Within the Mingyuan Sacred Land, atop Mount Jiuzhi.
Dressed as an old farmer, Chen Mozi bent over in a medicinal herb plot, closely examining a stalk of lingzhi.
The bamboo conical hat upon his head thoroughly masked his aura. Not only did the high-tier lingzhi—which was already nearing spiritual awareness—not reject him, but it also stretched its fronds and gently swayed toward him.
From beyond the mountain, a sudden wave of scorching heat surged outward.
Chen Mozi lifted his head and cast a glance into the distance.
"Xin Yisheng, now that you've come, why hide your head and show your tail?"
A figure slowly materialized far from him, without stepping any closer.
"Old friend, wasn't I merely afraid of startling that juvenile Running-Horse Lingzhi of yours?"
Chen Mozi's expression was calm. The other man cultivated a fierce, scorching fire method; coming too close really would disturb this not yet fully grown Running-Horse Lingzhi.
He poured two drops of green fluid onto the lingzhi, straightened his posture, left the garden, and walked beyond the mountain boundary.
"Speak. What brings you to me?"
Xin Yisheng tore his curious gaze away from the lingzhi plot and laughed. "I wonder what your thoughts on Luo Chen are?"
Chen Mozi replied flatly, "I have no thoughts on him. As long as he does not disturb me, we can coexist in peace."
Xin Yisheng scoffed. "Yet if he truly takes charge of the Alchemy Saint Hall and decides to harvest all the lingzhi on your mountain to brew medicine, what will you do then?"
Chen Mozi fell silent.
After pondering for a long while, he murmured, "He must first pass the trials of the Alchemy Saint Hall before we even speak of that."
"That is precisely why this little brother came to ask your opinion! Do you think he possesses the ability to pass the trials?"
"A hollow name cannot withstand great renown. Since he dares style himself an Alchemy Grandmaster, he must possess genuine skill. But to speak of passing the trials... he is far too young."
"Youth hardly equates to incompetence. Take Chu Yu, for instance—didn't she come from behind and catch up, forging alchemy skills no lower than our own?"
"Chu Yu is different. She is of the Chu clan, after all, and enjoys the heritage left behind by the Alchemy Saint."
Xin Yisheng frowned. "So you stubbornly insist that it is impossible for Luo Chen to pass the trials? Isn't that somewhat too arbitrary?"
Looking at Xin Yisheng, who seemed determined to extract an answer, Chen Mozi suddenly sighed.
This junior of the past had finally managed to walk the same path as him, yet his temperament had grown increasingly warped. Instead of focusing entirely on the Dao of alchemy, he had turned his attention to external schemes.
No wonder he had missed his affinity with the Alchemy Saint, and no wonder Mister Xuan Yan refused to grant him an audience.
Amid his sigh, Chen Mozi gave his reasoning after all.
"Youth indeed does not equate to incompetence. However, being young while also attempting to master multiple crafts leads to being broad without completeness, and wide-ranging without true mastery."
"What do you mean by that?" Xin Yisheng asked curiously.
Chen Mozi spoke slowly. "Several days ago, we watched him manipulate a Black Tortoise in the Nether Abyss, revealing an extraordinary mastery over beasts. I have also heard that he is quite accomplished in talismans and formations. Above all, over the past few decades, his combat prowess has been virtually peerless, unmatched among his contemporaries.
"Such an individual seems born with innate knowledge, omnipotent in every regard.
"Yet do you truly believe he can do everything?"
Seeing that Xin Yisheng had sunk into contemplation, Chen Mozi did not wait for an answer and continued on his own: "Clearly, he is not omnipotent.
"When it comes to beast taming, can he compare to the Hundred Beasts Sect? Can he compare to the Lu family of Mingyuan?
"His talismans and formations are confined to the third or fourth tiers at most.
"And even in combat, how could he possibly surpass the likes of Lei Daozi or Qingshuang?
"Youth is his greatest advantage, yet also his greatest shortcoming. In a cultivation lifespan spanning merely two centuries or so, when he has learned and practiced so many arts, how formidable could his alchemy truly be?
