Chapter 002: Master of Digging Pits

Stone Age

Not long after Stephen Zhou ventured deep into the forest, he came across some enormous footprints on the ground

You have turned it into a ten-meter-long thread, but it is essentially still the fur of a bobcat, just a bit absurdly long. (It has not transformed into cotton thread)

... ...

He is an open-minded person

The sky is vast, the earth is vast, but eating is the most important

Stephen Zhou placed the enormous bobcat on the workbench, and in the blink of an eye, he completed the skinning and dismemberment. His hands seemed to possess a strange magic, as he merely kneaded the hide to produce leather. He then plucked the fur from the bobcat, twisted it with his fingers to form a complete fine thread, and subsequently selected a slender bone to create a needle by boring a hole through it. After approximately ten minutes, he cut and fashioned a rudimentary leather jacket and pants.

Meow

What kind of monster left this

A piece of bobcat fur

After crafting the stone tools, Stephen Zhou glanced at the wound on his back, which was nearly healed.

The production of stone tools consumes more power, but fortunately, it only changes the basic shape of the material rather than its intrinsic essence, which Stephen Zhou can still endure. His accumulation of power as an alchemist primarily relies on farming, as farming is the method that consumes the least and gathers the most energy. The alchemists of the Stephen clan are very cautious about enchantments, as top-tier soul enchantments can temporarily lower their power level (the level cap remains unchanged). The alchemists of the Stephen clan are very cautious about enchantments, as top-tier soul enchantments can temporarily lower their power level (the level cap remains unchanged)

The abilities that Stephen Zhou currently demonstrates can only be considered as apprentice-level "tricks" within the realm of alchemy. Of course, this standard cannot be applied to other indigenous civilizations, as alchemists capable of achieving such feats are already quite remarkable within those cultures. Moreover, apart from Stephen Zhou, there is no one else who can wield these tricks with such mastery.

A strong wind swept in

Lynx

Finally, there are clothes to wear, and I no longer have to walk the birds

Those who can understand this have the talent to become an alchemist

Stephen sighed while polishing the stone tools, saying: "Let the iron golems handle the basic tasks, and I will only complete the most critical steps."

A torch is needed

Leopard

He has just consumed a significant amount of bobcat meat, which has already replenished the nutrients necessary for repairing his wounds. Since the nutritional requirements for wound healing have been met, it follows that the wounds should naturally heal quickly, correct

As the most extraordinary branch of alchemy, Stephen Zhou's power is derived from his work

If only there were an iron puppet

As a layer of blood cocoon was peeled away, Stephen Zhou's back was as smooth as new, with no scars visible at all. He moved his body a bit, then picked up a pickaxe and began his mining venture.

All of the above is actually nonsense, as a legendary alchemist, Stephen Zhou's body can be considered one of the pinnacle achievements of alchemy

Very soon

Tiger

Stephen Zhou awkwardly rolled over to evade, but a wave of intense pain still struck him, leaving a bloody claw mark on his back

Most of Stephen Zhou's power has been exhausted in the temporal and spatial turbulence, and the only ability he currently has left is to change matter (form)

At worst, we can start all over again

In the dense primeval forest, there are many unknown mushrooms

Although it is a cat's meow, the sound is very deep and filled with a sense of danger

It is said that

Alchemists have their own unique way of understanding things

Just as Stephen Zhou was observing the enormous footprint before him, a shadow suddenly pounced from the dense forest.

To speak earnestly

Many wild animals seem to be distributed within a certain range according to some rules

To put it plainly, the abilities that Stephen Zhou can currently utilize are just that simple

Stephen Zhou does not like fighting, as it consumes too much magical power

The stone is much more solid than other materials. Stephen Zhou's tools are inadequate, requiring over fifty strikes to extract a one cubic meter block of stone, and the wooden pickaxe wears down very quickly. Due to the ability to 'alter the form of matter', the extracted stone remains intact, as if it were cut by top-tier machinery. Stephen Zhou first collected a batch of stones and then moved them to the workbench for crafting. Due to the ability to 'alter the form of matter', the extracted stone remains intact, as if it were cut by top-tier machinery. Stephen Zhou first collected a batch of stones and then moved them to the workbench for crafting

There is a unique biological chain here

A diameter of eighty centimeters

Regarding how much time has passed in and out of the temporal turbulence, he no longer cares whether he is still in his original galaxy or even in the same universe, because even if he were to think about it, there is nothing he can do now. The Arcane Empire initially reached the universe he was in by traversing through the temporal turbulence.

Stephen Zhou exhaled and then said with a grimace: "Next time, we must stick to the conventional method; otherwise, the remaining strength will be depleted quickly"

Alright

... ...

Stephen Zhou first took a few sips of blood to replenish his strength and salt, then he lifted the enormous lynx in front of him and ran towards the edge of the forest without looking back. Many beasts are sensitive to the smell of blood, with some able to detect it from dozens of kilometers away. He had to leave this place quickly to deal with the situation and avoid attracting other ferocious animals.

