An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Upon returning to Luo Tian Society, he scanned Crescent Moon Valley inside and out. With his Spirit Eyes, he could thoroughly inspect every fluctuation of spirit power.

The remaining twenty late stage Qi-Refining cultivators in the Battle Hall had not left the valley.

The Gold Hall and Alchemy Hall, however, gave him a pleasant surprise. Due to the abundance of spirit beast meat and Jade Essence pills, a few sixth stage Qi-Refining cultivators had successfully broken through to the seventh stage within half a month. With this, the Battle Hall’s numbers could be slightly replenished.

However, these were not the most pressing matters.

Soon, a voice reached his ears.

Luo Chen gave an imperceptible nod before summoning his floating cloud and heading toward Ancient Plains Mountain.

Ten li behind him, a figure clad in coarse robes trailed him at a measured distance.

An hour later, Luo Chen carefully came to a stop within Qinghe Mountain.

”I didn’t expect it to be you, Senior.”

On a stone platform, halfway up the mountain, a middle-aged man in luxurious robes turned around.

He smiled faintly. ”Am I not the one you wanted to meet?”

It was Nangong Jin, the patriarch of the Nangong family.

Strictly speaking, this was Luo Chen’s first time meeting him in person. In the past, all his dealings with the Nangong family had been through Nangong Qin.

Luo Chen’s gaze flickered as it landed on the large tree beside the stone platform.

A familiar figure lay limp beneath it.

”I have no intention of making things difficult for the Luo Tian Society, nor any reason to disrespect the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. The beast tide was certainly not orchestrated by my Nangong family. I hope you will consider this carefully, young friend.” Nangong Jin spoke with confidence, his tone devoid of guilt.

He gestured toward the unconscious figure.

”This man was formerly the Beast Hall Leader of the fallen Poshan Gang. After their downfall, my Nangong family and the Li family divided up the Beast Hall’s resources. He chose to take refuge with us, but he has only been managing minor affairs at the beast farm.

”Recently, while our Nangong family secluded itself, many responsibilities were entrusted to him. Therefore, the beast tide incident must have been orchestrated by this man alone.”

Swish!

A burst of spirit power shot out suddenly.

The unconscious man convulsed twice before opening his eyes in confusion.

At first glance, he saw Nangong Jin and instinctively revealed a flattering smile. At the second glance, he saw Luo Chen and instinctively took a step back.

Luo Chen fixed his gaze on him, catching the flicker of panic and the sudden constriction of his pupils.

Nangong Jin smiled faintly. ”Young friend, ask whatever you wish. Today, you shall have your explanation.”

With that, he stepped back a short distance away.

Luo Chen wasted no time, stepping forward aggressively.

”Ke Yuelin, long time no see.”

Ke Yuelin opened his mouth but then forced a sheepish smile. ”Yeah, long time no see. Uh... congratulations, Luo Chen. You’re a president now, much more prestigious than before. We...”

”You know that’s not what I want to ask.” Luo Chen shook his head.

Ke Yuelin’s eyes darted around, trying to come up with an excuse.

However, Luo Chen had already lost patience. A bright green light flared in his eyes.

In an instant, Ke Yuelin was drawn into Luo Chen’s gaze, feeling as though he had stepped into a dense fog. It was as if he had encountered a natural predator—his entire body trembled uncontrollably.

”Oh?” Not far away, Nangong Jin let out a surprised hum.

Luo Chen ignored him, lowering his gaze to Ke Yuelin.

”Where did the second-tier Explosive Ape cub come from?”

”From Ancient Plains Mountain, purchased from a rogue cultivator hunter. The Nangong family has always had a tradition of raising demonic beast cubs, hoping to train them into spirit beasts.”

”Which rogue cultivator?”

”I don’t know. I only know his surname was... Li. Ninth stage Qi-Refining.”

Luo Chen frowned. Li?

A cultivator of such a high realm.

Could it be a cultivator from the Li family in Dahe Market?

He continued, ”Why did you sell it exclusively to Liu Qiang? As far as I know, he doesn’t usually acquire demonic beasts from family cultivators. You reached out to him first.”

”Someone told me that Luo Tian Society was purchasing first-tier demonic beasts in large quantities, and they had to be alive. So, thinking I could sell at a higher price...”

”Who told you?”

Ke Yuelin, lying on the ground, showed a moment of struggle.

