At the same time,
the Western Border Miasma Forest, the pioneering work has entered its final stages.
At the petition of frontline cultivators and various noble families, a brand new Immortal City is under construction in the heart of the Western Border.
This site is precisely where the lair of the Tier Three White Tiger Demon King is located, with two complete Tier Three Spirit Veins underground, and spiritual energy as rich as that of Fenghua Immortal City.
On the outskirts of the Immortal City, several emerging markets have begun to take shape, with wooden shops lined neatly along the bluestone-paved streets.
Cultivators come and go in an endless stream.
Most are Qi Cultivators participating in the pioneering effort and members of small families, with the air filled with the mixed scent of spiritual materials, elixir pills, and demon beast materials.
In the corner of the market, within a pill shop.
An elderly man with white hair and beard, Chen Yongnian, is standing by the window, watching the spirit light from the distant construction site of the Immortal City, full of emotion on his face:
"Back then, Fenghua Immortal City was the same, slowly built from a barren land, and now the city still stands, but those who built it are long gone!"
A middle-aged cultivator, busy organizing a medicine cabinet, quickly steps forward and lowers his voice to interrupt him:
"Uncle, you must not speak carelessly."
This cultivator is Chen Hanchi, currently at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer. Years of running around have left his face somewhat sallow, yet the sharpness in his eyes is hard to conceal.
He is now the leader of this branch of the Chen Clan, and over the years, he has barely supported the clan with his Tier One High Grade alchemy skills.
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Chen Hanchi helps the old man to sit down and pours him a cup of spirit tea:
"The Sect has been generous enough to our Chen Clan. Our ancestor died in the Western Border, and not only granted us the Profound Water True Crystal, a Core Formation Spiritual Object, but also bestowed a Tier Three Demon Pill."
"In a few years, the clan may truly produce another Fake Pill Great Power."
Just as he finished speaking, a young man in a brocade robe pushed open the door and entered; it was Chen Hanchi's eldest son, Chen Yu.
The young man, just twenty, with a Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, at the prime of his life, couldn't help but sneer at the conversation:
"Uncle, father, do you still consider us part of the Chen Clan? Our branch was long separated by the main line!"
"Have you ever seen a member of a Fake Pill Family without a proper Spirit Vein Dojo, having to rent a bit of spirit field in the market to absorb spiritual energy?"
Chen Yu's tone carried a trace of resentment:
"A few years ago, when I went with Uncle to visit the Western Border branch, we weren't even let through the door and were directly chased away by the gatekeeper."
"They even mocked us as 'a branch of a branch,' not worthy to step into the main line's mountain gate!"
Chen Hanchi's face darkened, reprimanding sternly:
"What nonsense are you speaking!"
But Chen Yongnian waved his hand, stopping Chen Hanchi, his cloudy eyes filled with sighs:
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"Let it be, let the child speak."
"It's the truth anyway. In a few more years, when we old folks are gone, the glory of the Sun-Raising Mountain ancestor will be forgotten by most."
Having said that, he put his hands behind his back, hunched over, and walked step by step toward the inner hall.
The sunset stretched his shadow long, exuding an unspeakable sense of loneliness.
Once upon a time, their branch was also a powerful faction in the Sun-Raising Mountain, with each generation having a Foundation Establishment sitting in power, but now they've fallen to this state.
Chen Hanchi watched his back, pulled his son over, reprimanded him in a low voice, and punished him to handle the newly acquired spirit grass in the back courtyard.
When only he remained in the market, Chen Hanchi leaned back on his chair, heaved a gentle sigh, and past memories surged like a tide.
Since the main line dispersed many branches back then, their branch had begun a life of drifting.
Because they didn't have a Foundation Establishment cultivator, they didn't even get a piece of a formal Spirit Vein Dojo, receiving only compensation of several tens of thousands of lower grade spirit stones.
Over the years, he led the clan members across several markets, first collaborating with an alchemy room, then renting a piece of thin land and having clan members become spirit farmers.
After finally scraping together some family assets through alchemy skills, they were forced to relocate due to market conflicts.
The number of clan members in the Qi Cultivation Realm also decreased from over thirty initially to less than twenty now.
Until a few years ago, when the situation in the Western Border stabilized, he led the few remaining clan members here, taking advantage of the pioneering wave to open a herbal shop, barely making ends meet.