"Even if he possesses miraculous talent allowing him to concoct high-tier pills at will, you and I both know very well that the trials of the Alchemy Saint Hall place the greatest emphasis on the fundamentals. And that happens to be precisely what he lacks!"
Xin Yisheng's mouth dropped open as he stared at his old friend, as though seeing him for the first time.
He had seemed indifferent to everything, yet in truth, he knew Luo Chen's circumstances like the back of his hand, merely choosing not to show it on ordinary days.
By comparison, running about from side to side made him look quite petty.
Yet he could not help but agree: youth was both Luo Chen's greatest advantage and his greatest weakness.
Suddenly, Chen Mozi remarked faintly, "Furthermore, as I see it, his mind is not set on taking charge of the Alchemy Saint Hall at all. Clearly, there are only several months left before the trials open, yet not only has he ignored the advantages provided by the Mingyuan Ancestor, but he went straight to Fengxian Valley instead. On this point alone, he is not worth worrying about."
"Fengxian Valley?" Xin Yisheng's expression changed drastically. "Isn't that a Mingyuan restricted area?"
Chen Mozi nodded calmly.
"Had you paid the slightest attention to the movements on Yingxian Peak, you would have known that he left several days ago."
Xin Yisheng was struck speechless.
Among the five alchemy grandmasters of the Mingyuan Sect, he was the only one with meager influence and the shallowest foundation.
When it came to gathering information, he naturally could not rival Chen Mozi, who had joined the Mingyuan Sect long ago.
"Is there anything else?" Chen Mozi asked. "If not, please see yourself out. I still have herbs to tend to."
Confronted with this eviction notice, Xin Yisheng looked somewhat awkward.
After a moment's hesitation, he still said, "Regardless of what you think of Luo Chen, and regardless of whether he succeeds, the early opening of the Alchemy Saint Hall's trial presents an opportunity for us as well. Rumor has it that there are four trials in total. Aside from Mister Xuan Yan, all of us have been stuck at the second trial. Why not take this chance to exchange our experiences and insights from our previous attempts?"
At the end, he took special care to add a promise.
"When the time comes, no matter who succeeds, everyone will have contributed. If I achieve success, the position of Vice Hall Master shall belong solely to you, Daoist!"
*So this was his true purpose all along!*
Chen Mozi said blandly, "Please take your leave!"
Xin Yisheng had not anticipated being rejected so outrightly.
"Old friend, you..."
Chen Mozi waved his hand and drifted back toward the mountain.
Where the other man could not see, the calm Chen Mozi suddenly offered a faint smile.
Stuck at the second trial?
He had long since achieved complete confidence in overcoming that trial; why would he ever need to confer with anyone else?
Beyond the mountain, Xin Yisheng's expression flickered between dark and pale before he finally left Mount Jiuzhi.
He headed first to Yingxian Peak, confirming from the mouths of the peak's disciples that Luo Chen had indeed taken his son to Fengxian Valley and had not returned for days.
He let out a breath of relief.
Then, without a moment's rest, he rushed toward the Lu family.
The premature opening of the Alchemy Saint Hall's trials had truly caught him off guard, leaving him without time to make many preparations.
Yet he could wait no longer.
Since Chen Mozi was unwilling, he would seek out like-minded peers.
Presumably, Lu Chun and Chu Yu would not refuse his proposal.
***
There was a lofty mountain residing high in the nine heavens.
It was named Yanfu, originally situated within the subterranean earth, brought out to bathe in celestial light only through the transformative methods of supreme experts.
Upon the mountain stood three palaces: Tianming, Tianyuan, and Tianshui, corresponding to the Mingyuan Sect's three current ancestors—Yuming, Tianyuan, and Heize.
At this moment, within the Tianming Palace, three withered figures had sat withered and unmoving for over a decade.
Suddenly, Ancestor Tianyuan smiled. "My disciple has arrived."
Outside the palace, Ye Lingtian received permission and stepped inside.
Catching sight of the three ancestors, he bowed low.
"Disciple greets the three ancestors!"
The other two said nothing, while Tianyuan split a sliver of divine consciousness to ask, "Is there an important matter?"
Ye Lingtian answered respectfully, "Nothing momentous, only to report that Luo Chen has entered Mingyuan."
