Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Late at night.

Jing Lan, who had been busy all day managing the opening of the new shop, returned to the mansion under the escort of the guards.

Upon hearing that the Wuyou Envoy had come to visit during the day, she was a bit surprised, but since Luo Chen hadn’t sent anyone to inform her, it was probably nothing serious.

When she entered the main hall, Jing Lan’s steps paused slightly, her gaze falling on three large chests in the hall.

”These are?” Jing Lan asked in confusion.

The steward, Uncle Zhong, explained, ”Gifts sent over by City Lord Xiao. Master hasn’t come out of Closed-Door Cultivation to inspect them yet, so they haven’t been put into the treasury.”

Jing Lan frowned. Leaving several chests in the main hall wasn’t proper, and trifles like this shouldn’t disturb Luo Chen either.

She rubbed her brow and, disregarding the day’s fatigue, began checking the gifts sent over from the City Lord Mansion.

The first chest was opened, revealing gold and silver in full view, dazzling the mind.

Jing Lan roughly understood what these gifts were.

They were City Lord Xiao Feng’s payment to thank Brother Luo for stepping in and winning the fifth battle for him, and the generosity exceeded his earlier promise.

Just the gold, silver, and jewelry in this one chest alone would be enough for an ordinary person in the city to live without worry for a lifetime.

The second chest was somewhat familiar to Jing Lan, because most of what lay inside were medicinal ingredients.

Judging by their age and quality, they were far better than the ones openly sold at Renji Hall, and for those walking the Path of Martial Arts, the medicinal effect would likely be much superior.

”This is quite a good gift. Brother Luo should like it.”

Jing Lan smiled, but when she opened the third chest, her expression froze for a moment.

...

A cold, clear midnight.

The doors of the Cultivation Room slowly pushed open, yet a wave of heat surged out first.

Though Luo Chen’s body was drenched in sweat, his expression was as calm as ever.

Leaving the Cultivation Room, Luo Chen went to the bath chamber.

There, a large White Jade Pool stood quietly. Outside the bath chamber, servants constantly added firewood to keep the water hot, so that Luo Chen could bathe at any time.

Although it wasn’t as convenient and efficient as the former Cleaning Technique, in terms of luxury and enjoyment, it surpassed it by far.

Soaking in the bath, Luo Chen closed his eyes, pondering problems in his cultivation.

Soft footsteps sounded from behind.

Luo Chen didn’t get up; he already knew who it was.

”Brother Luo, your clothes.”

”Mm.” Luo Chen split his focus, thinking about matters of cultivation while responding to Jing Lan.

Through the hazy mist, Jing Lan could vaguely see the man’s broad, mountain-like shoulders. Her face flushed slightly, but her tone remained as usual.

”City Lord Xiao Feng sent gifts this afternoon, three chests in total. The gold and silver...”

Luo Chen listened casually, not caring much.

These mundane things, to him, apart from making daily life more comfortable, were of little use.

As for those medicinal ingredients, in his eyes they were utterly ordinary, hardly worth a glance.

Only when Jing Lan spoke of the gifts in the third chest did Luo Chen’s eyes open a fraction.

”Mishan Smoke?”

Jing Lan bit her lip and said, ”Yes, a whole chest of Mishan Smoke, and all of it top-grade. Even in the Qingshan Town where I used to live, only a small amount of top-grade goods could be produced in a year. That one chest would require four or five towns the size of Qingshan Town to keep supplying for an entire year!”

Luo Chen’s lips lifted slightly. ”Looked at that way, Xiao Feng is quite generous.”

However, Jing Lan spoke in a worried tone, ”Brother Luo, could you please not take that Mishan Smoke?”

”Oh?”

Luo Chen was a bit surprised, then seemed to recall the Wuyou Envoy’s warning before leaving during the day, and his expression gradually turned solemn.

”Xiao Lan, how much do you know about Mishan Smoke?”

Jing Lan looked tense, speaking quickly, ”It’s not a good thing. Although Qingshan Town’s main external product is Mishan Smoke, ordinary people absolutely cannot take it. It’s said this smoke is highly addictive and makes people’s minds fall into confusion. Especially top-grade Mishan Smoke—if an ordinary person consumes even a little, they’ll die on the spot! Brother Luo, you mustn’t touch this stuff!”

