Chapter 842: Clouds Upon the Dao Heart; Demons Seek Transformation (I)

"Master, do you think I have any hope of forming a Golden Core in the future?"

Luo Chen unconsciously frowned.

He had never invested much effort in cultivating this nominal disciple. Or rather, Luo Chen himself had never been particularly skilled at teaching. Whether it was his actual successor, Qu Lingjun, or his "nephew" Zeng Yilong, most of Luo Chen's guidance had taken the form of practical advice. This approach was also closely tied to Luo Chen's own experiences.

Throughout his life, he had never received much systematic theoretical instruction. Instead, he had advanced step by step, steadily grinding this or that. Whether it was alchemy, spells, or qi cultivation and physique cultivation, the path had been the same. In his view, practice outweighed theory, and true skill only emerged through hands-on experience. Because of this, when he taught disciples, he usually let them learn by doing. Xu Muxian was no exception.

Xu Muxian had worked diligently for him, handling the preparation of medicinal materials, and actually did possess some talent in alchemy. Luo Chen felt a bit reluctant to waste this potential, and for that reason, he accepted him as a nominal disciple, taught him some basic alchemical techniques, and occasionally corrected his mistakes.

As for any bond between master and disciple? That was nonexistent. Xu Muxian's status as a nominal disciple was merely symbolic, not something granted as a prerequisite for genuine transmission of a Dao legacy. In truth, he was simply a banner Luo Chen had raised to reassure the various families of the Flying Swallow Archipelago.

Now that was being asked such a question all of a sudden, Luo Chen was genuinely taken aback. Yet in that surprise, he frowned and shook his head. "You are only at the seventh stage of Qi Refinement, yet you already dream of the Golden Core. Do you not know the danger of aiming too high?"

His tone was rather heavy. Xu Muxian trembled, but he murmured, "I know."

You do? Then what are you thinking, asking this kind of question?

Luo Chen frowned. "Since you already know that, why not live in the present and take things step by step? Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul. That's how cultivators have always tempered themselves. Then comes Divine Transformation and the path to true immortality. Are you planning to take the legendary Nine Revolutions Golden Pill these days and ascend in a single step? Let me know where you found it, I'd like one myself."

Xu Muxian lowered his head and looked at the small grass at his feet sprouting new buds under the nourishment of spirit energy. "I know...."

Luo Chen was stumped. Since his disciple knew this, it meant his nearly thirty years of life had not been entirely wasted. So why ask such a question? He did not ask for clarifications, however, and simply looked at Xu Muxian quietly.

In the heavy silence, Xu Muxian clenched his fists as if gathering courage and lifted his head. "Master, I've been thinking... If I truly have hope on the path of the Great Dao, then of course I should follow your path and cultivate diligently without pause. But what if I don't? Wouldn't that mean decades, maybe even a hundred years, turning into nothing but a handful of dust in the end? If that's the case, why shouldn't I enjoy those years instead? I could spend them doing things that bring joy and meaning so that when my time comes, I won't regret wasting my life."

Luo Chen snorted lightly. "What do you mean by 'meaning'? What do you mean, wasting your life? The pursuit of the Dao itself is meaningful."

Xu Muxian's gaze drifted slightly, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "That may be true for you, Master. You can spend day and night in meditation, practice painful secret arts, and even find joy in hardship. But many people, including me, can't persist like that to the end."

Luo Chen scoffed. "Only those who endure the greatest hardships rise above others. If you refuse to suffer but still talk about the future, isn't that just aiming beyond your reach?"

At some point, Xu Muxian's trembling had stopped. He stood quietly before Luo Chen—they were now almost the same height. Though his gaze remained lowered, he now seemed unexpectedly composed. "Master, you enjoy the process. But what I want to see is the result."

"Without going through the process, how can you expect any results? If you're dreaming of reaching the Golden Core Realm, then you have to pass through Foundation Establishment first. That alone gives you at least another hundred years of life."

"Even if I gain another century, what does that really mean? Compared to the long lifespan of higher realms, it's nothing. Struggling for something when you can't even see the outcome... to me, it just feels like endless torment, day and night."

Hearing those words, Luo Chen felt nothing but disappointment. He no longer wished to continue the conversation. He had already realized that this nominal disciple possessed talent but lacked a firm Dao heart. His future achievements could already be seen at a glance. But why had it turned out this way? Back when they first met, Xu Muxian had still been an ambitious youth. So what had happened in the meantime?

