An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

The Ten Decisive Duels were scheduled over five days. Two matches were held per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, on the arena personally built by a Sage.

As afternoon approached, the hastily repaired platform welcomed the sixth match.

The fighter on Yao Mingyue’s side was Min Longyu, who had always been among her supporters in the Luo Tian Sect. He was also known as Thunderfall Architect, and had risen to fame for his feat of killing five same-realm opponents with a single lightning formation when he first reached Foundation Establishment. More than a century had passed since, and Thunderfall Architect’s cultivation had progressed much further—he was now at the Golden Core Realm! He was still the foremost formation master of the Luo Tian Sect, and was renowned even in Skypiercing Pass.

His opponent was Hong Ling, whom Prime Scholar had personally invited to help his cause. Though this woman had many titles, the one that best described her consisted of just two simple words: ”sword cultivator.”

Everyone eagerly looked forward to this duel, which was strange considering its course had been predetermined from the start.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Countless threads of sword light filled the platform from all directions, weaving a fine net above it. Under their onslaught, Min Longyu’s attacks crumbled, and his meticulously prepared offensive formation was torn to shreds. He could only keep to a defensive formation, desperately holding on.

”You are no match for me, kid! Back when I sparred with your Supreme Elder, you hadn’t even formed your Golden Core. Why struggle when you know you can’t win? If you insist on being so delusional, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

The woman’s sharp voice echoed from all around Long Minyu. Her overwhelming sword force not once showed any signs of weakening; instead, it grew stronger by the second, hitting his protective barrier like a storm beating a small boat.

Clenching his teeth, the gray-haired man channeled his mana to prevent his defensive formation from being breached. However, the effort was pushing him toward his mental and physical limits. Seeing that his opponent had gained the complete upper hand, he made a last-resort decision and took out a formation disc from his bosom pocket.

But just then, a shout came from below the platform. ”We concede!”

The momentum of the sword force stopped at once, and all the threads converged into a pill that flew into Hong Ling’s mouth. Before she left the platform, however, she glanced at the unactivated formation disc in Min Longyu’s hand with visible apprehension.

An angry Min Longyu stepped down from the arena and looked at Gu Caiyi. ”I want an explanation!”

”You can’t die up there,” Gu Caiyi said with perfect equanimity.

”And why is that? Li Yingzhang could risk damage that can cause his cultivation to regress, all to defeat his opponent, so why can’t I? Do you have so little trust in me?!” Min Longyu’s face was contorted with rage. His fists clenched so tightly that the fingers dug into his palms, causing blood to drip.

He was prepared to risk everything in this duel. In fact, he had been ready to sacrifice all the blood essence in him to activate his life-bound treasure, this very formation disc, with the goal to drag his enemy into mutual destruction!

”Hong Ling is a powerhouse of her generation. As she said, she was even able to contend against my husband once. Your specialty is formations, which require planning and constructing in advance. This arena is just not your battlefield. There’s no shame in losing to her.”

”Who cares about shame?! That’s not the issue here at all!”

Gu Caiyi didn’t want to argue with him in public, so she just threw a ”We’ll continue this later” and led the group away. But the post-battle discussions didn’t stop after the Luo Tian Sect members left; instead, they grew even more heated.

”This is the fourth, right?”

”Yeah. After Dragon Fiend’s victory, some people thought they still had some hope, but this is the end of that If they lose two more matches, the control over the Luo Tian Sect will go to Prime Scholar, and the sect will be as good as gone at that point; the Five Elements Divine Sect will certainly gobble it up. Even in the scenario that this contest ends in a tie, the Windflower Palace won’t be able to keep protecting the Luo Tian Sect under the joint pressure of the Five Elements Divine Sect and Skyscraper Cliff.”

”They had a good start with Li Yingzhang winning the first duel. It’s a pity things went downhill so hard for them after that.”

”What’s there to pity? We all know it’d turn out like this. Prime Scholar has the backing of two upper sects, and those two sects can dispatch experts of the fallen sects under them to help him. How could the Luo Tian Sect win when it’s entirely on its own?”

”That’s right, the Luo Tian Sect already lost the moment they decided to hold the duels. It’s just a matter of going through the motions because the others need to leave the Windflower Palace some face.”

”Either way, Yuan Wang is definitely going on stage tomorrow. His match is the one I look forward to the most!”

”Same here. Everyone is betting big on the final result, but they all choose the same side so there’s no profit in that. I, on the other hand, will put my money on Wang Yuan’s duel tomorrow. I will go against the popular opinion and bet that he’ll lose, so if it comes true, I can make a massive profit!”

”Heh, Wang Yuan, losing? In your dreams, maybe!”

”Yeah, in your dreams!”

The name of Battle Devil Wang Yuan had become more and more famous in the past century, and that fame had been forged in fire and quenched in blood.

He had protected the Luo Tian Sect’s members while they killed their way out of the Howling Moon Mountains. Later, he had broken into a sect’s estate all by himself and killed a former ally who had turned traitor, all while being attacked by the full force of said sect. This was an absolutely incredible feat, but it did not compare to what followed. Not long ago, when the frontline human cultivators were in complete disarray, he had gone all out and managed to hold back a fourth-tier Demon Emperor! Even though he had only delayed that foe for a few moments, it drew the world’s attention.

