An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Somewhere in a tall building, in a spot overlooking the arena, an old man and a young man were having a discussion.

”Grand-master[1], can Senior Sister Qi really defeat Dragon Fiend?”

”Why, you’re not optimistic about Emei?”

Ran Feng shook his head. ”Our people are considered top-tier experts anywhere. How could I doubt her strength?”

Even though his sect had been reduced to a pack of stray dogs, his words still carried a stubborn pride. And indeed, the Five Elements Divine Sect at its peak had lived up to this pride. It used to have five peaks called the Five Elements Peaks, each commanded by a Sage, and the whole sect had been overseen by Supreme Elder Divine Origin. As a late-stage Sage, he had held their domain under control by sheer presence alone. Overall, their power back in the day had not been at all inferior to the renowned East Sun Sect.

Due to this splendid performance, the Five Elements Divine Sect had caught the eye of the Nether Origin Sect, to the point where the Eastern Wilderness’s Holy Land even promised to let Divine Origin cultivate at their headquarters. That promise... remained unfulfilled to this day.

This was because something unexpected had transpired—while working for the Nether Origin Sect, Divine Origin sustained severe injuries that rendered him unable to fight later when the demon army pressed in. The Five Elements Divine Sect, even under the command of the five peaks’ Sages, had thus suffered consecutive defeats. By the time they retreated to the Windflower Domain, two of the five Sages were dead, and even the supposedly most resilient among them, Sage Coldwood, had been brutally destroyed physically; only his Nascent Soul survived. From that point on, the Five Elements Divine Sect began its decline.

As they say, however, a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse. Even though the sect was in this dismal state, its disciples were still a force to be reckoned with. Furthermore, while they still preserved some of the pride befitting upper sect disciples, they had become much more realistic after all the ups and downs they had experienced. At the very least, they were no longer as arrogant as before.

Ran Feng said in a low voice, ”Dragon Fiend is no ordinary cultivator. He is a leading figure among the Luo Tian Sect’s younger generation, so he’s had access to its full support and resources. He has reached the Furnace Realm, and his fortified qi can melt metal and crack stone. In this duel, the limited fighting space makes it even easier for him to make use of this advantage. Senior Sister Qi will likely be restrained at every turn.”

The Furnace Realm was the third tier of Physique Refinement. Rumor had it that once a Physique Refiner comprehended all the qi and transformations in the four stages of this realm, and thereby condensed fortified qi, they would have the confidence to take on ten thousand foes! When an Adept went against such a Physique Refiner, direct confrontation was absolutely ill-advised. The only way was to maintain distance and use their advantage—their divine consciousness—to attack the enemy.

Sage Divine Fire pursed his lips in a slightly serious expression, though the words leaving his mouth were ever reassuring. ”I have my reasons to send Emei. She has learned the Dragonbind Red Threads.”

Ran Feng was taken aback. ”Dragonbind Red Threads? The art specifically created to target Physique Refiners?”

Divine Fire smiled faintly. ”That’s the one. As you know, our sect used to follow the example of the ancient times and cultivate five-element warriors. Since the training process was extremely resource-intensive, this restraining art was developed in case those warriors turned traitors, so there’s no doubt about its effect. Besides...”

He paused briefly, and his gaze fell on the tall man standing opposite Qi Emei.

”Her opponent has shown unyielding courage in battle, but in truth... his resolve is incredibly fragile. As long as he still clings to old feelings and hesitates in the slightest, his defeat will be set in stone!”

Ran Feng gave a soft gasp. He could tell the last part was likely the main reason Qi Emei had been chosen for this particular duel.

***

Under the watchful eyes of all and sundry, the battle commenced.

Body cultivators like Dragon Fiend tended to go all out right from the start, as they needed to close the distance, yet unexpectedly, the first to attack was the early-stage Adept Qi Emei. Red threads coiled around her, while a flying sword shot out from her sleeve.

