Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 1664: Chapter 612

”Lu Shanjun, do you truly wish to nitpick over this?”

”I have been the master of this place for ten years. If Quyang Island experiences even the slightest mishap, it might not affect you much, but I must bear the responsibility. Tell me, how could I not take this seriously?”

As Luo Chen entered the great hall, the first sounds he heard were these argumentative voices.

He hadn’t expected that just a group of foreign cultivators would provoke such fury from two Golden Core cultivators.

At the same time, he vaguely sensed from their conversation that this Sang Jiugong likely took advantage of his position to profit illicitly.

The young elites from various sects fleeing to Divine Yuan City might not have overly advanced cultivation realms, but they were undoubtedly wealthy.

It seemed Sang Jiugong had managed to rake in quite a substantial gain from them.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be at such odds with Lu Shanjun of the Golden Core Stage Fifth Level.

As the atmosphere between the two descended to an icy point, Sang Jiugong’s face appeared visibly livid, yet suddenly he turned his gaze toward Luo Chen.

On his ashen face, he forcibly squeezed out a smile.

”This must be Qingyang Zi, the Master of Peng Lake. I am but an old man, Sang Jiugong, offering my respects.”

A smiling face often defuses tension.

Luo Chen returned the courtesy, saying, ”Indeed, it is I. Daoist Sang, there is no need for such ceremony.”

Meanwhile, Lu Shanjun’s face showed astonishment.

She had already heard of Qingyang Zi’s reputation. He was moderately famous at the Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering as a Tool Casting Crafter. Five years ago, he rented Eight Hundred Li Penghu, stirring quite a bit of discussion at the time.

Others viewed him as being both wealthy and possessing profound cultivation, with vague ties to the rumored identity of Demon King Qingyang.

This was precisely why, upon seeing him, she had proposed conducting Sound Transmission Talisman business.

She even had plans to foster a deeper connection and expand into more talisman-related trades with him.

But seeing Sang Jiugong act so respectfully caught her off guard.

After all, despite Sang Jiugong’s relatively modest cultivation—only at the Fourth layer of Golden Core—his advanced age and vast experience made him a noteworthy figure at the Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering.

Typically, when meeting other Golden Core cultivators, he would use his seniority to assert dominance.

Yet before Qingyang Zi, he was unexpectedly ”humble.”

Sang Jiugong smiled faintly and said, ”How could courtesy be excessive? Daoist’s deeds at Peng Lake, driving Huangfu Song to retreat in the face of difficulties... Such capabilities warrant any amount of respect.”

Driving Huangfu Song to retreat?

What was this about?

Lu Shanjun furrowed her brows slightly; she realized she must have missed some significant news from the Hidden Dragon Mountain Range due to her premature assignment.

And Huangfu Song... that was a Great Cultivator at the Seventh Level of Golden Core!

For Qingyang Zi to force such an individual into a retreat?

As the two continued their increasingly amicable conversation, Lu Shanjun gave a slight cough. Once they ceased speaking, she coldly interjected:

”Let us first discuss how to handle the batch of cultivators Sang Jiugong brought here! Their backgrounds are complicated, with most belonging to other Nascent Soul forces. Keeping them on Quyang Island is ultimately a hidden peril.”

Sang Jiugong’s wrinkled face scrunched tight in response.

”The people I brought here won’t be sent back with their tails between their legs.”

”You!”

Sang Jiugong turned toward Luo Chen and said, ”Qingyang Zi, you’re a reasonable man. Perhaps you could offer an opinion on who is right and who is wrong here.”

Luo Chen felt helpless; how was he meant to weigh in?

Anything he said would offend one party, and he wasn’t foolish enough to do so.

After some thought, Luo Chen calmly stated, ”This matter boils down to a lack of proper justification. The question of right or wrong isn’t significant; solving the problem is what truly matters. In my opinion, granting them temporary status as independent cultivators associated with the Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering would suffice.”

”This... has no precedent!” Lu Shanjun hesitated briefly before ultimately rejecting Luo Chen’s suggestion.

Luo Chen chuckled, ”It’s simply the ordinary independent cultivator status that they themselves can apply for. It’s not like we’re granting them something as formal as the Star-Rated Monster Hunter identity registered with the Demon Hunter Bureau. Besides, their true intention is to head toward the first defensive line to hunt demon beasts and temper themselves. Urging them to the defensive line would resolve the issue, wouldn’t it?”

His suggestion was essentially to offload the problem.

Lu Shanjun furrowed her brows, contemplating the proposal.

Seeing her soften slightly, Sang Jiugong seized the opportunity and said, ”Qingyang Zi’s point is most valid. I’ve even heard that demon beasts are becoming increasingly common at the first defensive line, and manpower there is stretched thin. With this group of Foundation Establishment True Cultivators joining, it could alleviate some of the Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering’s pressure. Isn’t this a perfect solution, Lu Shanjun?”

After deliberating for a while, Lu Shanjun eventually nodded slowly.

”Three days!”

”Three days at most, and they must leave Quyang Island.”

”Elder Sang, I hope you won’t put me in an unworkable position.”

Sigh...

Sang Jiugong let out a breath of relief, made his assurances, and then expressed his gratitude to Luo Chen before leaving the great hall.

After his departure, Lu Shanjun let out a clearly audible sigh.

”That Sang Jiugong, always relentlessly scheming and shuttling between the Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering and Divine Yuan City. He has none of the carefree spirit of our cultivator peers.”

Luo Chen chuckled lightly, ”Even us carefree wanderers are constrained by duties, sitting idly on Quyang Island for years on end.”

”It’s different.”

Lu Shanjun shook her head and said, ”Sang Jiugong is an aging man whose cultivation breakthrough is hopeless. He wants to leave behind a legacy before he passes on. Yet he fears the forces he builds will draw the covetous eyes of others, so he works tirelessly to build connections.”

”I see...”

Luo Chen appeared contemplative.

In just a few short years at the Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering, he had already encountered three rogue cultivators attempting to establish forces.

Yet their goals were all distinct.

One was Zhang Jiadi and his wife, who created a clan to protect their child, Zhang Jingqing.

Another was Huangfu Song, who sought to resurrect the Great Zhou Dynasty, though his ambitions hit a roadblock when clashing with Luo Chen early on.

As for Sang Jiugong, his ceaseless maneuvering, initially seeming like greed for profit, turned out to be for the sake of leaving behind a legacy so that his successors would continue his work.