In the Spring Rain, a Mighty Expert Arrives

The weather grew colder and colder. The sheer severity of the chill exceeded everyone's imagination. According to some of the demon beasts of Mount Cangwu, this four-month stretch of unceasing heavy snowfall was the worst the mountain had seen in a thousand years. The drifts had piled so high that they sank three chi deep into the ground. Anyone walking without magic power would easily get bogged down in the thick snow. Such heavy snowfall severely hindered the free movement of the demon beasts on Mount Cangwu. Word had it that Lady Youquan, the Vice Hall Master of Duzhen Hall, was already preparing to activate an array to forcibly usher in spring by reversing the celestial phenomena. Luo Chen had not bothered to look into Mount Cangwu's affairs too closely. Of late, his focus had shifted from his natal magic treasure to concocting Transformation Pills. Inside his cave dwelling. Luo Chen gazed at the plump, round gray cauldron resting on the ground, deftly tossing one ingredient after another into its belly. "The Journey to the West was merely eighty-one tribulations." "I have failed eighty times up to now. This eighty-first opening of the furnace will surely bring success!" A smile touched Luo Chen's lips. He had a premonition that this attempt would succeed. Unlike past concoctions of the Transformation Pill, which had drawn crowds of onlookers, the repeated failures had gradually dulled everyone's interest—especially during this season of relentless snow. Free from scrutiny, Luo Chen's focus was even sharper. As he tossed in the essence blood infused with Tianyezi's Nascent Soul power, thoughts of the old man crossed his mind. Ever since forging the natal magic treasure for Luo Chen, Tianyezi's condition had worsened by the day. Even with the spirit medicines bestowed by Youquan, extracting natal essence blood more than eighty times was far too grueling. Forget a human cultivator; even the savage beasts of the wild known for their boundless vitality could not withstand such abuse. *I'm afraid Tianyezi won't last much longer.* *Stepping through the threshold of this Tier 4 pill didn't cost me any achievement points, yet it has ground away eight hundred years of cultivation from a Nascent Soul expert.* *The price has truly been immense!* Luo Chen sighed. He resolved to bring the old man some good food and drink next time they met. A Tier 3 golden-feathered snow owl had recently gifted him a large jug of monkey wine. Though its spiritual qi could hardly be called pure, its flavor was distinctive; perhaps Tianyezi would enjoy it. Even as these thoughts drifted through his mind, Luo Chen's alchemy arts never slacked for an instant. Time slipped quietly away. Ten days later. Luo Chen's eyes narrowed. His wrist turned, and an ethereal hand lifted upward. From within the plump, round gray cauldron, a cluster of shimmering light slowly rose. With a flick of his wide sleeve, the brilliance dispersed, leaving five golden, pearl-sized pills floating in midair. Every single pill gleamed with dazzling brilliance. If one stared at them long enough in deep concentration, one could almost hear the faint, illusory cry of an infant. Luo Chen gave his head a firm shake to clear his mind. Reaching out, he caught all five pills in his hand. "It's done." Having concocted a Tier 4 pill across realms, he felt none of the wild ecstasy one might expect. When something was already anticipated, the surprise naturally faded. Moreover, knowing that these pills held the painstaking sacrifice of a human senior made excitement feel even more inappropriate. And finally, the realization that this thing was meant to be fed to demon beasts so they could take human form early and cultivate techniques left an uncomfortable taste in his mouth. Luo Chen sighed, stowed the Hunyuan Cauldron, turned, and left the cave dwelling. *** Outside the cave dwelling, Luo Chen paused in his tracks. Looking up at the sky, goose-feather snowflakes were still drifting down as endlessly as ever. "By the calendar, spring should have arrived by now. Why hasn't this snow stopped?" Murmuring to himself, Luo Chen rode a cloud of red mist condensed from his magic power and flew toward Duzhen Hall. Arriving outside the hall, he notified the guarding demon beast and waited quietly. Before long, a voice summoned him inside. "What is it?" Luo Chen frowned slightly. Was Youquan's tone laced with impatience? Without lingering in doubt, he drew the five golden pills from his storage ring. "This..." Staring at the five pills, Youquan froze for a moment, then spoke with a hint of uncertainty, "Transformation Pills?" "Yes. Fortunately, I did not fail your trust; they have been refined." Luo Chen offered a faint smile and handed four of the Transformation Pills to her. Youquan looked at the remaining