"True Person Taiyue, how about selling this item to me?"
Luo Chen's sudden interjection silenced the hall, which had been buzzing with lively discussions about the Empowerment Pill.
Deng Taiyue started at first, but delight quickly spread across his face.
"If Grandmaster wishes to buy it, naturally you may!"
"I was here first!"
Master Yao's voice followed closely, laced with suppressed fury.
Deng Taiyue frowned slightly. "Master Yao, you haven't produced anything that satisfies me. Did you really think you could trade empty promises for a treasure I risked life and limb to unearth from Mist Marsh?"
Master Yao's face flushed crimson.
Everyone understood well enough when someone was trying to pull something off for nothing. Why did he have to say it so bluntly?
To humiliate him before so many peers—this Deng Taiyue had truly crossed the line.
Yet he failed to realize that Deng Taiyue had long grown sick and tired of him.
Clenching his fists, Master Yao said grudgingly, "Luo Chen hasn't stated any conditions either. You're willing to sell to him without even hearing his price?"
Deng Taiyue hesitated, his gaze drifting toward the handsome young man.
Luo Chen smiled faintly, and a jade bottle appeared in his hand.
"Inside are three Tier 4 Purple Qi Poison-Warding Pills. They are fairly effective at guarding against toxins that beguile the soul and damage the corporeal soul. Though not extraordinarily valuable, they should barely suffice to meet your earlier request, True Person Taiyue."
Then, with a casual flick of his sleeve, a storage pouch appeared in his grasp.
"Naturally, this seat is not one to take advantage of others. Here are some spirit stones to make up any difference. True Person Taiyue, what do you say?"
This display was brimming with sincerity, leaving no room for fault.
Not only did he meet the man's earlier request, but he also threw in extra spirit stones to compensate.
Compared to Master Yao, the contrast could not have been starker!
In particular, the phrase "not one to take advantage of others" caused quite a few people to dart covert glances toward Master Yao.
Who couldn't read between the lines of such a thinly veiled barb?
The old man glared with rage, his beard bristling!
Yet this time he said nothing more. Anything he said now would only make him look petty and pathetic. He merely fixed Deng Taiyue with a venomous stare from his cloudy eyes.
Deng Taiyue's expression showed a flicker of hesitation.
Three Tier 4 pills capable of shielding against spiritual soul poisons sounded decent enough.
Still, it fell somewhat short of what he truly desired.
Yet meeting Luo Chen's sincere eyes, he nodded heavily.
"All right. It is a deal!"
"However, you may keep the spirit stones."
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Deng Taiyue probed, "Deng does not lack spirit stones for now. Rather, I would like to speak privately with Grandmaster, if I might have the honor?"
*So that's it!*
Luo Chen chuckled inwardly.
Over the past years, despite remaining in seclusion, his fame had only grown louder.
Because he refused visitors during seclusion, many found it exceedingly difficult to secure an audience with him, let alone ask him for favors.
Deng Taiyue wanted to use this transaction as an opportunity to forge a connection with him!
He gave a slight nod and uttered a single word: "Agreed!"
*Smack!*
The sound of a palm slamming onto a chair echoed through the hall.
Amidst startled glances, Master Yao rose to his full height, glared fiercely at Luo Chen and Deng Taiyue, and swept out of Shouyang Mountain without uttering another word.
No one spoke regarding this utter lapse of composure.
Yet everyone wore intriguing expressions.
At the end of the day, neither alchemist had fully satisfied Deng Taiyue's conditions, yet Deng Taiyue had abandoned his long-standing acquaintance, Master Yao, in favor of Alchemy Grandmaster Luo Chen.
Everyone knew precisely what that signified.
In Deng Taiyue's mind, Luo Chen's importance far surpassed Master Yao's!
Their alchemical prowess had also, for the moment, established a clear winner.
As one of the central figures, Deng Taiyue sighed softly, making no attempt to detain the departing master.
It had been a hundred years!
Master Yao had disappointed him time and again. Furthermore, given the man's advanced age, his heart was increasingly consumed by his sect's heritage, leaving him less and less committed to Deng Taiyue's matter.
He would not continue hanging by a noose from a withered tree.
And Grandmaster Luo—a flourishing tree unfurling luxuriant boughs—was perhaps the one worth relying upon.
...
The trading session in Shouyang Mountain's main hall did not grind to a halt because of Master Yao's indignant departure.
Under Elder Lu's facilitation, it proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Luo Chen also made occasional bids, using spirit stones to purchase materials he required.
