An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Duan Feng woke up. It took the time of two cups of tea. Five minutes sooner than when Luo Chen had undergone the same process.

This meant that he had not gained much from the Spirit Passage pill. But that wasn’t the main point. The main point was that he had regained consciousness. Although upon waking, his condition was terrible, he appeared dazed, as if still trapped in a dream.

The fact that he had woken up at all was already a good sign.

Luo Chen didn’t linger, leaving the space for Feng Xia.

He was busy. Not with trivial matters, but with cultivation. Besides maintaining his daily cultivation techniques, he had to hone his proficiency in various spells.

After all the progress bar for Imperial Nectar was still stuck, and that had to change.

Heal had already reached Grandmaster level, but there was still a long way to go before Perfected Mastery. Thus, he put it aside for now.

His current focus was on Sound Isolation. This highly practical spell had long reached Beginner level. However, due to infrequent use, it had remained stagnant at 81/100 proficiency.

This one would be easy to grind!

Thus, in the days that followed, cultivators of the Luo Tian Society noticed a strange phenomenon.

Whenever the President spoke with someone, he would first cast a Sound Isolation Barrier. At first, everyone thought it was to discuss something highly confidential, preventing eavesdroppers. But every cultivator who finished speaking with Luo Chen walked away looking utterly baffled.

Because all he asked about were ordinary, everyday matters.

”How’s your injury recovery?”

”Are you getting used to living at Xiao Huan Mountain?”

”Any difficulties in cultivation? I can offer some guidance.”

Though they were confused, they couldn’t deny one thing, the President’s attention made them feel genuinely valued. Some even started confiding in him about personal matters they wouldn’t normally share.

Like Zeng Wen.

”Thinking about settling down?”

”Yeah.”

”Who’s the lady?”

”Xiugu from the Medicine Hall. She’s a good person, and she doesn’t mind my past reckless ways.”

”Then get married! Want to hold a grand Dao Companion Ceremony? I’ll officiate for you!”

”That’s a bit much, isn’t it? I was just thinking of inviting you all for a drink...”

”Nonsense! Luo Tian Society just relocated here, we could use a celebration. Let’s do both at once!”

Zeng Wen was overjoyed.

Although Xiugu didn’t hold his past against him, he still felt a little undeserving of her kindness. If they could hold a grand and dignified Dao Companion Ceremony, it would undoubtedly be the best outcome.

Without hesitation, after Luo Chen gave Sima Huiniang the order, she immediately sent people to make the arrangements.

Luo Tian Society truly needed a grand celebration.

Right here on Xiao Huan Mountain! On the very ruins of the Duan family’s corpses!

After giving all his instructions, Luo Chen walked alone to the small lake.

Yes, a lake!

The massive crater he had blasted open had, under a month of continuous spring rain, unknowingly filled up into a lake.

He waved his hand. The cultivators guarding the area silently withdrew.

Then, he dove into the lake.

Before long, he reached the sealed cave entrance.

”A month... it should be over by now!” Without further hesitation, he unsealed the entrance and stepped inside.

A pair of blood-red eyes locked onto him the moment he entered.

Boom!

A punch exploded toward him without warning.

Luo Chen’s expression shifted, his eyes flashing with spirit brilliance as he instantly activated Soul-Intimidation.

”Brother Wang, it’s me!”

The fist halted right in front of Luo Chen. The sheer force of it sent his long hair billowing.

Wang Yuan hesitated, the crimson in his eyes slowly fading.

”I... I...”

Luo Chen exhaled the breath he had been holding and frowned. ”You failed?”

In the depths of the cave, Duan Qiankun’s shriveled corpse lay lifeless in a corner, completely devoid of any energy.

Meanwhile, Wang Yuan’s energy was bizarrely unstable. It was both immensely strong and inexplicably weak. One moment, he emitted the fluctuations of a Foundation Establishment cultivator; the next, he dropped back to the ninth stage of Qi-Refining.

Moreover, his consciousness seemed disoriented.

The moment he heard the word ”failure”,

Wang Yuan suddenly clutched his forehead. ”How could I fail? How could I fail?”

Ahhhhhh......

Seeing Wang Yuan’s agony, Luo Chen did not hesitate. He continuously cast Soul-Intimidation again and again.

He did not use the spell to extract his soul but to suppress his chaotic state. This was merely to help Wang Yuan regain his composure.