Addictive?

Mental confusion?

A poison?

Luo Chen’s brows knitted slightly, and he stepped out of the bath entirely.

He casually picked up a piece of clothing and draped it over himself, then headed toward the main hall.

Under the dim, yellow lamplight.

One chest was opened, filled with boxes emitting a peculiar fragrance.

Luo Chen already had one of the boxes open in his hand, and inside lay pale golden strands of tobacco.

Beside him, Jing Lan looked extremely nervous, afraid that Luo Chen would take it.

”You should go down first.”

”Brother Luo.”

”Go down!”

Jing Lan’s expression was full of worry, but she could only leave reluctantly and wait in the courtyard, her eyes filled with concern.

After she left, Luo Chen took out a strand of the tobacco and lit it in the lamplight; wisps of sandalwood-like fragrance rose up.

He did not fear this thing being poisonous!

Back when he was cultivating the Hundred Poison Body Refining Technique, his Physical body had already gained the trait of being immune to a hundred poisons, unless it was something stronger than Poison Spirit Corn wine.

Yet at the instant the scent of Mishan Smoke entered his body, Luo Chen’s forehead twitched slightly.

”How strange!”

Luo Chen opened his mouth and spat, instantly expelling all the Mishan Smoke fragrance he had inhaled.

With a sweep of his wide sleeve, the dense smoke in the room was immediately swept up by a Windstorm and scattered into the night sky above.

Under the lamp, Luo Chen stared deeply at the chest of Mishan Smoke before him.

”This stuff actually doesn’t target the Physical body, but the Soul—especially those who have cultivated out Divine Consciousness!”

Just a moment ago, his sealed Divine Soul had actually stirred slightly, as if craving this substance.

Mi Xian...

This stuff seems to be specially made for Immortal Cultivators.

With Luo Chen’s insight into the three Paths of Medicine Pill, just from a slight reaction he had already seen through the properties of this smoke.

Bewitching and hallucinatory, decadent and weakening, addicting to the point of habit, even leading to confused mind...

For Immortal Cultivators, this kind of thing is the highest-grade poison.

If taken over a long time, at the lightest it will cause one’s Cultivation Level to stagnate; in serious cases it may constantly trigger Heart Tribulation Demon Barriers, commonly known as falling into Demonic deviation.

Luo Chen pressed his lips together, his gaze flickering uncertainly.

For Xiao Feng to send him such poison, his intentions are truly sinister!

”I’d guess he’s afraid I might snatch his City Lord seat by force, and is trying to use this to rot me from within!”

Luo Chen gave a soft laugh and casually shut the box.

Hearing the sound from outside, Jing Lan hurriedly came in again, her eyes ceaselessly sizing up Luo Chen. Seeing that he did not show that kind of obsessed, frenzied expression, she finally let out a breath of relief.

”Brother Luo, I’ll have the City Lord Mansion stop sending Mishan Smoke over from now on.”

”No!”

Luo Chen raised his hand, cutting off Jing Lan’s idea, and instead the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

”Let them send it. Not just send it—every year a whole chest, and it has to be top-grade goods! This is the payment Xiao Feng promised me beforehand!”

”But...”

”This thing is of great use to me. You don’t need to worry too much. Have it solemnly sealed away, and don’t let anyone else come into contact with it.”

Hearing the words ”sealed away,” Jing Lan, who had still been somewhat worried, finally relaxed. As long as Brother Luo did not consume this stuff, it was fine.

”Next I’m going into Closed-Door Cultivation for a while. If there’s no major affair, don’t come to disturb me.”

”All right.”

”Oh, and buy me a few smoking pipes while you’re at it—make a big show of it, buy better ones. If we’re putting on a play for others to see, we have to do the full set.”

...

Time flowed by quietly.

Since Yixian City decided on a new lord, in the blink of an eye half a year had passed.

After Xiao Feng took office, he first grasped all power into his own hands and purged dissidents. Then he put his heart into governing, reorganizing internal affairs. Externally, he struck with heavy fists, dispatching experts led by Tie Xiong to sweep away the bandits in the surrounding area.

In just half a year, the originally somewhat chaotic Yixian City once again took on a flourishing appearance.

