Immortality begins with Becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster

The Lancang River flows from east to west, rolling and mighty in its grandeur.

Along the way, small rivers and creeks flow into it, and tributaries branch off, plunging into valleys and pits.

Water Horse Beach is such a tributary of the Lancang River.

Due to its flat terrain and lush meadows, the Li Family, a local Foundation Establishment Family who mainly breed Dragon Horses, uses it as their primary grazing field.

Although not explicitly restricted, most of the Rogue Cultivators in the Great River District know this is the Li family’s territory.

Today, Water Horse Beach is dyed red with fresh blood.

Unidentifiable bodies ebb and flow upon the shallow beach.

Surrounding this scene, several cultivators wearing mage robes are excitedly collecting the spoils of battle.

“Damn, they are so rich!”

“Yeah, the Mi family has been around for less than a hundred years, but their family cultivators are richer than our Li family, which has a history of three hundred years.■

“Just a Seventh Level Qi Refinement cultivator, yet he has a storage bag. This shows how much wealth Mi Shuhua has accumulated by relying on the Broken Mountain Gang.”

“But after this battle, the Broken Mountain Gang will become the seventh Rogue Cultivator Gang in the history of the Great River District to be wiped out.”

“Ha ha, rumors say that our Li family will be the new owners of the Broken Mountain Gang’s Beast Hall.”

“Shush, where did you hear this news from, don’t spread it around!”

“Yeah, I got it. But where is Brother Li Ao, why don’t I see him?”

“One of them escaped, and Li Ao probably felt humiliated and personally went after him.”

The afterglow gradually fades, and dusk descends.

Inside the dense forest, no light can be seen.

A figure is stumbling and directionless, continuously moving forward.

“Run!”

“I must survive!”

“My father is still waiting for me, so is Jun Ping!”

Sikong Yuanhong is dreary, with countless minor and major wounds on his body and his clothes saturated with blood.

Wherever he passed, the glaring array of chaotic traces and the pungent smell of blood unerringly indicate his path.

However, his pursuer stops at the edge of the dense forest.

“Absolute Cloud Mountain!”

“It would be unwise for me to pursue him.”

At the top of a tree several feet high, a youthful man clad in fine clothes appears unstained by dust. It’s Li Ao, undulating in excitement.

Li Ao suddenly remembers an old admonition; among the areas strictly prohibited for entry until the beast tide in the Ancient Plains Mountain Range disperses was the Absolute Cloud Mountain.

“You could escape anywhere, but chose specifically to run to Absolute Cloud Mountain.”

“On top of the many demon beasts, there is also the Second Order Demon Beast, the Bloodthirsty Crocodile that dwells here.”

“Oh well, in your current miserable state, death is inevitable anyway. I guess it’s time for me to take my leave.”

Li Ao laughs coldly, and without any further hesitation, turns around and leaves.

His mission has been accomplished, and the Li family’s mission is also almost complete.

After this battle, the backbone of the Mi family has been completely decimated.

It could be said that this emerging Foundation Establishment Family, the Mi family, had its backbone broken.

Even if Mi Shuhua was more capable, the Mi family would not be able to recover within a hundred years.

If the plan goes further and the Broken Mountain Gang is divided up, then Mi Shuhua will be left completely alone.

With his departure, there was no more movement outside the dense forest.

After a long while, low growls and high roars, full of beastly instinct, were heard from inside the Absolute Cloud Mountain.

“The entire army wiped out!”

“How is this possible!”

Mi Junping is seated in shock on her chair, panicking.

Mi Zifan, who was standing by her side, has a look of fear as well, for it would have been him making the journey to Crescent Valley for the reinforcement if she didn’t volunteer.

“Grandfather…”

“What do you want to say?”

Mi Shuhua’s look of indifference almost made Mi Zifan feel the urge to vomit blood.

That was the pressure unintentionally released by his spirit consciousness.

Mi Zifan quickly bows his head, but even from that swift glimpse, he can tell that his grandfather seems to have aged by several decades.

“Has Qin Liangchen left the city?”

After hearing the inquiry, Mi Zifan, still with his head down, respectfully answers, “Yes, as soon as I told him that the Crescent Valley was under attack, he immediately set off without any delay.”

“But still, it’s not enough!”

Mi Zifan shudders all over, he can feel the gaze that lands on him.

Thud!

Mi Zifan kneels on the floor, “Grandfather, we have lost too many clansmen for Crescent Valley and for a Luo Chen, it’s just not worth it!”

Useless!

Mi Shuhua takes a deep breath and looks away from the disappointing third-generation prodigy.

He couldn’t possibly take up the mantel, could he?

At present, in the Great Lake Gang and Lianyun Business Union, none of the Foundation Establishment cultivators have made their move yet.

Everyone is still maintaining a tacit understanding, letting the lower ranked cultivators fight amongst themselves as before.

If he were to make a move, things will change.

The Great Lake Gang was not formidable, but the power of the Lianyun Business Union was too much for him to bear.

“Ping ‘Er, what’s the situation with the other halls now?”

