An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

By the time the moon had climbed midway across the sky, two flying boats and more than a hundred streaks of light tore through the night. Below them, dragon-horses galloped across the plains, their hooves kicking up clouds of dust and wind.

Bathed in silver moonlight, the forces rushed forward at breakneck speed.

”Fellow Daoist Nangong!”

”Fellow Daoist Li!”

Hearing the calls, both sides gradually came to a halt.

Nangong Jin, hunched over, his face ashen, stared grimly at the battlefield of Gaoling Plains. The stench of blood was so thick it made one nauseous.

He let out a bitter laugh and said, ”Looks like you all didn’t fare much better.”

The words were a bit harsh. But when Luo Chen saw that only a dozen late stage Qi-Refining cultivators remained aboard the Nangong family’s flying boat, he could only sigh in return.

The Nangong family had suffered even worse than the Luo Tian Society!

When they first arrived at Dahe Market, they might not have been invincible, but they were still a dominant force. Now, after many twists and turns, they had dwindled to a mere handful.

”What are your plans next?” Luo Chen asked.

Li Yixian immediately answered, ”Since we have already offended the Huo family, we must unite and resist the great enemy together!”

Such a clever woman! Luo Chen cast her a glance; it was obvious she had not shared everything he had said to Yu Rou earlier with Nangong Jin. Had she revealed that Luo Chen alone had taken on the full brunt of Huo Quan’s wrath, Nangong Jin would never have agreed to travel with them.

But now, since they had all ”collectively” offended the Huo family and would inevitably be targeted, and in order to avoid being isolated and picked off one by one, Nangong Jin had no choice but to join them.

As expected, Nangong Jin said with a sigh, ”Let’s go together! If Huo Quan comes after us, with the three of us, we might still be able to hold him off.”

”Not just three. We also have Fellow Daoist Wang Yuan!” Li Yixian added.

Clearly, even though Wang Yuan had not yet reached Foundation Establishment, his repeated victories against high-tier opponents had earned her full recognition of his strength.

Nangong Jin nodded, a rare hint of confidence flickering across his face. With four Foundation Establishment combatants, they now stood a strong chance even against a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If Huo Quan truly broke through to late stage upon emerging, even if they couldn’t defeat him, they could scatter and flee, forcing the Huo family to treat them as serious threats. In any case, with Huo Hu as a bargaining chip, they had some leverage to negotiate with the Huo family.

At this moment, the Luo Tian Society had already finished clearing the battlefield, and under roaring flames, all the corpses were set ablaze.

”Let’s move. We need to leave Gaoling Plains quickly, even if we have to travel all night,” Luo Chen said, stepping naturally into the role of commander.

Neither Li Yixian nor the Nangong family raised any objections.

In this battle, it was the Luo Tian Society who had borne the greatest pressure. They had faced three Foundation Establishment cultivators, over a thousand Dajiang Gang cultivators, and even a grand ambush formation. And yet, under such overwhelming disadvantage, Luo Chen had led his people to carve out a brilliant victory. He had the qualifications to act as the leader among the three factions.

Suddenly, however, a voice rang out. ”I have a request.”

Li Yixian looked at the two of them with a pleading gaze. ”Could you spare some space on your flying boats...?”

Nangong Jin frowned deeply.

Luo Chen looked past her, toward the group of Li family mortals who had just arrived in haste. One by one, they sat atop their tall dragon-horses, utterly exhausted.

The Li family had long prospered in Dahe Market, enjoying relative peace for many years. As a result, a considerable number of mortals without spirit roots had been born and raised among them. When they fled Dahe Market, Li Yixian had gritted her teeth and taken most of them along. The Nangong family had done the same.

Their plan had been straightforward: Leave Dahe Market, find a suitable piece of spirit land nearby, and settle down. The mortals, though lacking cultivation, would still be useful in managing daily affairs and supporting the community.

But none of them had anticipated just how quickly everything would fall apart.

Now, the Nangong family’s mortals had all been wiped out during the clash with the Bai family of Glowing Stream Market. Though it had been a tragic loss, it had also made their subsequent travel much faster and lighter.

