An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Green mountains and drifting white clouds fell away rapidly, as though the world itself were moving in reverse. A light boat soared across the heavens, crossing ten thousand ridges in the blink of an eye.

At the prow, Luo Chen stood gazing into the distance at the Bamboo Sea.

Beside him, Tao Yisheng’s cheerful chatter carried on the wind. The young man was clearly eager to return to his sect. ”It’s a journey of thousands of li to Green Pill Valley. But at our flying speed, it’ll take only a few hours.”

Luo Chen chuckled. “Do we really need to hurry?”

Tao Yisheng scratched the back of his head and grinned. “If I get back earlier, I can help out my sister more!”

“You two really are quite the devoted siblings,” Luo Chen remarked with a sigh.

Over time, he had come to realize that though the pair often bickered on the surface, their bond ran deep. Tao Yisheng seeking to befriend him from the very beginning was most likely in preparation for the Dao Scion competition, hoping to secure support for his sister.

Although Tao Wan seemed stern and proud, her care for her brother was undeniable. Whether sending him to Yuanzhao or keeping him in Tianlan Immortal City, everything she did was to shield him from the turbulence within their sect. She had even secured a top-grade cave residence and ample cultivation resources for him on Tianlan Peak.

To have such selfless and devoted siblings in one’s life was a rare and precious blessing. Of course, whether this kindness was expressed in a way the other could accept was always a matter of perspective.

Gazing down at the vast Bamboo Sea below, Luo Chen asked curiously, ”This area is incredibly rich in resources. Why has no force rented it all these years?”

Tao Yisheng glanced sideways and chuckled. “Brother Luo, I think you might not be aware of the full story. Though it’s nominally under Tianlan Immortal City’s jurisdiction, this Bamboo Sea was first developed by Green Pill Valley when we settled in the Jade Cauldron Domain. However, we have abandoned it during a war. After the immortal city was built, the area was incorporated into its territory. The sect leader at the time agreed to the arrangement. But when my family’s grand elder took charge of Green Pill Valley, he tried to reclaim it from the other six sects. After multiple rounds of negotiation, it became a disputed zone. That’s why no rogue cultivator faction dares to lease it.”

Only then did Luo Chen truly understand. Back when he had first arrived in Tianlan Immortal City, Shi Lan had pointed this place out to him. The rental price was unusually high, yes, but it still did not reflect the land’s true value. And yet... no one dared to rent it.

The political struggle behind it was now clear to him, and he shook his head. “What a waste of such rich resources.”

Tao Yisheng scoffed. ”So what if it’s wasted? Better left empty than given to others. This land belongs to Green Pill Valley!”

Usually, Tao Yisheng gave the impression of being a simple and kind-hearted young man. But in moments like this, his pride as a disciple of a great sect revealed itself. Luo Chen didn’t mind. After all, someone with Tao Yisheng’s background was bound to be like this. Unlike himself, who had crawled his way up from nothing and had to be cautious in all things.

As he gazed over the endless Bamboo Sea, he could not help but imagine the wealth hidden within it. Leasing the land could bring in at least a hundred thousand spirit stones each year, perhaps more.

No wonder the Tao family’s grand elder once tried to forcibly reclaim this Bamboo Sea. Luo Chen smacked his lips. What a treasure trove. But right now, the Luo Tian Society just isn’t ready to claim it.

Luo Chen pushed the thought aside and let it drift with the wind. As the flying boat carried them farther from Danxia Peak, his mind wandered as well. No longer weighed down by minor calculations of profit. Instead, he turned his attention to the upcoming Dao Scion competition and spoke with Tao Yisheng.

“It’s not a complicated format,” Tao Yisheng explained. “Any disciple of Green Pill Valley who has reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment and is under 150 years old can participate.”

Luo Chen had been puzzled by the cultivation requirement. After all, there were easily over a hundred cultivators in Green Pill Valley who had reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment. If one of the older ones, someone nearing the end of their life, won the competition, only to die the next year, wouldn’t that defeat the purpose?

But with this added criterion, it made sense. The age limit was precisely to prevent such outcomes. Still, a late stage Foundation Establishment cultivator under 150 was without doubt a true genius! Only a major sect could afford to make such a bold rule!

In fact, among all seven sects of the Jade Cauldron Domain, only the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect and the alchemy-focused Green Pill Valley had the strength to carry it out.

”Right now, there are about thirty cultivators in Green Pill Valley who meet the criteria,” Tao Yisheng went on. ”About twenty of them are expected to participate. My sister’s main competitors include Shangguan Yan, He Yuanqing, Fu Li...”

He continued to list name after name, eventually numbering more than a dozen. Luo Chen felt his eyelids twitch as the scale of the contest sank in.

