An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

As Gu Caiyi’s injuries gradually healed, Luo Chen suddenly found himself with much more free time. The refinement of the Jade Dew Pills and Blood-Burning Pills had become almost effortless for him. With his alchemy skills now honed to mastery, these were no longer an issue. Naturally, Luo Chen redirected his attention elsewhere.

One major focus became the improvement of his combat techniques. It wasn’t just about increasing his proficiency anymore, and this time, he went deeper. He retrieved a collection of artifact control manuals from the Duan family, archived in the Succession Palace. Day after day, he poured over them, diligently studying the art of wielding enchanted artifacts through refined techniques of control.

The other focus was researching the Divine Ghost Heartmirror. Though the enchanted treasure was incomplete, it still retained a significant portion of its power. And with the Forsaken Black Chess Piece in hand, his exploration of the mirror had become considerably safer, although not entirely safe.

Every few days, Luo Chen would be pulled into one of the mirror’s illusions. Sometimes he would be lost for only moments. Other times, it was two or even three full days. Each time he awoke, it was with bleary eyes and a dazed expression, as if emerging from a dream too deep to grasp. This behavior frightened Gu Caiyi and Bai Meiling terribly.

One afternoon, Gu Caiyi couldn’t help but ask, ”Are you really alright?”

She was obviously anxious and concerned.

Luo Chen’s mind was still half caught in the last illusion; he took a moment to collect himself, then casually waved her off. ”Relax. I’ve already found a shortcut to control this treasure.”

Gu Caiyi frowned. ”A shortcut? You can have shortcuts for controlling enchanted treasures?”

Luo Chen nodded and replied casually, ”The Divine Ghost Heartmirror used to be a foundational treasure of the Valley of Ghosts and Divinities. It’s basically a very special combination of formation arts and illusion spells, and its function is to guide a cultivator’s consciousness into simulated scenarios. To control it, one must either have master-level formation arts or learn a compatible illusion spell. The illusion at the core of this treasure is a third-tier spell called Mirror Flower Water Moon.”

Gu Caiyi became intrigued. ”Wait, you know Mirror Flower Water Moon?”

”I don’t,” Luo Chen admitted. ”But I have the original manual. I can learn it.”

He has the original version of a third-tier illusion spell?!

Gu Caiyi was still reeling from the revelation when Bai Meiling chimed in with a grin. ”Big Sister Caiyi, I also know Mirror Flower Water Moon!”

Luo Chen only smiled, offering no further explanation. He truly did possess the original technique, and it came from none other than the Divine Ghost Secret Record.

Malicious spirits and fierce ghosts often misled people, dulling their awareness, bewitching minds, and luring them astray. Besides the core technique of third-tier ghost cultivators, the manual naturally contained spells of illusion and seduction, including none other than Mirror Flower Water Moon.

However, being a third-tier art, it was extremely difficult to cultivate. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator to even begin learning it, they first had to master three second-tier spells.

Luo Chen thought to himself, It’s just like Landslide, fusing multiple spells into one. No wonder the power is so immense.

To be able to use Mirror Flower Water Moon, one needed to learn the second-tier water-element spell Water Mirror, the second-tier wood-element spell Flower Fairy, and a divine soul art known as Spirit Beguilement. Only by combining the three could one wield Mirror Flower Water Moon and trap victims in illusory realms.

Of course, Luo Chen’s goal wasn’t to acquire a powerful illusion spell. He merely wanted to use this spell to gain control over the Divine Ghost Heartmirror. Hence, he didn’t need to actually master the spell; scratching the surface would be enough to forge the link between his divine soul and the mirror’s formations.

As for the three foundational spells, they weren’t particularly hard. Water Mirror was a fairly common auxiliary spell learned by most Foundation Establishment cultivators. After advancing to Foundation Establishment, a cultivator could project their spirit consciousness, but the impressions it yielded were vague, more like sensation than vision. Hence, using Water Mirror to project the perceived surroundings as a clear image proved quite useful.

Luo Chen had never bothered to learn Water Mirror after reaching Foundation Establishment. With his Spirit Eyes granting him far superior vision, there had simply been no need.

