Tianxuan Island was the name Luo Chen had given to this nameless islet, derived from the Tianxuan Battle Gull.
Such trifles were hardly worth mentioning; what truly drew Luo Chen's attention was the spirit vein deep beneath the island.
Though small, its quality was quite remarkable, barely crossing into Tier 3.
No wonder the Tianxuan Battle Gull had braved the dangers to establish its dwelling here in the Xuanyan Sea Domain.
Deep underground, the Profound Fire Sword unleashed bursts of sword qi, carving continuously through the stone.
In less than half a day, a subterranean cavern standing two zhang high and several zhang long and wide was hollowed out.
Surveying the crude, rough cave dwelling, Luo Chen nodded in satisfaction.
However, if he intended to stay here for an extended period, this alone would not suffice.
Light swirled at his fingertips as small formation flags flew from his storage ring one after another, darting into every corner of the cave.
With a flick of his wrist, a compass appeared in his hand.
Looking left and right, Luo Chen stepped into the very center of the cavern.
"The earth qi flows, with this point as its nexus."
"The Spirit-Gathering Formation should be erected right here."
With a slight smile, he let the compass sink slowly into the depths of the earth.
By now, everything was prepared, lacking only the final spark.
Luo Chen cast out over a dozen mid-grade spirit stones, embedding them at the bases of the flags. Forming several incantation gestures with both hands, he gave a low shout.
"Rise!"
In an instant, layers of spiritual light bloomed across the cavern, dazzling with vibrant colors.
As Luo Chen completed the final hand seal, the brilliant glow gradually faded under the formation's control. Above, wisps of white mist quietly drifted across Tianxuan Island.
Given that it was the break of dawn and sea fog already hung heavy in the air, the mist drew little attention.
Once the sun rose high, it would thin further, leaving only a wisp or two.
Within the Myriad Soul Banner, Han Zhan watched in silence, once again shaken to the core.
*Does such a genius truly exist in this world?*
*Leaving aside his alchemy, these formations appear elementary, yet in Luo Chen's hands, each displays an extraordinary potency!*
His shock was well warranted.
The Spirit-Gathering Formation was also a gradeless, universal formation whose actual tier had always depended on the materials used.
The better the materials and the more spirit stones one was willing to expend, the more spiritual energy it could draw.
Yet this casual arrangement by Luo Chen seemed even more ingenious and subtle than Han Zhan's own craft.
Not only could it concentrate far denser spiritual energy within, but externally it could also adapt seamlessly to the surrounding environment without revealing the slightest irregularity.
To Han Zhan, given Luo Chen's talent in formation arts, if he were willing to devote the time, Han Zhan would likely have nothing left to teach him within ten years at most.
Inside the banner, Han Zhan's remnant soul, condensed by ghostly qi into a three-inch figure, shook his head wryly.
*For such a peerless talent to remain an itinerant rogue cultivator is truly a waste.*
*In a major sect, whether in alchemy or formations, he could well become a grandmaster of an era and propel a sect to supreme prosperity!*
Luo Chen knew nothing of his companion's inner thoughts.
He took a moment to gauge the concentration of spiritual energy in the cavern; it was still Tier 3 low-grade, but merely a step away from mid-grade.
If he were willing to replace the mid-grade spirit stones with high-grade ones, he could breach that threshold.
Clearly, there was no need.
He did not have that many spirit stones to begin with. Before setting off, he had inventoried his assets: thirty-five high-grade spirit stones, two thousand mid-grade spirit stones, and negligible low-grade stones.
All told, his net worth was only around five hundred thousand.
It could be said that this was the poorest Luo Chen had been in a long time.
There was no helping it.
During the Pioneering War, developing the conquered spiritual grounds of Snow Wolf Flat had depleted much of his savings.
Since coming to the Northern Sea, his wealth had essentially been an outflow with no inflow.
Every spirit stone spent was one fewer in hand.
"I wonder if the Luotian Sect's spiritual grounds will survive the battle at Tiangu Plain."
