Immortality Begins With The Alchemical Master Chapter 106: Old Man, How Dare You Treat Me Like This - Novel Cool

Chapter 106: Old Man, How Dare You Treat Me Like This

Chapter 106: Old Man, How Dare You Treat Me Like This

In the eighth private room, the first alchemist of the Mountain Breaker Gang, Alchemist Dust, was fondly handling the small cauldron in his hands.

Yes, a small cauldron.

This Four Symbols Cauldron, besides having the Earth Mountain Array, the Fortified Wall Array, and the Fire Gathering Array inscribed, also had the Ruyi Array.

Therefore, it could change size at will, shrinking from a height of ten feet to the size of a palm.

Alchemist Dust, Luo Chen, truly adored it.

With this cauldron, whether it was for attack or defense, he had an additional option.

Moreover, its alchemy function, while not as outstanding as a top-grade alchemy cauldron, was still more than sufficient to handle three to four batches of raw materials at once.

If an alchemist's skills were deep enough, even five batches of raw materials at once would be possible.

Seeing Luo Chen naturally and rightly putting the small cauldron into his storage bag, Mi Junping, with a sour expression, reminded him:

"Luo Chen, this wasn't bought for you; it's the property of the Alchemy Hall."

"Ah, I know, I know. I'm just keeping it for now, just keeping it for now!"

Luo Chen laughed, pretending to understand.

But everyone could see that Luo Chen intended to keep it for himself.

Mi Shuhua didn't mind. As long as Luo Chen was still under his control, the Four Symbols Cauldron would still belong to him.

It was like buying a better plow for the ox that tilled your field!

Now, the ox was happy, so wouldn't it work even harder in the future?

He smiled and said, "I just checked, and this cauldron isn't as useless as I thought. Most top-grade magical artifacts only have three first-tier arrays inscribed, while those with four arrays are usually supreme-grade artifacts."

"Perhaps the four arrays of the Four Symbols Cauldron don't complement each other well, but the material is excellent. If used properly, it can be considered a small supreme-grade artifact."

"We made a good profit from this auction."

Hearing this, Luo Chen liked the Four Symbols Cauldron even more.

Though it was the property of the Alchemy Hall, he was the one using it, wasn't he?

He also received a share of the Alchemy Hall's profits.

Indeed, the same matter could be viewed differently by different people.

In any case, everyone felt they hadn't lost by buying the Four Symbols Cauldron.

The auction process had many steps, but under the experienced guidance of Luo Tianhong, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, everything proceeded smoothly without feeling cumbersome.

The fourth phase of the auction had concluded.

The final phase was once again hosted by the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect.

Their first auction item immediately raised the bidding fever to a peak.

"Five Foundation Establishment Pills, to be auctioned separately."

"The first one, starting bid at one thousand spirit stones. Fellow cultivators who wish to establish their Foundation, you may begin bidding!"

A starting bid of just one thousand spirit stones?

So low?

Everyone's breathing quickened.

Even Luo Chen was tempted; he had one thousand five hundred spirit stones on him.

It was time for Alchemist Dust to make his move.

"Eleven hundred!"

"Twelve hundred!"

"Fourteen hundred!"

"Two thousand!"

"Three thousand!"

"I bid five thousand spirit stones!"

Listening to the increasingly high bids, Luo Chen had long closed his mouth.

Beside him, Mi Shuhua smiled slightly, "A low starting bid is normal because Foundation Establishment Pills are always in high demand. It's just a way for the auctioneer to create more excitement."

Sikong Shoujia, who had also joined the bidding, heard this and helplessly stopped his futile efforts.

He really wanted to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill for his son, Sikong Yuanhong.

If he did, perhaps his son wouldn't have to marry into the Mi family.

But the price was truly daunting.

Luo Chen muttered a few words and then curiously asked Mi Shuhua.

"Boss, in the end, a Foundation Establishment Pill is just a second-tier pill. A price of one or two thousand is already unreasonable. Considering its special nature, three or four thousand is understandable."

"But now, the price is being hyped to nearly six thousand spirit stones. Isn't that excessive?"

