An Alchemist's Path to Eternity-Chapter 493: A Night Traveler in Wind and Snow (II)

Chapter 493: A Night Traveler in Wind and Snow (II)
Snow fell in endless flurries as a small mid-grade flying boat glided leisurely through the sky, its faintly shimmering shield keeping the cold at bay. Inside the vessel, a man in crimson Daoist robes sat cross-legged, his gaze fixed ahead with steady intensity.
The status panel flickered once before fading from view. Luo Chen exhaled slowly and drew back his gaze, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. He had arrived at Green Pill Valley as a fifth-stage Initiate and now departed as a sixth-stage one. This achievement alone made the journey worthwhile. And counting all his other gains, the trip had been nothing short of extraordinary.
He had secured one first-tier alchemical formula, two second-tier ones, and three incomplete third-tier ancient formulas. He had also mastered a new alchemy technique and practiced several spells to a higher level of proficiency, even reaching Perfected Mastery in some of them over the past year of cultivation. Most importantly, he had struck a deal with Tao Wan for top-grade Ascending Dragon pills. Right now, he had forty bottles of such pills in his storage pouch, purchased for one hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones. They were expensive, about two thousand five hundred per bottle, but they were worth every stone. For something without a market price, any cost was justified. Other sects could not even purchase them with spirit stones; only trades of equal value could secure such pills.
This batch alone would sustain Luo Chen's cultivation for a full year, and each year, Tao Wan would arrange for another delivery. As long as tolerance did not develop, he could rely on these pills to accelerate his cultivation. Even without access to the lesser third-tier spirit land, his cultivation speed would remain high enough to satisfy him.
After taking a quick stock of his gains, Luo Chen closed the status panel. He was still halfway through his journey, and though he could multitask while keeping alert, he preferred not to risk distraction. He didn't want to be caught in a surprise attack. Right now, all he wanted was to return to Tianlan Immortal City.
I wonder if Huiniang's adjusted well to my cave residence, whether Little Ling has made progress in cultivation, how the Luo Tian Society has grown, and what kind of terms Fairy Ruthless will offer me…
These thoughts did not burden him. Instead, they brought a faint smile to his lips. A year and a half had passed since he set out for Green Pill Valley. The journey had brought no setbacks, only substantial rewards. Now, the title of Dan Chenzi had spread across the Jade Cauldron Domain, and he was returning home in glory.
Just imagining the reunion with his companions, sharing tales of Green Pill Valley over wine, filled him with eagerness. Luo Chen infused more spirit power into the flying boat. He urged it forward through the wind and snow, heart racing toward home.
***
It was deep into the night. Danxia Peak lay hushed beneath a thick coat of snow. Moonlight filtered through heavy clouds as Luo Chen's flying boat descended silently.
"At this hour, the Luo Tian Society receives no visitors. Stop where you are!" a guarding cultivator called out as he stepped forward.
The guarding cultivator approached to ask for identification, but froze when he saw Luo Chen's face. His eyes widened, and he dropped into a respectful bow. "Greetings, President!"
"
Mm
, thank you for your work," Luo Chen replied with a smile, waving casually. As he prepared to head up the mountain, he asked, "Who's the Initiate on watch tonight?"
It was tradition for the Luo Tian Society to station a Foundation Establishment cultivator each night to guard Danxia Peak.
The guarding cultivator immediately answered, "It's Palace Leader Murong!"
"Oh, alright
… huh?
"
Luo Chen blinked. "Palace Leader Murong?"
"Ah, yes, that's right." The guarding cultivator slapped his forehead, realizing that Luo Chen had just returned and might not be updated on internal affairs. So he explained, "Palace Leader Murong succeeded in Foundation Establishment two months after you left. Her cultivation has since stabilized, so she took over the guarding duty for the last two months."
Luo Chen's eyes lit up.
Now that's a pleasant surprise.
He had been planning to share some of the Foundation Establishment resources he'd brought back, especially with his sister-in-law, to increase her chances of success. But it turned out she had already broken through.
She must've used that dose of Imperial Nectar I left Huiniang… Just a twenty percent chance, and she succeeded. Maybe her past failure taught her some important lessons.
Luo Chen didn't linger to chat further. Without another word, he ascended the mountain path.
Behind him, the news of his return spread like wildfire through the Luo Tian Society, passed from one excited disciple to the next. The president had returned! Dan Chenzi, who had outshone the Seven Prodigies of Green Pill Valley and gained renown across the Jade Cauldron Domain, had come back!
***
Inside the Grand Hall of Merit Palace, Luo Chen offered a Daoist salute and smiled at the woman before him. "Congratulations, sister-in-law! No wait, I suppose I should call you Fellow Daoist Murong now!"
Murong Qinglian chuckled, the sound soft and warm. "Forget it. Just call me sister-in-law. Hearing you call me 'Fellow Daoist' feels far too strange."
Luo Chen clasped his hands together with a sincere smile and said with some regret, "What a pity. I picked up a few specialty items while visiting Green Pill Valley. They were prepared for your Foundation Establishment, but now they're unnecessary. At the moment, I truly have no fitting gift to congratulate you."
Murong Qinglian returned his words with a teasing smile. "Really now? Don't you dare try to fool me."