Luo Chen sighed as several familiar figures surfaced in his mind.
Shaking his head, he retrieved items one by one from his storage ring: wooden racks, herbs, a stone mortar, a small millstone, an herb cutter... and finally, the Hunyuan Cauldron landed with a resonant clang.
Where the Hunyuan Cauldron rested, he laid down several fire-resistant bricks and arranged a simple fire pit according to the techniques Fei Ming had taught him.
With that, the cave dwelling finally possessed some semblance of life.
Approaching a wide stone bed he had deliberately left behind, Luo Chen laid out blankets and quilts.
"I'll rest for the night, and tomorrow begin the grand hunt for ingredients!"
A month of travel, half a month of scouting, followed by a battle against a Tier 3 demonic bird had kept his nerves taut.
Sharpening the axe does not delay the woodcutter; Luo Chen understood the wisdom of resting first.
***
"So this is the renowned Qingdi Crab?"
On a deserted islet, Luo Chen stood on the shore, watching the massive crab dragged up from the shallows by the black-scaled flood dragon after being knocked senseless.
It measured a full two zhang across, entirely viridian in color as though coated in moss.
Despite its immense size, for some reason it conveyed a delicate, slender aesthetic beauty.
From within the Myriad Soul Banner, Han Zhan replied, "Demonic crab species across the world are numerous, yet only the Qingdi Crab clan is famed for graceful elegance—though by human aesthetic standards, it's hard to tell where its beauty actually lies."
Luo Chen smiled faintly. "Beautiful or not, a demonic crab of this size is a treasure from head to toe. We can't let it go to waste."
Han Zhan paused, then smiled as well.
Indeed, it truly could not be wasted!
Luo Chen brought out the Hunyuan Cauldron and slapped its flank. Fiery crimson chains surged out instantly, binding the Qingdi Crab securely and pulling it into the cauldron's internal space.
Stowing the cauldron, he looked at the black-scaled flood dragon lying eagerly in the water and commanded:
"Continue hunting demonic crabs in the vicinity. Tier 2 is best, though Tier 1 will do in a pinch. As for species, any will do except the Nine-Clawed Poison King Crab."
"If you encounter a Tier 3 crab king, avoid it if possible. If you run into danger, call Tianxuan for help."
As he spoke, he pointed overhead.
A magnificent blue-green bird circled gracefully above the deserted island.
The black-scaled flood dragon glanced up at the Tianxuan Battle Gull and curled its lip.
It would never ask its natural predator for help!
During the earlier battle on the island, the bird's pecks had hurt terribly.
Having delivered his instructions, Luo Chen left the deserted island in haste and quietly returned to Tianxuan Island.
Upon entering the cave dwelling:
*Clang!*
The Hunyuan Cauldron landed, spewing a beam of spiritual light.
Instantly, the enormous viridian crab appeared before him.
Being taken in and released had jarred it awake.
At this moment, it stared blankly at the lone human and the solitary banner before it.
"You first, or me?"
"You go first. Black Emperor Paste requires live refinement; I can take the remnant soul afterward."
"Fine. Help muffle the noise so nothing leaks outside."
The Tier 2 Qingdi Crab could not understand the human's words, but it sensed that something terrible was about to occur.
Sure enough!
The human walked toward it carrying a stone mortar.
In his other hand was a giant brush.
The brush stirred inside the mortar, coating itself in thick white liquid, before painting along the crab's carapace under the guidance of magic power.
It looked just like someone whitewashing a wall.
Moments later, the green carapace was completely covered in white paste.
Right then, an intense, numbing itch washed over the Qingdi Crab.
The sensation felt like an agony radiating from the depths of its soul.
Its eight legs twitched uncontrollably on the ground, frantically scratching at its back.
Once, twice...
In the end, driven to utter frenzy, it tore its own carapace clean off.
Watching this, Luo Chen gave a calm nod.
"Flesh detaches of its own accord; spirituality remains intact."
"The overlord sheds its armor, yet its lingering might endures."
The key essentials of refining Black Emperor Paste surfaced in his mind one by one.