He opened his mouth, but what came out was completely unrelated.

”What has Luo Chen done to deserve this? First, Mi Shuhua favors him, then the Jade Cauldron Foundation Establishment cultivators recognize him... I refuse to accept this! He’s just a lucky brat, yet everyone flatters him!

”What president of the Luo Tian Society? They’re just a pack of strays banding together for survival.

Ugh... Ugh...

”I’m the real stray dog, despised by everyone.

”The Nangong family is heartless! I managed their beast farm, and they still stole my Foundation Establishment spirit medicine.

”Don’t give me a chance, or I will definitely...”

Luo Chen’s expression darkened.

Without even turning his head, he could see Nangong Jin’s ugly expression from the corner of his eye. He no longer wanted to hear this nonsense.

The green light in Luo Chen’s eyes surged once more.

Faintly, a shadowy apparition flickered above Ke Yuelin’s head.

Luo Chen controlled the intensity of the Soul-Intimidation, using it only for intimidation.

Luo Chen asked sternly, ”Speak. Who told you that Luo Tian Society was purchasing demonic beasts?”

”It was... Duan... Pfft!”

A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out abruptly.

Ke Yuelin’s pupils dilated sharply, his eyes bulging almost out of their sockets. Veins protruded on his forehead, and his mouth gaped wide open. Both his hands clutched tightly around his throat, yet no sound came out for a long while.

Luo Chen, having avoided the spray of blood, stood up with a grim expression.

Ke Yuelin was dead!

”Fellow Daoist, quite the impressive technique!”

Young friend had now become Fellow Daoist?

Luo Chen tugged at the corner of his mouth. ”Merely a minor application of soul arts, nothing worthy of admiration.”

Indeed, it was merely a minor application.

By now, Luo Chen’s soul foundation had already far surpassed that of rogue Qi-Refining cultivators, enough to rival Foundation Establishment Initiates.

The Soul-Intimidation inherently had the power to intimidate opponents. When unleashed through his perfected Spirit Eyes, and with Ke Yuelin in a completely defenseless state...

It was naturally an easy conquest.

Unfortunately, his soul had abruptly collapsed at the end, leaving no chance to extract further information.

Nangong Jin strolled forward and glanced down at Ke Yuelin’s lifeless body, his eyes still wide open in death.

”He was most likely subjected to a Foundation Establishment Initiate’s restriction, forbidden from speaking the truth—otherwise, his soul would immediately shatter upon doing so.”

”There aren’t many Foundation Establishment Initiates in Dahe Market, you know!”

Nangong Jin was momentarily stunned, then lifted his gaze slightly.

He saw Luo Chen staring at him with a half-smile.

Nangong Jin chuckled nonchalantly. ”Since I dared to bring him here, my conscience is clear. Besides, from your interrogation just now, you must already have a fair idea, no?

”The Li family? Or the Duan family?”

These were the only two surnames Ke Yuelin had managed to utter before dying.

Nangong Jin restrained his smile and spoke seriously, ”If it’s the Li family, then this was clearly aimed at my Nangong family. Our two families have both grievances and irreconcilable conflicts over interests.

”Using my Nangong family as a pawn—whether to kill you or provoke you—would bring no benefit to us once the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect returns.

”If it’s the Duan family...”

Nangong Jin furrowed his brows, unable to immediately recall any significant conflicts with the Duan family. After all, there was once a time when their families had nearly formed a marriage alliance.

”Our society has a direct descendant of the Duan family who harbors deep resentment toward them,” Luo Chen said indifferently.

Nangong Jin hesitated. ”So, you’re saying this was a setup? Framing us to kill with a borrowed knife [1]?”

After speaking, he shook his head again.

”But going through all this trouble is an overcomplication. If a Foundation Establishment Initiate wanted to kill someone, why bother with such an elaborate scheme?

”I have Elder Pang Renxiong’s protective measures left to me. Any method too blatant would only give others an excuse to target me.”

Upon hearing this, Nangong Jin subtly pursed his lips.

Luo Chen gazed at Ke Yuelin’s corpse and muttered to himself, ”The real question, then, is who placed the soul restriction on him...

”Soul restrictions are an advanced technique. As far as I know, the Duan family specializes in artifact forging and is skilled in formations and seals. The Li family’s female cultivator, who practices the Huaiyin Technique, is also proficient in such arts.”

