Chapter 87: He Wants to Wear Me Down to Death!

Babylon Kingdom, year 700.

A full century had passed since the last grand wedding celebration, and now the kingdom was ushering in another national jubilee. As before, this celebration coincided with the Inter-Academy Wizard Exchange Competition involving the three great kingdoms, where countless prodigious wizards competed in the arena.

At this moment, the Alchemy Emperor had reigned for over three hundred years and lived for over four hundred years.

"Four hundred years of immortality—this has never been seen in history.""Remembering Gilgamesh and the Three Witches, both lived for just over two hundred years. Such a long lifespan is indeed unprecedented."

Countless people could only bury this shock in their hearts.

Throughout these long years, there were no more dissenting voices. The kingdom flourished and developed peacefully, as the long-lived and seemingly immortal Alchemy Emperor once again suppressed the three great kingdoms, his power unparalleled.

Now, after a lifetime of striving, Li Shengjiang finally welcomed his days of peaceful leisure, dedicating himself to farming.

These past hundred years, living happily with the seven little witches, farming, developing technology, and enjoying romantic evenings, had truly been the best days.

Although this nationwide harmonious atmosphere saw the emergence of several new Level 6 wizards, including Armin who also advanced, the very lack of conflict and the absence of the pressure of death made it difficult for truly astonishing and era-defining talents, like Medusa in her time, to emerge.

During the grand celebration, the Kingdom of Rose on the Mountain and the Desert Orc Kingdom both presented themselves before the Monarch Emperor, offering an array of exquisite and priceless gifts.

Wizards from the three great kingdoms gathered, leisurely sampling various delicacies, discussing alchemy and witchcraft, and occasionally looking up at Grantham, the King of Babylon, who sat upon the throne.

"His aura is still immense, his presence awe-inspiring.""The Alchemy Emperor seems destined to live forever, ruling over successive eras of wizards."

As people conversed, suddenly, flower petals burst forth.

Rows of beautiful court ladies, holding flower baskets and scattering petals into the air, fanned out from both sides.

"The champions of this wizard exchange competition, the Edward brothers—Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric—have come to pay homage to our great Alchemy Emperor! The King of Babylon! His Majesty Grantham!!"

Glorious eras continued to unfold. Wizard academies and various schools of thought gave birth to countless stories, yet the Alchemy Emperor remained constant, seated high on his throne.

Babylon Kingdom, year 704.

Only four years after the grand celebration, a shocking piece of news suddenly spread: the Alchemy Emperor's seven royal consorts had died of old age. The Emperor held a funeral for them, and the entire nation was deeply moved.

"What? The Emperor's consorts have died of old age?"

Li Shengjiang stood silently before the tombs for three days.

"Teacher..." Armin stood silently at a distance, unsure how to offer comfort.

Elizabeth and the other seven witches, who were immensely weak, had their lives sustained by the Alchemy Emperor with countless rare treasures and national resources. They had slept for nearly a hundred years before awakening. But now, they had only lived for just over a hundred additional years.

Li Shengjiang suddenly remembered something and sighed: "I recall the Edward brothers, the previous champions of the academy exchange competition, whom I summoned. They attempted to develop forbidden alchemy, human transmutation, and like the Death Emperor, touched the forbidden zone of death to bring back their deceased mother. The result was an alchemical backlash, leaving both brothers disabled."

Li Shengjiang sighed again. "I don't want to get involved in such matters, nor do I want to beg the Death Emperor Medusa. I want them to rest in peace.""A hundred years of laughter and joy with them is enough. Calculating their lifespans, they've already lived for over two hundred years—Gilgamesh and the Three Witches lived no longer. For them, being just Level 3 witches, that's already plenty."

A century of time was already deeply satisfying for Li Shengjiang. However, the days ahead would have to be endured alone.

After the seven little witches died, he ultimately felt an emptiness in his heart, as if living had lost its purpose and meaning.

"It's as if they were my true family. I've almost forgotten that I transmigrated from another modern world; it feels as though I *am* the Alchemy Emperor Grantham, and this is my life.""Let me be impulsive for once, let me be a tyrant."