Meanwhile, the Li family had avoided a major battle and managed to preserve their numbers. But what should have been a blessing had now become a heavy burden; these people were dragging down their pace and limiting their options.

”We’ll free up some space for the mortals, and the Li family cultivators will fly using their enchanted artifacts. I’m willing to pay with spirit stones!” Li Yixian offered quickly.

Nangong Jin opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Luo Chen cut in.

”No need for spirit stones,” Luo Chen said coolly. ”Bringing them is possible, but...”

He swept a cold, deliberate gaze over the group of mortals, then continued, ”Once we reach safe territory, you must leave them behind. If you try to bring them into Tianlan Immortal City, they’ll only become a burden.”

Li Yixian thought for a moment, then nodded decisively.

Seeing this, Nangong Jin said nothing further. After the heavy losses suffered by both the Luo Tian Society and the Nangong family, there was more space on the flying boats. The mortals didn’t require special arrangements. With a bit of shuffling, they could be accommodated with ease.

Soon, with the cultivators’ assistance, all of the Li family’s mortal members were brought aboard. The remaining hundred or so dragon-horses were all packed into the Li family’s spirit beast pouches.

Only then did Li Yixian finally exhale a long breath of relief. With a wave of her hand, the flying boat began to ascend slowly into the night sky.

Aboard the Nangong family’s flying boat, Nangong Jin leaned heavily on his cane, his back slightly hunched. His eyes remained fixed in the direction of Glowing Stream Market, gaze burning as if he could still see the silhouette of the towering cypress tree that had once stood tall there.

His lips tightened, teeth grinding audibly as he swallowed his grief. ”I will remember this humiliation! One day, my Nangong family will return and bathe Mount Cypress in blood! Qin’er, if I fail, it will be your turn. And if you fail, pass it to the next generation. This grudge must never be forgotten!”

Behind him, the dozen cultivators of the Nangong family responded with burning hatred in their eyes, their voices loud and heavy.

On his wheelchair, Nangong Qin wore a twisted, savage expression on his pale face. ”This hatred will endure forever! The Bai family will perish by my hands!”

At the prow of the massive flying boat leading the fleet, Luo Chen stood tall and silent. Behind him, Sima Huiniang and Murong Qinglian stood quietly, their gazes fixed ahead. The night wind tugged at their robes, but it could do nothing to extinguish the flames smoldering in their hearts.

Luo Chen gazed down at the Gaoling Plains below. It was now a wasteland of fire and ruin. Stone pillars lay toppled and broken. Scorched corpses were scattered among the blaze, reduced to nothing more than ash.

And amidst the fallen lay a friend.

Luo Chen closed his eyes. ”I harm no one, yet others seek to harm me. In this world, the law of the jungle reigns. There is no room for wishful thinking.”

Then, his eyes opened once more, sharp and clear. He turned his gaze toward the path they had come.

Ten li, a hundred li, a thousand li...

As if piercing the very distance itself, his sight fell upon Chican Mountain, where the haunting croaks of toads echoed across the land.

”Huo family... A grudge that spans nine lives can still be avenged! I will come back!”

Night owls cried out in mourning, and a bitter wind screamed across the skies. All the dust and flames were left behind as the flying boats sped through the night.

***

”Dan Chenzi! You dared to threaten me with the Yu family! I’ll remember this!”

Perched atop the Verdant-Feather Whitehawk, the noblewoman’s face was tight with rage, her voice trembling from the effort to keep her fury contained. But beneath the surface, fear had already sunk deep into her bones.

She was truly afraid!

The killing intent in Luo Chen’s words at that moment had been terrifyingly real. He had slain Tu Shan and Wang Haichao, both Foundation Establishment cultivators. With that blood-stained record, he had every right to speak with such authority, such cold dominance. How could she refute him? So in the end, all she could do was rage, letting her fear spill out in the form of angry curses hurled at the wind.

After venting for a while, her thoughts turned to Li Yixian. She wanted to curse that wretch for siding with Luo Chen. Yet she recalled how she had previously threatened Li Yixian with the Li family.

”Truly, what goes around comes around,” she muttered bitterly.

