An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

The enthusiastic invitation rang in his ears, but although the smile on Mi Shuhua’s face was as warm and gentle as a spring breeze, Luo Chen felt only turmoil stirring within his heart. As he looked at the man before him, a blind fury rose from somewhere deep inside. He had cultivated for over a century, entered the avian demons’ Holy Land and returned unharmed, and even possessed the confidence to contend against a Sage. Yet now, a mere Initiate dared speak of taking him in?

”I am going to fucking kill you!”

The urge surged through him. If he drew his sword now, one strike would be enough to shatter any illusion. Yet just as the killing intent within him began to rise and a crimson hue crept into his eyes, voices echoed from all directions.

”Little Luo, this moment feels just like that day, doesn’t it?”

It was Qin Liangchen’s voice, and Luo Chen instinctively turned toward him, only to find him standing silently beside the wealthy merchant with his lips completely still.

Is this really the same?

The question surfaced from the depths of his heart just as Miao Wen’s voice followed. ”You’re a smart man. Let this matter end here.”

Luo Chen did not reply. Throughout his life, he had always been decisive, and every choice he made had been the correct one for that moment. Even if later events led to regrettable outcomes, that did not make the decision itself wrong. But if that was true, why was he allowing himself to become trapped by them now?

As the thought lingered in his mind, one familiar voice after another emerged from his memories.

”President, I’ll be waiting for you at Danxia Peak.”

”Fellow Daoist Luo, the future of the Li family will be in your hands.”

”Luo Chen...”

”Devil Lord Azure Yang...”

The whispers gradually grew louder until they crashed over him like rolling thunder and shook his divine soul. Then, above every other voice, Mi Shuhua’s words sounded once more. ”Luo Chen, are you willing to join the Alchemy Hall?”

Luo Chen slowly raised his head and met that gaze. For a long moment, he remained motionless. At last, he drew a deep breath and bowed slightly. The hostility in Mi Shuhua’s eyes instantly dissipated, replaced by hearty laughter. ”A wise man knows how to read the situation. Luo Chen, you’ll never regret the choice you make today.”

The booming laughter lingered for a moment before the surroundings fell silent once more. Luo Chen remained where he was, watching in silence as the last traces of the figure disappeared. A faint tremor ran through his body, not from hesitation, but from a realization that had finally settled in his heart.

Regrets? He had none.

If he had spent his life dwelling on past choices, he never would have reached where he stood today. Every decision he had made, whether noble or shameful, glorious or humiliating, had become a part of the path that brought him here. Even in the years when he had lowered his head before others and struggled through mud and hardship, he had never regretted his choices. No matter how high his cultivation rose or how magnificent the scenery before him became, it could never erase the fact that his journey had begun in the lowest places. Only by accepting that past, only by acknowledging the flaws and ugliness within himself, could he continue moving forward.

As that realization settled completely within his heart, the illusion collapsed. The moonlit town vanished, and the night scenery of Danxia Peak dissolved into nothingness. In its place remained only an endless sea of stars, with Luo Chen floating alone beneath the boundless expanse. He slowly let out a breath, and with that, he spat out a black Go stone that landed in his palm. The next moment, it crumbled into powder. The Woodrot Go Stone that had guarded him for so long had finally reached its limit.

Luo Chen was not surprised. The Woodrot Go Stone had already been damaged by the dark energy from the Ghost Immortal Tower, and the ordeal of the illusion had pushed it even closer to its limit. Yet after accompanying him for so many years, the treasure had not failed him. The bond forged through countless years of refinement allowed it to send one final warning while he was still trapped within the illusion. That warning came when the illusion recreated Miao Wen’s heart-probing encounter in Magnetic Essence Valley. Unlike the other voices around him, those words carried a faint inconsistency that caught his attention and gave him a moment of clarity. Because of that, he had been able to see through the illusion and make the right choice.

