An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Catching the illusory core with one hand, Luo Chen glanced at Wang Yifu, who was on his dying breath. He smiled and then looked at the Gu duo, who were standing in the distance with shock written all over their faces.

Finally, he said to Fu Qinglan, ”We’re done here. Time to leave!”

Looking at him with reverence, Fu Qinglan nodded. ”Alright.”

They activated their illusory Go stones simultaneously. Two vortexes appeared and sucked them in. In the blink of an eye, the two figures were gone.

What was left behind was a wreck of a battlefield. The bitter winds still howled, and an ocean of water and snow still crashed against the broken land.

Gu Yuan stood there in a daze. Only long after the departure of Luo Chen and Fu Qinglan did he say hoarsely, ”That was a divine technique, wasn’t it?”

What was a divine technique? It was created by an Ascendant or someone at an even higher level, by incorporating the principles of the Laws they had comprehended into a spell and thus giving it a monstrous, otherworldly power.

There was no one to answer Gu Yuan. Gu Chen, being less knowledgeable than him, was still captivated by the mystery displayed in Luo Chen’s spell. That finger manifestation not only held the power of mana but also incorporated the might of heaven and earth, and could even target the physical body.

As far as Gu Chen knew, only the Seven Great Divine Techniques of the Heaven Origin Dao Sect were described to have that kind of terrifying power. However, Luo Chen was only an early-stage Sage, and, on top of that, had previously been a rogue cultivator without a powerful background, so he was not qualified to learn them.

It can’t be... he created a divine ability himself?!

Gu Chen drew a sharp breath. The very concept that Luo Chen had done something like that was almost absurd. He then glanced at the dispirited Gu Yuan and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Among the participants of this Mirage Dragon Grand Competition, there may be many prodigies who are seen only once in decades or even centuries, but the real genius here is probably Wilderness Hermit. And here we all thought he’d just be a background character....

Such a genius won’t remain unknown forever. One day, for sure, his name will resound throughout the Mountains and Seas Realm![1]

***

Whirr! Whirr!

The sudden appearance of two vortexes caused the disturbance in the hall to quiet down. All eyes fell on the man and woman emerging from them.

Fu Chaosheng was the first to react. He rushed over and stood protectively before the blood-stained Fu Qinglan. However, most of the surrounding cultivators directed their attention to Luo Chen! All kinds of gazes landed on him—curious, surprised, approving, and even furious. Among the angry ones, some came from several powerful Sages who made no effort to conceal their immense aura.

The weight of so many intense, bloodthirsty gazes could easily rival that of a mountain, but Luo Chen acted as though it was a gentle breeze brushing by. With a smile on his face that had regained its youthful appearance, he cupped his fist and bowed slightly to Fu Chaosheng. ”Fellow Daoist Fu, mission accomplished!”

Fu Chaosheng hastily held him up. Before he could say anything in response, an insidious voice rang out, ”Wilderness Hermit Luo Chen, you have an explanation to give to the Xiang family!”

Luo Chen looked over to see an old man with a grim face. He was the head of the Xiang family, the strongest among the Thirty-Six Noble Houses. Luo Chen found his manner of speaking somewhat familiar, then realized that they had met during his seven-elder assessment. Back then, this old man had been the representative of the noble houses.

His appearance was actually not as sinister as his voice suggested. On the contrary, he had a high forehead, harmonious facial features, and a dignified and graceful bearing. It was from the fury in his eyes that everyone could feel his mood. He looked like he wanted to dissect Luo Chen right here on the spot.

Fu Chaosheng clenched his jaw and stepped up. ”Victory and defeat go hand in hand in competitions. Besides, Luo Chen was not the one who eliminated Xiang Qi. All he did was fight off the Wrathful Vajra, which was his duty. If the Wrathful Vajra was eliminated because of it, he only has himself to blame.”

No one could find fault with his statement, because it was Shi Ju who had eliminated Xiang Qi. But someone else still had something to say.

”I know it’s not our place to comment on the outcome of the match. The problem is how cruel Luo Chen acted!” said the head of the Lin family. The handsome face of the middle-aged man was twisted into a pained and mournful expression, and the reason was easy to understand. He was holding a body whose chest and abdomen had become a hollow hole... the corpse of Lin Jingtang, whom he had raised as his own child.

Fu Chaosheng wanted to say something, but the Lin family head glared at him. ”Our houses have been on friendly terms for generations!”

Fu Chaosheng was rendered speechless.

Meanwhile, Luo Chen looked around with a calm expression. Most of the True Inheritors and Dao Protectors who had been eliminated were not present, except Qi Xiongcheng, who had come out just moments before him and Fu Qinglan. He was slumped in a chair, still waiting to be transported for treatment.

He must be the one who told these people about what happened.

In the fifty years in the Mirage Dragon Pocket World, Luo Chen had made many enemies in order to protect Fu Qinglan. Especially in the final battle, where he had killed two Sages, wounded one, and forced one to flee with one single strike.

