The turmoil in Dahe Market had begun the moment Core Formation Master Pang Renxiong returned.
The law enforcement team's inaction and the closure of the Dao Discussion Platform had only poured fuel on the fire.
The discovery of the Core Formation ruins and the slaughter in the Guyuan Mountain Range had pushed it higher step by step.
Until just a few days ago, when the three major factions—the Great River Gang, the Lianyun Merchant Alliance, and the Xuanyi Society—joined forces to crush the Mountain Breaker Gang in a single stroke, driving the chaos to its absolute peak!
A chaotic melee of thousands of cultivators had swept up over eighty percent of those in Dahe Market.
It had shattered the peaceful lives of far too many people.
Yet once a peak is reached, an inevitable decline must follow.
The major battles were over.
Recently, the main theme of Dahe Market had shifted into the three factions carving up the Mountain Breaker Gang's spoils.
Among them, relations were far from as harmonious as when they had joined hands against the Mountain Breaker Gang.
The intricacies were beyond the imagination of ordinary folk, but now, faced with immense profits, they were fully exposed.
The Great River Gang wanted to take over the strongholds in the mountains all at once, expanding their business from the waterways onto land.
This time, however, the Lianyun Merchant Alliance was unwilling to let others take the lead; centered around their local branch, they dispatched a large number of Qi Refinement experts to stake their claim.
Friction was quietly brewing between the two factions.
Meanwhile, the Xuanyi Society, which had previously seemed the grandest in momentum, was nowhere near as united as it appeared on the surface.
The five Foundation Establishment clans composing the Xuanyi Society saw their tensions escalate with every step of partitioning the Mountain Breaker Gang.
For instance, both the local Li family and the rising Nangong family were involved in spirit beast breeding.
One bred beasts of burden centered on dragon-horses, while the other raised beasts like fuzhu deer and yellow oxen.
Both sides coveted the resources of the Mountain Breaker Gang's Beast Hall, sparking one clash after another over them.
Represented by younger-generation experts like Li Ao and Nangong Qin, the two sides engaged in relentless contests.
The Nangong family possessed great strength, but Nangong Qin had been wounded in his battle against Qin Liangchen.
As a result, facing a peer like Li Ao, he could no longer maintain his former domineering edge.
Compromise was a foreseeable outcome.
Take the Duan family, for example. Skilled in artifact forging, they naturally wanted to take over the Mountain Breaker Gang's Mining Hall in its entirety.
That involved ownership rights over several low-grade mineral veins.
Securing those veins would certainly elevate the Duan family's smithing craft to greater heights.
Yet the problem was that mining was far too lucrative a trade, and far too many eyes were fixed upon it.
Even major sects!
Xianzhu Residence, backed by Mount Ailao, and Wanbao Tower, supported by Tianfan City, had both begun negotiations with the Duan family.
As a local cultivation clan, the Duan family ought to have taken a firm stance.
However, the Duan family's ancestor, Duan Qiankun, had little lifespan remaining, leaving them lacking in confidence.
As for the other two clans in the Xuanyi Society, the Fu family and the Chen family, their position was even more awkward.
Though bearing the name of Foundation Establishment clans, apart from possessing Foundation Establishment methods, they had no living Foundation Establishment cultivators holding the fort.
The share they desired was small, but it was profit nonetheless.
With the Xuanyi Society lacking unity, other small factions of local rogue cultivators also sought to muscle in for a share of the spoils.
One could only say that with the Mountain Breaker Gang previously serving as a towering banner out front, far too many people had overlooked the other small factions in Dahe Market.
Some were alliances of three to five ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators, while others were groups of late-stage Qi Refinement experts banding together.
In short, none looked like easy targets.
It was under these circumstances that a new faction named the "Luotian Association" gradually surfaced in the public eye.
According to reliable sources, the Luotian Association had not sprung up out of nowhere.
In truth, it was an alliance of rogue cultivators formed by a group of survivors from the former Mountain Breaker Gang.
The association's leader was Danchenzi, former head of the Pill Hall—one of the Mountain Breaker Gang's nine halls.
Within the association was also the granddaughter of the late Foundation Establishment True Cultivator Mi Shuhua.
It could be said that whether in terms of their figurehead leader or their Mountain Breaker Gang lineage, they held ironclad credibility.
After emerging, the Luotian Association did not participate in any resource scrambles.
They merely raised a banner calling for the brothers of the Mountain Breaker Gang to return, while also welcoming other rogue cultivators to join.
As for their terms and benefits, they differed from those of other factions.
It was said that beyond the standard conventional compensation, any late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator who joined the Luotian Association would receive a bottle of pills personally concocted by Master Danchenzi every month.
