Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 1676: Chapter 616: Preaching at Sea, Refining Liu Jia_2

Amidst the admiration, he curiously asked Wang An.

”Junior Brother, how much Spirit Power did you mobilize this time?”

Wang An swallowed a mouthful of saliva, ”Less than a third of my total.”

At these words, everyone was taken aback.

Previously, casting this technique required mobilizing all of one’s Spirit Power. Now, it could be executed with merely a third.

The power might not have reached a higher limit, but it was evident that Wang An could retain enough Spirit Power to ensure he wouldn’t be left defenseless after using it.

And all of this—was merely the result of a few words of advice from Demon King Qingyang.

Overjoyed, Wang An immediately asked more questions, those he had pondered earlier.

To this, Luo Chen merely showed an expression as though he had already anticipated it.

”Techniques of the Third Order are inherently unsuitable for Foundation Establishment True Cultivators like yourselves. To achieve their intended power, you must pay a price. The damage to your meridians caused by Spirit Power over-expansion is one such price.”

”As for the issue you brought up about being too slow in casting, that’s not a problem with the technique I taught—it’s simply a matter of your own lack of proficiency.”

Wang An immediately had an epiphany.

The technique indeed wasn’t taught to him by the sect elders; he had secretly learned it after entering the Foundation Establishment stage.

The taboos surrounding it, he only understood in bits and pieces.

Now, with Luo Chen’s guidance, he vaguely saw the light.

No wonder he lost control of his Spirit Power while casting the Qishan Technique previously.

The principle of ”using four ounces to move a thousand pounds” was true. However, if the thousand pounds he wielded completely overwhelmed the Spirit Power within his body, a reversal of roles would occur.

In that moment, it was no longer the person casting the technique—it was the technique pulling the person forward.

Though enlightened, Wang An felt a trace of bitterness.

It seemed this move couldn’t be used in solo combat anymore. He’d need companions to hold the front line, giving him enough time to unleash the technique.

Luo Chen suddenly smiled faintly.

”Actually, in my opinion, this technique could still be used in the proper combat environment, with slight improvements.”

”Try spreading your Spirit Power outward, attaching it to nearby rocks and soil, and then coordinating with the Spirit Power within your body to cast the Qishan Technique again. The effect might be better.”

Wang An felt half-convinced and half-doubtful.

Just then, the speed of the Flying Boat slowed, passing by an island.

It was as though an experimental ground had been prepared just for him.

Wang An still had a decent reserve of Spirit Power, so he immediately attempted the improved method Luo Chen suggested, casting the Qishan Technique.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, a phantom-like Spirit Power mountain once again materialized.

This time, however, countless stones and soil, infused with Wang An’s Spirit Power, rose from the ground and filled it.

The suppressive force steadily increased its upper limit, until even a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator in the crowd began to feel his movements slowing, his body no longer entirely within his control.

Luo Chen watched this unfold, his expression displaying an air of ”just as I expected.”

Although Luo Chen didn’t have access to a specific cultivation doctrine for the Qishan Technique, its principles followed the same path as the Earth Rock Technique and Mountain Collapse Technique he had studied in the past.

The difference lay in emphasis: the Earth Rock Technique focused more on suppression, while the Mountain Collapse Technique, a blend of Earth, Water, and Fire Series techniques, emphasized fire-based explosiveness.

Under these circumstances, the Qishan Technique naturally could benefit from incorporating the strengths of the two techniques Luo Chen studied years ago.

By utilizing external elements, the technique’s power increased.

Wang An’s face flushed red, his excitement impossible to contain.

He wanted to ask more questions but was soon elbowed aside by others eager to step in.

The crowd clearly saw that Demon King Qingyang wasn’t as domineering and bloodthirsty as the rumors claimed and seemed to be in a good mood today, willing to provide guidance.

With such an opportunity at hand, why not take the chance to ask a few questions?

”Senior Qingyang Zi, I want to understand why my Flying Sword always deviates from the target when battling Demon Beasts, even though my Spirit Consciousness has locked onto the attack point.”

”Demonstrate it for me.”

At Luo Chen’s words, the cultivator immediately controlled his Flying Sword and performed a demonstration.

Luo Chen watched, first nodding, then shaking his head.

”Your foundation is indeed solid, and your Spirit Power is remarkably pure and deep. However, the fundamental Attraction Technique you’re using is flawed—it remains stuck at the Spirit Power manipulation stage. For cultivators like us, after reaching Foundation Establishment, Spirit Consciousness becomes the primary means for controlling external objects. I can see you’re an ardent practitioner, but protective techniques should still be studied thoroughly.”

”I see now. Thank you, Senior, for your insight.”

”My turn, my turn. Senior Qingyang Zi, recently while facing a Demon Beast in combat, even when I erupted with my maximum speed, I still couldn’t evade its attacks. Were it not for the defensive measures bestowed upon me by a sect elder, I fear I’d have perished. Could my movement technique Secret Technique be at fault?”

”What sort of Demon Beast did you encounter?”

”Three-eyed, four-legged, resembling a beast yet also a fish. Oh, and its legs had wide, sturdy webs.”

”Then this isn’t your problem. That’s a Three-eyed Azure Pupil Beast, innately adept at controlling seawater. Upon reaching adulthood, it becomes a Third-Order Demon King. Even Golden Core Cultivators like us would try to avoid it when encountered at sea. You were lucky—it must’ve been an immature Three-eyed Azure Pupil Beast. Otherwise, not even the defensive tools gifted by your elders would’ve been able to withstand its attacks.”

...

In the corner, Sang Jiugong watched the scene unfold with a smile.

But the longer he observed, the sterner his expression became.

These Foundation Establishment cultivators posed seemingly easy questions, yet the topics they touched upon varied greatly.

Some were about techniques, others about cultivation, combat strategies, Demon Beast attack methods, movement techniques, and even magical weapons and treasures.

Such complexity—even with Sang Jiugong’s four centuries of experience, he couldn’t guarantee he’d have been able to address them all.