An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

Chapter 112: Seventh Stage of Qi-Refining! (I)

Familiar steps echoed in the narrow cavern. Surrounded by silent stone walls and veiled in shadows, Luo Chen once again settled into a familiar cross-legged posture. The scent of the calming incense, faint and elegant, soothed his excitement and anticipation, calming him to a state of serene stillness.

With practiced ease, he began circulating the Long Spring Art. A large influx of spirit energy entered his body, absorbed, refined, and ultimately became part of his spirit power. But it still wasn't enough.

The qi-nourishing pill in Luo Chen's mouth made a soft sound as he swallowed it down. An even greater medicinal force surged through his meridians, eventually settling in his dantian. As the energy reached his dantian, a subtle yet unmistakable sensation flickered through his consciousness—like the shattering of a thin silver vessel.

Luo Chen's heart skipped, but the sensation had already vanished.

Still, he didn't panic.

Mi Shuhua's Qi-Refining Insights had already prepared him for this. According to the manual, the late stage of Qi-Refining was fundamentally different from the early and middle stages. A cultivator at this level possessed spirit power that could rival or even surpass the combined total of all six prior stages.

Before this point, a cultivator's spirit power was meager—hardly enough to fuel a handful of techniques, let alone wield enchanted artifacts to their full potential. But once one reached the late stage, everything changed. Spirit power capacity expanded dramatically, and new possibilities unfolded.

Luo Chen recalled how Zeng Wen had once dazzled the Debate Platform with talismans, artifacts, and spells in seamless succession. That overwhelming performance had been a prime example of what a late-stage Qi-Refining cultivator could achieve.

It was a transformation born from accumulation—where quantity became quality.

At this stage, nearly all the meridians in the body were open, and the dantian's expansion had reached its peak. Thus, late-stage Qi-Refining cultivators focused more on purifying spirit energy and with the same dantian capacity, the purified spirit power is several times greater than the previous stage.

It was said that if the ethereal spirit power could be purified into a liquid state, a cultivator would have the opportunity to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Luo Chen didn't understand the principles behind this, but he was following Mi Shuhua's Qi-Refining Insights repeatedly channeling the Long Spring Art. Using the technique's cyclic nature, he purified the spirit power within his body and used the massive energy to impact his dantian.

Another qi-nourishing pill entered his stomach, and Luo Chen's mind returned to a state of calm, like an undisturbed well.

After a long while, that abrupt sensation reappeared.

This time, Luo Chen seized it perfectly. The silver vessel shattered, and spirit power suddenly burst forth.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

A series of crisp sounds erupted within him, like bamboo nodes splitting apart.

Suddenly, Luo Chen's face turned pale, and he opened his eyes in an instant.

A contradictory aura of weakness and newfound strength rippled from his core, as if his body had been torn down and rebuilt in a single instant.

He had broken through.

Seventh stage Qi-Refining!

Luo Chen exhaled a shaky breath and chuckled softly, his voice echoing through the cavern.

"It took over two months... but I finally did it."

Glancing at his status panel, Luo Chen allowed himself a rare moment of satisfaction. But the joy of his breakthrough was quickly replaced by concern as his attention shifted inward—toward the network of meridians coursing through his body.

"In the late stage of Qi-Refining," he murmured to himself, "a cultivator's focus shifts from expansion to purification. The dantian solidifies, the meridians clear, and all efforts are directed toward refining spirit power. But to break through in the first place, one must expand the dantian's capacity and open additional meridians."

His brow furrowed slightly.

"My situation is different from others. The Grandmaster level Long Spring Art had already opened all my meridians. I didn't expect this innate advantage to almost backfire here.

"Still, I succeeded in the end."

Breaking through to the late stage should have involved opening more meridians. But Luo Chen's meridians were already fully open, causing the massive spirit power to surge uncontrollably out of his newly expanded dantian. Without blocked meridians to alleviate the flow, the flood-like spirit power rampaged through his body.

Fortunately, Luo Chen had managed to regain control. The spiraling spirit energy had been reined back into his core, sealed once again within the newly enlarged dantian.

"Damaged meridians are a minor issue; there are many ways to repair them. I'm not worried about that.

"What matters is that the expanded dantian can now hold twice the spirit power it could at sixth stage."

After careful observation, Luo Chen finally felt relieved. He packed up the alchemy furnace and collected the dust on the ground, intending to dispose of it outside later.

The breakthrough hadn't taken long. On any other day, he would have resumed cultivation without hesitation. But now, with frayed meridians and a lingering ache running through his limbs, he knew rest was the wiser choice.

It was still early, and Luo Chen didn't feel sleepy yet. Having just broken through, he was still a bit excited.

Pacing the cramped cavern, he finally stopped and perched atop a chunk of raw spirit stone ore jutting from the ground. The moment he sat, a sharp crack echoed faintly—part of the crystal had broken off under his weight.

He glanced down in surprise. The fragment glittered faintly in the dim light. With the help of his Spirit Eyes, Luo Chen immediately spotted the delicate, swirling wisps of pure spirit energy still lingering within the shard.

Huh? Luo Chen was taken aback.

