Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Upon hearing this intelligence, Luo Chen’s mood naturally grew heavy.

He vaguely understood why the Master of Wuyou Realm did not disclose these matters to the world, not even to his descendants.

Faced with such all-consuming power, mortals would be better off living carefree lives than living in fear after learning the truth.

Yet for high-level martial artists like himself, not knowing the precise time of death is the greatest pressure and torment.

”Let’s go back!” Luo Chen said.

Fang Zhibai was taken aback, ”Just taking a look from afar?”

”That’s enough.”

Luo Chen turned and entered the stone house.

...

As he left the Fang Clan territory, Luo Chen inquired about another piece of news.

It was regarding the stone box that previously contained Immortal Essence Stones, which was actually a Void Bud Crystal.

Regarding this entity, Fang Zhibai was quite open about its origin.

It hails from the Gate of Annihilation and occasionally appears within the Nine-layered Tower.

In fact, Immortal Essence Stones also originate in this way!

Not just Void Bud Crystals and Immortal Essence Stones—according to Fang Zhibai, every so often, special precious items from other worlds are swept into the Gate of Annihilation.

If Luo Chen wished to acquire more Void Bud Crystals, he would have to either personally delve into the Nine-layered Immortal Tower to search or trade with those martial artists who have been cultivating in the Annihilation Nine Rings for years.

Upon returning.

Luo Chen inquired about the specifics from Xiang Fei.

”I heard it’s true; some martial artists occasionally find strange things in the Annihilation Nine Rings. Unfortunately, I spent too little time there in the past and never had such an encounter.”

”Tell me about the cultivation conditions inside the tower!”

”The Nine-layered Immortal Tower stands ancient and towering, its internal space can be considered vast and boundless. Once you enter, there’s hardly any stable foothold.”

”It sounds like the Nine-layered Immortal Tower is an immortal artifact imbued with the power of spatial law,” Luo Chen mused and then asked, ”Since there are no stable footholds, how do you cultivate inside?”

Xiang Fei responded without hesitation, ”Though there are no stable footholds, the inside is full of drifting meteors. As martial artists, we rely on these meteors to remain. The larger and better the meteor, the safer it is, and if you wish to stay long, it’s best to have the sturdiest meteor as a foothold. In fact, there are often disputes over these cultivation stones inside the tower.”

Luo Chen pressed his lips together, fully understanding this situation.

In the Mountain Sea Realm, whether it was residences in some markets or Spirit Mountain Cave Mansions within the Immortal City, the better the place, the more it was coveted.

As back in Tian Lan Immortal City, there were only three Third Order Spirit Vein Cave Mansions, and he had to put in a lot of effort to secure one, using it to break through the Golden Core Period.

After thinking a moment, Luo Chen asked further.

”The tower is divided into nine layers, and the areas filled with chaotic energy are divided into nine rings. How do you climb to higher tower layers to reach areas with denser chaotic energy?”

Xiang Fei recalled her brief cultivation career in the Annihilation Nine Rings and answered uncertainly:

”The source of chaotic energy is the highest point of the Nine-layered Immortal Tower, seemingly drawn from the Gate of Annihilation. It is then tiered downward, gradually diminishing layer by layer, expanding outward from the central passage of the tower in a ring-like diffusion. The name ’Annihilation Nine Rings’ also comes from this. The further down you go, the thinner the chaotic energy, suitable for weaker cultivation. The higher up, the more turbulent the chaotic energy, and unless one is fully prepared, even strong individuals find it hard to ascend the tower and reach higher ring-like cultivation zones.”

At this point, Xiang Fei hesitated.

Seeing Luo Chen’s inquisitive gaze, she continued to speak.

”Although that’s the case, even the thinest chaotic energy in the Ninth Ring is an environment that an average Leakless Realm martial artist cannot endure for prolonged cultivation. Although you, senior, possess great power, given that you only recently broke through to the Leakless Realm, do you truly intend to enter the tower to cultivate in thirteen years?”

Luo Chen nodded.

Xiang Fei bit her lip lightly, ”In that case, I will also...”

”Follow your own heart!” Luo Chen interrupted her, leisurely saying, ”Over the years, you’ve done enough for me to atone for the sin of once trying to assassinate me. Before entering the tower, I will lift the Qi Blood Restriction on you and grant you freedom.”

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

She wanted to say that Luo Chen’s past mercy in sparing her life was already ample recompense for her years of toil.

Moreover, Luo Chen used a precious elixir to heal her injuries.

