An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

It was the height of summer, oppressively hot. Yet, the backroom of this Siheyuan seemed to radiate a gentle coolness.

Seated inside, Luo Chen retrieved from his storage pouch the fifty-year-old Yellow Pear Wine that Yuan Xiaoyue’s Grandpa gifted him on his birthday.

He laid out a few plates of celestial beans, dried beef jerky, and crispy fried snacks.

”Cheers!”

”Mm!”

Clink!

The wine cups collided softly, letting out a faint sound.

The two men, seated across from each other at a wooden table, drank deeply.

After setting down their cups, one radiated vitality like the peak of summer, while the other sat desolate, as though still trapped in the dead of winter.

”Time flies so quickly,” Qin Liangchen sighed. ”It’s clear as day, the memory of you raising that great mace and chasing me down. But thinking carefully, that was already last year.”

Luo Chen sighed as he poured Qin Liangchen another cup of wine.

Qin Liangchen said nothing. He merely drank the wine in silence.

Luo Chen didn’t mind. He refilled his cup again and began talking to himself. ”Back then, I was just a rogue cultivator scraping by at the bottom of Dahe Market. To escape my enemies, I gritted my teeth and rented a place in the inner city, a rent I could barely afford.

”Refining pills wasn’t the hardest part, selling them was. You never knew what excuse the next customer would use to haggle, so you had to stay constantly alert, prepared for every kind of trouble.

”On the Debate Platform, I truly envied and admired you all. Even though some fell in battle, the victors, basking in glory, cheered on by thousands, stirred my heart and made me yearn for that feeling.

”Unfortunately, when I finally stepped onto the Debate Platform myself, the initial thrill faded, and I could never quite find the feeling I had longed for. Because they accused me of fixing matches!

”I still remember that Golden Core Banquet at the Zhongding family. You and I were standing around like lackeys. Now, I lead my own society. Who knows? I might one day become the top figure in Dahe Market. Haha! It really proves what I said back then,this is how a true man should live!

”Mi Shuhua, that man... He dragged me into the Poshan Gang, kicking and screaming, but he was also my benefactor. Without his support, I might have made it here eventually,but it would have taken far longer.”

”Honestly, when I heard of his death, my feelings were... complicated. Relief, a sense of being unmoored, regret, and sentimentality, it’s hard to describe exactly what I felt.”

Luo Chen spoke, and Qin Liangchen listened.

Cup after cup of Yellow Pear Wine went down, filling both their hearts with a burning heat.

Watching Luo Chen reminisce about the past and dream about the future, Qin Liangchen felt both happy for his friend and bitter about his own situation.

Times had changed, and the world was ever fleeting.

He did not interrupt Luo Chen’s excitement. Because he knew,over the past year, and especially in these past two days,Luo Chen had endured much. The suffocating brush with death, the thrill of rebuilding Luo Tian Society.

He knew that Luo Chen needed an outlet. It was just a pity that his own mood was not so light. Otherwise, he would have joined in the conversation.

So be it. Listening to him for a while longer, drinking a few more cups... Perhaps I’ll be able to sleep better afterward.

As for the future? Why think so far ahead? At the very least, I still have my son. His future is bright,that’s something to look forward to.

”To be honest, when I killed Gao Tingyuan, I didn’t feel much relief. The pressure he gave me was nothing compared to the smiling pressure that Mi Shuhua gave me in our daily dealings. When I killed him, all that crossed my mind was,oh, he’s dead.”

Luo Chen downed another cup and looked at Qin Liangchen with anticipation.

”Big Brother Qin, have you ever had a moment like that,killing a great enemy? How did you feel back then?”

Qin Liangchen pondered for a moment before responding in a muffled tone. ”I’m not the type to make enemies often. If I had to pick, it’d be the time a guy ambushed me in the mountains. I broke both his legs. That... that gave me some satisfaction.

”To be precise, it was more like a surge of pride. A feeling that from now on, no one would dare bully me again.

