An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Over the course of a year, the western side of Dragon Abyss Island had transformed into a stretch of lush greenery. When a gentle breeze passed through the spirit fields, clusters of peculiar flowers swayed and fluttered like graceful birds dancing in the air. Their petals opened like the split tails of swallows, so vivid in their motion that they seemed ready to take flight at any moment.

These were the Divine Irises.

A figure in white moved through the sea of blossoms while forming hand seals, using a specialized technique to harvest the flowers one by one. Every movement was slow and delicate, as if even the slightest roughness might damage a petal. By the time he finished moving through the patch, twelve fourth-tier Divine Irises rested in his basket, while the remaining flowers, still only at the second or third tier, were left untouched to mature further.

Sang Jinghe waited outside the spirit fields. Only when Luo Chen came along the path with the freshly harvested flowers did he step forward and bow. ”Congratulations on the bountiful harvest!”

The Divine Iris in the basket shone brightly. Luo Chen looked at them for a moment, unable to keep the smile from his face, then gave Sang Jinghe an approving nod. ”You’ve done well. When these were first transplanted here, only eight had reached the fourth tier. After nine years in your care, four more have grown to that level. You really have helped me a great deal.”

Sang Jinghe seemed both flattered and taken aback, but he quickly lowered his head. ”I wouldn’t dare take the credit. This island simply has exceptionally fertile soil. It’s naturally suited for growing spirit plants...”

They continued along the narrow paths between the fields as they discussed Dragon Abyss Island. Since taking possession of this island, Luo Chen had spent nearly all his time cultivating within the abyss and had never truly explored the island itself. Most matters had been left in the hands of Heavenjade and Sang Jinghe. Now, listening to Sang Jinghe’s explanation, he gradually came to understand just how remarkable this place was.

The island’s rich environment stemmed from the abyss beneath it. Spirit energy gathered deep below and first permeated into the soil before slowly spreading outward. Over countless years, dragonworms had burrowed through the earth, loosening the soil while secreting mucus that further enriched it. Under this combined influence, nearly all the soil on the island had developed spiritual properties. There were at least seven types of fourth-tier spirit soil and around twenty-one varieties at the third tier, while the lower-tier soils were so many that they covered almost every corner of the island.

It was also precisely because each type of spirit soil possessed different properties that countless strange spirit plants and flowers had taken root here. Unfortunately, most of the more potent plants rarely had the chance to mature; the dragonworms living here would eat them long before they could fully develop. Even the three third-tier dragonworms Luo Chen encountered when he first entered the abyss had not reached that level through natural growth. After the Prime Dragon Fallen Abyss left, those low-tier dragonworms had forced a breakthrough by eating several high-tier spirit plants.

Even so, dragonworms were far from indiscriminate eaters and were surprisingly picky about what they would consume. Therefore, some plants had survived, and many were of remarkably high tier. Now, under Sang Jinghe’s careful tending, they were thriving even more.

As Sang Jinghe listed the plants one by one, Luo Chen gradually formed a clearer picture of the island’s resources. He compared each plant against the alchemical texts and alchemical formulas he had studied over the past year, and as the pieces came together, a set of medicinal ingredients that could assist Golden Core formation slowly took shape in his mind.

By the time Sang Jinghe finished speaking, his expression was full of both admiration and regret. ”This island truly is a blessed land. It may not be especially suited for people to cultivate directly, but if you look at it as a dedicated spirit garden, it’s valuable enough to make even upper sects fight over it. What a pity that the dragonworms don’t know how to grow spirit plants. They guarded this gem for thousands of years, but they never learned how to truly make use of it.”

Luo Chen listened with a smile, and in truth, he largely shared the same sentiment.

Back when the Luo Tian Sect had been based on Danxia Peak, pills and spirit plants had been its main business. In order to cultivate those plants, they had invested tremendous effort into improving its spirit fields. At one point, they had even imported Green-Scaled Dragon Fish from the Li family of the Qinhua River, using the fish droppings to enrich the soil. Even after all that, they had only managed to produce a fairly ordinary first-tier spirit soil. It was as different from Dragon Abyss Island as mud was from clouds. This place was truly a spirit plant paradise.

Faced with such resources, Luo Chen could not help but think ahead. He knew he would not remain here forever, yet the idea of leaving behind such a treasure felt wasteful. If he could fully refine the Penglai Eightspire Pavilion by then, he might be able to bring most of the spirit soil with him.

By the time their conversation drew to a close, they had already walked out of the Divine Iris garden.

Luo Chen looked at Sang Jinghe and said, ”Keep taking good care of the remaining Divine Irises. Don’t let anything happen to them.”

