An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

With Luo Chen deliberately steering the conversation through his questions, the two of them ended up discussing the refinement of the Primordial Unity Cauldron for a long time without realizing it, until Huyan Zhuo suddenly snapped back to his senses.

”Alright, anyway, I already said I can’t help you create a life-bound treasure in the near future. No matter how much you ask, I still do not have the time,” he said.

Unexpectedly, Luo Chen smiled faintly. ”Actually, what I want you to create for me is a mystical enchanted treasure, not my life-bound one.”

Huyan Zhuo froze. He raised his finger and pointed at Luo Chen, trembling slightly. ”You crafty bastard, you led me on! Now I understand! You want to go all in with the Primordial Unity Cauldron and craft it yourself, huh? That’s why you’ve been wringing every bit of experience out of me!”

Luo Chen simply shrugged and did not even try to hide it. Indeed, life-bound treasures could be produced in two ways. One was, of course, to ask a master artisan for a custom item. The other was for the new Adept to create their own life-bound treasure. Naturally, the result would be inferior to what a real artisan could create; at the same time, however, it would be much more compatible with the owner and it would have plenty of room for growth.

Huyan Zhuo shook his head in resignation. ”Right, I almost forgot. You grabbed that Withering Flourishing Fire from the Flame Alliance, and I suppose you also got some of their manuals. So you’ve built some foundation in artifact crafting. Fine, I suppose we’ll see what you can do. Now back to the topic. What enchanted treasure do you want me to refine?”

Luo Chen pressed his lips together into a tight smile. ”Wings!”

”Eh?”

”Wings. You know... for flying. It’s a rather uncommon type of item, and the only people with the skills and experience to craft something like that are the artisans of Skysail City, so I can only seek your help.”

”Enchanted-treasure wings, you say?”

Huyan Zhuo frowned slightly and stroked his beard with his right hand, as if weighing something. After a long while, he slowly said, ”Fine. Tell me your requirements.”

***

After leaving the Treasure Pavilion, Luo Chen let out a long breath. He was truly elated. This trip had not been in vain. He was now short fifty thousand spirit stones, the deposit for the enchanted treasure he’d commissioned, but that sum was insignificant compared to what he had gained. He had obtained valuable knowledge for creating the Primordial Unity Cauldron, and he had also persuaded Huyan Zhuo to personally create a pair of wings for him.

The Crimson Cloud Wings had been badly damaged during the trip to the Great Snow Mountains to refine the Nether Origin Pill. After being used continuously for days and several fierce battles, they were practically scrap. Although the third-tier flying technique Ninety Thousand Li could still be used without them, Luo Chen’s flight speed was about thirty percent lower.

As a result, while his speed was technically not bad, it definitely could not be called outstanding. He was somewhat faster than most early-stage Adepts flying on swords, but inferior to Tao Wan’s Ninefold Gale Transformation, and even more so to the Adepts of the Sword Sect with their Rainbow Transformation Flight. He had even seen Diwu Qi display bursts of speed during short-range maneuvers that surpassed his own speed.

The strengths he had boasted during the Foundation Establishment Realm had not turned into weaknesses at the Golden Core Realm, but they were no longer so prevalent either. It would soon be his turn to head to the front lines, so of course, he wanted to make up for this shortcoming sooner rather than later. Ninety Thousand Li was useful for both fighting and fleeing.

There was also the issue of Mirror Flower Water Moon. After reaching the Grandmaster level, his proficiency advanced at an increasingly sluggish pace. It was so slow that Luo Chen found it difficult to tolerate. By his estimate, achieving Perfected Mastery would take at least ten more years!

Normally, this would not have been much of a problem, but with things as they were, ten years was far too long. This period was not the kind of golden age from ancient times when the human race conquered five continents and established dominance over the Mountain and Sea Realm, but it was nevertheless visible that the demon clans were no longer waiting to be slaughtered. Sudden changes had arisen in the Frontier War, and those were signs that an age of chaos was approaching. Under such circumstances, every additional trump card meant one more chance for Luo Chen to preserve his life. He wanted to be remembered by future generations, but he very much preferred meeting future generations personally. He had no desire to end up like Jiang Yu.

