An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

”Fellow Daoist Wang, is this what you meant by ’we won’t lose a single match’?”

”There were some unexpected developments. Mi Shuhua actually lent out that enchanted supreme-grade defensive robe.”

Both factions had placed great importance on this match. Mi Shuhua had spared no expense, offering a Foundation Establishment pill as a reward and equipping his men with two supreme-grade enchanted artifacts. Wang Haichao, likewise, had prepared a top-grade enchanted artifact, the Crescent Blade, along with a supreme-grade water-element flying sword for his subordinates. Every effort had been made to secure victory.

The Lianyun Trade Alliance, with its vast wealth, had provided reinforcements armed with extraordinary items—the intricate formation flags from the first match and Bai Qi’s Sword Orb, a weapon of tremendous value.

However, the Sword Orb had undergone the Blood Refinement technique, reducing its potential to a mere supreme-grade enchanted artifact. Though powerful, it had lost its potential to become an enchanted treasure embryo.

At best, it was now a supreme-grade offensive enchanted artifact, with its ability to transform sword light into threads and condense into a singular attack, qualifying it as an exotic weapon. Regardless, it remained within the category of enchanted artifacts. As long as it was within this category, a supreme-grade defensive enchanted robe could provide some resistance, buying sufficient time and space for the wearer. This was why defensive artifacts were always priced higher and were far more sought after than offensive ones.

After a long silence, the transmission continued.

”There have been a few too many surprises. The final match must be ours!” Wang Haichao declared resolutely.

”Are you sure there won’t be any surprises? Isn’t Xiao Wuyan your man? Don’t you trust him?”

”Hah, it’s not that I don’t trust him, but rather that I don’t trust your intelligence-gathering capabilities!”

Wang Haichao was momentarily speechless.

The odds still leaned in their favor. Min Longyu, Yang Rusheng, Bai Qi, Gao Tingyuan, Luo Sha Girl, and the combatant armed with a supreme-grade enchanted artifact had all been expected to win. However, Luo Sha Girl had fallen to Zeng Wen, and Bai Qi had been defeated by Qin Liangchen. Two matches they had banked on were lost.

”Rest assured, there will be no surprises in the final match. Wang Yuan has cultivated for too short a time. While his combat prowess is strong, his realm is too low—only at the seventh stage of Qi-Refining. Otherwise, Mi Shuhua wouldn’t have saved him for last.”

”But he shares the title of Protector with Xu Renke, who wielded an enchanted treasure fragment, so his strength is not insignificant. His battle prowess may be strong, but it’s purely explosive. Xiao Wuyan excels in both bursts and sustained battles, making him a top-tier Qi-Refining cultivator.”

Wang Haichao felt helpless; things had already reached this point. What use was there in saying more? He could only bolster his ally’s confidence.

”There will be no surprises. Trust me!”

Foundation Establishment cultivators could project their spirit senses outward, enabling communication over great distances with just a thought.

As their exchange concluded, Wang Yuan and Xiao Wuyan finally appeared on the Debate Platform.

However, as soon as Wang Yuan activated his artifact, Elder Zhou’s shocked and furious voice echoed again. ”Didn’t you say there would be no surprises? How is that guy at the eighth stage of Qi-Refining?”

Wang Haichao was dumbfounded. His face twitched as if someone had slapped him.

He forced a reply, ”Why get so upset? What difference is there between the eighth and seventh stages of Qi-Refining? Their spirit power is worlds apart from that of a ninth stage cultivator.”

Hmph! This time, Elder Zhou couldn’t be bothered to argue further.

In a private room, Elder Zhou spoke grimly to his companion. ”Xiao Wuyan’s concealment might fail. When the time comes, we must ensure the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect shields him.”

***

In the stands, Qin Liangchen, now one-handed, had returned. Luo Chen, concerned, asked, ”Big Brother Qin, are you alright?”

After taking a healing pill, Qin Liangchen’s spirit seemed to recover slightly. Hearing Luo Chen’s question, he looked at him as if he were a fool. ”My hand is gone. Do you think I’m alright?”

Luo Chen chuckled sheepishly and muttered, ”As long as you’re alive, that’s all that matters.”

Qin Liangchen didn’t mind, nodding to Mi Shuhua before turning his attention to the platform. I secured the ninth match for you, don’t let me down!

There were countless others who, like him, closely watched the unfolding situation. Luo Chen was among them.

He had always heard of Wang Yuan’s extraordinary strength, his meteoric rise, and his overwhelming power, making him a legendary figure among the rogue cultivators of Dahe Market. But in truth, he had never seen Wang Yuan fight. His only glimpse had been under moonlight, a fleeting image of Wang Yuan carrying a blade and someone’s head. So how exactly had he built such an impressive reputation?

As he watched, the battle on the Debate Platform erupted without any unnecessary words. The snowy longsword and crystalline longsword were both unmistakably supreme-grade enchanted artifacts. As they were wielded, their imposing power was unrivaled.

Luo Chen couldn’t help but marvel at how the seemingly small and humble Dahe Market, full of low-tier rogue cultivators that could produce such talent. Yet those who reached the top were indeed extraordinary.

Supreme-grade enchanted artifacts, rarely seen before, now appeared one after another, constantly reshaping his understanding of this environment. Perhaps it had something to do with the abundant resources of this world!

Of course, he didn’t realize that nearly all the supreme-grade enchanted artifacts on display were supplied by the two Foundation Establishment cultivators and the Lianyun Trade Alliance.

