Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 1634: Chapter 602: Eight Hundred Li Penghu, Can Be My Daoist Training Ground_3

The Fishing Elder was stunned. ”The doctrine for Vein Gathering Advancement? Isn’t that a secret technique only mastered by Nascent Soul Ascendant Sects?”

This time, Luo Chen merely smiled without saying a word.

The Fishing Elder chose not to pry further. After all, he had accepted the gift, and asking more would be improper.

However, at the end, he still gave a word of advice.

”You’re not the only one eyeing this location. It’s just that most are constrained by financial resources. If you truly intend to lease it, it’s best to pay the five years’ rent in one lump sum, so they don’t cause trouble for you over it.”

Luo Chen frowned. ”Even with you looking out for me, it won’t suffice?”

The Fishing Elder gave a helpless smile. ”The Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering has more than just one Eight-Star Demon Hunter.”

The implication was clear: the person also eyeing Penghu had the backing of another Eight-Star Demon Hunter.

Under the night sky, Luo Chen’s expression turned unpredictable, fluctuating between shadowed gloom and illuminated resolve.

In the end, as he gazed at the faintly floating mist skimming the lake’s surface, he made up his mind.

”It’s just five years’ rent. Luo still has some wealth to his name!”

The Fishing Elder nodded inwardly.

Ordinary rogue cultivators wouldn’t have such financial strength!

Indeed, this Qingyang Zi must be no less than Demon King Qingyang himself.

Only someone who had slain several cultivators of similar rank—among them dominators of certain territories—seizing significant spoils of war, could amass such fortune.

Likewise, only such a formidable cultivator on the Path of Demon could remain unafraid of a foe backed by an Eight-Star Demon Hunter.

After some thought, he added, ”Rest assured, if someone competes with you, they can only do so personally. Their backing, I’ll help negotiate with on your behalf.”

This was an unexpected boon.

Luo Chen cupped his hands. ”In that case, many thanks to you, my friend.”

...

Three days later.

Amid the Hidden Dragon Mountain Range, above the vast expanse of the Eight Hundred Li Penghu.

Three figures drifted down lightly through the air.

Wen Xiu, whose figure had grown more rounded, looked at the seemingly endless great lake and hadn’t recovered from her shock even as her feet touched the ground.

Only when several commands echoed beside her ears did she gradually snap out of her daze.

”Tian Xuan, have you memorized the items on the list? Do not miss even a single one.”

”The one million Spirit Stones I’ve given you—don’t hesitate to spend them. Buy manufactured Array Flags wherever possible.”

”If the shops in the city can’t supply them, use my Demon Hunter waist tag to make bulk purchases from the Demon Hunter Bureau.”

”I need to amass the Spirit Qi of this place, turning it into a Third-tier Ascendant Grade Spirit Land, to bolster my cultivation speed!”

Wen Xiu watched as Tian Xuan, utterly deferential in front of Luo Chen, bowed in acknowledgment. She couldn’t help but swallow nervously.

Elder Qingyang, truly magnanimous!

When he acted, he went all in—leasing such a massive Spirit Land as a cultivation dojo.

Even though she had followed her husband throughout her life and met plenty of Golden Core cultivators, she’d never encountered anyone so formidable.

Luo Chen’s steps landed firmly on the solid Peng Island. Thoughtful contemplation flickered in his eyes.

The rental for the Penghu Spirit Land had a surface price of three million per year. After the Four-Star Demon Hunter discount, it still amounted to one hundred eighty thousand a year.

For five years, that would be nine hundred thousand!

This almost devoured over half of the eighteen million in cash flow he had.

And that was just for the initial five years.

When five years passed, he’d still need to renew the lease. He had to start considering his future Spirit Stone income sources.

At the same time, five years was a carefully calculated number.

Golden Core Demon Hunters typically accepted task assignments every three to five years.

A five-year period accounted for the possibility that, should a Golden Core Demon Hunter unfortunately perish during a task, excessive funds wouldn’t be wasted.

The high Spirit Land rental prices combined with low discount incentives compelled lower-star-ranked Demon Hunters to take on severe tasks to raise their star ranking.

”These Nascent Soul True Masters really aren’t easy characters. They’ve calculated every single detail.”

With a sigh, Luo Chen stepped up to the lakeside of Peng Island.

