Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Extra Enthusiastic Ladybug at the Beginning of the Month_1

”Wow, what a lovely aroma!”

The front door of the main room opened, and Gu Caiyi, clad in silk pajamas, expressed her admiration.

Across from her, Luo Chen was sitting at the doorstep, hungrily scooping Spirit Rice from a large floral ceramic bowl.

A few pieces of bright red beef were perched on one side of the bowl. As the rice was being shuffled around, the beef wobbled tantalizingly.

”Did you make this yourself?”

Looking at the woman in front of him, ogling the chunks of beef, Luo Chen tentatively asked.

”Want a piece?”

”Sure!”

Good grief, she’s certainly not shy!

Watching as the largest piece of beef under Spirit Power control entered her red, pouty mouth, Luo Chen was lost for words.

He had specially cut an extra two ounces of meat to reward himself for his hard work today, and now it was all in this woman’s mouth.

And worst of all, she was at the eighth level of Qi Refinement, he couldn’t even protest.

It’s all my fault for speaking up!

”Mmm, it’s soft, flavorful, spicy, and delicious, the light taste of herbs not only locked in the juices but also contained a rich Spirit Power.”

Gu Caiyi squinted her eyes, savoring the mouthful of beef as she swallowed.

”I can’t believe you’re so good at this. Your skills are much better than the chefs at our Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, and certainly no worse than the chef from the Zhong Ding Family.”

After a few compliments, she noticed Luo Chen hurriedly eating the food in his bowl.

Amused and irritated, she tapped Luo Chen on the head.

”Was it necessary to eat so much just because I took a piece of your beef?”

Glub-glub.

”I’m hungry, just purely hungry, Sister Caiyi, don’t get me wrong.”

Gu Caiyi licked her lips, reminiscing.

”I didn’t eat your meat for free. I found out for you. The Yin Energy from The Great River District is simply seeping out through the array, which is not harmful. As long as you don’t stay too long, there is almost no impact.”

”How long is too long?” Luo Chen quickly asked.

”At least starting from a month, the kind where you don’t move during Closed-Door Cultivation.”

Luo Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

He was somewhat apprehensive when sleeping under a thick quilt last night.

Cultivation was already challenging enough, if the Yin Energy messed up his Dao Foundation, it would truly be terrible luck.

Feeling relaxed, he couldn’t help but slow down his eating pace.

His gaze even had time to follow Gu Caiyi’s graceful movements.

Under the control of the Spirit Power, a barrel of water sprouted from a corner of the yard. She bent down, splashed the clear water on her face.

As she raised her head, the water droplets on her face caught the sunlight, creating a spectacular kaleidoscope of colors.

”Does it look good?”

”Beautiful!”

”Giggle...”

Please forgive Luo Chen for not knowing which adjective to use, only able to describe that crisp and playful laughter with the sound of a hen laying an egg.

Gu Caiyi sat on the swing under the tree in the west wing of the yard, feeling somewhat melancholy as she said, ”Everyone says I’m beautiful, but they also say I don’t meet the entry requirements of the Hehuan Sect.”

What were the entry requirements of the Hehuan Sect?

Isn’t it true that sects only consider age and Spirit Root when accepting disciples?

Gu Caiyi didn’t answer, sitting on that swing clearly meant for children, her waist and hips taut, forming a peach-like contour.

Swaying back and forth, her unpowdered cheeks were looking at the sky, a little lonely.

Luo Chen realized that Gu Caiyi was different from Bai Meiling and Feng Xia, she was more like the Foundation Establishment Generation chasers he had encountered.

There were many such people among the Rogue Cultivators, but not that many.

Because most people will slowly become ordinary under pressing circumstances, toiling day and night for their livelihood.

Then in the daily toiling, they forget their original intention, which is actually to pursue the Great Dao Path and establish their foundation.

Luo Chen was an ordinary person too, but he constantly reminds himself that the purpose of refining pills to earn spirit stones is not for the stones, but to buy enough resources to pursue longevity.

