The Alchemy Saint Blessed Land, tranquil for over a decade, bustled with lively activity today.
Yet soon enough, the bustle subsided back into stillness.
Three figures detached from the crowd and flew swiftly toward the southeast.
"She has stayed in Xiaoshiping all these years, never taking a single step outside," Gu Caiyi said softly against the gentle breeze.
Luo Chen nodded upon hearing this, his expression tinged with complexity.
Xiaoshiping.
The peaks and cave dwellings in the Alchemy Saint Blessed Land originally had no names; most had been named by the cultivators of the Luotian Sect based on their past experiences after moving in.
As a result, many names carried a sense of familiarity.
And Huiniang naming her dwelling Xiaoshiping was undoubtedly in remembrance of that cave dwelling in Baili Qingchuan.
What was there worth commemorating about that place?
Was it the hundred years spent waiting in vain for him, the agonizing memory of magic power searing her body, or lingering resentment toward him?
Beside him, Canglong spoke up. "A year after you left, when I returned to the blessed land, she reached out to me through her disciple, Yao Mingyue, begging me to seal Luo Lingxi using the Ice Extremes Seal."
Luo Chen was taken aback, but he soon realized what had happened, his brow furrowing instantly.
Back then, in order to undo Canglong's seal, he had studied the Ten Directions Frost Extremes Dao, the heritage cultivation art of the Ice Fort.
He had naturally learned something of the sealing art within it—the Ice Extremes Seal.
It was a high-grade sealing technique capable of freezing a cultivator's present condition.
Its virtue was that it preserved the subject's exact state prior to sealing; its drawback was that the cultivator could not use the seal to heal their injuries, and the sealing process required an uninterrupted supply of extreme cold from outside.
And there was only one reason for Luo Chen's frown.
"Lingxi's cultivation is so low. How could he possibly withstand the Ice Extremes Seal?"
Canglong said with a trace of admiration, "I advised Fellow Daoist Sima just the same back then, but she was adamant. She stated outright that with your departure, there was no telling how long it would take. If you returned too late, or failed to find a Tier-4 Demon Heart Gu, Luo Lingxi would miss the optimal age for cultivation. Only by sealing him with the Ice Extremes Seal could leeway be preserved. As for how the weak Luo Lingxi could endure the chill of the Ice Extremes Seal..."
Here, Canglong glanced at Luo Chen and said softly, "Sima Huiniang chose to use her own blood vitality to shield Luo Lingxi from the invading cold. A mother's profound love for her child could hardly go further."
Luo Chen pressed his lips together and asked no further questions.
The three were extraordinarily swift, and guided by Gu Caiyi, they soon arrived at Xiaoshiping.
Though bearing the same name, the scenery was vastly different.
Luo Chen was in no mood to look around; with a slight wave of his hand, he unraveled the protective formation and strode inside.
The moment he stepped into the cave dwelling, their eyes met, and Luo Chen's stern expression softened involuntarily.
"Why push yourself to this point?"
Back then, under Luo Chen's treatment, Sima Huiniang had experienced a complete recovery, and even her lost lifespan had been restored with longevity medicines. After meticulous recuperation, she had not only resumed cultivating, but her appearance had also regained its radiant luster.
Yet right now, Sima Huiniang's face was haggard and withered.
Her hair, once dark and sleek, was streaked with gray.
Using her blood vitality day in and day out for ten years to protect Luo Lingxi had severely depleted her vital energy.
Looking at Luo Chen, whatever grievance Sima Huiniang harbored in her heart vanished into thin air. She murmured, "Husband, you're back."
Luo Chen sighed and stepped forward to pull her into his arms.
Behind them, Gu Caiyi watched the scene. However prone to jealousy she might usually be, not a shred of envy arose in her now.
Huiniang had pinned her hopes on their son, Luo Lingxi, but Gu Caiyi was different; she was already determined to cultivate diligently, break through to the Nascent Soul realm in the future, and stay with Luo Chen for the long haul.
