Chapter 43- The Three Great Alchemist

Guo Yingjie seems to be pushed in the corner as the three people use their secret techniques in sync. He watches in frustration as Mao Wenlin, Tian Bingwen, and Alchemist Zhou work together flawlessly, exploiting the weaknesses in his movements.

Desperate for an edge, Guo Yingjie reaches for a syringe given to him by a representative of the Karma Order. With a swift movement, he injects the serum into his neck and watches as his back begins to bulge.

Before the three alchemists' eyes, Guo Yingjie transforms into a monstrous being. A wing from an insect that looks eerie and disgusting grows on his back. Something protruding appeared on his spine that releases and sprays hot chemicals.

He then removes his clothes that seemed to grow an exoskeleton similar to a leafcutter ant. Extra limbs grew on his sides that produce eerie sound similar to a water boatman. Ears grew behind those legs that appears like a moth that has the capacity to trace echolocation. Fangs grew on his mouth similar to a harvester ant. From his fist, came out needles similar to a hornet. His body also releases a pheromone that seems to call every insects on the land.

Guo Yingjie let out a sinister laugh as his body began to contort and change. "You should be honored," he sneered. "You get to witness the true power of an Insect Alchemist."

Tian Bingwen's eyes widened as Guo Yingjie's back began to bulge and a wing from an insect grew out of it. "This is...this is monstrous," he muttered.

Alchemist Zhou, who had been feeling ecstatic just moments before, now felt a sense of dread wash over him as he watched Guo Yingjie's transformation. "We have to stop this," he said determinedly. "We can't let him continue."

As Guo Yingjie's body continued to change and new limbs and features sprouted from it, the three alchemists prepared to engage in battle once again. But this time, they knew it would be much harder to defeat this monstrous opponent.

From afar swarms of insects from all directions descended upon the Cardinal City. The cultivators and alchemists were caught off guard.

The dark clouds that Tian Bingwen had summoned were nothing compared to the sheer number of insects that were now covering the sky. The sky had turned pitch black, and the scene was like something out of a nightmare.

As the insects descended upon them, the cultivators and alchemists were thrown into chaos. They were no longer just fighting against the people wearing robes, they were now battling against billions of insects.

The sound of their wings and the skittering of their tiny feet filled the air, making it hard to hear anything else. Some of the cultivators were overwhelmed, with insects crawling into their mouths and ears, eating them from the inside out. The once organized battle had turned into a chaotic frenzy of survival.

Despite the heavy downpour, however, Guo Yingjie's insects continued to pour in, their numbers seemingly endless. The cultivators and alchemists fought bravely, but it was clear that the tide was turning against them. And as the insects swarmed in, devouring everything in their path, the grand ballroom was plunged into darkness, and the fate of those present hung in the balance.

The cultivators and alchemists fought with all their might to defend themselves. Even with the combined efforts of Tian Bingwen, Mao Wenlin, and Alchemist Zhou, the sheer number of insects was overwhelming. The sky was obscured by the writhing, chittering mass, and it was as if the very air was alive with movement.

Tian Bingwen, his face set in a determined frown, turned to Guo Yingjie. "Guo Yingjie, what are you doing? This is madness! We are all alchemists, sworn to use our powers to help others, not to harm them!"

Guo Yingjie's once-human eyes glinted with a maniacal light as he sneered, "You still don't understand, do you? Power is all that matters. The strong survive, and the weak are meant to be crushed underfoot. I will not be stopped by a handful of weaklings like you!"

Alchemist Zhou gritted his teeth as he fought against the relentless onslaught of insects. "This is not power, Guo Yingjie, this is destruction! You have lost sight of what it means to be an alchemist!"

But Guo Yingjie was beyond reason, consumed by the serum and his own twisted desires. The battle raged on, with the cultivators and alchemists struggling to survive against the endless waves of insects. It was a desperate, brutal fight for survival, with no end in sight.

Mao Wenlin's eyes flickered with determination as she struck her palm with a dagger, drawing blood that she used to write an ancient language on her fan. The fan transformed before their eyes, growing larger and taking on the form of a Jiuwei Hu, a mythical fox creature with nine tails that ruled the element of the wind.