After a long time, a jar of wine sat in Wang Yuan’s hand. He downed it in one go.

Looking at Luo Chen’s complicated expression, he let out a bitter smile.

”Yes, I failed.

”I was too impatient for success.”

He had advanced fearlessly on his path, facing almost no obstacles. His progress was so rapid that it was nearly on par with Luo Chen, who seemed to be operating as if he had a cheat system.

Especially after acquiring Xiao Wuyan’s blood-path techniques, which he seamlessly integrated into his body refinement methods, making his progress feel effortless. Yet, it was precisely at the Heavenly Spirit Seizing Array that things went wrong.

”In the end, I lack understanding of formations. I was greedy for the spirit-seizing effect but overlooked the prerequisite of the Heavenly Mechanism.” Wang Yuan’s tone was filled with bitterness, with an unmistakable hint of regret.

”Even Golden Core Adept must borrow the power of heaven and earth to deploy this array. Yet, I foolishly tried to use my own body as the foundation to steal the Dao Foundation someone had spent a century solidifying.”

Luo Chen stood before him, looking down.

Thick iron chains bound Wang Yuan’s arms and legs tightly.

That was Wang Yuan’s own doing. The chains he used were the Hengjiang Iron Chains, which he had personally acquired.

From Luo Chen’s perspective, this act was more symbolic than practical. If Wang Yuan truly wanted to escape, these chains wouldn’t be able to hold him at all.

”Then what state are you in now?”

Wang Yuan raised his head and said despondently, ”I still possess my second stage Physical-Refining physique, but my Dao of immortality cultivation has become extremely unstable. It’s causing a major disruption to my strength.”

Indeed, one moment he was in the ninth stage of Qi-Refining, the next he fluctuated into Foundation Establishment. With such erratic fluctuations, no one could utilize their full strength.

It could be said that the Wang Yuan of today was far weaker than the Wang Yuan of a month ago.

”Most importantly, Duan Qiankun’s lingering divine soul is constantly affecting me.” Looking at Luo Chen, he spoke with lingering fear. ”Just now, it was Duan Qiankun’s remnant soul that unleashed killing intent toward you.”

”If you hadn’t suppressed him, I probably wouldn’t have been able to hold back.” Luo Chen hadn’t anticipated such an event either.

If he hadn’t recently refined his Soul-Intimidation to Skilled level, he wouldn’t have been able to cast it in time.

Had the punch landed, he would have been severely injured if not outright killed.

”A lingering soul?”

Luo Chen furrowed his brows.

He recalled the descriptions in Hermit Gu Yue’s Soul-Refining True Art. If one succeeded in Foundation Establishment through the soul path, they would have to find a way to eliminate the lingering soul’s influence afterward.

It mentioned three possible methods.

Spells, pills, and artifacts.

The first was the Soul-Stabilizing Oath, a spell that he possessed.

The second was the soul absorption pill, which could assimilate the remnant soul’s power to reinforce one’s own. But he had neither the pill nor the formula to refine it.

The third was an artifact known as the Soul-Refining Banner. If one had this artifact, they could extract the uncontrollable remnants of a soul and nurture them within the banner.

Over time, this banner could even evolve into an enchanted treasure.

Unfortunately, Luo Chen had never acquired such an artifact.

Seeing Wang Yuan trapped and tormented, Luo Chen decisively spoke: ”I have a technique that may help you eliminate the lingering soul from your Foundation Establishment process.”

Whoosh!

In an instant, Wang Yuan’s eyes locked onto Luo Chen.

Luo Chen did not hesitate and immediately passed on the cultivation method of the Soul-Stabilizing Oath to Wang Yuan.

”This technique harnesses the unseen power of the Heavenly Dao,” Luo Chen explained. ”To cultivate it, one must swear an oath upon the Great Dao itself.

”During cultivation, unwavering conviction is essential. Only by holding firm to one’s oath can you avoid losing yourself amidst countless vengeful spirits.

”I believe this technique suits your current state perfectly.”

The Soul-Stabilizing Oath could not erase Duan Qiankun’s lingering soul. Its only purpose was to help Wang Yuan retain his sense of self, preventing the remnant soul from overwhelming him.

Although Wang Yuan had a strong will, and had cultivated both martial and daoist paths for less than a hundred years.

