Longevity begins with alchemy master

Chapter 1172 Vulture Alliance, Great Luo Five Dragon Hands
"The Middle Third Ring Road?"

The City Lord of Zixia was caught off guard by Luo Chen's sudden visit, especially by the questions he asked.

She knew better than anyone what that meant.

After hesitating for a moment, the City Lord of Zixia couldn't help but advise, "Brother Luo, you've only been in this Nine-Ring of Destruction for a short ten years. Why not consolidate your cultivation by one or two more realms? Why rush to a more dangerous place?"

Luo Chen smiled, appearing determined to continue.

The City Lord of Zixia sighed and stopped trying to persuade him. Instead, he began to explain in detail what he knew about the Middle Three Rings.

"Chaotic energy exhibits a decreasing trend of spiraling downwards, with lower concentrations at lower levels and higher concentrations at higher levels, correspondingly requiring higher levels of martial arts skill."

"Therefore, a martial artist who can step into the middle three rings must at least be at the mid-stage of the Flawless Realm."

"Otherwise, it would be difficult to withstand the erosion of chaotic energy."

"but!"

"Having a certain level of cultivation is not enough, because the number of cultivation stones in the middle three rings is extremely limited."

"As far as I know, the sixth ring only requires a maximum of thirty-six cultivation stones, the fifth ring only eighteen, and the fourth ring, which is rumored to be accessible only to late-stage martial artists of the Flawless Realm, has seen its cultivation stones reduced to single digits!"

……

As Luo Chen listened to the introduction from the City Lord of Zixia, he recalled Fang Zhibai's earlier warning to him.

When both are verified, the discrepancy is not significant.

In other words, a sixth-ring martial artist is at least a mid-stage expert in the Flawless Realm.

Moreover, because the number of cultivation stones in the fourth ring is limited, there may be some martial artists in the late stage of the Flawless Realm who are forced to stay in the fifth and sixth rings.

This phenomenon is not surprising.

After all, this is the case with any cultivation system; the cultivation speed decreases as you progress.

He himself is the exception!

Because of the Hunyuan Cauldron, he was able to greatly improve his cultivation efficiency.

What ordinary people can barely break through in a hundred years, he can achieve in just a few years.

Of course, there's a premise to this!
That means the external energy supply must keep up.

This is also the main reason why Luo Chen frequently changes his cultivation stones.

The introduction of the Lord of Zixia City continues.

"The change of ownership of cultivation stones follows the so-called unspoken rules, but there is actually a certain degree of manipulation involved. If you have a close friend, you can take the initiative to challenge them during a lull in the game, and both sides can go through the motions to circumvent the rules."

"I just lacked good friends, which is why I ended up in the predicament of being forcibly challenged by Qu Laoguai ten years ago."

"But the martial artists in the middle three rings are different. Apart from a few, most of them are older generation martial artists who entered the ninth ring of destruction two hundred years ago, or even three or four hundred years ago. They have long understood this unspoken rule, or rather, they created this rule. In order to avoid trouble, they have formed an alliance to unite against external forces and never fight amongst themselves."

"For example, the Vulture Alliance was established under the leadership of Dugu Cheng, the leader of the Vulture Merchant Alliance, and it has no fewer than two dozen martial artists."

"Brother Luo, if you want to get into the Middle Third Ring Road, you'd better not offend the Vulture Alliance, or you'll be in trouble one after another."

Luo Chen recalled the old man he had met briefly at the trade fair.

Is it Dugu City?

They actually built their power amidst the destruction of the Nine Rings.

From this perspective, the martial artists here are not simply seeking cultivation.

Thinking about this, Luo Chen suddenly became curious about something.

“Cultivating within the Nine Rings of Destruction is considered a very dangerous thing. At best, one will suffer serious injuries and have to endure a hundred years of hardship before being able to leave and seek spiritual herbs. At worst, one will perish on the spot and disappear without a trace. If one is a seeker of the Dao with a firm will, it is nothing more than a period of arduous cultivation. But there are all kinds of people in the world. There must be those who are not firm in their will, or those who have seen their own potential. Why don't they leave the Nine Rings of Destruction and go back to the city where they originally lived to enjoy life?”

The Lord of Zixia City was somewhat surprised by this question.

"Brother Luo, do you really think the Worry-Free Token is so easy to obtain?"

Luo Chen suddenly realized, and blurted out four words, "The Lord of the Worry-Free Realm?"

The Lord of Zixia City nodded slightly, his tone becoming much softer.

“Every hundred years, special envoys representing the Lord of the Worry-Free Realm will tour the seventy-two cities and issue a Worry-Free Token to every martial artist who breaks through to the Flawless Realm. The holder of the token must go to Worry-Free City when the hundred-year period expires and finally enter the Nine Rings of Annihilation for cultivation.”

"Unless one is inherently unsuitable for this environment and fails to return, it is not easy to escape the Nine Rings of Destruction. However, such people would not live long after returning anyway."

