An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Chapter 841: Master, Do You Think I Can Form a Golden Core?

With Luo Chen’s return, Moon-Inviting Island became lively once again. Alchemists and medicine apprentices moved about the island, handling the many ingredients Luo Chen required. The enormous alchemical cauldron also appeared from time to time. Yet far fewer cultivators dared to gather and watch this time.

Within the ten-li lake, a vicious black flood dragon lay in slumber. From time to time, massive demonic energy leaked uncontrollably. Without Luo Chen’s protection, ordinary Qi Refinement cultivators and even low-level Initiates could not withstand that demonic energy at all.

Most people assumed the flood dragon guarded the island, barring outsiders from approaching. Luo Chen didn’t bother telling them otherwise, but that was actually a misunderstanding. After Black King devoured the Cliff Serpent that had failed its tribulation, he began refining the creature’s essence earnestly. Because he was devoting all his attention to that refinement, he had fallen into a state of slumber. He couldn’t prevent anyone from approaching; in fact, he couldn’t even prevent his own demonic energy from leaking.

When Black King awakened, his strength would almost certainly surge, and there was every chance his foundation would improve as well. The only uncertainty lay in whether the Black-Scaled Giant Python clan had Cliff Serpent blood in their ancestry, and whether the two bloodlines could merge smoothly.

The island’s bustling alchemy work affected many people, and many also benefited from it. Xu Muxian was one of the latter. Twelve years ago, he had been nothing more than a random member of his clan whom no one valued. Twelve years later, he had reached the seventh stage of Qi Refinement. He had also married into the Cheng family and established a lineage of his own.

Whenever he walked across the islands, people treated him with great respect. Even Initiates greeted him with smiles. The reason for this treatment was simple: He had the status of disciple of the Devil Lord. Yet Xu Muxian understood the truth better than anyone. This so-called discipleship was only nominal. Devil Lord Azure Yang’s guidance toward him only consisted in resources and the occasional alchemy pointers. The critical aspects of such discipleship—namely, personal techniques, secret arts, and other such core teachings—were entirely absent.

Xu Muxian felt quite conflicted about this. He wished to become a true successor, yet it was obvious that the Devil Lord had no such intention. Although he had a tolerant temperament and was always willing to give pointers and small rewards, he clearly had no plan to treat this archipelago as a long-term base. Otherwise, he would not tolerate the small schemes that some people below him carried out.

Inside a side hall, Xu Muxian finished counting the pills. He placed the pellets one by one onto a cold jade tray. Each pill released a chilling aura. After arranging them, he carried the tray toward the main hall, all the while looking at the pills with admiration. Even if he could never become the Devil Lord’s true disciple, he would always admire him.

Jade Dew Pills were second-tier pills, and among the most difficult to refine in that tier. With Xu Muxian’s skills, he could not even imagine how to approach them. Meanwhile, his master could casually refine top-grade and even supreme-grade Jade Dew Pills in large batches. Such attainment was simply inconceivable. Moreover, this was far from Azure Yang’s limit; Xu Muxian knew that because the same applied to third-tier pills.

”Will I ever reach even half of Master’s level in this lifetime?” muttered Xu Muxian as he stepped into the quiet Azure Yang Grand Hall. The moment he entered, a low roar crashed into his ears like thunder.

”RAAAAGHHHHH...”

Xu Muxian felt as though he had suffered a heavy blow, and a trace of blood even seeped from the corner of his mouth. He staggered back several steps and retreated from the grand hall.

His eyes were filled with fear as he muttered, ”What is Master doing exactly? What could possibly make him scream like that?”

***

Meanwhile, in the cultivation chamber, Luo Chen tensed up in pain. His face had long carried a reddish hue from years of consuming True Flame Pills, but dark patterns now spread across it. The lines resembled the cracked earth of a land long stricken by drought. Black radiance flowed across his skin and seeped into his flesh, and as it infiltrated deeper, he could not help but let out a low grunt... completely unaware that it would cause his so-called disciple internal bleeding. Anyone who heard it would have felt their heart tremble; the sound was terrifying, like the roar of a crushed beast, which made the pain Luo Chen endured easy to imagine.

