An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

One treasure after another was auctioned off, flowing like an endless stream.

The final prices were all astonishing.

Having witnessed countless auctions, Luo Chen couldn’t help but sigh, running a platform like this was far more lucrative than managing a small sect or business. Despite painstakingly refining pills for a month, his earnings probably didn’t surpass what the black market made just from taking a cut of sales and the Precious Dragon Black Market didn’t even need to source all its own items.

A large portion of the goods came from rogue cultivators, who, unwilling to go through the trouble of selling on their own, consigned their treasures to be auctioned off.

As long as an item was sold, the organizers could collect their commission.

It was practically a risk-free business!

Before long, the first auction segment came to an end.

As soon as it ended, Tian Xingzi stepped down from the stage without the slightest hesitation, heading straight for Luo Chen.

This scene did not escape the notice of the four Foundation Establishment cultivators.

A soundproof barrier was cast, and Tian Xingzi greeted him with a hearty smile.

”Young friend, I trust you’ve been well?”

Luo Chen chuckled, meeting his gaze. ”Senior, you look as vigorous as ever. I suspect your cultivation has advanced yet again!”

Flattery was a two-way street, after all. Luo Chen was well-versed in this game.

Tian Xingzi shook his head. ”I’m getting old. I no longer hope to form a Golden Core in this lifetime. Advancing my cultivation is secondary. What truly matters is...

”Has your Foundation Establishment alchemist friend given his decision?”

It seemed he placed great importance on this Blood-Burning pill partnership. Luo Chen was now certain of this. Without delay, he replied, ”He agreed, but...”

Here comes the real bargaining!

Tian Xingzi straightened up. ”Whatever the terms, just say them!”

Luo Chen was equally direct. ”While the Blood-Burning pill is merely a first-tier pill, its refinement is exceptionally difficult and requires a substantial amount of primary ingredients. Therefore, we will need your side to supply the necessary raw materials at standard market prices.”

Tian Xingzi nodded. ”That’s fair. Now that the Hall of Hundred Herbs has relocated, many medicinal ingredients are much harder to acquire.

”How about this, you give me a list, and I will do my utmost to secure them.”

Luo Chen had already anticipated this and produced a neatly prepared list, handing it over without hesitation.

This decisiveness pleased Tian Xingzi, it was a sign that Luo Chen had come fully prepared and with genuine sincerity. He accepted the list and quickly scanned it.

Fire Hound Whip, Phantom Shade Herbs, Northern Sea Conpoy, Explosive Ape Blood, Earth Fire Fiend Qi, Snow Fox Demon Blood, Netherworld Yin Fiend Qi...

After reading it, he raised his head in shock. ”Does refining Blood-Burning pills really require this many ingredients?”

No wonder he was so surprised. The list was not only extensive, but many of the ingredients clearly had conflicting medicinal properties.

For example, Explosive Ape Blood and Snow Fox Demon Blood. Both were first-tier, but one was explosively aggressive, while the other carried an inherently icy nature. This wasn’t a simple case of yin-yang balance, these two should never be used together in conventional alchemy.

Then there were the fiend qi with different tier and attributes, first-tier Earth Fire Fiend Qi and second-tier Netherworld Yin Fiend Qi. What kind of pill required two fiend qi of different tiers and opposing natures? And what the hell was Fire Hound Whip?

Luo Chen simply smiled without responding.

Of course, these weren’t just ingredients for the Blood-Burning pill.

The list also included materials for the Myriad Wonders pill, Spirit Passage pill, and Blood Fiend pill.

First, it was to confuse Tian Xingzi and prevent him from deciphering the primary components of the Blood-Burning pill. After all, the faction backing Tian Xingzi likely had high-tier alchemists with extensive experience. If someone managed to reverse-engineer the Blood-Burning pill’s formula based on its primary ingredients, he’d suffer a huge loss.

Secondly, Luo Chen genuinely needed these key ingredients. With the Hall of Hundred Herbs and Spirit Source Pavilion relocating, and Immortal Build Residence wiped out, many essential resources were now out of his reach.

At this point, even the production of Myriad Wonders pills within Luo Tian Society had come to a halt.

Take Northern Sea Conpoy, for instance. Although it was relatively cheap, only the Hall of Hundred Herbs, backed by the Medicine King Sect, could acquire and resell it in large quantities. For most factions, large-scale procurement was simply not an option, as it was an imported specialty from an external domain.

As for the Spirit Passage pill, its formula was incomplete, but Luo Chen had studied it extensively and developed key insights. He was fairly confident that he could restore it and If he combined it with his panel status system’s assistance, there was an eighty to ninety percent chance of success. At that point, he would be able to refine the pill to strengthen his divine soul foundation.

