Inside the quiet, spring-warm cabin of the flying boat.
One by one, Luo Chen took the pre-processed materials from Helian Yun's hands.
Every type of ingredient had essentially been prepared with enough portions for over ten attempts.
Moreover, most were of exceptionally high quality!
It was clear that in their quest to refine the Nether Origin Pill, Helian Yun and the others had indeed spared no expense and cut no corners.
Even so, Luo Chen still managed to find numerous faults.
"Why weren't the Scarlet Crystal Dates peeled beforehand?"
"Uh, wouldn't peeling them cause their medicinal efficacy to dissipate?"
"Who told you that? The medicinal nature of this herb is exceedingly violent. If it isn't peeled in advance to let part of its potency disperse, it can't be used for alchemy at all."
"Ah, what should we do then?"
"Don't panic. Give me a little time to treat them, and their medicinal potency will volatilize to a suitable level in three to five days."
"Hm? This Cold Star Grass..."
"What's wrong now?"
"Sigh, is this the best the alchemists of your Lianyun Merchant Alliance can do? They can't even process Cold Star Grass properly. Forget it, just leave everything here. I'll reprocess them all myself, one by one."
Helian Yun handed over the storage bag packed with medicinal herbs to Luo Chen and left the room looking utterly depressed.
Stepping out onto the deck, he caught Fu Jiusheng looking over at him.
"What happened?"
Helian Yun grumbled, "Luo Chen wasn't satisfied with the herbs I gathered. He claimed several of them hadn't been processed correctly. But I clearly paid people to treat them according to the most standard methods on the market. I suspect he's nitpicking on purpose."
"Oh, is that so?" Fu Jiusheng replied casually.
Seeing how accustomed to this Fu Jiusheng seemed, Helian Yun was somewhat puzzled.
"You don't think he's doing it deliberately?"
Fu Jiusheng smiled and explained, "You can't blame yourself for this, but Luo Chen might truly not be nitpicking on purpose. I know plenty of formidable sect alchemists. Even when refining the exact same pill with the exact same ingredients, they all have different standards for how the herbs are prepared."
Hearing this explanation, Helian Yun grew even more baffled.
"For the same pill and the same ratio of herbs, shouldn't there be a uniform proportion and standard?"
"No, no, no..."
Fu Jiusheng shook his head. "It depends on an alchemist's skill. If their alchemy arts are formidable enough, they can use their techniques to weaken medicinal properties that are overly intense. If the properties are too weak, they can compensate through other methods. When it comes to the actual concoction process, it also depends on their mastery of specific alchemical arts. If an alchemist is weak in a certain technique, they will discard an ingredient from the recipe that demands high proficiency in it and substitute another herb that is easier to handle with their preferred techniques..."
Seeing Fu Jiusheng's explanation grow increasingly convoluted, Helian Yun felt his head spin.
He hastily waved his hand. "Hold on, hold on. You're saying this all comes down to an alchemist's own skill level and personal habits, right?"
Fu Jiusheng chuckled and nodded slightly.
Helian Yun exhaled a breath of stale air. "Fine, then. Let's assume Luo Chen isn't looking for trouble on purpose."
Beneath his genial, ruddy countenance, however, Fu Jiusheng harbored a trace of doubt.
*Luo Chen shouldn't have personally tested refining the Nether Origin Pill before, given the lack of primary ingredients.*
*So how could he understand so precisely the corresponding standard needed for every single herb?*
Unaware of his doubts, Helian Yun looked at the scenery sweeping past like flying clouds outside the vessel, his expression turning solemn.
"Fellow Daoist Fu, now that we've come this far, shouldn't you tell us our true destination?"
...
Inside the cabin.
Luo Chen gave the various herbs a simple reprocessing according to his own habits, then put them away.
Indeed, it was merely a simple touch-up.
The ingredients Helian Yun had prepared were already quite impeccable.
With Luo Chen's solid foundation in alchemy, they could have been used in a furnace at any time.
His nitpicking was merely a ploy to pocket a surplus portion of the herbs.