Time passed as Luo Chen continued refining with great effort. The black radiance on the surface of his body gradually sank into him and finally disappeared completely. A thin black film appeared faintly across his dry skin.

”Huuuu...”

Luo Chen opened his eyes and felt his whole body weak. He braced both hands on his knees and drew in deep breaths of air. A trace of lingering fear remained in his eyes.

Moments earlier, he had applied a small amount of fourth-tier Black Sovereign Paste to his body. Indeed, he had finally managed to produce fourth-tier Black Sovereign Paste from the carapace of a Crab King!

Obviously, Luo Chen had never used such a high-tier Physique Refinement medicine before. Even the portion Han Zhan rewarded him with at the Heavenly Drum Plains battlefield had only been third-tier. Because of this, Luo Chen had never taken the warnings about the pain of applying Black Sovereign Paste too seriously. After all, he had endured untold hardships throughout his cultivation. Pain was nothing new to him. Whether it was the practice of Divine Breaker of Malevolence, Blood Fiend Meridian Unblocking, or Lightning Aperture Opening, each method brought pain that ordinary cultivators could not even imagine, let alone endure. As for when he tempered his body with heavenly lightning in Bai Ye’s pocket world to reach the third tier... that pain was simply beyond words.

Yet even those experiences felt insignificant compared with the pain of applying the fourth-tier Black Sovereign Paste. The earlier methods caused sharp pain or bursts of agony. This paste worked differently—specifically, like a dull blade slowly carving flesh. The pain spread steadily and never stopped. It began at his toes and crept upward through his body. It went through his skin, his muscles, his bones, and his organs. Even his bone marrow and brain seemed to throb with the same relentless pain.

”No wonder this kind of spirit medicine is only ever used on puppets and nobody sells it anyway. The materials are hard enough to find, but the real problem is the pain. Only a puppet could endure this kind of treatment.”

Luo Chen breathed heavily. A trace of lingering fear remained in his heart. He had nearly failed to endure it just now. If he had fainted, not only would that fourth-tier Black Sovereign Paste have been wasted, but an incomplete bout of tempering might have left a hidden weakness within his otherwise powerful physique. If an enemy discovered that weakness during battle, it could very well mean the difference between life and death.

Luo Chen looked at the black jar placed before him and fell silent. After a long moment, he carefully put it away. ”With my body, I can barely endure it, but the strain on my mind is too great. I wouldn’t be able to do anything else for a while. For now, it’s better to stick with third-tier ones. I mean... I should still refine some fourth-tier paste, but I’ll store it for later and only use it once my physique cultivation stalls.”

After making his decision, Luo Chen cast Cleanse on himself. He frowned when he saw how dry and rough his body had become. He then cast Water Mirror and examined his flushed face. Although he still looked strikingly handsome, he no longer appeared refined and elegant. Instead, his features carried a sterner look.

Luo Chen was not a narcissist and felt no anxiety about his looks or physique. For him to look at himself more carefully now was simply to analyze what had caused this change. Was it brought about by the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture? By consuming large quantities of True Flame Pills? Or by tempering his body with Black Sovereign Paste? Or perhaps the combined effect of all three?

If the change benefited his cultivation, he had no reason to worry. But if his body had begun to develop in a direction that hindered his pursuit of the Great Dao, he would have to pause and reexamine his cultivation methods.

After analyzing it for a while, Luo Chen finally shook his head. He clenched his fist and sensed the steady surge of strength flowing through his weakened body. His Dao heart did not waver. ”It should be fine. Cultivating unusual techniques often brings a few changes in appearance. That’s nothing strange. Back when I refined the Withering-Flourishing True Fire, my hair even turned completely white. Didn’t it return to normal afterward?”

Muttering to himself, Luo Chen put on a loose white Daoist robe and stepped out of the cultivation chamber. He arrived at the grand hall and removed the soundproofing formation.