As for the Netherworld Yin Fiend Qi, that was included as a precaution for Wang Yuan, just in case.

Seeing Luo Chen remain silent with a knowing smile, Tian Xingzi quickly caught on.

So, this young man was leveraging the partnership to acquire additional resources he needed! And in the process, he had concealed the true composition of the Blood-Burning pill.

A rather clever move.

Tian Xingzi gave Luo Chen a deep look before carefully storing away the list.

”Rest assured, since we’ve agreed to this partnership, I will do my best to fulfill both your and your friend’s requests.

”To show my sincerity, let me share some news with you.”

Luo Chen gazed at him curiously.

What kind of news could a Foundation Establishment cultivator consider a gesture of goodwill?

”Foundation Establishment pills!

”I’ve secured three of them. They’ll be delivered to Dahe Market soon.”

Luo Chen exhaled sharply. Phew!

***

A deep, heavy breath escaped from the man in front of him.

Tian Xingzi was quite pleased with his reaction. He was certain that no one could remain calm in the face of such ”sincerity.”

Luo Chen quickly steadied his breathing, realizing that he had lost composure.

No wonder he had reacted so strongly, this was a Foundation Establishment pill!

And yet, the last time they spoke, this old man had claimed it was difficult to acquire. Now, he turned around and casually revealed that he had secured three!

Three, not just one or two!

If it had only been one or two, Luo Chen wouldn’t have been this shaken.

Given his aptitude, he genuinely feared that one or two might not be enough. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have given away the one Mi Shuhua had provided, treating it as a casual favor to Qin Liangchen. But three, that meant he had three chances to attempt Foundation Establishment!

Even a donkey, given three tries, should be able to succeed!

So all this time, when they said it was ”hard to obtain,” they didn’t mean one or two pills, they meant getting more!

Luo Chen’s voice came out dry and hoarse.

”Senior...”

”Hold on!” Tian Xingzi raised a hand, just as Luo Chen was expecting some condition to be laid out.

Tian Xingzi chuckled. ”These three Foundation Establishment pills didn’t come easily, I had to call in quite a few favors to get them.” He paused before adding with a smile, ”So, as for the price... Five thousand spirit stones per pill. What do you think?”

Was five thousand spirit stones cheap or expensive?

Of course, it was expensive!

At the end of the day, a Foundation Establishment pill was still just a second-tier pill. Other second-tier pills typically started at just three to five hundred spirit stones per bottle.

Even when sold individually, a reasonable price for a Foundation Establishment pill would be around one to two thousand spirit stones, a price that already acknowledged its rare ability to enhance breakthrough success rates.

Back at the Jade Cauldron Auction, even the five major Foundation Establishment cultivators had only spent two thousand spirit stones each to secure their pills. Yet for an ordinary rogue cultivator, even that price was considered cheap.

First, they had no way to purchase one at all. Even if a rare few Foundation Establishment pills occasionally appeared at an auction, the final bidding price was astronomical.

The last Foundation Establishment pill had gone for six thousand eight hundred spirit stones!

The competition was simply too intense!

Yet, despite all this, Luo Chen had no issue accepting the price. After all, he was the leader of Luo Tian Society and a distinguished alchemist.

At this point, he could confidently declare to anyone, ”I am quite well-off!”

Three pills together would only cost fifteen thousand spirit stones. Not to mention, he currently had sixteen thousand five hundred in savings. After the last auction, his net worth had dropped from twenty thousand to just nine thousand five hundred. But in just a month, Luo Tian Society had earned him another eight thousand!

During today’s auction, he had made only a few small purchases, snatching up a Green Firefly Lantern and a Netherworld pill, spending barely a thousand spirit stones.

That meant if Tian Xingzi had the three Foundation Establishment pills on hand right now...Luo Chen could immediately buy them all!

Unfortunately, he still had to wait.

”Many thanks, Senior! I’m very satisfied with this price! Once the Foundation Establishment pills arrive, please inform me at once.” Luo Chen expressed his gratitude sincerely.

Since the other party had shown such sincerity, he couldn’t be stingy in return.

”As soon as the materials are gathered, I’ll have my friend refine the Blood-Burning pills for you immediately.”

Tian Xingzi laughed heartily. ”Then, to a successful partnership!”

”To a successful partnership!” Luo Chen didn’t stay for the free-trade segment and left the Precious Dragon Black Market early.

Once outside, he noticed that the snowfall had grown heavier. This winter might just be the most beautiful one in history.

Luo Chen was elated. He concealed his presence and disappeared into the night.