An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

His voice came out deep, and his narrowed gaze carried a dangerous edge.

Cen Qiusheng’s eyelid twitched. ”Of course not. More people means greater strength. Naturally, I welcome him.”

Luo Chen gave a slight nod before turning his gaze toward Diwu Qi and Jiang Yu.

Diwu Qi offered an awkward smile. ”I have long heard that Fellow Daoist Fu is an experienced herbalist. With him joining us, our alliance’s wings will expand, and we will fly ever higher. I could hardly wait to welcome him. How could I refuse?”

Jiang Yu gave a small nod in acknowledgement of Diwu Qi’s words.

”Hahahahaha!” Luo Chen let out a hearty laugh, as if the one frowning earlier had been another person altogether. He said, ”Since everything is fine, then let us set the terms and seal our alliance!”

As he spoke, he flicked his wrist and a gold-edged scroll appeared in his hand. He drew it open with both hands and revealed a pitch-black surface within that seemed to wait for someone to write upon it.

Diwu Qi blurted, ”A contract scroll produced by the Divine Talisman Sect?”

The others glanced over with growing interest. Luo Chen smiled and nodded. ”Fellow Daoist Diwu, you are well informed. This is indeed the Divine Talisman Sect’s fourth-tier talisman, the Primordial Heaven and Earth Pact.”

The Primordial Heaven and Earth Pact! The name alone sent a tremor through the hearts of the four. As Luo Chen stated, this was a kind of talisman produced in the form of a scroll. A contract sealed with such a talisman could not rival a Great Dao Oath, yet it carried its own profound mysteries. Its binding power came from the signers themselves. The more cultivators took part, and the stronger they were, the greater the binding power became.

If anyone violated the terms, the talisman would respond to the violator’s divine consciousness, activate on its own, and retaliate against that person. Unless one of the signatories advanced to the Nascent Soul Realm, such backlash was something an ordinary Adept absolutely could not endure.

It could be said that this was the most favored form of contract among Adepts in the Eastern Wilderness. It did not hinder cultivation the way a Great Dao Oath did, and its binding power far surpassed an ordinary pledge.

Of course, the price of such a contract scroll was not something just anyone could bear. This particular one had been purchased by Luo Chen through Fu Xiuxiu from Adept Ye Xiang of the Divine Talisman Sect.

Cen Qiusheng could not help but ask, ”Fellow Daoist, you have gone to great expense for this.”

Luo Chen waved his hand and said, ”It is only a small amount of spirit stones. It is nothing compared to what our alliance hopes to gain.”

Once the Luo Tian Alliance formed, their target would be a third-tier spirit vein. Moreover, it was not a mere artificial spirit vein, but a large natural vein deep within the wild mountains. Its value was far beyond what a single contract scroll could match. From this, it was clear how determined Luo Chen was to secure the next steps.

”Then shall we set the terms and bind the contract?”

”Sure!”

Without further hesitation, the five began to discuss the terms. It was not complicated. A talisman contract of this kind required the power of an Adept to sign, and therefore the five of them were the only ones qualified to negotiate. They had come prepared, so things went smoothly.

Given that the previous Frontier War had lasted only a century, and that this time more and stronger sects were involved, it stood to reason that the conflict would be much shorter. Therefore, the pact’s duration was set at one hundred years. During this time, the five Adepts were forbidden from attacking or plotting against one another, or colluding with outsiders to harm each other. They would advance and retreat together, and within the bounds of risk acceptable to their cultivation, they were obligated to lend aid. Lastly, they added clauses concerning the forces under their three banners. The Luo Tian Sect, Stormwind Manor, and the Cen family would share fortune and peril and stand as allies.

Not long after, the pact was finalized. As the initiator, Luo Chen then used his mana as a quill and inscribed the terms onto the pitch-black scroll.

”If any violate this pact, the rest shall punish him together!”

With these words, he cut his thumb and pressed it to the final page. In an instant, blood, mana and divine consciousness merged and left a crimson thumbprint on the scroll. He exhaled deeply and looked at the other four. ”Everyone, please!”

