An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Majestic Mount Tai loomed above all, reigning supreme among the mountain range that surrounded it like loyal vassals. Its awe-inspiring presence alone made it the undisputed sovereign of the peaks.

Even though the Huo family held the most power in Taishan Market, no one dared to disrespect the Kang family of Taishan. After all, the Kang family’s ancestors hailed from the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, their background was deeply rooted. This entire market town was named after the Kang family’s ancestral land.

A sound-transmitting paper crane, riding on a swift wind, quickly slipped into the formation mid-mountain. Not long after, someone approached Kang Dongyue with the message.

”Grandfather, a message from Golden Stone Pavilion, someone wants to sell pills.”

Kang Dongyue frowned. ”Wasn’t there an elder stationed at the pavilion? Xianqiong, stop running to me with every little thing. You should be learning to take over family matters by now.”

Kang Xianqiong replied helplessly, ”This time, they specifically asked for you by name to do the appraisal.”

Hm?

”A first-tier supreme-grade pill. And it seems there are many of them!” As she spoke, Kang Xianqiong took out a pink jade bottle.

Surprised, Kang Dongyue carefully uncorked the bottle. A wave of heated, agitating pill fragrance immediately spread outward.

His brow twitched and instantly held his breath. The young woman beside him wasn’t as cautious. After inhaling just one breath, her heartbeat involuntarily surged with excitement.

”This is... a Myriad Wonders pill?” Kang Dongyue muttered, then seemed to fall into thought.

”Looks like that young friend from Dahe Market has arrived. I didn’t expect his alchemy to progress so swiftly, supreme-grade pills in just a few short years. Now that Dahe Market has changed, he’s probably trying to use these pills to seek the Kang family’s protection.

”With such outstanding alchemical talent, perhaps I can...” As he muttered to himself, he suddenly sensed an ambiguous atmosphere in the air.

He turned his face sharply to the side.

His granddaughter Kang Xianqiong’s cheeks were flushed, her gaze hazy and her watery eyes almost seemed to glisten with thread-like allure. One of her hands had unconsciously drifted toward her heaving chest.

”Utterly disgraceful!” With a stern shout, he flicked a splash of water onto Kang Xianqiong’s face.

Splash!

Kang Xianqiong jolted and snapped back to her senses in confusion. Seeing her grandfather’s dark expression, she immediately shivered.

”I-I...”

”What do you mean you?!” Kang Dongyue glared at her, deeply disappointed. ”You’ve cultivated too quickly and neglected your mental discipline! If you can’t even resist this tiny wisp of pill fragrance, how can you inherit the Kang legacy? Even Huo Hu from the Huo family has returned from the Flame Alliance already reached Foundation Establishment Realm... and you’re still stuck at Qi-Refining...”

He scolded her endlessly, leaving Kang Xianqiong with a trembling lip, nearly in tears. As a girl, in the presence of her most trusted and powerful grandfather, she had let her guard down completely.

Who would’ve thought the pill would be so... indecent and provocative? Just a single breath had stirred her body. And now she was getting scolded for it.

”All this crying, clearly, I’ve spoiled you too much.”

Hmph!

”Three months of confinement at the Cliff of Reflection!” With a flick of his sleeve, Kang Dongyue turned and left without another word.

Judging by the direction of his escape light, he was clearly headed straight for Taishan Market below the mountain. Kang Xianqiong puffed up her cheeks in frustration, her little face round and taut with anger.

”It’s all that damn alchemist’s fault! Made me embarrass myself so badly in front of Grandpa!

”Just wait till I find out who you really are—”

After venting her anger, Kang Xianqiong obediently began walking toward the Cliff of Reflection.

Halfway there, her eyes spun with a clever glint.

”Three months... but he never said which day it starts. I’ll just go pick up a few daily necessities first, totally normal, right?”

Hehe! She let out a sneaky giggle, then rode her enchanted flying artifact and quietly descended Mount Tai.

***

”Young friend, long time no—Eh? You are?”

Inside the second-floor Honored Guest Hall of the Golden Stone Pavilion. Kang Dongyue hesitated as he stared at the man before him.

Luo Chen wiped his face, dissolving the altered features from his concealment and revealing his true appearance. He smiled slightly and cupped his hands in greeting.

”Senior, it’s been a while!”

”You—!” Kang Dongyue’s expression shifted instantly as he stared at Luo Chen in disbelief.

Not because of the disguise technique but because of the spirit power Luo Chen now radiated. It was unmistakably the same stage as his own Foundation Establishment Realm. Though a bit lower than his own stage, it was still undeniably the real second stage of Foundation Establishment!

How many years had it even been! He still remembered when they first met, Luo Chen had been at most fourth or fifth stage Qi-Refining!

Kang Dongyue’s mind went dazed for a moment.

Even after they sat down and Luo Chen began reminiscing with him, he still hadn’t quite recovered. With such cultivation speed, even in a major sect, he’d be treated as a True Inheritor or even a Dao Scion!

”Senior?

