Anxious? Worried?
Why should Luo Chen be anxious?
Clearly, the people outside were encircling without attacking, which meant they had little desire to slaughter those in Crescent Moon Valley.
This was especially evident from the elderly, women, and children among the early- and mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators.
In the cultivation world, there had never been any noble tradition of cherishing the elderly, weak, women, or children.
In fact, old cultivators and female cultivators were often figures who inspired vigilance.
The former possessed broad horizons and rich experience; whether in combat or otherwise, anyone who managed to survive to old age had exceptional traits.
As for female cultivators, any who could cultivate to a deep realm were often far more ruthless than men of the same stage.
If they were not, they never could have stood out from the vast sea of cultivators.
So that raised the question: what reason did anyone have to spare the hundred-odd elderly, women, and children in Crescent Moon Valley?
The answer was simple.
Most of this crowd belonged to the class of production-oriented cultivators.
They possessed many production skills, working as spiritual farmers, herbalists, and physicians, or as apprentices, fire tenders, and pill tenders in the Pill Hall.
Such people posed zero threat and could generate considerable value for large factions.
Let alone other forces, even Luo Chen would never bring himself to slaughter cultivators like them.
Going up the ladder, Luo Chen—who had mastered the art of alchemy—was on an entirely different level of importance.
The name Danchenzi, in particular, had gained considerable renown throughout Dahe Market thanks to the Mountain Breaker Gang's prolonged promotion.
No faction leader in their right mind would harbor murderous intent toward Luo Chen.
They would befriend him, win him over, or perhaps try to control him!
In any case, killing him would never be their first impulse.
With that premise in place, Luo Chen's status as an alchemist served as a life-saving talisman.
So why should he be anxious?
Whoever among these people died, it would not be his turn first.
At worst, he would simply flee. He had long prepared to run anyway.
Though the spirit stones were not yet in hand, his storage bag held every bottle of mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills he had refined over the past twenty days.
The only factor Luo Chen had to consider was Second Brother Gao, who still owed him five spirit stones.
Who knew what attitude the man held toward him now?
Or had he uncovered something?
If Gao really harbored murderous intent toward him, then Luo Chen would have to play it by ear later.
Facing Luo Chen, who asked nothing, said nothing, and even found the leisure to offer him tea, Sikong Shoujia was so infuriated that he sputtered and glared, his beard bristling.
Granny Yuan and Murong Qinglian beside them, however, seemed to realize something.
Yet they kept silent, maintaining a tacit understanding.
At least, for now, Luo Chen still stood with them.
And remarkably enough!
As Luo Chen brewed tea on the cliffside, displaying an unshakeable poise in the face of peril, the panicked Crescent Moon Valley cultivators gradually calmed down.
In particular, the cultivators maintaining the defensive formation found their hands no longer trembling as they swapped out its spirit stones.
If the sky collapsed, the tallest would hold it up.
If the Hall Master was not afraid, what did they have to fear?
...
"Strange."
"The people inside seem to have calmed down. They don't look panicked at all."
Shan Xiu flew a circle around the grand formation and landed, muttering in confusion.
The ninth-level Qi Refinement cultivator responsible for patrolling the perimeter of the formation was named Lan Tianyun. He favored blue robes and had followed Gao Tingyuan for many years.
Back at Qingjiang Restaurant, he had accompanied Gao Tingyuan to meet Luo Chen.
He remarked blandly, "Perhaps because we didn't strike too hard earlier, they realized what's going on!"
Shan Xiu sneered. "You Dahe Market folks are simply too soft-hearted. If it were done the Snow Lotus Market way, we'd butcher a batch first and capture the rest. That's how you establish authority."
"Which is why Snow Lotus Market was founded decades before Dahe Market, yet your cultivator population has never managed to break fifty thousand!"
The mocking retort came from Fu Zhang.
Shan Xiu glared furiously. Ever since he had been hunted down and lost a hand, his temper had grown increasingly volatile.
Fu Zhang's single verbal jab stoked his fury to a boil.
Of course, some were unwilling to stand by and watch their own allies fall into infighting at such a critical juncture.
Lan Tianyun, who had an easygoing temperament, smoothed things over from the side. "Snow Lotus Market's population couldn't grow because of its harsh environment. That has little to do with its customs."
"Hmph!" Fu Zhang gave a cold snort, not bothering to argue further with Shan Xiu.
In truth, having relocated from Liuguang Market to Dahe Market, his Fu family had suffered plenty from Liuguang Market's culture, where barren hills and wicked waters bred marauders.
Moving elsewhere had been solely for the family's sake.
Making too many enemies was never a wise move.
Factions like Lan Tianyun, Gao Tingyuan, and the Great River Gang were well worth befriending.
Originally, the Fu family had first wanted to curry favor with the Mountain Breaker Gang. But the more contact they had, the more envious they grew of the resources the Mountain Breaker Gang controlled.
They were simply too abundant!
It was practically a miniature immortal sect.
From spirit beast breeding to mining veins, planting spiritual fields and herbs, hunting demon beasts, the pelts and hide industry, and now even expanding into medicinal pills...
Such a rich array of industries was truly complete in every detail, small as the sparrow was!
If they could carve it up alongside other factions, even a minor share would grant the Fu family a tremendous boost.
Before the decision to go to war, he had represented the Fu family at the meeting hosted by the Foundation Establishment cultivators.
He had been quite humble, asking only for the demon beast hide and blood industries.
The Foundation Establishment cultivators looked down on such trivialities and readily promised to hand that sector over to the Fu family once the deed was done.
