Jiuling Yuanjun Requests an Audience with the Alchemy Grandmaster!

Inside the cave dwelling. Luo Chen sat cross-legged atop a lotus platform. With every breath he took in and out, a strand of peerlessly sharp, crimson sword qi sprayed across the Yuan Tu sword resting on his knees. The *Thousand Firmaments Myriad Transformations Sword Scripture* claimed not to differentiate between sword pellets and flying swords, but in truth, its cultivation method was derived from the orthodox methods of sword cultivators. *A sharp sword qi harbored within, breathed out to roar across tens of millions of li.* Originally, this breath was meant to use a sword pellet as its vessel, allowing for myriad transformations—when the sword rose, myriad tribulations were unleashed. With the modified cultivation method, it could be anchored to a flying sword to achieve a similar effect. Moreover, rather than an orthodox sword cultivator method, in Luo Chen's eyes, this sword scripture leaned closer to a single-use sword dao divine ability. It depleted; each strand of sword qi used was one fewer, though it could be continuously replenished. It was not like profound divine abilities gained through comprehension, such as the Wither-Bloom Dao Finger, but its strength lay in how it could be cultivated step by step through routine practice. Gather the ethereal quintessence of the nine firmaments, refine myriad strands of sword qi, and when unleashed all at once, its power was boundless and peerless. Huuu... Luo Chen exhaled a long breath of crimson qi, which sank completely into Yuan Tu like a scarlet serpent. He slowly opened his eyes, a look of satisfaction showing on his face. After several months, he had finally refined another strand of Crimson Firmament Sword Qi! Adding the two strands he had refined during that year on the road, he now had three in total. Calculating the time spent, the satisfaction on Luo Chen's face dissipated considerably. Three strands of Crimson Firmament Sword Qi had taken a year and a half! Wouldn't ten strands take five years? Then to reach the "Thousand Firmaments" recorded in the scripture... five hundred years? "No wonder this sword scripture ranks at Tier 5 and is exclusive to Soul Formation cultivators. To reach grand completion, even without expending any strands along the way, would take a full five hundred years!" "How could an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator possess enough lifespan to squander on a single-use divine ability?" Luo Chen murmured and shook his head, yet he was not in despair. According to the scripture, ten strands of Crimson Firmament Sword Qi were enough to run rampant in the Golden Core realm, while a hundred strands made for a formidable asset in the hands of a Nascent Soul cultivator. He did not seek the Thousand Firmaments count; he merely aimed for a hundred strands, just to have another protective measure. A hundred strands would only be fifty years! "Wait?" Luo Chen seemed to recall something, and his heart stirred. A screen of light unfurled before his eyes. It was none other than the familiar character panel! His gaze immediately locked onto the cultivation methods section. [*Thousand Firmaments Myriad Transformations Sword Scripture* (Entry: 30/100)] Seeing this, Luo Chen froze. Three strands had increased his proficiency by a full thirty points! Did that mean refining one strand of Crimson Firmament Sword Qi equated to ten proficiency points, and ten strands would raise it by a whole tier? But that was not the crucial part! The crucial part was that cultivation methods on the panel often underwent peculiar transformations once their proficiency advanced to a new tier. Moreover, most of these changes were tied to the upper limits and trajectories of the arts and spells. The *Thousand Firmaments Myriad Transformations Sword Scripture* emphasized quantity and was bottlenecked by speed. If he could raise its proficiency level, might it be possible to break past the speed limit and drastically accelerate the refining process? "If that's truly the case, I might not need five hundred years to bring this sword scripture to grand completion." At this thought, Luo Chen's heart thumped with excitement. According to the scripture, when this art achieved grand completion, a thousand firmaments would surge in unison, their qi soaring to the stellar river—a potent divine ability rare even among Soul Formation experts. Even in the hands of a Nascent Soul cultivator, unleashing it by surprise could pose a threat to a Soul Formation powerhouse. The reason Fu Chaosheng had agreed to Fu Qinglan's request and gifted him such a formidable