Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 1159: Chapter 453: Provocation at Fenghua Palace, Rotten Stalemate Wind-Calming Wave

Chu Kui was preparing for his Core Formation, and Luo Chen was not idle either.

After advancing to the Ninth Level of the Foundation Establishment, he rested for a few days.

He had a small gathering with Wang Yuan over drinks, discussed the basics of the Path of Array with Min Longyu, provided guidance to Qu Lingjun on his cultivation after Foundation Establishment, and even set a date for his marriage to Mi Li.

He then summoned the new Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators who had joined the Luo Tian Creed in recent years, encouraging them with kind words or bestowing treasures as gifts for their Foundation Establishment, and occasionally shared cultivation insights with them.

Lastly, he spent three days living with Hui Niang and Caiyi, separately assessing their cultivation progress.

After those three days of interaction, Luo Chen finally ended his brief respite.

He entered the previous state of Purification.

...

”Tao Wen entered Closed-Door Cultivation twelve years ago to break through to the Golden Core Period, and succeeded three years later, with Qingdan Valley’s bell tolling thrice in celebration. Since then, she has continued her seclusion to consolidate her realm, and the date of her emergence is not far off. Qingdan Valley has already begun to issue invitations in advance, inviting peers from all over to attend Tao Wen’s Golden Core Ceremony.”

”Dan Yangzi succeeded in Core Formation even before her, having already formally emerged to hold her Golden Core Ceremony.”

”Five years ago, Dan Taijun of the Ice Castle reached the Finalization of the Foundation Establishment Stage and announced Closed-Door Cultivation to sprint towards the Golden Core Period.”

”Luo Yun Sect held the Jiazi Grand Competition, inviting fifteen sects as observers, with thirteen True Disciples standing out and hailed as the Thirteen Children of Luo Yun. Among these thirteen, except for Han Zheng, who was the youngest and of the lowest realm, the rest were all Ninth Level Great Cultivators with deep cultivation levels, likely to achieve Core Formation within fifty years of age.”

”Yu Ding Sword Sect was no exception. Ten years later, it will host the Sword Fight at Jade Emperor Mountain, with candidates for the fight not limited to the sect’s cultivators, nor restricted by the height of their realms. Anyone who competes and ranks will receive generous rewards from the Sword Sect.”

”The Budding Cultivator from Ailao Mountain returned from the Xiao Yue Mountain Range, rumored to have produced an incredibly detailed map of Xiao Yue.”

”A representative of the Hehuan Sect, True Master Yun He, entered the Yu Ding Realm, the first to visit Hundred Flowers Palace. The three Great Golden Core Ascendant Masters of Hundred Flowers Palace—the Hundred Flowers Fairy, Peach Blossom Ancestor, and Master of Food Fragrance—traveled miles to welcome her.”

A stream of news from the outer world flowed through Luo Chen’s mind.

Some familiar individuals had successfully formed their cores, while others had entered Closed-Door Cultivation in hopes of a breakthrough.

There was the Jiazi Grand Competition of Luo Yun, as well as the Jade Emperor Mountain Sword Fight inviting cultivators from all sides, all demonstrative shows of strength.

The arrival of high-order cultivators of the Nascent Soul Ascendant Sect from the Foreign Realm only added more fuel to the already fiery cauldron.

Everything, everything, was showing the fervor before the arrival of war.

Under such circumstances,

The Foundation Establishment Realm was no longer significant.

”Dan Yang, Tao Wen, Dan Taijun, Chu Kui... They’ve all advanced ahead of me, I need to quicken my pace too,” Luo Chen murmured to himself.

A sense of urgency enveloped him, lingering above his head, even with his usual state of purification.

If it had been before, perhaps the feeling would not be so profound.

But after Ascendant Master Cang Long’s failure to advance to the Nascent Soul, the Ice Castle’s loss of four Golden Core Cultivators, and the subsequent Closed-Door Cultivations of subordinates like Dan Taijun,

It was clear how tense Ice Castle was.

And the Ice Castle was Luo Chen’s biggest support.

If even his support was on shaky grounds, how could he himself rest easy?

However anxious he might be, Luo Chen’s cultivation plan was orderly amidst the chaos.

He had essentially put a temporary halt to Pill Refinement.

His main focus was on regular cultivation and studying several Core Formation Secret Arts.

These secret arts, which he had been researching non-stop since he obtained them in the Middle Stage of his Foundation Establishment,

Had become second nature to him; it was now just a matter of practice.

Among them, the ones that Luo Chen was most focused on were undoubtedly ”Bead Curtain Lock” and ”Wind-Calming Wave,” penned by Miao Wen prior to his death.

The former is the Great Technique of Core Formation Secret Art of the Nascent Soul Ascendant Sect, Luo Yun Sect.

The latter, though not as miraculous as ”Wisdom Sword Art” in effect, is also a simplified version of the Sword Sect’s secret technique. Judging by Miao Wen’s deep remorse after regaining clarity, and the smooth transition of Pang Renxiong’s resentful soul to a Ghost Cultivator, one can see the efficacy of this similarly sourced secret technique.

Upon returning, Luo Chen had frequently studied ”Wind-Calming Wave,” and eventually confirmed that Miao Wen indeed had no ill intent left behind to harm him.

”There’s no need to rush. ’Bead Curtain Lock’ can wait a while longer, and whether to practice it can depend on the outcome of Chu Kui’s Core Formation.”

”Yet, I can start directly with ’Wind-Calming Wave.’”

What made Luo Chen so resolute was mainly because this secret art slightly resembled ”Ming God’s Divine Cleanse.”

Both have functions that temper the cultivator’s consciousness!

It’s consciousness, not Divine Soul!

There is a fundamental difference between the two.

A strong Divine Soul but a weak will is nothing more than possessing a sharp tool without the courage to wield it.

However, if one’s Divine Soul and Spirit Power are weak, but the will is strong, often they can go further than someone of similar standing.

This is somewhat akin to the three essential elements often spoken of by Immortal Cultivators:

Is talent paramount, or is it opportunity, or perhaps one’s nature?

This will is almost equivalent to nature.

Of course, there are definitely differences in the specific discussions, but Luo Chen wasn’t one to delve deeper.

He discovered after his research that ”Wind-Calming Wave” truly had the effect of tempering the will.

If ”Ming God’s Divine Cleanse” uses pain, external stimuli, and Evil Qi to hone the will,

”Wind-Calming Wave” clearly goes a step further.

By focusing one’s heart and mind on an object, nurturing it with constant concentration to reach a state where the ethereal will is as solid as a physical precious item.

There are rumors that high-order sword cultivators will naturally develop Sword Consciousness at a certain realm.

And there’s a saying among high-order sword cultivators: with the sword exists the person, without the sword perishes the person.