It had to be said that this last condition held immense appeal.
Though many knew that Danchenzi's Jade Marrow Pills could only satisfy the daily cultivation needs of early and mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators and offered little help to late-stage ones, it was an extra perk!
If sold on the market, a bottle would fetch at least forty or fifty low-grade spirit stones.
Besides, who could say for sure whether that alchemy master might start concocting pills useful for the late stage in the future?
For a time, quite a few rogue cultivators grew restless with temptation.
Yet restless was all they were.
Everyone was waiting and watching!
The Mountain Breaker Gang had been destroyed by the three major factions. Now that a small faction carrying the Mountain Breaker Gang's bloodline had appeared, would the three factions just sit idly by?
Especially when this small faction had no Foundation Establishment cultivator anchoring it!
In other words, they were hardly any different from other small rogue factions.
Many were waiting for the three major factions to strike.
When that happened, this Luotian Association might well scatter like smoke, just as countless other small factions in Dahe Market had over hundreds of years.
The higher-ups of the Luotian Association paid no mind to what outsiders thought.
They had already thrown themselves into busy work.
With Crescent Moon Valley as their headquarters, expansion of the defensive fortifications was underway, overseen by Duan Feng, an elder of the War Hall.
Deputy Hall Master Granny Yuan was not idle either. Under her guidance, the many spirit fields occupying the center of Crescent Moon Valley were remapped, and they began purchasing various medicinal herbs from outside.
They even established a small herb-gathering unit, preparing to train a dedicated team for venturing into the mountains to gather herbs.
A number of cultivators from the former Pill Hall and Medicine Hall were selected.
Led by Gu Caiyi and Qu Hancheng, they set about reacquainting themselves with herb processing, pill fire techniques, and related tasks.
Aside from all this, there was the most vital task of all: recruitment.
This had been carried out continuously by the Merit Hall, led by Murong Qinglian.
***
"Lang Mu, former member of the War Hall, are you certain you wish to join the Luotian Association?"
The addressed cultivator asked half-skeptically, "Are the rumors about the Luotian Association's benefits true or false?"
Murong Qinglian offered a faint smile. "They are true, of course. That condition was added specifically by the association leader."
Hearing this, Lang Mu could not help grinning.
"Then of course I'll join!"
"Hall Master Murong, you don't know what it's been like. Ever since the Mountain Breaker Gang fell, I've been living like a stray dog out there. Members of petty little factions cursed me on sight, and I walked the streets terrified of getting robbed."
"Now, I've finally found my people!"
Listening to his grievances, Murong Qinglian gently entered his name into the roster while inquiring about his strengths so she could arrange his upcoming assignment.
Time flew by, and soon it was noon.
Gu Caiyi, having mostly recovered, walked over to Murong Qinglian and saw her furrowed brow.
"Sister Qinglian, what's wrong? Is recruitment not going smoothly?"
Murong Qinglian closed the roster and gave a wry smile. "How could it be smooth? Two days have passed, and we've only recalled a dozen or so Mountain Breaker Gang cultivators. Most are only in the mid stage of Qi Refinement."
Hearing this, Gu Caiyi felt equally helpless.
The Luotian Association currently had a hundred things waiting to be done; it was practically starting from scratch.
With the three major factions hanging overhead like a looming shadow, many former members dared not return.
To think that the Mountain Breaker Gang had once possessed over twenty ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators, hundreds of late-stage cultivators, and two to three thousand in the early and mid stages.
Even after the gang's destruction, many experts had surely survived.
Yet now, the returnees were few and far between.
Such grim reality was truly disheartening!
Gu Caiyi could only console her, "Don't fret, Sister Qinglian. Luo Chen said to take things slowly and gave us a month to reorganize."
"How can I not fret?" Murong Qinglian looked out over the bustling Crescent Moon Valley. "Right now, both the War Hall and your Gold Hall are empty shells. If we don't build them up, the Luotian Association won't be able to operate normally."
Both women knew full well the consequences of failing to operate normally.
It meant spirit stones would continually drain away!
One had to remember that the initial funding left from the Mountain Breaker Gang was only ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.
If that ran out, Luo Chen would have to pay out of his own pocket.
Gu Caiyi gritted her teeth. "If it really comes down to it, I can go recruit people too!"
"Where would you recruit people?" Murong Qinglian asked curiously.
Before Gu Caiyi could answer, however, a man's voice brimming with grandeur echoed from the sky in the distance.
"Former master of one of the Mountain Breaker Gang's three great War Halls—Zeng Wen has returned!"
