An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

A gentle breeze stirred as white clouds drifted across the endless sky. A flying boat cut swiftly through the sky. It had departed from Tianlan Immortal City and was now speeding toward Green Pill Valley. It crossed the Thousand Li Bamboo Sea, soared past the Green Pill Valley’s marketplace, and revealed before the eyes a series of towering and uneven peaks.

Luo Chen, dressed in white, stood tall upon the flying boat. The rushing wind lashed against his face, whipping his robe and black hair into a fierce flutter. As he looked down at the shattered remains of the small mountains beneath him, a quiet sense of confidence rose in his chest. That feeling only deepened when he reached the outskirts of Green Pill Valley and laid eyes on Yuanhua Mountain. Once etched indelibly in his memory, it now stood at only half its former height.

Yuanhua Mountain was the very gateway to Green Pill Valley. Not only was it a convergence point of spirit energy with the density of a third-tier spirit vein, but it also served as one of the Five Peaks Enclosing the Valley, a conduit for the power of a grand formation. Now, the three-thousand-zhang peak had been cleaved cleanly in half by a single sword strike. What used to be the middle of the slope had become the summit, and the slanted break was smooth as a mirror. Moreover, frightening remnants of sword energy lingered upon it.

It was clear that the sword strike delivered by Adept Yaoguang had been unimaginably brilliant. Luo Chen even suspected it had not been the work of a mere Adept.

Such cultivators could certainly shatter mountains and cleave rivers. In fact, even Luo Chen himself was confident that he could reduce a thousand-zhang mountain to rubble by brute force. Yet such feats depended on striking unclaimed and unprotected land. A place as vital as Yuanhua Mountain would have been guarded by a massive formation and defended by Golden Core cultivators of equal strength; how could an ordinary sword strike possibly have severed it so effortlessly?

The only explanation was that Adept Yaoguang, though merely at the late stage of the Golden Core Realm, had drawn upon something bestowed by the Sage of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. Without that, Green Pill Valley’s defenses would have held firm. Luo Chen was fairly certain of that; had the Sage not done something, the valley could have resisted for decades, even against the full might of the Sword Sect.

”Who goes there?”

As Luo Chen observed the scene, a Green Pill Valley cultivator flew over to intercept him.

Luo Chen drew out a token and tossed it forward. ”I am Luo Chen, retainer of the Tao family!”

The man caught the token and studied Luo Chen with uncertainty. Then, as if recalling something, he approached more closely and asked with hesitation, ”Are you perhaps Senior Dan Chenzi?”

Luo Chen gave a slight nod. ”Yes, I am.”

Once his identity was confirmed, the man’s expression grew noticeably more respectful. ”Senior, have you come to visit the Tao family? If so, a short detour to the south will bring you to Xiao Nanshan.”

Luo Chen waved with a faint smile. ”Not so. I seek an audience with your sect’s Dao Scion, Fellow Daoist Tao Wan. Is she available?”

The disciple froze at those words. Although Tao Wan was born of the Tao family, her foremost status now was as Dao Scion of Green Pill Valley. Since Luo Chen had addressed her by that title, it was clear that his purpose lay not with the Tao family but with Green Pill Valley.

After a brief hesitation, the man said, ”My status is too low for me to know whether the Dao Scion is available. Please wait a moment while I make a report.”

”Of course,” Luo Chen replied with a faint smile.

Under the disciple’s guidance, he descended from the sky and landed at the base of Longshou Peak.

”Senior, my apologies. We usually receive guests at the Greeting Hall on Yuanhua Mountain, but since that place is... under repair, we must host you here at Longshou Peak instead.”

”Doesn’t matter, I don’t mind.”

The disciple quickly arranged tea and refreshments for Luo Chen before leaving Longshou Peak and flying toward Qingyun Peak, where the sect leader and Dao Scion resided.

Once he had gone, a thought stirred within Luo Chen. He stepped outside the hall and gazed into the distance. With his exceptional eyesight, the scenes unfolding dozens of li away lay clear before him.

Upon Yuanhua Mountain, countless Green Pill Valley cultivators busied themselves transporting materials and repairing the foundations. Even powerful Initiates personally cut boulders to fill the mountain. Though the site bustled with frantic activity, many faces still betrayed an unease that could not be hidden.

