Chapter 1 Friends

"New book for support!"

A few lights were lit in the room to dispel the darkness of the winter morning. Leo lay in front of his desk, with a yellow scroll spread out in front of him. The secret text is crossed with black and red paints, recording the mysterious and ancient alchemy formula.

Li Ou wrote a hard book and took notes with the secret texts handed down from his family. He intercepted a plausible description and then explained his explanation and ideas in as mysterious and vague as possible. He has taken a large pile of notes. Although he will soon be burned by his own hands, he is still careful and tirelessly adding large paragraphs of deceptive attributives and descriptions to the simple narrative to confuse the thieves who may not exist.

The room was quiet, and time gradually passed with the sound of rustling strokes. When the golden sand in the hourglass came to an end, the wooden bird under the hourglass hit the bird house and made a crisp timing sound.

Nine consecutive calls made Leo panic.

"Damn, there's not enough time!"

Li Ou didn't even have time to finish the sentences in the middle of writing, so he stood up. He hurriedly cleaned up the scrolls and notes on the table. Wrap them together and put them under your armpits, go to the fireplace in the study, bend down and put your hands into the blackened flue, groping to open the hidden storage compartment and stuff them all in. After doing all this, Li Ou breathed a firm sigh of relief. After scanning around and making sure that there were no omissions, he panickedly grabbed a voucher with a magic mark on the desk and stuffed it into his trousers pocket, pulled off the coat hanging on the hanger, rushed out of the door, and tried to put his arm into his coat with his feet.

The property left by Leo's parents is located at the end of a relatively remote street.

The mossy building has a strong Heloi style from top to bottom. The suspended design protruding from the second floor brings more space. The roof is raised like the end of a spire, each with a statue like an alchemy statue like a ghost. The sharp minions and dark pupils exude a frightening evil spirit from the inside out.

The first wall of the house facing the street has been transformed into two shutters. The one below can be used as a display shed for goods after being opened horizontally, while the one above can become a eaves. But now both doors are closed, as if they are trying to avoid and block the peeping of people with ulterior motives. However, at present, this remote street is not like the bustling silver maple leaf street across the street at all. Only a few people walk here with regret and hurried to the busier street ahead.

Therefore, Li Ou can easily run up without worrying about hitting the stalls facing the street and the huge tide of people who are squeezed into a long snake. He quickly passed by the few shops and caught up with several people who had left. However, with the crowd at the intersection, Leo had to stop.

Li Ou looked back at the house that looked gloomy in the dazzling sunlight and stared at the closed shutters. His face showed a strange expression mixed with sadness, attachment and self-reproach. But then, the look in Leo's eyes became firm.

As long as he gets the first place in this qualification examination, Li Ou can let his parents work hard for many years, but because of his death, he was taken away from the business right to open again. He tightened his fist and encouraged himself in his heart. He will never allow himself to fail.

Silver Maple Leaf Street is the most famous street in Ainblo, the alchemy capital. Her history can be traced back to before the founding of Ainblo, which was called "the core and origin of everything" by the creators. On this miles-long street, there are countless alchemy shops and magic stores. Even travelers from neighboring countries and even wandering aliens shuttle through this street. Therefore, although it is only time for shops to open, the streets are already crowded.

Li Ou is already very familiar with this place. Therefore, he did not pay attention to the shops on both sides of the street like guests. He squeezed around in the crowd, but the crowd always hindered him. Leo is like a suffocating sardine squeezed into the fish, and his helpless efforts and struggle made him more and more anxious.

"Look at the road!" A bald man who was accidentally stepped on by Li Ou shouted at him angrily.

Li Ou didn't even have time to apologize when he was pushed heavily on Leo.

"Let's get out of the way!" The other party said angrily.

Li Ou did get out of the way. However, in the push of the crowd, Leo, who lost his balance, was like a rubber ball bouncing around in a narrow space and could not control his body again. He fell aside and hit the person next to him. The man didn't seem to notice the stumbled Li Ou. Unexpectedly, the two fell to the ground heavily together. Leo almost heard the unpleasant moans when his bones collided with the hard ground.

He grinned and tried to turn over and sit up while touching the painful forehead. However, at this time, he noticed that the person he knocked down was still lying on his back to the ground. The other party is covered in the cloak commonly used by travelers. It's just a wisp of black satin-smooth hair hanging from the edge of the hood, and a pair of calm, jewel-like clear eyes on a tightly wrapped face towel reveal her gender.