sword scripture was that mastering it simply took far too much time, so he had not valued it overly much. Yet if he could shorten that time... Hiss... Luo Chen inhaled deeply, subduing the excitement in his chest. He fondly caressed Yuan Tu upon his knees. "Whether it succeeds depends on the changes after the first stage. I must not become greedy and rush ahead recklessly." "For now, I must stick to the predetermined plan step by step." "Elder Fu should be arriving soon as well!" ... Two days later! A grand procession entered Fenghua Domain. Such a sight instantly stirred the various powers within Fenghua Domain. The Golden Core sects, in particular, grew panic-stricken. They feared this group had come for the territory of Fenghua Domain, which would lead to war with Fenghua Palace. Regardless of who won, minor factions like theirs would inevitably suffer. Yet to everyone's surprise, this contingent—led by a Nascent Soul True Person and accompanied by fifteen Golden Core cultivators—did not head toward Fenghua Palace at all. The direction of their advance... "It's Baili Qingchuan!" Having had the fortune to attend Luo Chen's Nascent Soul Grand Ceremony, Valley Master Liefeng stood atop a peak and drew this conclusion after careful observation. Beside him, the leader of an allied Golden Core sect asked in bewilderment, "Baili Qingchuan? The Luotian Sect? Why are so many people mobilizing to visit the Luotian Sect? What are they planning—could it be an act of vengeance?" Valley Master Liefeng shook his head. "Currently, the Luotian Supreme Elder's fame is at its peak, and rumors say he is on good terms with both Fenghua Palace and the White Crane Sect. Who would be so blind as to look for trouble with them on Fenghua Palace's turf?" Pondering for a moment, he instructed, "They aren't coming for us. Have the disciples head back first; we will follow and see what unfolds." "The Valley Master is right. With how rapidly the situation shifts these days, having first-hand intelligence will allow us to react better." Before long, the leaders of the two Golden Core powers dismissed their disciples and shadowed the massive procession together. Along the way, many other factions caught wind of the movement and followed suit. Even Motian Cliff, stationed on the outskirts of Fenghua Palace, was alerted and dispatched people to investigate. When they learned that the procession was bound for Baili Qingchuan, the Motian Cliff cultivators hurried back to report to their ancestor. ... "It's the Divine Talisman Sect!" Concealed in the void, Old Ghost Motian gazed from afar at the contingent drawn up in full readiness along the banks of the Heishui River, instantly recognizing their origin. Yet he was deeply puzzled: why had Elder Fu brought so many Golden Core cultivators to the Luotian Sect? *Could it be...* Thinking of a certain possibility, Old Ghost Motian's expression warped uncontrollably. Gritting his teeth, he did not act rashly, opting instead to wait in silence. After roughly half a day, he saw that old fellow Elder Fu fly out from Mount Daqing with a stern expression. Yet beneath that stern countenance, his eyes overflowed with delight! Just then, Elder Fu glanced up in his direction. *The old bastard is this perceptive? He actually saw through my concealment technique!* Old Ghost Motian looked grim—not because Elder Fu had spotted him, but because of what Elder Fu's presence implied. Luo Chen, taking over half a year, had genuinely refined the pill the Divine Talisman Sect needed! And it was most likely a Tier 4 realm-breaking pill to aid in forming a Nascent Soul! Otherwise, Elder Fu would never have made such a grand display, escorting nearly the entire elite force of his sect to the Luotian Sect. He was terrified that something might go wrong while transporting the pill back! Fifteen Golden Core cultivators, if coordinating properly and bolstered by other means, were no less formidable than an early Nascent Soul cultivator. Especially given that they all hailed from the exact same sect. Before his eyes, the Divine Talisman Sect cultivators wasted no time. The moment Elder Fu returned to their ranks, they departed Baili Qingchuan without a pause. Old Ghost Motian hesitated for a long while before ultimately deciding not to give chase. Without his True Artifact Motian Cliff, he was no match for Elder Fu alone, let alone fifteen Golden Core cultivators. Remaining where he was, he could not help looking toward Mount Daqing. *The rumors said Luo Chen boasted of having the abilities of an alchemy grandmaster. Now it seems he wasn't bluffing.