Luo Chen had not witnessed the event firsthand, but intelligence reports had long since told him what they had endured. That peerless sword strike had cleaved not only the physical Yuanhua Mountain. It had also cut through a mental mountain—the mountain of pride Green Pill Valley’s cultivators had nurtured for centuries.

What use was it to be a major sect? Their enemy was an upper sect. In the face of such a power, no matter how wealthy Green Pill Valley was, it was nothing more than a lamb awaiting slaughter.

Under such circumstances, the once-proud disciples of Green Pill Valley, stripped of their arrogance, had become more fearful and lost than rogue cultivators.

As Luo Chen observed their restless expressions, he made a silent note of it. Even during the harshest days for the Luo Tian Society, there had always been someone to step forward and steady the hearts of the lower ranks. Yet now, the junior cultivators of Green Pill Valley stood in confusion; the leaders’ attention no longer rested on them. That could only mean greater conflicts were festering within the sect’s upper echelon. Perhaps he had come at just the right moment.

Longshou Peak was home to Green Pill Valley’s most battle-hardened cultivators. Their excuse for not receiving him at Yuanhua Mountain could be justified by the ongoing repairs. Even so, he might reasonably have been directed to Qingyun Peak, where most of the sect’s affairs were managed. Instead, he had been placed amid the warriors of Longshou Peak. This arrangement was not targeting him alone, but every outsider who had entered Green Pill Valley in recent days.

A faint smile touched his lips. Green Pill Valley is nothing more than a startled bird.

Without realizing it, the corners of his mouth had curved upward.

***

Within Qingyun Hall atop Qingyun Peak, nearly all of Green Pill Valley’s Golden Core Adepts were gathered. Only a few remained in seclusion.

The heads of the five peaks—Qing Danzi, Qing Yunzi, Adept Longshou, Adept Baisu, and Adept Yuanzhen occupied the seats of honor. Alongside them were other Adepts: Chi Ding, Xing Yun, and Long Quan. The only Initiate present was the Dao Scion, Tao Wan.

She stood respectfully behind Sect Leader Qing Yunzi, her face calm as the elders bickered endlessly, though irritation churned within her heart. Ever since the Sword Sect’s siege, the elders had argued without end, yet no resolution had emerged.

Some had argued for surrendering the Nascent Soul alchemical formula, but Qing Danzi rejected the idea, citing the binding alliance with the Falling Cloud Sect. Others pressed for the Falling Cloud Sect to intervene, but Qing Yunzi warned then that if they leaned too openly toward that side, the Sword Sect might return in fury. Others raised concerns about their vassals’ wavering loyalty, but Adept Longshou sneered. ”You think they’d dare?”

Some proposed invoking their five-hundred-year alliance pact to demand accountability from the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. Yet among all the Golden Core elders present, none dared step foot on Jade Emperor Mountain.

Only the proposal to rebuild Yuanhua Mountain and restore the Five Peaks formation received unanimous approval. Even so, the lingering sword energy upon Yuanhua Mountain had become the greatest obstacle. Unless a sage was invited, it would take a full century for the energy to dissipate. In the meantime, the Five Peaks could not be restored, and by the time a hundred years passed, the valley’s internal structure would have long since solidified. Advancement to a fourth-tier spirit land might then remain forever out of reach.

Just as frustration welled in Tao Wan’s heart, a sudden pulse stirred within her. A jade token descended into her palm, shimmering brightly.

”Martial Uncle, an urgent matter outside requires my attention,” she said respectfully.

Qing Yunzi cast her a glance and gave a faint nod. Tao Wan rose lightly on her toes and slipped quietly from the rear of Qingyun Hall.

Once outside the grand hall, the mountain breeze brushed against her face, and she let out a long and steady breath. No matter how heavy her usual responsibilities were, she had never felt quite like this before. Hesitation tugged at her steps, and her thoughts shifted back and forth without resolution. The entire sect now seemed like a beast without reins, wandering aimlessly with no sense of direction. Though still circling in place, in truth, nothing was being accomplished. The feeling was intolerable.

She shook her head and activated the jade token.

”Dao Scion, Senior Dan Chenzi seeks urgent audience. We have placed him at the Greeting Hall at Longshou Peak.”