The path he had walked was the path that had brought him to success. What good would come from drowning in regret and trying to rewrite it all? Besides, could he truly have changed anything? Had he rejected Mi Shuhua’s recruitment offer and stubbornly clung to the pride of his youth, he would likely have died to the man’s schemes long ago. The same was true of many other choices.

Just as killing Mi Li had earned Miao Wen’s caution and created the opportunities that allowed his later rise. Rejecting Sima Huiniang might not have been the correct decision either. By sparing Yan Leizi, he had almost certainly planted the seeds of future revenge, and perhaps it had always been right to kill the man despite the threat of his father. And on Moon-Inviting Island, perhaps he should have killed Yan Nantian outright rather than keeping a future threat close at hand, or perhaps he shouldn’t have. There were countless possibilities and countless paths he could have taken, yet none of them truly mattered now.

”My conscience is clear. I’ve never regretted a single choice I’ve made!”

A faint smile appeared on Luo Chen’s face as he flicked away the black powder. It drifted into the endless sea of stars and disappeared without a trace. Only then did he turn his attention to examine his surroundings. The whole space was dark, and apart from the thousands of stars suspended high overhead, there was nothing else to be seen. Starlight cascaded down from above and bathed his body; earlier, it had seemed dim and lifeless, yet now, for some reason, it shone with dazzling brilliance. Luo Chen looked up at the stars, then lowered his gaze to the strands of starlight covering him, and fell into thought.

The illusion must be connected to these stars. It doesn’t lure people with temptation. Instead, it drags out the darkest parts of their hearts and forces people to face them. If someone can’t accept their own past and insists on changing what has already happened, there’s a good chance they’ll be trapped here forever. Damn... that’s some incredible technique. I can’t even begin to imagine how it was created...

Nodding in admiration, he then looked toward the wooden token hanging from his chest. Yet there was no sign of activity from within. Whether Han Zhan had deliberately concealed himself or had also fallen into the illusion, he could not tell. Looking around again, he found no trace of Ding Yi or Devil’s Cloud either. Only then did he realize that the three of them had likely become separated the moment they left the passageway and entered this place.

I wonder if we’ll still end up in the same place when we get out.

After a moment of thought, he stepped forward into the dark starry void. As he advanced, figures began to appear on either side of his path. Seductive demonesses in revealing attire stood alongside holy fairies draped in flowing white gauze, their every movement steeped in temptation. Some struck alluring poses, some let out moans, while others ran their delicate fingers across their graceful curves...

Again?

Luo Chen merely shook his head and continued onward. Such illusions might have shaken cultivators with weaker resolve, but they held little power over him. Throughout his life, he had experienced countless illusions. From the dreamscape induced by the Spirit Passage Pill to the Divine Ghost Heartmirror’s illusion and the darkness-filled illusion within the Ghost Immortal Tower, none of them had been easy to overcome. Yet it was precisely because he had endured so many trials that his resistance to such things had become extraordinary.

Even without the protection of the Woodrot Go Stone, his Dao Heart remained unaffected as he pressed forward. Along the way, the illusions constantly changed. The captivating beauties eventually transformed into tables laden with sumptuous delicacies. The mouthwatering scents drifted through the air, and heavenly melodies mixed with demonic chants filled his ears. One illusion gave way to another in an endless stream, targeting sight, hearing, smell, taste, and even the heart itself to exploit every weakness a person possessed.

Yet none of it could shake him. If anything, the experience only deepened his appreciation for this starry expanse. A single moment of weakness would be enough for someone to lose themselves here forever. Only those with an unshakable Dao Heart and the resolve to keep moving forward could pass through unaffected. What surprised him even more was how precisely the illusion’s strength had been calibrated. It was neither too weak nor overwhelmingly powerful. Instead, it matched his cultivation almost perfectly. Even someone like him, who possessed considerable attainments in ocular illusion arts, had nearly been caught by the earlier trial of the heart.

Whoever made this was on a completely different level!

