Longevity begins with alchemy master

Chapter 1138 A Hidden Secret
Granny Yu said cautiously, "Will there be an imperial decree? In the past, few of the city lords who were summoned to Worry-Free City by the Lord of Worry-Free Realm have returned, and imperial decrees are even rarer."

Xiao Feng sighed, "It's hard to say. My father is a martial arts fanatic. Rumor has it that there is an opportunity to break through to the fifth level of body refinement in Wuyou City. I'm afraid he will never return and has forgotten about Yixian City."

Granny Yu frowned. "If that's the case, the second young master will inevitably start making moves."

"That's why I wanted to prepare for the fight to determine the winner in advance! With everyone's help and Uncle Tie in charge, even if Xiao Yun has outside scoundrels helping him, it will be difficult for him to cause any trouble."

……

Luo Chen sat in a corner, quietly listening to the discussion, and gradually he understood the gist of it.

Lord Xiao left ten years ago and never returned.

This strange situation seemed to be commonplace to everyone in the hall, as if similar things happened frequently in this Great Cataclysm.

Some were afraid, while others flocked to it, simply because it was rumored that there was an opportunity to break through to the fifth level of body refinement in Wuyou City.

Of course, those are things that fourth-realm martial artists need to consider. For third-realm martial artists like Xiao Feng, power, status, strength, and resources are what they focus on.

For ten years, the position of city lord remained vacant. Even though Xiao Feng temporarily took charge of the city lord's mansion in the name of the young city lord, it was only temporary.

To become the true ruler of the Lost Immortal City, one must either obtain the decree of the previous city lord and the approval of the Worry-Free Envoy, or settle the matter through pure martial arts combat.

Large families like the Xiao family naturally wouldn't allow candidates for city lord to personally participate, lest it damage the so-called brotherhood. Therefore, the rule of determining the city lord through martial arts came about.

The conversation between Xiao Feng and the others was about preparing for this matter.

Martial arts battles are usually divided into five rounds, so five people need to be sent out. To ensure the chances of winning, they must at least be experts at the Furnace Realm.

After hearing the gist of the story, Luo Chen found it uninteresting and took the initiative to say goodbye and rest.

"Third Sister, please see the senior off on my behalf!" Xiao Feng said.

The beautiful woman in palace attire nodded, then smiled and left her seat. "Senior Luo, this way please. Your accommodations have been arranged."

Luo Chen hummed in agreement, got up, and followed Xiao San Niang out of the main hall.

Behind him, gazes followed him, one of which carried a deep sense of apprehension.

"This person is truly rude. Does he really think he can still act like he used to after reaching the Great Destruction Realm?" Xiao Zirui was the first to comment after Luo Chen left.

Granny Yu smiled and said, "Brother Xiao, you are still young and do not know the effects of the passage of time. Cultivators like them live for thousands of years and are used to lording it over others."

Xiao Zirui snorted coldly, "If it weren't for the anomalies in this world, the lifespan of us cultivators in the Furnace Realm wouldn't necessarily be less than three hundred years, similar to those in the Golden Core Realm."

Granny Yu retorted, "How do you know what Luo Chen's cultivation level was before he came in? What if he was a Nascent Soul cultivator, similar to a Human Immortal who had broken through the void?"

"A Nascent Soul cultivator? Him?" Xiao Zirui looked incredulous.

"Alright, let's talk about the martial arts competition after the arrival of the Spring Worry-Free Envoy! My second brother has gathered quite a few skilled fighters in recent years, so we need to prepare for it as soon as possible." Xiao Feng interrupted their discussion and brought the topic back.

The group then stopped discussing Luo Chen and began talking about the information they each knew.

After the banquet ended, Xiao Feng watched as everyone dispersed, with only the sinister-looking middle-aged man remaining by his side.

Xiao Feng suddenly asked, "Uncle Tie, why did you tell me to treat Luo Chen with courtesy before entering the hall?"

The sinister man, who had remained silent throughout, exhaled a long-suppressed breath, his voice hoarse.

"That person is not someone to be trifled with!"

