An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Nothing left? Indeed, nothing here was destined for them. With the Chen family’s strength and connections, they could never form an alliance as swiftly and effortlessly as Luo Chen. However... was there really no future for them?

Luo Chen pointed toward the Great Snowy Mountains. ”Wait for a while. There may yet be a chance.”

Chen Xiuli paused and pondered his words. Then, she left with a heavy heart.

Moments later, Jin Buque stepped forward. ”In the past, I even considered inviting you into the Five Elements Divine Sect and sharing a third-tier spirit land with you. Now it seems I gravely underestimated you. In such a short span, you claimed a third-tier spirit land on your own.”

”It was all thanks to everyone’s help,” Luo Chen replied humbly.

Jin Buque nodded and looked out over the still somewhat disordered mountain range. ”This is an excellent place. If you build it well, it can become the foundation of a thousand years of glory. No... the foundation of ten thousand.”

Luo Chen smiled. ”Thank you for your kind words, Fellow Daoist.”

Jin Buque gave a small smile before taking his leave. As Luo Chen watched his retreating figure, the smile on his own face gradually faded as his brow furrowed.

This man treated him a little too well. Ever since the Core Formation Ceremony, he had been excessively kind. He had offered spirit pills, promised a spirit land, and even after being refused, he had grown neither angry nor displeased. Later, he had learned that Luo Chen needed a secret art to purge foreign mana and had taken the initiative to approach him at the Golden Core conference in Moonbreak. Even for this mountain-moving operation, Luo Chen had originally intended to hire a different Adept he had met at the Core Formation Ceremony. Unexpectedly, Jin Buque had volunteered himself.

All these things separately might have been written off as normal, but taken together, they made it very hard for Luo Chen not to suspect that the man had some ulterior motive. Yet he could not ask outright, nor could he simply reject such goodwill. He could only keep in mind that every one of those ”gifts” had a price tag he wasn’t seeing for now. Once he established a firm foothold, he planned to instruct the Luo Network to investigate the Five Elements Divine Sect thoroughly, and he himself intended to befriend more high-tier cultivators to quietly inquire what that sect could possibly want from him.

As he pondered, a faint fragrance drifted to his nose, and a woman’s cool voice reached his ears. ”Your foundation is already set in stone. What could leave you wearing such a troubled expression?”

Luo Chen turned and looked at Fairy Ruthless as she approached. He eased his expression and said with a faint smile, ”It is nothing serious in particular. It’s just that everything here is in disarray, and there are many trivial matters to handle. Thinking about it simply feels troublesome.”

”Can any trouble be worse than personally fighting a third-tier demon wolf?” Fairy Ruthless tugged at the corner of her lips. Her gaze shifted to the two abrupt mountains on either side of Snow Wolf Plateau, then gradually lifted to the distance. ”What you really need to worry about are the demonic beasts that may appear. This spirit land lies near the outer fringes, but there is no guarantee that beasts will not slip through from the front lines. One misstep, and your sect could face annihilation.”

Ice Fortress had endured beast disasters year after year. In this matter, her experience carried weight. Luo Chen accepted the lesson.

”In addition, there is something else you should be mentally prepared for.”

”Go on.”

Fairy Ruthless spoke in a soft tone, ”At the very least, this spirit land can support six Adepts cultivating here at the same time. If it is managed well, its future potential will not be any inferior to the Heavenly Mountain spirit vein.”

Is that not a good thing? Luo Chen did not understand the implication behind her words.

Fairy Ruthless drew in a deep breath and spoke plainly, ”On the warfront, those major sects are fighting and dying for nothing more than spirit lands like this. You managed to obtain one so easily by taking a shortcut. Surely you do not believe they don’t harbor thoughts on it.”

Swish!

Luo Chen’s expression changed at once.

”That’s all I have to say. You should take care of yourself.” Fairy Ruthless let out a quiet sigh, summoned an ice sword, and rode it into the sky.

As Luo Chen watched that slender white figure depart, his expression shifted again and again. Their conversation had not been hidden from anyone. Diwu Qi and the others who had come to send her off had heard every word. Now all eyes settled on him with unease.

At last, Luo Chen waved his hand. ”Do not overthink it. In name and in truth, this spirit land was won by our own hands. If anyone dares to scheme, we can always take the case to the Falling Cloud Sect. For now, let’s divide the cave residences and get to work.”

