Longevity begins with alchemy master

A gloomy sky, a desolate land.

Gone are the days of pristine mountains and clear waters, of breathtaking beauty; all that remains is the desolation left by filth.

A black ape of normal human height watched this scene with an expression neither sad nor happy, but let out a sigh.

"The Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven won't last much longer."

This black ape was a puppet controlled by Luo Chen's divine sense, and its strength was only at the Nascent Soul stage.

The Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven, after being impacted by the self-destruction of the Mingshui Spring and the Rotten Chessboard, is now completely unable to withstand Luo Chen's true form entering.

The immense magical power he possesses, no matter how well concealed, would likely burst this small world apart once he enters.

Therefore, Luo Chen had no choice but to use his divine sense to control the puppet to enter the cave.

As soon as the black ape puppet entered, it determined its direction and headed towards a secluded place.

About half a day later, we arrived at our destination.

It was the valley that the Gu family built in the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven specifically for cultivating spiritual herbs.

However, unlike the fragrant herbs and lush greenery of the past, this valley is now desolate, with only one thing remaining.

A sapling!
The tree was not large, about ten feet tall and no more than the width of a bowl.

But the branches are gnarled and strong, giving people a sense of indestructibility.

The veins on the leaves, in particular, are like human blood vessels, crystal clear and shimmering with an eerie color.

The black ape puppet carefully examined the small tree, occasionally stomping on the ground.

The Demon-Demon Union Tree was obtained more than three hundred years ago from the Wood Heaven Plain, the land of fallen demons.

After obtaining it, it never blossomed or bore fruit, becoming like a useless chicken rib.

But research on this tree has never stopped.

It wasn't until Sang Jinghe failed in his breakthrough attempt and passed away that he left behind his life's research findings, pointing out a practical and feasible method.

There are no ancient demons in this world, and even ancient monsters are difficult to kill. It is extremely difficult to cultivate them using the hearts of traditional demons. Therefore, Sang Jinghe began to research cultivating them using the hearts of wild beasts.

With its various secret techniques, perhaps one day it will be possible to realize the dream of creating fruit.

"It is indeed feasible, but Jinghe will not live to see that day."

The black ape puppet stopped under the tree and looked up, where flower buds were vaguely visible on a few branches.

Upon careful counting, there are four in total.

This perfectly matches the four fifth-tier wild beasts he killed during his ten-year journey through the wilderness.

Cabinet Fox, Chaotic Sky Stone Monkey, Nine Absolute Sparrow, Green Pearl Phoenix.

After the four wild beasts died, Luo Chen bestowed most of their materials upon Gu Caiyi and the four guardian spirit beasts, while their physical vitality was supplied to the Divine Fire of Withering and Flourishing. Their most important hearts were buried under the Demon-Demon Heart Tree.

Now, four hearts are about to bear four fruits of unity!

Once the fruit ripens, Luo Chen may be able to break through his physical limits and achieve a fifth-order Ancient True Body by consuming and refining it!

Given the difference in time flow between the Mirage Dragon Cave and the Mirage Dragon Grotto, that day should not be far off.

After carefully examining the tree, the black ape puppet took out a large amount of high-grade spiritual soil and a prepared ripening liquid, and began to carefully nurture the sapling.

……

"This is the Luo Tian Sect?"

Outside Shangyou City, Qi Ying looked at the current gate of Luo Tian Sect. Although his face remained expressionless, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

In his mind, with Senior Luo Chen's strength, his sect must have the grandeur of a sacred land.

But now it seems to be somewhat prosperous, but it is only slightly better than the Nascent Soul Sect.

It's far from being a holy land on a continent!
Gu Caiyi, standing to the side, looked on with pride.

"Yes, this is the temporary mountain gate of the Luo Tian Sect! My husband founded the Luo Tian Sect, and it has been less than five hundred years since then. From a mere Qi Refining stage force, he has grown it bit by bit until now, gradually showing the aura of a sacred land. Such an achievement is unprecedented in the Mountain and Sea Realm!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Ying's eyes flashed with surprise.

He is a reclusive person, or rather, a very focused person.

Aside from things that interest them personally, they basically never pay attention to things outside the home.

This is also why Master Xuan Yan, who had no disciples throughout his life, made an exception and accepted Qi Ying in his later years.

He never imagined that the Luo Tian Sect was just a Qi Refining stage power five hundred years ago.

Thinking about it this way, and looking at the atmosphere of the mountain gate again, I feel that there are some differences.

Full of youthful vigor, everything is in full bloom.

Every disciple I saw wore a genuine sense of pride, just like Gu Caiyi.

The sect's cohesion has reached its peak; the only thing it lacks is the passage of time to allow this power to unite people to be passed down forever.

"Fellow Daoist Qi Ying, my husband intends to recruit you and has specially set up a guest elder position in the Alchemy Academy. What do you think?" Gu Caiyi invited warmly.

