Chapter 246: 030: Relic of Odyssey Wheel

The process of exploring the ruins went very smoothly, as extensive preparations had been made beforehand, and there were also detailed blueprints of the site included in the Book of Knowledge—

No one knew where Wizard Somda had managed to procure these blueprints, but they contained a complete record of the interior layout of the Magic Power Alchemy Research Institute, including the defense system, living system, and even details down to every room and bedroom.

Following the instructions on the blueprints, Lynch was able to easily locate several areas with weaker defenses and successfully infiltrated the ruins.

During the exploration, he encountered some resistance, primarily coming from alchemy devices like the Alchemy Demon Eye and Alchemy Armor, and even several Alchemy Guards created by Lynch himself were present, standing vigilantly. The defenses were impenetrable; if the facility were in its prime, Lynch might never have made it inside.

Unfortunately, time had eroded its strength over the past ten thousand years; most of the alchemy devices had already depleted their energy. When Lynch entered, they were nothing more than immobile decorations, rusting alongside the path and engulfed by weeds.

In terms of active resistance, he only faced two challenges. The first was upon entering the main entrance, where he encountered a single Alchemy Demon Eye.

This particular device could simulate a spiritual system attack using its demonic eye. Richard’s journal had mentioned how sailors fell victim to mutual slaughter aboard, most likely due to this mechanism.

The second battle occurred just as he was about to reach the control room. Outside the control room door lay an entire array of alchemy traps—Dissolving Beam, Alchemy Guards, Alchemy Bombs—all erupting into chaos as soon as one dared to pass through.

Strangely, these two areas still retained operational energy, though the reason remained a mystery.

The Demon Eye was relatively easier to handle. While its spiritual attacks posed significant threats to Lynch’s servants, its combat abilities were weak, allowing Lynch to direct his followers to overwhelm and defeat it swiftly.

However, the control room proved far more troublesome. Six Alchemy Guards emerged, complemented by Dissolving Beam, Alchemy Bombs, and other difficult adversaries.

Ultimately,

The skeletons and zombies were almost entirely annihilated, Barton and Frankenstein were severely injured, and Iron Armor Little Treasure was all but destroyed.

Only after paying this grievous price did Lynch successfully enter the control room.

“So powerful… Is this the strength of a top-tier wizard organization? Even their subsidiary institutions are this formidable…”

Lynch wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, deeply affected.

If it weren’t for the meticulous preparations he made, the existence of the blueprints, and the fact that over ten thousand years had passed—with energy exhausted—he may not have been able to get in at all.

“What treasures could be guarded here?”

Lynch’s anticipation grew fervent.

Once inside the control room, everything became far more manageable. Lynch located the central device controlling the facility, injected his pre-prepared Spiritual Imprint, and seamlessly obtained control, systematically disabling the defensive armaments.

It was here that Lynch finally unraveled the mystery behind the residual energy maintaining the facility—

Humans.

The Witch Master likely foresaw the inevitable depletion of Magic Stone Crystal energy in the near future. To sustain basic energy supply for the site, he altered the defense protocols—transforming what should have been disorienting mist into a Technique with alluring properties capable of drawing wandering humans to the island.

Once lured, spiritual contamination would coerce them into killing one another; their flesh after death would be transported to preconfigured magic arrays to be converted into energy, keeping the facility operational.

The Alchemy Demon Eye encountered earlier was the core component responsible for spiritual output, enjoying priority energy supply, which explained its continual operation.

“What a genius…”

“Even in dire circumstances, devising means to sustain energy operations like this… though the method is rather cruel…”

The conversion of human and other biological flesh into Magic Energy to fuel alchemy devices is known in the field of alchemy as “Biological Magic Energy.” However, the efficiency of this method is exceedingly poor and thus rarely employed.

Having acquired control and disabled the defensive mechanisms, Lynch meticulously inspected every corner to confirm there were no hidden dangers before finally setting foot on the island himself.

The moment he stood in the control room, Lynch inexplicably felt a surge of excitement.

He had essentially inherited a complete Wizard Tower, with its internal facilities—living systems, defensive systems, cultivation systems—all perfectly preserved. Though its energy was depleted, providing power could breathe life back into its functions.

Furthermore,

This place was entirely constructed from the body of a World Species Island Turtle. Equipped with propulsion systems and more, it essentially functioned as a giant, fully operational multi-purpose Wizard Ship of superlative quality.

