An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Coilhorse: Resembles a horse combined with a serpent. It has four legs and its body is covered in scales. It possesses 12 major tendons and 96 minor tendons, corresponding to the number of the Lesser Heavenly Cycle...

Hornkin: Single-horned humanoid. The horn can gather the power of wind and lightning, and the Hornkin is exceptionally ferocious in combat...

Oddeye: Also known as the Strange-Eyed Race. It has a single eye in central position, with three abilities: petrification, spatial restraint, and soul capture. Legend claims that the Oddeye Race carries the bloodline of the Torch Dragon[1], one of the three ancient devils of the devil realm. They are otherwise weak but one must never meet its eye directly. Its body has 1,800 sealed apertures. Once all are opened, it achieves a Devil Body and awakens the Devil Eye...

Soulnets...

Just as Luo Chen had expected, the bamboo scrolls in the third trial’s study contained far more than information about medicinal herbs. Many recorded the various races of the devil realm, and some even included illustrations. The drawings were little more than a few simple strokes, yet each possessed an uncanny sense of life. Looking at them, Luo Chen could almost believe that the devils depicted on the bamboo might step free at any moment.

The illustrations were not the only remarkable part. The calligraphy on these bamboo scrolls was equally extraordinary and contained a special power. Even when Luo Chen did not recognize the characters, their meaning entered his mind as soon as he looked at them. If Heaven Refiner had personally written these bamboo scrolls, then their attainments were truly beyond imagination.

Half a year passed as Luo Chen studied the records, and the devil realm gradually became clearer to him. Although he had never set foot there, he now knew that a single realm was home to more than a thousand devil races, each vastly different from the next. Some had grotesque forms, while others possessed an almost striking beauty. Their innate abilities varied just as greatly, and their bodily structures were even more complex. Because of this, pills that suited one race might be useless, or even harmful, to another.

Heh. When I first saw the question, I thought I only needed to refine a few physique-refinement pills and the trial would be easy to pass. But after reading all this, I can see that I was wrong. The question only looks simple at first glance.

The third trial truly revolved around the simplest kind of physique-refinement pills, yet what it demanded were pills with broad applicability. They had to be suitable for most devil races, allowing them to strengthen their bodies, establish a solid foundation, and take a step toward the True Devil Realm that countless devils longed to reach. Seen from that perspective, the trial was anything but simple. What seemed like an ordinary pill was, in fact, the most demanding kind of trial.

”Seems like I got ahead of myself.”

Luo Chen set down the bamboo scroll and began pacing through the study. He had already considered many possible formulas, but none seemed right. Some were too specialized and could only benefit one or two races. Others were useful to a wider range of devils, but their medicinal potency was too weak to meet the trial’s standards. Hence, there was little point in spending a great deal of effort on such formulas that would only earn a poor evaluation.

At that moment, Luo Chen caught the faint smell of something burning. He turned toward the alchemy room just as its doors swung open and a plume of black smoke poured out. The Seagon Matriarch[2] emerged a moment later, her robes blackened with soot and her appearance thoroughly disheveled.

Another attempt had failed.

Luo Chen could not help but smile. Over the past half year, how many times had she failed? Seventy? Eighty? Perhaps more than a hundred, if he counted the attempts he had not witnessed himself.

The Seagon Matriarch immediately noticed his amusement, and her expression darkened. She gave a cold snort and turned to return to the alchemy room, but Luo Chen stopped her before she could enter. ”Fellow Daoist, there’s only so much one person can figure out alone. Why don’t you show me the formula you’ve worked out, and we can discuss it together?”

She gave him an insincere smile. ”Then I suppose I should thank you for your generosity?”

Luo Chen waved a hand. ”There’s no need for thanks. We cultivate the same Dao, and it’s only natural for us to help each other.”

He then pointed at himself with a proud grin. ”Besides, I’ve already passed two trials in a row. With my alchemical skill, giving you a little guidance shouldn’t be difficult.”

The Seagon Matriarch’s expression darkened further. ”Has no one taught you to respect your elders and care for the young? Even if you have no manners, you should at least know that the more accomplished person deserves precedence. Come back and lecture me once you have truly surpassed me. Hmph!”

With another cold snort, she turned and disappeared into the alchemy room. Once the doors closed behind her, Luo Chen’s smile slowly faded.

It was a pity. He had hoped to learn from her research and avoid the mistakes she had already made. Still, he had chosen to provoke her just after another failed attempt, so his words should have left some mark on her. As long as they had affected her, that was enough.

”Next, I need to simplify the problem. I should start by developing a basic physique-refinement pill that will work for most devil races.”

Luo Chen flicked his sleeve, dispersing the burning smell from the air, and closed the doors of the study behind him.

***

”Failed again? How? Devils and demons clearly share many physical traits, so why does this formula keep failing?”

