An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

When Luo Chen reached the Fire Fusion stage, he found the path surprisingly clear. On his third attempt, the technique worked as though it had been waiting for him all along, fire and spirit energy flowing together as naturally as water joining a stream.

He soon understood the principle of Fire Fusion. Every fire had its limits, whether ordinary fire or earth fire. But a cultivator’s refined spirit energy held limitless potential. To enfold a wisp of fire with that pure, inexhaustible power was to let the finite ignite with the infinite. That was the secret of Fire Fusion.

The principle sounded profound, yet in practice, it was simple enough. He only needed to wrap his refined spirit energy around a wisp of fire like a translucent membrane and feed it slowly inward. As the fire burned, his energy dripped into it, fusing until the fire swelled with a power far beyond its natural state. What had once been no more than a humble second-tier earth fire now blazed with a force that rivaled or even surpassed the true fire he had cultivated upon breaking into mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

After grasping the basics, Luo Chen spent three days conducting experiments. In one go, he raised his mastery of the Fire Fusion from the Beginner level to the Skilled level. Only then did he stop, preparing to refine the Blood Fiend pill with his newfound insights.

***

”This will be the third. The first two were failures, but even failure gets you closer and closer to success. This time, it will work.”

With these thoughts flowing through his mind, he added each main ingredient into the Ice Emperor Cauldron. Then, he shifted his focus to the second-tier earth fire beneath the cauldron. Pure strands of spirit energy streamed out, circling in the air, then forming translucent pill membranes around droplets of purified spirit solution. The encapsulated energy entered the earth fire and began to slowly smelt.

Threads of spirit energy trickled out. It was the purified wood-element spirit energy refined through the Eternal Youth Evergreen Sutra. Within the cycle of the five elements, wood nourished fire; now, as that wood-element spirit energy merged with the second-tier earth fire, what had once burned no stronger than a meager spark of early-stage Foundation Establishment true fire suddenly roared to life. Gradually, its intensity even surpassed the Foundation Establishment true fire unleashed when Luo Chen shattered the liquified spirit energy!

At this point, Luo Chen had already stepped firmly into the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, and his spirit power was purer than ever before. The true fire he cultivated through his own liquified spirit energy was formidable in its own right, yet this simple earth fire, tempered by the art of Fire Fusion, had grown even stronger. For the first time, the intricate principle of birthing the infinite within the finite revealed itself with startling clarity.

With a thought, Luo Chen split off part of the blazing fire to specifically touch one side of the cauldron. That section corresponded to where the main ingredient, the blood essence of a cultivator, was placed.

”Why the hell didn’t the formula mention this? It would’ve spared me so many failures....” Luo Chen muttered. Cultivator blood essence contained not only vitality but also fragments of will and soul. Its complexity and purity were beyond imagination. It was said that powerful enchanted treasures required not only spirit nurturing but also blood to form a bond with their master. This showed just how intricate it truly was to deal with blood essence. Luo Chen’s earlier approach was just too simplistic. Beyond the preliminary steps, every step of the refinement had to be done at the perfect temperature, under the perfect fire. It was an extremely meticulous process.

Once the realization struck, all the confusion that had plagued Luo Chen vanished in an instant. Every nagging doubt and every subtle inconsistency from his earlier attempts at alchemy now turned into perfect clarity. The problem had never been the ingredients or his understanding of their properties. It had always been the fire.

With his former methods, he had been unable to address each ingredient in a batch separately. But now, with Fire Fusion mastered, everything was different. His fire was sharper, more responsive, and entirely under his command. Now, he possessed both the tools and the technique. Each step forward felt steady, deliberate, and filled with promise.

Roughly three hours later, Luo Chen dismissed the flame-guiding formation. He waited quietly for the time it took one stick of incense to burn, allowing the heat to subside. Then, with a graceful flick of his fingers, he cast Traction.

From within the Ice Emperor Cauldron, a few crimson pills spun into the air in a whirling arc. A pungent, scorched fragrance surged forth, filling the chamber. Luo Chen’s eyes gleamed as he caught them neatly in one motion.

“This color... this fragrance! It’s similar to the Blood-Burning pill, but its potency is more than a hundred times greater!”

The first-tier Blood-Burning pill had been derived from the second-tier Blood Fiend pill formula. Though their effects differed, the lineage was unmistakable.

“So this is the Blood Fiend pill?” Luo Chen murmured, a smile spreading across his lips until they curved into unrestrained joy.

At last, he could no longer contain himself. Laughter burst from his chest, echoing off the chamber walls.

“Hahahahaha! I did it! I finally succeeded!”

***

Inside the quiet depths of the cave residence, Bai Meiling still wandered in a daze. Months had passed since she consumed the Profound Yin of Imperial Nectar, yet her body had not fully absorbed it. Most days she drifted about as though perpetually intoxicated, her eyes glazed, her movements sluggish, her spirit caught somewhere between lucidity and dream.

Today, however, something broke the usual haze. From the alchemy room came a burst of wild laughter. Bai Meiling paused, confusion flickering across her face. She could not understand why Luo Chen, usually so composed, would suddenly lose control like this.

