An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

”I wonder what I’ll get this time.”

Beside a dead Ring-Head Turtle, a demonic crab lay quietly on the ground, posing as if it had perished together with its enemy.

Luo Chen focused all his attention on the chaotic battlefield ahead. The situation was three against one, almost no different from before. Three Demon Spider Crabs were once more suppressing a Ring-Head Turtle King. The only thing to note was that this Turtle King possessed extremely strong defenses. It had endured the assault of the three crabs for a full day and night.

If Han Zhan had not informed Luo Chen, he would not have considered targeting this place. He thought, It’s already badly injured. Even if it survives, it probably can’t cultivate anymore. And now that its clan is on the brink of extinction, who knows, it might just choose to blow itself up.

Not every Turtle King chose self-detonation in a desperate situation. Such a decision required absolute resolve. During this day and night, Luo Chen had only managed to harvest five Crab Kings from battles where they were severely injured.

Of course, that number was quite considerable. Over the previous year, he had only secretly captured seven Crab Kings in total. Now, a day’s effort was comparable to an entire year. At this point, Luo Chen already intended to withdraw. With twelve Crab Kings at his disposal, he could produce a gargantuan quantity of Black Sovereign Paste. If he purchased a few more from the market later, it would easily support his cultivation from the late stage of the third tier all the way to the fourth tier.

Of course, the opportunity was right before him. He had no intention of letting it pass. After all, who would complain about having too many cultivation resources?

As he watched the battle, he could not help but feel a trace of emotion. Opportunities like this, where he could quietly reap benefits amid the chaos of a battlefield, were quite rare.

Battles between human cultivators were different. If he tried something like this with humans, he would be exposed before long. But on a battlefield of demonic beasts, the sheer number of low-tier demons gave him the chance to slip through unnoticed. Additionally, the weakness of demonic beasts’ divine consciousness made things infinitely easier. With his excellent concealment methods and the assistance of Han Zhan, he was able to move through the demonic beast battlefield with ease.

As he pondered, the battle ahead gradually came to its end. When he sensed the dying Ring-Head Turtle suddenly erupt with powerful demonic energy like a final flash before death, he got tense.

”It’s happening!”

The demon crab puppet sank into the ground and entered the prepared Primordial Unity Cauldron. As before, the next step was to let his cauldron endure the first wave of the Demon King’s self-detonation. Then he would take advantage of the chaos and ambush the crabs. If one happened to die outright in that explosion, it would save him the trouble.

Just as Luo Chen entered the Primordial Unity Cauldron, the battle outside reached its end. Vast demonic energy surged from the Ring-Head Turtle King like a final flare before death. It was clear that the next moment would bring a world-shaking strike. That was the scene Luo Chen awaited inside the cauldron.

Yet after several breaths passed, there was no such great explosion.

”That’s weird...”

Inside the cauldron, Luo Chen frowned in confusion. Instinctively, he sent out his divine consciousness to observe the battlefield. What he saw was the Ring-Head Turtle with its head severed and blood pouring out of its neck in copious amounts. Its enormous body was bound by dense white spider silk, tied up like an oversized fly. Its final desperate strike had ended before it could even begin.

Suddenly, the three Demon Spider Crabs turned simultaneously and looked toward Luo Chen’s location.

”Damn, I’ve been discovered!”

And just as Luo Chen cursed his luck—

”Get out of there!”

The three demons shouted and attacked at the same time. Three spheres of condensed demonic energy surged forward. Their strikes coordinated perfectly, and immense force blasted into the ground.

BOOMMMMM!!

A sharp metallic sound rang out. Soil scattered in all directions as demonic energy exploded into a massive flame. Amid the roaring blast, a small cauldron shot out. Spirit light flared as a figure appeared with a gloomy expression.

”Damn it!”

As expected of the Demon Spider Crabs, whose senses were the sharpest. With the three working together, they had actually detected Luo Chen through the divine consciousness he sent out earlier. At last, he cursed under his breath and grabbed the cauldron before flying away.

In fact, this was not the first time he had been discovered. After all, someone who walked by the river often would inevitably get their shoes wet. Previously, it had usually been just one Crab King who discovered him if he acted quickly enough to kill it before the news spread. This time, three demons were present at once. Therefore, he had decided to flee at once. Meanwhile, the three were momentarily stunned when they first saw him.

”A human cultivator?”

”An Adept?”

Before the shock spread further, the slightly older Demon Spider Crab King among them suddenly realized something.

”This person must be the mastermind the Patriarch mentioned. He hid here and watched our battle. He most likely intended to ambush us.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the other two demons changed expression.

”Do not let him escape!”

”Chase him!”

”Inform the patriarch, and also notify the experts of the other four clans on the battlefield. Send third-tier clansmen to surround and kill him!”

In a short moment the three demons reached an agreement. They channeled their demonic energy and surged into the sky and chased in the direction Luo Chen had fled.

***

”Damn it! That Turtle King was clearly about to blow itself up. How did it suddenly stop?” transmitted from Luo Chen.

”Luo Chen, self-detonation isn’t impossible to deal with. There are plenty of ways to stop it. The Ring-Head Turtle clan is on the verge of total annihilation, and many of the Turtle Kings have been blowing themselves up to take their enemies with them. The five royal clans have suffered heavy losses, so they’ve already prepared countermeasures. From what I know, the Demon Spider Crabs may not be especially strong in battle, but they’re skilled at sensing and suppression. With three of them working together, sealing a demon of the same tier isn’t difficult,” Han Zhan replied.

”Fine. Things have been going too smoothly lately. I totally underestimated these demons.”

”So what are you going to do now?”

”What else? Run, of course! This island isn’t a place I can stay anymore.”

The exchange through divine consciousness lasted only an instant. After a brief discussion, Luo Chen and Han Zhan quickly settled on a plan. Han Zhan searched for a suitable escape route while Luo Chen drove his mana and increased his speed. At the same time, spirit light formed behind him, and a pair of wings suddenly unfolded and increased his speed severalfold.

After only a few bursts, the three Demon Spider Crabs chasing behind were left far in the distance. Across the battlefield, a streak of red light flashed past. The surging mana stirred gusts of wind and clouds and immediately drew attention. When the three Demon Spider Crabs saw this, they stared in shock.

”So fast!”

”Damn it, he’s too fast. Has the patriarch replied?”

”This is bad. The message was just sent out, and he hasn’t responded. They probably won’t have time to send anyone. At this rate, he might actually get away.”

At once the three crabs grew furious and agitated. Even so, they did not stop and continued their relentless pursuit of Luo Chen.

On the battlefield, those who noticed this scene were not only low-tier demonic beasts. Some Demon Kings who had already finished their battles also saw it. No matter what, this conflict was an internal struggle among the demonic clans of the Profound Rock Sea Region, and the human cultivators had no place interfering.

This was a common understanding. For this reason, Gu Shaoshang had been driven away on the first day he set foot on the island. Now that Luo Chen had been exposed, the demonic crab experts of the five royal clans also began to move and intercept him.