Diwu Qi and the others exchanged glances and could only accept the arrangement. Beneath their worry, there was still something to look forward to. It was time to divide the cave residences!

***

Among the three spirit lands they had merged together, the naturally formed Snow Wolf Plateau was the richest in spirit energy. It held a third-tier spirit vein of excellent quality. Even undeveloped as it was, it could support three Adepts cultivating here long-term. Azure Iron Mountain was slightly inferior and could sustain two Adepts. Dream Return Ridge was the weakest in quality, though its area was considerable.

After a round of intense discussion, the final allocation was settled. Snow Wolf Plateau would go to the Luo Tian Sect, Azure Iron Mountain to Stormwind Manor, and Dream Return Ridge to the Cen family. Naturally, the Luo Tian Sect had taken the largest share. Luo Chen and Fu Jiusheng alone now occupied an entire third-tier spirit vein.

However, Luo Chen offered a supplementary arrangement to sweeten the deal. The extra third-tier cave residence would be turned into a lesser third-tier spirit land and made available in rotation to ninth-stage Initiates from all three factions. Furthermore, once the Dragon Trapping Grand Formation took effect and the spirit vein was cultivated to a higher grade, any new third-tier cave residences suitable for the cultivation of Adepts would be given first to the other two members of the alliance.

Of course, these were only broad strokes. On the finer level, there were countless details that required careful thought. For instance, how to divert the spirit vein’s energy so that low-tier disciples could benefit as well. A true cultivation blessed land could not be set to serve only Adepts; it had to enrich those at Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment too.

It could only be said that the Luo Tian Alliance’s blessed land was still in a primitive state. It required careful refinement and slow polishing. To reach the state of Green Pill Valley’s territory or that of the former Flame Alliance, it would need at least a century.

Deep within the mountain, beneath Snow Wolf Plateau, lay a cavern vast as a football field. Within it, Luo Chen repeatedly cast Cleanse to remove every trace of its previous occupants. From time to time, he also used Wave Surge to wash over the walls and floor. Only then did a raw and rugged cave residence finally reveal itself before him.

”For now, this will have to do. Later, I must have some people come and help me arrange everything properly,” Luo Chen murmured with a smile.

Streams of light flew out from his storage ring. Alchemical equipment, bookshelves, a bed, medicine cabinets, and other items appeared one after another. In the end, he took out an Ice Silkworm Meditation Mat and placed it at the very center of the cave residence.

Luo Chen sat cross-legged upon it, and the mind and spirit that had been worn out by days of toil gradually relaxed. He relaxed his mind and adjusted his state. Before he even realised it, he began to use his core cultivation technique to draw in energy. An unprecedented soothing sensation rose within him.

This was territory he had seized with his own hands! This was the foundation on which he would rise in the future! Given time, fire would be lit under hundreds of cauldrons, disciples would number in the tens of thousands, and the image of an immortal sect would be fully formed. As for Luo Chen, his name as the founding ancestor would be passed down to countless Luo Tian Sect disciples of the future!

***

After a series of battles, it was not only the five Adepts who were exhausted. The many low-tier cultivators of the Luo Tian Alliance who had fought in this campaign had undergone a toll in both body and spirit. While Luo Chen and the others hosted Fairy Ruthless and the others, the low-tier cultivators also enjoyed a rare moment of rest.

Yet early the next morning, everyone was forced back into work. Before Fei Ming departed, he left behind a simple blueprint and instructions for the cultivators of the Luo Tian Alliance to lay the foundations according to it. Later, he would personally bring cultivators from Ailao Mountain to help construct the blessed land.

At first glance, it sounded absurd. Cultivators possessed great power. With a few casual swings of a saber or sword, they could carve the earth into walls and roofs. In theory, vast rows of cave residences could be created with ease, so why go through all the trouble? But in reality, it was nowhere near that simple. A sect built that carelessly would have a chaotic layout and clashing feng shui. It would be nothing but a motley crew without any of the grandeur befitting an immortal sect. Outsiders would only laugh at such a sight.

More importantly, how should those cave residences be constructed? Could one simply dig a hole into a spirit vein and call it a cave residence? If an early-stage Initiate was given a cave residence with third-tier spirit energy density, would he not explode during cultivation? If a Qi Refinement cultivator was given a second-tier cave residence, would that not be a complete waste?