She let out a bitter laugh, the sound swallowed by the night wind. With a flick of her wrist, she guided the Verdant-Feather Whitehawk toward Taishan Market.

In her heart, she was still pondering how to deal with Huo Quan once he emerged from seclusion. She could not reveal the truth of what had happened at Gaoling Plains. Luo Chen’s threat echoed in her ears. If she dared disobey, the consequences would be dire.

Wang Yuan’s combat prowess... The betrayal of that array master... Well, then I’ll push all the blame onto Dan Chenzi! If you want to act mighty, then prepare yourself to act all mighty in front of Huo Quan! And that wretch Li Yixian is at fault too! If she hadn’t fought me tooth and nail for hundreds of exchanges, I would have saved Huo Hu!

Yes, that’s it!

Countless thoughts spun through her mind, and not long after, she had a perfect story in mind. She would shift all the blame onto Luo Chen and Li Yixian. At the same time, she would try to absolve herself of any responsibility.

Should I fake some injuries too? she mused.

Sometimes, a pitiful appearance was the most effective tool for winning sympathy and trust.

Yu Rou hesitated for a moment. But just then, the Verdant-Feather Whitehawk beneath her suddenly came to a halt.

Hm? Yu Rou blinked. ”Why are you stopping?”

Even before she could process the situation, a terrifying aura surged in the distance. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she turned toward the Lancang River, where water churned and frothed under a rising force.

A colossal toad slowly emerged from the river’s depths. Its blue-green body loomed over ten zhang tall, glistening with slime and coiled muscle. Its swollen back pulsed ominously, brimming with toxic mist, and its razor-sharp claws shimmered with a deadly gleam. Curiously, it had three legs.

Wherever it passed, moored enchanted artifact ships cracked and shattered like brittle tofu blocks.

Yu Rou’s entire body went cold. She whispered, her voice trembling, ”The Three-Legged River-Swallowing Toad... it’s that same beast from back then. It advanced... it’s mid-stage third-tier now!”

Before Yu Rou’s eyes, the Three-Legged River-Swallowing Toad was unmistakably heading toward the nearby Taishan Market.

Then, without warning, it stopped. It raised its head and gazed far into the distance toward Chican Mountain, its eyes blazing crimson. It was as if something from there exuded an irresistible, fatal scent that was drawing it closer.

Croak!

After letting out a low, muffled croak, the massive toad drew in a deep breath, its belly swelling several times its original size.

Then, bracing itself on its three powerful legs, it kicked off the ground with a mighty force. Its enormous body sprang upward like a compressed spring, soaring high into the heavens.

The river water surged up in its wake, then crashed back down in a torrential downpour. At the height of its ascent, the massive creature tilted midair and began a steep, unstoppable dive toward the ground, and its target was clear: the silent, night-shrouded Chican Mountain below.

At that very moment, deep within Chican Mountain, someone suddenly stirred, as if sensing an impending threat. Without hesitation, he forcefully broke out of seclusion.

A white ruler shot into the sky, rapidly enlarging until it spanned a hundred zhang. This was a sign of someone pushing their enchanted treasure to its absolute limit. Yet despite its vast size, it was casually slapped aside by the Three-Legged River-Swallowing Toad. The ruler’s light dimmed instantly, and it tumbled helplessly backward.

”No!!!”

The sorrowful wail of an aged voice echoed through the night. But the Three-Legged River-Swallowing Toad had already crashed down into the mountain.

Boom!

A tremendous sound shook the earth. And then, as if triggering a chain reaction, an immense surge of spirit energy burst forth like a broken dam.

At the same time, a pillar of fire erupted violently from the summit of Chican Mountain.

Boom!

The volcano exploded! Countless fiery pillars shot straight into the sky, and molten lava cascaded down its slopes like serpents of destruction. Everything in its path—pavilions, towering trees, and blooming gardens—was swallowed by the blaze, reduced to ash in moments.

Outside Taishan Market, Yu Rou stood frozen in place. Her delicate face had gone pale and her mouth was agape in stunned disbelief. She was utterly unable to process the catastrophe unfolding before her eyes.

Chican Mountain was destroyed!