"If only we could have a piece of Spirit Vein foundation, the clan wouldn't have to be this way..."
Chen Hanchi muttered to himself, his eyes filled with longing.
Just then, a hurried sound of footsteps came from outside the door.
A sturdy middle-aged man holding a baby charged in excitedly, it was his sworn brother Bai Yutang.
"Big brother! I heard the Upper Sect is going to issue Pioneer Orders to Qi Cultivators!"
Chen Hanchi looked at Bai Yutang, his gaze softening a bit.
This man was raised by him single-handedly.
Back when Bai Yutang came to Sun-Raising Mountain, he was just a seven or eight-year-old child from the mundane world, discarded by the main line for having a lower grade spiritual root and placed in their branch.
Later, when the branch was dispersed, and clan members drifted apart, Bai Yutang followed all the way. Though not related by blood, they were closer than brothers.
In recent years, Chen Hanchi even personally arranged a marriage for him, marrying a woman from their clan, and now he has two children in three years, thoroughly integrating into this branch.
Chen Hanchi shook his head helplessly:
"Yutang, I've already heard."
"But the Upper Sect has only a preliminary intent, it's not easy to obtain a Pioneer Order."
Although he is only at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer, he is proficient in magic and artifacts, having slain late-stage Qi Refining tribulation cultivators multiple times, boasting decent strength.
But now that the Western Border's situation is stable and an Immortal City is about to be established.
The Pioneer Orders at this time, though mostly for remote areas, are nonetheless tangible Spirit Vein foundations and have long become a coveted prize for many families.
They couldn't even connect with the Western Border branch of the Chen Clan, how could they obtain a Pioneer Order?
Bai Yutang, however, had a determined look on his face:
"Big Brother, wait for me!"
Saying this, he handed the baby to the attendant beside him and turned to run towards his own courtyard.
Before long, he returned holding a smooth White Jade Pendant.
Chen Hanchi looked bewildered:
"Yutang, this is..."
Bai Yutang raised the jade pendant, his voice carrying a solemn tone:
"Big Brother, this is the token my father gave me when I left home back in the day..."
He slowly explained the reason.
Chen Hanchi's eyes suddenly brightened, and he stood up excitedly:
"You actually have this connection with Master Chen?"
"Why didn't you mention it back then? With this connection, you could have secured an alchemist position in the Alchemy Alliance, instead of wandering with me all these years!"
Bai Yutang scratched his head and chuckled, "My father said not to open the lion's mouth wide, lest it harm the friendship."
Actually, there was a reason he didn't mention — he always thought the Chen Clan was at odds with Chen Sheng and worried that revealing the token would bring trouble.
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Until he followed Chen Hanchi for years, occasionally hearing him mention the Alliance Leader of the Alchemy Alliance, did he dare to take out the jade pendant.
Chen Hanchi laughed heartily, patting Bai Yutang's shoulder:
"What is an alchemist inheritance? Master Chen's status nowadays is beyond your imagination..."
...
In the chief alchemy room of the Alchemy Alliance.
Chen Sheng was instructing Li Min and Hu Bao on refining the "Platinum Jade Liquid Pill."
Before the pill furnace below, Li Min was cautiously controlling the flame, with beads of sweat on his forehead. The control of heat for a Tier Two Elixir was far more complex than a Tier One, and any slight mistake could ruin the pill.
"Reduce the heat by thirty percent, the medicinal properties of the Clear Miasma Grass need to be nurtured, not aggressively refined."
Chen Sheng's voice was calm yet carried indisputable authority. With a slight movement of his divine sense, the flames in Li Min's pill furnace immediately subsided, and the previously agitated medicinal liquid gradually settled down.
Hu Bao watched intently from the side, full of awe in his eyes.
As the Alliance Leader of the Alchemy Alliance and a core figure in Qinghua Sect's alchemical domain, Chen Sheng did not intentionally release any spiritual pressure.
Yet, his aura rendered even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators unable to meet his gaze directly.
At this moment, the Communication Golden Order at Chen Sheng's waist suddenly lit up, and a faint spirit light flashed past.
He scanned it with his divine sense, a slight frown forming on his forehead.