Murong Qinglian froze for a moment and looked up. A white-robed man had 'pulled his chest high and tucked his belly in,' descending proudly from the sky.
Step by step, like an immortal banished to the mortal realm!
His presentation was certainly impressive, and his entrance shout was resonant, drawing the gaze of many cultivators across Crescent Moon Valley.
Yet the two women, knowing his true nature, merely stared at him in speechless disbelief.
"You aren't dead yet!"
The moment Zeng Wen landed, he stumbled and nearly fell.
The potbelly he had tucked in sagged right back out.
"Murong, why can't you wish me well for once!"
Murong Qinglian rolled her eyes. "Don't think I don't know. Tang Quan told us yesterday that you were completely fine that night. After escaping the pursuit, you slipped straight into Tianxiang Pavilion to lay low. After so many days, I reckon you've run out of spirit stones!"
Zeng Wen's face flushed crimson. "How can you slander someone's innocence out of thin air! I still have a few spirit stones to my name!"
"Fellow Daoist Zeng, booking a night at Tianxiang Pavilion doesn't come cheap!" Gu Caiyi chuckled, covering her mouth.
"Fine!"
Zeng Wen's shoulders slumped, and he said dispiritedly, "I heard Fellow Daoist Luo was offering great benefits, so I came back. A man has to make a living, after all."
"Are there any vacant posts left? Give me something lucrative. I heard the position of War Hall Master is still open—I think I have plenty of experience!"
Experience in deserting the battlefield, you mean!
"Bah! Go stand over there!"
Murong Qinglian spat playfully at him, leaving him no choice but to stand off to the side.
"Straighten your shoulders! You're the first ninth-layer Qi Refinement expert to return. Show that dashing air of yours from earlier and let everyone admire you."
"Hey, why are your legs shaking?"
They intended to use Zeng Wen as a banner.
He was, after all, an expert who had made a name for himself on the Dao Discussion Platform, renowned both within the Mountain Breaker Gang and throughout Dahe Market.
His return, in a sense, represented an endorsement of the Luotian Association by the old guard.
Zeng Wen naturally understood this, so he set aside his embarrassment and made himself seen.
Every now and then, he chatted with Murong Qinglian and Gu Caiyi.
"How many people have come back?"
"Tsk, tsk. I really didn't run away back then. You have no idea—I was sipping wine, munching immortal beans, discussing the Great Dao with a female cultivator. Then, damn it all, several ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators barged in! How was I supposed to fight that?"
"Poor Old Ninth Tie—he'd just broken through to the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, only to be blown to bits on the spot."
"Yang Wei had it rough too. He was heavily injured in the Guyuan Mountain Range, and before his wounds could even heal, his hall was wiped out."
"I heard things were worst on Wang Yuan's side. That fellow Broken Blade didn't die after all; he joined forces with two top experts to besiege him."
"Word is that magic treasure remnants, numerous high-grade dharma artifacts, and blood-inherited treasures were brought out in that fight. They wrecked the entire Qingjiang Thoroughfare and a dock to boot."
"I don't even know if Wang Yuan is still alive."
"Broken Blade Xu Renke—he'd better be dead. If I ever run into him, I'll skin him alive!"
At the mention of Broken Blade Xu Renke, everyone's expressions turned sour.
That man had clearly died on the Dao Discussion Platform, yet it turned out he had faked his death.
Then he had turned around to strike a vicious blow against the Mountain Breaker Gang.
"By the way, where's your Old Qin?" Zeng Wen asked cautiously. "I heard the Nangong family put out a kill order on him, but then mysteriously revoked it."
"What did he do?"
What had Qin Liangchen done?
During the battle in the Green Hemp Forest, Qin Liangchen had unleashed a lethal trump card compensated to him by the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect.
On the spot, he had slain ten cultivators from the Nangong family, inflicting heavy losses.
Even Nangong Qin, hailed as the foremost figure among the younger generation in Dahe Market, had suffered non-negligible injuries.
It was no wonder the Nangong family had flown into a rage.
Yet a kill order was little more than a farce.
The Luotian Association now enjoyed Miao Wen's covert backing; a single word from him was enough to force the Nangong family to swallow their fury.
Furthermore, Qin Liangchen had a son who was an initiated disciple of the Falling Cloud Sect. Without knowing what the boy's future accomplishments might be, the Nangong family dared not push things to the point of no return.
Killing him in secret back then would have been one thing.
An open pursuit, however, was simply throwing caution to the wind.
Murong Qinglian explained the situation softly to Zeng Wen.
After hearing it, Zeng Wen was stunned for a moment.
Only then did he remark with mixed emotions, "As expected, I can't compare to him!"
