Immortality Begins With The Alchemical Master Chapter 936: Invincible Below the Transformation Realm, Can Body Refinement with Gu Lead to Enlightenment? - Novel Cool

Chapter 936: Invincible Below the Transformation Realm, Can Body Refinement with Gu Lead to Enlightenment?

Chapter 936: Invincible Below the Transformation Realm, Can Body Refinement with Gu Lead to Enlightenment?

Thunder Pass!

A perilous place in the Southern Frontier, known since ancient times.

Here, the earth veins are scattered, and large amounts of turbid earth qi continuously converge, clash, and leak out, forming bone-chilling gales in the long, narrow canyon.

These gales, formed from turbid earth qi, have a strong destructive power against cultivators' protective auras, slicing like blades. A cultivator who is not careful can be torn apart inside, hence the name Blade Wind.

Above, the earth qi rises and rubs against the void, constantly generating thunderstorms.

It is precisely because of the constant Blade Wind and thunderstorms that this place is called Thunder Pass.

Ordinary people would never come here to cultivate.

Until several hundred years ago, a cultivator, fleeing from pursuers, found refuge here and gradually discovered the secrets of this place.

Whether it is the Blade Wind or the lightning, they only exist in the open areas of the canyon.

As long as one does not rashly fly through them but climbs along the steep cliffs on either side of the canyon, the risk of being caught can be greatly reduced.

Over time,

More and more cultivators, driven to the brink, gathered here.

They carved out caves on the canyon walls as places to cultivate.

Later on, many independent cultivators came here for the free, scattered spirit veins.

Each cultivator who carved out a cave is called a Cave Master.

Among them, the most powerful thirty-six are known as the Thirty-Six Cave Lords of Thunder Pass.

At this moment!

Luo Chen, guided by Cheng Bai, slowly walked along a simple path carved into the mountain wall.

Through Cheng Bai's detailed explanation, Luo Chen gained a preliminary understanding of Thunder Pass.

"Blade Wind?"

Luo Chen was greatly intrigued.

In Cheng Bai's terrified gaze, he casually extended his hand, reaching out beyond the path.

Hiss...

A fierce wind, as if it had sensed prey, rushed over.

"Senior!!"

Cheng Bai screamed, but in the next moment, Luo Chen's outstretched hand twisted and slowly retracted.

Luo Chen chuckled, "It's a bit itchy."

Cheng Bai was stunned.

The Blade Wind, which countless cultivators feared and dared not touch, only made this senior feel "itchy"?

For a moment, his perception was almost skewed, and he even wanted to try it himself.

Fortunately, Luo Chen's next words interrupted his delusions.

"Stop dawdling and take me to see Thunder Echo Cave Lord. I'm sure he's been waiting for a long time."

As he said this, he looked at Cheng Bai with a half-smile.

The other man swallowed hard, "Senior Baixiu, did you know I secretly informed the Cave Lord?"

Luo Chen smiled but said nothing.

He had seen the other man's minor actions but did not care.

Suddenly!

A powerful aura erupted from a protruding rock platform on the steep cliff.

The aura was astonishing, causing many cultivators on either side of the cliff to glance over.

"What's wrong with Thunder Echo Cave Lord?"

"Has he broken through another realm?"

"No, this seems to be a deliberate declaration of his presence."

Amid the buzz of discussion, Luo Chen looked up.

He saw a middle-aged man, standing over ten miles away, looking at him from a distance.

The aura was overwhelming, stirring the clouds and causing a torrent of lightning to crackle down.

However, to Luo Chen, it was merely "showing a fierce exterior but a weak interior."

At just the first layer of the Nascent Soul realm, the aura that could stir the clouds and change the weather was only due to the special geographical environment nearby.

He sneered, his body's essence force vibrating.

Boom!

A column of blood qi soared into the sky.

Under the overwhelming might, the gales retreated, and the lightning ceased, forcefully breaking through Thunder Echo Cave Lord's Nascent Soul domain.

Then, he took a step forward.

Bang!

The void resonated, and in the next moment, Luo Chen's figure shot out like an arrow, landing directly on the large rock platform jutting out from the mountain.

"Lei Ming, is this how you welcome guests?"

With these words, the towering Luo Chen looked down at the small Thunder Echo Cave Lord.

A predatory aura surged forth!

