Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Especially that great vertebra at the back!

At this moment, it actually emitted inexplicable thunder light!

Though the thunder light was sparse, with only a few arcs of electricity pervading, it indeed existed.

Is there a response?

Outside the pavilion, clouds unexpectedly gathered in the high sky.

Yet in the next moment, as Luo Chen abruptly opened his eyes, the originally oppressive sky slowly dissipated.

Luo Chen looked toward the void across the wall.

For a while, he then lowered his head.

”In this Returning Ruins, cannot even the Thunder Tribulation be gathered?”

Just like when an Immortal Cultivator reaches the Nascent Soul Stage, they will face the first Three Nines Heavenly Tribulation of their life.

Martial Artists experience the same!

It could even be said that the tribulations Martial Artists experience are more dangerous than those of Immortal Cultivators.

After all, the arrival of Heavenly Tribulations is intended to penalize and destroy.

Compared to the fragile Divine Soul, the Physical body that Martial Artists cultivate is harder to destroy; naturally, the external Thunder Tribulation becomes more violent and powerful.

But in this Returning Ruins, Luo Chen was just like those martial predecessors recorded in the classics, not struck by the Thunder Tribulation.

”It’s a pity. If there were a Thunder Tribulation, it would indicate that this world still possesses Heavenly Dao consciousness.”

Luo Chen exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi, focusing attention on his body.

He was already familiar with the internal and external changes.

Only the change in the great vertebra on his back gave him a little surprise.

Thunderbone!

This is not unfamiliar.

Once in the Foundation Establishment Stage, he had given birth to a Thunderbone through Physique Training using the Power of thunder and lightning in Bai Ye Cave Mansion on Accumulated Thunder Ninth Mountain.

At that time, he even hoped that this Thunderbone could show some special performance when crossing the Thunder Tribulation later.

Unfortunately, later when he ventured into the Land of Fallen Demons, employing the Nine Tribulations and Three Nirvanas Method, and performing Physical Nirvana, everything was restructured once.

The Thunderbone which was once placed great hope on disappeared, having no characteristics anymore.

Even when the Physical body crossed into Ancient Desolation’s Fifth Order, it didn’t reappear.

Yet unexpectedly!

As he stepped into Refining Body Fourth Realm and cultivated the Leakless True Body, the vertebra again transformed into a Thunderbone.

”Without cultivating Thunder Technique, nor possessing Lightning Spirit Root, yet there is a Thunderbone—mutation or rebellion?”

Luo Chen was puzzled.

He briefly closed his eyes, then opened them again.

All his Acupoints suddenly tightened shut, and a film of qi generated by Blood Refining Divine Gang enveloped his body.

Looking over, he appeared as a strange blood god!

This is his Leakless Golden Body!

Luo Chen’s right hand formed a knife, dispersing the blood film, then chopped onto his left arm.

The film was resilient, not moving a bit.

Luo Chen paused for a moment, then chuckled softly to himself.

That chop just now was done with thirty percent bodily strength, roughly similar in power to a Nascent Soul Stage Immortal Cultivator activating a True Device for attack.

The result was quite pleasing.

No wonder Wang Yuan wanted to research how to enhance Gang Qi, and even add Divine Wind Earth Fiend inside.

Just this qi film derived from Blood Refining Divine Gang was sufficient to block an attack at the True Device Level.

With such defense, the offensive power must be even stronger!

With a light smile, Luo Chen slowly descended to the ground, his waterfall-like long hair possessing spirituality seemed to retract, reverting to normal length hanging behind his waist.

Putting on a white shirt, then stepped out.

Outside Weichen Pavilion.

Xiang Fei’s eyes shone with joy, calling out from afar.

”Congratulations, senior, after enduring hardships, finally achieved Leakless Golden Body!”

Luo Chen came before her, breathing in the fresh air, feeling as if his body formed a world of its own, experiencing delight and contentment.

Twenty years, Refining Immortal Essence Stone, breakthrough to Refining Body Fourth Realm.

It truly counted as a hardship cultivation.

”Where’s Jing Lan, why do I not see her?” Luo Chen asked casually.

Xiang Fei opened her mouth, wanting to speak but stopped.

Luo Chen paused for a moment, then understood everything.

Mortals in the end cannot outlast time.

For him, it was just a usual Closed-Door Cultivation, but Jing Lan had completed her remaining life.

Though avoiding the anxiety in her final moments, Luo Chen couldn’t help but feel melancholic.

”Let’s go, take me to see her.”

Xiang Fei gently acknowledged, the joy from Luo Chen’s breakthrough also calmed down.

Upon leaving the mansion, someone was kneeling at the entrance.

