Immortality Begins With The Alchemical Master Chapter 602: Locating the Dragon Vein and Choosing a Cave Mansion. Is Qingyang the Same Qingyang? - Novel Cool

Chapter 602: Locating the Dragon Vein and Choosing a Cave Mansion. Is Qingyang the Same Qingyang?

Chapter 602: Locating the Dragon Vein and Choosing a Cave Mansion. Is Qingyang the Same Qingyang?

At the Zhang family's courtyard.

Without any attempt to conceal his return, Luo Chen's arrival was soon sensed by Tian Xuan.

Two female cultivators greeted him at the door, but Zhang Jiadi was nowhere to be seen.

Luo Chen asked about him.

The answer he received was that Zhang Jiadi had taken on a mission to escort supplies to the front lines.

"I remember you guys just completed a task not long ago. Why did you take on a new one? The interval between missions for star-ranked monster hunters doesn't seem to be this short, does it?"

Zhang Jiadi and his companions were merely Foundation Establishment cultivators, and their understanding of the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly was limited by their cultivation realm.

However, during his time on Quyang Island, Luo Chen had learned more from Xiao Buhan, a Golden Core cultivator.

Within the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, the task intervals for Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators were mostly half a year. As for Golden Core cultivators, the intervals were much longer, generally around three to five years.

During wartime, the frequency of tasks would be higher.

Alternatively, for monster hunters eager to improve their star rating, they would proactively take on missions to quickly enhance their star rating.

Obviously, it wasn't wartime now, and Zhang Jiadi didn't seem to be the type who was keen on improving his star rating.

Wen Xiu sighed, patting her belly, "Old Zhang is doing this for the sake of the child."

Luo Chen instantly understood.

Zhang Jiadi must be planning to complete the tasks for the next few years in one go, so he could have more time to take care of Wen Xiu and their child.

He was indeed a man of strong affection and loyalty.

Luo Chen nodded, waved to Tian Xuan, and then headed straight back to his room.

As he entered, Tian Xuan followed closely behind.

Luo Chen sat down casually, "How did things go?"

Tian Xuan's spirits lifted, "It's all taken care of. I didn't travel by merchant ship but flew at full speed, which saved a lot of time. I've been back and forth, and recently, rumors about Cold Light Island have been spreading in the outer regions of the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly. It won't be long before they reach Dragon Abyss City."

"You've worked hard."

Luo Chen praised her.

Then, taking advantage of the free time, he checked on Tian Xuan's condition.

In terms of cultivation realm, she was much weaker than her peak state, but she had just entered the Golden Core level.

However, her foundation was now much more solid.

From this perspective, the injuries she sustained during the previous battle could indeed be considered a blessing in disguise.

Next, as long as she healed her hidden injuries, she would not only quickly recover her cultivation realm but also greatly enhance her future cultivation progress.

Luo Chen was satisfied as he withdrew his divine sense.

"The days ahead won't be as busy as before."

"Tomorrow, I'm going to make a trip to the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range to gather some information. You'll come with me."

Tian Xuan blinked, as if something had occurred to her.

The master's actions clearly indicated that he had passed the assessment and obtained the identity of a star-ranked monster hunter, which was why he was considering settling in the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range.

Finally, she would have a place to call her own.

...

Early the next morning.

Luo Chen hurried out with Tian Xuan.

They exited through the western gate of Dragon Quake Immortal City, and two streaks of light flew steadily into the distance.

In the far horizon, mountains towered majestically.

Beneath their feet, a vast marshland stretched for thousands of miles.

If the name Dragon Soaring Mountain Range was derived from the Savage Beast, the Savage Dragon, then the name Dragon Quake Immortal City originated from the vast marshland beneath their feet.

Facing the ocean and backed by the Dragon Spring Great Marsh, it earned the name Dragon Quake.

Luo Chen's divine sense gently swept over some of the buildings in the marshland, and his eyes narrowed in thought.

Above, there were some low-level cultivators residing there, mostly at the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment stages, with few Golden Core cultivators.

These people were the true wandering cultivators! They were the type who had joined the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly but hadn't qualified as monster hunters.

Fearing the demanding tasks of star-ranked monster hunters and unable to afford the high costs of renting cave mansions in the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range, they chose the spiritually barren Dragon Spring Great Marsh as their cultivation ground.

These cultivators were the main constituents of the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly! Their exact number was incalculable, at least in the tens of thousands, and with the raging war between the righteous and demonic paths, their numbers were still growing.