With his broadsword, Dragon Fiend deftly parried the seemingly unpredictable attacks of the flying sword. Whenever there was one he couldn’t block, he flapped his wings and shifted himself away.

Clings and clangs resounded continuously on the platform. Their exchanges created quite a spectacle, yet it still wasn’t enough for the audience.

”Oi, are you going for the kill or what?!”

”Are you fighting or are you flirting?!”

”Show us what you’re capable of, stop wasting time!”

Despite these... cheers, Dragon Fiend continued to focus on dodging.

Qi Emei, on the other hand, was getting impatient. She controlled her flying sword with one hand while casting a seal with the other. Her flying sword suddenly erupted with flames as it flew toward Dragon Fiend. He narrowly avoided the attack, but half of his thick, black hair ended up incinerated.

The cultivators of the Five Elements Divine Sect were known as masters of spells, and there was not a grain of falsehood in that. Their elemental spells were not only incredibly powerful but also often skillfully integrated into combat in a variety of ways. Using weapons to channel magic, in particular, was their forte!

The flying sword, sometimes billowing with raging fire, sometimes raining down wisps of flame, put Dragon Fiend in a sorry state. As he just blocked another attack from it, an anxious warning rang out from outside the arena.

”Watch out!”

That voice was clearly sharp yet at the same time gentle. Dragon Fiend knew whose it was, but he had no time to pay attention—in his eyes, a powerful palm manifestation was rapidly pressing downward from straight above his head.

Great Handprint of Primordial Qi!

This most iconic spell of the Five Elements Divine Sect could be practiced by disciples of all peaks and cultivators of all roots. Due to this universal usability, it had spread beyond the sect to many parts of the Eastern Wilderness’s cultivation world. However, what had leaked to the world was an abridged version that lacked the true essence of the spell. What the Five Elements Divine Sect disciples practiced was, of course, the original version. The five elements formed a cycle of generating and restraining relationships. The Great Handprint of Primordial Qi made use of the former to amplify its own power and made use of the latter to dominate the opponent.

Wood generates fire, and from Qi Emei’s hand manifestation, a vibrant life force could be vaguely sensed, despite the spell being fire-element.

Unfortunately for her, Dragon Fiend had seen this move far too many times during their years fighting alongside each other, and he knew the counter all too well. Instead of retreating, he advanced, thrusting his sword upward. From the weapon, a domineering energy poured forth like a surging tide, striking right at the center of the palm manifestation.

The five elements generated each other in a sequence, and the point that produced the most power was also the weakest point. Dragon Fiend had figured that the weak point of this art was exposed when mana circled within the palm.

BOOOMM!

With a loud explosion, Dragon Fiend broke free of the hand manifestation’s lock and flicked his finger, shooting out a burst of crimson energy. It was the Divine Blood Tribulation Finger!

This finger attack was perfectly timed and exquisitely executed. It struck during the vacuum period after Qi Emei cast her spell, so her flying sword was unable to attack him. As long as his fortified qi hit a vital organ...

Puufff!

A deep hole pierced... the platform that was supposed to be able to withstand the full power of a late-stage Adept! Yet the woman did not share the same fate; judging by the line between Dragon Fiend’s finger and the hole in the platform, the attack had barely grazed her head.

Dragon Fiend had missed!

The audience flew into an uproar, mourning the lost opportunity to watch Qi Emei’s head explode like a melon. As for the person in question, she just stood there in a daze. On her cheek, blood slowly seeped out from a small cut. Under an urge she couldn’t resist, she touched her face, and the blood on it dampened her fingers.

”I always knew that your combat skills are among the best of the best, just like your master’s. It’s too bad, though... You are too soft-hearted!”

Her murmur grew louder as she spread her fingers. At some point, the red threads on their tips had woven a big net and surrounded Dragon Fiend the moment he broke through the Great Handprint of Primordial Qi. Her fingers then suddenly clenched, and the red threads whistled through the air as they closed up around Dragon Fiend.

In that instant, regret was clearly visible on his face.

