Chapter 80: Returning Still as a Youth

Li Shengjiang was also secretly anxious.

Theory was just theory. Whether he could withstand the Phoenix Blood, be reborn from the ashes, and purify his genetic chain, everything remained unknown. He clearly understood that venturing into this uncharted territory, previously untouched by the entire Wizarding World, if successful, would usher in a brand new era for the Wizarding World.

"Teacher..."

Beside him, Armin looked worried. She wasn't foolish; over the past few days, she had vaguely sensed something. How could the Alchemist Emperor's pet, a mere slime, be so terrifying? A slime that could create the Alchemist Emperor's core alchemical armor. A slime that possessed omniscient and omnipotent knowledge, creating countless miracles to help her escape. And now, a slime that had even pioneered an unprecedented second bloodline potion for her to consume, hoping she could live a second life...

Though she was unwilling to admit it, from the seriousness of the chase and various other signs, she had vaguely grasped an incredible truth: the legendary Alchemist Emperor was, in fact, a slime. The same unconscious little demon she had coincidentally found by the roadside all those years ago—she had unwittingly saved the entire Wizarding World.

But after all these years, none of that mattered anymore!

Armin looked at the potion on the table and quietly stepped out. "You are a monarch emperor; you must, absolutely must, survive. You cannot die so easily... I don't want all the justice in the world to be sullied, nor all evil and darkness to prevail."

"From childhood, I have only admired one person."

Leaning against the wall, she took a deep breath, silently gazing at the clear blue sky above the mountains. "You always asked me before who I admired. I would just smile, but I never told you that I grew up listening to your legends. Anyone would be shy when facing their idol."

"Ending the Age of Dark Witches! Initiating the Alchemical Tide! Forging two great alchemical marvels for the world! Leading the people of Babylon to ascend and meet the gods! Devotedly protecting seven witches and painstakingly seeking longevity potions for them... These achievements are simply too numerous."

Inside the secret chamber, Li Shengjiang also took a deep breath. "Better a quick pain than a prolonged one."

He drank the second genetic expansion potion in one gulp. A spicy, boiling sensation surged from every part of his body. Pain! Intense pain! It was even more excruciating than the death ritual of integrating the "Evil Eye Blood" to become a wizard, as if his body were burning, turning to dust, constantly shattering and reforming. In a haze, Li Shengjiang saw layers of flames and a phoenix soaring into the sky, his consciousness completely blurring.

"Am I going to die...? After playing the victim and acting cute for so long, I still haven't succeeded in my comeback." He couldn't help but reveal a helpless smile. "This game is truly agonizing, worse than death. It's so incredibly painful, as hardcore as ever, but this very pain makes me clearly feel that this is a true second life!"

He could no longer resist and completely fell into darkness.

After being unconscious for most of the day, he slowly, hazily, regained consciousness, feeling a pervasive soreness.

"This is..."

Li Shengjiang clenched his fists, sensing a fundamental transformation, a lightness as if he could fly. There were no data, no game interface prompts, but he could clearly feel that his body had undergone a metamorphosis, as if he had become an entirely new species—a physical sensation. This was a real world.

"Teacher, you're finally awake." Armin secretly wiped away her tears and quickly stood up.

"I succeeded."

He looked at Armin, who was weeping with joy beside him, feeling the exhilaration of surviving a catastrophe. At this moment, he no longer saw this as just a game. The characters were flesh and blood; they felt pain, laughed, shed tears. This was his second life.

Soon, he unlocked the second gene slot, and a new gene choice appeared before him:

The Chicken of Doom gene.

Yes.

He was a slime, so he naturally couldn't integrate slime genes. The Evil Eye gene had already been integrated, leaving him no other choice. "Only one? I can only integrate that idiotic player's gene? Can't I get a better one...?" Li Shengjiang was speechless but still posted outside.

Armin watched the slime suddenly faint, "exiting the game," with a calm demeanor. She was used to it; he would often suddenly faint for days, hours, or even just a dozen minutes. It was probably a sequela of the Alchemist Emperor's advanced age and severe injuries.

"Reckless Spender": "Everyone, I succeeded! My next step, after opening the second gene chain, is to integrate the Chicken of Doom gene!"

"Finally...""Finally..."

As soon as that sentence was posted, everyone's tense hearts suddenly relaxed. Although it seemed only a few minutes, the suspense had been too nerve-wracking. It was like a group of people collectively carrying a dying patient, enduring countless hardships to get him to the hospital, only to find it was a self-service hospital where they had to prepare surgical fees, scalpels, and various medicines themselves, overcoming endless obstacles. Now, finally, he was in the emergency operating room, but they could only wait anxiously outside. They were terrified the surgery would fail, rendering all their previous efforts futile.

"Chopping Hand for Crypto": "He succeeded! I didn't even dare to go to the bathroom. My heart has finally settled down. What a relief."

