Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 1337: Chapter 505: A Letter from Home, War Begins!_3

...

”Is the news about the decisive battle true?”

”It’s not guaranteed to be accurate, but based on the movements of Luo Yun Sect and speculations of the major forces, there’s an eighty to ninety percent chance.”

”Those Nascent Soul Sect’s Golden Core Cultivators, didn’t they give an explanation?”

”How could they fathom the thoughts of a True Master? They’re just like us, piecing together intelligence in secret. Dan Chenzi, why are you so concerned about this?”

”It’s always good to be prepared in advance.”

The Jueqing Fairy said indifferently, ”You needn’t worry. In the previous battle, you made a great contribution, and the Luo Tian Alliance also suffered heavy losses. Even if there really is a decisive battle, the Sword Hall could hardly assign you a dangerous mission.”

”I hope so!”

Seeing that the Jueqing Fairy had no accurate news, Luo Chen was about to take his leave.

The Jueqing Fairy stopped him, ”Recently, there have been many private gatherings of Golden Core Cultivators. There’s one tonight, do you want to go?”

Luo Chen hesitated for a moment but declined with the excuse that his injuries had not yet healed and he needed to recuperate.

Of course, he also entrusted her to collect a Fire Spirit Drill for him if she came across one.

The Jueqing Fairy had no objections.

Seeing her like this, Luo Chen grew curious.

”You don’t usually like to join in on such bustle. Why have you taken such an interest lately?”

The Jueqing Fairy rolled her eyes, ”You think I want to?”

She didn’t elaborate on her reasons.

But after Luo Chen returned, he gradually figured it out.

The Ice Castle was now lacking in figureheads to uphold its facade, as Ascendant Master Cang Long sustained serious injuries and took no part in affairs, and several Golden Core Cultivators were lost.

The Jueqing Fairy was precisely taking on the role of upholding the facade.

”It’s quite the struggle for her.”

After returning home, Luo Chen remarked with emotion and continued his previous work of healing.

...

Half a month later, Xu Huanzhen led the team back to the sect.

Luo Chen wrote two letters, entrusting him to deliver them to Sima Huiniang and Gu Caiyi.

As for the rest, he said nothing.

However, before leaving, Wan Ting of the surviving Wanxiang Sect looked at him with a hesitant expression, which put Luo Chen on alert.

Thus, he secretly transmitted a message to Xu Huanzhen, asking him to inform Sima Huiniang after his return to pay close attention to the movements of the Wanxiang Sect.

At this point, Luo Chen temporarily had no concerns.

Therefore, he declined many invitations and continued his closed-door cultivation.

...

One day, in the cave mansion, the sound of metal clashing continuously rang out.

Only when the sound of a sharp weapon snapping arose did it finally stop.

Luo Chen looked at the white mark on his arm, displaying a surprised expression.

Not long ago, he had fully recovered from his injuries and had no more worries.

After his recovery, he was surprised to find a noticeable change in the Body Refinement Stage on his Attribute Panel.

From the previous [Primordial Third Order 26/100], it had become [Primordial Third Order 28/100]

A full two points of progress!

He had anticipated some improvement since he had maintained a nourishing diet for years and had cultivated ”The Flow of All Things” using Original Source True Fire for tempering.

But a jump by two points was beyond his expectation.

Clearly, this abrupt change originated from the Black Emperor Ointment!

”What a treasure!”

”If there was a steady supply of Black Emperor Ointment to aid my body refinement, I might be able to complete the Body Refinement and ascend to the Primordial Fourth Order in a hundred years at most!”

For a moment, Luo Chen was fervently keen on the Black Emperor Ointment.

But after the excitement, he felt a bit dejected.

To his knowledge, this secret medicine was extremely scarce in Luo Yun Sect.

Ordinary puppets weren’t even worthy of being treated with this ointment.

Only those of the Third Order or higher were allowed a small application.

That True Master Han Zhan was willing to give him a portion was already quite generous.

Moreover, with the increasing rumors of a great decisive battle, Luo Yun Sect’s chief Pill Refiner, Mu Yunyan, had focused her main efforts on refining other elixirs, leaving no time to produce Black Emperor Ointment.

This cut off Luo Chen’s hope of purchasing it at a high price.

”Can’t get the ointment, how about the pill formula?”

Suddenly, this idea popped into Luo Chen’s mind.