Mi Shuhua laughed, "You're asking me? Why don't you ask those scattered cultivators who are bidding? Ask them if they're willing to give up the only chance they might have to establish their Foundation?"

Luo Chen sighed.

Indeed, if he had enough resources, he wouldn't let this opportunity slip by either.

But upon closer reflection, given his own talent, would a single Foundation Establishment Pill really be enough to help him establish his Foundation?

Rumors say that many talented cultivators still have a high chance of failure even after taking a Foundation Establishment Pill.

He had even less of a chance.

Thinking this, Luo Chen felt that the clear path he had planned out for himself was once again shrouded in uncertainty.

When the first Foundation Establishment Pill was finally won by a famous scattered cultivator from the Great River Market for six thousand eight hundred spirit stones, the enthusiasm of the cultivators for bidding cooled somewhat.

But as the second pill was put up for auction, their enthusiasm flared up again.

However, after attempting to bid twice, they nervously stopped.

This time, they were no longer competing against scattered cultivators with limited resources, but against the powerful Foundation Establishment cultivators seated in the private rooms!

"Two thousand five hundred lower-grade spirit stones!"

"Is there anyone else bidding?"

"Two thousand five hundred once, twice, thrice, sold!"

"Congratulations to the cultivator in Box Twelve, who has won this Foundation Establishment Pill."

Box Twelve was the designated spot for the South Palace Clan, a prominent cultivation family.

The next three Foundation Establishment Pills were quickly claimed by the Duan family, the Li family, and the Great River Gang's Wang Hai Chao.

Each pill was sold for around two thousand five hundred spirit stones, roughly the price of a high-quality magical weapon.

Seeing this coordinated scene, the late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators in the audience felt deeply frustrated.

It wasn't just them; Sikong Shoujia in Box Eight had a flushed face.

"Boss, I have some savings. Why don't you let me bid?"

Uncle Mi Hua's smile faded, and he glared at him coldly.

"If you want to die, I won't stop you."

"But—"

"There are no buts," Uncle Mi Hua sneered. "The major Foundation Establishment forces have already been generous by letting one Foundation Establishment Pill go to the rootless wandering cultivators. You shouldn't even think about the remaining ones."

Mi Junping couldn't help but ask, "Then why didn't you bid, Father?"

"I already have an extra Foundation Establishment Pill. It was agreed beforehand that I wouldn't bid this time."

Luo Chen stood behind them, silently observing everything.

So, the allocation of the Foundation Establishment Pills had been decided long ago.

Everyone was dividing the spoils, and the one extra pill was probably left for the wandering cultivators as a gesture of goodwill, after a warning from the Jade Peak Sword Sect.

If a wandering cultivator were foolish enough to bid on the remaining pills, they wouldn't stand a chance against the financial power of the Foundation Establishment forces.

Worse, they would end up offending these powerful factions, inviting their wrath and possibly a full-scale manhunt after the auction.

Realizing this, Luo Chen felt even more lost.

He could still manage to buy one or two Foundation Establishment Pills with his alchemy skills, earning enough spirit stones.

If he needed more, he could push himself to the limit before his lifespan ran out, but it wouldn't be impossible.

However, if the Foundation Establishment forces continued to bid in unison at every auction, even with hundreds of thousands of spirit stones, it would be futile.

How could a Qi Refinement cultivator ever stand against Foundation Establishment forces?

Amidst this sense of helplessness, the auction had quietly reached its end.

The Jade Peak Sword Sect had brought out many valuable items, including a Spirit Fruit for Core Formation, causing the Foundation Establishment cultivators to fiercely compete.

But those items no longer mattered to Luo Chen.

As they left the auction, Uncle Mi Hua suddenly patted Luo Chen's shoulder.

"Why so dejected?"

Luo Chen looked up, instinctively replying, "Boss."

Uncle Mi Hua smiled kindly. "If you ever reach the peak of Qi Refinement, I will fully support your Foundation Establishment. It's just one Foundation Establishment Pill, after all!"

A warm feeling spread through Luo Chen's heart.

In this cold and ruthless cultivation world, there are indeed more good people!

