An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Tao Yisheng’s arrival came as no surprise to Luo Chen. By his estimate, only a few months remained until the Dao Scion competition in Green Pill Valley. It would be unwise to cut it too close to the event.

Though heroes often arrived at the last moment, it was clear Luo Chen wasn’t the protagonist of this contest. After exchanging a few words of reassurance and fixing the date of departure, he turned his focus to the many small matters that required attention before the journey. After all, it was going to be quite a trip.

***

The first matter on Luo Chen’s agenda was to visit Tantai Jin. Back when Sima Huiniang had uncovered the details of the Dao Scion competition in Green Pill Valley, much of that information had come from Shi Boying. For Shi Boying to speak so freely of sect secrets, it could not have been the result of mere bribes. There had clearly been silent approval from Tantai Jin behind the scenes.

Now, as Luo Chen prepared for his journey, he brought with him a batch of freshly refined mid-grade Jade Dew pills. The quantity was impressive enough that even Tantai Jin arched her brows in surprise.

”This many?” she asked, astonishment flickering across her face.

Luo Chen smiled mildly. ”My alchemy skills have improved a little. This yield was to be expected.”

Tantai Jin studied him for a long moment. Then, instead of handing him spirit stones in exchange as she usually did, she reached into her storage and drew out something cold and glistening. It was a palm-sized chunk of crystalline ice, radiating a biting chill.

Luo Chen blinked. ”Ten-Thousand-Year Black Ice? A fourth-tier spirit material...”

”Yes, you’re right,” she confirmed with a nod.

Luo Chen frowned slightly. ”Are you using this as payment? I appreciate the gesture, but I have no real use for—”

Before he could finish, Tantai Jin infused the block of black ice with a trace of spirit consciousness. At once, a terrifying and deadly surge of energy erupted outward. Luo Chen’s expression changed instantly.

Whoosh!

With a flick of her hand, Tantai Jin sealed the dreadful energy back into the black ice. Her voice was calm as she said, ”This ice contains a strike from my master. If you ever find yourself against an enemy you cannot defeat, activate it.”

Luo Chen was stunned. “You’re giving this... to me?”

Tantai Jin nodded and tossed the crystal to him as if it were nothing. Luo Chen caught it carefully. A bone-deep chill seeped into his flesh the moment it touched his hand.

”If that strike fails to kill your enemy,” she added, ”destroy the crystal. It will trigger a defensive freezing spell that will encase you in an ice shield. Once it’s activated, my master will sense it and come to your aid.”

A single-use treasure with both offense and defense? Luo Chen stood frozen in place.

Luo Chen’s breath caught. His mouth felt dry as he finally managed to say, ”Fellow Daoist Tantai, thank you... and my deepest gratitude to Adept Ruthless.”

He did not hesitate. How could he refuse? Only a fool would turn down such a treasure.

Just as Luo Chen was about to stow the crystal away, Tantai Jin added lightly, ”When you return, make sure to give it back.”

Luo Chen’s face stiffened. Return it?

Before he could dwell on the thought, he offered a quick farewell and departed.

Watching his figure disappear into the distance, Tantai Jin felt an inexplicable pang. That block of black ice was not something her master had instructed her to hand over. It had been a personal gift when she first entered Foundation Establishment, a protective charm meant for her own use.

Yet, before she realized it, she had placed it in Luo Chen’s hands. It had not been a planned decision, but rather a momentary impulse. Something within her heart had stirred, compelling her to do it.

”Just come back safe and sound,” she whispered.

She understood clearly how valuable Luo Chen was. His talent in alchemy was unmatched, and the Jade Dew pills held extraordinary significance for female cultivators. Without their formal agreement, he could have easily traded those pills with Tao Wan for other top-grade resources.

Even with the agreement in place, it only bound him for a hundred years. After that, if Luo Chen chose to turn to Green Pill Valley for better terms, it would be a severe blow to the Ruthless Lineage.

”This is a short-term investment for long-term gain. I only hope... he remembers this act of goodwill.”

***

Luo Chen left Tianlan Peak and headed straight to Danxia Peak outside the city.

Inside the Grand Hall of the Luo Tian Society, Sima Huiniang was the first to arrive.

”Have you heard about Palace Leader Qin Liangchen’s failed Foundation Establishment attempt?” she asked in a low tone. Her face was clouded, as though a shadow had settled over her. Even speaking of it seemed to weigh heavily on her.

Luo Chen nodded. He had known for some time and had even visited Qin Liangchen in person.

The breakthrough attempt had failed. Fortunately, Qin Liangchen had survived. The medicinal properties of Imperial Nectar were gentle, and Luo Chen had also given him top-grade revitalization liquid to stabilize his body after the attempt. Though he had suffered internal damage, it was nothing beyond repair. With a few months of rest and proper care, he would recover. But in terms of cultivation, this failure likely marked the end of his chances. His condition no longer allowed for another attempt at Foundation Establishment in this lifetime.

Seeing Sima Huiniang’s downcast expression, Luo Chen tried to offer comfort. ”Failure is part of every cultivator’s path. The fact that he’s still alive is what matters most.”

Sima Huiniang sighed. ”Since Duan Feng and Min Longyu advanced one after another, it feels like the Luo Tian Society seems to have run out of luck after it reached me.”

When she put it that way, Luo Chen had to admit she was not wrong. There had been a time when Foundation Establishment cultivators were emerging one after another within the Luo Tian Society. Externally, the society had expanded with bold, sweeping momentum. Its future had looked dazzling, and even now, its external growth was astonishing.

Yet the advancement of its cultivators into Foundation Establishment had suddenly stalled. Murong Qinglian, Bian Zhen, Sima Xian, and Qin Liangchen had all failed one after another. Such a situation left Sima Huiniang, the one in charge, understandably dejected.