one. Luo Chen kept it resting naturally in his palm. "Five came from this furnace. I would like to keep one for research, if the Hall Master would grant me this favor." Youquan blinked, her gaze ultimately settling on the four Transformation Pills in her own hand, a flicker of anticipation welling in her eyes. After a brief pause, she gave a slight nod. "Granted!" With the pills delivered, there was nothing left to attend to. Luo Chen was about to take his leave when Youquan called out to him. Seeing his puzzled look, she said casually, "Duzhen Hall will be activating a grand array soon to dispel the months of heavy snow over Mount Cangwu. Do not wander about freely while the array is active." Luo Chen paused, then nodded in agreement. How fitting! He felt that his breakthrough to the third layer of the Golden Core would happen within the next few days anyway, so he had no plans to venture outside. Now that he had handed over the first batch of Transformation Pills, the demon cultivators of Mount Cangwu would not press him for a while. Using this time to enter closed-door seclusion and break through to the third layer of the Golden Core suited him perfectly. After Luo Chen departed, Youquan's gaze fell upon the four Transformation Pills, her thoughts churning. *My Youming Nether Crow bloodline is far too thin, forged only from a wisp of nether crow aura that the Yuanjun snatched from the threshold of life and death.* *That diluted bloodline meant that when I broke through to Tier 4, though I succeeded in crossing the realm, I lacked the strength to assume human form.* *For five full centuries, my cultivation has progressed at a crawl. Even Xiaoqing came from behind and completely surpassed me in realm.* *At this rate, I will never be able to assist in the Yuanjun's grand plans in the future. No matter how well I manage Mount Cangwu, I will slowly fall behind the ranks.* *Now, with this Transformation Pill, perhaps I have another chance to take human form?* Amid her churning emotions, Youquan felt a renewed flicker of hope for the future. For now, however, she still needed to activate Duzhen Hall's grand array to banish this bizarre snowy weather. *** Duzhen Hall's grand array was set into motion the very day Luo Chen delivered the Transformation Pills. Surging earth-vein spiritual qi was drawn forth, rippling out in every direction with Duzhen Hall at its center. The dark clouds in the sky were dispersed, and the snow piled upon the peaks began to melt. Torrents of meltwater gurgled down the mountain gullies and ravines. A gentle, continuous drizzle began to fall amid the crisp chill of early spring. Thawing snow brought a cold far sharper than the season of falling flakes. Yet Luo Chen remained entirely oblivious to it all. Inside his warm cave dwelling, he lit a burner of the crude sandalwood incense he had crafted over the years and entered deep seclusion. The Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture began to circulate slowly. First, fire-attribute magic power flowed from the Golden Core in his qi sea, nourishing his meridians and acupoints before receding. Then, Luo Chen's body acted like a black hole, drawing in the rich worldly spiritual qi around him. On his attribute panel, the entry under the cultivation realm flickered with light, brimming with eager anticipation. [Realm: Golden Core Layer 2 (99/100)] Under Luo Chen's continuous operation of his core technique, the surrounding spiritual qi poured steadily into his body. It was refined and purified, further distilled by the Microdust Primordial Art, and finally imbued with his soul to become magic power. With a smooth spin, his Golden Core swallowed this newly forged magic power. The crimson core grew steadily plumper and more rounded. Time flowed on, quiet and unhurried. One day, two days, three days... Before he knew it, half a month slipped past in what felt like a single breath. On this day, Luo Chen's body trembled slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes. There was no world-shaking commotion. Even the ripples of overflowing magic power, though somewhat restless and scorching, remained well within normal bounds. "A pseudo Heavenly Spiritual Root is still a Heavenly Spiritual Root!" "To break through a realm so naturally, as effortless as eating and drinking, is truly the smoothest, most delightful experience of my life." Luo Chen sighed with emotion, appreciating the wonders of the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture even more deeply. Even though he had only obtained the Golden Core chapter, its profound subtlety stood far above any Tier 3 technique he had ever encountered. Cultivating with it not only granted astonishing speed, but his magic power's sheer depth was in no way inferior to cultivating all five elements simultaneously. In fact, the method for tempering magic power inherent to this technique was not the least bit weaker than his own self-created Microdust Primordial Art! It was comprehensive beyond measure! Truly worthy of being hailed as the progenitor of the fire method! *If only I could get my hands on the Nascent Soul chapter...