If their positions had been reversed, would he have charged in heedlessly to save Murong Qinglian as Qin Liangchen had?
Even if he hated to admit it, Zeng Wen knew the answer in his heart.
Back then, his hall had maintained the most intact fighting strength among the three War Halls. Counting himself, they had three ninth-layer Qi Refinement experts.
The trip to the Guyuan Mountain Range had cost them virtually nothing.
Besieged by four ninth-layer Qi Refinement enemies, had he staked his life in a desperate struggle, he might have had a slim chance of turning the tide.
Yet he had made the sensible choice to flee.
Whether that was right or wrong was hard to judge.
Yet a man simply lacked that breath of courage.
Suddenly, Murong Qinglian paused her conversation with him.
Three figures descended into Crescent Moon Valley.
"Fellow Daoist, is your Luotian Association still recruiting rogue cultivators?"
"You are all at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement?" Murong Qinglian asked in surprise. "How should I address you?"
The woman leading them smiled faintly and offered a Daoist bow.
"I am Sima Huiniang. You may simply call me Huiniang."
***
Inside the courtyard residence.
Luo Chen sat before his desk, taking the dark wooden plaque down from between his brows.
His expression was somber, a trace of hesitation flickering across his features.
In the end, he slowly shook his head.
"Establishing a foundation through this path must never be attempted unless there is absolutely no other choice!"
This wooden plaque had come from Gao Tingyuan's belongings.
Its true origin, however, traced back two centuries to the cave dwelling of the demonic cultivator Gu Yue.
Recorded upon it was an incomplete cultivation technique titled the *True Soul Refining Art*.
Indeed, it was incomplete.
It only reached the mid Foundation Establishment stage, with nothing beyond.
Even the earlier portions were riddled with suspicious contradictions and conflicts.
Perhaps the secret to resolving those contradictions lay in the missing later sections!
Luo Chen cared little for the technique itself; what caught his attention was the method of Foundation Establishment through the Soul Dao recorded within.
"Nine hundred and ninety-nine souls fused into oneself shall forge Foundation Establishment!"
"Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine souls fused into oneself shall forge Core Formation!"
"Ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine souls fused into oneself shall forge Nascent Soul!"
"To attain Soul Formation, a full one million souls are required!"
This was a true demonic method that triggered qualitative change through quantitative accumulation, treating slaughter and devouring as indispensable prerequisites for advancement.
It seemed chilling enough at first glance, but once truly understood, it became even more horrifying.
The required souls had to match the cultivator's current realm.
For the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement, it required over nine hundred late-stage Qi Refinement souls.
For the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, it required over nine thousand Foundation Establishment souls.
The same held true for the realms beyond!
Who would dare practice such an atrocious technique?
Luo Chen certainly dared not.
Not only did he not dare, he did not even dare practice the slightest bit of it, even if no one was watching.
The reason was that this fragment only explained the method of soul fusion, saying nothing about how to eliminate the myriad side effects of fusing so many souls into one's body.
A moment's thought revealed the terrifying truth: fusing thousands or tens of thousands of souls into oneself would inevitably drive one completely mad.
Back then, the rogue cultivator Gu Yue had truly reached a dead end before embarking on this path.
He had succeeded in establishing his foundation, even earning the title "Soul Refining Loose Cultivator."
Yet his end had been miserable.
Relentlessly hunted by orthodox sects, he had ultimately self-detonated his physical body and his colossal soul, leaving only a wisp of a remnant soul to flee back to his cave dwelling.
Furthermore, judging by the disjointed and erratic writing style of Gu Yue's autobiography, the man's mind had likely descended into chaos after reaching Foundation Establishment.
Gao Tingyuan had also been backed into a corner; with his dantian shattered, conventional Foundation Establishment was impossible.
He had no choice but to take this dangerous gamble.
Yet before he could achieve anything of note, he had died at Luo Chen's hands in his quest for revenge.
"Though this path cannot be taken, a few minor arts recorded within are worth examining."
Two spells recorded in the *True Soul Refining Art* surfaced in Luo Chen's mind.
***
Two complete spells emerged in his thoughts.
"God-Deterring Technique."
"Once practiced to the initial mastery stage, it can deter enemies and exert an added pressure against ethereal entities such as ghosts and spirits."
"Upon reaching great mastery, it not only deters, but can also forcefully extract weak souls."
"If spiritual sense can be projected outward, the deterring effect is even greater!"
This was not an inherently wicked art; rather, it pursued the application of one's soul and spiritual sense.
If one's soul foundation was deep enough, it offered a natural advantage in battles among peers.
