An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

”Medicine!”

A crisp shout sounded in his ear, and he lifted his head. The medicinal liquid in his cauldron had already been refined to near transparency. He withdrew his control. A surge of powerful and pure mana flooded into the glazed cauldron. It did not belong to him but to Qing Danzi.

Qing Danzi was the true master of the Azure Sky Glazed Cauldron. Under his control, the refined medicinal liquid rose into the air. At some point, he had released his own primordial true fire. It shimmered in brilliant rainbow hues; as it swirled upward, a strange fragrance spread through the air.

Luo Chen’s expression shifted at the scent. This is... alchemical flame?

It was not the true fire of an Adept, but a genuine alchemical flame!

Among alchemists, there was a rumor: After years of constant pill refinement, a truly skilled alchemist could cultivate an alchemical flame using secret arts of the Dao of Alchemy. By using pills as the fuel and mana to temper it, the flame could be ignited and sustained. Such a true fire was not a naturally born Sourceless Flame, yet its potential and power were by no means inferior. In fact, it aligned even better with an alchemist’s needs.

According to these rumors, the saint alchemist from the Nether Origin Sect in the Central Continent possessed his own unique alchemical flame. Luo Chen had never imagined that even an elder of the relatively small Green Pill Valley possessed one as well—although, from its aura, it seemed to be only a third-tier flame.

To refine the Nascent Soul Pill, Qing Danzi has truly revealed all his hidden cards.

Even in his surprise, Luo Chen soon shifted his attention away from the alchemical flame. He had been the first to finish refining his medicinal liquid, but the others were not far behind. They completed their batches one after another. Under Qing Danzi’s control, all the refined liquid flew into the main cauldron and was burned with the alchemical flame.

In midair, Qing Danzi moved his fingers rapidly and formed seal after seal. His powerful mana surged forth like a storm, yet the moment it entered the main cauldron, it softened into a gently controlled flow. Three ingredients flew from his robes and fell into the main cauldron.

Luo Chen’s dark eyes shone with spirit light as he watched closely. Divine Iris...

That was the only fourth-tier ingredient he recognized. Even so, he committed the appearance of the other two to memory. One was shaped like a human brain, or maybe an ape’s brain, the other like a lotus pedestal. If an opportunity arose later, he would surely look up their detailed information. With accurate information, he could experiment with their ratios and potency, and eventually piece together a complete formula. Then he could let the system help verify the basic structure; even if Qing Danzi went back on his promise and refused to give him the Nascent Soul Pill formula, Luo Chen could eventually deduce it himself.

”Everyone, lend me your strength!” Qing Danzi growled.

The five below responded at once.

”Yes!”

”Coming!”

As they shouted back, five pillars of flame in five different colors shot upward and struck the bottom of the main cauldron. With their support, Qing Danzi’s control over the refinement grew steadier and more assured. Inside the main cauldron, the medicinal liquid continued to melt and merge. Gradually, it thickened into a paste.

Time continued to pass. The sun rose and set. In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

Suddenly, a foul stench spread across several li. Qing Danzi faltered in midair, and his expression darkened. Luo Chen withdrew his primordial true fire.

The attempt had failed! A heavy silence fell across the Inner Pill Valley, and none of the cultivators present dared to even breathe loudly.

Qing Danzi took a deep breath and steadied himself. ”Again.”

***

It was known since ancient times: Pill refinement rarely succeeded in one attempt. Even the most gifted cultivators often endured repeated failures before gaining any progress; even an alchemist with enough prowess to be referred to as a saint alchemist had advanced step by step through countless setbacks. Failure was entirely normal.

To refine the Nascent Soul Pill, Qing Danzi had prepared extensively. He had gathered at least twenty full sets of materials. The five third-tier alchemists were all Adepts and could sustain not just several hours or days, but several months of continuous refinement.

The only concern was the thirty second-tier alchemists, but Green Pill Valley had made arrangements for this as well. Whenever they paused, they would immediately sit in meditation and take pills to restore their condition. If anyone could not continue, a senior alchemist from the Grand Alchemy Institute would take their place. Thus, the cycle continued. As long as materials remained, Qing Danzi would not stop.

