Immortality begin with Alchemy Grandmaster Chapter 2588 - 952: Unlucky Jiuling Yuanjun, Extreme Luo Chen (2)

Shock compelled him to cry out in astonishment, "The Tianyuan Daoist Sect attacking on all fronts, dispersing their forces—this is indeed a fatal flaw in military strategy!"

Yet the Purple Robe Marquis saw things differently, expressing his awe as he remarked, "Isn’t this an audacious move that overwhelms the world? Besides, they have the strength and have encountered the rarest opportunity of a millennium!"

Luo Chen parted his lips, but in the end, he held back any further words.

After all, the Purple Robe Marquis's words rang true as well.

With Yuan Mo and Mingyuan toppled, the North Sea and Eastern Wasteland lacked any guiding figures, while the Hanging Temple and Gate of Life and Death sealed themselves off one after another, leaving the West Desert and South Border without direction.

In this kind of situation, should the Tianyuan Daoist Sect grasp the chance, even a couple of lost skirmishes wouldn't matter—the total rewards would surpass all expectations.

The key factor remains: the action has already been taken!

Luo Chen shook his head, shifting his attention away from the broader world events, and started delving into matters that concerned him personally.

"The Demon Heart Gu Emperor vanished centuries ago, never resurfacing. Rumors claim he fell victim to the Demon Gu and perished."

"Should he still live, given the Demon Heart Gu's heaven-defying boost to cultivation speed, centuries later the Demon Heart Gu Emperor would surely have reached Late Stage Nascent Soul, placing him firmly among the Great Cultivators."

"A figure of such might, pressing on with his cultivation, would require a High Order Spirit Vein to support it."

"Over thousands of years, every High Order Spirit Vein in the South Border has been charted and claimed by owners. Thus, if the Demon Heart Gu Emperor endures in this world, he must hold one of those Spirit Veins."

"Furthermore, excluding the concealed powers of the Gate of Life and Death, the Great Cultivators of the South Border who control High Order Spirit Veins include True Master Songyang, Granny Hong Ye, Burial Elder, Luo Sect Taishang, Xuanji Fairy..."

Master Li Tian's approach to tracking the Demon Heart Gu Emperor for Luo Chen proved straightforward.

It relied on simple elimination!

Just as ordinary people require food and water for survival, Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators demand a High Order Spirit Vein suited to their level to support their quest for God Transformation in the Dao.

The High Order Spirit Veins in the South Border remain scarce; those who claim them become dominant forces in their domains.

To avoid stalling his progress, the Demon Heart Gu Emperor would have no choice but to integrate among them.

This sharply reduces the pool of potential suspects.

And so, Luo Chen gained his initial clear insight into the assembly of South Border Great Cultivators.

"They rival the height of power seen in the Eastern Wasteland's major Sects!"

In truth, they didn't merely match—they far outshone those times.

During its zenith, the Eastern Wasteland boasted five prominent Great Cultivators: the East Sun Sect Supreme, Tiandu Sect Tian Douzi, Tianji Zen Sect Monk Hui Ping, Hehuan Sect Old Ancestor, and Five Elements Divine Sect’s True Master Shenyuan.

By contrast, the South Border now hosts eight Great Cultivators!

Even the Evil Mountain Zombie Alliance alone unites four of them.

This highlights how the South Border's use of Gu insects to aid Cultivation truly yields remarkable results.

However, a troubling issue persists: over the past two or three hundred years, no fresh Post-Nascent Cultivators have arisen.

Unlike the North Sea birthing the Moon Independent Cultivator or the Eastern Wasteland welcoming Jiuling Yuanjun as rising Great Cultivators.

"It's no surprise that South Border cultivators face such upheavals in the world."

Luo Chen offered them this justification before turning to the details from Master Li Tian's report, scrutinizing the seven or eight figures to determine which could be the Demon Heart Gu Emperor.

He first ruled out Granny Hong Ye and Xuanji Fairy.

For the tales describe the Demon Heart Gu Emperor as a male cultivator.

From the six left, True Master Songyang fell away too, since the Songshan Sect's lineage stayed unbroken, and he rose to fame early in life, ruling out any disguise.

"The five that remain..."

Luo Chen's eyes narrowed just a touch.

He had to admit that Master Ming Lei's doubts upon departure held real weight.

Burial Elder stood out as suspicious, given Burial Valley's scant ties to the outer world and the Burial Elder's enigmatic, peculiar conduct.

Luo Sect Taishang also fell under suspicion. Since the turmoil in Luo Sect, Luo Sect Taishang had secluded himself completely, leaving no sign of his presence.

