https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-347-Weak-Third-Tier-Spirit-Ground-Eight-Times-Cultivation-Speed-/12932114/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-349-A-Traveler-in-the-Snowstorm-Part-1-/12932128/
Chapter 348: Rapid Progress, Core Formation Pill Formula
Chapter 348: Rapid Progress, Core Formation Pill Formula
Time flew by, and before they knew it, more than half a year had passed since Luo Chen's stay at the Daozi Palace on Qingyun Peak.
Even though cultivators were not affected by the changing seasons, the transition from spring to summer was evident.
In this long period, the promised tour of the fifty peaks of Qingdan Valley had barely taken place.
Tao Wan was extremely busy!
Ever since becoming a Daozi, cultivation was no longer her top priority.
She had to gather disciples under her command, expand her connections, and increase her prestige.
Additionally, she also had to accompany the Sect Leader, Qingyunzi, to learn how to manage sect affairs.
Qingdan Valley had provided her with immense help and abundant resources to achieve the Golden Core stage, and it was not a one-sided favor.
Once she attained the Golden Core stage, she would have to succeed Qingyunzi as the new Sect Leader.
Then, she would serve Qingdan Valley for a hundred years, waiting for the birth of the next Daozi.
Only then would she become an Elder and choose one of the remaining four peaks for secluded cultivation.
Perhaps outsiders might find this troublesome, but for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, it was a rare and desirable opportunity.
Even if the Dao Seed Competition were to happen again, Tao Wan would give it her all.
With her busy schedule, Luo Chen rarely ventured outside.
He spent most of his days secluded in the Daozi Palace, cultivating.
It wasn't just about absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
He also asked Tao Wan to find him a spacious place where he could practice his spells from time to time.
With such high spiritual energy concentration, he could rapidly replenish his spirit power even after recklessly casting spells and depleting his energy.
Naturally, there was no need to meticulously calculate spirit power consumption as he did on regular days, which would hinder the improvement of his spell proficiency.
Both of them were so busy that they often didn't see each other for several days.
However, when it was said that Luo Chen "rarely ventured outside," it implied that he still occasionally went out.
The place he visited was not a secret.
It was a place that many young alchemists in Qingdan Valley dreamed of visiting—Danyang Peak, the Grand Pill Institute!
After all, he was the three-time champion in the second round of the Dao Seed Competition. The Grand Pill Institute would not miss this opportunity.
From time to time, experienced Second Rank Alchemists would invite him as a guest to discuss the Alchemy Path.
Luo Chen even got to know another Third Rank Alchemist in Qingdan Valley, aside from the Crimson Cauldron Elder—Xing Yun Shangren.
Xing Yun Shangren was an elderly man with white hair but a youthful face, full of vigor.
His alchemy skills were exceptionally high.
When Luo Chen occasionally saw him refine pills, he was truly amazed.
However, as time went on, these discussions became less frequent.
On Danyang Peak.
The Crimson Cauldron Elder and Xing Yun Shangren respectfully stood behind a handsome young man with a dragon-like bearing and a complexion as radiant as dawn.
The three of them gazed into the distance, where a figure gradually moved away.
After a long while, the young man slowly spoke, "Is it not possible?"
Xing Yun Shangren immediately replied, "I've checked, and indeed, Luo Chen's foundation in the Alchemy Path is extremely solid. Various alchemy techniques come naturally to him, almost on par with my own. I intentionally demonstrated the Star-Picking Hand Technique before him, and he seemed to have learned it as well. But..."
The problem lay in that 'but'!
The Crimson Cauldron Elder sighed, "But Luo Chen's innate talent in the Alchemy Path is, to some extent, merely average. We were all deceived by his performance in the Alchemy Grand Competition."
Xing Yun Shangren shook his head, "It can't be said that we were deceived. The topics in the competition were not too difficult, and although the two pill formulas were new, their refinement difficulty was simple. Luo Chen has an incredibly solid foundation in the Alchemy Path, so he naturally suppressed the Azure Pill Seven Sages. In the end, we suppressed Dan Yangzi too much."
After hearing these words, the young man's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Does this mean Luo Chen cannot be cultivated as a preparatory Third Rank Alchemist?"
The Crimson Cauldron Elder smiled bitterly, "Indeed, with insufficient talent, even with a solid foundation, he can only show off within his own rank. He is indeed unqualified to refine the Core Formation Pill. Brother, we may have to seek help from that Mu girl in Luoyun Sect."
The young man addressed as 'Brother' was none other than Qing Danzi, the only heir to the founding ancestor's Dao title in Qingdan Valley.
He appeared young but was nearly five hundred years old! Among the several Late Golden Core stage Great Cultivators in the vast Jade Cauldron Domain, he was one of the older ones.
Qing Danzi shook his head, "Han Zhan offering the Core Formation Pill formula as a condition for an alliance between our Qingdan Valley and his Luoyun Sect, to jointly oppose the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, is already the limit."