Now, however, things had changed. Thankfully, learning the spell posed little challenge. It was a relatively simple spell classified as second-tier solely because it required spirit consciousness projection as a prerequisite. As for Flower Fairy, the wood-element spell, it didn’t trouble him either. Its structure and casting method were well within his reach.

The final requirement was more intriguing. Spirit Beguilement, unlike the first two, dealt directly with the divine soul, making it a far more abstract and delicate spell. Yet even this was no great obstacle for Luo Chen. The reason being that it bore great similarity to Soul Intimidation, which he had long since mastered.

Soul Intimidation was domineering, designed to strike terror and suppress the will of an enemy through sheer force of spirit. Spirit Beguilement, in contrast, was subtle and seductive. Its purpose was to gently mislead, to coax and entangle the mind rather than subdue it outright. Still, the essence was close enough. Luo Chen already had the mental scaffolding in place.

The Divine Ghost Heartmirror itself was built around two pillars of formations and illusions. Through an intricate formation matrix, it amplified the effects of illusion spells to their utmost potential, luring the cultivator’s soul into an elaborate simulation, one that obeyed the laws of logic and deduction. And Mirror Flower Water Moon was the very heart of that system.

Luo Chen wasn’t a master of formations. That path was closed to him. But by mastering the illusion core, he could take a shortcut to controlling the mirror. Once he succeeded, this incomplete enchanted treasure would no longer be restricted to personal use, and it could be used on others as well.

***

Luo Chen didn’t need long to master the third-tier illusion spell. As soon as he reached the Beginner level in the three prerequisite spells, he pieced them together and managed to cast the Mirror Flower Water Moon at a slow pace. It was far from viable in actual combat, but since it was to be used on his own people, that was not relevant; he would have more than enough time to cast it.

My talent for spellcraft really is something, he mused. Even second-tier spells are easy for me now, and with a proper manual, third-tier spells are hardly a challenge.

Inside the meditation chamber, Luo Chen’s hands flowed fluidly as he cast magic gestures one after the other, his spirit power surging and weaving into intricate patterns. Before him, a floating bronze mirror hovered in stillness.

About the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the spell was complete! A dusky yellow light radiated from the mirror and settled upon him. Simultaneously, a streak of black light surged from Luo Chen’s chest, enshrouding his entire body. The next moment, Luo Chen’s figure appeared within the mirror!

That’s Mirror Flower Water Moon, and with it, I’ve gained control over this treasure. Time to help Caiyi. Luo Chen smiled faintly.

***

Half a year later, under his guidance, Gu Caiyi successfully reached Foundation Establishment.

Meanwhile, the situation at the Jilei Nine Mountains battlefield grew increasingly dire, with the major sects dispatching more of their core true inheritors into the fray. Even the Grand Elder of the Hundred Flowers Palace, Peach Blossom, appeared on the battlefield.

With that, all seven sects of the Jade Cauldron Domain were fully drawn into the war. This meant the war would sweep across the entire Jade Cauldron Domain, and no one, from top to bottom, could remain uninvolved.

”President, our Luo Tian Society’s garrisoned stronghold has suffered heavy losses, and we urgently need reinforcements!”

”What does the Ice Fortress say?”

”They’re overwhelmed themselves. They can’t spare any help.”

”Is that so?” Luo Chen, seated at the head of the Grand Hall, narrowed his eyes. ”Very well. Then I will personally make a trip to the Jilei Nine Mountains.”

With those words, he leapt to his feet.

Several years had passed since Gu Caiyi’s Foundation Establishment. He had now reached the seventh stage himself, becoming a true late-stage grand cultivator!

As he flew out, a wave of powerful spirit energy surged with him, sweeping through the air.

As he soared, Luo Chen’s mind churned. How do I pull Luo Tian Society out of this mire of war? How do I preserve our future while everything else burns?

As he pondered, his brow suddenly furrowed... then relaxed, and his lips curled into a faint smile. I nearly trapped myself in my own illusion!

