(The previous chapter was mysteriously taken down, so it has been re-uploaded.)
Yang slapped his forehead. He'd completely forgotten the kid was an absolute newbie who probably didn't even understand the Tiers of Ascenders yet.
The thought made him even more bitter. He had slaved away for that old bastard, the Vice President, for so many years and hadn't managed to get a single Forbidden Object. Yet this kid had been an Ascender for only a few days and had already snagged a C-Level Forbidden Object.
'Maybe I should really consider switching jobs?'
It was like playing a mobile game. You go through hell trying to get good gacha pulls, spending who-knows-how-much money, only to get nothing you want. Just as you're about to go look at some lewd pics in the group chat to console yourself, a newbie posts a screenshot of a legendary pull. The item is the exact one you've been dreaming of. To top it off, the newbie politely asks, "I'm new and just got this. Is it any good, guys?"
His blood pressure shot through the roof.
Yang gloomily reached for a cigarette, but then he remembered he was in the medical department. Smoking here would get him fined. He reluctantly gave up the idea, pulled a banana from the fruit basket, and began to peel it as he spoke:
"To put it simply, Alchemy is a kind of jack-of-all-trades Extraordinary Power.
In the early days of the New Era, as humanity was recuperating and rebuilding its tech tree, a good number of scholars began to study the knowledge of Alchemy in the Extraordinary Realm, achieving great success.
Later, in the 16th year of the New Calendar, Restricted Area No. 7 was unsealed. That year was a massive turning point in the history of Alchemy—
—due to the different flow of time and various other reasons, the humans inside Restricted Area No. 7 had put all their skill points into Alchemy. They developed an incredibly mature system of Alchemy that was leagues ahead of the half-baked version cobbled together by the Star Association's scholars.
After peacefully taking over Restricted Area No. 7, the Star Association obtained their complete knowledge of Alchemy. After extensive research and discussion among the higher-ups and scholars, it was decided that Alchemy would be integrated as an academic discipline. Corresponding courses were established at high-end universities around the world to train professional Alchemists.
Today, Alchemy has become one of the indispensable powers in this world."
Zhou Chen digested the information, then asked in confusion, "Why has Alchemy never even been mentioned at Jinzhu University?"
'Did I go to a fake university or something?'
"High-end universities, get it?"
Yang sneered. "Jinzhu University? A 'high-end university' my ass. You guys don't even have the most basic Essence Study. They have zero intention of cultivating students for the Extraordinary Realm.
—Only world-class, renowned universities teach this kind of important knowledge, including Alchemy. And its dissemination is strictly forbidden.
Alchemy is dangerous stuff. The consequences of its misuse are severe. You wouldn't want to bump into some random guy on the street who can whip up a batch of explosives with his bare hands, would you? Or would you rather see some deranged Alchemist fuse a little girl and her dog together?"
Zhou Chen frantically shook his head. That was way too horrifying.
"All in all, Alchemy is a very high-end discipline. To the uninitiated, it's no different from 'Magic.' And Alchemists are the elite—their status is even a notch higher than that of Ascenders."
Yang finished the last of his banana, tossed the peel into the trash, and rubbed the stubble on his chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, if a master of Alchemy were to help, your damaged soul could probably be healed easily... But that's a bit unrealistic. The odds of that happening are lower than you simply healing on your own after advancing to Tier Three."
"What?"
Zhou Chen sat bolt upright, his eyes wide as he stared at Yang. "What do you mean, 'healing on my own after advancing to Tier Three'? A damaged soul can heal by itself?"
"Once you reach the third stage for Ascenders, Golden Soul, your body and Soul will both undergo a qualitative transformation. Even if only a tiny sliver of your Soul remains, it can gradually recover. With the help of things like medicine and secret rituals, healing a damaged soul isn't that difficult... I'm begging you, just go read the documents already," Yang sighed.
Zhou Chen scratched his head in embarrassment, grinning sheepishly. "Hey, cut me some slack. I was locked up in the research department for five days. All I did was experimental training and sleeping. I was sent on a mission the moment I got out, and I only just woke up. When would I have had the time?"
Yang sighed in resignation. "Forget it. I've got some free time, so I'll just give you the rundown."
"First off, the first stage for an Ascender is called 'Stars.' Yep, that's where the Star Association gets its name. It has many meanings; you can check them out on the official website later.
—When an ordinary person awakens as an Ascender, they can enter their own Spiritual World. The Stars within the Spiritual World represent the Ascender's spiritual will and are also a projection of their Soul. Through them, you can observe the condition of your spirit and Soul."
"Once you successfully advance, you'll reach the Second Stage for Ascenders: the Sea of Silver. At this stage, an Ascender's Spiritual Power, Essence reserves, and Extraordinary Abilities are all greatly enhanced. Your Spiritual World is no longer a starry sky, but a pure white ocean made of spiritual and soul power."
"The third stage is the Golden Soul I mentioned earlier. You transform from within the Sea of Silver, condensing a brilliant Golden Soul. As your Soul undergoes this qualitative change, your physical body also experiences a heaven-and-earth-shattering transformation, completely shedding its inherent limitations and truly transcending humanity."
"The fourth stage is the Uncrowned. An Ascender at this stage is comparable to a mythical or legendary creature. Not only do they have extremely long lifespans, but they also possess even more terrifying Power."
"As for the Fifth Stage, the Crowned King..."
Yang said solemnly, "I don't know."
"Huh?" Zhou Chen was stunned.
Yang shrugged. "All information about the Fifth Stage, the Crowned King, is top secret. I really don't know the details. I only know they are so powerful that a single thought from them can trigger or dispel a natural disaster. They can toy with the Rules, manipulate fate, and possess a might unimaginable to ordinary people. They're only one step away from being true Gods."
"...Gods?"
Zhou Chen was stunned. "Gods actually exist in this world?"
"They do," Yang replied affirmatively, lowering his voice. "And according to rumors circulating in the shadows, the Gods seem to be connected to the end of the Old Era."
'Connected to the end of the Old Era...'
Countless theories instantly flooded Zhou Chen's mind, but before he could brainstorm further, he heard Yang say, "Alright, I've covered the stages of an Ascender. Now let's talk about Meditation."
"Yeah, yeah, go on." Zhou Chen snapped back to reality and listened intently, wishing he had a notepad. This was wisdom from a veteran, far more useful than burying his head in a manual.
Yang cleared his throat. "So, Meditation, in simple terms, is about emptying your mind and entering a special state of deep sleep. In this state, your recovery speed for Physical Strength, spirit, and Essence is greatly accelerated. It also serves to train your Spiritual Power and Essence.
When you emerge from a meditative state, not only will you not feel tired, but you'll actually feel completely refreshed and full of energy.
According to research data from American Hopkins University, one hour of Meditation is as effective as three to four hours of normal sleep. That's why many unscrupulous capitalists want their employees to learn Meditation, so they can enjoy the 'blessing' of infinite overtime."