Longevity begins with alchemy master

The vast universe, the boundless void.

Amidst the twinkling stars, a stream of light shimmered and rose.

One moment it was right in front of you, the next it was gone without a trace of light.

To some native creatures on primitive planets, this ray of light might be as amazing yet ordinary as a shooting star.

As for the light flow itself, everything seemed so hazy and dreamlike.

Even though the sounds of resounding farewells could still be faintly heard, Luo Chen knew that he had long since left the Mountain and Sea Realm.

Feeling the immense spiritual energy around him and the tremendous pulling force from afar, even Luo Chen, whose heart was usually as calm as a still lake, couldn't help but feel extremely excited.

This is ascension!
With the help of a spiritual force, they leaped across the endless universe, directly reaching the most coveted cultivation holy land for cultivators—the Immortal Realm!
At this moment, fragments of information about ascension recorded in ancient texts flooded Luo Chen's mind.

In the endless universe, there are countless worlds, each with its own wonders, but only the Immortal Realm stands at the center of the universe. And all these worlds have some inexplicable connection with the Immortal Realm. Whenever a cultivator breaks through the limits of their cultivation and is expelled from the worlds, they will go to the Immortal Realm.

This kind of experience cannot be achieved by simply crossing the void; it can only be achieved through the support of a divine inspiration.

The so-called "ascending to heaven amidst the clouds" is nothing more than this!

However, despite his excitement, Luo Chen couldn't help but have some doubts.

According to the records he had collected about ascension, the ascension of cultivators often happened in an instant, and the immense pressure brought about by spatial traversal completely overwhelmed their divine senses, leaving them in a daze. When they regained consciousness, they had mostly already reached the Immortal Realm. How could they be like him now, with a clear mind and the leisure to appreciate the mysterious mysteries of the endless universe through layers of radiant light?
"The speed seems to be slowing down?"

……

Deep in the universe, there lies a colossal continent.

Above the vast continent, clouds and mist billowed endlessly, yet they were bound to the continent by some inexplicable force, unable to leak out even a fraction of their power.

Suddenly!
In a remote corner of the vast continent, a powerful pillar of light shot into the sky.

But in just a moment, the pillar of light ceased and slowly dissipated.

This unusual phenomenon attracted the attention of many powerful figures on the Cloud Sea Continent.

A moment later, three figures broke through the air and landed on a deserted platform that resembled an altar.

Below the high platform, the stone pillars are mottled, and three large characters can be faintly seen carved on them—Ascension Platform!

The three figures exchanged glances, then fixed their gazes on the center of the platform.

An elderly man, looking rather frail, exclaimed in surprise, "This Ascension Platform has been abandoned for a long time. How could it activate on its own today?"

He looked down and saw that although the light on the platform had dimmed, there were still some traces left in the middle.

It circled and circled, spreading out for a total of four circles!
"Fourth Rank!"

A soft whisper escaped his lips.

The beautiful woman in palace attire standing nearby clearly understood the significance of the number, and her eyes lit up, but then quickly dimmed, leaving only a hint of regret.

"The fourth transformation on the Ascension Platform signifies that this person has at least four laws of the Great Dao to leverage the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to ascend to immortality. Perhaps their cultivation level is low, but with such comprehension, if they could successfully ascend, they would surely reach the realm of a true immortal within ten thousand years. Now, however, their path to immortality has been severed, which is a pity."

The elderly man nodded, then shook his head slightly, seemingly not entirely agreeing with the beautiful woman in palace attire's words.

"Ten thousand years? Fellow Daoist Yu has underestimated the potential of a fourth-stage Ascension Platform cultivator! Such a cultivator from the lower realms, who is not native to the Immortal Realm, can comprehend four Great Laws at the Nascent Soul stage. His talent and comprehension are exceptionally high, and he must possess great perseverance. At most, he can attain immortality in five thousand years!"

The beautiful woman surnamed Yu frowned. "Is Fellow Daoist Lü exaggerating a bit? I acknowledge his strong comprehension, but his cultivation is mixed and diverse. How can he possibly concentrate and advance with unwavering determination? I fear that the various practices will hinder and counteract each other, thus impeding his cultivation. Ten thousand years is already the result of my careful calculations."

Seeing that the old man was about to speak again, the middle-aged man with a hint of ferocity between his brows snorted coldly, interrupting the argument between the two.

"Alright! The three of us have gathered here to discuss countermeasures against the Southern Realm. Why get bogged down in these trivial matters? In the end, we're just two unlucky souls!"

After saying that, he turned around and left.

The beautiful woman surnamed Yu opened her rosy lips, but could only sigh and follow them away.

Before leaving, the elderly man paused on the Ascension Platform, pondering for a long time, before departing thoughtfully.

……

In the pitch-black universe, streams of light flickered continuously.

