An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Outside Danxia Peak, a fierce battle erupted without any warning.

”Heaven’s Blade, Xing Zhonghan!” Ying Yang’s voice rang out.

”Sky Eagle Peak’s Ying Yang!” Xing Zhonghan answered in kind.

”You bastard!” Ying Yang snarled.

”Pay with your life for the hundreds of lives my family lost!” Xing Zhonghan’s voice was heavy with hatred.

”It’s good that you feel that way,” Ying Yang replied coldly. ”Saves me the trouble of looking for you.”

When such enemies met, there was no need for words; they went straight for each other’s throats. Their clash unleashed waves of early-stage Foundation Establishment spirit power that rippled through the air, pressing down on every cultivator in the Luo Tian Society. The mountain fell silent under the suffocating weight.

A female Daoist’s brow furrowed. ”Why is Xing Zhonghan here at Danxia Peak?”

”Fellow Daoist Miao Yu, that’s not what you should be worrying about right now,” Lu Rong replied blandly, his gaze fixed on the distant peak where he could feel a pair of cold, piercing eyes locked on him.

Miao Yu of Jade True Temple snapped out of her confusion. ”You’re right, I don’t know how the news got out, but with Ying Yang holding off Xing Zhonghan, it’s the perfect time for us to raid the mountain. There’s only one first stage Foundation Establishment cultivator up there; he’s no match for the two of us.

Without another word, she shot toward Danxia Peak. But halfway there, she realized Lu Rong had yet to move.

What is he doing? she thought in confusion.

Before she could dwell on it, her expression shifted sharply.

From Danxia Peak, a vast wave rolled outward, its surface roiling like a sea in a storm. Within that wave, a flickering dark light appeared and then vanished.

Miao Yu’s heart sank. She unfurled her horsetail whisk, sending out three thousand white filaments in a sudden burst, bristling like a hedgehog. They shot forward in all directions, stabbing rapidly into the void, each strike punctuated by a sharp, piercing crack.

When a blue flying sword tore out from the void, Miao Yu finally released a breath of relief.

”Such a vicious trick, almost got me,” she muttered.

But in that brief moment of relief, she sensed something wrong. Where’s the wave?

The next instant, the massive wave that had surged from Danxia Peak came crashing down with a thunderous roar.

She hastily activated her defensive enchanted artifact, but within that relentless wall of waves, she was nothing more than a drifting weed, battered and forced back again and again. Blood burst from her lips in great gouts.

Whoosh!

The Heluo Blade, a supreme-grade enchanted artifact, flew neatly back into the hand of a man.

Duan Feng stepped forward atop the crest of the wave, his gaze cold. He spared Lu Rong a brief glance before streaking after Miao Yu.

Lu Rong watched without the slightest change in expression. He merely said, ”Idiot.”

It was obvious now that the Luo Tian Society was well prepared. That arrow from earlier, Xing Zhonghan’s sudden arrival, everything pointed to Luo Chen having anticipated an attack on Danxia Peak. In such a situation, Miao Yu had dared to charge head-on. Lu Rong had never seen such a foolish Foundation Establishment Initiate!

“I wonder, are you talking about someone else, or yourself?” came a voice.

The voice had been distant one moment, and at his ear the next.

Lu Rong’s expression remained calm as he lifted his gaze into the void. A figure was descending from Danxia Peak, coming straight for him.

”You’re that former Battle Hall Leader of the Luo Tian Society, aren’t you?” Lu Rong asked. ”I heard when you first arrived in Tianlan Immortal City, you killed a Foundation Establishment Initiate. Seems like you’re Luo Chen’s hidden card here at Danxia Peak.”

As he spoke, Lu Rong produced a smoking pipe and placed it between his lips. ”I’d like to see what gives a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator the courage to challenge me.”

He drew in a deep breath. The tobacco burned away little by little, the entire pipe glowing red-hot like an iron rod fresh from the forge. A violent wave of spirit power erupted from his body. The next moment, Lu Rong exhaled lightly, but the force was anything but light. A crimson sphere of energy erupted from his mouth. Within that sphere, smoke gave birth to clouds, and resplendent light shone brilliantly. Though his tone belittled Wang Yuan, the move he unleashed was his most powerful technique like a lion going after a rabbit using all its strength [1]!

Wang Yuan halted, his face solemn. ”An enchanted treasure?”

