Just as Linghu Jie had said, Luo Chen's arrival was bound to invite visits from many of the Golden Core cultivators stationed here.
It was simple!
The title of master alchemist possessed an innate appeal.
However, the very first visitors to arrive at his door were not Golden Core cultivators, but a mother and son at the Foundation Establishment stage.
"Uncle Luo!" Qin Yuanjiang called out respectfully.
Having not seen him in many years, the once green, impetuous youth had already taken on the appearance of a middle-aged man—weathered by wind and frost, steady and capable.
Between his brows and in his voice was the joy of reuniting with an elder.
Luo Chen nodded at him with a smile, then turned his gaze to the woman whose charm remained undiminished by time.
"Sister-in-law, having not seen each other for so many years, have you been living peacefully?"
At that phrase "Sister-in-law," Murong Qinglian could not help but let out a sigh of relief.
She had been agonizing over how to address Luo Chen.
If she used an honorific, wouldn't her generational standing be reduced to the same level as her son's?
Luo Chen speaking first had neatly resolved her dilemma.
Smiling faintly, Murong Qinglian nodded. "Life has been quite smooth previously, especially now that Yuanjiang has settled down with a family. A great weight has been lifted from my mind."
Luo Chen looked at Qin Yuanjiang in surprise. "You have taken a Dao companion?"
Qin Yuanjiang gave a hearty laugh. "Yes, she is Ruan Huan'er, the daughter of my master, the Sect Master. I had originally intended to bring her over today to meet you, Uncle Luo, but she is busy with outside affairs and was unable to come along."
Hearing this answer, Luo Chen could not help showing a gratified smile.
He had not expected Qin Yuanjiang to be so capable—not only taking the Sect Master of the Falling Cloud Sect as his master, but even winning the affection of his daughter.
In that case, Qin Yuanjiang's future could truly be called limitless!
It was just his cultivation...
Luo Chen frowned slightly. "Your mother has already reached the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment. How are you still at the fifth layer?"
In these chaotic times, a cultivation of the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment was hardly anything to brag about.
If he truly encountered a powerful demon beast, even protecting himself would be difficult.
Murong Qinglian shook her head and spoke in his defense: "You cannot blame Yuanjiang for this. He usually has to manage countless trivial matters, and now that the opening war has begun, he has even less room for peaceful cultivation. Unlike me—all these years, I paid no mind to outside affairs, devoted myself solely to quiet cultivation, and with that massive supply of high-grade Jade Dew Pills you provided, my realm naturally soared!"
Qin Yuanjiang stood to the side, smiling sheepishly without uttering a word.
Hearing this explanation, Luo Chen immediately understood.
Taking the Sect Master as one's teacher naturally involved dealing with many mundane administrative duties, which truly dragged down cultivation speed.
Murong Qinglian's rapid progress in cultivation was indeed unexpected as well.
After all, within the Luotian Sect, there were hardly any great cultivators at the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment.
Strictly speaking, there were only two.
One was Xu Huanzhen, who, supplied with high-grade Soaring Dragon Pills, had accumulated strength over a century, grinding his way step by step from the peak of the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment to the eighth layer.
The other was Sima Huiniang!
Possessing a Tier 2 high-grade immortal's cave, backed by the full resource support of the Luotian Sect, and further aided by Luo Chen's steady supply of high-grade Jade Dew Pills along with the occasional supreme-grade Jade Dew Pill, only with such a massive influx of resources had she barely managed to advance to the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment.
And even that was only because her disciple Yao Mingyue had successfully established her foundation and shouldered many of her administrative tasks, finally freeing up time for her to cultivate.
From this, it was evident that having too many administrative duties might accumulate wealth, but it undoubtedly hindered the speed of cultivation.
After chatting about domestic matters for a while, the mother and son prepared to take their leave.
Before departing, Murong Qinglian revealed the primary purpose of their visit.
"The Falling Cloud Sect is waging an opening war, and everyone is drawn into it. I am no exception.
"Over the past few years, I have been assisting Fairy Mu Yunyan, the sect's chief alchemist.