* *From now on, there's no telling how many peers will come knocking on his door to plead for pills. But if that happens, my vengeance for him destroying my True Artifact...* Contemplating the future, Old Ghost Motian's expression darkened even further. Clang! A sword chime abruptly detonated in the void. Crimson sword qi soared straight into the heavens from Mount Daqing! Its razor-sharp intent surged straight toward Old Ghost Motian's hiding place. Shocked to his core, he scrambled backward and fled in terror. *Did Elder Fu notify him, or did that brat Luo Chen spot me himself?* ... Inside Mount Daqing, Luo Chen pressed his left hand over his right forearm, and the blood-colored sword shadow gradually settled. Three strands of Crimson Firmament Sword Qi were far from enough for quantitative accumulation to produce a qualitative change. The reason a single strike had frightened off Old Ghost Motian lay mainly in the blade of Yuan Tu itself. Caressing his right forearm where Yuan Tu resided, Luo Chen fell into contemplation. "Yuan Tu is already peerlessly sharp, a paramount weapon under heaven second only to genuine sword dao spirit treasures." "Using this sword as a vessel to cultivate Crimson Firmament Sword Qi might yield far greater power than what the scripture records." "I hadn't realized this before." Setting that thought aside, Luo Chen left the cave dwelling and headed for the main hall where the Black Ape Puppet was located. The moment he arrived, the Black Ape Puppet, who was instructing Qu Jiu on drawing talismans on monster beast talisman hides, froze stiff. "Grandmaster?" Qu Jiu started. Then, he saw a beam of dark light fly out from the black ape's crown and sink into the fontanel of the white-robed Daoist who had just entered. Beholding that youthful yet immensely dignified face, Qu Jiu understood everything in a flash. He bowed deeply. "Qu Jiu pays respects to Grandmaster!" Luo Chen waved a hand. "No need for formalities." He then walked over to a desk. After a brief silence, he suddenly moved. Grasping the brush, dipping it in ink! Upon a dark red talisman hide, he rapidly traced talisman patterns, spiritual power pouring from the tip of his brush and weaving into the hide strand by strand. Qu Jiu watched, not daring even to breathe loudly. The Black Ape Puppet possessed no spiritual power of its own; the high-grade spirit stones embedded in it were primarily for daily movement. Thus, over this period, it had only delved into theory without hands-on practice. Most of the time, it had been tutoring Qu Jiu in talisman crafting while verifying certain ideas along the way. Now that the true body had arrived, there was no need for further words. In less time than it takes an incense stick to burn, Luo Chen withdrew his hand. With a beckoning wave, the completed talisman on the desk drifted upward. "Little Jiu, appraise this: what rank would you give this Blazing Sun Talisman?" Qu Jiu swallowed hard and examined it with great care. Over the past few months, Luo Chen had forged an exceptionally solid foundation in talisman dao for him. Just as when he had taught Qu Lingjun alchemy, Luo Chen's pedagogical style focused primarily on imparting a vast breadth of knowledge at the start, only transitioning to hands-on practice later. Qu Jiu's crafting ability might still be mediocre, but in terms of talisman discernment, he was already quite proficient. After studying it intently for a good while, he cautiously ventured, "From what I can see, Grandmaster, this Blazing Sun Talisman penetrates deep with vigor; the patterns look as if naturally formed, and the contained spiritual power has pushed this hide nearly to its absolute limit. In terms of tier, it should be high-grade Tier 2. In terms of destructive power, it equals the full-force strike of a late Foundation Establishment grand cultivator!" Hearing this evaluation, Luo Chen could not help but smile. "An accurate assessment. Well done!" On the character panel, the proficiency of the Blazing Sun Talisman had just reached the Grandmaster level. The reason it had not reached Great Perfection was that the hide just now had constrained him. "Little Jiu, go select a few more Tier 2 fire-attributed talisman hides for me. While I have free time, I will craft several more Blazing Sun Talismans." "Understood!" Qu Jiu hurried off to pick suitable hides. Luo Chen stood before the desk with his hands behind his back, smiling broadly. The news of him refining a Nascent Soul Formation Pill for the Divine Talisman Sect would not take long to spread across Fenghua Domain, and even throughout the Five Lingtian Domains! Next, people would inevitably come knocking to plead