Chapter 1420 : The Alchemist's Unspoken Ambition

"Indeed."

Violet Flame Immortal Maiden [a title for a powerful female immortal] sighed softly, her voice tinged with deep understanding.

By a stroke of Opportunity and Fortune [a fortunate chance or twist of fate], she had obtained this Alchemy Manual [a tome containing profound knowledge of pill refinement]. With its many unique Elixir Formula [recipes for crafting spiritual pills], she had earned a substantial income.

Yet, over the years, the vast majority of Immortal Pill [pills imbued with immortal energy] she refined were of the Seventh Rank or Eighth Rank Low-Grade [a classification for the potency of pills and cultivation realms]. She had even refined very few pills of the Eighth Rank Mid-Grade [a higher classification within the Eighth Rank].

Most of the Earth Immortal Patriarch [a patriarch who has attained the Earth Immortal realm] who sought her services only requested her to refine mid or low-grade Eighth Rank pills.

For truly Eighth Rank High-Grade [the pinnacle grade within the Eighth Rank] and above Immortal Pill, most would seek out those Quasi-Ninth Rank Alchemist [alchemists on the very cusp of the Ninth Rank].

Even if someone obtained the Heaven Trigram Pure Energy [a pure, heavenly energy associated with the trigram formation] and the Netherworld Turbid Energy [a turbid, underworld energy], they would go directly to a Grotto-Heaven [a blessed, secluded realm of profound spiritual energy] to request a Celestial Immortal Great Power [a mighty being of the Celestial Immortal realm] to refine the Pill of Polarity Enlightenment [a legendary pill that harmonizes opposing forces to grant enlightenment]. They would never think to ask her.

Although her alchemical skill had reached a level where she could attempt to break into the realm of a Quasi-Ninth Rank Alchemist, who would take such a risk and entrust her with an incomparably precious Eighth Rank Supreme Grade Rare Treasure [a supreme-grade treasure of the Eighth Rank, exceedingly rare]?

Furthermore, entrusting the materials to a Ninth Rank Alchemist [a master alchemist of the highest rank] not only carried less risk but also promised a higher success rate. Why would anyone choose otherwise?

Even if it meant paying exorbitant fees to the Ninth Rank Alchemist, one would at least be guaranteed a single Precious Pill [a pill of immense value and power]. In the end, it was simply the safer path.

Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before countering, "Among the Elixir Formula [a manual detailing recipes for spiritual pills], the materials required for the most precious Precious Pill [a category of exceptionally rare and potent cultivation pills] are likely impossible to gather in full. You must add something more to sweeten the deal."

The Violet Flame Immortal Maiden [a title for a powerful female immortal] offered a faint, wry smile, unable to suppress a sigh of resignation. "While that may be true," she conceded, "this Alchemy Manual [a tome containing profound knowledge of pill refinement] is, after all, a legacy of extraordinary heritage."

"Even if you cannot gather all the Spirit Herb [plants imbued with spiritual energy, used in alchemy] required by the Elixir Formula, possessing it will still vastly elevate your alchemical arts."

Pausing thoughtfully, she made her final offer. "How about this? For your use of the Fire Vein [a geographical formation rich in fire-attribute spiritual energy, ideal for forging and alchemy] this time, I will waive the rental fee. What do you say?"

"Very well."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod of agreement, seeing no need for further discussion.

Having traded the Dragon Pearl [a precious orb containing the condensed essence of a dragon] for this scroll of Elixir Formula, Eldrin Chen wasted no time. He proceeded directly to the Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared room for undisturbed cultivation or crafting].

This time, for the task of crafting treasures, he did not bring Exquisite Jiang, choosing instead to come alone.

The fundamental reason was that as one's cultivation base ascends, advancing in the higher-tier arts of the Immortal Path [the collective skills and crafts practiced by cultivators, such as alchemy and artifact forging] becomes exponentially more arduous.

Upon reaching the Eighth Rank Realm [a high stage of cultivation mastery], progressing further in arts like pill refinement and artifact forging demands not only supreme talent but also vast stretches of time.

