Longevity begins with alchemy master

Luo Chen didn't know much about the Luo Cult; most of what he knew was hearsay.

But he was quite familiar with some of the major events.

In particular, during the internal strife within the Luo Cult, one of the two envoys, the Right Envoy Nan Yiqi, cultivated the Northern Sea Demon Art, intending to refine the entire cult and create a million-strong Soul-Slaying Banner capable of contending with a Nascent Soul Grandmaster.

From Luo Chen's current perspective, Nan Yiqi is simply delusional.

The Million Soul Banner is indeed a spiritual treasure, but it also depends on who controls it and the grade of the main soul within it. Otherwise, how can it contend against a Nascent Soul expert?
Luo Chen had previously crafted a million-soul banner, whose main soul was a fifth-order ghost god, Kui Niu, but it was destroyed by the profound foundation of the Tianyuan Dao Sect.

Nan Yiqi, indulging in wishful thinking, ultimately failed and fled to Beihai.

That internal strife severely damaged the Luo Sect, a top sect in the Southern Frontier, and its Supreme Elder, Meng Shentong, went into seclusion for many years to recuperate.

Most importantly, Nan Yiqi casually stole one of the inherited Gu worms inside.

At this moment, Nanqi Laogui's use of this as a pretext has indeed piqued Luo Chen's interest.

The art of Gu worms is unpredictable and mysterious!

Whether it is the evil of the demonic heart, the pain of a hundred poisons, or the creation of heaven and earth connected by the two great divine Gu of fortune and misfortune, they all contain immense destiny.

Luo Chen suffered greatly from it, but he also gained a lot of benefits from it.

This powerful physique is partly due to the power of the Hundred Poison King Gu!

"Hand over that Gu worm!" Luo Chen said directly, without any beating around the bush.

Old Ghost Nanqi was taken aback. "You know it's a Gu worm?"

Luo Chen smiled slightly, "For cultivators in the Southern Border, cultivation techniques, secret treasures, talismans, and pills are not that important; Gu worms are the key. Since you said it's an important thing, then it must be Gu worms."

Nanqi the Old Ghost's expression changed, and the fluctuations of his inner emotions, undisguised by his physical body, were exceptionally vivid and readily apparent.

He hesitated and said, "That treasure is indeed a Gu worm, which I can give to you, senior. But senior, you must spare my life!"

"Must?" Luo Chen asked rhetorically, his expression containing a hint of sarcasm.

Nanqi Old Ghost's heart trembled, and he hurriedly said, "This Gu worm has been refined with my blood and sweat. If I perish, it will also self-destruct. Senior, please do not force it."

Luo Chen's lips curled slightly. "I will not force you; it's just an external object. However..."

He said it was no use, but something appeared in his hand.

It was a letter-keeping Gu, which Meng Shentong had casually given to him during a brief exchange years ago.

The purpose was to have him inform Meng Shentong when he encountered Nanqi the Old Ghost.

The moment he saw the letter-making gu, Old Ghost Nanqi's expression changed drastically.

"Tell me, if I were to hand you over to Meng Shentong, given the strict rules of the Luo Sect, how would he deal with you, this traitor?"

Nanqi the Old Ghost couldn't help but tremble.

He was a member of the Luo sect and knew more about this top sect in the southern border than anyone else.

It contains countless secret techniques targeting the soul, and there is bound to be one that is suitable for dealing with his current state.

Moreover, judging from the soul technique mastery that Luo Chen had previously displayed in his domineering Soul Searching Heaven Rift Stream Master, it's likely that he wouldn't even be able to get past Luo Chen.

In the silence, Luo Chen's faint voice rang out.

"Be honest, you are destined to perish today. But even perish can be either the soul is scattered or you are reincarnated. If I am in a good mood, I may allow you to disintegrate on your own, so that you may be able to cultivate again in the next life."

The word "if" clearly indicates that it is not a promise. How Luo Chen actually does it depends entirely on Nanqi Laogui's own performance.

In the midst of the oppression, Old Ghost Nanqi suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

"So be it. Now that I've fallen into your hands, senior, I don't need to put up any more resistance."

"Senior, please take a look at this."

Its name is—Vacuum Gu!

Then, the old ghost Nanqi opened his mouth and spat out a beam of black light.

Luo Chen stared intently.

It lay silently in the air, about the size of a child's thumb, with a mouth but no teeth, and its whole body looked like pure dark glass that had been stripped of all reflective ability.