”When did you come back this morning? I didn’t hear any sound,” one might ask.

”I returned at Yin Time last night.”

Yin Time is roughly from three to five in the deep night.

Compared to getting home at the previous hour, it’s about two hours in advance.

No wonder I didn’t hear any movement.

”This is how it has been for the past two months, those beetles - I don’t know what happened, but they are particularly enthusiastic at the beginning of the month, tumbling towards the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion.”

Beetles?

They must mean customers!

”Then after two or three days, whether it’s because they ran out of spirit stones or lost energy, they dejectedly return.”

Wait, the start of the month?

Luo Chen seemed to sense something and unconsciously avoided meeting Gu Caiyi’s eyes.

”Actually, it’s better for those of us dancing and playing music, it’s the sisters engaged in the flesh trade who are really suffering. They are exhausted at the beginning of the month, they were telling ’mum’ they all want to change their holidays to coincide.”

A certain man chuckled awkwardly, neither speaking nor uttering a word.

Looking at the few grains of rice left in his bowl, picking them up one by one to eat.

”Of course, the sisters earn more. Some have already decided to persist for a period of time, save enough spirit stones to move to another market, marry a honest rogue cultivator. Strive to have a child with a Spirit Root, have him or her join a Great Sect in the future, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation.”

Luo Chen’s head was down, his fingers drawing circles.

I really must thank them on behalf of those honest rogue cultivators.

”Why aren’t you talking, don’t you like listening to me talk about the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion?” Gu Caiyi suddenly turned to look at him.

Luo Chen quickly gestured, ”How could it be, I simply haven’t eaten pork before, so I don’t know how to join the conversation.”

”Hey, you little rascal!” Gu Caiyi teased laughingly, then warned, ”If you still want to establish your foundation, it’s best not to lose your vital essence before then.”

Luo Chen nodded.

He sounded quite knowledgeable about the matter.

Most Cultivation Techniques set the Lower Passage Golden Lock during the Qi Refinement section, to ensure the Lower Order Disciples don’t lose their vital essence.

There’s a similar warning in the Longevity Technique.

”By the way, let me ask you something.” Luo Chen appeared quite vexed, ”In Inner City, how do the cultivators resolve the need to practice techniques?”

Gu Caiyi looked at him strangely, ”They just practice, how else would they resolve it?”

”No, I’m talking about those techniques that need constant release, constant familiarisation. Such as the Fireball Technique, Big Sword Technique, those with wide attack ranges.”

Luo Chen said, troubled, ”The place is too small, and it’s easy to disturb the peace.”

”Inner City strictly prohibits fighting, why do you want to learn these techniques? Shouldn’t you always keep your spirit power abundant, ready for a surge to a higher realm,” Gu Caiyi asked, not understanding.

Luo Chen appeared even more puzzled, ”Techniques and magic tools are means to guard the Dao, shouldn’t we master them?”

”Moreover, Inner City isn’t necessarily completely safe, is it!”

”Alright, Inner City indeed has one or two fools every year who challenge the rules of Yu Ding Sword Sect, it’s not completely safe.”

Gu Caiyi shrugged, giving Luo Chen the answer he wanted.

”As far as I know, Inner City cultivators wanting to practice damaging techniques either head to barren hills outside the city themselves, or to Yu Ding Sword Pavilion’s Technique Fighting Platform.”

”Technique Fighting Platform?”

”Yes, it’s fee-based, starting from one spirit stone per attempt, if you want a sparring partner, the price could multiply by a hundred.”

Luo Chen’s eyelids twitched.

So it turns out even the Yu Ding Sword Sect could be so devious about making money!

Perhaps noticing the state of Luo Chen’s pouch, Gu Caiyi suggested another solution.

”The courtyard is deserted during the day, you could practice in the corner, as long as you replenish the soil in time, so that Senior Sun doesn’t notice.”