Chapter 148: Accomplishment

On Wu Dao Peak.

Chen Luo became increasingly busy. Apart from cultivating divine abilities and techniques to lay the groundwork for Foundation Establishment, he also had to summarize related methods using the mummified brain’s capabilities, aiming for ‘Perfect Foundation Establishment.’

Two days ago, utilizing spirit materials obtained from the Loose Cultivators Union, he successfully crafted several mythical beast spirit pills. In exchange with Xianhe Chengfeng, he acquired the Beast Foundation Establishment Method.

Acquiring this method further refined the mummified brain’s ‘Perfect Foundation Establishment’ plan. The now thirty-plus Foundation Establishment brains within him sprang into action, assisting the mummified brain in summarizing his knowledge, compressing it systematically to extract its essence.

The process was akin to refining impurities, becoming simpler yet stronger with each iteration.

This refinement transformed Chen Luo, making his aura increasingly indistinct, subtly hinting at surpassing Peak Qi Refinement.

If he were to assess the chances of successful Foundation Establishment again with the internal Foundation Establishment brains, they would likely estimate it as ‘over ninety percent’.

“Five Elements Divine Ability.”

Chen Luo spread his palm, revealing swirling spiritual energy in five distinct colors. His spiritual roots had once again undergone transformation, now encompassing all seven attributes. With mastery over both the ‘Five Phases Technique’ and the ‘Five Spirits Technique,’ he could effortlessly wield them at will.

“Xin Mo Art, Wind Control Technique.”

Dispelling the five elemental forces, Chen Luo unleashed two more divine abilities. Similar to the previous Five Phases Technique, they were now exceptionally refined.

One by one, various divine abilities manifested from his palm and then dissipated.

Chen Luo had a clear understanding of what he was currently achieving and the path ahead.

For cultivators, as their cultivation progressed, they needed to master an increasing number of divine abilities, encompassing a broader range of disciplines. According to legends, great immortals excelled in alchemy, formations, talismans, and artifacts alike. The revered Daoist Immortal described within the sect’s teachings was a renowned master of the pill dao, having crafted intrinsic spirit treasures and controlled the Primordial Unity Formation while creating Two Principles Talismans. While Chen Luo did not know the exact extent of such top-tier immortal capabilities, striving towards this direction would undoubtedly lead him on the right path.

For ordinary cultivators, accomplishing this feat is challenging due to limited lifespans, finite energy, and external factors like aptitude and available spiritual energy.

However, Chen Luo faced none of these issues. With his collection of external brains, he could pursue comprehensive cultivation from the start, leveraging the genius minds from each discipline, combining them to surpass past achievements, and ultimately proving himself the strongest.

Naturally, this would require time for accumulation and assistance from even more exceptional brains.

The opportunity arrived sooner than expected.

Originally, Chen Luo estimated that reaching Foundation Establishment would take at least three years, but he never anticipated that within just half a month, opportunity would present itself so swiftly.

“Shidi, you truly surprise me! Already at Peak Qi Refinement? If I had returned any later, should I have called you Uncle-Master instead?”

Bai Su appeared as she did before leaving the mountain, clad in simple white robes with golden bells gently swaying at her waist and wrists, their sound melodious.

“I wonder what brings Bai Su-shijie here?” Chen Luo was somewhat taken aback by this unexpected visitor.

His impression of Shijie Bai Su was profound, not merely due to her beauty but primarily because of the aura surrounding her. It felt elusive, like mist constantly shifting, impossible to fully comprehend. Even now, despite his progress, he still couldn’t unravel the mysteries around Bai Su.

This shijie, much like Shizun Daoist Wuwei, harbored secrets within herself.

“Shidi’s residence is indeed remarkably tranquil. If it weren’t for the old fellow mentioning it, I wouldn’t have known people could live here.” Instead of answering Chen Luo’s question, Bai Su walked towards the door, gazing out at the cemetery beyond.

As far as the eye could see, mounds of graves filled the view.

A chilling wind swept through, making anyone unaware assume Chen Luo was under confinement.

Chen Luo remained silent, aware that Bai Su must have had a specific reason for seeking him out.

“I heard from the old fellow that you’ve been to Guo Mountain County?”

Bai Su’s figure flickered, her white silhouette flashing across the room. With a graceful sweep of her veil, she appeared directly opposite Chen Luo. Her delicate jade-like hand rested under her chin as she looked at him curiously.

