An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Bid? To play the fool? Luo Chen sneered inwardly.

”No,” he said flatly. ”I’m not wading into this mess.”

A voice pressed further, ”But don’t you want to stay in Taishan Market?”

Luo Chen hesitated for a moment, then decided to speak plainly. ”Honestly, I don’t.”

Hm? From within the Li family’s private room, Li Yixian’s expression shifted to one of genuine surprise. ”Why not?”

”Do you really want to stay here? In a marketplace run by the Kang Family for centuries? In a city undergoing a power shift, where the new rulers have both overwhelming strength and deep connections? Give it a few years, and they’ll devour every other power here, completely,” Luo Chen asked.

Li Yixian frowned. ”But...”

”There is no ’but’. Maybe you’re thinking of your family, hoping to find a place to grow safely, away from strife. But my heart is set on the Great Dao. And this place? It has only one second-tier spirit vein, and even that is shared between two families.”

And finally, Luo Chen delivered one last line with quiet emphasis. ”If you wish to fight for it, I don’t mind lending you ten thousand.”

After those words, silence lingered. Only the increasingly strained calls from the auction floor echoed throughout the hall. At the center of it all, Huo Hu grinned cheerfully, listening to both sides bid.

Even as long pauses settled between the bids, he refrained from calling out ”once, twice.” Whenever he glanced toward the private rooms of Luo Tian Society and the Li Family, his expression grew sour.

So you guys are not giving face, huh?

Without those two factions, the excitement just wasn’t the same.

Inside the Li Family’s room, Li Yixian’s lips parted slightly, poised to join the bidding herself. Yet Luo Chen’s words kept replaying in her mind.

For the family’s sake, Taishan Market seemed like a place for stable development, but in the long run, it was far from a good land. Now that the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion was gone, there was no longer a major sect in place to keep the balance.

The Huo family, now local overlords, would inevitably push out all others.

The Kang and Yu families might be tolerated for now, as old allies—but newcomers? Even on a personal level, a single second-tier spirit land was a serious limitation to cultivation progress.

In the end, she quietly gave up on bidding for the Mystic Flame Sword.

At the same moment she withdrew, the auction floor had already fallen silent for some time.

The price had halted at eighty-three thousand low-grade spirit stones—Wang Haichao’s final bid.

Nangong Jin wore a bitter expression; there was no way he could keep bidding. That price had already surpassed the Nangong family’s limit. Any further, and the whole family would crumble under the weight.

But with this failed bid, they also lost their chance to remain in Taishan Market. Glancing back at the ninth stage of Qi-Refining Realm cultivators who had followed him from the Nangong Family, he sighed.

”Perhaps... we’ll be wandering once again.”

On the other side, Wang Haichao’s face was equally grim.

Eighty-three thousand!

Spending that much on an utterly ordinary low-grade flying sword—what a fool’s price to pay. At this point, most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the hall were probably staring at him like he was a complete idiot.

Nangong Jin! You’re despicable!

You said you’d just be a spectator!

The three Foundation Establishment cultivators from Dahe Market were in equally foul moods.

Meanwhile, the auction hall had erupted into raucous noise. An ordinary low-grade enchanted treasure going for eighty-three thousand? That was truly shocking to the less experienced rogue cultivators.

Such a price was only ever justified for top-grade defensive or mystical enchanted treasures!

Amid the uproar, some finally began to realize what was going on.

The Foundation Establishment Initiates... they were giving face to the Huo Family!

Luo Chen watched the farce unfold with quiet indifference.

Nangong Jin had no chance of actually outbidding Wang Haichao. When Wang Haichao left Dahe Market, he’d raked in a fortune by selling passage to rogue cultivators.

Fifty spirit stones per ticket!

There had been two to three thousand people boarding. That alone amounted to a massive sum! And all of it ended up in Wang Haichao’s hands. Nangong Jin, weighed down by his family, had no way of competing.

”Master!” Suddenly, a voice reached his ears.

