Three months later!
In the quietest sanctuary atop Mount Daqing, the scene was one of bustling, fiery fervor.
"Qi Yi, add the Ice Soul Marrow!"
"Understood!"
Qi Yi leapt into the air, a jade bottle held in his grip, its mouth tilted down toward the massive grey cauldron.
As his spiritual power surged, bursts of dense white smoke billowed forth.
Amidst that white mist, the Ice Soul Marrow fell straight into the Hunyuan Cauldron.
Qi Yi silently counted the measure in his heart...
"Enough!"
Beside him, Luo Chen called out a reminder. Feeling that the portion was just right, Qi Yi promptly drew back his hand.
"Adding the marrow drastically shifts the temperature inside the cauldron. If you want the medicinal potency to continue climbing and fusing, you have to increase the fire. Step back for now so my true fire does not singe you."
After Luo Chen gave this warning, the Wither-Bloom True Fire erupted fiercely.
Qi Yi cautiously retreated to the rear, gazing at Luo Chen's every movement with eager anticipation.
Evidently, Luo Chen also intended to guide and nurture him, frequently speaking up to point out subtle details.
"When refining high-rank pills, the requirements in every aspect are exceedingly steep. The alchemical implements, the strength of the flame... even the cultivator's own magic power are intimately tied to the outcome. When I refined the Nascent Soul Formation Pill in the past, my cultivation was merely late Golden Core. It took an extraordinary amount of time, wearing down the process bit by bit with patient endurance. Now that my cultivation has grown, it saves a great deal of time."
"Given your alchemical foundation, your basics are already remarkably solid. The reason you still struggle to reliably refine Tier 3 pills comes down to two shortcomings. First, you have not refined an extraordinary flame; second, your spiritual power falls short. The former is easy to remedy—simply substitute it with precious spirit woods, supplemented by fire-controlling and fire-gathering formations. But the latter is something you must pay close attention to: you need to temper and refine your spiritual power."
"Do not take the tempering of spiritual power lightly. It bears directly upon your future path to the Golden Core!"
"Over recent years, I have gained some insights while tempering my own magic power and compiled a manual called the *Spirit Tempering Art*. Once we finish refining this Nascent Soul Formation Pill, you may take it to study and comprehend."
Qi Yi listened with utmost earnestness. He was awed by how Luo Chen had managed to concoct a Tier 4 realm-breaking pill while still in the Golden Core stage, and through Luo Chen's words, he also pinpointed his own deficiencies.
When he heard that Luo Chen intended to pass on a secret art for tempering spiritual power, joy visibly washed over his face.
After profusely thanking Luo Chen, Qi Yi asked out of curiosity, "We failed the previous few attempts. Can we succeed this time?"
Luo Chen kept his attention fixed on the conditions inside the Hunyuan Cauldron, his face illuminated a radiant crimson by the majestic Wither-Bloom True Fire.
In the face of Qi Yi's question, his expression remained placid.
"Regardless of success or failure, we must give our all on every attempt!"
"If there comes a day when you think your alchemical skills are sufficient and you treat pill refinement with careless ease, the scorched, foul stench of failure will be the cauldron's mockery of you."
"Only when you dedicate full focus to every step will the eventual, pervasive fragrance not betray all your sweat and toil."
"Watch closely now! Next comes the most critical stage—introducing the three primary ingredients into the medicine. I will not explain anything further; how much you grasp will depend entirely on your own comprehension."
With those words, Luo Chen tossed out a Tier 4 Purple Monkey Flower.
The ten fingers of his hands fluttered like butterflies, swiftly executing hand seals.
As magic power surged forth, stream after stream of alchemical techniques poured from his hands, constantly breaking down and melting the Purple Monkey Flower suspended in midair.
A shroud of purple mist manifested, dreamlike and ethereal, before gradually sinking down into the Hunyuan Cauldron.
Holding his breath, Qi Yi watched the scene without daring to make a sound, as though striving to etch every single step of Luo Chen's technique deep into his mind.
***
Several days later.
*Thud!*
Luo Chen drifted gently back to the ground, a touch of satisfaction showing in his eyes.
Qi Yi, who had stood vigilant for days on end, now had bloodshot eyes. "Supreme Elder, did we succeed?"
Looking up at the grey cauldron, Luo Chen smiled faintly.