Yuming and Heize slowly opened their eyes, and the three traded glances, each feeling a weight lift from their hearts.
Over the past decade, all their focus had been devoted to refining Immortal Qinghe, leaving them no leisure to pay attention to the sect's internal affairs, so they genuinely had not known that Luo Chen had already arrived.
Ye Lingtian continued, "However, Luo Chen does not seem to care about the Alchemy Saint's inheritance. He did not even bother to learn about the trials of the Alchemy Saint Hall beforehand, focusing wholeheartedly on resolving the disaster of the gu worm within his son, Luo Lingxi. Right now, he has gone to Fengxian Valley to meet Junior Brother Feng."
Hearing this, Ancestor Yuming furrowed his brows.
"The disaster of a gu worm?"
Ancestor Tianyuan chuckled. "You might not know of this. Before my avatar perished last time, I paid a visit to Motian Cliff and met that son of Luo Chen. I discovered that he had a formidable Demonic Heart Gu within him, so I casually passed along Feng Jiang's past experiences to Little Ye."
Ye Lingtian nodded. "Thanks to the Ancestor sharing Junior Brother Feng's situation, I was able to spread the news and successfully entice Luo Chen to bring his own son to our Mingyuan Sect. This way, his ties to our sect will run even deeper."
Ancestor Yuming came to a sudden understanding and approved of the scheme.
However, he was somewhat curious. "Is that gu worm truly so formidable that not even your avatar, Junior Brother Tianyuan, could resolve it in passing?"
Ancestor Tianyuan chuckled helplessly. "Naturally, I could have resolved it. But resolving the gu worm would likely have meant resolving Luo Chen's son in passing as well. We could hardly have him harboring hatred toward us before he even stepped foot in our sect!"
As he said this, he cast a glance at the silent Heize.
The latter's previous actions had been rather uncouth.
Yuming looked thoughtful and murmured, "It seems that Demonic Heart Gu is bound far too deeply to Luo Chen's son. Within the sect, only Feng Jiang likely possesses a way to deal with it."
Standing nearby, Ye Lingtian harbored his own doubts. *Does Junior Brother Feng truly possess such great ability? If even an ancestor could not resolve it, how could he have a way?*
Yet when he recalled Junior Brother Feng Jiang's past experiences, an inexplicable strand of confidence rose within him.
Beside his ear, his master Tianyuan's stern instructions suddenly sounded.
"The matter of Luo Chen's son is of little consequence; what is paramount is the inheritance of the Alchemy Saint Hall.
"Before the three of us entered seclusion, we shifted the fifth-tier spirit vein of Mount Yanfu to channel sufficient spiritual opportunity, which is the only reason the trials of the Alchemy Saint Hall could be opened ahead of time. Time is pressing; should he miss this chance, he will likely have to wait another century.
"Therefore, you must urge Luo Chen on."
Ye Lingtian voiced his agreement and respectfully withdrew.
Once he was gone, Ancestor Tianyuan spoke candidly: "The man has entered our Mingyuan Sect, but his heart may not necessarily be bound to us. If he successfully passes Chu Yan's trial, I suggest that Junior Brother Heize revoke that divine ability of yours, lest a thorn remain in his heart."
"Hmph!"
With a cold grunt, Heize showed no sign of believing he had done anything wrong.
"That junior was wild and unruly at first glance. Without the restraint of my divine ability, do you truly think he would have obediently come to the Mingyuan Sect?"
"However..." Ancestor Tianyuan's brows knitted tightly.
Heize continued, "Furthermore, the connection between this child and Mount Cangwu is murky and unclear, as your avatar witnessed with its own eyes. With the restraint of my divine ability, he will not dare harbor divided loyalties."
Speaking of Mount Cangwu, Ancestor Yuming agreed with his junior brother's reasoning.
Ancestor Tianyuan sighed helplessly. "Let us wait until we have resolved Immortal Qinghe and spoken with Luo Chen before discussing the details! Still, I believe the necessary mollification remains essential. Otherwise, if he truly becomes too deeply entangled with Mount Cangwu, neither you nor I will dare swallow the pills he concocts in the future!"