Sect pill formulas are always kept secret, especially those auxiliary pill formulas related to Sect Heritage.

But evidently, Luo Yun Sect’s heritage wasn’t just Puppet Techniques; it included the Spirit Refining Doctrine too!

Previously, Luo Yun Sect had shown him considerable favor, which was quite apparent after he revealed the Second Order Tongyou Pill.

Even so, for cultivators, external puppets were merely a means, while the internal divine soul was fundamental!

”If I use the Second Order Tongyou Pill formula in exchange for the Black Emperor Ointment formula...”

There was a gap in Order between the two, one being Second Order and the other Third Order.

But the Tongyou Pill was a rare spirit pill that increased the divine soul’s endowment. The latter seemed valuable, but the way of Body Refinement had been in decline, and even Luo Yun Sect used it for puppet refining, which showed that the value of the Physique Training formulas did not match their Order in the current era.

”Perhaps it’s feasible.”

Luo Chen muttered to himself, then started to seriously ponder the specific details of the trade.

After a while, he had a rough plan in mind.

There was no need to rush!

If he approached them now, it would be him asking for a favor, and they might name any price, opening their mouths like lions.

But if he waited until after the Ding Ding Howling Moon Mountain Range, Luo Yun Sect, already greatly diminished in vital energy, would certainly be in urgent need of restoring their power.

With his ability to refine Second Order Tongyou Pills, he would undoubtedly fall into their sights.

By then, it would be their turn to ask him.

At that time, he could negotiate at ease, taking out the Tongyou Pill formula. Luo Yun Sect should be quite pleased!

Having thought through this point thoroughly, Luo Chen felt settled in his heart.

That day was not far off!

The great decisive battle was almost upon them!

...

Luo Chen, now recovered from his injuries, still refused all visitors.

Currently, he did not lack resources for cultivation, and he had cleared up any confusion about his cultivation during the previous Golden Core small gatherings.

At least until he reached the Late Golden Core Stage, he was quite confident.

As such, social obligations were a futile gesture.

On the contrary, keeping to himself might even cultivate his reputation.

He was waiting for the day the great decisive battle would come.

Or rather, it wasn’t just him waiting—it was everyone!

Luo Yun Sect was no longer hiding its movements.

All the strong cultivators of the sect were returning one after another, and powerful puppets were being sent continuously, refined overtime by Luo Yun Sect and Tian Fan City Cultivators.

Luo Yun Sect seemed to have paid some unknown price, but they had even acquired a battleship from Tian Fan City!

Yes, a battleship!

That was Tian Fan City’s unique war magic item!

It had shone brightly during the Open War eight hundred years ago led by Tian Fan City.

Since that battle, Tian Fan City had rarely used it, and other sects trying to buy or borrow it found it neither for sale nor loan.

Luo Chen once went out to take a look, floating above the base camp, was a battleship that looked quite ferocious.

But that was just the fierce appearance; he couldn’t yet see the full picture.

Perhaps only when the decisive battle commenced could he witness the full prowess of the Tian Fan Battleship.

Luo Yun Sect’s movements did not stop there.

Summoning all the sects involved in the Open War, they ordered them to send sect cultivators to gather on the outskirts of the Sky Drum Plain.

Countless cultivators began to converge like clouds.

Ten thousand, twenty thousand, until a hundred thousand!

These were cultivators adept at battle, not some motley army encumbered with families or mixed with low order, weak cultivators.

Beyond those hundred thousand cultivators were numerous rogue cultivators.

All had heard the news and came hoping to get a share of the spoils.

Those who dared to come were naturally rogue cultivator powerhouses with some confidence in their own skills.

In the camp, the atmosphere was growing increasingly restless.

It was like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment, waiting for someone to issue a battle cry.

Evidently, the one to make that call would undoubtedly be Luo Yun Sect.

As time slowly moved into the tenth year of the Open War, that somewhat legendary Nascent Soul True Master of Luo Yun Sect finally appeared before the world.

Atop Thousand Leaves Peak.

Under the gazes of tens of thousands.

The solemn-faced True Master Han Zhan in a green robe, called out softly.

”Commence battle!”

That soft cry, bolstered by robust Qi Power, rolled forward like raging waves, spreading in all directions.

In response to him, beyond the urgent rumbling sounds of the earth’s crust at Sky Drum Plain, came a roar like a tidal wave, just one word.

”Battle!”

”Battle!”

”Battle!”