An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

”Seventh Sister, has the list been finalized?”

”It’s settled. We are closest with the Xu family, so I gave them three slots. As for the other thirty-some families, they got fifteen slots to share. But I made it clear to them that if anyone performs poorly, they will be directly removed and replaced by alchemists from other families.”

As he watched the gentle woman organizing the list, excitement appeared on Cheng Dou’s face. He paced back and forth through the hall, muttering to himself, ”You did the right thing. This way, we won’t offend the major forces too much, but we can still fully satisfy the Devil Lord requirements. I was worrying before about how to gather the contribution merits for six thousand portions of True Flame Pill ingredients when the other families were unwilling to pay a higher price. Now that they are helping process ingredients, it will definitely shorten the time.

”Seventh Sister, once you get there, you cannot simply stand aside. You reached Foundation Establishment in your thirties, so your talent goes without saying. But until now, you focused on pure cultivation, and you have no special abilities of your own. Once cultivators reach higher realms, most of them practice some kind of craft as well. I have to say, though, I didn’t expect the Devil Lord to be such a formidable high-tier alchemist. Take this opportunity to learn properly from him. If you can inherit his knowledge, then our family... Well, anyway, if the concubine tactic doesn’t work out, then being a disciple is not bad either. Either way, you would be by his side, and those closest reap the benefits first.”

As her elder brother’s words grew more and more outrageous, Cheng Haixin’s face shifted between pale and flushed. If she couldn’t be a concubine, becoming a disciple would be fine? With her talent, she ranked among the very best in the entire Flying Swallow Archipelago. How had she been reduced to this?

”Big Brother!”

”Hm? What is it?”

Cheng Haixin frowned. The words rose to her lips, yet she swallowed them back. There was no point in arguing with her own elder brother. They would only start to quarrel again, and it would only end with the same old arguments, nothing new. She shook her head and rose to her feet, revealing her long, slender legs.

”I am going to Moon-Inviting Island. I am afraid I will not be able to look after matters on the family’s side anymore.”

Cheng Dou waved his hand. ”No worries. I’ve been busy with the merchant caravan, but Uncle Ji is managing things at home. He is not young anymore, so he hasn’t been going out to sea recently.”

Cheng Haixin gave a soft acknowledgment and strode out of the flower hall. Before long, a streak of light rose and flew toward Moon-Inviting Island.

The moment she landed on the shore, more than a dozen voices rang out together.

”Greetings, Fairy Haixin!”

”Greetings, Senior Cheng!”

Cheng Haixin looked at the group before her. There were white-haired elderly men, skillful women, and young boys who had not yet come of age. At this moment, all of them bowed respectfully to her. She knew clearly that this reverence did not come from any difference in cultivation or abilities, but from the fact that she represented the Devil Lord.

A subtle feeling surfaced in her heart. She pressed her lips together and said gently, ”Everything is ready, right? Then follow me onto the island.”

As she spoke, she flipped her wrist and a Water Splitting Spike fell into her hand. She infused spirit power into it, then stabbed the calm surface of the lake.

In the next moment, a blue flood dragon several zhang long emerged, shaking its head and tail. The woman leapt up and landed on its head. At her signal, the others boarded the dragon one after another. Under Cheng Haixin’s control, the flood dragon crossed the lake, reaching the mist-shrouded central islet in no time. There, she led the group straight to the medicine room, where the ingredients were stored.

Before she could go over to pay her respects to Luo Chen, a short cry of heartfelt joy rang out from the neighboring alchemy room.

”What happened?” someone asked in surprise.

Just as everyone was still puzzled, Luo Chen walked over from the alchemy room, dressed in a casual white robe and his face was filled with unmistakable delight.

”Ah, you’re here. Welcome!”

”Greetings, Devil Lord.” Cheng Haixin gave a graceful bow.

Seeing the excitement on Luo Chen’s face, she followed up and asked, ”You seem to be happy. Could it be that the refinement succeeded?”

Luo Chen grinned. ”Haha, you’re truly perceptive. That’s right! Today, I successfully refined a third-tier pill. This calls for a proper celebration!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the group behind her all revealed expressions of shock. A third-tier pill! The Devil Lord was truly a third-tier alchemist!

Cheng Haixin did not possess much understanding of the alchemical path and did not grasp the full weight of this achievement. Her instinct simply drove her to reply, ”Of course, Devil Lord. This calls for fine dishes and the finest wine! I will have people prepare a feast to celebrate for you.”

”Haha, very thoughtful of you.” Luo Chen laughed heartily and waved his sleeve. ”Let’s leave that for later. Let me first take a look at how skillful this group is.”

As he spoke, he beckoned with one hand. At once, large quantities of ingredients flew off the shelves of the medicine room in succession. As if endowed with intelligence, they drifted to a halt before each of the eighteen people.

Luo Chen’s smile vanished; he was clearly about to get down to business. He said seriously, ”I will explain the requirements to you, and then you will process these ingredients right here, on the spot. I hope your work meets my standards. If it doesn’t...”

He simply shrugged and did not say the rest out loud, but there was no fool among those present. If their work fell short, they were almost guaranteed to be kicked out and lose the opportunity to earn merits for their families.

For a time, the medicine room plunged into intense activity.

All eighteen were well-known figures within the archipelago and nearly every one of them had some skills in the field of alchemy and such. Upon hearing the instructions, they each took out specialized tools and corresponding auxiliary ingredients from their storage pouches to process the medicinal ingredients. Fortunately, Luo Chen had assigned only the most basic first-tier ingredients, all of which were common and widely used, so the processing was not particularly difficult.