Did he succeed in refining something? But he succeeded I don’t know how many times before, and I can’t remember hearing him laugh like this ..

There was pride in that laughter, and relief, and a confidence as brilliant as clouds parting to reveal the sun. It was laughter full of joy and satisfaction.

What she did not know was that this success meant everything to Luo Chen. It was not about the mastery of a second-tier formula, nor about the fulfillment of an old promise to Wang Yuan. It was not even about achieving Fire Fusion.

No.

This time, Luo Chen had achieved everything, every single thing, without leaning on the system. It was entirely through his own accumulation, experience, resources, and cultivation. He had personally refined a second-tier pill worthy of his level!

In the grand scheme of alchemy, this might not seem revolutionary. Yet to Luo Chen, it absolutely was a turning point. From this moment on, he could state with confidence, ”I am a second-tier alchemist.” He was no longer a fraud relying solely on a cheat from beyond the laws of this world.

His laughter rang out for a long time. Only when it finally subsided did he step out from the alchemy room, his hands still marked with soot.

Bai Meiling floated over and asked softly, “Master, what made you so happy?”

“Nothing much. I just finished refining a new pill,” Luo Chen replied. His gaze fell on his stained hands, and a faint smile touched his lips. “Prepare hot water for me. I need a bath and a change of clothes. There’s a big event ahead.”

***

Now that the Blood Fiend pill had been successfully refined, Luo Chen knew he had crossed a threshold. He had not relied on the system this time, and just as with spellcasting, he could always look forward to benefiting from the system’s proficiency panel in the future.

With this assurance, Luo Chen no longer had to worry about subsequent refinements. Instead, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

“By now, Huiniang should have everything in place,” he murmured. “In that case, I’ll send out the invitations early.”

After bathing, Luo Chen sat at his incense-fragrant desk, refreshed and clear of mind, and began personally writing each invitation.

Foundation Establishment accomplished. The Great Dao lies ahead.

In the year 3422 of the Shan Hai calendar, month of Wu [1], the auspicious time has come for celebration.

Fellow Daoist Tantai Jin of the Ice Fortress is cordially invited to the Foundation Establishment Ceremony of Luo Tian Society’s Director, Sima Huiniang.

Your honored presence would bring us great joy.

Ceremony location: Huixin Hall, Danxia Peak

Sincerely,

Luo Chen

The wording was simple, free of rigid formality. Yet written in Luo Chen’s hand, the invitation carried a spirited and unrestrained flair. When one was finished, he set it aside and lifted the brush again to write the next.

The next day, Luo Chen handed the stack of invitations to Sima Xian, now leader of the Battle Palace.

“These are for your sister’s Foundation Establishment Ceremony,” Luo Chen instructed. “Deliver them to every faction without delay. And make sure to bring back a response, whether they intend to attend or not.”

Sima Xian nodded repeatedly, his face flushed with emotion. This would be the most glorious day of his sister’s life, and he would not allow even the slightest mishap.

After giving Sima Xian his orders, Luo Chen turned to Murong Qinglian and Gu Caiyi. “You two will be responsible for arranging the spirit wine, tea, fruits, and food. Spare no expense, make it extravagant.”

The two women exchanged glances, then nodded and left to do his bidding.

Finally, Luo Chen looked toward Qin Liangchen, leader of the Glorious Light Palace. “Before the ceremony, I want Danxia Peak spotless and in perfect order. Have the Outer Palace cultivators wear their Luo Tian Society uniforms. Have them spread word of Huiniang’s Foundation Establishment Ceremony as widely as possible using their connections.”

These tasks were straightforward, and Qin Liangchen nodded without hesitation.

Once all the arrangements had been made, Luo Chen glanced at the four of them and smiled. “Huiniang has reached Foundation Establishment. It is time for each of you to begin planning for your own breakthroughs.”

The four exchanged uneasy looks. Everyone longed for Foundation Establishment, but it was far from easily achieved. Not to mention the danger, just acquiring the necessary spirit medicines was already a huge hurdle.

“Especially you, Caiyi,” Luo Chen said suddenly, turning to Gu Caiyi.

“Me?” she exclaimed in surprise. “But I haven’t even reached Perfected Mastery of Qi Refinement yet. Isn’t it too soon?”

Luo Chen chuckled. ”Which is exactly why you need to hurry up!”

Even with all her business experience, Gu Caiyi blushed slightly at being singled out. She bowed gracefully. “I won’t let you down, President.”

Luo Chen waved her off with a smile. “Go now. I’ll see you all at the ceremony in a month.”

The four didn’t linger. After bidding Luo Chen farewell, they departed Tianlan Peak.

Before long, the four of them were walking together along the streets of the Tianlan Immortal City.

Gu Caiyi, ever the conversationalist, was the first to speak. “The president gave us such specific encouragement. Could the rumors be true?”

Qin Liangchen raised a brow. “You mean the one about him acquiring a massive stash of Foundation Establishment pills?”