As Luo Chen's thoughts turned to the man's past, he slowly came to an understanding.

Xu Muxian had been born into a branch of the Xu family, and due to that, he had been disregarded and bullied in his youth. He had managed to learn a bit of alchemy, yet his status had barely changed. Only after meeting Luo Chen had his life begun to turn around. With the position he now held, he no longer needed to endure hardship in cultivation. Instead, he could now enjoy power and wealth, fine wine and delicacies, servants at his call, prestige, and authority. He even had a beautiful wife at home... though he was yet unable to indulge in marital relations, and perhaps, that was a problem.

This restriction had been imposed by Luo Chen himself. Right before Luo Chen departed for the Profound Rock Sea Region, Cheng Haixin proposed a marriage alliance with the Xu family. The Cheng family wished to marry a daughter to Xu Muxian and secure ties with this rising talent. Luo Chen agreed, but he believed that Xu Muxian might damage his primal yang, and that would in turn ruin his chances of reaching Foundation Establishment. Because of that, he set a strict order, and naturally, Xu Muxian and his wife obeyed it.

I did that because I thought of his future, and yet...

Indeed, there was a "yet." Years of hardship had finally brought Xu Muxian some success, yet he still could not indulge himself freely. Then he witnessed Cheng Dou, who had reached Perfected Mastery of Foundation Establishment, fail to form a Golden Core and die.

And from that moment on, he became afraid.

Luo Chen gradually understood. When he thought about his own past, the pattern became clear. Whenever he achieved something at a certain stage, he always allowed himself some indulgence to ease his mind. He built forces and held great authority; he had thousands of followers at his command, and the fate of sects could be decided with a single word. He had two beauties by his side and many powers that favored him, while those below looked up to him with reverence. These experiences gave Luo Chen a strong sense of reward for his tireless cultivation, and that was precisely why he'd never grown weary.

People needed positive feedback! Yet many never received enough of it. Xu Muxian's situation was actually the norm for countless low-tier cultivators. Once they believed the Great Dao lay beyond their reach, they chose to give up and pursue a more comfortable life. They traveled the world and raised families. If the great sects and Holy Lands did not impose restrictions, many Qi Refinement cultivators would likely drift into the mortal world and indulge in lives of extreme luxury.

Thinking of this, Luo Chen reflected on himself. If he had never possessed the status panel that constantly showed his growing proficiency, what would he have become in the end? Would he have sunk into lowly indulgence?

The reflection came to an abrupt halt as Luo Chen shook his head and chuckled bitterly to himself. Had this hypothetical not already been disproven many years ago? When he first took the Spirit Passage Pill, the pill not just strengthened his divine soul, but also made him sink into a deep, vivid dream. In that dream, he had no system, yet he still wanted to improve his alchemy and change his fate! He joined the Poshan Gang to mine ore, earn spirit stones, and refine pills, until he finally refined the Myriad Wonders Pill that could change his destiny! He grew old and frail, and his lifespan was dwindling, yet he still possessed a respectable level of alchemy skills. Even if he could not reach Foundation Establishment, that skill would still allow him to improve his cultivation and live well.

That dream had confirmed it beyond any shadow of a doubt: His desire for the Dao was not something casual, but something rooted deep within his soul.

Xu Muxian stood quietly there. Looking at his master, who appeared even younger than himself, he actually felt much lighter. Some words could not remain buried in the heart forever. If suppressed for too long, they would fester. Recently, he had even struggled to enter meditation during cultivation. He had expected the Devil Lord to be angry, but the latter had merely shown displeasure. That greatly eased the pressure in his heart. Still, he knew that he had disappointed his master.

Suddenly, a hand rested on his shoulder and gave it a light pat. The Devil Lord's expression was calm, and his gaze gentle. Instead of scolding Xu Muxian further, he slowly said, "I can't say whether you'll form a core or not. But I do know that a hundred years of life would let you see far more of the world and enjoy far more of what it has to offer. The Flying Swallow Archipelago is just a tiny corner of it. Stay here your whole life, and you'll never see anything beyond this small corner. Don't you want to go out and see how vast the world really is?"

With that, Luo Chen withdrew his hand and left.

In the end, he had not answered his disciple's doubts; he had merely given a wavering man a future he could imagine.

Xu Muxian remained standing where he was, murmuring faintly, "A vast world..."