An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

At the summit of Danxia Peak, the vast energy flow receded like a tide, flowing back into the thatched hut. In mere moments, it was as if nothing had ever happened.

Luo Chen stood outside, briefly dazed by the sudden stillness.

Did it fail? No way!

That thought flashed through his mind for only a heartbeat until the wooden door burst open with a resounding crash.

Wang Yuan stepped out, dressed in simple hemp robes, barefoot, his long black hair cascading freely down his back, fluttering gently despite the absence of wind. There was a quiet intensity to him now, something different, an energy flow sharpened by transformation.

Within his deep black eyes, an unmistakable joy flickered.

Luo Chen smiled. ”Congratulations on your Foundation Establishment!”

Wang Yuan returned a faint smile, but just as he was about to reply, his body wavered. His foot sank deep into the stone floor, cracking it beneath him.

Both of them paused, staring at the damage.

Wang Yuan furrowed his brow. ”The sudden rise in the realm threw off my control over my body. Seems that stabilizing my cultivation is the top priority now.”

Luo Chen nodded thoughtfully. That was something he hadn’t quite anticipated, but it made sense. Wang Yuan’s progress in Physical-Refining had long surpassed his Qi-Refining cultivation. Even before this breakthrough, his strength had been difficult to control. Now that he had leaped a major realm, the imbalance would only grow more pronounced.

With that, Luo Chen dismissed the idea of holding a private Foundation Establishment Ceremony for him.

Instead, Luo Chen smiled and handed over a small red storage pouch. ”Here. Consider this my gift to celebrate your breakthrough.”

Wang Yuan accepted it, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. ”This is... Huo Hu’s storage pouch from back then?”

Luo Chen nodded and chuckled. ”It is. Your rightful spoil of war. It took me two full years to break the spirit consciousness restriction on it. Figured now’s the perfect time to give it back.”

Wang Yuan sent his still unsteady spirit consciousness into the pouch. With just a quick scan, delight appeared on his face.

”Perfect timing,” he said. ”I was just worrying about where to find Foundation Establishment resources. Didn’t expect everything would be right here!”

As the favored son of the Huo family and a disciple of the Flame Alliance, Huo Hu had never needed to gather cultivation resources himself. Before orchestrating the Gaoling Plains ambush, he had personally overseen an auction, carrying with him a portion of the Huo family’s profits.

As a result, his storage pouch was stuffed to the brim with spoils!

Luo Chen had examined it before. Even with his considerable wealth, he had been astonished by Huo Hu’s inheritance. That one pouch alone is worth more than half the wealth of the entire Duan family.

When Luo Chen broke the restriction, there wasn’t a brief moment of temptation. But in the end, he had suppressed it. It was Wang Yuan’s rightful spoils.

Now, with this treasure trove at Wang Yuan’s disposal, he wouldn’t need to worry about cultivation resources for a long time.

“Thanks, Luo Chen,” Wang Yuan said as he weighed the pouch in his hand. Breaking that restriction on his own would have taken years and caused endless trouble, but Luo Chen’s help had spared him a mountain of effort.

Luo Chen waved the gratitude away. ”We’re brothers. What are you thanking me for? ”This barely even counts as a gift.”

Wang Yuan was taken aback.

Luo Chen gave him a wink. ”I didn’t tell you this earlier, but inside Duan Qiankun’s storage pouch, I found two embryonic enchanted treasures. I plan to give one to Duan Feng and one to you. They’re still incomplete, but once we gather the necessary materials, you’ll have an enchanted treasure of your own.”

Warmth stirred in Wang Yuan’s heart. He tapped the wrist guard on his arm. ”Actually, I already have one. You can keep that for yourself.”

The Dragon-Tiger Bracer!

It was a powerful enchanted treasure that Huo Quan had traded immense resources to obtain for Huo Hu. Within it was sealed the force of dragon and tiger fiend qi, and its power was formidable. The treasure was a perfect match for Wang Yuan, who had long tempered his body using fiend qi. When he captured Huo Hu, this enchanted treasure came into his possession, although he had never been able to fully harness its power without reaching Foundation Establishment.

”I’m not lacking in these things. Why are you being so polite with me?” Luo Chen replied.

What Luo Chen didn’t mention was that Duan Qiankun’s storage pouch contained more than just two embryonic enchanted treasures.

Strictly speaking, the sword scabbards he had obtained could also be considered an embryonic enchanted treasure, perhaps even a near-complete enchanted treasure awaiting only its matching sword orbs to awaken its full potential.

However, that item technically belonged to Tian Xingzi. That wasn’t something he could talk about lightly; it could bring unnecessary trouble.

In the end, the three of them had split Duan Qiankun’s legacy fairly evenly.

What followed was that Luo Chen stayed on the mountain for two more days, exchanging cultivation insights with Wang Yuan regarding life after Foundation Establishment. Though Wang Yuan had no intention of progressing too far down the immortal path, he at least needed to stabilize his Foundation Establishment Realm. Only then could his extended lifespan help him progress further in Physical Refining.

Two days later, Luo Chen finally descended the mountain, though not with the intention of leaving entirely.

Wang Yuan’s advancement to Foundation Establishment was a major milestone, one worthy of celebration. It didn’t need to be a grand affair, but it deserved recognition. The cultivators of the Luo Tian Society ought to share in the joy.

A formal Foundation Establishment Ceremony wasn’t possible, but there was another way to make the occasion known.

***

”Have you settled on the date?” Luo Chen looked at the couple before him.