”But, unfortunately, there are far too many people in this world who can still bully me. So, I gradually stopped caring.”

Luo Chen let out a quiet, Oh so that’s how it was?

After that, he chatted about many things,like an old man rambling on.

Even though he was still young, barely thirty.

Qin Liangchen simply listened in silence,until Luo Chen’s eyes finally rested on his hand.

”Haha! Big Brother Qin, that hand of yours,reattached once, severed again,you’re destined to be a one-armed hero for life!”

Qin Liangchen felt a hint of sadness, a touch of embarrassment, but more than anything, he felt the rare comfort of being treated normally,without pity or disdain,hidden within that teasing remark.

He laughed and cursed, ”So what if I’m one-armed? I can still teach you a lesson!”

”That’s not certain!” Luo Chen boasted smugly. ”I took down two ninth stage Qi-Refining experts in a formation battle. That’s across-realm combat, you know!”

Hearing those words, Qin Liangchen found himself momentarily dazed. Though he hadn’t witnessed that battle, he had later heard about it from Murong Qinglian.

Luo Chen’s strength had exceeded everyone’s expectations.

It was reminiscent of when Wang Yuan had burst onto the scene, defeating opponents across cultivation realms. Fighting at the seventh stage and leveling with the eighth stage, Then, at the eighth stage, crushing ninth stage devil cultivators.

No wonder Wang Yuan had valued Luo Chen as his younger brother.

But on deeper thought, it seemed reasonable. He had sparred with Luo Chen many times. That speed, the innate gift for spellcasting, and his mastery over enchanted artifacts, every trait suggested he was capable of crossing cultivation realms to kill.

Suddenly, a question snapped him out of his thoughts.

”Big Brother Qin, are you going to reattach your hand?”

Qin Liangchen froze. Who wouldn’t want their hand back if it were possible?

But...

”I’ll visit Steward Miao in a couple of days. Maybe I can ask him to reattach your hand again.”

Qin Liangchen’s eyes flickered. A sliver of hope arose in his heart.

But in the end, he forced a bitter smile. ”This time is different from before.

”Back on the Debate Platform, my hand was severed, but the flesh and bone remained. That was why the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect could use their secret art to reattach it.

”But this time, my hand was reduced to dust, there’s nothing left to reattach.”

Luo Chen shook his head. ”Regardless, you can’t just leave your right arm like that. Otherwise, when you go out with my sister-in-law, you’ll look so mismatched!”

”Do as you see fit,” Qin Liangchen said flatly.

Qin Liangchen’s tone was disinterested. He held little hope. Yet, he was still deeply touched by Luo Chen’s kindness.

”Reattaching the hand is a small matter. With your broad-mindedness, Big Brother Qin, I doubt you’d let it weigh on you.”

Luo Chen laughed heartily, setting his cup down and casually pulling out a small box. ”I have something here. You can see it as a gift from me, or a reward for coming to Crescent Moon Valley. Or perhaps... it always belonged to you.

”Would you like to take a look?”

Qin Liangchen’s curiosity was piqued. He casually accepted the jade box.

He glanced over it, it seemed ordinary. He assumed it was just some small trinket from Luo Chen. After all, Luo Chen didn’t seem to treat it as anything important.

But the moment he opened the jade box, his entire body froze.

For a long time, an unbearably long time.

Finally, with a hoarse voice full of disbelief, he uttered three words.

”Foundation Establishment pill!”

”Mm.” Luo Chen nodded.

Qin Liangchen jerked his head up, his body trembling as he stared at Luo Chen.

Luo Chen continued sipping his wine and peeling celestial beans, his gaze drifting lazily, he didn’t even spare the dragon-eye-sized pill a glance.

As if it didn’t matter at all.

”This... is for me?”

”You could say it was always yours.”

”What do you mean by that?”

”Mm. This Foundation Establishment pill is the one Mi Shuhua promised you back then. A month ago, he used it to strike a deal with me to secure my full commitment to pill refining for him.” Luo Chen paused, then chuckled. ”You know him—he loved using that trick.”