Furthermore, materials suitable for crafting and alchemy beyond the Eighth Rank are far too precious. Any single piece, a World-Opening Marvel [a rare treasure born from the chaos of world creation], is worth at least one hundred thousand Immortal Source [a high-grade energy crystal used by immortals]. To use such materials merely for practice would be an immense waste.

Within the Immortal Domain [the realm where true immortals reside], many Earth Immortal Patriarch [a patriarch who has attained the Earth Immortal realm] spend millions, even tens of millions of years specializing in just one of the Hundred Crafts of Cultivation [the myriad auxiliary arts that support the path of cultivation, such as alchemy, forging, and formation-crafting], yet still may fail to elevate their skill to the Eighth Rank Middle Stage [the mid-level of the Eighth Rank in a cultivation art].

Although Exquisite Jiang's talent is indeed Extraordinary, to advance the Hundred Crafts of Cultivation to such a lofty level within a mere hundred thousand years remains an exceedingly arduous task.

Moreover, even the most skilled artisan cannot work without materials. The true challenge lies in nurturing higher-tier skills with limited resources.

Currently, within the Chen Immortal Clan, the several Earth Immortal Patriarch have divided responsibilities among the Hundred Crafts of Cultivation.

Among them, Eldrin Chen possesses the greatest talent and has taken primary responsibility for alchemy and artifact forging. He has taken the majority of materials suitable for crafting from the bodies of the several Demon Ancestor [a progenitor-level demonic beast] Earth Immortal [a cultivator who has attained the Earth Immortal realm].

Furthermore, the arts of artifact crafting and formation setting are inseparable. Eldrin Chen is not only the clan's foremost artifact forger but also its most skilled Formation [the art of creating magical arrays and barriers] master.

Exquisite Jiang, meanwhile, took the hides from the Earth Immortal Patriarch, which could be tanned into over one hundred sheets of eighth-rank talisman paper. She intends to specialize in the art of talisman inscription.

Verdant Consort has taken charge of researching the Spirit Plant Cultivation Art [the art of cultivating spiritually potent plants], attempting to nurture the clan's various Spiritual Root [a plant with profound spiritual properties, often the foundation of a sect or clan] and Spirit Herb [herbs imbued with spiritual energy, used in alchemy and cultivation].

Nyssa Qu is responsible for rearing the various Spirit Shell [spiritually attuned shellfish or mollusks], Spirit Beast [beasts that have absorbed spiritual energy and gained supernatural traits], and Spirit Fish [fish imbued with spiritual energy]. Her aura is gentle and serene, and she possesses a natural affinity for communicating with these less intelligent Spiritual Object [objects or beings infused with spiritual essence], making her the most suitable candidate for this duty.

Violet Consort Yan and Lila also specialized in their respective crafts, each selecting one of the Hundred Crafts of Cultivation to master.

Among them, Violet Consort Yan had already delved into the Immortal Garment Weaving Art. This art allowed one to weave Immortal Garment Nyssa [unique, ethereal robes for female immortals], which not only possessed defensive power comparable to Immortal Treasure and Wonder of the same rank, but were also breathtakingly beautiful, capable of showcasing a peerless, transcendent elegance.

Within the Immortal Domain, female immortals all cherished unique Immortal Garment Nyssa.

Countless female immortals, in their desire to obtain a one-of-a-kind Immortal Garment Nyssa, were willing to place orders and pay exorbitant sums hundreds of thousands of years in advance.

Lila, meanwhile, cultivated the Frost Soul Sword Tempering Art. This art utilized the power of the Extreme Cold Frost Soul Rule [a profound law governing ultimate cold and frost] to purge all impurities from Immortal Sword magical treasure [enchanted artifacts], thereby enhancing the potency of the Immortal Treasure.

Of course, as Earth Immortal Patriarch [powerful cultivators who have attained the Earth Immortal realm], they had also dabbled in other disciplines among the Hundred Crafts of Cultivation, beyond their primary specializations.

Take Eldrin Chen, for instance. He possessed exceptionally high attainments in Alchemy, Formations, Artifacts, Talismans. Beyond these, he also had considerable skill in arts such as Celestial Mechanism Divination Art, Beast Taming, spiritual plant cultivation, and other Hundred Crafts of Cultivation.

