Longevity begins with alchemy master

Luo Chen had created his own supernatural abilities before.

And more than once.

Before it came the Dao of Withering and Flourishing, after it came the Starfire that Burned the Realm.

Recently, there has also been a reversal of the natural order.

But upon closer examination, each situation is completely different.

The Dao of Withering and Flourishing is something that comes naturally when one comprehends the true meaning of the laws.

The creation of "Starfire Burns the Realm" was inspired by a meteorite falling from the sky during a journey through the wild and desolate world of mountains and seas.

As for the Heaven and Earth Reversal Wheel, it was derived little by little from the incomplete scroll of Xiao Lin's forbidden techniques, and its power mainly lies in the strength of the Qi.

What needs to be done now is to create a martial arts technique of one's own from scratch, without any understanding or enlightenment.

The difficulty of this matter is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

It's not something that can be done through summarization, innovation, or any kind of generalization.

As Luo Chen's cultivation level improved, he kept thinking about how to create.

Even after another five years, when his cultivation had reached the peak of the mid-stage of the Flawless Realm and he was only one step away from the late-stage Grandmaster Realm, he still had no clue what to do.

This even brought his progress to the fifth and fourth ring roads to a halt.

Having figured out Luo Chen's cultivation and rest routine, Xiao Lin often visited him to discuss it, but seeing his troubled look, he couldn't offer any good advice.

"Your foundation is too profound, and your vital energy is unprecedented, seemingly inexhaustible. To unleash it all in a single move as you wish is easier said than done."

Yes!

That's the crux of the problem.

Luo Chen's foundation is truly too strong!

A physical body at the fifth-order True Spirit level is sufficient to bear everything.

The Hunyuan Cauldron continuously transforms chaotic energy day and night, resulting in a massive accumulation of qi and blood power within his body.

The condensed Blood Refined Divine Qi is even more domineering and unparalleled.

The advantage is that when facing an enemy, he can crush them head-on with overwhelming force.

Even the simplest moves possess unparalleled power in his hands.

Just like the "Folding Flower Finger" move, both Xiao Lin and Luo Chen can do it.

When Xiao Lin uses this technique, he can weaken the enemy's strongest attack inch by inch, just like a tourist picking flowers, greatly reducing its power.

It can be said to be a very good way to blunt the enemy's sharp edge.

But in Luo Chen's hands, it wasn't just plucking flowers, it was destroying them. With a single finger, he didn't weaken the enemy's attack, but directly annihilated and disintegrated it.

These are his strengths.

One can imagine the sheer power that would be if such terrifying forces were concentrated together and then unleashed in an instant!

That would not be a full-force attack.

It was a devastating blow.

Destroy the enemy, and you will also destroy yourself.

Because after that move, he will have no strength left and will enter the weakest state he has ever been.

This is arguably the most extreme move ever!
But as Luo Chen said to Gu Xun, "How then can we cross the Ruins of Return?"

Only by transcending one's own extremes can one escape the desolate land of destruction!
In Luo Chen's view, even the top martial artists in the entire Ruins of Return were pursuing the extreme.

The Gate of Ruin is incredibly dangerous, yet legend has it that some have still managed to force their way in.

The Great Ascension Celestial Venerable is the pinnacle of ordinary cultivators, holding a place even in the Immortal Realm. Yet, some still devised a mad method to assassinate the Great Ascension Celestial Venerable, attempting to escape the Void by using the complete power of the laws condensed by the Celestial Venerable.

Even in the more distant Immortal Realm of Corpses and the Sea of ​​Stars, people are relentlessly searching for a way to leave.

When Luo Chen entered the Nine Rings of Destruction cultivation, he was already destined to walk the path of extremes.

Originally, I was thinking of considering it when I reached the fifth stage of body refinement, the Martial Immortal realm.

Now, it's just a matter of taking one step ahead.

But how exactly should we do it?