But after scanning it with his divine sense, he discovered that the surface of this object was not as smooth as glass. Instead, it was full of countless extremely fine wrinkles and grooves. These wrinkles and grooves, though seemingly small, gave the impression of layers upon layers of ancient ice that had been crushed and piled up.

Sensing the alien divine thought, the Vacuum Gu suddenly became agitated.

Ripples spread slowly as it moved through the wrinkles on its body.

The entire hall seemed to be engulfed in an illusion.

"Quiet!"

Luo Chen let out a low shout, and his eyes suddenly changed, revealing crimson eyes with golden pupils.

Looking at them now, those ripples are clearly a manifestation of distorted space.

Luo Chen's heart stirred slightly, and he murmured, "This thing actually contains a trace of the true meaning of the laws of space!"

Nanqi Old Ghost looked at Luo Chen in surprise, "Senior, your knowledge is extraordinary. You recognized the essence of this Gu at a glance. The Vacuum Gu does indeed contain a trace of the true meaning of the laws of space. It is said that it is born in the boundless void and, when it grows to its limit, it can even transform into a world of its own. Our Luo Sect has developed various secret techniques and supernatural abilities based on this, and there is even a saying about the Vacuum Home. But unfortunately, in thousands of years, the Luo Sect has not produced a single Nascent Soul cultivator, so it is impossible to nurture this Gu to the fifth level. Otherwise, the reputation of this Vacuum Gu would not necessarily be weaker than the three great divine Gu of the Life and Death Gate."

Luo Chen's eyes flashed and landed on Old Ghost Nanqi.

"So, the reason you were able to forcibly break through my blockade and escape the battlefield was because of the secret technique used by this Gu?"

Nanqi the Old Ghost nodded, then smiled bitterly and said, "It's a pity that my skills are not good enough to fully unleash the power of this Gu. If our sect's Supreme Elder Meng Shentong were to use this Gu, in conjunction with the Void-Severing Blade, he would be hard to beat at the Nascent Soul stage, and even at the Divine Transformation stage, he might have a chance to escape."

"The Void-Severing Blade?" Luo Chen murmured to himself, as the item was currently stored properly in his storage ring.

During their trip to the Netherworld, Meng Shentong died at the hands of Li Tianshi, and his belongings ended up in Luo Chen's possession.

At that time, seeing the extraordinary nature of the Broken Void Blade, Luo Chen carefully kept it as a treasure.

Unexpectedly, that magical artifact was meant to be used in conjunction with the Vacuum Gu.

Do not!
Perhaps the Void Blade relies on the Vacuum Gu, but the Vacuum Gu doesn't necessarily have to work with the Void Blade.
Don't you see how Nanqi the old ghost managed to escape from Luo Chen's clutches once by relying on this Gu, although he was quickly caught and brought back?

If one were to possess this Gu, in what way should one use it?

For some reason, Luo Chen thought of a supernatural power left behind by Qing Shuang—the Universe in the Sleeve!
Seeing Luo Chen deep in thought, Old Ghost Nanqi could only wait quietly.

After a long while, Luo Chen's voice finally rang out.

"Remove the mark!"

Nanqi Old Ghost took a deep breath and reluctantly cast spells at the Vacuum Gu.

Soon, a wisp of blood-red light flew out from the head of the Vacuum Gu.

At the same time, Luo Chen flicked his fingers and cast a series of restrictions, which landed on it and completely sealed it away.

Nanqi the Old Ghost only glanced at it before his heart skipped a beat.

The restrictions Luo Chen cast were all the most exquisite spatial restrictions, no wonder he was caught by the other party after he escaped earlier.

In the realm of spatial manipulation, even though both are at the beginner level, there is still a difference in their skill level.

"Senior, I've given you the Vacuum Gu, so what's next..."

"Not urgent!"

Nanqi the Old Ghost's expression changed slightly, "Could it be that Senior is going back on his word?"

Luo Chen smiled slightly and flicked his finger to send out a beam of gray light.

Boom!
A heavy thud echoed through the hall as a small cauldron stood upright on the ground.

The weight of the tripod was so great that it even dented the hardest floorboards.

The most terrifying thing was the hazy light emanating from the gray cauldron. The slightest leakage of light caused Nanqi Old Ghost to feel as if he were being restrained, and his entire nascent soul was forced to prostrate on the ground.

He stared in shock at the hazy light, "Primordial Magnetic Divine Light?"