But for some reason, the light was quite erratic, and in the end, its speed gradually slowed down, revealing a human figure enveloped in the glow of the sunset.

"It stopped?!"

Luo Chen stared at the scene in astonishment, his eyes filled with disbelief.

How could the ascension of the rosy clouds be interrupted?

But that enormous pulling force from before has indeed disappeared.

In the desolate starry sky, only Luo Chen remained, with no one above or below him, and nowhere to stand.

At this moment, Luo Chen stood silently in the universe, his face filled with boundless bewilderment.

He didn't understand what had happened, and he didn't understand why this was happening.

But the facts are right in front of us.

The immortal realm is nowhere to be found!
Luo Chen failed to ascend!
A sense of absurdity arose spontaneously.

Time passed unnoticed; in the vastness of space, even the concept of time itself seemed to blur.

The confusion on Luo Chen's face gradually disappeared, leaving only a bitter smile.

Although he didn't understand why things were this way, he had to accept the reality before him. Otherwise, the immense sense of loss and uncertainty about the future would completely devour his Dao heart in this boundless universe.

When it comes to adaptability, Luo Chen has always been excellent.

He began to analyze the current situation.

"Although I don't know why my ascension failed, at least my life is safe. The most urgent thing is to find a place to stay and then make further plans!"

A Nascent Soul cultivator can already traverse the universe and move freely through the void.

However, the vastness of the universe is filled with countless chaotic currents of primordial energy, which is not conducive to cultivation or prolonged stays.

Moreover, although the ascension failed, when he left the Mountain and Sea Realm, the vast spiritual energy driven by the true meaning of the Four Great Laws still lingered around him.

Although this power cannot be used for its proper purpose, Luo Chen can still improve his cultivation if he uses it well.

There's plenty of time; he'll eventually find the reason behind today's mystery!

The confusion in Luo Chen's eyes completely disappeared, leaving only his unwavering determination!

He took a step and wandered through the void based on his senses.

It's unclear how much time passed—perhaps two or three days, or eight or nine days—but Luo Chen, dressed in white, appeared outside a yellowish-brown planet.

This star is not large; Luo Chen could cover it with a single sweep of his divine sense.

A sense of decay arose spontaneously.

In an instant, Luo Chen knew that this star had reached its end, and its demise was only a matter of time.

"Stars may fall, the path to immortality may be severed, and the endless universe may one day perish and be restarted. Can we cultivators truly achieve immortality?"

A thought popped into my head unconsciously.

But Luo Chen quickly dismissed the thought.

He knew that the unprecedented and bizarre encounters he had experienced had ultimately affected his Dao heart, so he couldn't help but feel a sense of shared sorrow for this planet on the verge of destruction.

But Luo Chen knew even better that such thoughts could not last long, otherwise they would inevitably breed inner demons and lead to his death and the dissipation of his cultivation!

"Let's rest here for a while and then make further plans."

Luo Chen pursed his lips, broke through the fierce gale, and rushed into the earthen planet.

Once inside, Luo Chen casually unleashed a few array flags and then sat down quietly.

There is no sign of any living beings on this star; there are only vast mountain ranges, so there is no need to be overly cautious.

The most urgent task now is not to get to the bottom of things, nor to refine spiritual energy, but to purify the mind, calm the spirit, and solidify the Dao heart.

Otherwise, given the immense blow of failing to ascend, he would have been highly likely to suffer a qi deviation.

The previous thought of doubting the path of cultivation was one of the signs!

Luo Chen dared not gamble!
……

A day later, Luo Chen, who was practicing his cultivation technique, suddenly opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.

In the hazy yellow sky, a dazzling gate is slowly opening.

This scene was like a dream, as if the gates of the celestial realm had opened for Luo Chen.

But Luo Chen realized it in an instant.

"Star Gate!"

At that moment, two figures emerged from the star gate.

One was dressed in a red gown, exuding elegance and poise, and her expression towards Luo Chen was a half-smile.

One was dressed in plain blue, and his face, which should have been aloof, now showed a somewhat complicated expression.

Looking at the two familiar faces, Luo Chen had a bad feeling.

He forced himself to remain calm, stood up, and cupped his hands in greeting. "Qixia Yuanjun, Fellow Daoist Qingshuang, it's been a hundred years since we last met. How have you been?"

Qing Shuang turned her face away, avoiding Luo Chen's gaze.

But Qixia Yuanjun chuckled softly.

"Life outside the heavens is incredibly austere, so how can you say you're safe and sound?"

Luo Chen's heart sank. "You were waiting for me?"

Qixia Yuanjun smiled slightly, "She is indeed intelligent, worthy of being an unprecedented cultivation prodigy in the Mountain and Sea Realm."