Tao Wan frowned. ”Luo Chen? What business could he have with me at such a time? Shouldn’t he be in Tianlan Immortal City, dealing with the problems of his own society?”

The thought of that organization stirred an unexpected envy. Sure, it was just a small-size force, but size carried its own advantages. As its founder, Luo Chen ruled with absolute authority. Whatever he wished to do, he could do without hindrance.

Much unlike Green Pill Valley—vast and prosperous, yet shackled by endless constraints. Though she bore the title of Dao Scion and shone with prestige before others, behind the scenes, she labored like a beast of burden.

”Had I known, I would never have fought for this title,” she muttered. ”I’m toiling like an ox, and whatever benefits come from it are nothing compared to the carefree life Eldest Senior Brother enjoys.”

She gave a self-mocking smile, then mounted a cloud and flew straight toward Longshou Peak.

***

Before long, she arrived at her destination. Even before entering the hall, her voice rang out. ”Fellow Daoist Luo, I trust you have been well.”

As she stepped inside, Luo Chen greeted her with a cheerful smile. ”I am quite well, but I wonder whether your position as Dao Scion still feels secure.”

Tao Wan’s smile slowly faded. She fixed him with a cold stare. ”What exactly do you mean by that, Fellow Daoist?”

Luo Chen’s expression grew solemn as his smile disappeared. ”It is not what I mean that matters. Calamity looms over Green Pill Valley. When the nest is overturned, no egg remains whole. As the Dao Scion of Green Pill Valley, can you really remain at ease?”

”Stop talking nonsense!” she snapped.

”If I speak nonsense, then why are you all so well-prepared?” Luo Chen asked.

”Those preparations are for the Falling Cloud Sect. They have yet to make any move against us.”

A sharp gleam flashed in Luo Chen’s eyes. ”And what difference is there between the Falling Cloud Sect and the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect? What they’re doing is nothing more than borrowing a blade from one person to kill another.”[1]

The woman froze. A surge of emotion roiled through her chest, and composure eluded her for a long moment. Killing with a borrowed blade...

For days, Qingyun Hall had been filled with endless arguments, rehashing the past and debating the future. Now, those scattered voices seemed to converge on those words, as though they had found a guiding core. Suddenly, everything fit together with unsettling clarity.

The Falling Cloud Sect had not relied solely on Han Zhan’s advancement to Nascent Soul to ignite war. With only one newly ascended Sage, how could they dare provoke the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, the sect that had ruled the Jade Cauldron Domain for three centuries?

Their true reliance was Skysail City, the force that stirred the flames from behind. That power held three Sages, more than a hundred Adepts, and tens of thousands of Initiates, ruling an entire region with absolute authority.

Skysail City stood as one of the most renowned artifact creating sects of the Eastern Wilderness. Not only did they often craft life-bound enchanted treasures for Adepts and Sages from other domains, but the enchanted artifacts and treasures produced by their disciples were sold across all thirty-six regions of the Eastern Wilderness.

Skysail City had no true enemies; only people who purchased their artifacts and people who did not. If any rivals could be named, they were the other sects famed for artifact creation.

The Falling Cloud Sect, instead of focusing on exploring Divine Transformation pocket world or striking at the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, had abruptly turned its attention to the Flame Alliance, itself famous for artifact creation. This move very likely carried Skysail City’s intent.

According to Luo Chen’s earlier conjectures, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect also harbored the desire to purge rival sects from the domain. That explained why, when the Flame Alliance was attacked, the Sword Sect refrained from aiding them. Instead, they staged only a superficial diversion. The Sword Sect, too, had been killing with a borrowed blade.

From another perspective, the Sword Sect’s pressure upon Green Pill Valley could also be seen as the Falling Cloud Sect using the Sword Sect’s blade to seize Pill Valley, a land with potential to reach a fourth-tier spirit land.

However, if that was the case, then some parts didn’t add up. If the Falling Cloud Sect truly intended to borrow the Sword Sect’s power to claim Pill Valley, why did the Sword Sect’s Adept cut down Yuanhua Mountain and destroy the very structure that allowed the valley to rise?

Was this nothing more than burning the bridge after crossing it, going back on their word, or changing their plans halfway through? And what of the future? Caught between the two upper sects, how could Green Pill Valley hope to find its place, much less secure its survival?