Mi Shuhua had indeed been fond of that move. Words of encouragement and empty promises—he had scattered them like they cost nothing.

Occasionally, he had offered small favors. For low-tier cultivators, it had been exceptionally effective. But as those cultivators grew stronger, Mi Shuhua had become stingy—never giving away anything truly valuable.

That Foundation Establishment pill had tempted Han Dang, and had once driven the nine ninth stage Qi-Refining cultivators of the Poshan Gang to risk their lives for it.

In the end, between Wang Yuan and Qin Liangchen, Mi Shuhua had promised it to the latter.

But truthfully, he had never shown the pill itself.

The last time, he had used it to entice Luo Chen. Perhaps he had realized that empty promises would no longer work. So, he had finally handed it over to Luo Chen.

Even then, he had placed layers of restrictions on it—Luo Chen could see it, touch it, but not consume it.

After Mi Shuhua’s death, Luo Chen had asked Miao Wen to lift the remaining restrictions. Miao Wen hadn’t minded. He had dispelled the seal and discovered it was indeed a Foundation Establishment pill.

At that time, Miao Wen had given Luo Chen a long, meaningful look—but had said nothing. To sect cultivators like him, the value of a Foundation Establishment pill was not so great. However, for rogue cultivators, it was worth sacrificing everything. Spirit stones, resources, techniques, family, friends, Dao companions—even their very lives.

But now, Luo Chen had given it to Qin Liangchen, as though it meant nothing. It was returning it to its rightful owner. But in another sense, it was an extraordinary act of generosity.

For a long time, Qin Liangchen was speechless. He had never imagined that Luo Chen would give him a Foundation Establishment pill. He was at a loss for words.

Refuse? No Qi-Refining cultivator would ever refuse a Foundation Establishment pill placed before them.

Oh! Except for one. Luo Chen.

Accept? He should accept it, right?

After all, it had been his, to begin with.

And yet... something still felt wrong.

Qin Liangchen hesitated and glanced at Luo Chen.

He noticed that Luo Chen’s gaze was drifting—deliberately avoiding the jade box holding the Foundation Establishment pill. It wasn’t indifference. It was more like—he was afraid that if he looked at it too long, he wouldn’t be able to resist taking it back.

So... he wasn’t as unconcerned as he seemed.

Qin Liangchen’s lips curled into a faint smile. He asked softly, ”Are you really willing to give this up?”

”Come on, we’re brothers. What’s there to talk about?” Luo Chen waved dismissively.

He gestured casually. ”Hurry up and close it. The medicinal essence is escaping. Come, come—let’s keep drinking. We’ll work together, and the future will only get sweeter!”

The cups were filled again. The atmosphere grew livelier.

It was as though all uncertainties about the future had vanished.

***

Later, Luo Chen closed his door. Lying on his bed, hands behind his head, legs crossed, Luo Chen gazed through the glass window at the bright night sky.

At this moment, his heart felt light and at ease. He was free from Mi Shuhua’s control. He had built a small faction of his own. And the Foundation Establishment pill—that last thorn in his throat—was finally dealt with.

No rogue cultivator in the Qi-Refining Realm could remain indifferent to a Foundation Establishment pill.

Luo Chen was no exception!

Yet, that pill was a scalding hot yam [1].

In name, it belonged to Qin Liangchen.

In reality, it was in Luo Chen’s possession.

If Luo Chen had truly refined a large batch of Jade Essence pills for Mi Shuhua, sold them, and reaped the profits. Perhaps then, he could have used this Foundation Establishment pill with a clear conscience. However, the fall of the Poshan Gang and Mi Shuhua’s death had left that sense of justification without a place to rest.

Luo Chen had carefully considered the value of this pill to himself. It was not as significant as he had initially imagined.

Yes, its value was not that great.

Firstly, Luo Chen was only at the eighth stage of Qi-Refining. He was still far from reaching the ninth stage, let alone achieving Perfected Mastery—necessary for breaking into Foundation Establishment.