She would never have spoken like that in the past. Now that she had achieved Foundation Establishment, the vast gap between their cultivation had suddenly narrowed. Their relationship felt as though it had returned to the days they shared at the siheyuan during their time at Crescent Moon Valley. Of course, this was only how they interacted in private; when outsiders were involved, they would still need to keep up proper etiquette.
To prove his sincerity, Luo Chen casually produced a handful of items. There were Meridian Protection Pills, top-grade revitalization liquid, and other such.
"They're not particularly rare, but combined with Foundation Establishment Pills and calming incense, they should raise one's odds of breaking through by ten percent at least. The heritage of the great sects truly surpasses anything we rogue cultivators can match. There's plenty more of this sort of treasure. With three recent failures in Foundation Establishment attempts in the Luo Tian society, I feared our luck might be wavering, so I brought these back to boost morale."
While Luo Chen spoke, Murong Qinglian gazed at the pile of items with a look of quiet emotion in her eyes. Had she possessed such comprehensive support during her first attempt, perhaps she wouldn't have failed. The foundation of a great sect was truly enviable. It was no wonder that each Golden Core sect had hundreds or even thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Although she no longer needed these items herself, she still accepted a portion. "Let's call this your congratulatory gift, then."
Luo Chen chuckled. "Are you taking them for Brother Qin?"
Murong Qinglian shook her head. "He has already given up on Foundation Establishment. His last failure did not injure him, but it made him realize he would never progress beyond Perfected Mastery of Qi Refinement. I intend to send these to Xiaohu instead."
Xiaohu, whose actual name was Qin Yuanjiang, was their son. He was only a year or two older than Qu Lingjun, thirty-two or so. With outstanding spirit roots and a good position in the Falling Cloud Sect, he had already reached the ninth stage of Qi Refinement and stood on the threshold of Foundation Establishment.
During the early years of the war, the couple had nearly lost all contact with their son. Only when the situation gradually stabilized in recent years were they able to resume communication.
Hearing this, Luo Chen could only sigh; the couple had poured all their thoughts and care into him, yet even after all these years, he had never once returned home. Even with countless reasons that might explain his absence, the silence still weighed heavily.
Murong Qinglian suddenly broke the moment. "By the way, the Luo Tian Society has had more than three Foundation Establishment failures in the past few years."
Luo Chen chuckled. "
Ah
, I must have forgotten to count your earlier attempt. Sister-in-law, now that you've succeeded, failure is nothing more than a stepping stone."
"It wasn't me," Murong Qinglian said, slowly shaking her head. Then, she uttered a name that caught Luo Chen completely off guard. "It was Caiyi!"
The change in his expression was immediate, and Murong Qinglian sighed at the sight. "You should go see her."
***
"
Ahem, Ahem…
Sister Xia, what's going on outside?"
Inside a graceful, warm chamber, a furnace burned with clean firewood, its heat pushing away the winter chill. Gu Caiyi leaned against the bed, her sleepy eyes following Feng Xia as she stepped in. There had been a spark of joy on Feng Xia's face, though she quickly lowered her head and forced her expression into neutrality when she met Gu Caiyi's gaze.
"Nothing much. Just a late-night visitor. Sister Qinglian is entertaining them."
Gu Caiyi looked thoughtful."Oh, what sort of guest could cause such a commotion outside?"
"Stop thinking about it and rest. Who told you to sit up?" Feng Xia walked over, gently pressing Gu Caiyi back down under the blankets. She smoothed the covers around her as though that alone could guard against the cold.
Gu Caiyi stared at Feng Xia's gentle care with wide eyes. "Sister Xia, I'm almost completely fine. You don't need to look after me every night. What about Duan Feng…"
"What's he got to do with any of this? He'll manage, and he's a grown man. You're the one who hasn't recovered yet. Senior Sun said it'll take several years of rest to heal fully."
"Can I really recover fully?" Gu Caiyi murmured.
Feng Xia spoke with heartache. "Don't overthink it. Being alive is more important than anything. Old Qin failed at Foundation Establishment too, but he's still living happily, and he even took in a disciple at the Glorious Light Palace."
"Big Brother Qin is different. When Sister Qinglian succeeded, he was happier than if it had been his own breakthrough. I'm different. I'm all alone. Even if I recover, I might never be able to retain my cultivation."
"Who says you're alone?" Feng Xia said firmly. "You have us, your friends. And besides, he also…"
Her words trailed off when Gu Caiyi gave a faint smile. "That guest earlier… was he, wasn't it?"
The warm air of the chamber turned silent.
After a long moment, Feng Xia gave a bitter laugh. "You're still as perceptive as ever. Just a few words, and you forced it out of me."
Despite her pale complexion, Gu Caiyi's eyes brightened, and her faint smile carried a touch of comfort.
He's back. That's all that matters.
The sight of her smile stirred a flare of indignation in Feng Xia. "If you weren't so clever, you wouldn't have failed Foundation Establishment."
Gu Caiyi smiled and said, "Sister Xia, you're being ridiculous. What does failing at Foundation Establishment have to do with being clever?"
Feng Xia gritted her teeth. "Senior Sun said you were already close to succeeding, but your mind was distracted. That's why you fell into deviation. One moment's lapse, and everything went up in smoke."
Gu Caiyi listened quietly, her thoughts drifting back to that moment in seclusion when she had tried to break through. Indeed, she had been overthinking. At the most crucial instant, her focus had scattered, and by the time she regained awareness, she was already past the point of no return. The result was… the state she was in now.