The threads are numerous and complex, like a tangled ball of yarn, with no single loose end in sight.

Luo Chen said to Xiao Lin with a bitter expression, "It's true that my strength is both my foundation and my downfall. Even if I deliberately dismantle my Qi and Blood Furnace and open 720 acupoints, it's still difficult to unleash all my power at the same time. After all, no matter how well acupoints are honed, they are still just some insignificant external channels on the human body. I can't exactly self-destruct my physical body, can I?"

"Release all restrictions and self-destruct your physical body? That's too dangerous; it's practically a suicidal move where everyone perishes together." Xiao Lin disagreed, arguing that it wasn't just extreme, but self-destruction.

However, he noticed that Luo Chen, after saying those words, had inexplicably fallen into deep thought.

Xiao Lin swallowed hard. "You're not really thinking about that, are you?"

Luo Chen waved his hand, which was a way of explaining that he didn't have that kind of self-destructive tendency, but he was still deep in thought.

He murmured softly to himself.

"Acupoints..."

Clearly, Luo Chen seemed to have found some kind of inspiration during the conversation.

Xiao Lin sat quietly opposite him, no longer disturbing him.

The atmosphere was quite harmonious amidst the fragrant aroma of tea.

It was as if Luo Chen had never been the enemy who killed his son!
Perhaps, for those at their level, for those who have abandoned everything to enter the Nine Rings of Destruction, the so-called blood ties and kinship have long since faded to the extreme.

The pursuit of martial arts, the yearning for a wider world, and the freedom to escape the cage of Guixu—these are the meanings of life.

Time passed, I don't know how much.

suddenly!

Xiao Lin seemed to sense something and subconsciously raised his palm and put his fingers together to block in front of him.

Layers of air membranes appeared before me, covered with golden scales that shone brightly.

This move, called "Golden Scale Armor," was inspired by his discussion of "Blood Cloth Armor" with Luo Chen, and he created it based on his own situation.

Its defensive capabilities were so impressive that even Luo Chen praised them highly.

Just as the golden scales were unfurled, Luo Chen threw a seemingly slow but actually fast punch, arriving like lightning.

Boom!
A dull thud sounded, and Xiao Lin was forced to retreat dozens of feet from his seat.

This result did not surprise Xiao Lin.

Because Luo Chen was too strong, he was often forced to retreat when they tested each other's moves in the past.

Especially as Luo Chen's cultivation level increased, he became increasingly unable to withstand Luo Chen's attacks, which is why the two could still find common ground in discussing martial arts philosophies.

To Xiao Lin's surprise, Luo Chen hadn't used any special techniques in that move.

Yes, there are no tricks!
The power used is not mixed with its own terrifying physical strength.

It's merely a direct output of internal energy.

Xiao Lin looked up and saw that Luo Chen's right arm was a bloody mess!
This scene left Xiao Lin in disbelief.

He had long experienced Luo Chen's inhuman physical abilities; ordinary attacks could not possibly harm his body, not to mention the blood-stained cloth that was always on the outside.

Luo Chen's simple punch actually caused his arm to explode to such an extent.

He cautiously approached.

"What exactly did you do?"

"Not enough, still not enough." Luo Chen muttered to himself, then looked down at his arm, where remnants of internal energy still lingered. "No, still not right!"

Xiao Lin took a deep breath, then roared, "Luo Chen!"

Luo Chen was struck dumb, snapping out of his dazed state of thought.

Looking at Xiao Lin, he forced a smile and said, "I'm sorry."

"I'm fine." Xiao Lin shook his head, then frowned and said, "But you're not!"

As he spoke, his gaze fell on his bloodied and mangled arm.

Luo Chen smiled and said, "Don't worry."

Then, in the next moment, to Xiao Lin's astonishment, the injury on Luo Chen's arm was completely healed in an instant, as if nothing had happened.

Only the ripped sleeves showed that what had just happened was no illusion.