The man had sharp brows and bright eyes, a rather handsome figure. The woman, though not conventionally beautiful, possessed a gentle and graceful air. If they married, they would undoubtedly be seen as a match made in heaven.

Duan Feng and Feng Xia exchanged a glance, then nodded at Luo Chen.

”My cultivation has stabilized enough. There’s no reason to keep delaying the wedding. I even had Min Longyu help pick the date, nine days from now is an auspicious day for marriage!”

”Great! Then we have nine days to prepare!” Luo Chen clapped his hands. ”Don’t worry about the wedding, I’ll have the Luo Tian Society arrange everything. All you need to do is be ready to enter the bridal chamber!”

At the mention of the bridal chamber, Feng Xia lowered her head, a visible blush spreading across her neck. Her relationship with Duan Feng had long been an open secret within the Luo Tian Society, but to avoid affecting Duan Feng’s cultivation, they had respected boundaries even though they lived together.

Now that Duan Feng had finally reached the Foundation Establishment, it was time for those things to happen.

***

As soon as Luo Chen gave the word, the entire Luo Tian Society moved into motion with seamless coordination.

Truthfully, it didn’t take long at all.

Murong Qinglian led a team to the city to purchase all the wedding supplies. Meanwhile, Sima Huiniang took charge of Danxia Peak itself. Red silk and lanterns soon adorned the mountaintop, fluttering beneath the clear sky. Down below, logistics cultivators were already at work, slaughtering pigs and sheep, preparing spirit wine, and setting up tables and seating for the banquet.

With the speed and efficiency only cultivators could achieve, and with so many willing hands helping, they didn’t even need the full nine days to prepare. Everything was ready in a fraction of that time.

Traditional wedding formalities were set aside. There were no elders from either side to preside over the rites, and so the usual ceremonial procedures were simplified. Luo Chen himself was asked to act as the officiant.

Nine days later, a grand and lively banquet was held atop Danxia Peak.

Unlike Duan Feng’s previous private Foundation Establishment Ceremony, which was attended only by high-ranking members, this was a full-blown celebration attended by every cultivator in the faction, from top to bottom.

In the Grand Hall of Luo Tian Society, Luo Chen did not sit alone at the head, but instead came down to drink with everyone.

Duan Feng was the main target for toasts, and Luo Chen came in a close second. It was thanks to Luo Chen’s leadership that they had come so far, and they looked to the future with hope.

It was rare for Luo Chen to not be sitting above them all, so of course they seized the chance to get him thoroughly drunk. And Luo Chen didn’t turn down a single drink.

While the others swarmed Duan Feng with wine, Luo Chen finally let out a breath. The wine today was the finest procured in bulk at great cost from the Drunken Immortal Residence in Tianlan Immortal City.

He hadn’t filtered out the alcohol with spirit power, and after so many rounds, he was feeling tipsy. His eyes clouded with drink as he gazed across the hall.

Gu Caiyi flitted between the tables like a butterfly among blossoms, chatting and drinking with everyone she met. Xiugu and Murong Qinglian sat together, deep in conversation about child-rearing.

Qu Lingjun sat quietly in a corner, holding Mi Li’s hand. Her eyes were filled with admiration and longing as she gazed at the large characters ”Double Happiness” [1] on display.

Qin Liangchen clutched Min Longyu, reminiscing about their old days at the Dahe Market Debate Platform. With a thump to his chest, he boasted that if he had been the first on stage back then, he would surely have beaten him down.

Min Longyu merely smiled, clearly unconvinced. That made Qin Liangchen flustered. He began listing all the advantages he’d had, the supreme-grade robes, and so on...

Meanwhile, Sima Huiniang sat with her two brothers, sipping her wine in quiet, delicate sips. Life as Director kept her constantly occupied, always forcing her to maintain an air of impartial sternness.

Because of that status, her bonds with her brothers had gradually faded. Now, sitting beside them once more, she tugged on Sima Wenjie’s sleeve and earnestly urged their eldest brother, Sima Xian, to settle down and start a family.

She knew very well which women in the Luo Tian Society were good matches. And even if Sima Xian wasn’t interested in someone within the society, there were still prospects in the city. As Director, she had built a strong reputation and a wide network. Securing a marriage alliance with a cultivator family for her brother would be no trouble at all.

Pressed by his younger siblings, even Sima Xian’s usually stoic face grew slightly awkward.

All around them, many familiar faces filled the gathering.

Zhou Yuanli, Liu Qiang, Bian Zhen, Su Xiaolin, Xu Xiaoliu, Yuan Dongsheng...

Seeing all those familiar faces, hearing the stories from the past, Luo Chen felt the intoxication slowly grow stronger without realizing it.

So many people had gathered around him along the way. This was his most valuable treasure and second only to his cultivation. It was a testament to his journey on the path of longevity.

In the end, this path has been truly worthwhile!

Muttering softly, Luo Chen wandered outside the Grand Hall.

Danxia Peak was ablaze with light and color. Fireworks burst into the sky now and then, forming dazzling displays. Everyone was celebrating. From Dahe Market to Tianlan Immortal City, they had all been through so much. The cultivators of Luo Tian Society needed a feast like this to release the emotions they had bottled up for years.

Yet as Luo Chen looked on, something about the scene felt strangely familiar.

1. 囍 (xi), often called ”double happiness,” is a traditional Chinese character formed by placing two instances of 喜 (happiness) side by side. It is a culturally significant symbol used especially in weddings to represent joy shared between two people, typically the bride and groom. ☜