Luo Chen shook his head. "I'm not telling you to look at this, but to pay attention to what's inside." As he spoke, he channeled his magic power into Nanqi Old Ghost's nascent soul, temporarily granting it the ability to move freely.

Suppressing his shock, Old Ghost Nanqi channeled his divine sense into the Hunyuan Cauldron and quickly sensed an unusual yet familiar aura.

"Gu insect?"

"No, it's just the residual scent of the Gu worms."

"Hiss... What kind of Gu worm is this? Why is it that even just a lingering trace of its aura is causing such a commotion, giving me a feeling that a great calamity is about to befall me?"

It was a fluttering butterfly.

But it had no physical form; it was merely a phantom, a wisp of energy.

Luo Chen said calmly, "You should be very familiar with the name of this thing. It is called the Calamity Gu, also known as the Calamity Gu, and it is one of the three great divine Gu of the Life and Death Gate of the Southern Border Holy Land. Before the Ascension of Lord Youli, he took away the Calamity Gu, but left me with a wisp of its aura. This thing has been kept in my natal magic weapon for many years, but I have never been able to use it. Since you are proficient in the way of Gu, I wonder if you have any thoughts on it?"

Upon hearing this, Old Ghost Nanqi was utterly shocked. He hadn't expected that the Vacuum Gu, which he had previously been so proud of, was indeed nothing special in front of this other party. After all, Luo Chen had once possessed a fifth-tier divine Gu, the infamous Calamity Gu. He was even more surprised that Luo Chen was actually connected to the legendary Netherworld God Lord.

Unable to hide his astonishment, Old Ghost Nanqi said with a wry smile, "I'm sorry, with my level of understanding, how could I possibly comprehend the capabilities of such a divine Gu? But according to the rumors, the residual aura of this Gu is likely to bring disaster and misfortune, which is not a good thing."

Luo Chen frowned. "Bringing disaster upon me? But what Lord Youli said back then was that the residual aura of this Gu would allow me to find another way to survive the great calamity?"

Nanqi the Old Ghost was taken aback, then said helplessly, "I don't know about that. The abilities of a Divine Lord are beyond my comprehension."

Luo Chen remained silent.

The lingering aura of the Calamity Gu had been present on his natal magic weapon for a long time.

He clearly remembered what Lord Youli had said before his ascension.

Knowing that a great calamity might befall him unexpectedly in the future, the other party deliberately intercepted a wisp of the Calamity Gu's aura and placed it in the Hunyuan Cauldron, so that it could withstand the calamity at a critical moment and even escape death.

Indeed, after he left the southern border, there were many calamities.

Whether it was the Battle of Broken Soul Cliff, the Battle of the Western Desert against the heroes, or even the Battle of Heaven and Earth Island, each was a calamity that ordinary people could hardly escape.

But Luo Chen overcame them all by relying on his own abilities.

The only problem is that the residual aura of the Calamity Gu did not play any role during these great calamities!

It even gives the impression that these calamities were brought about by that aura.

Luo Chen believed that Youli Divine Lord would not harm him, nor had any reason to harm him, so why did the residual aura of the Calamity Gu not play any role during these great calamities?

Could it be that none of these can be considered life-or-death ordeals?

Now that Luo Chen has reached the Nascent Soul stage, he can roam freely in the vast Mountain and Sea Realm. What danger could possibly threaten his life?
"That's it!"

After racking his brains without success, Luo Chen put away the Hunyuan Cauldron and then turned his gaze to Old Ghost Nanqi.

Just then, Old Ghost Nanqi also looked over.

Their eyes met, and their hearts were already clear.

"Young friend, please!"

Old Ghost Nanqi opened his mouth, but finally said helplessly, "Please."

He didn't want to die, but he didn't want to end up like the Lord of the Rift Sky Stream.

His mind was clouded, his soul scattered, and he had no chance to be reincarnated and start anew.

In comparison, Luo Chen gave him a chance to disintegrate on his own, which at least preserved a sliver of opportunity for future cultivation, provided that he could awaken his innate wisdom.

"Without parents, in the void of home, may we return to the Pure Land, may we return to dust..."

Amidst the hoarse chanting, the nascent soul gradually disintegrated, its inner spirit slowly dissipating.

The pure magical power that constitutes the nascent soul also returns to pure spiritual energy in this process, nourishing this world.

This is different from the disintegration of the main nascent soul of the Rift Heaven Stream. The disintegration of the nascent soul of the old ghost Nanqi was a collapse that could not be maintained after all the divine soul power was extracted, and it was not very destructive.

