Chapter 2575: The Alchemy God's Invitation

Boom! Rumbling thunder!

In the depths of the night, dark clouds gathered over the Dao mansion once more, with lightning flashing and thunder roaring. A golden dan yao shone brilliantly, radiating dazzling light, while the domineering dan thunder awakened countless dreamers. Innumerable immortals peered out, gazing into the distance.

Only after some time did the thunder subside. Ye Chen caught the dan yao and casually tossed it to a figure standing nearby, cloaked in black robes with hands tucked away, standing straight and proper. Upon closer inspection, it was Hao Tian Xian Jun from earlier.

"Zi Wei's dan yao is truly exceptional," the xian jun said with a cheerful smile.

Across from him, Ye Chen had already pulled out his wine flask. He was only responsible for refining dan yao, not for idle chat. With true fire, anything was negotiable, but without it as payment, even the king of heaven wouldn't sway him. He was still counting on fusing flames to advance to quasi-emperor.

"It's time for the borrowing of laws."

Ye Chen looked up at the vast sky, muttering to himself for what felt like the hundredth time. Since returning from the merchant city, more than three days had passed, yet he still hadn't seen the immortal light for borrowing laws. He was growing increasingly impatient, fearing some upheaval in the heavens or another rampage by the Hong Huang Zu.

"Kid, let me give you some honest advice. Head back to the lower realm quickly and focus on being the Hua Shan sect leader," Hao Tian Xian Jun said, pocketing the dan yao and patting Ye Chen on the shoulder. Though he wasn't always reliable, he meant well and worried about Ye Chen's safety.

"Do you think I want to stay here?" Ye Chen took a swig of wine, speaking the plain truth. If not for his reincarnated identity, or for figures like the **** King and Xiu Luo Tian Zun, he wouldn't bother lingering in the Heavenly Court, playing some official role—he wasn't one to crave positions.

"Is the Star Lord here?"

As they spoke, a voice called out, gentle and polite.

Anyone who spoke like that was either of lower rank than Ye Chen or someone raised with proper etiquette. When visiting another's domain, they would first seek permission from the host. As for those unreliable old xian juns, they were more self-assured than ever, barging through barriers as if it were their own home and treating Ye Chen like he was invisible.

Ye Chen took another gulp of wine and sent a message with his divine sense.

Soon, a young man in purple robes entered. His appearance was quite ordinary, but he was actually a quasi-emperor, holding the rank of xian jun-level deity. He exuded the aura of a scholar, with his sharp edges hidden and his eyes as still as an ancient well, where profound dao principles evolved.

His background was no simple matter. His name was Dan Feng, and he belonged to the Dan Shen Hall, a disciple of the Dan Zong. He was of the same generation as Dan Jun, slightly inferior in dan refining skills, but far superior in character—that was well-known among the Heavenly Court's immortals.

"Little Dan kid, when will you refine a furnace of dan yao for me?" Hao Tian Xian Jun grinned, an old acquaintance of Dan Feng's. More accurately, Dan Feng had often been spanked by him as a child, as Hao Tian Xian Jun was several hundred years older despite both being xian juns.

"With Zi Wei Star Lord here, why would you need me to refine it?"

Dan Feng replied with a smile.

"He wants true fire, but you don't."

"I want divine iron, but you old official won't give it to me!"

"I don't have any divine iron."

"What brings you here so late at night, Xian Jun?"

Ye Chen tossed aside his wine flask, not in the mood to listen to these two banter. It was a good thing they were xian juns; otherwise, they might have been thrown out of the Dao mansion. His Zi Zhu Forest wasn't welcoming to idle gossip.

Dan Feng smiled.

"My master has requested your presence."

The mention of "master" made Hao Tian Xian Jun raise an eyebrow. Dan Feng's master was Dan Zong, so anyone called master by him must be Dan Shen. In other words, the hall master of Dan Shen Hall had emerged from seclusion, likely having heard about the dan duel and wanting to meet.

"Xian Jun, please go ahead. I'll follow shortly."

"Very well."

Dan Feng chuckled, flicked his sleeve, and vanished.

After he left, Ye Chen changed into a new dao robe.

"If Dan Shen invites you to join Dan Shen Hall, don't refuse," Hao Tian Xian Jun grabbed Ye Chen's arm, speaking seriously. "That's a powerful backer. Once you're a disciple of Dan Shen, even if Yin Ming wants to target you, he'll have to think twice about Dan Shen Hall."

"Got it."

Ye Chen replied casually and left Zi Zhu Forest.

Bathed in moonlight, he headed westward.

Passing by a mansion, he paused silently. Through the obscured pavilions, he saw a young man sitting in meditation, bathing in the moonlight and quietly cultivating. This was the first divine general of the calamity response, now at a cultivation bottleneck and on the verge of a breakthrough.

To this day, Ye Chen still didn't know how someone like Tian Qing could pass their trial. Responding to calamity within a calamity was unprecedented; even if Ren Wang Fu Xi returned, he probably couldn't explain it. But if the trial was overcome, it would surely bring a heaven-defying transformation.

Slowly withdrawing his gaze, he stepped onto the clouds.

On the horizon stood an ethereal immortal mountain, shrouded in mist, with numerous palaces—some perched on peaks, others suspended in the void. Bathed in starlight and moonlight, it exuded an even more illusory air, with various profound visions faintly appearing overhead.

That was Dan Shen Hall, and even from afar, one could smell the fragrance of dan yao.

This was Ye Chen's first visit to Dan Shen Hall since ascending to the Heavenly Court, and he couldn't help but sigh. The location of Dan Shen Hall's immortal mountain was incredibly dominant in terms of celestial and earthly forces, aiding both cultivation and dan refining—it was a rare treasure land.

