Chapter 64: The Alchemy Path

But just as Li Mu was about to close his eyes, steel his resolve, and was ready to thrust the blade down,

He hesitated again!

Because he wasn't sure whether it would be a mortal wound for himself, and whether it would also be a mortal wound for those powerful cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm?

It's like this.

You can crush an ant with a single step, but can you crush an elephant with the same step?

More crucially,

The Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll, though, can turn events that occurred within a period of time and were detrimental to oneself into if they never happened, and make only the favorable events become reality.

But this transfer of cost itself has a time lag; it cannot be a seamless, instantaneous shift.

If you mess up even a single step during actual operation,

the result will not only fail to kill the opponent, but will first waste your own life.

That would be truly unjust!

Thinking of this, Li Mu silently set aside the revenge blade in his hand.

"Forget it, I don't want these cheesy tricks anymore!"

"Instead of playing these tricks, I'd rather think of a way to boost my own strength as fast as possible!"

Even so, under the blessing of the Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll, Li Mu each time can reap gains of at least tenfold, up to a hundredfold!

At least in terms of cultivation speed!

Not to mention just this modest Ziyang Sect; even across the entire Qian Kun Realm, those who cultivate faster than Li Mu are so few you could count them on one hand!

And the way to maximally increase one's combat power in the shortest time,

to put it bluntly, it's nothing more than those few options.

Refining artifacts, taming beasts, martial techniques, alchemy!

As for refining artifacts,

After the last Thousandfold Heavenly Dao Blessing, it not only granted the revenge blade the special effect 'Break Pot and Sink Ship', a godlike technique!

At the same time, it also endowed the revenge blade with an almost limitless growth potential for future enhancements!

In other words, in the future, as long as I have sufficient enhancement materials and am proficient in refining artifacts,

I could possibly upgrade the revenge blade into a divine artifact like the Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll!

Only…

I currently lack both the materials to enhance the revenge blade and the knowledge of refining artifacts.

So for now, the path of refining artifacts is blocked.

As for taming beasts!

Although I currently have a Crimson Flame Giant Tiger cub in my possession!

But raising the cub to adulthood still requires a long time and effort, which, compared to the urgent crises of Qin Siwu and Lin Zecheng,

hoping the Crimson Flame Giant Tiger becomes a substantial force under me is clearly a distant water that cannot quench immediate thirst.

Returning to martial techniques!

Li Mu, of course, knows the principle that biting off more than you can chew, or hurrying, leads to failure.

Li Mu has just obtained the 'Landmine Dao Technique' from the mysterious Dao robe elder in the Yunshan Secret Realm and is busy grinding levels with it; he has no spare energy to divert to other martial techniques!

At least until he reaches the Forbidden Realm: Nine Bans and breaks through the Concentration Realm, Li Mu does not intend to spend his limited contribution points on this any further.

After eliminating the options of taming beasts, refining artifacts, and martial techniques one by one, only the final option remains.

Alchemy!

At present, alchemy is undoubtedly the most suitable choice for Li Mu!

First, the newly awakened divine skill Samadhi True Fire provides a huge boost to the alchemy path.

Meanwhile, in the Yunshan Secret Realm, I also obtained many spiritual herbs such as Zhu Yun Zi Cao, as well as Heavenly Treasure and various grades of Demon Crystal materials.

One could say, except for lacking an alchemy furnace!

All other external requirements for alchemy, Li Mu has them all ready!

Moreover,

If we speak of the fastest way to increase one's cultivation strength, it has to be alchemy!

Thus, no matter how you look at it, practicing alchemy, being self‑sufficient, is Li Mu's most perfect current choice!

Having made up his mind,

Li Mu used the Communication Token to send a message to the wealthy sister Yao Shijie, asking whether she has any alchemy formulas or related books.

After receiving a definitive affirmative reply from her, Li Mu sprang up like a leaping carp, sitting up straight from the bed.

"Good!"

"Decided so cheerfully!"

