Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 1695: Chapter 623: Integration of Water and Fire, Mutual Generation of Two Forms, Penghu Trembles

Regarding the two demons, Black King and Tian Xuan, Luo Chen treats them differently.

One is left to roam freely, while the other is kept by his side.

Such differing treatment is not solely due to their differing forms.

It also lies in their cultivation paths, which had diverged sharply ever since Tian Xuan underwent transformation years ago.

Over the years, Tian Xuan’s cultivation progress has been slower than Black King’s. Even though Luo Chen occasionally provides guidance, her realm has only barely reached the fourth layer of Golden Core.

Yet, Tian Xuan harbors no resentment.

She is well aware that Black King’s rapid advancement is due, firstly, to his awakening of a special bloodline talent, and secondly, to his devouring of numerous powerful demon beasts in earlier years—especially the corpse of the Cliff Serpent, which, after digestion, propelled him straight to the peak of the Third Order Middle Stage.

As for her own cultivation speed, after receiving the personalized ”Huan Yu Secret Book” from her master, it has already been remarkably swift.

It can be imagined that long-term practice of this secret technique will make her cultivation speed faster and faster, no longer like that of typical demon beasts, who require several hundred or even thousands of years for a breakthrough in a major realm, but instead comparable to that of human cultivators.

The same is true for Black King, who shows no jealousy over Tian Xuan’s ability to frequently receive her master’s guidance.

He has his own unique cultivation method.

Though somewhat coarse and primitive, deep down he believes this path is the most suitable for him.

Ordinarily, his master lets him roam freely.

But whenever he is summoned, it’s certain that tasks await him.

At this moment, Luo Chen spoke calmly: ”It’s nothing major. Just cooperate with me later.”

After speaking, his gaze landed on the young girl riding on Black King’s back.

Bright eyes, dazzling teeth, radiant spirit.

The water-green attire accentuated her snow-like white skin.

”She is... Zhang Jingqing?”

Luo Chen paused briefly, then searched his memory for the faint impression.

”Xiaoqing, quickly pay your respects to the master!” Black King urged.

Zhang Jingqing stood up and bowed respectfully, ”Xiaoqing greets the Lord!”

The Lotus Picking Island Zhang Family is a vassal of Luo Chen, and its members, even if they do not call him master outright like Black King and Tian Xuan, are required to address him as Lord.

After she finished her salute, Black King spoke in his deep and gruff voice: ”Master, what do you think of Xiaoqing?”

Luo Chen quietly observed Zhang Jingqing, the girl whose very name was chosen to curry his favor.

Graceful and delicate, pitiable in appearance.

Through her, Luo Chen sensed the passage of time.

Fourteen years old!

This also meant that his time at the Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering had already stretched to a full fourteen years.

These fourteen years were the fastest period of his life, so fast that his memories contained almost no significant events, so fast that a newborn had transformed before his eyes into a Qi Refinement cultivator.

Through his Divine Consciousness, he sensed the Spirit Root fluctuations of the girl at the Middle Stage of Qi Refinement that, despite her careful concealment, stood out like fireflies in the night.

This concealment method appeared to be one that he himself had taught to Black King and Tian Xuan.

It was a technique refined from all Luo Chen’s learned methods for restraining Spirit Qi and distilled into its essence, highly effective.

Even though Xiaoqing had only learned a mere fraction, it was already enough to deceive Foundation Establishment cultivators.

For Black King to pass this technique on to Xiaoqing, it was clear that he truly cherished this child.

And now he asked Luo Chen’s opinion of Zhang Jingqing?

Luo Chen smiled faintly, ”She’s fine.”

The girl’s previously nervous face lit up with delight; even Elder Qingyang, whom her father treated with utmost care, had complimented her as ”fine.”

However, upon hearing this, Black King let out a regretful sigh.

”Tian Xuan, take Xiaoqing aside. It’ll get a bit loud later, so look after her.”

After giving this instruction, Luo Chen headed toward the depths of Penghu.

Black King followed closely behind and couldn’t help but remark during their walk, ”That child has pretty decent talent—Water Wood Dual Spirit Roots—and is naturally clever. A fine seedling for cultivation, wouldn’t you say?”

Luo Chen replied indifferently, ”I have no intention of taking a disciple.”

”But what about Xu Muxian of the Flying Swallow Islands?”

”Merely a registered disciple, not a true apprentice. And cleverness?”

Luo Chen shook his head slightly. Being so perceptive at such a tender age is not necessarily advantageous.

The saying ”wisdom brings harm” holds some truth.

Of course, it doesn’t mean intelligence is bad. When matured with age and experience, cleverness is undoubtedly an asset. But being overly precocious in youth, seeing through the complexities of human nature too soon, leads to excessive distractions that pose significant risks during the foundational Qi Refinement stage.

Zhang Jingqing’s disposition, it seemed to Luo Chen, was likely influenced by the Zhang Family.

That Zhang Jiadi, from their earliest encounters, had been a timid and weak-willed individual, someone whose bravado masked a soft nature. Back then, it was Wen Xiu, the downtrodden cultivator of the family, who had eloquently secured their relationship with Luo Chen.

Later on, Zhang Jiadi began revealing traits of an opportunist.

He named his daughter to appease Luo Chen, avoided offending others in external affairs, and shamelessly latched onto the Coral Sea Zhou Family as soon as the opportunity arose. To do so, he married Zhou Shanshan, neglecting Wen Xiu and even distancing himself from his once-beloved daughter.

Luo Chen typically refrained from commenting on these matters but was entirely clear-headed about them.

After all, he had once been that sort of person himself.

The difference lay in that, beyond mere scheming, he had principles about what he would and wouldn’t do.

When Mi Shuhua indirectly expressed intentions of an alliance through Sikong Shoujia in the past, Luo Chen had rejected it without hesitation.

He understood clearly that so-called alliances and Dao Companion relationships might not fully bind a person or a power, but they were statements of intent!