"Spring Child Loves Learning": "My heart instantly relaxed. We have created an unprecedented history in the Wizarding World! We will all go down in history, and it's good that he's okay. Is the big shot going to integrate the Chicken of Doom gene now? To turn himself into a delicacy? Also, 'Chicken of Doom' sounds so ominous! (Joking)"

"Autumn Mountain Speed": "Angry! I'm very angry! My gourmet species is the strongest, alright?! Since the Creator God likes to eat so much, other gods probably do too. The next time you ascend to meet the gods, big shot, you can sacrifice yourself (literally, cut flesh to feed an eagle) to curry favor with the gods in heaven! (Joking)"

"Little Tiger Descending": "Autumn Mountain big shot, your way of thinking is indeed unique! Is there such a move? First, you failed to poison the Creator God, and now you're messing around again, trying to poison the gods in the Wizarding World? A professional God-Eater! (Sudden change in art style)"

"Cute Dragon-to-be, Legend Webgame Endorser": "Wowowow! So scary! This time, are we again going to sacrifice ourselves to poison the gods in heaven, with rice hiding feces, and feces hiding poison in their lunchboxes? (Joking)"

The comment section immediately erupted in cheer.

Li Shengjiang also laughed, wiping away beads of cold sweat, feeling like he had survived a catastrophe. These people might talk nonsense, but they were actually quite good. As for poisoning the gods in heaven, he had no such intention. It was just a joke, and besides, he couldn't even enter that eye of the storm, and the poison was only potent enough to kill Fourth-Level Wizards, so it definitely wouldn't work.

Li Shengjiang thought for a moment and posted: "Now, I'm going to integrate the new gene, then live stream my comeback."

Next, Li Shengjiang began to integrate the "Poison Magpie" genetic potion. After expanding the slot, integrating the second gene posed no significant life threat. After another round of intense pain, Li Shengjiang looked at his form, speechless. He had become a dark green poisonous slime with two small wings behind him. "An angelic slime? Even cuter. What is this?"

He quietly posted a screenshot, and outside, there was another wave of excitement.

"Wow, the big shot is so adorable! Moe King Slime! Little wings! Our Alchemist Emperor couldn't possibly be that cute!"

"Hahaha! Happy, happy! The hard times are over, now it's our entertainment period! The big shot has extended his life and regained youth. We're looking forward to the big shot's comeback stream!"

"The big shot truly lives up to his reputation as a hoarder-type farming simulation player. A house full of personal coffers, enough to build a new Grantham! Grabbed my small stool, ready to watch the big shot's comeback stream, front row selling sunflower seeds, Sprite, and black tea..."

Babylon Kingdom, Year 539.

Grantham, the Monarch Emperor who governed Alchemy and the Gate of Truth, was assassinated in the Babylonian Royal Palace twelve years ago. The world fell into turmoil, and this chaos continued for a full twelve years. During these twelve years, too many things happened. The "Adolf" giant was taken by the Rose Salvation Society. They sought to go to Gorgon Alchemy Island to unseal the Death Emperor but were stopped by the Orc Kingdom at Wolf Harbor. The Orc Kingdom had just dealt with one emperor and could not allow another to reappear and rule the world. The struggle between the two major factions intensified.

Several more years of conflict passed.

"The Alchemist Emperor should have died of old age by now. He was already close to his natural lifespan limit of 250 years, and he was severely injured and near death before. We don't need to concern ourselves with him..." Although they were still pursuing him, they gradually deprioritized the Alchemist Emperor, focusing instead on their own internal struggles and wars. After all, everyone has a day when they die of old age, an irreversible fate. Even the three witches who opened an era, and Hero King Gilgamesh, could not escape the fate of death. Even the currently brilliant Alchemist Emperor could not be stronger than the three witches or Gilgamesh; he should have turned into a pile of bones by now.

During the twelve years of upheaval, some small wizarding schools were completely annihilated, while many others rose. Several witches, led by the Babylon Kingdom, were desperately holding on, relying on the Babylonian Hanging Gardens.

But on this day, a perfect giant man, three meters tall, re-entered the gates of the Babylon Kingdom. Behind him followed a giant woman of similar height. The kingdom guards on both sides of the city gate and the passing commoners couldn't help but be shocked.

"Such a physique, a three-meter-tall giant—only the legendary Alchemist Emperor had such a form...""There's no mistake. That face is the Alchemist Emperor from his younger days. Our King of Babylon, the Alchemist Emperor, has returned!""The Emperor has returned! Still so young, having lived a second life, he returns still a youth!"

Countless people were excited, old people cried, discussing among themselves.

Li Shengjiang walked down the street, arrived at the entrance of the Babylonian Royal Palace, glanced at the discussions around him, and softly declared, "I will stand here and wait for three days. Within these three days, all rebels and traitors of the world, come forward yourselves to beg for forgiveness!"

Waiting for the world to come and beg for forgiveness—our returned Alchemist Emperor possessed immense courage! Countless Babylonians wept with joy, pouring into the streets, leaving the city deserted except for throngs of people, all to welcome their king.

Screenshot,Screenshot,Screenshot.

Li Shengjiang instantly posted the images and did not linger outside, returning to continue waiting for his enemies to come to him.

On this day, the entire Wizarding World was in an uproar. The epic emperor, whose lifespan was thought to be at its end, whom everyone believed could not escape birth, old age, sickness, and death, had unexpectedly broken the norms of life and returned as a king.