An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

The Duan family, with a legacy stretching over three centuries, was the oldest in Dahe Market. Its foundation far surpassed that of the Li family or minor figures like Mi Shuhua.

Beyond the founding Grand Elder, the Duan family had produced two other Foundation Establishment cultivators over the past three hundred years. And unlike many families that clung tightly to local influence, the Duan family often sent their most outstanding disciples to seek a future within major sects. Duan Feng’s father had been one such example.

Given this, after the Duan family’s downfall, the inheritance that the Luo Tian Society received was rather pitiful. Later, Luo Chen had unlocked Duan Qiankun’s storage pouch and obtained a small cache of resources. But truth be told, it wasn’t anything extraordinary. At most, it was on par with an average cultivation family.

But the Duan family had been rooted in Dahe Market! Dahe Market neighbored the Great Million Mountains, a region overflowing with resources. Even a rogue cultivator like Mi Shuhua, who had barely scraped his way into Foundation Establishment, could amass a respectable fortune. For the Duan family to be so destitute made no sense.

It wasn’t until Duan Feng began studying the two orbs Luo Chen had given him that he finally understood where the Duan family’s wealth had gone.

”This is an artifact forging technique my family learned from Tianfan City,” Duan Feng explained. ”It uses mithril as the core, blended with four second-tier materials to form a restriction sphere. Normally, this technique wouldn’t be used lightly, because mithril restriction spheres are incredibly costly. But there is one circumstance where their use becomes necessary!”

Duan Feng spoke with quiet confidence, his eyes fixed on the two orbs. A strand of spirit consciousness stretched out from his body, its movements still a little unsteady. This was his first time actively releasing it since stepping into Foundation Establishment, and the strain showed on his face.

It then landed on the mithril restriction sphere. The silver-white liquid coating its surface rippled backward like flowing water, and from within emerged a cluster of fluid.

Luo Chen asked in surprise, ”So, is this what an enchanted treasure embryo looks like?”

”That’s because it hasn’t taken shape yet, and some materials are still missing,” replied Duan Feng.

As he spoke, Duan Feng moved with intent, and the silvery liquid wrapped completely around it once more.

”As expected, only enchanted treasure embryos are worthy of being sealed within a mithril restriction sphere,” Duan Feng let out a breath of relief. ”My Duan family has successfully used this technique before.”

Luo Chen hesitated and asked, ”The Zeguo Gui Diagram?”

Duan Feng nodded. ”Yes. That defensive enchanted treasure took three hundred years to complete. First, because the main material was difficult to gather, the true essence of Gui Water had to be collected drop by drop. Second, our artifact forging skill was average. So we had to constantly seal the embryo within mithril restriction spheres to prevent it from ”miscarrying.”

Miscarry the embryo? That sounds... kind of weird. Luo Chen grumbled mentally.

Then, Luo Chen turned a fond gaze toward the two restriction spheres. ”So, do you know what kind of enchanted treasures these embryos were meant to become?”

Duan Feng nodded. ”Barring surprises, the one I just opened is a typical water-element flying sword embryo. It’s still missing two primary materials. As for the other one, I’m not sure yet. But it’s even older than the flying sword embryo. It might be something our founding Grand Elder left behind.”

Luo Chen said expectantly, ”If we can forge it into completion, that would be amazing.”

At present, he wasn’t exactly lacking in enchanted treasures. For defense, he had the Forsaken Black Chess Piece. For offense, there was the Mystic Flame Sword. But no one ever complained about having too many enchanted treasures, whether it was Duan Feng, who had just broken through to Foundation Establishment; Wang Yuan, who was already deep into the second stage of Physical-Refining; or the many ninth stage Qi-Refining cultivators in the Luo Tian Society who were on the verge of breaking through. They all had a deep need for enchanted treasures. If they could acquire two more enchanted treasures, their combat strength would increase substantially.

”If you can find those two missing materials, I should be able to forge this flying sword embryo into a true enchanted treasure,” Duan Feng said.

”Huh? Weren’t you only able to forge mid-grade enchanted artifacts?” Luo Chen looked at Duan Feng with mild skepticism.

Duan Feng snorted. ”Who are you looking down on? I already forged a top-grade enchanted artifact last year!”