He had assumed that the spirit energy from the ore vein was absorbable only because it was filtered through multiple layers upon dispersal. But upon examining it now, that didn't seem to be the case. It was clear that the spirit energy within the ore vein was so pure it could be directly absorbed!

Luo Chen narrowed his eyes, murmuring to himself as a wave of realization slowly settled in.

"Then why is the spirit energy within our processed spirit stones so full of impurities—why does it rampage uncontrollably once absorbed?"

Luo Chen took out a standard low-grade spirit stone. He tried to break it apart but couldn't.

After some thought, he tried using the Jade Blade, but it didn't work either.

"It's sturdier than I thought..."

Growing increasingly curious—and a bit stubborn—he reached for a more formidable tool: the Soul-Breaking Nail. This high-grade enchanted artifact lacked first-tier formations but was inscribed with a powerful second-tier Armor-Breaking Array.

Go!

With a flick of his fingers, the Soul-Breaking Nail scraped across the rhomboid crystal. A sharp crack echoed as a fracture split down the center of the spirit stone.

At the same time, the spirit energy contained within it poured out madly. Perhaps because of the close proximity, most of it gathered back toward the spirit stone ore. But a fraction lingered in the air, unclaimed.

Luo Chen activated his Spirit Eyes to their maximum capacity, closely observing the dissipating spirit energy around the spirit stone.

Then he saw a faint strands of black mist.

They weaved through the spiritual energy like silent shadows—strange, almost imperceptible at first glance. They were both entwined with the spirit energy and simultaneously repelling it. As they floated outward, they carried traces of spiritual energy with them, scattering it in chaotic surges.

"What... are these black wisps?" Luo Chen whispered, heart racing.

Staring at this peculiar scene, countless thoughts and guesses flashed through Luo Chen's mind.

Is this the secret method sects use to process spirit stones?

An anti-counterfeit mechanism? A proprietary symbol?

Or perhaps... a form of energy stabilization, meant to prevent rogue cultivators from directly absorbing spirit energy from raw spirit stones?

It would explain so much.

With a surge of intent, Luo Chen reached out with his spirit power to capture the drifting mist. But his spiritual energy passed right through—it was like grasping smoke in a storm. The mist scattered.

He could clearly see it, so why couldn't he grasp it?

Frowning, Luo Chen watched helplessly as the black mist dissipated into the air.

"Does it just vanish?

"It feels like some kind of disposable material."

His gaze drifted to another low-grade spirit stone in his pouch. For a moment, temptation flickered. He wanted to crack it open, to see more—to study the phenomenon again.

After hesitating for a moment, he put it back.

It would be a waste, he reasoned. Until I find a way to capture or analyze this black mist, blindly breaking spirit stones won't help.

Still, the idea lingered in his mind.

If one day he could master a way to eliminate or control this black mist, he could absorb spirit energy from spirit stones while battling enemies.

It was said that sect cultivators already had similar techniques. This was precisely why ordinary rogue cultivators found it nearly impossible to go head-to-head with sect cultivators—let alone sustain prolonged battles.

"Still, if I stop cultivating here, I could consider taking this ore as a backup energy source!"

Luo Chen stared at the spirit stone ore, contemplating severing someone's lifeline.

***

After a full night's rest, Luo Chen's complexion had improved significantly. But under the dim morning light, he still looked weak and pale.

That was exactly the scene that greeted Mi Shuhua when he arrived at the Alchemy Hall.

Mi Shuhua had come in high spirits, still basking in yesterday's excitement. Sikong Shoujia had brought him a freshly refined mid-grade Jade Essence pill which signified a breakthrough in Luo Chen's alchemy skills.

The distinction between low-grade and mid-grade was monumental.

A bottle of low-grade Jade Essence pills sold for ten spirit stones at best—and even then, many rogue cultivators hesitated due to potential side effects. But a bottle of mid-grade pills? That could fetch forty to fifty spirit stones with ease. The medicinal potency was strong enough to support cultivators through early and even mid-stage cultivation. It wasn't just a pill—it was a symbol of true quality.

The implications were obvious. The Alchemy Hall, under Luo Chen's lead, was on the cusp of ushering in an era of tremendous profits, far surpassing the already impressive earnings from Myriad Wonders Pills.

Thus, Mi Shuhua hadn't come empty-handed. He had sent a large shipment of demonic beast meat and spirit rice to reward the Alchemy Hall's internal cultivators.

After all, yesterday's incident with one death and one injury had shaken morale, and he didn't want it to plummet further. For Luo Chen, he had prepared a special gift, hoping it would motivate him to keep pushing forward.

However, upon seeing Luo Chen's sickly appearance, his heart felt as cold as the approaching winter.

"Little Luo, Little Luo! What's wrong with you?" Mi Shuhua rushed forward, his voice tight with concern.

Luo Chen opened his eyes with practiced weariness, letting out a faint breath. "Leader Mi... I fear I won't make it..."

Uh...

Mi Shuhua blinked, stunned. Then he furrowed his brows and released his spirit consciousness, sweeping it over Luo Chen in an instant. With that one glance, he saw through the truth.