Compared to the power of the enchanted artifacts, he was more interested in Wang Yuan’s combat techniques. After watching for a while, he couldn’t help but cheer repeatedly. No wonder he was my big brother, his fighting style was majestic and commanding, breaking through any enchanted artifact or talisman with a single strike. His bold attacks were even fiercer than the fiery ferocity displayed by Qin Liangchen earlier.

Ahead, Mi Shuhua’s audible sigh of relief could be heard. ”It wasn’t in vain that I found the Dragon-Slaying Blade for Wang Yuan. Using its power as an enchanted artifact combined with his blade mastery, he’s forged a new path, both lethal up close and at range.

”If he reaches the Foundation Establishment or Golden Core Realms, his power will be no less than that of a sword cultivator. As for now, in less than half an incense stick’s time, Xiao Wuyan will surely lose!”

Qin Liangchen also praised, ”With such offensive power, he’s already on par with me. Being placed last is well-deserved.” It seemed he had previously felt some dissatisfaction with being placed second-to-last.

Hearing the two of them speak, Luo Chen felt a sense of relief. But some things are just peculiar that way. The moment you think nothing will go wrong, something inevitably does.

The next moment, the entire audience erupted in an uproar!

Boom!

Blood-red light erupted from Xiao Wuyan’s body radiating outward. The Debate Platform, already battered from the demonic beast battles, the Foundation Establishment cultivator’s duel with a second-tier beast, and eight matches between the two factions, was now utterly shattered.

Even though it had been hastily tidied up, traces of blood, flesh, and shattered bones remained scattered across the platform.

Under the dense blood-red glow, beams of blood-colored light radiated. These rays converged like countless rivers into the sea, all flowing toward Xiao Wuyan. His expression turned peculiar, as if blood dragons were writhing all over his body.

”Die!” Wang Yuan shouted, and his snow-white blade unleashed a sword aura extending over ten meters. Its power surpassed even the limits of supreme-grade enchanted artifacts.

In that moment, he seemed no longer like the cultivator Wang Yuan but the undefeated blade master of his mundane past.

However, in the face of this terrifying strike, Xiao Wuyan merely raised his head and pointed with his right hand. A blood-red dragon detached from his body and flew forward, claws bared. The ten-meter-long sword aura shattered instantly.

”Devil cultivator!”

”Blood-path cultivator!”

Two phrases were shouted from multiple corners of the audience.

Luo Chen was puzzled.

Mi Shuhua was a mix of shock and fury. ”What a scoundrel! He’s one of the blood-path cultivators, the cruelest of the devil path! He doesn’t belong to our Jade Cauldron Domain!”

At the same time. On the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect’s stand, Pang Renxiong opened his eyes again. He stared at Xiao Wuyan on the platform, then shifted his icy gaze toward the Dajiang Gang and another stand.

”Luo Tianhong, Zhang Ran, apprehend that man after the ceremony. Then hold the Dajiang Gang and the Lianyun Trade Alliance accountable for harboring a Western Domain devil cultivator!”

”As you command, Elder!”

”As you command, Elder!”

The two responded resolutely, their faces filled with anger.

As for whether Wang Yuan would win, it was no longer part of their concerns. A devil cultivator’s combat prowess had always exceeded that of cultivators of the same tier, rivaled only by sword cultivators.

Moreover, the Eastern Wilderness’s thirty-six domains had long imposed strict decrees prohibiting any sect from associating with the devil path of the Western Domain.

Wang Yuan’s defeat was inevitable!

At this moment, the entire audience seemed to have accepted that Wang Yuan was doomed to lose. Only one person still held onto a shred of hope. Mi Shuhua’s shock and anger dissipated, and his expression returned to calm.

The Debate Platform was enveloped in blood-red light, resembling a sea of blood with a blood-red dragon roaring incessantly. Yet Wang Yuan remained calm, his blade in hand, stepping with a strange rhythm as he slashed relentlessly at the blood dragon.

Boom!

It was another fierce clash. However, this time, the scene of his previous failure did not repeat itself. He pressed one hand on the head of the blood-red dragon and smirked coldly. ”Break!”

Boom!

A powerful and eerie force erupted continuously, forcing the roaring blood dragon to retreat until it disintegrated. Xiao Wuyan’s expression shifted drastically. ”How can this be? You’re unaffected by the blood qi boil?” As he spoke, enormous blood hands emerged, descending like a shroud over the sky.

Wang Yuan paid no heed, shattering the blood hands with either his blade or his fists.

This brutal exchange continued for nearly half an incense stick’s time.

Until the blood-red glow surrounding Xiao Wuyan dimmed to near invisibility. Wang Yuan approached him, his bare, muscular frame emanating a metallic sheen.

”Blood qi boil? My blood qi surpasses yours!” As the words fell, so did the blade and Xiao Wuyan’s head followed.

For a moment, the scene was silent, and then thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd.

On the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect’s stand. Luo Tianhong and Zhang Ran stood frozen, at a loss for words. Above them, Pang Renxiong frowned slightly. ”That little fellow follows the ancient path of physical refinement. No wonder the blood-path cultivator couldn’t best him.

”Very well. Such an outcome perfectly illustrates the principle that righteousness always triumphs over evil.

”The Debate Platform’s grand opening ceremony is now concluded!”

With that, he flew away from the stand.