Thunder Echo Cave Lord instinctively took two steps back, stepping out of Luo Chen's shadow.

His lips trembled, and his eyes showed clear signs of fear.

The person before him had not revealed any cultivation level, but the predatory aura made him feel as if he were facing an ancient and fearsome beast!

He took a deep breath and bowed to Luo Chen.

"Apologies, I was merely testing the capabilities of Fellow Daoist Qitian."

Luo Chen sneered. "So, what were the results of your probing?"

"Clearly, you are above me!" Thunder Echo Cave Lord admitted frankly, acknowledging his inferiority to Luo Chen.

After all, his well-prepared nascent soul field had been shattered by Luo Chen's overwhelming aura, revealing the significant gap between them.

However...

Thunder Echo Cave Lord shook his head. "But that old man Feng Buyan, the patriarch of the Feng family who covets this Thunder Pass, is a seasoned nascent soul cultivator. He won't be so easy to deal with!"

Luo Chen scoffed. "If he's truly that formidable, could you even stand against him?"

Thunder Echo Cave Lord replied honestly, "Out in the open, I am no match for him. But if we are within the Thunder Pass, he can do nothing to me."

As he spoke, his abdomen swelled slightly, resembling a frog.

In the next moment, a thunderous boom erupted within him.

The heavens seemed to resonate in response, and the sky was soon filled with lightning and thunder. Silver-white lightning bolts, like dragons and snakes, danced wildly in the air.

Luo Chen's eyebrows shot up, and he retracted his mocking expression, focusing intently on the scene outside.

What technique was this, allowing his nascent soul field to merge with the heavens and draw upon the power of heavenly lightning?

Then, his gaze returned to Thunder Echo Cave Lord's abdomen.

"Parasitic insects?"

Thunder Echo Cave Lord did not hide his answer. "Exactly! I have a rather unique lightning-affinity spirit root. A century ago, I refined a lightning frog parasite, which helped me advance to the nascent soul realm. With the advantage of the Thunder Pass, I dare to challenge even mid-stage nascent soul cultivators! This is why that old man Feng Buyan fears me."

I see!

Luo Chen couldn't help but look at the man before him with greater respect. Being able to fight above his rank, even if it was due to a special parasite and favorable conditions, was no small feat.

But Thunder Echo Cave Lord did not gloat over this. Once he left the Thunder Pass, he was just an ordinary nascent soul cultivator.

Even if his offensive techniques were more formidable, he still couldn't surpass the initial nascent soul stage.

"Daoist Qitian, you may not know, but the Feng family is determined to seize this Thunder Pass. Feng Buyan is actively inviting allies to launch an assault. Are you sure you want to get involved in this mess?"

Luo Chen countered, "Do you not want my help?"

Thunder Echo Cave Lord shook his head. "It's not that I don't want it; I would be grateful. But I fear that at a critical moment, you might withdraw, leaving me to fight alone. It would be better to clarify your intentions early. At worst, I can abandon this place and find another location to cultivate."

He was a wandering cultivator who had achieved enlightenment.

Losing a good cave dwelling was indeed regrettable, but as long as he remained alive, the vast world was open to him at the nascent soul stage.

Therefore, it wasn't worth risking his life for a place that wasn't particularly exceptional.

The unexpected assistance from this powerful stranger, Dominant Cultivator Qitian, was a pleasant surprise, but if it turned into a burden, it would be counterproductive.

Luo Chen, having once been a wandering cultivator himself, could sense the sincerity in Thunder Echo Cave Lord's words.

Without hesitation, he said confidently, "No matter how many people they bring, as long as they are not Huashen experts, I will handle them for you."

Thunder Echo Cave Lord's pupils constricted. Such confidence?

Or perhaps arrogance?

Luo Chen folded his hands behind his back and strolled to the cliff edge, gazing down at the deep, dark landscape below.

"But on one condition: you must provide me with a satisfactory reward."

Thunder Echo Cave Lord thought for a moment and said, "That depends on what you want and what I have."

Luo Chen smiled. "Not difficult, not difficult at all!"

...

As the sole nascent soul cultivator in Thunder Pass, Thunder Echo Cave Lord's cave dwelling was naturally among the best.

A Four-Stage spirit vein ran through the ground, its aura permeating his cave dwelling.