Luo Chen chuckled. He had spent most of last year in seclusion and had truly missed these ’minor’ events. Still, this was an enchanted treasure they were talking about!

They were already quite familiar with each other, and Duan Feng could vaguely sense what Luo Chen was thinking. With a serious expression, he said, ”This isn’t difficult. The embryo is nearly perfected; just two materials are missing. I suspect Duan Qiankun had been trying to complete it himself. If I have the materials, all I need to do is melt them in and let the embryo set.”

Luo Chen’s expression turned solemn. ”From what I know, the materials are only part of it. The formations are the greater hurdle. Are you truly confident?”

”If this were before, I’d admit I wasn’t. But now...” Duan Feng chuckled. ”Have you forgotten we have a formation master in the Luo Tian Society?”

Luo Chen immediately realized. Min Longyu!

”But... he doesn’t know artifact forging, does he?”

Duan Feng answered with confidence, ”Not every artifact forger is skilled in formations. In most cases, crafting an enchanted treasure is a joint effort. From raw materials to the finished product, each stage involves different hands. Even the crucial formation inscriptions are usually entrusted to someone else.”

With that explanation, Luo Chen finally understood. Back when Duan Feng was crafting or repairing artifacts, he had always been surrounded by his apprentices. Some helped refine ores, others assisted in controlling the fire’s intensity. Even during the crucial process of inscribing formations, the work was often shared.

Artifact forging and alchemy were different crafts. Alchemy required the alchemist to handle every core task personally. But artifact forging was more like constructing a building; it could be fully divided among workers. The complexity and threshold of the two were fundamentally different.

Luo Chen said, ”In that case, tell me what materials you need! If I come across them, I’ll keep an eye out.”

Duan Feng didn’t hesitate. He could sense that if these two enchanted treasure embryos were successfully forged, one of them would likely be given to him, and the other would probably go to Wang Yuan. After all, both embryos had come from Duan Qiankun’s storage pouch. Given the effort Wang Yuan had put in back then, he deserved a generous share of the spoils.

The two of them continued chatting for a while, and at the end, Luo Chen took his leave. Duan Feng had just reached Foundation Establishment and didn’t have much free time. Whether it was stabilizing his cultivation or switching to a Foundation Establishment cultivation method, both required time.

***

After leaving Duan Feng’s cave residence, Luo Chen made his way home. Three days of acting as a protector had left him a little weary, and he looked forward to a brief rest. But as he walked, his eyes fell on a familiar figure lingering nearby. The man sat in a wheelchair, gazing quietly and wistfully in the direction of Duan Feng’s cave.

It’s him! thought Luo Chen.

No one would think to associate this crippled man, confined to a wheelchair, with the once-famous expert of Dahe Market, Nangong Qin.

Such was the harshness of fate. During the Bai family’s raid on the Glowing Stream Market, when the rogue cultivators swarmed in to slaughter the Nangong family, the battle had been nothing short of tragic.

Nangong Jin had held the line, instructing Nangong Qin to flee first, then fought with reckless abandon. But even during his escape, Nangong Qin had been surrounded by over a dozen raiders. Though he had barely clung to life, saved only by the desperate measures of his father, the price was devastating, and he lost the use of both legs.

By now, he must have heard about Duan Feng’s Foundation Establishment breakthrough. After all, the wave of spirit energy from the breakthrough had drawn Nangong Qin over to investigate. And with Luo Chen standing guard outside the cave, it hadn’t taken much for him to figure out that Duan Feng had stepped into Foundation Establishment.

That man had once been his defeated opponent. Yet now, he had stepped onto the Great Dao of Foundation Establishment ahead of him.

If he hadn’t been injured, he’d probably be on the verge of Foundation Establishment by now, Luo Chen mused with a sigh in his heart.

He had no intention of greeting the man and returned to his cave residence.

Once inside, he checked on the batch of Jade Dew Pills. After being frozen and left to settle, their medicinal power had finally stabilized, concentrated within the tiny pills.

Luo Chen picked one up and examined it closely. ”The formula said this pill is highly effective for female cultivators, but it never said it was useless for men. I’ll give it a try.”