Thanks to the carcass of the Frost Eagle Demon Emperor, which the Luotian Treasure Pavilion had processed and sold, Luo Chen had acquired an immense sum of spirit stones.
Only then had his previously depleted purse filled up once more.
However, using spirit stones to purchase materials was somewhat out of place at an exchange gathering centered on bartering goods.
After all, these established Nascent Soul True Persons mostly lacked no spirit stones. In the present political climate, they preferred trading for resources capable of augmenting their strength.
Even so, with the prestige of an "Alchemy Grandmaster" backing him, many were more than happy to do him a favor over minor matters.
Time flowed by steadily.
Because there were many True Persons present, each possessing vast fortunes and plenty of resources useless to themselves, the bartering session lasted an entire day and night.
By the dawn of the next day, Dongyang Sect disciples served fine wine and pastries, and the lively trading session gradually drew to a close.
Through this process, the relationships between most of the attendees had drawn noticeably closer.
Striking while the iron was hot, Elder Lu announced the start of the session for sharing cultivation experiences and insights.
With so many people, overlapping remarks could easily turn chaotic, so turns were assigned. Each person could ask one question in sequence.
Elder Lu directly granted the first question to Luo Chen.
No one objected!
Luo Chen was not one to stand on ceremony either. After pondering for a moment, he spoke calmly.
"This seat has heard that the Great Dao we seek lies in the true intent of the laws."
"Yet true intent is elusive, graspable only by mighty figures. Among Nascent Soul cultivators, unless one is a peerless genius, few can comprehend it at our current realm."
"I do not ask how to comprehend it. I am merely curious: once one has acquired a law's true intent, how should one continue cultivating it?"
The hall fell instantly dead silent.
When Luo Chen mentioned the phrase "law true intent," many had their interest piqued.
They had assumed he would ask how to comprehend true intent—something many present wished to know.
Yet Luo Chen shifted direction entirely, skipping that step to ask how to cultivate it after achieving comprehension.
This question...
Everyone exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for words.
Seeing the conversation stall, Jiuling Yuanjun, who shared a good rapport with Luo Chen, sighed. "Such methods are the deep secrets of cultivation. Perhaps only sacred grounds like the Mingyuan Sect, which have produced Soul Formation almighties, hold such records!"
Elder Fu shook his head as well. "Grandmaster, this question leaves us utterly without a clue."
*Was I asking the blind for directions?*
Luo Chen's gaze swept across the room, disappointment flitting across his face.
Yet when his eyes met the hesitant look of Elder Lu beside him, a thought stirred in his mind.
The Dongyang Sect shared profound ties with the Mingyuan Sect; rumors even claimed that the Dongyang Sect's Supreme Elder was cultivating in seclusion within the Mingyuan Sacred Ground. Perhaps they knew a thing or two?
Luo Chen's gaze lingered for a long time, and the others followed his eyes to look at Elder Lu.
Elder Lu smiled wryly.
He had set up this stage himself. If he held back now, wouldn't he be shooting himself in the foot?
Sighing, Elder Lu said softly, "Day after day, year after year, steadfastly uphold your own Dao, and perfection shall at last be attained."
Luo Chen's eyes lit up, and he pressed further, "Can this be applied universally to all laws and myriad true intents?"
Elder Lu spread his hands helplessly. "I do not know! I only overheard our Supreme Elder mention it by chance once. Furthermore, he noted that while laws are equal, true intents differ in profundity. The phrase I just quoted applies solely to the lowest, most fundamental law true intents. For higher, deeper true intents, the method of cultivation may well be different."
The light in Luo Chen's eyes gradually dimmed, and he sank into contemplation.
*Laws are equal, possessing neither superiority nor inferiority.* This aligned with the core tenet that Heaven and Earth are impartial, treating all things as straw dogs—meaning all living beings are equal, including the laws of the Great Dao.
Yet to cultivators, these were merely means to pursue longevity. Naturally, distinctions arose regarding which means were more effective.
*True intents have degrees of depth*—precisely so.
If his Wither-Bloom true intent counted as Wood-attribute law,
and the Wood true intent comprehended by Fu Qinglan also counted as Wood-attribute law,
which was higher, and which was lower?
Wood true intent was certainly the lower, as it was the most fundamental law true intent.
Thus, for Fu Qinglan to cultivate Wood true intent, she needed only to persevere day after day, year after year, and she would stand a chance of bringing it to perfection.
Could such a method work for Wither-Bloom true intent?
The discussion within the hall continued.
Luo Chen divided his attention, pondering while listening to their questions.
Occasionally, he chimed in to offer his own perspectives.
