An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Time flowed and passed like a shuttle weaving through warp threads.

Half a year later, a streak of light arrived at Moon-Inviting Island, an island encircled by more than thirty islands of varying sizes. The light circled the sky briefly before descending onto Moon-Inviting Island.

The moment it touched down, a tall and graceful figure appeared and could not help but glance at the stone stele standing at the heart of the island with a trace of longing flickering in her eyes. Yet she knew clearly that it was not something she could touch right now. She forcefully reined in her desires and stepped into the depths of the dense white mist. As she moved forward, the mist around her seemed almost sentient; it automatically parted to form a narrow path just three chi wide.

After a short while, Cheng Haixin arrived before a magnificent palace. Its sweeping eaves and layered roofs, carved beams and painted pillars, gave the entire structure an air of quiet grandeur. Yet upon closer inspection, there were still many rough details. There was little that could be done about it; Azure Yang had given them far too little time. Even if the cultivators of the Flying Swallow Archipelago wanted to curry favor, there was only so much they could accomplish. For this palace alone, most of the materials had been taken directly from existing stock on other islands.

At least the Devil Lord is broad-minded and won’t fuss over such things, she thought as she lifted the hem of her skirt and stepped into the palace.

It was not long before a figure came into Cheng Haixin’s view.

Cheng Haixin respectfully handed over two storage pouches. ”Devil Lord, this is the first shipment of True Flame Pill ingredients we have collected for you, according to your standards of quality. There are seventy-eight batches in total.”

Luo Chen glanced at the other pouch in her hand before taking the one containing the ingredients. He swept through it with his divine consciousness. After a brief inspection, a trace of displeasure appeared on his face.

”Half a year, and you only brought seventy-eight batches?” Luo Chen said coldly. ”That’s not exactly what I’d call attentive.”

Her heart skipped, and she hurriedly explained, ”Please forgive us, Devil Lord. Most of the ingredients you requested are fire-element. The output of the nearby islands simply cannot meet the demand. My elder brother had to pull the families together, organize a merchant caravan, and travel all the way to Jadecold City. Even then, it took contacts on every front just to gather this much.”

Luo Chen’s brow arched. ”How can it be that troublesome? The Northern Sea lacks no resources.”

Cheng Haixin shook her head. ”Well, the Northern Sea lacks nothing, but... The problem is how remote the Flying Swallow Archipelago is. A round trip to the inner regions takes decades. Jadecold City is already the nearest major immortal city we can reach.”

Too remote? Luo Chen narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. If that was the case, it was understandable. It was much like his days back in Dahe Market. Although it was right up against the resource-rich Great Million Mountains, when it came to high-tier resources, people still ran into a lot of problems. It was far less convenient than Tianlan, for instance.

Seeing Luo Chen’s expression ease slightly, Cheng Haixin quietly let out a breath of relief. She seized the moment and delivered some good news. ”The first few shipments of ingredients may arrive more slowly and in smaller quantities. But once our merchant caravan establishes a firm foothold in bustling places like Jadecold City and Desertglory Island, collecting the ingredients you require will become much easier.”

Once channels were established, supply would naturally stabilize. Luo Chen had done business before and understood this principle well. Since that was the case, he no longer held the matter against her.

He swept his gaze over the ingredients inside the storage pouch and asked casually, ”How much do these Radiant Glow Seeds cost?”

”Technically 15 a piece, but almost nobody will sell you one. They are usually sold in batches of a hundred. This is good, because we can get discounts if we buy large amounts.”

”What about the Underworld Flower?”

”That’s a third-tier ingredient, so a single blossom costs more than 600 spirit stones. My elder brother spent a great deal of effort and promised many benefits just to cut the price down to exactly 600.”

”And the Purple Smoke Wax?”

”One box for 120. It is a bit pricey, but at least it’s already processed.”

Luo Chen inquired about more of the ingredients one after another, and Cheng Haixin answered each in turn. This was not just for the sake of knowing how much his new subordinates were spending on him; he was using the prices of common ingredients to indirectly gauge the overall state of the Northern Sea cultivation world. The prices of pill ingredients and various minerals often represented the level of development of a region.

Of course, this was not absolute. The prices were influenced by many factors such as war, scarcity, and the degree of regulation by powerful forces. But for now, it was enough for Luo Chen to deduce how things stood.

From what he observed, the raw ingredient cost for a single batch of True Flame Pills was roughly 3,000 spirit stones. This was rather high for a third-tier pill; the cost of refining a batch of Starfield Pills, for instance, barely reached 2,000.

A while back, while still in the Jade Cauldron Domain, Luo Chen had estimated that the ingredients for a batch of True Flame Pills would cost 2,300 to 2,400 spirit stones. In other words, there was a premium of over 600 spirit stones, perhaps as much as 700. This made it evident that either the Northern Sea was wealthier overall or the situation here was more tense, perhaps both. Whatever the case was, it drove up the prices of these resources.