for his alchemy, constantly disturbing his quiet cultivation. Under such circumstances, it was not suitable to continue refining Crimson Firmament Sword Qi. No matter; taking advantage of this interval, he could improve his talisman craft! His status as a Tier 3 talisman master was somewhat exaggerated, resting merely on his exceedingly high mastery of spells giving him an advanced starting point. If he wanted to solidify this art, he would have to learn the foundations in bulk, just as he had done when practicing alchemy and formations. For him, this was not difficult! Basic spells came to Luo Chen effortlessly at the snap of a finger. Now there was a plentiful supply of talisman hides, and for a brush, he had the azure-bristle brush at the magic treasure rank. Even for talisman ink and cinnabar—the supplies he lacked most—he had traded a batch from Elder Fu when handing over the Nascent Soul Formation Pill, offering insights on consuming the pill in exchange. With their vast foundations, the Divine Talisman Sect lacked trivial items like these least of all. Conversely, insights that aided a breakthrough were priceless; not even a fortune could buy them. This could also be considered Luo Chen's subtle compensation to the Divine Talisman Sect after holding back a Nascent Soul Formation Pill. Since Luo Chen offered a peach, Elder Fu naturally did not hold back, returning the favor with a large quantity of talisman ink and cinnabar. Thus, Luo Chen could unleash his abilities and craft talismans to his heart's content. "The hundred arts of cultivation—every single one is intimately tied to one's path." "Though my ambitions do not lie in the talisman dao, if I cultivate it as a secondary discipline, who knows when it might aid me in the future? Just as alchemy elevates my cultivation, and the dao of formations assisted my artifact crafting and even helped me perfect my killer move, the Senluo Fire Prison." "If I can practice the hundred arts concurrently, I can draw upon each to complement the others, using stone from other hills to polish my jade, leaving no obstacle insurmountable!" "In the past, I lacked the circumstances. Now, with a vast lifespan, profound cultivation, and the cheat of the proficiency panel, it is time to pick up all the various arts I left behind, one by one." While he pondered, the sound of Qu Jiu's hurried footsteps returning reached his ears. Luo Chen smiled faintly and sent a divided soul into the Black Ape Puppet. "Grind the ink for me!" "Little Jiu, spread the talisman hides for me!" "Today, I shall indulge myself in drawing talismans!" ... Just as Old Ghost Motian thought, and just as Luo Chen anticipated. Once the Divine Talisman Sect mobilized their forces and made a grand, blaring round trip to Baili Qingchuan, many onlookers grasped the true meaning behind it. Supreme Elder Luo Chen of the Luotian Sect had truly refined the Tier 4 pill the Divine Talisman Sect sought! Now, his past boast of possessing the abilities of an alchemy grandmaster held not a single drop of exaggeration. The name of Alchemy Grandmaster Luo Chen echoed across Fenghua Domain in an instant. Moreover, with unstoppable momentum, it began spreading to Lingtian Pass and across the Five Lingtian Domains. Those of low cultivation gasped in admiration, looking up to him with boundless reverence. Those of profound cultivation, like Nascent Soul figures, began to stir with eager anticipation. And one of those who had attended Luo Chen's Nascent Soul Grand Ceremony could no longer hold back. He first went to the Divine Talisman Sect's station in the Hundred Beasts Domain, attempting to visit Elder Fu and inquire about the inside story. Yet the Divine Talisman Sect had shuttered its mountain gates, permitting no one to disturb them. That person instantly understood that the rumors were true. Elder Fu had obtained a Tier 4 realm-breaking pill that aided in forming a Nascent Soul, and without a moment's delay, had given it to a Divine Talisman Sect cultivator long trapped at the Golden Core stage, who was now forcefully charging toward the Nascent Soul realm amidst these turbulent times. Hesitating no further, he headed straight for Fenghua. On this day. Outside Baili Qingchuan, a middle-aged man draped in nine-colored splendid robes, bearing a solemn and imposing aura, deliberately lowered his cloud conveyance. Amidst the curiosity of the Luotian Sect cultivators and beneath the covert scrutiny of peers trailing him in secret, he flicked his grand sleeves. From a hundred li away, he spoke aloud, his voice resonant: "Jiuling Yuanjun requests an audience with the Alchemy Grandmaster!"