Opening his mouth, he spit forth a gray and rounded Small Tripod, which spun rapidly and then expanded in size upon encountering the wind, growing to a towering hundred-zhang-giant.

Such an enormous object immediately drew Wen Xiu’s gaze.

The next moment, a deafening dragon’s roar erupted.

A massive Flood Dragon, sixty-zhang long and as thick as a mountain ridge, broke through the air, stretching its bulky form amidst the skies.

”Old Black is suffocating!”

The Black Dragon roared in fury, swaying its enormous body before lowering its head in submission before the man retrieving the Small Tripod.

Looking at the diminutive figure in front of him, the dragon bent downward and saluted, ”Black King greets the Master!”

Luo Chen nodded calmly. ”Go. From now on, this Penghu will be your domain. Without my permission, no outsiders are allowed entry.”

The Black King turned back, looking at the boundless, mist-shrouded vast lake, excitement filling his eyes.

”As you wish!”

With that, he dove into the great lake, sending countless waves scattering.

Wen Xiu, dumbfounded at the scene, once again felt her heart shake.

Under Elder Qingyang’s command, there wasn’t just Tian Xuan, a Golden Core female cultivator of remarkable beauty—there was also a Middle Stage Third-Order Demon King as his Spiritual Pet!

As shock roiled within her, a calm voice drifted past her ears.

”Wen Xiu, I heard from Xiao Zhang earlier about your plans to establish a family clan, to take root and expand. Is that correct?”

Wen Xiu, still in a daze, nodded instinctively.

”I imagine that establishing an Immortal Cultivation Clan is no easy feat, especially as it requires a piece of high-quality Spirit Land.”

Luo Chen clasped his hands behind his back, his expression serene.

”It seems we are fated. Why not choose a Second Order Spirit Land here within the Eight Hundred Li Penghu to found the Zhang Family Clan.”

The woman, feeling utterly unprepared, found herself flustered.

Yet it was obvious Luo Chen’s tone was not just a suggestion—it carried an unspoken command.

”Tian Xuan, use this time to show Wen Xiu around!”

Tian Xuan accepted the order, leading the bewildered woman on a cursory tour around the Eight Hundred Li Penghu.

After their departure, Luo Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief and took out a piece of black wood from his belongings.

”Senior, I’ll have to trouble you with the matter of Vein Gathering Quality Improvement.”

From within the wood, Han Zhan’s exasperated voice replied, ”You little brat, knowing full well I’ve been busy refining secret techniques and modifying the Soul Nourishing Wood, and still you insist on pestering me.”

In a placating tone, Luo Chen responded, ”Apologies, senior. Among those I know, only you possess such capabilities. I’ve already instructed Tian Xuan to prepare the necessary Array Setting Tools. The rest will depend on your skill.”

Ordinary sects didn’t possess such skills.

Han Zhan, however, was different.

His former sect, the Luo Yun Sect, had successfully applied for an Open War and earned the qualification to become a Nascent Soul Ascendant Sect.

The Dark Abyss Sect had passed down numerous secret techniques unknown to many rogue cultivators.

These included methods for fabricating Regulated Spirit Stones, advancing Spirit Veins, improving Vein Gathering, and establishing large-scale Immortal Cities.

The Moon-Breaking Immortal City within the Xiao Yue Mountain Range was a prominent example.

Though Han Zhan couldn’t divulge these techniques, he was free to personally implement them.

Luo Chen was taking full advantage of this.

Despite Han Zhan’s earlier reluctance, he had eventually agreed, albeit after extracting the God Sealing Compass from Luo Chen.

This treasure would serve as the foundation of the array.

Once Han Zhan controlled the Soul Nourishing Wood and departed Peng Island with the God Sealing Compass to assess the Earth Vein’s flow, Luo Chen’s face finally eased into a relieved smile.

Strolling leisurely across the solid terrain, his gaze swept over his surroundings as he muttered to himself.

”Years of wandering and delayed cultivation have left my realm crawling like a tortoise—still stuck at the Fourth Layer of Golden Core.”

”At last, I’ve found a place to temporarily rest.”

”Now, it’s time to build up strength and prepare for a breakthrough.”

As he spoke, Luo Chen walked deeper into Peng Island.

Amid the mist and water vapor, the Red-Robed Daoist’s figure grew increasingly blurry, eventually vanishing entirely.