A second Nascent Soul!
This term was hardly unfamiliar to Luo Chen.
In fact, he had once come close to possessing one of his own.
Yet back in the Land of the Fallen Demon, that second primal core—nurtured for nearly a century, its realm even higher than that of his natal golden core—had met an unfortunate destruction.
At the time, he had felt little regret.
First, the second primal core had substituted for his natal golden core against the assault of the Nine Refinements Beacon Fire, saving his life.
Second, that second primal core had been Han Zhan's trump card for possessing him. Had it truly birthed a second Nascent Soul during his breakthrough, Han Zhan could have used a secret technique to project his soul into it and seamlessly seize Luo Chen's purple mansion, pulling off a flawless usurpation!
Back then, after turning the tables and killing Han Zhan, Luo Chen had actually felt quite fortunate that the second primal core had been destroyed.
Even so.
After witnessing Shi Ju's lightning avatar in the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven, Luo Chen could not help but reminisce about that second primal core.
An external incarnation was naturally a great supernatural art beyond his reach.
Yet a second Nascent Soul, though a notch below, remained an exceptionally formidable capability in the cultivation world.
Reminiscence, however, was only reminiscence.
The Origin Core Art could only be practiced during the Golden Core stage.
Attempting to cultivate it forcibly at the Nascent Soul stage would never yield a second Nascent Soul, for it lacked the heaven-and-earth infusion granted after a realm-breaking lightning tribulation.
He could only watch this art sit idle, or at most select a suitable talent from the Luotian Sect to test cultivating it during the Golden Core stage.
To that end, he had even used his divine sense to examine every Golden Core cultivator in the Luotian Sect.
At present, the only one who met the requirements to practice the Origin Core Art was Li Yingzhang.
One of the innate prerequisites for practicing the technique was possessing vast, abnormal magic power that surpassed ordinary cultivators.
Li Yingzhang possessed the Nine Curves Looping Physique; even if his foundation was no longer as flawless as when he established his foundation, his magic power still eclipsed his peers.
Luo Chen intended to let him learn this secret technique once he reached the mid Golden Core stage.
Naturally, Luo Chen harbored no desire to seize another's body, so he would leave no hidden traps in the technique.
He was getting ahead of himself.
After concocting the Jiuli Pills for Jiuling Yuanjun, the desire for a second Nascent Soul that had long lain dormant in Luo Chen's heart rekindled from the ashes.
If he could separate out a "spirit nascent" and merge it with a split soul cultivated through the Soul Splitting Art, would that not achieve something remarkably similar to a true second Nascent Soul?
Of course, this was merely a sudden hypothesis.
He had no foundation, no corresponding techniques or secret arts, and he did not even possess a Jiuli Pill of his own.
Furthermore, the sheer number of difficulties involved was far beyond his current ability to resolve.
For instance, how could he cultivate nine tumors like those on Jiuling Yuanjun's Nascent Soul?
Or when separating the tumors, could relying purely on medicinal pills truly avert damage to the primary Nascent Soul?
The former was merely a prerequisite, a foundation; the latter, however, risked the fruits of two hundred—no, counting the fifty years in the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven, nearly three hundred years of bitter cultivation. One misstep, and everything he had built could crumble into ruin!
"I'll take it one step at a time."
"If possible, asking Jiuling Yuanjun for a few basic pointers might spark some inspiration."
In the end, Luo Chen could not suppress the greed in his heart.
The prospect of a second Nascent Soul—or even more—was simply too alluring.
If he succeeded, it would not merely mean an increase in magic power or the mastery of a single great trump card like Jiuling Yuanjun.
For Luo Chen, success combined with his proficiency panel meant he could genuinely achieve mastery across all professions and disciplines!
What a terrifying future that would be!
How could he not be tempted?
***
"Husband, I'm back."
"Qin'er, did you find out about Xiaojiu?"
"I did. He didn't vanish after all; he's been at the Supreme Elder's side the entire time, learning the craft of talisman making."
"Master is proficient in talismans as well?"
In a secluded cave dwelling, Qu Lingjun showed a look of astonishment.
Meng Qin'er spoke in an admiring tone, "I didn't quite believe it at first either, but Sect Master Li truly received a batch of exceptionally high-quality Tier 2 talismans. In my eyes, the skill behind them even surpasses the premium talismans the Divine Talisman Sect specifically supplies for auctions."
Qu Lingjun blinked, then broke into an amused chuckle.
As expected of his master—there was truly nothing he could not do, nothing that could stump him.
Seeing Qu Lingjun smile, Meng Qin'er sighed helplessly.
"Husband, you can still laugh?"
Qu Lingjun smiled. "Why shouldn't I? Master treats father and son with such generosity; I'm genuinely happy from the bottom of my heart!"
"Generosity?" Meng Qin'er's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she surveyed their surroundings. "You mean not letting you resume control of the Alchemy Hall, and instead casting you out to a place so far from the sect's core?"
Qu Lingjun shook his head and said calmly, "Living in solitude this past year, I've gradually thought it through. Master seems to have given me the cold shoulder, but in truth, he has given me a chance."