Luo Chen turned to see Qu Lingjun slowly recovering from his stunned state. Yet confusion still lingered in his eyes.

”What is it?”

Qu Lingjun asked in bewilderment, ”Why would Gang Leader Wang spend so much for this enchanted treasure? I heard it doesn’t even suit him.”

Luo Chen chuckled softly. ”Because he wants to stay in Taishan Market.”

”Why does he want to stay here so badly?” Qu Lingjun still didn’t understand. ”Aunt Gu said he made over a hundred thousand spirit stones. With that kind of money, couldn’t he just find a second-tier spirit land and cultivate peacefully?”

Luo Chen paused, a touch of uncertainty flickering across his face.

A hundred thousand might’ve been exaggerated, but he had handed over a massive portion of his earnings to the two noble families in order to feed the River-Swallowing Toad. Still, he must’ve had at least a hundred and ten or twenty thousand left.

With that kind of wealth, he could’ve lived in comfort anywhere he chose.

Hehe...A deep, hearty chuckle rose from nearby.

It was Wang Yuan.

But that chuckle gradually turned into a sneer. ”Some people have changed. It’s really that simple.”

”Changed?” Qu Lingjun still didn’t understand. His eyes, full of curiosity, turned to Wang Yuan.

But he failed to notice that beside him, Luo Chen’s expression had drastically changed, a flicker of realization flashing across his face.

That’s right! Wang Haichao... had changed!

Wang Yuan gave Luo Chen a sidelong glance, then casually asked Qu Lingjun, ”Aside from cultivation families and sects, why do rogue cultivators form their own factions?”

Qu Lingjun answered matter-of-factly, ”Of course it’s to gather cultivation resources more efficiently with more people.”

That was, indeed, the original purpose for most Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators factions when forming their own forces.

Wang Yuan nodded, then added, ”But when someone grows used to being the center of attention, used to holding life-and-death power, used to commanding hundreds or thousands of cultivators—if you ask him to take all those resources and go live quietly in a mountain cave... would he still be comfortable with that?”

Qu Lingjun blinked, confused. ”Why wouldn’t he be?”

Why not? To someone like Qu Lingjun, who was still so innocent and idealistic, who only understood kinship and love, why would that be hard?

Once you’d gathered enough resources, wasn’t the next step just to pursue longevity?

Luo Chen smiled bitterly at the boy who was already nearly as tall as he was.

Ah, my disciple... You don’t yet know, there is a thing in this world called power.

It is a terrifying force that can make a man abandon everything else he once held dear.

His gaze drifted toward Wang Yuan, and he gave him a grateful glance.

Wang Yuan merely nodded casually, his attention still on the ongoing auction.

The reason Luo Chen felt ”grateful” toward Wang Yuan was because he had deliberately used his words to remind him!

Wang Haichao was willing to pay an outrageous price just to stay in Taishan Market, wasn’t it precisely because he wanted a piece of land to maintain control over the Dajiang Gang?

If he moved elsewhere, would the Dajiang Gang even survive? How many of those rogue cultivators from Dahe Market would really follow him into exile?

Without blood ties, without Luo Chen’s prestige, it was already a feat that he had managed to bring them this far together into Taishan Market.

So, if he still wanted to enjoy the taste of power he had to stay here! Perhaps, in the beginning, his intention had simply been to use the Dajiang Gang to gather resources for himself.

But over time, he had grown addicted to it. He had changed!

And by comparison was Luo Chen himself really that different?

In truth, wasn’t he standing precisely at the early stage of Wang Haichao’s path?

At this stage, the Luo Tian Society was indeed useful, very useful to him. But what about later? Once he had accumulated enough wealth and could afford to cultivate in seclusion, would he really be able to let go of the taste of power?

Luo Chen found it difficult to imagine whether his future self might change.

Wang Yuan, on the other hand, had already prepared for that moment, long before it arrived.

People... were simply different.

In his previous life before he transmigrated, Luo Chen had just been an ordinary office worker and outside of work, he occasionally led a team in some online game, he had never tasted power.