Without hesitation, he thrust both fists forward. Twin bracers, engraved with coiling dragons and prowling tigers, flared with dazzling spirit light.

The cries of a dragon and a tiger split the air. A flood dragon formed from energy and a fierce tiger wrought from fiend qi surged toward the crimson sphere. The three attacks collided head-on, leaving no room for evasion. The resulting explosion was earth-shattering, spirit power erupting in all directions.

Even with their cultivation, they were unable to fully control the might of their enchanted treasures. As a result, they were forced to resort to such head-on clashes.

Danxia Peak looked as if it would bear the brunt of the clash, but a transparent shield shimmered into place around it. The impact struck the barrier, producing nothing more than faint ripples.

As the dust settled, Lu Rong’s composure was gone, replaced by a grave expression.

”An enchanted treasure?” he spat. ”So that’s why Luo Chen had the confidence to leave you behind to guard Danxia Peak.”

In contrast, Wang Yuan stood there casually, hands clasped behind his back, exuding the calm poise of a master. Yet behind his back, his hands were trembling.

He had only refined these Dragon-Tiger Bracers two or three years after reaching Foundation Establishment. He could hardly wield them with ease, and even that level of control was due to the bracers containing dragon energy and tiger energy, both aligned with his Physique Refinement path. Only this way could he unleash a greater power than Huo Hu. Even so, that brilliant strike had drained most of his spirit power.

Yet he had no choice. Lu Rong had come at him with all his might, seeking a swift kill. Wang Yuan had to withstand the first wave.

Seeing Wang Yuan remain silent, Lu Rong sneered and raised his smoking pipe again. ”I’d like to see how many times a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like you can use an enchanted treasure!”

As he spoke, he drew a deep breath. The tobacco flared, burning away in an instant. The blackened pipe turned red-hot once more, like an iron rod fresh from the forge.

Recognizing the scene, Wang Yuan’s expression grew grim. He stepped forward in midair, each stride spanning more than ten zhang.

Lu Rong sneered as he watched. Useless! Just wait there and die!

As he opened his mouth, another crimson sphere of energy flew out.

Wang Yuan stopped. The smoking pipe’s attack was too fast, and he simply couldn’t dodge it at his current pace. Thus, he slammed his arms together, and the Dragon-Tiger Bracers erupted once more with the roars of a dragon and a tiger. The dragon’s force and the tiger’s fiend qi reappeared, though weaker than before by about thirty percent.

Boom!

A violent explosion rang out. The dragon and tiger shattered with mournful cries. Through the dispersing smoke, the weakened crimson sphere punched through and hurtled straight at Wang Yuan.

Staring at that incoming sphere, his eyes grew cold. Luo Chen was right. There are countless experts in the city, and even a second-rate faction is this troublesome. In the early stages, it was wiser to lie low. But from the moment I stepped into the cultivation world, every opponent I faced was always of a higher realm. So what? Just another life-or-death fight!

Wang Yuan’s thoughts raced, but his body moved instinctively. Swinging his arm back and keeping his elbow horizontal, he gathered his strength.

The next moment, he thrust his palm forward.

Mountain Cleaving Monument Breaking Palm!

As the creator of this palm technique, Wang Yuan understood it even better than Luo Chen at Perfected Mastery, especially after training in the Qi-Physique Origin Method. This mundane secret art had been refined to a level capable of challenging Foundation Establishment cultivators!

A terrifying palm imprint shot from his hand. The strike drained every last drop of spirit power from his body, fused with a massive surge of blood qi.

Boom!!!

The explosion shook the battlefield, and Wang Yuan’s figure vanished within the crimson sphere’s annihilating blaze. Lu Rong gripped his scalding-hot smoking pipe, watching the cloud-and-smoke energy sphere with a sigh of relief in his heart.

Luo Chen really was a troublesome one, leaving behind an enchanted treasure at the Luo Tian Society. But too bad, the entire Luo Tian Society has barely any seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivators; all of them are newbies. No matter how strong the enchanted treasure, that guy has only been wielding it for a few years. There’s no way he can use it like I can use mine. He’s probably a bunch of ash right now.

Now, he just had to think about how to breach the Luo Tian Society and plunder everything.

Foundation Establishment pills? Pft. Those were just bait for those two idiots. I have no juniors or disciples, so what the hell would I do with them? But the shame Luo Chen brought upon me has to be avenged, and his society will pay the price. You made me sweep the floors back then, huh? Now I’ll sweep the floor with the entire Luo Tian Society! Even if you manage to survive at the Qinhua River, you’ll be all alone, and I’ll have you at my mercy!