What followed mirrored the earlier attempts. The process continued again and again. With each failure, Qing Danzi used his profound mastery of alchemy to search for the cause and gave orders incessantly.

”Group Jia, adjust the portion of Crane Feather Grass. The medicinal power is drifting too much.”

”Dan Chenzi, watch your control. Your primordial true fire is too high grade. Lower your mana output.”

”Dan Yangzi, what are you doing? Do not let your mind wander!”

”Qing Yunzi, watch when you add the Fire Toad demon core. Your flame is unstable.”

”Bring Heavenly Mountain Cold Jade and cool the subsidiary cauldrons!”

***

The sun rose and fell, and the stars shifted overhead. Before anyone realized it, an entire month had passed.

The Inner Pill Valley, once filled with the rich fragrance of pills, now reeked so heavily that even a little whiff could make one retch. Naturally, this was caused by the repeated failures of the Nascent Soul Pill. The odor left behind by a failed fourth-tier pill was not something easily dispersed.

Yet no one paid it any mind. Everyone remained fully occupied with preparations for the next attempt.

Luo Chen took brief moments to restore his mana. Only at this point did he suddenly notice that the Inner Pill Valley had risen to the third tier.

Is it because the Five Peaks Enclosing Valley formation was broken and Green Pill Valley no longer plans to nurture the land slowly? Did they release all the energy accumulated over the years to force this elevation?

Luo Chen could feel that simply using his core cultivation technique allowed him to absorb spirit energy far richer than that of a second-tier top-grade spirit land. As his gaze swept around, he saw Dan Yangzi across from him, looking pale. He didn’t look great, and understandably so.

There were six Adepts in the formation. Qing Danzi was at the ninth stage of the Golden Core Realm, only a single step from Perfected Mastery. Chi Ding and Xing Yun were both at the seventh stage. Even the former sect leader, Qing Yunzi, was a third-stage Adept.

Meanwhile, Luo Chen and Dan Yangzi stood at the lowest realm. Both had formed their cores not long ago. But compared to Luo Chen, Dan Yangzi’s mana reserves were far lower.

Pill refinement did not consume much, yet sustaining a primordial true fire without pause drained power at an alarming rate. If Dan Yangzi continued burning through his reserves like this, then forget about staying healthy—it would be a problem for him to even stay at his cultivation level for long!

For newly advanced Adepts, cultivation regression could always occur if there was severe consumption of energy. It was precisely for this reason that Green Pill Valley was willing to fully fund Luo Chen’s cultivation for these months; otherwise, Luo Chen would have never risked cultivation regression to help, even for all the other rewards.

It should be soon.

Luo Chen could sense that through repeated failures, Qing Danzi had begun identifying the pattern. As Green Pill Valley’s chief alchemist and the inheritor of the sect founder’s Dao title, Qing Danzi’s talent and skill in alchemy were unquestionable. Twelve failures had granted him enough momentum, and success could well come in the next attempt.

But as he pondered, a sudden tremor ran through his heart. He instinctively turned his head. Many others made the same motion.

The reaction came because Tao Wan was leading five Adepts as they took the sky together. At the same time, the Five Peaks blazed with light. Each peak housed a powerful Adept, at least at the middle stage of Golden Core.

Green Pill Valley’s mountain-guarding formation had been fully activated. This meant a formidable enemy had arrived.

Amid clear winds and drifting white clouds, a nine-floor pavilion pushed aside the clouds and came to a slow halt outside Yuanhua Mountain. The pavilion was magnificently constructed, with golden walls and golden beams interlocked in elegant joinery. It was carved with true dragons and heavenly phoenixes, alongside pixiu, qilin, and other auspicious beasts of ancient times.[1] Each level had beautifully ornate eaves and long curtains hanging from its heights like the long sails of a massive ship...

Wait... Long sails!?

At the same time as Luo Chen realized it, countless people blurted out, ”Skysail City!”

From the ninth level, a mocking voice drifted outward. ”I was just thinking of seeing what is so special about Green Pill Valley’s alchemy. Please continue!”

1. 貔貅 (pí xiū) and 麒麟 (qí lín) are both mythical beasts. The pixiu is known for warding off evil and attracting wealth, while the qilin is an auspicious creature associated with virtue and good omens. Here is an image of the pixiu, and here is an image of the qilin. ☜