For this reason, he had to accelerate his practice of Mirror Flower Water Moon. As for how to do so, there was only one way. This was not like Fireball, the kind of technique that could be cast into empty air. It required a suitable target. The stronger the target, the longer it could endure the illusion, and the faster his own proficiency would rise. Thus, what he needed was better targets. First-tier and second-tier demonic beasts could no longer meet his needs, and ordinary Adepts would not possibly cooperate with him for practice either. Therefore, he needed a third-tier demonic beast, and a live one at that!

***

”No way, you got tickets?”

”Yeah, one for you and one for me. A cultivation family withdrew from the Frontier War and lost their qualification to be here, so I was able to get my hands on two tickets. Now take this and let’s hurry inside, we have to grab front row seats.”

”This is Moonbreak’s first official large-scale auction, right? But how come they’re doing it now, right after that massive loss?”

”Well, a couple of reasons. People gather, resources circulate, and whatever happens, it’s going to be a boost in morale for the coming battles. Those people at the top are really thinking years ahead. They’re also pocketing a pretty hefty commission, but that’s none of my business. I just want to get a decent Core Formation art.”

”You sure have guts to attempt Core Formation during a Frontier War. ”

”Well, you know what they say, fortune favors the brave. Right now, third-tier spirit veins are up for grabs, and even people like us have a chance to rise. So tell me, if I don’t have the guts now, when should I?”

”To be honest, if you put it that way, it seems pretty tempting. How about we join forces to bid later?”

”Uh... I’ll think about it.”

The news of the Falling Cloud Sect holding an auction had long been released. This was also why, despite the defeat on the front lines, the number of cultivators in the rear continued to increase.

Everyone knew that with so many cultivators fallen and so many demonic beasts slain, an enormous amount of resources would inevitably surface in the market. In particular, the major sects determined to seize third-tier spirit veins began putting up portions of their sect’s resources that were not immediately essential in exchange for resources capable of increasing combat strength. The former were precisely what many small forces’ leaders or powerful rogue cultivators desired the most.

As the crowd surged, order was nevertheless maintained. When Adepts appeared, special passages were opened for them. Luo Chen was there himself, cloaked in the same black robe he’d been wearing lately.

When he entered one of the private rooms that the Falling Cloud Sect had reserved for the eighteen major sects, he found Diwu Qi was already seated. Seeing him, the latter pointed at one of the private rooms in the circular hall and said in a low voice, ”The Great Harmony Sect now exists in name only....”

That private room had been reserved for the Great Harmony Sect, a major sect. Yet now, it was sparsely occupied. Luo Chen shook his head. He naturally knew about this matter—when the five upper sects besieged that supreme grade third-tier spirit vein, the Great Harmony Sect suffered the heaviest losses. Three of their Adepts fell there.

Only one mid-stage Adept who had remained in the rear survived. It was said that he had recently begun gathering the remaining sect members and planned to withdraw from the Frontier War. But now that the war had already begun, withdrawing was far from easy.

Luo Chen did not dwell on the matter. He looked toward the center of the venue. According to the invitation, the first round would auction demonic beasts and such, and that was what he’d come here for.

Soon, as he rested with his eyes closed, the attending cultivators gradually filled the hall, and the auction slowly began. The initial items up for auction were all rare first-tier demonic beasts or resources related to second-tier demonic beasts. Some were alive, some were dead, and there were also various parts: blood, bones, demon cores, furs and hides....

Items were brought out one after another, turning the hall into something like a slaughterhouse. The stench of blood was overwhelming, and demonic energy surged. Every cultivator present wore an expression of excitement; their gazes were fervent and unrestrained. In the eyes of those living demonic beasts placed upon the auction platform, there was anger, and there was sorrow as well.

