Once Luo Chen had slain Yan Nantian and cowed the cultivators of the Flying Swallow Archipelago, it meant he would enjoy a prolonged period of peaceful cultivation.
In a remote backwater such as this, so long as one did not encounter a massive beast tide or extreme natural disasters on the open sea, a single Golden Core cultivator was more than enough to reign supreme and act as absolute ruler.
Broadly speaking, it was akin to when Pang Renxiong had arrived with a single sword from the west, suppressing all of Dahe Mill.
The only difference was that the land area and cultivator population of the Flying Swallow Archipelago vastly exceeded those of Dahe Mill; in overall scale, it was only slightly inferior to Tianlan Immortal City.
It was precisely for this reason that Luo Chen had taken a liking to this territory.
A region only slightly smaller than Tianlan Immortal City, endowed with a natural Rank 3 low-grade spiritual vein, was more than capable of sustaining an early Golden Core cultivator.
Even if that cultivator was someone like him, who devoured resources like a gold-swallowing beast!
After the Cheng clan delivered the first batch of medicinal ingredients, Luo Chen immediately plunged into the intensive work of refining the True Flame Pill.
For this refinement, he still did not touch the massive pool of achievement points accumulated on his attribute panel.
After concocting the Rank 4 Transformation Pill, his evaluation on the panel had already become "Rank 4 Alchemist."
Even though he had mastered only this single Rank 4 pill, with his exceptionally solid alchemical foundation, his title as a Rank 4 Alchemist was well-deserved.
Thus, refining a Rank 3 pill was not truly a troublesome endeavor for him.
Once he grasped the basics, everything else would fall into place!
From his arrival at the Flying Swallow Archipelago to slaying Yan Nantian and awaiting the ingredients, a total of seven months had passed.
Throughout these seven months, aside from his cultivation, Luo Chen had devoted virtually all his spare time to studying the recipe of the True Flame Pill.
Now that the raw materials had arrived, he could proceed straight to hands-on practice.
"Once the skin is removed from the Dazzlegleam Seed, its medicinal potency degrades too quickly; it must be refined first."
"This Yama Flower is the primary ingredient of the True Flame Pill and must be processed with the Burning Crane Hand!"
"Fire Ginseng is rare, so it can only be substituted with the harsher, drier Ironrock Ginseng. However, doing so requires switching between three different alchemy techniques."
As Luo Chen processed each ingredient, visions surfaced in his mind of which technique, what timing, and what heat to employ during the upcoming refinement.
Even before the actual concoction began, he had unconsciously simulated it thousands of times in his mind.
By the time he finished processing this entire batch of herbs, a full month had passed.
Luo Chen felt somewhat dissatisfied. Having no one to assist in processing the materials was truly a nuisance!
For now, however, there was no alternative.
Once the herbs were prepared, he launched into the refinement work without pause.
Once, twice, three times...
The complexity of concocting a Rank 3 pill far exceeded that of ordinary Rank 1 and Rank 2 pills.
Consequently, the duration of refinement was far longer than the usual two to four hours.
By Luo Chen's estimate, refining a single furnace of True Flame Pills would take at least an entire day!
This duration was even longer than that of the Rank 4 Transformation Pill.
The reason was simple: for the True Flame Pill to possess such immense medicinal potency, aside from the ingredients themselves, once the pill formed, it had to be simmered in the cauldron with source true fire for a full six hours!
Only in this way would the True Flame Pill possess potency far outstripping that of ordinary Rank 3 cultivation pills.
Luo Chen had long prepared himself mentally for this.
Alchemy was like cultivation: the higher the realm, the longer each secluded retreat lasted; similarly with pills, the higher the rank, the longer the refinement could take.
Rumor had it that to produce a single furnace of the legendary Nine-Revolution Golden Pill—lauded with the saying, "Once swallowed into the belly, one ascends straight into the azure clouds"—required a staggering 4,900 years of refinement!
Naturally, this was myth and legend, hardly credible.
After all, how could any pill allow a mere mortal to ascend directly to immortality? Putting aside whether such miraculous power existed, the sheer energy contained within such a pill was not something an ordinary person could withstand.
