Swallowing the Stars: The Puzzle of Everything!

Chapter 19: Charter, Seeking a Doppelganger

"It's done!"

As Perseus left the meditation room, a smile involuntarily crept onto his face... things were going more smoothly than he had imagined.

Befriend the realm lord and exchange for the alchemist's legacy.

Both of these things basically met his expectations.

In addition to the connections he has with the Giant Axe Arena represented by Dekala, the analytical capabilities inherent in the [Puzzle of Everything] also allow him to effortlessly obtain various potion recipes.

That's why he chose to become a pharmacist.

A cheat program that can directly solve all kinds of difficult problems, making it easy to get high scores.

Even though a pharmacist's growth has its limits, a cheat code does not.

The reason why potions become less effective at the King level is mainly because the current level of technology of humankind is insufficient to explore the more precise composition of matter.

In such cases, research on pharmaceuticals can mostly only be conducted through non-directional experiments using methods such as enumeration and listing.

Not only is the success rate of this experiment extremely low, but even if some results are obtained by sheer luck, it may not be possible to transcend the insurmountable barrier of immortality and reach the Venerable level.

My own "Puzzle of Everything" is different!

Various sophisticated devices can be upgraded all the way to level 7 through puzzle-solving, achieving a technological leap.

With access to more advanced experimental conditions, Perseus was also able to systematically conduct research on potions at the Venerable level, paving the way for new possibilities.

As for future research directions...

Perseus exited the virtual universe and returned to reality. He took out a strangely shaped plant from the World Ring. It had two stems growing from the same root, resembling two intertwined venomous snakes, and gleamed with a faint, eerie light.

[Extractable material found. Should we extract the puzzle piece?]

[Please select extraction direction: A. Biological element puzzle, B. Identity element puzzle (Shadowy Twin Snake Grass - The Amphibian Faction in Plants)]

"Identity element puzzle..."

Perseus's eyes darkened.

He has now developed four different types of puzzles.

Energy elements correspond to cultivation treasures; biological elements correspond to the level of life genes; spiritual weapon elements correspond to treasures, including various primal force weapons and armor, and even future immortal divine weapons, great treasures, and supreme treasures; and miscellaneous elements correspond to combat and cultivation secrets, potion recipes... Each of these four types of cards has its own function.

The only missing piece is the identity element; he's still unsure what the final product will be after the card materializes.

What does "identity" refer to?

The amphibian theory in plants—it sounds a bit like saying that after the 'Shadowy Twin Snake Grass' splits, it can automatically complete into two parts.

If these element cards truly correspond to biological characteristics, then he has every reason to guess that the final identity card will grant him new innate secret techniques.

For example: clone.

With that thought in mind, Perseus immediately raised his hand and dialed a communication number.

"Tor!"

"Master, you summoned me." The Silverwing youth who appeared on the screen bowed to Perseus, his tone filled with heartfelt respect.

"How's your task from three years ago going?"

"Three years ago, the master mentioned the task of collecting as many Yin You Shuang She grasses as possible... This plant has extremely high requirements for its growing environment, requiring a dark place with abundant light energy. Although it is only a third-tier material, it is more difficult to collect than some fourth-tier materials. Currently, I have only collected two mature Yin You Shuang She grasses."

"But are there a few alternatives the owner would like to see?"

Alternatives...

Perseus was initially disappointed to hear that there were only two Shadowy Twin Snake Grasses, but now that he knew there was a substitute, his eyes lit up immediately—materials that could extract identity element puzzle pieces were not easy to collect.

Common plants, such as the first-tier Heart-Connecting Grass and the second-tier Triple-Headed Flower, are also said to be able to re-root after being separated. However, when Perseus obtained these materials, there were no hints about the identity element puzzle. The only thing he could extract was the biological element puzzle.

The biggest difference between Yin You Shuang She Cao and them is their popularity.

Because it is often used to make active pharmaceutical agents and cultivate plant life, this "twin of plants" is also a term recognized by the vast majority of pharmacists.

Perhaps the extraction of identity elements, besides their inherent characteristics, also involves another kind of blessing from fortune.

As he pondered this, Perseus glanced at Tor.

What are some alternatives?

"The second-tier bamboo has nine joints, the third-tier has five flowers..."

Tuoer rattled off more than a dozen potentially useful materials, a number that sounded quite substantial.

These are all well-known plants that are likely to produce pieces of an identity puzzle; each of them has the ability to separate tissues and regenerate into a complete individual.

Although he didn't know what his master wanted these for, in Tor's eyes, Perseus was the best apothecary he had ever seen.

Everyone knows about Life Crystal Cores now!

As a shop that mainly deals in cultivation resources, "Life Enlightener" has already gained some fame in the surrounding markets. As the apothecary behind it, Perseus's reputation is also more deeply rooted in people's hearts than some guys whose ratings are only worth mentioning.

Of course, Perseus might only care about the clone.

Especially after he roughly estimated the various materials that Tor had collected and determined that the existing puzzle pieces were enough to support him in creating a clone, Perseus was overjoyed and didn't care about seclusion anymore. He simply rushed out of the base, left Comet TX-5672, took out his spaceship, and flew towards Galer.

A secret technique that allows one to create clones—

In the world of Swallowed Star, having a clone is definitely the best way to survive.

Similarly, once he has a clone, he will be able to better embark on cosmic adventures and will not have to stay in the Bright Light Empire for the sake of stability.

"Tor, please organize all those materials so that I can receive them when I get back."

"Also, try to collect as many materials as possible for 'Warm Flame'. You know, I've been stuck at the eighth level of the cosmic level for a long time because I've run out of resources. Once I return to Galer Star, I should be able to break through when I have enough resources..."

Perseus arranged for all the matters that needed to be handled upon his return.

Then wait until the communication is closed.

A silver-white, sword-shaped spaceship also instantly plunged into space and disappeared into the darkness.

……

The journey back went smoothly.

Although Perseus is currently only at the eighth level of the cosmic realm, his combat power is not inferior to some high-level domain lords.

When facing space pirates along the way, he usually only needed to release a pressure force towards the outside of the spaceship, and the space pirates who sensed Perseus's strength would take the initiative to retreat and dare not provoke this passing 'Domain Lord'.

Then came two years of tedious sailing.

Finally, the familiar blue-green planet appeared at the edge of his vision, emitting a faint glow, which made Perseus feel a long-lost sense of familiarity.

Unfortunately, this is not his hometown.

It was neither my hometown from my previous life, nor the prosperous Yanji Continent described by my clan.

Although life always cherishes the places we've lived in, the people and things we've experienced, in this dangerous universe, strength and trump cards make Perseus feel safer.

Therefore, after only a slight lapse in concentration, he immediately got back into the swing of things, helping the shop restock while simultaneously piecing together the identity element cards.

As expected, this task was just as tedious as before.

Fortunately, the desire for a clone outweighed Perseus's inner turmoil.

After repeated calculations and adjustments.

On the planet Galer, in the backyard of an exquisite garden themed around small bridges and flowing water, Perseus, who had spent nearly a year in a dark room, finally reaped his reward.

"That's about it..."

The slender hand slowly lifted up a constantly swirling "double helix storm," emitting a faint blue light.

At last.

Perseus took one last look at the perfect work of art, making sure nothing was missing, before finally letting out a satisfied sigh and silently praising himself.

Let's begin—Fusing Cards!