Sang Jinghe clasped his fist and bowed. ”Rest assured, Senior. I will.”

Luo Chen smiled. ”Also, prepare ten mature Golden Cotton Thornflowers, Duskbloom Fruit... and those five you mentioned earlier, and bring them to Emerald Ripple Pool.”

He did not explain what the plants were for, and Sang Jinghe was smart enough not to ask.

Just as they were about to part, Luo Chen added one more reminder. ”It’s good to focus on growing spirit plants, but don’t forget your own cultivation either.”

Sang Jinghe was caught off guard. He had been carefully groomed by Sang Jiugong as his successor, and his cultivation had never been lacking. If he had not already reached the ninth stage of Foundation Establishment, he would never have dared go alone to Purple Spirit Island.

Yet in Sang Jinghe’s view, his true worth to Devil Lord Azure Yang had always rested in his skill as a spirit botanist, leaving his cultivation to feel like something secondary. Thus, he had never expected Luo Chen to view him not as a subordinate but as a cultivator walking his own path. For a moment, an unexpected warmth rose in his chest.

***

Those who stood above others were often cold by nature, and because of that, even the smallest gesture of concern could leave a lasting impression. Luo Chen, however, gave no thought to what Sang Jinghe might be feeling. He simply rode along on the wind toward Emerald Ripple Pool with his bamboo basket.

When he passed Rosy Hill, his pace slowed almost without thought. Though it was a fairly high mountain, it certainly lived up to the other part of its name; its slopes were wrapped in drifting layers of cloud that cast a radiant pink glow over the landscape. Sensing the familiar presence waiting there, Luo Chen smiled faintly and turned toward it.

The moment he arrived, a magnificent view opened before him, causing his expression to brighten. Above him, the sky stretched clear and boundless, while the sea below spread as far as the eye could see. Clouds drifted across the hill like gauze ribbons, while flocks of birds traced slow arcs through the light. Luo Chen realized that after spending so long in the abyss, he had unknowingly accumulated quite a lot of tension in body and mind alike; now, he felt that tension ease with every breath.

Han Zhan sat beside a greenstone slab that served as a table, with a pot of fine wine already prepared. He gestured for Luo Chen to sit, then lifted his cup and took a slow sip, savoring the wine along with the fading rays of sunset.

Luo Chen settled across from him and let out a quiet breath. ”Senior, you really know how to enjoy life. Drinking wine, admiring the scenery, and passing the days without a single worry. Unlike me, stuck in that cold abyss all day, barely even seeing the sun.”

Han Zhan brushed off the complaint. ”I’m still getting used to this body. I can’t cultivate too intensely right now. Otherwise, do you think I wouldn’t rather be in seclusion? As for you...”

His gaze shifted to the bamboo basket beside the stone table. ”Earlier this year, you harvested all the mature fourth-tier Purple Monkey Flowers. And today, you personally came to gather the Divine Irises as well. Looks like refining the Nascent Soul Pill is finally on your schedule?”

Luo Chen smiled faintly. ”Nothing escapes you.”

After a short pause, he asked, ”Senior, do you still remember the promise you made me all those years ago?”

”What promise?”

Luo Chen was not annoyed that he had forgotten and replied, ”You once said that after I refined the Nascent Soul Pill, you would tell me about your own experience taking one.”

”Oh, that.” Han Zhan blinked in surprise before looking at Luo Chen with renewed interest. ”Sounds like you’re pretty confident in refining that Nascent Soul Pill. You’re already asking about what comes after.”

How could Luo Chen not be confident? With his current mastery in alchemy, refining low-tier pills was not much different from breathing, and even fourth-tier pills only required more patience and care. The Nascent Soul Pill might be very complicated to refine, but if necessary, he had his own means of ensuring success.

Seeing that his confidence was genuine, Han Zhan did not make him wait any longer. With the wine loosening his mood and the scenery setting the tone, he began to speak of his own experience.

”The Nascent Soul Pill I got came from the cave residence of an ancient cultivator. It was already very old, and a lot of its medicinal power had faded. Honestly, I almost failed because of that. Luckily, my foundation was solid enough. And with the extra Nascent Soul resources Skysail City gave me, I barely managed to succeed. I still remember it being incredibly spicy when I swallowed it. But once the pill started to take effect, its medicinal power was still shockingly concentrated. It didn’t enter my acupoints, and it didn’t stay in my meridians either. Instead, it rushed straight into my sea of qi. Once it got there, it didn’t disperse at all. It wrapped around my Golden Core completely, then slowly seeped into it...”