Though it was deep into the night, Ye Chen's arrival caused a massive stir.

"How dare he come to Dan Shen Hall? Is he tired of living?"

"It must be an invitation. I suspect our grandmaster has emerged from seclusion."

"It's good that he's here—we can settle old and new grudges at once."

"Do you think, with our grandmaster's status, he'd attack a minor star lord?"

"Maybe it's to win him over—he's too extraordinary."

Countless people emerged from their caves, standing on various peaks with hands clasped, gazing out. Some had fierce expressions, others showed reverence. Not everyone in Dan Shen Hall was like Dan Jun; for instance, Dan Zong and Dan Feng were quite upright.

In the world of cultivators, the strong were revered, and in the realm of dan refining, Ye Chen was the supreme. Even Dan Zong had been defeated, so who else in Dan Shen Hall could suppress him except Dan Shen?

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

A roar echoed as Dan Jun suddenly appeared, striding through the void with overwhelming killing intent. His blood-red eyes were terrifying, and his once handsome face was twisted with ferocity, looking like a savage demon under the moonlight.

"Senior brother."

"Get lost."

Dan Feng stepped forward but was shoved aside by Dan Jun. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on Ye Chen. After the dan duel, Ye Chen had mostly stayed in Zi Wei Dao Mansion, giving him no chance to strike. Now that Ye Chen was in Dan Shen Hall, how could he let this opportunity slip? He was determined to kill him outright, even if it violated heavenly rules—his master, Dan Shen, would cover for him.

Would that newly appointed Yin Ming dare to punish him?

Ye Chen's expression turned cold, his eyes sharpening.

If Dan Jun dared to make a move, he wouldn't mind eliminating him right here in Dan Shen Hall. What a fool, repeatedly acting without thinking—did he really believe Ye Chen was made of paper? Just because a tiger doesn't show its might, don't mistake it for a mouse?

"Jun Er, do not act rashly."

Before Dan Jun could strike, a deep voice rang out from the depths of the mountain, ethereal and authoritative—it was Dan Shen speaking.

Remarkably, Dan Shen's words held sway.

Dan Jun actually listened, grinding his teeth as he glared at Ye Chen, his bloodshot eyes growing even redder with murderous intent.

Ye Chen ignored him and continued onward, heading straight to the depths of the immortal mountain.

In the heart of the mountain was a lakeside pavilion, where an elderly man sat leisurely. Dressed in simple robes with white hair and a beard, he exuded an immortal aura and natural presence. Strands of his white hair moved without wind, each infused with dao principles, and his old eyes were clear, brighter than the lake itself.

He was Dan Shen.

Ye Chen landed and narrowed his eyes at first sight of Dan Shen, sensing a mysterious power—extremely subtle, not dan essence, but dao principles. Dan Shen had not only mastered the art of dan refining but was also a profound expert in dao, reaching the pinnacle.

"His combat power is no less than the Jade Emperor's."

Ye Chen murmured to himself. Dan Shen wasn't an ordinary peak quasi-emperor; he was a supreme-level one. If they fought, Ye Chen wouldn't stand a chance, even as a quasi-emperor; killing a peak supreme quasi-emperor was no easy feat.

As Ye Chen observed, Dan Shen scanned him in return.

After decades of seclusion, the name Ye Chen had heard most upon emerging was Zi Wei Star Lord. Aside from lower realm matters, just in the upper realm, defeating his junior and disciple was enough to prove Ye Chen's exceptional talent. Now, seeing him in person confirmed it.

"This junior greets the senior."

"No need for formalities. Please, sit."

Dan Shen smiled warmly, like a kind grandfather, simple and unpretentious. His smile felt like a spring breeze, free of any killing intent, full of approachability, with no pressure detectable.

"What a formidable young talent!"

Dan Shen chuckled as he poured wine for Ye Chen himself. This was an supreme honor—in all of the heavens, only the Jade Emperor received such treatment, and Ye Chen was the second.

Ye Chen took the cup but didn't drink immediately, holding it to his nose and sniffing gently. The wine was intensely aromatic. Once it entered his stomach, it was like a flame igniting his five organs and six viscera, spreading through his limbs and bones. The wine's potency was extraordinarily strong; even he couldn't help but grunt, his eyes watering from the burn, nearly making him ascend on the spot.

This was the first time he'd tasted such fierce wine.

"How does it taste?"

Dan Shen asked with a smile.

"Strong enough."

Dan Shen poured another cup and filled Ye Chen's.

Ye Chen wiped his tears and downed it in one go.

The second cup had nine parts less intensity.

The third cup had only seven parts left.

He was straightforward—Dan Shen poured, and he drank. Each cup grew milder, until the ninth, when he finally paused. Bringing it to his nose, the fragrance was now quite faint. Drinking it was like a clear spring flowing through his body, with no heat at all, as bland as water.

This was also his first time tasting such light wine.

At that moment, he gained a vague insight: nine parts intense, one part light—this change carried a dao intent, like a cultivator returning to simplicity. The one who brewed this must have an extremely high comprehension of the dao.

"Excellent wine."

Ye Chen said, still savoring it, and took the initiative to pour for Dan Shen. In the presence of such a senior, one needed to be perceptive—wine couldn't be drunk for free.

"Your dan refining skills are the highest I've ever seen in my life."

Dan Shen laughed, his praise undisguised. It was all because Ye Chen was so remarkable, surpassing even himself in his youth. Given enough time, Ye Chen would surely exceed him. As a senior in the dan refining world, how could he not feel gratified?

"You're too kind, senior."

"But I wonder, my young friend, from whom did you learn your skills?"