Outside Azure Pill Valley, atop Mount Xiaonan.
Luo Chen sat in the gazebo of the Ink Lotus Garden, completely engrossed in the book in his hands.
Across from him, Shi Lan rested her chin in her hands, her eyes brimming with curiosity.
At last, she could hold back no longer.
"Senior Brother Luo, I never imagined your alchemy was actually that formidable.
"Just how did you manage to master such incredible alchemy skills?"
Luo Chen smiled faintly and said nothing.
As if a dam had burst, Shi Lan babbled on without stopping. "You have no idea—during the second round, the true disciples from Mount Ailao and Hundred Blossoms Palace completely looked down on you at first.
"Yet once all three rounds were over, every single one of them was left utterly dumbfounded.
"There were even a few who made private spirit stone wagers, putting all their stakes on Danyangzi. But in the end, Danyangzi only placed fourth overall in the second round, and they lost every last coin!"
Luo Chen looked up and asked casually, "And you? Did you win or lose?"
"I won! I raked in more than twenty thousand spirit stones!" Shi Lan smiled smugly, tilting her little chin up high.
For a junior disciple who had only recently reached Foundation Establishment, that was truly a massive fortune.
Luo Chen was surprised, feeling a twinge of warmth in his heart. "I didn't expect you to support me so wholeheartedly."
"Uh..."
Seeing Shi Lan's sheepish expression, Luo Chen seemed to realize something. "You didn't bet on me to win?"
"Um... no."
"Then how did you win so many spirit stones?"
Shi Lan replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Because I was the bookmaker running the pool! If they all lost, didn't that mean I won it all?"
Luo Chen lost his composure.
The veins on his forehead twitched, and the look he gave Shi Lan turned distinctly unfriendly.
"I think it's time I had a word with your master about cutting back your monthly ration of Jade Dew Pills."
"How do you know I've been taking Jade Dew Pills since reaching Foundation Establishment?" Shi Lan froze for a moment, then blurted out, "Wait, don't tell me the Jade Dew Pills for our Jueqing lineage are refined and supplied by you as well?"
Luo Chen looked at the girl in resignation.
Of course he knew!
She had taken a Jade Dew Pill recently and probably hadn't even finished refining its medicinal potency. To an alchemist like him who personally crafted Jade Dew Pills, that familiar pill aura was as conspicuous as a candle flame in the dark of night.
Ordinary people had not cultivated the Cleansing Art to the point of innovation like he had, and naturally could not purge lingering scents and traces from their bodies at will.
Seeing that Luo Chen did not deny it, Shi Lan leaped to her feet in excitement.
"You really were the one who refined the Jade Dew Pills, Senior Brother Luo!
"Granny never told me—she insisted on keeping it a secret the whole time.
"Senior Brother, could you please give me a few extra bottles? Every month Master only gives me a tiny bit, and it's not nearly enough."
She chattered on, her tongue exceptionally nimble.
Still, this girl truly possessed a knack for turning a profit and seizing advantages. Back when she had promoted grotto-abodes and spiritual grounds, she had been just as remarkably eloquent.
Recalling how she had arranged a high-grade grotto-abode for him in advance back then, and considering that the Luotian Association might also need her assistance in the future, Luo Chen smiled and produced a bottle of Jade Dew Pills.
"I don't have many to spare, but take this bottle of medium-grade Jade Dew Pills as my congratulatory gift for your Foundation Establishment!"
Medium-grade!
Shi Lan's eyes lit up, and she snatched it over without hesitation. "Thank you, Senior Brother! Senior Brother is the best!"
"All right, that's enough. I'm not a disciple of Ice Fort, yet you keep calling me 'Senior Brother' at every turn..."
Shi Lan asked in confusion, "Haven't rumors already spread that you belong to our Ice Fort's Jueqing lineage? Besides, the accomplished lead the way—addressing you as Senior Brother is only proper!"
Luo Chen was taken aback.
Had word already gotten around?
Fairy Jueqing had certainly moved fast without making any noise, already proclaiming to the outside world that he was one of their own.
No sooner had he thought of Fairy Jueqing than she appeared.
