Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

”Friend, you seem deeply immersed in cultivation, perhaps you’ve forgotten what day it is recently.”

Fang Qingxue covered her mouth and laughed at Luo Chen’s curiosity.

Luo Chen was startled, then suddenly realized.

Unknowingly, a long time had passed since he entered the Annihilation Nine Rings.

Ten years in the Lower Three Rings, thirty years in the Sixth Ring, sixty years in the Fourth Ring.

In total, it’s been nearly a century!

And every hundred years, the Nine-layered Immortal Tower opens; it’s a time for the martial artists of the Annihilation Nine Rings to go out and relax, as well as a period for new martial artists to enter.

”I’ve indeed become somewhat absorbed and forgotten myself.” Luo Chen shook his head with a sigh and then said, ”Judging by the looks of you three, are you planning to go out together?”

Mu Bugui nodded and then said solemnly, ”Yes, we are planning to go out, but we may never return in the future.”

Luo Chen was puzzled.

At this moment, the four of them looked up in unison.

Amidst the vast chaos, an elusive figure gradually appeared overhead.

Fang Qingxue bowed and greeted, ”Ancestor!”

Gu Xun and Mu Bugui also bowed respectfully, ”Greetings to the Master of Wuyou Realm!”

Luo Chen could not be an exception. Although he hadn’t expected to meet the Master of Wuyou Realm in such a setting today, he had long been prepared for this day.

With both hands respectfully clasped, his tone was sincere.

”Luo Chen, greets the senior!”

The words contained heartfelt respect.

Not to mention the division of the Annihilation Nine Rings, providing a place for numerous martial artists to cultivate—just the Immortal Essence Stone sent by Fang Zhibai back then was enough to make him feel grateful.

The Master of Wuyou Realm slowly descended before the four, clad in a moon white cloud silk Daoist robe, with a green jade belt around his waist, and plain face Cloud Shoes on his feet.

His complexion was not astonishingly handsome, yet the smiling expression at the corner of his mouth resembled an ancient jade washed by spirit qi for many years, unmarred by a trace of worry.

He emitted no deliberate pressure, yet there was a serene and majestic presence about him. It seemed that where he stood was an invisible nexus on earth, even the rushing chaotic energy slowed its pace.

To the greetings of everyone, he casually waved his hand.

Then his gaze fell on Luo Chen, observing him for a moment, with a smile growing wider.

”Good! Though we met once before, I truly sense your grace and demeanor upon this meeting!”

Luo Chen humbly replied, ”Senior praises me too highly.”

The Master of Wuyou Realm waved his hand again, ”We are all either trapped in the Returning Ruins or unfortunate to drift here, as fellow persons fallen upon hard times. Why address me as a senior? If you like, you may call me friend, or simply learn from them and call me the Master of Wuyou Realm.”

Luo Chen hesitated for a moment and still called him Master of Wuyou Realm.

Regardless of the Immortal Cultivation World or the Great Destruction Realm, precedence is always given to those who have attained a higher level.

Facing a strong person with a realm and strength higher than his own, calling them friend made Luo Chen feel uneasy.

Master of Wuyou Realm is ultimately a title of respect.

After initially getting acquainted, Luo Chen couldn’t help but ask the previous question that had been weighing on his mind.

”Mu Daoist, what do you mean by going out and not returning?”

Mu Bugui hesitated, glancing at the Master of Wuyou Realm.

The Master of Wuyou Realm paced to the Wind Snow Pavilion, looking at the heavy snowfall outside, and first gave praise.

”Little Qingxue, your Martial Arts Divine Intent is becoming more powerful, and can now influence the Outer World.”

Martial Arts Divine Intent is born from a martial artist’s consciousness infecting lifebound Gang Qi, it could be called from top to bottom.

But after reaching the Human Immortal Realm, progress of Martial Arts Divine Intent goes from inside to outside, pervading via Gang Qi, capable of altering the surrounding phenomena, initially impacting the Outer World environment. When it reaches its limit, this consciousness will further nourish itself, transforming into the will of the Inner Heaven and Earth at a higher realm.

Fang Qingxue modestly replied, ”Ancestor, you overpraise me.”

The Master of Wuyou Realm sighed, ”When the epoch turns three hundred years from now, and the Destruction Mist descends, I suppose this Great Destruction Realm, this Returning Ruins, will be like this—everything blanketed in white, utterly clean!”

These words made even Luo Chen, who possessed excellent Qi Cultivation Technique, an unattainable Dao Heart of a cultivator, and a martial artist’s will honed a thousand times over, visibly change his expression.

”Three hundred years later!”

Even Gu Xun, who had been informed of some insider information, couldn’t help but mutter to himself at this moment.

”So close, so very close.”

Luo Chen suppressed the shock in his heart, unwillingly asking, ”Master of Wuyou Realm, is this information true?”

The Master of Wuyou Realm’s expression remained calm, ”More or less, according to my observations and calculations of the Gate of Annihilation’s three-thousand-year operational pattern. Moreover, that person from the Myriad Phenomena Star Sect in the Sea of Stars reached a similar conclusion by observing the heavenly phenomena.”

Luo Chen did not know the situation on the side of the Sea of Stars, but he believed that those who could stand on par with the Master of Wuyou Realm would never speak without foundation.

Since both had derived similar conclusions, although the timing might not be precise, it was at most a few hundred years.

He struggled to speak, ”So, Mu Daoist says that this time you won’t be returning after going out?”

The Master of Wuyou Realm nodded, ”He will follow me to find a way out.”

Luo Chen instinctively raised his head and looked upward, ”Isn’t it said that the spatial vortex known as the Gate of Annihilation could also potentially be a passage to the outside?”

”It is indeed a passage, but not one that you and I can traverse.” The Master of Wuyou Realm did not shy away and then asked, ”Luo Chen, do you know what precisely the Returning Ruins is?”

Luo Chen remained silent.

The Master of Wuyou Realm pursed his lips and spoke reflectively, ”The so-called Returning Ruins refers to a place where myriad rivers return to the sea, never full, with their outlet unknown and never depleted. It is the end of all things, where time and space cease.”

Luo Chen was at a loss.

The Master of Wuyou Realm further explained, ”It exists in every corner of the Endless Universe, yet exists in none. The concepts of time and space do not apply here. Our ability to linger here is merely because the Returning Ruins has not yet awakened.”