Xiao Feng frowned slightly, looking puzzled.

"Even if he previously possessed the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator, having fallen to this place, his strength is reduced to a mere ten thousandth of its former glory. Is he really that terrifying?"

Uncle Tie nodded solemnly. "Ordinary cultivators are one thing; even if they disperse their magic power and transform it into qi and blood, they can only reach the peak of the Furnace Realm at most. But Luo Chen is different. He clearly only appears to be at the Blood River Realm, but the sense of threat he exudes is no less than that of a being at the Flawless Realm!" "How is that possible?"

Xiao Feng hissed softly, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Before his father left, he was at the fourth level of Body Refinement, a powerful being who had cultivated an imperishable golden body!
Is Luo Chen really so secretive?

But Xiao Feng would not doubt Uncle Tie's judgment, because Uncle Tie was the only expert in the Unblemished Realm in the Immortal City, even though he had only broken through in the last few years.

In particular, the method of sensing qi that he mastered is said to be in no way inferior to the legendary divine sense detection method of immortal cultivators.

Therefore, it cannot be fake!
Uncle Tie hummed in agreement, his expression still grave. "I can't tell whether he has this level of strength naturally or whether he has a burst of power similar to other cultivators, but in any case, this person is not someone to be trifled with."

The concept of a cultivator's explosive power was not unfamiliar to Xiao Feng.

Within this Great Cataclysm, the cultivators' magical power, divine sense, and even magical treasures and supernatural abilities are naturally suppressed, but that does not mean that the cultivators who have wandered in are simply helpless prey.

There are always those resolute individuals who, at the brink of life and death, will risk everything and unleash a divine attack that even high-level martial artists would find difficult to withstand.

Xiao Feng's expression became somewhat uncertain, as if he was plotting something.

Uncle Tie seemed to have guessed as much as he thought, and immediately asked, "You want him to fight in your place?"

Xiao Feng countered, "Uncle Tie, what do you think?"

Uncle Tie hesitated for a moment, "Let's wait and see for now. If it's just a momentary burst of power, these cultivators certainly won't use it easily. If it's their normal strength, if you want them to take action, you'll probably have to pay a much higher price."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Feng nodded subconsciously, "That's what I was thinking too. Anyway, there's still time. Let's recruit this person as a guest retainer and win him over first. I shouldn't be disappointed by Third Sister's side."

……

"Senior, this is the accommodation arranged for you by the young city lord. Is it satisfactory?"

Behind the city lord's mansion, a quiet courtyard stands peacefully under the night sky.

The lights inside were already on, and figures could be vaguely seen moving around.

Luo Chen glanced at it casually and then nodded noncommittally.

Seeing this, Xiao San Niang smiled and asked, "Then, does Senior have any further requirements regarding the young city lord's recruitment of guest advisors?"

Xiao Feng showed great respect to Luo Chen, but the treatment of him as a guest elder was still about the same as that of others.

An independent mansion, complete with servants and maids, as well as resources needed for martial arts training, and a monthly stipend for guest officials, etc.

These things are already quite significant for ordinary people, things that many can only dream of. But in Luo Chen's eyes, they were still just ordinary, and he didn't show any excitement.

He looked at the beautiful woman in palace attire in front of him and asked without any politeness, "Add one more condition: I can borrow the books in the city lord's mansion at any time."

Xiao San Niang was taken aback. "This... I'm afraid I can't make the decision on this matter."

"Then let's discuss it with your young city lord first."

After saying that, Luo Chen turned and entered the secluded courtyard.

The beautiful woman in palace attire stood outside the gate, her expression hesitant. Because the previous city lord was a martial arts fanatic, the city lord's mansion had collected many classic texts, and many retainers were willing to serve under the young city lord partly because they coveted these texts.

The young city lord was naturally generous, but he would lend out a portion of the funds based on the contributions and length of service of these guest advisors.

Luo Chen's request to borrow everything upon arrival seems rather excessive.

"Fine, I've done what I was supposed to do anyway. Let Xiao Feng worry about this himself!"

(End of this chapter)