"What is this?" Xiao Lin asked in utter surprise. Luo Chen casually explained, "Physical characteristics, which you can think of as a talent similar to the innate divine power of immortality possessed by some demonic beasts."

"A demonic beast?" Xiao Lin was taken aback.

Luo Chen suddenly realized that Xiao Lin, who had grown up in Guixu, did not know any demonic beasts, and naturally did not know what an indestructible body was.

Xiao Lin frowned and said, "Do you intend to rely on this physical characteristic of yours to create the move you're imagining?"

Luo Chen shook his head directly, denying his guess.

His physical characteristics originated from the source power that came with him when he first advanced to the fourth level of the Ancient Desolate Realm.

It may seem similar to the immortal body of the demon race, but there are still differences in essence.

He can only achieve flesh and blood regeneration and limb reattachment while maintaining the existence of the main torso.

Even though cultivating the "Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture" and undergoing the physical Nirvana of the Nine Tribulations and Three Nirvanas greatly enhanced this characteristic, it still couldn't reach the point of being able to be reborn from a drop of blood.

Furthermore, because he dispersed his source blood into his protective energy, this characteristic was weakened considerably.

So why would he consider destroying his own body to unleash a dazzling attack?

Xiao Lin asked, puzzled, "Then how did you manage to unleash that move just now?"

Luo Chen raised his hand, clenched it into a fist, and then gently swung it out.

The speed was a bit slow, allowing Xiao Lin to see it very clearly.

At that moment, Xiao Lin clearly observed that dozens of acupoints on Luo Chen's arm seemed to come alive, all of which accompanied Luo Chen as he punched and released his internal energy.

It was only because he slowed down that he found the frequencies were slightly different and they were not exactly the same in the strict sense.

"That's it?" Xiao Lin looked puzzled.

If that's all there is to it, then why would it unleash even greater power?
But this time, Luo Chen's explanation left him completely baffled.

"Of course it's not just that, because at that moment, it wasn't just one of me throwing a punch, but dozens of me throwing punches."

“Uh…” Xiao Lin was bewildered.

Luo Chen smiled, then continued to ponder.

A thought had flashed through his mind before.

It's impossible for him to unleash all his power in an instant on his own.

But what if it's more of yourself?

Perhaps this sounds a bit mystical.

But to put it simply—what about a split soul?

Previously, in order to avoid his massive divine soul attracting the soul-shaking thunder in the Ruins of Return, Luo Chen split his main soul into smaller, relatively weaker fragments, which he then placed in his acupoints and enveloped in his protective qi.

This makes the target less obvious.

Just now, Luo Chen had thought of using the divided soul in his acupoints to simultaneously drive the Blood Refining Divine Qi and throw a punch.

To prevent any unforeseen accidents, he only used the acupoints on one arm.

The result both surprised and disappointed him.

Surprisingly, the power of this seemingly ordinary punch far exceeded that of previous ones, indicating that this approach is feasible.

Disappointingly, since the main soul could not be mobilized, the split souls could not be synchronized, resulting in a difference in the order of punches and the power not being maximized.

And most importantly, the method of splitting the soul to drive the Blood Refining Divine Qi is too sluggish!

Therefore, Luo Chen said:

Not enough, still not enough.

No, it's still wrong!
Xiao Lin observed Luo Chen's expression and clearly understood that Luo Chen himself was still confused, so he did not ask any more questions.

After agreeing on a time for their next meeting, he took his leave.

Even after Xiao Lin left, Luo Chen continued to ponder deeply.

Day by day, year by year.

Time seemed to lose its meaning within the devastating nine rings, which resembled an endless universe.

Or rather, for the martial artists of Guixu, time and space seem so meaningless.

Even if one lives a long and prosperous life, one will still turn into a handful of dust with the arrival of the Great Cataclysm.

Five years later.

As agreed, Xiao Lin came to visit Luo Chen.