A Sage in Skypiercing Pass had even taken the initiative to befriend Wang Yuan and invited him to a drink, which was uncharacteristic for someone at a higher cultivation.

Suffice to say, unless his opponent was a Sage, no one could fathom how someone like that could ever lose.

***

Leading their group, Gu Caiyi and Wang Yuan walked briskly through Skypiercing Pass. Their destination was not the Luo Tian Sect’s base in the Windflower Domain, but an inn in the city where they had rented rooms.

Walking among the other members, Min Longyu felt eyes frequently falling on him. His face flushed red with shame. Gradually, however, he realized that they weren’t mocking or questioning gazes, but simply the expression of concern from his fellow disciples. He slowly came to understand why Gu Caiyi hadn’t allowed him to risk his life. Leaving aside whether he could really drag such a powerful opponent to death, his death would be an irredeemable loss for the Luo Tian Sect!

In recent years, his formations had been a major reason why the Luo Tian Sect was able to preserve most of its force after so many narrow brushes with death. It was also a major reason for his fellow disciples being able to maintain their cultivation levels in spite of this drifting lifestyle. If the Luo Tian Sect were to continue its turbulent journey in the future, it could afford to lose anyone except Wang Yuan and himself. They were the pillars of the sect.

When he understood that, he stopped wallowing in self-pity. Upon arriving at the inn, he walked up to Gu Caiyi and apologized, ”I’m sorry, my tone was harsh earlier.”

Gu Caiyi forced a smile. ”It couldn’t be better that you’ve figured it out for yourself, Junior Brother.”

Most of the Luo Tian Sect members used to be rogue cultivators, and its Adepts did not all have the same master. Yet even though they had known each other long before the Luo Tian Sect was even a sect, they still addressed each other as fellow disciples. This demonstrated how tight-knit they were. Because Gu Caiyi had formed her Golden Core before Min Longyu, she rightfully referred to him as her junior brother.

Min Longyu sighed. ”I know it’s a good thing that I live, but we’ve already lost four matches. What should we do about this?”

These words further dampened everyone’s spirits.

”Let’s talk inside,” Wang Yuan said calmly and entered the inn, leading everyone with his tall, broad, and steady figure.

His reaction reassured the group, and they filed into the inn. Shortly after, most of the high-ranking members qualified to participate in the Luo Tian Sect’s important affairs had gathered in a room. Gu Caiyi was not here; she had gone off somewhere. Li Yingzhang, after narrowly defeating his enemy in the first duel through a fierce struggle, had been sent back to the sect to recover from his serious injuries.

In the room, Min Longyu was carefully checking the formation he had set up to prevent external spying. Wang Yuan was taking a short rest on a chair with his eyes closed, while his disciple, Dragon Fiend, stood behind him. The other three Adepts present were Chu Kui, Fu Jiusheng, and Yang Pingdu.

Chu Kui wore a look of shame.”It’s my fault. I could have won the second match.”

Fu Jiusheng shook his head. ”No, don’t blame yourself. None of Sima Wenjie’s helpers are weak, not to mention how well he knows our strengths and weaknesses. If Junior Brother Li hadn’t kept his physique a secret, we wouldn’t even have won the first match.”

Li Yingzhang, formerly a cultivator of the Li family of Qinhua River, had kept a low profile since joining the Luo Tian Sect. Few fellow members knew he possessed a special physique called the Ninefold Winding Body, which gave him stronger mana than his peers since Qi Refinement.

By all rights, a trait so formidable would have become very obvious after he reached Foundation Establishment, but the trajectory of things had deviated after the battle at Thundernet Mountains left him severely injured. The damage to his foundation had been beyond repair by the time Luo Chen came to rescue him, and Li Yingzhang had become even more reclusive afterward.

Thus, few knew he had overcome that hardship by pouring a great deal of energy into the Fine Dust Primordial Art. Beating everyone else to it, he had mastered the art and later used it to advance to Golden Core. With the support of his Ninefold Winding Body and the Fine Dust Primordial Art, he had cultivated his mana to a volume unimaginable to ordinary cultivators. Therefore, against an opponent whose cultivation was higher than his, Li Yingzhang had been able to employ a relentless style, expending mana like it cost him nothing until he drove the enemy into the ground.

However, their side had proceeded to lose the three following duels. Chu Kui had underestimated his opponent; Fu Jiusheng had been effectively countered at every turn; Yang Pingdu, who had only joined the Luo Tian Sect for a short time, was simply weaker than his opponent. If Dragon Fiend hadn’t resolutely severed his emotional ties in the fifth match, the name of the sect might have already changed by now.

As Chu Kui felt so guilty that he didn’t dare look at Wang Yuan and Dragon Fiend, footsteps sounded outside. Everyone looked up to see Gu Caiyi push open the door.

Chu Kui anxiously asked, ”How is the old master doing?”

He was referring to the former sect master, Sima Huiniang.

