Chapter 004: The Iron Age

Obsidian, diamond, malachite, ruby, glass, agate, mithril, gold ingots, arcane dust, stardust ... ...

However, it is unfortunate that he currently does not have a single cent of gold

With weapons in hand, the next step is armor. For an alchemist, armor can also be crafted by hand. Stephen crafted a set of half-armor, but it was not enchanted. He still preferred alchemical robes and arcane armor, as wearing ordinary armor significantly affected his work efficiency

Half an hour later, Stephen received a batch of iron ingots

He swung the completed longsword once, then directly struck down towards the iron ingot beside him

Stephen Zhou's mining enterprise is still ongoing

In the future, a track for mine carts will be constructed, facilitating the storage of resources for the creation of iron golems

Resounding

In the night

Especially with gemstones, the efficiency of mining this material by oneself is extremely low

The high-spirited Stephen Zhou continued digging until the afternoon, and upon returning to the underground base, he began to manually operate the furnace.

As a legendary alchemist, even though he has lost much of his past power and most of the alchemical marks have become ineffective, Stephen Zhou still retains a portion of his legendary abilities within his body, such as the enlightenment of wisdom, rejuvenation, and an immortal physique. Currently, many of these legendary abilities are sealed within his body, and in order to reactivate them, he must rely on a large quantity of expensive and rare materials

Stephen Zhou muttered a plethora of peculiar materials to himself, shouldering a pickaxe as he continued toward the underground mine. He planned to stockpile a bit more resources before beginning to explore the surroundings. The forest was definitely off-limits due to the abundance of monsters within, and pterosaurs were also flying in that direction. The areas inhabited by humans and other intelligent beings were likely in the plains, mostly near rivers, so he intended to search toward the west. If he could find humans, he would be able to acquire metals, seeds, gems, and more in the quickest manner possible. The areas inhabited by humans and other intelligent beings were likely in the plains, mostly near rivers, so he intended to search toward the west. If he could find humans, he would be able to acquire metals, seeds, gems, and more in the quickest manner possible

He toyed with the golden seed in his hand, waiting for the strange noises from last night to reappear

It can be done with a hammer, and of course, it can also be done by hand

Stephen dug three tunnels but still did not find any metal ore; however, he unexpectedly discovered a coal mine

This time, the enchantment took a considerable toll on Stephen Zhou, causing a bead of sweat to form on his forehead, while the runes engraved on the sword remained seamlessly integrated without any pause

Having iron tools makes things much easier

A foundation furnace over 5 meters high has been completed, and Stephen Zhou has arranged a basic alchemical array inside, which can raise the furnace's temperature to approximately 1500 degrees

Moreover, it is also a good quality hematite

He used a bit of material to make a compass, and then muttered to himself, "This location is still too remote"

He swung the sword hilt and murmured to himself, "It is approaching the standard of a standard longsword. It should be no problem dealing with some ordinary beasts"

Barehanded forging is one of the daily routines of a top alchemist. Stephen Zhou has long mastered this skill with ease. He first picked up a piece of iron and struck it a few times with his fist, quickly flattening it. Then he began to shape it into the form of a sword with his hands. The solid iron ingot felt like clay in his hands, and his hands worked with precision, almost like a machine.

The entire process took approximately half an hour, and soon the outline of a long sword was completed, with the main challenge being the sharpening of the blade.

The surroundings were enveloped in a desolate silence, as if one had arrived in the prehistoric era of ancient civilizations. Even though Stephen Zhou's will was exceptionally resilient, he could not help but feel a bit bored; it was not that he felt lonely, but rather that he wished to find someone to engage in casual conversation. The next morning, upon looking again, the third moon had already passed through the purple ring, and everything seemed to have returned to a state of normal tranquility

This process is visibly noticeable, and it becomes bright after approximately one hour.

It is acceptable

He has already stockpiled a large quantity of stone; not to mention building a house, it would be sufficient even for constructing a section of a city wall

I wonder where intelligent beings are? If there is a gathering place for intelligent beings nearby, it might be worth considering digging a subway line, which could serve as a station for the underground railway.

Currently, Stephen Zhou does not have a magic crystal forging furnace, nor an elemental furnace as an energy source, so he can only refine iron ore using the most primitive methods. Fortunately, he has already restored 1 alchemy level, and as he mines the iron ore, a continuous flow of elemental energy integrates into his body, allowing him to now utilize the ability of [Alchemy Hand]

It is impossible for Stephen Zhou to wield a hammer to forge iron ingots. He brought a batch of iron ingots to the workbench, and then, as if by magic, began to create his first batch of iron tools.

Upon returning to the underground base, Stephen Zhou crafted some simple furniture

The next two days will be quite boring

He first opened a mine and dug down more than 100 meters, then chose a direction and continued digging straight ahead. It is unclear how long he dug, but fortunately, the alchemist's sense of time is quite accurate. When Stephen Zhou returned to the underground base, it was just dark outside.