"With such a large base, the number of star-ranked monster hunters can gradually increase, allowing high-level cultivators to reap more benefits."

Luo Chen muttered, then without any hesitation, he led Tian Xuan into the towering mountains.

...

On a mountain peak.

Tian Xuan stood by, while Luo Chen sat cross-legged beside her, his eyes like lightning scanning the mountains and valleys below.

After a while, Luo Chen slowly withdrew his gaze and stood up.

"Let's find another place!"

Tian Xuan was puzzled, "Is this place not suitable? I see that the unoccupied cave mansions here are filled with abundant spiritual energy."

"Beneath the lush foliage, there are only withered branches and leaves. The so-called abundant spiritual energy is merely an illusory facade, and it won't withstand our cultivation for long. It's not my first choice!"

Luo Chen explained calmly, then flew towards another mountain peak.

Tian Xuan pondered over Luo Chen's words, feeling like she only partially understood.

Why couldn't she see through these intricacies? She didn't know that this method of locating dragon veins and discerning spiritual veins required a high level of expertise.

Luo Chen's years of cultivation in formation arts, combined with his keen eyes that could sense the vitality of life, allowed him to achieve this.

Even the Divine Compass in his hand, with its constantly active Third Stage Soul Searching Array, was a great help.

It was with this reliance that Luo Chen had the confidence to verify the few Third Rank cave mansions that Xiao Buhan had mentioned.

Unfortunately, after spending most of the day carefully searching, the results were meager.

In other words, Xiao Buhan, a five-star monster hunter, might not have been experienced enough, and the cave mansions he had access to were only low-grade or medium-grade Third Rank ones.

For him, they might be excellent.

But for Luo Chen, they didn't quite meet his requirements.

Over the next two days, Luo Chen visited several seemingly auspicious and geomantic locations, but he was still disappointed.

Standing on a lush green peak, Luo Chen ignored the curious gazes of the wandering cultivators around him and put away the Divine Compass.

"Let's go, let's head back!"

Tian Xuan was puzzled, "Not at all? I just used the cultivation method you taught me, Master, to probe, and the spirit vein beneath this mountain peak is quite solid. It's at least a third-rank, medium-grade level."

Luo Chen shook his head.

The third-rank, medium-grade, was still not his goal.

However, this trip was not in vain.

At the very least, he had confirmed what Xiao Buhan had said!

The spirit veins in the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range had indeed been artificially damaged.

As a result, although there were several fourth-rank spirit veins, they were all independent and self-contained.

Even the lower-rank spirit veins under their command were inconsistent, making it extremely difficult to determine their true grade.

"It seems that the truly good things are still held by the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly. If I want a third-rank, high-grade spirit vein, I'll have to start with the Fishing Old Man."

"The Fishing Old Man..."

Luo Chen muttered the name, and under the watchful eyes of the loose cultivators, he leisurely left the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range.

After he left.

The loose cultivators began discussing in hushed voices.

"The Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly has gained another Golden Core cultivator."

"He even has a Golden Core-stage maid servant. He must have been quite prominent before becoming a loose cultivator."

"What does it matter if he was prominent before? Look at how he lingered in the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range for days but couldn't make up his mind to settle down. It's clear that he's also someone with limited resources."

"Who isn't in the same situation? My lease is almost up, and my spirit stones are running low. I can't even afford the rent for next year, and I'm afraid I'll have to take on missions again."

"What missions? It's better to go to the first defense line and hunt down monster beasts for a faster income."

"Let's talk about that later. My friend, you've been complaining about your cave abode's spirit vein, saying that the spiritual energy is intermittent and affecting your cultivation. Don't you plan to change to a better cave abode?"

"It's not that easy to change. The good cave abodes have already been occupied."

"Hehe, when your lease is up, just go and take one. Anyway, you pay the rent, and the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly won't bother you."

"Isn't this a bit... not right?"

"Haha, you're tempted, aren't you!"

The conversation among the loose cultivators gradually shifted from Luo Chen, the unknown Golden Core cultivator, to other topics.

However, no one felt that something was amiss; instead, they became more engaged in the discussion.

When it came to the quality of their own cave abode's spirit veins, most of them were evasive, downplaying their own veins.

They were afraid that others would covet their veins!

...

In the Monster Hunter Bureau.

Three cultivators sat in a circle, focusing on the scene in mid-air.

The Fishing Old Man maintained the Mirage Pearl's ability to review the battle while introducing, "The identity of the white-robed cultivator has been confirmed. He is indeed a remnant of the Primordial Demon Sect. His real name is Yan Zhixian, and he is not Qin Tianming."