Ailao Mountain had its own established system for such matters. They would build cave residences of matching grades by analyzing the shape of the spirit vein and the density of its spirit energy in various places. As for the palaces and pavilions on the mountain’s surface, there was another set of rules entirely. In short, the cultivators of the Luo Tian Alliance simply needed to get the foundations laid.

By early the next morning, the outside was already bustling. Luo Chen emerged from his cultivation and briefly sensed his progress. He was still in the midst of recovering the mana he had expended earlier. Even so, he had already grasped a few details about this third-tier cave residence that the mid-stage Snow Wolf King had created for itself.

In terms of spirit energy density, it’s properly third-tier. It’s no weaker than any third-tier cave in a grand immortal city. The spirit energy is plentiful and it doesn’t look like any amount of regular cultivation will drain it. As expected of a natural spirit vein!

Luo Chen was very satisfied with this spirit land. His only complaint was that it was only low-grade, but that was not a serious problem. Once the Ailao Mountain cultivators carried out proper construction and adjusted the course of the earth veins to draw more spirit energy toward this point, they could raise it to mid-grade right away. In fact, with a century of nurturing, there was every chance of bringing it all the way to the top grade!

The cave he currently occupied was the best and largest among those of the Luo Tian Alliance, and its potential was naturally the greatest. In comparison, the caves at Dream Return Ridge fell far short. Azure Iron Mountain held promising signs as well, but the relocation had disturbed its earth energy, and it would need a long time to merge with the local veins before returning to form.

In short, everything was moving in a good direction. Luo Chen did not resume cultivating. With so many matters to handle, he needed to appear often to steady the hearts of the people. He also wanted to learn more about formations from Fu Jiusheng and the others while they were laying the foundations.

After changing into a plain Daoist robe, Luo Chen stepped out of the cave residence.

”Greetings, Supreme Elder.”

”Good morning, Supreme Elder.”

As he walked outside, many disciples of the Luo Tian Sect bowed and greeted him along the way. Luo Chen kept a faint smile on his lips and nodded in response from time to time. It was the first time after forming his core that he had been this approachable, so everyone could tell that he was in good spirits. And in all honesty, who could blame him for feeling great?

From a distance, Luo Chen saw Fu Jiusheng standing in the morning light, directing a group of disciples. Streaks of light drifted across the sky now and then. Luo Chen stepped forward. ”Is there anything you need help with?”

Fu Jiusheng greeted him and spoke bluntly, ”The most pressing matter is to set up the Dragon Trapping Grand Formation that Elder Meng Changshou gave you.”

”I know that. But didn’t we lay down a rough framework yesterday? Why are we stuck today? Is it a material issue?”

Fu Jiusheng shook his head. ”The materials are a minor issue. We can buy them from Moonbreak whenever. The main problem is that we don’t have enough formation masters. There’s no way I can do this by myself.”

Luo Chen frowned. ”Stormwind Manor has two second-tier formation masters, no?”

”And even with them, we still don’t have enough people. A fourth-tier grand formation requires at least five people to set up properly.” Fu Jiusheng sighed. ”I only realized how difficult it was after actually working on it.”

Luo Chen’s brow furrowed. ”I will send someone to call Min Longyu here.”

”That still leaves us one short.”

”I will fill that last spot,” Luo Chen volunteered.

Fu Jiusheng gave him a hesitant look. Luo Chen had shown some familiarity with formations earlier, but he certainly did not look like an accomplished formation master. Could he really do it?

Luo Chen smiled easily. ”I learn very fast. Trust me!”

Although Fu Jiusheng doubted him, she still agreed to his volunteering. He said casually, ”The Dao of formations stems from restrictions. This Dragon Trapping Grand Formation requires four of the seven fundamental restrictions: the Mountain, Water, Darkness, and Radiance restrictions. In a while, you will carve the simplest Mountain restrictions on the materials...”

”Wait a moment!” Luo Chen hurriedly interrupted him. ”The seven fundamental restrictions?”

Fu Jiusheng answered as if it were only natural, ”Of course. Did Min Longyu not tell you? Mountain, Water, Wind, Cloud, Darkness, Radiance, and Void, the seven fundamental restrictions, also known as the seven major schools.”

Luo Chen was stunned. He truly had never heard of any of this. Could Min Longyu’s fame be nothing but empty bragging?