Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 39: We Rogue Cultivators Want to Stick Together to Keep Warm_i

Stepping into the East Wing Room, Luo Chen finally understood why his Reverse Room only cost the minimum of ten Spirit Stones per month. The space wasn’t vast, but it was well-planned.

The windows were placed in perfect positions for natural light.

And it was not as cold here at night.

In comparison to the warm and comfortable East Wing Room, his Reverse Room felt like a combined warehouse and ice cellar.

After feeling sorry for himself for a bit, Luo Chen blissfully sat down at the dining table.

Feng Xia glanced at him and set a bowl of Spirit Rice in front of him.

“Thank you, Sister Xia!”

Feng Xia replied, “No need to thank me, Xiu Xiu is treating.”

She hadn’t spoken before, but when she did, it sounded like the texture of sandpaper being rubbed together.

Luo Chen furrowed his brows and carefully asked, “Sister Xia, your voice…?”

“It’s been like this for a long time. Years ago, when I was testing medicines for the Hundred Herbs Pavilion, I accidentally consumed a poisonous herb. Although I received medical treatment, my voice could only recover to this extent.”

Bai Meiling sat nearby, her tone somewhat melancholic.

Only then did Luo Chen understand the reason.

The jobs at large companies were not easy either!

Despite being just one of the Medicine King Sect’s businesses, the operations within the Hundred Herbs Pavilion were often fraught with risks.

Jobs like Feng Xia’s, a medicine tester, paid well, but were tremendously risky. Common herbs, due to their growing environments and cohabitation with Demon Beasts, often developed unique mutations.

If these differences could be detected conventionally, that would be best. However, if they were undetectable, cultivators had to subject their own bodies to experimentation.

Feng Xia did this job.

Recently, things have improved slightly. The Hundred Herbs Pavilion in The Great River District hired a new medicine tester, so she started working on the deep processing of medicinal materials.

“What are you talking about? Why is the atmosphere so heavy?”

Fu Xiuxiu came over with a sizzling plate of meat.

“Try this, it’s the elbow meat of a Camel Scale Beast that I brought back from Shen Fu Pavilion. I wanted to let you all taste something fresh.”

After Bai Meiling told her what they were talking about, Fu Xiuxiu also sighed. “This is the life of us Rogue Cultivators. It’s either living day to day in the Outer City or being at the mercy of others in the Inner City. More lucrative jobs always involve paying huge prices.”

After hearing this, the faces of Bai Meiling and Feng Xia darkened.

But Luo Chen seemed rather indifferent.

Being at the mercy of others?

One had to have the capacity to be ordered around first.

Not to mention anything else, every young and beautiful female cultivator in places like Spirit Medicine Hall and Wanbao Pavilion was in charge of receptions.

The male cultivators were not even given the chance to be ordered around.

“Thus, it’s all the more important for us to help each other and stick together.” Fu Xiuxiu poured wine for everyone. When Bai Meiling tried to pour her own wine, Fu Xiuxiu stopped her.

“Living here means we’re all connected by fate. If we face difficulties in life or cultivation, we should try our best to help each other.”

“Xiao Luo, although you just moved in, with Senior Sun watching over us, we know there are no issues with your character.”

“From now on, we’re all one family.”

Having said that, she raised her wine cup.

Bai Meiling and Feng Xia also raised their cups.

Surprisingly, Luo Chen was taken aback.

Ever since he arrived in this world, he had only witnessed chaos and murders in the Outer City, as well as cultivators squabbling over cultivation resources in the marketplace.

Truthfully, it was somewhat brutal.

But it was exactly what he had expected from the Immortal Cultivation World. However, he didn’t expect such warmth within this small courtyard. Was this the Immortal Cultivation World version of joyful home life? He didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere and also raised his cup.

“Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

The clear and transparent wine had a smooth, non-irritating taste with a faint fruity aroma.

Fu Xiuxiu smiled lightly, “Eat up, don’t just sit there.”

Bai Meiling was the first to pick up her chopsticks. After tasting the stir-fried Demon Beast meat, she beamed so widely her eyes looked like crescent moons. “Sister Xiu Xiu makes the best meals!”

If it tastes good, eat more. Xiao Luo, don’t be shy. Eat as much as you want. There’s plenty of Spirit Rice in the pot.”

“Mmm!”

A soft spot in Luo Chen’s heart seemed to have been touched.

His eyelids lowered, and he scooped the rice a bit faster.

Upon seeing this, Fu Xiuxiu served him a piece of meat.

It s a shame the Qin family has gone to the Luo Yun Sect. When they come back, Xiao Hu will probably be gone for a while.”

“Yeah, Xiao Hu is just twelve years old and has Dual Spirit Roots in gold and water. He’s innocent and the type of disciple the Great Sects love.” Bai Meiling said.

Living here for some days, Luo Chen had learned about the family living in the West Wing Room.

Parents Qin Liangchen and Duanmu Qinglian were both at the Ninth Level Qi Refinement.

Their son Xiao Hu, also named Qin Yuanjiang, was smart and clever. From a young age, he received careful upbringing from Qin Liangchen’s couple. Various medical baths and Spirit Medicine were arranged every month. At eight years old, Xiao Hu was found to have Dual Spirit Roots in gold and water.

They had considered applying for the Yu Ding Sword Sect, but it would be ten years before the Sect would open its doors to accept new disciples.

Out of necessity and to not disrupt the optimal time for cultivation, Qin Liangchen and his wife brought him to register at the Luo Yun Sect of the Yu Ding Realm.