As a guest who came to assist, Luo Chen was treated with hospitality and was given the best room that very day.

In the dead of night, Luo Chen slowly emerged from his cultivation state.

His brows furrowed, and his face showed a deep sense of confusion.

"Strange!"

"This cave dwelling, though it does have a Four-Stage spirit vein, is far from exceptional. It's just an ordinary Four-Stage spirit vein."

"Moreover, due to the chaotic earth qi of Thunder Pass, the spirit energy drawn into the cave is quite impure, requiring constant focus during cultivation and refinement."

"A spirit vein of this quality might be the dream of a Jin Dan cultivator striving to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, but for someone of my level, it is far from excellent."

"How could an experienced Nascent Soul like Feng Buyan be satisfied with such a place?"

Luo Chen, after personally experiencing it, was quite puzzled.

According to Cheng Bai and the Thunder Echo Cave Lord, the Feng Family, where Feng Buyan belonged, was the largest force within a ten-thousand-mile radius.

The family had a millennium-long heritage!

Such a powerful force would undoubtedly have deep-rooted, excellent spirit veins. Why would they settle for a place like this?

After much contemplation, Luo Chen still couldn't find an answer.

He didn't delve deeper into it. This place was merely his first stepping stone in the Southern Frontier. Through the introduction of local strong cultivators, he planned to gradually integrate into the high-level cultivator community of the Southern Frontier.

At that time, it would be much easier to track down the Heart Demon Insect Emperor.

With a flick of his hand, a jade box appeared before him.

Opening it, he saw a small Chenshui insect inside.

"Strength Parasite!"

In ancient times, Body Refiners were prevalent in the Shanhai Realm.

The Southern Frontier also had its unique path of body refinement.

By using special Gu insects, cultivators could enhance their pure physical strength.

The first-stage Strength Parasite was the most common and representative of these insects.

After a cultivator refined it, they could gain a bit more strength, making their punches and kicks more powerful.

After inspecting it, Luo Chen confirmed that the Thunder Echo Cave Lord hadn't tampered with it. He then wrapped it in Primordial Energy and slowly swallowed it.

With his cultivation technique activated, it was refined in an instant!

Luo Chen clenched his fist, but felt nothing!

However, he did sense a subtle improvement.

"It must be because my Body Refinement realm is too high, so this low-stage Gu insect has little effect on me."

Reflecting on the process of refining the Strength Parasite, Luo Chen deduced how it increased a cultivator's strength.

Cultivation had two paths: one was to absorb the heavenly and earthly essence, drawing it from the outside. The other, like Wang Yuan's early method, was to refine essence into energy, extracting the essence from one's own powerful vital energy.

The Strength Parasite, clearly, was a Gu insect filled with abundant essence energy.

After a cultivator refined it, the essence energy didn't directly convert into spiritual energy or magical power. Instead, it relied on body refinement techniques to transform the essence energy into physical strength.

Refining essence into energy was for cultivation, while refining energy into essence was for body refinement.

It was the reverse process!

"Unfortunately, it's of no use to me!"

Though Luo Chen lamented, there was a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

If someone could create such a Gu insect and it was still in circulation, it meant that the path of body refinement in the Southern Frontier hadn't been completely severed like in Dong Huang.

A complete cultivation system was the best goal for him!

If a first-stage Strength Parasite was ineffective, what about higher stages?

"And the secret technique mentioned by the Thunder Echo Cave Lord!"

Luo Chen immediately recalled the straightforward conversation he had with the Thunder Echo Cave Lord earlier that day.

After achieving the Nascent Soul realm, the Thunder Echo Cave Lord naturally didn't want to remain isolated.

Thus, he often traveled, trying to connect with other Nascent Soul cultivators in the Southern Frontier to exchange cultivation experiences.

During this process, he caught the attention of the Tai Shang Elder of the nearby Feng Family.

Setting aside their personal grievances, the gathering of Nascent Soul cultivators that the Thunder Echo Cave Lord attended was particularly noteworthy.

At that gathering, as a solitary cultivator, the Thunder Echo Cave Lord had struggled to find Nascent Soul cultivation techniques and spent a great deal to acquire some useful techniques.

The "Lightning Flash Technique" was one such acquisition.

According to him, at that gathering, someone had also presented a high-stage body refinement technique. However, due to its extremely stringent cultivation conditions and the high risk involved, no one dared to take it.