"No sleep tonight!"

"Continue pulling an all‑night grind on the Landmine Dao Technique!"

"Aim to reach level 10 soon!"

Only, Li Mu did not know that

while he was lost in the night, cultivating immortally.

At this moment, in a luxurious annex of the Qingzhou Lin Family,

Lin Zecheng's hand clutched the doorframe tightly,

then, with two massive dark circles under his eyes, supporting his waist, his face pale and bewildered, he stepped out of his own room.

"I…"

Why do I feel as if I haven't slept at all?

And also!

When I woke up from that nap, my whole body was sore, limp, and weak.

Could it be that I was exhausted from the whole journey and rushing back to the family?

That shouldn't be the case; I came here by teleportation array!

What on earth is going on?

…

The next morning.

Yao Mengzhen's speed was even faster than Li Mu had initially expected.

Thump, thump, thump…

Li Mu had just finished a whole night of cultivation, changed into a simple dry outfit, and the gate of his courtyard was knocked.

It's here!

Li Mu walked over and pushed the courtyard gate open.

There, standing outside the small courtyard, was a fresh‑faced, fair‑skinned beauty with an egg‑shaped face.

Li Mu tilted his body aside, and Yao Mengzhen, with a small hand tucked behind her back, stepped in with a light, brisk gait.

Just as the door opened.

Yao Mengzhen, as if presenting a treasure, spread the small hand she had been hiding behind her back before Li Mu.

Gathering Spirit Pill!

Got it!

In the girl's pale palm she held a delicate, warm jade bottle, faintly exuding a refreshing fragrance.

It smelled both like medicine and like a maiden's pure scent.

Well done!

With this Gathering Spirit Pill, I'll have a better chance of breaking through the Concentration Realm!

Li Mu took the jade bottle, twirled it in his hand for a moment, then looked at Yao Mengzhen and asked.

Last time, have you prepared all the Dan formulas I asked you to find?

When facing Yao Mengzhen, Li Mu never holds back his praise for the girl!

Since arriving at Outer Peak a month ago, Yao Mengzhen has undoubtedly given me great help in my cultivation.

Especially regarding Dan pills and cultivation resources!

Except when Yao Mengzhen was in seclusion breaking through the Qi Refining Realm Great Perfection, at other times she basically fulfills any request.

However, when I have enough contribution points in the future, I'll just exchange them from the sect!

The freebies are indeed fragrant, but everything requires moderation—no excess.

Otherwise, one day you might end up indulging yourself too much, and that would be bad.

After all…

The most skillful hunters usually appear in the form of prey.

Who the hell knows!

Whether Yao Mengzhen truly intends to give up on the plan for me to become a son‑in‑law of the Yao Family remains unknown.

I'm all ready!

Yao Mengzhen's jade hand slid lightly over my gently clasped, water‑snake‑like waist—

Accompanied by a flash of silver light.

Yao Mengzhen produced a thin little booklet in her hand and handed it to Li Mu, her trailing tone unintentionally rising slightly.

These are some First‑Grade Dan Pill formulas, along with Alchemist's related insights—perfect for a beginner's start.

However, Alchemists are among the most difficult entry‑level professions in the Qian Kun Realm.

Even with our Yao Family's centuries of legacy, Alchemists are still only a handful.

Except for a few disciples with outstanding talent in both Dan forging and fire control, others can't even glimpse the basics.

Speaking of that,

Yao Mengzhen lifted her bright, sparkling peach‑blossom eyes, pressed her cherry lips lightly, tilted her head slightly upward, and said in a tone full of admiration.

But if it's you, Li Mu, I'm sure you can do it!

After all!

Each time you appear, you turn the impossible into possible!

Whether it's Li Mu's instant enlightenment and rapid breakthrough while cultivating Purple Thunder Sword Technique.

Or in the Yunshan Secret Realm.

When I was on the brink of death, at the most perilous moment, Li Mu bathed in thunder and stepped through the void.