"A chance?"
"Yes. What do you think would happen if I took charge of the Alchemy Hall with power in hand, during this period when the Luotian Sect is rebuilding from scratch?"
Meng Qin'er answered without hesitation, "Naturally, you would concoct abundant pills, guide the juniors, restore your past reputation, establish authority among your peers, and earn everyone's admiration."
Qu Lingjun asked with a faint smile, "And what about a century from now... no, forty years from now?"
Meng Qin'er fell silent.
She understood his meaning.
Had he done so, then forty years later, when Qu Lingjun reached the end of his lifespan, all that glory and disgrace would turn to a handful of yellow earth.
Yet now, even though he bore the misunderstanding of some and had been sent to a remote place far from the sect's core, it afforded him an environment where he could cast aside all worldly distractions and focus peacefully on cultivation!
Her husband's master had truly acted with profound care!
However!
Meng Qin'er looked around with deep dissatisfaction. "The elder treats you well, but this cave dwelling's spiritual energy is only at the Tier 2 mid-grade, while you possess a four-attribute spiritual root. It cannot help you raise your realm quickly at all. When your lifespan runs out, I'm afraid reaching the Foundation Establishment Great Circle—much less attempting a breakthrough to the Golden Core stage—will be nearly impossible."
To this, Qu Lingjun could only sigh.
These were the limits of the Luotian Sect's current circumstances.
Not to mention him, even the sect's Golden Core cultivators had to negotiate and share the Tier 3 cave dwellings.
He was only at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment; securing a Tier 2 mid-grade cave dwelling was already a special arrangement made by Li Yingzhang out of respect for his master.
Furthermore, his master had not simply tossed him aside and neglected him entirely.
That storage bag Li Yingzhang had passed to him back then contained numerous Tier 2 high-grade pills—every single one for cultivation!
Not only that, it also included a copy of the *Clear Source Wondrous Elixir Method* annotated with Luo Chen's own cultivation insights.
The intention was self-evident!
One could only say that within their limited means, his master had provided him the greatest possible support.
"I do not mind for myself. My only regret is making you suffer along with me, Qin'er."
He reached out and stroked the woman's soft cheek, deeply moved.
She had refused an amicable separation and had even abandoned the comfortable life at Fenghua Palace to accompany him through the final decades of his life.
Add to that her willingness to fight on behalf of the Luotian Sect earlier...
Such genuine devotion had thoroughly dissolved what little estrangement had remained between him and Meng Qin'er.
Rarely seeing Qu Lingjun act so tenderly, Meng Qin'er blushed.
"Go on and cultivate. I need to do my evening meditation as well."
"Alright."
Qu Lingjun smiled and stepped into the cultivation chamber.
Yet barely the time it took to finish a cup of tea later, he walked back out with an astonished expression.
"Qin'er, go inside and sense it for me. Tell me if I'm mistaken."
"What happened?"
Meng Qin'er followed him into the cultivation room, puzzled.
"Huh?"
In an instant, Meng Qin'er noticed the difference from before.
"Why is the spiritual energy so much denser?"
Qu Lingjun nodded repeatedly. "Indeed, I didn't imagine it! The spiritual energy here has risen by a minor grade compared to before. It even feels as though it's continuing to climb, faintly but steadily."
Meng Qin'er gripped his hand. "If you have an environment with Tier 2 high-grade spiritual energy, your chances of reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage will be far greater!"
Qu Lingjun swallowed, his gaze drifting toward the direction of Luo Chen's residence.
"Is this Master's doing?"
***
Time slipped by.
The cultivators of the Luotian Sect gradually began noticing strange shifts across Baili Qingchuan.
The spiritual energy grew richer and more abundant, and the vast fields of planted spirit herbs were growing considerably faster than before.
In obscure corners, some cultivators discovered newly formed Tier 2 spiritual springs.
The Tier 2 high-grade cave dwellings occupied by several late Foundation Establishment cultivators suddenly surged with massive amounts of spiritual energy, thrusting the concentration straight into the Tier 3 rank and forcing them to vacate their dwellings to avoid harming their physical bodies during cultivation.
All these anomalies were reported to Sect Master Li Yingzhang.
Li Yingzhang was equally astonished and went to inquire of Luo Chen.
Yet the answer he received was simply to handle it as he saw fit and allocate the cave dwellings properly.
This calm response confirmed beyond doubt that the upheaval was Luo Chen's handiwork.
It left Li Yingzhang in even greater awe of Luo Chen's methods!
He immediately made appropriate arrangements, and taking the initiative further, selected several prime Tier 2 high-grade cave dwellings and invited Min Longyu to lay Spirit Gathering Arrays, attempting to guide those dwellings to advance in rank.
These developments remained unknown to the outside world.
Even when Jiuling Yuanjun arrived at Baili Qingchuan upon receiving Luo Chen's message, he failed to detect anything amiss.
In the end, it was merely a Tier 3 spiritual vein!
A bit stronger or weaker was negligible to someone in the Nascent Soul realm.
Night fell, bathed in a chilly, clear glow.
