Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: The thing you did is not that big, kid_1

The sky was high and limitless, the wind gentle, and the water still.

On a big ship, Wang Haichao, the Gang Leader of the Great Lake Gang, stood at the bow, listening to the reports from his subordinates.

”Last night, we attacked the Broken Mountain Gang’s seven strongholds in the Outer City area. Our gains were vast!”

”One hide of a Second Order Demon Beast, over a thousand lower grade Spirit Materials, and tens of thousands of Spirit Stones.”

”The gains of our brothers are not included in this. As per your instructions, whoever seized something gets to keep it.”

”Gang Leader, we made a fortune this time!”

Without turning his head, Wang Haichao responded, ”Just minor skirmishes. Our only achievement was to draw their attention to the mountains, thereby gaining these benefits.”

As he sighed in indifference, he slapped the handrail.

”Xiao Gao, what were our casualties yesterday night?”

The subordinate named Xiao Gao was indeed not tall. Short and stocky, he looked fiercely aggressive.

His black outfit accentuated his muscular arms.

”The injuries were minor. Only a few dozen gang members at the fourth and fifth stages of Qi Refinement died. No one above the seventh stage of Qi Refinement even suffered serious injuries. Oh, Ding Yilong was a bit unlucky. He ran into Wang Yuan and Broken Blade Xu Renke coming back from the mountain to aid. His Ascendant Grade Magic Tool and Spirit Turtle Shield were completely shattered by their blades.”

Xiao Gao said with a grin. Even unsmiling, he looked more ferocious.

Wang Haichao chuckled, ”His loss was indeed significant. With the gains from this time, distribute to him an Ascendant Grade Magic Tool. We don’t want him fighting without a proper magic tool in the future.”

After saying that, he furrowed his brows.

”Those two blades of the Broken Mountain Gang are becoming bothersome.”

The Broken Mountain Gang had thousands of members, nearly a hundred of which were Late Stage Qi Refinement Cultivators.

Elder Mi, the Gang Leader like himself, was also at the Foundation Establishment Stage and seldom took matters into his hands.

It was usually his subordinates who took care of things.

The headquarters had two blade-wielding officers, while each of the seven strongholds were guarded by seven tigers.

Rather than those seven experts, what made the Great Lake Gang feel like a fishbone stuck in their throat were those two blades.

Mad Blade Wang Yuan and Broken Blade Xu Renke.

Broken Blade Xu Renke had been well-known for many years, having mixed in several markets before finally being recruited by Elder Mi and settling down in The Great River District.

However, Mad Blade Wang Yuan had only been cultivating for ten years.

In his debut battle, he single-handedly killed several middle-stage cultivators who had tried to rob him.

After that, he went hunting in the mountains and had several conflicts with others. Eventually, Elder Mi also personally recruited him to join the Broken Mountain Gang.

Regardless, after that, Wang Yuan did nothing earth-shattering.

On the contrary, over the years, he always did dirty work for the Broken Mountain Gang.

He specialized in selling second-hand magic tools and cultivation techniques that were of dubious origins.

It was only a while ago when he faced three opponents alone and returned with the heads of three members of the Great Lake Gang that people started to notice this man who had been doing menial tasks for years.

They initially thought it was just a fluke.

However, no one expected that in the following month, Wang Yuan single-handedly managed to cause great havoc on the Mountain Path which led to the Great Lake Gang being thrown into complete disarray.

None of the cultivators of the same stage were a match for him. Luo Renjie, an eighth-level Qi Refinement cultivator from the Great Lake Gang, died by his hand.

Even when a ninth-level Qi Refinement cultivator of the Great Lake Gang personally went to battle, he was no match for him.

In just a short span of one month, he thoroughly lived up to his moniker of ’Mad Blade’.

Even Broken Blade Xu Renke openly stated that Wang Yuan was not below him in battle power and had the potential for Foundation Establishment!

It was precisely because of Broken Blade Xu Renke’s affirmation that Wang Yuan gained the title of ’one of the two blades of the Broken Mountain Gang’.