Qi Ying hesitated and said, "I am only passionate about alchemy and have no interest in power or status. Moreover, I hate trouble more than anything, and sometimes I even have to go out to find medicine. I'm afraid this position of guest elder..."

Gu Caiyi waved her hand magnanimously, "You don't need to worry at all. As the first Nascent Soul stage guest elder of our sect, you don't need to worry about anything. Just focus on doing what you want to do. On the contrary, if you have any needs, you can send sect disciples to do it for you. Whatever resources you need, Luo Tian Sect will provide them for you."

At this point, Gu Caiyi blinked.

"Fellow Daoist Qi, although there are many rogue cultivators in the cultivation world today, you should be able to understand how difficult their lives are!"

Qi Ying opened his mouth, a helpless, bitter smile appearing on his face.

He had been well taken care of by Master Xuan Yan and had disciples of the Mingyuan Sect working on his behalf, so he didn't appreciate it much.

However, the hardships and troubles he has encountered in recent years are too numerous to describe, and even his cultivation level has been delayed.

If the position of guest elder in Luo Tian Sect is really that easy, then he might consider it.

Gu Caiyi suddenly said, "I suppose you don't know yet, but our sect's alchemy academy is not without capable people. It has two of my husband's personal disciples in charge. They have both inherited my husband's alchemy skills. You may be able to discuss some with them."

Upon hearing this, Qi Ying's eyes lit up.

The aura surrounding Luo Chen is not limited to his outstanding achievements.

Before that, the name "Dan Zong" was the honor that made Luo Chen resound throughout the entire Eastern Wilderness.

There are even rumors that Luo Chen's alchemy skills are now probably no less than those of Chu Yan, the Alchemy Saint of the Mingyuan Sect back then!
As his personally taught disciple, his alchemy skills must be extraordinary.

"If that's the case, then I am somewhat tempted."

At this point, Qi Ying suddenly became curious.

"By the way, where is Senior Luo? I haven't seen him since he returned from the Western Desert. I was hoping to ask him a few questions about alchemy."

Gu Caiyi hesitated for a moment when asked this question.

But in the end, she said frankly, "My husband has been working on a big matter recently, and I believe you will be able to see him soon."

Qi Ying was quite curious. If this was a major event for a Nascent Soul cultivator, he wondered what it was.

……

The abyss of darkness, where hidden currents lurk.

A majestic mountain, deeply recessed at the bottom of an abyss, is shrouded in darkness. Four figures, one in front and three behind, are slowly and steadily climbing upwards from the foot of the mountain.

“Master, I have broken all the restrictions on the foot of Yanfu Mountain over the years. But I am helpless against the three palaces on the mountainside and even the summit. I usually send some little devils in to explore, but most of them never return. It is really troublesome.”

Luo Chen, walking ahead, said without turning his head, "Most of the mountainside are the cave dwellings where Nascent Soul cultivators of the Mingyuan Sect once secluded themselves. The restrictions set up in those cave dwellings are naturally troublesome for you with your array formation skills. But it doesn't matter, these restrictions won't affect my next move."

Upon reaching the mountainside, the white-robed Taoist casually waved his hand towards a certain cave dwelling.

Its internal restrictions crumbled.

In an instant, a large amount of spiritual energy accumulated over hundreds of years surged out.

Upon seeing this, Little White couldn't help but cheer: "It's all thanks to Master!"

Upon seeing this, another middle-aged man dressed in plain black robes couldn't help but feel deeply moved.

Everyone knows the name of Luo Chen Dan Zong, but few know that his mastery of formations is understood by even grandmasters.

Indeed, in this world, most cultivators are either incapable or capable.

As for the other elderly man, whose face was covered in wrinkles and who looked rather old, he didn't seem to care much.

The four of them continued on their journey and eventually stopped at the plaza atop Mount Yanfu.

From the front, three magnificent palaces stand tall.

"What's truly important are the restrictions on these three halls!"

Tianming Palace, Tianyuan Palace, Tianshui Palace.

They correspond to the three great ancestors of the Mingyuan Sect: Yu Ming, Tian Yuan, and Hei Ze.

Luo Chen turned around, looked at the old man, and said in a gentle tone, "Tian Duzi, don't you agree?"

"What you say is very true, senior. If we want the Abyss to sink and Yama to rise again, we must first break the restrictions of the Three Palaces and take control of the entire Yama Mountain."

The old man was none other than Tian Duzi, the Supreme Elder of the Tian Du Sect, a major sect of formations in the Eastern Wilderness!

He was already old, and had suffered severe injuries in the war between humans and demons. Even though he had used a life-extending method to barely survive until now, he was no longer able to break through to the Nascent Soul realm.

After receiving the Enlightenment Pill from Luo Chen, he simply gave it to a junior brother he trusted to take.

