Chapter 649: Time Ice Cube

Speaking of which, Bu Quan's mentor, Shuang Lian, once claimed the championship title at the Warm Snow Cup tournament.

The prize for the championship was a construction fund sponsorship specifically for the mage tower.

This substantial sum proved immensely helpful to Shuang Lian, accounting for nearly 40% of the total construction costs for the Honey Snow Tower.

Of course, the construction of the Honey Snow Tower had been a lengthy endeavor.

Even now, it remains a work in progress. This was because mage towers were constantly being remodeled and refined.

The initial championship sponsorship enabled Shuang Lian to lay the foundation and framework of the tower. Combined with the steady flow of funds from her demi-plane enterprises, this sustained the ongoing construction of the Honey Snow Tower.

Zi Di was well aware of this fact.

She also understood that the champion sponsorship was specifically tied to the tower's construction. Without the mage tower, the funding would cease.

Moreover, the relevant contract stipulated: While the mage tower built by the champion belonged to the alchemist, it also fell under the jurisdiction of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.

Zi Di interpreted this initiative thus: “This massive investment not only secures exceptional talent like the alchemist magician but also fully motivates the champion, adding a mage tower to the kingdom.”

“The beneficiaries of this policy are not only the champion but also the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.”

If she wished to effectively counter enemy threats, a mage tower was indeed the optimal choice.

With substantial sponsorship, Zi Di could fully construct the mage tower. The specifications for the Honey Snow Tower far exceeded ordinary standards. For the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, building a regular mage tower would have been entirely sufficient!

But when Elder Jiu Jin heard Zi Di inquire about the rewards for the top three, he shook his head immediately: “This year's Warm Snow Cup Tournament is indeed quite special.”

“Because it's being held during the National Ceremony period.”

"This time, the third-place prize is equivalent to the championship reward of previous years. The rewards for first and second place far exceed third place."

"The first-place prize isn't just funding; it includes vast resources for tower construction. Our Alchemy Guild has calculated that this reward alone could fund 80% of a standard mage tower."

“The second-place prize covers 60%.”

“But competition this year is exceptionally fierce. If your corps intends to rely solely on the Necromancer Aura Detector, don't even dream of securing a top-three spot.”

After delivering this warning, Elder Jiu Jin emphasized: “Don't even entertain the thought!”

Zi Di's expression remained composed as she pressed for details: “Tell me, just how intense is the competition?”

Elder Jiu Jin continued, "Take the first category alone, many elders from our guild have entered this competition. Elder Hua Ni is one such participant."

"Beyond that, there are rising talents like Xue Tuan Zi. And established alchemy powerhouses, such as the current ruler of Blood Kin City. For this tournament, most of them have spent over half a year preparing!"

“You can imagine how extraordinary their final alchemy creations will be.”

Zi Di nodded slightly. “I'm well aware of this situation. Who said I didn't know?”

Elder Jiu Jin hesitated briefly before continuing, “Let me share one of the latest alchemy breakthroughs.”

“Have you heard of time ice?”

Zi Di: “Of course I do. It's a specialty of the Ten Millenia Ice Lake. The power of a god level dragon's corpse has eroded and transformed the ice layers within the lake.”

“These ice layers contain the mysterious power of time. Through specific methods, the ice is mined and crafted into small ice cubes. Each cube holds a fragment of time's immense power, truly wondrous.”

“Right after they were first mined, time ice cubes became the hottest alchemy material in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, even sparking a global craze.”

Elder Jiu Jin took up the thread: “Sadly, this craze came quickly and faded just as fast.”

"The main reason was the extremely limited ways to utilize time ice cubes. The material itself is excellent, but finding suitable methods to harness this resource proved exceedingly difficult."

“Countless alchemists pursued research relentlessly, only to fail.”

“Until this year, when a collaborative project here achieved a breakthrough!”

"This alchemy endeavor is titled: Exploring the Consumption of Time Ice Cubes. It has now been successfully developed."

"By infusing time ice cubes into our sorrow-dispelling red wine, we achieve a controlled release of their temporal energy. Those who drink this wine experience accelerated time in a specific aspect of their bodies."

“After thousands of trials, the results are nothing short of perfect!”

Zi Di heard of the sorrow-dispelling red wine for the first time and immediately latched onto the key phrase, prompting, “What do you mean by ‘time in a certain aspect’?”

Elder Jiu Jin knew his explanation wasn't clear enough, so he simply gave an example: “While people savor time ice cubes and sorrow-dispelling red wine, they also complement them with other magic delicacies.”

"For instance, consuming certain magic beast meat allows the absorbed magic power to align with the fighter's own battle qi. After consuming the Ice Cube Red Wine, the time required for cultivating battle qi is dramatically accelerated, achieving the effect of massively saving the time needed to refine battle qi."

Zi Di realized something: "This means that eating magic cuisine together with the Ice Cube Red Wine can greatly shorten cultivation time. Can't transcendents then advance to higher levels within months or years then?"