...

The sky had darkened, and Luo Chen didn't know where the other cultivators who participated in the auction had gone.

He returned to his courtyard alone.

On his way back, he met Qin Liangchen and his wife, Murong Qinglian, as well as Gu Caiyi, and recounted his experiences at the auction.

They marveled at the rare treasures and the Jade Peak Sword Sect's wealth, which allowed them to auction off magical treasures.

When Luo Chen mentioned Uncle Mi Hua's words with a smile, Qin Liangchen fell silent for a moment.

After a long pause, he said with a bitter laugh, "He said the same to me. He also said it to the Heart Devouring Tiger Han Dang when he reached peak Qi Refinement, and to others..."

Murong Qinglian shook her head. "In the past hundred years, the Mountain Breaking Gang hasn't produced a second Foundation Establishment wandering cultivator."

Luo Chen was stunned, then slammed his fist on the table.

"Old man, how dare you deceive me!"

The next morning, a young man stood in the snow outside the Spirit Medicine Pavilion, waiting patiently.

As soon as the doors opened, he walked in.

"Five bottles of Dust Purifying Pills and a box of Tranquilizing Incense."

The drowsy attendant was taken aback.

She replied instinctively, "Dust Purifying Pills are two hundred spirit stones per bottle, and Tranquilizing Incense is one hundred twenty spirit stones per box."

"Here are one thousand one hundred twenty spirit stones. Please count them."

"Oh, okay, customer, please wait a moment."

After the young man left, the attendant was still in a daze.

She had encountered a wealthy cultivator?

Most wandering cultivators usually bought Qi Nourishing Pills and were very frugal.

Dust Purifying Pills, a high-quality elixir, were typically bought only by late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, and usually just one bottle at a time.

This person had bought five bottles at once.

"Do wandering cultivators have this much money now?"

...

Luo Chen didn't know if other wandering cultivators had money.

He knew that the Qi Cultivation Pill, which had already helped him reach the Seventh Level of Qi Refinement, was now almost entirely ineffective for him.

To maintain his cultivation speed, he needed to switch to a new type of pill.

The Dust Transforming Pill was currently his best option.

As one of the top-tier First Stage pills, the Dust Transforming Pill was renowned for its potent and pure medicinal power.

Even the lower-grade Dust Transforming Pills sold to the public were more than twice as effective as the Qi Cultivation Pill.

Back when Gu Caiyi was still at Tianxiang Tower, a high-grade Dust Transforming Pill casually bestowed by the late Foundation Establishment cultivator Fei Baiwen helped her break through her bottleneck and advance to the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement.

Luo Chen couldn’t afford the high-grade Dust Transforming Pill, nor did he have a place to buy it.

Such a valuable item was rarely sold as a regular pill by the Spirit Herb Pavilion; they only sold lower-grade versions to independent cultivators.

It was only at yesterday’s auction that they put up a large batch of mid-grade and high-grade pills for bidding.

If one were to look at it with a conspiratorial mindset, Luo Chen couldn’t help but suspect that the Spirit Herb Pavilion, backed by the Medicine King Sect, was reserving the best pills for internal use or selling them exclusively to major sects.

This way, they could ensure that the cultivators within their sects not only had superior combat strength but also progressed in cultivation far faster than independent cultivators.

Moreover, most independent cultivators simply couldn’t afford such luxuries.

Putting aside these thoughts, Luo Chen once again planned his cultivation strategy.

The harsh reality of the Foundation Establishment Pill from yesterday didn’t defeat him.

It was just a temporary setback!

After just one night, Luo Chen was already back in high spirits.

The immediate priority was to reach the peak of Qi Refinement, and he would plan the Foundation Establishment Pill for later!

Worrying too much now was just being overly cautious.

Instead of fretting, he should consider how much support the Alchemy Hall, Poshan Gang, and Uncle Mi Hua could provide him.

"The Qi Cultivation Pill is no longer useful to me. I need to find a reason to have Poshan Gang switch me to the Dust Transforming Pill."

"Finding a reason shouldn’t be too hard, but it all depends on how much value I can bring to Uncle Mi Hua."