Just like snow accumulation, one is an avalanche, and the other is melting, and the effects they bring are completely different.

"Amitabha."

Kong Chan, who had been watching from the sidelines for a long time, murmured a Buddhist chant, his expression quite complex.

He had witnessed the fall of Nascent Soul cultivators and had personally killed some Nascent Soul True Persons, but he was still deeply moved when he personally watched a Nascent Soul fellow cultivator, who had once possessed considerable strength, disintegrate on his own.

If I am unable to break through to the Nascent Soul realm in the future, will this also happen to me?

Even worse, he couldn't manage to live with such dignity; he could only watch helplessly as his lifespan ended, his spirit weakened, and he eventually passed away peacefully.
"Feeling sorry for your own kind?" Luo Chen smiled. "Then cultivate diligently. Your spiritual foundation should be sufficient after another hundred years or so. At that time, you can cultivate the Buddhist classic 'Moonlight Purification Mantra' that I taught you. Perhaps you will even have the opportunity to condense your primordial spirit ahead of time and break through to the Nascent Soul realm. If you succeed, you can become a guardian elder of the Luo Tian Sect and enjoy great honors."

Kong Chan bowed deeply, "This humble monk will remember Master's teachings!"

"Go down. If you have nothing to do, take care of the surrounding demons and make sure they don't disturb the peace of this place."

"Yes."

After Kong Chan left, Luo Chen reached out and beckoned over the two storage bags.

It was left behind by the Lord of the Rift Sky Stream and Old Ghost Nanqi before their deaths.

With their abilities, they couldn't do what Liancheng did before dying and destroy their own storage magic treasures in front of Luo Chen, so they could only benefit Luo Chen.

However, it was only a small bargain.

Luo Chen swept his divine sense across the mark and easily destroyed the divine sense imprint on it, revealing everything inside.

The main storage bag of the Rift Sky Flower has the most and most varied items, and the styles are all inconsistent.

Clearly, most of these items were not his own, but rather obtained through the killing of others.

It would be priceless to a Golden Core cultivator, and even a Nascent Soul cultivator would covet it, but to Luo Chen now, it is not considered valuable.

Luo Chen took a special interest in the few books he had.

One is the Wind-type fourth-tier technique, "The Feather Splitting Technique," the natal technique of the Rifting Heaven Sect Master, which emphasizes speed. One of the high-level spells recorded within it, "The Heaven-Splitting Divine Claw," bears a striking resemblance to his earlier signature technique, "The Cloud-Piercing Divine Claw."

One is a fragment of the "Blood Scripture," which should have originated from the Blood Sea lineage of the Yuan Demon Sect. It records some methods for refining Blood God Seeds.

Finally, there is a secret technique, which is the evil method used by the Lord of the Rift Heaven Sect when he ravaged the North Sea and hunted down Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators to enhance his own cultivation.

Luo Chen had already browsed through it in his memory, so he didn't take it and only used it as a reference.

Then there's Nanqi Old Ghost's storage bag.

This is rather shabby and completely unworthy of Nanqi Laogui's status as a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

But considering the great calamity he suffered, even his physical body was destroyed, how much good stuff could he possibly have left behind?

Luo Chen glanced at it and took out a book.

After studying it carefully, a look of sudden realization appeared on his face.

This book contains some secret techniques that work with the Vacuum Gu, as well as skills and methods for cultivating this Gu.

Gu worms are not only for use, but also for raising.

After all, they are living creatures; how can they survive and grow without food?
Just like the Hundred Poison King Gu, it needs toxins as food.

The Vacuum Gu is quite special; its food is something called "Void Bud Crystal," and it needs to consume this substance regularly in order to continuously grow and advance.

For thousands of years, the Luo Sect has been unable to cultivate the Vacuum Gu to the fifth level. This is not only because no one in the sect has achieved the Nascent Soul realm, but also because of the lack of Vacuum Sprout Crystals.

In the realm of mountains and seas, the hollow crystal buds have long been extinct.

"However, it won't affect me much. I don't expect to nurture this Gu to the fifth level. The fourth level should be enough for me to master the Azure Frost Divine Ability."

Luo Chen smiled slightly and glanced at the room next door.

Now, while waiting for Cheng Haixin to emerge from seclusion, he won't be bored.

Refining one's natal magic weapon and cultivating the Universe in one's sleeve—there's always something to do.

"Let's make the Vacuum Gu recognize its master first!" (End of Chapter)