When third-tier demonic beasts began to appear, Diwu Qi suddenly commented from the side, ”When a demonic beast advances to the third tier and refines its transverse bone, it gains true wisdom and the ability to speak human language. From that point on, it cultivates the Great Dao of heaven and earth, and it’s really not much different from us human Adepts.”

Luo Chen opened his eyes. He was unsure why his companion had brought up such a topic.

Diwu Qi said slowly, ”Do you think it’s possible that, in some world beyond our reach, human cultivators are also placed on auction platforms for devils and evil beings to appraise and select at will?”

Luo Chen frowned. He found himself momentarily lost on how to answer. He could only conclude that Diwu Qi’s failed attempt to reach the fourth stage had made him somewhat sentimental.

At that moment, an Adept of the Falling Cloud Sect took a spirit beast pouch from a cultivator below the stage and cast a spirit seal upon it. Instantly, a vivid image appeared at the center of the venue.

”One third-tier Grayleaf Wolf King. The Grayleaf Wolf is the most common and ordinary of its kind, yet this one cultivated all the way to the Demon King level! Its foundation is solid, and its temperament is relatively gentle. It is suitable for taming, especially as a guardian for a sect’s estate. The starting price is one hundred thousand. The minimum increment is ten thousand. Fellow Daoists, you may start bidding.”

Many people in the hall were tempted. Such a Wolf King might not match an Adept in combat, but it could run rampant against Initiates. Using it to guard the sect estate would both increase security and bolster the sect’s prestige. The only drawback lay in the time required to tame such a Wolf King, which meant it could not deliver immediate results in the war.

Still, a starting price of one hundred thousand spirit stones was not high. Perhaps it was worth attempting a bid. For a moment, eagerness spread through the crowd.

Just then, a calm voice descended from above. ”One million.”

The auctioneer’s eyes lit up as he immediately called out, ”Dan Chenzi of the Luo Tian Alliance bids one million. Is there anyone else?”

The hall fell silent. Luo Chen was a newly advanced Adept and an alchemist master. When he chose to act, he acted decisively—the increment was not ten percent, but ten times. It was truly extravagant! Even Diwu Qi could not help but glance at Luo Chen, almost green with envy. Are all alchemists this rich?

What he did not know was that Luo Chen was digging into his reserves. Luo Chen thought silently, Seize the initiative with a massive bid, then reinforce it with my title. There should not be anyone willing to compete with me now.

And indeed, no one went against him. After three calls with no further bids, the Grayleaf Wolf King fell into Luo Chen’s hands.

Diwu Qi said bitterly, ”A Grayleaf Wolf with little potential and little battle prowess, yet you spend so lavishly. Fellow Daoist, you truly broadened my horizons!”

Luo Chen smiled faintly and said nothing. As long as the value matched the price, there was no such thing as extravagance. He rose directly from his seat and headed toward the backstage.

Diwu Qi was taken aback. ”Fellow Daoist Luo, are you not staying for the rest of the auction?”

Without even turning his head, Luo Chen waved his hand. ”I cannot afford the good items, and I have no interest in the ordinary ones. There’s no point in staying, so I will take my leave.”

Diwu Qi opened his mouth but failed to produce anything smart. He felt somewhat emotional at Luo Chen’s decisiveness. Who attends an auction without seeing it through to the end? Even if you don’t buy anything, there are still insights to be gained!

He had no idea that Luo Chen had too many insights and too little time to capitalize on them all. He was seizing every possible moment from his days and wasting none at all. Moreover, the spirit stones he had left could not buy anything that would immediately increase his strength.

After going backstage and completing the transaction with the Falling Cloud Sect cultivators, Luo Chen did not linger and directly left Moonbreak. As for what dramatic moments occurred during the auction or whether raiding cultivators ran rampant after it ended, that had nothing to do with him.

He had spells to practice!