An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

The Grand Hall of the Succession Palace was the heart of knowledge transmission within the Luo Tian Society. It stood nestled deep within Danxia Peak. Though newly built, it had been styled as an ancient palace. At first glance, it carried an air of age and dignity, its sweeping roofs and carved beams evoking the grandeur of the old sects of legend. Yet anyone with a discerning eye could see from the freshness of the materials that it lacked true historical depth.

Even so, that did not lessen the Succession Palace’s importance to the Luo Tian Society. When Luo Chen arrived, the first person he saw was not Wang Yuan, but Min Longyu, who was busy at work on the expansive White Jade Plaza outside. Luo Chen landed lightly on the polished jade, pressing down with his foot to test its firmness. The motion immediately caught Min Longyu’s attention.

”President, no!” he called out in alarm. ”I just finished setting up a small spirit-gathering formation right there. If you damage it, I’ll have nowhere to cry!”

Luo Chen chuckled and lifted his foot. He surveyed the plaza before him. The white jade tiles stretched out across an area the size of a football field, beautifully paved with first-tier spirit jade. It was elegant, refined, and expensive. This much jade had likely cost at least ten thousand low-grade spirit stones all by itself.

Of course, it couldn’t compare to the training grounds of major sects. But once Min Longyu completed his spirit-gathering formation, this little square would be one of Danxia Peak’s finest cultivation spots, especially for disciples below the late stage of the Qi Refinement Realm.

Min Longyu walked over and said, ”Once the Luo Tian Society starts accepting disciples, this white jade platform will serve a real purpose. High-tier cultivators from the Succession Palace can lecture from this platform, and the young disciples will gather below to listen. Spirit hawks will circle the sky, and cranes will glide across mist-wreathed clouds. The glow of the setting sun, the shimmer of rising fog—just imagine it. It will have the atmosphere of a true immortal sect.”

How poetic... Luo Chen found himself momentarily captivated by the vision. An atmosphere of an immortal sect... that was something he longed for.

”By the way, have you chosen disciples to inherit your legacy yet?” Luo Chen asked.

Min Longyu’s face lit up. ”Yes, two of them!”

”Two?” Luo Chen’s brow arched.

”That’s right. One is a young man who has been with us since the Dahe Market days. He apprenticed in the Artifact Palace and acquired a substantial amount of formation theory from Brother Duan. His foundation in formations is solid. The other is a young girl from a distant branch of my own Min family. After I destroyed the Geng family and crushed the Divine Craftsman Sect, word spread, and her family came to find me. It turns out I am her maternal uncle.”

Maternal uncle? Luo Chen was a little taken aback.

That meant she wasn’t considered a direct descendant of the Min family. She was the child of a Min family woman who had married outside the family. But now, the Min family of Danxia Peak was long gone; there were no direct descendants left. That he could even find one surviving blood relative was quite the success.

No wonder Min Longyu wore such a content expression.

Luo Chen was about to speak further when he noticed Wang Yuan quietly observing from the second floor.

”You keep at it; I’ll go on ahead.” Luo Chen said to Min Longyu.

With that, he stepped into the Grand Hall of the Succession Palace without another word.

***

”What exactly are you looking for?” Wang Yuan asked.

”Fire spells,” Luo Chen replied without hesitation. ”Fire-control arts. Anything related to fire—I want them all.”

”Alright, give me a moment.” Without waiting for a response, Wang Yuan turned and headed straight into the newly built library.

With nothing better to do, Luo Chen followed him in.

The library was divided into three floors. The ground floor housed mundane martial arts, cultivation travelogues, and various records. Luo Chen immediately spotted familiar titles such as Carefree Wander, Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers, and the well-known Scenes of the Six Domains. Hundreds of books lined the shelves. A pessimistic reader might have called them scattered and eclectic; a more optimistic one, rich in diversity.

The second floor was more specialized, dedicated to cultivation techniques tailored for the Qi Refinement Realm.

The third floor, naturally, held techniques and scriptures suited for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Beyond these three levels, a hidden annex served as a secret chamber where cultivation insights were stored. Manuals such as Qi Refinement Insights and Foundation Establishment Insights lay alongside manuals on talisman crafting, spirit herbology, and even the fine art of artifact forging. Should talented individuals appear within the Luo Tian Society, this place would be more than enough to guide them along specialized paths. All of the necessary materials had been carefully organized in the annex.

Once Luo Chen finished studying the alchemy classics he had borrowed, he intended to return them here as well. Some of the books were priceless, while others were nearly worthless, yet together they formed the foundation of the Luo Tian Society.

Luo Chen ran his hand gently over the cover of a rare metal-element Qi Refinement technique. ”This is the legacy we’ve built up, piece by piece, through years of struggle.”

Meanwhile, Wang Yuan was busy selecting suitable techniques. As he worked, he glanced at Luo Chen and said calmly, ”For now, these manuals are placed here just like that, without any security. Later, Min Longyu will set up minor formations on each one to prevent theft. In the future, inner disciples will need to exchange merit points to borrow them. I’ll also transcribe everything onto bamboo scrolls by hand. The original copies will be stored safely.”

