Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Lone Cultivator, Luo Chen
Chapter 1: The Lone Cultivator, Luo Chen
Boom!
Thunder roared, and the immense power of heaven and earth silenced the bustling Great River Market.
The usual lively scene of flying figures darting through the sky was now much less frequent.
After all, no one could guarantee that flying in the sky wouldn't result in being struck by lightning.
It was unclear if such an event would count as an early tribulation.
The Great River Market covered a vast area, with an inner city protected by a third-tier array, capable of defending against attacks from beasts of the third rank and below.
Even if a third-rank beast suddenly attacked, the array could hold long enough for the city's inhabitants to react.
Of course, maintaining such a powerful array required significant resources, so it only covered the inner city.
In contrast, the areas surrounding the inner city, where lone cultivators gathered, were far less secure.
Wooden and stone houses dotted the landscape in all four directions, numbering in the thousands.
In the southwest corner, by a stream, stood a modest wooden house with a single bedroom, a living room, and a kitchen. It stood quietly, isolated from the nearest lone cultivator's residence by nearly two miles.
Outside, it was quiet, but inside the kitchen, activity was intense.
"Slice one pound of yam, two ounces of white poria, and three ounces of one-year-old ginseng."
"Cut one pound of first-rank beast yellow beef into minced meat, ensuring there are no bone fragments."
"Add scallions, ginger, glutinous rice, and fennel seeds."
The voice reciting these instructions belonged to a young man with a bare torso. He focused intently on the pot, skillfully adding ingredients from the wooden shelves beside him.
His movements with the spatula were swift and precise.
As he poured a large pot of snow-white beef bone broth, Luo Chen let out a sigh of relief.
Adjusting the fire, he occasionally added a few logs, then waited quietly for the dish to be ready.
An hour later, the young man lifted the pot lid and took a deep breath, examining the thick, creamy substance inside.
"Look at this color, smooth and bright. Top quality!"
"Smell this aroma, rich without being overpowering. Top quality!"
Luo Chen dipped his finger into the spoon, tasting a small amount.
He savored it briefly.
"The essence of the five pounds of first-rank beast yellow beef has been evenly distributed in this fasting powder, thanks to the catalytic effects of angelica and ginseng."
"Perfect, the taste is spot-on. Top quality!"
He licked his fingers, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
Based on his recent experience, this pot of fasting powder would yield at least five bottles of fasting pills.
It might sound amusing, but Luo Chen was indeed refining pills!
More specifically, he was refining the most commonly used fasting pills by cultivators, though this was a low-grade version, more accurately called fasting powder.
Without waiting for the mixture to cool, he poured it onto a cutting board.
Luo Chen picked up a yellowed bamboo scroll, poured the thick paste onto it, added a few drops of honey, and began rolling the scroll.
As he rolled, the steaming fasting powder gradually formed into cylindrical shapes, turning a light yellow due to the honey.
His movements were swift, and he quickly cut the cylindrical shapes into small, round pills, each about the size of a thumb.
One, two, three...
When Luo Chen finally stopped, the cutting board was neatly lined with fifty fasting pills.
Looking at his work, Luo Chen couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. His attention then shifted to the invisible panel before him.
Name: Luo Chen
Lifespan: 27/75
Spirit Roots: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth
Realm: Qi Refinement Stage 3: 75/100
Cultivation Technique: Eternal Spring Technique Proficiency: 235/300
Spells: Cleansing Spell Novice 49/100, Binding Spell Proficient 176/200, Fireball Spell Proficient 268/300
Skills: First-Rank Alchemist: Fasting Powder Master 501/1000
Achievement Points: 10 points (usable for corresponding realm techniques, spells, and skills)
"Ten achievement points, enough to start learning the Wondrous Pill!"
Looking at the proficiency panel, Luo Chen felt a surge of emotion.
It had been a year since he arrived here!
In his previous life, he was just a regular office worker, waking up early and returning home late, with only the occasional free time to play some casual cultivation upgrade games on his phone.
Being broke, he could only grind the progress bars of his techniques.
