Immortality begin with Alchemy Grandmaster Chapter 2520 - 926:

The Upper Nether Ruined City has long since lost its former magnificence as the gateway to the Holy Land.

A colossal handprint crashing down from the skies had fractured the enormous Immortal City into seven separate zones.

In the center, a vast crater brimmed with surging lava around the clock, earning the name "Heavenly Fire Basin."

The other six zones, still somewhat preserved, now housed throngs of Rogue Cultivators who dwelled and cultivated within them.

While some mourned the downfall of the Immortal City, the Rogue Cultivators who called it home rejoiced with resounding cheers.

Without the destruction of the Dark Abyss Sect, how could they have stumbled upon such a prime cultivation haven?

Under the guidance of Old Monster Ge, a Golden Core Late Stage Cultivator, several Golden Core experts joined forces to unblock the obstructed Spirit Vein, slowly reviving traces of the city's bygone grandeur in Upper Nether Immortal City.

These powerful cultivators settled in isolation, each claiming their own territory.

On this particular day.

A flushed-faced cultivator stood silently outside a misty formation array.

Moments later, the mist cleared, and Chu Mo gazed at his guest with astonishment.

"Fellow Daoist Feng, what brings you here to see me today?"

Feng Yinuo let out a booming laugh and dangled the frosty gourd in his grip.

"I've come across a flask of Ice Wine; among folks around here, you're the only one who truly appreciates fine brews like I do, so I couldn't resist sharing it. Plus, you saved me from a fatal foe not long ago, and I've been racking my brain for a proper thank-you. I thought a flask of this wine would be something you couldn't turn down."

Delight lit up Chu Mo's features as he rubbed his palms eagerly. "Is this the Ice Wine from the old Dieyun Sect brew?"

Feng Yinuo grinned with pride. "Spot on! Ever since the Dieyun Sect crumbled, all sorts of sought-after Spirit Wines have vanished from the markets, and this Ice Wine is especially rare. I went to no end of trouble to snag this gourd from the black market."

With that, he gestured toward the interior.

"You aren't going to ask me inside?"

Chu Mo chuckled warmly. "By all means, come on in, come on in!"

Had Feng Yinuo offered any other gift as repayment, Chu Mo might have politely declined, since his aid had been a mere trifle.

Yet for a wine enthusiast like himself, this Ice Wine—hailed as a pseudo-Fourth Order treasure—was simply unparalleled.

Even in the days when his modest clan still thrived, he could savor only a handful of cups annually.

Under those circumstances, there was no reason to hold back!

The pair stepped into the cave dwelling and began quaffing cup after cup of wine.

They conversed freely on all sorts of topics.

"Your Chu Family was once a renowned power in the Tianji Zen Domain; how did it crumble so swiftly?"

"Calamity at the gates spells ruin for the pond's fish!"

"Yet I recall that during the Demon Emperor's assault on the Tiandu Sect, they spared the Tianji Zen Domain."

"Sigh, the real disaster didn't stem from those Demon Emperors, but from the lingering curse of that bald old monk, Hui Ping!"

"Are you referring to the Demon Suppression Tower?"

"Indeed. After Monk Hui Ping perished in the Million Mountains, the Demon Suppression Tower lay abandoned. With time, the seals weakened, allowing the imprisoned heretic devils to burst forth at last. Fellow Daoist Feng, just imagine: sealed away for countless years, how deep must their grudge run? Freed at last, they unleashed a wave of slaughter. Had I not been battling at Lingtian Pass back then, I might have met my end at home as well. It's those poor clansmen of mine that I truly grieve for!"

"Who among us hasn't suffered the same? I once founded a minor sect, ruling it with all the flair and ceremony. Now that sect's doors are shattered, and here I am, a Rogue Cultivator—the very sort I used to scorn."

The Human and Demon War, spanning almost two hundred years, wrought devastation on an epic scale.

It shattered the three millennia of peace across the Eastern Wasteland.

Though a handful of illustrious Nascent Soul Ascendant Sects endured, myriad lesser sects and clans vanished in the blink of an eye.

Are all those Golden Core Period rogue cultivators in Upper Nether Ruined City truly mere wanderers?

Far from it, perhaps!

Consider the mightiest among them, Old Monster Ge; rumors say he was once a prized True Disciple in a Nascent Soul Ascendant Sect, destined for Nascent Soul formation!

Dwelling on those bygone days, the two couldn't suppress a wave of heartfelt sighs.

Chu Mo rapped the table lightly. "Enough of these gloomy recollections; let's raise our cups and drink!"

Feng Yinuo burst into another hearty laugh. "Right you are—today, we'll speak only of joys and the good life, nothing sorrowful. We're free spirits now, unburdened by sectly ties or kin; with this exquisite wine, no need to sip so cautiously anymore!"

The duo shared a booming laugh and dove into their drinks with even greater zeal.

Yet bit by bit, Chu Mo sensed something wasn't right.

"Brother Feng, this Ice Wine packs quite the punch; why am I feeling a chill creeping through my whole body?"

Feng Yinuo noticed the icy tingle too, but he brushed it off. "Doesn't it feel refreshing to chill out? The Upper Nether Ruined City swelters endlessly these days from the Heavenly Fire Basin's heat—maybe this long-aged Ice Wine has gained such a marvelous chill!"

Chu Mo murmured an agreement, finding the explanation sound.

But soon after, he realized the true oddity.

"It's not rising from my gut—it's coming from outside!"

He abruptly extended his Divine Consciousness to probe the surroundings.

Feng Yinuo, momentarily stunned, followed suit.

Before long, they pinpointed the origin of the piercing cold.

Atop a shattered peak, vast streams of Spirit Qi swirled and converged, radiating an alarming frost.

Frost blanketed every path the Spirit Qi took, evoking the bite of midwinter.

Even the blistering heat from the Heavenly Fire Basin yielded momentarily to it.

Witnessing this spectacle, the pair locked eyes and swallowed hard.

"Gathering the Qi of Heaven and Earth, a portent emerges—someone's advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage!"

"Might that be Old Monster Ge's spot?"

"Unlikely. True, Old Monster Ge favors water-attribute cultivation, but a standard Five Elements Spirit Root Cultivator reaching Nascent Soul wouldn't stir up such a bizarre display. Who else could it be?"

Ceasing their guesses, the two departed their cave mansion and sought a distant vantage point to observe.

Admittedly, their response came a tad late.