Immortality Begins as an Alchemy Master 20

Chapter 20: A Finger in the Mountain

Fifty-five bottles of Valley-Clearing Powder, thirty bottles of Myriad Wonders Pills. That was Luo Chen’s one-month harvest. He only refined fifty bottles of Valley-Clearing Powder; the extra five were a legacy from that short-lived ghost. The thirty bottles of Myriad Wonders Pills were an unexpected bonus. This time, he successfully refined three batches, all of lower-grade quality. Arranging the elixirs on a slate, Luo Chen put his hands on his hips, eagerly anticipating today’s market.

Elder Chen arrived a little later than usual. Seeing Luo Chen, his old eyes were full of resentment. Fifty spiritual stones! He’d only just gotten them back, and this kid had borrowed them again. He’d already made up his mind: no matter how much Luo Chen pleaded, he was going to get that loan back today! Absolutely!

“Little Luo, your alchemy skills have become even more refined!”

Previously, the corner of the stall allocated to Luo Chen had never been fully stocked. But today, it was crammed with jade bottles—at least fifty or sixty, almost filling the entire space. This clearly showed Luo Chen’s significant improvement in alchemy.

Luo Chen chuckled, “It’s all thanks to Daoist Chen’s generous assistance. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the capital to refine so many elixirs.”

“Hmph, you know it’s true,” Elder Chen snorted, then declared solemnly, “Lending you the money was out of my kindness, but you must repay the spiritual stones today.”

“Definitely, definitely!” Luo Chen responded with feigned eagerness to repay.

Elder Chen’s expression finally improved. The debt had been weighing on his mind, making him unable to enjoy his tea or meals! Suddenly, he let out a soft gasp.

“My!”

“Little Luo, you’re at the fourth layer of Qi Refining?”

Luo Chen asked curiously, “How did you know?”

“I’ve cultivated the Spirit Eye Technique; observing Qi and discerning spirits is child’s play to me,” Elder Chen said smugly, then added with doubt, “Aren’t you a five-spirit root cultivator? To break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining at your age… that’s quite remarkable.”

The Spirit Eye Technique is a low-level spell that uses spiritual energy to enhance eyesight, providing the ability to observe Qi and discern spirits. Among low-level spells, it’s considered one of the five essential spells for Qi Refining cultivators, along with the Fireball Technique, Wind Control Technique, Attraction Technique, and Healing Technique. Unfortunately, Luo Chen only knew the Fireball Technique, and had somehow obtained the Binding Spell. The Cleansing Technique, a rather useless spell, was something he traded a bottle of Valley-Clearing Powder for at a market.

Elder Chen looked at Luo Chen with a strange expression, probably never expecting the day when Luo Chen would reach the mid-stage of Qi Refining, just like him.

While there’s no drastic difference between mid-stage and early-stage Qi Refining cultivators, the limit of spiritual energy increases twofold! Various combat techniques can also be more easily employed. Early-stage cultivators in Great River City are at the bottom. Without a skill, they can only do menial labor and are at others’ beck and call. Mid-stage cultivators are different; they can join various factions and take on lucrative tasks. It can be said that only mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators have the true means to survive in Great River City.

Faced with the elder’s question, Luo Chen simply said he was lucky. In reality, it was only to be expected. A single Nourishing Qi Pill provided him with a large amount of spiritual energy, bringing his progress to 96/100. The remaining spiritual energy needed was accumulated through more than twenty days of intense cultivation using the perfect-grade Longevity Skill and calming incense. Breaking through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining was a natural progression.

Helping Elder Chen arrange the talisman skins, Luo Chen pointed to Wang Yuan’s usual stall with confusion.

“Brother Wang hasn’t been setting up his stall lately?”

“Don’t you know about the recent events in the outer city?” Elder Chen looked at him strangely.

Luo Chen was completely clueless.

“Right, you live too far out. If you don’t pay attention, you might not know,” Elder Chen explained, then said meaningfully, “The Great River Gang and the Cloud Connecting Trading League have formed an alliance.”