"Knowing you have arrived, she wishes to pay you a visit. Luo Chen, what do you think?"
Mu Yunyan?
Luo Chen rolled the name over in his mind and nodded slightly.
This woman was widely renowned, and he had heard of her long ago.
She had brought her own skills when seeking a master, apprenticing under Han Zhan when he was still in the Golden Core realm. She was also the only disciple Zhenren Han Zhan had accepted over all these years.
With the full support of the Falling Cloud Sect, her alchemy arts had advanced by leaps and bounds, faintly reaching the stature of a grandmaster.
In terms of alchemy attainment, she was completely on par with the Three Elders of Azure Pill Valley's Grand Alchemy Court.
It was precisely thanks to her that the Falling Cloud Sect's medicinal pill resources were able to remain barely self-sufficient, free from the constraints of the Medicine King Sect and even Azure Pill Valley.
It could be said that of the Falling Cloud Sect's current prosperity, Mu Yunyan's individual efforts accounted for a full tenth of the credit!
To converse with such a person was naturally something Luo Chen eagerly anticipated.
"In that case, I will trouble you to pass on the word, Sister-in-law. I shall sweep my humble abode and eagerly await Fairy Mu's visit to share a conversation!"
Murong Qinglian smiled faintly and left Luo Chen's immortal's cave with Qin Yuanjiang.
A day after their departure, an honored guest arrived at his door.
Luo Chen went out in person to welcome her.
Upon first seeing Mu Yunyan, her appearance was plain, meriting only the word "delicate."
Yet in her conversation, the understanding of the Alchemic Dao she displayed was nothing short of exquisite.
Particularly regarding the fundamental alchemy techniques Luo Chen excelled at most, she spoke with consummate familiarity.
"The Falling Clouds Generating Mist Method is a water method alchemy technique I created myself. Yet I never expected Fellow Daoist Luo to master it with such elegance, scarcely falling short of me, its creator."
Their exchange did not remain purely verbal.
Beneath the scorching heat of fierce fire, an alchemy furnace emanated a faint, ethereal pill fragrance.
Having observed the alchemy arts Luo Chen displayed during the refinement process, Mu Yunyan offered her praise in slight astonishment.
Luo Chen was equally surprised; he had not imagined that the Falling Clouds Generating Mist Method was actually created by this woman.
This was a Tier 3 water method alchemy technique, versatile enough for the vast majority of water method concoctions.
Over the years, despite his deep accumulation and his own created alchemy methods, Luo Chen's inventions were limited to Tier 1 or Tier 2.
Strictly speaking, rather than full-fledged alchemy methods, they were more like minor tricks or secret techniques.
He remarked with feeling, "Calculated in this light, Fairy Mu could be considered my teacher."
The woman smiled faintly. "Fellow Daoist overstates the matter."
Luo Chen shook his head and said no more.
What she did not know was how immense a role this water method alchemy technique had played along his path of cultivation.
Without this technique, he could never have concocted the Emperor Flowing Liquid necessary for Foundation Establishment.
Not only would he have been unable to establish his foundation, but Murong Qinglian, Gu Caiyi, and several other cultivators in the Luotian Sect who relied on Emperor Flowing Liquid to establish their foundations would never have been able to continue along the Great Dao.
"Speaking of which, Fellow Daoist participated in the momentous event of Azure Pill Valley refining the Nascent Soul Formation Pill back then. Would you be willing to share some details of that time with me?"
Mu Yunyan fixed her bright eyes on Luo Chen, revealing an insatiable thirst for knowledge.
Luo Chen's thoughts stirred. Once again!
Meng Changshou of the Medicine King Sect had been like this, and Mu Yunyan was the same.
These prominent figures among Tier 3 alchemists were all intensely curious about the concoction of the Tier 4 Nascent Soul Formation Pill!
Yet it was only natural.
Had Luo Chen not participated in that refinement himself, upon hearing about it and having the opportunity to meet someone who was there, he too would surely have sought instruction with an open mind.