Li Ou got up in a hurry.

"I'm sorry. Are you all right?" Li Ou said apologetically and stretched out his hand to the other party.

The girl ignored Li Ou's kind expression and got up and patted the dust on her body. Then she raised her head and looked at Li Ou with her eyes that seemed to have no waves at all. Then she withdrew her sight, as if Li Ou was a stone blocking the road, bypassing Li Ou and passed him by him.

Li Ou smiled awkwardly. However, at the moment of passing the girl, the girl's cloak lifted a corner, revealing a silver-white scabbard hanging around her waist. Although it was only for a short moment, the delicate lines on the scabbard still made Leo feel a little intoxicated and made him have the impulse to find out.

The momentary distraction made Leo wake up until another person hit him. He shook his head and dispelled the lines on the scabbard that were constantly replaying in his mind. Then, he suddenly thought of something, his face suddenly changed, hurriedly pushed away the guy in front of him, and ran away without even before he could say a word of apology.

"Oh, no!" Li Ou shouted with regret in his heart, "I can't catch up, I can't catch up!"

Silver Maple Leaf Street is in chaos because of Li Ou's rampage. Li Ou could no longer control the scolding voice and the chaotic streets behind him. He just kept praying in his heart: I hope he can catch up.

Li Ou is now in a hurry to take the exam of the Creators Guild. Ten o'clock in the morning is the deadline for admission, and the trial exam will also start after that. If Leo misses today because of a series of inexplicable things, he will have to wait two years to apply for the trial again and qualify as a formal alchemist. He has missed it once before, and if he still misses this time... Leo doesn't think his savings can last until two years later.

He rushed all the way and didn't even have time to appreciate the recreated exterior wall and hung a brand-new signboard of the Creators Guild, so he rushed in directly. Not far after entering the gate, the strange strangeness made Li Ou notice the changed hall. He suddenly found that he had not been here for months, and the inside of the guild was completely whitewashed, and even the air seemed to be filled with the fragrance of paint that had not yet dissipated.

Li Ou probably took a look and withdrew his sight. Then he greeted the girl in charge of reception at the door, and then went straight through the noisy hall where alchemists were constantly stationed and arguing, and quickly walked towards another building complex inside the guild through a cloister surrounded by flower ponds and cherished plants on both sides.

Far away, Li Ou can see the tall and magnificent buildings at the other end of the corridor. The spire like a sharp sword forms a huge community that pierces the sky, as if it were provoking the gods. The dazzling sunlight shines on the smooth obsidian spire, causing it to shine around. It turned the sky above like a black gem like the legendary magic dark sky. Even on the other side of Ainblo, you can see this miraculous scenery even in the starry sea.

However, as born in Ainblo, his father is also an alchemist, and Li Ou, who is about to enter this industry, has long been surprised by the wonders in front of him. He quickly withdrew his sight and accelerated his pace again. The short boots stepped on the board and made a rapid kicking sound. However, before Li Ou walked out of the corridor, he saw a smiling guy standing at the other end of the corridor, wearing a tight dark robe, holding the record book in one hand and copying his trousers pocket with the other hand.

"I'm going to be late, Leo." The man turned his head side and said to Leo with a smile.

"Oleve, why is it you?" Li Ou looked at his good friend in surprise.

Oref shrugged his shoulders and said jokingly, "I was lucky enough to pass the trial two years ago, and this time I was assigned to work hard." He pretended to cough, "I'm the recorder of this promotion exam, Leo."

"Are you going to record that I'm late?"

"No!" Oleve said solemnly, "I will record your early departure!"

Li Ou was stunned for a moment, and then smiled. I think you will not be guaranteed to work because of this."

"It doesn't matter. I can stay at your house. You will welcome me, right?"

"Of course, I will discount the house for you." Li Ou tilted his neck, "How about twelve folds?"

Oleve is waiting for Leo in place. When Leo came to him, he took a step and walked side by side towards a steeple with Leo. As he walked, he said, "Why isn't it thirteen percent off?"

"Thirteen is not an auspicious number. I don't want to be remembered by your ghost decades later.

"How can this be!"

Olev waved his hand and denied it with a dry smile. But in Leo's opinion, he completely has such a plan! As if feeling Leo's unkind eyes, Oliver began to urge.

"Let's go, let's go." Oleve's left hand was taken out of his trouser pocket, took Leo's hand and dragged him forward. "Time is running out of time. Do you want to wait another two years?"