Nevertheless, Luo Chen knew with certainty that higher-ranking pills inevitably took more time to refine.
Previously, when refining the Nascent Soul Formation Pill in Azure Pill Valley, it had taken three days at least, and five or six days at most.
And that was the duration for an attempt that had not even fully succeeded.
Requiring only a single day for the True Flame Pill was already quite decent.
"No wonder high-ranking alchemists are always held in such high esteem.
"Leaving aside how efficacious their finished pills are, the sheer amount of energy and time consumed, which delays their own cultivation, is enough to warrant the exalted status major powers grant them.
"Yet because of this, those who can truly achieve profound mastery atop the peak of alchemy will only become fewer and fewer."
A single day might not seem like much.
Yet as the days accumulated, who knew how many years would be squandered, how much lifespan burned away?
And this was merely a Rank 3 pill. What about the Nascent Soul realm in the future? What about Soul Formation?
In the vast Mountain Sea Realm, over the course of ten thousand years, only a single figure revered as a Pill Saint had ever emerged.
Seen in this light, such delays truly hindered high-ranking alchemists from advancing their cultivation realms.
"Perhaps I must find a way to delegate the processing of raw materials to subordinates, so as not to waste more of my time.
"I need to pick someone trustworthy... Actually, they don't even need to be particularly trustworthy. As long as I keep them on Yaoyue Island under my constant watch, they won't be able to pull any tricks.
"That way, things will be much easier."
Revising his previous notions, Luo Chen resolved to assemble a team of assistants to handle the tedious processing of ingredients for him.
As for the leader, the choice was simple: Cheng Haixin, who had not long reached Foundation Establishment, would do.
The woman was pure-minded, like a blank sheet of paper upon which he could paint as he pleased.
As for the helpers?
That would not be difficult either. With tens of thousands of cultivators and millions of mortals across the Flying Swallow Archipelago, selecting a group of herbalists, alchemists, or alchemy apprentices would be effortless.
Some might be unwilling.
However, once their work was tied to contribution points for Luo Chen, they would likely have no complaints.
The various clans might even eagerly volunteer people.
After all, the more contributions they earned, the sooner they could exchange them for the Qingyang Pill Canon inscribed upon the stele.
"Mm? It failed?"
Luo Chen muttered, not expecting this batch of True Flame Pills to fail.
He had performed everything so flawlessly up to that point.
As he cleared out the medicinal dregs, he gazed at the glowing-red Hunyuan Cauldron, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
"I see!
"Refining the True Flame Pill presents two main difficulties. Before, I only focused on the fusion of medicinal properties, overlooking the process of simmering the pill over a low flame.
"What appears to be a simple final step is actually a progressive stage that concentrates and internalizes the medicinal power.
"I understand now!"
With that realization, a relaxed and gratified smile spread across Luo Chen's face.
He was confident that the next refinement of the True Flame Pill would have a ninety percent chance of success!
Yet he did not strike while the iron was hot to start another batch immediately.
Another day had slipped by, delaying his cultivation; that would not do.
At his current cultivation speed, every day lost was a considerable loss, one Luo Chen was loath to afford.
Pills, in the end, were merely supplementary; daily cultivation was the vital core of continuous grinding and progress—he could not put the cart before the horse.
Aside from meditating and refining qi, Luo Chen's cultivation schedule was packed to the brim.
Body tempering!
Tempering the Hunyuan Cauldron.
Developing a fire-attribute defensive spell.
Item by item, whenever he had a spare moment, Luo Chen never stopped.
And indeed, he genuinely felt the steady, reassuring sense of progress across each of his pursuits.
His cultivation possessed the speed of a Heavenly Spiritual Root thanks to the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture.
In body tempering, with the monthly supply of blood food delivered by Cheng Haixin, his sluggish, grinding progress finally showed gradual improvement. Though modest, it was far better than before.
As for tempering his natal magic treasure, the Hunyuan Cauldron, the results grew increasingly noticeable!
Particularly after he began using the Hunyuan Cauldron to refine True Flame Pills in earnest, prolonged days of incineration under the Wither-Bloom True Fire and immersion in abundant alchemical vapor purged more and more impurities from the cauldron, deepening his mental connection to it.
