When it came to the stage of Fire Fusion, Luo Chen encountered virtually no obstacles in gaining entry.
On his third attempt at fusing fire, he achieved it as naturally as water flowing into a canal.
What was Fire Fusion?
Whether ordinary mortal flames or subterranean earth fire, all possessed an upper limit to their fiery power. Yet a cultivator's refined spiritual qi brimmed with limitless possibilities.
Fusing fire with qi, birthing infinity from the finite!
Such was the profound secret of the Fire Fusion Secret Technique.
While it sounded esoteric, the actual execution was not complex. Luo Chen needed only to coat his pure spiritual qi and gently guide it into a wisp of flame. During the calcination, the pure spiritual qi would seep out gradually, merging into the fire. Bolstered by spiritual qi, the heat could grow fiercer, and the blaze would burn ever more intensely.
Not only that, but because his own spiritual qi was infused throughout the process, flames that previously could be manipulated only through spell formations became far more nimble and responsive to his control.
After achieving initial entry, Luo Chen experimented repeatedly for three days, grinding the Fire Fusion Secret Technique from entry all the way to the proficient tier in one go.
Only then did he stop, ready to apply his newfound insights to refining the Blood Fiend Pill.
***
*This will be my third attempt at refining the Blood Fiend Pill since stepping into the Fire Fusion realm.*
*Though the first two attempts failed, the progress was plain to see. I'm practically one step away from forming the pills.*
*Perhaps success lies in this very attempt!*
With these thoughts streaming through his mind, he cast the primary ingredients into the Ice Emperor Cauldron one after another.
Next, Luo Chen shifted his attention to the tier-two earth fire.
Strands of refined spiritual power spilled from his fingertips. Twirling through the air, they formed a protective film akin to a pill's outer membrane, enveloping the purest drops of spiritual liquid. Once introduced into the earth fire, this encased spiritual energy was slowly roasted, allowing wisps of spiritual qi to seep forth.
This was pure wood-attribute spiritual power tempered by the *Ageless Evergreen Scripture*. In the cycle of the five elements, wood gave birth to fire.
Empowered by this spiritual qi, the tier-two earth fire—which had previously barely matched the true fire of an early Foundation Establishment cultivator—swelled abruptly in fury. Gradually, its ferocity even surpassed the Foundation Establishment True Fire Luo Chen produced when shattering his spiritual liquid!
One had to remember that Luo Chen was currently in the mid Foundation Establishment stage, his spiritual power exceptionally refined. The Foundation Establishment True Fire generated by shattering his spiritual liquid was exceedingly potent. Yet ordinary tier-two earth fire, under the enhancement of the Fire Fusion Secret Technique, managed to outstrip it in a single bound.
Its exquisite subtlety was evident from this alone.
With a shift of his mind, Luo Chen diverted a portion of the roaring blaze, directing it to burn separately against a single corner of the Ice Emperor Cauldron.
This exact position corresponded to the placement of the cultivator essence blood—one of the primary ingredients.
*This critical detail wasn't recorded in the pill recipe; I discovered it myself only after multiple failures.*
*A person's essence blood contains not merely qi and blood, but also remnants of their will and divine soul. Its mixture of impurities and purity is far beyond what an ordinary person can fathom.*
*Legend has it that tempering a powerful magic treasure requires not only spiritual consciousness restrictions and spiritual qi nourishment, but even dripping blood to claim ownership.*
*From this alone, one can see how intricate essence blood truly is!*
*My earlier method was too much like throwing everything into one big stew.*
*Evidently, when dealing with cultivator essence blood, aside from the preparatory steps at the start, it demands its own independent control of the flame during refinement.*
Having thought this through, all the perplexities Luo Chen had previously wrestled with instantly cleared away!
That was precisely why his last two attempts had edged closer and closer to success. Had he relied on his old alchemy skills, he never would have been able to treat ingredients separately within the same cauldron. The fire was simply not up to the task.
Yet this time, having proficiently grasped the Fire Fusion Secret Technique, everything had changed.
