Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 1707: Chapter 627: In the Depths of the Oblivion Sea, Ancient Cultivator’s Ruins

Meeting Ding Yi again, the familiar figure, the familiar warmth.

But Luo Chen couldn’t help but furrow his brows.

After some brief pleasantries, Luo Chen couldn’t resist asking, ”Friend Ding, why hasn’t all that weight dropped off you yet?”

Ding Yi laughed heartily, ”Ah, Qingyang Zi is just so meticulous!”

”It’s not that! I was worried my Dustfall Pill might prove ineffective, and you’d come to demand after-sales service,” Luo Chen replied helplessly.

Ding Yi waved his hand and said, ”That’s overthinking things. We settled the transaction cleanly at the time; there’s no such thing as follow-up liability. Besides, the Dustfall Pill was effective for me.”

If it was effective, then why hasn’t that fat melted away?

Luo Chen cast an incredulous glance but chose not to press further.

Perhaps the man had cultivated some secret technique to maintain his physique.

Just like Luo Chen himself, who in the Outer World was nicknamed the ”Red-faced Daoist”—merely due to the fact that he consumed True Flame Pills to cultivate, causing his facial skin to remain red year-round.

These kinds of matters were best left lightly touched upon; prying further would only annoy people.

The portly Ding Yi strolled along Peng Island, his gaze occasionally sweeping the surroundings, often exclaiming in admiration, though sometimes offering lamentations.

”Such vast Penghu, yet in less than twenty years it’s been managed into such fine order. It’s no wonder most rogue cultivators would envy this.”

”Still, it’s regrettable that certain areas weren’t managed to their full potential. If they had been, how many more Spirit Stones could be earned annually!”

Luo Chen smiled lightly. ”Friend, you jest.”

His attention over the years had never truly been on the management of Spirit Land.

Its current scale was already the result of efforts by Tian Xuan and the Zhang Family.

If he were the one in charge personally, Penghu might have been turned upside down within these two decades.

At the very least, the population wouldn’t be this sparse!

This Spirit Land, though its Spirit Veins were scattered, counted many, and their quality wasn’t low.

It was perfectly suited for establishing sect or gang powers.

Only with sufficient manpower could industries be properly expanded.

Such insights came from experience.

Of course, Luo Chen knew all these things well—even he had once managed as such—but now, his aspirations lay elsewhere.

”That battle on Coldlight Island—Qingyang Zi, you truly carried yourself with such imposing might! If not for people’s attention being drawn away by the Nascent Soul War, the one to genuinely gain fame from that battle should have been you, Qingyang... Demon Monarch.”

”Friend, you flatter me. It was merely disciplining a few Golden Core cultivators, nothing worthy of being called imposing might.”

”Tsk tsk. Among those who besieged you back then, the others were manageable, even Qian Ting was ordinary at best. But the Master of Hundred Craft Mountain—now that’s no easy opponent. Were Ding Yi to face him, it would certainly take considerable effort. Yet in the midst of such a siege, Qingyang Zi, you not only escaped with ease but even counter-killed several of them! My praise is by no means exaggerated.”

Luo Chen tugged at the corner of his mouth—the Master of Hundred Craft Mountain’s strength was something he knew better than anyone.

If not for catching a key opportunity to unleash a ferocious strike with the Sky Roc to knock him far away, genuinely getting entangled with him would have been life-threatening unless Han Zhan intervened.

Still, while Ding Yi spoke modestly, his words carried the confidence of someone who believed he could defeat the Master of Hundred Craft Mountain—that came as quite the surprise.

Luo Chen scrutinized the plump man closely.

Ding Yi made no attempt to hide himself; his Mana Fluctuation quietly spread outward.

Luo Chen’s brows lifted.

The Ninth Layer of Golden Core!

This man had previously concealed himself remarkably well—his outwardly displayed cultivation level had seemed no greater than the Middle Stage of Golden Core.

Now, with no mask in place, his cultivation realm’s depth was as profound as a vast ocean.

Of all the Golden Core cultivators Luo Chen had encountered in his life, only the Fishing Elder surpassed him in strength. Both Zi Hou and the Guiling Tongzi, whom he had briefly crossed paths with, couldn’t measure up to Ding Yi.

No—there was certainly one person who could still outclass Ding Yi!

Ascendant Master Cang Long, the Supreme Elder of the Ice Castle!

Back then, Luo Chen had been in the Foundation Establishment Realm, unable to perceive the nuances of Golden Core cultivators’ strengths. Ascendant Master Cang Long had kept his Spirit Pressure tightly restrained in front of him.

But now, as a Golden Core cultivator looking back, that had clearly been the preliminary signs of the merging of the essence, qi, and spirit—the hallmark of Finalization!

”I hadn’t expected—you’re the one truly hiding your prowess!”

Luo Chen sighed and came to a halt beneath a lakeside willow.

Ding Yi chuckled, ”In the North Sea, where demons and monsters are everywhere, concealing your cultivation level a little is necessary. If someone were to prepare against you accordingly with targeted measures, it’d spell disaster. Besides, isn’t Qingyang Zi the same, with a cultivation level of the Fourth Layer of Golden Core... Eh!”

Ding Yi’s tone suddenly faltered, only because the Mana Fluctuation released by the white-robed man by the lakeside grew even more pronounced—it was unmistakably the Sixth Layer of Golden Core cultivation.

More than that!

The dense, dominant Mana resulted in extremely strong Spirit Pressure—it compelled Ding Yi to instinctively counter with his own Mana Fluctuation.

The clash between the two Spirit Pressures was brief and inconclusive.

Yet Ding Yi felt both surprise and delight.

”The Sixth Layer of Golden Core!”

”Friend, your Dao cultivation has advanced to such an extent!”

The dominant Spirit Pressure retreated like ebbing tides back into Luo Chen’s body.

Bright eyes fixed on Ding Yi; Luo Chen took special care not to miss even the slightest change in his expression.

”Since you’ve come to find me, why beat around the bush? Why not go straight to the point?”

Ding Yi’s smile widened. ”I’ve always acknowledged your battle prowess. Now, seeing your demonstrated realm, I’m even more satisfied.”

Luo Chen asked, ”To my knowledge, you should’ve arrived at the Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering a long time ago.”

Ding Yi didn’t refute him; instead, he nodded candidly. ”Indeed, fourteen years ago I arrived at the Hidden Dragon Mountain Range and requested the Moyun Cave Lord to craft a secret treasure for me.”

”A secret treasure?”

”Precisely. It concerns a dangerous location I plan to venture to next. Without the treasure, I wouldn’t go—and wouldn’t have come to find you either.”

”To find me?” Luo Chen’s brows lifted, understanding the conversation had finally reached its crux. ”Are you inviting me to travel together?”