Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit

The Fire Dragon Cave spans hundreds of miles and is governed by the Three Sects. With the cave at its center, the territory within a radius of three thousand miles is influenced by the three factions.

At the heart of this region lies the bustling marketplace that sustains the Three Sects.

Though called a marketplace, over the years, it has grown into a mountain city. Encircling several peaks of varying heights, the central mountain is flattened halfway up, hosting various buildings and stalls. Aside from businesses run by the Three Sects, there are trade ventures by loose cultivators, as well as merchant guilds of sects surrounding the Fire Dragon Cave.

The Three Sects have meticulously managed the marketplace, creating a dynamic and thriving setting.

Private disputes are strictly forbidden within the marketplace, with cultivators from the Three Sects patrolling day and night. As such, the marketplace has become a refuge for many loose cultivators. Seizing this opportunity, the Three Sects have constructed numerous cave dwellings on the surrounding peaks, either renting or selling them to loose cultivators seeking stability while making a livelihood in the marketplace.

Chen Jichuan is a prime example.

He is also a loose cultivator, running a shop in the marketplace dealing in pills and magical treasures. On the 'Cloud Immortal Mountain' within the marketplace, he purchased a premium cave dwelling.

A few years ago, he took in some disciples. Finding his dwelling too cramped with so many people, Chen Jichuan acquired two additional nearby residences to house his six disciples.

Chen Shaohu's dwelling is adjacent to these three properties.

Thus ended the Central Continent World.

Chen Jichuan and Chen Shaohu indulged in drink and conversation, with the former providing detailed guidance over cultivation and alchemy doubts.

Having perused countless texts in the Central Continent World and taught over twelve hundred disciples over the years, Chen Jichuan possessed unparalleled expertise in both cultivation and alchemy, his insight unmatched.

Seven straight days.

After seven days, Chen Jichuan finally began attending to his main affairs.

...

"Eight years settled."

"The title 'Alchemy, Artifact Double Extreme' has stuck for eight years now—it's time for 'advancement.'"

Returning to his cave dwelling, Chen Jichuan summoned three disciples and handed them several letters: "You three shall deliver my letters to Luo Ming, Fang Yingwu, and Yu Qingping, respectively."

Disciples like Wang Cheng, Bi Qinghe, and Hann Fang had been under Chen Jichuan's tutelage for varying lengths, some over six to seven years, others merely two to three.

The first batch.

Disciples like Wang Cheng and Bi Qinghe initially served as mere firewood children. Due to their diligence and natural affinities, they were later accepted as formal disciples.

Over time, Chen Jichuan took in several batches of children.

From among them, he selected Hann Fang, Lin Li, Bai Shanshui, and Wen Jinnan, forming a cohort of six disciples.

Among them, his eldest disciple Wang Cheng possessed the highest cultivation.

Although merely thirty years old, his cultivation had already reached the Innate Extreme.

Chen Jichuan planned to let him mature for another year or two before assisting him in breaking through to the Qi Refinement Realm.

The other disciples ranged in age from twenties to thirties, their cultivation between Innate Second Layer and Fourth Layer. While such attainments made them grandmasters in the mundane world, within the Fire Dragon Cave marketplace, they were considered average.

As disciples under Chen Jichuan's tutelage, they studied alchemy and artifact refining, though their current capabilities remained limited.

Nonetheless, Chen Jichuan was not in a rush.

The journey of cultivation is long, and the years stretch endlessly.

...

Chen Jichuan's news of advancing to Second-order Alchemist spread first to the Three Sect officials.

Over the next half month.

This news swept through the region like a hurricane, quickly gaining momentum.

Chen Jichuan's alchemy workshop had earned him recognition in the marketplace due to the superior quality of the magical treasures and pills he produced. His reputation extended even beyond the marketplace, drawing cultivators from afar seeking his wares.

And now.

His advancement to Second-order Alchemist sent ripples across the land.

Even among the Three Sects, renowned for their alchemy and refining proficiency, the Fire Cloud Sect counted only two Second-order Alchemists.

The Divine Banner Sect had but one Second-order Alchemist, 'Mo Longyuan,' as their emblem.

The Seven Mysterious Sect, however, lacked any Second-order Alchemist.

