An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Zeng Wen, a ninth stage Qi-Refining cultivator and a long-time resident of the inner city.

He had once hoped to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage, but unfortunately, after a fight years ago, he damaged his foundation, and could never hope to establish a base in this lifetime.

Though his foundation was ruined, his battle prowess remained, and he was still in the prime of his life, so he rarely lacked the means to cover his expenses.

Even if he had no spirit stones left, he could always make a trip into the Great Million Mountains. As long as he didn’t enter the inner regions and stuck to the outer areas, killing a few first-tier demonic beasts would be enough to earn him plenty of spirit stones.

What would he use the money for?

Of course, it was for food, wine, and beautiful women!

Lately, he had been feeling the pinch and planned to take a trip into the mountains.

So, he stopped by a roadside stall to buy a few talismans, some pills, and a couple of useful enchanted artifacts.

It had to be said that going into the mountains had the potential for great profit, but losses were equally significant.

The demonic beasts were particularly rough, with tough hides and thick flesh, which often made it easy for them to damage his enchanted artifacts.

Not like the beauties from Tianxiang Tower, who always polished his enchanted artifacts to a gleaming shine.

But today, his luck was good. He managed to get a qi-concealing talisman, and fasting pills from that kid next to Old Man Chen, which he had previously ignored, now seemed to be of better quality than those from the Spirit Herb Pavilion.

So, he bought five bottles, planning to test their effects.

Just as he was about to leave, the kid called out to him.

”Fellow Daoist would you be interested in learning about the Myriad Wonders pill?”

”The Myriad Wonders pill? What’s that?”

Luo Chen whispered softly, ”The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth, and the name is the mother of all things.”

The chubby cultivator, Zeng Wen, was a bit confused. What does this mean? He thought. Are you trying to play tongue twisters with me?

Luo Chen took a deep breath and said in a serious tone, as if imparting a profound law, ”Therefore, one must be free from desires to observe its wonders, and be full of desires to observe its limits. These two arise from the same source but have different names; both are called the mysterious, the mysterious of the mysterious, the gateway to all wonders.”

After speaking, he stared at Zeng Wen. ”Fellow Daoist, do you understand the meaning of these words?”

Zeng Wen hesitated, nodded, then shook his head, ”I don’t understand, but it sounds very impressive.”

Luo Chen couldn’t help but give a thumbs up!

”As expected of a great cultivator at the ninth stage of Qi-Refining, who could discern the depth of it after hearing it just once.”

Zeng Wen blinked, ”Is that so?”

That makes sense. This kid is only at the third stage of Qi-Refining, how would he understand those profound words? Zeng Wen thought.

”But what does this have to do with the Myriad Wonders pill you mentioned?”

Luo Chen pursed his lips and continued softly, ”Fellow Daoist do you know the story of the great figure of Hehuan, Mr. Yunhe?”

”Oh, you mean Adept Yunhe, right?”

”No, it’s Crane Among the Clouds!”

”Hmm?”

”The title of Adept should not be spoken lightly or disrespected. We may simply refer to him as Crane Among the Clouds.”

”Understood. Continue.”

”Then, as you surely know, Adept Yunhe practiced the core techniques of the Hehuan Sect, pushing them to the highest level, and with his early Golden Core Realm cultivation, he was able to overpower the fourth-tier Beast King!”

Zeng Wen nodded, ”Who doesn’t know about this?”

As someone who frequented Tanxiang Tower, he was especially familiar with this story. During his chats with the ladies at the tower, he often overheard similar exchanges:

”Where are you from?”

”From the Hehuan Sect’s outer sect?”

”I know that sect. There is a Adept Yunhe in that sect, right? He’s amazing, said to be the number one below Nascent Soul!”

”It’s a shame, though. He’s powerful, but the Hehuan Sect is such a terrible place. The girls there are trapped. Why don’t they leave sooner?”

Conversations like these, where emotions run deep, often led to lamenting the difficulty of cultivation.

Luo Chen had no idea that this elder had such a rich inner monologue, and continued with his script, ”With a Golden Core body, he overpowered the fourth-tier Beast Emperor. His achievements are truly magnificent, and from this, it’s clear he must have comprehended some earth-shattering divine powers from the Hehuan Sect’s core techniques!”

Zeng Wen shook his head and sighed as he responded with a melancholic tone, ”Yes, I, Zeng Wen, also wish I could have witnessed such magnificence, but sadly, I was born two hundred years too late.”

”Although you couldn’t witness Adept Yunhe’s grandeur back then, you can still sense a part of it.”

