An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Can someone truly learn the craft of alchemy just by observing?

The answer to this question depended on perspective.

For individuals with exceptional talent, a simple technique or a single burst of spirit power could lead to a moment of insight or even mastery. But for the vast majority who lacked talent in alchemy, even observing ten or a hundred times might not yield any understanding.

This was especially true for those without a solid foundation in alchemy.

Luo Chen’s proficiency in refining Myriad Wonders pills had already reached Perfection level, with every pill he produced being at least mid-grade quality. In other words, his mastery of Myriad Wonders pills had reached the level of a fledgling master. His techniques had long surpassed those of beginners and were fundamentally different.

Mi Li was now intently focused, her attention fixed on every flick of his wrist and every adjustment of flame. Yet, even if she managed to glean something from her observation, it would only apply to refining mid-grade Myriad Wonders pills. And therein lay the problem—could she jump straight to producing mid-grade pills based on what she saw?

The answer was no.

She would still have to start with low-grade Myriad Wonders pills. The techniques for refining low-grade Myriad Wonders pills had long been simplified by Luo Chen as his proficiency advanced.

Without those foundational techniques, Mi Li would never be able to refine mid-grade or even low-grade Myriad Wonders pills in her lifetime.

This was precisely why Luo Chen wasn’t worried about his alchemy secrets being stolen.

And yet, if he could use this opportunity to his advantage—such as securing an extra bottle of qi-nourishing pills each month—why not?

Once again, he had wrung another small benefit from his growing reputation.

***

After all, Myriad Wonders Pills were tiered. Unlike fasting concoctions, which could be refined quickly, these required extended focus and a great deal of time. It took an entire morning for all three alchemy rooms to complete their batches.

Under Mi Shuhua’s watchful eyes, Luo Chen eventually dismissed the cultivators and began the solitary process of retrieving the pills.

Inside the alchemy room, Luo Chen wore a solemn expression as he cast the Traction to lift the furnace lid.

A soft hiss escaped as the furnace opened. The low-grade Purple Cloud Copper Furnace yielded ten pills—seven mid-grade, three low-grade.

Luo Chen was quite satisfied; this was a deliberately controlled outcome.

Had he been refining for his own use, all ten pills would have been mid-grade without question. But with Mi Shuhua’s spirit sense likely still monitoring the room, he saw no reason to perform beyond what was expected.

No need to act out of the ordinary. I’ll just proceed as usual.

In the next room, however, a burnt scent greeted him as soon as he lifted the lid. Luo Chen wrinkled his nose but didn’t appear upset. Even with Perfection level proficiency, failure was part of the craft. His current success rate hovered around forty percent.

That was already quite impressive.

From his past work with fasting concoctions, Luo Chen had charted the odds: ten percent at the Beginner level, twenty percent at Skilled, thirty percent at Proficient, and forty percent at Perfection. Upon reaching the Grandmaster level, the success rate could stabilize around fifty percent.

As for a one hundred percent success rate?

Luo Chen had rarely considered. There is a common saying among alchemists, the higher the tier of the pill, the lower the success rate.

Even the legendary Saint Alchemist of the Central State, who could effortlessly refine supreme-grade pills from low-tier ingredients, occasionally failed when crafting third or fourth-tier pills.

In Luo Chen’s view, as long as the success rate exceeded fifty percent, the immense profit margins of alchemy would ensure staggering returns.

Outside, Mi Shuhua frowned instinctively the moment he sensed the failed batch. Five spirit stones’ worth of materials gone.

However, when Luo Chen lifted the lid of the mid-grade cauldron, releasing a wave of fragrance, Mi Shuhua’s frown disappeared completely.

Carrying a large wooden tray, Luo Chen emerged from the alchemy room, his face calm.

“This time, luck was on our side,” he said nonchalantly. “Thirty pills formed. Most of them mid-grade, a few low-grade. I didn’t let you down.”

He passed the tray to Mi Li and dusted off his hands. The pale-faced girl, usually composed, now wore a subtle blush of excitement.

She was thrilled!

Out of three alchemy rooms and four batches of materials, three had succeeded—and more than half the pills were mid-grade.

What did this signify?

Luo Chen wasn’t just a first-tier alchemist—he was an elite among them. If he could consistently produce mid-grade pills and occasionally refine high-grade ones, he’d be considered a master of this pill.

Of course, the cultivation world didn’t hand out titles so easily. A master alchemist was generally someone who could refine third-tier pills or higher. No one judged alchemical prowess solely by mastery over a single pill type.

Still, seeing the light in his granddaughter’s eyes, Mi Shuhua realized Luo Chen had earned her admiration—and perhaps even her loyalty.

As for him? He was already calculating profit margins.

Thirty Myriad Wonders pills... How many spirit stones could those sell for?

“Luo Chen,” he said warmly, “you’ve done an excellent job!”

Luo Chen smirked and waved dismissively. ”Today’s success doesn’t mean we’ll always be this lucky.”

”Hehe, I have every confidence in you.”