With that thought, he quickened his pace. Ahead of him, streams of starlight converged into a road stretching through the darkness. Following its path, he soon spotted a radiant exit flickering among the stars. The moment it came into view, his spirits lifted. Leaving the countless temptations behind, he strode along the starry road and stepped directly into the glowing entrance.

***

”What the hell was that...”

Now inside a silent chamber, Luo Chen turned back toward the gateway through which he had entered. Three ancient words were carved above the doorway: Heaven of Oblivion.

So that starry illusion is called the Heaven of Oblivion?

After lingering on the inscription for a moment, he looked away and began examining the hall around him. It was an enormous stone chamber; the floor was covered with intricate formation patterns and streams of spirit energy pouring in from the formation lines infused the stone structure. Clearly, this was the source of the vortex passage. Anyone who crossed through the Heaven of Oblivion, traversed the Black Tortoise skeletal corridor, and survived the Sunken Sea would ultimately emerge into the Mountains and Seas Realm.

At the same time, the formation continuously drew in immense quantities of the ambient spirit energy. The concentration within the chamber was startling, reaching at least the fourth tier by Luo Chen’s estimation, or perhaps even higher. Typically, such a place would be an exceptional cultivation ground, but the spirit energy was anything but peaceful. The passage’s ceaseless operation kept it in a constant state of turbulence, making it unsuitable for most cultivators.

Fortunately, Luo Chen was not most cultivators. With his physique and the support of formations, he felt that he would be able to recover some of his strength here. The month-long journey through the Sunken Sea had placed a tremendous toll on him; despite relying on supreme-grade True Flame Pills throughout the trip, the Nascent Core within his body had still dimmed considerably.

Even so, he did not immediately begin his recovery. There were two matters he needed to settle first, and the foremost was checking on the person within the wood.

”Senior?”

A familiar voice came from within. ”I’m here.”

Seeing that Han Zhan appeared unharmed, Luo Chen relaxed slightly. He looked down at the wood and noticed that its glow had dimmed by nearly half, but he chose not to ask about it. The illusion had been far too strange, capable of exposing the darkest corners of a person’s heart. Matters of that nature were best left unspoken, and probing would be inappropriate.

With that, he turned his attention elsewhere and extended his divine consciousness into the two spirit beast pouches. ”How are the two of you?”

”Master, what do you mean?”

”Master, do you need our help?”

Black King and Heavenjade replied one after another, both sounding completely puzzled. Neither seemed to have encountered anything unusual.

Luo Chen frowned. ”You didn’t experience any illusions?”

Both of them denied it. That answer left him somewhat puzzled. Looking toward the Heaven of Oblivion, he sank into brief contemplation. Why had the two demonic beasts remained unaffected? Was it because they belonged to a different race or because being enslaved had altered their brains enough that the starry illusion no longer recognized them as independent beings? Several possibilities came to mind, yet there was no way to test them. Since the answer would not affect his immediate plans, he chose to set the matter aside.

Having confirmed that Han Zhan, Black King, and Heavenjade were all unharmed, he could finally focus on his own condition. He took out the Divine Seal Compass and set up the Surging Cloudmist Formation in a corner of the stone chamber. Once the formation was complete, he sat down cross-legged within it and entered meditation. The violent spirit energy seemed to find an outlet and surged toward him. He grunted slightly and forcibly began absorbing and refining it.

In the past, he would never have dared attempt something so reckless. But now, with a fourth-tier archaic beast’s physique, he believed he could withstand it.

The results quickly proved him right. As the turbulent spirit energy entered his body, it first passed through the crimson membrane condensed from origin energy. The impurities were stripped away before the energy flowed through his meridians, and as it circulated throughout his body, the violent fluctuations quieted down. By the time it reached his sea of qi, it had already become stable enough for use. Although the quality was inferior to mana refined through the normal cultivation techniques, that hardly mattered. He had no intention of channeling it into his Golden Core. Instead, its purpose was solely to replenish the reserves of his Nascent Core.

