Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

Chapter 870: Chapter 354: I am Dan Chenzi!

“What is he doing?”

“Cultivating pills! Since his return from Danxia, besides practicing cultivation and treating your wounds, he has been refining pills all the time.”

“Alone?”

“Yes, Master’s pill refinement technique has become so formidable over the years that he hardly needs any help from me.”

“What kind of elixirs is he refining?”

“That I do not know, but recently the president has sent over many materials, none of which I recognize.”

...

The conversation unfolded between Bai Meiling and Gu Caiyi.

While they were chatting, a faint noise came from outside the cave mansion.

Then Sima Huiniang stepped directly into the cave mansion.

The first thing she saw was Gu Caiyi covered with a thin blanket and sitting in a wheelchair.

At that moment, it seemed as if sparks flew in the air.

But Sima Huiniang didn’t say much, she took a glance and stood guard outside.

It seemed she knew about her arrival.

Before long, Luo Chen came out from the pill room.

He nodded at Gu Caiyi and Xiao Ling and then went outside with Sima Huiniang.

Outside the cave, they were still within the range of the array’s obstruction.

Luo Chen seemed to go overboard as he activated a sound isolation cover.

Then he began to ask, “Has the news been released?”

“As per your order, the news that Luo Tian Creed will participate in the war has been released truthfully.”

After saying this, Sima Huiniang expressed her concern, “Currently within the creed, there is panic, and even among the External Sect, rogue cultivators who joined last year are secretly escaping. If this continues, I fear the impact will be significant.”

“No matter!”

Luo Chen said with a slight smile.

“Such rogue cultivators who are not united in purpose would not be of much use anyway. They came for benefits, and knowing the dangers, they naturally want to leave.”

Sima Huiniang sighed, “The Luo Tian Creed has indeed grown too quickly, lacking the profound legacy of inherited sects where from top to bottom everyone shares prosperity and adversity, creating a strong sense of cohesion.”

“There is time in the future, no need to rush,” Luo Chen said.

Sima Huiniang nodded and then briefed him on recent developments.

The Lianyun Business Union had made a significant move, heading to the Accumulated Thunder Mountain battlefield.

Indeed, the Yu Ding Sword Sect wasn’t wrong about them; Lianyun Business Union does have some connection with Luo Yun Sect.

Even the Golden Core Period rogue cultivator who served as an offering was introduced by the Luo Yun Sect.

Besides the Lianyun Business Union, many slightly more prominent forces, such as Iron Sword Hall, Rolling Dragon Ridge Zheng Family, Luosha District Luo Family, and others, have sent out personnel to the Accumulated Thunder Mountain battlefield one after another.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators are leading, while Late Stage Qi Refinement Cultivators make up the core strength of the teams.

They form a river of cultivators, endlessly pouring into the battlefield of the Ninth Mountain.

“It seems that the conscription by the Great Sects isn’t unique to the Luo Tian Creed. Everyone is deeply affected!” said Luo Chen with feeling.

After reflecting on this, he asked with interest, “And what about Peach Mountain?”

“No movement,” Sima Huiniang shook her head, “Everything is as usual there, immersed in singing and dancing, pursuing pleasure. Just that there are far fewer patrons, not as lively as before.”

Luo Chen thoughtfully touched his mouth.

It appears that the Hundred Flowers Palace continues to maintain neutrality, not getting involved in the Yu Ding internal conflict.

Peach Mountain is a property of one of the Hundred Flowers Palace’s Three Great Golden Cores, the Peach Blossom Ancestor.

If the Hundred Flowers Palace sided with one party, it would make no sense for their dependents on Peach Mountain to stay idle.

As far as he was aware, there are five Foundation Establishment True Cultivators on Peach Mountain.

Plus, Xuan Yu, a Late-Stage Great Cultivator close to Core Formation, accounted for significant combat power.

It was somewhat curious since Master of Food Fragrance of Hundred Flowers Palace had also attended Qingdan Valley’s ceremony before.

Luo Chen shook his head and took a storage bag from Sima Huiniang’s hand.

It contained a large amount of materials he needed for pill refinement.

After chatting for a while and reminding Sima Huiniang to keep things steady and prioritize stability,

he entered the cave mansion after she left.

He handed the storage bag to Bai Meiling.

“Help me organize and put these away; just arrange them as usual based on the traces I left before. I need to go out for a while,” he said.

