Longevity begins with alchemy master

Mermaid Emperor's True Flame!

Luo Chen was no stranger to this azure flame.

He had faced this flame the first time he fought against the Mermaid Emperor Liu Jun when he first entered the Land of Fallen Demons.

It's quite amazing; it's specifically designed to target the physical bodies of living beings.

Especially wild beasts!
The more abundant the Qi and blood, the greater the power of the Mermaid Emperor's True Flame. The flesh and blood of the enemy's body are like fuel. Once they touch the Mermaid Emperor's True Flame, they are like maggots clinging to bones, and it will not stop until they are completely burned.

Back then, Luo Chen accidentally got a trace of it, which forced him to cut off his own arm on the spot, barely escaping being burned to ashes.

Later, Luo Chen consulted relevant ancient texts and came to some conclusions.

The Merfolk have a long history in the cultivation world of the North Sea, but they are not actually a major force.

In ancient times, the merfolk were food for many wild beasts and were the targets of their hunt.

From ancient times to the present, the merfolk have been hunted extensively by powerful human beings because of their beautiful appearance and the fact that every part of them is valuable.

The fact that the Mermaid Emperor Liu Jun actively participated in the battle to destroy the Yuanmo Sect was also an effort by the emperor of his race to change the predicament of his race.

The Mermaid Emperor's True Flame was a method devised by the top experts of the Mermaid race in ancient times to escape the predation of wild beasts.

Using the oil from the bodies of merfolk, they nurtured a kind of sourceless fire, gradually cultivating it to the fourth level, specifically to restrain wild beasts with powerful bodies.

Over thousands of years, this oil lamp has contained the oil and blood essence of countless powerful merfolk!

Logically speaking, after such a long period of cultivation and nurturing by generations of powerful individuals, the Mermaid Emperor's True Flame should have already advanced to the fifth tier. However, in the hands of Mermaid Emperor Liu Jun, its performance was not particularly impressive.

From Luo Chen's current perspective, at least, the Mermaid Emperor Liu Jun did not fully unleash the power of this flame.

With a thought, the oil lamp flew to Luo Chen's side.

He gazed at the blue flame, his divine sense gradually deepening.

After a moment, Luo Chen finally realized what was going on.

"No wonder!"

Little White asked curiously, "Master, no wonder what?"

“No wonder the Mermaid Emperor Liu Jun couldn’t unleash the full power of this flame.” Luo Chen chuckled and pointed at the blue flame, saying, “It has been nurtured for thousands of years and is stained with the oil and blood essence of countless strong members of the Mermaid race. This flame contains too much will, which has suppressed the birth of the Fire Spirit of the Sourceless Flame! And with the Mermaid Emperor Liu Jun’s personal cultivation level, he cannot suppress the impurities of his predecessors, so he can only unleash a portion of its power.”

Xiao Bai responded with an "oh," but she wasn't particularly moved. As a member of the Yin spirits, she didn't like these powerful flames.

But the demonic monk Kongchan thought differently.

If the Mermaid Emperor's True Flame truly contained so many impure thoughts that even its successor, Liu Jun, could not fully control it, then Luo Chen was able to easily suppress it and even turn it against its master. This shows just how powerful Luo Chen's spiritual foundation truly was!
For a moment, his gaze toward Luo Chen became even more awe-inspiring.

If Luo Chen knew what Kong Chan was thinking, he would probably agree with him to some extent!
The reason it is only a part is that Luo Chen's methods of suppressing the Mermaid Emperor's True Flame are not solely based on his powerful divine soul foundation.

There are many factors involved.

Firstly, Luo Chen's main cultivation technique, the "Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture," is the strongest fire-type cultivation method in the world, unmatched in its ability to control fire!
Secondly, Luo Chen possesses two fifth-order divine flames, the Withering and Rising Flames and the Nirvana Flame. Even if he only leaks a trace of his aura, it would be enough to suppress the Mermaid Emperor's True Flame, which is not even fifth-order.

Finally, it is related to Luo Chen's comprehension of the true meaning of the law and the origin of fire!
Before the source of fire, no matter how unique these sourceless fires may appear, their essence is still fire. How dare they show off in front of him?