If enduring love was meant to last for all time, why must it be confined to every morning and night?
For immortal cultivators, this held doubly true.
What harm was there in letting her husband share some of his tenderness right now?
Gu Caiyi turned around and nodded to Canglong. "We will have to trouble you next."
Canglong smiled faintly and walked toward another room that emanated a chilling frost.
Seeing this, Sima Huiniang snapped to attention and asked hurriedly, "Husband, could it be that you have retrieved the Demon Heart Gu?"
Luo Chen released her and nodded solemnly. "Indeed, I have brought it back. Today, I shall free our son from his shackles."
Sima Huiniang was overcome with excitement.
Canglong opened the stone door, and a blast of frigid air rushed out.
Looking at the young man frozen within the blood-tinted jade ice, her brows lifted.
"Blood penetrating profound ice... Fellow Daoist Sima truly paid a tremendous price!"
Sima Huiniang paid no mind to such things. A flicker of hope shone on her pale face. "Please, Elder Canglong, undo the seal for my son!"
Canglong nodded and slowly formed hand seals.
Her magic power circulated and seeped gradually into the blood-tinted jade ice.
Gradually, the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice began to melt, turning into trickles of water that flowed toward Canglong's fingertips.
About an incense stick's time later, Canglong twirled her slender fingers, withdrew from the room while holding a bead of blood, and said, "The rest is up to you."
"Thank you!"
Luo Chen rose calmly and entered the room.
Luo Lingxi, frozen in the prime of his youth, fluttered his eyelashes, on the verge of waking, but Luo Chen tapped a finger against his glabella.
"Sleep a little longer. When you wake, you can begin the cultivation you've always dreamed of."
As he spoke, Luo Chen retrieved that vigorously throbbing heart from his storage ring.
The Demon Heart Gu resided right inside this demonic heart!
Thud!
The heavy stone door slammed shut, blocking the view from outside.
Sima Huiniang trembled slightly, fraught with worry, while Gu Caiyi comforted her from the side.
"Don't worry. With Husband taking action, Lingxi will surely be safe and sound. Rather than fret over this, you'd better think about how to guide his cultivation once he recovers, so he won't dishonor his father's reputation in the future."
Sima Huiniang's eyes brightened.
Indeed!
Her son would be able to cultivate from now on!
She truly needed to prepare all kinds of cultivation resources for him.
Canglong gave a soft laugh. "Senior Brother Luo Chen saved my life and helped me attain the Nascent Soul stage. He is so formidable now that there is little I can offer to repay him. I might as well extend my affection to those he cares about and use this Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice—rich with so much of your blood vitality—to forge a custom protective treasure for Luo Lingxi!"
Looking at the elegant and beautiful woman before her, Sima Huiniang nodded in immense gratitude. "I thank Elder Canglong from the bottom of my heart on my son's behalf."
Canglong waved her hand, her gaze resting on the tightly shut door.
Once Luo Lingxi recovered, showered with doting care from all sides, his future cultivation would surely flourish.
The Luotian Sect could finally be said to have a successor!
……
Strictly speaking, the calamity of the Demon Heart Gu had plagued the Luo family for around a hundred and thirty years.
It had begun when Luo Chen underwent physical nirvana and his magic power corroded Sima Huiniang, and it was later passed down to their son, Luo Lingxi.
The physical and psychological anguish endured across two generations during this time was something outsiders could scarcely fathom.
One could see it in how the once shrewd and capable Sima Huiniang had gradually turned extreme in temperament, even festering with resentment.
Only today was a solution finally at hand.
Looking at his son lying before him, Luo Chen let out a faint sigh.
"May everything return to how it was."
Hesitating no further, the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire flared in his palm as he began to incinerate the heart, which continued to beat vigorously even after being separated from its host.
A scorching, acrid stench instantly filled the chamber. Vast amounts of flesh and blood burned to ash, and the terrifying energy concentrated into a single point, causing the heart to throb ever more violently.