Far more effortless control, far more formidable flame.
Everything was progressing in the right direction.
Roughly six hours later, Luo Chen withdrew the fire-guiding formation. He waited quietly for the span of an incense stick before casting the Traction Art.
From inside the Ice Emperor Cauldron, seven or eight bright crimson pills came spinning out.
A pungent, scorched odor hit his nostrils.
Luo Chen's eyes lit up, and he caught the pills in his palm.
"This color!"
"This pill scent!"
"It shares virtually the same lineage as the Blood Burning Pill, but its medicinal potency is more than a hundred times stronger!"
The tier-one Blood Burning Pill had been derived from the tier-two Blood Fiend Pill. Though their efficacy differed, their overall framework stemmed from the same origin.
"So this is the Blood Fiend Pill?"
As he muttered to himself, a smile bloomed across the corners of Luo Chen's mouth, growing wider and wider until it finally erupted into uncontainable, boisterous laughter.
"Hahaha, it worked!"
"I've finally done it!"
***
Inside the cave abode, Bai Meiling—who had spent several months without fully digesting the Profound Yin Emperor Flowing Liquid—had been stumbling around all day in a dazed stupor, looking as though she were thoroughly drunk.
Hearing that wild, unrestrained laughter echoing from the alchemy chamber, a look of bewilderment crossed her face.
She could not understand why Luo Chen was losing his composure like this today.
Had his alchemy succeeded?
He succeeded at alchemy all the time, yet she had never seen him act so beside himself. His laughter was thick with pride, swelling with vindication and confidence, sounding like someone who had parted the clouds to behold the clear moon.
It truly was laughter of pure, intoxicating joy!
Little did she know what this success meant to Luo Chen.
It was not merely mastering a tier-two pill recipe.
Nor was it merely fulfilling a promise made to Wang Yuan years ago.
It did not even have much to do with reaching the Fire Fusion realm.
Most importantly, this success meant that Luo Chen could finally discard his reliance on the system. Drawing purely upon his own accumulated foundation, experience, knowledge, resources, and cultivation realm, he had crafted a tier-two pill appropriate for his cultivation entirely on his own!
In the grand scope of alchemy, it was not creating something out of nothing.
Yet for Luo Chen himself, it truly was creating something from nothing!
From this day forward, he could declare with absolute confidence that he was a genuine tier-two alchemist—not an imposter who relied entirely on the system.
The hearty laughter lasted for a long time. When Luo Chen finally stepped out of the alchemy chamber, Bai Meiling wobbled over to him.
"Master, what made you so happy?"
"Nothing much, just refined a new kind of pill." Luo Chen looked down at his soot-stained hands and instructed, "Prepare hot water for me. I wish to bathe and change into fresh robes. Next, there is important business to attend to!"
***
Having successfully concocted the Blood Fiend Pill, he had officially achieved entry.
Though he had not relied on the system's aid, it was just like practicing a spell to the entry level: subsequent refinements would still enjoy the benefits of the system's proficiency panel. That meant Luo Chen had no need to worry about future batches.
Right now, there were other matters that demanded his attention!
*Counting the days, Huiniang should be ready on her end.*
*In that case, I might as well send out the invitations ahead of time!*
After bathing and feeling completely refreshed, Luo Chen sat before a desk enveloped in curls of sandalwood incense, personally brushing each invitation by hand.
*Foundation Establishment achieved; the Great Dao lies ahead.*
*Mountain-Sea Calendar, Year 3422, Wu Month, the Si Hour, Auspicious for Celebration.*
*Cordially inviting Fellow Daoist Tantai Jin, true disciple of Ice Fort, to attend the Foundation Establishment Grand Ceremony of Sima Huiniang, Director-General of the Luotian Association.*
*Your presence would be our greatest honor.*
*Ceremony Location: Huixin Hall, Danxia Peak.*
*Respectfully invited by Luo Chen.*
It was a simple invitation without rigid, ornate phrasing. Penned at Luo Chen's ease, it carried a natural air of uninhibited grace.