Fu Jiusheng stepped forward first without hesitation and set down his bloody print. Cen Qiusheng, Diwu Qi, and Jiang Yu followed in turn, each leaving their thumbprint.

When all was done, Luo Chen swept his hand across the scroll. The characters inscribed upon the contract blazed with golden light. A moment later, it dimmed and finally sank back into the scroll. He closed it, and the golden cloth gleamed with a brilliant glow.

The Primordial Heaven and Earth Pact was sealed.

They all let out a long breath. That tangled knot of desire and dread toward the coming Frontier War eased noticeably within their hearts.

Luo Chen smiled and said, ”Fellow Daoists, how about we have a little drink to celebrate our alliance? The Luo Tian Sect’s Grand Hall is open for you.”

Diwu Qi replied with a smile, ”I was just thinking about that. Thank you for the offer, Fellow Daoist!”

”In that case, let us sit for a while,” said Cen Qiusheng.

”Just right, I have only just formed my core and would like to ask you a few questions about cultivation,” added Fu Jiusheng.

”Haha. Now that we are allies, there’s no problem sharing some insights. Although it seems we’ll have to trouble Fellow Daoist Luo to host us again!”

”What trouble? If anything, I have too much fruit, pastries, spirit tea, and wine.” Luo Chen chuckled. ”Sharing with friends is my pleasure.”

***

”The agreement was for three forces and four Adepts. How did we end up with five? Fellow Daoist Diwu, why didn’t you demand better terms?”

The flying boat drifted steadily through the clouds. Jiang Yu looked across at Diwu Qi and asked in a displeased tone.

”You think I could do that?” Diwu Qi countered. Seeing Jiang Yu momentarily frozen, he shook his head. ”Since we intended to borrow Dan Chenzi’s name, we had to be ready to let him take the lead. Even if Fu Jiusheng wasn’t there, someone else would have filled that place. After all, he is an alchemist. There is never a shortage of people eager to befriend him.”

Jiang Yu opened his mouth but could only comfort himself by saying, ”At least our cultivation is higher. When we act together, we won’t be too easily pushed around.”

Yet Diwu Qi saw it very differently. ”Don’t underestimate Luo Chen. His cultivation may be low, but his strength is not.”

Jiang Yu frowned. ”You think that highly of him?”

Diwu Qi gave a cold snort. ”He has been in the Golden Core Realm for barely ten years, but have you seen his mana control? Even Hong Ling of the Sword Sect came off slightly worse in a brief exchange with him. I would be utterly foolish not to think highly of him.”

Jiang Yu hesitated. He recalled the alliance meeting—when Luo Chen activated his mana, the fluctuations indeed showed the proper power of a first-stage Adept. It was most certainly not something that could appear in someone that had just broken through. And considering his Adept-level physique that he had revealed when he was an Initiate, he was certainly no weakling. By that reckoning, it was no wonder he dared to take the position of alliance leader. He truly had the capability for it!

Diwu Qi said, ”Do not dwell on it. Our chief objective in this war is to seize a third-tier spirit vein for our cultivation. Given our age, if we can establish ourselves in the new domain, we might follow Sage Cloud Crane’s example and use this Frontier War to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm.”

Hope flickered in Diwu Qi’s eyes. They had been mired for years in the Windflower Domain, where every opportunity was filtered down through Windflower Palace. Without escaping that domain, neither of them would advance further in this lifetime. To reach their goal, sacrificing a few things was inevitable.

Jiang Yu nodded in agreement, but something still weighed on his mind.

”Luo Chen told Fu Jiusheng to take the sect’s experts and come with us to the Howling Moon Mountain Range, yet he stayed behind. I wonder what scheme he’s working on now?”

Diwu Qi thought for a moment before saying, ”He’s probably striking while the iron is hot and crafting his life-bound enchanted treasure.”

”That’s possible.”

Jiang Yu held the same suspicion. During their previous exchange of cultivation insights, Luo Chen had taken the chance to ask them for several rare ores. Yet aside from Cen Qiusheng producing a piece of Geng Metal, none of them possessed what he needed. They did have some Profound Link Celestial Crystal, but given that Luo Chen had accepted it without the slightest hint of surprise, it was clear he had already gathered plenty on his own.