If one's soul foundation was weak, however, the technique had to be used with extreme caution.
At best, it would yield no effect; at worst, it would cause a backlash, inflicting soul injuries that were exceedingly difficult to heal.
Luo Chen considered the latter only reasonable.
Anyone who achieved Foundation Establishment through the Soul Dao via the *True Soul Refining Art* would inevitably possess a terrifying soul foundation.
The God-Deterring Technique was merely the icing on the cake or wings on a tiger.
To such a cultivator, the so-called backlash was naturally nonexistent.
Luo Chen considered his own soul foundation quite solid. After surviving a heart tribulation, his soul foundation had become twice that of ordinary cultivators.
For that very reason, the number of pill concoctions he could perform had doubled.
Later, when he practiced Cleansing the Mind and Dispelling Balefulness, although it primarily trained willpower, enduring extreme agony time and again had also caused his soul to become steadily more solid and profound, albeit at a slow and subtle pace.
It might not be vastly larger than before, but it was unquestionably more condensed than that of an ordinary person.
With that as a foundation, he could certainly practice this God-Deterring Technique.
"Oh?"
Reading the specific cultivation method for the God-Deterring Technique, Luo Chen let out a soft exclamation of surprise.
During Qi Refinement, when spiritual sense could not yet be projected outward, the technique primarily used the eyes as a medium, yielding relatively modest effects.
Luo Chen's eyes were already cultivated with the Spirit Eye Art, giving him a distinct natural advantage.
What surprised him, however, was a memory that suddenly surfaced.
At the Qingjiang Restaurant, Gao Tingyuan had stared into his eyes for a long time.
Back then, Luo Chen had thought the man was deliberately staying silent to seize the upper hand in the conversation.
That was a common negotiation tactic.
Looking back now, Gao Tingyuan had clearly been using this very spell at that moment.
The more Luo Chen thought about it, the more convinced he became.
*He had already begun practicing the True Soul Refining Art back then!*
*Indeed, to swallow and assimilate external souls, one must first extract the enemy's soul from their body.*
*The God-Deterring Technique is a prerequisite art of the True Soul Refining Art, so he naturally had to learn it first.*
At the time, however, Luo Chen's soul foundation had been every bit the match of Gao Tingyuan's.
As a result, Gao Tingyuan had come away empty-handed.
*A pity I didn't know how to wield my soul back then, or I could have triggered a backlash in him right then and there!*
Amid lingering apprehension, Luo Chen also felt a pang of regret.
Having confirmed that Gao Tingyuan had practiced this spell, Luo Chen grew even more eager.
He recalled how Gao Tingyuan's eyes had turned eerie green just before his death.
That was clearly the technique's method for actively extracting weak souls, a trait of great mastery.
Unfortunately, Gao Tingyuan had not even attained initial mastery, yet he had recklessly attempted to use a technique belonging to great mastery.
Furthermore, Luo Chen had tempered himself through Cleansing the Mind and Dispelling Balefulness; his willpower was steadfast, and his soul was thoroughly condensed.
The man had been utterly unable to budge his soul.
Not only had Luo Chen's soul not been drawn out, but he had actively broken free of the extraction effect.
Consequently, Gao Tingyuan had suffered a backlash, his soul instantly extinguished.
*In other words, I did end up causing his backlash after all?*
Reflecting on this, Luo Chen's initial fervor cooled slightly, replaced by greater caution.
He would certainly learn it.
Yet he could not use it recklessly.
Otherwise, should a backlash occur, he would meet the same wretched fate as Gao Tingyuan.
Without even the time to utter a parting curse like "I won't let you off even in death," the man had quietly been snuffed out.
"Aside from the God-Deterring Technique, this Soul-Anchoring Oath also has its merits."
Thinking of the other spell, Luo Chen's eyes gleamed.
Unlike the God-Deterring Technique, although the Soul-Anchoring Oath was a spell, practicing it was not difficult—in fact, it was exceptionally simple.
The challenge lay in its requirement of a medium!
"I'll learn them both!"
"And those aren't the only spells I need to learn!"
Luo Chen muttered to himself as several books appeared in his hands.
At the very top was a Tier 2 spell manual he had purchased at the Zhenlong Black Market for nine hundred spirit stones.
It was titled *Landslide*.
Back when he was preparing to flee, he had briefly studied this spell.
Only after truly getting his hands on it did he realize that, as expected of a Tier 2 spell, it was shockingly difficult.
So difficult, in fact, that he had found no point of entry.
To fully master Landslide, one had to first learn three prerequisite spells.
The Tier 1 Fireball Art, the Tier 1 Earth Mountain Technique, and the Tier 1 Billowing Waves Technique.