He himself was invited by Luo Chen to come to Yanfu Mountain to help Luo Chen break the array restrictions when his lifespan was about to end.

Tian Duzi carefully observed his surroundings and suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Has the Heavenly Nether Palace's restrictions been broken?"

"As expected of you!" Luo Chen praised, then said, "Because the Heavenly Nether Palace condenses the Netherwater Spring, its restrictive power is the weakest. It was forcibly broken by the Ghost Emperors of the Nether Abyss two hundred years ago."

Tian Duzi stroked his beard. "That makes things much easier. The three palaces are interconnected; if one palace is breached, the remaining two will lose a third of their power. Originally, it was estimated that it would take at least ten years, but now it seems that it will only take three to five years for Yanfu Mountain to see the light of day again."

"So good!"

Luo Chen smiled, then turned to look at another middle-aged man in plain black robes.

"Deng Taiyue, when the restrictions on the three palaces are completely broken, it will inevitably have an impact on the outside world. At that time, I will have to trouble you to use your methods to stabilize Yanfu Mountain."

Without hesitation, Deng Taiyue replied, "This is my duty, senior, please rest assured!"

Outsiders might wonder why Deng Taiyue, the Supreme Elder of the Taishan Sect, would say something like "it's my duty."

But Luo Chen knew perfectly well.

He had promised the other party that if Deng Taiyue could help him succeed and he himself comprehended the true meaning of the law, then after the matter was accomplished, he would help the other party find a fifth-order spiritual vein to break through to the Nascent Soul realm.

And this Yanfu Mountain is the source of Luo Chen's confidence in making his promise.

As long as the Abyss sinks and the mortal realm rises again, the Luo Tian Sect will be able to control a fifth-order spiritual vein!
Deng Taiyue's breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm was merely a side effect.

Everything is ready; the task of breaking the formation is about to begin.

However, before that, Luo Chen unexpectedly entered the Heavenly Nether Palace.

"What are you trying to do?" Tian Duzi asked, puzzled.

The three waited quietly outside the hall.

After a long while, the Heavenly Palace trembled slightly.

Upon seeing this, Tian Duzi narrowed his eyes.

Formation?

"Did he set up a formation to draw in moisture?"

Deng Taiyue, who was standing to the side, nodded first, then looked around with a look of surprise and uncertainty.

"It's not just water vapor; it seems that a large amount of the primordial energy of water is spreading out from the Heavenly Palace. Is this attracting the primordial power of similar beings from the Netherworld Abyss?"

The two exchanged a glance, and a vague guess formed in their minds.

Luo Chen is trying to use the power of Yanfu Mountain and his own understanding of the essence of water to forcibly condense the Mingshui Spring!

Is this something that can be done by human power?
Inside the Heavenly Palace.

Luo Chen was completely focused, staring intently at the deep pool of black water inside the hall.

In his view, the so-called Mingshui Spring was nothing more than a place with spiritual energy like a cave in the earth.

Such existences are beyond human capability; they often require the power of heaven and earth to slowly nurture them over time.

However, two hundred years have passed since the last time the Mingshui Spring condensed.

After being suspended in the air for so long, it's time for it to re-coalesce.

Luo Chen had experience controlling the Mingshui Spring and had also comprehended the essence of water. Now, all he needed to do was use the formation of the Tianming Palace on Yanfu Mountain to draw that mysterious power to this place.

He had to ensure that the newly formed spring of water did not originate elsewhere in the Netherworld Abyss, but rather within the Heavenly Palace.

Only in this way can the Luo Tian Sect truly control this ancient and wondrous abyss!

When everything was ready, Luo Chen left the Tianming Palace and looked at the three of them.

"let's start!"

Next, each of the three made their own move.

Xiao Bai left first, descended Yanfu Mountain, and headed towards Luo Tian Sect.

Her task was simple, yet also extremely tedious: to have the entire Luo Tian Sect set up corresponding formations on the former site of the Mingyuan Sect.

This matter cannot be accomplished by her alone; it requires the sect leader, Luo Lingxi, to lead the entire sect in carrying it out together.

Deng Taiyue remained in place, his magical power slowly spreading out, gradually enveloping the entire Yanfu Mountain with the power of the earth's origin.

Meanwhile, Tian Duzi headed towards Tianyuan Palace.

His task, like Luo Chen's, was to break the restrictions on the remaining two halls!
Standing before the Tianshui Palace, Luo Chen's expression rarely showed a hint of melancholy.

This place is not only one of the three supreme symbols of power and status of the Mingyuan Sect, but also the location of the cave of the Black Swamp Ancestor who died by his sword.

She had once submitted to him, then killed him with her own hands, and now she was about to break through everything to inherit his legacy.

The unpredictability of life is truly heartbreaking.

"I wonder what that old fellow left in the cave?"

Luo Chen chuckled and began to study the defensive formations of the entire palace, preparing to break them. (End of Chapter)