”Oh? How so?”

”The profound words I just spoke, which seemed so mysteriously powerful, are said to be one of Adept Yunhe’s insights.”

”Is that true?”

”I’m not sure if it’s true, but many years ago, I collected a fragmentary alchemical recipe from the market, said to be from the Sky Blade Peak!”

Zeng Wen’s eyes widened, and his lips trembled as he said, ”But that’s where the fourth-tier Demonic Crane Emperor’s nest was located?”

”Perhaps! Unfortunately, the recipe was too incomplete, and after a quick glance, it vanished into thin air. In my haste, I only managed to memorize a small part and used that to research a first-tier pill.”

Luo Chen seemed a little downcast, his face betraying a sense of regret.

Zeng Wen was a bit excited, ”If it’s true, even if it’s just the basics, it must be extraordinary. What effects does the Myriad Wonders pill have?”

Luo Chen tilted his head slightly, his face showing some shyness.

”To be honest, the Myriad Wonders pill doesn’t have any grand effects. It only has a slight ability to invigorate and strengthen the body, helping to reinforce the foundation and improve vitality.”

It can boost energy and reinforce the foundation!

Is there such a miraculous pill in the world?

Recently, he had been feeling increasingly exhausted from his battles.

Zeng Wen felt as though he had found a life-changing pill. Although he had no hope of Foundation Establishment, perhaps the Myriad Wonders pill would be his hope for the future.

”Is this it?”

Zeng Wen pointed to the most distinguished and exquisitely crafted jade bottle at the back of the stall.

Luo Chen nodded, ”I am inexperienced and have used all I know to refine just one bottle. If a Fellow Daoist wishes to experience a glimpse of Adept Yunhe’s insights, I am willing to sell it to you at a low price. Eight low-grade spirit stones, no, since we’re like old friends, let’s make it five!”

Zeng Wen hesitated, then picked up the jade bottle and opened the soft cork.

A soothing fragrance slowly wafted out, and upon first whiff, a sensation stirred in his lower abdomen.

A second sniff brought a pure spirit energy that seemed to carry the force of crashing waves against a cliff, defying the scorching sun.

Looking closely, with his ninth stage Qi-Refining vision, the deep red pill the size of a longan seemed to roll around like jelly.

”With the fusion of yin and yang, and the harmony of water and fire, there is indeed a hint of the fragrance described by the ladies of Tianxiang Tower, evoking the essence of the Hehuan Sect’s core techniques reaching the Golden Core stage, where the dragon and tiger meet.”

”Alright, my old friend, I’ll take this bottle!”

”Five spirit stones, right? Take it!”

Luo Chen, surprised and honored, tightly stuffed the spirit stones into his chest.

”Fellow Daoist, take care. I’ll be here next month, and if you need anything, feel free to find me. If there’s anything wrong with the Myriad Wonders pill, please tell me, and I’ll do my best to improve it!”

With a gaze full of emotion, Luo Chen watched the ninth stage Qi-Refining cultivator Zeng Wen gradually walk away, until he was out of sight.

Luo Chen let out a long sigh.

The first sale of the new product had finally been made.

The first time is unfamiliar, but the second time feels more natural, the next deal will surely come soon.

He twisted his neck, feeling a bit stiff in the shoulder, and glanced sideways, only to see Old Man Chen staring at him in shock.

His beard trembled, his lips stuttered, and then he grit his teeth and shouted, ”I have never seen such a shameless person!”

Hehe!

Luo Chen cupped his hands and took out another exquisite jade bottle, placing it among the remaining fifteen bottles of fasting pills.

Old Man Chen hissed, as if his teeth were leaking air, ”Didn’t you say you only refined one bottle?”

”It’s one bottle! Ten pills per bottle. I just divided it into ten bottles to sell—this is called selling more at a small profit!”

I can feel my fist clenching! My fists are itching to strike!!! Old Man Chen thought. He felt like he had encountered a rare opponent in his life!

***

At noon that day, Zeng Wen used the Wind-Control Seal to transform into a green rainbow and went straight into Tianxiang Tower.

A Foundation Establishment female cultivator blocked his way and directly said the ladies were resting and not receiving guests at the moment.

With the power of a peak ninth stage Qi-Refining cultivator, Zeng Wen stared down the Foundation Establishment cultivator and shouted angrily, ”I, Zeng Wen, want to beat up ten today![1]”

1. This references the movie Ip Man, in which he mentions that he wants to fight ten people. Refer to Link. ☜