Inside the alchemy room, the Seagon Matriarch stared at the remains of the failed refinement and questioned herself again and again. She did not believe the failure stemmed from her skill. As a grandmaster alchemist, refining a low-tier pill from a formula she had devised herself should have been one of the simplest things she could do. Since the refinement had failed, the flaw could only lie in the formula.

”Could Abysssink Grass be too domineering?”

She rubbed a pinch of black ash between her fingers as she considered the possibility. After a long while, she set the ash aside and decided to return to the study. The bamboo scrolls had to contain something she had overlooked. Otherwise, she would never find the answer.

Creak...

The study door was pushed open. The Seagon Matriarch had barely stepped inside when her expression changed. For the past half year, Luo Chen had spent his time moving from shelf to shelf, reading one bamboo scroll after another. Now, however, he sat at the desk beside the window, his brush moving steadily as he wrote out alchemical formulas. The sight made her heart sink.

So fast? There’s a mountain of scrolls, yet he finished them all in only half a year? And now he has already started working out an alchemical formula...

Recalling the confidence the man had displayed and his overwhelming feat of breaking through the first two trials at such speed, her fingers slowly curled into fists.

I can’t see through his cultivation. He wasn’t respectful to me, but he wasn’t arrogant either. He’s probably a Sage as well. But his alchemy, especially his ability to devise formulas... How is he so good at it? Could he be from some upper sect? Or perhaps a direct inheritor of a Holy Land? If that’s the case, then this will be troublesome.

She wandered among the rows of bookshelves, but her gaze kept drifting toward Luo Chen. He remained at the desk by the window, bent over his work as though he had not even noticed her.

Humans had always surpassed demons in alchemy. The Sea Cape clan was renowned for its ability to identify spirit herbs, but its alchemical inheritance was limited. In her early years, she had hunted down countless human cultivators for their alchemy texts. She had even risked entering human territory, attending grand alchemy gatherings, and exchanging insights with renowned alchemists. Only through such effort had she reached her current level. Yet no matter how much effort she had invested, her foundation could not compare to those great sects and Holy Lands, whose inheritances had accumulated over thousands, even tens of thousands of years. If this man passed the third trial before her, then this entire journey would have been for nothing.

At that thought, her expression darkened even further. It’s all that bastard Liu Jun’s fault. If he was willing to give me the alchemy books he obtained from the devil sect, how could I have ended up struggling every step of the way like this? If I obtain this alchemy inheritance, then fine. But if I fail, the friendship between the Sea Cape clan and the merfolk—At this point,the Seagon Matriarch’s thought process abruptly stalled. What’s wrong with me?

Suddenly, she looked toward the window and found Luo Chen watching her in silence. Their gazes met for only an instant before both looked away. Only then did she understand what had happened, and she cursed under her breath. Despicable!

***

No matter how dishonorable one’s schemes might be or how despicable their approach might be, neither had anything to do with their attainments in a craft. For Luo Chen, a pure heart and utter sincerity were not equal to goodness. They spoke only of depth of devotion to a particular Dao.

After more than a century of study, countless refinements, and endless successes and failures, Luo Chen had built an exceptionally solid foundation in alchemy. He had not mastered the full inheritance of every school he had encountered, but he had learned enough from each to form an understanding of his own. In the third trial, that foundation became his greatest advantage.

Over the following year and a half, he had devised dozens of formulas for pills that could temper devil physiques. As he continued studying the records of the devil races, he gradually came to understand how their cultivation differed from that of humans and demons. Humans refined blood qi, while demons used spirit energy to temper their bodies. Devils, however, followed a path closer to that of archaic beasts. They placed the body above all else, pursuing strength through extreme effort, though their approach still drew upon certain traits shared by both humans and demons.

All in all, for devils, the body came first and qi second.

Once he understood that, his research gained a clear direction. A pill intended for devils could not rely on delicate balance or mild medicinal effects. Its power had to surge through the body with enough force to drive it beyond its limits, forcing it to adapt and become stronger under the strain. The supporting ingredients therefore needed to be potent, while the primary ingredients had to be stronger still. Only a formula built around such fierce medicinal power could suit devil cultivators. Since they were born with physiques far stronger than those of humans or demons, there was no need to weaken the formula merely to preserve stability.

Following this line of thought, Luo Chen discarded most of his formulas and kept only nine. Among those nine, most focused on flesh, muscle, and bone, while only one or two concerned blood and acupoints. He then gathered herbs from the surrounding area and processed them himself. As he worked with the ingredients, he eliminated another six formulas, leaving only the three most simple and straightforward designs. After confirming them through the system, he had completed every necessary preparation. All that remained was the actual refinement.

Throughout this process, the Seagon Matriarch observed from the sidelines. She naturally saw that every herb Luo Chen gathered possessed violent and explosive medicinal potency, and the sight only deepened her doubts and disdain.