After giving Xiaobai a brief explanation, Luo Chen held the oil lamp in one hand and stroked his chin with the other, lost in thought.

Xiao Bai and Kong Chan didn't dare to disturb them and stood quietly to the side.

Amidst the howling north wind, the azure lights swayed gently, emitting a hazy glow.

Suddenly!
Luo Chen held his left hand together, fingers forming a sword shape, and slowly pulled the starlight-like lamplight outwards.

Kong Chan whispered, "Soul-Snatching Spell!"

Luo Chen glanced at him and casually asked, "What is a Soul-Hooking Spell?"

Kong Chan was taken aback. "Isn't what you're using right now the high-level soul-summoning technique, Soul-Hooking?"

Luo Chen's dark eyebrows trembled slightly. "This is just a low-level spell called Soul-Sealing Technique."

Soul-stealing technique?
Kong Chan swallowed hard, feeling even more keenly the unfathomable depth of Luo Chen's mastery of the divine soul.

He actually achieved the effect of a high-level soul-attracting technique with the lowest level of soul-capturing technique.

These are two seemingly similar but actually completely different soul techniques.

Both methods involve capturing souls, but the former can only be used when the enemy has no physical body. However, the Soul-Hooking Technique can ignore the shackles of the physical body and forcibly pull out the soul of a living being.

After Kong Chan explained, Luo Chen became interested.

"It seems you understand this advanced soul technique. Do you carry the original manual with you?"

"This humble monk does indeed know this spell. I obtained it by chance after the destruction of the Yuanmo Sect, but it is only a copy."

"A copy is fine too!"

Kong Chan respectfully took out a yellow paper and presented it to Luo Chen.

"Human skin paper?"

Luo Chen immediately recognized the material of the yellow leather. He calmly unfolded the leather paper, and the words on it instantly came into view.

After observing for a while, Luo Chen's fingertips made a slight change in their movements.

The index and middle fingers, as sharp as swords, were slightly bent, resembling hooks or crescent moons. Silently chanting incantations, the spirit shifted its focus from intimidation and oppression to allure and seduction.

With a slight tremor of his fingertips, illusory figures suddenly appeared within the azure flames.

Each figure possessed an exceptional physique, some tall and handsome, others elegant and slender; even their blurred faces revealed their stunning beauty in life.

These were all top experts of the Merfolk clan in the past!

Kong Chan stood to the side, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Luo Chen had only just acquired the "Soul-Hooking Technique" cultivation manual, yet he had already mastered it immediately.

Just how advanced was his understanding of the spiritual realm?
As Luo Chen continued casting his spell, a large number of residual distracting thoughts were drawn out from the Mermaid Emperor's True Flame.

Gradually, the originally azure flames became deep and pure.

Even faintly, there was a small, ethereal fish swaying and swimming inside.

"come out!"

Luo Chen let out a low shout, and his primordial spirit suddenly merged into one.

A pressure akin to the might of heaven appeared in this area, and even more powerful forces than divine sense crisscrossed through it.

That's divine thought!

As Luo Chen's divine sense surged, he forcibly condensed the small fish into a physical form.

The next moment, the fish leaped out of the fire, and the fire waves rippled outwards.

Little White cheered, "Congratulations, Master! You've collected another powerful flame!"

Luo Chen smiled and shook his head, "Currently, we've only removed the impurities and forcibly helped it condense a fire spirit. Its rank is still at the fourth level, far from being considered powerful."

He opened his mouth and inhaled, swallowing the small blue fish, which eventually entered his Purple Mansion.

Upon entering, the little blue fish immediately sensed two auras far more powerful than its own.

One is like a tree, with its branches spreading out.

One resembles a bird, soaring and circling.

Not daring to disturb the two "seniors," it obediently landed in the Purple Mansion, unleashing layers of fire waves that formed a blue sea of ​​fire before disappearing into it.

The withered and flourishing fire spirit turned a blind eye to this.

The Nirvana Fire Spirit, however, seemed eager to try, its sharp beak pecking lightly as it hovered above the sea of ​​fire.

But as a gaze fell upon it, the Nirvana Fire Spirit was forced to fly away, no longer daring to covet the little blue fish.

