An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

”Trouble? Hardly!” Luo Chen shook his head, unconcerned.

”This matter wasn’t your fault to begin with. The Huo family acted improperly. Those attending the auction have every right to comment.

”You two weren’t the only ones speaking up, after all. On the contrary, for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to lash out at juniors like that, it was truly...”

Huo Hu. Luo Chen silently repeated the name, his eyes reflecting a trace of contemplation.

If he wasn’t mistaken, that must be the so-called genius of the Huo family, the one they sent to the Flame Alliance for training. He is not even in his fifties, yet he has already stepped into Foundation Establishment Realm.

With the two Nascent Soul sects now at war, the Flame Alliance, being a vassal of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, had naturally been drawn into the conflict. And yet instead of using the war to prove himself, Huo Hu had returned to Taishan Market under the pretense of handling family affairs. It was said his cultivation realm wasn’t even fully stabilized.

Though it’s hard to say if he was merely cowardly or had mastered the art of survival through cautious retreat, judging from his earlier arrogance toward the weak, he was probably just a coward.

Glancing at the two who had apologized, Luo Chen sighed. ”Still, when traveling outside, one must be careful with words and conduct.

”Treat this as a lesson. Don’t make the same mistake again.

”You may rise.”

Qu Lingjun nodded repeatedly. Though he hadn’t been targeted earlier, that was only because he had stood near Luo Chen. The killing intent Huo Hu had aimed at Su Xiaolin had been far from subtle.

Su Xiaolin stood up, and some of the arrogance from his recent breakthrough to the ninth Qi-Refining stage had faded. He looked more grounded now. He had truly taken Luo Chen’s advice to heart.

Next time, Luo Chen might not be there to shield him. And in that case, death could come swiftly.

After this small incident, quite a bit of time had passed. And yet, the auction below still hadn’t started.

Luo Chen tugged at the corner of his mouth in silent ridicule.

Everyone spoke of the Huo family’s deep roots and solid heritage. But from what he’d seen so far? He couldn’t find a trace of that supposed foundation. What stood out instead was the unmistakable air of a newly rich family—flashy, over-the-top, and trying too hard to impress. They couldn’t even organize an auction without dragging their feet like this.

Inside the hall, the clamor was deafening. Some were even shouting and arguing. If not for the presence of Foundation Establishment Initiates, some rogue cultivators below might’ve already drawn blades over something as petty as ”what are you looking at.”

Suddenly, Luo Chen’s ears twitched slightly, and he closed his eyes.

“Are there any items you’ll be bidding on later?” It was a voice transmission from Wang Haichao.

Nangong Jin said, ”I’ll pass. Don’t have many spirit stones left, might as well just watch.”

Li Yixian added, ”I heard from Fellow Daoist Yu Rou that the Huo family managed to obtain two enchanted treasures and several supreme-grade enchanted artifacts from the Flame Alliance. I have to say, I’m tempted.”

Wang Haichao responded, ”Enchanted treasures don’t come cheap.” His tone carried a hint of caution, almost as if to dissuade her.

Li Yixian sighed and replied, ”Of course, they’re expensive, but times have changed. If I had one of those treasures in hand, I’d feel far more secure.”

Then she asked curiously, ”Alliance Leader Wang, is there anything you’re eyeing?”

”A low-grade enchanted treasure called the Mystic Flame Sword. I must win it!” Wang Haichao’s voice transmission was firm and resolute.

In another private room, Li Yixian furrowed her brows.

Mystic Flame Sword? Judging by the name, it sounded like a fire-element enchanted treasure. However, Wang Haichao practiced water-element arts. Why was he so fixated on a fire-element item?

”And you, Dan Chenzi?” Wang Haichao asked.

Luo Chen, who had been silent till now, chuckled lightly. ”I’m interested in a secret technique called the Clear Origin Mystical Pill Method. I just hope you fellow daoists won’t drive the price up on me.”

Clear Origin Mystical Pill Method.

The name passed through the minds of the three Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Nangong Jin asked curiously, ”What kind of secret technique is that?”

Li Yixian said gently, ”I certainly won’t be competing with Fellow Daoist Luo for it.”

Wang Haichao added, ”I’ve no interest in that technique. But, Dan Chenzi, you should be cautious. The local Foundation Establishment cultivators might fight you for it.”

Luo Chen smiled and replied, ”No worries. I have a modest fortune at my disposal.”

His words made the other three pause slightly.

That’s right! Luo Chen was an alchemist. If anyone wasn’t short on money, it was him.

In fact, it was they who needed to tread carefully.

Inside the Dajiang Gang’s private room, Wang Haichao opened his eyes, face turning grim.

Luo Chen clearly has deep pockets. Unless absolutely necessary, it’s best not to offend him later. Otherwise, if it affects my bid for the Mystic Flame Sword, the loss would outweigh any gain.

As he pondered, Min Longyu, standing behind him, looked out at the noisy auction floor with a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.

***

”Fellow Daoists, thank you for traveling from afar to attend the Huo Family Auction. I am Huo Hu, an inner disciple of the Flame Alliance. I will be hosting today’s auction!”

