An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Chapter 1069: Dragon Abyss’s Cultivation Ground; The Place Of My Breakthrough (II)

Indeed, spirit soil was everywhere, and spirit springs flowed in clear streams. Even the rare types of spirit soil specifically needed for cultivating high-tier medicinal plants was present here. Such a foundation was not something an ordinary upper sect could possess. Perhaps only those upper sects with several thousand years of heritage could nurture a land of this quality. If the island was properly divided by soil type, spirit fields were built, and formations were arranged, who knew how many rare medicinal plants could be grown here?

”Just how has a place like this come to be?” Luo Chen murmured as he looked at the loose soil beneath him. ”And why has no one claimed it?”

Chitter, chitter...

Suddenly, a massive worm crawled out of the soil. The moment it sensed strangers nearby, it twisted around and tried to burrow back underground, but before it could escape, Luo Chen released a strand of mana and drew it over.

Sang Jinghe stared in surprise at the gray worm writhing before Luo Chen. ”D... Dragonworm?”

A faint spark of realization surfaced in Luo Chen’s mind as he nodded to Sang Jinghe. ”Yeah. It is a dragonworm, and not a weak one either. It’s reached the second tier.”

Dragonworms were naturally gentle and seldom grew very large. Even at the second or third tier, most were still under ten zhang in length. Despite their small size, they were highly prized by alchemy sects. Whenever one appeared on the market, it would be snapped up immediately, as few beasts were better suited for tending to spirit fields and enriching spirit soil. The mucus they secreted was rich in water- and earth-attribute spirit energy. They also liked burrowing through soil, loosening thick spirit soil that easily clumped together and making it more suitable for spirit plants to grow.

Before this, Luo Chen had been focused only on searching for high-tier demonic beasts, so he had overlooked what was beneath his feet. Now, with this clue in mind, he used his divine consciousness to probe as deep into the ground as possible.

Sure enough, the ground below was filled with dragonworms. Some were still normal beasts and could not be classified as demonic beasts at all, while others had reached the first and even the second tier, and their numbers were so great that they seemed to run through the entire island like hidden veins. Only dragonworms at the third-tier and above were nowhere to be seen.

Seeing this, Luo Chen became even more certain of his guess. ”Jinghe, wait here. Don’t go too far away. I’ll be back soon.”

Sang Jinghe nodded. After Luo Chen left, he took out a cloth pouch and began stuffing soil into it nonstop. As he filled the pouch, he exclaimed excitedly, ”These are all high-quality soils! I need to take more. Later, I can use them as seeds to nurture more spirit soil.”

***

”You’ve figured it out?”

”Senior, I know you thought of it too!”

Luo Chen skimmed low over the ground, moving swiftly across the huge island as he searched for something.

Han Zhan’s soft laugh sounded in his ear. ”Of course. Once I saw those dragonworms, I had a pretty good idea.”

”Prime Dragon Fallen Abyss,” Luo Chen said. ”This island was probably its cultivation ground.”

”Yes, that’s what I thought. When it went to the Land of Fallen Devils, it must have taken the stronger dragonworms with it. The ones left here are only weak descendants.”

Luo Chen’s gaze swept across the island. ”No wonder no powerful demonic beast has claimed this place. With its reputation, who would dare touch its territory?”

”Exactly,” Han Zhan said. ”But it’s trapped in the Land of Fallen Devils now. Whether it lives or dies, no one knows. And even if it eventually escapes, that will not happen anytime soon.”

Luo Chen’s eyes flickered. ”At least two or three hundred years, which means this island belongs to no one for now.”

That was more than enough time for him to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm. What mattered now was finding Prime Dragon Fallen Abyss’s true cultivation ground. A dragon strong enough to dominate Azure Tide would never have settled for an ordinary third-tier spirit vein. Taking into account Han Zhan’s earlier observations, Luo Chen was certain that a hidden fourth-tier spirit vein lay somewhere on this island.

After searching for some time, he suddenly stopped before a blue pool. The surface looked clear and calm but seemed to swallow the light and conceal whatever lay beneath. Luo Chen watched it for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly.

A natural illusion formation!

Without a moment’s pause, he slipped into the pool. The water closed around him, and the light from above dimmed as he sank deeper. He kept descending, but just before reaching the bottom, he suddenly came to a halt.

The next moment, three roars rang out. Luo Chen’s expression did not change as a spark appeared at his fingertip. The spark grew brighter and flared into a blazing sun, lighting up the darkness around him.