With a faint smile, he casually swung his sword. The sword light was crimson, tinged with a deep, inky black. A faint image of a chess piece slowly descended within it.

As the sword fell, so did the chess piece. The space before him shattered layer by layer like fragile glass. A mysterious ripple pulsed outward like waves on water, and Luo Chen’s figure gradually dissipated.

***

Back in the quiet chamber, Luo Chen trembled and slowly opened his eyes. With a wave of his hand, the Divine Ghost Heartmirror fell into his grasp. A dazed look lingered on his face.

No matter how many times I experience this thing, it’s incredible every single time!

Just now, he had initiated Mirror Flower Water Moon to control the Divine Ghost Heartmirror, yet he had ended up dragging himself into it. He had almost ended up simulating another few decades or even a century of dreams.

Luo Chen shook his head and gently ran his fingers across the artifact’s surface. A trace of reluctance lingered on his face. Such simulations truly made centuries pass in the blink of an eye.

After several trials, he had gained considerable benefits. His divine soul foundation had grown even more than it had from years of consuming supreme-grade Spirit Passage pills. At present, though he was at the sixth stage of Foundation Establishment, his divine soul foundation already surpassed most cultivators at the eighth stage. He now seemed only one step away from the likes of Tao Wan, a formidable cultivator close to the peak of Foundation Establishment.

”Each time I force my way through the Divine Heartmirror, there’s always a price... but also a reward. What a blessing is this growth in the divine soul!” Yet even as he said this, Luo Chen quickly flipped his hand and stored the bronze mirror away. ”This treasure is wondrous, but it clearly cannot be used too often. If this continues, I’ll definitely become lost in it. I’ll lose my mind, and my soul will shatter!.”

He took a deep breath and severed his lingering desire. Lately, he had become increasingly distracted; his thoughts were hazy, his movements uncertain. Even his alchemy had seen frequent failure. This was almost unheard of throughout his cultivation journey!

With the system as a safety net, his success rate had always been exceptionally stable, and there was no reason for such unexpected failures. The only explanation could be his overindulgence in the Divine Ghost Heartmirror.

”It’s not just me; my subordinates can probably only use it once or twice. If I can barely handle it, they’d probably be truly lost.”

With a firm decision made to handle the treasure with extreme caution, Luo Chen left the chamber and offered a brief greeting to Bai Meiling before departing from Tianlan Peak.

The journey carried him toward the Debate Platform, where the towering Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion awaited. Seeing the Sword Sect disciples still going about their duties, his brows furrowed instinctively. The war has swept across nearly the entire Jade Cauldron Domain, and the Sword Sect is clearly involved, yet outside the battlefield, they act as if nothing has happened. Do they really not care about winning or losing?

No one answered that question. Only a Qi Refinement disciple from the Sword Sect greeted him enthusiastically. ”Senior Dan Chenzi, welcome. Senior Chu has been waiting for quite some time.”

Luo Chen nodded, casually tossed a few spirit stones as a tip, and headed straight for the training field.

Indeed, he had arranged a sparring match with none other than Chu Kui! One sparring session cost ten thousand spirit stones! The price was steep, but he felt it would be worth every coin.

When he arrived, Chu Kui was sipping wine and snacking on celestial beans.

”Brother Chu, sorry for being late and thanks for coming!”

Chu Kui waved his hand casually and said, ”No trouble at all. You paid me, didn’t you, boss? Besides, now that I’ve advanced to the ninth stage of Foundation Establishment, I’ve been looking for a chance to try out some new combat methods. Your request came like a pillow the moment I’m about to fall asleep.”

Luo Chen smiled slightly. ”Then doesn’t that make me your sparring partner too? In that case, my fee per session...”

Chu Kui froze for a moment.

”Hahaha!”Luo Chen burst out laughing and stepped into the spacious training field. ”Come on, time’s tight for both of us. Let’s not delay. Brother Chu, please show me what you’ve got!”

Chu Kui looked at the fully-prepared Luo Chen, and his eyes lit up. ”Very well. I’ve also been curious to see just how formidable the famed Fire Spirit Lord truly is!”