Green Pill Valley was indeed wealthy and powerful, yet it remained only one of the seven Golden Core sects of the Jade Cauldron Domain. For a single internal competition to draw so many elite contenders, the level of intensity far exceeded what Luo Chen had imagined.

Tao Yisheng’s tone suddenly turned solemn. “And last... there’s Senior Brother Dan Yangzi.”

Hearing that name, Luo Chen couldn’t help but pause. “Wasn’t he stripped of his Dao Scion title? How can he still qualify?”

Tao Yisheng shook his head. “Who can guess what the higher-ups are thinking? They say Senior Brother Dan Yangzi was stripped of his status for a major mistake, but not one beyond forgiveness. And now, with turbulence rising across the Jade Cauldron Domain, the sect needs a strong figure among the younger generation to take the lead. Senior Brother Dan Yangzi is truly powerful.”

Luo Chen still could not make sense of it. ”From what I’ve heard, he held the Dao Scion position for more than a decade. With such deep roots and connections, if he joins the competition, does your sister even stand a chance?”

At that point, Tao Yisheng’s expression was noticeably relaxed. He replied in a light tone, “Since he did make a serious mistake, there are restrictions this time around. Throughout the entire True Inheritor Duel, Senior Brother Dan Yangzi must act alone. He can’t call for assistance at any stage.”

”Not even from the first to the third round?” Luo Chen asked.

“Exactly!”

With that said, Luo Chen visibly relaxed as well. Over the past two years, he had gathered extensive information about Green Pill Valley’s True Inheritor duels for the Dao Scion. One fact had become clear: without assistance, claiming the title of Dao Scion was nearly impossible. Anyone who could win it alone would be celebrated as a once-in-a-millennium prodigy of Green Pill Valley. No one would dare question the right of such a figure to lead.

As the tension eased, their conversation took on a more casual tone.

Luo Chen asked curiously, “Why do you call everyone else by name, but Dan Yangzi by his Dao title?”

”Because most of the participants don’t even have Dao titles!” Tao Yisheng replied without hesitation.

Seeing Luo Chen’s confusion, he gave a thorough explanation.

In Green Pill Valley, Dao titles were reserved for those with absolutely exceptional alchemical talent. Even if one’s cultivation lagged, a Dao title brought recognition and honor throughout the sect. That practice set Green Pill Valley apart from other major sects, where Dao titles were usually tied to cultivation achievements alone.

Every one of the Green Pill Valley’s Seven Prodigies was an outstanding second-tier alchemist! Dan Yangzi, in particular, was famed as an unrivaled master of both alchemy and swordsmanship. Not only was he a formidable combatant, but his alchemical talent was ranked highest among the Seven Prodigies!

Huang Hezi and Xuan Yunzi of the He family of Yuxuan Mountain were older and only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, yet they were still counted among the prodigies. Their alchemical skills alone had secured them a place of high respect.

Faced with that, Luo Chen could only sigh in admiration. Green Pill Valley had been founded upon alchemy, so naturally, they truly valued technical talent. That focus perhaps explained why, apart from the dominant Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, Green Pill Valley boasted the largest number of Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators among the seven sects. They never forgot their roots and placed heavy emphasis on nurturing alchemists, granting them not only resources but also prestige and status.

As the two conversed, the flying boat pierced through the clouds, drawing ever closer to Green Pill Valley.

***

The clouds were tinged golden with dusk, and weary birds winged their way home. From the west, a flying boat streaked across the horizon.

Aboard the vessel, Tao Yisheng continued to introduce various aspects of Green Pill Valley to Luo Chen. As they entered the sect’s territory, he pointed out mountain ranges and cities below, explaining which Golden Core Adepts’ descendants resided where.

Luo Chen listened with growing interest. He had always assumed that major sects gathered their disciples in one central location. To his surprise, many still lived scattered across the vast domain. Yet it was not truly “outside” the sect’s reach at all. The entire surrounding territory was known as Green Pill Valley.

As Tao Yisheng explained, Green Pill Valley encompassed a thousand li of land and fifty distinct peaks, large and small, scattered throughout. The “thousand li” was a loose estimate, but the fifty peaks were real, each carrying its own weight.

When their vessel circled a tranquil, emerald-green mountain, Tao Yisheng slowed the flight.

”This is Qingcang Mountain. It’s where our sect’s subsidiary academy is located, mostly established for the descendants of Golden Core families. Sometimes we admit external talents too, to help them build their cultivation foundation. To be honest, I was still struggling here not too long ago.”

Luo Chen gazed in awe at Qingcang Mountain, which was saturated with spirit energy. The spirit energy density here has already reached second-tier. It’s far beyond Danxia Peak, and this is only a subsidiary academy?So this is the grandeur of a true major sect.

