Chapter Sixty-One: The Alchemist

That golden divine fire streaked across the sky, illuminating the southwestern heavens by several degrees. Countless clouds transformed into the color of searing embers, blazing and brilliant. Amidst this spectacular scene, innumerable celestial demons howled in despair, their cries shaking the sky. The slightest touch of the fire upon their scales or pelts was enough to set their forms ablaze, reducing them to ashes in an instant.

From afar, one could see the massed black clouds breaking apart, while the golden radiance pressed forward with irresistible might, sweeping across the heavens as if to cleanse them entirely.

“Is this the means of a Master of the Profound Refinement?” Chen Heng watched the divine light streaking like a meteor, secretly awed. “If even just the Profound Refinement level can unleash such power, then what of those who have already refined their true qi into magical force—those Realized Ones of the Golden Core and Nascent Soul? Their clashes must surely alter the very heavens and earth, turning rivers aside and changing the colors of the sky…”

The very first stage of Foundation Establishment is the Manifestation of True Qi. This realm requires the ninth level of breath cultivation to be fully accomplished, with enough innate breath transformed into true qi before one can attain it. If Foundation Establishment is the transformation of innate breath into true qi, then the Golden Core stage is the transformation of true qi into magical force. Thus, the phrase “boundless magical force” is used to praise the immeasurable powers of the Golden Core Realized Ones. In some ancient texts, they are even called “Great Magi” or “Grand Masters of Magic.”

As for the Profound Refinement, it is the final stage of refining true qi into magical force. The title “Refiner” has been handed down since ancient times for this very reason.

It was Chen Heng’s first time witnessing a cultivator of this realm in action. The eruption of golden fire divine light was like a succession of dazzling blooms exploding across the sky, the roaring and crackling echoing for miles. Even though Chen Heng was some distance away, the surging heat made the air around him ripple and waver as though upon water.

While Chen Heng gazed at the golden fire, Wei Lingjiang at his side furrowed her brow slightly. “This technique… it resembles the True Flame of Sima’s Bonebreaking, but its power surpasses it by far. Did someone alter it?”

“The True Flame of Sima’s Bonebreaking?” Chen Heng glanced at her. Wei Lingjiang turned her face away with an expressionless look, clearly unwilling to speak to him.

“Sister, why are you so cold to me?” Chen Heng shook his head and sighed. “After all we’ve been through together, isn’t this hurting our bond?”

As the Profound Refinement Master drew near, even the fiercest and most ravenous celestial demons scattered in all directions, too terrified to remain. The mighty demon whose strength surpassed even Chen Heng’s was the first to react; as the divine fire seared the heavens and incinerated countless demons, it desperately tore open the void and slipped away.

Celestial demons are, after all, aberrant beings from beyond the world, locusts of the great way, born to wander the vastness of the void. Though they cannot match the Profound Refinement Master’s might, whether they can escape with their lives is another matter entirely.

In the blink of an eye, the space around them was empty.

Wei Lingjiang remained unmoved by Chen Heng’s question, not sparing him a glance. It was the green-robed girl who skipped over, indignantly interjecting, “You clearly took a technique from my lady for nothing! Yet you still ask such questions, acting so shamelessly! How mortifying!”

“You are mistaken, child,” Chen Heng replied with a smile. “How can you blame me? Shouldn’t we be grateful that the Profound Refinement Master arrived in time to save us from disaster?”

In truth, had the master not come, things might indeed have become dire. The mighty demon truly lived up to its name; its strength exceeded even Chen Heng’s. Even after he drew his Purple-Gold Demon-Breaking Hammer, he had been knocked flying with a single punch, unable to resist at all.

Since cultivating the Supreme Jade Body, it was the first time Chen Heng had encountered someone who could outmatch him in raw strength. Without the Concealing Technique to mask his presence, he might have been forced into a desperate fight for survival.

Though the demon’s strength was remarkable, it was only strength; in terms of bodily resilience, Chen Heng’s Supreme Jade Body still held a slight advantage. Nonetheless, such a battle would have been arduous, and with his vital breath nearly exhausted, Chen Heng was not at all certain he could outlast the demon and escape the tide of its kin.

“…And if that Profound Refinement Master hadn’t arrived?” the green-robed girl challenged. “Would you really not have just run away alone? I don’t buy it.”

“The oath binds me to do my utmost to help you escape.”

“Do your utmost?” The green-robed girl seized on the phrase, hands on her hips as she shouted, “And if you’d done your utmost and still failed? Would you just abandon us?!”

“Are you unharmed? Did you suffer any injury?” Chen Heng ignored her questions, turning to the boy he had rescued and smiling gently.

“Ahhh!” The green-robed girl was driven to madness by such evasive answers. She stamped her foot in frustration, and seeing that Chen Heng continued to ignore her, she could only retreat behind Wei Lingjiang, sulking as she clung to her mistress’s sleeve.

If her opponent had been someone like Zhou Xingling of White Crane Cave, she would already be cursing like a storm and lashing out with her sharp tongue. But facing Chen Heng, she dared not act so boldly.

Though he wore a gentle, refined expression, there was a ruthless, icy aura beneath the surface, a hidden venom and deadly intent that was anything but kind or harmless. She may have appeared foolish, but after centuries of life—and as a bluebird spirit besides—she was born with an instinct to judge good and evil in others.

Though this spiritual form of hers was but a shell of refined breath, lacking the bluebird’s magical powers, after several encounters she felt she had thoroughly discerned Chen Heng’s temperament. If she made light of him as she did Zhou Xingling, she doubted her spirit would survive the day—no matter how beautiful her mistress might be, Chen Heng would not hesitate to slay them both.

Having finally escaped the confines of her cave, she was not about to throw her life away so easily. At the very least, she intended to enjoy her freedom for as long as she could…

While the green-robed girl stewed in her frustration, Wei Lingjiang could not help but suppress a smile. Her bluebird spirit had always been unruly, and she had somehow picked up all sorts of crude sayings, to the point that even Wei Lingjiang herself could not control her. Their quarrels were frequent enough to leave her dizzy, but such a display of anger she dared not voice was rare indeed.

At that moment, the golden fire divine light suddenly withdrew, and all the crimson celestial phenomena vanished. In its place appeared an elderly man with crane-white hair, his face lined with age, a red talisman hanging at his waist. Without any sign of movement, he arrived at Chen Heng’s side in an instant.

“Greetings, Master Refiner,” Chen Heng and the others said, bowing respectfully.