Over the past six years, Luo Chen had hardly ever ceased his research into the recipe for the Nether Origin Pill.
The final result, however, was that there were no major breakthroughs.
After all, it was a Core Formation pill recipe hailing from a sacred land sect, further deduced and perfected by a Soul Formation expert.
With his current realm, taking it a step further was simply beyond his abilities.
Yet, having hit a dead end on that front, he had blazed a different trail by attempting to simplify the recipe.
He sought not to make it better, but to make it inferior!
No matter how inferior, it would still remain a third-rank pill recipe, and one linked to Core Formation at that.
If he could deduce a simplified new recipe—even if its efficacy fell short of both the Nether Origin Pill and the original Nether Sea Pill—it would still represent a tremendous harvest for him.
That way, he could try concocting it himself, whether for internal use, outward sale, or as a bargaining chip to build ties with other sects and expand his network.
Of course, the latter two options carried too much danger.
Luo Chen's primary aim was to deduce a recipe with decent efficacy that could be used by himself and the cultivators of the Luotian Association.
If he succeeded, the cultivators of the Luotian Association would never again have their throats throttled by major sects when attempting Core Formation!
It was precisely for this reason that Luo Chen needed more herbs related to the original recipe.
Even if his current realm was insufficient to simplify the Nether Origin Pill recipe, he might well accomplish the task once his cultivation advanced in the future.
Cultivation, after all, was never merely about the present.
After stowing away the herbs, only the intact Ksitigarbha Thunder Flower remained before Luo Chen.
It was crystal clear, with faint blue arcs of lightning flickering across it from time to time.
*The Soul Formation expert Bai Ye was a grandmaster of the lightning path.*
*Almost all the legacy resources in his palace were tied to the lightning attribute.*
*Could it be that once a cultivator reaches the Soul Formation realm, they specialize exclusively in a single path? To the point that even the mundane affairs of their daily lives revolve around it?*
He solemnly put away the Ksitigarbha Thunder Flower.
With this, two of the three primary ingredients for concocting the Nether Origin Pill—Mount Tian Yang-Returning Water and the Ksitigarbha Thunder Flower—had been gathered.
Only the Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit remained.
And that item...
Luo Chen's gaze deepened as he looked out toward the cabin wall.
His penetrating eyes seemed to pierce through the hull, gazing toward the distant Great Snow Mountain.
*Fu Jiusheng is excessively cautious!*
*When I tracked him with the Water Mirror Pill Fragrance Tracking Art earlier, he clearly went due east, yet the true Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit is located at the peripheral Great Snow Mountain.*
*The other three are hiding things as well. Xiao Sanren appears to be at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, but judging by how excessively steady his external spiritual energy fluctuations are, he has likely reached perfection in that realm.*
*Helian Yun hasn't changed much, but having commanded the Lianyun Merchant Alliance for years, he must possess plenty of trump cards and cannot be underestimated.*
*Madam You Sha seems the weakest, yet she always gives me the feeling that she is concealing something.*
Ever since deciding to cooperate with these four, the Luotian Association's intelligence gathering on them had never ceased.
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will emerge victorious in every battle.
Even though Luo Chen had faced enemies stronger than them and witnessed grander battlefields, traveling alone in the wilderness demanded prudence at all times.
...
The flying boat pressed on.
It bypassed densely populated areas, deliberately charting a course through desolate and secluded terrain.
In less than half a month, five figures assembled in a dense forest.
Fu Jiusheng looked at everyone, his gaze lingering particularly on Luo Chen, who was putting away the flying boat.
"The Great Snow Mountain lies just ahead!"
"'Great Snow Mountain' is merely a general name. In reality, it is a colossal mountain range stretching for over a hundred thousand li, blanketed in endless snow and packed with countless famous peaks. It harbors innumerable low-tier demon beasts, mostly of the ice, snow, water, and earth attributes. Beyond the countless low-tier beasts, second- and third-rank demon beasts frequently roam the area. In fact, a fourth-rank demon emperor known as the White Bone Mystic Serpent dwells within it."