Mi Junping raised her confused head and replied absentmindedly, “The headquarters have now retreated into the array, only able to defend itself.”

“The Battle Hall where Yang Wei was has perished, and Yang Wei himself was already severely injured. I’m afraid he could not have escaped.”

“We have not heard any news from Zeng Wen’s side.”

“Qju Wu has fled. The Battle Hall surrendered directly and was taken over by the Great Lake Gang.”

“We have no news from the Beast Hall.”

“We have no news from the Mining Hall either.”

“The Jiao Hall… I heard the Lancang Wharf was almost destroyed. Wang Yuan and Broken Blade Xu Renke…Yes, Xu Renke!”

Mi Junping seemed to remember something, and hurriedly cursed, “Xu Renke didn’t die. He intentionally lost to Gao Tingyuan in the beginning. This guy who eats inside and erodes out. We need to capture him at some point and severely discipline him.”

“I am asking you. How is Wang Yuan doing?”

Mi Shuhua said word for word, with a chilling tone, as if it had come from the underworld itself.

Mi Junping trembled, and quickly said, “According to the secret message, Wang Yuan decapitated two Ninth Level Qi Refinement cultivators, then perished together with Xu Renke in the Lancang River. Their bodies are now lost.”

After hearing all these messages, Mi Shuhua felt a chill run through his body.

The formerly mighty Broken Mountain Gang, how has it suddenly become so helpless?

He had clearly groomed many talents, each capable of standing on their own.

He took out the Sound Transmission Jade Pendant and noticed its spirit light flickering rapidly, indicating great urgency.

“The Great Lake Gang has launched an attack, bombarding the Guarding Earth Array with the Five Elements Technique.”

“The Great Lake Gang has launched a second attack. The Guarding Earth Array is in imminent danger.”

“The Spirit Stones reserves can only support seven attacks. We request the gang leader’s rescue!”

“A Ninth Level Qi Refinement Cultivator has made a move. It’s Dan Xiu and Fu Zhang. To report to the gang leader, the Fu Family has also joined the battle.”

Each message felt like a death knell.

Mi Shuhua clutched the Sound Transmission Jade Pendant tightly, before slowly rising to his feet.

He let out a heavy sigh.

“It appears that I must make a move.”

He took step by step towards the outside of the Mi Family’s land. Behind him, both Mi Junping and Mi Zifan quickly stood up, hope re-emerging in their eyes.

As long as their father (grandfather) takes action, there’s nothing in The Great River District that can’t be settled!

It’s always been like this for all these years.

In the sky, a burst of Glint broke through the dark clouds, soaring across the sky at extreme speed towards the direction of Crescent Valley.

Mi Shuhua was continuously plotting in his mind.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator had made a move to take part in the Qi Refinement disputes, which was considered a violation of The Great River District’s taboo.

But Luo Chen absolutely must not be lost!

His Pill Refinement Technique was of great use to him!

This was not merely about Spirit Stones; it was also about future cultivation resources, expanding connections, and even his path to the Golden Core.

Well, so be it!

If they violate the taboo, let it be violated!

First, secure Luo Chen, then invite Miao Wen from Yu Ding Sword Sect to mediate in this matter.

Suddenly!

Mi Shuhua abruptly stopped in mid-air.

His chubby round face trembled intensely.

His expression changed constantly, pupils contracting drastically.

“Something’s not right!”

“They are surrounding but not attacking, inducing but not initiating, making a multi-pronged attack while leaving only one place, Crescent Valley, uninvolved. Clearly, it’s a strategy of encircling the spot to fight reinforcements.”

“Their target is not Luo Chen, not the Broken Mountain Gang, but me!”

“This massacre was specifically aimed at me!”

Without hesitation, he changed direction and flew towards the completely opposite direction.

Not only so, he also took out two more Jade Jue and infused them with his Spirit Consciousness.

With wind sweeping away the clouds, a purple-golden wheel enveloped around Mi Shuhua, disappearing into thin air like a lightning bolt.

He cast thoughts about Luo Chen and Broken Mountain Gang far behind.

Soon, he was back at the Mi Family Land again.

Under the night sky, the remaining members of the Mi Family had already lit their candles.

Under the dazzling lights, Mi Shuhua couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

As long as he was within the clan’s land, relying on the second order array he had set up in his early years and with the help of his magic items, no matter how many Foundation Establishment Cultivators arrived, he wouldn’t fear even one.

“The three families, Fu, Li, and Chen, have all participated in the besiege of the Broken Mountain Gang. Then certainly the Duan and Nangong families wouldn’t be left out.”

“Let them have their moment of success!”

After I recover from my injuries, what is mine must still be mine!”

As his heart relaxed, Mi Shuhua muttered to himself as he was about to step foot into the Mi Family’s Land.

However, in the next moment, he felt his spiritual awareness jump and his heart shook drastically.

Without thinking, he forcefully shifted hundreds of meters horizontally.

In his original spot, a sword tip slowly materialized from the void.

A blood-red color was present on the tip of the sword.

A sigh sounded out from the brilliant lamplight.

“My old friend, I am sorry..”