"If we still seek help from Mu Yu Xian, we will have to offer even more."
The Crimson Cauldron Elder sighed, "What should we do then? To refine the Fourth Rank Core Formation Pill, even with the help of the Qing Tian Liuli Cauldron, we would need at least six Third Rank Alchemists!"
"Currently, our Qingdan Valley only has three Third Rank Alchemists. Qingyun, with his talent, might quickly improve his alchemy skills and reach the Third Rank after taking over the Sect Leader duties from Tao Wan. But even then, we would only have four."
"Qing Danzi's expression remained calm as he said, "I'll personally go to Dragon Head Peak tomorrow and bring Dan Yangzi back. His talent far surpasses Luo Chen, and once he advances to the Golden Core stage, he'll be a great help to us!"
"Is that possible?" Crimson Cauldron asked anxiously.
"It has to be possible!" Qing Danzi coldly huffed, "He's my Qing Dan disciple; how could he disobey his master's orders? Moreover, I can provide him with the same Dao Seed resources, and he'll be willing."
The same Dao Seed resources?
Wouldn't that weaken the advantage of the current disciple, Tao Wan?
Crimson Cauldron opened his mouth but didn't speak.
He was well aware that his senior brother was getting old, though he was in better shape than Fu Shidi, who was approaching the sitting transformation period.
But his health was still limited!
Even with longevity-enhancing pills and secret techniques, he could only live for another century at most.
Within a century, if he couldn't refine the Core Formation Pill, his senior brother would surely die of old age.
The top priority was to gather six third-rank alchemists within a century and utilize the power of the superior Qing Tian Liuli Cauldron, a high-grade alchemy treasure.
He had to refine the Core Formation Pill by transcending his current rank, and even find a fourth-rank Spirit Ground.
Time was running out!
If not, Xuan Yunzi, that young one, also had some talent in the Alchemy Path and might be able to help in over a hundred years.
No, even a hundred years might not be enough.
Xuan Yunzi had poor cultivation talent and was currently stuck at the third layer of Foundation Establishment, unable to progress further.
In this lifetime, he had no hope of forming a core.
"Senior Brother, but that way, we'll only have five people at most. Don't we still have to seek Mo Yunyan?" Xing Yun Shangren asked.
Qing Danzi fell silent.
In the vast Jade Cauldron Domain, third-rank alchemists were few and far between.
Outside the domain, he knew a few.
But they were all chief alchemists of major sects!
To ask for their help would come at a high cost, but the critical issue was that the Core Formation Pill formula must not be leaked.
Otherwise, it could bring about a devastating disaster!
He wondered where that old monster, Han Zhan, had obtained the Core Formation Pill formula and where he had advanced to the Primordial Spirit stage in a fourth-rank Spirit Ground.
After a while, he said, "Let's prepare to cultivate Dan Yangzi first. If it's really not possible, we'll have to invite Mo Yunyan."
But if that happened...
Qingdan Valley would have to pay a tremendous price.
Han Zhan was not a benevolent person and never did anything without a profit.
Although Mo Yunyan was a Golden Core Cultivator, she was Han Zhan's disciple and always followed her master's lead.
Inviting Mo Yunyan was no different from asking Han Zhan for help.
Moreover, such a request couldn't be made whenever needed; an agreement must be reached in advance.
Understanding and familiarizing oneself with a fourth-rank pill formula also required a significant amount of time.
"If only Shang Hu Daoyou were still alive!"
For some reason, Qing Danzi thought of his old loose cultivator friend.
It was already extraordinary for a loose cultivator to condense a Golden Core, but he insisted on joining the Ice Castle and eventually died tragically at the hands of his Dao partner.
This only served to enhance the other's reputation as the Heartless Immortal!
...
Above the Pill Valley.
A figure rode on a cloud, moving swiftly.
Although he wasn't wearing the sect's attire, disciples who encountered him would respectfully address him as Senior Brother Dan Chenzi.
Such was the way of the cultivation world.
They didn't emphasize ethics as much as they did success.
Luo Chen's cultivation realm wasn't particularly high, but his pill refinement skills had indeed impressed many Pill Valley disciples.
Perhaps initially, some resented him for stealing the limelight from Dan Yangzi and the others during the Alchemy Grand Competition.
But as time passed, and with his occasional visits to the Great Pill Institute, these lower-ranked disciples began to accept him.
Luo Chen didn't care much about others' opinions.
His status was earned through his own efforts.
What he cared about was what he could achieve.
"The Great Pill Institute is indeed a wonderful place!"
"With just a few visits, I've gained so much."
"A single pill technique that plucks stars, and even three incomplete ancient pill formulas!"
Thinking of these gains, Luo Chen couldn't help but show his joy.
He could sense that the Great Pill Institute's attitude towards him was gradually declining.
The experienced second-rank alchemists were no longer as enthusiastic as they had been initially.
This was likely because he hadn't performed well when attempting to deduce the incomplete Mystic Pill formula.