Once finished, he set it aside, dipped his brush, and continued writing.
The following day, representatives from the Luotian Association arrived.
Luo Chen handed a stack of invitations to Sima Xian, master of the Battle Hall.
"These are the invitations to your younger sister's Foundation Establishment Grand Ceremony. Ensure they are delivered safely to each faction without delay. It is best if you can obtain their replies to confirm whether they will attend."
Sima Xian nodded repeatedly, his face flushed with excitement.
The day of the celebration would undoubtedly be the most glorious day of his little sister's life. He wanted no complications whatsoever.
After instructing Sima Xian, Luo Chen turned his gaze toward Murong Qinglian and Gu Caiyi.
"The ceremony's decor, the spiritual wine and tea, the fruits and delicacies—all of it will be your responsibility. Spare no expense. Make it as lavish and grand as possible!"
The two women exchanged a glance and immediately accepted the task.
Finally, Luo Chen looked at Qin Liangchen, master of the outer sect's Xiaguang Hall.
"Before the ceremony, I expect to see Danxia Peak clean, tidy, and impeccably ordered. Furthermore, have all outer disciples change into the Luotian Association robes we had custom-made earlier. Lastly, have the outer cultivators spread the news of Huiniang's Foundation Establishment Grand Ceremony through their networks as widely as possible!"
These were all straightforward tasks. Qin Liangchen had no objections and readily agreed.
Once all the arrangements had been laid out, Luo Chen looked at the four before him and offered a faint smile.
"Now that Huiniang has established her foundation, the time for the rest of you to attempt Foundation Establishment should be placed on the agenda as well."
The four looked at one another.
Foundation Establishment—who wouldn't want it?
Yet achieving it was far easier said than done. Setting aside the perils of the breakthrough itself, the spiritual medicines required for Foundation Establishment were notoriously difficult to gather.
"Especially you, Caiyi!"
Luo Chen's words suddenly pivoted toward Gu Caiyi.
"Ah!" Gu Caiyi blurted in surprise. "I haven't even reached Qi Refining perfection yet; isn't it a bit early to rush?"
Luo Chen chuckled. "That's precisely why you need to pick up the pace!"
Being singled out before everyone made even the business-savvy Gu Caiyi blush with embarrassment. She could only curtsy gracefully and say, "Caiyi will not let the President down."
Luo Chen shook his head with a smile. "You may go now. I will see you at the ceremony in a month!"
The four did not linger. Bidding Luo Chen farewell, they departed Tianlan Peak.
Before long, they were walking together along the streets of the immortal city.
Gu Caiyi, ever adept at conversation, broke the silence. "The President went out of his way to encourage us at the end. Could the rumors be true?"
Qin Liangchen raised an eyebrow. "Are you referring to the rumor that he acquired a large batch of Foundation Establishment Pills?"
Gu Caiyi nodded vigorously. "Yes! People outside speak of it as though they saw it with their own eyes, saying our Luotian Association seized quite a few Foundation Establishment spiritual medicines from the Geng family, the Divine Craft Sect, and the Danyuan Sect."
Qin Liangchen instinctively glanced toward Sima Xian.
In that war, Sima Xian had charged at the forefront, deeply involved in every engagement.
To this, Sima Xian merely shook his head. "How would I know? Tianying Peak and Yuzhen Abbey were small, impoverished factions; I certainly didn't find any Foundation Establishment spiritual medicines there. Besides..."
He paused, a bitter look creeping onto his face.
"Like Brother Qin, I passed the threshold of sixty long ago. Establishing a foundation is already difficult, and even if I succeeded, the Great Dao of the Golden Core would remain beyond hope."
Qin Liangchen shared the sentiment deeply. "Indeed! Even if the President truly possesses Foundation Establishment spiritual medicines, giving them to me would be a waste. What is more, I have a hidden injury; this arm of mine would be a tremendous hazard during Foundation Establishment. Rather than waste it, it would be better to give the Foundation Establishment spiritual medicines to the young people who need them most."