The creature let out a mighty roar as it summoned a powerful gust of wind that swirled around them, creating a dome of wind that kept the billions of insects at bay. The Jiuwei Hu's nine tails flicked back and forth, each one creating a powerful gust of wind that shredded the insects that dared to get too close.

The creature's fur was a brilliant silver, and its eyes glowed with a fierce intelligence. It was a sight to behold, and the cultivators and alchemists couldn't help but stare in awe at the majestic creature standing before them.

Now, with nothing standing between them and Guo Yingjie, Mao Wenlin let out a fierce battle cry as she and her companions charged towards the Insect Alchemist, ready to end this battle once and for all.

The three were locked in a fierce battle with Guo Yingjie, his new insect limbs making him incredibly agile and difficult to hit. Mao Wenlin shouted out to her comrades, "Watch out for his limbs, they're sharper than knives!"

Alchemist Zhou gritted his teeth as he narrowly dodged a swift strike from one of Guo Yingjie's needle-like limbs. "We need to take him down quickly, before he gets even stronger!"

Tian Bingwen, his focus solely on the fight, was caught off guard by one of Guo Yingjie's swift strikes and felt a searing pain as his arm was severed clean off. He stumbled back, shock and pain etched on his face as he clutched at the bloody stump of his arm.

Mao Wenlin rushed over to him, concern etched on her face. "Tian Bingwen, are you alright? We need to stop the bleeding!"

Tian Bingwen shook his head, determination replacing the shock on his face. "This won't be too much of an issue for me," he said, tearing a piece of his clothing to tie around the stump of his arm to stop the bleeding. "I still have another hand,"

He then pulled out a goblet and injected his Qi into his throat before spitting a red liquid into the goblet. Alchemist Zhou and Mao Wenlin looked on in horror as they recognized the Malediction Cup, an alchemical tool that sacrificed a portion of the user's life force in exchange for increased power.

"Tian Bingwen, no!" Alchemist Zhou exclaimed. "You can't use that, it will kill you!"

Tian Bingwen's eyes were fierce as he replied, "I'll do whatever it takes to defeat this enemy. I won't let any more innocent people be harmed by his actions."

With a fierce determination, Tian Bingwen drank the contents of the goblet, the power coursing through his body as he prepared to unleash an attack on Guo Yingjie.

Alchemist Zhou let out a fierce roar as he broke his flute into two. The sound of shattering glass echoed throughout the battlefield as dark energy erupted from the broken pieces, enveloping Alchemist Zhou's body. Mao Wenlin and Tian Bingwen watched in shock as four limbs resembling those of an asura grew from Zhou's back.

"You think you can outdo me in this battle, my friend?" Zhou shouted, his voice now deep and menacing. "I'll show you the true power of an Alchemist!"

Tian Bingwen's eyes widened at the sight of his friend's transformation. "Zhou, what have you done? This is madness!"

"I'm not mad," Zhou growled, his new limbs flexing as he prepared to attack. "I'm just done holding back."

Mao Wenlin let out a wild laughter and shouted, "You two are crazy! But I won't be outdone!" She leapt onto the back of the JiuWei Hu, and as their energies melded together, a powerful force erupted from them, shaking the ground beneath their feet. The air around them crackled with electricity as the energy they released reached a fever pitch.

Dark energy enveloped Tian Bingwen, making him nearly invisible as he moved swiftly, his remaining fist colliding with one of the hands of Guo Yingjie with a powerful force that created a sonic boom in the sky. The two were evenly matched.

Tian Bingwen sneered as he locked eyes with Guo Yingjie, "Yingjie, this appearance of yours suits you, an alchemist who lost his ways."

Alchemist Zhou unleashed his inner asura, his strong extra limbs relentlessly attacked Guo Yingjie. Guo Yingjie was struggling to defend against the attacks coming from all directions. Zhou's asura limbs were incredibly fast and powerful, striking with the force of a thousand hammers. Guo Yingjie tried to counter with his own limbs, but they were no match for Zhou's asura strength.

"You will not defeat me so easily!" Guo Yingjie snarled, summoning a swarm of insects to protect him.

"You have lost sight of what is truly important," Zhou shouted, his asura limbs moving with precision and skill. "This power is not meant to be used for destruction and death."

