An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

The Demon Spider Crabs’ previously concealed auras began to surge, and their bodies expanded in size. Judging from their bellicose attitude, the slightest disagreement would lead to bloodshed.

The Black-Scaled Flood Dragon lying on the beach felt its heart sink at the sight. ”Damn it. I didn’t notice anyone following me on the way back.”

To its credit, traveling through the deep sea was already extremely covert, so Blackscale could hardly be blamed. Moreover, the Demon Spider Crab clan was known for sharp perception and exceptional skill in masking their presence.

The Heavenjade Battle Gull looked dispirited and spoke clearly, ”Big Black, my energy is suppressed. Go and help Master.”

It saw clearly that all three were Demon Kings. In particular, the slightly leaner Crab King leading them exuded an even stronger aura, clearly at the middle stage. If the three joined forces, Luo Chen would likely suffer greatly. If Blackscale could hold off one or two enemies, perhaps the situation could be reversed.

However, in response to its request, Blackscale could only complain bitterly. ”I would if I could. But I exhausted most of my own energy to save you. How can I still fight?”

It spoke the truth. To break through the formation of a massive demon-hunting ship under the watch of seven Adepts and forcibly rescue the seagull had not been simple. Blackscale had relied purely on its devouring demonic ability it had acquired earlier. Yet it had only been a year or two since he’d first become able to use it, and it was far from mastery. Ordinarily, it only used the ability to intimidate small fry. To unleash it on such a scale had drained its demonic power in a nearly self-destructive manner, exhausting most of the power stored in its demon core.

Seeing the three Demon Spider Crabs preparing to strike, Blackscale snorted. Fine. I’ll go in and fight them head-on. I’ll hold one of them down and buy Master an opening. My hide’s thick enough, and as long as I don’t die, Master will surely save me. And who knows... maybe he’ll even reward me with a couple more bottles of Imperial Nectar.

Having made up his mind, it shifted its massive body toward its enemies, but before it could even start moving, Luo Chen stopped it cold in its tracks.

”Go back. Leave them to me.”

With his back to Blackscale, Luo Chen waved his hand casually as his sleeves fluttered calmly. The flood dragon froze as if about to speak more, but memories of the battle at the Flying Swallow Archipelago years ago surfaced in his mind. That astonishing palm strike... This was a man who could contend against someone at the sixth stage of the Golden Core Realm. Why should it worry?

It held onto its faith in Luo Chen and slowly retreated to the Heavenjade Battle Gull’s side, attempting to break the seal on the Demon Suppression Talisman.

***

By the shore, the Seventh Elder of the Demon Spider Crab clan stared questioningly at the man opposite him.

”So the flood dragon and seagull are your beasts?”

Luo Chen replied calmly, ”Yes. What of it?”

The Seventh Elder’s two massive eyes rolled. ”That explains it. The Heavenjade Battle Gull and the Black-Scaled Flood Dragon are natural enemies, yet they cooperate. So you are the mastermind behind it... That means my clansmen all died by your hands?”

Demon Spider Crabs? Luo Chen’s lips curved slightly as his sleeves fluttered. ”Well... yes. To be frank, I have cultivated for over a hundred years and I have tasted many good things, but I have to say... your clansmen’s roe is truly a rare delicacy in this world.”

Hearing this, the Seventh Elder flew into a rage. ”You devil!”

Luo Chen’s face lost its smile instantly. ”Alright, enough with the pleasantries, I have just broken through in cultivation and I was looking to taste a third-tier Demon Spider Crab. Since you came uninvited, you will serve as my supper.”

Before he even finished speaking, he’d charged toward the three demons. At some point, a black-red sword had appeared in his hand, and his sheer speed caused the air to burst. In the next instant, he stood before the Seventh Elder and thrust out his sword.

Facing this fierce strike, the Seventh Elder suppressed his rage and retreated swiftly.

BOOMMMMM!

A great spray of waves exploded as countless droplets fell. As the Seventh Elder watched the long sword sink into the sea, it felt the tightness in his chest ease slightly. ”Don’t panic! He may be at the fourth stage, but he just broke through. His cultivation isn’t stable yet, and his control over his mana is still lacking. That flying sword of his is nothing special. Let’s strike together and take him down quickly!”

As he spoke, the three demons charged from three directions toward Luo Chen.