"Nonsense! It's just some damaged meridians. Here, I have a bottle of meridian repair liquid specifically for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Dilute it in water, and you'll be cured within a month."

Whoosh!

Before Mi Shuhua had even finished speaking, the bottle of pill was already in Luo Chen's hands.

He sat up abruptly, all signs of weakness suddenly vanishing. "Meridian repair liquid?" he asked with bright eyes, carefully inspecting the bottle like it was a priceless treasure.

"Yes," Mi Shuhua replied helplessly. "Once a cultivator breaks through to Foundation Establishment, their dantian solidifies and becomes nearly indestructible, unlike the fragile dantians of Qi-Refining cultivators.

"In such cases, Foundation Establishment cultivators attempt to open all their meridians and various acupoints across the body to store additional spirit power.

"Recklessly opening meridians and acupoints naturally causes minor damage, which is why the Spirit Herb Pavilion exclusively sells this meridian repair liquid—it's highly effective."

After hearing this explanation, Luo Chen treated the jade bottle as a treasured possession.

"Leader Mi," he said solemnly, "you're so good to me... If you weren't so old, I'd want to call you my godfather."

Who's old?! I've got nearly a hundred years left to live!

A vein pulsed visibly on Mi Shuhua's forehead, but he chose not to address Luo Chen's comment. The boy's words had made it clear—he had no intention of acknowledging Mi Shuhua as his godfather.

Mi Shuhua wasn't inclined to push the matter either. Luo Chen's value lay in his alchemy, but his poor aptitude meant he would likely never advance to Foundation Establishment. The investment Mi Shuhua had made so far—resources, connections, protection—was already generous. Becoming Luo Chen's godfather? That would only mean bleeding himself dry.

Speaking of aptitude, Mi Shuhua suddenly noticed something amiss.

"You've reached the seventh stage of Qi-Refining?"

Luo Chen's heart skipped a beat. Despite his earlier attempts to distract, he still hadn't managed to avoid suspicion.

So, I've been found out after all?

The Perfection level Spirit Suppression wasn't enough to block the spirit consciousness of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Still, it seemed to have some effect—at least during Mi Shuhua's initial scan of his injuries, nothing had been uncovered.

Luo Chen smiled wryly and said, "Yes, these injuries are from forcing a breakthrough to the seventh stage."

"Why the rush?" Mi Shuhua asked with a frown.

"How could I not rush?" Luo Chen's voice grew strained. "The gang needs me to refine pills. Everyone in the Alchemy Hall is working so hard—some even giving their lives.

"Little Luo hates that he's so weak... that he can't contribute more to the gang." He gritted his teeth, his gaze lowered with righteous self-loathing. "I hate it.

"That's why, in despair last night, I forced myself to break through with the help of the qi-nourishing pills you gifted me."

Luo Chen spoke with a pained heart, then his expression turned desolate.

"My aptitude is so poor. Just one attempt left me utterly broken. Sigh... the Great Dao is hopeless, hopeless for me!"

As he continued speaking, his tone grew despondent, his expression weary, as if he had lost interest in everything.

At first, Mi Shuhua thought the speech sounded oddly familiar—like something he himself had once said to a struggling cultivator. But seeing Luo Chen's face, so filled with frustration and dismay, he couldn't help feeling concerned.

"So young, and you're already so disheartened by a single setback?" he scolded, but his tone was gentle. "And didn't you succeed in breaking through? You should be proud of that."

Mi Shuhua stepped forward. "Pull yourself together! I won't allow you to fall into despair."

Luo Chen's eyes shimmered, and he blinked at him innocently. "Leader Mi... can someone with five spirit roots really reach Foundation Establishment?"

Mi Shuhua hesitated for only a moment. Then he straightened his back and said, "With enough resources, even a pig can become a demon beast king. You..." He paused, catching himself. "Of course, I'm not saying you're a pig."

He cleared his throat. "Now that you've refined mid-grade Jade Essence Pills, the Alchemy Hall will only grow stronger. Your cut of the profits will grow too. You absolutely have a chance at reaching Foundation Establishment."

"Then I'm relieved!" Luo Chen exclaimed.

Without a hint of frailty, he hopped off the bed.

His movements were light, steady, and full of energy.

In truth, after his recent breakthrough, his strength had only increased. The damaged meridians were a minor inconvenience, hardly enough to slow him down. But putting on an act had served its purpose—and now he had exactly what he wanted: Mi Shuhua's verbal endorsement.

With Mi Shuhua's words as backing, others wouldn't dare to shortchange him on the Jade Essence Pill dividends.

Grinning, Luo Chen spread his arms in mock innocence. "I heard you came to reward everyone today. Do I get a share too?"

Mi Shuhua's face twitched. So this little rascal was waiting for me the whole time!

With a flick of his sleeve, he produced a folded piece of paper and tossed it onto the table beside Luo Chen. "Here. Take a good look. It'll be a great help to your alchemy."

Curious, Luo Chen spread open the paper.

The texture... the ink... even the diagrams...

Wait a second. Isn't this a page from the Treatise on Green Origin Pills?!

His eyes narrowed.

So you've been holding out on me all this time, old man...