Luo Chen didn't mind.
It would be strange if he had performed exceptionally well!
Family matters were best understood by the family.
He indeed had some talent in pill refinement, but he couldn't be considered exceptionally talented.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have spent so much time deducing the formulas for the incomplete Supreme Through Obscure Pill and Jade Dew Pill.
This was merely the first and second-tier alchemy formulas.
It had taken Luo Chen several years to research them.
The Great Pill Institute had provided him with an incomplete third-tier formula to study, and it wasn't even from this era, but rather an ancient formula from thousands of years ago.
The refinement process was already challenging, and some of the main ingredients clearly recorded in the formula had even become extinct.
Without giving Luo Chen several decades, it was impossible to deduce a complete formula.
Luo Chen wasn't dissatisfied with his performance at the time.
However, he couldn't help but notice the growing disdain from others.
"Oh well!"
"I can't stay in Qingdan Valley for too long anyway. Let them look down on me if they want to. I'll just leave it be!"
"It won't be long before I break through to the Sixth Layer of Foundation Establishment."
"I'll come here less often in the future. I always feel like someone is watching me, and it gives me the chills!"
Luo Chen unconsciously touched the back of his head, and his cloud-riding speed increased even more.
...
Upon arriving at Qingyun Peak, Luo Chen hurried back to the Daoist Master's Hall.
As he had expected, Tao Wan wasn't there.
She was probably out with the Sect Leader again.
"Being a Daoist Master isn't easy!"
Luo Chen muttered sourly, then returned to the side hall with a joyful heart.
He first checked his attribute panel.
{Realm: Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer 55/100, Blood River Realm 50/100}
The skyrocketing cultivation progress bar reflected his hard work over the past half a year!
He had already been in Qingdan Valley for a year.
In the initial half a year, due to the Dao Seed Competition and only having a second-tier mid-grade Spirit Ground, his progress was pitifully slow.
There were only a few points of progress.
But as Luo Chen cultivated in the side hall, his cultivation speed skyrocketed!
Tao Wan's estimation of seven to eight times was an understatement.
She had overlooked the differences in individual constitutions and couldn't generalize.
Luo Chen wasn't an ordinary mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator!
His robust physique and fully developed meridians allowed him to absorb a broader range of Essence Energy.
With the support of the Medicine King Sect's core Foundation Establishment cultivation technique, his efficiency in absorbing external Essence Energy far surpassed that of ordinary Grand Disciples.
His only weakness, perhaps, was the strength of his Divine Soul.
But Luo Chen's Divine Soul foundation was by no means weak.
By the time he reached the third layer of Foundation Establishment, his Divine Soul foundation was already comparable to that of a late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
In the following years, as he broke through the fourth and fifth layers, his Divine Soul strength continued to improve.
Later, when Luo Chen forcefully refined the Supreme Through Obscure Pill, his Divine Soul foundation further strengthened with regular consumption.
Now, his Divine Soul foundation was no weaker than that of an eighth-layer Foundation Establishment existence.
With this, Luo Chen had almost no weaknesses.
Perhaps he wouldn't dare to cultivate in a genuine third-tier Spirit Ground.
But the one prepared for Tao Wan in Qingdan Valley was a weak third-tier Spirit Ground.
In other words, it was a specially weakened Spirit Ground environment, just suitable for Luo Chen's cultivation.
In this perfectly harmonious internal and external environment, Luo Chen's cultivation speed surged to an unprecedented level!
It was ten times faster than his previous augmented conditions.
With such convenience, Luo Chen naturally ignored everything else and focused solely on his daily cultivation.
"This is indeed a major Sect!"
"If even ordinary Foundation Establishment Disciples can enjoy such treatment, I wonder how much the number of late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators would increase!"
"Moreover, ordinary early and mid-stage Foundation Establishment Disciples don't have my robust foundation to support such intense cultivation."
"And creating an environment that is just right for late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators to cultivate in is probably very demanding."
"In the vast Qingdan Valley, only the Daoist Master can enjoy such convenience."
"I guess I'm just lucky to have this opportunity!"
Luo Chen smiled with satisfaction, estimated the time needed for his breakthrough, and then closed his eyes to enter a state of cultivation.
Qingdan Valley was not a place to stay for long!
The Great Pill Institute's enthusiasm for him had faded.
Tao Wan, familiar with Qingdan affairs, would also return to cultivate regularly.
Living under the same roof, they would constantly run into each other, yet they weren't officially recognized Dao Partners.
It wouldn't be appropriate for him to stay here any longer.
On the other side, the Heartless Immortal's Jade Dew Pill, which he had left before, was probably running out.
Moreover, in Heavenly Wave Immortal City, there was the Luotian Assembly he had established, and his Dao Partner and friends were waiting for him.
Returning was inevitable.
Half a year!
At most, half a year!
Whether he breaks through to the Sixth Layer of Foundation Establishment or not, Luo Chen will leave after this period.
(End of Chapter)
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