Thus, Chen Jichuan's emergence stirred the region and greatly alarmed the Three Sects.

All three sect leaders personally extended invitations, but having calculated his options, Chen Jichuan ultimately chose to join the Seven Mysterious Sect.

Years earlier, when the Three Sects invited him, Chen Jichuan declined, as he was then just a First-order Alchemist and Artifact Refiner with a meager cultivation base.

Joining a sect back then would have meant forfeiting much autonomy.

But now, circumstances differed.

With cultivation at Qi Refinement Seventh Layer, mastery over twenty-two Super-level Techniques, and a True Sect Level Cultivation Method, Chen Jichuan was unafraid of ordinary Second-order True Persons.

He could effectively conceal himself even in the presence of Second-order True Persons.

Moreover.

A Second-order Alchemist, and the only one within the Seven Mysterious Sect, afforded him considerably more autonomy. Even the sect leader Gongsun Ming would hesitate to compel him into anything.

Additionally.

By becoming a publicly recognized Second-order Alchemist, Chen Jichuan intended to extensively refine Second-order Pills. However, these pills required rare raw materials; selling them and establishing a market presented further challenges.

The marketplace, while lively, primarily attracted Qi Refinement cultivators.

Second-order True Persons were seldom seen.

Banking on the occasional passing True Persons was akin to gambling with the heavens—and encroaching on the Three Sects' turf.

As for the True Persons within the Three Sects.

The Fire Cloud Sect and Divine Banner Sect already had their Second-order Alchemists and were unlikely to procure externally.

Only the Seven Mysterious Sect presented viable opportunities for Chen Jichuan to sell his wares.

Therefore.

Chen Jichuan decisively joined the Seven Mysterious Sect, leveraging its channels to market Second-order Pills alongside his array of First-order Pills. Furthermore, with the sect's True Persons offering their protection, residing within the Seven Mysterious Sect's mountain gate was far more secure than relying solely on the marketplace's patrols and arrays.

...

A fortnight passed.

Seven Mysterious Mountain, Red Maple Valley.

Wang Cheng, Bi Qinghe, and others strolled through the valley, acquainting themselves with its surroundings, their expressions brimming with excitement.

These disciples, who had once been insignificant cultivators in the marketplace, were selected for their knowledge of herbs or minerals by Chen Jichuan and taken in as firewood children.

After proving themselves through tests, they were accepted as disciples.

With this, they found themselves rooted.

This time, out of nowhere, Chen Jichuan advanced to Second-order Alchemist—

One person ascends, lifting all around.

By joining the Seven Mysterious Sect and becoming its seventh Hall Master overseeing the Alchemy Hall, his disciples benefitted by being inducted as True Disciples of the sect.

Such a feat was unimaginable just a few years ago.

For the six disciples in their twenties, this development was emotionally stirring—these days, they ventured across Red Maple Valley, exploring its wonder—

The valley's steep cliffs were layered with peaks aplenty.

Its summits teemed with green pine forests, and its slopes were covered with various deciduous trees, particularly scarlet-leaved species like Five-point Maples, Eight-point Maples, Sycamores, Zelkova trees, and Rhus trees.

The valley floor featured a river flowing year-round.

In the middle of autumn, an explosion of crimson hues adorned the trees, merging golden reflections with reds ranging from pale yellows to deep burgundy. The richly varied colors painted a spectacular and picturesque backdrop.

Strolling through the valley, the disciples were filled with an incredible sense of serenity.

Especially knowing that this 'Red Maple Valley' had been allocated to their master as private territory by the Seven Mysterious Sect, their attachment to this place deepened.

For the foreseeable future.

Chen Jichuan would cultivate here; Wang Cheng and the others would establish roots alongside him.

...

Red Maple Valley.

A cave dwelling amidst the mountains.

With the formation sealed, Chen Jichuan sat cross-legged in solitude.

Having been in the Seven Mysterious Sect for over ten days, the sect had hosted seven to eight banquet receptions for him, introducing him to numerous cultivators, particularly Second-order True Persons.

Following the festivities, peace resumed.

Back in his cave dwelling, Chen Jichuan opened his storage bag, handling piles upon piles of Spirit Stones, absorbing their spiritual energy into Source Power, then transferring them into another storage bag.