As the flying boat pressed on, a towering mountain emerged ahead, piercing through the clouds and casting a vast shadow across the land.

“Once we pass Yuanhua Mountain, we’ll be in the heart of Green Pill Valley,” Tao Yisheng pointed out, then steered the boat toward a smaller peak nearby.

Luo Chen asked in confusion, “Aren’t we going in?”

Tao Yisheng laughed. ”I can go in, but right now, you lack proper status. You’ll need to wait for a day.”

“Status?” Luo Chen echoed, then quickly understood. “Ah—you mean as an official retainer of the Tao family.”

Tao Yisheng nodded. “Exactly.”

The explanation made perfect sense. If Luo Chen was to aid Tao Wan in an internal sect competition, he needed a legitimate reason to stand at her side. As an outsider, he could hardly appear in a contest so closely tied to the sect’s inheritance. With his strength, he could not yet be a retainer of Green Pill Valley itself, but serving as a Foundation Establishment retainer of the Tao family was entirely reasonable.

Luo Chen looked back at the towering Yuanhua Mountain. He could feel the overwhelming spirit energy pulsing from that mountain like an open gateway. If he could cultivate atop that mountain, a single day’s effort would equal ten days’ worth elsewhere!

With an environment like that, it was no wonder Green Pill Valley had so many late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators that were still relatively young. Compared to this, rogue cultivators lived no better than dogs or pigs.

Before long, the flying boat descended upon a mountain suffused with golden hues.

“This is our Tao family’s ancestral land—Small Southern Mountain[1]!”

Small Southern Mountain was where the Tao family’s ancestor, Adept Nanshan, had first attained the Dao. After breaking through to Golden Core, he had taken the name Nanshan and ruled over Green Pill Valley for more than a century.

Though times had changed, the Tao family’s heritage remained intact. Even without producing another Golden Core cultivator, they had held control over Small Southern Mountain for two hundred years.

As soon as they landed, three Qi Refinement cultivators flew over.

“Big Brother Yisheng, you’re back!” one of them called out.

“Why is it your turn to guard the mountain today?” Tao Yisheng asked with a weary smile as he put away the flying boat.

A fair-faced youth answered quickly, ”The elders have been arguing constantly. Lately, they’ve been holding meetings every three to five days.”

”Arguing?” Tao Yisheng frowned and instinctively glanced back at Luo Chen.

The youth followed his gaze curiously.

Tao Yisheng’s expression turned stern. ”This is Dan Chenzi, a master alchemist and soon-to-be retainer of the Tao family. Show your respects!”

The three juniors immediately bowed to Luo Chen with proper courtesy. Luo Chen smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

Tao Yisheng then pulled one of them aside and quietly asked a few questions before returning.

“Brother Luo, sorry to keep you waiting.”

“No problem.” Luo Chen waved it off while surveying the area.

”Your cave residence has already been arranged. Come with me,” Tao Yisheng said, dismissing the juniors before leading Luo Chen up the slopes of Small Southern Mountain.

As they flew, worry was written clearly across Tao Yisheng’s face.

Luo Chen’s lips curled faintly. With his powerful divine soul, the man’s early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and casual voice transmission earlier were nothing in his ears. The topic of their discussion reached him without effort.

The reason the Tao elders argued was none other than himself.

The True Inheritor duels and the Dao Scion competition were right around the corner. Other True Inheritors had already chosen their champions. Only Tao Wan’s side still lacked an alchemist representative. To the rest of Green Pill Valley, it looked as if she was giving up on the competition. The Tao elders knew part of the truth, but even so, they did not trust Luo Chen’s skills. And since Luo Chen had come up with several hefty demands, that only made the elders even more reluctant.

A mere rogue alchemist, daring to ask for so much? Whether it was Adept Nanshan’s unique alchemical formulas or his insights into Core Formation, these were treasures of the Tao family’s legacy. Even if Tao Wan wished to share them with Luo Chen, such matters could not be decided so lightly.

In the cultivation world, strength reigned supreme, yet for that principle to be applicable in every situation, one needed absolute strength. Tao Wan was indeed strong, but not strong enough. Within the family, she was still bound by the tangled web of lineage, hierarchy, and propriety.

Even someone at the ninth stage of Foundation Establishment was not free from constraints.

Tao Wan may be keeping things tidy on the outside, but inside the Tao family, it is a complete mess, Luo Chen mused.

1. 小南山 (Xiao Nan Shan) is literally “Small Southern Mountain.” In Chinese place names, 小 (small) usually conveys relative size, while 南山 (southern mountain) indicates geographical orientation. Since a Golden Core Adept is named after this mountain and would be rendered as Adept Nanshan ☜