Finally, the little blue fish breathed a sigh of relief and felt a touch of affection for the owner of its previous gaze.

On the glacial wasteland.

Luo Chen weighed the oil lamp in his hand and then handed it to Xiaobai.

“Take it. This is a very powerful artifact. Although I took away the Mermaid Emperor's True Flame, the residual merman oil on it can still activate the Mermaid Emperor's True Flame multiple times.”

Little White happily accepted it, "Thank you so much, Master, for the treasure!"

The legacy left behind by the Mermaid Emperor Liu Jun was not just an oil lamp and a fire, but also a storage bag. However, Luo Chen was not in a hurry to take stock of the spoils.

For him at present, the legacy of a Nascent Soul demon cultivator is just that—legacy.

Compared to the storage bag, Luo Chen was more interested in the "spirit pet" he had easily tamed in front of him.

"Fellow monk Kongchan, it is rumored that your true form is a chanting monk. Show me your true form!"

Despite Luo Chen's somewhat frivolous and even contemptuous words, the demonic monk Kong Chan showed no displeasure.

In the instant Luo Chen's divine sense erupted, he understood why Luo Chen was so strong, so strong that he couldn't even muster the thought of resisting.

This is someone who has already condensed their primordial spirit!
He even grasped the true meaning of the laws!

In addition, the Qingyang Great Handprint that destroyed Tai Sui in the previous attack also demonstrated its ability to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth along the way.

Kong Chan swallowed.

Primordial spirit, the true meaning of laws, and the ability to control the primordial energy of heaven and earth—these characteristics are all possessed only by a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Mastering even one of these makes one an unparalleled genius.

Having mastered all three, how is this young man any different from a Nascent Soul cultivator?

boom!
A colossal creature sat cross-legged on the glacial wasteland.

Luo Chen looked up and saw a strange creature that looked like an octopus or a jellyfish appear before him.

It has a huge, shiny, round bald head, human-like facial features, black spots like freckles covering its body, and cracks growing on its eighteen tentacles.

"Master, this is my true form."

As the bald man opened his mouth, the cracks on his tentacles also opened simultaneously, making the same sound.

Nineteen mouths spoke at the same time, creating a buzzing sound that was quite annoying, like a nagging monk chanting scriptures incessantly.

"That's where the name 'chanting monk' comes from!"

Luo Chen smiled and waved his hand.

"You should transform into human form; your true form is really quite ugly."

Amidst the pervasive demonic aura, the enormous chanting monk vanished instantly, transforming into the withered body of Kong Chan.

He stood respectfully before Luo Chen, showing no trace of the great demon emperor who once roamed the North Sea.

Luo Chen took a step forward, his eyes shining with golden light, and walked towards a direction of the Yuanmo Sect.

As they walked, he casually asked Kong Chan about the demon race.

In particular, the specific circumstances surrounding the destruction of the Yuanmo Sect back then.

"In that battle, the Great Sage of Beili and the Sea Emperor Whale Ancestor joined forces to fight the Soul Refining Ancestor, shattering his physical body and even scattering his primordial spirit. Before dying, the Soul Refining Ancestor dispersed his primordial spirit and set up a great formation to trap us in the Night Demon Heaven for a hundred years."

"As for the Yuanmo Ancestor of the Yuanmo Sect, the battlefield was not on our side at the time, and I don't know who was fighting him."

"I only remember that a wisp of golden flame once leaked out from that battlefield, taking away millions of powerful warriors from both the human and demon races."

Luo Chen paused in his steps.

"Golden flames?"

Kong Chan nodded, then seemed to remember something, his eyes showing surprise and uncertainty.

The method Luo Chen used to kill the skeletal giant in the blood lake seemed to be a kind of golden flame.

Is it...

Luo Chen's eyes flickered; some of his guesses from back then were finally confirmed at this moment.

The mighty Yuanmo Sect was actually destroyed by the demonic beasts they had suppressed for three thousand years; the inside story is indeed not simple.

Inside, the goddess Qixia Yuanjun herself took action!