Duan Qiankun, on the other hand, had lived for two hundred years. Even reduced to a remnant soul, his presence was powerful enough to pose a significant threat to Wang Yuan’s consciousness.

Moreover, the Soul-Stabilizing Oath wouldn’t fully protect Wang Yuan until he cultivated it to Major Mastery.

Back then, Hermit Gu Yue, lacking a soul absorption pill, had relied on only a minor mastery of this technique to endure his Foundation Establishment breakthrough.

Unfortunately, after reaching Foundation Establishment, he was plagued by nine hundred ninety nine lingering souls. His Soul-Stabilizing Oath never reached major mastery.

Wang Yuan solemnly nodded. ”From now on, I will remain at the lake’s bottom and cultivate the Soul-Stabilizing Oath until I reach major mastery before leaving.”

This was the only choice he had. If Wang Yuan left in his current state, he could easily harm those around him without even realizing it.

Duan Qiankun’s remnant soul still carried fragments of his original consciousness. And now, Xiao Huan Mountain was filled with the very people responsible for the destruction of the Duan family.

Wang Yuan would likely want to kill every single one of them on sight.

”But this isn’t a long-term solution!” Luo Chen frowned deeply. ”If you can’t stabilize your fluctuating power, even if your mind regains clarity, you still won’t be able to wield your full strength.”

Faced with Luo Chen’s concern—this time, Wang Yuan had a plan.

”The Blood Fiend Seizing Array can be used three times.”

Wang Yuan’s tone was calm, but his eyes burned with conviction. ”I’ve already tested it. Against someone like Duan Qiankun, a veteran Foundation Establishment cultivator, it’s impossible for me to fully seize his Dao Foundation.

”However—

”If I could find a newly established Foundation Establishment cultivator, I could seize their still-unstable Dao Foundation and truly complete my own Foundation Establishment.”

Luo Chen opened his mouth, then let out a helpless chuckle.

Easy to say. And where exactly am I supposed to find someone who has just broken through to Foundation Establishment?

Still, it was a possible solution.

Sighing, Luo Chen left Wang Yuan with an ample supply of food, took the storage pouch Wang Yuan handed him, and departed from the lake’s underground cavern.

Perhaps it should no longer be called a cave.

This place had become a prison.

Wang Yuan’s self-imposed prison.

Emerging into the gentle drizzle of spring rain, Luo Chen lifted his gaze toward Xiao Huan Mountain.

For the sake of this spirit land, he had exhausted every effort, planned countless contingencies.

And now, even Wang Yuan had been ensnared by it. Would this mountain truly bring him enough benefits to make it all worthwhile?

”I must reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible—not just for myself, but for them as well.”

”Them”—it included Wang Yuan, Gu Caiyi, and his other friends, as well as the many cultivators of the Luo Tian Society. These people had gathered around him—some out of friendship, others out of shared interests.

Therefore, he could not afford to let them down.

He gestured with his hand.

The cultivators who had been guarding the lake swiftly flew back.

Luo Chen nodded at them before leaping into the mountains.

***

What could Xiao Huan Mountain bring to Luo Chen?

A land rich in spirit energy?

The Ice-Fire Spirit Spring?

Imperial Nectar?

No, not just that.

This mountain’s ability to produce the Ice-Fire Spirit Spring was due to its unique terrain. It housed both a minor water-element spirit vein and the remnants of a dormant volcano.

That was why Luo Chen had exclaimed, “craftsmanship of ghosts and gods,”[1] upon first laying eyes on it. Only in the cultivation world, where nature held boundless mysteries, could such a place exist.

The Duan Family had built their foundation here not just for the spirit vein, but also for the dormant volcano. They had long possessed secret techniques to harness part of the earth fire for artifact forging.

Earth Fire!

Something Luo Chen had long dreamed of obtaining.

Back when he was in Poshan Gang, he had jokingly told Mi Shuhua to find an earth fire source to aid him in alchemy.

At the time, Mi Shuhua had been unable to accomplish it. In fact, to keep control over Luo Chen, he had even rejected Duan Qiankun’s alliance offer outright.

But now, Luo Chen had obtained land with earth fire purely through his own efforts.

”After all, this is just a dormant volcano, and the earth fire it yields isn’t even ranked.

”But the Ice-Fire Spirit Spring is the true essence here, and it’s first-tier at the very least!”

