Tongue] mixed with mercury to catalyze the reaction?"

"The [Carrion Slug’s Mucus] from our Mountain Hermit has a special treatment method that can achieve the perfect condition for use..."

"..."

Once the materials were purified and ready to use, the final step was to merge them together using a Formation of Alchemy.

The Princess provided significant help to Su Lun in this process.

With her assistance, Su Lun got all the materials ready.

Despite being unfamiliar with the formula, he had the All-knowing Eye, which allowed him to identify the detailed attributes of each material. He also had an absolutely calm mind and master-level synthesis skills. Theoretically, as long as his thought process and formula were correct, the likelihood of successful synthesis was high.

As expected, due to ample preparation and a bit of luck, Su Lun succeeded on the first try.

He had crafted the [Replica Primordial Rune] into the advancement material he needed to break through to the fourth tier.

With dark Spiritual Power already brimming, Su Lun decided to advance to the fourth tier immediately.

PS. Ah... sorry, the transition between the two chapters might be a bit mundane.

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