“Isn’t that normal?”

The Cloud Connecting Trading League is a well-known independent cultivator force in the Jade Tripod Domain, with businesses spread across all the major and minor cities. Their main business involves transporting and selling various heavenly materials and earthly treasures, profiting from the price difference. This naturally involves transportation. As mentioned before, storage pouches aren’t commonly owned by independent cultivators, and a few pouches are not enough for large-scale transactions. Therefore, the Cloud Connecting Trading League has always had a good working relationship with the local Great River Gang.

The Great River Gang relies on the Lancang River in the Great River City area. Throughout history, both at home and abroad, water transport has always been one of the most profitable businesses, with countless interconnected industries. The Cloud Connecting Trading League choosing to form a deep alliance with the Great River Gang is completely normal.

Elder Chen shrugged, “But the Great River Gang wanting a piece of the mountain business—that’s not normal.”

“The mountain business?” Luo Chen asked in surprise, “Isn’t that the Broken Mountain Sect’s territory?”

“Tch!”

Elder Chen scoffed, “What Broken Mountain Sect? The Eastern Wilderness Million Mountains are demonic beast territory. Even the six major upper sects in the far east wouldn’t dare claim ownership.”

“In short, the Great River Gang has its eyes on the several safe routes into the mountains that the Broken Mountain Sect has explored over the past hundred years.”

Elder Chen loves gossip and loves to hear it, since this information isn’t valuable. Sometimes, he can even earn some spiritual stones from this information when he meets high-level cultivators from other places. He had investigated thoroughly, and the Great River Gang is serious. Initially, they sent people to explore safe routes into the mountains, suffering heavy losses. Later, they targeted the routes already established by the Broken Mountain Sect. The Broken Mountain Sect naturally objected, leading to conflicts. A month ago, the artifacts Wang Yuan sold were the spoils of war from Broken Mountain Sect cultivators who killed members of the Great River Gang in the mountains. Now, the conflict is escalating, spreading beyond the mountains. Fights between the two gangs erupt frequently in the outer city at night.

Luo Chen listened to the gossip and his mind started racing.

“You specifically mentioned the alliance between the Cloud Connecting Trading League and the Great River Gang. Could it be that the Great River Gang’s actions are instigated by the Cloud Connecting Trading League?”

After asking this question, Luo Chen’s mind worked even faster.

“Right, the various heavenly materials and earthly treasures, and demonic beast flesh obtained by the Broken Mountain Sect through hunting are sold at high prices to various factions. The Cloud Connecting Trading League is not a sect, so they’re not satisfied with those prices.”

“By allying with the Great River Gang, they aim to cultivate a competitor to the Broken Mountain Sect.”

“If successful, the cost of acquiring resources will be much lower.”

Elder Chen nodded.

“You’re not stupid, that’s what I think too. Otherwise, why would the Great River Gang suddenly target the mountains around the time of their alliance?”

After agreeing, a deep sigh followed. The actions of the two gangs are making the already unsafe outer city even more chaotic. Some independent cultivators are taking advantage of the situation, and those honest independent cultivators are suffering.

“Wang Yuan has become quite famous recently. He guarded the mountain pass, killed five or six mid-stage cultivators, and even beheaded a Qi Refining eighth-layer cultivator from the Great River Gang.”

“It’s normal that he’s not here today.”

Elder Chen shook his head, “If this continues, I plan to move into the inner city.”

“Little Luo, what about you?”

Luo Chen fell silent. His residence is in the remote southwest corner, bordering the Xiàoyuè Mountain Range, far from the ancient plains and the Great Snow Mountain, the main activity areas of the Broken Mountain Sect. If there is a conflict, it shouldn’t affect him. But what if something unexpected happens?

“I’ll wait and see. The rent and deposit for the inner city are not a small amount.”

Living in the city is not easy. Living in the inner city is even more out of reach for ordinary independent cultivators.

Sighing, he cheered up, forcing a smile to greet today’s customers.

“Daoist Zeng, good morning, ready to buy?”

“Ready to buy!”

(End of Chapter)

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