Gu Caiyi opened her mouth, paused, and then sighed. ”She’s able to fight, but she wants to wait until the last duel.”

Yang Pingdu frowned. ”We have already lost four out of six matches. With our membership, I don’t even think we have enough competent fighters to make it to the tenth match; how can we afford to have people stay out of this?”

”Even if we can’t win, we must fight, one way or another!” declared Gu Caiyi, her brows standing up in an angry expression. The disgust in her deepened as she remembered Sima Wenjie’s smug look earlier. ”I’ll fight tomorrow. I’d like to see how that bastard will handle me!”

Right then, however, Wang Yuan slowly opened his eyes. ”No, you can’t. You’re not the right person for this.”

”Huh?” Gu Caiyi didn’t understand.

Wang Yuan calmly continued, ”Unless absolutely necessary, neither you nor Junior Sister Sima may intervene.”

Gu Caiyi was puzzled. ”Well, Huiniang is the former sect leader and also Sima Wenjie’s sister, so I can understand why she isn’t a good candidate. It’s already ridiculous that we have a conflict of this level within the sect; if we have a fight between family members, it’ll be an outright farce. But what do I have to worry about?”

”What I mean is, you’re both his Dao companions!”

This one sentence from Wang Yuan conveyed his point all too clearly.

Gu Caiyi’s face turned red and then white. She sprang up from her seat and pointed at him, so angry that she couldn’t find the words to say it for a long time.

Dragon Fiend suggested in a low voice, ”You can leave this to us juniors. If all else fails, we will just ask Fairy Ruthless for help.”

Gu Caiyi objected, ”She’s not a member of our sect. What if she betrays us at the last minute?”

Dragon Fiend didn’t know what to say to that.

Wang Yuan knocked on the table. Once he had gotten everyone’s attention, he said seriously, ”Tomorrow’s matches are of utmost importance. I will go in the morning and win the first one, so whatever happens, we will have a ninth match. As for the afternoon match, I have already summoned Qin Yuanjiang, and he will be coming over. Whether he wins or loses, my win will have already made sure that we last to the fifth day...”

Wang Yuan looked straight at Gu Caiyi at this part. ”If we have no one suitable left at that point, it will be your turn.”

Qin Yuanjiang was a trustworthy man. His father, Qin Liangchen, was a good friend of Luo Chen. After the Falling Cloud Sect’s destruction, Qin Yuanjiang had brought his gravely injured mother, Murong Qinglian, to seek refuge with the Luo Tian Sect. Although his mother had later succumbed to her injuries and died, he had still stayed with the sect.

”I have no doubt about Yuanjiang’s loyalty, but his strength is another thing...” Gu Caiyi had some reservations, mainly because Qin Yuanjiang hadn’t formed his Golden Core too long before. She was inclined to fight the afternoon match herself.

If she and Wang Yuan both won tomorrow, then the contest was guaranteed to be dragged to the last match, which was especially important since Sima Huiniang had decided to fight. Before coming to this meeting, she had talked to Sima Huiniang and learned that the latter had completely made up her mind to purge the malignant tumor from the sect, even if that tumor was her own younger brother.

Wang Yuan, however, still disagreed with Gu Caiyi’s arrangement. Just as the two were at an impasse, there was a knock on the door.

Has Qin Yuanjiang arrived already?

While this question crossed everyone’s mind, Min Longyu went to open the door, revealing a man and a woman who were both smiling at them.

The man’s face was weathered, and his features showed a natural inclination toward melancholy, but his smile was still as bright as it had been when he was young. ”Seniors, Martial Uncle Wang, sorry I’m late.”

Everyone stood up in unison, looking at the newcomers in surprise.

Gu Caiyi was startled for a good moment before she strode toward the man and grabbed his arm. ”Lingjun, shouldn’t you be at Windflower Palace? What are you doing here?”

Qu Lingjun shook his head. ”How can I sit still when our sect is in trouble? I owe the Luo Tian Sect too much, especially over these last few years. It’s time I did my part.”

If these words had been said decades ago, the people here would have believed Qu Lingjun, but now, after everything he had done, no one would think he owed them anything. The Luo Tian Sect’s ability to produce so many Adepts in recent years was not solely due to their own hard work and Luo Chen’s secret technique for Golden Core formation; Qu Lingjun’s covert support had played a big role as well.

A prime example was when they had just fled to the Windflower Domain; unlike other forces who had to struggle and fight local powers for a place to settle down, the Luo Tian Sect had been immediately provided a territory with a third-tier spirit vein by the Windflower Palace. This was clear evidence of Qu Lingjun’s involvement. He was definitely not the type to forget his roots after assuming a high position.

Despite that, Gu Caiyi was both amused and exasperated by his declaration. ”You’re only at the sixth stage of Foundation Establishment. You can’t possibly think we’ll let you fight, right?”

With a smile, Qu Lingjun pointed to the strikingly beautiful woman next to him and said proudly, ”I certainly am no master brawler, but my wife can handle herself!”

The woman nodded. ”My name is Meng Qin’er. Greetings, everyone!”

As she introduced herself, an aura carrying the pressure of the Golden Core Realm slowly emerged.