Chapter 205: The Invitation

By now, Chen Luo had no equals within the Mid Foundation Establishment realm. Even against Late Foundation Establishment cultivators, he could overpower and slay them without resorting to his Soul Banner. The true challenge lay in dealing with those at the peak of Foundation Establishment or in the false core realm, such as the former Gu Demon, Khan Jiu.

His opponent’s spiritual energy was akin to nearly a hundred spiritual energy dragons, not to mention the unknown gu insects. Such entities were exceedingly difficult to dispatch using merely Soul Banners, sword formations, or similar methods. Unless faced with adversaries from a higher level of existence, within the Foundation Establishment realm, Gu Demons like Khan Jiu remained invincible.

The task of acquiring materials was swiftly completed, with Ding Zhao returning within three days, laden with the necessary items.

Chen Luo casually dismissed Ding Zhao by offering the team a few medicinal pills and some lower-level cultivation techniques, rounding off their compensation. Once his spirit materials were replenished, he resumed his familiar routine.

Refinement, assimilation, accumulation.

After ingesting his tenth Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pill, Chen Luo finally completed his fiftieth spiritual energy dragon. With the culmination of fifty spiritual energy dragons, Chen Luo smoothly transitioned into the Late Foundation Establishment stage. The process was as unremarkable and effortless as the flow of water, devoid of any significant challenges or disruptions.

As the seasons cycled from spring to autumn, another year had passed.

Twenty years had passed since the onset of Chen Luo’s cultivation, and it had been fourteen years since he had bid farewell to the Sacred Lake Immortal Sect.

Chen Luo had gradually acclimated to the passage of time, becoming less attuned to its fleeting nature. After all, for beings with such vast lifespans, a single year was but a blink of the eye. Currently, Chen Luo still sensed the march of time, but he knew that upon reaching Core Formation, even this discernment would be diminished, altering his perception of time itself.

This phenomenon was most poignantly illustrated by the legend of immortals engaging in a game of Go, where a single match could span an entire human lifetime.

“Your cultivation has advanced once more, Senior Brother.”

Su Linlin returned to Gu Demon Mountain, her aura significantly more refined than her last visit. The coiled dragon within her, a manifestation of her Qi Condensation, now boasted four full forms. She had thoroughly stabilized in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, her cultivation progress rapid enough to be considered a Chosen among the fox clan.

Yet compared to Chen Luo, her achievements seemed rather unremarkable.

Chen Luo sat at the mountain’s edge, resting.

This was his habit after each training session: to sit here for a spell, overlooking the transformations in the village below. The clamor down there formed a stark contrast with the serene quiet of the mountaintop.

“The pills are ready. Please come fetch them.”

Chen Luo didn’t turn around. Over the past few years, all the pills he had concocted were sold through Su Linlin’s connections. The primary ingredients for the Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pill had also been exchanged for these medicinal pills; his profit was merely from the processing fee.

It was just like what Junior Sister Huang Ying had done back on Wu Dao Peak years ago.

“This time it’s not an exchange of pills, but rather about the specific pill you asked me to inquire about earlier.” Su Linlin reached the edge of the mountain and stopped.

As she gazed at Chen Luo clothed in flowing green robes, an odd feeling stirred within her heart.

She sensed that her Senior Brother was very lonely.

Yet also, very pure.

“Return to Origin Pill?” Chen Luo replied, somewhat surprised. During their last transaction, he indeed had requested Su Linlin to search for more advanced second-rank medicinal pills, with the Return to Origin Pill being one of the specific ones he named.

For those at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm, taking this pill in conjunction with the Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pill could double their cultivation speed once again.

“Correct. Please, Senior Brother, verify this.” As Su Linlin spoke, she retrieved a black bone scroll from her Pouch of Holding and handed it to Chen Luo.

Chen Luo grasped the bone scroll, channeling spiritual energy, and swiftly assimilated its contents. Ink-black characters materialized in his mind, revealing proportions and combinations of various auxiliary ingredients and their properties.

“The formula is correct,” Chen Luo confirmed.

Having crafted the Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pill, Chen Luo’s pill-concocting prowess placed him among the top echelon of second-rank refiners. He could now discern with a glance whether a given formula was genuine or not.

With this breakthrough, his late Foundation Establishment cultivation would proceed smoothly.

For most cultivators, advancement relied heavily on moments of inspiration and epiphany, accumulated through years of practice. The timing of breakthroughs and realizations was unpredictable. In such an uncertain journey, one could never be certain of reaching the final goal. Even if aiming for Core Formation, a false step could lead one astray, and by the time they realized it, their path would have veered off course.

Many seasoned demonic cultivators from evil lands faced similar issues. If they began their Foundation Establishment cultivation on the wrong path, no matter how long they persisted, their cultivation would eventually stagnate. The fallen Old Demon Fang was a case in point. He had mistakenly practiced a flawed version of the Transformation Art.

The true technique should have been the ‘Thousand Transformations Incantation’. The senior brother who ultimately claimed Old Demon Fang’s position had mastered the correct form. Old Demon Fang’s overly rigid personality, fueled by feelings of favoritism towards his shixiong, caused him to stubbornly follow his misguided path to the bitter end. Although he achieved some form of transformation, his true potential was spent by his last breath.

After numerous failed attempts to break through, he had placed his hopes on the ruins outside. This was also why the mummy brain didn’t even bother mentioning the Transformation Technique.

In the mummy brain’s eyes, even if an incorrect divine ability offered overwhelming advantages at a given stage, it wasn’t worth cultivating. Such abilities were a waste of time and would only create problems down the line.

