Immortality Begins as an Alchemy Master 29

Night fell.

Luo Chen leaped from the rooftop, falling like a thousand-pound stone, yet landing as light as a feather. Carrying the last winnowing basket into the house, he examined the afternoon’s drying results and nodded in satisfaction.

“The herbs from Hundred Herbs Hall truly have guaranteed quality!”

Previously, the herbs he purchased from independent cultivators were often semi-processed. Either they intentionally left unnecessary parts on to increase the weight, or they were inadequately dried, containing excessive moisture, resulting in insufficiently concentrated medicinal properties. In short, there were always various shortcomings. As a result, after each purchase of raw materials, Luo Chen, in addition to special processing, had to reprocess ordinary raw materials using his own methods.

But this time, there were no such issues with the herbs from Hundred Herbs Hall. A simple processing was enough to reach the standards required for alchemy. Indeed, expensive things have their reasons for being so!

After putting everything away, Luo Chen retrieved a spellbook he had bought from Wang Yuan that day from his storage pouch. *Five Essential Spells for Qi Refining Period Cultivators*. The spells included Fireball Technique, Attraction Technique, Wind Riding Art, Spirit Sight Technique, and Healing Technique. This set of spells cost 500 low-grade spirit stones at Spirit Origin Pavilion, and he’d even had to swear an oath not to resell them. There weren’t many restrictions on teaching others personally, however. But these basic spells weren’t something many people would spend money to learn specifically.

Luo Chen had bought it from Wang Yuan for only 200 spirit stones—a considerable saving! Of course, the downside was that he kept frowning while reading it.

“The cultivator who copied this book, how come his writing is like a dog crawling!”

“And this page, it’s all bloodstains; it’s barely legible.”

Sighing, Luo Chen could only hold his nose and continue reading; after all, Wang Yuan had mentioned this beforehand. A willing buyer and a willing seller, right?

“I’ve already learned the Fireball Technique, and it’s about to reach master-level proficiency. I guess I only lost forty spirit stones.”

“It’s a pity I had to buy the whole set; I can’t just tear out a few pages!”

Turning to the Attraction Technique page, Luo Chen became interested. The book’s content was something along the lines of “this way, that way.”

“So that’s how it is!”

After reading the entire Attraction Technique, Luo Chen suddenly understood. It was less of a spell and more of a method for training spiritual energy control.

Humans are born with souls, and when cultivators begin refining spiritual energy into their bodies, spiritual consciousness is born within their souls. However, spiritual consciousness is limited by the cultivator’s cultivation level. In the Qi Refining Period, it can only achieve inner vision and cannot be projected outwards. This restriction is only lifted after a cultivator advances to Foundation Establishment.

Since spiritual consciousness cannot be projected outwards during the Qi Refining Period, they cannot perfectly control the spiritual energy they project. So how can one freely control projected spiritual energy?

A master had devised a series of methods to gradually enhance control over spiritual energy. From small to large, from beginner to mastery, over time, one can easily manipulate projected spiritual energy.

“Then let me try it!”

Luo Chen found a small pebble and held it in his palm.

Lift!

Drop!

Lifting and dropping, the pebble flipped and flew up and down in his hand.

Go!

With a whoosh, the pebble landed on the ground.

Return!

Reaching out, the spiritual energy extending from his body and enveloping the pebble was slowly retrieved following the reversed incantation of the Attraction Technique.

It came back, but it was very slow, and maintaining that spiritual energy connection was quite consuming. If it were an artifact engraved with formations, it would definitely not be able to be pulled back.

But Luo Chen wasn’t discouraged; being able to pull the pebble back meant this training method was viable. Next, he just needed to follow the steps, gradually increasing his training in spiritual energy control, and soon, he could control the jade-green knife.

After practicing dozens of times until he felt his spiritual energy had been depleted by 10%, Luo Chen stopped. He opened his attribute panel.

[Name: Luo Chen]

[Lifespan: 27/75]

[Spirit Root: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth]

[Cultivation Level: Qi Refining Period, Fourth Layer: 1/100]

[Cultivation Technique: Great Perfection Longevity Skill: 340/500]

[Spells: Fireball Technique Perfect 432/500, 逍遥游(Xiaoyao You – Unfettered Travel) Mastery 275/300, Entangling Technique Proficiency 180/200, Cleansing Technique Beginner 52/100, Attraction Technique Beginner 5/100]

[Skills: First-Rank Alchemist: Valley-Clearing Powder Master 590/1000, Amazing Pill Beginner 70/100]

[Achievement Points: 2 points]

“Sure enough, this spell isn’t difficult; I can easily master it by self-study.”

Looking at the added Attraction Technique entry in the Spells section, Luo Chen was satisfied.

The Attraction Technique, aside from a small spiritual energy reversal incantation, was all basic practice. Its entry-level difficulty was much simpler than spells like Fireball Technique, which required at least three incantations.

In fact, this was to be expected. Without learning the Attraction Technique, as long as one had sufficient proficiency in spiritual energy control, they could manipulate artifacts in the Qi Refining Period. The existence of this spell was due to masters reverse-engineering and propagating it.

After reviewing the Attraction Technique entry, Luo Chen also checked other things on his attribute panel.

“My lifespan hasn’t changed?”

He was a little frustrated. Logically, after breaking through to the Fourth Layer of the Qi Refining Period, his body should have gradually improved, lasting longer than his previous lifespan.

Could it be that in this life, he would only live to seventy-five? Or perhaps lifespan only increases after breaking through major cultivation realms?

Unclear!

The frustration dissipated somewhat after seeing the proficiency levels of several spells.

The Fireball Technique was about to break through to the Master level—it was worth his persistent practice. Xiaoyao You, his light body technique, was progressing fastest, and it should soon reach the Perfect level from its current mastery level. The Entangling Technique, which he had been diligently practicing, was also showing progress in its proficiency level.

These proficiency level upgrades not only brought about leaps in combat power, but also provided Luo Chen with achievement points! The Great Perfection Longevity Skill’s upgrade to the Perfect level had given him one point. If he accumulated ten achievement points again, he could learn a brand new type of elixir. Though, he didn’t even have a recipe yet.

However, compared to these spells, Luo Chen was most concerned with the Skills section.

[Amazing Pill Beginner 70/100]

Only thirty more proficiency points needed to upgrade! At that point, the success rate of the Amazing Pill should increase, and he would possess a true skill to allow him to live comfortably in the Inner City.

After reviewing his attribute panel, Luo Chen couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. For a long time, the shortage of spirit stones had been a shackle on his cultivation. To solve this problem, he had been increasing production of the Amazing Pill to improve his proficiency and generate real profits.

Now, he finally saw hope of breaking free from those shackles!

“Time to celebrate!”

Luo Chen walked outside; it was already late at night. He glanced towards the Heavenly Fragrance Building (a brothel or similar establishment), then immediately shook his head. No way, no way, bro has no money to spend.

“Forget it, I’ll set off some fireworks for myself!”

He cast four Fireball Techniques towards the sky. Watching the fireballs explode in the night sky, with sparks scattering, he grinned.

Then he heard a roar from next door.

“What’s all the racket in the middle of the night?!”

It was a woman’s voice, full of energy.

Luo Chen shrank his neck, made sure there wouldn’t be a fire, and quickly escaped back into the house.

Too hasty!

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