Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

The years are hard to retain, and time is easily worn away.

The waves of heaven easily vanish, yet a moment of summer is hard to hold.

Since Zhou Fuqiu joined Tian Nan Dao Palace and apprenticed under Qing Lan Fairy in Houtu Hall, two decades have swiftly passed.

In these twenty years, Zhou Fuqiu rarely stepped out and seldom interacted with others.

He also found little need to engage in excessive interaction.

Although having taken a master, Master Qing Lan would only occasionally guide the many cultivators of Houtu Hall. Her guidance was limited to the formally initiated Golden Core Disciples. These Golden Core Disciples would then teach the Foundation Establishment Stage registered disciples on her behalf.

In theory, Zhou Fuqiu also needed to receive similar guidance.

But with the personal guidance of his ancestor Zhou Yunshen for over half a year, he had already thoroughly understood the cultivation process from the Foundation Establishment Stage to the Golden Core Period and therefore found no need for the ordinary teaching from those eight senior brothers and sisters.

Throughout these twenty years, there were occasionally fellow Foundation Establishment True Cultivators from Houtu Hall who came to visit.

Unlike the previous provocations, these visits were mostly friendly, seeking to form a connection or friendship.

However, Zhou Fuqiu generally declined most of them, only accepting an invitation to a gathering sent by Zhou Yuwei.

That time was quite special!

The host of the gathering was his ”cousin,” the female cultivator Lin Qingtong from the Qingtong Lin Family.

Using the clan’s territory as a title highlighted the Lin Family’s high regard and expectations for this female cultivator.

She did not disappoint the Lin Family’s expectations, successfully establishing her Foundation Establishment at the age of thirty-two after cultivating at Yuheng Institute for twenty years. She then successfully joined Houtu Hall and became a registered disciple of Qing Lan Fairy.

After receiving a cave mansion, Lin Qingtong held a small Foundation Establishment Celebration, which was the gathering that time.

This ”gathering-style celebration” was quite popular within the Daoist Palace, serving as an excellent venue for fellow disciples to connect emotionally and an ideal opportunity to expand one’s network.

Especially the latter, one could participate under the pretense of celebration, even if there was normally little interaction.

And at that gathering, the most prominent guest was not those long-famous Foundation Establishment True Cultivators from Houtu Hall, nor the seventh senior brother who dropped by to see her, but the rarely-seen ninth senior brother Zhou Fuqiu!

At that time, many did not expect Zhou Fuqiu’s appearance. No one thought newly joined Lin Qingtong could invite Zhou Fuqiu.

It was only later that some of the inside details gradually spread.

Zhou Fuqiu’s mother, Lin Jingshu, came from the Qingtong Lin Family and was a half-sibling of Lin Qingtong’s father.

It sounded a bit convoluted, but in terms of blood relations, they were indeed cousins.

During the gathering, many deliberately sought to befriend Zhou Fuqiu, yet few could actually become friends.

Just as the rumors stated, Zhou Fuqiu, with his extraordinary talents, was reclusive, not fond of engaging with others.

After the gathering, Zhou Fuqiu hardly went out again, focusing entirely on closed-door cultivation in Chaixi Palace.

Until nearing the twenty-year mark.

This year, Zhou Fuqiu was about forty years old.

And his realm?

Boom!

In the western mountain group of Tian Nan Dao Palace, a sudden thunderclap echoed.

Then came a continuous, deafening sound, as if someone’s joints were trembling or like a series of thunderstorms.

In the sky, dark clouds engulfed, silver serpents writhed.

Drip!

It was unknown when, but a raindrop fell.

Swiftly, a downpour began.

Before many could react, large amounts of Heaven and Earth Qi gathered toward Chaixi Palace.

In an instant, the winds and clouds gathered, dragons and tigers roared consecutively.

A Spiritual Energy Tornado formed by Spirit Power Reversal spread in all directions.

Nearby, numerous Second Order Spirit Veins were attracted, releasing vast amounts of spirit qi, joining the Heaven-Reaching Tornado.

Such a scene, even the dullest cultivator realized what was happening.

”Core Formation!”

”Is someone condensing the Golden Core?”

”But why here? This place predominates the cultivation grounds for Foundation Establishment True Cultivators. The highest Spirit Vein Rank is only Second-Order Top Grade, not suitable for breaking through to the Golden Core Period!”

”That direction, could it be?”

”Chaixi Palace!”

”Zhou Fuqiu, he’s actually forming a core!”

Amidst a series of exclamations, a voice emanated from the summit of the mountains at Houtu Hall.

”Reckless!”

The voice carried a tone of reprimand, yet also held a trace of gratification and joy.

Along with that voice, a green light descended from the sky.

After the sky enveloped in green light, the earth rumbled!

The spirit veins deep below the crust seemed unshackled, releasing a massive amount of spirit qi.

This spirit qi, as if alive, joined the Spiritual Energy Tornado, propelling the subject further.

Inside Houtu Hall.

The awakening Qing Lan Fairy from closed-door cultivation felt a weight lift upon seeing this scene.

Shi Miaoyin, her eldest disciple who rushed over, felt the same, ”Little Junior Brother was too reckless, attempting core formation without notice. Luckily, you emerged to assist; otherwise, he would have failed at the critical moment!”

Qing Lan Fairy initially thought the same, but after her Divine Consciousness enveloped the surrounding thousand miles, her thoughts changed.

She lifted her head, gazing through the window at the cloud-covered sky, murmuring, ”Perhaps he wasn’t reckless after all!”

Shi Miaoyin was stunned, not understanding her master’s meaning.

Qing Lan Fairy did not explain further, but instead, with furrowed brows, continued to examine the surroundings with her Divine Consciousness, her face growing ever more puzzled.

The surrounding spirit qi changes covered a thousand miles, continuously expanding outward.

This was excessively bizarre.

The prohibition she unlocked in the spirit veins merely served to accelerate, not the main reason.