Chen Luo’s cultivation wouldn’t face the issues Old Demon Fang had.

From the moment he obtained his first Core Formation technique, the mummy brain had already mapped out his cultivation path. All he needed to do was follow this correct path, more reliable than any technique or guidance from predecessors.

“Then I congratulate you, Senior Brother,” Su Linlin said with a smile, though she didn’t leave.

“Is there something else?” Chen Luo sighed, speaking from where he sat by the mountain. Over the years, he had grown close with the fox clan and borrowed many of their connections. Without their help, he could never have broken through to the late Foundation Establishment stage so quickly. Even in seemingly mutually beneficial exchanges, debts of gratitude still lingered.

The Hu Clan was a formidable clan with numerous potential trade partners. Even a seemingly ordinary tier-2 Pill such as the one they helped Chen Luo acquire, called the Paracelcus Pill, carried significant value. Without assistance from a high-level alchemist, its formula couldn’t be purchased no matter the price. This demonstrated the Hu Clan’s influence and power.

Chen Luo, on the other hand, stood alone. Obtaining a prestigious legacy for him would be exceedingly difficult.

Generally speaking, higher-tier cultivation legacies are increasingly valuable.

By leveraging their advantages, the Hu Clan had built a vast network spanning countless disciples scattered across various regions, extending into demon domains and areas dominated by demonic cultivators. Chen Luo suspected that the Hu Clan might even have influence within the seven kingdoms; he just hadn’t been aware of it before.

“I… I’d like to ask Senior Brother,” Su Linlin hesitated, her cheeks flushing with bashfulness, “if you’re willing to join the Hu Clan.”

Her words trailed off, leaving unspoken the rest of her question.

Chen Luo gazed at the small town below the mountain, his expression unfathomable. He had known Su Linlin’s intentions all along; her previous invitation to visit the Hu Clan had already hinted at this possibility. However, Chen Luo had little interest in binding himself to such a powerful force. Joining a superpower like the Hu Clan would inevitably come with countless restrictions and obligations.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch; joining the Hu Clan is a different matter entirely from their current partnership.

“Foundation Ancestor mentioned that Shixiong possessed extraordinary talent in pill refining, with the potential to become a tier-three, perhaps even a tier-four alchemist,” Su Linlin said. Seeing Chen Luo remain silent, a hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes. She quickly composed herself and continued. “A tier-four alchemist?”

“Shixiong’s aptitude is truly exceptional. And your qi luck…”

Before she could finish, Su Linlin abruptly stopped.

“How is my qi luck?”

Chen Luo had long been curious about his own qi luck. Unfortunately, during his previous visit to the Hu Clan, he hadn’t been able to access a single fox mind. Based on his conversations with the little fox girl, it seemed that even within the Hu Clan, those capable of observing human qi luck were rare. It appeared that casually touching a fox’s mind wouldn’t necessarily grant him this ability.

“High-tier legacies are immensely valuable. Once you reach Core Formation, they become exceedingly difficult to obtain.”

“I hope Shixiong will give this matter careful consideration.”

Su Linlin didn’t answer Chen Luo’s question directly. After saying this, she descended the mountain, carrying the Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pills acquired from their latest exchange.

Chen Luo sat at the mountain’s peak, watching as Su Linlin’s figure gradually vanished into the horizon.

A cold wind whispered past.

Chen Luo once again picked up the Guiyuan Pill in his hand, resuming his study.

One part turtle blood, three heart of the sea leaves

These were entirely new materials, and this time, monster blood was even required. Such things would need to be purchased by Su Linlin’s Hu Clan.

“Mountain Lord.”

Ding Zhao cautiously spoke from behind.

So-called fellow disciples, it was merely Chen Luo’s way of addressing them. In everyday life, Ding Zhao always used honorifics when speaking to Chen Luo.

“The materials for the Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pill have been purchased.”

“Go and buy these as well.”

Chen Luo tossed over the auxiliary ingredients list for the Guiyuan Pill.

“Yes.”

Ding Zhao hastily took the bone scroll, bowed, and turned to descend the mountain. Over the past year, Ding Zhao’s cultivation progress had been steady, already reaching the eighth level of Qi Refining. At this rate of advancement, perhaps by the time he reached sixty or seventy, he might have a chance to attempt the Foundation Establishment breakthrough.

Although Ding Zhao had surpassed the typical age range, being in his sixties was still respectable among rogue cultivators. Many of them aimed to break through to Foundation Establishment around this age.

For Ding Zhao now, the most crucial task was to care for Chen Luo, fulfill all his assigned duties, and safeguard the interests of Gu Demon Mountain.

After delegating his tasks, Chen Luo returned to his cultivation room.

He began attempting to refine the Return Origin Pill.

The pill furnace remained the same one from Elder An. After countless batches of medicinal pills refined by Chen Luo, the aura within the furnace had grown attuned to him, significantly increasing his success rate in forming pills.

Chen Luo took the unique set of materials Su Linlin had provided and tossed them into the furnace.

He ignited the fire and started the process.

As expected, the batch failed. Refining the Return Origin Pill was even more challenging than the Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pill. This attempt not only failed to produce any pills but resulted in a furnace full of ash.

This indicated that the complexity of this pill formula exceeded the collective knowledge of the three alchemists whose brains Chen Luo had absorbed.

Slow and steady, Chen Luo thought.

He discarded the ash to the side, began analyzing his mistakes, and simultaneously started a new batch of Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pills. He had perfected this spirit pill, his experience and practice merging seamlessly into one cohesive skill.