“In the past, there were always those who disobeyed orders, but they were usually eliminated.”

"Over time, no one dared to ignore this ban anymore."

This explanation is reasonable.

This also explains why Fang Zhibai had previously instructed him to reduce his exploitation of other major cities.

The Lord of the Worry-Free Realm earnestly sought out like-minded individuals who could join him in studying how to leave the Ruins of Return.

Therefore, there are almost harsh restrictions on martial artists in the Great Destruction Realm.

High-level martial artists cannot affect the growth of low-level martial artists, and the demand for resources is controlled to a certain extent.

Once low-level martial artists have grown up, they must enter the Nine Rings of Destruction to cultivate and strive to reach a higher realm, becoming fellow practitioners of the Worry-Free Realm Master.

Anyone who disobeys orders may face being personally eliminated by a martial arts immortal.

Thinking about it this way, Xiangfei had found a loophole.

She should have returned to her fate and waited to die, but because she met Luo Chen, her injuries were healed, allowing her to avoid the harsh training environment.

But then Luo Chen thought that it would just mean living another hundred years or so.

Xiangfei was of average talent to begin with, and it took her more than three hundred years to barely break through to the Wulou Realm. She waited a hundred years to enter Wuyou City, cultivated for thirty years but failed and returned, and was then enslaved by Luo Chen for another hundred years.

If you do the math carefully, you'll realize that she's already six hundred years old.

In the Great Destruction Realm, the lifespan limit for a martial artist in the Flawless Realm is only eight hundred years, and there is still a lack of methods to prolong life.

Perhaps the next time I go out, Xiangfei will have already passed away.

The City Lord of Zixia looked at Luo Chen and made a suggestion.

"The change of ownership of a cultivation stone does not necessarily have to be obtained through a challenge."

Luo Chen asked, "What do you mean? Do you mean I should offer pills in exchange, like before?"

The City Lord of Zixia shook his head. "I imagine Brother Luo doesn't have many of those precious pills. However, there is another path: most of the martial arts experts in the middle and upper three rings are quite old, and many of them are nearing their end. Brother Luo can wait a few more decades; perhaps a vacancy will be filled."

At this point, the City Lord of Zixia smiled shyly.

"I don't intend to force my way into the sixth ring; I plan to use this method to wait for the next opportunity."

However, Luo Chen waved his hand and said, "I'm sorry, I can't wait any longer."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Before leaving, she told the City Lord of Zixia that she could go to the cultivation stone she had previously used.

This can be considered payment to the Lord of Zixia City for exchanging information.

Soon after.

Luo Chen arrived at the central platform leading to the sixth ring.

His eyes were looking upwards, his calm face radiating confidence.

"Among the thirty-six cultivation stones, there should be a place for me!"

……

The space inside the Nine-Layer Immortal Tower is not boundless; in fact, it is not very large.

But those who are in it often feel a sense of boundlessness.

Especially when cultivating alone for hundreds of years, that feeling of loneliness and insignificance becomes even more pronounced.

Cui Zhuo was just that kind of person. For this reason, he took the initiative to join the Vulture Alliance, where he could find people to exchange ideas and discuss Dao during his spare time, thus relieving his loneliness and depression.

Over time, he became very popular within the league.

It even has a good reputation outside of China.

Moreover, joining the alliance has another advantage: you no longer have to worry about being challenged and having your cultivation stones stolen.

Especially every hundred years!

Ordinary people would only see it as a stage where a large number of new martial artists enter the Nine Heavens Immortal Tower, but in the eyes of these older generation martial artists, they know that over the past century, those who persevered in the previous batch have often achieved something. Then these people began to feel restless and sought a better cultivation environment.

Challenges often occur at this stage.

I heard that this situation already occurred ten years ago in the sixth ring, with the challenger being a female warrior from the seventh ring.

To prevent himself from being disturbed, Cui Zhuo had his friend come over three years ago to make a show of it, so that he could enjoy some peace and quiet.

Once you get past this stage, you won't need to go through all that trouble later.

"Today, with whom shall we enjoy tea and discuss philosophy?"

Cui Zhuo felt a little restless. Ten years ago, he bought a lot of good tea and wine in Wuyou City and brought them in to pass the time.

But not every martial artist is as uninterested in cultivation as he is.

Therefore, you have to take turns inviting people for tea to avoid annoying them.

Just as he was pondering, his peripheral vision suddenly sharpened.

A streak of blood-red light shot straight towards him from the dark void.

"stranger?"

Cui Zhuo frowned, then smiled and stood up to greet him.

"You look unfamiliar. My name is Cui Zhuo. May I stay for a chat and make friends?"

The man in white stopped in his tracks, his gaze sweeping past him and lingering on the massive rock beneath him, which was at least three zhang in diameter.

Unlike other cultivation stones, this giant rock constantly spreads its stone membrane, shielding the surrounding chaotic energy, which is like a storm.

