Luo Chen frowned as he studied the words carved into the gray-white stone monument. "Alchemy Realm? No way… So the Monarch dabbled into alchemy as well, and that's what drew me to it?" 

The moment this thought crossed his mind, he became almost certain it was true. Back outside, he had vaguely sensed that two of the thirteen paths were exerting a pull on him. Of course, that made perfect sense. If Heaven Refiner intended to leave behind different inheritances and allow each to choose its own successor, then the selected heir would naturally be someone whose aptitude and attainments best matched that particular path.

Among all of Luo Chen's skills, alchemy was undoubtedly his strongest. Even at the early stage of Golden Core, his alchemy accomplishments had already reached the fourth tier. Across the entire Mountains and Seas Realm, few could compare to him, and he was more than qualified to be called a grandmaster of his generation.

Yet precisely because he knew that, he felt somewhat conflicted. His attainments in alchemy were already exceptionally high. Whether for the Golden Core Realm or even the Nascent Soul Realm he hoped to reach in the future, he felt that his foundation was more than sufficient. Further improvement might refine his craft, but it would not necessarily provide a meaningful boost to his cultivation. That was precisely why, after arriving in the Northern Sea, he had devoted most of his energy to physique cultivation, artifact creation, learning different spells, and practicing combat techniques, rather than continuing his obsessive pursuit of alchemy. Aside from refining pills he had already mastered, he had more or less put aside the field. 

As far as he was concerned, being good enough was good enough; why struggle to reach the absolute peak? If he had been given a choice, he would have preferred an inheritance in a field where he was weaker. Unfortunately, choices no...