The faint sound of bells lingered in the wind.

“Did the old fellow ever mention that I too am from Guo Mountain County?” Bai Su asked with a smile.

These words momentarily halted Chen Luo’s movements.

Bai Su is from Guo Mountain County?

Why then did neither the mummy nor the old ghost recall this?

“I overheard little shrimp saying you’ve been searching for an Evil Cultivator Foundation Establishment Method recently.”

After observing him briefly, Bai Su seemed to grow bored and began strolling again. Her slender feet moved silently on the ground, only the bells adorning her gently chiming.

“Does Shijie possess such an Evil Cultivator Foundation Establishment Method?” Chen Luo inquired.

He was just one step away from achieving ‘Perfect Foundation Establishment.’

“Yes, indeed,” Bai Su replied with a radiant smile.

“Aren’t I here specifically to trade with my Shidi? Speaking of which, I’m quite curious about you. Given your current realm, shouldn’t you have already attempted Foundation Establishment? Why have you been waiting?”

“Isn’t it the same for Shijie?”

Chen Luo countered with a question.

He recalled hearing rumors about Bai Su quite early on, and even then, she was already at Peak Qi Refinement as a cultivator. Yet after so many years, she remained at that same stage, seemingly unconcerned about advancing to Foundation Establishment.

Before, he hadn’t thought much of it, but now looking back, it appeared somewhat unusual. Perhaps Bai Su, like himself, harbored higher ambitions.

“Bai Su and Shidi… we’re not quite the same,” she replied vaguely without elaborating further.

With a flick of her hand, a jade slip emitting black mist appeared in her palm. Having experienced the events at Guo Mountain County, Chen Luo immediately recognized its aura—a match to the evil Foundation Establishment cultivator from the courtyard there.

“I need Shidi’s assistance.”

Bai Su placed the jade slip on the table as she began outlining her request.

“I’ve heard that Shidi is an alchemist.”

“Yes,” Chen Luo nodded in acknowledgment.

“I have a unique medicinal pill that requires a top-tier first-rank alchemist to create.” As she spoke, Bai Su produced a pill formula, which gently floated into Chen Luo’s hands with a wave of her hand.

“Shijie, why not approach Medicine King Peak? There are several alchemists there with higher skill than me.”

“That won’t work; the old fellow doesn’t agree.” Bai Su’s face filled with resentment, likely referring to Daoist Wuwei.

After their conversation, Chen Luo gleaned some insights. The relationship between Shijie Bai Su and his Master Daoist Wuwei seemed even more complex than what outsiders speculated. However, these matters did not concern him; he only cared about obtaining what he desired.

Once he had the Evil Cultivator Foundation Establishment Method, concocting any pills would be no issue.

Chen Luo glanced down at the pill formula.

‘Destiny Pill: Requires three taels of Sorrow Forgetting Flower, two bottles of Rootless Water, along with’

It was an ancient pill formula containing numerous terms no longer used in the current cultivation world. Fortunately, having studied traditional pill concoction techniques, Chen Luo could generally comprehend this formula.

However, this pill formula differed significantly from other spirit pills. It neither enhanced spiritual energy nor improved mental fortitude, nor did it affect blood qi levels. It appeared entirely useless, akin to a worthless dud. Such characteristics would leave any alchemist puzzled.

“Can you concoct it?”

“Yes, I can.”

Chen Luo accepted the pill formula and nodded.

“The customer is always right,” he thought, “as long as they’re willing to pay!”

“That’s fine.”

Bai Su promptly placed both the cultivation technique and the required materials for the medicinal pill on the table, showing no concern that Chen Luo might deceive her or worry about him absconding with the payment.

“I’ll return in three days to collect the pills.”

With those words, Bai Su turned and left swiftly. By the time Chen Luo realized it, she had already departed, leaving only the lingering sound of bells carried by the wind.

“This Destiny Pill… surely it’s not what I think it means, right?”

Chen Luo picked up the pill formula once again, studying it closely. As for the Evil Cultivator Foundation Establishment Method, he immediately handed it over to the mummified brain for analysis. The mummified brain had been quite active lately, making it well-suited for additional tasks.

While the brain worked on deciphering the cultivation technique, Chen Luo focused on his own alchemy, allowing both processes to proceed simultaneously without interference.

