Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

”In other aspects, if Senior has any requests, feel free to let me know, and I will certainly do my utmost to fulfill them.”

Luo Chen looked at the beautiful attendant and nodded slightly, then took a seat in a prominent position at the center of the hall.

As soon as he sat down, he immediately drew many eyes upon him.

Although it was an exchange meeting, the seating arrangement was clearly based on each individual’s strength and status.

Luo Chen was just a recently emerged strong individual, yet he was placed in such a prestigious seat, highlighting the importance the Evil Mountain Stiff Alliance placed on him.

Even Bei Puti was only as highly regarded as him.

One must know that Bei Puti not only possessed formidable personal strength but also held the position of Left Envoy of the Luo Sect.

He had the backing of a grand sect in Southern Border with thousands of years of heritage, while Luo Chen achieved such a status purely through his personal prowess.

Who would dare to underestimate him?

Hardly had he sat down when Bei Puti couldn’t resist striking up a conversation.

”Friend Qi, earlier you almost mistook me, saying that I somewhat resembled someone you know. Who might that be, and where is he now?”

Only realizing now?

Or perhaps, having investigated behind the scenes, you’ve now come to inquire about the situation?

Luo Chen said nonchalantly, ”That person’s real name is unknown; fellow cultivators from the North Sea only referred to him as Nan Qi Old Ghost, whose Qi Power aura indeed bears some resemblance to you, Friend Bei.”

”Nan Qi Old Ghost...” Bei Puti muttered the name softly, his eyes growing brighter. ”Has he indeed escaped to the North Sea?”

He wanted to ask more, but Luo Chen had already begun conversing with the Purple Robe Marquis beside him.

Seeing this, he thought it unwise to interrupt, attributing Purple Robe Marquis’s behavior to lack of manners.

Indeed, the Purple Robe Marquis wasn’t particularly courteous.

Having just engaged with Luo Chen, he eagerly asked, ”Qitian, I’ve heard you primarily practice Body Refinement Techniques. Coincidentally, I’ve also dabbled in some Body Refinement doctrines. When we have time, shall we spar a bit to validate our practices?”

Luo Chen smirked, ”The Songyang Alliance Leader just mentioned that no fighting is allowed at Mi Realm Mountain. Are you thinking of defying the leader’s orders?”

The Purple Robe Marquis waved it off, ”No big deal, a full-blown fight is, of course, out of the question. But if we were to spar a bit in my Cave Mansion, who would have anything to say?”

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, and without hesitation, agreed.

”I also wish to see the achievements of Southern Border Practitioners in the Body Refining Technique!”

The Purple Robe Marquis was pleased, ”Then you’ve found the right person. The path of Body Refinement has long declined in the Southern Border. If it weren’t for the benefit of my cultivation, I wouldn’t have also pursued this path. But even so, I am confident that my body refining skills are not inferior to those of orthodox Body Refiners.”

With just a few exchanges, the two swapped letter poison.

Luo Chen’s letter poison was the most common Gu Pigeon.

He had specially obtained and refined it from Master Ming Lei before leaving Wind and Thunder Gorge.

Southern Border Practitioners are not accustomed to using Sound Transmission Jade Pendants for communication, and using Flying Sword Letters is limited by distance.

In contrast, various letter gu, which had some Spirit Intelligence and could travel long distances, became widely circulated.

The Gu Pigeon was one of the most common and widely spread.

Besides these, there were some unique and special letter gu.

For instance, the exchange from the Purple Robe Marquis to Luo Chen was surprisingly a Purple Blood Mosquito adorned with flashing mysterious spots.

The Purple Robe Marquis hadn’t expected Luo Chen to be so straightforward, readily agreeing to the spar.

But soon, he realized the reason behind Luo Chen’s candidness.

”Do you desire the high-level Body Refining Technique I couldn’t trade out last time?”

As he spoke, he instinctively glanced toward the secluded corner where Master Ming Lei was.

The last private gathering, it seemed that fellow was indeed there, introduced by the Lantern Master.

Then, he frowned, ”That high-level Body Refining Technique is extremely challenging to cultivate and entails significant risks. I wouldn’t recommend you take it up, Friend.”

”Oh?” Luo Chen chuckled, ”You’ve taken it out to sell, yet you don’t recommend it?”

The Purple Robe Marquis shrugged, ”It’s not mine, just helping someone handle it in exchange for usable resources. If you genuinely want it, we can talk later privately when we’re free.”

”Alright!”

Luo Chen promptly agreed.