A full three prerequisite spells were required before they could be combined into this powerful Tier 2 fire-attribute spell.
Only after thorough study did Luo Chen understand why a fire-attribute spell bore a name with an earth-attribute flair.
It was because one of the required arts was the earth-attribute Earth Mountain Technique.
*Landslide* was something he had to learn; after all, he had spent a small fortune on it, and the described power was truly formidable.
Even among Tier 2 spells, it was no weaker than arts renowned for sheer offense, like the Myriad Swords Art, the Ice Soul Divine Needle, or Thunderfire Pearls.
*Earlier, I thought the manual had been sold too cheaply. Only after reading it carefully did I realize it didn't come with the three prerequisite Tier 1 spells.*
*If those three were included, the price would likely have soared past a thousand.*
In the past, Luo Chen might have fretted over how to gather the other two Tier 1 spells aside from the Fireball Art.
Now, however, that worry was long gone.
Among the belongings of the over one hundred cultivators who had fallen at Crescent Moon Valley, spell manuals were not in short supply.
That was entirely normal!
Luo Chen had kept *The Five Essential Spells for Qi Refinement Cultivators* in his storage bag all along, and others naturally kept one or two purchased spell manuals of their own.
Among those spoils, Luo Chen had found both the Earth Mountain Technique and the Billowing Waves Technique.
Thus, he had assembled all three prerequisite spells.
In particular, he had already mastered the Fireball Art to the Great Perfection stage, giving it extraordinary power.
As long as he achieved basic proficiency in the other two spells, he could begin attempting Landslide.
"Conveniently, with the Luotian Association reorganizing, the time hasn't yet come for me to personally concoct pills on a large scale."
"During this period, aside from cultivating my core technique and purifying my spiritual energy, I can devote my time to these spells."
***
Half a month later.
On a plain beneath Mount Huiye, behind Crescent Moon Valley.
Two figures stood several li apart, facing each other.
Then, both formed hand seals simultaneously, channeling vast amounts of spiritual energy from within their bodies.
Suddenly, one fast and one slow, both slammed a palm onto the ground.
"Earth Mountain!"
The next instant, the ground began to tremble violently. Two massive mounds of earth rose from the soil, climbing higher and higher.
Under the infusion of spiritual energy, the surrounding soil, rock, trees, and brush converged onto them.
Rumble...
After about five breaths, two small hills standing ten meters tall towered over the earth.
The fat man who had condensed his hill first gave a sly laugh. With a sweep of his hand, the small hill slowly rose into the air, and he thrust it forward.
Only then did the young man opposite him slowly grip the empty air.
By the time he pushed his palm forward, the opposing hill was already two li ahead of him.
Its colossal momentum crashed forward, unstoppable!
The young man raised an eyebrow. Unhurried, he pushed out the small hill he had condensed.
*Boom!*
With crushing ease, the hill he thrust forward was pulverized into powder by the other.
Vast sheets of dust and debris rained down from the sky.
Seeing the "enemy hill" rumbling straight toward him, the young man sprang into the air, effortlessly flying clear of its strike zone.
*Boom!*
The small hill slammed into the earth, sinking several fathoms deep with a solid thud, leaving only the tiny tip of a mound visible.
It was as if it had always been there.
"The power is quite formidable!"
Luo Chen rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
Only then did the fat man amble over lazily.
"I really don't know what you're learning that for. The casting is terribly slow, the formation is slow, and the attack speed is even slower. Aside from packing a punch, it's completely useless—not even as handy as a little fireball."
"Oh, and it drains a ton of spiritual energy!"
Looking at Zeng Wen's curled lip, Luo Chen was not annoyed. Instead, he offered sincere thanks.
"Thank you for guiding my practice of the Earth Mountain Technique during this time."
Zeng Wen clapped his hands, dusting off a few bits of dirt.
"No trouble at all. The Luotian Association hasn't had much for me to do lately anyway."
With that, he let out a yawn.
Seeing Luo Chen lost in thought, Zeng Wen blinked.
"Don't tell me you actually plan to fight people with that thing?"
Luo Chen pursed his lips and smiled faintly, offering no answer.
Zeng Wen grew anxious instead. "Let me tell you, this spell is genuinely awful to use. Ever since I learned it, I've never used it in a fight."
"The Earth Mountain Technique is generally used for excavating cave dwellings or building fortifications. On a grander scale, even mighty experts only use it to raise mountains, fill seas, or arrange geomantic formations."
"You've seen it yourself—people in Crescent Moon Valley have been using this spell lately to construct defensive strongholds."