The destruction of the Yuan Demon and the burial of the Ming Abyss left the two continents of the North Sea and the Eastern Wilderness vulnerable, prompting the Tianyuan Dao Sect to send troops to occupy them.

Her ultimate goal was actually the Tianyuan Dao Sect.

Moreover, later on, Qixia Yuanjun did indeed personally commit suicide and enter Zhongzhou.

But why didn't Qixia Yuanjun take action against the Western Desert and the Southern Frontier?
Do not!
Perhaps they did make a move.

The Buddhist lands of the Western Desert were alert and closed the Hanging Temple in advance, only opening its gates after the collapse of the Central Plains.

Moreover, the demon race of the Western Desert also mobilized during those years, which led to the Tianyuan Dao Sect's deployment of troops.

As for southern Xinjiang?

With the God of Youli in charge, even someone as powerful as the Goddess Qixia wouldn't dare to rashly storm the mountain gate.

However, the Tianyuan Dao Sect did indeed send people to the Southern Frontier, leaving the Central Plains vulnerable and allowing Qixia Yuanjun to take advantage of the situation.

"Why did Lady Qixia go to such lengths to create such excellent conditions for her attack on Zhongzhou?"

"According to intelligence, the final battlefield of the battle in Zhongzhou was Tiandi Peak, where the Star Gate, one of the three treasures of the Dao Sect, was located."

"After the collapse of Tiandi Peak, the Star Gate organization disintegrated, and it is said that even the Lingbao Star Gate disappeared."

"Could it be that the ultimate goal of the Qixia Yuanjun is to seize the Star Gate?"

Luo Chen pondered deeply, even slowing his pace considerably.

There was no sound in his ear, so he reminded him, "Continue, tell me about the recent attack by the North Sea demons on the three continents of the Tianyuan Dao Sect."

Kong Chan dared not be negligent and recounted everything he knew.

"I don't know much about this matter either, I only know that it was an order from the two ancestors."

"Some people speculate that it is to avenge the Tianyuan Dao Sect's interference in the North Sea War over the past century, which has hindered the demon race from unifying the North Sea cultivation world."

"But in my opinion, the intensity of the retaliation is not high; at least no powerful beings at the level of Great Demon Emperors have participated."

Luo Chen blinked and stopped in front of a mountain that was mostly still standing.

The orders of the two great patriarchs of Beihai?
This might be related to Li Canghai.

He stopped thinking about it; at least for now, Li Canghai was his ally.

An ally's ally may not be an ally, but they are not enemies unless there is a real conflict of interest.

"Go back!"

"Continue to stay in Taohai City and prevent anyone from breaking into Yemotian and disturbing my cultivation."

Kong Chan nodded, but hesitated again before leaving.

“Master, the fifth-order spiritual veins of Ye Motian were shattered in the battle back then, and are not suitable for breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm.”

Luo Chen smiled; he wasn't planning to break through to the Nascent Soul stage here.

It's just that I've collected a lot of Heavenly Qi, so I can proceed to the next stage of refining.

As a fifth-order sword technique, the "Thousand Transformations Sword Scripture" was already sufficient for a Grandmaster to deal with a Nascent Soul cultivator's attack, but Luo Chen was not satisfied.

Only those who have reached the Great Perfection can truly threaten a Nascent Soul cultivator!
Luo Chen didn't explain much, but waved his hand, signaling Kong Chan to leave.

After the place had completely quieted down, Luo Chen walked step by step along the broken mountainside towards the mountain platform that had been cut off by a sword.

Along the way, he would occasionally raise array flags and personally guide the flow of the earth's veins.

Three days later.

When Luo Chen's footsteps touched the flat mountainside.

The fourth-order spiritual vein deep within this mountain has been almost completely cleared, and it can provide Luo Chen with a considerable amount of spiritual energy.

Just throw it away.

Boom!
The Nine Heavens Urn stood firmly on the ground.

Luo Chen sat cross-legged, made a sword incantation, and inhaled deeply.

Instantly, a wisp of purplish-blue aura flew out from the black urn and was absorbed into his body, where his magical power began to rapidly refine it.

As if sensing something, the Thousand Sky Sword Seed that had been condensed also began to spin rapidly. (End of Chapter)