This proved precisely what Tao Wan of Azure Pill Valley had told him back then: the Hunyuan Cauldron could be nourished and tempered further through alchemy!
For an alchemist, this was unquestionably the most suitable natal magic treasure, bar none!
Luo Chen even felt that the day when he could wield the Hunyuan Cauldron as effortlessly as an extension of his own limbs was not far off.
Finally, regarding the development of a fire-attribute defensive spell, Luo Chen had already made headway.
Back during his Qi Refinement days, while studying the Fireball Art, he had cast rudimentary defensive techniques such as the Fire Shield Art and the Fire Ring Art.
Now, with over a century of accumulation and having studied countless spell manuals, fleshing them out and perfecting them was by no means difficult.
The only limiting factor was that Luo Chen wished to integrate the Wither-Bloom True Fire into it.
The more he practiced the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture, the more Luo Chen realized how much potential his source true fire had for exploration and exploitation.
This flame was not confined solely to alchemy, artifact crafting, and body tempering.
It could also be applied to both offense and defense.
Several days later.
On Yaoyue Island.
The thick white fog suddenly dispersed.
Layer upon layer of firelight rippled outward.
Looking closely, they were fiery serpents connected head to tail, snake muzzles gripping tails, tracing out concentric rings.
At first glance, three immense fire serpents formed three distinct rings.
The moment the three rings took shape, a bizarre power lingered in the void.
A high-grade flying sword plunged from above into the fiery rings. Before it could even pierce the first ring, it melted into a puddle of molten iron and dripped to the ground.
Watching this,
Luo Chen smiled with satisfaction on the small island.
This three-ring spell was the fire-attribute defensive technique he had developed recently, now taking preliminary shape.
Its foundation was morphological transformation of the Fireball Art—not difficult, since he had developed "Firefly Stream" in his early years; now, it was merely shaping the flames into serpents.
Pure, domineering magic power was the key building block.
Yet the crucial factor allowing this newly developed spell to immediately possess a Rank 3 core was the incorporation of Wither-Bloom True Fire.
Empowered by the Wither-Bloom True Fire, these serpent rings could devour or dissolve the magic power fueling an enemy's assault while blocking it.
If an opponent's weapon was lacking in quality, it would even be incinerated outright by the serpent rings!
Had it ended there, it would already have been formidable.
Yet Luo Chen felt this spell had far more untapped potential.
Rank 3?
That hardly seemed its ceiling!
Looking at the blurred entry slowly surfacing in the spell column of his attribute panel,
Luo Chen pondered briefly and bestowed a name upon it.
"Let it be called the Sevenfold Blazing Heaven Rings!"
He was simply saving trouble.
In the cultivation world, a fire-attribute defensive spell known as the Sevenfold Blazing Heaven Rings already existed, but it was merely Rank 2.
In terms of defensive capability, it was far inferior to the Glazed Canopy.
Luo Chen had browsed through the manual for the Sevenfold Blazing Heaven Rings in the past, but had never considered learning it; having already mastered the Glazed Canopy, there had been no reason to seek something inferior.
Now, his self-developed defensive spell bore some resemblance to the Sevenfold Blazing Heaven Rings, so naming it after the spell was fitting enough.
The only oddity was that Luo Chen could currently summon only three Wither-Bloom serpent rings!
"It's only at the entry level now. Perhaps once I grind up its proficiency, I will be able to manifest more defensive fire rings.
"Furthermore, other magical principles can be integrated into this spell. Perhaps its rank can even be elevated to Rank 4!"
When it came to spells, Luo Chen's confidence was even higher than in alchemy!
All along, he considered himself blessed with immense talent for spells; aside from those whose ranks far exceeded his realm, he rarely ever used achievement points to initiate himself into a spell.
If he could truly draw from countless sources, synthesize strengths, and create a Rank 4 spell during the Golden Core stage, it would be a pioneering feat for him.
One by no means inferior to his past creations, the Convergence of Myriad Paths and the Micromote Origin Art.
However, elevating the spell's rank was beyond his current capabilities for now.