In the height of summer, an early-maturing patch of Tier 1 copper coin grass gleamed with a golden hue beneath the moonlight.
When Jiuling Yuanjun met Luo Chen, even his usual composure gave way to impatience.
"Is it done?"
Luo Chen first returned the bronze figure inscribed with the pill formula, then nodded with complete confidence.
"Had it failed, how could I have summoned you here?"
Jiuling Yuanjun finally exhaled in relief.
This was the final batch of Jiuli Pill ingredients he had managed to gather, exhausting the resources of the entire Nine Spirits Sect.
Before this, he had sought out several Tier 4 alchemists, yet all of them had failed.
If it had failed this time, he could never have gathered the materials again in the near future.
Watching the relief wash over his expression, Luo Chen suddenly asked:
"Before I hand over the pills, I must ask: do you know the taboos regarding their consumption?"
Jiuling Yuanjun paused, puzzled by the question.
Luo Chen explained, "The Jiuli Pill differs from every other pill I have ever refined. Its medicinal power is fiercely aggressive—so much so that upon completion, the alchemical surge nearly killed the medicine boy assisting me. For such an overbearing pill to be applied directly to a Nascent Soul, the consequences..."
*So he was looking out for me!*
Jiuling Yuanjun smiled faintly. "My sect's records contain a few accounts of consuming the pill, left behind by the founding ancestor. Supposedly, upon taking it, the spirit embryo experiences an explosive growth over a brief window. Seizing that opportunity, I can separate it and form an independent spirit nascent."
His tone held ample confidence.
Luo Chen asked casually, "So those tumors are spirit embryos? How does one condense such miraculous creations, Daoist friend?"
Jiuling Yuanjun's smile vanished, his gaze turning cold as he looked at Luo Chen. "Daoist friend, you are overstepping."
Instantly, the atmosphere turned frigid.
Luo Chen chuckled. "Why be so sensitive? I was merely looking out for you... Consider it my indiscretion."
Luo Chen sighed inwardly; Jiuling Yuanjun truly was not easily fooled!
He had hoped to probe around the edges and glean a bit of preliminary insight.
Before this, he had studied the Jiuli Pills and the bronze figure for over a month, yet had deduced nothing of substance.
Now that Jiuling Yuanjun was so guarded, perhaps fate truly did not intend for him to pursue this path!
Not wishing to ruin the reputation he had painstakingly built, Luo Chen produced nine jade bottles from his storage ring.
Each bottle contained a single Jiuli Pill to prevent them from interfering with one another.
Upon seeing the nine bottles, Jiuling Yuanjun's eyes instantly lit up.
Yet just as he reached out to take them, Luo Chen abruptly withdrew his hand.
"Daoist friend, what are you—!"
"Did you bring someone with you?"
Luo Chen's eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward.
In the blink of an eye, he stood atop the peak of Mount Daqing.
His sharp eyes gazed downward.
By the banks of the Heishui River, at some unknown point, a figure cloaked in black had silently appeared.
The figure was exceedingly emaciated, its frail shoulders barely supporting the loose black robes. When the night breeze blew from the riverbank, it occasionally revealed a desiccated arm that resembled a chicken claw.
Yet despite lacking any overt aura, this withered being seemed to gaze down upon Luo Chen even while quietly looking up at him.
Though Luo Chen occupied the high ground, a sensation of insignificance inexplicably washed over him.
Their eyes locked across the distance.
In that split second, Luo Chen distinctly detected a glint of greed.
It was a greed no less intense than his own desire for a second Nascent Soul—perhaps even deeper, as though welling from the very depths of the soul.
It was the gaze of a predator regarding its prey.
A raspy voice emerged, sounding like a throat scorched by red-hot coals.
"Are you Danchenzi?"
Suppressing the discomfort in his chest, Luo Chen rapidly searched his mind for the stranger's identity.
In the vast Eastern Desolation, who possessed such cultivation, who could exert such pressure upon him, and who would seek him out at this hour...?
Almost instantly, a name leaped to mind.
"Five Elements Shenyuan!"
"You recognize this old man?"
The black shadow remained concealed beneath the hood, but a tone of surprise escaped his lips.
Luo Chen's expression remained calm. "Who in the Eastern Desolation does not know the great name of Perfected Shenyuan? Yet arriving uninvited at such an hour of the night hardly makes one a guest!"
Perfected Shenyuan lowered his head, his thoughts inscrutable.
Then, he tilted his head up slightly.
"If you invite me up, won't I be a guest?"
Luo Chen's heart tightened.
Given the current climate, could this old scoundrel Shenyuan truly be bold enough to force a move against him?
Within Mount Daqing, the previously tranquil spiritual energy began to churn.
A ferocious, baleful aura stirred restlessly from deep within the earth veins.
Not only that!
Another, even more majestic presence soared into the sky, startling hundreds of Luotian cultivators.
With these two auras backing him, Luo Chen felt his resolve steady.
He slowly unfurled his Nascent Soul domain, fixing cold eyes upon Perfected Shenyuan as a single word left his lips.
"Come up!"
Chapter 798