Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 1147: Chapter 449: Farewell, My Friend_3

The Ghost King suppressed beneath The Great River District was immensely powerful after centuries of suppression!

Instinctive survival desires allowed those remaining conscious thoughts to start battling with Miao Wen for dominance over the body.

Even the residual consciousness was something Miao Wen couldn’t stop.

”What a pity, if only I could continue my arduous cultivation of the Path of Sword, achieving a state of Sword Heart Bright in the Foundation Establishment Stage, this mere consciousness of the Ghost King would be nothing to me.”

”I regret my past choices...”

Amidst his murmurs, tears of turbidity trickled down from the tightly shut corners of Miao Wen’s eyes.

A black halo enveloped his Divine Soul.

”Mirror Flower, Water Moon, break!”

Crack...

The Water Mirror shattered, and the flower and moon ceased to exist.

The old man slowly opened his eyes, his expression complex as he looked at his own hands.

On them, there were no longer any calluses from practicing the sword; years of an esteemed life, and even though his spirit was in disarray for forty years, his cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Stage still preserved his originally fair and delicate skin beneath the filth.

He raised his head and looked at the tall man holding the bronze mirror, standing before him.

That somewhat unfamiliar aura, yet somewhat familiar face, left him momentarily unable to confirm his identity.

”You are... Luo... ”

”Steward Miao, long time no see. Luo Chen presents his respects.”

Luo Chen glanced at the Ghost God Heart Asking Mirror, now freshly cracked in three places, before putting it away into the Accumulated Thunder Treasured Ring, then performed a courteous salute towards the extremely weakened Miao Wen.

Miao Wen opened his mouth, too weak to extend his Spirit Consciousness to ascertain the realm of Luo Chen.

Yet, the sense that the other could effortlessly point a finger and kill him was unmistakably real.

He gave a wry smile and suddenly asked, ”What time is it now?”

”Mountain Sea Calendar year three thousand four hundred forty-nine,” replied Luo Chen.

Miao Wen staggered, his body swaying.

”Has it already been forty years...”

Murmuring, he raised his head again to look at Luo Chen, hesitating to speak.

Seemingly aware of what he wanted to ask, Luo Chen spoke slowly, ”During that battle, Pang Renxiong died, and The Great River District fell into the Ghost City. However, he didn’t completely die but instead, his resentful Divine Soul found sanctuary in the Path of Ghost, transforming into a Third-Order Ghost King.”

”I knew Elder Pang wouldn’t die so easily. When he was at Foundation Establishment, he had already achieved the state of Sword Heart Bright, and even in death, he could still convert to walk the Path of Ghost.”

”Sword Heart Bright?” Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, having learned this phrase earlier from the experiences manifested in the Ghost God Heart Asking Mirror.

Miao Wen nodded, then shifted the topic and inquired about other matters.

Luo Chen was agreeable and began to selectively share some major events that had occurred over the years in Yu Ding Realm.

Events like Han Zhan, the Supreme Elder of Luo Yun Sect, advancing to Nascent Soul True Master, initiating a significant battle among ascendant sects, and so on.

Listening to these events, complex emotions shone in Miao Wen’s eyes.

It seemed like some longing mixed with a bit of fear.

But in the end, his face settled into calm acceptance.

”We were never exactly friends.”

”Back then, with words that tormented the heart, I glimpsed the most despised side of your heart. Now, you’ve used a tool of Heart Inquiry to help me retrieve my true self.”

”To repay resentment with kindness doesn’t seem like your usual style, Luo Chen.”

”Plus, the fact that you candidly shared these events... I guess, I’m as good as dead.”

Luo Chen pursed his lips, looking earnestly at him.

After a moment, he smiled breezily.

”As you thought, that’s correct.”

This was an open admission that he indeed intended to kill him.

In the past, Miao Wen might have begged abjectly for his life.

But having endured decades of a living hell and now fully regained his consciousness, he had come to terms with his fate.

”Honestly, whether you kill me or not, with the state of my Divine Soul now, I won’t live more than two years. Enduring the Ghost King’s residual soul’s possession is no easy feat.”

He smiled at Luo Chen, saying, ”Since you didn’t kill me outright but instead went through great trouble to awaken me, there must be something you need from me!”

Luo Chen nodded.

Without any roundabout probes.

”I need that exceptionally pure Yin Energy in you!”

”The Ghost King’s Original Source Yin Energy?”

Miao Wen was startled.

Then, his eyes drifted to a nearby, timid girl floating amidst the black fog.

Her body appearaed as solid as any ordinary cultivator.

But with his perceptions, Miao Wen could still discern her heavy Yin Ghost aura.

”Is it for her use?”

”Yes.”

”If this girl receives the Ghost King’s Original Source Yin Energy from me, from then on, her ascension to the Third Order Ghost King Realm should be quite smooth.”

”She too was a rogue cultivator who perished in The Great River Inner City.”