The facility’s ability to release such extensive mist fields implied a classification equivalent to the Third Ring Domain level, rivaling large wizard organizations like the Shadow Tower.

“With this base, I finally have a fixed retreat. If trouble arises in the future, I can hide here.”

“But no…”

“I can’t celebrate just yet.”

The operational costs of a facility equivalent to a Third-Ring Wizard Tower are astronomical. Just the energy consumption alone is staggering, explaining why the tower was abandoned for Lynch to retrieve.

At the moment, his modest fortune couldn’t even sustain its basic activation.

“I’ll need to find a method to earn Magic Stones…”

Marking this thought mentally, Lynch resumed his exploration.

Soon, his excitement escalated further as he stumbled upon another precious discovery—

Alchemy materials!

Within the storage room, Lynch uncovered an entire trove filled with alchemy materials: Starry Sky Gems, Abyss Crystals, Rune Secret Silver, Sun Treasure Diamonds, Moonlight Dust… rare materials of all kinds, both familiar and unfamiliar, abounded in the collection.

“Oh my heavens!”

Standing before the treasure house, Lynch was overwhelmed by an almost dizzying sensation.

These items defied valuation—they were treasures so rare that Lynch even spotted materials only referenced in ancient texts. Even the casual sale of one piece could incite chaos in the marketplace!

His heartbeat accelerated as he immediately thought, “I’ll need to alter the sailors’ memories…”

Though he had anticipated valuable treasures hidden within the ruins, Lynch had never imagined such extraordinary riches. The cache was well beyond what his current abilities could defend or control.

“Unearned wealth invites trouble!”

The value of this trove could tempt not just Third Ring but even higher-level organizations. Should its existence be revealed, Lynch couldn’t fathom the consequences…

Gradually cooling his excitement, Lynch continued exploring the ruins until he discovered what truly set his pulse ablaze—

Knowledge.

An entire, intact library remained. Its scale exceeded that of the three libraries combined within the Shadow Tower organization, filled with books, scrolls, and a myriad of written records—all focused on alchemy.

“Odyssey Wheel…”

Holding one of the books in his hands, Lynch’s emotions surged; these were relics from ten thousand years ago, belonging to the once-dominant Five-Ring Wizard Organization whose Sky City remains an unparalleled sanctuary in the hearts of alchemy wizards.

“On the Nature of Magic Energy”

“Element Collision”

“The Hidden Truth of the World Behind the Fine Elements”

“Dimensional Discourse”

Casually leafing through a few, each title stood out as profound, and their content introduced Lynch to entirely new realms of knowledge. A mere glance made him yearn to immerse himself in them, reading obsessively through till dawn.

“I’ll read them later.”

Shaking his head, Lynch forced himself out of his state of exhilaration—this wasn’t the time for study.

Taking out his pre-prepared Space Ring and Space Pockets, he collected the library’s books, alchemy materials, and all valuable items. His strength wasn’t yet sufficient to control the facility itself.

Despite its long-standing obscurity, the possibility of future discovery by others, however slim, urged caution—hence Lynch decided to secure all treasures within movable storage.

During the sweep of one particular room, Lynch stumbled upon an unexpected find—

A skeleton.

Given the control room’s records indicating all wizards’ corpses were sent to the furnace to be converted into energy, Lynch hadn’t encountered any bodies thus far.

Why, then, did a single corpse remain here?

First releasing several precautionary spells to confirm no abnormal spiritual fluctuations, Lynch then directed a skeleton servant to inspect the scene. Once sure no danger existed, he approached the body personally.

Within what appeared to be a study, a skeleton lounged in a chair behind a desk, draped in a tattered cloak.

It reclined against the backrest, one hand stretched across the desk with a finger pointing at its surface.

On the desk, where the finger directed, sat a crystal ball alongside a grain-sized gem fragment of dazzling red resembling Blood Crystal, tied with a black chain.

Examining the skeleton, Lynch found no visible injuries; it appeared to have died of natural causes. Its pose suggested an attempt to leave a message for anyone who came after.

His focus then shifted to the crystal ball—a device specifically designed to convey messages.

The embedded Magic Stone within it was intact; minerals preserve their energy capabilities over time.

Pressing the activation switch, the crystal ball illuminated, casting a beam of light upward. A cloaked old man’s ethereal image materialized in the projection.

An aged voice, carrying somber weight, spoke, and its first words immediately widened Lynch’s eyes.

“The research results of the Philosopher’s Stone are complete.”

“But…”

“The Odyssey Wheel is gone.”

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