"The batch of medicinal ingredients supplied by the Divine Talisman Sect had been hoarded for far too long, leaving their medicinal potency somewhat dissipated. Next, it must be simmered and nurtured with pill fire for a few days to condense the essence before the furnace can be opened. But by my estimation, there is an eighty to ninety percent chance that the pill will form!"
At these words, Qi Yi let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.
Enduring such an ordeal for so long had left him looking noticeably haggard.
Refining high-rank pills—even when merely observing and acting as an assistant to Luo Chen—was simply too exhausting.
Even so, he had genuinely learned a great deal through the process. Once he thoroughly digested the experience, his alchemical attainments were bound to see a qualitative leap!
"You are exhausted as well. Go rest for a couple of days!"
Qi Yi nodded reflexively, but then had a second thought.
"I should stay behind to tend the fire!"
Luo Chen chuckled.
"No need. Someone else will take over tending the fire."
As he spoke, crisp footsteps echoed from a corner.
Qi Yi looked over. The Red Dog Puppet, which he had previously assumed was only used for menial chores and hauling ingredients, silently walked up beneath the Hunyuan Cauldron.
Spiritual light flared brightly across its body, and both of its hands breathed forth a wisp of Wither-Bloom True Fire.
Fed with the specially prepared spirit wood, the flames beneath the cauldron remained perfectly regulated within a set range.
A look of astonishment crossed Qi Yi's face. *This puppet can even help tend the fire?*
"With the Red Dog here, there is no need to worry about fluctuations in the pill fire," Luo Chen said with a smile, his eyes filled with confidence.
Inside the Red Dog Puppet resided his strongest divided soul. Whatever he knew, the puppet knew as well. Combined with the Wither-Bloom True Fire, leaving it here was virtually equivalent to tending the fire himself; nothing could go awry.
Then, Luo Chen retrieved a green-skinned gourd from his storage ring and handed it to Qi Yi.
"This is Soul Soothing Powder, a Tier 3 soul-nourishing medicine. When consumed in a state of extreme exhaustion, it not only restores your soul, but also slightly strengthens your spiritual essence. It was originally a core pill of the Medicine King Sect. Elder Fu shared the recipe with me, and I hastily brewed a small batch. Take it, consume it, and get some rest!"
Curious, Qi Yi took the gourd. He had no idea when Luo Chen had found the time to refine such an elixir.
*Could it have been while preparing the medicinal ingredients?*
Yet Soul Soothing Powder was a renowned Tier 3 wondrous medicine. Had the Supreme Elder's alchemical skill reached such a height that he could produce Tier 3 medicines at will?
"My thanks for the Supreme Elder's bestowal!"
After bowing respectfully in gratitude, Qi Yi departed from the alchemy chamber.
Once he was gone, Luo Chen watched the Hunyuan Cauldron for a moment longer to ensure the Red Dog Puppet had full control over the situation before leaving the chamber and returning to his private quarters.
First, he cast a glance inside his storage ring.
Of the raw materials Elder Fu had handed him, there were still a full thirteen portions remaining!
However, after setting aside the other Five Elements Lotus Platform he had kept for himself, only three full sets of raw materials could actually be used to refine the Nascent Soul Formation Pill.
*I will keep them for now. There is no harm in refining them when I have spare time.*
Luo Chen was not particularly anxious about the Nascent Soul Formation Pill; he already held two in reserve!
They were exquisite-grade Nascent Soul Formation Pills left over from Longyuan Island in the Northern Sea, which had been nurtured to the Tier 4 mid-grade by the Dragon Nurturing Basin!
If this batch succeeded as well, based on his past experience, it would likely yield around ten pills.
Elder Fu's minimum requirement was two pills, and he had set no upper limit, leaving it as an unspoken understanding between them.
When the time came, Luo Chen could be generous and hand over three to five pills, still leaving plenty for himself.
These pills, siphoned off with "a bit of guilt," would serve as the future foundational strength of the Luotian Sect!
Tier 4 Nascent Soul Formation Pills!
He had also hoarded dozens of Tier 3 Liquid Condensation Pills refined on Longyuan Island—pills derived from the legacy of the Demonic Lord Liantian that aided in forming the Golden Core!
On top of that, Luo Chen already possessed Emperor's Flowing Syrup to aid in Foundation Establishment!
Furthermore, he held the complete set of Spirit Root Pill formulas he had comprehended in the Alchemy Realm, which could grant mortals without spirit roots the qualifications to cultivate Qi for thirty years!