At long last, the auction began, albeit after much dawdling.

By then, it was already nearing dusk.

Yet the moment Huo Hu declared his affiliation with the Flame Alliance, the chaotic venue fell noticeably silent. After all, a Golden Core major sect still carried significant weight.

That said, Huo Hu’s auctioneering skills... were up for debate.

From above, Luo Chen could only frown slightly as he watched.

Several basic cultivation items were overpriced from the start, immediately leading to awkward silence. It was a clumsy execution, to say the least.

Compared to Luo Tianhong of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, or even Tian Xingzi of the Precious Dragon Black Market—he wasn’t even in the same league.

On top of that, Huo Hu wasn’t skilled at driving up bids. He even revealed the flaws of items that could have fetched much higher prices.

Wait, why am I worrying about him? Luo Chen pressed his lips together, resisting the urge to laugh. If Huo Hu was this bad at auctioneering, wouldn’t that make it easier for me to pick things up at a bargain?

”Up next is a second-tier secret technique known as the Clear Origin Mystical Pill Method.

”This technique is quite unique. It can alleviate residual poison from excessive pill consumption and even offers partial resistance against other toxins. The only downside is that it requires a long time to cultivate.

”Starting price at three thousand spirit stones. Each bid must increase by no less than a hundred!”

Luo Chen’s eyes lit up as Huo Hu spoke. The three Foundation Establishment cultivators from Dahe Market all instinctively shifted their focus toward him.

But Luo Chen didn’t raise his paddle right away. He was waiting.

”Three thousand one hundred spirit stones!”

A bid came quickly. And not just one.

”Three thousand two hundred!”

”Three thousand three hundred!”

”Three thousand four hundred!”

***

The bidding continued in waves, rising and falling without pause. Each increase wasn’t large, yet there was no sign of it slowing.

Luo Chen had initially hoped to win the item cheaply but he quickly gave up on that notion.

Just as expected!

Rogue cultivators, driven by the hunger for rapid progress, often resorted to reckless pill consumption. By the time they reached higher realms, they would inevitably face the consequences of debilitating side effects from overdosing on alchemical medicine.

At that point, in pursuit of the Great Dao, they wouldn’t hesitate to spend large sums on detoxification methods. Even if those methods came with significant drawbacks!

The bidding went on and soon, it reached four thousand. For a technique that wasn’t a core cultivation method or a combat spell, this price was already considered very high.

The three Foundation Establishment cultivators from Dahe Market, watching closely, couldn’t help but be astonished.

Inside the Li Family’s private room, Li Ao blurted out, ”A detoxification method like this, if we learn it, wouldn’t that mean we can use pills freely to speed up cultivation?

”Auntie, should we try to buy it too?”

Li Yixian shook her head. ”It’s not that simple. Didn’t you hear? Even Foundation Establishment cultivators say the method takes a long time to master. You’re still in Qi-Refining; what you lack most is time. How can you afford to waste it on a technique with no direct combat use?”

That made sense. Trying to save time by spending more of it was contradictory and only brought more trouble.

Seeing that Li Ao had understood, Li Yixian added, ”And more importantly, this is something Fellow Daoist Luo Chen specifically stated he wants. It’s best not to compete with him.”

Li Ao glanced curiously toward Luo Tian Society’s private room. ”But... he hasn’t bid even once yet?”

Li Yixian looked slightly puzzled too. She thought for a moment, then said hesitantly, ”Maybe he plans to seal the deal in one decisive blow.”

Similar discussions were taking place in the Nangong family’s room.

But Nangong Jin’s response was simple. ”We’re not bidding for anything else. Save the spirit stones and secure what we need most!”

***

Was Luo Chen planning to seal the deal with a single decisive strike? He had considered it! But more than that, he was observing the strength of the other bidders.

Every bid increment has barely exceeded five hundred spirit stones. As expected, those bidding for a detox method are people who rely heavily on pills. Unless they have a stable source of wealth like I do, their pockets are likely strained.

In that case, this should be easy.

Luo Chen did indeed have a modest fortune. After his deal with the Golden Stone Pavilion, his personal wealth had climbed back up to fifty thousand spirit stones, and the Luo Tian Society still had several tens of thousands more in reserve.

A mere second-tier secret technique posed no burden for him financially. He was simply used to making every coin count.

Then, his gaze landed on a particular Foundation Establishment Initiate. From below, Huo Hu’s bored auctioneer’s voice echoed up to him.

”Four thousand three hundred spirit stones, once!

”Twice—

”Five thousand!” A crisp, bold voice rang out suddenly.

Huo Hu glanced toward Luo Chen’s direction. ”Fellow Daoist in Room Nine has bid five thousand spirit stones. Any other takers?”

Silence fell across the hall.

To jump the price by seven hundred all at once showed just how little this bidder cared about such a sum. The Foundation Establishment Initiate, who had been leading the bids, had nearly won the item.

But he hadn’t expected someone to suddenly interfere. He shot a bitter glare toward Room Nine, visibly torn.

He beckoned an attendant over.

”Senior Tu, how may I assist you?”