Meanwhile, the lecture in the hall commenced.

The first speaker wasn’t the Evil Mountain Stiff Alliance Leader, but Master Li Tian from the Moon Worship Sect!

He was the most renowned Gu Refiner in Southern Border in the last five hundred years.

Even when the Gate of Life and Death had not closed its doors, they often invited him to exchange ideas on Gu Refining.

In the Southern Border Cultivation World, he was genuinely revered by all.

Countless strong individuals prided themselves on possessing Gu Insects personally refined by him.

Now, as he lectured personally, everyone set aside their distractions, listening intently.

Even Luo Chen, with the belief that ’a stone from another mountain can polish jade,’ listened earnestly.

At the head of the hall, the crane-haired, childlike-faced, kind-looking Master Li Tian sat on a mat, with sandalwood incense curling in front of him, reminiscent of an Immortal lecturing.

His clear voice flowed from his mouth, subtly refreshing, enlightening minds like a baptism of wisdom.

”In our cultivation, it is no more than Refining Qi into Soul and Refining God and Returning to Void.”

”Yet while the Great Dao Path is one, these roads differ considerably.”

”As with us in the Southern Border, we have forged a distinct path using Gu Insects, different from the Gu Cultivator practices of the Four Continents.”

”You all have cultivated to the Nascent Soul Realm, and I presume you have some understanding of Gu Insects. However, upon my observation, I find many of you, more often than not, merely seek the strength of Gu Insects, without understanding their essence. Thus, you often know the ’what’ but not the ’why’ of it, and your cultivation becomes a swallowing whole. While your realm elevates quickly, you remain ignorant of the truth.”

”That’s why among the true experts of Southern Border, there are few prodigies in the Nascent Soul Stage who grasp the Law’s True Intent!”

His words resonated in a gentle flow, and the already focused cultivators in the hall became even more attentive in their concentration.

Even Luo Chen couldn’t help nodding silently.

In his view, though the Southern Border Practitioners were quite mysterious, with rather peculiar means,

when it comes to actual combat power, it wasn’t necessarily any more formidable compared to the same rank of practitioners from the other Four Continents.

Even throughout his journey, he hadn’t encountered a single person who had early insights into the true nature of the Law.

This alone made it evident that Southern Border Practitioners used Gu Insects as auxiliary cultivation methods, a shortcut but difficult to integrate with the Dao of God Transformation!

He didn’t believe there weren’t exceptionally gifted individuals in Southern Border, yet the straightforward result was telling.

Even at the Gate of Life and Death, there is only one Divine Transformation Great Power, far from being comparable to the three Ancestors of the North Sea Primordial Demon Sect. Not to mention that the Dark Abyss Sect also has three Divine Transformation Ancestors. And talking about the Tianyuan Daoist Sect, it alone has six Divine Transformation Great Powers.

The only issue may lie in this practice of using Gu Insects as an aid for cultivation.

Now, the most formidable Gu Refiner in the Southern Border, Master Li Tian, had laid this problem plainly on the table.

Does he have a solution?

As everyone awaited eagerly, Master Li Tian elaborated boldly.

”Gu Insects are but auxiliary tools for cultivation and enlightenment of the Dao. How could a true Dao be comprehended through reliance on tools?”

”Through years of refining, nurturing, and utilizing Gu, I gradually discovered that even Gu Insects are creations of nature’s Great Dao.”

”To regard them merely as tools is to disregard the Dao.”

”Therefore, from my perspective, it is essential to fully understand the nature of one’s Gu Insects and cultivate Life and Spirit Dual Cultivation for both oneself and one’s Gu Insects in order to truly approach the Dao and comprehend that legendary Law’s True Intent.”

”As for how to discern, integrate, and cultivate them inseparably, I have a few insights to share as references.”

...

In a side hall.

Luo Chen waited quietly.

After half a stick of incense burned, the sound of footsteps came from outside the hall.

He stood up immediately, cupping his hands in respect to Purple Robe Marquis and Master Li Tian who pushed the door open and entered.

”Qitian greets Master Li Tian!”

The kind-looking Master Li Tian smiled slightly and teased, ”My name is Li Tian, but you are Qitian; doesn’t that go against the grain?”

Luo Chen hurriedly replied, ”It’s just a mere name, nothing taboo about it.”

”Haha!”

Master Li Tian laughed heartily, then turned serious.

”I heard from Purple Robe Marquis that you wish to acquire my ’Hundred Poison Body Refining Technique’?”