Thus, Luo Chen had assembled all the primary realm-breaking pill formulas needed for a human cultivator from Qi Refinement all the way to Nascent Soul.
If paired with the corresponding cultivation pills of each tier, the overall progression would be entirely unimpeded.
As for auxiliary soul-refining formulas, Luo Chen had gathered nearly all of them as well.
The Nether-Passage Pill, Soul Soothing Powder, and the Great Soul Pill!
If he could obtain the Medicine King Sect's formula for the Tier 1 Soul Calming Incense, or the method to craft the Fiery Spirit Incense originally created by the Baihua Palace's Fragrance Mistress, that would truly be the crowning touch.
*With these systematic formulas, supplemented by methods of spirit plant cultivation, the vast amounts of spirit soil inside the Penglai Octagonal Pavilion, and the multitude of dragon earthworms on the Black King, I could easily establish an alchemical sect comparable to the Medicine King Sect.*
*In terms of body cultivation, with Wang Yuan and myself, alongside outstanding juniors like Zeng Yilong, we could completely revive the former glory of ancient body cultivators.*
*If Qin Yuanjiang is clever enough to master the art of puppetry, combined with my soul-refining pills and soul-refining cultivation methods, we might even have the chance to replicate the path of the Luoyun Sect.*
*I have also gained some modest accomplishments in artifact forging. Before Duan Feng passed away, he left behind a solid foundation for forging within the Luotian Sect. If...*
One notion after another surfaced, each painting a splendid vision of the future.
Luo Chen felt so inspired that he hardly wished to return to the Central Plains to serve as a guest elder of the Star Gate.
Compared to living under someone else's roof, what could be more magnificent than dominating a region and passing down one's own legacy?
Yet Luo Chen quickly severed those thoughts.
To accomplish all of that required far too much.
A vast, resource-rich domain endowed with a spirit vein of Tier 4 or higher!
A multitude of exceptional disciples and sect members!
And a sufficiently stable political climate!
For the current Luo Chen, such conditions were things that could only be hoped for, not demanded.
Rather than indulging in fantasies, it was far better to keep his feet on the ground and elevate his own strength.
Fame and prestige were mere soft power.
Cultivation realms, magic power, and divine abilities—these were the hard power that would allow him to traverse this chaotic world unhindered and stand tall without falling!
After a brief respite, Luo Chen began his practice of the sword path.
He had gathered seven streams of Crimson Firmament Qi high above in the azure firmament, and Elder Fu had gifted him another three.
If he could refine them all, he would cross into the first stage of the *Thousand Firmaments Myriad Transformations Sword Scripture*, gaining another potent method against foes.
He could not afford to slack off!
Luo Chen drew out a stream of Crimson Firmament Qi, took a deep breath, and drew it into his chest and abdomen.
With the Yuantu Sword resting across his lap, it began to resonate with the Crimson Firmament Qi to the rhythmic cadence of his breathing.
Amidst this resonance, Luo Chen's entire presence became increasingly sharp and edged, radiating a terrifying brilliance that none dared look at directly.
***
"Martial Uncle, here is the third batch of talisman parchment."
Inside a grand hall, Zeng Yilong hurried in, leading several disciples.
First, he bowed respectfully toward the towering black ape, then gestured for the disciples behind him to set down the parchment.
A dull thump sounded, accompanied by a rank, beastly odor.
The black ape puppet—Luo Chen—stepped forward to the stack of hides, which stood taller than a man, and examined them closely.
One of the disciples stepped up from behind to explain, "This batch of talisman parchment was crafted by cultivators of the Divine Talisman Sect using the hides of various demon beasts. Most are around Tier 2 in quality, with varied elemental attributes. Per your instructions, we tried our best to pick fire-attributed ones, but there are still quite a few of other attributes mixed in."
The black ape Luo Chen nodded.
This was the sole drawback of crafting talisman parchment from beast hides: their attributes were inherently limited by the innate affinity of the demon beasts.
For him, however, this posed little issue.
His true body could alter the attribute of his magic power at will and possessed profound mastery over all manner of Five Elements spells; he could make full use of every hide.
His black ape puppet avatar needed only to delve into the techniques of talisman crafting and master the theoretical principles, leaving the practical execution for his true body when the time came.
After a thorough inspection, Luo Chen straightened up with satisfaction.
"Thank you all for making the journey. Go to Yang Pingdu to collect your compensation."
