Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

”Thank you for your guidance, senior brother.”

Luo Chen politely said, then set foot alone on those nine hundred and ninety-nine Green Jade Stairs.

The Su Ling Sect disciple watched as Luo Chen’s figure gradually disappeared into the mist, a trace of sighing emotion appeared on his face.

With such outstanding talent, other sects would never bear to send someone like him as a spy. It seems he must have a clean background.

This third trial is likely just a formality, similar to the second one.

Once he joins Su Ling Sect and receives the cultivation resources of the sect, it will be like a dragon entering the sea.

Though I may currently be at a higher realm than him, it won’t be long before he surpasses me.

Earlier I was so polite, just to avoid making an enemy of him.

Hopefully, when he achieves fame and success in the future, he’ll remember the little kindness of guiding him today, even just recognizing my face would be good.

...

Contrary to that disciple’s thoughts, the third trial was the real test for Luo Chen!

Heart Inquiry Road!

What heart to inquire?

For a rogue cultivator, it’s to inquire about the Dao Heart, to clarify one’s true heart, and from then on solidify the path of cultivation.

But for someone like Luo Chen with hidden intentions, it’s to probe into his ulterior motives.

He ultimately had never experienced the Heart Inquiry Road and didn’t know its intensity.

If he appeared too weak, perhaps he’d truly become trapped within it.

If he appeared too strong, revealing a Divine Soul comparable to the Late Nascent Soul Stage, that would be the most troublesome.

For this reason, during the three days of waiting, Luo Chen painstakingly split off a weak fragment of his soul.

Its strength was roughly at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

This was truly delicate work for him; even though he had many past experiences of soul splitting, it still took significant effort.

It was just too weak.

And within the soul fragment, he infused a thread of Martial Arts Divine Intent to ensure he did not truly lose his true heart.

”I hope everything goes smoothly!”

Luo Chen took a deep breath and truly stepped onto the Heart Inquiry Road.

...

Above the nine hundred and ninety-nine Green Jade Stairs, a grand and imposing palace stood atop the mountain.

Outside the palace, cultivators stood densely.

Inside the palace, a beautiful woman sat cross-legged.

An extraordinarily beautiful palace-dressed lady sat at the center of an array, her gaze fixed on a water mirror before her.

In the shimmering waters, the image of a young man with a handsome and sharp visage emerged.

As he took each step up the stairs, his Divine Soul began to sway intensely.

Scenes hidden within the depths of his memories naturally manifested in the water mirror.

This was not a soul-searching technique, but an induced frequency formed by the combination of a magic item, an array, and guided by the Divine Consciousness of a Nascent Soul True Master.

Without soul searching, merely using external force to entice, causing one to reveal the darkest secrets within their heart.

Thus, it can explore the true thoughts of the rogue cultivators in the Spiritual Assembly while avoiding damage to their Divine Soul Endowments, ensuring it does not affect future cultivation.

The blue water mirror rippled with light and shadow.

Scene after scene arose spontaneously.

In an instant, a shocking hatred flickered out.

”Hmm? Why is there such a strong hatred?”

In her puzzlement, the palace-dressed lady saw within the layers of illusion, flying beasts rampaged, descending into a small town, mercilessly slaughtering mortals.

Among them, a young boy resisted and ultimately escaped with his life.

Later he diligently cultivated, determined for revenge.

The palace-dressed lady realized and recalled the information left in the rogue cultivator record.

Hailing from Luoxia Town near the Sunset Plain.

That place indeed has the possibility of lower order demon beast attacks.

And across from Sunset Plain is the territory of the Sky Phoenix Clan, teeming with flying feathered demons.

”So that’s how it is!”

”Though a heart of hatred is undesirable, it can serve as a significant motivational source for cultivation.”

”I never expected this young man had such a tragic past.”

With a light chuckle, the palace-dressed lady gently swept her hand over the water mirror, and the rippling surface suddenly calmed.

Meanwhile.

On the Heart Inquiry Road, Luo Chen calmed himself from a daze.

A hint of surprise flashed across his lowered face.

He didn’t expect Su Ling Sect’s Heart Inquiry Road to be so intricate.

It’s not an illusion realm nor a forced soul-searching; rather, it uses a special soul vibration frequency to actively guide the person to recall the most hidden matters in their memory.

At that moment, the weak soul fragment he had split was truly stirred.

It revealed a deeply concealed hatred!

Hatred toward Qi Xia Emperor!

Fortunately, he was prepared and had planted a thread of Martial Arts Divine Intent within, causing the body’s instinctive resistance to awaken the soul fragment, thus displaying the pre-arranged scene of demon beasts harming people.