Bai Meiling nodded her head.

She was certainly capable of this much.

Seeing Luo Chen about to leave, Gu Caiyi couldn’t help but speak up.

“Has something happened recently?”

Luo Chen gently rubbed her head, and the touch was much better than the dry, grass-like feel from before.

It was clear that the rest had indeed been effective.

“Just some minor matters, don’t worry about it,” he said.

Gu Caiyi bit her lip, looking half-convinced.

An affair that compelled Sima Huiniang to face an awkward encounter with her despite their history, just to personally deliver the message.

Could it really be a minor matter?

…

Of course, it was a significant affair.

But with great affairs, one should maintain calm.

Luo Chen had already figured out the intentions of the various Golden Core Sects in conscripting their dependents for the war.

The answer was simple.

The upcoming war would likely be incredibly fierce, and the Great Sects cherished their own feathers, unwilling to suffer extensive losses.

Therefore, they wanted to use rogue cultivators and their dependents as expendables in the war, while trying to conserve themselves as much as possible.

This inference could be drawn from the numerous details in those records.

Since the battle in the Sky-reaching Secret Realm, the two Nascent Soul Ascendant Sects have rarely had high-order cultivators take action personally, instead using allies from the Great Sects for the main confrontations.

Nevertheless, the Golden Core Great Sects are not fools either.

The cultivators they have trained are not easy to come by, each nurtured with precious resources, which they are reluctant to squander so easily.

The actions of Qingdan Valley, calling back Foundation Establishment Disciples through the Seed Cultivator Battle, and Ice Castle’s indecision over the years,

show they also are fully aware of the situation.

In such circumstances when participation in the war is unavoidable,

they begin to consider the idea of utilizing their dependents.

Luo Chen did not know how many dependents Ice Castle had, nor the number of external dependents Jueqing’s Clan had.

However, he knew that Qingdan Valley and Flame Alliance had particularly numerous dependents.

Take Flame Alliance for example, among those Luo Chen knew of were Taishan District Huo Family, Rolling Dragon Ridge Zheng Family, and Iron Sword Hall.

And that’s just what’s visible; who knows how many more there are in secret?

If these dependents were mobilized, they could easily form an army of tens of thousands.

With this batch of consumables, no matter to what extent the war progresses.

The Great Sect can preserve its strength as much as possible!

Consumption!

Unless it’s a Nascent Soul True Master personally intervening to decisively turn the tides of battle, war is all about consumption.

Wealth, materials, manpower!

And in such a situation, Luo Chen, a pill refiner, became invaluable.

The pills he refined could enhance the strength of the cultivators.

With stronger strength, the consumption of manpower would naturally decrease.

This is why the Jueqing Fairy has allowed all members of the Luo Tian Creed to participate in the war, while uniquely permitting Luo Chen to avoid it altogether.

“If I can minimize the losses of the Ice Castle… no, Jueqing’s clan, why should I send all members of the Luo Tian Creed into battle?”

Besides, compared to now, the future should be what the Jueqing Fairy values most.”

Standing atop Tianlan Summit.

Luo Chen looked at the gate of the cave mansion in front of him and gripped the two jade vials in his hand tightly.

The next moment, the gate of the cave mansion slowly opened, and Luo Chen stepped inside.

…

Inside the cave mansion, Luo Chen carried his hands behind his back, fully demonstrating the demeanor of a grandmaster.

The Jueqing Fairy didn’t pay attention to his grandstanding.

Instead, she lowered her head, closely examining the snow-white pill in her hand, with its distinct markings.

“Ascendant Grade Jade Dew Pill, Dan Chenzi, you’ve kept it quite hidden!”

Luo Chen smiled faintly, “It’s not that I’ve been hiding my skills, but through numerous exchanges at the Tai Dan Court in Qingdan Valley, my pill refinement technique has slightly improved, hence I was able to easily refine Ascendant Grade Jade Dew Pills.”

Easily refine?

The Jueqing Fairy’s heart stirred, “What’s your success rate in pill creation?”

Luo Chen skirted around the question and directly stated, “As long as conditions allow, I can provide at least a hundred bottles of Jade Dew Pills to the Ascendant Master every year!”

“All of them Ascendant Grade?”

“Yes!”

The Jueqing Fairy fell silent.

A hundred bottles were a huge quantity.