This is a great sect, with the supreme elder Han Zhan, possessing the rank of Nascent Soul.

In other words, this sect had unlimited potential.

Just to add to the conversation, Luo Chen chimed in.

Sister Caiyi is not here, she does love to enjoy good food.”

However, after saying this, Fu Xiuxiu visibly furrowed her brows.

But she quickly smoothed out her face, shaking her head.

“Gu Caiyi follows a different schedule from us, so we rarely meet.”

Luo Chen blinked and nodded, choosing not to say anything further.

Issues between women can be very troublesome.

After the meal, Fu Xiuxiu brought out some fruits and pastries, and they all enjoyed a tea party under the moonlight in the courtyard.

Everyone freely shared many stories.

They talked about how the businesses of the six major sects in the Inner City have been doing recently, and how some small sects in the Yu Ding Realm have been suffering in the marketplace.

They discussed last year’s joint auction, where a cultivator who managed to obtain a treasured item was hunted for a year, and only recently returned to The Great River District. The issue between him and the Yu Ding Sword Pavilion, the auction’s host, was brought up.

He claimed that the people from the Yu Ding Sword Pavilion exposed his information, putting him in danger.

The people of the Yu Ding Sword Pavilion naturally denied it, invoking the influence of the Yu Ding Sword Sect, and the accusing cultivator was forced to retreat in frustration and shame.

They also mentioned the news of Fu Xiuxiu becoming the manager of the Shen Fu Pavilion and having the possibility of joining the external sect of Shen Fu Sect.

Once successful, she would no longer be a rogue cultivator without roots.

Even if she leaves The Great River District to make a living somewhere else, she would have a stronger standing.

Everyone else in the courtyard was envious of this situation.

All of them wanted to join a large sect – once let in, the benefits and treatment would be fantastic.

Among other things, external disciples can return to the sect every ten years and enjoy a free year of cultivation in second order spirit vein sites. This is the most anticipated benefit.

The tea party didn’t last long.

By the time the moon was midway through the sky, everyone cozily retired to their rooms to rest.

After all, Bai Meiling and the others had to work the next day.

“Put it here, put it here.”

“Everyone, have some water!”

“Thank you, Steward Liu, here are five spirit stones, please count them…”

Both men laughed.

There’s no need to count five spirit stones, it’s plain to see.

After storing the spirit stones and chatting with Luo Chen for a while, Steward

Liu left the courtyard with a few cultivators from the early stage of Qi Refinement.

Luo Chen looked at the mountainous pile of bricks and stones, nodding in satisfaction.

The Cloud Sand Bricks for walling, the premium Stream White Stone that can specially insulate heat, along with a batch of highly adhesive sulfur soil, his pill room construction could finally start.

Without any hesitation, Luo Chen rolled up his sleeves and began moving bricks into his own room.

By noon, he had already begun laying down Stream White Stone in a plot of land partitioned off in the Reverse Room.

Fu Xiuxiu had woken up in the morning and brought out many potted plants from her room, placing them where they could bask in the sun.

She would occasionally prune the branches and occasionally add spiritual fertilizer.

After greeting the busy Luo Chen, she did not disturb him further.

By midday, Luo Chen looked at the Pill Room that was beginning to take shape, feeling a strong sense of accomplishment.

Finally, I m a pill refiner who has his own workspace!”

Seeing the content and proud Luo Chen, Fu Xiuxiu smiled and said, “Xiao Luo, you are definitely going to be a famous pill refinement grandmaster known in all six realms in the future!”

Luo Chen chuckled, “Of course, I am a pill refinement prodigy!”

“Do you want to have lunch together? We still have some leftover dishes from yesterday.”

“Wouldn’t that be… well, if you insist, then I will gladly accept!”

Their midday meal was therefore, shared between the two of them.

Fu Xiuxiu was a very gentle woman and her experiences were vast. She often readily provided answers to Luo Chen’s doubts concerning his cultivation. This was a feeling Luo Chen had never experienced with Elder Chen, Wang Yuan, or even Gu Caiyi.

In Fu Xiuxiu’s own words, she had also attempted to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage.

But, without the assistance of a Foundation Establishment Pill, the only result

for rogue cultivators like her was failure.

Since then, she had given up on any extravagant hopes of Foundation Establishment.

Even her usual cultivation was only out of habit developed over many years.

“I’ve enjoyed two meals prepared by Sister Xiu Xiu, I feel a bit embarrassed. How about I wash the dishes!”

Fu Xiuxiu waved Luo Chen’s hand away, “Men should not do these kinds of tasks, let me handle it!”

Luo Chen, picking his teeth, stood at the kitchen door, watching Fu Xiuxiu wearing an apron and washing dishes by the sink.

He was almost moved to tears.

In his previous life, as a true-blooded man from Chuan Yu, he could never enjoy such treatment.

The only girlfriend he ever had always claimed herself as a “laborer on the Shu Road Mountain”.

“Sister Xiu Xiu, do you usually stay at the Shen Fu Pavilion?”

Hmm, there are rooms equipped there for managers with a small Qi gathering array, suitable for our cultivation.”

“I see you have many plants here that prefer the sun. Keeping them indoors while feeding them spiritual fertilizer may not be the best.”

Luo Chen made a suggestion, “How about leaving them outside? I can help take care of them when I’m free.”

He certainly wasn’t coveting the one pot of Moonlight Grass, which is known for its calming and soul-stabilizing properties.

Having placed the dishes on the rack, Fu Xiuxiu thought for a moment before nodding.

“I’ll have to trouble you, then..”