"From the fact that Uncle Mi Hua didn’t even break a sweat when he bought me the Four Symbols Cauldron, it’s clear that I have significant value to him."

It wasn’t just the Four Symbols Cauldron. From the daily treatment to the occasional soft words, Luo Chen knew that Uncle Mi Hua held him in high regard.

Even more so than Qin Liangchen, Han Dang, and Wang Yuan in the past.

Ultimately, it was about spirit stones!

"Yesterday, Uncle Mi Hua almost depleted his resources to buy that magical treasure. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have put up so many items for sale."

"Poshan Gang’s gains are significant, but many of those gains aren’t immediate. And to keep so many independent cultivators loyal, they have to share a lot of the benefits."

"By comparison, the Jade Marrow Pill is a new source of wealth."

"Currently, the distribution channels for the Jade Marrow Pill are almost fully established. Whether through the Dahuang Merchant House, a partnership with the Dajiang Gang, or local cultivation families."

"With the channels set up, Uncle Mi Hua has obtained a powerful magical treasure, greatly enhancing his strength. He might even have the support of the remaining cultivators from the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect."

"Thus, everything is ready; we just need the final touch!"

And Luo Chen knew exactly what that final touch was.

Production!

"To increase production, it’s not just about having a high-grade pill cauldron!"

Luo Chen sneered.

He had felt guilty before, thinking he was taking too much advantage of the old man.

But after seeing how freely Uncle Mi Hua spent yesterday, he realized he had been too kind.

As he left the city, he saw two bodyguards waiting at the gate.

However, they didn’t notice him at first and instead looked up at the city wall.

"What’s going on?"

Luo Chen smiled warmly and joined them.

Following Zhou Yuanli’s gesture, he looked up and saw dozens of heads displayed in a dense row.

Having experienced two battles, Luo Chen didn’t lose his composure.

But even so, a chill ran down his spine.

"Who are these?"

Zhou Yuanli sighed, "Mostly independent cultivators."

"What did they do?"

"What else?" Liu Qiang sneered. "These lunatics went on a killing spree in the inner city last night, as if the Sword Sect’s law enforcement team didn’t exist!"

Upon closer inspection, the heads hanging there all had looks of terror on their faces.

The cuts on their necks were extremely clean.

While flying swords and magical treasures were known for their sharpness, the spiritual energy used in combat often caused widespread destruction.

Only sword cultivators from the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, even without using sword orbs, could display the finesse of a sword cultivator with ordinary flying swords.

Their sword light was condensed, and their spiritual energy was as fine as silk.

When they struck, it was either nothing or a precise cut that could sever metal and jade, leaving a clean cut on the body.

"Unfortunately, the law enforcement team only cares about the safety of the inner city. They don’t bother with the outer city unless there’s a major disturbance," Zhou Yuanli said.

Liu Qiang sneered, "Indeed, there were at least a few hundred conflicts in the outer city last night, but that’s not considered a major disturbance, is it!"

Luo Chen was shocked.

Last night, the outer city had erupted into such chaos?

Suddenly, it seemed perfectly logical.

At the auction, there were so many eye-catching treasures.

Those who failed to bid successfully were often unwilling to let go.

Living in the inner city would attract trouble, let alone for solitary cultivators who ventured out under the cover of darkness?

It was only natural that the outer city would erupt into chaos as a result.

"I just hope this kind of trouble doesn't find me!"

Luo Chen shook his head and, accompanied by two bodyguards, flew toward the Crescent Moon Valley.

It was safer during the day.

Those bandits still had to consider the face of the Sword Pavilion’s law enforcement team to some extent.

They might cause trouble at night, but they’d be more restrained during the day.

...

Thud!

A dull sound echoed out.

Dozens of people peered curiously into the alchemy chamber, whispering to each other.

Their Alchemy Hall now had a top-grade alchemy cauldron!

After Luo Chen set up the Four Symbols Cauldron, he had someone move the original Xuan Yun Cauldron from the large alchemy chamber to a smaller one.

It was a bit cramped, but it would do.