Regardless, he has had enough of these wooden tools; it is better to upgrade to the Stone Age first.

large felines

Even if they do not appear equivalent, they should, to some extent, seem 'equivalent', just like one kilogram of gold and one kilogram of brass. Regardless of whether you believe it or not, top alchemists believe that they are equivalent

However

The sound of rushing water

Stephen set up the workbench and reinforced the surrounding walls with alchemy, then took out a wooden pickaxe and began to mine stone

Starting a fire is very simple

Although the traversal through the turbulence of time and space brings internal time close to a standstill, Stephen Zhou has been active for so long that he is very hungry

This process is much slower

Unfortunately, Stephen Zhou's strength has plummeted, and he does not dare to recklessly attempt to see if he can survive. In the deepest part of the primeval forest, there are occasionally some enormous, muffled sounds that make his heart race. He is certain that there are definitely super-sized carnivorous beasts inside, the danger level of which cannot yet be determined, but it can at least reach a level above 3.0. (Note: The danger level of the Earthwalker is 1.5) In the deepest part of the primeval forest, there are occasionally some enormous, muffled sounds that make his heart race. He is certain that there are definitely super-sized carnivorous beasts inside, the danger level of which cannot yet be determined, but it can at least reach a level above 3.0. (Note: The danger level of the Earthwalker is 1.5)

Where should I go to find some iron ore

Time passes quickly

Although alchemists are not skilled in combat, they generally possess decent physical abilities

The front is light while the back is heavy, with larger footprints from the hind limbs, leaving deeper impressions. It can be preliminarily determined that the center of gravity of the target is on the hind limbs, with a height of approximately 6 meters (based on the height of broken branches) and a weight exceeding 10 tons. These footprints have been left for some time, indicating that this is not its activity area, but rather it has come to the outskirts of the forest for certain reasons.

For example, the wounds on his body first broke the skin, right? Then a considerable amount of blood flowed, correct? After that, the flesh was also cut open, right?

The high oxygen content has led to the gigantism of animals in this world! A bobcat has actually grown to the size of a tiger! Are these two tails a result of mutation?

Since it is not possible to obtain iron ore at the moment, we can only stockpile some stone for now

The core principle of alchemy is 'equivalent exchange'

He then returned to the temporary base, the smell of blood attracting some carnivorous animals; however, they did not leave the forest and turned back as they approached the edge.

In his view, magical power should be stored during ordinary times, and then, when the limit is reached, it can be unleashed all at once to break through the bottleneck and level up. The amount of magical power that Stephen Zhou's body can store is dozens to hundreds of times that of an ordinary wizard, but the consumption during battle also increases exponentially. Often, after a large-scale battle, he needs to spend a long time recovering, and the high upper limit of magical power makes replenishment slow, which significantly affects the speed of leveling up.

The bobcat lunged again after missing its first strike. This time, Stephen Zhou did not evade; instead, at the moment the enemy pounced, he suddenly knelt down and leaned back, swinging the wooden pickaxe in his hand. Accompanied by a faint golden light, the wooden pickaxe instantly transformed into a silvery metallic appearance. Then came a piercing scream as the bobcat's attack passed directly over Stephen's head, the pickaxe disemboweling it and drenching it in blood from head to toe. Such a shocking injury was not enough to cause the two-tailed bobcat to die immediately. After landing, it staggered five or six steps before collapsing with a thud, convulsing in its death throes for a while before finally breathing its last.

In a fleeting glance, Stephen Zhou did not clearly see the target, but when the target attacked again, he finally discerned what creature was assaulting him

Stone is fundamental to architecture

Only when he can turn brass into gold will it be considered a true restoration of some of the past power

Recently upgraded to the Stone Age, Stephen Zhou is filled with a yearning for the Iron Age. However, he currently finds himself in complete darkness regarding this world and does not dare to wander around aimlessly. A single bobcat could injure him, and encountering other wild beasts would spell disaster. He needs a substantial amount of gold to reactivate the alchemical engravings on his body.

Especially alchemists like Stephen Zhou, who are highly specialized in mining, may possess greater physical strength and endurance than many warriors

He is an academic-oriented research alchemist, not one of those combat fanatics who enjoy fighting

Indeed

Stephen Zhou casually ignited a bonfire with a flick of his hand, then skewered the bobcat meat on a stick to roast it over the flames. He was a person who paid great attention to life; although most alchemists tended to be reclusive, they were all exceptional at enjoying life. Currently, without oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, or any seasonings, the bobcat meat still carried a fishy smell, making it unappetizing even when he was starving. Stephen Zhou could only make do to fill his stomach for now and then think of ways to improve his living conditions. He still did not know the situation in this world, but a legendary alchemist could establish a paradise even on a dead star; if all else failed, he could bury himself in mining for over a decade to build a floating city.

Pfft

Since the pit has already been dug underground, Stephen Zhou naturally moved the base to a safer location. He packed the bobcat meat and then put away the workbench, before proceeding down the stairs to the underground.

In the tasks of planting, mining, forging, alchemy, and so on, he can swiftly extract elements from nature to replenish his consumed magical power and store it within his body. This efficiency far exceeds that of ordinary alchemists' meditation methods, and it is also the foundation for his becoming a legendary alchemist at a young age. According to his past data analysis, at his peak, his strength approached the limits of mortals. However, at that time, he was unable to break through the bottleneck, so he deliberately reduced his strength and used soul enchantment to create a semi-divine artifact, focusing his research on a creature known as [Divine Offspring], attempting to break through the mortal limits. Unexpectedly, just as the plan began, an unforeseen incident occurred where he was betrayed, not only being framed but ultimately sentenced to permanent imprisonment.

A giant lynx, measuring approximately 2.7 meters in body length, standing nearly 1 meter tall, and weighing around 270 kilograms, possesses amber-colored eyes that make it appear as fierce as a tiger. What further unsettles Stephen Zhou is that this lynx has two tails.