Gu Caiyi nodded quickly. “Exactly. The rumors say we seized an abundance of Foundation Establishment spirit medicines from the Geng family, the Divine Craftsman Sect, and the Danyuan Sect.”

Qin Liangchen instinctively looked at Sima Xian.

Sima Xian had led the charge in that battle, playing a decisive role. Yet he only shook his head. “I wouldn’t know. Sky Eagle Peak and Jade True Temple were just poor minor sects. I didn’t find any Foundation Establishment pills there. Besides...”

At this point, he paused. A bitter look flashed across his face.

“Brother Qin and I have both passed sixty. Achieving Foundation Establishment is already unlikely. Even if we were to succeed, the path to the Golden Core is already beyond reach.”

Qin Liangchen felt the same sorrow. ”Indeed... even if the president truly possesses Foundation Establishment spirit medicine, giving it to me would be a waste. Besides, I suffer from an old ailment, and this arm would pose a major risk during Foundation Establishment. Rather than wasting it on me, it’s better to give it to someone young who truly needs it.”

His gaze landed on Murong Qinglian and Gu Caiyi walking beside him.

Faced with that expectant look, Murong Qinglian appeared somewhat disheartened. ”I’ve already failed once at Foundation Establishment. How could I dare to hope for a second attempt? If I were given another set of Foundation Establishment pills, it would be unfair to the others. On the other hand, Caiyi, you...”

Being stared at by three pairs of eyes, Gu Caiyi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “The three of you are all at the Perfected Mastery of Qi Refinement Realm, passing the burden back and forth. Why are you looking at me when I’ve barely reached the ninth stage?”

Sima Xian disagreed. ”If you reach Foundation Establishment, you’ll be a huge help to the president! Luo Tian Society doesn’t lack fighters. One more like me makes little difference. But if you achieve Foundation Establishment, you will be able to negotiate directly with other Foundation Establishment cultivators. Many business matters would become far easier.”

Qin Liangchen nodded in agreement. “Besides, you are young and you have solid spirit roots. You have potential not only for Foundation Establishment, but even for Golden Core.”

“Now this is getting ridiculous!” Gu Caiyi exclaimed helplessly. How did this turn into a conversation about Golden Core?

Murong Qinglian wasn’t done, either. ”With the president’s talent and determination, his journey won’t stop any time soon. We, however, are limited by age and talent. Sooner or later, we will fall behind. But you are different, Caiyi. You met Luo Chen in your prime. The stronger he becomes, the more prosperous the Luo Tian Society will be, and the more cultivation resources you will receive. In the years ahead, when we are gone, perhaps only you will remain by his side, walking with him along the endless road of cultivation. That is why you must not underestimate yourself.”

Gu Caiyi blinked. For a moment, she was speechless. She wanted to encourage them in return, but as her eyes fell on Qin Liangchen’s graying temples, Sima Xian’s faded sharpness, and Murong Qinglian’s quiet melancholy, her words stuck in her throat. Usually, she excelled at polished, formal reassurances, yet this time nothing came.

In that silence, she seemed to glimpse a future where everyone she knew had either perished in battle or faded with age, leaving only Luo Chen, solitary and unyielding, still walking the Great Dao. Something in her heart tightened unexpectedly.

At a fork in the road, the four of them finally parted, each going their separate way to carry out the tasks Luo Chen had assigned. Yet in every heart, a faint trace of sorrow lingered.

That so-called indifference from Qin Liangchen and the others—how genuine could it be? Wouldn’t a married couple wish for longer lives, to live on and watch over their son after establishing their foundation? Did Sima Xian truly not long to break through, to stand as the strongest support for his younger sister within the Luo Tian Society?

***

Meanwhile, in Cave Residence Bing Seventeen, Luo Chen still had two invitations left to deliver. One was for Chu Kui, and the other for Tantai Jin. These two, he intended to deliver personally.

Before that, however, there was one more matter to address. Unlocking the seals on a storage pouch required extreme caution. A single mistake would ruin the enchanted artifact entirely.

Fortunately, his cultivation was high and his divine soul foundation slightly superior. It’d only take two or three days. Once Fei Changqiu’s storage pouch was unlocked, he would be able to act more decisively during the Foundation Establishment Ceremony.

Luo Chen gazed at the storage pouch before him, embroidered with golden patterns, and anticipation filled his heart. As the leader of a mid-sized force with two Initiates and hundreds of Qi Refinement cultivators under him, Fei Changqiu’s wealth should not have been insignificant. Most of all, Luo Chen was eager to see whether the Foundation Establishment pill mentioned by Luo Feng truly lay within.

There was also the sum of spirit stones Ling Yuzhi had spoken of. None of these treasures had been found in the Divine Craftsman Sect’s treasury. The only place they could be was inside Fei Changqiu’s personal pouch.

”Let’s hope you don’t disappoint me!”

1. 戊月 (Wu Yue), a month governed by the Heavenly Stem “戊” (Yang Earth) in the traditional Chinese stem-branch calendar. In cultivation settings, it often signifies a time of strong earth-element spirit energy, suitable for alchemy, formations, or earth-based techniques. ☜