The continuous growth of Source Power brought a sense of satisfaction.

"They say relying on a giant grants shade."

"There's truth in that sentiment."

Chen Jichuan pondered this as he performed these monotonous yet gratifying tasks.

His decision to join the Seven Mysterious Sect.

As a consequence, the marketplace shop he had operated was shut down. The store's inventory was purchased by the Seven Mysterious Sect—

Mainly magical treasures.

Most were low-level magical treasures, not personally crafted but obtained alongside Hann Jin during explorations of various Secret Realms in Great Chu.

While these treasures had seemed remarkable during his early years, they were merely First-order Magical Treasures for Qi Refinement cultivators.

Among First-order treasures, they ranked as Low Grade.

After experiencing the Central Continent World, dismissing Ancient Divine Artifacts and handling over ten or twenty Fourth-order Magical Treasures, his elevated perspective deemed these items unimpressive.

Each magical treasure was valued at around ten to twenty thousand Spirit Stones.

Chen Jichuan initially acquired a total of three hundred and twenty such treasures.

Over the years, he had sold nearly half through his shop, leaving two hundred treasures, which were now all bought by the Seven Mysterious Sect.

The prices they offered were not high.

Nevertheless, the estimate for the two hundred treasures reached twenty-one million Spirit Stones.

Equating to ten thousand five hundred Spirit Crystals.

Adding his stockpile of First-order Pills to the tally.

The total sum came nearly to thirteen thousand three hundred Spirit Crystals.

The Seven Mysterious Sect, despite its years of wealth accumulation, struggled to muster such an amount at once.

Fortunately, Chen Jichuan requested Spirit Stones rather than Spirit Crystals. Over the course of half a month, the sect managed to scrape together the total.

"Two million six hundred sixty thousand Spirit Stones."

"Two hundred sixty-six million Source Power."

As his hands grew sore from the labor, the mountain of Spirit Stones was finally processed. With over two hundred sixty million Source Power, Chen Jichuan was not only able to unlock the next Dao Fruit World but also produce sixteen Affiliated Dao Fruits while conserving twenty thousand of his stored Spirit Stones.

Thus.

Taking into account his prior reserve of six to seven million Source Power, he retained a surplus of over twelve million.

"It's manageable for now."

"But when it comes to ten billion, one hundred billion—how will I possibly keep up?"

Chen Jichuan feared future challenges, but for now, this milestone was met.

[Consume one hundred sixty million Source Power to form sixteen Affiliated Dao Fruits?]

"Yes!"

Immediately.

Sixteen Affiliated Dao Fruits were formed.

Among them, ten were Formation Masters, two were Alchemy Grandmasters, two were Refining Masters, and two were Talisman Masters, all at Third-order proficiency.

Of these sixteen, only six came from the Heaven Mending Sect.

The remaining ten were gathered from outside the sect, carefully selected by Chen Jichuan over the course of the 'Ten Year War' and the 'Five Elements Sect War' across the Central Continent.

It could be said.

Chen Jichuan's candidates for Affiliated Dao Fruits comprised elite individuals spanning the Heaven Mending Sect's last two millennia and the Central Continent's past twelve hundred years.

Take True Person Jiulong.

Though his array expertise ranked among the top ten of the Heaven Mending Sect during his lifetime, he barely cracked the top thirty on Chen Jichuan's list.

The selection process was stringent.

Sixteen Affiliated Dao Fruits were finalized.

Most were Formation Masters.

"Alchemy and refining at Third-order levels are sufficient for now."

"Next, I can focus more energy on formations and talisman making."

The four-hundredfold time acceleration needed careful allocation.

Until his cultivation reached Third-order, advancing skills in alchemy and refining would demand significant effort.

For now, he could consolidate these arts.

Once he achieved Divinity Transformation, further mastery could follow.

During this interim, he intended to dedicate himself to formations and talisman making.

With insights from ten Formation Masters and two Talisman Masters, Chen Jichuan would benefit immensely, advancing towards Third-order mastery.

Moreover, these sixteen Dao Fruits were all at Second-order Tenth Heaven cultivation level.

They could impart additional insights and accumulations to Chen Jichuan's cultivation path.

...