With an empty wave of Luo Chen's hand, the colossal carapace floated into the Hunyuan Cauldron.
Glancing at the shell-less giant crab howling in agony on the ground, Luo Chen remarked casually, "The rest is yours for the taking, Senior."
Han Zhan did not reply.
Instead, wisps of black qi surged from the banner, enveloping the Qingdi Crab completely.
Gradually, an intact beast soul was dragged out, merging into the Soul Refining Banner amidst its defiant wails.
With this, the Soul Refining Banner gained another Tier 2 demonic soul.
In time, it might well restore the glory of the Myriad Soul Banner, or even surpass it!
Having finished, Han Zhan turned his attention to Luo Chen, who was refining the medicine.
Before long, Luo Chen was already more than halfway through the process.
A peculiar scent filled the cavern.
Catching the aroma, Han Zhan could not help but sigh.
*Truly worthy of a master alchemist!*
*Refining Tier 3 Black Emperor Paste for the first time, yet progressing without a hitch, smooth and seamless.*
Tier 2 primary ingredients yielded Tier 3 Black Emperor Paste.
As expected!
When Luo Chen brought out a large jar and guided the medicinal fluid from the cauldron, the thick, dough-like slurry that poured out was undeniably the Black Emperor Paste Han Zhan knew so well.
Judging by its quality, it was around Tier 3 low-grade.
It was also one of the signature creations of Mu Yunyan, the chief alchemist of the Luoyun Sect.
Having collected all the Black Emperor Paste, Luo Chen breathed a sigh of relief.
He quietly glanced at the attribute panel in his mind.
[Black Emperor Paste: Novice (12/100)]
Succeeding on the first try with only Novice proficiency was indeed an auspicious start.
Next, he could test how much this homemade paste would aid his body tempering.
However, before that, there was a minor matter to attend to.
He looked back at the Qingdi Crab on the ground.
Shell-less, soulless.
The body that should have overflowed with vitality was now reduced to a living corpse.
"The demon core can't go to waste."
A demon core the size of a longan was extracted.
"As for the flesh..."
Luo Chen sighed. Stripped of carapace and soul, even refining such flesh with Wither-Bloom True Fire would yield very little vitality to absorb.
Still, it definitely could not go to waste.
So, it could only be eaten!
His gaze finally settled on the eight large legs, especially the two thickest giant pincers.
For a moment, Luo Chen genuinely didn't know what to do with them.
"Never mind, I'll store them for now. Even if I sell them later, they're top-quality crafting materials—plenty of people would pay top dollar."
In a mere half-day, this Qingdi Crab had been stripped to the bone, its soul harvested, its blood and marrow thoroughly extracted, utilized to the absolute limit.
Even the leftover viscera, stomach, intestines, gills, and heart could later be given to the black-scaled flood dragon and the Tianxuan Battle Gull.
The former feared no toxins and relished raw flesh.
The latter had a special fondness for crab hearts, often catching demonic crabs only to discard all their essence and eat nothing but the heart.
If the king of the Qingdi Crab clan knew of Luo Chen's handling of its kin, it would surely be incensed and wish to flay Luo Chen alive.
Evidently, Luo Chen did not care.
All he cared about right now was what level of boost Black Emperor Paste could provide to his body refinement.
Within the sealed cavern, isolated from the outside world, Luo Chen stripped off all his clothes.
Channeling magic power, he spread the warm, black paste over every inch of his body, even coating private areas that were usually overlooked, lest any weak point be left unprotected.
Then, he circulated Convergence of Myriad Paths, which was close to Great Perfection.
Raging flames blazed within, while the medicinal paste seeped in from without.
A faint smell of scorching drifted faintly through the air.
Several hours later.
Luo Chen slowly opened his eyes.
Looking at his coarsened skin, he first frowned.
Then, taking out the Profound Fire Sword, he gave his arm a light chop.
A faint red mark surfaced.
Yet the moment it made contact, there was undeniably a faint metallic chime.
