"Why have the Frost Wolf packs started coming to the outer regions recently?"
"Such bad luck! We managed to hunt down two first-tier demonic beasts but didn't even have time to carve them up and put them in our storage bags."
"Maybe it's that time of the year when the wolves battle for the title of Wolf King over in the Howling Moon Mountains. I heard that hundreds of years ago, many wolf packs fled to the outer regions to avoid the chaos."
"Forget it, let's head back to the market and take a break. It's been exhausting lately."
"Yeah, as long as no one's hurt."
These were a few short sentences, filled with frustration but also the relief of having survived.
A few cultivators walked from the plains toward the center of the market, pausing briefly as they passed Luo Chen's house.
Then a clear, straightforward female voice called out, "Fellow cultivator, things aren't very safe around here lately. If you have the means, you should consider moving closer to the inner city!"
Luo Chen didn't reply. If he had the means, he would have moved already.
Besides, being near the inner city wasn't the same as being in the inner city; how could it be considered truly safe?
Those rogue cultivators lived by the edge of the blade, and incidents of waylaying others in the dark happened far too often.
More than once, he had seen bloodstains and bones on his way into the city.
Although this area was dangerous, in reality, the cultivators from the market set up a beast-repellent zone on the plains every year. Low-tier demonic beasts instinctively stayed away, and even stronger, second-tier beasts didn't dare approach human-populated areas.
Relatively speaking, where he lived now was still fairly safe. Besides, he always presented himself as penniless, scraping by with a few spirit stones each month. Few cultivators bothered to pay him any attention.
"Huiniang, why bother with that young man? Soaking in the creek and playing with clay in broad daylight, he's probably new to Dahe Market! Come on, let's go home."
Perhaps not hearing any reply, the people outside muttered a few more words, then left together.
When Luo Chen heard them leave, he couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.
Compared to demonic beasts, he feared human cultivators more. But that woman, Huiniang, had a point. Times change, and if something really was happening in the Howling Moon Mountains, this southwestern area—being the closest—could indeed be dangerous.
"My mood is steady enough now, not too tense or relaxed. Tomorrow, I'll officially start alchemy! This time, it will definitely succeed!"
***
After a full day and night of rest, both his body and mind were in peak condition.
At dawn, after practicing the Long Spring Art , Luo Chen put on a dusty gray apron and walked to the kitchen window.
A clay figure with a long beard and holding a wooden sword stood there, with phoenix eyes, arched brows, and a bit of red on its cheeks.
"Holy Ruler Deity Guan, please bless me with success!"
In a calm and composed manner, he opened the pot, added water, stoked the fire, and lit it with the Fireball. He simmered the secondary ingredients, then roasted the minerals, added broth, and in sequence, added fallopia , jade yam, fire hound whip, and more.
After simmering for about six hours, he added the final water-based spirit ingredient, conpoy, to balance yin and yang. Throughout, he adjusted the heat, alternating between high and low. He waited another four hours before he opened the pot!
A pot of light red paste wobbled inside. When he poked it with a fresh wooden spoon, it jiggled like jelly.
This feels quite bouncy! But it is still a failure.
According to the alchemical recipe, the final product should be deep red. Only then would the Myriad Wonders pill have maximum potency.
Even though Luo Chen had failed, he wasn't too disheartened. It was clear that this batch was already very close to success. At least it had solidified well and reached a springy texture.
For cultivators, if someone wasn't afraid of medicinal toxicity, eating this whole pot might actually have some effect.
Of course, the side effects would certainly be severe.
So Luo Chen didn't plan to sell it; doing so would likely get him beaten up.
He tasted a tiny bit to confirm the potency difference, reviewed the process in his mind, he nodded, and then dumped the residue across the stream.
That night was the usual—cultivation, then sleep. The next day, he dutifully worshiped Holy Ruler Deity Guan before he started alchemy.
It was another failure!
On the third day, he worshiped Holy Ruler Deity Guan again and resumed alchemy.
Success!
Yes, a success! Luo Chen exclaimed inwardly.
Looking at the large pot of vibrant red jelly, Luo Chen felt a sense of hard-earned triumph, and his eyes couldn't help but moisten.
"Wasted eight sets of ingredients—that's about forty spirit stones lost. And if I subtract the forty fasting concoctions I could have made in those eight days, that's another eight spirit stones. Ugh, I nearly lost everything I had," Luo Chen said to himself as he hurriedly scooped out all the paste, ignoring the heat, and cut it into chunks with a bamboo knife, shaping each piece into a round ball.
This would be complete after a night of drying. He still had one set of ingredients left, so he could try again tomorrow.
The next morning, Luo Chen eagerly went to the kitchen alchemy table. Sure enough, the ten round balls had shrunk to the size of longans. The moisture had evaporated, leaving only the essence behind.
Just one of these could make a man feel invincible!
He cherished them in his hands and carefully placed the small red pills into a jade bottle before he worshiped Holy Ruler Deity Guan once more.
"Holy Ruler Deity Guan, you have a kind heart. Even though I transmigrated, you still watch over me. When I make it big, I'll build you a temple and cast you a golden statue!"
After finishing his worship, Luo Chen donned his apron and clenched his fist tightly.
"As expected, I'm a natural-born alchemy genius!
"I'll definitely become famous someday. I've even thought of a nickname—the Alchemy God of the Eastern Wilderness. Just as impressive as the Saint Alchemist of the Central State!"
After a bit of self-encouragement, Luo Chen got busy once more.