There are even small pavilions, stone tables, tea sets, and even futons and incense burners built on top.

It is said that one should not hit a smiling face, but the words of the newcomer made Cui Zhuo's smile vanish instantly.

"This place is nice; I've taken a liking to it."

Suppressing his anger, Cui Zhuo said as calmly as possible, "Perhaps you don't know, but I was challenged just three years ago. If you want this place, you'll have to wait another seven years!"

However, the man in white was quite domineering, and with a flick of his sleeve, he became quite arrogant.

"No need to wait another seven years, let's do it now!"

Cui Zhuo said angrily, "You want to break the rules? Aren't you afraid that the instigator will have no descendants and endless troubles afterward? I'm afraid you'll make a mistake, so I have to tell you, I have many friends."

"So verbose!"

The man in white spoke, and then suddenly stretched out his right hand, forming streaks of blood-red energy.

Cui Zhuo knew that things were unlikely to end well today, and even with his good temper, he couldn't help but lose his temper.

"Very well, let me see your skills!"

As he spoke, he flew away from the cultivation stone, first setting up a protective aura around his body, then drawing his longsword and preparing for battle.

In sight, the white-robed man's right hand was seen to have transformed into a long, narrow shape, resembling a giant python, lifelike and vivid.

This move looks familiar.

"Old Monster Qu's Five Dragons Divine Glory?"

However, the next moment, the five giant pythons were covered in scales, had sharp, angular heads, and four five-fingered dragon claws growing from their bellies.

Before they could react, five blood dragons, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws, roared and charged forward.

Wherever it passed, even the chaotic storms of the sixth ring were pushed aside.

This scene startled Cui Zhuo, but he had already slashed out with his longsword.

laugh!
laugh!
laugh!
A series of sword energies crisscrossed, forming a large net that enveloped the five dragons.

The reason he can make so many friends is not just because of his good personality, but also because of his considerable abilities, which are the real reason why people look up to him.

This move, "Sword Net," is one of his three deadly moves!

Even a late-stage Wulou realm martial artist could easily suffer a great loss upon first meeting someone unfamiliar with the place.

However, a scene that enraged Cui Zhuo occurred.

As the five blood dragons roared, they chose to confront the sword net head-on.

Although it was broken inch by inch under the countless sword strikes, in the blink of an eye only two of the five blood dragons remained. But these two had already broken through the sword net and were heading straight for him, one after the other.

Cui Zhuo, unwilling to be executed, raised his long sword and soared into the sky.

Body and sword light merge, man and sword become one, rushing straight for the blood dragon.

laugh!
In the blink of an eye, he pierced through a blood dragon from head to tail.

However, before he could unleash his next move, the final blood dragon came crashing down on him.

boom!
With a single strike, the energy clashed and shattered his protective aura, the five-fingered dragon claws gripping him in their palms.

It's a long story.

In reality, the battle was over in an instant, and the outcome was already clear.

Cui Zhuo never expected that he would be defeated so quickly and so easily.

From beginning to end, the opponent only used one move!
With a bitter expression, he asked, "What's this move called?"

The man in white replied, "Didn't you say it was the Five Dragons' Divine Glory?"

Cui Zhuo shook his head. "I have fought with Old Monster Qu. His Five Dragons Divine Strike is definitely not up to this level. Moreover, the subtle changes within it are even better than those of Old Monster Qu."

The man in white stroked his chin, surprised that this martial artist, who rarely used weapons, possessed such extraordinary knowledge.

indeed!

Although this move originated from "Five Dragons of Divine Power", he disliked the original move as being too simplistic and added some of his personal interpretations to make it more dynamic.

Even if Qu Yuan were to be resurrected, upon seeing this move, he would only find it similar in form but not in spirit.

This move is still in its early stages, and he intends to continue to refine it and bring it to a higher level.

"Then let's change the name. You can call it the Great Five Dragons Hand."

"The Great Luo Five Dragon Hands..." Cui Zhuo was taken aback, but then realized that the dragon claws on his body had loosened. "You're not going to kill me?"

The man in white smiled. "Although we can't be friends, there's no need for us to fight to the death. You can leave now!"

Clearly, it was Cui Zhuo's initial friendly attitude that made him show mercy.

Cui Zhuo's face flushed red and then paled, before he finally cupped his hands and asked, "May I ask your honorable name?"

"Are you looking for someone to take revenge?" the man in white asked, but before he could answer, he casually replied, "I am Luo Chen, and I do not change my name or surname!"

"Luo Chen?"

Cui Zhuo muttered the name to himself, as if it sounded familiar, but he was certain he had never met the person before.

Could he be a rising star who recently broke through the Nine Rings?

But it's only been ten years, how could he have cultivated so quickly and broken through to the middle three rings?
After taking one last deep look at Luo Chen's youthful face, Cui Zhuo turned and left.

(End of this chapter)