Hearing this introduction, the group maintained calm expressions.
Such common knowledge was well understood by nearly any cultivator dwelling near the Million Mountains of the Eastern Desolation.
Fu Jiusheng paused before continuing, "Our destination is a spiritual ground I have named the Myriad Serpent Cave."
*Myriad Serpent Cave?*
The moment the name was uttered, everyone's brows furrowed slightly.
From the name alone, one could tell it was likely a gathering ground for serpentine monsters.
"The Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit is a spiritual medicine born from the saliva accumulated in areas where vast numbers of snow pythons gather."
"However, there are many varieties of snow pythons in the world, and only the saliva of the Seven-Ring Snow Python can nurture a Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit."
When the name Seven-Ring Snow Python was spoken, the expressions of everyone present—including Luo Chen—changed.
Who didn't know that the Seven-Ring Snow Python was of the White Bone Mystic Serpent's bloodline?
Fu Jiusheng had actually set his sights on such a beast!
As for why pythons were descendants of a serpent? There was no need to split hairs over such questions; it was not something a few Foundation Establishment cultivators could investigate.
Yet, facing the prospect of confronting a demon beast that was at least third-rank, how could they not pale?
Fu Jiusheng looked at them. "Afraid?"
"How could we not be? If it were merely an ordinary third-rank demon beast, that would be one thing. But a beast of a communal species is bound to be a Beast King-level entity, the strongest among third-rank demon beasts." Xiao Sanren wore a look of dread. Even he would have to steer well clear of a Beast King-level existence.
Helian Yun smiled wryly. "Fellow Daoist Fu, why didn't you mention this earlier? At least then we could have prepared countermeasures!"
Fu Jiusheng let out a cold sneer.
He had mentioned snow pythons before, and he didn't believe for a second that these people hadn't prepared accordingly.
Sweeping his gaze over the group, he said coldly, "If anyone is afraid, you can withdraw right now."
The cultivators exchanged glances, but none declared an intention to pull out.
What a joke—after years of planning, having come this far, who would turn back now?
Suddenly, a youthful voice spoke up from the group.
It was Luo Chen!
"I want to know: with a third-rank Beast King present and a pack of Seven-Ring Snow Pythons surrounding it, how do you intend to provide me with a quiet environment for alchemy?"
This question struck straight to the heart of the matter.
Fu Jiusheng's expression softened slightly. "Very well. Since no one is backing out, our hearts are at least united. As for Fellow Daoist Danchenzi's concern, I can offer an explanation."
Through his explanation, the group finally understood why, knowing full well a third-rank Beast King was present, he dared to lead them to snatch food from the tiger's mouth.
As it turned out, the Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit did not grow in the core region of the Myriad Serpent Cave.
As the king of the pack, the third-rank Seven-Ring Snow Python could not possibly watch over a single spiritual plant at all times.
Thus, it had merely assigned a few second-rank snow pythons to guard and tend to it.
"I know a relatively safe route into the Myriad Serpent Cave."
"Once we arrive, we kill the guarding snow pythons, and I will set up an illusion formation, which will buy Danchenzi sufficient time and a proper environment."
For demon beasts with relatively low intelligence, the efficacy of an illusion formation often surpassed that of offensive and defensive arrays.
Even so, the group looked at Fu Jiusheng with a hint of surprise.
None had anticipated that this man was also an array master.
"Enough, further words are meaningless."
"Rest for a moment, everyone, and then we shall slip quietly into the Great Snow Mountain!"
"The road ahead is long, and mishaps are bound to occur. Maintain your peak condition as much as possible."
With that, Fu Jiusheng found a large tree and immediately sat cross-legged to meditate.
Seeing this, the others followed suit.
Madam You Sha and Xiao Sanren were especially drained, as the two of them had been responsible for steering the flying boat and monitoring the surroundings throughout the journey.
Luo Chen, on the other hand, was in prime condition.
Flying alone to the top of a hill, he gazed at the rolling snow mountains not far away, a thoughtful look surfacing in his eyes.
Occasionally, he would turn his head toward another direction.