The leadership of the Luotian Sect's Merit Court had long since changed hands.
It was no longer Sima Wenjie, but Yang Pingdu, who had joined the sect mid-stride.
He was not an expert raised by the Luotian Sect from the start, but someone who had entered with prior skill. Having no factional backing within the sect, he strived to remain as impartial as possible.
Even if he offended everyone, it was equivalent to offending no one in particular.
Having him lead the Merit Court was the most fitting arrangement.
Just as Zeng Yilong was about to lead the group away, Luo Chen called out to the disciple who had just introduced the talisman hides.
"You, stay behind!"
The others were surprised, but none dared question it.
Once everyone had departed, Luo Chen regarded the young man before him, whose facial features carried a faint trace of familiarity.
"You are Qu Jiu, are you not?"
Caught completely off guard, Qu Jiu had not expected the Supreme Elder to recognize him.
Strictly speaking, the Supreme Elder was not only the sect's founding ancestor, but also his grandmaster.
Could he have been kept behind because of matters concerning his father?
To his surprise, Luo Chen spoke of something entirely different.
"You show no interest in the path of alchemy, yet you rattled off the details of these talisman hides with effortless familiarity. It seems you possess quite an understanding of the talisman path!"
Qu Jiu froze, then replied with some awkward hesitation, "Because of my mother, I developed a curiosity for talismans, so I studied them a little."
"Oh? Mi Li?"
"Yes. Before she passed away, my mother left me a peace talisman. Later, during a battle with a demon beast, that talisman saved my life. When I asked the sect elders, I learned that she had used her personal connections to request that Elder Ye, an expert of the Divine Talisman Sect, draw that Tier 3 defensive talisman personally."
A reminiscent look crossed Qu Jiu's face as he spoke of the past, and an involuntary smile touched his lips.
Then, he returned to the main topic.
"Ever since then, I became fascinated by talismans. It is an art that is both convenient and formidable. More importantly, it allows one to protect those dear to them even when one cannot be there in person."
The black ape Luo Chen nodded stiffly and said in a slow, measured voice, "Indeed, such is the nature of the talisman path. While it does not directly elevate a cultivator's realm, it provides aid in every conceivable way."
This insight was something Luo Chen had realized while studying talismans over recent days.
Talismans were not merely meant for combat; they could be applied in countless situations.
Crucially, a cultivator's ascent through the cultivation realms was fraught with hardship. Once locked in battle, excessive consumption of magic power meant an arduous, protracted recovery.
If one could channel surplus magic power into talismans during ordinary times to offset combat expenditure, it would indirectly support one's cultivation.
Naturally, becoming overly obsessed with talisman crafting was undesirable.
Looking upon the capable, dignified Qu Jiu, Luo Chen felt an inexplicable sense of warmth and closeness.
After a moment of silence, the black ape Luo Chen said in a deep voice, "From now on, follow me and learn talisman crafting!"
Qu Jiu was stunned, failing to process the words at first.
"Supreme Elder, I..."
"Just call me Grandmaster."
A heavy, rigid hand patted Qu Jiu's shoulder as the black ape Luo Chen spoke.
His current talisman-crafting skill barely registered as Tier 3 according to his system's evaluation, which was hardly considered peerless.
Yet teaching Qu Jiu was more than manageable.
Now that he had secured a vast hoard of talisman parchment to build his proficiency, one could only imagine how rapidly Luo Chen's talisman craft would advance.
Studying under him and receiving his guidance would surely outstrip Qu Jiu fumbling in the dark on his own.
"First, I will test your foundational knowledge of talismans, and then..."
Just as the black ape was speaking, his voice suddenly trailed off.
He raised his head, gazing into the distance toward his true body's location.
*Did it truly succeed?*
*Then it seems the day of Elder Fu's arrival is not far off!*
Once Elder Fu arrived, the news of successfully refining a Tier 4 pill could never be concealed from the outside world.
With that, it would prove that Luo Chen's declarations at the Nascent Soul celebration had been no hollow boast.
He truly possessed the grandmaster realm capable of refining a hundred pills, versatile in every branch of the craft!
When that happened, those powerhouse figures who had remained passive despite their desperate need for pills would surely no longer be able to sit still.
*The peaceful days of my true body are about to end.*
*I only hope the new visitors arriving at my door will bring some novel pill formulas with them!*
Chapter 793