An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Time always seemed to crawl when one had high expectations—but if you knew you’d only be a bystander, it flew by in a blink. Two days passed just like that.

Early in the morning, Luo Chen braved the snow and set out, wrapped tightly in his snow-white fur coat. When he arrived at the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion, the others were already gathered.

At a glance, they were all familiar faces—Mi Shuhua, Mi Junping, Sikong Shoujia, Luo Wudi, and Wang Yuan. Including Luo Chen, they were almost entirely late stage Qi-Refining Realm cultivators.

Seeing him, Luo Wudi let out a chuckle. ”What a fine appearance you have! You really don’t fit in with the rest of us.” Luo Chen smiled and clasped his hands in greeting. Dressed in a flawless demonic fox fur coat, Cloud-Stepping Boots on his feet, a jade hairpin in his hair, and the folding fan Qin Liangchen had gifted him resting lightly in his hand, he did look out of place. Anyone who saw Luo Chen would easily think he was from a noble family or an esteemed sect.

Luo Chen cupped his hands and curiously asked, ”What are you all doing?”

Sikong Shoujia pointed toward the Sword Pavilion’s registration area. ”Listing auction items.”

Only then did Luo Chen realize what was going on. The auction, hosted by the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, mainly featured items provided by the sect itself. But that didn’t mean others couldn’t participate.

Foundation Establishment cultivators like Mi Shuhua had already submitted their goods for sale two days ago. Qi-Refining cultivators, however, weren’t given the same courtesy. If they wanted to sell something, they had to register it on the morning of the auction itself. It was said these resources would be evaluated and auctioned in a separate session.

Of course, the Sword Pavilion would take a cut as a handling fee for any successful sales. Hearing this, Luo Chen couldn’t help but marvel again at their ”unscrupulous merchant” tendencies.

Since Luo Chen had nothing to sell, he could only stand by and watch as the others submitted their items. He had always assumed they lived modestly, much like himself, but to his surprise, each one revealed impressive offerings.

Luo Wudi brought out a sizable collection of demonic beast materials, some of which were nearly second-tier in quality. Sikong Shoujia, usually a quiet and reserved figure, shocked everyone by producing a second-tier spirit herb—no one could guess where he had found it. Mi Junping’s offerings were mostly common goods gathered from the gang’s operations, yet the sheer quantity made her stand out.

But it was Wang Yuan’s consignment that truly turned heads. One enchanted artifact after another emerged from his hands—bloodstained, damaged, and some still faintly radiating power.

Mi Shuhua’s eyelids twitched visibly at the sight. Facing the group’s astonished gazes, Wang Yuan offered a flat explanation: ”The new waterway is full of raiding cultivators.” In other words, these were all war spoils seized by his Water Dragon Hall during patrols.

Luo Chen watched with interest. Compared to the tranquil routine of his Alchemy Hall duties, the lives of his fellow cultivators were anything but dull. Judging from the items they had submitted, their cultivation paths were clearly steeped in blood, risk, and excitement.

”Alright, let’s go in!”

”Alright, let’s go in!” Mi Shuhua announced, flicking his sleeve. With that, he led the group into the auction venue located within Fallen Phoenix Mountain. It wasn’t held at the Debate Platform or Red Pillar Prison, but inside a massive circular palace constructed specifically for such grand events.

The moment they entered, the expressions of the five Qi-Refining cultivators changed. Waves of spirit consciousness swept over them—bold and unapologetic. Typically, low-tier cultivators like themselves wouldn’t even be able to perceive such spirit consciousness, but the sheer volume and intensity of these spirit senses made them impossible to ignore.

”Senior Mi, your private room is number eight. Please follow me,” a disciple from the Sword Pavilion announced. Mi Shuhua gave a faint frown at the mention of the number eight but said nothing. Led by the neatly dressed disciple in Sword Pavilion attire, the group proceeded into their assigned private room.

Once inside, the discomfort of spirit consciousness sweeping over them from outside finally dissipated. Everyone’s mood visibly eased.

Luo Chen remarked with admiration, ”As expected of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. Even the outer disciples sent here have already reached the early late stage of Qi-Refining Realm.”

Away from the familiar setting of Dahe Market, the members of the Poshan Gang seemed to let go of their usual restraint and opened up more freely. There was a sense of camaraderie in the air, as if this shared venture into the unknown had momentarily drawn them closer.

Mi Junping echoed the sentiment, ”That’s how disciples from major sects are. We, late stage Qi-Refining cultivators, may be considered significant figures in Dahe Market, but in a sect, we’re just one among countless preparatory disciples. Without hope of advancing to Foundation Establishment, we’d be relegated to outer disciples handling menial tasks.”

”What if there is hope for advancement?” Luo Chen asked curiously.

Mi Junping sighed, ”Even if there’s hope, you still have to achieve Foundation Establishment! Even then, you’d only be a regular inner disciple, and when you get older, you’d be assigned as an external steward. Perhaps only by becoming a True Inheritor and being classified as a Golden Core Dao Scion can one stand out from the fierce competition.”

