Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 1700: Chapter 624: The So-Called Nascent Soul Domain, News about Purple Monkey Flower Comes_3

”Purple Monkey Flower?”

Zhou Shanshan blinked, recalling the mention of such a herb in the Zhou Family’s records.

”Isn’t that an ancient toxic flower of some repute? Could it be that Wen Xiu plans to cultivate poison skills, or use it to harm others? Otherwise, why issue a task for it?”

The shopkeeper let out a bitter smile, ”I have no idea. I was transferred here only in recent years by the Zhou Family.”

Zhou Shanshan waved her hand dismissively.

”Ten thousand Spirit Stones? Impossible! Send that person away.”

The shopkeeper immediately took the order and departed.

After he left, Zhou Shanshan curled her lips slightly.

”These rogue cultivators have gone mad with greed, thinking a mere piece of information is worth ten thousand Spirit Stones. Absurd! And Wen Xiu doesn’t seem to understand what being in charge entails—how could the Zhang Family afford to be so extravagant?”

Nightfall.

Returning from drinking with a closely associated lower-tier Pill Refiner, Zhang Jiadi had not yet stepped inside when he was summoned by the steward of the Green Sun Treasure Tower.

...

”You may enter, but the other one should stay outside.”

Zhang Jiadi straightened the edges of his robe, feeling a bit anxious, and stepped into the Pill and Tool Refining Hall.

As soon as he entered, he was hit by a suffocating wave of searing heat.

He blinked rapidly, finally able to see the white-robed Daoist sitting cross-legged beneath the Giant Cauldron.

”Zhang Jiadi greets the master!”

”I heard you’ve brought me information regarding one of the three Spirit Medicines I seek—the Purple Monkey Flower?” Luo Chen asked without turning around.

Zhang Jiadi lowered his head, ”The specific details are still with that rogue cultivator. I did bring the man here, but no payment has been made yet.”

”Has the information leaked?”

”No. Since no Spirit Stones were paid, no one else knows.”

”Well done.”

As he spoke, a large pill bottle floated over to Zhang Jiadi’s side.

”This is a Second-order Superior Earth-rich Pill, highly suitable for your cultivation. Take it.”

Zhang Jiadi’s eyes lit up, and in a joyous hurry, he accepted the large pill bottle. With a slight probe, he realized it contained no less than a hundred pills.

By using them frugally, they could last him two to three years.

”You may leave, but the other person stays.”

After Zhang Jiadi’s departure, Tian Xuan entered to report the earlier situation at the Green Sun Treasure Tower to Luo Chen.

The steward of the treasure tower had been a rogue cultivator promoted by Wen Xiu in earlier years.

When Wen Xiu left, the steward was suppressed by the newly arrived Zhou Family members and relegated to handling affairs with rogue cultivators.

Rogue cultivators, being both poor and troublesome, caused the most headaches while offering little benefit.

However, the steward had secretly become Zhang Jiadi’s trusted aide, monitoring the Green Sun Treasure Tower on his behalf.

Thus, as soon as news appeared, he immediately notified Zhang Jiadi.

Upon hearing the background, Luo Chen’s expression remained unmoved, though he muttered a few words in reflection.

”I always regarded Zhang Jiadi as someone unfit for significant responsibilities, a mere sycophant. But now, with exposure to more prominent figures and events, he seems to have matured somewhat.”

Nowadays, while Zhou Shanshan managed the Zhang Family in an orderly fashion on the surface, everything ultimately remained under Zhang Jiadi’s control directionally.

Especially when it came to matters involving Luo Chen, Zhang Jiadi spared no effort.

Clearly, he was well aware of whose favor sustained his livelihood.

”Bring him in.”

”Understood.”

Tian Xuan exited, soon returning with a young Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

As soon as he entered, the young cultivator bowed deeply, ”Rogue cultivator Xu Wang greets Ascendant Master Qingyang!”

Luo Chen, faced away from him, extended his Divine Consciousness, noting the fear and reverence etched on Xu Wang’s expression.

”A promising talent. For a rogue cultivator to reach Foundation Establishment at such a young age, you are impressive!”

Receiving Luo Chen’s praise, Xu Wang broke into a delighted smile.

”Thank you, Ascendant Master, for your kind words. This junior’s success is merely thanks to a fortunate encounter—a Foundation Establishment Pill discovered in the ruins of a Cave Mansion.”

”A Ruins Cave Dwelling?”