That was where Mount Tian lay—the sect grounds of the Ice Fort.
The two places were less than a thousand li apart.
For high-level cultivators, such a distance could be crossed in an instant.
During his time at the Ice Fort, especially in the final six months, he had often heard of Ice Fort disciples entering the mountains to hunt and gather resources.
Occasionally, beast tides from the Great Snow Mountain would also assault the Ice Fort.
Yet that raised a question.
At such close range, wasn't the Ice Fort afraid that the fourth-rank demon emperor of the Great Snow Mountain, the White Bone Mystic Serpent, would mobilize and easily obliterate them?
The higher a cultivator's realm, the wider the disparity in strength became.
A fourth-rank demon emperor was comparable to a Nascent Soul Perfected Person!
If the White Bone Mystic Serpent attacked, the Ice Fort would likely not last a moment.
So where did the Ice Fort find the courage to establish its sect grounds in such a perilous place?
As his thoughts drifted over this question, the four in the forest had nearly finished regulating their breath.
"Danchenzi, time to set off!"
"Coming!"
Luo Chen called back, suppressing his doubts. With a shift of his body, he flew down before the group.
Seeing that everyone had gathered, their spirits full and energy abundant, Fu Jiusheng waved his large hand.
"Let's go!"
Suppressing their auras, the five figures relied solely on simple wind-riding techniques to fly into the continuous snow-capped mountains.
...
Contrary to outside rumors that the Great Snow Mountain was completely barren and draped only in desolate ice and snow, the deeper the five ventured into this frozen world, the more extraordinary they found it.
Even if lush green grass was scarce, plenty of spiritual trees and vegetation grew with vitality.
Moreover, the closer they drew to certain snow peaks, the more vigorously surging spiritual energy they could sense.
"Tsk, tsk. That snow mountain over there looks ordinary enough, yet it's actually a natural third-rank spiritual ground! If a Golden Core cultivator occupied it, it would be enough to found a sect. Even without founding a sect, it would make a fantastic personal cultivation sanctuary!"
Gazing at a small snow mountain only several hundred zhang tall several dozen li away, Xiao Sanren clicked his tongue in wonder, a trace of greed flickering in his eyes.
However, Fu Jiusheng promptly shattered his fantasy.
"Forget it!"
"In the Million Mountains of the Eastern Desolation, natural third-rank and fourth-rank spiritual grounds are countless. Do you really think they're that easy to claim?"
"Every single one of them already has an owner!"
Xiao Sanren curled his lips but couldn't refute it.
Such was the world: whether in the untamed mountains, the four seas, or the cultivation worlds of the five continents, high-grade spiritual grounds were almost always occupied.
They were either entrenched by high-rank demon beasts or monopolized by superior sects and sacred lands.
How could rogue cultivators ever get a share?
Helian Yun likewise gazed enviously at the small snow mountain. "If rogue cultivators like us want to claim such a spiritual ground, doing so through our own strength would be impossible in a lifetime. Only if human cultivators launch a Pioneering War to thoroughly conquer a colossal mountain range and transform it into a cultivation domain could one cultivate peacefully within it."
His words met with unanimous agreement.
The human cultivation worlds had basically all been opened up in this manner.
Take the Jade Cauldron Domain where they lived: over four hundred years ago, it had also been a desolate land overrun by demon beasts.
Back then, it was known as the Lianxia Mountain Range.
Yet the Lianxia Mountain Range was utterly unremarkable within the Million Mountains of the Eastern Desolation, and its resources could only be considered mediocre.
By comparison, it fell far short of the Great Snow Mountain.
"I wonder which colossal mountain range the Luoyun Sect plans to open up in this Pioneering War?"
"It should be the Guyuan Mountain Range! That's the territory the cultivators of the Jade Cauldron Domain know best."
"Hard to say. The Jade Cauldron Sword Sect has always complained that the Jade Cauldron Domain is too small and has too many cultivators. Over the years, they've not only frequently dispatched cultivators into the Guyuan Mountain Range, but they've also opened up numerous markets in neighboring areas, such as the Dahe Market and Taishan Market. Would they really be willing to surrender the Guyuan Mountain Range, which they've cultivated for so long, to the Luoyun Sect?"