Yet no matter how busy he was on ordinary days, Xiao Feng would still spare time to pay attention to Luo Mansion.

Under the night curtain.

Xiao Feng stood atop the highest tower of the City Lord Mansion, gazing down from afar at that residence three li away.

”Half a year without stepping outside the door—has he truly sunk himself into cultivation, not caring about any power or status?”

Xiao Feng seemed to be muttering to himself, yet also as if asking the middle-aged man behind him.

In this half year, the Guest Elders under his banner, both the original ones and the newly recruited, more than half had been sent out to other towns, practically sitting in charge of a region. The rest mostly held posts within the city or opened businesses.

Only Luo Chen, this Guest Elder, had from beginning to end made no moves.

A look of having no desires and no demands, not tempted by anything.

Tie Xiong sighed. ”Perhaps it truly is so! After all, before he came to the Great Destruction Realm, he was an Immortal Cultivator. In legend, Immortal Cultivators chase the Path of Longevity along the river of time, and have no desire for any external objects, including so-called power and beauty.”

Xiao Feng’s brows knitted tightly. ”How could a man truly be without desire? His not moving... I fear he has an even greater scheme! You must remember, the Wuyou Order is in his hand. With that Order, even forcibly seizing Yixian City would not be impossible.”

Tie Xiong shook his head. ”Even if he has schemes, so what? Didn’t you say he was very satisfied with that batch of Mishan Smoke? According to the information we probed from Wuyou City, this stuff most corrodes Immortal Cultivators. Many whose Daoist Intent and will in seeking the Dao are as firm as bedrock have become neither human nor ghost after years of inhaling it. Given time, the Luo Chen who once stunned Yixian City will likely become like that as well.”

Xiao Feng’s brows relaxed a bit.

Sending Mishan Smoke to Luo Chen was the move he was most proud of.

Even if it meant a bit less profit, as long as he could weaken Luo Chen’s threat, it was worth it.

However, that in the end was still pinning hope on an imagined enemy’s own downfall. If he wanted to truly stand firm, he still had to rely on his own side’s strength.

”Uncle Tie, have you patched up your defects, has your Realm reached Perfection?”

At these words, Tie Xiong’s face showed regret.

”Breaking through the Fourth Realm by Secret Technique, the golden body will inevitably have leaks. It’s not something that can be patched up in just a year or half.”

Speaking up to here, Tie Xiong’s kindly gaze fell upon Xiao Feng.

”City Lord, your natural talent is not poor. You cultivated to the Furnace Realm at such a young age—why not put all your energy into cultivation? Given time, you might well recreate the might of the old City Lord.”

Xiao Feng curled his lips, not agreeing.

He deeply understood the hardship of Path of Martial Arts cultivation.

Even with talent, one must go through countless tempering. The pain within, no one is willing to endure endlessly.

To hold Yixian City with just the Furnace Realm and enjoy wealth and glory, power and status—that was already enough.

If he wanted to go a step further, who knew how much more he’d have to pay.

Most importantly, what would it matter even if he really reached that step?

Wouldn’t he still, at a single summons by a Wuyou Order, have to obediently go to that Wuyou City, with little chance of returning?

Thinking of the Wuyou Order, Xiao Feng grew even more irritated.

With Luo Chen holding the Wuyou Order, he had righteousness as backing and could replace him at any time. He also bore the title of Yixian City’s number one expert. Luo Chen’s current status was already faintly on par with his own.

If the other truly had the Realm of Leakless, it would be fine for him to go straight to Wuyou City.

But Luo Chen’s Realm was only Blood River Realm. Calculating by normal cultivation speed, he’d need at least two or three hundred years before having a chance to break through to Leakless Realm.

To make him endure two or three hundred years with someone standing equal to himself—Xiao Feng found it hard to accept!

Tie Xiong faintly sensed Xiao Feng’s state of mind. His original intention to persuade could only dissolve into a soft sigh.

Just then.

The wind suddenly stopped.

Xiao Feng did not notice, but Tie Xiong abruptly raised his head, his gaze fixed dead on the distance.

Under the deep night, Luo Mansion, which had been quietly standing there, seemed to come alive.

In that instant, it was as if an Ancient Times behemoth that had long been asleep ceased its slumber and opened its eyes upon this world.