Miao Wen paused, then sighed and shook his head.

”Alright, just tell me what to do. I’ll cooperate with you fully.”

”It’s quite simple, we just need to work together from the inside out!”

Luo Chen explained to Miao Wen the method of extracting Yin Energy in detail.

In fact, with his skills, whether it was the Completion Stage of the Cleaning Technique or the Divine Intimidation Technique, he was fairly confident he could extract the Yin Energy within Miao Wen.

But the Yin Energy was of too high a quality.

If he did not handle it carefully, it might just escape.

Moreover, since there was still some residual consciousness of the Ghost King within it, if Bai Meiling were to absorb it carelessly, an accident might occur.

Therefore, he needed Miao Wen to cooperate with him actively to shatter the consciousness of the Ghost King.

Only then could Bai Meiling absorb that Third-Order Ghost King Original Source Yin Energy without worries!

Having contended with this consciousness for decades, Miao Wen naturally knew how to deal with it.

Very soon!

With their cooperation, wisps of Yin Energy were extracted from Miao Wen’s body, flying towards Bai Meiling, who was seated cross-legged under the Soul Nurturing Banner nearby.

A day passed in the blink of an eye.

The world had already plunged into darkness.

It was only because they were in Yuan Magnetic Valley, which was free of wild animals and demon beasts, that such careless overnight stays outdoors were not dangerous.

Finally.

At the time when dawn was about to break but had not yet, Miao Wen’s body trembled.

The Ghost King Yin Energy that had dwelt within his body for many years was completely removed.

Bai Meiling, looking as if she were drunk, nodded and mumbled twice to Luo Chen before diving into the Soul Nurturing Banner.

Watching Luo Chen gathering the banner, Miao Wen, now extremely weak, had a look of disbelief in his eyes.

During the day and night of cooperation in removing the Yin Energy, he had glimpsed Luo Chen’s true realm.

”You’re in the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment?”

Luo Chen did not hide it and calmly replied, ”Eighth-Level Foundation Establishment, no more than a decade of refining away from Ninth Level Foundation Establishment.”

Miao Wen opened his mouth.

For a moment, he did not know what to say.

After reaching the Ninth Level of Foundation Establishment, would he not be advancing towards the Perfection Realm, and then to Core Formation?

This was something he had only dreamed of in his lifetime.

And Luo Chen was about to achieve it so soon?

And he was still so young!

What kind of incredible luck had he encountered...

However, when Miao Wen saw the grey and white hair tied behind Luo Chen, he pursed his lips.

He knew Luo Chen’s talent.

Among those with Five Spirit Roots, Luo Chen was ten times, a hundred times inferior to himself.

He also knew Luo Chen’s background, which could be considered as having no support in the Immortal Cultivation World.

Given such circumstances, for Luo Chen to have reached this stage at his age... Thinking about the many important matters of the Yu Ding Realm Luo Chen had casually mentioned before, though spoken in a calm tone, each seemed as vivid as if he were present on the scene.

Finally, Miao Wen understood.

There was no such thing as luck.

It was simply that Luo Chen had faced countless hardships and accumulated little by little to reach this point.

Fog enshrouded the Yuan Magnetic Valley in the morning.

The slight chill made the old man suddenly feel cold.

Perhaps it was not the coolness of the morning dew, but rather the slowly casting gaze full of murderous intent from Luo Chen!

Miao Wen opened his mouth and slowly said, ”Can we wait a bit longer?”

Luo Chen frowned, ”What difference does it make, a moment sooner or later?”

Miao Wen looked at his body, full of filth, and then raised his head towards the dimly lit sky.

It was as if he had returned to those early mornings, holding a broom and sweeping leaves and dust on the mountain trails as a young man.

”If this continues, and my fellow disciples see me, they’ll probably laugh at me again.”

Luo Chen was taken aback.

...

Atop Absolute Cloud Mountain.

White clouds floated ethereally, and a gentle breeze blew.

Below the mountain were continuous roars of beasts and the crashing of pine waves.

In the distance, Lancang Lake surged endlessly, seemingly unchanged for thousands of years.

A round red sun, like an egg yolk, emerged from the clouds and slowly rose into the sky.

With a refreshed appearance, neatly tied long hair, and groomed beard, Miao Wen, with dry yet clean hands resting on his knees, earnestly watched the sunrise.

As the sun completely emerged, a curve formed on his lips.

Then, gradually, the sparkle in his eyes faded, and finally, he slowly lowered his head.

Luo Chen stood beside him, his right hand pinching a jade slip, holding the storage bag that the other had voluntarily unlocked the Spirit Consciousness Restriction before death, silently watching this scene.

After a long time.

A wisp of green flame fell on the old man’s body, ultimately turning into a pile of ashes.

With a wave of his sleeve, gathering the ashes, Luo Chen leapt up.

Passing by Lancang Lake, he spread his hand and tossed them.

”Friend, may your journey be peaceful!”