"It can't possibly be the Howling Moon Mountain Range, can it? I heard that range is far more perilous, with the demon beast packs dominated by wolves. That tough bone might prove difficult for the Luoyun Sect to swallow."
"Heh, demon beasts are reckless and witless. What does it matter how ferocious they are? The Luoyun Sect is gathering the strength of several sects and has the Mingyuan Sect as its backer. As long as they set their minds to it, they can definitely conquer it!"
"If we all succeed in Core Formation, perhaps we could form an alliance to establish a Golden Core sect and claim a third-rank spiritual ground during the Pioneering War for our cultivation?"
"You're thinking too far ahead, Fellow Daoist. Still, it is indeed a fine proposal."
During the monotonous journey, the five kept vigilant while occasionally chatting about interesting matters to keep their spirits up.
After all, flying with utmost caution for extended periods across a vast expanse of white posed a taxing strain on a cultivator's soul.
The small snow mountain with the third-rank spiritual vein had already been left behind two days prior.
Along the way, numerous scattered spiritual grounds appeared.
First-rank, second-rank, small-scale, large-scale.
Several third-rank spiritual grounds had even emerged.
One among them boasted spiritual energy surging to an extreme.
Even from a thousand li away, the group could sense its majestic might emanating from that towering, snow-clad mountain piercing the clouds.
A large-scale third-rank spiritual ground!
Deep within it, there had to be a third-rank spiritual vein stretching for hundreds or thousands of li.
Such raw majesty was rarely felt within the human cultivation domain.
Sects in the human cultivation world often used secret arts, spells, and grand formations to seal off their spiritual grounds, ensuring that excess spiritual energy would not leak outward.
Only in these wild, undeveloped mountains could one experience such pure, unrestrained outpouring of surging vitality.
Of course, an environment with such uncontained spiritual energy also gave rise to countless wild demon beasts.
Throughout the journey, even though this route into the mountains was the "safe route" Fu Jiusheng spoke of, they still encountered many low-tier demon beasts.
On this day, Xiao Sanren, who was scouting ahead, suddenly halted in his tracks.
"Fellow Daoist Xiao, what's wrong?" Fu Jiusheng asked.
Xiao Sanren's face was grim. "Are you sure this path is a safe route?"
Fu Jiusheng was puzzled, but when he flew forward, his expression darkened as well.
"Strange! Why would a flock of Barred Snow Owls be here? I remember three years ago when I passed through, there were no such beasts on this route!"
Xiao Sanren took a half-step back.
"That's not the point. The point is, how do we proceed from here?"
Fu Jiusheng found himself in a dilemma.
Helian Yun suggested, "Detour?"
"Absolutely not!" Fu Jiusheng said with a grave expression. "A pack of Icefield Wolves lives nearby, and there's even a third-rank Wolf King among them. Taking a detour is seeking our own deaths. Moreover, detouring wastes too much time. If we miss the ripening of the Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit, this trip will have been in vain."
"Then what do you propose?" Helian Yun asked.
Fu Jiusheng looked at the other four, gritted his teeth, and made his decision.
"We force our way through!"
"After all, they're merely a flock of first-rank Barred Snow Owls. If we move swiftly, we won't stir up any major trouble."
Before entering the mountains, they had already agreed that during the journey, all decisions would be made by Fu Jiusheng, the experienced herb gatherer. The other four could question or offer suggestions, but the final call rested with him.
Now that he had decided to break through by force, there was nothing more to say.
Luo Chen stood at the dead center of the five, in the safest, most protected position.
Watching the four draw their respective weapons, his brows twitched slightly.
Having consumed Nether-Passage Pills over a prolonged period, his divine soul foundation had thoroughly surpassed the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment stage, allowing him to perceive far more than the others.
The enemy consisted of far more than just Barred Snow Owls!
However, he said nothing.
This happened to be an ideal opportunity to observe the methods of his companions.
Chapter 441