I’ll wait a bit longer. If they still don’t come out, I’ll leave on my own.

***

After waiting for half a day, Devil’s Cloud finally emerged from the gateway. Luo Chen dispersed the formation and stepped out, looking refreshed and full of vigor.

”Devil’s Cloud, are you alright?”

The man looked somewhat pale, but his eyes were brighter and clearer than ever. He nodded lightly. ”I’m fine.”

He then walked toward a corner of the hall and took out a shell-shaped enchanted treasure from his storage pouch. As mana flowed into it, the shell expanded.

”I need to meditate and recover my mana. I’ll have to trouble you to keep watch for me, Fellow Daoist.”

Luo Chen nodded and watched him step into the shell. Once it closed, the ambient spirit energy washed over its surface as wisps of spirit energy seeped through it and disappeared within.

What an interesting enchanted treasure. Then, he turned his attention back to the exit. Ding Yi is taking quite a long time.

With nothing else to do while waiting, he expanded his qi armor and began strolling through the stone chamber. Before long, he came to a stop beside one of the massive stone pillars. ”This architectural style... I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.”

He brushed his fingers across the relief carved into the pillar as he studied it closely. The carving depicted a three-headed demonic wolf. Though the colors had long since faded with age, its ferocious expression remained vivid enough to send a chill through the heart. Luo Chen had never encountered any record of such a beast in either the Eastern Wilderness or the Northern Sea. Thus, he asked, ”Senior, do you recognize this thing?”

Han Zhan’s voice slowly drifted out from within the wood. ”I don’t. I’ve never seen anything like it either. It doesn’t seem native to the Mountains and Seas Realm.”

Luo Chen looked across the place. The other stone pillars were similarly covered in relief carvings depicting all manner of strange beasts, each with its own unique appearance. ”What about the others?”

Han Zhan fell silent for a long while before finally replying, ”I don’t recognize those either.”

Even someone as knowledgeable as Han Zhan found them completely unfamiliar, which only deepened Luo Chen’s wariness of what lay ahead.

”A Void Refinement cultivator... The Land of Fallen Devils... The owner of this place was probably not even a native of the Mountains and Seas Realm...”

Just then, a flicker of light appeared within the exit. Luo Chen spun around at once and found himself staring directly into a pair of cunning and vicious eyes. The look lasted only an instant before confusion replaced it.

”Fellow Daoist Ding?” Luo Chen took a step back and called out softly.

Ding Yi stood there blankly for a moment, then suddenly clutched his head. His body trembled as a pained groan escaped his lips.

Luo Chen’s gaze sharpened. A faint sword cry began to resonate from the sword case on his back. But just as he was about to take action, Ding Yi seemed to regain control of himself. ”I’m fine. The illusion only injured my divine soul. The pain’s just a little hard to bear.”

As he spoke, he gestured for Luo Chen to stop, then made his way to a corner where the spirit energy was relatively weaker. There, he sat down cross-legged and began regulating his breathing. Luo Chen watched him silently, his brow slightly furrowed. The brief look from a second ago still lingered in his mind.

Whatever that was, it was not Ding Yi.

But there was little he could do about it now. Both Ding Yi and Devil’s Cloud needed time to recover, and with everyone finally gathered, the next step would be to enter the Land of Fallen Devils and search for the Five Elements Lotus. Since there was no reason to remain idle, Luo Chen decided to take a look at what lay beyond the chamber first. With that thought, he put the matter aside and walked toward the entrance. He reached out and firmly pulled open the great doors.

Whoosh!

A violent gale rushed inside, carrying the scent of rusted iron and a cutting aura.

Luo Chen stopped at the threshold as the scene beyond the doorway came into view. Towering mountain peaks rose into the clouds, each resembling a sharp blade emerging from the ground. They filled the horizon, their jagged silhouettes continuing as far as the eye could see.

”Is this really the lifeless Sunken Sea?” Luo Chen murmured in disbelief.