Hearing their Leader’s words, Xiao Gao fell silent.

As the right-hand man of the Great Lake Gang’s Leader, he always held himself in high regard.

He firmly believed that he and Broken Blade Xu Renke were evenly matched. If both were to fight on the Great River, he was confident of being able to defeat his adversary within a hundred bouts.

However, he was unsure about how to deal with that Mad Blade.

He had heard that the guy was particularly skilled in underwater combat.

Why did such a character appear?

If someone as formidable as him reached the ninth level of Qi Refinement, would he dare to contend with those at the Foundation Establishment Stage?

”Never mind, we’re just doing someone’s bidding. There will naturally be people to deal with those two blades.”

Wang Haichao stretched lazily, then casually asked, ”Where’s your younger brother?”

”I don’t know. He said he wanted to get a Storage Bag. He also participated in the attack on Broken Mountain’s seven strongholds last night but has not returned since.”

”Aren’t you worried that something might have happened to him?”

”Haha, I gave him the Wutu Earth Cover that you gifted me. As long as he doesn’t encounter anyone of the Ninth Level Qi Refinement, he won’t be in danger.” Xiao Gao wasn’t worried at all. He added, ”Besides, he has a Teleportation Talisman. As long as he wants to flee, no ninth level Qi Refinement cultivator will be able to chase him.”

Wang Haichao nodded. With the Wutu Earth Cover and the Teleportation Talisman, except for those at the Foundation Establishment Stage, no one could actually threaten Xiao Gao’s younger brother.

”Alright, oversee the gang’s affairs more in the near future. The Broken Mountain Gang might retaliate soon, but our reinforcements are on their way.”

Reinforcements?

Are they referring to the experts from the Lianyun Business Union?

A thought flashed in Xiao Gao’s mind.

...

The tallest building in the Inner City of The Great River District, in a small room of Yu Ding Sword Pavilion.

While tearing into dried beef, Sun Shou said, ”Even though it doesn’t contain much Spirit Qi, this still tastes great. Xiao Luo, if you ever decide to stop your immortal cultivation, you can open a beef shop. It would definitely be a hit.”

Luo Chen smiled shyly.

Return home?

He would never be able to go home in this life.

He didn’t even know the way home.

After finishing the dried beef in his hand, Sun Shou clapped his hands and opened his toothless mouth.

”Speak up. Why did you come looking for me? It’s not yet time for you to pay your rental.”

”I want to rent a room!”

”Hmm, that’s necessary. The place at the southwest corner is too remote and too dangerous. Tell me, where would you like to rent? I did not merely consume the beef you offered. I’ll find you a spacious and safe place.”

While speaking, he took a compass and infused it with spirit power. The compass illuminated, densely filled with countless lights. At first glance, there were several thousand.

But with a gesture of his hand, the dense lights dimmed by more than ninety percent.

The lights remaining illuminated showed the vacant rooms in the Outer City area.

Luo Chen’s eyes brightened, ”Spacious?”

”What’s the matter, don’t trust your old man Sun?”

Sun Shou was 121 years old, an external sect disciple of the Yu Ding Sword Sect, he was truly of the age to be Luo Chen’s grandfather.

Of course, Luo Chen didn’t mind.

A few titles didn’t matter to him, he even called Elder Chen uncle every day.

As long as he could really rent a good house for him, he could call Sun Shou a grandpa all day!

”I want to rent in the Inner City!”

”Inner City, let me see... Huh? The Inner City?”

Sun Shou looked at Luo Chen with suspicion, ”You used to live in a house that costs half a spirit stone per month, rented a stall for half a spirit stone per month, now you want to switch to the Inner City all at once?”

After looking him up and down for a while, he suddenly laughed.

A different robe and the faint evil qi.

This kid must have made a big hit!

And now, he wants to enjoy in the Inner City.

”Fine, I’m not all talk. You have to see the house in the Inner City in person, I’ll take you there myself.”