But all that awaited him was a note under the stone table.

[Brother Xiao: I, Luo, have pondered deeply about the methods of martial arts and supernatural powers, and have finally come up with some ideas. However, the sixth ring cannot meet my requirements, so I am leaving early to head to the fifth and fourth rings. Next, I will challenge various masters to hone the true meaning of martial arts and improve myself. I am truly sorry that I could not say goodbye to you, Brother Xiao. However, I am only going ahead; with your talent, Brother Xiao, you will surely catch up. I hope that one day, we can enjoy a drink together in the upper three rings. —Luo Chen's inscription]

"Reaching the Third Ring Road? That's the realm of martial arts immortals."

Xiao Lin sighed, not angry at Luo Chen for leaving without saying goodbye, but rather greatly encouraged.

He also gained a great deal from his decades of discussions with Luo Chen.

After all, Luo Chen had integrated the strengths of various schools of thought, had considerable insights into physical cultivation, and even brought some martial arts concepts from the outside world.

Through their interactions, Xiao Lin naturally gained something.

Putting everything else aside, in terms of his own cultivation level alone, he has gradually climbed to the peak of the mid-stage of the Flawless Realm, and is only a little bit of hard work away from the late-stage Grandmaster Realm.

"Once I reach the late stage of the Flawless Realm, I will attempt to break through to the fifth ring. I won't keep you waiting too long."

Xiao Lin muttered to himself, his expression resolute and confident.

……

In the same year that Luo Chen left the sixth ring, a Grandmaster in the late stage of the Flawless Realm in the fifth ring fell into the sixth ring.

No one dared to provoke that unfortunate grandmaster and ask what had happened.

But Xiao Lin knew that it was the unlucky guy who was defeated by Luo Chen and forced to give up the cultivation stone.

The sixth ring has thirty-six cultivation stones, the fifth ring has eighteen cultivation stones, and the fourth ring has only nine cultivation stones.

If Luo Chen goes up, he will naturally take away one person's spot.

Xiao Lin was also looking forward to the day when he could go up there.

Ten years later, his wish came true.

As a Grandmaster in the late stage of the Flawless Realm, he broke into the fifth ring and even challenged a Grandmaster to a duel.

After a hard-fought battle, he successfully established himself as a newly promoted martial arts grandmaster.

He then began to inquire about Luo Chen's whereabouts.

However, the news he received shocked him greatly.

Luo Chen has already left!

In fact, his stay in the Fifth Ring Road was extremely short, less than six months.

During those six months, he challenged a Grandmaster every ten days.

Completely disregarding unspoken rules and the fatigue brought on by relentless challenges, he takes on everyone with near-madness.

During the battle, he never used his terrifying physical body, never unleashed the Heaven and Earth Reversal Wheel that killed the nine flawless martial artists, and never even revealed ordinary martial arts moves.

In every battle, he only used the purest form of internal energy to fight his enemies.

Every exchange involved punches, punches, and more punches!
However, even so, all eighteen Grandmasters of the Fifth Ring were defeated by him.

Six months later, Luo Chen broke into the final ring of the Third Ring Road, the Fourth Ring Road.

That place is where, apart from the upper three rings where martial arts immortals reside, the strongest martial artists are only qualified to stay for long among the nine rings of destruction.

Among them, the martial artists at the Flawless Realm were all old monsters who had lived for hundreds of years and were nearing the limit of their lifespan.

Whether it's the purity of one's inner energy or the skill of one's martial arts, both have long been honed to their limits.

They are considered among the strongest beings below the Human Immortal level, and when they join forces, they are even said to be able to slaughter all martial artists below the third ring.

But Luo Chen still charged in without hesitation.

Nine and a half years have passed since Xiao Lin entered.

"But we simply can't catch up!"

Xiao Lin was filled with emotion, but felt no sense of defeat; his resolve remained unwavering. (End of Chapter)