* Luo Chen pursed his dry lips, a stir of longing rising within him. Right at that moment, his brow suddenly furrowed. With a thought, the Hunyuan Cauldron materialized before him. Quiet, serene, its dull gray exterior showed nothing extraordinary. Yet as he sent a fresh wisp of magic power to coat the Hunyuan Cauldron, he finally caught a hint of something amiss. Wind! The sound of wind! Deep within the core formation nexus of his natal magic treasure, the faint howl of wind whistled softly. Luo Chen's expression shifted slightly. Why would a natal magic treasure that had already been fully refined exhibit such a strange anomaly? Had he not just broken through, leaving his thoughts exceptionally sharp, and been conducting a full-scale spiritual sense scan of his own body, he might never have noticed this tiny disturbance. Suddenly! Luo Chen rose to his feet. Cradling the shrunken cauldron within his sleeve, he shut the entrance to his cave dwelling and headed straight for Duzhen Hall. Upon reaching the hall, demon beasts barred his path. "Lady Youquan has recently entered closed-door seclusion and will see no visitors." Luo Chen kept his expression calm. "I am not here to see Hall Master Youquan. I am visiting the dungeon and the treasury to withdraw a batch of materials for concocting Transformation Pills." The demon beast uttered an acknowledgment and stepped aside to clear the way. Luo Chen swung his sleeve and strode inside. Behind him lay a veil of misty rain and the crisp chill of early spring. Amid the haze, a woman in green robes stepped out from the empty hall, standing alone in the spring drizzle with a look of utter perplexity. *** Entering the subterranean dungeon once more, Luo Chen did not head directly to Mount Cangwu's treasury as he usually did. Instead, he walked straight down into the depths of the prison. When he reached the fourth underground level, the massive form of the Thunder Prison Divine Peng once again blocked the way. Upon seeing Luo Chen, the creature's stern face softened slightly. He pulled Luo Chen aside to chat for a moment before letting him through. Luo Chen saw right through it. The beast was eyeing the millennium thunder essence he possessed. Such a rare material was of tremendous benefit to any cultivator, especially one practicing lightning-path arts. If Thunder Prison obtained it, it would be like adding wings to a tiger. Yet because Youquan placed such immense value on Luo Chen, the beast dared not take it by force. Of course, Luo Chen would never part with something as precious as millennium thunder essence. He still planned to add a few portions into his Broken Moon Wings once he had the time. And into the Hunyuan Cauldron as well! Once the impurities were fully digested, he could continue incorporating millennium thunder essence into it. The more of that substance, the better; it would offer tremendous advantages when breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage in the future. Pondering these loose thoughts, Luo Chen made his way forward. Under Han Zhan's watchful gaze, he arrived outside Tianyezi's cell. After eighty-one bloodlettings, the man was frail to the absolute extreme. Though he still sat cross-legged, the aura radiating from him was like an old candle guttering in the wind, stripped entirely of the bearing of a Nascent Soul Perfected Person. Sensing Luo Chen's gaze, Tianyezi slowly opened his eyes. "There should still be half a month before the next bloodletting, should there not?" A cold sneer pulled at the corner of Luo Chen's mouth. "I need an explanation!" Tianyezi froze. Then, with great effort, he lifted his head to meet Luo Chen's gaze, a bitter smile hanging on his lips. "I didn't expect you to notice so quickly." Luo Chen's brow knitted. "That Green Duckweed Nether Wind?" "Yes." "I knew it. How could you be so kindhearted? Claiming you wanted to leave behind your most perfect masterpiece before dying, gratuitously giving up your cherished Green Duckweed Nether Wind just to benefit me. Yet the resulting treasure turned out to be a natal magic treasure its own master cannot easily command. Speak. What is your goal? And how do I resolve the restrictions of the Green Duckweed Nether Wind so that I can wield the Hunyuan Cauldron as I please?" Faced with these questions, Tianyezi looked troubled. For a time, his silence cast a heavy stillness over the dungeon. Only after a long while did he speak with difficulty, "In truth, the difficulty in controlling the Hunyuan Cauldron is not entirely due to the hidden