An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Chapter 852: A Misunderstanding at the Dock; A Holy Land’s Power (I)

Luo Chen’s excitement was not without reason. Over the course of his cultivation, he had created two things: Myriad Path Convergence and the Fine Dust Primordial Art. Yet the former was not truly his own work. It had been pieced together from the incomplete Sky Roc Transformation and a number of other techniques, and he’d used a large number of achievement points to have the system do the work for him. What he did was simply acquire the basic resources. Put simply, it was like collecting fragments of a text and handing them to AI. After paying a small fee, the AI would fill in the missing pieces and output a complete text. It was just a matter of resources, and literally anyone in his place could have achieved the same thing. So creating Myriad Path Convergence was nothing to boast about.

The same went for the Fine Dust Primordial Art. It was built from five complete Core Formation secret arts, each capable of helping a cultivator form a core. Luo Chen had simply practiced all five secret arts to Perfected Mastery and then summarized them into the Fine Dust Primordial Art. Among ordinary Adepts, he might be considered outstanding, but it was still only a minor art for a specific purpose. It was nowhere near the level of founding a sect or establishing a cultivation doctrine.

Looking back, his pride back then felt almost laughable. Only now did he feel genuine pride in his creation. He was not a demon himself, and among all the techniques he had learned, only one even touched on demonic transformation. Yet under such conditions, he drew on the strengths of countless methods, grasped the transformation of power, and created a demonic cultivation technique entirely through his own insight and without relying on the system. How could he not feel proud?

An achievement like this was beyond what ordinary Adepts could achieve. Even ordinary Sages would struggle to accomplish it, and Han Zhan’s reaction said it all!

What a pity that it’s not a human cultivation technique. Otherwise, with this technique and the Fine Dust Primordial Art, I could truly start my own lineage and leave behind a proper inheritance.

Even as satisfaction lingered, he felt a trace of regret. He had only left the Fine Dust Primordial Art in the Luo Tian Sect and no cultivation method created by him. The inner disciples practiced techniques gathered from various outside sources, and none could be considered true sect inheritances. Myriad Path Convergence was only a Physique Refinement method, and even Wang Yuan only used it for reference rather than as his main cultivation technique. In other words, his sect had always been unorthodox. It was more like the Flame Alliance than an actual sect.

At this moment, all the noise outside seemed to fade away.

When Heavenjade learned that Luo Chen had truly created a cultivation method for her, she covered her mouth and was unable to contain her excitement.

Thud!

She dropped to her knees and said emotionally, ”Thank you, Master. I’ll never forget this!”

Luo Chen smiled lightly. ”It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

He said it lightly, but the weight of that favor was beyond words. Ordinary demonic beasts had no cultivation methods. They relied on instinct to absorb spirit energy. Only pureblooded demons with ancient bloodline inheritances could stand a chance of awakening a demonic ability upon reaching a certain realm and using it to cultivate.

Black King had awakened a bloodline inheritance after consuming large amounts of supreme-grade Imperial Nectar, yet he was by no means a pureblooded demon, so the origin of this ability remained entirely unclear. As for Heavenjade, her foundation was originally a bit more solid than his, and that was that. She had no bloodline inheritance of her own, and this gift from Luo Chen amounted to exactly that—an opportunity to cultivate properly! Now, when she called him ”Master,” the feeling behind it was wholly sincere.

Watching the two rub each other’s back, Han Zhan looked somewhat aggrieved. ”Why did you burn it so fast? You could’ve let me take a look first!”

Luo Chen waved it off. ”Eh, the draft’s still too rough. Some details need polishing. Once it’s revised, I’ll let you read it. After all, you played a big part in creating it.”

Han Zhan asked curiously, ”It still needs polishing?”

Luo Chen nodded. ”Yes. The transformation method at the end was inspired by the Transformation Pill formula. It works, but it’s flawed.”

