Immortality begin with Alchemy Grandmaster Chapter 2492 - 916: Troubled Times, Harvesting Soul Essence (Part 2)

"Yet that Gui Xuan, though his apparent cultivation seems to be merely at the Early Golden Core Stage, the danger he brings to me rivals the Nascent Soul Old Monsters I faced back at Shouyang Mountain in Lingtian Pass."

"Bringing in a powerhouse like that would mean the Shen Family is welcoming a wolf right into our own den."

Shen Qiuhua's mouth gaped open, his face etched with sheer incredulity.

"Could a rogue cultivator actually attain the Nascent Soul realm?"

Shen Qiubai offered no reply, instead making his way to the courtyard where Luo Chen had been housed and rapping gently on the door.

"Shen Family Patriarch, Shen Qiubai, seeks an audience with Friend, desiring a brief discussion."

No answer came.

Shen Qiubai eased the door open.

The room stood vacant, bathed only in the silvery-white moonlight that poured in once the dark clouds had drifted away.

Shen Qiuhua extended his Divine Consciousness, scanning the surroundings. "He slipped away without a farewell?"

His brother, Shen Qiubai, let out a deep breath of relief instead.

"Good riddance that he's gone, truly good riddance!"

...

Luo Chen skipped heading to the East Sun Domain to glimpse the arrivals from Tianyuan Daoist Sect.

Despite his swift flight making the spots rather near, such an idea never crossed his mind.

From what he understood, Tianyuan Daoist Sect kept dispatching folks across the seas to set foot in the Eastern Wasteland.

This buildup of forces clearly signaled their aim to establish a firm foothold in the Eastern Wasteland.

Henceforth, clashes and tensions would erupt between them and the lingering Mingyuan remnants, the prominent local powers of the Eastern Wasteland, or even the lurking Demon Clan.

At present, he had zero desire to tangle with these grand-scale conflicts among the powers.

Once entangled deeply, escape becomes impossible.

No matter if one holds Foundation Establishment or Golden Core cultivation, or even reaches Nascent Soul or Transformation God levels, external pressures or personal ties inevitably drag cultivators into unwanted choices.

By contrast, he opted to steer clear of the chaos.

This trip served a single purpose.

To reclaim the Luo Tian Sect!

Certain individuals he couldn't abandon, certain bonds he couldn't break, had slowly turned into vulnerabilities as his cultivation rose.

How could such a flaw be exposed to the world?

Concealing it alone allowed unfettered action.

Spanning from Tu River to Luotian Domain lay a vast million-mile stretch.

To evade detection, Luo Chen picked a hidden route.

Soaring into the Nine Heavens, plunging into the Azure Darkness.

A shadowy flying shuttle streaked forth like a released arrow.

Under maximum effort, it spanned the distance in merely one month.

Arrival at Lingtian Pass came sooner than that, truly; after all, the upgraded Frost Eagle Shuttle outpaced its previous velocity by far.

The slight holdup of days stemmed from perils lurking in the Azure Darkness, where beasts like the Sunrise Beast might suddenly emerge, forcing him to throttle his pace.

Yet now at Lingtian Pass, Luotian Domain lay just ahead.

Luo Chen avoided a straight return, opting instead to descend in a remote spot before approaching Lingtian Pass.

Since he aimed to shun the turmoil, prior heavy shopping was essential, along with gathering intel on Luo Tian Sect's status to sidestep unforeseen perils.

Altering his looks and aura, Luo Chen returned to familiar grounds, stepping back into Lingtian.

Unlike the expected desolation post-Human-Demon War, this storied city of valor, after its moment of glory, gleamed with a fresh vibrancy.

The sturdy, towering walls had vanished, left unrestored since the conflict's end.

Exposed now were the inner landscapes and waterways for all to behold.

Amidst them rose countless structures, with elegant pavilions and lofty towers tucked away.

Broad avenues bustled with endless crowds, shoulders brushing in the throng.

Vendors' cries, touts' calls, yells, and chatter filled the air without pause.

Evidently, this former war bastion had seamlessly evolved into a thriving trade hub linking east and west.

Daily, heaps of resources and rare treasures converged here.

Luo Chen lingered awhile, then traced old paths to a shop run by a Nascent Soul Ascendant Sect in the area.

"Friend, your face seems new around here!"

The elder shooed the attendant aside and approached with a welcoming nod.

Luo Chen's visible mana pulses marked him as Golden Core, beyond what a simple Qi Refinement maid could manage.

Luo Chen's eyes roamed the shop's wares; those restrictive formations meant nothing to him as he lightly responded.

"In Lingtian Pass, where cultivators swarm like clouds and rains, how could friend know every single one?"

"I may lack sharp eyes, but spotting a Golden Core Ascendant Master is hardly common for me to miss."

"Haha, I've only just broken through to Golden Core, so it's no surprise friend doesn't know me."

"Indeed? What might friend seek to purchase? Aids to steady your Golden Core? Our store has plenty."

To the shopkeeper's surprise, Luo Chen shifted to Divine Consciousness transmission.

"Got any Soul Essence?"

The elder's expression stiffened briefly, then he replied with mixed feelings, "Such an item is outright forbidden; we carry none."

"Is that true?" Luo Chen eyed him with a subtle grin, his gaze drifting upward slowly.

This gesture drained the color from the old man's face, as a hefty stash of gathered Soul Essence indeed hid in an upper chamber.

"You!"

Luo Chen gestured dismissively. "Stay calm, I'm average at most things, save for my robust Divine Consciousness. Word is Soul Essence boosts Divine Soul Endowment immensely, so I figured I'd grab some to push my limits further."

"Really?" The elder eyed Luo Chen with wary doubt, probing closely.

Yet Luo Chen's masking arts hid his real level; the man sensed only standard mana, that of an unremarkable Early Golden Core Cultivator.

After a pause, he ventured, "Soul Essence holds clear worth to many, with powerhouses buying it on the sly. But few grasp its proper application, leaving it without a fixed price."