Luo Chen descended lightly onto the surface of the sea. He glanced at his wrist and frowned faintly. Indeed, breaking through in battle was quite troublesome. It was a bit ironic—the new realm came with stronger mana and divine consciousness, yet one could hardly unleash their full power. To put it bluntly, it was like a child suddenly gaining the power to swing a broadsword, yet without the ability to control it; they’d just end up stabbing their own foot instead of striking the enemy.

That was why cultivators usually secluded themselves after a breakthrough to stabilize their cultivation after a breakthrough. It was not just to stabilize their fluctuating energy, but also to practice their combat techniques and get used to the new level of power. Naturally, Luo Chen had enjoyed no such luxury this time. His eyes shifted left and right, and his divine consciousness spread in all directions. He watched the enemies closing in from three sides, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. In their eyes, it resembled a sinister grin of a devil.

”My cultivation isn’t stable yet, you say?” As he murmured, a pair of crimson wings unfurled behind him. ”Well, you’re not wrong. In that case, I will use you to test the strength of my late-stage archaic beast body.”

With a ferocious smile, Luo Chen flapped his wings, shooting into the sky. The enemies did not slow and spat out thick strands of silk like rainbows toward him, but he twisted and turned through the air, as agile as a young dragon. Then he turned into a streak of light as he lunged at the weakest of the three.

Seeing that Luo Chen did not widen the distance but instead sought close combat, the Crab King burst into laughter. ”What, you want to fight me head-on? Are you some sort of idiot?”

As it laughed wildly, its two massive pincers bristling with grotesque hairs swung toward Luo Chen.

Luo Chen’s eyes flared with spirit light. Even at extreme speed, he maintained absolute precision in his every movement. In an instant, he surged forward dozens of zhang and struck out with a palm, so fast that he triggered another sonic boom. As his palm moved forward, the muscles of his arm bulged to an immense size, and his fingers curved slightly to imitate the talons of a bird of prey. Indeed, this palm was not the Azure Yang Great Handprint, but the Cloud-Seizing Divine Claw!

In human form, he could only unleash less than half of the power he had in the Sky Roc True Form. Otherwise, he’d only end up breaking his own bones. But after perfecting Myriad Path Convergence and advancing his physique to the late stage, he had also worked on a partial transformation that allowed him to use the power of a Great Roc with one limb at a time. As for how great that power was...

Crack! Crack!

In a fraction of a second, he had seized the crab’s massive pincers and torn them off its body!

Under the terrified gazes of the Crab King’s many eyes, its two pincers were torn off, exposing tender white flesh that looked unbelievably succulent. The biggest pincers always held the most prized meat, and Luo Chen had just claimed them.

Only then did the afterimage left behind by his Voidburst Step slowly dissipate.

”Ahhhhhhhh!!!! It hurts! It hurts!!!”

Amid the scream, the three demons focused their gazes on the man in white. Their shock and fury were impossible to conceal.

Luo Chen held the two enormous crab pincers and licked his lips. ”Mm, this meat must be fresh and tender. You really need to shut up, though... screaming like that ruins my appetite. Well, never mind. I’ll finish you off first and enjoy a proper crab meal in peace.”

Before he’d even finished speaking, he bolted forward at extreme speed again. This time, the Seventh Elder reacted quickly and shouted sharply, ”This bastard’s physique is tougher than ours! Don’t fight him head-on! Use Myriad Webs!”

His companion instantly shifted its stance. In an instant, the hairs on each of its crab legs grew rapidly into long, white strands that seemed soft but were as tough as fine steel and sharp as needles. It also opened its mouth and spewed out great masses of spider silk one after another.

Completely ignoring whatever it was doing, Luo Chen simply moved forward at breakneck speed. Yet clumps of spider silk wrapped around his arm, and two giant pincers swung toward him.

”Bind him and shred him to pieces!” instructed the Seventh Elder.

Luo Chen let out a cold laugh and opened his mouth as well.

Hissssss...

A wisp of azure flame drifted out, and in a blink, it coiled around the endless white spider silk. Azure and white tangled together, but there was no contest. The fourth-tier Withering-Flourishing True Fire utterly overwhelmed the spider silk and the hairs, turning them into ashes that drifted to the ground. The next moment, two enormous hands shot forward like the claws of a roc and seized the two massive pincers at the same time.

A man and a demon locked together, straining in a raw contest of sheer strength.`