Luo Chen cast his gaze into the distance. At the entrance of the Ink Lotus Garden, four figures gradually came into view.
Leading the way were Fairy Jueqing and Master Baisu.
Behind them followed Tao Wan, whose face remained pale, and Tao Yisheng.
With his sharp divine sense, Luo Chen noticed them early, but Shi Lan was not nearly so quick. She was still busy currying favor with Luo Chen.
"Senior Brother, in the future, can I spend spirit stones to buy Jade Dew Pills from you in private? This pill is wonderful—any other pill makes me cough when I take it!"
That was laying it on a bit thick!
"Ahem!"
"Huh? Senior Brother, why are you coughing?"
Just as Shi Lan was wondering about it, her body suddenly stiffened. She spun around and bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Master! Greetings, Martial Uncle Bai!"
Having paid her respects, she obediently scurried behind them to chat with Tao Yisheng.
Fairy Jueqing shot her a glance, then turned her eyes to Luo Chen. "Matters here are settled, and I will be leaving Azure Pill Valley shortly to return to Tianlan. Are you coming with us?"
Luo Chen put away the book in his hands. "Thank you for the kind offer, Master, but I intend to wait until Tao Wan's Dao Seed Ceremony concludes before setting out for Tianlan."
As he spoke, he looked toward Tao Wan behind Master Baisu, who was offering him a smile.
Fairy Jueqing nodded. "Very well. Once you return, you may come find me at Grotto-Abode Jia-One."
Find her for what?
To receive benefits, naturally!
She had claimed Luo Chen was one of her own in front of so many people, causing him to forgo all manner of lavish offers from other factions. If she didn't offer something substantial in return, wouldn't people brand her a stingy old woman?
Suppressing the anticipation in his heart, Luo Chen bowed respectfully in farewell.
Fairy Jueqing did not linger, heading straight out of the garden, with Shi Lan following closely behind in her footsteps. Master Baisu cast a look of mild amusement at Luo Chen, then walked out as well to see off her friend.
Now, only Tao Wan and Luo Chen remained in the garden.
Tao Yisheng had tactfully stepped outside as well.
"I haven't had the chance to congratulate you yet. From now on, you must be addressed as Dao Child Tao!"
Facing Luo Chen's teasing remark, Tao Wan shook her head. "Fellow Daoist, please don't tease me. For this victory, I truly have you to thank for your efforts."
Luo Chen chuckled. "Fellow Daoist belittles herself! With the methods you displayed in that final battle, even if your ranking had been slightly lower, you certainly would have fought your way to the finals."
"Only fought my way into the finals, nothing more," Tao Wan sighed softly. "Eldest Senior Brother was constrained in so many ways, yet I still had to exhaust every method at my disposal, even relying on the Ice Soul Marrow borrowed from Martial Uncle Jueqing, to barely clinch victory. Had I fought up from the lower ranks while Eldest Senior Brother rested and conserved his strength, I would have been no match for him at all. In this contest, your contribution was truly paramount!"
Luo Chen smiled and did not feign further modesty.
In that final duel, Danyangzi had indeed showcased a great deal. Whether merging body with sword, wielding spells through an artifact, or his trump card of the Purple Zenith Heavenly Fire—if an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator mastered just one of those, they would be considered an expert among their peers. Yet Danyangzi possessed all three. Even after having his strength drained so severely beforehand, without the advantage of her seeding rank, it truly would have been difficult for Tao Wan to prevail.
To say his contribution was paramount might be an overstatement, but the decisive advantage forged by three consecutive first-place finishes was undeniably indelible.
This achievement had also far exceeded Tao Wan's initial expectations. When she initially hired Huanghezi, she had only aimed to secure a top-five placement in the second round to ensure her seed rank would not drop too much. Now, Luo Chen had not only delivered results beyond her wildest dreams, but had also demonstrated alchemy skills that even Gold Core Masters coveted.
Because of this, the remuneration she had previously offered seemed rather inadequate. If she wished to bind Luo Chen closer to the Tao clan...
"Over the coming days, I must nurse my injuries and prepare for the Dao Seed Grand Ceremony, so I fear I won't have time to keep you company, Fellow Daoist," Tao Wan said slowly.