Her lineage within the Ice Castle, after her Dao Companion Cultivator Shang Hu had left, was not in a favorable position. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been sent to Tian Lan Immortal City.

Thus, in her lineage, there were only about ten Foundation Establishment Disciples in total.

Weakness couldn’t be more evident.

Her eldest disciple, Dan Taijun, had failed to secure the Seed Cultivator title, nor did she have access to Sect resources.

If she had these hundred bottles of Ascendant Grade Jade Dew Pill, it would significantly benefit her disciples’ cultivation.

Not to mention anything else, Dan Taijun could quickly reach Foundation Establishment Stage Finalization.

With her help, he had a very good chance of Condensing the Golden Core.

In this way, she would no longer be alone in the Ice Castle. She could even leave Tianlan and return to the core of the Ice Castle.

She looked up at Luo Chen.

“You said if conditions allow? What sort of conditions?”

Luo Chen smiled casually, “It’s quite simple, mass pill refinement has never been a one-man job. The collection and processing of medicinal materials take a lot of effort; I need enough manpower.”

The Jueqing Fairy pulled at the corners of her mouth with a smirk that was not quite a smile and said, “You don’t want Luo Tian Creed cultivators to enter the battlefield?”

Luo Chen didn’t hide anything, and simply nodded.

Without waiting for her to refuse, he immediately handed over another jade vial.

“This is… eh?”

The Jueqing Fairy, who had just opened the stopper, raised her eyebrows and blurted out instinctively.

“The Luo Yun Sect’s Blood Ignition Pill?”

“It’s not the Luo Yun Sect’s pill but my own unique elixir,” Luo Chen declared frankly.

The Jueqing Fairy, holding the pill in her hand, was hit with its intense blood fragrance.

She knew about this item.

In the early battles between the Luo Yun Sect and the Sword Sect, it had made an impressive showing.

When taken by Qi Refinement Stage disciples, it could instantly unleash strength exceeding their own by about thirty percent.

Truly, it was the perfect item for killing someone above one’s level or for escaping danger!

Unfortunately, after its initial glowing debut, the Luo Yun Sect’s Blood Ignition Pills became exceedingly rare.

She never imagined that this pill was actually Luo Chen’s exclusive formula.

No wonder!

No wonder the Luo Yun Sect later couldn’t produce these kinds of pills.

As she pondered, Luo Chen continued, “Common Blood Ignition Pills are only suitable for Qi Refinement Stage cultivators. However, I can refine Top Grade Blood Igniting Pills that even Foundation Establishment Cultivators can use.”

“If every Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Ice Castle has one, I’m afraid many more lives could be saved, right?”

The Jueqing Fairy’s eyes narrowed slightly. She spoke softly, “Foundation Establishment in the Ice Castle?”

Luo Chen nodded and said, “I’ve heard that the Ascendant Master’s position within the Ice Castle is not very favorable. I can refine more Top Grade Blood Igniting Pills to help you curry favor with other fellow disciples. It seems that with these lifesaving items, the Jueqing clan would have an easier time during the war.”

His words were very direct.

Even, somewhat disrespectful to the other party.

But Luo Chen was not the least bit afraid.

From the moment when the Jueqing Fairy coldly informed him earlier, he knew there was no affection between them.

What they had was just a bare tangle of interests.

The Jueqing Fairy fiddled with the blood-red elixir pill on her fingertip, her thoughts racing.

Curry favor with other fellow disciples?

Not just that!

She could completely use this item to make moves, trading with other Golden Core cultivators.

In these times, Sect Golden Cores are rarely alone; most have disciples, protégés, or kin.

However…

“You can mass-produce Top Grade Blood Igniting Pills?” The Jueqing Fairy said with disbelief, “Although it’s only a First Order Pill, when it comes to Top Grade…”

“Ascendant Master, I am Dan Chenzi!”

For the first time, Luo Chen interrupted her.

The Jueqing Fairy’s expression stalled, but she wasn’t very angry.

Dan Chenzi, a name that pressured the younger generation’s most talented pill masters from the Great Sects of Pill Refinement.

To question his refinement technique was to question the standards of Qingdan Valley.

Even though the Jueqing Fairy had a higher realm, she had no real authority to speak on the Dao of Alchemy.

Packing away the two bottles of pills, she looked at Luo Chen.

“State your conditions!”

At that moment, the large stone in Luo Chen’s heart finally settled.