Chapter 86: Getting A Hold On Things

The soft click of the door accompanied Aden’s departure. As his bare feet made contact with the cracked cobblestone that led out Horen’s home, he flicked his fingers lightly and pulled a white flower that nestled at the corner of the stairway.

In less than a second, the flower turned grey and shriveled before dispersing into the winds.

Aden’s fingers still remained in the delicately curved position that accommodated the stem. A small sigh left his lips as he walked out the home yard.

“I guess he doesn’t know,” he whispered to himself as he walked silently.

The only reason Aden even decided to meet Horen this early was to ascertain whether or not he was aware of the battle he had with the Princess and the Saintesses. After all, the chasm he was met with on his way here wasn’t exactly a hard thing to spot from higher grounds.

And despite how hard Horen tried to hide it, Aden knew he had an inquisitive personality from the first time they met, one that would have driven him to investigate the tremors he felt from his home despite how far the battleground was from his home.

“I guess the Princess isn’t just a toxically obsessive girl after all,” he noted with a hint of relief in his tone as he trailed the large buildings.

The sun had begun to show signs of setting, the warm light that filtered through the Green Glass district’s smog turning the chemical vapors into a haze of bruised purples and burnt oranges.

Despite the sunlight generously landing on Aden’s bulky frame, the rays were left unhindered as they passed through him. No signs of dispersion, no shadows casted, no proof of physical existence.

Zero and Lorelei were exactly where he had left them. Zero remained a statue of perfect servitude, while Lorelei leaned against a crumbling wall, her arms crossed and her eyes scanning the rooftops with predatory focus.

As Aden approached, the two of them straightened instantly. They didn’t ask him the purpose of his visit to Horen, but quietly followed behind him as they continued their journey.

As the clouds covered the radiance of the sun to give way for the cold opulence of the moon, Aden finally spoke.

“Don’t tell me the both of you remained at the exact positions I left you in.”

Zero and Lorelei exchanged glances before Lorelei quietly decided to take the lead.

“We didn’t. I went deeper into the district and managed to get information from a few helpful people concerning everything that I deemed worthy of value to you.”

Aden’s face remained fixed ahead, his silver hair flowing harmonically with the winds, but not exactly being influenced by them.

Lorelei was a bit torn on whether or not to list her findings, but her hesitance was quickly dispersed as she noticed Aden’s perked ears.

“The information halls in this area are quickly making a fortune as people from different parts of the land turn to them to satiate their growing curiosity and dampen their fears, but of course no one actually knows what happened, not excluding the information halls.”

Aden hummed softly as his fingers absentmindedly caressed the small stub of white hair that resided on his chin.

Lorelei caught a glowing fly with her middle fingers as she continued.

“The people are in a state of excitement due to the success of the Purification Ceremony Elara conducted, but there is a name that’s been on their lips on both fronts.”

A small frown crossed Aden’s lips. “And that name is?”

“Ghost,” Lorelei replied immediately.

After hours of walking, Aden’s feet finally halted, and it wasn’t because they’d reached their destination.

The duo had inquisitive looks on their faces, but as Aden continued moving in measured motions, they had a faint premonition that their questions would be answered.

And they were right… At least partly.

“Tell me what they said in relation to Ghost,” Aden asked evenly.

Lorelei cleared her throat as she let out the fly which had lost its bioluminescence from her palms.

“Some people claim that the Ghost was the major reason the Princess came here, while others say the enigma was merely a high ranking cultivator who ran away when he heard of the Redwyn’s intention of recruiting him,” she summarized.

The moon had risen in full at this time, casting its cosmic light in guidance to their steps.

’If only they knew they were both partly right… just in slightly different ways,’ Aden mused.

“Is that all?” he asked as he pulled out a loose piece of grass from the hem of his tattered clothes.

“Yes, Master,” Lorelei responded, giving the stage to Zero.

“I deemed it unwise to interact with the people especially when my features were put into consideration, so I decided to watch their Alchemic process,” Zero said evenly.

“And as I observed, I found that the Alchemy techniques here are quite poor, but if master wants to solidify his control over his Resonance and increase his competency when he breaks through, it would be much wise to practice the arts.”

Aden’s eyebrows furrowed. Although he wasn’t opposed to learning more about Resonance, learning something as boring as Alchemy didn’t sit well with him, but knowing Zero, he predicted he wouldn’t have raised this train of conversation without a proper vision.

And so, he decided to air his doubts.

“What makes you think Alchemy would be a good fit for me?”

He couldn’t see him, but he could tell Zero was in a deep bowing posture.

“Here is my reasoning, Master,” Zero started. “Alchemy, at its most fundamental level, is not about the mixing of fluids or the grinding of herbs. It is the art of **Transmutation through Precision**,” Zero began, his voice taking on the rhythmic cadence of an architect explaining a foundation.

“Your current state, Master, is one of overwhelming potential but chaotic density. You have knowledge of the Void, your bones have reached a high tier of structural integrity, and you move with the weight of a country. However,” Zero paused, his white eyes reflecting the pale lunar glow, “your Resonance behaves like a blunt instrument. You have the power to level a mountain, but can you thread a needle with a storm?”

Aden remained silent, his gaze fixed on the shimmering silhouette of Grey-Rock’s inner spires in the distance.

“The Alchemic process requires the practitioner to isolate specific frequencies within a substance while suppressing others,” Zero continued. “To refine a Tier 4 elixir, one must hold their internal Resonance at a perfect, unchanging vibration for hours. If you can master the delicacy required to keep a Phasing Draught from exploding, you will gain the micro-control necessary to compress your Void energy into a single point. Imagine, Master, if the Absence you project could be focused into the edge of a blade—not a wide crater of destruction, but a surgical line that ignores all physical defenses.”

Aden’s fingers twitched. He recalled the battle with the Saintesses—the raw, unrefined output he had used to tear through their light. It had been effective, but it had left him empty and exposed.

“Furthermore,” Zero added, his tone sharpening, “your Ghost moniker is fitting. You are currently a phantom in the physical world, but your internal chemistry is a war zone. Mastering Alchemy would allow you to synthesize Void Catalysts—potions that your obsidian marrow can actually digest. Without them, you are forced to rely on luck and the Entity’s whims to survive your own growth.”

Aden let out a low, vibrating hum that seemed to make the air around them ripple. The logic was sound. He didn’t need to become a merchant-alchemist like Horen, but he needed the control.

“I see,” Aden murmured. “You want me to learn how to refine myself as if I were the lead being turned to gold.”

“Exactly, Master. You are the Great Work,” Zero replied.

Aden looked up. They had reached the edge of the Green Glass district. Ahead lay the transition zone—the bridge that separated the soot-stained industrial slums from the slummy citizen settlement and gloom–inducing lands of Grey Rock border.

“Very well. After I tie up the loose ends here, you’re going to get me a cauldron.”

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