hand I left behind. Just as I told you before, it contains too many impurities..." "Hmph, why beat around the bush? I am asking you: what was your goal!" Confronted by Luo Chen's aggressive pressing, Tianyezi let out a long sigh. "Why push so hard? It was merely a backup plan left by this old man to grasp a sliver of hope for survival." "A sliver of hope for survival?" Luo Chen frowned. The Hunyuan Cauldron was Tianyezi's sliver of hope? In an instant, countless thoughts surged through his mind like rolling waves. The Hunyuan Cauldron, an alchemical cauldron, concocting Transformation Pills, the ingredient being Tianyezi's essence blood imbued with Nascent Soul power, dozens of failures, dozens of infusions of Nascent Soul power, and the Green Duckweed Nether Wind serving as the catalyst... Gradually, all the pieces clicked together. Luo Chen recalled the anecdotes about forging that Duan Feng had shared during their past discussions. Rumor had it that above magical implements, magic treasures, and True Artifacts, there existed another category of treasures known as spirit treasures! What was a spirit treasure? A magic treasure that had birthed an artifact spirit was a spirit treasure! Such an artifact spirit was not created simply by cramming the soul of a demon beast or a cultivator inside. Rather, it naturally emerged from repeated use and cultivation under the most suitable circumstances. A magic treasure capable of birthing an artifact spirit had to possess supreme quality, immense inherent foundation, and even undergo the tempering of worldly laws. An ordinary artificer could not possibly forge a spirit treasure. Even in the Eastern Desolation, Tianfan City—famed throughout the world for its artifact forging—had never forged a single spirit treasure. Yet now, it was glaringly obvious: what Tianyezi coveted was to use the Hunyuan Cauldron to be reborn after being drained dry as a medicinal pig! Having grasped this, Luo Chen blurted out, "What a marvelous way to survive by seeking life in the jaws of death! What a magnificent scheme to possess a treasure as an artifact spirit!" "Tianyezi! A grandmaster artificer of your generation—could you truly not know that a mere Golden Core cultivator like me cannot control a treasure possessing an artifact spirit?" "You intended to turn the tables and usurp the master!" Facing Luo Chen's mocking sneer, Tianyezi closed his eyes, offering silent admission. Yet in the very next instant, he snapped his eyes wide open. *BOOM!* An earth-shattering roar rumbled from outside, echoing deep into the subterranean depths. Luo Chen was stunned. "What's happening?" Right then, Tianyezi let out a low shout. He crooked a finger toward Luo Chen, tracing an arc in the air. Terror seized Luo Chen's heart. The Hunyuan Cauldron—which he had kept outside his body out of caution—instantly lost all soul connection with him! A violent gale erupted from within the Hunyuan Cauldron. The three-inch cauldron swelled rapidly with a deafening roar, its opening tilting to face directly toward Tianyezi. In that breath, Tianyezi's hair and beard whipped wildly. His eyes bulged, his expression severe with majestic fury, as he strode toward the cell entrance. With every step he took, plumes of bloody mist burst from his body. *Bang! Bang! Bang!* In the blink of an eye, he was drenched in blood. And now, he finally reached the cell's main threshold. His hands formed an incantation gesture. "Lock!" The next instant, green chains manifested from the Hunyuan Cauldron, piercing through the cell's wards to bind him securely. Then, a violent yank! In a flash, Tianyezi shifted positions, landing outside the cell. Cradling the Hunyuan Cauldron in one hand, he glanced at the horrified Luo Chen, then called out in a resonant voice, "Fellow Daoist Han Zhan, the moment has arrived. Why have you not freed yourself?" A low voice drifted from ahead. "This humble one is too weakened. I must ask Fellow Daoist for a helping hand." Tianyezi, aged to the extreme, let out a soft laugh. "A simple matter!" His withered, claw-like hand slammed onto the Hunyuan Cauldron. *CLANG!* A thick green chain shot forth, snaking straight into Han Zhan's cell. A moment later, it pulled out a three-inch Nascent Soul. The surrounding restrictions seemed completely unable to hinder it. Or rather, those formations had long since been deciphered in secret by Tianyezi, the renowned grandmaster artificer of the human race. Now, standing side by side, the two Nascent Soul Perfected Persons paid no heed to Luo Chen. They raised their heads toward the heavens. Their gazes seemed to pierce through layer upon layer of barriers, looking far beyond Mount Cangwu. Through the boundless curtain of rain, an elder in black robes was strolling leisurely forward. "The Mingyuan Sect finally couldn't hold back any longer!"