Immortality Begins as an Alchemy Master 25

Chapter 25: Jadeite Knife, Mandarin Duck Yue

The outer city has spiritual energy. Whether it’s the naturally abundant energy of heaven and earth, the overflow from the million mountains of the Eastern Wilderness, or the leakage from the inner city, there’s always some spiritual energy present. Otherwise, so many independent cultivators wouldn’t flock here from all over. However, the concentration is barely enough for cultivation. It’s really barely enough; before, Luo Chen’s diligent cultivation only saw his progress bar move a tiny bit every half-month.

In other words, if he wanted to fill the 100-point progress bar for the third layer of the Qi Refining Period, it would take him a full four or five years. During this time, he couldn’t misuse his spiritual energy, ensuring that every cultivation session yielded an increase. And in fact, the original owner had indeed toiled for over three years without making any progress in cultivation. Of course, this was also partly due to struggling with making a living and not having enough time to cultivate.

It was only after Luo Chen’s transmigration, by relying on his skill proficiency panel, that he grinded the Longevity Skill proficiency to mastery level, gradually improving the situation. Even then, he was stuck at around seventy percent progress for a long time. Finally, Luo Chen, with the help of a Qi-Nourishing Pill and his perfected Longevity Skill, managed to break through to the fourth layer. But if he had been cultivating in the inner city at the time, that time could have been shortened by at least a third!

“This is the allure of spirit veins!”

“And this is only a first-order spirit vein!”

“I can’t imagine how fast the cultivation speed of disciples from sects located on second or third-order spirit veins would be!”

Luo Chen let out three exclamations in a row, revealing his agitated mood. If he were in those places, could he complete the Nine Layers of Qi Refining before the end of his life? Luo Chen didn’t know. He only knew that his life was already much better than before.

Next, he must strive to live permanently in the inner city; this is the true place for cultivation, not the outer city, a turbid place mixed with mud, urine, and occasional bloodshed.

However, this sense of elation was shattered at midnight.

“Why is it so cold?”

“Even my Qi Refining fourth-layer physique is having trouble withstanding it.”

“I have to buy a blanket tomorrow!”

No, it’s too cold to sleep. Luo Chen got out of bed and decided to find something to do. Processing herbs was out of the question; he lacked the tools and some ingredients. Luo Chen took out the set of jadeite knives and tried infusing them with spiritual energy.

*嗡*

A clear buzzing sound rang out, but the seven flying knives remained motionless.

“What’s wrong?”

He thought for a moment, injecting spiritual energy into each knife one by one, until he injected spiritual energy into the largest wooden knife, at which point the seven knives simultaneously emitted a bright green glow.

“So the smaller blades are controlled by the main blade.”

Understanding this, Luo Chen played with them even more excitedly. Under his control, the seven flying knives circled him like floating cannons.

“Go!”

Luo Chen pointed at the corner of the room, and one of the smaller blades shot out. Like an arrow, the blade buzzed, screaming as it pierced the ground. The speed was fast, and the power was also decent. The blue brick ground was pierced like tofu. And this was just one blade; what if all seven were used? What if the seven blades formed a formation that could both attack and defend?

Luo Chen was very interested, then awkwardly went to the corner and pulled out the small wooden knife.

“I absolutely have to buy a control technique; this money can’t be spared!”

Yes, he hadn’t learned a control technique yet, so his spiritual energy could only go straight. It was the kind of “I just focus on brute force, you handle the miracle” approach. The Soul-Shattering Nail was fine; it was inherently one-way. But this set of jadeite knives emphasized ease of movement, like a dense forest. Without a control technique to cooperate, it’s a huge waste of this artifact.

After playing with the jadeite knives for a while, Luo Chen reluctantly put them into his storage pouch. Logically, a control technique is actually a flexible application of spiritual energy. If one is familiar enough with spiritual energy, even without this technique, they can freely control various artifacts. But obviously, Luo Chen didn’t have that proficiency, nor the insight. Or rather, the vast majority of low-level cultivators can’t achieve that level. They don’t have much spiritual energy to begin with, so how can they get familiar with it? This is why those with high cultivation levels have created control techniques for low-level cultivators.

Not playing with the jadeite knives anymore, Luo Chen had other ways to pass the time. Light body skill and reading! The room wasn’t furnished yet, so there was plenty of space. The *Xiaoyao You* (逍遥游 – literally “Free and Easy Excursion,” refers to a famous Taoist poem and also a type of light body skill) isn’t just about speed; at a high level, it emphasizes ease and composure. Luo Chen moved around the room, sometimes going up to the roof, sometimes down to the ground, each time trying to restrain his strength. It’s quite different from his previous unrestrained running.

He was reading *Six Regions Chronicle*, which he’d only read half of. Before, he knew the most about the Jade Tripod Sword Sect and the Joyful Union Sect. After all, one is a local upper sect, and the other is a sect with more romantic stories.

“Tianfan City’s Six Great Assassins, Mandarin Duck Yue Mu Qingcheng, a rare female powerhouse among Golden Elixir cultivators. Her twin mandarin duck yue (a type of weapon) can reverse the乾坤 (Qiankun – heaven and earth), and separate yin and yang.”

Luo Chen marveled. Of the six upper sects in the Eastern Six Regions, one is known for its weapon forging: Tianfan City. The Ten Thousand Treasures Building in Great River City is a Tianfan City enterprise. This sect is extremely skilled in weapon forging. Besides common artifacts, they especially like to forge all kinds of unique weapons. Over the years, they have managed to forge six powerful unique magical treasures. Tianfan City bestowed these upon six Golden Elixir cultivators, who over the years, have earned great renown. Like Mu Qingcheng, whom he was reading about now: ten years to Foundation Establishment, a hundred years to Golden Elixir. Although she didn’t participate in the opening war, she has now made a name for herself among Golden Elixir cultivators. Relying on her Mandarin Duck Yue treasure, she opened up the market for Tianfan City’s industries in the outer regions of the Eastern Six Regions.

After reading about this female cultivator’s deeds, Luo Chen was impressed by her strength, but only gained one insight.

“So even Golden Elixir powerhouses have to work hard to earn spiritual stones!”

What he was doing now was no different from them.

In other words, I am equal to a Golden Elixir powerhouse!

*吱!*

This courtyard with one main house and four smaller houses is traditionally laid out; the main gate and the back rooms are adjacent. Therefore, when Luo Chen got up early in the morning and was about to go out shopping, he happened to run into the colorful-dressed girl returning from work.

“Good morning!”

“Good morning, *呜*…” Caiyi yawned, her slender waist catching the eye.

“You’re back so late?”

Caiyi said helplessly, “Business has been exceptionally good at the Tianxiang Tower lately, so we dancers and singers naturally have to work harder.”

Exceptionally good? Hasn’t Tianxiang Tower always done good business?

Looking at Luo Chen who was about to go out, Caiyi curiously asked, “Are you going out? By the way, I haven’t asked you yet, what do you do? You’re at Qi Refining fourth layer and have spiritual stones to live in the inner city.”

“I’m an alchemist, usually setting up a stall at the South City cultivator market. If you want to buy anything, I can bring it back for you.” Luo Chen said.

“An Alchemist!”

Caiyi’s sleepiness instantly disappeared. Her neighbor was so amazing.

“Let’s chat later; I’m busy today.”

Luo Chen waved his hand and hurried out the door. Caiyi leaned against the door, watching Luo Chen’s departing back, wondering what she was thinking.

Monday, everyone, please give some votes! If the votes are given to others, then seeing to the end, please give Luo Chen, the protagonist, a red heart.

Love you all, (`) ❤️!

(End of Chapter)

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