Lu Rong didn’t care about the other two battlefields. He was about to fly straight towards Danxia Peak. But just as he was about to step out, he froze mid-stride. His brow furrowed, his gaze falling on the spot where the enchanted treasures had clashed.

“You’re not dead?” he whispered.

From the smoke and dust, a figure slowly emerged; he was bare-chested, his muscles were knotted like iron cables, and thick veins twisting across his body like giant pythons. At first glance, he looked downright monstrous. His long hair had been burned away, leaving a smooth, bald head. He raised his head, fixing Lu Rong with a deadly stare. An overwhelming killing intent burst forth, completely unrestrained.

Lu Rong sneered. ”So what if you’re alive? You’re completely drained of spirit power. Even a mere Qi Refinement cultivator could kill you now.”

He casually summoned a flying sword and thrust it toward Wang Yuan’s throat.

Clang!

Lu Rong’s eyes widened. The sword had stopped cold, caught in Wang Yuan’s bare hand just before it could pierce his skin. No matter how much spirit power he poured into it, the blade only trembled weakly, unable to advance even a hair’s breadth.

Wang Yuan’s veins bulged as he tightened his grip.

Crack!

Under Lu Rong’s stunned gaze, the enchanted flying sword snapped in two like brittle scrap iron and was tossed aside.

Wang Yuan’s eyes burned with the glare of a wild beast. ”Sure, my spirit power is drained. But can you still use that smoking pipe?”

They were both at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. Wang Yuan, only at the first stage, had refined his enchanted treasure for a short time. At most, he could use it once or twice. Lu Rong, at the second stage, might have more spirit power overall, but ”more” didn’t mean ”endless.” That last attack had been devastating; there was no way he could unleash it again so soon.

Wang Yuan was certain, especially after feeling the weakness behind Lu Rong’s sword strike.

Lu Rong went silent for a moment, then his lips curled into a twisted grin. Slowly, he opened his mouth wide, revealing a feral smile.

”Haha... You think an old man like me would waste my spirit power without a plan? As if! Enchanted artifacts? Enchanted Treasures? They’re just external things. My true strength lies in my body!”

Laughing wildly, Lu Rong flipped his smoking pipe, and a torrent of black ash erupted from its mouth. The black ash floated in the air, not falling but rushing towards his body. In an instant, the lines of an ancient-looking suit of armor formed on his exposed skin. It was armor forged from his hardened skin and the strange black ash. Above his head, a thick column of blood qi surged upward like a plume of smoke.

Blood River Realm! He’s also a second-stage Physique Refinement cultivator! Wang Yuan’s eyes lit up, a savage grin splitting his face. ”This Physique Refinement technique of yours is interesting. I like it!”

The next moment, Wang Yuan flipped his thumb and pressed it hard against his chest. A flood of blood qi energy exploded outward, a smoke-like pillar rising skyward. His body expanded rapidly, his muscles and veins bulging. In the blink of an eye, he had grown to two zhang tall, becoming a giant. Now, he no longer looked up at Lu Rong; instead, he was eye-to-eye with him.

Lu Rong rumbled with laughter. “Rarely do I meet a fellow cultivator on the same cultivation path. Let’s have a real fight! I’ll grant you the most glorious death.”

For the first time, unease rippled through Lu Rong’s heart. Physique Refinement was his pride, yet the giant before him radiated an oppressive force that made his instincts scream.

But retreat wasn’t so simple. His opponent was right in front of him, and from Danxia Peak he could feel another gaze locked onto him, sharp as a blade at his back. It was as if, whether he advanced or retreated, an earth-shattering strike would come for him.

Why haven’t I noticed another Foundation Establishment cultivator on Danxia Peak? Lu Rong thought. Wait... Did Luo Chen really go to the funeral without taking any of them along? Should I fight now or retreat?

As he hesitated, a violent gust of fist wind rushed at him. A fierce shout exploded in his ears. ”Indecisive and hesitant. What kind of Physique Refinement is that? Die!”

1. 狮子搏兔，亦用全力 (shi zi bo tu, yi yong quan li) means that one should not underestimate small tasks or opponents, but rather give one’s best effort no matter how trivial the challenge may seem. ☜