Chapter 62: Trial Of Knowledge

The moment Seana crossed the threshold, the massive stone door behind her slammed shut with a deafening

BOOM!

The scenery before her was vastly different from the cold, ominous tomb chamber.

A pleasant, ambient warmth enveloped the room, saturated with a rich medicinal fragrance.

At the center of the chamber stood a massive, four-foot-tall bronze cauldron, its surface covered in intricate, ancient runic engravings. Faint purple flames flickered beneath its base, burning fiercely despite the absence of any wood or visible fuel.

Scanning her surroundings, Seana noted wall-to-wall stone shelves packed with sealed glass bottles, dried herbs, preserved roots, rare flowers, and strange, glowing spirit fruits.

"Oh..." a quiet, raspy voice echoed through the warm air.

SHING!

In a fraction of a second, the [Blood Moon Sword] materialized in Seana’s hand, its blade buzzing with Crimson Qi as her sharp gaze tracked the source of the voice.

Seated beside the massive bronze cauldron was an old man.

An elegant white beard drifted down his chest, and silky white hair flowed over his shoulders. Though aged, his features retained an extraordinary, handsome refinement, surrounded by a serene, unbothered aura.

He wore a flowing white silk robe that fluttered gently in an unfelt breeze. Yet, the eyes that locked onto Seana were piercing, sharp, and freezing cold.

The old man studied her for several seconds.

"So, you are the one who entered this other chamber," he said in a hoarse, worn voice that sounded like a dry whisper.

Seana remained in a low combat stance, her Crimson Qi rising defensively. After everything she had encountered inside this tomb finding a living person—did not entirely surprise her.

"Who are you?" Seana demanded, her grip tightening on her sword hilt.

The old man ignored her question. His gaze drifted past her, looking toward the sealed stone door.

"If you are here, it means your companion has entered the Self-Reflection Chamber," he murmured slowly, stroking his white beard as if recalling distant memories.

He turned his gaze back to Seana. "For you to step into this alchemy sanctuary... I suppose it is fate."

"What do you mean by— urgh!"

Before Seana could finish her sentence, an invisible, overwhelming force seized her frame!

With a simple flick of the old man’s wrist, Seana’s body was yanked across the room, slamming her down into an empty stone seat directly opposite him.

Her gaze widened in shock as liquid-like Qi wrapped around her limbs, pinning her effortlessly to the chair. Her [Blood Moon Sword] was forced from her hand, hovering helplessly in mid-air.

"Do not waste your energy struggling," the old man said calmly, caressing the bronze cauldron. "Your companion is currently undergoing the Trial of the Soul. You, however, shall be subjected to the Trial of Knowledge."

He waved his hand across the table between them, and a dozen distinct spirit herbs materialized out of thin air.

"You have two hours," the old man said, his tone dropping into a icy, dead-serious register.

"For what?" Seana demanded, staring back at him without a single trace of fear.

A faint, dry chuckle escaped the old man’s lips. "Preserve your spirit, young girl. You will need every drop of it if you wish to survive."

He gestured toward the herbs on the table without looking at her. "Identify the herbs before you. Select the correct ingredients. Refine them within this bronze cauldron and successfully produce an Earth-Grade Mind Cleansing Elixir."

He paused, his cold eyes locking onto hers.

"Fail... and you die."

Seana’s pupils shrank. Shock flashed across her face, instantly followed by cold fury. She violently flexed her muscles, pouring her physical strength and Qi into breaking the invisible bindings.

"Younger generations are always so impetuous," the old man sighed, shaking his head at her struggles. "Why will none of you listen to an elder?"

Seana glared at him with pure venom. If looks could kill, the old man would be riddled with holes.

"Struggling is pointless," the old man continued neutrally. "Even if you free yourself from those bindings, you cannot leave this chamber."

"Why?" Seana spat.

The old man lowered his gaze, pointing toward her right wrist.

Seana followed his finger.

"What... what is this?!"

Etched into the skin of her right wrist was a dark, glowing mark shaped like a miniature cauldron.

"The moment you stepped across the threshold of this sanctuary, your soul was bound to the bronze cauldron," the old man explained softly.

"When the two hours expire, if you have failed to refine an Earth-Grade Mind Cleansing Elixir, the All-Annihilation Flame beneath that cauldron will ignite your soul from the inside out."

Cold sweat instantly broke out beneath her crimson silk robes. What kind of insane trial is this?! It doesn’t even leave an escape route!

"Oh, and you have already wasted one minute," the old man added casually, closing his eyes and leaning back into his chair.

VRMMMM!

The suffocating liquid Qi binding her body suddenly vanished, releasing her.

Seana rubbed her wrist, her mind racing at hyper-speed. She knew the old man wasn’t bluffing; he had zero reason to deceive her, and the burning sensation radiating from the cauldron mark on her wrist confirmed the lethal anchor on her soul.