Once again, the truth reached an impasse.

Luo Chen and Nangong Jin exchanged glances, then, as if they had reached an unspoken understanding, both chuckled in tacit agreement.

”None of that matters anymore, does it?

”Indeed. What matters most is that our two factions put aside past grievances and work together in earnest.

”Then, about the supply of Jade Essence pills?”

”As before, I’ve brought fifty bottles with me.”

”Excellent! Excellent!”

After handing over the pills, Luo Chen didn’t spare Ke Yuelin’s corpse another glance and took off into the sky.

After he left, a figure quickly approached from below the stone platform.

”Father, why treat him with such courtesy?” Nangong Qin was utterly puzzled.

He acknowledged that Luo Chen was indeed extraordinary, which was why he had already abandoned his initial underestimation of him.

But why did his father, a dignified Foundation Establishment Initiate, act so humbly toward him?

However, Nangong Jin cautiously gazed into the distance.

”Courtesy, of course, comes from recognizing strength.”

”Strength?” Nangong Qin was perplexed.

He was not yet capable of extending his spirit sense, so he couldn’t perceive the surrounding environment.

But Nangong Jin could clearly sense a presence several li away, one that made no effort to conceal its energy. That was an energy no weaker than that of a Foundation Establishment Initiate.

It was most likely that of an expert from Luo Tian Society’s Battle Hall.

”Moreover...”

Nangong Jin handed his storage pouch to Nangong Qin.

”If our Nangong family is to regain its former prosperity, pills are indispensable. With this batch of Jade Essence pills, those juniors stuck at the sixth stage of Qi Refining should be able to break through.”

Nangong Qin nodded in agreement.

Recently, pills had become increasingly difficult to obtain in Dahe Market.

Previously, they could rely on the Lianyun Trade Alliance and the Precious Dragon Black Market. But for some reason, the prices of pills from the Lianyun Trade Alliance had been steadily rising.

Meanwhile, the availability of pills from the Precious Dragon Black Market had dwindled as well. And not long ago, Luo Tian Society had cut off its supply of Jade Essence Pills to the various Foundation Establishment factions.

This had completely tightened the noose around the Nangong family’s neck.

In order to restore their pill supply, the father and son had personally come forward this time.

”And what about this one?” Nangong Qin glanced at Ke Yuelin’s corpse.

”Just a mere rogue cultivator daring to bear resentment toward my Nangong family—he died far too easily.”

Nangong Jin sneered and unleashed a Fireball. The raging flames consumed the remains, reducing the once-mighty Beast Hall Leader of the fallen Poshan Gang to mere ashes.

Brushing away the ashes, Nangong Jin clasped his hands behind his back and stepped to the edge of the stone platform, gazing into the distance at the fading silhouette.

”No wonder you once said that he exerts a pressure no weaker than a Foundation Establishment Initiate. This boy’s soul foundation is incredibly powerful. If he advances to Foundation Establishment, his spirit sense could likely extend no less than five li!

”Moreover, his courage is remarkable. He dares to speak with confidence even before me. There is indeed something about him that would warrant the attention of a Golden Core Adept.”

Most Foundation Establishment cultivators, upon first breakthrough, could only extend their spirit sense around two li.

Five li would be twice that of ordinary cultivators.

Was Luo Chen’s soul foundation truly that formidable?

Hearing such a high evaluation, Nangong Qin couldn’t help but feel a wave of shock ripple through his mind.

The fact that Luo Chen had been recognized by a Golden Core Adept of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect and granted a token was already well-known among the Foundation Establishment factions of Dahe Market. Now, it seemed that it was not a fabrication at all.

”Qin’er, you should make an effort to stay in contact with this person.”

”But Father, what about Qin Liangchen...?”

”Some matters must be taken up, and others must be let go. He has killed many of our family’s cultivators, but has he not paid a price himself?” Nangong Jin sighed. ”We need allies, ones who are not too strong, yet valuable enough.”

”But didn’t you say to divert disaster elsewhere?”

”Hehe, that depends on whether they can prove their worth.”

1. 借刀杀人 (jie dao sha ren), a Chinese idiom meaning ”to kill with a borrowed knife,” describes a tactic where one uses a third party to do their dirty work, often to maintain deniability and avoid direct conflict. ☜