He had discovered the flaw in his opponent’s technique and grasped the opportunity for victory, but she seemed to have anticipated his leniency, given how cleverly she had planted a hidden attack while he wasn’t paying attention.

As the countless threads enveloped him from all directions like a fishing net, his wings were forced to fold, and his thick armor creaked under the pressure. As the threads tightened, the armor began to crack inch by inch. Yet these seemingly delicate threads proved that they could do even better—Dragon Fiend discovered that his fierce fortified qi was completely overwhelmed!

”Yilong, admit defeat!”

Qi Emei’s determined voice rang in his ears.

Dragon Fiend ignored her. He forcefully spread his wings, trying to break free from the red net, all the while sweeping his gaze across the crowd below. The spectators remained fanatical, bordering on obsessive. It looked as though they wanted nothing more than to see him get strangled to death. Far behind Qi Emei, Sima Wenjie’s disgusting face wore a big smile as he happily chatted with the cultivator next to him.

Elsewhere, a certain group of people was looking at him quietly while staying out of the frenzy. Their leader was a tall and burly man, and his expression was utterly indifferent, as if Dragon Fiend’s predicament couldn’t stir his emotions in the slightest. On the contrary, the woman in colorful clothes standing next to him was scrunching her brow. Behind them, Dragon Fiend saw his fellow disciples, whom he spent every day with. Intimidated by the indifferent man’s imposing presence, they dared not cheer him on despite their deep concern. Only the woman who had warned him earlier moved her lips, saying something he couldn’t hear over the screams of the crowd.

I bet Master is very disappointed in me right now... Dragon Fiend thought to himself.

”KILL HIM! KILL HIM!”

”Hurry up and lose already! I bet all I got on Prime Scholar’s group. As long as the girl wins this duel, I’ll be one step closer to my fortune!”

”We’re close anyway. Li Yingzhang had that unexpected victory in the first duel, but it was a bitter one, and it didn’t help them in any way. Fu Jiusheng, Chu Kui, and Yang Pingdu all lost. If they lose this one, that will be four losses in a row, and Sect Master Yao’s party will have no chance left to turn the tables!”

”KILL! KILL! KILL!!”

The rolling waves of surrounding noises jolted Dragon Fiend out of this trance. He sighed softly. He understood why his master looked so cold.

When he entrusted me with this crucial duel, Master placed the future of the Luo Tian Sect on my shoulders. And we both knew I could win, we both knew that I have the capability to win! I would let everyone down if I allowed my sect to fall apart because of my personal feelings. I don’t want to let them down, so I can only... I’m sorry, Emei...

Contrary to the stereotype that Physique Refiners only focused on body training and neglected mental discipline, Wang Yuan’s generation emphasized training their mind from the very first stage of Physique Refinement. Due to this, and especially with the help of the Fine Dust Primordial Art that Luo Chen had left for them, the Luo Tian Sect’s Physique Refiners had very few mental weaknesses, and they also adjusted and recovered very fast when their spirit was put to the test.

A myriad of thoughts flashed through Dragon Fiend’s mind for a fragment of a second before he made his decision. With a low shout, his wings unfolded and retracted, then suddenly spread out with explosive momentum!

Qi Emei was caught off guard. Seeing him channel all of his mana into his wings, she immediately realized what was happening, and her face revealed pure disbelief.

Weren’t those wings a gift from his most respected senior? How can he just go and detonate them like that?!

BOOOOOOMM!

Indeed, with a loud noise, the wings exploded, blasting out a massive shockwave that cleared a small space from the red threads enveloping Dragon Fiend. Being right at the eye of it, he bore the brunt of the impact. But even though he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his tougher-than-steel body endured the blast.

He saw the scattered red threads about to tighten again. Once they touched him, they would once again use their softness to conquer hardness and suppress his fortified qi significantly. Naturally, Dragon Fiend would not allow that. He swung his right arm inward and struck the center of his chest with his thumb. Instantly, all the vital energy in his five internal organs flowed and converged in his heart. There, the five energies united, giving rise to the Giant Spirit Transformation!