She didn’t waste another second. Her gaze snapped to the assortment of herbs on the table.

Thanks to her years of mastering both modern pharmacology and ancient traditional medicine under her father and grandparents, her foundational knowledge of botanical properties was immense.

She stepped up to the stone table, taking a slow, deep breath to steady her pulse.

Her expression turned into one of pure, sharp focus.

"Let’s see..."

Her fingers moved toward a pale green stalk with thin, silver-colored veins running across its leaves.

"Moonheart Grass."

She picked it up, inspecting the underside of the leaf. A faint, cooling scent hit her nose.

Spiritual alchemy might operate on Qi, but plant biology remains consistent. This herb acts as a central neural tranquilizer, used to calm mind fluctuations.

She set it aside in a dedicated pile.

Next was a white flower with translucent, glass-like petals.

"Serenity Orchid."

Beside it lay a dark blue blossom covered in tiny, crystalline droplets that radiated a subtle chill.

"Moon Dew Flower."

Her hands moved with rapid, methodical efficiency. She didn’t rely solely on visual memory; she analyzed their scent, texture, cellular density, and the subtle spiritual energy radiating from their stems.

Suddenly, her hand paused.

Lying between two thick roots was an unfamiliar plant. Its leaves were pitch-black, crisscrossed by fine, blood-red veins.

Seana frowned, picking it up. She searched her memory—nothing. No name, no record in modern or ancient medical texts.

What is this...?

She turned it over, bringing it closer. The plant released a faint, sweet fragrance accompanied by a gentle, purifying warmth. Driven by an innate medical intuition, she decided to include it in her blend.

Seana gathered her selected ingredients and began the preparation phase.

CRUSH! CRUSH!

Her pestle moved in a rhythmic cadence against the stone mortar. She applied precise physical pressure—too much force would rupture the delicate energy cells, while too little would fail to release the active compound.

Some herbs were ground into fine, uniform powder. Others were crushed to extract their pure liquid essence. The translucent petals of the Serenity Orchid were stripped one by one and pulverized between her fingertips.

A rich, medicinal aroma filled the chamber.

A Mind Cleansing Elixir primary targets the spiritual consciousness, Seana analyzed internally. The compound must tranquilize the mind while aggressively purging impurities. However, if the cleansing agent is too volatile, it will destroy the neural pathways instead of healing them.

She glanced at the Moon Dew Flower. This will balance the Yin properties and stabilize the temperature.

Turning to the bronze cauldron, she lifted the heavy lid. A wave of intense thermal energy blasted into her face.

Seana instinctively backstepped. The flame burning beneath the bronze vessel wasn’t natural fire—it was a deep, swirling purple flame saturated with raw Qi.

Her face turned deathly serious. So this is Alchemy...

She understood chemistry. She understood pharmacology. She understood how chemical compounds interacted inside the human body.

But this was fundamentally different—these ingredients contained volatile elemental energy. They weren’t merely being boiled; they were being refined on an energetic level.

Seana extended her right hand, channeling a thread of Crimson Qi from her fingertips into the base of the cauldron.

WHOOSH!

The purple fire flared, rising several inches!

Seana’s gaze sharpened. Control the temperature...

She began introducing her prepared ingredients in a strict, calculated sequence:

The pulverized root powder to form the base.

The crushed leaves to act as the conductor.

The concentrated flower essence to bind the properties.

Each ingredient entered the cauldron at exact time intervals.

Seana watched the internal reaction with hawk-like precision. The liquid inside the bronze vessel gradually shifted colors—from clear, to pale green, to a vibrant sky blue.

Her breathing remained calm and steady. So far, the energetic reaction is stable.

She added the next compound.

GLUB! GLUB!

The liquid suddenly boiled violently, black bubbles surfacing on the mixture!

Seana’s eyes narrowed.

She immediately input back her Crimson Qi, reducing the thermal output.

The violent bubbling instantly subsided.

Too much heat, she noted, fine-tuning her Qi flow. The internal energy stabilized once more, releasing a sweet, refreshing aroma.

A small, confident smile touched her lips. I get it now. This isn’t just about knowing the recipe—it’s about managing thermal reactions in real-time.

She added the next herb. The liquid cleared completely, radiating a pure, soothing aura. Her confidence surged.

Finally, she reached for the unknown black herb with crimson veins.

For a fraction of a second, she hesitated. But that deep, instinctual feeling returned—Purification. Synergy.

Seana trusted her medical instincts and dropped the black herb into the mixture.

PLOP.

For a second, nothing happened. The blue liquid remained completely still.

Then, a brilliant golden glow erupted from beneath the surface!

Seana’s eyes lit up. It worked! ​