An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

He had thought they just needed to scale up their current stock, and he hadn’t expected the man to want to expand the variety as well.

Sima Huiniang said excitedly, “Apparently, he’s looked into the local silkworm market around Tianlan Immortal City. He said the Tianyi Market is severely lacking in Amber Silkworm silk. If we raise them in large numbers, we could engage in business with the Chen family at Tianyi Market; there would be no shortage of buyers. As for Azure Golden Silkworms, they are second-tier spirit beasts, and their silk is ideal for artifact creation. The Sword Sect, the Falling Cloud Sect, and the Flame Alliance have all been purchasing it in bulk.”

Only after hearing the Azure Golden Silkworm mentioned twice did Luo Chen recall that creature. These spirit beasts had a violent temperament and had to be given their own individual space, which made large-scale breeding exceedingly difficult. Even so, their value in the cultivation world was undeniable.

The Jade Cauldron Sword Sect even had a medical art named Golden Silkworm Reconnection, precisely the method Luo Tianhong had once used to reattach Qin Liangchen’s severed arm. The memory of that day remained vivid in Luo Chen’s mind. At the heart of the technique lay a single indispensable material: the Azure Golden Silkworm silk.

It wasn’t just its medical applications that impressed him. That Azure Golden Silkworm silk was remarkably tough and flexible, perfect for use in puppet construction, especially in linking limbs and intricate components. A high-performing material with excellent cost efficiency. If the Luo Tian Society could raise Azure Golden Silkworms at scale, there’d be no need to worry about selling the product.

Sima Huiniang continued, “I believe Palace Leader Xu’s plan is sound. Plume-Snatching Eagles require at least ten years to reach maturity, so they’re no good for short-term returns. Green-Scaled Dragon Fish aren’t that useful aside from their scales and waste. Silkworm-type spirit beasts, on the other hand, grow quickly, carry minimal risk, and yield profit right away.”

Her tone was composed yet enthusiastic as she spoke. It was clear she had researched the matter thoroughly after Xu Haizhen made his suggestion, and had come to her own conclusions as well.

“The only downside is that these spirit beasts need a lot of spirit energy and food, and also require plenty of space. If we breed too many, it’ll interfere with the cultivation of the disciples on Danxia Peak,” she added.

Raising spirit beasts required more resources than taming them. They consumed vast amounts of spirit mulberry leaves, which had to be cultivated within the society. Buying them from outside was far too costly.

The back mountain of Danxia Peak stretched wide, yet once Ink Mulberry trees were planted, there’d only be room left for one more type of spirit mulberry. With so many spirit beasts and mulberry trees crammed together, plus the herbs and spirit plants cultivated by the Medicine Palace and Agriculture Palace, there was a high chance it would create competition between beasts, plants, and cultivators for the surrounding spirit energy.

Danxia Peak was supported only by a top-grade first-tier spirit vein. It couldn’t sustain such consumption. A second-tier vein would do, but the Luo Tian Society had no means of securing one at present.

That was why Sima Huiniang had temporarily shelved Xu Haizhen’s proposal.

After hearing all this, Luo Chen fell into deep thought. Suddenly, his gaze shifted toward a spot several li away. From his elevated vantage point and with his eyesight, he could clearly make out the scenery in that direction.

“Has anyone rented the Geng family’s former estate?” he asked.

Sima Huiniang’s eyes sparkled. “President, are you suggesting...?”

He gave a faint nod. “Go speak with Shi Boying. She’ll likely offer you a discount.”

“Got it!” she answered quickly, brimming with excitement.

The Geng family estate was extremely close to Danxia Peak; calling them neighbors wouldn’t be an exaggeration. If the Luo Tian Society rented that plot, it could be developed into a dedicated spirit beast breeding base. The entire Beast Palace could even be relocated there.

As for the rent, it was almost nothing. The Luo Tian Society was flush with spirit stones.

They were now in a critical phase, not just resting on their laurels but actively absorbing the gains of recent victories. Consolidation didn’t mean sitting idle and waiting for results. On the contrary, they had to move boldly and aggressively. They had to recruit more people, purchase more land, expand their operations, and pour vast amounts of spirit stones and resources into the foundation.