”Don’t call me ‘Senior’ anymore. Now that you’ve reached Foundation Establishment, we’re fellow cultivators. Just call me Fellow Daoist.” Despite his amazement, Kang Dongyue quickly regained his composure.

Looking at Luo Chen, he sighed in admiration and nodded repeatedly. ”No wonder you could refine a supreme-grade Myriad Wonders pill. So you’ve already reached Foundation Establishment, you’re probably ready to try second-tier pills now, aren’t you?”

Try? I’ve already done it. thought Luo Chen.

Luo Chen smiled faintly. ”You flatter me, senior. It’s been years, and you’ve improved as well. You’re already in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment now!”

Nothing wrong with exchanging compliments. Flattery? That’s just part of the game. Everyone knows how to toss around a few pretty words.

Kang Dongyue sighed inwardly. His progress was nothing to boast about. He had already been at the third stage of Foundation Establishment when he went to Dahe Market. Only after acquiring a large amount of cultivation resources from the auction had he barely advanced to the mid-stage over the past two years.

”Let’s cut the pleasantries!” Kang Dongyue took out the pink jade bottle. ”I already evaluated this pill on the way here. It truly is supreme-grade. The medicinal power is remarkable, an ordinary Qi-Refining cultivator would be affected just by inhaling the fragrance.

”Even we Foundation cultivators would likely see excellent results after taking it. As for price, of course it can’t be valued as an ordinary first-tier pill. A supreme-grade pill is nearly on par with a low-grade pill from the next tier.

”So, I’ll offer twenty low-grade spirit stones per pill.

”Though if there’s a large batch, the price might have to be lowered a bit...”

Ahem! Luo Chen interrupted him with a cough.

Seeing Kang Dongyue’s puzzled expression, Luo Chen gave a wry smile. ”You’re giving me too much credit, really. Supreme-grade pills aren’t something I can produce in batches. This one was pure inspiration, a lucky success.”

Kang Dongyue blinked, then burst into hearty laughter.

He slapped the table.

Haha!

”I was thinking too much. Yes, a supreme-grade pill, after all! I was just too shocked by your cultivation progress earlier made it feel like something like this might actually be normal for you.

Hahaha...

Amidst the cheerful laughter and easy conversation, the atmosphere finally returned to normal.

As the laughter faded, Kang Dongyue sensed something was off again. ”Then earlier, you mentioned having a large batch of pills for sale?”

”Take a look at this pill.” A jade bottle was gently pushed across the sandalwood table from Luo Chen’s hand to Kang Dongyue.

Kang Dongyue uncorked the bottle and pursed his lips thoughtfully. He looked up, eyes filled with suspicion as he stared at Luo Chen.

”Jade Essence pill... Dan Chenzi?”

”Mhm.”

Hiss—! Kang Dongyue drew in a sharp breath, unable to hide the shock in his gaze as he stared at Luo Chen.

An outsider wouldn’t understand where this shock came from. Only true alchemists could understand the depth of this emotional upheaval.

Not even ten years had passed! Refining a supreme-grade Myriad Wonders pill? That, in itself, wasn’t unthinkable.

At most, one might say Luo Chen had high talent and a special understanding of this pill, achieving it through a moment of inspired luck. Even Kang Dongyue had experienced a lucky breakthrough in a pill he was most adept with.

But!

Luo Chen had brought another type of pill to top-grade quality. This could no longer be explained by talent alone.

Terrifying!

Staggering!

World-shaking!

Unparalleled brilliance!

There were far too many superlatives that could describe Luo Chen’s alchemical gift.

In the midst of that shock, Luo Chen’s voice floated across gently.

”I have a large quantity of Jade Essence pills, all top-grade. I wonder if your Golden Stone Pavilion can handle the purchase?”

”How large a quantity?”

”A deal worth about fifty thousand spirit stones. Preferably settled with mid-grade stones.”

”Let me think...” When it came to business, Kang Dongyue immediately reined in his emotions.

Golden Stone Pavilion didn’t solely sell pills made by the Kang family. They frequently collected niche pills refined by rogue cultivators or minor families. That was how the Golden Stone Pavilion had earned its golden reputation in Taishan Market. Even Spirit Herb Pavilion couldn’t outshine them when it came to the local low-tier pill trade.

Fifty thousand spirit stones, an enormous amount! But it wasn’t beyond the Kang family’s means, just that it would significantly strain their liquidity.

After a while, Kang Dongyue finally relaxed his brow. ”Are all your Jade Essence pills of this same quality?”

”Only better. Never worse!”

The low-quality ones had all been fed to the River-Swallowing Toad by Luo Chen.

”If that’s the case, then I’ll take the deal!”

But before Luo Chen could show any joy, Kang Dongyue suddenly changed tone. ”However, a portion will have to be exchanged for equivalent resources.

”You understand, fifty thousand spirit stones is no small sum. To pay it all in full would strain the Kang family’s resources.”

Luo Chen thought for a moment and nodded slightly. Bartering for equivalent resources was a common transaction method in the cultivation world. So long as both parties agreed, it was valid.