Luo Chen frowned slightly.
It wasn't a matter of company; right now, his heart was eager to return home. Mount Xiaonan's cultivation environment truly could not compare to the high-grade grotto-abode on Tianlan Peak!
"How long will it take?"
Knowing what he was concerned about, Tao Wan said, "Not long—less than half a month at most. Only after formally becoming the Azure Pill Dao Seed can I take charge of the corresponding resources. That batch of high-grade Soaring Dragon Pills you need can only be delivered then as well."
Less than half a month?
Luo Chen nodded. He could afford to wait that long.
"During this period, Yisheng will remain on Mount Xiaonan. If Fellow Daoist has any needs, you may seek him out at any time."
"Mm, I understand. Go attend to your business."
Tao Wan smiled faintly, offered Luo Chen an apology, and departed unhurriedly.
Only after she had left did Tao Yisheng walk in from outside the courtyard. Upon entering, he began heaping admiration and praise on Luo Chen, just as Shi Lan had done earlier. From time to time, he brought up how other people's expressions had shifted during the contest, describing it so vividly that the scenes seemed right before their eyes.
Luo Chen felt no impatience. Having someone praise and flatter him was a pleasant feeling after all.
At the end, Tao Yisheng handed over a storage bag.
"What are these?" Luo Chen asked in surprise.
Tao Yisheng replied, "These are the items matching the procurement requests you left at the Azure Pill Valley market. The sellers delivered everything. I already paid the corresponding spirit stones, so please check through them to see if the resources are correct."
Luo Chen swept his divine sense over the contents and looked pleased. Except for a few items, virtually everything he had wanted to purchase was inside.
"Some of these were meant to be negotiated in person, right? How many spirit stones was it in total? I'll reimburse you."
To his surprise, Tao Yisheng waved his hand dismissively. "Why be so polite? You helped my sister so immensely; this is just a pittance of spirit stones."
Luo Chen's expression turned stern. "That won't do! Business is business. I acted on your sister's behalf, and you paid the agreed compensation beforehand."
What was his, no one could take away. But what wasn't his, unless Luo Chen actively sought it out, he would never accept unearned favors. Otherwise, sooner or later, the debt would have to be repaid.
Seeing Luo Chen's resolve, Tao Yisheng had no choice but to name a figure. It was merely several tens of thousands of spirit stones, which Luo Chen immediately handed over.
Tao Yisheng felt somewhat disheartened; he had hoped to curry favor through this minor kindness.
Once he walked out of the Ink Lotus Garden, Tao Yisheng slapped his forehead. "Why was I so foolish! I could have just said it was a token of appreciation for his guidance over the past while! If I had put it that way, Brother Luo definitely wouldn't have refused."
When he returned in vexation to their family manor, Tao Wan, who had not yet returned to Qingyun Peak, called him over.
"Did you deliver the items?"
"I gave them to him, and he took them. But he paid me back the spirit stones."
Tao Wan's willow brows knitted slightly, yet recalling Luo Chen's style of conduct, her brow gradually relaxed. "Of course. He certainly wouldn't be swayed by trifles like that."
"Sister, what do we do then?" Tao Yisheng asked.
Tao Wan smiled. "No matter. Luo Chen's relationship with us is quite decent; keeping it maintained is enough for now. Besides, there are certain things he will never be able to refuse!"
Tao Yisheng blinked, as though realizing something. "Brilliant, Sister!"
...
Tao Wan had won the Dao Seed contest and become the new Dao Seed of Azure Pill Valley. Such a momentous event naturally could not be concluded in a slapdash manner, and the subsequent grand ceremonies would inevitably be conducted.
Yet no matter how bustling Azure Pill Valley became or how busy the Tao clan was receiving guests and seeing them off, Luo Chen remained alone in the Ink Lotus Garden, devoting his full concentration to studying the book he had been reading earlier.
*Nanshan Daojie*.
This was precisely the condition Tao Wan had offered when she initially enlisted his help. Although not a Core Formation secret technique, it was the insights on Core Formation penned by Master Nanshan, the ancestor of the Tao clan, after he achieved Core Formation.