Suddenly!
A mouth-watering, exotic fragrance abruptly wafted out. The heart in his palm transformed into a small, crystal-clear insect whose blood vessels were distinctly visible.
It was none other than the Demon Heart Gu!
A demonic Gu that Heavenly Master Li had painstakingly nurtured for centuries, whose grade was on the verge of crossing into Tier 5.
Luo Chen's expression turned grave. He slowly pressed this near-Tier-5 Demon Heart Gu toward Luo Lingxi's chest, right over his heart.
Upon contact, the tiny insect burrowed in impatiently of its own accord.
Instantly, Luo Lingxi's body began to convulse violently.
Even in his slumber, the young man let out an agonizing roar, like the shriek of a beast.
This stage was the most critical: the Tier-3 Demon Heart Gu coexisting within Luo Lingxi had to be drawn forth to devour the supreme-grade Tier-4 Demon Heart Gu refined by Luo Chen.
If he succeeded, Luo Lingxi would no longer be subject to anyone's control and could turn the powerful Gu insect to his own use.
Should he lean toward extreme methods, he could even breed sub-Gus to plant in other cultivators, seizing the fruits of their arduous cultivation.
Yet for the lesser to overcome the greater was no simple feat.
The agony within was something only Luo Lingxi could bear himself.
All Luo Chen could do was suppress the Tier-4 Demon Heart Gu with all his might, guiding Luo Lingxi's instincts to devour it.
Time ticked away, minute by minute.
It was only after a full half-month that the tightly shut stone door rumbled open.
Sima Huiniang, who had been waiting outside, rushed forward impatiently. Clasping Luo Chen's broad hands with both of hers, her eyes were filled with yearning.
"Husband, how is Lingxi?"
Luo Chen smiled and nodded.
"Everything went smoothly!"
Relief washed over Sima Huiniang so heavily that her knees nearly gave way.
Infusing a strand of magic power into her, Luo Chen said gently, "Go see him! That Demon Heart Gu is of too high a tier for him to control right now. After he devoured it, I sealed it away, but regular cultivation will no longer be an issue."
Sima Huiniang rushed inside. On the futon, the young man was opening his eyes, looking completely bewildered.
"Son, my son, you're finally well..." Sima Huiniang wept uncontrollably as she embraced him.
Looking at the gray-haired woman lined with wrinkles, Luo Lingxi murmured instinctively, "Mother."
Then he raised his head and looked at the tall figure standing in the doorway.
"Father."
Luo Chen nodded gently and answered, "Mm."
……
Night fell.
Inside the cave dwelling of Xiaoshiping, under the soft glow of luminous pearls, three figures sat gathered around a lavish dinner.
The aroma of the food, the woman's gentle murmurings, and the young man's quiet chewing stirred ripples in Luo Chen's usually placid heart.
In his past life, he had never experienced anything like this.
In this life, even when the family of three had lived in harmony like this before, a faint, lingering sorrow had always shadowed Huiniang's face.
Now, though Huiniang had lost her youthful radiance and her beauty had faded, the smile on her lips was entirely heartfelt.
The feeling was quite pleasant.
Luo Lingxi finished another bowl of spiritual-energy-rich rice—something he had never dared to eat his fill of before, but now could heartily enjoy.
Having sated his hunger, he could not help looking at Luo Chen.
"Father, did you go to the Southern Border?"
"Mm."
"Finding the Demon Heart Gu must have been very exhausting and dangerous, wasn't it?"
"It was fine."
Though Luo Chen said it was fine, reflecting on his journey to the Southern Border brought a sigh of emotion to his heart.
Even if it could not be called escaping death by a hair's breadth, it had certainly been fraught with untold hardships.
Of course, before his family, he would naturally not dwell on it.
With all her grievances toward Luo Chen dispelled, Sima Huiniang had returned to her former considerate nature. Seeing that Luo Chen was disinclined to elaborate, she hurriedly shifted the topic.