Luo Chen nodded repeatedly as he listened. These were exactly the kinds of foundational tasks a sect required to establish proper succession. Even the library itself had been given a meaningful name: Heaven Unity Pavilion.

Heaven births water, Luo Chen mused, and water counters fire. Books, after all, were most vulnerable to destruction by fire.

The two men continued chatting as they climbed the stairs. By the time they reached the top floor, Wang Yuan had already gathered a bundle of manuals.

”Seven first-tier fire-element techniques, three second-tier ones, and three secret arts. One each for artifact forging, alchemy, and spirit planting. Besides that, I’ve also included a Bloodflame secret technique from my private collection. It’s driven by blood qi. You can take a look at all of them. Perhaps some will be useful to you.”

Luo Chen couldn’t help but feel excited. With so many cultivation manuals, he might find a way to break through his current bottleneck in alchemy. He was also moved by Wang Yuan’s willingness to share his private secret technique.

Without delay, he opened a first-tier Qi Refinement manual titled Triple Blaze Incineration. His expression grew intensely focused.

Wang Yuan did not disturb him. After setting down the manuals, he quietly shut the door and left.

The silence of the spacious chamber was broken only by the sound of turning pages.

***

Humans bear within them the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, also known as the Three Impurities, the Three Fires. Burn them, and boundless strength can be attained. Transmute them into blazing flames, and they shall purify the world...

Luo Chen narrowed his eyes. ”This is far too exaggerated. In truth, it is nothing more than cultivating a fiercely determined heart and absorbing ambient fire-element spirit energy.”

He shook his head. ”How useless.”

Setting aside the Triple Blaze Incineration Seal, Luo Chen picked up another manual titled Infernal Suppression Flame Art. It was also a first-tier technique, focusing on drawing in spirit energy from scorching environments through sheer willpower. The method carried a resemblance to the meditative focus of the Long Spring Art, but its profundity was disappointing.

After several hours, Luo Chen shook his head and continued skimming through the other books.

Time passed as he immersed himself in the readings.

One day.

Two days.

Before he realized it, half a month had gone by.

With a cultivator’s body that had undergone marrow cleansing and tendon transformation, Luo Chen could already survive on metaphorical mist and dew; he practically needed no sustenance for long periods of time. Furthermore, since he had not been cultivating, his body did not feel fatigue either. He had endured similar sleepless stretches in the past during secluded breakthroughs.

By then, Luo Chen had finished reading all seven first-tier techniques. None of them offered the insight he needed to overcome his bottleneck, yet they were not without value. He now possessed a solid understanding of the many cultivation paths, techniques, and combat applications available to those with a fire spirit root. That much, at least, was worthwhile.

He felt certain that the next time he cast Fireball, Blazing Fireflies, Solar Flare, or Landslide, he would be able to wield them with substantially greater finesse.

Beyond those first-tier techniques, he had also studied Wang Yuan’s private Bloodflame secret art. Its effects were not much different from Foundation Establishment true fire; it was just that, instead of relying on a burst of spirit liquid, it used a sudden surge of blood qi to unleash devastating force.

What made it valuable was that this Bloodflame was far easier to control than Foundation Establishment true fire. Even though it was a semi-self-destructive method, as it was driven by one’s own blood essence, it could prove quite effective whether for a fight or for flight.

Luo Chen committed it to memory as yet another hidden trump card. After all, with his refined physique and genuine Blood River Realm in Physique Refinement, he commanded an immense reservoir of blood qi, so he could make good use of the technique. It’s best to be prepared for the unexpected.

Afterwards, Luo Chen also briefly examined the three secret arts.

The fire-element spirit planting art was a bit ridiculous. It was called Bing Fire Scorching, a second-tier spell. Its main purpose was to upgrade the grade of spirit fields. After reading it, Luo Chen concluded it was of no use to him.

The alchemy secret art was simply Flame Manipulation, a spell he had already mastered and used regularly to control the intensity of his alchemical flames.

The artifact forging secret art, however, left him puzzled. He frowned at the passage before him.

”What does ‘Fire Fusion’ mean? Using fire to scorch air, smelt ore, and refine iron? Could it be a technique to enhance combustion?”

Luo Chen copied down Fire Fusion on the spot, intending to study it in greater detail later.

Afterward, he turned his attention to the three second-tier fire-element cultivation manuals.

The Unified Ding-Fire originated from the Duan family. The Flame Yang True Scripture came from Huo Hu and was likely the core inner manual of a Golden Core major sect, the Flame Alliance. The Azure Yang Seal that had been obtained during the battle at Gaoling Plains once belonged to a rogue Qi Refinement cultivator.

Each of these second-tier techniques was clearly more complex and profound than the first-tier ones. Even with a brief skim, Luo Chen could tell that studying them thoroughly would require significant time.

Without hesitation, Luo Chen placed the original copies of all three manuals into his storage pouch and stepped out of the secluded chamber.

