Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

”Oh?”

Luo Chen sized up Fang Zhibai, feeling a rare surge of curiosity.

”I wonder what brings Brother Fang here today? Surely, it’s not just to celebrate Jing Lan’s birthday!”

Facing Luo Chen’s change in addressing him from ”special envoy” to ”Brother Fang,” Fang Zhibai felt a bit pleased.

But when it came to the main issue, his expression turned serious.

”I came here today for three reasons.”

”Please, go on!”

Fang Zhibai tapped the table and slowly said, ”The first thing, I ask Brother Luo to show mercy and refrain from using force to oppress the other major cities, thus acquiring massive resources through unequal trade practices.”

Luo Chen didn’t seem surprised by this. From the moment Jing Lan started aggressively exploiting his influence to establish a series of unequal cooperation agreements with external parties, oppressing numerous major cities to seize resources, he knew Wuyou City would not stand idle.

The only unexpected thing was that Wuyou City tolerated it for a full thirty years before sending someone to mediate.

He simply asked, ”Why?”

Fang Zhibai sighed, ”Every major city has limited resources. It’s already a stretch to nurture two or three Leakless Realm experts within a given time. What you’ve done has greatly affected the emergence of a new generation of young experts. If this continues, I’m afraid the Leakless Realm strong practitioners will have a gap in succession.”

Luo Chen curled his lips, not expecting Wuyou City to be concerned about sustainable development.

However, he also understood that his own cultivation required resources far beyond those of ordinary martial artists.

A drop of the Blood Refining Divine Gang is equivalent to the condensed Gang Qi of more than a hundred Leakless Realm experts.

Of course, trying to convert enough Blood Refining Divine Gang would inevitably affect the growth of many potential strong practitioners.

However!

Luo Chen’s gaze turned cold, ”Then where should I find the resources needed for my cultivation?”

Fang Zhibai, accustomed to dealing with various characters, naturally caught the change in Luo Chen’s tone.

But being a Leakless Realm expert and backed by Wuyou City, he wasn’t afraid of Luo Chen.

He replied firmly, ”Thirty years of indulgence is enough. Luo Chen, you need to stop!”

”It’s not enough!” Luo Chen replied decisively.

Suppressing his anger, Fang Zhibai said, ”Aren’t you afraid that Wuyou City will send experts to cause trouble for you? Perhaps you are unaware, but among the Annihilation Nine Rings, there is a true Martial Arts Human Immortal!”

”Martial Arts Human Immortal?” Not only was Luo Chen not afraid, but he also showed a rare eager expression, ”I would like to see that.”

This response left Fang Zhibai somewhat surprised.

After carefully assessing Luo Chen, he could only show admiration.

The depth of this person before him, as guessed by his ancestors, far exceeded that of an ordinary immortal cultivator.

Not only due to the resources required for his Path of Martial Arts cultivation but also because of the strong confidence his personal strength brought.

”Enough!”

Fang Zhibai no longer maintained his needless arrogance.

Or perhaps, in the eyes of such a top-level strong practitioner, the arrogance he relied on his background for would only be laughable.

He took a deep breath, and with utmost seriousness, he took out a stone box from his chest.

At the sight of that stone box, Luo Chen had a moment of distraction.

But Fang Zhibai didn’t notice, as all his attention was focused on the box.

Only to see him squeeze a drop of blood containing Gang Qi from his fingertips onto the stone box, then cast seal gestures one after another.

The stone box trembled slightly, revealing crimson glows.

A slit opened slightly, followed by a mysterious, instinctively desirable aura emanating.

The moment this aura appeared, the surrounding space suddenly became unbelievably heavy, as if to expel all the aura within it.

Clack!

Fang Zhibai hurriedly closed the jade box and cast the seal gestures again, sealing the stone box.

”With this item, Brother Luo, you should stop.”

Luo Chen stared blankly at the stone box.

This stone box was extraordinary, very much resembling a precious material he had once learned about in the Mountain Sea Realm from an enemy.

The seal gestures Fang Zhibai used were quite unique. Clearly an Immortal Family’s Restriction, yet executed with Gang Qi-infused blood, remarkably similar to the Qi Blood Restriction he had improved and applied to Xiang Fei.

But all of that paled in comparison to the sight of what he had glimpsed when the stone box was opened.

”What is that?”

”Its name is Immortal Essence Stone!”

”Immortal Essence Stone?”

”Indeed! As you saw, a piece of Immortal Essence Stone the size of a fingernail contains exceptionally pure immortal energy, more valuable than the legendary immortal jade.”

After a round of explanation, Fang Zhibai cautiously pushed the stone box toward Luo Chen.