As the seventh sect master of Azure Pill Valley and a Gold Core Master from two centuries ago, his insights on Core Formation were by no means outdated even today. Its contents, while not overly obscure or archaic, were expressed in concise language. Luo Chen read very slowly, pondering the crucial points with meticulous care. Often, just a few words yielded tremendous rewards.
For now, this was only his first pass, a preliminary read-through.
In the dead of night, Luo Chen sat on a prayer mat in the quiet cultivation chamber, a contemplative look appearing on his face.
A cultivator's Gold Core condensed their entire essence, energy, and spirit—it was truly the great medicine of the human body! Brewing this one great medicine out of a lifetime of cultivation: for this reason, it was called a "pill" or "Core"!
To an alchemist, this metaphor could not be more apt.
Yet just as alchemy had various schools and diverse techniques, cultivators forming a Gold Core likewise possessed many different methods. And in Master Nanshan's Core Formation treatise, the concept of three distinct methods was clearly laid out:
*Forming the Core via the Lower Method: Inverting Kan and Li, harmonizing water and fire, drifting gold and wood—the Great Dao can be anticipated.*
*Forming the Core via the Middle Method: Sun and moon within the furnace, creation illuminates itself, born from nothingness, dragon and tiger converge.*
*Forming the Core via the Upper Method: Celestial essence and earthly marrow, yin soul and yang spirit, the cosmic stars gathered wholly into the firmament.*
The three methods were divided into upper, middle, and lower, which implied a distinction in grade. Yet according to Master Nanshan, the three methods differed only in difficulty and would not overly affect one's cultivation after entering the Gold Core stage.
In layman's terms: the Lower Method required the simplest conditions, but when actually condensing the Gold Core, it was the most arduous. The Upper Method had the most demanding preparations, but when condensing the Gold Core, it offered the highest success rate.
Regardless of which method one used, once the Gold Core was formed, there was no difference in the quality of the core itself, and one could look forward to the Great Dao of the Nascent Soul.
Of course! That was how the text put it; whether there were hidden differences, Luo Chen did not know. This *Nanshan Daojie* clearly was not a complete text either; the portions containing actual Core Formation secret techniques had been deliberately excised.
From what he could see, he had a rough understanding of one of the three methods.
"The Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation secret technique is the Lower Method of Core Formation. It only requires two Rank Three pills to complement it, and then performing the technique allows one to attempt breaking through to the Gold Core stage.
"Yet the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation technique only boosts the success rate of Core Formation by ten percent.
"This truly aligns with Master Nanshan's description of the Lower Method: simple conditions, arduous Core Formation."
As for the other two methods, Luo Chen could not yet comprehend them. However, judging from the descriptions in *Nanshan Daojie*, they likely had a profound connection with spiritual energy and divine soul. Back then, Chu Kui had also inadvertently mentioned that the foundation of one's divine soul was particularly vital during Core Formation.
"No rush, no rush!
"I'm only at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment. I'm still very far from the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection required for Core Formation. Take it slow."
Luo Chen carefully stored the transcript of *Nanshan Daojie* in the deepest recess of his storage bag. He intended to take it out to study whenever he had free time. Perhaps as his cultivation progressed in the future, the parts he currently didn't understand would naturally click into place.
"After returning, I can try asking Fairy Jueqing for texts related to Core Formation. She certainly won't hand over secret techniques, but to Gold Core cultivators, these theoretical insights are mere common knowledge; she shouldn't be stingy.
"The stones of other hills can polish jade. If I collect a few more treatises, my future actions can proceed with clear purpose."
These thoughts flowed through his mind. Afterward, Luo Chen reined in his mind, gradually returning to an unruffled state of tranquil stillness.
The cultivation that had been delayed for so long because of the Dao Seed contest ought to be resumed.
In the quiet secret chamber, only the lone figure of the red-robed Daoist sat in silence. Only after a long while did the sound of a long exhale break the stillness. Meanwhile, the rich ambient spiritual energy nearby seemed to be pulled by an invisible hand, constantly pouring into Luo Chen's formidable physique.
His cultivation realm, which had stagnated for a month, gradually began to rise once more.
Chapter 345