"Husband, now that Lingxi can cultivate normally, shouldn't we seek out a renowned master for him?"
Hearing this, Luo Lingxi looked at Luo Chen full of anticipation.
Who in this world could compare to his own father?
Moreover, he happened to possess dual water and fire spiritual roots, making him well-suited to inherit his father's supreme and formidable fire method lineage!
Yet facing this anticipation, Luo Chen shook his head.
"I will be very busy in the coming days and won't have the time to guide you in detail. Furthermore, you are not suited to cultivate fire-attribute cultivation arts."
Luo Lingxi felt a twinge of disappointment at those words.
Still, he did not lose heart. Being able to cultivate was already wonderful; how could he demand more?
Sima Huiniang hesitated for a moment and asked, "If a fire method won't do, then a water method it is. Logically, I could teach Lingxi, but back then my breakthrough to the Core Formation stage was not via conventional means, and some details elude me. I fear leading him astray. Husband, what do you think of Elder Canglong?"
Luo Chen set down his chopsticks and said calmly, "It has been barely a decade since Canglong advanced to the Nascent Soul realm; she still needs time to polish her cultivation. Lingxi must achieve Foundation Establishment as soon as possible, so there is no time to delay. Therefore, we must seek another famous master."
Curious, Sima Huiniang asked, "Does Husband have someone in mind?"
"Let him apprentice under Yingzhang!"
"Sect Master Li?" Sima Huiniang murmured, sounding somewhat puzzled.
Luo Chen explained patiently, "There are many within the Luotian Sect who cultivate water methods. Among those at or above the Core Formation stage, there are Canglong, Li Yingzhang, Caiyi, and others. But if we speak of who possesses the stablest cultivation and the most profound magic power, Yingzhang stands unrivaled. More importantly, his temperament is exceptionally steady, and he manages the sect with impeccable order. Although Lingxi must make a swift push for Foundation Establishment next, his foundation cannot be overlooked. Cultivating by Yingzhang's side will not only lay a solid foundation, but also temper his character and expose him to Luotian Sect affairs. He is the best choice!"
With Luo Chen's explanation, Sima Huiniang also came to feel that Li Yingzhang was indeed the optimal master for her son.
She had been too hasty, thinking only of securing the most powerful master for her son while forgetting that the most powerful was not necessarily the most suitable.
And most importantly!
Li Yingzhang was currently the sect master of the Luotian Sect!
If Luo Lingxi could learn a thing or two, it would be of immense help when it came to taking over the foundation Luo Chen had built in the future.
At worst, she could also offer guidance from the sidelines based on her own rich experience.
Amid the small talk of the family of three, dinner gradually drew to a close.
Watching the woman clear the bowls and chopsticks, Luo Chen took his leave.
"Deng Taiyue is probably growing impatient waiting; I need to go see him. As for Lingxi's apprenticeship, you can go speak with Li Yingzhang yourself. He won't refuse."
Sima Huiniang smiled. "I understand. Go ahead, Husband."
After Luo Chen left, Sima Huiniang continued tidying the table.
Only when she stood before the copper basin to wash up did she realize with a sudden jolt just how aged the face reflected in the water was.
……
Under the night sky, atop Mount Dan.
Deng Taiyue suddenly opened his eyes, strode out of the hall, and saw a figure approaching beneath the moonlight.
Exhaling a breath of turbid air, he broke into a broad smile.
"Interrupting Brother Luo's family reunion is entirely Deng's fault."
Luo Chen waved his hand. "No matter. Though our kind may not be wholly detached from worldly desires, family warmth is, in the end, only a fleeting joy. How could I delay a fellow daoist's future for personal indulgence?"
Deng Taiyue's expression turned solemn, and he ceased beating around the bush.
"All the various medicinal herbs you required are ready. Can the Empowerment Pill truly be concocted now?"
Chapter 1006