But obviously, Luo Chen wasn’t one to care about these matters.

In Luo Chen’s view, one should repay kindness and avenge hatred, and as for the extent of these, he relied on his own judgment.

Subsequently, Luo Chen carefully gathered some information regarding matters to pay attention to while cultivating in the Annihilation Nine Rings, then he announced that he would undergo closed-door cultivation.

Before entering the Nine-layered Immortal Tower, there are still some matters he needs to prepare!

Such as soul division!

His own Divine Soul is just too vast!

In the early-stage of Divinity Transformation, his divine soul endowment was already comparable to that of a late Nascent Soul stage great power.

Even when divided into nine soul splits, each one is not weaker than a normal divine transformation great power.

In this enigmatic Returning Ruins World, a divine soul at the divine transformation level is indeed too ”conspicuous”.

Once inside the Nine-layered Immortal Tower, it may become even more conspicuous, attracting soul-shaking thunder sound.

Therefore, whether for self-preservation or to refine the ”Martial Arts Divine Spirit”, he must break his soul into more pieces.

With 720 acupoints, at the very least, he must divide his soul into 720 soul splits, store them within the acupoints, wrapped in Blood Refining Divine Gang.

Only in this way can he avoid drawing attention.

This endeavor is indeed extraordinarily massive.

The suffering to be endured within, unimaginable to ordinary people.

Even with Luo Chen’s outstanding capacity to endure pain, it would be an excruciating ordeal.

He might even plunge into madness during the process.

What gives Luo Chen enough confidence is likely the complete perfection of the ”Soul Cleaving Technique” cultivated to the utmost degree!

...

Thirteen years passed in a flash.

Thirteen years later, Luo Chen emerged from seclusion.

At the moment she saw Luo Chen, Xiang Fei subconsciously covered her mouth.

She had never seen such a ”haggard” Luo Chen.

Though his body was as robust as ever, his eyes were bloodshot, and he appeared soulless as if he had no spirit.

Describing Luo Chen’s current state as a walking corpse might not be an exaggeration.

In such a state, could he really enter the Nine-layered Immortal Tower to cultivate?

”Has anyone come out?”

This was Luo Chen’s first question after emerging from seclusion.

Xiang Fei, her eyes filled with concern, replied, ”Gradually, some people have come out. It’s even been said that the three Martial Arts Human Immortals from the Upper Three Rings have temporarily left the Nine-layered Immortal Tower. But senior, the person you care about most, the Fang family’s ancestor, Master of Wuyou Realm, has not come out this time, still remaining inside.”

Hearing this, Luo Chen subconsciously furrowed his brow.

Since that person had previously expressed goodwill through his descendant Fang Zhibai, why not come out this time?

Is he facing some difficulties, or is he at a critical point in his cultivation?

Luo Chen actually looked forward to his first meeting with the Master of Wuyou Realm.

Having understood the history of the Fang family, he could roughly estimate the lifespan of the Master of Wuyou Realm.

The Fang family has existed for over three thousand years, so the Master of Wuyou Realm’s age must exceed this, given that he is the founding ancestor of the Fang family!

While in the Returning Ruins, a martial artist’s lifespan limit is significantly shorter than in the outer world.

Even a mighty existence of the Sixth Realm Destruction, with the full extent of their lifespan, could only live up to about three thousand years.

In this way, the Master of Wuyou Realm is very likely, like Luo Chen, a fellow cultivator from the outer world who drifted into the Returning Ruins.

And there’s a high probability he is a Void Refining True Monarch, a being with over five thousand years of lifespan!

If he could meet him, he surely could learn more about the Returning Ruins.

But unfortunately...

Luo Chen sighed, ”Forget it, as long as I can enter the Upper Three Rings, I’ll come across him eventually.”

Upon hearing this, Xiang Fei suddenly said, ”Since you intend to try for the Upper Three Rings, why not take this opportunity to meet the martial artists who have come out for a break?”

”Oh?” Luo Chen’s interest was piqued.

Xiang Fei smiled slightly, ”They’ve been cooped up inside for a long time; after coming out, they’ll take a break. During this time, they meet and converse in private. Also, senior, you mentioned before about those special materials like Void Bud Crystal and Immortal Essence Stone. Maybe these people have some on hand. If you’re interested, with the type of Pulse Supplement Pill or elixir of similar tier that you used to heal me, you could easily obtain them in exchange.”

In his weary eyes, Luo Chen showed a hint of brilliance, ”A fine suggestion!”