Time slowly passed, and people finished their work one after another. Those who completed their work stood to the side, uneasiness clear on their faces. The remaining ones quickened their pace. After about half an hour, Luo Chen stood before the eighteen sets of ingredients and inspected them one by one.

”Good quality. Pass.”

”Pass.”

”Acceptable.”

”The heat control was insufficient. The herb is ruined. You...”

Luo Chen glanced at the lavishly dressed middle-aged man and shook his head. The man’s face instantly turned deathly pale.

”Devil Lord, I am a first-tier alchemist. I can refine mid-grade Water-Condensing Pills. I am very capable.”

Luo Chen frowned slightly. What he needed were assistants to handle raw ingredients. As long as they could process medicinal ingredients properly, that was enough. What the heck did he need an alchemist for?

He could not be bothered to waste words. He shot Cheng Haixin a glance, and she immediately stepped forward to deal with the man. Meanwhile, Luo Chen continued inspecting the rest along the way. Most were passable. Only one other failed—coincidentally, another first-tier alchemist.

Coincidence? I think not. They actually tried to send over alchemists to steal some techniques. Heh... Morons.

Luo Chen chuckled softly. Alchemists raised by such families usually jumped straight into alchemy by relying on pre-processed ingredients. Naturally, they lacked the fundamentals of raw ingredient processing. It would’ve been weird if they had performed properly.

His steps finally stopped before a fair-faced young man with red lips and white teeth. He lowered his head to examine the medicinal herb, and a trace of curiosity flickered in his eyes. ”Hmm... This Yellow Gold Branch appears to have failed, yet some of its medicinal properties remain... An unusual method of processing... Hey, you, what is your name?”

The young man’s teeth chattered as he replied, ”M-my name is Xu Muxian, Devil Lord. I am from... a collateral branch of the Xu family. I’ve been processing ingredients for a long time. I can also refine fasting concoction and Five-Grain Pills.”

Fasting concoction and Five-Grain Pills were both unremarkable products. However, the youth looked no older than sixteen. To be proficient in ingredient processing while also capable of refining two types of pills at such a young age was already quite respectable.

”I see. Tell me, what did you use to process this Yellow Gold Branch and where did you mess up?”

Xu Muxian hesitated briefly before answering, ”I soaked it in Red Rock Liquid, but I misjudged the herb’s quality.”

Red Rock Liquid was a fire-element spirit liquid usually formed from the fusion of magma from volcanoes and spirit springs on the seafloor. Using fire to counter metal demonstrated not only an understanding of the five elements’ mutual restraint, but also the courage to apply that principle in practice.

Oh, a promising one! Luo Chen gave the youth a narrow-eyed look, then nodded. ”Fair enough. You can stay.”

Xu Muxian had already given up all hope. When those words reached his ears, uncontrollable joy burst forth in his eyes. Luo Chen walked back to Cheng Haixin’s side. ”Most of them are acceptable. Find two people to replace those two guys. There is no need to trouble me again. Have this person keep watch.”

As he spoke, Luo Chen pointed to the elderly man who had been the first to finish processing the ingredients.

Cheng Haixin nodded. ”Elder Qi truly is capable. He is quite renowned as an apothecary throughout the Flying Swallow Archipelago.”

Luo Chen gave a brief acknowledgment and walked out of the medicine room. After instructing the group on what to do, Cheng Haixin followed after him.

Xu Muxian watched her retreating back and could not help but show a look of envy. As the group boarded small boats and departed the islet, Elder Qi suddenly reached out and grabbed the youth by the arm with an excited expression on his face.

”Elder Qi?”

”Kid, you’ve struck gold! He has taken notice of you. He might even teach you some alchemy in the future!”

Xu Muxian asked doubtfully, ”Really?”

Elder Qi nodded and smiled kindly. ”I’m serious. When we process ingredients, we rely on experience and established methods. You were the only one who took a different approach. Though you failed, you showed good insights. Great figures like the Devil Lord sometimes favor people with such spirit.”

”But I am only at the second stage of Qi Refinement. Am I worthy?” Obviously, Xu Muxian severely lacked confidence.

Elder Qi shook his head. ”Don’t worry too much. In his eyes, there’s not much difference between an Initiate and a random mortal. As long as you work diligently in the future, your day will come. Also... If there is anything you don’t understand, you can come ask me first.”

Elder Qi looked at the youth’s bewildered yet delighted expression and could not help but feel deeply moved. He had heard that Xu Muxian was not well regarded within the Xu family. Despite having talent for alchemy, no one supported him. Left with no backing, he could only scrape by refining the unremarkable fasting concoction and Five-Grain Pills to survive.

What he had just done was a little act of goodwill, a chance to forge a favorable bond. If he turned out to be correct and Azure Yang looked favorably upon the young man, then Elder Qi’s actions today might well bring blessings to the descendants of the Qi family.

In the cultivation world, great figures had their own way of life, while small figures had their own struggles as well. Luo Chen had no idea what kind of life-altering fate his casual decision might bring to the youth. He only knew that, at this very moment, he felt unbearably hot.

He was sitting cross-legged on the floor of his bedchamber. His face was about the same shade as a well-cooked lobster, and waves of heat rose from the top of his head. Within his body, a low-grade True Flame Pill was being refined, and its medicinal power felt like torrents of flame surging through his meridians and flesh.

A ceaseless murmuring sound echoed from within him—the sound of a river of energy crashing through. Stimulated by it, even his sea of qi showed faint signs of upheaval.

After a long while, Luo Chen slowly opened his eyes, a stream of hot breath gently escaping from his mouth.

”Damn, this really deserves to be called the True Flame Pill! It feels like I’m getting liquid fire down my throat. What ridiculous medicinal power!”

Within his eyes, alongside delight and admiration, lingered a trace of fear.