Elder Jiu Jin nodded, recognizing that Zi Di had grasped the alchemy achievement's purpose.

Zi Di's expression remained composed, yet her heart filled with uncontrollable yearning.

This alchemy breakthrough held immense potential, not just for her, but for all survivors.

“With the Bloodline Purification Formation, we can refine our bloodlines.”

“What we truly lack is time.”

“Fighter and magician cultivation requires accumulated time; it's a step-by-step process.”

"But with the Ice Cube Red Wine, the growth cycle can be drastically shortened. What normally takes years can be reduced to months."

“Others aside, the Lord Commander needs it most.”

“His bloodline is immensely potent, yet far from reaching its peak. Using the Ice Cube Red Wine will enable him to rapidly break through to gold level, counteracting the negative effects of Zong Ge's own gold level advancement!”

Elder Jiu Jin inquired, “Magician Yao Ma, do you believe this alchemy achievement has the potential to compete for a top-three spot?”

Zi Di immediately grasped the elder's implication and couldn't help but express astonishment: “The Ice Cube Red Wine has such immense versatility. Could it truly not even compete for the top three?”

Elder Jiu Jin nodded solemnly: "If this achievement were solely the work of our Alchemy Guild, it could potentially secure a top three spot. But unfortunately, it is not."

"It is a collaborative project. Besides our Alchemy Guild, the other partner is the Intoxication Church."

“The sorrow-dispelling red wine is primarily crafted by the Intoxication Church, with the most crucial ingredient being the divine blood of the Wine God.”

Zi Di was stunned: “Divine blood?”

Elder Jiu Jin continued: “It is precisely because the Intoxication Church can provide the Wine God Blood that our nation permitted them to enter Ice Sculpture Island for missionary work.”

“Now, Drunkard Harbor serves as their parish.”

Zi Di's eyes widened in realization. "The Intoxication Church has been proselytizing for years. I know a bit about Drunkard Harbor. So, this alchemy project has been in development for quite some time, at least twenty years?"

Elder Jiu Jin nodded. “Correct.”

He fixed his gaze on Zi Di and continued, “This year's Warm Snow Cup competition was destined to be extraordinary from the very start!”

“A collaborative project like this has no chance of placing in the top three.”

“Our nation stands tall in the world of alchemy. We won't allow a collaborative project to secure a top three finish in this competition.”

“If your corps were to enter the Necromancer Aura Detector into this competition, the outcome would likely be unfavorable.”

"Based on my current understanding, a top three finish is absolutely impossible, and even the top five is unlikely. Perhaps there's a chance to break into the top ten."

Zi Di paused before asking, “Then what alchemy projects have a realistic shot at the top three?”

Elder Jiu Jin shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "Some I know of, but they're bound by confidentiality agreements. Others I've never even heard rumors about; they're private projects of the guild elders."

“In any case, to push the Ice Block Red Wine project into the top three, our guild will spare no effort.”

Zi Di couldn't help but sigh.

The snow elves were, after all, elves by nature, proud to the core.

On the other hand, this also touched upon national interests.

The Ice Sculpture Kingdom was secretly exerting every effort to uphold its prestige in the field of alchemy.

At this level, reputation was paramount, closely tied to profits.

Take the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps' potion profits, for instance, weren't they largely driven by the fame of the dragonman youngster?

Zi Di had been reaping the benefits of that very reputation all along.

"Elder Jiu Jin, I'd like some time ice cubes and sorrow-dispelling red wine. Can you arrange this?" Zi Di asked.

Jiu Jin gave a bitter smile. “Impossible.”

“Even our Guildmaster only obtained half a bottle as a sample.”

“And that half bottle was quickly divided among the Guildmaster and other powerful elders.”

Jiu Jin wasn't considered a powerful elder, nowhere near the stature of Hua Ni, Shuang Lian, or the Snow Cake Tower Master.

“The elder collaborating with the Intoxication Church is Ban Tu.”

"You may have heard of him, he created the potion [Beautiful Future]. That potion cost him everything: his fortune and his future. For a time, he drowned his sorrows in drinking. That’s how he converted to the Intoxication Church."

“His connections with the cult’s leadership gave him the opportunity to collaborate, ultimately succeeding in creating the Ice Cube Red Wine alchemy project.”

"The Ban Tu of today is not the man he once was. That devastating blow left him reclusive and eccentric, averse to socializing, prone to paranoia and anger. He drifts on the fringes of the Alchemy Guild's mainstream, maintaining poor relations with everyone."

"Ban Tu might be a potential breakthrough, but even the Guildmaster likely has no leverage. What chance do I have?"

Zi Di sighed and gave up.

“It seems we'll have to wait until after the tournament for the official release of this alchemy product.”

“With the blood of the Wine God as its primary ingredient, sales of this concoction are unlikely to be high.”

At this thought, Zi Di's brows furrowed slightly, a quiet worry settling over her.