"Below True Immortal, there are nine realms: the Lower Three Realms refine Qi, the Middle Three Realms refine Spirit, and the Upper Three Realms refine Law. Fellow Daoists, we stand at the beginning of the Middle Three Realms, yet the path of refining Spirit is fraught with peril, prone to sinking into inner demons and delusions. If an obsession takes root in the heart and refuses to let go, how should one handle it?"
"One must strive for unobstructed thought, detached from external things. Only then can the spirit be clear and crisp!"
"Magic power is the bedrock of our divine abilities. Fused with external objects, it yields unfathomable might. Yet when I attempt to merge my magic power with external objects, there is always a sense of disharmony. Pray instruct me!"
"Perhaps you might elaborate further, Yuanjun?"
"The path of Soul Formation achieves the Primordial Spirit. A so-called Primordial Spirit is the fusion of the Nascent Soul and the spiritual soul. I am curious: once the Primordial Spirit is achieved, should it dwell in the Purple Mansion or sink into the Sea of Consciousness?"
"This Heavenly Master has heard of this. A wily hare has three burrows; the Primordial Spirit likewise ought to be unfathomable. Hence, both the Purple Mansion and the Sea of Consciousness serve as its dwelling. In battle, an enemy cannot discern where the vital point lies, allowing one to pursue longevity without death."
"I hear that within the demon army, there is a sinister monstrosity that feeds upon our kind's Nascent Souls. True Person Huangsha of the Five Elements Divine Sect and Fairy Chenyu of Taihu Palace both fell to that fiend. Even the sect master of the Tyrant Blade Sect seemingly perished the same way. I wish to know, what exactly is that monstrosity?"
...
Questions poured forth from the mouths of the True Persons one after another.
They spanned a wide range of topics: bewilderment regarding the future, awareness of their own deficiencies, confusion over the current war situation...
By the time a full cycle concluded, night had fallen once more.
Many did not receive definitive answers to their queries.
Yet through mutual exchange, they vaguely arrived at plausible answers of their own.
The discussions that followed were no longer confined to one question per person. People raised inquiries as they pleased or sought out specific individuals for advice.
Finding a moment of leisure, Luo Chen met someone by invitation in a side hall.
It was Deng Taiyue, as agreed earlier!
"Grandmaster!"
"True Person Taiyue!"
After exchanging salutations, the slight distance between them seemed to soften into familiarity.
Finding a chair to sit down, Luo Chen smiled and asked, "Fellow Daoist was so keen to meet me. Could it be regarding the matter of the Empowerment Pill?"
Deng Taiyue's spirits rose. "Indeed. Grandmaster knows of the Empowerment Pill as well? Could it be you have researched it?"
Before the man's expectant gaze, Luo Chen shook his head.
"My apologies. Today was the first time I have ever heard of it, courtesy of Elder Lu's introduction."
Deng Taiyue looked somewhat incredulous. "You are the renowned Alchemy Grandmaster. How could you not know of..."
Luo Chen explained slowly, "To tell you the truth, before forming my Nascent Soul, this seat traveled extensively across the Northern Sea. I truly know nothing of this pseudo-Tier 5 divine pill of the Eastern Desolation."
Deng Taiyue opened his mouth, disappointment surfacing uncontrollably on his face.
Luo Chen asked curiously, "I observe that your cultivation is remarkable, already reaching the sixth layer of the Nascent Soul realm! Instead of seeking a breakthrough to the seventh layer to attain the realm of a Great Cultivator, why are you so obsessed with this Empowerment Pill?"
Deng Taiyue sighed and disclosed a secret of his own.
"Truth be told, I have possessed outstanding talent since childhood, being blessed with an Earth Heavenly Spiritual Root. Highly regarded by the elders of the Mount Tai Sect, my cultivation advanced at a blistering pace. Prior to the Nascent Soul realm, I never encountered a bottleneck."
"Yet upon ascending to the Nascent Soul stage, my cultivation speed slowed to a crawl."
Luo Chen nodded slightly. "Because the barrier of your Purple Mansion is too thin?"
"Precisely." Deng Taiyue nodded as well. "The drawback of a Heavenly Spiritual Root begins to manifest during the Nascent Soul stage. The barrier of the Purple Mansion is too thin, making the Nascent Soul easily assimilated by the world. Hence, we Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivators cannot cultivate as rapidly as before."
"What does that have to do with the Empowerment Pill?" Luo Chen asked, intrigued.
Deng Taiyue hesitated for a moment before giving Luo Chen the answer.
"After becoming the sect master of the Mount Tai Sect, I discovered in our sect's ancient records that if one can comprehend law true intent in advance, one might be able to accelerate cultivation speed."