Seeing Luo Chen hesitate, Mu Yunyan let out a sigh. "Speaking of which, Qingdanzi had intended to invite me to assist back then. Unfortunately, due to sect interests, I was ultimately unable to make the trip."
Luo Chen was astonished!
There was actually such inside information?
Thinking through it carefully, it seemed entirely reasonable.
Before he had advanced to the Golden Core realm, Mu Yunyan, whose alchemy arts were not inferior to the Three Elders of the Grand Alchemy Court, had in fact been the most suitable candidate for the sixth alchemist.
Presumably, Azure Pill Valley did not wish to entangle themselves too deeply with the Falling Cloud Sect, and thus settled for the next best option by choosing Luo Chen!
He smiled and said, "That is indeed a pity. Had Fairy Mu gone instead, perhaps it might have succeeded back then."
"Fellow Daoist is being overly modest." Mu Yunyan smiled faintly. "From my observation, even if your alchemy arts are not superior to mine, they are certainly outstanding among Tier 3 alchemists. Besides, refining a Nascent Soul Formation Pill hinges primarily on the person leading the refinement. Whether it was you or me, we were only assistants, having little bearing on the overall outcome."
Luo Chen nodded, fully agreeing with her words.
Now that the conversation had opened up, there was no need for hesitation.
Luo Chen simply recounted the details of that day's refinement one by one.
He had no need to avoid suspicion; Azure Pill Valley had never imposed secrecy on the matter, and outsiders from both Tianfan City and the Hehuan Sect had observed the event in person.
There was no hiding it anyway.
However, because Luo Chen was a direct participant, his impressions were deeper, and the details he shared were far more thorough and reliable.
From the Azure Pill Great Formation to the selection of alchemists, and then to the processing of auxiliary ingredients...
Little by little, Luo Chen recounted it all in rich detail.
Throughout this process, Mu Yunyan listened with rapt attention, while Luo Chen paused from time to time to ask whether she had better solutions.
In truth, Luo Chen harbored a private motive!
He hoped to use the outsider perspectives of figures like Meng Changshou and Mu Yunyan to continuously review and analyze that combined-formation refinement from years ago.
If he could derive superior solutions, then in the future, when he reached the late Golden Core stage and obtained the specific recipe for the Nascent Soul Formation Pill from Azure Pill Valley, he would inevitably gather the ingredients and refine the Nascent Soul Formation Pill with his own hands!
"Thousand-year ginseng, yet treated with the method for five-hundred-year ginseng? Strange... How could Qingdanzi make such an obvious mistake?"
"No, that's not it!"
"This preserves its medicinal properties, saving them for an explosive release during the final fusion."
"Wait, why was the Dream Mirage Fruit processed until it turned deep purple? Logically speaking, after blending this fruit with two auxiliary ingredients, it should be light purple. What secret lies within this?"
"Yes, of course!"
"Dream Mirage Fruit combined with Luosheng Pills should yield light purple. But doing so neutralizes the medicinal potency. By utilizing its full potency and supplementing it with another medicinal herb, the medicinal power is stimulated to its peak, making it much easier to harmonize with the other medicinal liquids."
"The primary alchemy technique was the Burning Crane Hand?"
"An ingenious choice, for this formula of the Nascent Soul Formation Pill leans toward the element of fire. It was precisely because of this that Qingdanzi gathered five alchemists possessing source true fire."
Phrases of doubt, sudden realization, and self-answered queries tumbled from the woman's lips.
At first, Luo Chen felt that her alchemy arts were simply extraordinarily high, as her insightful remarks directly resolved the doubts that had lingered in his heart for years.
He even felt that Mu Yunyan's alchemy skills were superior to those of the renowned Meng Changshou from the Medicine King Sect!
Gradually, however, Luo Chen sensed that something was amiss.
Perhaps it wasn't that Mu Yunyan was superior in skill?
Could it be that she was exceptionally familiar with the recipe and proportions of the Nascent Soul Formation Pill?
Only then could she pinpoint its merits and flaws with such distinct clarity and purpose.
Once Luo Chen realized this, the details he shared began steering subtly toward areas he did not understand.
Under his discreet guidance, Mu Yunyan provided answers one after another.