He smiled bitterly, then turned and walked away, gazing at his magnificent palace in the distance. "Let it be buried with you. This home was built for you in the first place."

The next day, an announcement that shook the world was issued:

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon will be buried with the seven royal consorts!

Countless people were utterly stunned, and the news became the talk of every street corner and after-dinner conversation across the nation.

"The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a world-class alchemical wonder! To be buried with just seven Level 3 witches?""This was originally the home built by the Alchemy Emperor for the seven witches, used for exploring the gods in the heavens, but that was merely a secondary function. Now, it's only natural for the home to be buried with them.""The Hanging Gardens of Babylon as a tomb? Isn't that too extravagant? It can't be fake news, can it?""It's not fake news. People have already seen the Hanging Gardens of Babylon ascend into the air and fly towards the 'Tartarus' Alchemical Abyss, the endless chasm that was once explored for its underground secrets. It has now sunk to its lowest depths, and the giant 'Adolf' has once again swung his massive shovel, filling it with earth."

With the confirmation of the news, countless people couldn't help but marvel at the sheer scale of the undertaking. The 'Tartarus' Great Tomb was established. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were interred deep underground, serving as a place of peaceful rest.

This was the most sensational news in centuries. Perhaps it wasn't just for the seven little witches; it was also the Alchemy Emperor's intention for it to be his own tomb, where he would be buried alongside them after his death.

However, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, originally used to seek the gods in the heavens and explore the celestial 'Gigantes' eye of the storm, being buried now undoubtedly meant a complete abandonment of the dream of ascending to the sky and exploring the realm of the gods.

After the death of his seven consorts, their King was utterly weary and had lost his ambition.

Babylon Kingdom, year 800.

Another hundred years had passed. The Alchemy Emperor was now five hundred years old, and this great monarch had ruled for the greater part of the long era of the Babylonian Wizard Kingdom.

Another centennial wizard celebration was held. It was another Inter-Academy Exchange Competition, still producing numerous talents, with everything as it had been years ago. The Emperor still possessed the same formidable presence as a century ago, his vast spiritual pressure on the throne making it impossible to look directly at him.

People still conversed, just as they had a century earlier.

"The Alchemy Emperor's power is still terrifying. Could it be a false facade, and he's actually nearing the end of his life?""Don't speak so rashly. Two hundred years ago, during the Babylonian centennial celebration when the Emperor married, people said he wouldn't live long. A hundred years ago, when the seven consorts died of old age, people still said the same. Yet, here the Emperor remains, vibrant and full of vigor, presiding over this celebration from his high seat.""The Alchemy Emperor has lived for five hundred years—it's incredible! A normal Level 6 legendary wizard only lives for about 250 years...""But perhaps such a long life is, for the current Emperor, a form of torment."

Everyone sighed, noting that the Alchemy Emperor showed no signs of aging and, at this rate, could potentially live for several more centuries, perhaps even a millennium! How could the Emperor's terrifying power be measured by the realm of a Level 6 wizard?

On Gorgon Alchemy Island, beyond the Oceanus and in the Land of Night.

Medusa was also somewhat surprised, her brows furrowed. "A Level 6 legendary wizard lives for 250 years, and a Level 7 epic wizard lives for 600 years. I am now over 650 years old. According to normal lifespans, I should have died long ago. It's only because I partially grasped the mysteries of death and understood the basic biological structure—cells—that the Alchemy Emperor spoke of, discovering their cycles of creation and destruction and thereby alleviating their aging, that I can now possess a lifespan of over seven hundred years. But the Alchemy Emperor, why isn't he dead yet? Is he trying to outlive me and watch me die?"

It was simply inconceivable for a Level 7 epic wizard to be outlived by a Level 6 legendary wizard. It was as if the Alchemy Emperor himself was a truly living epic.

Medusa, usually composed, began to feel unsettled at this moment. She was now over 650 years old, with only a little over a century of life remaining. Her expression turned anxious, her face filled with disbelief. "How much longer can he possibly live? Is he, the Alchemy Emperor, a mere legendary wizard, truly going to outlive me, an epic wizard?"