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Such a method exists?"
Deng Taiyue turned utterly solemn. "Indeed. The records state that the most fundamental law true intents connect with the World's Primordial Qi. If one can grasp even a fraction of it, our Qi-refining speed can naturally receive an empowerment from the World's Primordial Qi, greatly accelerating progress."
Here, he smiled wryly.
"The method of cultivating true intent that Elder Lu mentioned earlier corresponds point for point with my sect's records. Of course, he held back as well. Channeling the World's Primordial Qi through true intent is a technique of Soul Formation almighties; the risks involved are immense, far from as simple as he made it sound."
Deng Taiyue did not explain what the risks were—perhaps he did not know himself.
Yet Luo Chen understood now. No wonder those prodigies from the Tianyuan Dao Sect who had just entered the Nascent Soul realm fought so desperately in the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven, with their backing clans exerting every effort.
Comprehending a fundamental law true intent could accelerate cultivation speed; for a Nascent Soul cultivator, this was beyond doubt the greatest temptation!
"Since entering the mid Nascent Soul stage, Deng's cultivation speed has slowed once again. Unable to bear it, I began seeking shortcuts."
"Comprehending law true intent became the very thing I dreamed of!"
"Not to boast, but when it comes to comprehension, I am by no means deficient. Once, I took the risk of releasing my Nascent Soul while cultivating in a spiritual ground, and I actually caught a fleeting glimmer of that sensation. Yet alas..."
"Ever since then, I have never been able to recapture that feeling. That is why I turned my thoughts toward the Empowerment Pill."
Beside him, Deng Taiyue continued his detailed narrative.
Luo Chen suddenly interrupted, "Then why not continue seeking Master Yao's help? He once shared equal fame with the Alchemy Emperor of the Medicine King Sect; his alchemical skill should hardly be lacking."
At this, Deng Taiyue's face twisted with indignation.
"That man was far too perfunctory! Over a hundred years, his research made not an inch of progress. Instead, he constantly drove me deep into the Million Mountains to seek out rare spirit herbs for him under the pretext of experimenting on the Empowerment Pill. As I see it, he mostly used those wondrous flowers and exotic herbs to bolster the foundation of Seven Caverns Mountain."
For some reason, Luo Chen felt his ears burn slightly upon hearing this.
*Haven't I done something similar before?*
Clearing his throat softly, Luo Chen asked again, "Then why come seeking me?"
Deng Taiyue's expression grew solemn. "Before coming, I inquired about your past deeds. The title of Alchemy Grandmaster attests to your alchemical prowess, while your conduct carries the noble bearing of a gentleman."
"Deng believes Master Yao is unworthy of trust, whereas a Grandmaster of noble character is far more dependable!"
With words laid out so plainly, what more was there to say?
Luo Chen waved his hand modestly. "Luo is hardly as exceptional as you say, and my alchemical skills are merely passable. Still, if you truly trust me, you may give me the remnant formula to examine. As for when results might emerge, I cannot make any promises."
Having obtained a commitment—even one guarded with ample reservations—Deng Taiyue finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Solemnly, he retrieved a large pile of items from his storage pouch.
Beast skins, ancient tomes, bamboo slips, jade slips, and stone tablets.
Seeing Luo Chen's puzzled look, he explained, "These are all various remnant formulas of the Empowerment Pill scattered across the Eastern Desolation. I expended immense effort to collect them. According to Master Yao, put together, they are only about fifty to sixty percent complete."
"In addition, this jade slip records the names of the medicinal herbs Master Yao specifically asked me to collect over the years to research the pill. I am not certain whether they are of any use, but you may take them for reference, Grandmaster."
Luo Chen nodded, carefully examining the remnants.
As he took inventory, he asked casually:
"Though these are transcribed copies, they appear quite ancient, effectively serving as original remnants. Did you not hand them over to Master Yao back then?"
"The ones I gave him were transcriptions I made personally. I kept all the originals and never handed them over."
"Oh? Then why are you willing to part with them for this seat?"
"If this attempt fails as well, there will be no one left in the vast Eastern Desolation for Deng to turn to. If so, what point is there in keeping them? When that time comes, I shall no longer seek external shortcuts, discard all illusions, enter the forbidden ground of the Mount Tai Sect, and undertake death-seclusion!"
Luo Chen looked up, met by a face of resolute determination and eyes as unyielding as iron.
*Is this what it means to be a seeker of the Dao?*
Luo Chen pressed his lips together, carefully stowing away everything after completing his inventory.
"I shall do my utmost!"
Chapter 826