With his current foundation, he had only managed to reach this stage; he would need to study more texts and experiment further in the future.
A Rank 3 defensive spell might seem insufficient at present, but once mastered to the Great Perfection level with the Wither-Bloom True Fire woven in, it would be more than adequate!
Now that the panel displayed it as initiated, Luo Chen was in no hurry; he could raise its proficiency at his own pace later.
Fortunately, being a defensive spell, it did not require an open expanse to cast at full power; he could practice it right here on Yaoyue Island.
Turning around, he entered the alchemy chamber.
*Clang!*
The Hunyuan Cauldron landed on the floor. Its gray belly was no longer quite as spherical, having contracted by thirty percent.
Though still somewhat chubby, it finally possessed a hint of solemn majesty.
A cauldron represented authority!
Solemn dignity was its true nature; how could it look so comically cute?
After inspecting the Hunyuan Cauldron, Luo Chen commenced his daily alchemy.
This time, success was within his grasp!
...
"Seventh Sister, has the roster been finalized?"
"It's settled. The Xu family has the closest ties with us, so they received three spots. The remaining thirty-odd factions were given only fifteen spots between them. However, I made it clear to them: if anyone in this first batch performs poorly, they will be eliminated immediately and replaced by alchemists from the other clans."
Watching the gentle, refined woman review the list, Cheng Dou wore an excited expression, pacing back and forth across the parlor.
He muttered under his breath:
"You handled this well. It avoids offending the major factions too severely while perfectly fulfilling Qingyang Demon Lord's requirements.
"I was fretting over how we could amass the six thousand contributions' worth of True Flame Pill ingredients without the other families being willing to pay higher costs. Now that we can help process the herbs, it might significantly shorten the time needed to redeem the Qingyang Pill Canon.
"Seventh Sister, once you're over there, don't just stand by and watch. You reached Foundation Establishment in your thirties, so your extraordinary talent goes without saying. But in your early years, you poured all your energy into cultivation, and even now you lack a specialized craft.
"For us cultivators, once our realm increases, we all take up a craft to some degree.
"Who would have thought Qingyang Demon Lord was such a formidable high-ranking alchemist? Seize this opportunity to learn well from him. If you can obtain his true teachings, our Cheng family..."
"If you can't be his concubine, being his disciple is just as fine! Either way, you'll be serving by his side—closer to the water, first to catch the moon's reflection."
Seeing her elder brother's words grow increasingly outrageous, Cheng Haixin's face flushed between pale green and crimson.
What did he mean by "if you can't be his concubine, being his disciple is just as fine"?
Her talent was top-notch throughout the Flying Swallow Archipelago; why should she be demeaned like this?
"Elder Brother!"
"Hm? What is it?" Cheng Dou looked up blankly.
Cheng Haixin frowned. The words hovered at the tip of her tongue, yet she swallowed them back down.
Forget it; why get angry with her own brother?
Even if they argued, it would end with the same tired arguments, devoid of anything new.
She shook her head and stood up, revealing a pair of long, slender legs.
"I am going to Yaoyue Island. I'm afraid I won't be able to look after family affairs much from now on."
Cheng Dou waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry. Although I'm busy with the caravan, Uncle Ji is here for family matters. He's getting on in years and won't be heading out to sea anytime soon."
Cheng Haixin murmured an acknowledgment and strode out of the parlor on her long legs.
Before long, an escaping streak of light rose into the sky, flying toward Yaoyue Island.
The moment she landed, more than a dozen voices piped up in unison:
"Greetings, Fairy Haixin!"
"Greetings, Senior Cheng!"
Cheng Haixin looked at the group before her. There were white-haired, venerable elders, deft and nimble women, and uncoronated youths who had not yet come of age.
At this moment, all of them bowed to her with utmost deference.
Cheng Haixin knew full well that their deference was not due to the gap in cultivation realms, but because she represented Qingyang Demon Lord.
A subtle feeling stirred in her heart.
The woman pursed her lips and said softly, "You are all prepared, yes? Follow me onto the island!"
As she spoke, she flipped her wrist, and a Water-Splitting Piercer dropped into her palm.
With an infusion of spiritual power, the piercer plunged into the lake.