Alchemists have a significant demand for diamonds, commonly known as diamonds. Alchemists of the caliber of Stephen Zhou require diamonds in tons during the later stages of their work. Gold, on the other hand, is considered a conventional consumable in the alchemists' exploration of the infinite universe, with several tons of gold potentially consumed in a single experiment. This is why past alchemists tirelessly researched methods to transmute gold, such as the "Philosopher's Stone," "Golden Touch," and "Magic Stone".

Iron ore

After Stephen Zhou finished, he flicked the sword body with his hand, and immediately a crisp sound of the sword ringing echoed.

First, stock up on iron ore

Alchemists are the spellcasters with the highest consumption of resources

Stephen's demand for materials is endless; initially, he can mine them himself, but later on, he will inevitably need to collect them through other means

For an alchemist, common sense is meant to be trampled upon

During the process of mining coal and iron, Stephen absorbed the elemental energy that was free among the minerals, gradually reaching the level of a 2nd tier alchemist

Stephen Zhou has stored 10,000 tons of gold in his hometown, but it is certain that he cannot return now

Gold is currently the most scarce.

He waved his hand towards the pile of ore behind him, and a piece of hematite weighing over 10 kilograms flew directly into his hand. This is the ability of the 'Alchemist's Hand', which allows the user to move objects weighing no more than 20 kilograms with their mind. This ability improves with the energy level of the alchemist and has higher requirements than the ordinary 'Mage's Hand'. It can assist the alchemist in completing many dangerous tasks. This is the initial version of the ability. If he has gold, silver, and rubies, he can enhance the ability by 100% using alchemical engravings to upgrade it to [Alchemist's Hand Type I], commonly known as [Silver Hand]. As the energy level of the alchemist increases, it has higher requirements than the ordinary 'Mage's Hand' and can help the alchemist accomplish many perilous tasks. Stephen Zhou placed the iron ore into the furnace and then ignited the coal to control the internal temperature. Soon, the iron ore began to melt. Relying on external means to refine metal is merely a stopgap measure; a true alchemist can separate iron from the ore in an instant.

A block of iron was severed along with the marble tabletop by Stephen with a sword on Monday

Stephen Zhou continues to plan his own safe base, and it is still uncertain whether this world contains elemental crystals. Crystals imbued with magical power can only be born in worlds that have experienced an "Elemental Tide". Although there are differences in form, they can all be utilized by alchemists.

Stephen Zhou's combat skills are quite average; perhaps they are impressive for an ordinary person, but he is well aware that they are fundamentally inadequate. Moreover, his experience in combat is extremely limited. Before his exile, he had a legion of constructed golems serving him, and among his followers were not a few legendary professionals. For a long time, he had been accustomed to resolving issues through sheer force.

Iron Sword ( Sharpness LV1 )

In the vast underground base

Given his current abilities, he does not dare to dig all the way down to the magma layer, and most of his capabilities have been lost. In the event of a collapse, he would also be at risk.

Change the external structure of matter

He curiously climbed up to take a look, and all around was quiet except for some sounds coming from the forest, where nocturnal beasts were hunting. The enormous purple ring in the sky was still striking, with three moons: one dim, one bright, and the other a fading blood-red.

The process of wielding the sword with bare hands is not important; what matters is the final step. Stephen Zhou gently tapped the sword body with his middle finger, then left slight engravings along a certain pattern on the sword body. Finally, he drew a light stroke with the tip of his finger, which had been cut, across the sword body. A strange flow of light swept across the sword body, and instantly, the blade that had been sharpened appeared to be coated with a layer of silvery-white film

According to Stephen's preliminary assessment, it is unlikely that there are gold mines in this area. If he cannot find any traces of human activity, he will have to begin exploring and surveying for the location of gold mines

Three days have passed in the blink of an eye

The position of the satellite has changed slightly, which Stephen Zhou, if he were not an alchemist, might not have noticed. The satellite whose position has changed is approaching the purple ring, which is the one that is gradually transforming from a blood-red color to a bright hue.

When Stephen Zhou reaches level 10 in alchemy, he must collect at least around 1 ton of gold for himself in order to reactivate a certain important ability within his body

Having successfully crafted an enchanted weapon, Stephen Zhou felt quite pleased and soon began to work on other tools, such as an iron pickaxe, iron axe, iron shovel, and so on. By the time he finished, it was already dark.

However, tonight is exceptionally calm, with no unusual circumstances outside

The coal mine's reserves are not large, yet it still invigorated Stephen Zhou, for coal mines are often associated with metallic ores. He dug a circle around the area and finally burst into laughter upon discovering some crimson ores.

Currently, it is not possible to enchant the energy shield, and there is no point in considering the robe. For now, let's make do with a set of iron armor.