He’s ignoring which ingredients should take priority and which should support them. He‘s not even trying to balance their conflicting properties... Have I overestimated him?

Even so, she did not neglect her own work. She had spent three years overcoming the first trial and another year clearing the second, but the third trial had already consumed three more years. It was time to test the formula she had developed. After all her effort, she was certain that this attempt would succeed.

The alchemy room of the third trial had always been hers to use. Luo Chen had never stepped inside even once. After three years and countless failures, success might very well come with the next attempt. Once more, the demoness began refining pills.

Three months later, the same demoness stood before the blazing red furnace with bloodshot eyes. As she watched the flames within, the feeling that success was close at hand grew stronger and stronger.

This time, I’ll succeed. I’ll pass this trial no matter what. As for that brat outside, refining pills in a makeshift hut, he would once again be left far behind. He only began refining pills three months ago. He has barely started going through trial and error, while the gap between us is still quite large. Earlier, I let his tricks shake my state of mind. But this time, I am the one ahead. It should be his turn to lose his composure.

At that thought, a satisfied smile spread across her face. Yet before that smile could fully form, a weak voice echoed through the air. ”Three low-grade third-tier pills detected. One is capable of helping low-tier devil races temper their flesh. The second one aids them in tempering their bones and marrow. The third purifies and strengthens their blood. Evaluation: Outstanding. Result: Passed.”

BBBOOOOOOMM!

Inside the alchemy room, the furnace exploded. The demoness no longer cared about her unfinished refinement. She swept her sleeve, flung open the door, and rushed outside. In her sight, a brilliant pillar of light enveloped the crimson-robed Daoist, warping the surrounding space until it seemed ready to collapse.

Luo Chen glanced at the white-haired demoness, whose bloodshot eyes were wide with disbelief, then gave her a slight nod. ”Fellow Daoist, I shall take my leave first.”

As soon as he spoke, the pillar of light vanished, taking him with it. The Seagon Matriarch stood frozen before the empty space he had left behind. Her entire body trembled as disbelief slowly twisted her expression. At first, she only muttered to herself, but her voice rose until it became a shout. ”HOW’S THIS POSSIBLE?! How did he manage to refine the right pills in so little time? Third-tier pills... Their medicinal potency should be far too strong for low-tier devil races to withstand. There’s no way they can endure that! No... nooo, that’s impossible!”

No one answered her. Before leaving, Luo Chen had looked at her with a very calm gaze, as though he had never regarded her as a rival competing for the alchemy inheritance. That indifference humiliated her more deeply than open contempt, and the state of mind she had only just steadied began to unravel once again.

***

When the next day arrived, Luo Chen sat in meditation and drew the dense spirit energy around him into his body. His Golden Core revolved steadily as he thought back to the trial he had just passed.

As expected, the third trial had not been the last. A fourth followed immediately after it, and there were probably more to come. Still, he had never expected the alchemy inheritance of a Monarch to be simple. No matter how many trials lay ahead, he only needed to keep moving forward one step at a time.

The third trial had also made the difference between him and the Seagon Matriarch impossible to ignore. Although she was an alchemy grandmaster, Luo Chen’s years of physique refinement experience had allowed him to grasp the problem more quickly. The system had then helped him identify suitable formulas with far greater efficiency, while his achievement points had given him Beginner mastery of the refinement techniques he needed. With those advantages combined, he had produced his first batch of pills after only three months of work.

Such rapid progress had undoubtedly dealt the demoness a heavy blow. Even so, Luo Chen could sense that she was drawing closer and closer to success. His earlier actions had disturbed her state of mind, but their effect would not last much longer. If he wanted to stay ahead, he would have to work even harder.

A faint smile had just appeared on his face when his expression sharpened at the voice ringing through his mind like the tolling of a great bell. Devils envy the adaptability of demons. Demons admire the intelligence of humans. Humans covet the purity of devils. The myriad beings born of heaven and earth each have their own strengths. Those who wish to attain the Dao through alchemy must shatter the limitations separating devils, demons, and humans. Refine three pills: the Devil Transformation Pill, Demon Transformation Pill, and Human Transformation Pill. The formulas are as follows...

Luo Chen remained still as the meaning of the trial settled in his mind. This time, it was no longer testing his understanding of alchemical principles. It was testing whether he could truly refine pills.

1. 烛龙 (zhú lóng) is a mythical crimson, human-faced serpent from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, associated with light, darkness, and the passage of day and night. It is often depicted as a being whose eyes, when opened or closed, bring day and night. ☜

2. We initially rendered this term as Sky Matron Sea Cape due to a very ambiguous term and a lack of details on part of the author. We have since found some details, so we decided on the made-up word Seagon to render the term 海角 (hǎijiǎo, meaning ”cape, promontory), where 海 is ”sea” and 角 is ”horn” but also ”angle, point”—hence the -gon suffix, like ”polygon.” ☜