Word has it he suffered wounds?

But what wounds demand centuries to mend?

Even for crucial events like the South Border cultivators' united assault on the Gate of Life and Death, he displayed zero involvement, staying absent entirely.

From nearby, the Purple Robe Marquis's confused tone emerged.

"On that note, why does Friend Qi pursue the Demon Heart Gu Emperor with such zeal?"

Luo Chen responded without hesitation, "Just to explore an alternative route."

The Purple Robe Marquis failed to grasp it.

Luo Chen gestured toward his frame, "I've achieved notable success in Body Refinement, yet that path has waned long ago, with an unclear future ahead. Plus, Body Refiners endure far shorter lives than Nascent Soul True Masters; to avoid dying with regrets, I need a method to restart my Cultivation."

The Purple Robe Marquis paused before inquiring, "Are you thinking of employing the Demon Heart Gu to shift to Qi Refinement?"

"Exactly!" Luo Chen affirmed steadily, "The Demon Heart Gu's cultivation acceleration follows the proper Spirit Refinement Qi Transformation method. My immense Essence Qi stands unmatched and unbreakable. With a superior Demon Heart Gu's help, it could convert that vast Essence Qi, striking toward the Nascent Soul Realm and extending my lifespan by centuries."

"This, this..." The Purple Robe Marquis hadn't anticipated this revelation. It made sense, yet it stunned him.

After excelling in Body Refinement, who would choose such a radical switch to a new path?

Though certain Nascent Soul True Masters toy with Body Refinement arts, they merely supplement their practice, avoiding full overhauls.

By the same logic, Friend Qi's bold scheme to risk everything for renewal inspired both shock and respect.

"That's truly bold!"

The Purple Robe Marquis let out a sigh, then cautioned, "Having secured the ’Hundred Poison Body Refining Technique’, your road isn't without hope. The Demon Heart Gu tempts with ease but often erodes the mind; I suggest holding onto your current Dao Cultivation unless driven to desperation."

Luo Chen inclined his head, "Friend Qi gets it."

...

"Did he phrase it that way?"

"Yes, and his face showed no sign of pretense."

"Who could've guessed that the seemingly invincible Friend Qi planned so meticulously?"

In a stifling Gu Refining Chamber, Master Li Tian averted his gaze from a tiny pavilion ahead.

The Purple Robe Marquis eyed the recognizable pavilion as he commented, "Fearing death comes naturally, but braving the discard of one's old way for a drastic change deserves praise."

Master Li Tian laughed lightly, "I'd prefer that moment never arrives. For venturing into the Yin Yang Residual Realm, we'll depend on Friend Qi’s Horizontal Refining Skills."

With those words, he signaled backward.

At once, a few beams of light shot forth from within the pavilion.

"Deliver this to him. I suspect his frustrations with the sluggish advance in the ’Hundred Poison Body Refining Technique’ pushed him toward such radical ideas."

"What's all this?" The Purple Robe Marquis gazed at the contained Gu insects with interest.

Master Li Tian clarified, "These represent the three Fourth-Tier Poison Gu I've treasured. Should Friend Qi merge and nourish them into the Hundred Poison King Gu, it could ascend to the fourth tier, allowing the Body Refinement path to advance further."

"How generous of you!" The Purple Robe Marquis felt a twinge of jealousy as he took hold of the three Gu insects.

Master Li Tian breathed out, "With vital tasks looming, the Yin Yang Residual Realm holds not just the Gu Formula I seek but also the key to breaching the Gate of Life and Death; I can't afford carelessness."

The Purple Robe Marquis agreed with a nod, "Should Friend Qi supply matching resources?"

"He knows what's required—just confirm it's roughly appropriate, and you can receive it for me!"

The Purple Robe Marquis followed up, "As for the Blood Transformation Gu I need, what's the status?"

Master Li Tian appeared prepared, replying in order, "Using the materials you supplied and the Blood Sea Lineage Cultivation from the North Sea Primordial Demon Sect, I've drafted an initial Gu Formula. Inside the Yin Yang Residual Realm, I can craft the Blood Transformation Gu for you."

Relief washed over the Purple Robe Marquis at once.

Armed with the Blood Transformation Gu, he might replicate the Yuan Mo Sect’s Xue Hai Lineage power and forge his own Blood God Children.

Beyond that, this approach could let him sidestep heavenly shifts and steadily reach Late Stage Nascent Soul.

As he departed, his eyes drifted back to the small pavilion where Master Li Tian labored.

Thoughts swirled in his mind.

"Why does it resemble the Wind-Ripple Pavilion at Mi Realm Mountain's gateway so closely?"