An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

How valuable was a live second-tier Explosive Ape?

This beast was classified as fire-attributed, violent in nature, devoid of intelligence, and incredibly difficult to tame. Without special beast-controlling methods, its value was not particularly high. At best, it could be slaughtered for materials and sold for four to five thousand spirit stones.

It was completely different from the Blazing Cloud Roc Luo Chen had purchased. While the Blazing Cloud Roc was also a second-tier demonic beast, it was a rare and elusive avian-type creature. If its wings were intact, they alone would be considered top-tier forging materials for second-tier forging materials.

For this reason, the price of a Blazing Cloud Roc had always remained exorbitantly high. In comparison, the value of an Explosive Ape in the hands of others was quite low.

However, that was only the case for others.

Luo Chen was different! He was an alchemist, and he just so happened to possess an alchemical formula specifically designed for Explosive Ape blood. At this moment, as Luo Chen gazed at the battered and bloodied Explosive Ape, excitement surged through his heart.

If I refine Blood-Burning pills using the blood of a second-tier Explosive Ape, how powerful will they become?

Does this mean they could be suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators?

If so, the value of Blood-Burning pills would skyrocket. Even now, their price was already comparable to that of ordinary second-tier pills.

But that was only due to their unique effects. If refined using second-tier demonic beast blood as the main ingredient, they would undoubtedly become true second-tier pills with enhanced properties.

Hehehe...

”What are you giggling about?”

Amidst the desolate ruins of the battlefield, Wang Yuan strode forward as if walking on solid ground.

As Luo Chen approached, he raised an eyebrow. ”You’re not going to kill it?”

”This beast is still useful, so I’ll keep it for now.”

He had no intention of killing the second-tier Explosive Ape. Keeping it captive and extracting its blood for alchemy would maximize its utility.

”Then take this demonic core.”

As he spoke, Wang Yuan casually tossed the demonic core he had seized to Luo Chen. The moment Luo Chen caught it, the unconscious Explosive Ape beneath his feet convulsed.

”Oh! Its instincts are still trying to reclaim its demonic core.”

Luo Chen grinned and examined the demonic core in his hand.

Numerous blood-like threads coiled around the fist-sized crystalline core like tiny writhing serpents. Within the crystal, faint traces of pure demonic energy could be seen swirling.

Aside from the blood threads, a faint blue barrier enveloped the core. This was the Blue Musk Poisonous Fragrance released by the Blue Musk Gathering Serpent Banner.

The reason Wang Yuan was able to prevent the core from self-destructing was partly due to Luo Chen’s contribution.

The two wasted no time, as there was still much to handle back in Crescent Moon Valley.

Luo Chen infused his spirit power, conjuring chains that tightly bound the Explosive Ape’s motionless body. Dragging the unconscious beast, he flew towards Crescent Moon Valley.

”What a shame it shrank so much. If not, we could have made a fortune just selling its meat.”

Hearing Luo Chen’s money-grubbing tone, Wang Yuan, walking beside him, couldn’t help but chuckle.

”Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to demonic beasts.”

”Oh?”

”When you have time, you really should read Sky Roc Transformation—there’s a wealth of information on demonic beasts in it.”

Under Wang Yuan’s explanation, Luo Chen finally understood why second-tier demonic beasts exhibited such drastic changes in body size.

A larger body meant a higher demand for sustenance. Even minor movements would rapidly deplete their vitality. Because of this, many demonic beasts instinctively shifted their cultivation focus upon advancing to the second-tier.

Instead of continuing to develop their physical strength, they redirected their efforts toward accumulating demonic power.

This shift in cultivation led to the formation of the demonic core, the ultimate result of a demonic beast’s progression.

Unlike human cultivators, who typically condensed their golden core during the Golden Core Realm, demonic beasts formed their demonic core as early as the second-tier.

At this stage, they embarked on a cultivation path similar to that of humans—absorbing and refining spirit energy, then storing it within their demonic core, converting it into their innate demonic power. Once in combat, they could unleash vast amounts of stored power, allowing them to cast powerful demonic techniques and even expand their body size at will.

After hearing this explanation, Luo Chen suddenly realized why most of the demonic beast meat sold in the market was from first-tier creatures.

Logically, second-tier demonic beasts were larger, weighed more, and should have yielded more meat. However, in reality, all their essence was concentrated within the demonic core, making their flesh far less valuable.

This also explained why, when Xiong Kun sold him the Blazing Cloud Roc, his focus had been entirely on the demonic core and its wings.

He had barely cared about the tens of thousands of jin of flesh on its body. In fact, he had simply intended to sell the excess flesh offhandedly to rogue Qi-Refining cultivators, as if it were just an afterthought.

”It seems Sky Roc Transformation truly holds some unique insights.”

Luo Chen praised the technique, then suddenly had a thought.

He happened to have the corpse of a roc-type demonic beast in his storage pouch.

If he refined it properly, he could extract a significant amount of essence blood—which could be useful for Wang Yuan’s cultivation of Sky Roc Transformation.

