The issue with the two girls resolved, the tension between them eased sowhat.
But right then, Lu Chang’sheng suddenly saw his teacher stop in his tracks, tilting his head up to gaze at the sky.
Several streaks of light flashed by so quickly that even with Lu Chang’sheng’s keen eyesight, he almost missed them.
"At least late-stage Qi Cultivation, maybe even Foundation Establishnt masters."
He thought to himself.
At that mont, Lin Yan lowered his head, a trace of worry etched between his brows.
"It’s most likely sothing to do with Purple Ice Lake."
"What’s Purple Ice Lake?"
"It’s a wild land a thousand miles from Platinum Immortal City, full of dangerous places and monsters. For Foundation Establishnt cultivators, it’s barely manageable, but Purple Ice Lake itself is extrely perilous. Even top Foundation Establishnt masters won’t enter without good reason."
"So ti ago, a True Man returned from Purple Ice Lake and summoned us to White Cloud Hall for a eting about the lake. Seems sothing strange has appeared, and people are needed to investigate."
Lin Yan said, "Coldwraith Chillwind is one manifestation of that anomaly."
Lu Chang’sheng was astonished; he hadn’t expected the infamous Coldwraith Chillwind to actually co from Purple Ice Lake.
And, it turned out the late-stage Qi Cultivation practitioners Lu Chang’an had heard gathering earlier were all related to this matter.
"It should be Supre Profound Sect calling people together to investigate the anomaly in Purple Ice Lake."
Lu Chang’sheng surmised.
"If you’ve got nothing urgent going on, don’t leave Immortal City these days."
Lin Yan reminded him.
"Those folks you saw rushing past just now probably an things have gotten worse at Purple Ice Lake."
Lu Chang’sheng nodded.
The speed those cultivators flew at was so fast, his first-stage Qi Cultivation level made it impossible to make out their condition.
But Lin Yan was different. As a seventh-stage Qi Cultivator, his eyesight was leagues above Lu Chang’sheng’s.
When they returned to Guilan Institute, Lu Chang’sheng was about to take his leave, but Lin Yan called out to stop him.
The latter pulled out a Jade Scroll and handed it to him.
"This is the book I wrote on Alchemy Dao. If I’m not around, you should study this Jade Scroll often."
Lu Chang’sheng accepted the Jade Scroll and went back to his room.
A mont later, he gazed at the Jade Scroll, channeling magical power to read it, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
Many alchemists have the habit of writing books: on the one hand to review and consolidate old knowledge, and on the other, in case they die, the book becos an inheritance, a form of wealth for their descendants.
So, every alchemist’s Book of Alchemy Dao—aside from the alchemist themself—is the most precious possession.
Within it lies the alchemist’s most treasured insights and experiences.
"With this thod, it’s as if I’m always able to consult with a seasoned alchemist. It’ll be of huge help to on my path to alchemy."
Only now did Lu Chang’sheng understand why Lin Yan set a three-year assessnt period—all to build this very foundation.
After just half a month of studying, shortcomings he’d previously overlooked surfaced one by one, and almost imdiately he could find the answers within the Jade Scroll.
"The Jade Scroll of Alchemy Dao is in no way inferior to any high-grade Magical Artifact or Immortal Technique."
Lu Chang’sheng was deeply satisfied.
His teacher’s Jade Scroll gave him far more positive growth on the path of alchemy and cultivation. For crafting Qi Storage Pills alone, his Great Success tiline had been cut short considerably.
From eight years, down to five.
"Four more years, and I’ll be able to raise my Qi Storage Pill success rate to eighty percent."
This was an absolutely critical milestone.
The monthly quota of assignnts from Hundred Herbs Pharmacy was almost at the limit of a Minor Achievent alchemist.
Which ant Minor Achievent alchemists could rarely have any surplus.
But Great Success was a different story. Based on success rate, ideally, at least thirty percent of profits would be pocketed every month.
And also enough ti to take on private alchemy gigs outside as well.
Ti flew; another half a year passed quickly.
As the end of the year drew near, Lu Chang’sheng once more felt an abnormal chill descend.
He knew: Coldwraith Chillwind was coming.
"Usually, Coldwraith Chillwind only pops up once in a while, but this is the second year in a row."
Lu Chang’sheng returned to the Lu Family, reminding them to stay warm and protect themselves from the cold.
Lu Ziyou had experience with such matters, so everything was well taken care of. But as the Chillwind rolled in, the thing Lu Chang’sheng feared most happened regardless.
His elderly mother didn’t make it through the Coldwraith Chillwind.
Though she’d taken quite a few Longevity Pills before, Lu Chang’sheng could no longer preserve her lifespan.
"Birth, aging, sickness, death—all part of life."
On her deathbed, his mother was still lucid; she had Lu Chang’sheng carry her outside.
Outside the house, everything was blanketed in white.
She brushed the snow off Lu Chang’sheng’s shoulder and said, "You’ve still got a long road ahead. Your mother can’t keep walking it with you."
"But seeing you grow into this, your mother is already content."
Lu Chang’sheng’s eyes stung as he stood with his mother in the icy wind.
Before long, her breathing ceased.
Lu Chang’sheng remained there for a long ti before finally placing his mother back in the Treasure Vault immortal insect, planning to return her to the Great Yuan lands soday and bury her at ho.
With his mother gone, Lu Chang’sheng managed to face it calmly.
He’d done everything he could—his conscience was clear.
And now that his mother’s worries no longer weighed on him, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to alchemy and cultivation.
At the year’s start, it was just as Lin Yan had predicted: the news of Purple Ice Lake’s disturbance could no longer be contained.
Because early on the first day of the new year, several blood-soaked cultivators dropped into the city without any attempt at concealnt.
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