It was the new City Lord of Yixian City, Xiao Yuxin.

She knelt there, not daring to lift her head even a bit.

Luo Chen merely glanced at it, without any opinion on Jing Lan’s final arrangements.

To him, Yixian City indeed held no importance.

As for whether Xiao Yuxin could secure her position as City Lord, it would depend on her future fortune.

...

South of Qingshan Town, an unremarkable Qing Mountain stood quietly.

A small river flowed below the mountain, and although there were houses on the mountain, there was not a trace of human presence.

Halfway up the mountain, a lone grave mound stood.

”The villagers of Moon Village were long ago taken out by City Lord Jing Lan; now this place is considered a barren mountain. Before her death, she entrusted me not to hold a grand ceremony, merely to return her remains here for burial.”

”The tombstone is unnamed, presumably waiting for you, senior, to erect a marker.”

”There is also a letter.”

With Xiang Fei’s soft whisper in his ears and holding the thin letter paper in his hand, Luo Chen’s gaze shifted from the grave to Qing Mountain, finally resting on the letter.

”Brother Luo, personally opened:

Seeing the letter is like seeing the person; when you read this letter, Xiao Lan has probably already gone.

...”

This was a very plain letter, with no delegation of posthumous affairs or expressions of longing, merely some everyday words left by Jing Lan as she sensed her end approaching.

Yet the plainer it was, the heavier Luo Chen’s mood became.

After reading it entirely, Luo Chen could only let out a long sigh.

He carefully put away the letter, then, using two fingers as a sword, slowly inscribed upon the nameless tombstone.

[Grave of the Benefactor Friend Jing Lan—Erected by Luo Chen]

Xiang Fei stood quietly behind watching this scene, curious about the phrase ”Benefactor Friend.”

But she did not inquire further.

She merely felt a sense of wonder; a woman as ordinary as Jing Lan meeting Luo Chen, living an extraordinary life—was it fortune or misfortune?

”Let’s go!”

”Back to Yixian City?”

”No, directly to Red Leaf Ridge!”

Luo Chen waved his sleeve and drifted down the mountain.

...

The former Red Leaf Ridge, now Red Leaf Valley.

Surrounded by Five Peaks, the lake was green and red leaves fluttered.

Standing atop one of the peaks, Xiang Fei looked down into the valley, faintly able to see a peculiar character amidst the interwoven ravines on the land.

It somewhat resembled one of the ancient characters used by Immortal Cultivators in the tomes.

”Is it the character ’Shen’ (God)?”

While Xiang Fei was curious, Luo Chen’s voice slowly resonated.

”The time has come after waiting for several days; send those condemned prisoners into the valley!”

Xiang Fei gazed into the sky, faintly sensing an impending chill.

This was the time when Ghost Rain was imminent!

Not daring to delay, she personally descended the mountain, heading to a prison located a hundred miles outside of Red Leaf Valley.

This prison was built under the personal arrangement of Jing Lan when she was alive.

It held prisoners accumulated over fifty years from Yixian City and other major cities.

These prisoners were death row convicts who violated martial laws, meant to have been executed long ago, yet were detained here.

All for this day!

Not long after, Luo Chen could see from afar Xiang Fei leading the Xuan Armor Army, bringing a large group of condemned prisoners into Red Leaf Valley.

Once inside, they were arranged into the dreamlike emerald blue lake, each locked up, unable to rise or sink.

Chaotic and panic-stricken noises were incessant.

Luo Chen’s expression was indifferent, turning a deaf ear.

Once everything was settled, Luo Chen floated down the mountain, personally stepping into Red Leaf Valley.

”Senior, are there any other instructions?”

Luo Chen stood with his back turned, gazing at the Illusion Dream Locust Tree.

”No need, you can leave! Remember, before I exit the valley, no one is allowed to enter, including yourself!”

Xiang Fei trembled all over, bowed, and left.

After she departed, Luo Chen slit his wrist, the scarlet blood flowing along the ravines.

Gradually, a vivid red ”Shen” (God) character emerged in the valley!

And the originally noisy emerald lake also gradually quieted down, with the condemned prisoners hanging their heads, seemingly falling into sleep.

Luo Chen exhaled a puff of Turbid Qi, casting a few Seal Gestures.

In an instant, the accumulated Evil Qi over decades gathered towards the Illusion Dream Locust Tree, causing the red leaves to sway.

The Blood River Demon Cloud Formation activated.

The Dream Bubble Array activated.

Only the final Five Ghosts Lock God Formation was poised to launch.

And at this moment.

Plop!

A raindrop fell onto the lake surface, stirring ripples.