Yet what others disdained was the finest prize for the Fu family.
So long as they controlled demon beast hides and blood, the Fu family could establish a complete, self-sustaining talisman-crafting pipeline, never again held by the throat by others.
"Are we really going to just let them sit there and watch the show?"
Shan Xiu remained displeased, glaring viciously at the people inside.
His murderous impulse ran deeper than anyone's!
Or rather, it was not merely bloodlust, but an insatiable thirst for resources.
Hiding and fleeing over the recent period had completely drained most of the fortune he had accumulated.
Only by breaching Crescent Moon Valley and plundering it thoroughly could he recoup his losses.
Lan Tianyun said helplessly, "The cultivators inside have already been divvied up by the big figures. Don't you go stirring up trouble!"
"Infuriating! If I had known earlier, I would have killed that old man back then and left no room for regrets."
Lan Tianyun was about to speak again when a hand reached out and stopped him.
"Second Brother!" Lan Tianyun called respectfully.
Gao Tingyuan nodded and walked up to the formation.
His gaze swept back and forth, finally settling in the distance on that stretch of cliffside.
Faintly, someone could be seen brewing and sipping tea, utterly at ease.
"It is indeed far too leisurely."
"Pity that such leisure has come to an end."
Gao Tingyuan stepped back a li and waved his broad sleeve.
"Give them a little shock!"
With those words, more than sixty mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators flew forward in unison.
Seeing this, the late-stage cultivators guarding the formation inside Crescent Moon Valley could not help but turn grim.
"What are they doing?"
"Are they launching an all-out assault?!"
"Everyone, stay sharp! Be ready to replace the formation's spirit stones at any moment! Reserve cultivators, prepare for battle!"
Under Zhou Yuanli's command, everyone moved in an orderly fashion.
Watching from afar, Luo Chen nodded slightly.
This Zhou Yuanli was indeed a capable man.
Whether in daily security work or his on-the-spot performance amidst chaos, he was truly commendable.
A pity he was not one of his own!
Just as Luo Chen sighed, his pupils contracted.
Outside the valley, dozens of cultivators formed incantation hand seals and chanted in unison, spiritual energy fluctuations spreading out instantaneously.
The next moment!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Fireball Art, Water Arrow Art, Golden Spear Art, Earth Spike Art, Wood Thorn Art, Vine Art... One low-tier spell after another bombarded the barrier like an overwhelming tide.
The immense concussive force made the Tier 1 Shutu Formation teeter precariously.
Ripples of earthy yellow light flickered continuously across its surface.
*Don't tell me it's going to break just like that?*
Luo Chen's expression did not waver, but he felt a touch of concern inside.
In the end, the earthy yellow light barrier stabilized.
"As expected of a Tier 1 Shutu Formation capable of serving as a small clan's guardian array. When anchored to the mountainous terrain, it truly is as solid as cast iron!" Luo Chen praised.
Before the grand formation, Zhou Yuanli hurriedly ordered his men to swap out the spirit stones.
A single wave of attacks had consumed over a hundred low-grade spirit stones.
Normal operation was one thing, but passive defense under assault was another entirely.
If this continued, the spirit stone reserves of the two halls would likely not hold out for long!
Outside the formation.
Lan Tianyun looked at Gao Tingyuan in bewilderment.
"Second Brother, why attack so suddenly? Didn't Gang Leader Wang instruct us to encircle without attacking, and prioritize capturing them alive?"
Gao Tingyuan replied impassively, "Even when encircling without attacking, we must grind them down. Otherwise, capturing these cultivators alive will take a lot of trouble later."
The explanation was sensible enough.
Under Gao Tingyuan's direction, the group of mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators bombarded the formation four or five more times together.
Only then did they stop, swallow medicinal pills, and sit cross-legged to recover their spiritual energy.
Gao Tingyuan turned back. "Besides, if we don't attack proactively, how can we lure their reinforcements out?"
He displayed a jade token, from which an arrogant voice rang out:
"The Mi family cultivators have mobilized. I will lead my men to slaughter them at Yinma Shoal!"
Lan Tianyun froze. "Is that Li Ao?"
Gao Tingyuan nodded, then took out another voice transmission jade token. A steady voice sounded from within:
"I have stationed men in Qingma Woods, awaiting Qin Liangchen's arrival!"
Lan Tianyun was astonished. "Nangong Qin has moved as well?"
Stowing the two voice transmission jade tokens, Gao Tingyuan clasped his hands behind his back.
"Indeed. Since they have all made their moves, we cannot simply go through the motions without putting in effort.
"We must at least put on a convincing show!
"Otherwise, when it comes time to carve up the Mountain Breaker Gang's resources, people will say we don't deserve our share."
Gao Tingyuan offered a faint smile.
After two incense sticks' time, he waved his hand down once more.
"Resume the attack! Do not hold back this time—use your most powerful spells!"
Standing behind Gao Tingyuan, Lan Tianyun had initially been convinced.
Yet catching the sliver of ruthlessness deep in his second brother's eyes, his own gaze grew conflicted.
In the end, Second Brother still could not let go of Little Brother's death!
This was no mere superficial show. He was deliberately depleting Crescent Moon Valley's spirit stone reserves as fast as possible.
Once their spirit stones were exhausted, the people inside would have no way to hold them back.
When that time came, Second Brother would only need to give the call, and swept up in the tide of battle, the life or death of a certain someone inside would be far beyond anyone's control.
*Even so, Second Brother, are you truly not afraid of offending those Foundation Establishment True Cultivators?*
Chapter 138