Having multiple brains certainly had its advantages.

Nightfall arrived.

Cold winds howled outside, causing the candlelight within the room to flicker, casting dancing shadows on the walls.

Seated in the Alchemy Room, Chen Luo began the formal process of pill concoction. The ‘Destiny Pill’ provided by Bai Su was rather unique, requiring specific timing during the alchemical process. Several techniques involved also drew upon the knowledge of immortal script taught to him by Longevity Daoist during their encounter at the Yue Kingdom Great Mausoleum.

Had it not been for encountering Chen Luo, this Destiny Pill might never have been successfully concocted—not even by a Tier 2 Alchemist!

‘Increase temperature with vigorous fire.’

In his mind, the Qi Refinement stage brain responsible for pill concoction swiftly provided feedback. Now, this brain could only serve as an assistant to Chen Luo.

‘Add the medicinal ingredients in three stages, ensuring precise temperature control.’

‘There is potential pharmacological conflict; best add the Rootless Water last.’

The deer monster’s and wood attribute Foundation Establishment brains also offered their insights sequentially.

Chen Luo lifted his right hand, continuously releasing incantation gestures.

The pill furnace spun, gradually turning dark red under his control, emitting waves of intense heat.

‘Woo…woo…’

As he picked up a dark red stone, Chen Luo unexpectedly heard faint sounds of a woman weeping. Intrigued, he took a closer look and noticed that the shape of the red stone resembled a tear drop.

“Could this truly be someone’s tears? I wonder how these ingredients were collected.”

Suppressing his curiosity, Chen Luo followed the deer monster brain’s analysis and tossed the stone into the pill furnace.

With another burst of incantations from his right hand, spiritual energy surged to its maximum capacity.

The flames within the pill furnace blazed intensely, turning white-hot and causing the entire furnace to tremble. The lid shook continuously, as if it could explode at any moment.

Chen Luo regulated his spiritual energy output while raising his left hand to summon a pale yellow spirit talisman, which he swiftly threw towards the furnace.

“Suppress!”

Only a cultivator proficient in both talisman crafting and pill concoction, like Chen Luo, would dare to use spirit talismans during the process. Anyone else attempting this would surely result in an explosion.

As the talisman burned, the surface temperature of the furnace rapidly decreased, trapping all the heat inside. Seizing this opportunity, Chen Luo formed an immortal script with his spiritual energy, similar to the talisman, and directed it onto the pill furnace.

These dual forces isolated the interior from the outside.

The intense heat transformed the spirit medicines into a molten mass. In that instant, Chen Luo added the final ingredient, Rootless Water.

As soon as the water entered the furnace, it evaporated instantly, leaving behind a mysterious vapor that slowly dissolved into the liquid mixture. Under Chen Luo’s control, it gradually coalesced into a medicinal pill.

Throughout this process, the fire temperature steadily decreased, transitioning from fierce to gentle. The volume of the liquid diminished, until finally, its essence merged, forming a blood-red medicinal pill.

“It’s done.”

Chen Luo withdrew his spiritual energy, gently lowering the pill furnace to the ground.

Only after successfully condensing the medicine into a pill did he let out a sigh of relief.

The fusion of ancient techniques and immortal script in his pill concocting method was a spontaneous idea, but it seemed to yield promising results—at least there was no explosion.

Removing the medicinal pill, Chen Luo placed it in his palm and scrutinized it carefully for quite some time, finding nothing particularly distinctive.

“Well, that settles one transaction. The rest is now solely my concern.”

Chen Luo securely sealed the medicinal pill with wax and exhaled deeply.

Stepping outside, the nightfall brought even greater tranquility to the rear mountain, interrupted only by the sounds of insects.

Looking up, he beheld a sky filled with countless stars.

Standing beneath this vast expanse, he could truly appreciate the enormity of the heavens. Compared to the boundless cultivation world, cultivators were akin to ephemeral creatures, unaware of summer’s heat or winter’s chill.

‘Foundation Establishment success rate: ten layers, Core Formation success rate: seven layers, Nascent Soul Condensation success rate: five layers.’

In his mind, aided by over thirty Foundation Establishment brains, the mummified brain had finally integrated these insights, crafting a unique path of cultivation tailored specifically for him.

“Foundation Establishment, at last,” Chen Luo murmured, his gaze returning from the stars, a faint smile appearing on his lips.