Chen Sheng mused to himself, a little surprised:
"An old acquaintance of the Bai Clan? Chen Hanchi?"
His connections with the Bai Clan traced back to the secular world, and Chen Hanchi was a branch of the Yanshan Chen Clan who once attended his lectures, then parted ways and disappeared.
He did not expect these two to be mingled together.
Chen Sheng instructed to Li Min and Hu Bao:
"Practice on your own, pay attention to the spiritual guidance of the liquid."
Then he spoke mildly towards the outside of the hall:
"Bring them over later."
A respectful response echoed from outside the hall.
Before long, two Qi Cultivation Perfection cultivators dressed in the Alchemy Alliance guard attire led the two individuals in slowly.
The guards stood tall, with regulation longswords at their waists, their eyes sharp as eagles.
The attendants on duty in the Alchemy Alliance great hall were all elite selected from the Immortal City Guard Army, and ordinary Qi cultivators dared not cause trouble before them.
Walking at the front was Chen Hanchi, donned in a blue Daoist robe, his face sallow, hair with streaks of silver, vastly different from the dashing young man in memory.
He looked up towards the figure deep in the great hall, his gaze sweeping over the young alchemists, a complex glow in his eyes, full of emotion and a bit of indescribable unease.
He vaguely remembered bidding farewell to Master Chen years ago, thinking that one day, upon achieving distinction, he would repay Master Chen's great kindness, yet now...
Following behind was Bai Yutang, appearing more nervous than Chen Hanchi, his head bowed low.
Having lingered at the lowest ranks of the cultivation realm for years, it was his first time entering such a venue.
Standing in the Alchemy Alliance great hall, gazing at the alchemists within, many of whom were Foundation Establishment seniors, he felt his legs turn to jelly, and his breathing involuntarily became lighter.
He cautiously held the Token Jade Pendant, his only reliance.
On the stone pillars on both sides of the great hall, intricate Pill Patterns and Spirit Grass designs were carved vividly.
The luminous bead hanging from the top emitted a gentle glow that lit the entire great hall as if it were daylight.
Chen Sheng sat with dignity above the great hall.
Behind him hung a massive Pill Furnace Map, depicting a three-legged furnace covered in runes, exuding an aura of solemnity and reverence.
The moment the two of them reached the center of the great hall, they saw two Foundation Establishment cultivators in brocade robes standing before Chen Sheng, who were Liu Qiyan and Zuo Hanlin, the Vice Alliance Leaders of the Alchemy Alliance.
Both of them were stooped over, faces plastered with smiles, repeatedly pledging their loyalty.
"Alliance Leader, the Luo and Xu families are but nodding acquaintances with us. Although we had dealings in the past, we were never aware of their collusion with demon cultivators!"
Liu Qiyan clutched a jade scroll in both hands, his tone urgent:
"This is a record of my dealings in elixir materials over the past decade, with absolutely no anomalies, I implore the Alliance Leader to verify!"
Zuo Hanlin quickly chimed in:
"Indeed, Alliance Leader, the Zuo Clan of Yanshan has always been loyal to the sect. When the Luo and Xu families got into trouble, we were the first to inspect our clan's disciples, with no ties whatsoever!"
"I hope the Alliance Leader will put in a good word for us in the future, the Zuo Clan is willing to serve the Alchemy Alliance with utmost loyalty!"
Both were old foxes, having been previous stewards in the Alchemy Alliance. Now with the Alchemy Alliance drawn into the demon cultivator affair, they feared Chen Sheng's wrath, hurrying early in the morning to declare their loyalty, just to safeguard their family and their positions in the Alchemy Alliance.
Chen Sheng leaned back on the Profound Jade Chair, his gaze sweeping over the two of them indifferently:
"I am already aware of the matter. The Alchemy Alliance's investigation relies solely on evidence; no innocents will be implicated."
He paused for a moment, his tone suddenly turning indifferent:
"Alright, you may leave and attend to your duties."
"Yes! Thank you, Alliance Leader!"
Liu Qiyan and Zuo Hanlin felt as though they had been granted amnesty, quickly bowing as they withdrew, not forgetting to give Chen Hanchi and Bai Yutang a meaningful glance as they turned around.
Anyone whom the Alliance Leader meets personally, no matter how low their cultivation, cannot be underestimated.