While Luo Chen analyzed and deduced these matters from small details, Cheng Haixin also seized the opportunity to emphasize the contributions of their Cheng family, such as how Cheng Dou had personally unified the major families and established the merchant caravan solely to collect ingredients for Luo Chen.

She even spoke of the haggling, the favors called in, and the many requests made along the way. She also pointed out that, of the first seventy-eight batches, the Cheng family alone had contributed ten.

Luo Chen naturally understood what she was after. Cheng Dou had set aside cultivation and instead carried out all these, clearly currying favor with him. His objective was to accrue merit points and ultimately acquire the Core Formation art engraved upon the stone stele. He was clearly a long-term schemer. Previously, he had been eager to break through, yet the moment a Middle Path Core Formation art dangled before his nose, he instantly steadied his mindset. It showed that he was no fool.

Moreover, along the way, Cheng Dou had also leveraged Luo Chen’s reputation to borrow manpower and resources from the thirty-six families across the archipelago and cobble together a so-called Flying Swallow Merchant Caravan. With such a caravan in place, there was no telling how much profit it might reap in the future. When Luo Chen inevitably left for broader seas, as long as Cheng Dou managed the caravan well, the other families would likely acknowledge him as their leader.

Luo Chen was aware of all this, but he chose to turn a blind eye. It was not his problem in the slightest, so he just let the man do as he pleased. As long as the ingredients he needed were not neglected, that was enough. The more prosperous the archipelago became, the greater the benefits he would reap in the future.

In any case, the reason the cultivators who had once submitted in word but not in heart were now running around so actively was one brilliant move by Luo Chen—the Azure Yang Pill Codex!

This so-called secret art was, of course, a simplified one he had derived from the Fine Dust Primordial Art. In the process, he had removed the core principles of Beaded Curtain Lock and Clear Origin Mystical Pill, yet retained the series of lower-tier Core Formation secret arts such as Stilling Wind and Waves and Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation. He had also made a brief mention of the aspects involving the transformation of spirit power. Only through this careful balance did the new art earn a Middle Path evaluation from the system.

After understanding the cultivation environment of the Flying Swallow Archipelago, Luo Chen formed a very clear assessment. Their foundations were solid, and there were not many who relied on extreme or unorthodox paths. With the Azure Yang Pill Codex, the chances of forming a core could be raised by a full twenty percent. This was exactly why those cultivators were striving so hard—if they acquired the technique, they had the confidence to use it.

First came the display of authority, then the promise of benefits. It was a classic case of carrot and stick, and thanks to this excellent balance, the cultivators had willingly become Luo Chen’s minions.

Another storage pouch was raised before Luo Chen. ”Also, this is a small token of my sincerity. I hope you will accept it.”

Luo Chen grew interested and took the pouch. ”What is inside?”

Cheng Haixin answered nervously, ”When we first met, I noticed you took a liking to the local dishes. Later, I heard you asking about meals that could replenish blood qi, so I kept it in mind. Inside is a two-hundred-year-old Dragon-Tiger Grouper. It’s not very high tier, but the meat is tender and the blood qi it contains is abundant. On the islands, this is the kind of bloodfood mortal martial artists crave the most. I’ve heard that even a small bite can give them a good chance of reaching the Innate Grandmaster Realm.”

In an instant, a rich fragrance that stirred the appetite filled the hall. A massive fish nearly ten zhang long and one zhang wide, like an enormous door panel, lay upon a specially made platter. It was prepared with various seasonings, and broth covered it, steam rolling upward.

It was clear that it had been cooked not long ago and then placed directly into the storage pouch. Without much hesitation, Luo Chen gave it a brief inspection and took out a small knife to slice off a piece of fish. Then, he gave it a bite. He did not care about the texture or the flavor; using the blood qi absorption part of Myriad Path Convergence, he instantly dissolved the fish, transforming it into threads of blood qi that merged into his body.

There wasn’t much meat relative to bones and scales, but the fish itself was enormous. This Dragon-Tiger Grouper was indeed high quality. If consumed over a long period, it would certainly benefit Luo Chen’s physique cultivation. A look of satisfaction appeared on his face as he turned to Cheng Haixin. ”Did you make this?”

Cheng Haixin was about to answer in the affirmative, but after looking at his expression, she chose to be honest. ”I am not very skilled in cooking. I invited an elder from another island to prepare it. However, I personally and carefully selected this fish from my family’s catch. If you are satisfied, Devil Lord...”

”You have done very well. From now on, I would like you to prepare a few portions of such spirit meals every month. Ah, did you call it bloodfood?” Luo Chen pointed at the steaming Dragon-Tiger Grouper. ”Well, that thing. Prepare at least ten portions for me every month.”