For a moment, Luo Chen didn’t quite know how to comfort her. The truth was plain. Aside from Sima Huiniang, who had been fortunate enough to succeed in Foundation Establishment, the others who had broken through in the Luo Tian Society all had solid foundations.

Duan Feng had once been a genius of the Duan family, nurtured even before Duan Rui, though later abandoned. Min Longyu carried the bloodline of the Min family and inherited the best of their legacy. As for Luo Chen and Wang Yuan, they had experienced multiple failures before finally breaking through. It was only through hardship that they ultimately succeeded.

By comparison, Sima Xian and Qin Liangchen were already old and lacked true talent. Among rogue cultivators, they might be considered outstanding. But when placed against the brutal barrier of Foundation Establishment, where even sect disciples frequently failed, they were not exceptional. One could only hope for success, yet be ready to accept failure.

All Luo Chen could say was, ”The Luo Tian Society will rise again after misfortune.”

Sima Huiniang realized she had let her discouragement show. She forced a smile. “Sorry to trouble you with my worries.”

”It’s alright,” Luo Chen said with a shake of his head. ”You’re thinking of the Luo Tian Society. I understand.”

As they spoke, footsteps echoed outside the Grand Hall. Wang Yuan entered, striding casually inside before choosing a seat. Soon after, Duan Feng and Min Longyu arrived. Finally, Xu Haizhen of the Beast Palace stepped in, his movements unhurried. He cupped his hands respectfully to Luo Chen before sitting down with calm composure.

Luo Chen sat at the head. Seeing the five Foundation Establishment subordinates gathered before him, the heaviness that had lingered in his chest from the recent string of failures began to ease. At the very least, as long as these people remained, the Luo Tian Society would stand strong.

“What I have to say today is simple. I’ll be leaving the Luo Tian Society for a time, perhaps a few months, or up to a year. During this period, I’ll be relying on you all to manage things.”

His sudden announcement drew visible surprise from everyone except Sima Huiniang.

Luo Chen noted their reactions and felt it had been right to gather them before departing. Over the years, everyone had grown used to his constant presence. As a president, he had guided the society in every matter, both at the forefront and from behind the scenes. If his absence left them headless and panicked when trouble came, it would be a joke. An organization of this size could not be allowed to fall apart just because one person left. Otherwise, it was a failure.

Luo Chen didn’t ramble. Instead, he laid out the next steps with precision. There were no major changes, just instructions to continue with their current plans. After nearly four hours of discussion, Wang Yuan and the others finally departed one by one, leaving the hall quiet once more. Only Luo Chen and Sima Huiniang remained.

”Anything else?” she asked, tilting her head curiously. Her gaze lingered on him, intrigued as to why he had kept her behind.

”Nothing major,” Luo Chen replied. ”Just that the Spirit-Link Gu can finally be used.”

Her eyes widened in surprise as Luo Chen produced the Foundation Establishment gift that Chu Kui had once given her. Though she had accepted it back then, it had eventually fallen into Luo Chen’s possession. After years of careful study, he had confirmed it was safe. And now, as he prepared to travel far, it was time to put it to use.

Sima Huiniang chuckled. “You’re acting as if you’re going to your execution and leaving a final will.”

Luo Chen laughed as well. The unease he felt about traveling alone faded with that laugh. Since transmigrating, he had never once embarked on a journey entirely by himself.

When the moment passed, he unwrapped the red wax seal, revealing two milky-white insects curled together inside. “We’ll each draw a drop of essence blood, imprint them, then guide them into our bodies.”

They were still juvenile Gu worms, simple enough to handle. No complex techniques were needed to control them.

The two of them followed the procedure. Soon, the Spirit-Link Gu worms that had devoured their Foundation Establishment essence blood began to melt. The white mist from the melted worms seeped into their bodies at their thought, and it traveled along their arms before finally settling in a coiling pattern around the chest and abdomen.

A faint look of surprise crossed Sima Huiniang’s face once the Gu settled within her. ”I think I can feel something?”

Luo Chen nodded. “To reach true heart-to-heart resonance, we’ll need to nourish it with each other’s energy for decades until it reaches the third tier. For now, it just allows us to sense each other’s general location. Still, with this matter settled, I can leave with peace of mind.”

With that, Luo Chen stood and turned to leave but Sima Huiniang quietly tugged at his sleeve. “Won’t you stay the night?”

The question gave him pause. A memory stirred within—hadn’t he once asked her the same? Back then, Sima Huiniang hadn’t refused, and this time, neither would he.

***

The next morning, a flying boat rested at Danxia Peak’s flight platform. Only when a streak of green light emerged from within the peak did the boat slowly rise into the air. It turned into a beam of light and gradually vanished into the distant sky.

From the summit of Danxia Peak, Sima Huiniang stood in silence, her heart filled with an aching emptiness. She watched the light trail shrink into a speck before it faded completely from sight. Only then did a sigh escape her lips as she turned away.

Huh?

A sudden presence caught her attention. At some point, Gu Caiyi had appeared behind her.

”When did you get here?” Sima Huiniang asked in surprise.

A cold expression crossed Gu Caiyi’s face. ”For a Foundation Establishment Initiate like you not to notice me, your heart must really be tied completely.”

Her words carried a veiled barb. Sima Huiniang frowned but didn’t argue; she had a good idea of what the woman was feeling.

Just as she was about to leave, Gu Caiyi drew in a deep breath and called out. ”I have reached Perfected Mastery of Qi Refinement. On account of my past service, I formally request a Foundation Establishment pill!”

The words made Sima Huiniang spin in shock. At the cliff’s edge, Gu Caiyi stood as light as a drifting catkin, her body releasing a surging spirit power that rose and fell like the waves of a restless sea.