He sighed. ”It’s a pity that when we took Incense-Burning Valley, there was not a single resource in its treasury. I still have no idea whose hands they ended up in.”

”What’s the point of dwelling on that? Luo Chen will arrive later. For now, securing our foothold at Howling Moon Mountain Range is the priority,” Diwu Qi spoke with calm resolve.

He stepped out of the room and onto the flying boat’s deck. His gaze swept across both sides. To the left stood more than a thousand Cen family cultivators under Cen Qiusheng’s command. To the right was Fu Jiusheng, leading five hundred experts from the Luo Tian Sect. When their own thousand-plus cultivators from Stormwind Manor were added in, the combined strength was truly formidable.

In this Frontier War, they would certainly earn their place.

”Let’s hope everything goes smoothly,” he murmured.

***

Contrary to what Diwu Qi and the others believed, Luo Chen did not seclude himself to craft his life-bound enchanted treasure. Instead, he departed from Danxia Peak and headed in the opposite direction, toward Green Pill Valley.

On his flying boat, Luo Chen rubbed the iron ring on his finger, and a flicker of contemplation passed through his eyes.

According to what Diwu Qi said, the Flame Alliance’s treasury had been nearly emptied when they got there. That means it was likely divided among their three Adepts and the new sect master, Xiao Lian. Qin Tairan was the strongest of them all, so this storage ring really might contain the biggest part of the Flame Alliance’s inheritance! If I can unlock it, I may actually find all the main materials for the Primordial Unity Cauldron. Also, since Xiao Lian was killed by Dan Yangzi, this trip to Green Pill Valley might be my chance to negotiate something with him.

”Hmm, I am almost there!” he murmured.

Luo Chen’s divine consciousness was formidable. By all calculations, he was no weaker than a mid-stage Adept in this respect. With the years he had devoted to studying restrictions and formations, he felt that unlocking Qin Tairan’s divine consciousness imprint would not take much longer. It might take only a few months at the shortest, two to three years at the longest. By then, he would be able to glimpse the Flame Alliance’s inheritance.

”It better not disappoint me,” he murmured.

While Luo Chen pondered, the flying boat shot forward at astonishing speed. It required no spirit stones at all; infusing his mana was enough to send a supreme-grade flying boat like this soaring at full velocity.

Green Pill Valley was extremely close to Tianlan City, so it did not take long before Luo Chen arrived. The flying boat hovered among the clouds while he gazed at the towering mountain.

”It’s already restored. I wonder if the Five Peaks Enclosing the Valley formation is back to normal,” he murmured as his gaze swept across the valley.

As expected, his arrival had already been noticed by the cultivators of Green Pill Valley. A streak of light flew out from Yuanhua Mountain. The next moment, a familiar face appeared before him.

Luo Chen cupped his fists and greeted him, ”Elder Long, it has been a long time.”

The man was Long Quan, the Adept who had once safeguarded Tao Wan’s cultivation. Long Quan regarded Luo Chen with unhidden amazement. After a brief assessment, he sighed with emotion. ”Dan Chenzi, this is exactly what I expected from you. You truly reached the Golden Core Realm. My congratulations.”

Luo Chen smiled and said, ”It has been decades. Fellow Daoist, your cultivation has also advanced quite a bit.”

Long Quan shook his head. Ever since forming his core, his progress had slowed to a crawl, so any talk of further advancement was empty flattery. Still, since Luo Chen was being courteous, he saw no reason to argue. He simply laughed and guided Luo Chen toward Danyang Peak.

Danyang Peak stood as the foremost of Green Pill Valley’s Five Peaks. Within it lay the Grand Alchemy Institute, home to countless alchemists. Supreme Elder Qing Danzi, a late-stage Adept, also lived in quiet seclusion there.

As the two made their way forward, many gazes drifted toward them. Elder Long Quan was not the one catching eyes. Luo Chen was. Once the onlookers recognized him, murmurs and cries of surprise broke out. The Dan Chenzi who had once shaken Green Pill Valley had returned. And this time, he was no longer a junior, but an Adept of solid cultivation!