Xu Muxian entered, and Luo Chen noticed that Xu Muxian’s aura had become unstable. He formed a hand seal and cast Spring Wind Rain Transformation on him.

The spell’s light enveloped Xu Muxian’s body. Earlier, Luo Chen’s roar had injured his lungs and heart. Now the gentle energy flowed through him like he was bathed in a gentle spring breeze. He immediately felt light and refreshed.

Xu Muxian respectfully presented a cold jade tray. ”Master, these are the Jade Dew Pills you refined last time. They are fully stabilized, so they can now be stored.”

Luo Chen flicked his sleeve, and the tray floated into his hand. He examined the pills carefully and revealed a satisfied expression. Sure enough, his alchemy had not declined. Even though he had not refined Jade Dew Pills for a long time, he could still produce them with ease. The success rate for supreme-grade Jade Dew Pills now stood at roughly twenty percent, a figure that surpassed the system’s limit. After storing the batch of Jade Dew Pills, Luo Chen stepped out of the hall and strolled leisurely across Moon-Inviting Island.

When he reached the lakeshore, he extended his divine consciousness and briefly checked Black King’s refinement progress. The Cliff Serpent’s corpse still contained tremendous energy even after the heavenly lightning strike. Black King would not be able to refine that power in a short time. Hence, Luo Chen decided to give him a small push. He raised his hand and poured a bottle of liquid into the lake. A dull sound rose from the water as currents twisted into a vortex and drew the liquid down into its depths.

Xu Muxian stood nearby the entire time. His eyelid twitched when he saw the scene. Whatever that liquid was, its energy put it clearly at the supreme grade of the second tier! Yet Luo Chen had casually poured it into the lake for his spirit beast to consume! The sight only deepened Xu Muxian’s reverence for him.

”By the way, how’s my spirit bird doing?” Luo Chen asked casually.

Xu Muxian replied respectfully, ”Heavenjade doesn’t like cramped places, so she’s staying at Sea-Gazing Cliff now. From time to time, she flies out to sea to hunt. Senior Moon-Inviting Fairy also often sends people to deliver fresh beasts for her to feed on.”

Luo Chen chuckled softly. ”Looks like Heavenjade’s living quite comfortably.”

He put his hands behind his back and strolled across Moon-Inviting Island while thinking about several matters. The ten-year deadline was drawing closer, and his preparations were steadily taking shape. Once he finished refining all the Crab Kings into fourth-tier Black Sovereign Paste, he would finally free up time to refine a batch of top-grade Starfield Pills. He could use those Starfield Pills to deal with Adepts. As for the True Flame Pills, he decided to keep them for his own use.

Aside from that, there was another matter he had to consider: the Profound Rock Armor. The five crab clans had coveted this item so fiercely that they had fought a major battle over it. This attitude practically screamed ”top-tier treasure.” Yet Luo Chen had examined it several times since obtaining it, and aside from confirming the extraordinary toughness of its material, he had gained nothing.

According to Han Zhan, the true value of this treasure lay in the drop of Black Tortoise blood essence hidden within. This Demon Emperor had advanced to the Transformation Stage by following the ancestral path of the Black Tortoise, and had already begun transforming into one before reaching the fourth-tier. It had left this shell behind at the end of its lifespan, and within it remained a drop of its blood essence—Black Tortoise blood essence!

Demonic beasts could use that blood essence for cultivation and to gain insights into the fourth-tier. For human cultivators, however, its use was limited. Specific transformation arts, like the Sky Roc Transformation, could allow them to refine demonic blood essence. But Luo Chen did not have such an art for tortoise blood, and neither did Han Zhan. Because of this, the greatest value of the treasure meant little to him. Thus, Han Zhan’s suggestion was to refine the Profound Rock Armor into a defensive enchanted treasure.