Suppressing his anger, Tu Shan asked in a low voice, ”Who’s in that room?”

The attendant hesitated, replying instinctively, ”I’m not allowed to say—”

”I asked you—who is he?!”

Trembling, she finally whispered, ”He’s from the Luo Tian Society. The one leading them is called Dan Chenzi, he’s a second-tier alchemist.”

Second-tier alchemist! Tu Shan froze and then let out a defeated sigh. Someone like that... there was no way I could compete financially. If I kept bidding, I’d only be humiliating myself. I give up.

”Five thousand, going twice!

”Five thousand, going three times!

”Sold!”

Without even bothering to congratulate the winner, Huo Hu waved a hand to have the item delivered to Room Nine. The final price left him slightly dissatisfied.

The Clear Origin Mystical Pill Method was, after all, a second-tier secret technique from Green Pill Valley acquired by Huo Hu’s seniors from the corpse of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the same sect. It had been entrusted to him for auction. And yet... it had sold for that price.

If Luo Chen knew what was going through Huo Hu’s mind, he’d probably scoff. With skills like yours, you thought you could fetch a good price? Should’ve hyped it up! Call it a treasure from a Golden Core sect, perfect for family inheritance, and say the flaws are all fixable.

All things considered, Huo Hu had made himself known by hosting this auction. Cultivators across Taishan Market and the surrounding areas would remember his name.

But in truth, he just wasn’t cut out for the role.

So this is the Clear Origin Mystical Pill Method? Luo Chen accepted the jade scroll from a Huo family cultivator. His expression remained calm, though curiosity stirred within him.

If he could master this technique, he’d be able to resume rapid cultivation once more.

Ignoring the auction continuing around him, Luo Chen immediately sent his spirit consciousness into the jade scroll.

It wasn’t impatience. He simply wanted to ensure it was genuine—so he could demand a return on the spot if something went wrong.

He broke the single-use seal.

After careful inspection, he confirmed there were no major issues. Only then did Luo Chen withdraw his consciousness. By now, the auction floor had finally stirred to life—things were reaching a fever pitch!

Because the Mystic Flame Sword, an enchanted treasure, had just gone on the block.

From the very first bid, the price soared rapidly. Its starting price had only been ten thousand spirit stones.

By the time Luo Chen looked back, the price had already skyrocketed to fifty thousand!

”President, something’s off!” Sima Huiniang said suspiciously.

Luo Chen nodded. He had sensed it as well. The ones fiercely bidding were none other than Wang Haichao and Nangong Jin, both Foundation Establishment Initiates from Dahe Market.

Wang Haichao had previously declared that he was determined to win the item. Though Luo Chen still didn’t know why a water-element cultivator would be so eager for a fire-element enchanted treasure.

Still, everyone had been willing to give him that courtesy. But with Nangong Jin now jumping in so aggressively, that was where things got suspicious.

This is just an ordinary low-grade enchanted flying sword. And it doesn’t suit either of their paths. So why the fierce bidding? They’re practically at each other’s throats already!

Luo Chen’s expression flickered with uncertainty as his gaze shifted repeatedly between the two private rooms.

Finally, his eyes landed on the relaxed and at-ease auctioneer, Huo Hu. He seems so assured, as if he’s certain someone will pay a high price for this enchanted treasure? thought Luo Chen.

”Fifty-three thousand!”

”Fifty-four thousand!”

”Fifty-seven thousand!”

The price continued to rise steadily.

For an otherwise unimpressive low-grade enchanted treasure, this price was grossly inflated. Its true worth should’ve been around thirty to forty thousand, at most.

Suddenly, a melodious and familiar voice entered his ears.

”Fellow Daoist Luo Chen, something’s not right!” It was Li Yixian.

Luo Chen remained impassive as he replied via voice transmission, ”Indeed, something’s off. This item’s value doesn’t justify the bidding.”

”Could this be tied to the qualification for settling in Taishan Market?” asked Li Yixian.

Luo Chen’s expression sharpened slightly. After a moment, he replied, ”That might be it!”

He glanced across the auction hall. The more he observed, the more he was convinced of Li Yixian’s speculation. The Huo family’s true purpose behind this auction was to showcase their newfound dominance over Taishan Market.

In that light, this auction couldn’t afford to end with a whimper.

At the very least, they needed a few sky-high sales to make a statement. That way, the event would be remembered and widely talked about.

But bringing out genuinely valuable treasures might’ve been too costly—or something they simply weren’t willing to do.

So instead, why not use a ”cheap” item? And as it happened, there were a few eager fools perfectly positioned to be bled dry!

Anyone wishing to settle in Taishan Market had to show ”sincerity.”

In other words, a pledge of allegiance.

Kang Dongyue had even warned him earlier, you’d better make a good showing at the auction.

Sure enough, when Luo Chen glanced toward Huo Hu, he noticed the man’s gaze repeatedly drifting toward the Luo Tian Society and Li Family’s private rooms, both of which had yet to place a bid.

Is he waiting for one of us to bid too? Luo Chen mused silently.

Then came a worried voice transmission from Li Yixian. ”Fellow Daoist Luo Chen, are you going to bid?”