The battle between the four alchemists and Guo Yingjie was fierce. Mao Wenlin, now transformed into a Chakram along with her Jiuwei Hu, flew straight towards Guo Yingjie with incredible speed. The energyfrom the Chakram clashed with Guo Yingjie's toxic chemicals, creating a blinding light and deafening explosions.

Guo Yingjie, now in his insect form, was agile and quick, dodging and weaving through the attacks coming from all directions. His insect limbs were sharp and deadly, and he used them to strike back at his opponents.

The battle continued to rage on, with each of the four fighters using their unique abilities and powers to try and gain the upper hand. It was a fierce and grueling battle, with neither side showing any signs of backing down. The fate of the battle hung in the balance, as each of them fought with everything they had.

It has been more than 20 exchanges and the battle between the three alchemists and Guo Yingjie shows no signs of slowing down. Tian Bingwen could feel the recoil effect of his technique, his arm aching and his energy depleted.

He looked at his two friends, Mao Wenlin with her disheveled hair and sweat drenching her face, and Alchemist Zhou panting heavily. He knew that if he didn't do something drastic, they would lose this battle. With a determined look on his face, he prepared to make his final move, knowing that it may cost him his life.

Betting everything on this last move, Tian Bingwen smiled at his two friends, Mao Wenlin and Alchemist Zhou, "Take care of my people in my absence." Without hesitation, he struck his chest and buried the Malediction Cup into his heart. His aura shot up to the 6th stage of the General Class.

As his aura shot up to the 6th stage of the General Class, Alchemist Zhou's expression turned to one of horror. "Bingwen, what have you done?" he exclaimed

Tian Bingwen looked at his friends with a sense of peace and said, "I have to do this. For the sake of my people, and for the future of the alchemists."

Mao Wenlin, who had an icy personality, was still resolute but tears flowed down her face. "We'll make sure your sacrifice was not in vain," she said, her voice trembling in anger and frustration.

Without hesitation, Mao Wenlin integrated with her spirit animal, the Jiuwei Hu, and it grew its tenth tail, making it even more ominous. This is the same integration technique used by the Snake Whisperer Alchemist.

Alchemist Zhou made sure that this would be a fitting goodbye to his friend. He took out a dark thick potion and drank it, metallic claws grew from all his hands. "We are determined to end this today," he said with a determined look on his face.

Guo Yingjie's will not be outdone. His body grew larger and more monstrous, his limbs elongated and twisted, and his eyes became dark and soulless. A devilish aura surrounded him, and the air around him became thick and heavy with the stench of decay and rot.

The insects that had been drawn to the battle by Guo Yingjie's pheromones began to swarm around him, forming a writhing, wriggling mass that seemed to be a part of his body. The three alchemists could feel the immense power emanating from Guo Yingjie, and they knew that this would be their toughest challenge yet.

Alchemist Zhou shouted, "We have to end this now! We can't let him become a threat to the world!" Mao Wenlin nodded, her eyes determined, and she shouted, "Let's do this!"

The three alchemists launched a final, desperate assault on Guo Yingjie. Tian Bingwen's fist glowed with dark energy as he unleashed a devastating punch on Guo Yingjie's chest. Mao Wenlin's Jiuwei Hu transformed into a massive creature, breathing a tornado of fire at Guo Yingjie, while Alchemist Zhou unleashed his asura form, his metallic claws slicing through the air as he lunged at Guo Yingjie with a flurry of swift strikes.

The force of their combined attacks was like a powerful tempest, shaking the earth and sending shockwaves through the air. Guo Yingjie let out a blood-curdling scream, summoning a horde of insects to his aid, but it was not enough to withstand the relentless assault of the three alchemists.

The ground shook and the sky above them seemed to be torn asunder as the battle reached its climax. The three alchemists fought with all their might, their energy and power blending together in a dazzling display of skill and strength. And in the end, it was their combined efforts that finally brought down Guo Yingjie, his body collapsing to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Mao Wenlin and Alchemist Zhou descended from the sky, their bodies riddled with wounds. The darkness that had engulfed the area was suddenly cleared, revealing the true extent of the destruction caused by the battle.

Alchemist Zhou, his body covered in wounds, was carrying the lifeless body of Tian Bingwen. Mao Wenlin's eyes were filled with tears as she saw the state of her friend. She knew that their victory had come at a great cost.