Outside, Wang Yuan was fully focused on transcribing manuals. Luo Chen rubbed his eyes, feeling slightly fatigued.

”Did it help with your problem?” Wang Yuan paused his work and looked up with concern.

Luo Chen shook his head. ”Not yet, but I think I’ve found the direction.”

That direction, surprisingly, came from the artifact forging secret art Fire Fusion.

Relieved by Luo Chen’s words, Wang Yuan quietly returned to his work.

Before leaving, Luo Chen asked casually, ”Why not let disciples from the Succession Palace handle this kind of menial task? Isn’t it a waste of your cultivation time?”

Wang Yuan did not even lift his head. ”Not at all. As I transcribe them, the words are etched into my mind. Even for Physique Refinement, it helps, like using another’s jade to polish my own.”

He has photographic memory? Luo Chen was momentarily stunned. Wang Yuan had never mentioned possessing such a talent. Yet when he thought about it, it was not impossible. Wang Yuan had walked much of his early Physique Refinement path alone. Having an ability like this had certainly made his journey shorter.

Once a cultivator reached Foundation Establishment, the divine soul grew vastly stronger. Even without true photographic memory, their recollection already surpassed that of ordinary people. A gift of this kind was only really relevant in the lower realms.

Not wishing to disturb him any further, Luo Chen quietly took his leave.

***

Back at Tianlan Peak, Luo Chen finally allowed himself a proper rest.

The next morning, he rose early and returned to his cultivation. Watching his progress bar crawl up to 4/100, the weight of guilt from half a month without training finally eased.

I can study techniques as much as I like, but I must never again neglect the core of cultivation.

He let out a long breath of turbid air and walked to the familiar shade of the Xuyang Tree. Spirit energy drifted gently beneath its branches, calm and nourishing. He sat down and unrolled the three second-tier fire element techniques he had brought back and began studying them carefully.

The sun rose and set, the moon drifted across the sky, and time slipped away unnoticed.

Before he realized it, another month had passed.

Luo Chen slowly closed the bamboo scroll of the Azure Yang Seal. At last, he had uncovered the root of his problem. The path of alchemy was inseparably bound to the element of fire. Until now, he had taken this for granted, believing his fire control skills were already sufficient. Only now did he understand how vast and profound that path truly was, like a boundless sea veiled in mist. His current mastery was little more than scratching the surface.

If it were to be divided into levels, the art of alchemical fire could be arranged into four stages: Fire Control, Fire Fusion, Fire Internalization, and Fire Transformation.

These stages didn’t come from any technique or manual. Luo Chen had derived them himself, combining insights from The Treatise of Qing Yuanzi, Qin Hua Alchemy Insights, Shang Hu Alchemy Insights, and other such writings. Countless scattered insights had slowly converged into a coherent framework.

The final stage, which he termed Divine Soul Fire Transformation, was a legendary tier mentioned only in passing within ancient texts. At his current level, it lay far beyond reach. But for the first three stages, he had already found corresponding methods within the secret arts.

If Flame Manipulation represented mastery over fire handling, then that was control. Fire Fusion and the Unified Ding-Fire Method focused on refining the quality and power of flame through perfect control, which belonged to fusion. As for internalization, both the Flame Yang True Scripture and the Azure Yang Seal described absorbing formless flame into the body to cultivate an inner source fire—the true fire.

After frantically reading through all kinds of manuals and alchemy insights, Luo Chen, much like Wang Yuan, had formed a rare understanding of his own. More than that, he had constructed a system of progressive tiers, a clear path forward. For the first time, the road ahead no longer seemed shrouded in uncertainty.

He could fully grasp the appeal of Wang Yuan’s solitary, scholarly path: reading countless teachings and methods, then creating a technique perfectly tailored to himself. The process had undoubtedly been grueling, but the satisfaction of such clarity was undeniable.

Although his current foundation was still insufficient to create a technique capable of solving his bottleneck, he now had a direction to research in. By drawing from the methods of his predecessors, absorbing their strengths, and advancing step by step, he would no longer be wandering in the dark.

”Right now, I have mastered the first stage: complete control over fire,” Luo Chen murmured. ”Next, I must achieve fusion and move toward internalization.”

The first of these was not too difficult. Duan Feng had already demonstrated mastery in this area. The firepower required for artifact forging even surpassed that of alchemy. If Duan Feng could do it, then Luo Chen could as well.

He chose not to divide his focus between Fire Fusion and the Unified Ding-Fire. He would concentrate on Fire Fusion alone. The other method was no less effective, but Fire Fusion offered an advantage: If he encountered obstacles, he could seek guidance directly from Duan Feng and avoid unnecessary detours.

As for the secret arts of internalization, both the Flame Yang True Scripture and the Azure Yang Seal contained methods that he could study later, laying the groundwork for the future.

With his course decided, Luo Chen rose from his seat, resolve firm in his eyes, and made his way toward the alchemy room.

”Now then, let’s begin!”