After the two left, only Chen Sheng and Chen Hanchi, along with Bai Yutang, remained in the hall, and the atmosphere suddenly became solemn.
Feeling the invisible pressure emanating from Chen Sheng, like a mountain weighing on their heads, Chen Hanchi and Bai Yutang hurriedly knelt to the ground.
"Greetings, Master Chen!"
Chen Hanchi's voice carried a tremor, with both reverence and feelings for past events.
"Greetings, Alliance Leader!"
Bai Yutang dared not lift his head, his voice extremely low, without any presumption in his address.
Although his ancestors had ties with Chen Sheng, he was well aware of the vast difference in their statuses today and dared not rashly claim such a relationship.
Chen Sheng looked at the figures kneeling on the ground, gently sighing in his heart.
He waved a hand, a gentle yet irresistible force lifted them to their feet:
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"Rise, we are old acquaintances, no need for such formalities."
His gaze first landed on Chen Hanchi, examining him closely.
The Chen Hanchi in his memory was an alchemical talent of the side branch of the Chen Clan, becoming a High Grade Alchemist in his twenties.
But now, at merely over forty, he appeared aged, with cultivation only at Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer, much lesser compared to disciples like He Ping'an and Zhang Li.
Chen Sheng softened his tone a bit, with a touch of concern for an old friend:
"Hanchi, how have you been all these years?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Hanchi's eyes slightly reddened, his voice hoarse as he slowly recounted his experiences over the years.
The dispersal of the main family, kin scattered, drifting through many places, clan members dwindling, until finally managing to find a foothold with the remaining clan members at the Western Border Market.
Though he spoke calmly, the hardship was unmistakable, each word reflecting the helplessness and struggle of an ordinary cultivator.
Chen Sheng listened quietly, understanding in his heart.
He knew well that, given Chen Hanchi's talent, without the burden of his family, he would have at least been a Tier One Top Level Alchemist by now, perhaps even on the verge of reaching Foundation Establishment.
But the very word 'family' became his greatest shackle, trapping him at the bottom.
Chen Sheng sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of regret:
"You have endured much hardship."
Chen Hanchi quickly waved his hand:
"To be alive now, to have a place for the clan to settle, is already a great fortune, I dare not call it hardship."
Only then did Chen Sheng turn his gaze to Bai Yutang, recalling his past relationship with Old Master Bai, he asked:
"I haven't stepped into the mortal realm for decades, how is Old Master Bai's health? How is your father doing these days?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Yutang showed a hint of bitterness, shook his head and said:
"Grandfather passed away when I was four."
"As for my father, due to poor Spiritual Roots, I was sent away by the main family when I was seven, wandering with Brother Chen for sixteen years till now."
"I've never had contact with my family, nor do I know if he is still alive."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng glanced at Bai Yutang's cultivation—Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, at his age and with this cultivation, there was almost no future in the Cultivation Realm.
He understood that for the lower-level Qi Cultivators who face constant uncertainty, drifting is a norm, and family letters are luxuries.
Chen Sheng shifted the conversation, his tone regaining some authority:
"I'm aware of your intentions."
"As for the Pioneer Order, I will have someone arrange it for you."
He paused, his gaze falling on them as he nodded lightly:
"The Western Border is in need of people now, I'll strive to get a Tier One High Grade Spiritual Land for you."
"Once you acquire the land, cultivate and manage it well, ensure that your clan settles down, do not wander as before."
Upon hearing these words, Chen Hanchi and Bai Yutang were overjoyed, once again kneeling, their voices filled with uncontrollable excitement:
"Thank you, Alliance Leader, Master Chen, for your great kindness!"
A Tier One High Grade Spiritual Land is enough to establish a vast Spirit Field, a tremendous opportunity for cultivators at the bottom.
It's enough for their clan's cultivation, to establish a solid foundation, enough to free them from a life of wandering.
Chen Sheng watched them, nodding lightly:
"Rise, shortly, I'll have an attendant guide you to obtain the Pioneer Order, someone will coordinate with you regarding the specific allocation of the Spiritual Land."
His words were plain, yet carried an absolute sense of control.
With his current power, just thus, a single word could determine the fate of some small families, a single word could grant the dream opportunity sought by lower-level cultivators.