At first, Cheng Haixin had been delighted with Luo Chen’s praises. But upon hearing ”ten portions a month,” her delicate face immediately filled with worry. ”Devil Lord... Dragon-Tiger Groupers of this quality are extremely difficult to catch. We have to venture far out on the sea. If hunting ships go that far, it becomes really dangerous.”

Luo Chen replied indifferently, ”It does not have to be Dragon-Tiger Grouper. Other bloodfood rich in blood qi will also suffice, especially if it’s well prepared in order to optimize the blood qi. Speaking of which, when you have time, bring that elder over so I can talk to him. Of course, this will count as a personal merit for yourself.”

Cheng Haixin could not help but let out a sigh of relief. Seeing that Luo Chen was in a good mood, she gathered her courage and asked cautiously, ”Devil Lord, how much contribution must we accumulate to exchange the Azure Yang Pill Codex?”

Luo Chen stopped eating and looked at the woman. Under his gaze, the courage she had just managed to muster instantly faded, and she lowered her head unconsciously.

”My apologies, I’ve overstepped.”

As disappointment and fear welled up within her, a voice reached her ears. ”Once you’ve provided six thousand batches of True Flame Pill ingredients, your family may send one person to learn the Azure Yang Pill Codex. After the Cheng family, it will be the other families. However, the required contributions will be calculated separately then.”

Cheng Haixin abruptly raised her head, her face overflowing with delight. Finally, a clear price! A batch of ingredients was 3,000 spirit stones, so six thousand batches amounted to roughly 18 million. Spread across thirty-some families, this came to just over 500,000 low-grade spirit stones per family. Of course, ordinary small families definitely could not produce that many spirit stones, but the Cheng family was not small. If they were, they could not have afforded the large demon-hunting ships. Moreover, what Azure Yang wanted was not spirit stones but pill ingredients. There was finally hope in sight!

Big Brother, Core Formation is within reach!

The woman was filled with joy when she departed and headed straight for Black Swan Island. Luo Chen watched her delighted figure and imperceptibly curled his lips. This was how family cultivators were. They benefited from family resources, yet were also constantly sacrificed for the sake of the family. Cheng Haixin had only recently been sent to warm his bed by her elder brother, against her will, yet now she was painstakingly striving to help him in Core Formation.

Family ties run deep, and once you’re in, you have no freedom at all.

Luo Chen shook his head and stopped thinking about it. This was none of his business, and in any case, he had no intention of managing the Flying Swallow Archipelago the way he would have managed the Luo Tian Sect.

He devoured the cooked Dragon-Tiger Grouper in great mouthfuls. Chunk after chunk of the massive first-tier demonic beast vanished into his mouth, yet his stomach showed no sign of swelling at all. The sight made it seem as though Luo Chen himself were the true beast.

It was time for Myriad Path Convergence to be put to good use again. Luo Chen rapidly refined the fish he had just eaten with Withering-Flourishing Fire, which turned it into streams of blood qi that merged into his body. When he felt the growth in his physique, he showed a satisfied expression. Indeed, as he had just said earlier, he didn’t care about the specific ingredients of the bloodfood, nor about how refined it was. His only requirement was that it contain dense blood qi. With Myriad Path Convergence at hand, he could refine and absorb it all without waste.

”This was an unexpected treat today.”

Luo Chen smiled faintly, then walked at an unhurried pace into a side hall. Rows of wooden racks had long been arranged in neat order. He took out batches of ingredients from his storage pouch and placed them onto the racks one by one.

Time to refine pills. I can’t wait to see how much I can push my cultivation.

A spark of excitement lit up his face. The spirit vein on Moon-Inviting Island was not particularly high-quality, merely low-grade third-tier. It was only slightly better than the kind of artificial third-tier spirit veins found in places like Tianlan. Even so, his cultivation remained frighteningly fast. The Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture had granted him a cultivation speed comparable to that of a heavenly spirit root cultivator. By his own estimation, even with a spirit vein like this, reaching the fourth stage would take at most ten years or so. With True Flame Pills to support him, that time could be shortened even further.

In less than a decade, he would be a mid-stage Adept. With his capabilities, and so long as he avoided provoking any Sages, he would be more than capable of roaming the Demon Sea freely. But for now, he needed to lie low and cultivate quietly. This was well within reasonable limits; it was just for a couple of years.

He opened his mouth and exhaled. The Primordial Unity Cauldron spun as it emerged, landing within the alchemy room. The previously bulky cauldron body had visibly shrunk, the result of a good half-year of refinement. If this continued, he would soon be able to completely refine away the impurities and have it actually become the top-grade enchanted treasure it was supposed to be.

”Everything, step by step,” Luo Chen said with a faint smile.

With practiced ease, he took up a batch of ingredients. Just as he had in the past, he began with the most basic work of processing the ingredients. There was not the slightest trace of impatience on his face. Instead, he appeared all the more focused.