”Our Kang family produces many types of pills, among them—”

”I want Golden Jade liquid!” Luo Chen interrupted, his gaze blazing. ”And it must be of the highest quality, preferably supreme-grade.”

Golden Jade liquid, a first-tier medicinal elixir. It was extremely beneficial for Physical-Refining. Perfect for helping Luo Chen break through to the Perfected Mastery of the first stage of Physical-Refining.

As for whether the Kang family had any supreme-grade ones? Luo Chen had no doubt. It was one of their signature pills. After hundreds of years of refining, surely they had a decent stockpile.

Supreme-grade pills were hard to refine, but that also depended on the tier of the alchemist!

Kang Dongyue was definitely a second-tier alchemist. His repeated accurate assessment of Luo Chen’s pills made that abundantly clear.

”Supreme-grade?”

As Kang Dongyue was still pondering, Luo Chen suddenly added, ”If you have any methods to dissolve pill toxins, I’d even be willing to lower the price for the Jade Essence pills. Of course, I’ll pay a separate, fair price for the detox method itself.”

”Pill detox method?” Kang Dongyue stared at Luo Chen in surprise and then, a sudden thought flashed through his mind.

Could he have reached Foundation Establishment this quickly by recklessly consuming pills?

Once this suspicion formed and with Luo Chen’s firm willingness to reduce the wholesale price it only reinforced Kang Dongyue’s belief. What followed was a stormy wave of shock in his heart. Their Kang family was no minor family. Their Grand Elder had been a Foundation Establishment Initiate from the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. Though many sword sect secrets were forbidden to spread, certain cultivation world knowledge was still passed down to juniors.

One of these sayings was, pills are good, but never be greedy with them. Excessive use of pills would accumulate serious pill toxins in the body.

Even pill recipes refined to perfection by major alchemy sects like Green Pill Valley, the Medicine King Sect, or the Underworld Abyss Sect would leave behind pill toxins.

At normal times, this toxicity posed no obvious threat. But once it came time to break through a major realm, it would become a chasm.

Ordinary cultivators had no hope of overcoming that barrier. Only with terrifying foundations, immense willpower, and a touch of luck could one barely cross it.

Thus, no matter how wealthy a great sect was, they always strictly controlled the pill supply for their disciples.

Especially those with outstanding talent!

They would rather hand over a single supreme-grade pill than allow someone to swallow a thousand low-grade ones.

It wasn’t that the value compare, one supreme-grade pill could never equal the sheer quantity or cumulative effect of a thousand lesser ones. But the great sects weren’t being stingy, they simply refused to risk damaging promising talents.

As for Luo Chen, Kang Dongyue recalled Liu Hecai mentioning that his aptitude hadn’t been anything special. He had started out as nothing more than a lone rogue cultivator!

Yet in such a short span of time, he had cultivated his mind and will to Foundation Establishment. He had likely relied on monstrous talent in alchemy, trading his skill for massive resources to offset his weak innate potential. Only then had he managed to break through to Foundation Establishment!

Once Kang Dongyue sorted through everything, the waves in his heart gradually settled. When he looked at Luo Chen now, his eyes no longer carried the earlier awe, admiration, or envy.

Instead, there was a weighty solemnity and a trace of pity. A respect for the deep foundation Luo Chen had laid. And pity for the unimaginable suffering Luo Chen must’ve endured to break through the pill toxins barrier.

What kind of terrifying willpower must it have taken to overcome that?

Luo Chen furrowed his brows. I just asked about a detox method. That’s all. Why does he look at me like that?

He did not like being looked at with sympathy or pity. That kind of gaze only made him feel as though all his hard work over the years had gone unacknowledged.

Kang Dongyue shook his head, brushing away those inappropriate thoughts. But his attitude toward Luo Chen had already grown significantly more respectful. Anyone willing to endure immense pain for cultivation, even if their years were short, was entirely worthy of admiration.

Such is a genuine fellow cultivator who works towards the Great Dao!

”My Kang family has no detox method.”

Hm? Luo Chen was puzzled. As one of the oldest families in Taishan Market, and a family that had passed down alchemy as their core craft. They didn’t have a detox method?

While he was still confused, Kang Dongyue changed the subject. ”However, I do know of a detox method or at least, rumor of one.”

”A rumor?” asked Luo Chen.

”Yes. And it will be up for auction soon, right here in Taishan Market.”

”An auction?” Luo Chen’s eyes flashed with surprise. ”An auction? But hasn’t the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion already been vacated? Who’s organizing an auction now?”

He hadn’t even considered the black market. With the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion gone, the Luoyun Sect’s Precious Dragon Black Market couldn’t possibly still be operating here.

”The Huo family is organizing it!

”Strictly speaking, it’s a large-scale auction backed by the Flame Alliance and hosted by the Huo family.”

The Huo family of Chican Mountain? Luo Chen fell into thought.

Watching Luo Chen’s pensive expression, Kang Dongyue suddenly asked, ”The Luo Tian Society, is that a force you personally established?”