"However, Yan Zhixian himself does have some talent. Before the Primordial Demon Sect's incident, he was even planning to participate in the next True Transmission Competition."

"In preparation for the competition, he went out to search for treasures, which is why he managed to escape that great calamity."

At this point, he paused.

"This person is not important. Among his inheritance, apart from the resources related to the Demon Sect's cultivation manuals, the rest can be offered for Monster Hunters to exchange."

"Now, you should evaluate the two new star-ranked Monster Hunters!"

The two cultivators beside him, a young man and a woman, the man was young with a large head, like a big-headed boy. The woman had a graceful figure, and even though she seemed to be of a certain age, she still exuded a charming, mature allure. Her slender body was wrapped in a purple robe, giving her a mature, yet alluring appearance.

The young man with the large head spoke lazily, "This one called Duan Li, his realm is solid, but his strength is lacking, and his combat experience is not impressive. He didn't contribute much to this mission. In my opinion, he failed!"

The purple-robed woman shook her head, "The Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly has many cultivators, but nine out of ten are just a mob. They are currently lacking in manpower. As you said, Duan Li's realm is solid, and he has potential. As for combat experience, he can gain it through more battles. My suggestion is to consider him as having passed the assessment, but with a low star-rating."

Finally, the purple-robed woman looked at the Fishing Old Man.

"What do you think, Daoist Liu?"

The Fishing Old Man stroked his beard, "I agree with you. Let's give him the rank of a Four-Star Monster Hunter."

Two against one, the majority prevails.

The young man with the large head pouted but didn't argue.

Next, it was Luo Chen's turn.

It was certain that he had obtained the qualifications of a Four-Star Monster Hunter, so there was no need for further discussion.

What they were discussing was the methods Luo Chen had displayed in this battle.

"This Qing Yangzi's spellcasting skills are exquisite. That giant palm seal technique is quite remarkable, even from my perspective as a Ninth Level Golden Core cultivator. Especially his domineering power, which is no less than the power cultivated by the Soul Refining Lineage's true transmission disciples, and even surpasses them. It's rare to see someone with such a profound foundation among loose cultivators." The purple-robed woman praised repeatedly.

The Fishing Old Man also nodded in admiration, having personally witnessed the battle.

He was particularly impressed by Luo Chen's fire-based techniques and the overwhelming power that even the Ten Directions Shadow Array couldn't block for a moment.

At the very least, when he was at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, his power hadn't reached such a level.

The purple-robed woman continued to watch the images, but as she watched, her eyebrows furrowed.

"This person is hiding something! That hammer treasure, he controls it awkwardly, clearly it's not his lifebound treasure. That Ten Thousand Souls Banner doesn't seem to be something he dual-cultivates with either. But this chain..."

The Fishing Old Man took over, "It's not a physical object, just a manifestation of power. But as I carefully observed it, it doesn't seem like a spell, perhaps it's a derivative method of his lifebound treasure."

Could a method derived from just a lifebound treasure have such power? Smashing vengeful ghosts and evil spirits like paper, instantly blocking a surprise attack from a flying sword, and even in the final moments, locking down that strange ghost king, comparable to a late-stage Golden Core, so that he couldn't move.

The purple-robed woman blinked, becoming even more curious about Qing Yangzi's lifebound treasure.

She turned her head, "Big Gan, why aren't you saying anything?"

The big-headed youth furrowed his brows, as if deep in thought.

Hearing his companion's inquiry, he hesitated, "Qing Yangzi... I feel like I've heard this name somewhere before."

The Fishing Old Man smiled, "With such a capable person, even if he's a Loose Cultivator, he's definitely not some unknown nobody. Perhaps you've heard of his deeds on some day, in some month, in some year."

"Not too long ago!" The big-headed youth declared.

After some contemplation, he suddenly spoke up.

"I remember now, no wonder I find this person familiar. A few days ago, I was in Shen Yuan City and heard people talking about the Nascent Soul battle on Lengguang Island. In one of the battles between Golden Core Cultivators, there was a Loose Cultivator named Qing Yang Demon Lord."

"Qing Yang Demon Lord?"

"Who's that?"

The Fishing Old Man and the purple-clad woman exclaimed in unison.

Immediately, the big-headed youth shared the rumors he had heard with the two of them.

Upon learning the details, especially how Qing Yang Demon Lord used his signature Qing Yang Giant Palm Seal to kill several cultivators of the same rank, they were amazed.