The next moment, a blue flood dragon several zhang long emerged, thrashing its head and tail.
This was none other than the killing move—the Water-Splitting Dragon Transformation technique—contained within the pair of Water-Splitting Piercers bestowed by Luo Chen.
The woman leapt up, perching atop the dragon's head.
At her gesture, the others clambered onto the dragon's body one after another.
Under Cheng Haixin's control, the water dragon glided across the ten-li tranquil lake, entering Yaoyue Island shrouded in white mist.
Leading the group, she arrived at the herbal dispensary where materials were stored.
Before she could pay her respects to Luo Chen,
a short, joyful whistle of genuine delight echoed from the adjacent alchemy chamber.
"What's happening?"
Just as the onlookers were wondering in surprise,
Luo Chen, clad in a loose, casual white robe, walked over from the adjoining chamber, a broad smile gracing his face.
"You've arrived!"
"This humble woman greets Your Eminence." Cheng Haixin offered an elegant curtsy, observing Luo Chen's excited expression, and asked tactfully, "Your Eminence is so joyful—could it be that the pill refinement succeeded?"
Luo Chen grinned. "Haha, Haixin truly possesses a perceptive mind. Indeed! Today, this seat successfully concocted the Rank 3 True Flame Pill. For such joyous news, we must drink a full toast!"
At those words, before Cheng Haixin could even react, the people behind her were thoroughly stunned.
A Rank 3 pill!
The rumored Qingyang Demon Lord was truly a Rank 3 Alchemist!
Having no background in alchemy herself, Cheng Haixin did not grasp the full weight of this accomplishment. She merely followed along pleasantly: "Fine wine naturally calls for fine delicacies. I shall immediately have people prepare gourmet dishes to celebrate for Your Eminence."
"Haha, very thoughtful of you, Haixin."
Luo Chen chuckled heartily, then gave his sleeves a flick.
"No rush for that. First, let me see what these people are capable of."
With a reach of his hand,
a large pile of medicinal herbs flew off the shelves of the dispensary one after another.
As though imbued with intelligence, the herbs settled in front of the eighteen individuals.
Luo Chen restrained his smile and said gravely, "Now, you will process these ingredients on the spot. I have already set the required standards. Should anyone fail to meet them..."
Luo Chen did not spell out the consequence.
Yet none of them were fools; if they failed, they would almost certainly be expelled from Yaoyue Island, forfeiting the chance to earn contributions for their clans.
In an instant, the dispensary plunged into a flurry of fervent activity.
The eighteen were all notable figures in the Flying Swallow Archipelago whose skills were connected to the alchemical path.
At this moment, they retrieved specialized tools and supplementary materials from their storage bags to process the herbs.
Fortunately, Luo Chen had provided the lowest-tier Rank 1 ingredients, common and standard, which were not overly difficult to handle.
Time slipped by slowly.
Gradually, people finished one after another.
Those who finished stood anxiously to the side.
Those remaining quickened their pace.
Nearly half a shichen later, Luo Chen stood before the eighteen portions of processed herbs, inspecting them one by one.
"Good quality. Meets the standard."
"Meets the standard."
"Passable."
"The heat was handled poorly; this herb is completely ruined. You..." Luo Chen glanced at an extravagantly dressed middle-aged man and shook his head.
The man's face instantly turned paper-white.
"Demon Lord, I am a Rank 1 Alchemist! I can refine mid-grade Water Coagulation Pills! I am very capable!"
Luo Chen frowned. What he needed was competent support staff who could process raw ingredients properly.
An alchemist?
Too disinclined to waste words, he shot Cheng Haixin a look, and she immediately stepped forward to deal with the man.
Luo Chen moved along, inspecting the rest.
Most were qualified; only two had failed, and coincidentally, both were Rank 1 Alchemists.
*It seems these minor factions tried to send alchemists here to steal techniques!*
Luo Chen smiled wryly to himself.
Most alchemists nurtured by these clans jumped straight into refining pills using pre-processed ingredients, naturally lacking foundational processing skills.
Their failure was only natural.
Luo Chen's steps finally halted before a fair-faced youth with bright red lips and white teeth.