”With this Immortal Essence Stone, it should be enough for you to refine and ascend to the Leakless Realm!”

Luo Chen pursed his lips, his mouth somewhat dry.

No wonder he subconsciously felt a sense of longing just now.

Not only his physical body, but even the sealed Divine Perception had a momentary tremor.

After a cultivator reaches Divine Transformation, they can ascend to immortality.

It’s rumored that in that Immortal Realm, one will further undergo the baptism of Immortal Energy.

Qi Power transforms into immortal power, the Primordial Spirit becomes nearly indestructible, and even a mundane physical body can turn into an immortal’s body, with Lifespan increasing to an unimaginable extent.

He had once been close to reaching that place.

Yet unexpectedly, he failed to ascend and found himself in this so-called Land of Returning Ruins destined for annihilation, where he saw the Immortal Essence Stone only found in the Immortal Realm.

A fingernail-sized Immortal Essence Stone, though not enough to baptize him entirely at his peak, was more than sufficient for him to break through to the Leakless Realm.

Looking at the stone box in front of him, Luo Chen closed his eyes.

After the incident with Qi Xia Emperor, he would no longer believe in any unprovoked acts of kindness or favor.

When he opened his eyes again, his tone changed inexplicably.

”Why?”

Fang Zhibai trembled all over, then murmured, ”This item is given to you, firstly to address what was mentioned earlier, to prevent you from excessively oppressing the other major cities and affecting the emergence of future powerhouses. Secondly, because our family’s ancestor sees great potential in you, believing you have the chance to reach his level and work together to find a way out of the Returning Ruins.”

”Is that so?”

Fang Zhibai came to his senses, just as he saw Luo Chen muttering and picking up the Jade Box to examine it carefully.

Fang Zhibai was greatly shocked; although he said what he was supposed to, clearly that state was not naturally from his heart.

”What did you do to me?”

Luo Chen smiled, ”Apologies, just a trivial trick to prevent anyone from deceiving me.”

But this was no small trick.

Just now, Luo Chen had used an adaptation of the sound waves from the Xiangfei Flute’s Soul Summoning and the teachings he acquired in the Mountain Sea Realm, such as ’Immortal Song by the River’ and the Buddhist ’Lion’s Roar’, to create this Sound Wave Technique.

Using Gang Qi to drive it, the special rhythmic cadence influenced others’ consciousness, achieving an effect similar to the Soul Absorption Technique.

”And the third thing?”

Fang Zhibai, not looking well, continued, ”The third thing is my family ancestor hopes you will break through soon and head to Wuyou City to explore The Great Dao Path together.”

Luo Chen nodded, ”Alright, I understand. Brother Fang, would you like to stay for dinner?”

”No, I still have important matters and will leave immediately.”

Fang Zhibai’s mood was not very pleasant.

He was dissatisfied with Luo Chen’s little maneuver earlier and was unnerved by how easily he fell into the trap.

Only after leaving Luo Mansion did he realize his back was soaked with cold sweat.

”Truly someone even our ancestor admires!”

...

In the Weichen Pavilion.

Luo Chen remained seated.

The aroma of tea permeated, yet couldn’t disturb his mind, as his focus remained on the stone box.

After a thorough inspection, he confirmed he wasn’t mistaken.

This stone box was indeed made entirely of ”Void Bud Crystal”, with its own space within.

It could be considered an alternative Storage Magic Item, though it couldn’t expand its space hundreds of times over!

The advantage is that it isn’t affected by the Outer World, even the Divine Perception of a Divine Transformation Great Power can’t penetrate it.

Another function of the Void Bud Crystal is not widely known.

It can serve as food to nourish a type of fourth-tier Gu Insect called Vacuum Gu, allowing it to grow rapidly to the Fifth Order!

And as for the Vacuum Gu, Luo Chen had one on him, hidden in his Purple Mansion.

Years ago, he acquired it from Nan Qi Old Ghost, and it was originally the Southern Border Luo Sect’s Sect Stabilizing Magic Item!

Of course, Luo Chen’s attention was mainly focused on the item within the box at that moment.

”Immortal Essence Stone...”

Luo Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly, his thoughts swirling.

This Land of Returning Ruins, where the Broken Appearance Green Lamp had been left from his early experiments with space fluctuations and was also home to the Immortal Essence Stone, only found in the Immortal Realm.

What kind of extraordinary place would gather both these things?

And is the legend of its impending doom true?

All things returning to void—does that define the Land of Returning Ruins?

”No point in pondering endlessly, better to refine it quickly and transform it into my own strength!”