In the short term, this Foundation Establishment pill would be of no use to him.

Secondly, he knew his own situation best. His five-spirit-root aptitude was innate. Cultivating had already been grueling. When it came to Foundation Establishment, it would likely be even harder. A mere low-grade Foundation Establishment pill would not make much of a difference.

Thirdly, he had already established a connection with Miao Wen. Even though Luo Chen was not a Foundation Establishment cultivator yet, he would undoubtedly have an advantage when acquiring Foundation Establishment pills in the future.

Miao Wen was not like Mi Shuhua—possessive and intolerant. He hailed from a Nascent Soul Sect, was well-informed, and had a broad perspective. He had seen things far better than Foundation Establishment pills. He knew plenty of cultivators far stronger than those at Foundation Establishment.

If Luo Chen achieved Foundation Establishment and advanced to a second-tier alchemist, their partnership would yield even greater profits. Miao Wen had no fear that Luo Chen would turn against him upon reaching a higher realm.

Simply put, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect had given Miao Wen this confidence.

As such, Luo Chen would not lack a Foundation Establishment pill or two in the future. Given that, why keep this scalding hot yam, letting it torment his conscience?

Returning it to its rightful owner would give Luo Chen peace of mind and earn Qin Liangchen’s gratitude.

Moreover, Qin Liangchen was not alone. His Dao companion, Murong Qinglian, was also at the ninth stage of Qi-Refining and excelled in handling affairs. He had a son studying in the Luoyun Sect, with promising talent and is likely to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the future.

In this way, Luo Chen would exchange a pill he currently did not need for the immediate friendship of Qin Liangchen and his wife, and the future goodwill of their son.

No matter how he looked at it, it was a decision with no downside.

Of course, thinking this way might seem somewhat calculating. True friends would not dwell on such calculations.

But cultivators were not ordinary people. In the world of cultivation, resources had to be clearly accounted for, only then could friendships be solidified.

Luo Chen hoped that, should danger arise again, there would be someone to block his enemies, cover his retreat, or rush across a thousand li, sword in hand, to rescue him.

Wealth, companions, methods, and land—of these, ’companions’ should not refer only to mentors, elders, Dao companions, and family. Friends deserve a place, too.

So... isn’t this also part of my cultivation?

Thinking of cultivation, Luo Chen turned over and sat up.

Today’s training, he could not afford to fall behind!

***

Just one room away.

The husband and wife sat together in the dark, eyes fixed intently on the jade box before them.

Inside, the dragon-eye-sized pill lay still, emitting a fragrance so potent it made their bodies tremble.

The hope of Foundation Establishment!

After a long silence, Murong Qinglian finally spoke, her voice dry. ”Luo Chen... not only is he trying to get your hand reattached, but he also gave you this Foundation Establishment pill?”

”Wife, that’s the third time you’ve said that.”

”You wretch!”

She playfully shoved Qin Liangchen, then sighed. ”What are you thinking?”

There was no response—only the faint sound of his breathing.

Murong Qinglian sighed, closed the box with care, and placed it into Qin Liangchen’s hand as though it were a priceless treasure.

”Whatever you’re thinking, I’ve made up my mind. I will do my best to help Luo Chen manage Luo Tian Society. He’s fought his way here all alone—it hasn’t been easy for him. We have to support him however we can.”

”If Xiaohu manages to reach Foundation Establishment one day, that would be wonderful. But if he can’t, having Luo Chen around will give him someone to rely on.”

Listening to his wife’s gentle rambling, Qin Liangchen lay down on the bed, the jade box still in his hand.

Staring at the bed canopy above him, he finally whispered after a long pause, ”Luo Chen... is my brother!”

1. 烫手山芋 (tang shou shan yu), it is a Chinese idiom that literally means “scalding hot yam”. It is used to describe a troublesome or risky matter that no one wants to handle, as it is likely to cause harm or difficulty to whoever takes it on ☜