He looked down at the herb, a curious gleam in his eyes.
"This Golden Branch appears ruined, yet retains a measure of medicinal potency. A peculiar method.
"What is your name?"
The youth's teeth chattered as he stammered, "I am called Xu Muxian, a member of the collateral branch of the Xu clan. I am skilled in processing herbs, and I can also refine Fasting Powder and Five-Grain Pellets."
Fasting Powder and Five-Grain Pellets were unranked medicinal items, hardly remarkable.
Yet at merely fifteen or sixteen years of age, to be proficient in processing ingredients and capable of concocting two types of pills was already rather impressive.
"Can you tell me what method you used to process this Golden Branch?"
Xu Muxian hesitated for a moment before answering, "I soaked it in Redrock Liquid, but misjudged its potency, which led to the failure."
Redrock Liquid was a fire-attribute spiritual liquid, typically formed by the fusion of undersea volcanic magma and subterranean spiritual springs.
Using fire to overcome metal: not only did he understand the cycle of elemental conquest, but he had dared to put it into practice.
A promising seed.
Luo Chen took a deep look at the youth. "You stay."
Xu Muxian, who had already abandoned hope, beamed with ecstatic surprise upon hearing those words.
Luo Chen walked back to Cheng Haixin. "Most of them are fine. Just recruit two replacements later. There's no need to trouble me when the time comes; have this man screen them for you."
As he spoke, Luo Chen pointed toward the octogenarian elder who had been the first to finish.
Cheng Haixin nodded. "Elder Qi is indeed very skilled—a renowned herbalist throughout the Flying Swallow Archipelago."
Luo Chen gave an affirmative hum and walked out of the dispensary.
After instructing the group on when their shifts would begin, Cheng Haixin followed closely behind Luo Chen.
Watching her departing figure, the youth Xu Muxian showed a trace of envy on his face.
As the group boarded the small boat to depart Yaoyue Island, Elder Qi suddenly caught hold of the youth's arm.
"Elder Qi?"
"Good fortune has found you, lad. That Lord Demon looks upon you with favor; perhaps he may teach you a technique or two in alchemy in the future."
Xu Muxian asked, half-believing and half-doubting, "Really?"
Elder Qi smiled kindly. "Would I lie to you? When the rest of us process ingredients, we rely on experience and established formulas. But you struck out on an unconventional path; even though you failed, you showed true spark and intuition. Big figures like him often favor seedlings with intuition."
"But I am only at the second level of Qi Refinement... Can I really catch Lord Demon's eye?" Xu Muxian was still insecure.
Elder Qi shook his head. "Don't fret so much. In his eyes, there is little difference between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement. As long as you do your work steadily and diligently, your day to rise will come."
At the end, he added:
"If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me first."
Watching the youth's naive yet overjoyed expression, Elder Qi could not help but sigh with emotion.
Supposedly, Xu Muxian was not well-regarded within the Xu clan.
Despite possessing talent for alchemy, no one supported his practice, forcing him to scrape together the crudest Fasting Powder and Five-Grain Pellets just to survive.
Today, he would simply perform an act of kindness and forge a good affinity!
If this boy truly caught Qingyang Demon Lord's eye in the future, his wager today might well bring fortune to the descendants of the Qi family.
In the world of cultivation, great figures had their grand lives, while minor figures had their humble struggles.
Luo Chen did not know what kind of turn in life his fleeting whim would bring to this youth.
He only knew that right now, he felt burning hot!
Within his chambers, Luo Chen's face was flushed crimson like a boiled lobster, plumes of steam rising continuously from the crown of his head.
Within his body, a low-grade True Flame Pill was being refined, unleashing its medicinal potency.
The medicinal power was colossal, surging like a flaming torrent through his extraordinary meridians, acupoint membranes, and flesh.
The gurgling sound resonated like rushing rivers.
Stimulated by the rush, even his qi sea churned slightly.
After a long while, Luo Chen slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of scalding vapor.
"As expected of the True Flame Pill!
"What immense potency, what domineering efficacy!"
In his eyes, besides delight and admiration, there lingered a trace of lingering fear.
Chapter 534