This also made Luo Chen vigilant.

Mystic Realm’s techniques are vastly different from those of the Mountain Sea Realm!

Even Divine Soul attacks are played with such tricks.

And besides being vigilant, Luo Chen inexplicably missed that indescribable feeling he had just now.

This was the first time he placed Martial Arts Divine Intent and Soul Divine Thought together. Although they didn’t merge, the cooperation between the two provided him with an experience he never had before.

Divine Will, Divine Perception.

The intent comes before the thought, representing the purest physical instinct.

The thought arises from awareness, a soul’s correct feedback to its understanding of the outer world.

Neither is superior to the other.

Physical instinct is quicker but not necessarily correct.

Divine perception often seeks benefits and avoids harm, yet it can react a beat slower.

”If I could achieve unity of thought...”

Inexplicably, this idea emerged in Luo Chen’s mind.

”Xuan Luo, are you alright?”

Unbeknownst to him, Luo Chen had already walked past the nine hundred ninety-nine steps of the Green Jade Stairs and traversed the Heart Inquiry Road.

Beside him stood Liu Muchan, looking concerned.

Seeing his dazed state, she explained, ”This Heart Inquiry Road is a technique the Sect Master acquired from the demon race remnants of the Tianyuan Daoist Sect. It’s being used for the first time, not yet perfected, so hopefully, it hasn’t affected you too much.”

Luo Chen blinked, ”What is a demon race remnant?”

Liu Muchan paused, then chided, ”You still have time to worry about that!”

”Oh, I’m fine, just recalling some unpleasant memories momentarily,” Luo Chen reassured.

Liu Muchan nodded; she was roughly aware of the Heart Inquiry Road’s circumstances and then smiled.

”Congratulations on passing the third test of the Heart Inquiry Road. You’ll be a disciple of the Su Ling Sect from now on.”

”External Sect or Inner Sect?”

”You sure are well-informed! The specific allocation must wait until the Spiritual Assembly concludes. For now, wait outside the hall!”

Seeing Luo Chen was fine, Liu Muchan arranged for him to wait aside while she went to greet the subsequent rogue cultivators who passed the test.

Luo Chen had no objections.

He found a spot outside the palace where he could view the Heart Inquiry Road below, leaning against the railing.

Though he appeared to focus on the rogue cultivators attempting the third test below, his mind was constantly recalling the fleeting, wondrous sensation he had earlier.

The high unity of body and soul, the seamless merger of divine will and divine perception.

In that state, he even felt a sense of omnipotence.

If he could grasp that feeling...

Luo Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly.

...

Due to the advancement to Refining Void Power, this year’s Spiritual Assembly saw many more participants than before!

Thus, its duration differed from usual.

From beginning to end, it lasted nearly half a month.

During this time, strong figures from the Su Ling Sect occasionally came to observe.

And the number of people outside the mountaintop palace grew ever larger.

Later on, it exceeded a thousand!

Though these numbers were insignificant compared to the tens of thousands attending the assembly, recruiting over a thousand disciples at once was indeed considered a grand opening of the sect’s gates.

Luo Chen was regretful; he didn’t see Huang Yuanhua among the final group.

The latter had failed.

His Dao Heart was not firm when attempting the third test, stopping him from progressing.

He was escorted away midway.

It was actually foreseen.

Huang Yuanhua’s prior performance wasn’t particularly impressive.

Though his early-stage Foundation Establishment realm was higher than many Qi Refinement Stage rogue cultivators present.

Ultimately, there isn’t much difference in Dao Heart between the Qi Refinement Stage and Foundation Establishment Stage; the actual difference in realms comes down solely to cultivation time and resource allocation.

And for the Su Ling Sect, these are least important.

Fortunately, Luo Chen and Huang Yuanhua had exchanged contact details, so there might be opportunities for future encounters.

When Wan Jiu Zhang announced the official conclusion of this year’s Spiritual Assembly, the doors of the Heart Inquiry Hall finally opened.

A graceful figure walked out amidst the disciples’ salutes.

The thousand rogue cultivators... or rather, thousand Su Ling Sect disciples, loudly acclaimed, ”Greetings True Master!”

Luo Chen was among them and stood in the front row.

He still had time to secretly observe the other.

This woman was indeed remarkable; maintaining the Heart Inquiry Road alone for ten days without showing fatigue suggested her Divine Soul Endowment was profound.

Just as he was observing, a pair of bright, water-like eyes met his.

Yaoxi True Master slightly opened her red lips.

”Xuan Luo!”