Eternal Cultivation Of Alchemy

Silvermist left the mountain sometime later with Pearl and Momo. Alex remained behind, but only for a while longer to discuss a few things with Rosemist.

“I won’t be returning until my next competition is over, which might take more than a decade,” Alex told her.

“That’s a short time. Come whenever you can. It’s not like I can leave this place,” Rosemist said.

Alex gave his farewell and left the mountain. Outside, he met up with his master and the rest, who were waiting for him.

“Are we ready to leave?” Silvermist asked.

“Let us return, Master.”

They flew back toward Rosefall City, from where they could teleport to the Threeflower Continent, and then from there to the Trueflame Continent.

“Your friend is quite the enigma,” Grimsight said on the way back. “I have never seen someone so… mysterious.”

“Did your eye fail you back there, Senior?” Alex asked.

Grimsight unconsciously reached for his eye. “Fail? I wouldn’t say so. I managed to see what she isn’t, at least. Something real.”

“What do you mean?” Alex asked, but Grimsight shook his head, refusing to answer. Alex didn’t press him further. Rosemist had already promised to tell him what a Child of Heaven was when the tournament was over and it was time for him to leave.

“By the way, can you see if I have anything similar to what Rosemist did, Senior?” Alex asked.

“Similar? In what regard?” Grimsight asked, his wrinkled face scrunching in confusion.

“I… don’t know. Just aura, maybe? Anything similar, really,” Alex said.

Grimsight stared at Alex intently for a while before shaking his head. “Not particularly, no. You two are about as similar in aura as any two random cultivators. That is to say, not at all.”

“I see,” Alex said. But then why had Rosemist mistaken him for one of those Child of Heaven?

There wasn’t much Alex could ask Grimsight without arousing suspicion, so he dropped the topic. He could uncover the answers on his own in time. For now, he needed to focus on other matters.

Half a day later, they arrived back in Silvermist City.

Momo was stunned to discover that the entire city was governed by the Silvermist Alchemy Court, of which her grandmaster was the head.

As they rode the carriage to the court, Alex looked around the city. “It’s only been a decade since we left, but it feels like it’s been forever,” he said.

“I don’t feel that way,” Silvermist said. “But then, I wasn’t running around the entire world trying to find ingredients, was I?”

Alex smiled.

They arrived at the massive court, where people began welcoming them warmly. This time, Alex didn’t have to hide as he entered. He could be seen by everyone in the court.

Cheers erupted as he walked in, scores of congratulations spreading all around him.

The old woman Nurei, who had managed the court in Silvermist’s absence, stood at the front, waiting for them.

She bowed slightly in greeting and then turned to Alex.

“You managed to surprise me, young man. Congratulations on your performance in the second competition. The entire court looks forward to your future achievements,” Nurei said.

“Thank you, Senior Nurei,” Alex replied.

“Let us keep moving,” Silvermist said. “We don’t want to keep our customers waiting.”

“Brother Silvermist, you should know you have a lot of—”

“We need to leave, Nurei. We can discuss matters later. My grand-disciple is tired from walking all day. She needs rest,” Silvermist interrupted and suddenly grabbed Alex and Momo, dragging them away.

“You can’t hide behind the youths, Brother Silvermist. Your work awaits you. You’ll need to face it sooner or later,” Nurei shouted after him.

Silvermist walked away too quickly to reply. He absolutely did not want to work.

They arrived at Silvermist’s mansion, where Alex found Momo a room near his own so he could help her whenever she needed. However, he would soon enter closed cultivation, so his assistance would be limited there. “You won’t be practicing alchemy during this period, I assume,” Silvermist said.

“Not much,” Alex said. “I’ll make a few pills occasionally to help my cauldron spirit grow. Maybe go gather some other treasures to feed it when I have the time. But other than that, I’ll focus on cultivation entirely. I need to reach the next realm within the next 9 years.”

“Hmm.” Silvermist fell into thought for a few moments before nodding. “I will make you the best cultivation pills. Focus only on cultivating during this time. As for Momo, she still has some time before breaking through to the Saint Realm. I believe slowing down her progression further will be beneficial for her, as well as help you catch up in your teaching as well.”

“She needs a strong foundation, not just a higher cultivation base. She may excel in alchemy, but she must learn about other things as well, things I fear you may have excluded from teaching her due to the situation” Silvermist said.

Alex thought for a moment. “I made an oath that no one but me is allowed to train her. But if she learns on her own, I don’t see why that can’t be permitted.”

“I’ll create those opportunities,” Silvermist said. “And for you, I’ll prepare the pills. Forget everything else for now and focus entirely on your cultivation base. Do not let distractions cloud your mind.”

“I know, Master. I won’t feed my Inner Demon,” Alex said. As he was in the transitory phase of breaking through to a new minor realm, the Inner Demon would challenge him for daring to attempt a break through.

“Immortal Origin Realm…” Silvermist mulled over the words. “It’s not the most important of realms moving forward, but it is the beginning of something important.”

“Starting in this realm, you should begin imbuing the aura of whatever you wish for your Creation to be into your Origin, you will form in your Spiritual sea. Make sure you decide what that Creation will be before you break through so everything else can be a whole lot easier.”