“But I’m still short on manpower,” Luo Chen added, slipping the request in smoothly. “Could you send me a few more mid-tier cultivators?”

“Still not enough?” Mi Shuhua raised a brow.

Luo Chen pointed at the pills in the tray and said, ”After the pills are formed, there’s a period for the medicinal properties to settle. That time is critical, as external conditions could cause the medicinal effects to dissipate. A dedicated team should monitor them continuously.”

Mi Li chimed in, ”That’s correct, Grandpa. The Treatise on Green Origin pills mentions similar issues.”

Mi Shuhua frowned thoughtfully, then recalled that many pills lost quality from improper storage. “You’re right. I’ll have Gu Caiyi send more people from the Medicine Hall.”

”Alright, that’s settled!”

Luo Chen yawned and said, ”I’ve been busy all morning; I’m going to take a nap. Bring my lunch to my door later.”

Mi Shuhua blinked. “You’re not continuing?”

Luo Chen shot him a look and replied, ”Gang Leader, I’m a person, not a puppet. I get tired too. Without spirit consciousness, managing three alchemy rooms at once—do you think I can handle that?

”Besides, if I don’t rest, do you think they don’t need rest either?” He gestured behind him.

The fire-handling cultivators looked exhausted. A few older women had flushed cheeks, sweat dripping down their brows.

”Besides, the furnaces can’t keep up either!” Luo Chen smirked. ”Two low-grade artifacts and one mid-grade cauldron can’t handle continuous alchemy. Unless you get me an enchanted treasure furnace or a supreme-grade cauldron.”

Mi Shuhua gave a wry smile. ”Then you should all go rest!”

An enchanted treasure furnace? What a joke—he didn’t even have his own natal treasure yet.

His best supreme-grade artifact, a Purple River daoist robe, had even been destroyed by Qin Liangchen on the Debate Platform.

***

When Luo Chen came out to get lunch, he realized that Mi Shuhua had already left Crescent Moon Valley.

Good riddance, he thought, breathing a little easier. That old man’s presence made everything feel tenser.

Luo Chen glanced at his lunch and grinned. ”Hey, this is decent! spirit rice, spirit vegetables, and this meat—it’s first-tier demonic beast meat.”

The Poshan Gang was treating him well—far better than most other hall leaders, in fact. As their future moneymaker, they were investing heavily in him.

Without hesitation, he dumped everything into a bowl, stirring it into a giant heap of mixed rice.

Hanging the familiar green gourd from his waist, Luo Chen began wandering the Alchemy Hall while eating, inspecting the grounds, and making mental notes of what still needed improvement.

Once he had a clear idea of what was missing, he strolled leisurely out of the hall, still munching away.

Following a winding gravel path paved with the remains of old mining slag, he entered Crescent Moon Valley. A cluster of stone buildings stood nestled beneath the shadow of the cliffs—offices of the Medicine Hall.

At noon, there were fewer people around, but a few cultivators could still be seen turning over herbs to ensure they dried evenly.

Inside, he found Murong Qinglian hunched over a desk, writing and sketching.

”Sister-in-law, busy?”

Murong Qinglian looked up at him and immediately felt irritated.

”You have the nerve to show up.”

“Huh?” Luo Chen paused, rice bowl in hand. “What happened?”

Murong Qinglian sighed. “Look at how many people your Alchemy Hall has taken from us over the past few days. Now we’re short-handed!”

Luo Chen blinked. That was news to him.

However, judging by Murong Qinglian’s expression, she didn’t seem genuinely upset with him.

”I’m busy selecting suitable cultivators from the outer members of the gang. These bamboo scrolls contain their backgrounds. We need to pick those with relatively clean records.”

Murong Qinglian pointed at the pile of bamboo scrolls on the desk.

Got it, they were basically resumes!

”The Medicine Hall’s work may be tedious, but it’s safe. That’s why so many cultivators in the gang want to work here,” Murong Qinglian explained.

As she spoke, she inadvertently glanced at Luo Chen’s oversized bowl of ”mixed rice.”

”Wow, your food is really something! If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were eating spirit stones!”

“Of course!” Luo Chen struck a proud pose. “I’m the Poshan Gang’s moneymaker. If I don’t get top-tier treatment, who would?” Luo Chen placed one hand on his hip and beamed proudly.

He had to admit, deciding to join the Poshan Gang and becoming the Alchemy Hall’s leader...

At first, it had felt a bit stifling, but after experiencing the perks, he realized it was the best decision he had ever made!

He grinned, satisfied. At first, becoming the Alchemy Hall’s leader had felt like a burden.

But now?

No need to worry about food or safety. Bodyguards escorted him to and from work. Materials were delivered straight to his door. Once the apprentices and fire handlers were fully trained, his job would be even easier.

Plus, his current salary of four bottles of qi-nourishing pills a month was simply too sweet.

But still, Luo Chen wasn’t content.

It’s not enough.

The Poshan Gang was wealthy, and as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Mi Shuhua was even more so.

He needed a new plan—one that could bring in even more benefits.

How can I get more?

The scheming Luo Chen’s eyes sparkled with mischief.