An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Above the sky, a gentle breeze brushed past. It was thick with the smell of blood. Luo Chen swept his hand to disperse the scent and looked at the three with a smile. He said, ”Fellow Daoists, you are quite impressive.”

Diwu Qi shook his head and said, ”You are the impressive one.”

Jadewater Dragon looked uncertain. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, ”Fellow Daoist, was the spell you just used perhaps Mirror Flower Water Moon?”

She came from Dreamspring Cave and excelled in water arts. She naturally knew something about Mirror Flower Water Moon, because it was one of the most advanced third-tier water-element spells. After thinking about it for a bit, she became certain that the technique Luo Chen had cast earlier truly was Mirror Flower Water Moon. As expected, Luo Chen nodded lightly and confirmed her guess.

Jiang Yu, who had been listening to their conversation, also showed clear astonishment. He practiced water arts as well and had long heard of the Mirror Flower Water Moon. The manual was not that difficult to find; many Adepts kept it in their collections. After all, spells that touched upon illusion on the divine soul were few and far-between; one could never have too many. But having the manual and actually practicing it were extremely different things. The spell’s basic threshold was high and it required a powerful divine soul. In addition, one first needed to be truly proficient in Water Mirror and the wood-element spell Flower Fairy.

Finally, the spell was not only arduous to practice but difficult and time-consuming to cast. For this reason, sect elders usually only used it to temper the Dao hearts of low-level disciples. No one had expected Luo Chen to have learned it at all, much less to cast it in the midst of battle. He had unquestionably reached a terrifying level of proficiency.

While they were still in shock, Luo Chen shifted the topic and asked, ”Fellow Daoist Jadewater Dragon, where did this wolf king come from?”

As he spoke, he casually stored away the wolf king’s demon core. The three who had been the main combatants voiced no objection. A respected alchemist had participated in direct combat and even helped them secure victory at a critical moment. It was only proper that he received some payment. In the cultivation world, alchemists were always treated with privilege.

Jadewater Dragon glanced at the remnants of the wolf king before saying, ”It came from Seven Kings Mountain. That mountain is one of the main third-tier spirit veins, and my Dreamspring Cave has been besieging it for a while. Seven demon kings have long occupied it, hence the name, and during this war their number even rose to nine. This mid-stage wolf king escaped from there.”

On the earlier troop distribution map, Seven Kings Mountain had been marked as a large third-tier spirit vein. Luo Chen pressed his lips together and asked, ”Is it taken?”

Jadewater Dragon hesitated before replying, ”You can... consider it taken.”

Huh? Either it’s taken or it isn’t; what does ”consider it taken” even mean? Luo Chen was puzzled.

Diwu Qi stepped closer and quietly transmitted a message. ”Dreamspring Cave isn’t the only sect eyeing that territory. They’ve been locked in a grinding battle for half a year. Even if they take it, there will be plenty of disputes afterward.”

Luo Chen understood. The land might have been conquered, but it did not yet belong to Dreamspring Cave. That was why she phrased it cautiously.

Luo Chen smiled slightly and did not probe further. He said, ”Fellow Daoist Jadewater Dragon, since you traveled from afar, why not visit our sect?”

Jadewater Dragon lifted her gaze toward the budding blessed land, and a strange glint flashed in her eyes. After brief consideration, she shook her head and said, ”For this war, my sect has suffered greatly. I must return and contribute. I will have to decline for now.”

With that, she did not wait for them to persuade her and led her people back the way they came.

As Diwu Qi watched their figures recede, he let out a sigh and said, ”Even a powerful major sect like Dreamspring Cave calls its losses severe. It shows how fierce the fight on the frontlines must be.”

Jiang Yu nodded in agreement. ”Indeed. We were fortunate to follow Dan Chenzi’s mountain-moving plan. Otherwise, with our strength, we would not last long on the frontlines.”

Their words carried a hint of schadenfreude. Luo Chen did not comment, but the smile on his face faded without him noticing. The fierce battles and the heavy losses suffered by major sects were hardly good news. When the city gates caught fire, the nearby ponds were the first to be drained. He could not merely watch with amusement. If things continued like this, the words Fairy Ruthless spoke before leaving might very well come true—those heavily impacted major sects would not allow the Luo Tian Alliance to profit in peace.

As these thoughts moved through his mind, Luo Chen looked down at the ground. The demonic wolf’s blood had drenched the land. It left a foul smell, as it was filled with demonic energy. With proper cultivation, it would become suitable for growing certain medicinal plants.

A thought rose in his mind, and he said, ”Our three factions have many idle disciples. Why not send them out to build some defensive structures? Let’s say... a wall, on a thousand-li radius from here.”

Jiang Yu froze and said, ”Is that necessary? Even if we build defenses, there’s no need to push the line so far.”

Diwu Qi had originally intended to oppose the idea, but seeing Luo Chen’s resolute expression, he held back. After a brief moment of thought, understanding flashed in his eyes. He said, ”You intend to build walls in advance, so that once things are settled in the Howling Moon Mountain Range, we can use these fortifications as boundary markers and claim the territory for the alliance.”