Everything that happened that day was deeply etched in Yao Mengzhen's heart, causing the boy's figure to repeatedly surface in her dreams.

But what tangled Yao Mengzhen the most was.

Li Mu seemed completely unfazed by my worries, eagerly leafing through the Dan Dao Introductory True Explanation in his hands.

That only made the girl even more anxious and indecisive.

Adolescents in their blooming and rainy seasons are the most troubled.

As the saying goes, a youth who does not know sorrow falls in love with lofty things, falls in love with lofty things, to compose new verses and forcefully claim sorrow.

Now, having known all the taste of sorrow, I want to speak but stop, want to speak but stop.

Yet the cool heavens proclaim a fine autumn.

Li Mu didn't know the girl's such winding, countless‑turns complex thoughts.

After roughly skimming the Dan Dao Introductory True Explanation, Li Mu suddenly felt an itch to practice his technique.

All he could think of was how, in the coming days, to use alchemy to both boost his own alchemical experience and harshly drain Qin Siwu, Lin Zecheng and those enemies with a dark scheme!

Thinking of the triumph, Li Mu couldn't help letting out a strange, mischievous laugh.

Only, laughing and laughing…

Li Mu quickly discovered that a cold‑skinned beautiful girl was standing beside him, her watery peach‑blossom eyes flashing an extremely complicated expression as she stared at him.

"Cough cough cough…"

"Sister Yao, do you have anything else?"

Li Mu curled his left fist to his mouth and gave a tactical cough.

"I…"

Yao Mengzhen's mind was a mess, and after Li Mu's reminder, she finally came to herself.

After a brief pause, the cold‑skinned girl whispered as if mustering courage, "Junior Brother Li Mu, I have no other meaning in saying this."

"Would you reconsider and temporarily join our Yao Family?"

"Right now, your situation is truly dire!"

"The incident with Lin Zecheng last time was temporarily suppressed by Elder Zhao."

"But you can feel it; even Elder Zhao fundamentally doesn't want to meddle too much in your feud with Lin Zecheng."

"What was said then was mainly to maintain order on site, preventing the conflict between Xuan Yue Feng and Longtan Feng from escalating."

"Yet you killed Lin Zehong; Lin Zecheng and the Lin Family behind him will never let you go."

"Including Qin Siwu's side, you killed his great‑grandson; he will surely eye you like a tiger…"

"You can choose to temporarily join the Yao Family."

"Rest assured, we won't ask you to do anything; we simply wish to offer you protection…"

"That isn't necessary!"

"Sister Yao, I appreciate your goodwill!"

Before Yao Mengzhen could finish, Li Mu waved his hand and cut her off.

"Sister Yao!"

"I, Li Mu, though a latecomer to cultivation, cannot compare to you who have had family inheritance since childhood."

"But I, Li Mu, also understand a simple truth."

"That is, cultivation is hard, harder than soaring to the blue heavens!"

"The Way of Heaven diminishes the excess and supplements the lacking."

"From birth we are constantly aging, and no one can resist this process."

"But true cultivation goes against Heaven, defying the will of the old lord, and naturally one will encounter all sorts of terrifying events in cultivation!"

"But if I, Li Mu, were to avoid Qin Siwu, Lin Zecheng pig and those swine‑like, petty scum, seeking shelter!"

"Then, when later facing those great terrors on the path of cultivation, what should one do?"

"Or just keep thinking of fleeing?"

"Hide?"

"Unable to avoid?"

"Then how can one speak of cultivating the heart, seeking the Dao, pursuing immortality!"

The youth's resonant, forceful words echoed in Yao Mengzhen's ears.

It made the girl pause, her peach‑blossom eyes gazing hazily at the arrogant youth before her.

"On the contrary, if you have recently encountered any trouble you cannot solve yourself."

"Or after reaching the inner peak, if there truly is anyone unblinded enough to bully you."

"You can just tell me!"

"I'll help you settle it!"