As Luo Chen watched Tao Wan’s bewildered expression, he remained unaware of just how many wild inferences his few simple words had sparked. When she regained a measure of composure, he continued speaking in an even tone.

”Green Pill Valley’s alliance with the Falling Cloud Sect is merely a tangle of interests. It has no firm foundation; it’s simply bargaining with a tiger for its hide.[2] I do not know whether your sect truly possesses a Nascent Soul alchemical formula, as the rumors claimed. But I do know this much: The Jade Cauldron Domain could never accommodate a third upper sect.

”Today, they cut down Yuanhua Mountain and destroyed Pill Valley’s chance to advance. Tomorrow, they will come for your Nascent Soul alchemical formula and cut off your path forward. One day, both upper sects will descend upon Green Pill Valley together, devouring its flesh and drinking its blood. Dao Scion Tao, am I wrong to say that calamity looms over Green Pill Valley?”

Tao Wan parted her lips to speak, but the words faded before they formed. For the moment, no rebuttal could be found against Luo Chen’s reasoning.

The Jade Cauldron Domain, for all its breadth, was vast only in the eyes of the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core sects. When it came to the upper sect, the Jade Cauldron Domain suddenly seemed far too small.

Across the thirty-six regions of the Eastern Wilderness, powers such as Skysail City and the Medicine King Sect each reigned supreme over their own domains. Even so, those upper sects often found their territories insufficient and extended their reach into other regions.

Now, the Spirit Herb Pavilion, the Divine Talisman Pavilion, and the Treasure Pavilion, spread throughout the Jade Cauldron Domain, were all industries of the upper sect of other domains. Even after more than twenty years of civil war within the Jade Cauldron Domain, these businesses not only endured but prospered, thriving more than ever before.

Under such circumstances, how could the Jade Cauldron Domain possibly tolerate the rise of a third Nascent Soul sect? The Supreme Elders of Green Pill Valley were usually praised for their wisdom. Why then could they not see such an obvious truth?

Tao Wan gave a bitter smile. What she did not realize was that with the opportunity for Nascent Soul before them and their lifespans dwindling behind them, Qing Danzi and the others had no attention to spare for anything else. The pursuit of Nascent Soul had become their sole obsession.

Tao Wan shook her head and looked bitterly at Luo Chen. ”Fellow Daoist, since your analysis was so incisive, do you have a way to save my sect?”

Luo Chen gave a self-mocking smile. ”I am nothing more than a Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator. My vision, my cultivation, and the scope of my activities are all far inferior to those of your major sect. How could I possibly have a method to save Green Pill Valley? Fellow Daoist, you think too highly of me.”

Anger flared across Tao Wan’s face. He had no plan at all, and yet he had come here to play circular logic games? Was this meant as mockery, a chance to watch them flounder? Yet just as frustration was about to boil over, her gaze locked on Luo Chen’s eyes, and within them she glimpsed calm composure.

Tao Wan drew in a deep breath and gave Luo Chen a graceful bow. ”I have known you for a while, and you have never acted without confidence. Since you are here today, then you must already have a plan in mind. Between us, there is no need for pretenses. Why not speak plainly?”

Luo Chen cast her a surprised glance and pressed his lips together. He had originally intended to keep circling the matter, applying pressure until she yielded. But now that she had lowered her stance, persisting with such tactics would only breed resentment.

After a pause, he spoke, ”So be it. Since we can be considered friends, there is no sense in circling the matter further. I have three tactics: a small-scale one, a medium-scale one, and a large-scale one. Each one is a way to resolve your sect’s current predicament.”

Small scale, medium scale, large scale? He has three?! Tao Wan could hardly believe her ears. This man had just claimed his vision was too limited, and now he spoke of three different courses of action? Was he toying with her?

She could not tell whether she was more annoyed or amused, but in the end, she offered Luo Chen another graceful bow. ”Then I beg you to enlighten me, Fellow Daoist.”

1. 借刀杀人 (jiè dāo shā rén) is an idiom meaning to achieve one’s aim by using another person’s strength to harm an enemy. In other words, it refers to manipulating others into doing one’s dirty work. ☜

2. 与虎谋皮 (yǔ hǔ móu pí) refers to attempting negotiations with someone whose interests are directly opposed and making agreement impossible. ☜