Heavenjade raised an eyebrow, ”But I’ve already transformed. Why do I still need a transformation method?”

Luo Chen thought for a moment before replying, ”In my view, the lightning tribulation for transformation is both a trial and a blessing. Going through it allows a demonic beast to adjust its body, but that is only a part of it. Another part, maybe just as important, is that it tempers the divine soul. The product of all those years of cultivation is refined and condensed, and that helps them close the gap with human cultivators. Practicing this transformation technique is akin to using the heavenly lightning to complete the final step.”

Heavenjade listened in confusion, but Han Zhan fell into thought. Normally, demonic beasts cultivate far longer than human cultivators, so their divine soul foundations should be stronger. Yet in reality, human cultivators below the Nascent Soul Realm overwhelmingly surpassed demonic beasts of the same tier. The difference lay in quality versus quantity. The lightning tribulation was how the Heavenly Dao made up for this flaw. Unexpectedly, Luo Chen had grasped this even before Han Zhan.

He let out a sigh. ”Looks like you gained quite a bit from creating this technique.”

A faint smile tugged at Luo Chen’s lips. ”Nothing much, just a little.”

Though he spoke modestly, he actually was overjoyed. If he had a bit more time to settle these insights, he could turn them into tangible power. These seven months had most certainly not been spent in vain.

Through the window, countless sails hung low as ships gathered in great numbers. Luo Chen stretched lazily. ”Let’s go. It’s time we head to Coldlight Island, then on to Jadecold City.”

He cast Cleanse and wiped away every trace of himself from the cabin. Then he put on a black robe, wrapped the Soul-Refining Banner in white cloth, and slung it over his back before stepping out. Heavenjade followed close behind, her eyes still filled with admiration.

***

Luo Chen came to a stop on the deck. With Heavenjade at his side, he stayed behind the crowd and watched the scene at the dock in silence.

And there... he saw Wu Qi! The man had brought a group with him and was clearly waiting for someone. No one knew how he had gotten the news, yet he had arrived just in time to catch the Bai family’s merchant ship. Unfortunately, after all that preparation, the person he received was not the one he was waiting for.

He Yuan did not realize it at first. He had been slightly surprised, but when he saw Wu Qi—one of Blood Nightmare’s trusted subordinates—arrive to receive him, he assumed they had learned of his arrival. After all, he had not bothered to conceal his aura along the way. Anyone who wanted to track his movements could easily do so. He had done it on purpose, using this very method to let Blood Nightmare know that a direct inheritor of the Primordial Devil lineage had arrived.

A reception like this felt only natural to him. If anything, he found it lacking. Three Adepts and a dozen Initiates were hardly impressive. Back when the Primordial Devil Sect still stood, the true inheritors of its three main lineages traveled with numerous followers. They could call upon multiple experts of the same realm, and those favored were even accompanied by Sages from branch lineages.

He Yuan consoled himself inwardly. Oh well, times are different now. I’ll have to get used to it. Once the devil sect is restored, all that pomp and glory will be within easy reach.

However, the moment his gaze met Wu Qi’s uncertain scrutiny and he felt an unrestrained sweep of divine consciousness pass over him, he finally sensed something was off.

The two early-stage Adepts at Wu Qi’s side had never seen the actual person they were meant to receive. They only knew they were here to receive a highly skilled alchemist. Since they were on good terms with Wu Qi, they had taken this opportunity to come early, get acquainted, and make an impression. It would make future requests much easier.

Now that the man had arrived and stepped off the ship, his aura was overwhelming and his gaze arrogant and unrestrained. He truly carried the bearing of a Holy Land inheritor. Thus, they had believed they had the right man. Though puzzled by Wu Qi’s hesitation, they could not hold back and spoke first, ”You must be Azure Yang Devil Lord!”

”We have long admired your name!”

The moment the two spoke, Wu Qi’s expression shifted. A faint sense of unease rose in his heart and he quickly blurted, ”Fellow Daoists, no—”