"For combat? It really won't do!"
Luo Chen agreed wholeheartedly.
The Earth Mountain Technique was indeed ill-suited for battle.
Or rather, cultivators with earth spiritual roots had always been rather lackluster when it came to offensive capabilities.
The few offensive arts they mastered tended to be the Earth Spike Technique or the Quagmire Technique.
Zeng Wen was an expert in that regard; on the Dao Discussion Platform, he had once used the Quagmire Technique to restrict Rakshasi's movement, thereby creating an opening for the decisive blow.
It was precisely for this reason that Luo Chen had asked him to spar and guide him.
Over the past half-month, Luo Chen had first achieved basic entry in the Billowing Waves Technique, and then, under Zeng Wen's guidance, swiftly entered the doorway of the Earth Mountain Technique.
That was why his casting speed and power during their spar had been far inferior to Zeng Wen's.
"This spell has too many drawbacks. I wonder what changes occur once it reaches initial mastery?"
Zeng Wen curled his lip. "What changes could there be? It just means you aren't bound to standing on the ground anymore. You can leave the earth and use spiritual energy to stir the earth-attribute spiritual qi in your surroundings, drawing together earth, stone, and wood to form a small hill. It only slightly alleviates the disadvantages in terrain and speed."
"What about great mastery?"
"Great mastery?" Zeng Wen scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "I haven't even achieved initial mastery, so how would I know about great mastery? I imagine it's just like I said before—raising mountains, filling seas, and suppressing a whole region?"
"How much spiritual energy would that consume?" Luo Chen shook his head, feeling no desire for such a scene.
"Exactly. That's why I don't understand why you're obsessing over this spell."
Why obsess over it?
Naturally, it was to master the three prerequisite Tier 1 spells so he could assemble the Tier 2 spell Landslide!
Luo Chen strolled leisurely toward Crescent Moon Valley, with Zeng Wen trailing close beside him.
"Association Leader, can I discuss something with you?"
"Mm, go ahead."
"Could that extra bottle of pills given every month be swapped for *that* one just for me?"
"Which one?"
"Which one else! You know what I mean!"
"That's easy enough. But you have to serve well as an elder of the Gold Hall. In particular, you must obey Hall Master Gu and not nod to her face while acting against her behind her back!"
Luo Chen paused, then added seriously, "When it comes to external matters that are awkward for a female cultivator to handle, you need to step up and take them on yourself. Don't put Hall Master Gu in an uncomfortable spot."
Zeng Wen patted his chest, agreeing wholeheartedly.
Then he gave Luo Chen a thumbs-up.
"I knew it! You're just like Old Zeng—a man who knows how to cherish the ladies!"
Luo Chen shook his head with a chuckle, paying it no mind.
He had not assigned Zeng Wen to a combat hall, placing him in the Gold Hall instead.
The reason was simple: compared to fighting, Zeng Wen was actually far better at socializing and navigating all manner of occasions.
In his past life on Earth, such a person would have been a public relations manager of the highest caliber.
Refined, vulgar, he understood every trick in the book.
Mi Shuhua had previously valued only his combat prowess while overlooking this soft skill of interpersonal relations.
It had truly been a waste of Zeng Wen's talents.
As for the consequences, they were plain to see.
In the Guyuan Mountain Range, he had put in minimal effort, preserving his hall and withdrawing safely—and, of course, gaining nothing.
During the gang's final battle, seeing the situation turn dire, he had retreated immediately.
Such a person was unsuited for the frontlines of a War Hall.
Otherwise, at a critical juncture, he could easily undermine morale.
Chatting along the way, the two strolled back into Crescent Moon Valley.
Afterward, Luo Chen met up with Murong Qinglian.
Holding the roster, Murong Qinglian briefed him point by point.
"The Pill Hall is in good order. After careful selection, it has been reorganized to a scale of fifty people."
"Per your requirements, we first met the staffing needs for medicine apprentices and fire tenders, followed by herbalists, spiritual farmers, and herb gatherers."
"Their respective skills are also being taught through veterans guiding newcomers, led by Qu Hancheng and Qiu Ying."
Luo Chen nodded, well pleased.
The Pill Hall was of paramount importance; it had to be restored to the Mountain Breaker Gang's former level, or it would hinder his ability to refine pills on a large scale.
The absorbed Medicine Hall, on the other hand, was less critical for now.
For one, they lacked the Mountain Breaker Gang's former herb-gathering channels.
For another, they no longer needed to sell medicinal herbs to other factions. Instead, they had to purchase numerous herbs and process them separately.
The so-called herb gatherers were merely being trained as a precaution.