Although dragonworms were mild-tempered and not particularly strong in battle, they were far from easy opponents. They moved with ease through water and earth, and their presence even nourished wood. Though metal-element treasures could slice them apart, the pieces would actually stay alive and eventually merge once more. Thus, only fire could truly keep them in check.

Sure enough, the moment Solar Flare appeared, the three dragonworms hidden in the darkness stopped dead in their tracks.

”Only twenty years, and this place has already produced three more Dragonworm Kings. Impressive.”

Seeing that Luo Chen was about to use Solar Flare to kill them, Han Zhan hurriedly stopped him. ”Don’t kill them. Dragonworms aren’t only useful for tending spirit soil. They’re excellent at breaking formations as well. Killing them here would be a waste.”

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, but he still accepted Han Zhan’s advice and held back. With Solar Flare blazing before him, he stretched out both hands and sent three Azure Yang Great Handprints tearing through the darkness. This time, the palm manifestations did not strike but grabbed; they returned to Luo Chen carrying the three Dragonworm Kings firmly in their grasp.

He casually placed restrictions on them and sealed their demon cores before continuing downward with the blazing sun lighting the way. As he advanced, the concentration of spirit energy around him grew denser and denser. Third-tier low-grade... middle grade... top-grade!

Only after descending a thousand zhang into an abyss thick with damp miasma and coated in mucus did Luo Chen finally stop. The environment was nasty and stifling, but he paid it no mind. Feeling the incredibly dense natural spirit energy pressing in around him, his face filled with unconcealed joy.

”A fourth-tier spirit vein... So that’s it. All the spirit energy is hidden down in this abyss. No wonder I couldn’t sense anything from outside.” Luo Chen’s eyes brightened. ”This will be the place of my breakthrough!”

***

Three months later, on the island Luo Chen had named Dragon Abyss Island, Sang Jinghe stood respectfully before a tall woman. ”Senior Heavenjade, I’ve chosen a suitable place according to your instructions and planted the Purple Monkey Flowers there. The Divine Irises have also matured, so I’ll harvest them as soon as possible. The Dragonspit Grass is a bit more troublesome. This place is well suited for it, but dragonworms really like to eat that grass. I’ll need formations to protect it, or the dragonworms here may ruin everything.”

Heavenjade listened quietly until he finished, then nodded. ”Alright, all that can be handled. I’ll report it to Master, and he will make the arrangements. What about the Infernal Heartbound Tree? Do you have any way to nurture it?”

At that, Sang Jinghe looked slightly troubled. ”My skills are limited. The Infernal Heartbound Tree’s tier is simply too high, and I’ve never seen a spirit plant like it before. I really can’t think of a way to nurture it in the short term.”

Heavenjade frowned slightly, but she did not blame him. Even her master was at a loss with that spirit plant, let alone Sang Jinghe, who was only at the late stage of Foundation Establishment. ”It’s fine. Just study it for now. When you have time, look over the other plants growing on the island as well.”

Leaving Sang Jinghe to his own devices, Heavenjade flew toward the center of Dragon Abyss Island. She entered the blue pool and descended into the abyss, crossing a long stretch of darkness before a faint glimmer finally appeared below. Ahead of her, on the bedrock, stood a clean and tidy thatched hut. Yet what drew her gaze was not the hut, but the man crouching outside it, gently stroking a black flood dragon.

”Master, I’m back.”

”Mm.” Luo Chen did not turn his head. ”How are the tasks progressing?”

Heavenjade told him what Sang Jinghe had reported.

Luo Chen was not surprised. ”Fair enough. Leave the Dragonspit Grass in the Eightspire Pavilion for now. As for the Infernal Heartbound Tree, let Sang Jinghe study it first. Whether it can survive or not is a problem for later. For the formations... I’ll find time to speak with Senior Han; we should be able to come up with something.”

Only then did he look at Heavenjade. ”How are your injuries?”

”They’re fine. I have quite a few, but none of them are too serious. I just need time to recover.”

Heavenjade’s gaze then fell on the black flood dragon, and a trace of pity appeared in her eyes. ”Is Black King okay...”

Luo Chen’s expression darkened. ”Hmm... I’m keeping him alive with my blood essence and some pills. He has also entered hibernation using the Cliff Serpent’s ability, so his life force is being preserved as much as possible. But if this drags on...”

Heavenjade bit her lip tightly.

Luo Chen patted her shoulder. ”Don’t worry. He risked his life to protect me back then, so I won’t just stand by and watch him die. I do have a rough idea of how to save him, but there are still a few things I haven’t figured out yet. We need to wait a little longer.”

As he spoke, a faint resolve began to form in Luo Chen’s mind.