Yuming suddenly inquired, "Is that master of Mount Cangwu truly so formidable?"
This time, it was Tianyuan's turn to fall into silence.
His avatar had detonated on the spot, and the distance had been far too great to transmit detailed information back.
Consequently, he lacked a direct, visceral sense of the Mount Cangwu master's power.
Yet to drive his avatar to such sheer despair that it chose self-detonation without hesitation, she had to be terrifyingly strong.
Amid the silence, Heize spoke in a dark tone: "The incident with the Yuan Demon Sect of the Northern Sea is rife with suspicion. I will never believe that the Sea Emperor Whale and Great Saint Beili alone could destroy fellow Daoists Lianhun and Yuanmo. An outsider must have intervened!"
In the present Mountain Sea Realm, who could possibly act as the "outsider" capable of annihilating an entire sect?
The fallen Di Tian was impossible, and the captured Immortal Qinghe lacked the ability.
One of the figures in the Southern Border was trapped within the Gate of Life and Death, while the other had lost all control. As for the Western Desert, because of the Buddhist sects, their understanding was limited, yet those bald donkeys would hardly do such a thing.
Previously, they had suspected the Tianyuan Dao Sect of being the mastermind behind the scenes, and considering that the Tianyuan Dao Sect had subsequently deployed forces into the Northern Sea, they had indeed become vested beneficiaries.
Yet throughout this process, one point could not be overlooked.
When Patriarch Heize had attacked Mount Cangwu, its master had not been present!
And the timing of her return coincided faintly with the unraveling of the seal on the Arctic Yama Heavens.
Ancestor Tianyuan sighed. "Enough. It is best that we refrain from provoking Mount Cangwu in the future."
Ancestor Yuming shared the same sentiment. "The well water does not intrude upon river water. So long as we do not provoke her, she surely will not dare provoke us."
Among the three ancient demons of the Eastern Desolation, one was dead and another wounded. Mount Cangwu stood alone, unable to support the sky, and was no longer worth worrying about.
The Mingyuan Sect was the one truly resting easy now!
***
Within the Mingyuan Sacred Land, there were celestial vistas of splendor, but also perilous restricted domains.
The Nether Abyss was one, and Fengxian Valley was another.
This restricted domain was not naturally formed, but had gradually emerged over the past five centuries.
Within it, the earth was cracked and fractured, boiling with surging magma.
From time to time, vengeful spirits howled like weeping wolves, while the waters of the Yellow Springs gurgled and flowed.
Amid the incessant tremors, pure immortal spiritual qi could not linger at all.
It seemed as though this place existed in a perpetual state of collapse.
And the cause of all this traced back to the "Valley Immortal" sealed within Fengxian Valley.
Within Fengxian Valley dwelled the Valley Immortal, surnamed Feng, with the single given name Jiang.
Having heard Castellan Lingtian refer to him as a junior brother, and despite having Alchemy Saint Chu Yan and Lei Daozi as precedents, Luo Chen had subconsciously assumed that the man's cultivation realm might not be particularly elevated.
Yet unexpectedly, upon their first meeting, the vast surging fluctuations of magic power emanating from him were terrifying—surpassing even those of Castellan Lingtian.
Unconcealed and unbridled, they blanketed the entirety of Fengxian Valley!
Such churning waves of magic power were simply unbearable for ordinary cultivators. Added to the chaotic state of the environment, it was no wonder this place had become a restricted domain within the Mingyuan Sect.
Left with no alternative, Luo Chen had put Luo Lingxi into a deep slumber first, then shielded him with a barrier of magic power to keep him from being harmed by the fallout.
Yet over several days of contact, he faintly realized that the man's reckless outpouring of magic power was not a display of supreme might, but a matter of sheer necessity.
*Valley Immortal Feng Jiang... does he seem to be suppressing something?*
Luo Chen pondered.
Just then, the grey-robed Feng Jiang turned toward Luo Chen with a fierce, brutal gaze.
"To resolve the Demonic Heart Gu within this little fellow is utterly simple!"
*Simple?*
Luo Chen was caught somewhat off guard.
Chapter 896