Although these secondary skills could not compare to his mastery of alchemy and artifact forging, they still reached at least the Seventh Rank level. The lifelong dedication of an ordinary Immortal to a single craft might not even surpass their proficiency in these auxiliary arts.

After all, having reached their exalted realm, looking back to comprehend lower-tier Hundred Crafts of Cultivation was akin to viewing a city from a high tower—everything lay clearly within sight.

With even a modicum of talent, mastery would follow as naturally as water flowing downhill.

Returning to the main narrative, Eldrin Chen entered the Artifact Forging Chamber. After briefly inspecting the power within the Fire Vein, he gave a slight, satisfied nod.

The Fire Elemental Power contained within this Fire Vein was potent enough to rival the True Flame [a pure, high-temperature flame cultivated by powerful beings] of an Earth Immortal Great Perfection cultivator. It was more than sufficient for forging a High-Grade World-Opening Treasure.

In truth, Eldrin Chen's own Primordial One Primordial Solar Heavenly Flame [a supreme flame born from the essence of the primordial sun] possessed enough power to refine such a treasure. However, his own spiritual energy reserves were still somewhat limited, and working with high-grade materials was an immensely draining process.

Coupled with the fact that his artifact forging skills were not yet at their peak, he had come here specifically to utilize the Blessed Land Fire Vein [a natural vein of fire energy within a blessed land], thereby increasing his chances of successfully crafting the treasure.

Now that he had access to the Fire Vein, Eldrin Chen wasted no further time.

He first retrieved the materials harvested from three Early-stage Earth Immortal Demon Race [a race of powerful, often bestial, spiritual beings] experts. Among them were the remains of two True Dragon [a supreme type of dragon, often considered the pinnacle of draconic beings] and one Celestial Crocodile.

From the bones of these three Early-stage Earth Immortal Demon Beasts, the usable materials from the Celestial Crocodile Clan member were its flesh, hide, and bones.

The hide had been given to Exquisite Jiang, so what Eldrin Chen had kept for himself were the bones and the flesh.

Eldrin Chen refined the essence of the flesh into a single cauldron of 'Four Revolutions Immortal Pill' [a high-grade elixir refined through four cycles of transformation], and set the bones aside separately.

The two True Dragon were different. Every part of a Dragon Clan member was a treasure. Their Dragon Blood, Dragon Flesh, liver, and Dragon Heart were all rare ingredients for alchemy. Their Dragon Scale, Dragon Horn [a horn from a dragon, imbued with potent spiritual power], eyes, Dragon Sinew [the incredibly strong tendons of a dragon], and Dragon Bone [the bones of a dragon, prized for their durability and spiritual conductivity] were all top-tier materials for artifact forging.

Eldrin Chen reserved the Dragon Blood [the vital essence of a dragon] for cultivating the Dragon Blood Fruit [a rare spiritual fruit nurtured by dragon's blood]. The Dragon Flesh [the meat of a dragon] was, as per custom, refined into Flesh and Blood Precious Pill [a potent elixir that strengthens the body and refines the blood]. The dragon liver was carefully stored away for use in future immortal feasts, while the Dragon Heart [the core organ of a dragon] was refined into two batches of eighth-rank Dragon Transformation Immortal Pill [an immortal-grade pill that purifies and enhances draconic bloodlines].

The Dragon Transformation Immortal Pill possesses the power to purify the bloodline within members of the Demon Race [a broad category of beings, often with bestial traits and potent innate abilities]. For those of the Dragon-Type Demon Race [demonic beings with draconic ancestry], it is a supreme treasure. Eldrin Chen estimated that if placed in an auction, there would be no shortage of individuals willing to purchase them.

The Dragon Scale [the tough, protective plates from a dragon's hide] and Dragon Sinew [the incredibly strong tendons of a dragon] were combined by Eldrin Chen with numerous Immortal Metal Divine Objects [divine-grade ores imbued with immortal energy] to forge two sets of World-Opening Heavenly God Armor [a legendary type of divine armor]. The Dragon Horn [the horn of a dragon, a potent spiritual material] and the dragon eyes were likewise refined by him into two Ancient True Dragon Sword [swords forged with the essence of primordial true dragons].