Before long, Elder Long Quan halted before the Grand Hall. ”Fellow Daoist, please enter. The Supreme Elder and the others have been waiting for you.”

Luo Chen looked upon the imposing hall and gave a slight nod. ”Thank you for leading the way.”

With that polite remark, he stepped forward. The solemn hall rumbled as its doors opened, as though welcoming him of its own accord. Elder Long Quan watched quietly, and at some point, many others had gathered beside him. Among them were Sect Leader Tao Wan, Chief He of Dragonhead Peak, Adept Baisu of Luojia Mountain...

”Will Dan Chenzi manage it?”

”He should be able to.”

”Since we could not invite Mu Yunyan of the Falling Cloud Sect, all hope now rests on Dan Chenzi.”

”He should meet the requirements. As for whether a Nascent Soul Pill can be refined, that depends on the Supreme Elder.”

”Whether our sect can break its shackles and rise during the Frontier War depends entirely on this chance.”

”Let’s activate the mountain-guarding formation. This attempt is of utmost importance. No one can be allowed to interfere.”

Divine consciousness transmissions rippled through the ranks of Green Pill Valley’s many Adepts. Every pair of eyes was brimming with hope.

Inside that grand hall, five gazes simultaneously settled upon Luo Chen.

Danyang Peak’s newly appointed Chief Dan Yangzi. The Grand Alchemy Institute’s two elders, Adept Chi Ding and Adept Xing Yun. The former sect leader, Qing Yunzi. And then...

Luo Chen’s gaze finally settled on the youth in the main seat. The young man’s fair, clean features gave him a striking presence. He stepped forward and cupped his fists. ”Greetings, Senior Qing Danzi.”

The youth stared at him sharply and said, ”Now that you have formed your core, you stand as my peer. Please, address me as Fellow Daoist.”

After this show of courtesy, he eagerly continued, ”And by the way, Fellow Daoist Luo, I wonder to what extent you have refined the Withering Flourishing Fire?”

Hiss!

A wisp of azure flame slowly rose from Luo Chen’s palm. He offered no introduction; instead, he simply displayed his primordial true fire openly and allowed the others to examine it. This was easiest for everyone. At the same time, he hoped to use the opportunity to learn from Green Pill Valley’s cultivators, who understood these fires far better than he did.

The rising flame wavered with shifting brightness. It appeared weak at one moment and intense at the next. To most, it did not seem remarkable. The other four looked at the azure flame and their brows tightened unconsciously.

Only Qing Danzi’s eyes lit up as he said, ”The true meaning of withering and flourishing is fully present, and not a trace of dryness escapes. Haha, excellent. That is what I call major mastery!”

The other four were instantly taken aback. Dan Yangzi, in particular, was shocked. The Violet Skyfire he had painstakingly nurtured for years did not appear much different. Back then, the Supreme Elder had also evaluated his fire as major mastery.

None of them had any idea of what Luo Chen had been through to reach that point. He had only been able to refine the Withering Flourishing Fire with the aid of Ice Torrent. He had struggled for years within that ice prison before finally getting it under control. Later, when he used the fire to seize the life force of various demonic beasts, he gained a portion for himself, but most of it had been devoured by the fire. Only thus had it been nurtured to its current level.

Adept Chi Ding, whose eyes were sharp, also noticed something amiss. ”Wait a moment. I was told your Withering Flourishing Fire is a third-tier flame, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

A murmur of surprise rose at his words. Qing Danzi studied the flame carefully before giving a slight nod. ”It seems the rumors were true. The Flame Alliance shaped the terrain of Incense Burning Valley and laid a spirit-seizing grand formation across the Valley of Ghosts and Divinities, all to raise the fire to a higher tier. I did not expect that once it reached the fourth tier, the one to claim it would be you. Of course, this will end up benefiting my Green Pill Valley as well, so we are .”

After they finished confirming his qualifications, Luo Chen closed his hand and drew the primordial true fire back into his body. Then, he looked at Qing Danzi and asked, ”I wonder which part of the refinement will require my assistance?”