The fact that two Sages died made this competition the one with the most deaths beside the first one in the three thousand years of Mirage Dragon Grand Competitions. It was no wonder why they were so agitated. The masters of the Shi and Gu families hadn’t spoken, but like their counterparts of the Xiang, Lin, and Wang families, they were staring daggers at Luo Chen.

Luo Chen smiled. ”Are you trying to hold me accountable for doing my best to protect a True Inheritor of the Dao Sect? If so, then I’m afraid that in the next Mirage Dragon competition, the new generation of Dao Protectors won’t have the guts to do anything!”

As soon as these words dropped, everyone’s expressions also dropped.

Just then, footsteps echoed from outside, and before the newcomer even entered the door, his voice echoed sternly.

”Guest Elder Luo is right. Dao Protectors are recruited to protect our True Inheritors. Yet instead of appreciating Elder Luo’s loyalty and righteousness, you are putting pressure on him. Don’t you think this is damaging the dignity of our noble houses?”

The one who walked in was Seven Lamps. He represented the five outlander elders of the Star Gate, so everyone understood what it meant when he addressed Luo Chen as ”Guest Elder.”

The Xiang family’s master stepped out from the crowd and confronted Seven Lamps. ”The Star Gate has no business in this matter!”

Seven Lamps stroked his beard and looked past him at the two people behind. ”Do you think so as well, Fellow Daoist Shi, Fellow Daoist Gu?”

The two of them were also among the nineteen elders of Heaven-Earth Peak. Under the gaze of Seven Lamps, they seemed particularly quiet, which was understandable. Although Luo Chen had indeed offended their families, Shi Ju and Gu Daosu had not been eliminated. Therefore, attacking Luo Chen at this time would be not only unseemly but also unreasonable of them.

Luo Chen himself was looking at the newcomer in surprise. He had very much not expected Seven Lamps to defend him in the name of Heaven-Earth Peak.

Suddenly, a divine will enveloped the entire hall. Everyone instantly knew who it was.

”Greetings, Sect Master!”

”Greetings, Sect Master!”

Mo Shouzhuo’s divine will did not respond to the chorus of voices and instead fell on Fu Qinglan. After observing her for a while, it emitted a soft laugh.

”Excellently done! Fu Qinglan may go to Seated Oblivion Peak!”[2]

Once these words resounded, the divine will disappeared. Everyone in the hall looked at each other, their faces displaying a variety of expressions. Fu Chaosheng stood out—his hands trembled, and the corners of his mouth quivered, but it was not because of surprise at the sect master’s sudden appearance so much as a manifestation of extreme joy. It was hard not to lose composure when what he had dreamed of for so many years was finally achieved!

He took Fu Qinglan’s hand. ”My child, you can go to Seated Oblivion Peak!”

Seated Oblivion Peak was the true heart of the Heaven Origin Dao Sect, the place where Ascendants cultivated!

If those below the Divine Transformation Realm wished to gain entry, they must either render a great service or demonstrate the potential to become Ascendants. Even late-stage Sages could not approach Seated Oblivion Peak without permission if they didn’t meet these qualifications; either they grew old in their own families or joined Heaven-Earth Peak. In short, it was safe to say that, in the Dao Sect, Seated Oblivion Peak was more renowned and influential than Heaven-Earth Peak!

Fu Qinglan, who had been silent since coming out of the pocket world, finally gave a smile. She patted her grandfather’s hand while turning to Luo Chen. ”Senior Brother Luo, thank you!”

”Haha, no need. I was only doing my job!” Luo Chen laughed loudly and left the hall with Seven Lamps.

Many eyes followed him until he disappeared from sight, but his laughter still echoed in their ears. To their dismay, they could only let him go. Everyone here now knew that he could not be touched.

He had the backing of the Star Gate’s outlander faction. Fu Qinglan, who was about to go to Seated Oblivion Peak to cultivate and had the potential to become an Ascendant, had not hesitated for a moment to show how close she was to him. In addition, the fleeting sweep of the Dao Sect master’s divine consciousness had said all the unspoken. Some rules must not be broken. Some anger must be suppressed. As for hatred and resentment, everyone knew they’d better swallow it all back even if that meant gritting their teeth until they shattered.

What the crowd could not suppress or swallow back was the sheer envy in their eyes when they looked at Fu Chaosheng and Fu Qinglan.

How can they be so lucky?

1. The title of the chapter is our translation of the last two lines of a poem by Li Bai, courtesy name Taibai, a Tang dynasty poet acclaimed as one of the best in his era as well as Chinese poetry as a whole. The poem is titled 南陵别儿童入京 (“Parting from My Children at Nanling, Leaving for the Capital”). It describes a commoner’s idyllic life in the countryside, then goes on to say that his high aspirations are making him part with his children and home in Nanling to go to the capital and join the army. The term we translated as “weeds” actually refers to commoners or mediocre people with limited perspective; the original actually says “people of the grasses” (蓬蒿人, pénghāo rén). ☜

2. 坐忘 (zuòwàng, literally “sit and forget”) is a Daoist meditation technique. The term refers to a state where the practitioner forgets their body, thoughts, senses, and everything to harmonize with nature and become one with the Dao. ☜