Inside the thatched hut, Luo Chen stood beside the magma spring, setting up a sturdy frame. With a steady hand, he carefully placed the Four Symbols Cauldron atop it.

With this setup, he only needed to channel his spirit power to control the roaring flames, allowing for greater efficiency in alchemy.

As for controlling the earth fire, Luo Chen wasn’t worried.

With Perfected Mastery in both Traction and Fireball, along with his deep knowledge of the Fu family’s research on fire-elemental spells, he had more than enough expertise.

Even the Treatise on Green Origin Pills contained many subtle techniques for controlling earth fire.

With all these factors combined, he adapted to using the fire almost effortlessly.

”The only pity is that I can’t hire Ai Lao Mountain cultivators to custom-build a proper alchemy room.

This thatched hut was no ordinary hut. The outer thatch was woven from a rare forging material, designed to block external interference and contain spirit energy.

At the heart of the Ice-Fire Spirit Spring, a third-tier forging material had been placed, perfectly dividing the opposing elemental energies.

This structure served as both a cultivation sanctuary and a forging workshop.

”Grinding proficiency with spells? Too slow.” Luo Chen smirked as he tossed ingredients Four Symbols Cauldron. ”Alchemy is the real way to grind fast!”

Using the array beside the magma spring, he stabilized the fire output, only intervening when minor adjustments were needed.

This way, even without fire handlers to assist him, refining pills alone was far less exhausting than before.

After some testing, Luo Chen still felt that for large-scale alchemy, he should use the newly constructed alchemy rooms on the mountainside. The reason he insisted on refining pills alone now was to maximize his improvement in various alchemy techniques.

Doing it alone was tiring, but the proficiency gains were much faster!

”Refining a single batch not only improves my pill proficiency but also advances multiple alchemy techniques at once—now this is real grinding!”

A satisfied smile crept across his face as he fully immersed himself in his alchemic work.

***

One month later.

Inside the thatched hut on Xiao Huan Mountain, Luo Chen held a bright red pill in his palm. It gleamed like a ripe vermillion fruit, pulsing with an almost unnatural luster.

Holding his breath, he adjusted his breathing several times before the unnatural flush finally faded. The noticeable bulge in his lower body gradually returned to normal.

Staring at the pill with an odd expression, Luo Chen’s face twisted into something unreadable.

”So... this is the supreme-grade Myriad Wonders pill, refined at Perfected Mastery?”

He had merely caught a whiff of its medicinal fragrance and his body had already reacted.

That was completely unprecedented!

Cultivators were not ordinary men. Due to their constant cultivation of mental discipline, they generally had firm control over their desires. Their pursuit of immortality naturally suppressed body indulgences.

This was why the Myriad Wonders pill had always struggled in the market.

If not for Dahe Market’s unique environment—where cultivators led a harsh life, constantly hunting demonic beasts and accumulating extreme mental and physical stress—the Myriad Wonders pill would have been even harder to sell in its early days.

Luo Chen was no stranger to beautiful women. His sister-in-law Murong Qinglian was one thing, but Gu Caiyi was undeniably stunning, and Bai Meiling had once been adorably charming.

Yet, even in their presence, he had never experienced such a loss of control. And now, merely inhaling the pill’s aroma had made him lose composure.

”A supreme-grade Myriad Wonders pill... I wonder how potent its effects truly are?”

Carefully, Luo Chen stored the pill away.

For now, he had no intention of refining any more. There were many reasons—none of which he felt the need to elaborate on.

But the biggest reason was simple: Myriad Wonders pill had reached Perfected Mastery, meaning it could no longer provide achievement points.

His priority now was maxing out his proficiency in the Jade Essence pill. Not just for achievement points, but because a supreme-grade Jade Essence Pill could potentially benefit his cultivation as well.

”Still, I do need someone to test this supreme-grade Myriad Wonders pill...”

Thinking for a moment, Luo Chen chuckled mischievously.

”Things should always come full circle. Fellow Daoist Zeng, your wedding gift is ready!”

1. 鬼斧神工 (gui fu sheng gong) is a Chinese idiom that describes something so exquisitely made or naturally formed that it seems supernatural, often used to praise extraordinary artistry, architecture, or natural wonders. It is similar to the English phrase ”masterpiece of divine craftsmanship” or ”work of unparalleled skill.” ☜