Preparatory disciples, outer disciples handling chores, inner disciples, Foundation Establishment Stewards, Foundation Establishment True Inheritor, and Golden Core Dao Scion—hearing this hierarchy laid out so clearly made Luo Chen’s head spin.

Life in a sect was far more complex and grueling than he had imagined. He had always assumed that rogue cultivators had it the hardest, constantly fighting for resources and survival. But now it seemed sect life was no easie. To stand out amid such fierce competition, one had to be a genius.

Luo Chen couldn’t help but think of the names that had once dominated the Elite Prodigy Board. Han Zheng, the top Qi-Refining cultivator, was probably already groomed as an inner disciple or even a Foundation Establishment True Inheritor in the Luoyun Sect!

Lin Qingxuan, the number one Foundation Establishment cultivator, was without a doubt a candidate for Golden Core Dao Scion within the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect.

As for Ren Pingsheng, the number one on the Golden Core rankings, he could effortlessly dominate the Jade Cauldron Domain even without the appearance of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

These were the true prodigies of the era!

While the group continued to marvel at the world of sect prodigies, Mi Shuhua cleared his throat softly. The sound immediately drew everyone’s attention. Seeing this, he gave a slight nod and began pointing out the various private rooms located around the auction hall.

”There are eighteen private rooms in total,” he explained. ”Six of them belong to Foundation Establishment cultivators from the six major sects. The other twelve are occupied by Foundation Establishment figures from powerful factions such as the Dajiang Gang, the Lianyun Trade Alliance, the Duan family, the Nangong family, and the Li family. When you’re conducting business outside, be careful not to offend anyone from these groups.

”Additionally, there are some hidden Foundation Establishment cultivators from other markets here in the hall. If you notice any of them bidding later, pay attention to their appearance and mannerisms. Memorizing a few faces now could help you avoid unnecessary trouble in the future.

Then came the explanation of the auction structure: ”The auction will be split into five tiers. The Jade Cauldron Sword Sect exclusively handles two tiers, rogue cultivators’ items make up one tier, whereas local forces contribute another tier, and major sects form the final tier.

He pointed to the token paddle placed before them. ”If you wish to bid on anything, use the paddle marked with the number eight—our private room’s designation. And if a bidding war breaks out over something you truly need, inform me of its significance. I’ll determine whether it’s worth pursuing on your behalf.”

”If...” Mi Shuhua’s voice droned on with further instructions—at times sounding more like a lecturing elder than a powerful cultivator. Yet no one interrupted him. On the contrary, all listened with full attention.

Luo Chen especially hung on every word. This was his first time attending a formal auction of this scale. He knew little about the unspoken rules or taboos that governed such events, and Mi Shuhua’s insights were exactly what he needed to navigate the gathering without blunders.

Even if today was just for broadening his horizons as a mere spectator, what about the future?

He might be here just to observe today, but someday, when he was flush with spirit stones, he would be a contender—bidding confidently with the best of them.

At the lowest and central point of the circular hall, a platform made of white jade prominently stood out. A man with a posture as straight as a sword stepped onto the jade platform.

”My name is Luo Tianhong, a True Inheritor of the Jade Cauldron Foundation Establishment. I will be presiding over this Dahe Market auction. I hope everyone will show some respect and bid amicably!

”There’s no need for me to say more. The first item up for bid is the Heavenly Moon Purple Gold Wheel!

”A low-grade enchanted treasure, inscribed with five formations: a third-tier Crescent Moon Formation, a second-tier Armor-Breaking Array, a second-tier Mystic Light Formation, and another second-tier...

”The item is in perfect condition, with complete functionality. It can unleash three hundred sixty degrees Crescent Moon Flying Wheels and possesses self-repair capabilities. Additionally, it has other unique features, which I won’t elaborate on here. Whoever obtains it can explore these in detail. Most importantly, this enchanted treasure comes from Tianfan City!

”The starting bid is ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.”

The instant Luo Tianhong announced the words ”enchanted treasure,” the bustling auction hall fell into stunned silence. In the next breath, countless streams of spirit consciousness surged toward the flying wheel he held aloft, their owners eager to inspect the item firsthand.

”Fifteen thousand low-grade spirit stones!” came a voice from the Nangong family’s private room.

Luo Tianhong smiled faintly but made no comment. He knew the bidding had only just begun.

”Twenty thousand!”

”Thirty thousand!”

”Fifty thousand!”

Within room number eight, Luo Chen sat frozen in disbelief.

In the past, he would haggle over just a few spirit stones.

He had once haggled over mere handfuls of spirit stones. Even with his recent increase in wealth, he still bickered with Mi Junping over hundreds of spirit stones like his life depended on it. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he was suddenly witnessing a transaction starting at ten thousand spirit stones.

The impact on his views was monumental.

He wasn’t alone. All around the hall, every Qi-Refining cultivator held their breath, eyes wide with awe and disbelief.

Then, from beside him, a quiet sigh broke the silence.

”An enchanted treasure... the one thing that can truly elevate a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s strength. This item is destined to be mine.”

Mi Shuhua’s voice had lost its usual warmth. His expression turned solemn as he slowly spoke just two words:

”Eighty thousand.”