”Yes, it also contained detailed information about the Purple Monkey Flower. The lore suggested its presence in the depths of the Demon Sea, on an island named Purple Spirit Island, inhabited by numerous Purple Qi Poison Monkeys. Where Purple Qi Poison Monkeys exist, Purple Monkey Flowers are sure to grow nearby.”

”Your fortuitous encounter, what did it include?”

”A cultivation technique scroll, three bottles of precious pills, a single Magic Item, three miscellaneous books, and the information about the Purple Monkey Flower, which came from one of those books and included a map.”

”Have you shared this information with anyone else?”

”No one, except the steward at the Green Sun Treasure Tower, Steward Yao.”

The questions and answers continued.

As time went on, Xu Wang’s speech became halting, hints of anguish flickering in his eyes.

Suddenly.

A stream of serene energy enveloped him, along with a Storage Bag.

”Inside are ten thousand Lower Grade Spirit Stones.”

Xu Wang shook his head violently, snapping out of his daze and instinctively reaching for the Storage Bag.

Mid-reach, however, he encountered an invisible resistance that halted his hand.

”Ascendant Master?”

”The miscellaneous book stays, and you must swear an Oath of Dao to ensure this matter remains unknown to all others for life.”

The Oath of Dao differed vastly from mere promises; few dared to violate such an oath unless they intended to renounce their path entirely.

Especially for a young talent, careful consideration of one’s future was paramount.

Xu Wang swallowed his unease, and for the ten thousand Lower Grade Spirit Stones, he solemnly swore the Oath of Dao.

After handing over the miscellaneous book, he successfully obtained the Storage Bag filled with ten thousand Spirit Stones.

”You may leave.”

”Ascendant Master, might I ask if you would refine a Magic Item for me...?”

”Depart now!”

Xu Wang trembled, not daring to press further. Clutching the Storage Bag, he followed Tian Xuan out of Penghu.

Many moments passed.

Tian Xuan returned to the Pill and Tool Refining Hall.

Entering, she saw an aged yellow book flipping its pages autonomously before Luo Chen’s eyes.

”Master, is the Purple Monkey Flower information authentic?”

”It appears so. From the moment Xu Wang entered, I used Illusion Techniques to perturb his mind. His responses were entirely genuine, with no deceit.”

Luo Chen spoke while keeping his focus on the book.

With his attainment in Illusion Technique, though not as domineering as the Path of Demon’s Soul Search Technique, dealing with a novice Foundation Establishment cultivator was effortless.

Tian Xuan hesitated, ”And the book itself?”

”Its age is authentic, not a forgery. It seems to have been authored by someone fond of traversing the Demon Sea.”

Cultivators who gained achievements often enjoyed writing books.

Not purely for show, but also to organize their insights gained from cultivation.

Luo Chen was no exception, having penned countless works on alchemy, artifact refinement, and cultivation insights over the years.

Should his final days approach, he might also pen one or two travelogues, chronicling the scenic locales and noteworthy experiences of his life.

Finally, Tian Xuan curiously asked, ”Will Master visit that Purple Spirit Island?”

This time, Luo Chen shook his head slightly.

”In the near future, I won’t be able to leave.”

Tian Xuan was puzzled.

Luo Chen sighed, ”Though I succeeded in refining this Demon Emperor’s Metamorphosis, its compatibility with the array is far less than I anticipated. I’ll need at least a year to stabilize the array.”

Hearing this, Tian Xuan was quite surprised.

The master had never encountered such issues in item refinement before!

Luo Chen felt the same puzzlement.

This time revealed the upper limits of the Primordial Chaos Tripod’s impact on artifact refinement.

Lower Grade Magic Items were nearly effortless.

Medium Grade Magic Items had about a fifty-percent success rate.

However, when it came to Ascendant Grade Magic Items, the nurturing effects became negligible.

But the Demon Emperor’s Metamorphosis had an inherently high Order, and the array he aimed to inscribe on it was exceedingly powerful, resulting in severe incompatibility.

If not for prolonged nurturing and his pinnacle array attainment, the inscribing process might have failed completely.

Even with forced inscribing, he still needed to constantly maintain and adjust the array’s patterns.

He had already spent days sitting in the Pill and Tool Refining Hall.

It was evident his future held many more such days before the array on the treasure could finally stabilize.

”And the Purple Monkey Flower?” Tian Xuan asked, recalling Luo Chen’s earlier mention of its critical role in Nascent Soul Formation.

Such a valuable treasure—would it merely be left waiting?

Luo Chen pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly.

”Summon the Black King!”