That was not an unfounded guess. From the moment they sent the visiting card to the presentation of the alchemical formula, every step had been deliberate and precise. When the three grand cultivators jointly released their pressure upon his arrival, it had clearly been a test of Luo Chen's strength.

Moreover, the choice of an alchemist for this pill had definitely been carefully discussed before they came to him. Among the alchemists of the major sects, there were some that undoubtedly possessed greater skill, and someone like Fu Jiusheng surely knew a few third-tier alchemists. Yet they dared not ask for help. The reason was simple—they lacked the leverage to win such experts over, and once the formula was revealed, others would surely covet it. By contrast, Luo Chen's name was already famous in the alchemical world, and he himself was not terribly far from Core Formation. He needed no other incentive; the pill alone was enough to make him take on the task.

Then there was the matter of gathering the vast number of required materials.

Luo Chen looked at the four in puzzlement. "You can truly gather all these materials?"

He pointed at the bamboo scroll and said solemnly, "The ingredients required for this Nether Origin Pill are anything but ordinary. Honestly, if I were to seek them out myself, it would likely take a hundred years to collect them all."

Yet He Lianyun appeared utterly confident and said, "Fellow Daoist Luo, I feel that you underestimate me. Though the Lianyun Trade Alliance has declined, our foundation remains solid after more than a century of commerce. Of the ingredients listed here, I can provide sixty percent right now. As for the remaining forty percent, given a few years, I can certainly gather most of them."

Luo Chen arched an eyebrow. He had indeed overlooked...