Dragon Fiend’s body began to swell at a speed visible to the naked eye. The next second, a muscular, two-zhang-tall titan appeared on the platform. He yanked at the red threads on him, tearing them off along with his tattered armor. Then, he abruptly launched himself at Qi Emei, swinging his broadsword in mid-air.

Qi Emei could only retreat. As she did that, she raised her qi barrier and recalled her flying sword.

BOOM!

”EMEI, THIS IS THE END OF US!”

In her ears echoed a resolute shout mixed with the sound of fortified qi tearing through her defensive barrier. Before her eyes, his hair danced wildly, and his eyes were wide with rage. He looked so brave and powerful... Just like you were all those years ago when we used to fight together...

With the sword having done its job, he flipped in mid-air and slammed his elbow down. Qi Emei evaded it with great effort. Meanwhile, Dragon Fiend rolled sideways to reduce the impact of the fall, all the while shooting thin, blood-red rays of fortified qi from his fingers. Even when she managed to dodge them, some circled back and struck again.

The storm of attacks stunned everyone. Only Qi Emei, weary from running for her life, had a complicated look in her eyes.

So this is what all his enemies had to face...

The platform, though objectively large, felt cramped and offered little room for maneuver for an Adept. After several rapid rounds of attack and defense, the platform cracked! The giant grabbed the struggling woman’s right wrist and descended from the sky, while his other hand closed around her fragile neck. Cut off from her control, the enchanted-treasure flying sword fell from the air, stabbing itself in-between two floor tiles.

With that, the dust settled.

”Huff, huff, huff...” Dragon Fiend’s face was contorted and ferocious as he panted heavily, while his gaze was fixed on the woman before him. ”You forced my hand.”

”Just kill me!”

The massive hand tightened its grip. Dragon Fiend was one thought away from crushing her neck, but instead, he abruptly threw her off the platform.

His action immediately drew a chorus of sneers and contempt from the crowd. Ignoring them, Dragon Fiend shrank to his normal size and slowly descended from the platform with his head hanging down as if in shame.

One of his fellow disciples rushed over to him and asked worriedly, ”Senior Brother, are you hurt?”

Dragon Fiend glanced at her and merely shook his head. He then walked straight to the tall man that led the group and said, ”Master, I—”

Wang Yuan gently patted his shoulder and walked past him without saying a word. The members of the Luo Tian Sect followed behind, and wherever they went, the crowd parted to make way. Even with things as they stood for the Luo Tian Sect, Wang Yuan commanded tremendous respect. Who in Skypiercing Pass hadn’t heard of Battle Devil? Even Sages had to treat him with courtesy.

Still bowing in shame, like a child who had done something wrong, Dragon Fiend followed among his fellow disciples. He only looked up when Gu Caiyi spoke to him.

”Don’t be ashamed. You’ve already done enough by winning this duel.”

”But... Aunt Gu, I didn’t kill her...”

”Didn’t really think you would. Your century-long relationship made you soft-hearted, and that’s understandable. But only this once, do you hear me? Next time you two face each other in battle, it will be a fight to the death, and I expect you to treat it as such.”

As she said that, Gu Caiyi looked over at a group of cultivators emerging from the crowd somewhere nearby, and her gaze turned as frosty as a glacier.

Sima Wenjie happened to be looking at them as well. He declared, ”Consider yourself lucky this time. The next round won’t be so simple for Min Longyu. I know better than anyone how weak that old fogey is!”

Gu Caiyi’s brows stood up. ”You better think about how you should face your sister first, you filthy bastard!”

Sima Wenjie’s face darkened at the mention of his sister. Before he could say anything, the female cultivator beside him stepped forward. ”Don’t worry, you won’t live to see that!”

She had sharp brows, bright eyes, and an intimidating air about her. She was Hong Ling, from the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect!

1. This is not the same as the grandmaster in ”grandmaster alchemist” and other such. It refers to the master of one’s master. ☜