Luo Chen's mood had plummeted to rock bottom. The three people, Qixia Yuanjun, who should have ascended a hundred years ago, had actually been waiting for him in the heavens for so long. To call it a friendly gesture would be too self-deceptive.

Now that the other party has shown up, it seems the time has come for a showdown.

"Why?" Luo Chen asked.

Qixia Yuanjun did not answer; her beautiful eyes were fixed on him, on the lingering, boundless spiritual energy.

Because of his brief stay that day, some greenery appeared beneath Luo Chen's feet.

The workings of heaven and earth, the creation of the great Dao!

Luo Chen suddenly realized, "Just because of this flash of inspiration?"

Qixia Yuanjun no longer concealed her feelings, but instead praised, "I never imagined that you could comprehend the true meaning of the four laws and leverage such a vast spiritual energy to leap to a distance so far from the Mountain and Sea Realm. However, this is also a good thing for me! The more spiritual energy there is, the more convenient it will be to activate the Star Gate, and returning to the Xuan Realm will no longer be a foolish thing."

With Luo Chen's intelligence, he had already understood everything from these few words.

Besides a massive amount of magical power, what is most needed to activate the Star Gate is the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Back when Dan Sheng Chu Yan ascended to immortality, Luo Chen personally witnessed the opening of the Star Gate, and with his current knowledge, he naturally understood the underlying principles.

But he couldn't understand why it had to be him? Why was the other party so certain they could find him?
In a flash, Luo Chen's gaze suddenly stopped on Qing Shuang's profile, which he dared not look directly at.

"Ah……"

A self-deprecating laugh suddenly rang out.

"I see!"

Luo Chen said with a straight face, "So that's why you disagreed when we wanted to undo the Life and Death Gu. It turns out you wanted to leave it for this moment."

Because of the life-and-death Gu, Luo Chen and Qing Shuang are closely connected, and even though they are separated by vast distances, they still have a faint connection.

And this perception, enhanced by the methods of Qixia Yuanjun, becomes an excellent tracking technique.

Especially since the other party also possesses a spiritual treasure like the Star Gate, finding Luo Chen would be a piece of cake with the help of coordinates.

Luo Chen mocked himself, saying that back then he had used the Life and Death Gu to coerce Qing Shuang into finding a sliver of hope, but now he had ended up harming himself.

Qing Shuang still didn't look at him.

Luo Chen didn't question her like a wronged woman, but stared intently at Qixia Yuanjun.

"You've been plotting against me all along?"

Upon hearing this, Qixia Yuanjun burst into laughter.

"Don't overestimate yourself. With your past strength, why would I have the leisure to scheme against you? It was just a casual move, but I never expected it to become my lifeline."

At this point, Qixia Yuanjun's smile faded, and her expression turned somewhat angry.

"If I hadn't suffered such severe injuries in the Mountain and Sea Realm, and if that small world hadn't assimilated me so deeply, I wouldn't have left in such a hurry. I've even fallen so low that I have to wait for you to ascend and escape the Mountain and Sea Realm before I have this sliver of hope today. I must return to the Mystic Realm, so today I will offer you this spiritual energy!"

Luo Chen's expression was somber, then he forced a smile and said, "This spiritual energy was a gift from Heaven when I ascended to immortality, and it is related to the Great Dao I cultivate and my very life. How do you intend to obtain it? Why don't you take me with you, and let me drive this spiritual energy..."

"I'm sorry, the Star Gate is too small to accommodate even one more person. As for the method of extracting spiritual energy?" Qixia flicked her finger, and a wisp of golden flame rose up. "Your Great Dao originates from the same source as mine. Extracting this spiritual energy that belongs to you is not difficult!"

The next moment, Luo Chen's expression changed drastically.

His magical power suddenly surged, and golden firebirds flew restlessly within his Purple Mansion, making his entire body feel as if it were engulfed in a sea of ​​fire.

Luo Chen was unwilling to sit idly by and wait for his death. Even though he couldn't mobilize his magic power, he still had trump cards up his sleeve.

boom!
With a deafening roar, a giant a thousand feet tall rose from the ground and stood majestically amidst the earthen yellow mountains.

Qixia Yuanjun remained calm, only making a Daoist incantation.

As if in response, golden flames erupted from Luo Chen's entire body, beginning to burn his massive flesh.

"The Phoenix Nirvana Sutra!"

The giant roared out these five words, his words filled with rage.

Qixia Yuanjun laughed and said, "You reacted quite quickly. That's right, it is the cultivation technique I bestowed upon you, the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture. If you had not experienced the complete Nine Tribulations and Three Nirvanas, it might have taken some effort to subdue you, but now it is simple."

As she spoke, she opened her mouth and took a breath.

The vast spiritual energy surrounding Luo Chen surged towards the direction of Qixia Yuanjun.

At the same time, Luo Chen's magical essence and blood also began to burn.