He put away the compass in his storage bag, then got up tremblingly.

Luo Chen quickly supported his shoulder, afraid that this old man might accidentally fall and die.

He didn’t know what kind of sin he had committed, he was so old, instead of getting looked after in the sect, he ran off to this remote wilderness for work.

Indeed, work until old, contribute to the sect for a lifetime!

...

”This house is big enough, right? It’s close to the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, I’m afraid you’ve never been there before.”

”Too expensive.”

”What about this one? The last tenant was a body refiner of the sect, he could even fully use it for regular body training workouts, definitely big enough.”

”Too expensive.”

”It looks like you want something cheaper. I’ll take you to see one in the north of the city, it’s cheap.”

...

Two hours later.

Sun Shou freed himself from Luo Chen’s hand and said angrily, ”It seems the big job you did wasn’t big enough. Why do you come to the Inner City to squander?”

Luo Chen argued, ”There are gang fights outside every day, I’m afraid I’ll accidentally die in the streets.”

”Okay, a promise is a promise. I will find you a big house!”

Grinding his teeth, Sun Shou led Luo Chen deep into the alley.

The winding alley, walking for who knows how long, occasionally there were female cultivators walking by, warmly greeting Old Sun.

Suddenly, it was as if they had walked out from dark willows and bright flowers.

A four-courtyard house appeared before them.

Once inside, they bypassed the shadow wall and Sun Shou went straight to the longest and widest room.

”This is it, the Reverse Room, the largest area, if you squeeze, seventeen or eighteen people can live without a problem.”

Luo Chen, satisfied, looked around the room which was no smaller than the one he had previously with a small courtyard.

The only downside was the lack of natural light, making it seem gloomy.

”How many spirit stones?”

”The lowest price, ten lower grade spirit stones a month, first and last.”

First and last, that means you have to cough up forty spirit stones all at once.

It has to be said, it does hurt a bit.

But finding such a large area in the Inner City that’s also this cheap, is indeed not easy.

If it wasn’t for Sun Shou being extremely familiar with the property listings in the Great River area, an average person wouldn’t be able to find this place.

”Also, a management fee of one spirit stone is required each month, as well as a night fragrance fee of one spirit stone.”

Luo Chen’s eyes widened, ”Management fee, what’s that?”

Old Sun rolled his eyes, ”Someone has to take care of the waste you produce, right? If there’s discord among neighbors, and you’re not allowed to fight, sooner or later you’ll come to me to mediate, you should give some recompense, right!”

”But...”

”There’s no but.”

”What about the night fragrance fee?”

”Do you want to be like the Outer City, shitting and peeing everywhere, the smell of shit and urine is stronger than the spirit qi?”

Fine!

I accept!

When in Yu Ding’s roof, one must bow one’s head!

”Oh, there’s one more thing I need to remind you.”

”There’s more?”

Luo Chen clenched his fist, but thinking of the old man in front of him being at the Ninth Level Qi Refinement, he softened again.

He can’t beat him, he can’t beat him.

Sun Shou pointed at a pile of firewood at the entrance of the main house across the courtyard.

”If you want to make a fire to cook, remember to burn smokeless firewood. If it is the kind that produces smoke, I suggest you rent a tool that can absorb smoke from me.”

”Ah, why is this now?”

Luo Chen was completely dizzy.

”What is this place? It’s the Inner City, it’s a cultivation land built on a First Order Spirit Vein. If the turbid air is too much, do you still want to cultivate?”

The Immortal Cultivation World is also environmentally protective?

Dazed, Luo Chen took a magic tool called Light-Smoke Sparse-Rain Building from the old man’s hand.

It was square with a pointed top, and when used, it was placed at the junction between the inside and outside of the room.

After signing a contract and paying forty-three spirit stones, this large room was Luo Chen’s for the next four months.

As he was sending the old man off, Luo Chen casually asked.

”Although the lighting is a bit poor, it shouldn’t be so much cheaper than other houses of the same size, right?”

”Can you guess why?”