"There was no issue with how the Divine Iris was handled; its tail was meant to be severed before being introduced into the medicine."
"As for the Purple Monkey Flower... no, I believe a different alchemy technique should have been used."
Luo Chen's mind jolted. So one of the two Tier 4 main ingredients he hadn't recognized back then—the one resembling a monkey brain—was called the Purple Monkey Flower!
He pursed his lips and asked tentatively, "Why did Qingdanzi use that lotus pedestal to encase the medicinal liquids at the crucial moment of the final fusion?"
Mu Yunyan answered as though it were obvious: "When a cultivator forms a Nascent Soul, they walk the path of the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown and the Five Qi Converging at the Origin. Upon success, golden lotuses spring from the earth, and celestial flowers fall like rain. For this Five Elements Lotus, using the lotus pedestal while discarding the seeds naturally embodies the principle of golden lotuses springing from the earth to support the Great Dao. The principles of alchemy and cultivation are often interconnected. Fellow Daoist Luo, you couldn't possibly be unaware..."
Having spoken up to this point, she suddenly halted and gave Luo Chen a faint, knowing smile.
*So it is the Five Elements Lotus Pedestal!*
Luo Chen thought to himself, committing the name of this Tier 4 main ingredient to memory.
In this manner, he had learned every single ingredient required to refine the Nascent Soul Formation Pill.
If he encountered them in the future, he could gather them in advance!
Then, he bowed earnestly toward Mu Yunyan.
"Many thanks for your guidance, Fellow Daoist!"
The corners of the woman's lips curved upward; she had already realized what Luo Chen had been doing.
Yet she took no offense.
In fact, she offered another pointer:
"The older the Five Elements Lotus Pedestal, the better—at least five hundred years. From what you said, Qingdanzi's alchemy arts are indeed superior to ours, but the Five Elements Lotus Pedestals he gathered were of inferior quality, at most five or six hundred years old. No wonder he failed over a dozen times."
Luo Chen etched every word firmly in his mind.
One day, he would inevitably follow in Qingdanzi's footsteps and reach this stage.
Mu Yunyan's advice counted as a substantial favor.
"Very well, let our discussion conclude here for today. I need to head back and thoroughly digest all of this."
Mu Yunyan proposed her departure.
Naturally, Luo Chen did not detain her; he too needed to digest the vast knowledge she had just shared.
Escorting her outside the door in person, Luo Chen casually remarked:
"Having just arrived, there are many people I do not yet know. I plan to host a private gathering in a couple of days. Wondering if Fellow Daoist might have time to attend?"
Mu Yunyan nodded. "Barring unforeseen circumstances, I will certainly come!"
With that, the woman summoned a white cloud and drifted away gracefully.
Watching her receding figure, Luo Chen let out a long breath.
He was certain of one thing!
The recipe for the Nascent Soul Formation Pill held by Azure Pill Valley was bound to be in the Falling Cloud Sect's possession as well!
In fact, perhaps Azure Pill Valley's copy had even been gifted by the Falling Cloud Sect.
However...
"A pill recipe like this—blindly demanding excessive age and quality from the medicinal ingredients while possessing such singular medicinal properties—is clearly not a modern creation. It must be an ancient pill recipe.
"I wonder where the Falling Cloud Sect managed to obtain it?"
Luo Chen shook his head and returned to his immortal's cave.
At the same time, he sent out a voice transmission, and Zeng Yilong soon arrived at the cave.
Luo Chen planned to host a small Golden Core gathering in his own name.
First, it would expand his network and allow him to meet most of the powerful cultivators on the front lines.
Second, it would spare him the trouble of having those people visit him one after another.
Why bother having them arrive individually when a single gathering could resolve the matter?
Taking advantage of this Golden Core gathering, he could build his reputation while seeking new buyers for the Fanxing Pills.
Incidentally, he could see if he could gather any Fire Spirit Diamonds.
He was already at the second layer of the Golden Core realm, yet there was still no trace of his lifebound magic treasure. Truth be told, Luo Chen was feeling a little anxious as well.
Chapter 500