"It seems that Qing Yangzi and Qing Yang Demon Lord might indeed be the same person."

"However, even if they are the same person, it doesn't have much to do with us. Let's end this trial here, and for the follow-up matters... since you're overseeing it, Fishing Old Man, you can handle it."

The Fishing Old Man had no objections, as it was just some trivial matter.

Currently, in the Monster Hunter Bureau, there were only three Eight-Star Monster Hunters, including them, who took turns handling these trivial matters.

It was his turn today, so he couldn't decline.

...

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, Luo Chen arrived at the entrance of the Monster Hunter Bureau.

Unexpectedly, Duan Li had arrived even earlier.

Seeing his shivering figure wrapped in a coat, Luo Chen frowned but didn't say anything.

After a brief greeting, he headed inside.

Duan Li followed behind, watching Luo Chen's back, looking like he wanted to say something but stopped.

"In that battle, Qing Yangzi was completely unaffected by the white-robed cultivator's methods, and even the strange Ghost King's soul suppression was like a gentle breeze."

"It seems he's also quite accomplished in Soul Refinement."

"I wonder if he can solve the residual poison in my body."

"But if I ask for his help, I'll have to be completely open. With a grudge on my mind, I can't afford to take risks!"

Duan Li was deep in thought, indecisive.

When he snapped out of it, he saw the Fishing Old Man chatting amicably with Luo Chen.

"This is an identity token, adorned with golden stars. In the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, Monster Hunters are ranked from one to nine stars. One to three stars are white, four to six are gold, and seven to nine are purple. The different colors represent different levels of treatment."

"Aside from the discounts you know of, you can also access the Monster Hunter Bureau's intelligence resources based on your star rank."

"If you're interested, you can learn more later."

With numerous Loose Cultivators in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, it naturally meant a wide range of intelligence sources.

This was an unexpected delight.

Luo Chen took his identity token and glanced at it. Four golden stars surrounded the bright moon against the backdrop of a deep sea and a bright moon.

Duan Li felt a little dejected.

His identity token only had three white stars.

Many Foundation Establishment Cultivators could reach this star rank.

The Fishing Old Man patted his shoulder, "Don't worry, it's just temporary. If you want to improve your star rank, take on more tasks."

Duan Li gave a bitter laugh. His injuries hadn't even been treated, how could he think about such things?

The old man didn't pay attention to his thoughts and waved his wide sleeve.

"Let's go!"

"Today, I have some free time, so I'll personally take you to the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range to choose a suitable cave mansion."

As he spoke, he looked at them with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

"You should have prepared some Spirit Stones, right?"

Luo Chen calmly replied, "Fishing Old Man, just lead the way, and I can provide some Spirit Stones."

This time, Duan Li didn't show any hesitation and followed the two.

...

In the sky above the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range, three streaks of escaping light moved like shadows, crisscrossing through the air.

The Fishing Old Man held a map that flickered with unstable spiritual light, guiding them to inspect cave mansions while providing relevant information.

However, it was clear that he was withholding certain details.

Choosing a suitable cave mansion depended on one's own abilities.

"This mountain, Auspicious Mountain, is incredibly rich in spiritual energy. Even among Third Rank Inferior Cave Mansions, it's exceptional. Many Golden Core Cultivators have resided here, so you can consider it."

After hearing the introduction, Duan Li was quite tempted.

He wanted it, but since Luo Chen was ahead, he decided to wait for his choice.

Luo Chen shook his head, "Feel free to choose, no need to wait for me."

Then, he suddenly said, "But if this place is truly that good, it wouldn't have changed hands so frequently."

Duan Li was taken aback.

It seemed like a reasonable deduction.

The Fishing Old Man frowned, this Qing Yangzi was quite perceptive, quickly spotting the flaw in his words.

"Since neither of you want it, let's move on to the next place! But I must say, although the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range has many unoccupied cave mansions, most are First and Second Rank, and there aren't many Third Rank ones left."

"Once you miss this opportunity, it's gone."

Luo Chen tugged at the corners of his mouth but didn't say anything.

He smirked inwardly.

The Fishing Old Man, who worked for the Three Loose Cultivators, seemed overly concerned about their interests.

What's the harm in letting them Loose Cultivators get a little advantage and avoid some losses? He must have gotten too invested in his job!

As he silently shook his head, Luo Chen's Divine Perception spread out, scanning each of the glowing points on the map held by the Fishing Old Man.

There should be at least one or two suitable cave mansions among them.

(End of Chapter)

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