Luo Chen nodded. ”Exactly. A thousand li radius is not as vast as Green Pill Valley, for instance. They have five thousand li. But for our three factions, it is quite considerable.”

Indeed, it was plenty. Within such a range, once minor spirit veins were relocated and channels diverted, they could establish a complete cultivation ecosystem.

Luo Chen’s thinking was both meticulous and far-sighted. Diwu Qi and Jiang Yu voiced no further objections and agreed at once.

***

Once Luo Chen returned to Snow Wolf Flats, days started to pass with no significant changes. The incidents caused by demonic beasts were nothing new to the cultivators of the alliance. Over the past half year, beasts from the frontlines had occasionally strayed into the region. Those of lower cultivation were handled by the patrolling cultivators, while stronger ones were suppressed by Diwu Qi.

Not long after his return, good news began to arrive one after another. First came from Zeng Yilong, who returned from Moonbreak with cooperation agreements signed by Song Mi and Chen Xiuli. Both had readily agreed to buy pills from Luo Chen and were willing to spend sixty thousand spirit stones a year each to purchase twelve bottles of low-grade Starfield Pills. They had even taken the initiative to propose paying part of the cost in mid-grade spirit stones. They clearly understood that the Luo Tian Alliance needed a large number of mid-grade stones to construct the Dragon Trapping Grand Formation and were accommodating this need.

Then came news from Min Longyu.

”This formation is called the Concealment Veil Formation. It barely reaches the third tier, and it’s really nothing special in this tier. But most of its structure is based on the Darkness restriction, which can mask the fluctuations of spirit power. When you cast spells, it can conceal them almost perfectly.”

Inside the cave residence, Min Longyu held a miniature formation disk and pointed at various parts of it while giving Luo Chen a detailed explanation.

Luo Chen listened attentively and repeatedly raised questions. ”This formation can conceal the fluctuations of spirit power, but mana exists on a much higher level than spirit power. Will the concealment still be sufficient? Is the formation difficult to learn? Is it easy to activate? If I want to cast a spell, do I need to set up the formation somewhere beforehand? Or do I carry the formation disk with me and use that? If so, won’t it slow down my casting speed?”

Min Longyu had anticipated these questions and addressed them one by one. By the end, excitement lit his eyes. ”Actually, it doesn’t have to be so troublesome. Do you still remember the Blood Fiend Seizing Formation that Palace Leader Wang used back in the day?”

Wang Yuan? The Blood Fiend Seizing Formation? Suddenly, Luo Chen recalled the blood-red formation patterns once inscribed on Wang Yuan’s back. He asked cautiously, ”You mean to inscribe this formation on my body?”

Pa!

Min Longyu clapped his hands and exclaimed, ”Exactly! The Concealment Veil Formation is extremely subtle, due to its nature. If it is inscribed directly onto your body, the normal fluctuations of mana will naturally cover it. Whether the formation is active or not, others won’t even be able to tell that it exists. In fact, with this formation, you only need to use a tiny bit of mana to keep it half-activated at all times. It can even help conceal your true cultivation!”

Hearing this, Luo Chen showed even more interest. Spirit Suppression and the Turtle Spirit Armor he had mastered in the past both possessed the ability to conceal cultivation. Back then, he had even been able to fool Hermit Xiao, whose perception was exceptional. However, that was before the Golden Core Realm. Even though Luo Chen had practiced both spells to Perfected Mastery, he could only deceive ordinary Adepts. Truly powerful ones could still see through him. It was not that Luo Chen was lacking, but that those two spells were inherently low-tier. If this Concealment Veil Formation had similar effects, then even if it could not fully conceal spellcasting, it would still be worth inscribing. There was no point in hesitating!

”If that is the case, then help me inscribe the formation.”

Luo Chen was already prepared to remove his clothes. However, Min Longyu showed an embarrassed look.

”What, are you afraid of seeing me naked?”

Min Longyu sighed. ”I can inscribe the formation, but if I do it with my spirit power, it will only have one-tenth of its true power.”

The same formation could differ greatly depending on who inscribed it. Luo Chen understood instantly. ”Then what if Fu Jiusheng handles the inscription?”

Min Longyu shook his head. ”This formation is meant to assist your spellcasting and conceal your mana fluctuations. Naturally, it’s best if you inscribe it yourself. The only way to make the formation truly seamless and undetectable is for the formation’s own energy signature to match the mana that activates it.”

Luo Chen nodded. That made perfect sense. ”So I have to learn this third-tier formation myself and inscribe it personally?”

”That’s what I’m saying.” Min Longyu nodded and continued, ”The more proficient you become with this formation, the better it will function. You might not grasp this immediately, but think of Palace Leader Wang. He was not proficient enough during his first attempt at using the Blood Fiend Seizing Formation, and that’s why his first attempt failed, but he succeeded eventually.”