There were only a few cultivators, so supporting them was no burden.
"As for the Merit Hall, things are largely settled. I recruited a few veterans from the Mountain Breaker Gang, and they can barely maintain our previous functions."
"The problem lies with the War Hall and the Gold Hall."
Luo Chen raised a hand, cutting her off.
"Caiyi can handle the Gold Hall's issues. She already spoke with me."
"What about the shops, then?" Murong Qinglian asked curiously.
The shops she referred to were the Mountain Breaker Gang's former retail outlets in the inner and outer cities.
Presently, those shops had been divided among the three major factions.
Resolving that would be troublesome.
To her surprise, Luo Chen appeared entirely confident.
"That won't be an issue either. The contract signed with the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect was in Mi Shuhua's name. With Miss Mi Li here, it naturally transfers to our Luotian Association."
"As for the other factions, someone will speak with them."
Hearing this, Murong Qinglian breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then only one problem remains."
Murong Qinglian pointed toward the twenty-odd late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators working on the valley's expansion outside.
"These are the battle cultivators I assigned to the War Hall. Currently, Duan Feng is managing them, but he only holds the rank of elder."
"So, when will you decide on a true War Hall Master?"
At this mention, Luo Chen sighed as well.
"Let's wait a little longer."
"Wait for Wang Yuan?"
"Yes."
"Do you really trust him that much?" Murong Qinglian frowned. "The battle on the Qingjiang Thoroughfare back then was even bigger than the one at Crescent Moon Valley. Could he truly have survived?"
Luo Chen parted his lips, but in the end, relying on his trust in Wang Yuan, he firmly nodded.
Still, to ease Murong Qinglian's mind, he added, "We'll wait a few more days. If there is still no word, I will arrange for another Hall Master who can command everyone's respect."
As he said this, he gave her a knowing wink.
Murong Qinglian let out a helpless, amused laugh. Who else could it be but her own husband?
Yet she actually preferred not to see that happen.
It was not that she feared Qin Liangchen facing danger in battle.
After all, earning cultivation resources naturally came with risks.
Rather, she worried that if husband and wife held two of the four Hall Master positions in the Luotian Association, it would create the false impression that the Luotian Association belonged to the Qin family.
When that happened, people would inevitably fail to show Luo Chen proper respect.
Factionalism had to be avoided!
With that in mind, Murong Qinglian turned to a page in the roster.
"These are a few external rogue cultivators who joined recently, not from the former Mountain Breaker Gang."
"They are all still in the probationary stage to ensure their backgrounds are relatively clean."
"The others are fine, but these three require your consideration."
Luo Chen leaned over to look, his brow twitching slightly.
Sima Xian, Sima Huiniang, Sima Wenjie.
The Three Sima Cultivators!
These three siblings had actually joined the Luotian Association?
Hadn't they always operated independently?
Interesting, truly interesting!
The corners of Luo Chen's mouth curled upward as he said, "Three ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators, and biological siblings at that—they are indeed tricky to handle."
"Let's do this: split them up!"
"Sima Xian can go to the War Hall as an elder. He's the eldest, so his combat ability shouldn't be lacking."
"Put the third brother in the Merit Hall under your watch. Don't give him a title for now; just employ him normally."
"As for Huiniang... she should take to the Gold Hall like a fish to water!"
Hearing Luo Chen's arrangements, Murong Qinglian was somewhat surprised.
It seemed as though Luo Chen already knew them quite well.
Yet according to her recent inquiries, though the Three Sima Cultivators hailed from Dahe Market, they spent most of their time traveling between various markets doing petty merchant trading.
They shouldn't have had much interaction with Luo Chen, should they?
Still, since Luo Chen had arranged it this way, he surely had his reasons, and she would simply follow his instructions.
Luo Chen strolled to the cliff edge, gazing out over Crescent Moon Valley, which had already expanded to nearly triple its former size.
A surge of lofty ambition welled up within him.
*This place shall be the foundation of my future enterprise!*
Still, perched isolated outside the market and backed against the Howling Moon Mountain Range, it carried a fair share of danger.
"Tomorrow, I'll pay a visit to that person to discuss a few matters, and while I'm at it, I'll bring up Brother Qin's situation."
Murong Qinglian was startled, her expression softening immediately.
"Can... can that arm really be reattached?"
"Have some faith in the strength of a Nascent Soul superior sect, will you?"
Luo Chen chuckled. "The competition within the sword sect is fiercer than we can imagine. Severed limbs are an everyday occurrence during sparring. Reattaching severed limbs is something they are all too familiar with."
"Rest easy, Sister-in-law. I will see to it."
Chapter 146