But now, he truly enjoyed the feeling of waving a hand and being greeted with reverence by hundreds. He loved that moment when the entire Luo Tian Society would shout in unison, ”President, it’s time to board!”

So! In the future, he just might become addicted to it.

But Wang Yuan was different. He came from the martial world, having fought his way up, even founding his own sect within the martial arts world.

But for the Dao of Immortality and for strength. He had still resolutely abandoned his peak status in the mundane world and started anew in Dahe Market as nothing more than a low-tier rogue cultivator.

Back then, when Luo Chen asked him to manage the Luo Tian Society, he had seemed irritated. It wasn’t that he was incapable but that he believed it would hinder his cultivation.

He had already walked this road!

Therefore, a friend, a big brother and more than that, a guide on the path of cultivation who reminded him, time and again, not to lose his way.

Luo Chen pushed down the swirl of emotions and gave Wang Yuan a grateful look, then turned his focus back to the present.

***

”Next up is the Spirit Herb Pavilion’s auction segment.

”What they’re auctioning is... Foundation Establishment pills!” Huo Hu dragged out the words for effect.

But the moment the words landed, thousands of rogue cultivators in the hall collectively held their breath. Their blazing gazes were enough to nearly melt him on the spot.

Huo Hu pressed his lips together and gave a wave of his hand. The red cloth on the table lifted, revealing three striking jade bottles.

”Starting price, one thousand spirit stones per pill. Each bid must be raised by at least one hundred.

”Ladies and gentlemen, let the bidding begin!”

No sooner had the words left his lips, a wave of frenzied bids crashed forth like a tidal surge against a cliff.

”One thousand one hundred!”

”One thousand two hundred!”

”Two thousand!”

”Three thousand!”

With no hesitation, the price shot up like wildfire.

And not only the rogue cultivators—even the private rooms of the Foundation Establishment factions were filled with the sounds of heavy breathing.

Inside the Dajiang Gang’s private room—Min Longyu’s eyes lit up. ”Gang Leader!”

Wang Haichao glanced at him and replied, ”Hold your horses. I don’t recommend going for the first one. The price will definitely get driven too high.”

Min Longyu opened his mouth, but in the end, he swallowed his eagerness and fell silent. Wang Haichao wasn’t wrong.

Meanwhile, in the Luo Tian Society’s private room, a flicker of thought stirred in Luo Chen’s heart.

The Huo family wasn’t ordinary, this being their first auction and yet even the Spirit Herb Pavilion was showing them face.

Granted, it didn’t compare to Dahe Market’s Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion, which casually tossed out five Foundation Establishment pills but three was still a generous amount.

What truly caught his attention was the low number. Which meant the major factions likely hadn’t reached any backroom agreement to split the spoils.

Which in turn meant... first come, first served!

Turning, Luo Chen looked toward the cultivators of Luo Tian Society.

Ten cultivators at the ninth stage of Qi-Refining! Among them, Sima Huiniang, Murong Qinglian, Duan Feng, and a rogue cultivator named Bian Zhen who joined three years ago were all on the verge of reaching Perfected Mastery Qi-Refining. In addition, Qin Liangchen and Sima Xian were only a few years of hard cultivation away from Perfected Mastery.

Gu Caiyi, Zhou Yuanli, Liu Qiang, and Su Xiaolin were all still young, and they each had potential to form their core in the future. Every one of them must desperately want a Foundation Establishment pill!

Even the Qin couple, who already had one pill, surely wouldn’t mind a second.

As Luo Chen’s gaze swept over them, all ten began to breathe more heavily. They stared at him, lips parting, then closing again, unable to speak.

Luo Chen smiled. ”Don’t bother bidding, you won’t get it.

”I’ll win one of the three for you. Whoever reaches Perfected Mastery Qi-Refining first can buy it from me at the original cost.”

With that, he turned abruptly. Facing the lively auction hall below, he shouted with clarity and force, ”Five thousand low-grade spirit stones!”

The hall fell silent for a brief moment.