Unaware of Luo Chen’s thoughts, Wang Yuan sighed and said, “Since it’s a third-stage physical refinement technique, it’s bound to have some merit.”

”Brother Wang, was the physical transformation technique you used just now derived from Sky Roc Transformation?” Luo Chen asked curiously.

Wang Yuan shook his head. “Not really. I’ve known that technique for a long time—it’s just an application of blood qi and Physical-Refining. However, Sky Roc Transformation did give me some inspiration.”

Luo Chen blinked. “So, do you want to cultivate Sky Roc Transformation?”

He had already made up his mind—if Wang Yuan truly needed it, he would give him a portion of the Blazing Cloud Roc’s essence blood. The remaining portion would still be sufficient for him to refine Imperial Nectar in the future.

To his surprise, Wang Yuan curled his lips in disdain.

”Why would I abandon my human form for a beastly transformation? This technique is only useful for reference. If it helps me refine my second-stage body cultivation method, that’s already more than enough.

”As for fully cultivating it? I would never forsake my foundation for something so trivial.”

Hearing this, Luo Chen nodded in agreement.

Demonic beasts were powerful, but not invincible. A human cultivator of the same tier, as long as they had enough techniques, could still defeat a demonic beast.

Beast-like transformations might not be the best path after all.

Moreover, Sky Roc Transformation was incomplete, making it impossible to cultivate fully.

As the two chatted, they unknowingly arrived outside Crescent Moon Valley.

***

”The President is back!”

”Look over there! What is that?”

”Hiss... A demonic beast!”

”It looks like it’s still alive!”

As Luo Chen and Wang Yuan returned, the members of Luo Tian Society, who had just finished their battle, quickly gathered around them.

Cheers erupted continuously.

Upon seeing the captured Explosive Ape, gasps of astonishment spread through the crowd.

Even Sima Huiniang and the others who approached couldn’t help but reveal expressions of shock and fear.

This was a second-tier demonic beast!

Ordinary Qi-Refining cultivators wouldn’t last a single exchange against it.

Defeating one was already as difficult as ascending the heavens—let alone capturing it alive.

Yet now, Luo Chen and Wang Yuan had done just that.

Did this not mean that the combined strength of the two was already beyond that of a second-tier demonic beast?

Compared to a human Foundation Establishment cultivator, they were likely not far off!

In the crowd, Duan Feng watched the scene with blazing eyes.

”A true man should be like this!”

Surrounded by countless gazes, Wang Yuan furrowed his brows.

This battle had drained him significantly. There was no need for him to linger—Luo Chen was far better suited to handling the situation.

Without another word, Wang Yuan flew straight into Crescent Moon Valley.

Luo Chen strode through the crowd, his sharp gaze sweeping over them like a sword, causing everyone to instinctively avert their eyes.

Yet in the next moment, fervent gazes eagerly followed his figure.

Today’s battle had once again solidified Luo Chen’s status within the Society.

It wasn’t just about his mastery of alchemy.

He possessed a power that made everyone believe in him! He had single-handedly traversed the beast tide, moving freely as he pleased. Even against a second-tier demonic beast, he had managed to capture it alive.

Everyone knew that Wang Yuan from the Battle Hall was incredibly powerful—strong beyond anyone’s expectations. Yet even Wang Yuan would have struggled to capture a second-tier demonic beast alive.

This meant that in the battle on the wasteland, Luo Chen had contributed just as much.

Arriving at the city gate, Luo Chen turned around.

Without unnecessary words, he began giving orders.

”Two late stage Qi-Refining cultivators step forward and take this Explosive Ape to the dungeon.

”No need to worry about it breaking free. I have its demonic core, and it has been heavily poisoned—it won’t be able to resist anytime soon.”

Two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators quickly stepped forward and activated their Traction. Using spirit power as chains, they dragged the Explosive Ape’s body into Crescent Moon Valley.

During its initial construction, the valley’s underground area had already been expanded. There were naturally formed enormous caverns inside, which had only required slight modifications to become usable.

Now, using it to imprison a second-tier demonic beast was more than sufficient.

After securing the Explosive Ape, Luo Chen continued giving out orders.

”Hall Leader Murong, tally the casualties and calculate the merits. Rewards and punishments will be issued tomorrow.

”Caiyi, you and Granny Yuan take care of the injured brothers.

”Duan Feng, take some people to repair the defensive structures and fix the formation’s weaknesses. Under no circumstances should we allow opportunists to take advantage of this situation.”

A battle of this scale in Crescent Moon Valley, there was no way it had gone unnoticed.

However, with the situation still unclear, those rogue cultivators dared not act recklessly. With just a single sweep of his gaze, Luo Chen had already noticed several rogue cultivators lurking in the distance.

One command after another was issued to ensure all precautions were taken. He also assigned Sima Xian and Qin Liangchen to lead two patrol teams around the area.

Finally, he spoke in a low voice, ”Director Sima Huiniang, Law Enforcement Elder Zhou Yuanli, come with me.”