Who would have thought that one sleepless night, while grinding a game dungeon, he would suddenly find himself transported to this world?
The original owner of this body was also named Luo Chen, and he was the same age as the Luo Chen who now inhabited it.
In his early years, he ventured deep into the mountains and stumbled upon a cave where he had a life-changing encounter. Inside, he found the remains of a cultivator, which marked the beginning of his decade-long journey into the world of cultivation.
Following the map left with the remains, he arrived at the Great River Market Town, hoping to join a nearby sect as a disciple.
However, he was already seventeen years old by then, surpassing the sixteen-year age limit for new disciples in most sects.
To make matters worse, he had a balanced constitution of the five elemental roots, making him no better than an ordinary person without any elemental affinity. As a result, no sect would accept him.
Logically, he should have returned to where he came from.
But the original Luo Chen's determination to seek the Dao was unwavering. With a bottle of elixirs, a scroll of the Eternal Spring Technique, and a few spirit stones from his encounter, he settled down in the Great River Market Town.
In the early days, due to his limited resources, he couldn't even afford a wooden house near the inner city and had to rent a small house by a stream on the outskirts.
Life in the market town was tough.
Even the cheapest houses on the outskirts required a half spirit stone in rent every month.
Although he built the house himself, he still had to pay the half spirit stone monthly.
After spending his few spirit stones, the original Luo Chen didn't sit idly by.
He took on various odd jobs, such as helping others watch their stalls or joining hunting expeditions in the mountains, to scrape by.
Later, he realized this wasn't a sustainable lifestyle, so he began to study the two elixir recipes he found with the remains.
The Wondrous Pill was too complex, so he started with the simpler Fasting Powder.
It seemed that those who had fortuitous encounters always had a bit of luck.
After a few initial failures, he successfully refined the Fasting Powder.
Though the quality was average, it was enough to attract some wandering cultivators who often spent weeks hunting in the mountains.
Thus, the original Luo Chen managed to settle down in the Great River Market Town.
However, life is full of unforeseen events.
Feeling that the Fasting Powder wasn't sufficient to support his cultivation, he turned his attention to a partial recipe he had collected.
During his first attempt at refining the elixir, the cauldron exploded!
The violent explosion destroyed the wooden house.
It was at that moment that Luo Chen crossed over and took over this body.
Thinking back to his initial situation, Luo Chen felt a mix of despair and helplessness.
It was pouring rain, and he was covered in blood, standing amidst the ruins, utterly lost in this new world.
But thankfully, that was all in the past.
"One year has passed, and I've finally reached Master-level proficiency in refining Fasting Powder, just enough to meet my daily needs."
"The biggest gain is that I've accumulated ten achievement points, which I can use to start refining the Wondrous Pill!"
Luo Chen now had three elixir recipes in his possession.
A first-tier Fasting Powder recipe, a first-tier Wondrous Pill recipe, and a partial second-tier recipe that the original Luo Chen had obtained by chance.
The partial recipe was for the Jade Dew Pill. If successfully refined, it would produce a second-tier Jade Dew Pill, which was highly beneficial for cultivators practicing water-element techniques.
A single bottle of the Jade Dew Pill could fetch a medium-grade spirit stone, a significant sum of money.
No wonder the original Luo Chen was so tempted.
Perhaps he believed in his luck, or the ease of mastering Fasting Powder gave him confidence, or the harsh reality of poverty pushed him to take risks.
Regardless, he bravely took the leap.
The result was a blown cauldron, a collapsed house, and a lost life.
Now, Luo Chen faced a similar decision.
Relying solely on Fasting Powder would only allow him to survive; it wouldn't provide the resources needed for cultivation.
To gain the resources for cultivation, he needed to find another source of income besides Fasting Powder.
His goal wasn't the Jade Dew Pill, and ten achievement points weren't enough to master a second-tier elixir.
Therefore, after discovering the achievement point feature on his proficiency panel, he made up his mind.
"I must refine the Wondrous Pill!"
"I have no choice!"
"Even if it means sacrificing my reputation!"
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(End of Chapter)
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