His gaze fell upon Murong Qinglian and Gu Caiyi, who were walking side by side.
Facing that expectant look, Murong Qinglian appeared somewhat crestfallen.
"I have already failed Foundation Establishment once; how could I dare indulge in the extravagant hope of making a second attempt? Giving me another portion of Foundation Establishment spiritual medicine would be unfair to everyone else. Rather, Caiyi, it is you..."
Confronted by three pairs of eyes staring straight at her, Gu Caiyi was caught between tears and laughter. "The three of you at Qi Refining Great Perfection are passing it back and forth—why are you staring at me, someone only at the ninth level of Qi Refining?"
Sima Xian disagreed. "If you establish your foundation, it will be of immense help to the President! The Luotian Association has no shortage of fighters; having one more of me changes nothing. But if you reach Foundation Establishment, you can personally negotiate with Foundation Establishment True Cultivators in business, and many matters will become far smoother."
Qin Liangchen nodded as well. "Furthermore, you are young and your foundation is the sturdiest. Whether establishing a foundation or forming a core, you have great prospects."
"You're getting more and more ridiculous!" Gu Caiyi said helplessly, seeing that they were already talking about core formation.
Yet Murong Qinglian offered another perspective.
"With the President's talent and perseverance, his future stride will never halt. Bound by our aptitude and age, the rest of us will gradually fall behind. But you are different, Caiyi. You met Luo Chen in the prime of your life. The stronger he becomes and the more prosperous the Luotian Association grows, the more cultivation resources you will receive. In time, when we have all passed away, perhaps you will be the only one left to accompany him on this long journey of cultivation. Therefore, you must not belittle yourself!"
Gu Caiyi blinked, momentarily rendered speechless.
She wanted to encourage them, but looking at Qin Liangchen's greying temples, Sima Xian's faded vigor, and Murong Qinglian's crestfallen look, the practiced platitudes died in her throat.
And yet, she was supposed to be so skilled at polite pleasantries.
Emotions churned within her heart. It was as though she could already see the distant future, countless years from now, when the friends around her had either fallen in battle or died of old age, leaving Luo Chen alone, treading the long, solitary path toward the Great Dao.
A sudden ache tightened in her chest.
In silence, the four separated at the crossroads, each setting off to carry out the duties Luo Chen had assigned.
Yet in each of their hearts lingered a touch of melancholy.
Was the indifference voiced by Qin Liangchen and the other two truly so sincere?
Would the married couple not wish to establish a foundation, vastly extend their lifespans, and continue watching over their son in the future?
Would Sima Xian not wish to establish a foundation and become his sister's strongest pillar of support within the Luotian Association?
***
Meanwhile, within Cave Abode Yi-17...
Two invitations remained on the table before Luo Chen.
One was for Chu Kui, and the other was for Tantai Jin.
These two invitations he intended to deliver in person.
Before that, however, there was one more task to finish.
*Cracking the restrictions on a storage bag always requires utmost caution, lest a single misstep destroy such a spatial artifact.*
*Fortunately, my realm is comparable, and my soul foundation is slightly superior.*
*In just two or three days, once I unravel Fei Changqiu's storage bag, I will have far more room to maneuver at the Foundation Establishment Grand Ceremony.*
Luo Chen looked at the storage bag embroidered with golden patterns before him, his heart filled with anticipation.
As the leader of a mid-sized faction boasting two Foundation Establishment cultivators and over a hundred disciples, Fei Changqiu's wealth was unlikely to disappoint.
What Luo Chen looked forward to most was undoubtedly the Foundation Establishment Pill mentioned by Luo Feng, the great cultivator of the Luosha Workshop.
In addition, there was that sum of spirit stones Ling Yuzhi had brought up!
None of these items had been found in the Divine Craft Sect's treasury.
The only place they could possibly be was inside Fei Changqiu's personal storage bag.
"I hope it doesn't let me down!"
Chapter 308