Only by doing so could they fully absorb the fruits of their victories. It would be meaningless to annihilate four or five factions only to see their own strength rise by a mere fraction. At the very least, their strength should match that of those four or five forces combined. Ideally, it should surpass them; if things are properly organized, one plus one becomes more than two. Only then would their efforts be worthy of the brutal wars that had toppled mountains and destroyed families, allowing the fallen to finally rest in peace.

Luo Chen glanced at the visibly excited Sima Huiniang and frowned slightly. “Your spirit power is still unstable. Have you not consolidated your cultivation yet?”

Sima Huiniang’s elated expression quickly dimmed, and she brushed it off. “It’s nothing serious. I’m stabilizing quickly. Give me two or three more months, and I’ll be fine.”

It was obvious Sima Huiniang wasn’t all that interested in cultivation. What she truly enjoyed now was watching the Luo Tian Society grow stronger step by step. Luo Chen couldn’t help letting out a sigh. He wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or regretful.

After a moment of thought, he took out a jade bottle from his storage pouch. “Here!”

Sima Huiniang took it in surprise. “What is this?”

“Mid-grade Jade Dew pill. One bottle per month. Don’t take too much.” Luo Chen said calmly.

He was not being stingy. Ordinary cultivators simply could not consume pills as casually as he did, as though they were daily meals. Excessive use would only damage the body. He himself relied on his powerful physique, detoxifying pill techniques, and a Nascent Soul sect’s core cultivation method to endure his mad pill-devouring routine.

Sima Huiniang’s hands trembled as she heard the words. The name alone was enough to make her eyes widen, but once she realized they were mid-grade as well, she was left completely speechless.

When she finally found her voice, it came out in a stammer. “President, this... this is far too valuable.”

A single bottle of mid-grade Jade Dew pills would fetch at least a thousand spirit stones, and even then, it was rarely available for purchase. On the black market, it could go for three or four thousand, and cultivators would still fight over it!

Back at the Tianlan Immortal City Auction, even a mere mid-grade qi-consolidation pill had attracted fierce bidding from a crowd of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Luo Chen merely waved his hand. “Whether it is valuable or not is irrelevant. You have served me with loyalty and have little time to cultivate. These are merely pills, and you deserve it. In fact, I’ll give you a batch every year from now on.”

With that, he winked. “Consider it a special privilege of being the Director of the Luo Tian Society!”

The pill was indeed expensive and time-consuming to refine. Previously, even Gu Caiyi had only received half a bottle from time to time, and that was just the low-grade kind. To call this a special privilege was no exaggeration.

Sima Huiniang was likely the only person in the Luo Tian Society who would ever enjoy such treatment. Hearing this, she was overwhelmed with emotion, choking up on the spot. “Thank you, President!”

“There is no need for thanks,” Luo Chen replied calmly. “Focus on consolidating your cultivation. I have yet to hold your Foundation Establishment Ceremony.”

Sima Huiniang hesitated. “Is that necessary? It’s just an internal formality.”

She did not believe her breakthrough carried any profound significance. In her mind, she had simply prepared well, been fortunate, and succeeded. To hold a grand ceremony would be costly and inefficient; resources would be better invested in strengthening the Luo Tian Society.

To her surprise, Luo Chen shook his head firmly. “No, it’s necessary! Not only are we doing it, we’re going all out! It won’t be just our members; I’ll invite fellow cultivators from outside to attend. Prepare yourself in advance.”

The declaration left Sima Huiniang momentarily stunned.

While she was still stunned and uncertain, Luo Chen said earnestly, “You’re different from Duan Feng, Wang Yuan, and Min Longyu. You are the Director of the Luo Tian Society. In sect terms, if I’m the grand elder, then you are the sect leader. Now, do you still think it’s unnecessary to make this a grand occasion?”

Sima Huiniang was no fool. Having led the Luo Tian Society for some time and often dealing with external factions, she naturally understood what being a sect leader signified.

She took a deep breath and nodded firmly. “I understand. When the time comes, I won’t let you lose face.”

Luo Chen gave a brief hum of acknowledgment. After exchanging a few more words with her, he departed from Huixin Hall.

After exiting, he didn’t hesitate and headed straight for the Succession Palace. His visit to Danxia Peak today wasn’t just for this. He had come to resolve a dilemma in alchemy.

These weren’t issues he could solve with mere experience or the system’s assistance, but he believed that within the Succession Palace’s vast collection of techniques, he might just find the answer!