A moment later, a cultivator at Perfected Mastery Qi-Refining clenched his teeth and shouted, ”Five thousand one hundred!”

Luo Chen glanced at him and responded calmly, ”Five thousand two hundred.”

The man gritted his teeth again. ”Five thousand three hundred!”

”Five thousand four hundred.”

With that unhurried poise, Luo Chen gave off the aura of ”however much you offer, I’ll always outbid you”. The man looked ready to call again, but a companion grabbed his arm. The companion shook his head with grave finality. The man was still unwilling.

But in the end, he gave up in frustration.

After all, he was bidding against a Foundation Establishment Initiate!

Third time’s the charm, but beyond that, he feared he might have the fortune to win the pill, yet not live to use it. Besides, there were still two more pills to be auctioned! That fear of a Foundation Establishment Initiate and a gambler’s hope for another chance finally made him yield.

”First Foundation Establishment pill, five thousand four hundred spirit stones, going once!

”Going twice!”

Huo Hu’s brows furrowed tightly. His face was dark with displeasure. A Foundation Establishment pill in a public auction shouldn’t be this cheap! Especially now, when pill prices are skyrocketing, it shouldn’t be this low!

And today was the very day the Huo family declared their dominance over Taishan Market, this price was an insult!

He dragged out the third call, reluctant to let it fall. Opposite him was Luo Chen’s calm and unshakable gaze, high and unmoved like a still pond.

Finally, Huo Hu ground out the words through clenched teeth: ”Five thousand four hundred spirit stones... third call.

”Sold!”

There was no congratulations, he merely signaled someone to deliver the pill to Luo Chen’s private room. That display of pettiness did not go unnoticed by many in the hall.

In the Kang family’s private room, Kang Dongyue shook his head. This auction by the Huo family... truly left much to be desired. Declaring dominion is fine but pushing this newly established ”genius” Huo Hu into the spotlight was highly questionable. If they had invited a respected elder to preside, they could’ve reaped both great profit and public praise. Why bring this upon yourselves?

Inside the Yu Family’s private room, a noblewoman in palace robes also frowned deeply.

Beside her, an elder spoke in a hushed voice, ”This Huo Hu, he takes after his father, overbearing and narrow-minded. If Chuchu marries him, I fear her days ahead won’t be easy.”

The woman gave a bitter smile. ”Elder, what else can I do? That old Huo Quan will likely emerge from seclusion at the late stage of Foundation Establishment Realm. That alone puts them ahead of us, let alone the fact they now have two Foundation Establishment cultivators, with the Flame Alliance backing them.

”We’re not like the Kang family with the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect behind them. If we don’t marry into their family, are we just supposed to wait around and get crushed later?”

The elder fell silent, but the look he cast toward Huo Hu was full of veiled dissatisfaction.

In the days to come... that poor girl Yu Chuchu would likely suffer.

Thus, the first Foundation Establishment pill was sold at the low price of five thousand four hundred spirit stones.

The rogue cultivators who hadn’t participated were left in awe and envy. Especially those who could have paid that amount, they were steeped in bitter regret.

But that was a Foundation Establishment Initiate they were bidding against!

Over at the Dajiang Gang’s private room, Min Longyu watched longingly as the Foundation Establishment pill was delivered to private room nine.

He knew Wang Haichao wouldn’t dare to compete with Luo Chen for it. After all, the man hadn’t interfered during the Mystic Flame Sword auction and had a vast fortune to spend. If their roles had been reversed, he knew he would’ve made the exact same choice.

He licked his dry lips and carefully reminded, ”Gang Leader, the second Foundation Establishment pill is going up for auction.”

Wang Haichao gave a slight nod. ”No rush. We watch first, then strike in one decisive blow.”

Min Longyu hesitated for a second, then nodded firmly. Yes! One decisive blow! Hadn’t Luo Chen done the same earlier with that second-tier secret technique?

There was no reason they couldn’t do it too. When he had pledged loyalty to Wang Haichao, the man had promised him firmly and proudly that he’d get him a Foundation Establishment pill.