Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

”Can’t I stay in the clan?”

”If your parents and elders themselves are in the clan, you can stay for the time being, but once you turn sixteen, you will still be sent away.”

The youth furrowed his brows.

Zhou Junxiao had already understood what he was thinking; after all, he also knew why the other insisted on staying in the clan no matter what.

He sighed and said, ”In fact, for those without Spirit Roots, being sent away is the best choice. The clan is full of Immortal Cultivators. Whether in daily life or in cultivation duels, if one is the least bit careless, Qi Power leaks out, and it’s very easy to accidentally injure Mortals. And there’s one more thing: that pain of being unable to cultivate, under the circumstance of facing Immortal Cultivators day and night, will only grow heavier and heavier, making problems arise in their minds. Put like this, can you understand?”

Zhou Fuqiu was stunned.

He muttered, ”Without Spirit Roots, is it really impossible to cultivate?”

...

”Without Spirit Roots, one can still cultivate!”

”Worthy of being the Alchemy Sect whose fame crowns the Eastern Wasteland!”

”Such ingenious Elixirs, how exactly were they refined?”

In a Side Hall at the back of Coral Hall, an old man with a face ashen with exhaustion was staring feverishly at the pill in front of him. Behind him was an exploded Pill Furnace and dregs scattered all over the floor.

It could be seen that he had already failed many times for the sake of his experiments.

Suddenly.

An aged voice sounded within the hall.

”Chongxiao, time is up.”

Zhou Chongxiao, a second-generation member of the Zhou Family, was also now one of the six Golden Core Cultivators.

He was the one who, after receiving guidance from the patriarch, advanced to the Golden Core Period together with Zhou Xiaocheng.

He had even received Elixirs gifted by Luo Chen to aid him in the process of advancement.

The reason Zhou Yunshen had specially selected Zhou Chongxiao was because he was the Zhou Family’s only remaining Pill Refinement Grandmaster, yet his remaining days were few.

For the sake of the clan, Zhou Yunshen had thrown resources behind him, forcibly pushing him to the Golden Core Period and extending his lifespan.

At this moment, upon hearing the aged voice, Zhou Chongxiao knelt on the ground and said anxiously, ”Patriarch, give me a little more time, and I will definitely be able to deduce the Pill Formulas for these three Elixirs in reverse.”

”A little more time—how long is a little?” Zhou Yunshen asked.

Zhou Chongxiao hesitated and said, ”Three years—no, ten years. No matter what, as long as I can reverse-deduce these three Pill Formulas and allow Mortals to cultivate, then my Zhou Family will surely rise to prominence in Tian Nan, and may even become the greatest of the Immortal Cultivation Clans in the entire Mountain Sea Realm! For this, Chongxiao is willing to devote the rest of his life!”

”Three years? Ten years? Your whole life?” Zhou Yunshen sighed. ”Forget it. How could his methods be something you can fathom? The countless failures over these past few years have already proved everything. Continuing to research it will yield no results.”

”Patriarch!”

”That child has already grown up and now needs to use these three pills. And the younger generation of my Zhou Family cannot rely on external Elixirs to assist their cultivation forever. You should also leave this place and contribute your strength to the clan.”

A light breeze swept past, and the three Elixirs in front of Zhou Chongxiao vanished in an instant.

The old man’s outstretched hand hung in midair, his face full of loss and bewilderment.

He only hated that he could not meet the Alchemy Sect’s True Master in person and seek guidance in the vast Dao of Alchemy!

...

The main doors of Coral Hall.

Zhou Fuqiu stood somewhat uneasily outside, not knowing why the patriarch had suddenly summoned him.

Was it just that he wanted to take a look at him?

If that was the case, would the strength he had been hiding be discovered?

If it was discovered, how should he explain it?

As the youth was filled with unease, the doors opened without any warning.

Zhou Fuqiu took a deep breath, forced himself to stay calm, and walked inside.

Contrary to what he had imagined as a sense of unfamiliarity, the instant he stepped in, he felt a surge of intimacy.

It arose from within his body!

Was it bloodline?

Zhou Fuqiu didn’t really understand from where this intimate feeling of a shared source came, and only bowed respectfully toward the figure above.

”Fuqiu pays respects to the patriarch!”

”Raise your head!”

Zhou Fuqiu raised his head and looked up at the old man above.

The old man wore the Zhou Family’s most emblematic clothing: wide robes and great sleeves, a plain white garment. One could imagine that on the back there should be an embroidered blossom of brilliant, fully-bloomed red coral.

This was the Zhou Family’s highest symbol of honor.

Next in order came the gold-coral white robes that only the Family Head could wear, then the blue-coral robes worn by the Elders, and finally the white-coral robes of ordinary clan members.

This was also a way for the Zhou Family to remember their days in the North Sea.

But at this moment, the only thing Zhou Fuqiu felt was the pair of aged eyes looking down at him.

Scrutinizing and sizing him up, cherishing and loving him, yet carrying a trace of aloofness.

How complicated it was!

Zhou Fuqiu did not understand why he was being looked at like this.

At last, Zhou Yunshen spoke.

His very first sentence made Zhou Fuqiu’s heart jolt in shock.

”So fast—about to reach Foundation Establishment already.”

Zhou Fuqiu swallowed a mouthful of saliva and said nervously, ”The patriarch’s gaze is as bright as a torch; Fuqiu indeed is about to reach Foundation Establishment.”

Zhou Yunshen smiled gently. ”It’s not that my gaze is bright as a torch, but because you’ve been cultivating right under my eyelids, and with certain special reasons as well, I can sense your true Realm. If it were any other Nascent Soul True Master, they might not be able to see through your reality and illusion.”

Zhou Fuqiu was extremely astonished.

He had indeed cultivated a Concealment Technique and considered himself capable of fooling Foundation Establishment Cultivators and even Golden Core Cultivators, but he had never thought he could deceive a Nascent Soul True Master.

Yet he had not expected the patriarch to give him such a high evaluation!

Was it because of his own Physique?

”When can you break through?”

The old man’s question floated over slowly.

Zhou Fuqiu answered honestly, ”Any time. The only reason I haven’t taken that final step is that I fear something might go wrong because I haven’t mastered my arts well enough.”

”What accident could possibly happen to you?”

The old man muttered softly, his voice so low that Zhou Fuqiu probably didn’t hear it clearly.