She actually intended to refine Luo Chen along with his spiritual energy!
However, the process was not as smooth as expected.

During Qixia Yuanjun's absorption process, she gradually noticed signs of a power struggle emerging on Luo Chen's side.

"True Spirit Source Blood?"

Qixia Yuanjun was taken aback, then exclaimed in surprise, "You have actually cultivated your physical body to the fifth level, and are even evolving towards the True Spirit?"

Luo Chen did not answer, but only burned his source blood.

In the years before his ascension in the Mountain and Sea Realm, he had already consumed a mature Demon-Demon Heart Fruit, breaking through to the fifth level of the Ancient Desolate Realm in terms of body refinement.

The path of advancement for wild beasts is quite different from that of ordinary demons. When they reach their peak, they will transform into true spirits, naturally wielding the laws of the Great Dao, surpassing even the Mahayana cultivators of the human race.

Although he is now far from the true spirit, Luo Chen has already condensed the true spirit source blood.

Despite the relentless burning, he eventually gained some strength to resist.

Seizing this opportunity, Luo Chen forcibly suppressed the boiling fire-attribute magic power within his body and began to transform it into other attributes.

Only in this way can he break free from the constraints of the "Nirvana Sutra of the Heavenly Phoenix" and then discuss life and death with the Primordial Lady of Qixia.

Not far away, Qixia Yuanjun frowned deeply upon seeing this.

"trouble!"

Then, she parted her red lips slightly.

"Qing Shuang, why aren't you making a move?"

When Qing Shuang saw the towering man being burned by golden flames, she instinctively opened her mouth, but in the end she just sighed.

"Feel sorry!"

With a soft apology, Qing Shuang took a step forward and arrived beside Luo Chen.

A blood-red sword tip suddenly pierced out, but Qing Shuang flicked it away with a finger.

A large black umbrella was spread out, but Qing Shuang neither flinched nor avoided it.

Then, a palm struck Luo Chen heavily.

At this moment, Luo Chen felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow.

His eyes widened, and then he coughed up a mouthful of blood like a waterfall.

Already constrained by Qixia Yuanjun, how could Luo Chen's hasty actions possibly withstand the attack of Qing Shuang, whose strength was already comparable to his own?

With a single palm strike, all means of resistance crumbled instantly.

Even his powerful physical body seemed to be imprisoned by a certain space, and he could only watch helplessly as Qixia Yuanjun continuously refined those vast spiritual energies. Even the boundless magical power within his body became nourishment for Qixia Yuanjun as the Nirvana Sacred Flame burned.

"Demon Phoenix!!!"

Along with uttering those two words came endless humiliation, resentment, and despair.

Qixia Yuanjun watched all of this with cold eyes.

"So that you can die knowing why. The Immortal Realm has long since collapsed, and the Immortal Path has been severed. The immortality you crave is nothing but an illusion. There are countless Mahayana Celestial Venerables in the Mysterious Realm who die of old age. Rather than cultivating for millions of years only to end up with nothing, it is better to end it sooner rather than later."

As she spoke, the woman's sleeves bulged, and Luo Chen's magical power and spiritual energy surged forth like a flood.

Just then, she seemed to sense something, and her brows furrowed slightly.

"Want to blow yourself up?"

The next moment, Qing Shuang lunged forward, facing Luo Chen directly.

With a snap of his hands, a spatial rift suddenly appeared.

With a single palm strike, Luo Chen's aura, which had been building up, suddenly froze, and then his mountain-like body was struck straight into the palm.

Upon seeing this, Qixia Yuanjun was so enraged that she lost her composure.

"What are you doing!"

Qing Shuang turned around and whispered, "Sister, he's going to self-destruct. To avoid hurting you, I have no choice but to banish him into the void turbulence."

"I'm asking you, what are you doing!" Qixia Yuanjun's expression turned ferocious.

Qing Shuang subconsciously stepped back, then bit her lip and forced herself to say, "That's enough. You've already devoured all of Qing He Xian's essence, and you've refined all of Luo Chen's magic power and spiritual energy. Why go so far as to kill her?"

Qixia Yuanjun roared, "He still has something I need on him. Who gave you permission to banish him?"

Qing Shuang was taken aback.

However, the spatial rift she had previously opened has long since been completely healed.

Even this star, which was already on the verge of destruction, began to collapse and disintegrate due to the previous turmoil in its vital energy.

Qixia Yuanjun glared fiercely at Qing Shuang, then took a deep breath, flicked her sleeves, and turned to step into the Star Gate.

Qing Shuang felt lost. What else did Luo Chen have that her sister needed?

But there was no time to ask questions, and they hurriedly entered the star gate.

After the dazzling star gate closed and disappeared.

In the depths of the universe, only one star is crumbling and collapsing, unleashing a silent storm. (End of Chapter)