Upon hearing this, Roy nodded.
He had chosen the Art of Creation as his goal because this path was well-established.
The process of creating an Alchemical Lifeform could thoroughly unravel its mysteries, making it akin to a ladder to divinity.
Another apprentice, Damo, chimed in, "I still have some plaster, doll molds, and artificial skeletons that I bought earlier. How about we give them a try?"
Well, even in study groups, discussions often end up turning into sales pitches.
"Alright," Roy nodded calmly. "Do you have any 1/6 scale adult female molds?"
"Of course," Damo quickly pulled out a catalog upon Roy's request. "I have a total of 16 body molds and 35 face molds in this scale..."
Roy took it and flipped through it, pondering.
Chikatilo, also an expert in the doll-making field, enthusiastically recommended, "Just buy whatever you can for now. These things are meant to be collected gradually, making it convenient to practice anytime.
If you later become proficient in Mental Shaping and no longer need molds, you can resell them like Damo to recoup some costs."
This was true, but Roy, confident in his [Proficient] skill, didn't feel the need to practice or expect other apprentices to take over later.
So he said, "Give me a Succubus package."
He then selected 3 body molds and 3 face molds from the catalog Damo provided.
Although Succubuses were evil creatures, their figures and appearances aligned with most human aesthetics, capable of triggering instinctual desires.
This non-combat trial piece was perfect for shaping into a Succubus form.
Failing to sell the full set, Damo felt slightly disappointed but still said, "Alright, I can throw in an alloy heart-shaped tail and small wings..."
Roy asked, "Could you include some clothes as well?"
Damo replied, "Sorry, clothing for these miniature dolls is even more expensive than human fashion!
But if you want, I can recommend some friends who specialize in making these. They're quite skilled."
"Forget it, I'll find someone else."
Roy spent around 100 Magic Stones on these molds and alloy skeletons, planning to find an acquaintance who could offer a discount or allow him to buy on credit.
After the gathering, he approached Milina, a female apprentice he knew.
"Well, if it isn't Roy! What business brings you here?" Milina greeted with a smile.
Roy showed her the molds in his hand. "I need a set of lace high-waisted pantyhose, a metal hollowed-out breastplate, and a Succubus tattoo transfer..."
Milina exclaimed in surprise, "You've taken up doll-making!"
Roy remained composed. "Just dabbling, really. It's just at the model toy level."
Milina clicked her tongue in admiration but promptly noted down his requirements.
"Come by in a few days to pick them up.
By the way, do you need makeup and hair implantation? I'm quite experienced in those too."
"Alright, throw in a suitable hairstyle and makeup set."
Roy's lips twitched slightly.
He had come with the intention of saving money, but somehow, he ended up spending more.
...
Mid-April.
On Roy's desk appeared a 30-centimeter-tall Succubus doll, resembling a silicone doll.
It possessed a truly "devil's figure," with alluring curves that were exceptionally tempting.
The face was meticulously crafted with high precision, and with Milina's skillful touch of makeup, it exuded both allure and innocence. The small nose added a hint of playfulness.
The skin and flesh, made from Mountain Goat Lady's artificial meat, were smooth and delicate, offering an excellent tactile experience.
Roy was gradually mastering the secrets of material proportions, adding the right amount of milk and oil to achieve an increasingly better texture.
"It's time to test the results! Infuse it with vital energy using the Animation Art..."
Roy admired his current masterpiece, the pinnacle of his abilities, and nodded in satisfaction.
Artificial Lifeforms trace back to Homunculus, the miraculous creations of ancient alchemists.
Legend has it that these ancient alchemists created life by mixing human essence, herbs, and horse manure in a flask, forming a transparent humanoid shape after forty days, then nurturing it in a horse's womb for another forty weeks.
That was the origin of the "Little Man in a Bottle."
As times changed, Wizards developed many more methods to create life.
Ultimately, it all boils down to two major schools: "Shaping" and "Cultivation."
That's the difference between the doll in his hands and Sophia's new body.
The two are not mutually exclusive; they can be adopted simultaneously, complementing each other.
However, Roy currently doesn't understand "Bloodline Art" and doesn't have time to learn about Bloodline Modulation and artificial cultivation.
What he's using is the purest method of mold shaping.
He held his hands in front of him, slowly enveloping the Succubus Doll's head, chanting the incantation for the Animation Art.
"..."
As a white, radiant light descended, the Succubus Doll stirred.
Moments later, as if coming to life, it leaped up lightly, clinging to Roy's left arm, sitting comfortably in a relaxed posture.
The doll's skeleton was made of sturdy, hollow Mithril Tubes, providing exceptional strength.
Roy specifically used self-made Magnetic Lead for filling, a Magic Metal material similar to the Levitating Magic Orb, offering ample anti-gravity.
Thus, whether flipping, leaping, or hovering in mid-air, it performed effortlessly, far surpassing market products.
The realistic skin and flesh, paired with carefully selected attire, enhanced its stunning charm.
The red tattoo on its abdomen, half-hidden, connected to the control hub of the Arcane Imprint, acting as an antenna to amplify signals.
It linked to a thumb-sized control hub within the abdominal cavity.
That was the small Puppet Core, functioning as the brain.
The control commands for such simple dolls were already mastered by Wizard Tower apprentices, all made using mature solutions invented by Wizards of formal rank or above.
Roy considered that with more money, he could buy a better Core Module, endowing it with simple emotional responses and assistant functions.
However, the price was a bit steep, often ranging in the thousands.
He had to settle for the most basic entry-level model, worth around 300 Magic Stones, just to make it functional.
But even so, this was a stable and reliable creation, refined and optimized over thousands of years, achieving the ultimate in cost-effectiveness.
"Float up...
Flip, follow...
Sit on my arm, sit on my thigh..."
Roy tried issuing various commands to the doll, and its overall performance was quite satisfactory.
"Excellent, as expected of a Core Module model that's even more expensive than low-level Knight Enhancement. Although it's long been outdated, it's still a classic!
Moreover, the energy storage device inside can effectively store my 'Animation Art' in the form of Wi
zardry Energy for long-term preservation.
When combined with methods like Magic Stone charging and Wizard Array energy infusion, it can already be considered an entry-level Alchemical Lifeform!"
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