Luo Chen raised a brow. His thoughts returned to the underground of Xiaohuan Mountain. Wang Yuan had indeed failed to seize Duan Qiankun’s foundation. Yet he later succeeded when targeting the vigorous Huo Hu. The key difference was his improved understanding of the formation, thanks to Min Longyu and Duan Feng. Min Longyu’s reasoning was sound. However, another question soon surfaced.

”But right now, I can only construct simple first-tier formations. Isn’t it too much to jump straight to a third-tier one?”

In response, Min Longyu confidently waved his hand. ”Formations are not that difficult”

Luo Chen rolled his eyes. ”Not if you’re a formation genius.”

”...Right.” Min Longyu scratched his head in a bashful manner, but then explained, ”This formation is only a small one and very simple in purpose. Also, you already have a good foundation in concealment spells and the Darkness restriction. I feel that mastering this formation will not be difficult for you. The required materials are valuable but quite easy to obtain. In short, the Concealment Veil Formation should not present any real difficulty to you.”

After this explanation, Luo Chen’s doubts were completely dispelled. He nodded. ”Since that is the case, I will give it a try. Who knows, I might possess exceptional talent in formations.”

At that, Min Longyu almost failed to suppress a laugh. If Luo Chen truly had talent, he would have shown it long ago during basic training. Still, he reminded himself that he was addressing the Supreme Elder and had to maintain respect.

Even so, the subtle smile at the corner of his lips was impossible to hide. Luo Chen did not mind. On such occasions, the relationship between them was not based on status or cultivation, but ability. Min Longyu was his formation instructor, and a smirk was nothing to fuss over.

***

Against Min Longyu’s expectations, Luo Chen’s progress in learning the Concealment Veil Formation over the following days could only be described as absolutely shocking

Three months later, he looked at the mana pattern Luo Chen had drawn on the ground with eyes full of disbelief. How is this possible? He learned a third-tier formation in just three months! Could it be that he is the real genius and I am just a fake?

Luo Chen did not explain much in response to Min Longyu’s shock. He truly did not possess any great talent in formations. Due to his daily lessons, he had long been aware of this. The reason he could master the formation within three months was exactly as Min Longyu had previously explained—he already had the foundation. More than that, the greatest credit belonged to the system.

It seems that formations really do suit me more than alchemy. As long as I have a skilled formation master to guide me, it’s easy! Unlike alchemy, formations are simply a matter of knowing or not knowing. All I need is to grasp the basics of restrictions, then copy the ready-made formations and trace them again and again. As long as I succeed once, the system will count me as having Beginner-level proficiency. From there, I can just grind proficiency like crazy.

Inside the cave residence, Luo Chen let a small smile rise at the corner of his mouth. A quiet satisfaction rose. Perhaps he had overcomplicated the matters. In truth, formations were much like calligraphy. Those without talent would never become true calligraphy masters, yet even ordinary people could replicate the strokes of great calligraphers and produce characters nearly identical at a glance.

With the system’s help, Luo Chen could produce results indistinguishable from the original, and achieving Perfected Mastery meant surpassing the original. By repeatedly copying the formations Min Longyu had created for him to practice, Luo Chen had reached the Beginner level within three months. Hence, the real genius was not him but Min Longyu!

Of course, there were flaws to this approach. Given his lack of talent and shallow mastery of the fundamentals, even if he could lay down the same formations more quickly, he could never match a true master that could adapt formations to terrain and timing, or change their patterns mid-battle.

But this was more than enough for his needs. Once he pushed his proficiency high enough and inscribed the formation onto his own body, the goal would be accomplished. At the same time, he needed to work on Mirror Flower Water Moon. Perfection level was still insufficient for what he envisioned.

Within a short span, Luo Chen had already laid out the next phase of his routine—cultivation, alchemy, formation study, and spell practice.

”Oh, I almost forgot. I have to bring the Heavenly Moon Purple Gold Wheel and the Mystic Flame Sword to Moonbreak Immortal City and pay Master Huyan Zhuo to repair them.”

The Mystic Flame Sword had grown worn after years of use. Ever since Luo Chen formed his core, his mana had become overwhelmingly forceful, and each time he activated the sword, it felt as though it might collapse under the strain. After all, it was merely an ordinary low-grade flying sword. Thus, Luo Chen feared that the weapon might simply collapse during its next use.

The Heavenly Moon Purple Gold Wheel had the same problem. Its power was great, but its components were fragile. It had been damaged during the battle with the mid-stage Snow Wolf King, and after being stained by the corrosive rain summoned by Jiang Yu, it never fully returned to its original state even after applying the solution. These treasures were crucial to Luo Chen’s combat strength; he could not afford any mishaps.

After sorting through these matters, Luo Chen turned his attention to the second-tier demonic wolf restrained in his cave residence.

”Mirror Flower Water Moon, activate!”

For once, Luo Chen allowed himself a moment of childish indulgence. After forming seals, he opened his eyes. The second-tier demonic wolf, which had already developed some spirit intelligence, fell into a deep illusion. In its daze, it returned to the days when it ran freely across the mountains at sunset and back to the youth it had long lost.