Luo Chen actually had fewer enchanted treasures than before. The Mystic Flame Sword had been destroyed, two of the Three Piercing Nails were gone, and the Heavenly Moon Purple Gold Wheel no longer suited him after switching the fire path. The only enchanted treasures he could use now were his life-bound treasure, the Moonbreak Wings for flight, and the Forsaken Chess Piece that protected his soul.

For ordinary Adepts, controlling three enchanted treasures at once was already impressive. Most Adepts typically used only one or two. After all, the more enchanted treasures one possessed, the more troublesome it became to refine and nurture them.

But Luo Chen was different. His divine soul foundation was deep, and his mana was abundant. He could also refine the Primordial Unity Cauldron through alchemy, while the Moonbreak Wings consumed very little mana. He could completely refine more enchanted treasures, whether offensive, defensive, or with special purposes like the Divine Seal Compass.

”If I’d known I’d end up specializing in the fire path, I would’ve kept Zheng Xian’s Fire Feather Fan back then.”

Luo Chen felt regretful. Zheng Xian had been a Perfected Mastery Initiate who specialized in the fire path. The weapon he used had also been a decent fire-element enchanted treasure. Luo Chen had seized it following the battle of Danxia Peak, and he’d then asked Sima Huiniang to dispose of it and trade it away for resources needed for Core Formation. Now he found himself lacking a suitable weapon. Finding new enchanted treasures would become a necessary task in the future.

As for how to obtain them, the choices were simple: refine them, purchase them, or seize them. Luo Chen preferred the first option, especially since he wanted custom-made items as much as possible.

The Moonbreak Wings had been crafted specifically for him, and now that he was a fire cultivator, their power was only growing. When he went all out, his speed was simply terrifying. This was the source of confidence that allowed Luo Chen to roam the battlefield of Profound Rock Island. If he could not win, he could always escape!

The Primordial Unity Cauldron went without saying. Luo Chen had tempered it for more than ten years. Its impurities were mostly gone, and its compatibility with him had grown. Whether for alchemy or other purposes, he now wielded it with increasing ease. In time, it might even become a lethal weapon in his hands!

Enchanted treasures seized from others might possess formidable power, but they were not necessarily the best fit for their new owner. When compatibility was lacking, their power would inevitably suffer. As for enchanted treasures that could be purchased, they were usually mediocre; true bargains were few and far-between. After all, who would willingly put truly fine treasures up for sale? Only custom-made treasures were the most suitable. If he could refine this Demon Emperor shell into a defensive enchanted treasure, that would be ideal.

Over the years, Luo Chen had never possessed a defensive enchanted treasure that truly matched him. If he succeeded in refining the Profound Rock Armor and paired it with the Forsaken Chess Piece, his defenses would reach an entirely different level. Which adept could pose a threat to him at that point?

Naturally, he had no interest in crude refining methods. This was the legacy of a Demon Emperor, and it was of exceptional quality. The patriarch of the Ring-Head Turtle clan, Skyfall, had relied on this very shell to withstand the attacks of five experts of the same tier, and the shell wasn’t even refined beyond its natural state. If Luo Chen refined it properly, adding the appropriate auxiliary materials, it would become a mid-grade defensive enchanted treasure at the very least. In fact, its inherent potential could end up proving not inferior to the Primordial Unity Cauldron.

Unfortunately, Luo Chen was a complete novice, and even Han Zhan only knew a few methods for crafting defensive enchanted treasures. Although they were not bad, they were not suitable for the Profound Rock Armor.

Therefore, Luo Chen planned to wait until he reached Jadecold City before searching for a superior crafting method. Given the abundant resources of the Northern Sea, the field of artifact creation was bound to be well-developed. The scarcity of enchanted treasures in the Flying Swallow Archipelago was merely due to its remote geographical location.

While Luo Chen was considering this, a hesitant voice sounded beside him. ”Master, do you think I have any hope of forming a Golden Core in the future?”

Luo Chen turned and looked at his disciple—and for a moment, he even thought the latter looked like a middle-aged man, much older than his actual age. None of the vigor from his youth remained. He was just... standing there, looking confused and lost, with the corner of his mouth trembling slightly.