*My physique still can't withstand magic treasures bare-handed, but it's clearly advancing in that direction.*
*And I'm only at the mid-stage of Desolate Ancient Tier 3, with plenty of room for improvement.*
*Black Emperor Paste has formidable potency!*
*I made the right move!*
Having reached this conclusion, Luo Chen cast a Cleansing Art on himself and put on his outer robes.
When he emerged from the partitioned cave chamber, Han Zhan looked over.
"How was the effect?"
Luo Chen smiled slightly. "Seeing substantial results takes time; there's no rush."
Han Zhan understood.
In other words, it truly worked.
This also confirmed his suspicions.
Black Emperor Paste had always been a top-tier body-tempering elixir!
It was merely that the prerequisites for cultivators were far too demanding: without a powerful physical foundation and an iron will to endure excruciating agony, one simply could not temper their body with it.
Normally, the cultivators of his Luoyun Sect primarily applied it to pain-free puppets.
Even then, various supplementary materials had to be added to balance rigidity and resilience.
Thinking of this, Han Zhan hesitated before offering a warning. "Luo Chen, excessive rigidity invites fracture."
Luo Chen hummed in acknowledgment.
He naturally understood the medicinal properties of Black Emperor Paste.
Using demon carapaces as medicine forged an unyielding tyrant physique of pure, unbridled hardness!
Its flaw, however, was a lack of flexibility.
For puppets, this was easily resolved by adding materials that imparted suppleness.
But on a cultivator?
Luo Chen pondered for a moment, then simply smiled with nonchalance.
The vast vitality he absorbed and refined through the Wither-Bloom True Fire primarily enhanced his physique's restorative powers.
In a sense, that was resilience in its own right.
"One step at a time!"
***
Life in seclusion on Tianxuan Island proceeded without further disturbance.
Day by day, the variety of demonic crabs delivered to Luo Chen by the black-scaled flood dragon grew increasingly diverse.
He also came to know the so-called Five Royal Crab Clans of the Xuanyan Sea Domain.
The Overlord Crab boasted the strongest combat prowess, its twin pincers possessing terrifying, indestructible strength.
The Qingdi Crab was "exquisitely beautiful," frequently pursued and accompanied by other demonic crabs when it roamed.
The Red Rock Crab was rare, dwelling deep within volcanic undersea trenches; on the rare occasions they came ashore, they basked in the sunlight in large swarms, and the flood dragon dared not provoke them.
The Demon Spider Crab was the most terrifying. Though shaped like a crab, its body was covered in eyes and it could shoot webbing.
At first glance, it looked no different from a spider.
Once, the black-scaled flood dragon crossed paths with a Tier 3 Demon Spider Crab and nearly failed to return; only when the Tianxuan Battle Gull swooped down from the sky and plucked it away did it manage to survive.
However, the Demon Spider Crab had its virtues as well.
Its meat was delectable. After eating a Tier 1 specimen, Luo Chen could not forget the taste, repeatedly urging the flood dragon never to spare any low-tier Demon Spider Crabs it encountered.
The flood dragon felt deeply aggrieved!
On this day.
Luo Chen was cultivating in his cave dwelling when a series of urgent shrieks pierced the air outside.
"What is it?"
Han Zhan, keeping watch outside, replied:
"It's Tianxuan. From its calls, Black Scale is in serious trouble."
Luo Chen's brow furrowed. Putting on his robes, he stepped calmly out of the cave.
With a leap, he soared into the sky.
The Tianxuan Battle Gull caught him upon its sleek back, aligned itself with a direction, and took off.
A distance of barely a thousand li was covered in the blink of an eye at the gull's speed.
From afar, Luo Chen took in the scene.
In the deep sea, the black-scaled flood dragon displayed its colossal thirty-zhang serpentine form, stirring up fierce winds and churning violent waves.
Yet right now, it appeared utterly battered and beleaguered.
For a behemoth of a demonic crab, brandishing massive pincers, was madly pursuing it.
Luo Chen's eyes lit up.
"A Tier 3 Overlord Crab!"
Chapter 543