When he came out, he found the outside unusually quiet.

Uncle Mi Huahua had arrived!

"Boss, good morning!"

Luo Chen greeted him with a smile, showing no trace of the anger he had felt last night when he called him an "old scoundrel."

Uncle Mi Huahua nodded with a smile, "I had nothing much to do today, so I passed by to see if the Four Symbols Cauldron suits you."

Passed by?

Luo Chen’s lips twitched, but he didn’t say more.

With a wave of his hand, his subordinates got to work.

Soon, all preparations were complete.

Luo Chen focused in the large alchemy chamber, determined to get acquainted with the Four Symbols Cauldron.

He stoked the fire, opened the cauldron, and added four sets of raw materials one by one.

His hands moved deftly, and the jade pieces he handled released jade marrow into the cauldron.

"Is the fire not strong enough?"

Luo Chen closed the cauldron and doubled the amount of wood in the fire pit.

Furthermore, he cast a Fireball Spell, which, under the manipulation of the Flame Technique, split into fine streams and continuously burned the cauldron.

Through this process, Luo Chen grew increasingly familiar with the Four Symbols Cauldron’s alchemical prowess.

After a long while, he emerged, looking somewhat fatigued.

"Today’s luck was good. I made forty pills, fifteen of which were of medium quality and twenty-five of lower quality."

Uncle Mi Huahua took the jade-white pills from Luo Chen and examined them closely, his expression satisfied.

"Very good. You’ve achieved initial success right from the start. Once you get more familiar, the yield of Jade Marrow Pills will surely increase significantly."

"It’s all thanks to the boss’s cultivation!" Luo Chen modestly replied.

Uncle Mi Huahua shook his head, "If a single Foundation Establishment cultivator could cultivate an alchemist, alchemists wouldn’t be so valuable. Your talent is what truly matters."

He sighed, then frowned as he looked at the weary Luo Chen.

"Isn’t alchemy usually this tiring?"

Luo Chen laughed bitterly, "Boss, the Four Symbols Cauldron is a top-grade magical tool. Even using it just for alchemy consumes a lot of spiritual energy."

"Moreover, with no one to assist me, I have to do everything alone. How could I not be exhausted?"

That made sense.

Uncle Mi Huahua had also observed Luo Chen’s actions in the alchemy chamber using his spiritual senses.

Handling raw materials, adding ingredients, knowing when to open the cauldron, controlling the fire, and occasionally stirring the potion with spiritual energy—each step was intricate and demanding.

For a late-stage Qi Cultivator, the mental and spiritual energy drain would be significant.

Alchemizing once was almost equivalent to battling a cultivator of the same rank.

He pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you need any help?"

Luo Chen was straightforward, "I need Dust Transformation Pills! At least four bottles a month!"

Hearing this, even Sikong Shoujia and Gu Caiyi held their breaths.

Four bottles of Dust Transformation Pills would cost almost eight hundred spirit stones.

Currently, among the nine hall masters, none received such a benefit after their share of the profits.

Previously, Luo Chen had only received five bottles of Qi Nourishing Pills, which amounted to five hundred spirit stones a month.

This sudden increase was truly a bold demand!

However, Uncle Mi Huahua merely pondered for a moment before nodding.

"No problem. Since Mi Junping will be delivering your share of the profits today, I’ll have her exchange all the Qi Nourishing Pills for Dust Transformation Pills."

"However, you must give me a satisfactory answer regarding the number of Jade Marrow Pills this month."

Luo Chen hummed in acknowledgment but didn’t make a direct promise.

Uncle Mi Huahua didn’t insist on a firm commitment, only reminding him to be careful before leaving the Alchemy Hall.

Once he was gone, Luo Chen let out a sigh of relief.

For some reason, Uncle Mi Huahua’s aura seemed even more imposing than before, especially when he wasn’t smiling.

Perhaps that magical tool gave him enough confidence!

Luo Chen turned to look at the Four Symbols Cauldron in the large alchemy chamber, a smile playing on his lips.

He, too, now felt more confident.

Another day, another ten thousand words. Votes for the month, please!

(End of Chapter)

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