If Luo Chen wanted to advance in this path, the Thunder Echo Cave Lord believed that this body refinement technique might be useful to him.

At the very least, it would serve as a useful reference.

If Luo Chen could help him resolve this crisis, he promised to introduce Luo Chen to the circle and help him obtain the high-level Body Refinement Technique.

"Circle, I want to enter. That high-level Body Refinement Technique, I must get it!"

Luo Chen pressed his lips together, slowly closed his eyes, and continued his cultivation.

Even though the spiritual energy concentration here was average and refining it was somewhat troublesome, cultivation was a matter of gradual accumulation. It could not be neglected for even a moment.

...

In another room not far away, Thunder Echo Cave Lord gently set down the box in his hands.

Cheng Bai had been full of anticipation, but seeing this scene, his heart sank involuntarily.

"Cave Lord, is the Invisible Parasite not effective?"

Thunder Echo Cave Lord sighed. "It's not that it's ineffective. If catalyzed with secret techniques, it can indeed aid my cultivation of the Lightning Flash Technique. But time is running out."

Cheng Bai was taken aback, then immediately thought of the deadline the Feng family had set for Thunder Echo Cave Lord.

It was indeed drawing near!

At that time, if Thunder Echo Cave Lord did not voluntarily hand over the Thunder Pass, the Feng family would resort to force.

With such a short time, relying on the catalyzed Invisible Parasite to master the Lightning Flash Technique, let alone achieve great proficiency, would be extremely difficult.

Cheng Bai cautiously said, "With the help of Senior Qi Tian, who I recommended, we should be able to get through this crisis, right?"

"Hardly!" Thunder Echo Cave Lord was not optimistic about this upcoming confrontation.

He had his allies, but how could Feng Buyan, a seasoned nascent soul, lack connections?

If Qi Tian had not exaggerated so much, claiming that anyone at the Hua Shen stage could handle it, he might have had more confidence.

However, such boasting greatly reduced his credibility.

In the realm of cultivation, one's realm was one factor, various magical treasures and secret techniques were another, and combat experience could not be overlooked.

Qi Tian was a Body Refiner, a school that had long since declined.

He likely lacked the necessary magical treasures.

Furthermore, with such a reckless personality, he would be easily lured into traps during battles.

"I should contact the few fellow Daoists I met at the last gathering and see if they can spare some time to help me!"

Thunder Echo Cave Lord thought to himself, noticing Cheng Bai's eager expression.

He smiled, "You've been with me since before I formed my core, which means it's been a hundred years, right?"

Cheng Bai nodded vigorously.

A hundred years was a long time, yet it was also short.

In the blink of an eye, it felt like yesterday.

Thunder Echo Cave Lord smiled, "Over these hundred years, you've done a lot for me. Now, you've even brought me the Invisible Parasite and recommended an ally. You've truly been diligent."

Cheng Bai said sincerely, "It's my duty. Without you, Cave Lord, I would never have broken through to the Zhu Ji stage."

Thunder Echo Cave Lord accepted his gratitude as a matter of course.

But then he changed the subject.

"If I can't keep the Thunder Pass, what will you choose? Will you join the Feng family, or follow me into exile?"

Cheng Bai replied without hesitation, "I will naturally follow you, Cave Lord!"

"Think carefully. The Southern Frontier is in turmoil. The Life and Death Sect has closed its mountain gates and withdrawn from worldly affairs. Internally, the Stiff Mountain Alliance is causing trouble, and externally, the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect is stirring up unrest. I am alone, wandering outside, and following me will be fraught with danger."

Cheng Bai's gaze wavered, and he hesitated.

Thunder Echo Cave Lord waved his hand. "Never mind, think it over again. I need to use more means as well. The Thunder Pass is where I attained my Dao, and I can't easily let it go."

After dismissing Cheng Bai, Thunder Echo Cave Lord took out several message worms. However, after sending them out, they seemed to disappear into the void, with no response.

He was, after all, a solitary cultivator with little background. Who could help him?

His aimless gaze fell on the lonely jade box on the table.

Inside, the young Invisible Parasite lay quietly.

In an instant, a fierce look flashed across Thunder Echo Cave Lord's eyes.

"Cheng Bai, come back here!" (End of Chapter)

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