Deep within the ancient mountain forest, a bitter wind howled amidst virgin snow.
Two figures walked side by side.
One had his hair neatly tied and wore a white robe, his frame slender and his eyes bright as stars.
The other wore his hair loose down his back, clad in rough hemp and straw sandals, his muscles bulging over a burly frame.
"How did the talk go?"
"Not bad. We cleared the Nangong family of suspicion and confirmed that Nangong Jin intends to form an alliance."
"Then where did the beast tide come from?"
"Either the Li family or the Duan family... though I lean toward the Duan family."
"Oh?"
*Crack!*
Luo Chen trod upon a dry branch and halted his steps.
Looking toward the small mountain ahead, where the snow piled at its foot showed faint signs of melting, he said calmly, "We have no direct conflict with the Li family. In fact, we maintain close dealings in the medicinal pill trade. Even if they wished to target the Nangong family, a woman like Li Yixian wouldn't employ such crude, blunt methods."
Wang Yuan's footsteps ground to a halt.
Using a borrowed knife to kill, framing another—and that was considered crude and blunt?
You people truly have filthy hearts!
"In comparison, the Duan family has far too many reasons to move against us."
"That many?" Wang Yuan frowned, replying instinctively, "Isn't Duan Feng the only reason?"
Luo Chen gave a slight nod.
"Duan Feng is indeed a reason. He is improving at a terrifying pace and burns with deep hatred. If I were in their position, I wouldn't be able to resist getting rid of him either. But beyond being a reason, he could also serve as a trigger—drawing Duan Qiankun's gaze toward our Luotian Association."
Wang Yuan looked puzzled. "Does the Luotian Association truly warrant so much attention from a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator?"
Everyone knew that while the Luotian Association appeared formidable on the surface, it was entirely built around Luo Chen, the lone alchemist. Strip Luo Chen away, and the faction was nothing more than a sheet of loose sand.
Even if they tried to build an artifact business centered around Duan Feng, his forging attainments and temperament could never support such an organization. Thus, those Foundation Establishment True Cultivators never truly held the Luotian Association in high regard. What they valued was "Danchenzi"!
It was only because Luo Chen had borrowed the prestige of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect to deter them that this brief, months-long peace had been forged.
Meeting Wang Yuan's confusion, Luo Chen gazed at the modest, gentle hill in the distance.
This mountain was called Mount Xiaohuan, the ancestral lands of the Duan family.
"Ordinary Foundation Establishment True Cultivators naturally wouldn't care about a mere Luotian Association. But Duan Qiankun is no ordinary True Cultivator."
"You mean... his lifespan?"
"Yes, his time is nearly up!" Luo Chen sighed. "When a man reaches the end of his days, the thing he worries about most is what comes after. The Duan family is his soft underbelly. If Duan Rui had successfully established his foundation, the Duan family could endure even after Duan Qiankun passed away. But Duan Rui proved utterly useless. Once that scenario arrives, the Duan family becomes a lamb waiting for slaughter. And Brother Wang, the ones who could raise a blade against that lamb aren't just the few Foundation Establishment factions!"
At that last sentence, Wang Yuan understood instantly.
The root of this matter went back to when the Luotian Association attacked the Fu family.
Back then, restrained by Miao Wen from above and choked of distribution channels from below, Luo Chen had chosen to strike at the weakest faction—the Fu family—to break the deadlock. That success had indeed achieved much.
Now, because of that precedent, it was only natural for Duan Qiankun to harbor deep wariness toward them. Once he passed away, the Duan family would be utterly defenseless before a Luotian Association boasting dozens of late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, including more than ten at the ninth layer. Having absorbed the cream of the Mountain Breaker Gang, the Luotian Association held an overwhelming advantage over most factions in terms of mid-tier combat strength.
"That is the second reason," Luo Chen continued. "As for the third..."
A cold sneer curled at the corner of Luo Chen's mouth. "If the Luotian Association collapses, I will naturally be isolated. When that happens, the major factions will focus all their attention on me. In doing so, wouldn't the Duan family escape the notice of those major figures? If Duan Qiankun plays his cards right and recruits a guest Foundation Establishment cultivator or two from outside, the Duan family will have even less to worry about."
Listening to this breakdown, Wang Yuan clicked his tongue in wonder.
"If that's truly the case, there's no need to doubt it. We can be certain the Duan family did it. So what do we do now? Settle our grievances and debts by marching straight up their mountain?"
Those words startled Luo Chen.
"Brother Wang, you seem to have grown rather cocky lately!"
Wang Yuan laughed aloud. "I've pretty much mastered those few techniques from the second realm of body refinement. I really do want to find someone to test my hands against."
"A human Foundation Establishment cultivator is nothing like a dull-witted demon beast," Luo Chen warned, wary that the man might become arrogant.
Wang Yuan gave a confident smile. "In the past, I would indeed have worried. But as things stand now, I genuinely want to test the sword of a Foundation Establishment cultivator!"
Seeing his confidence, Luo Chen said no more. Confidence was a good thing; it meant the Luotian Association truly possessed Foundation Establishment combat capability. Still, the present moment was certainly not the right time to make a move.
"No rush. I still need a little time," Luo Chen said simply, turning to leave.
Wang Yuan did not press the matter. Outside of combat, he remained calm and composed.
***
Time!
The time Luo Chen needed was not all that long—just a year or two.
He needed that time to cultivate to Qi Refinement Great Perfection and obtain the three Foundation Establishment Pills from Tianxingzi to attempt his breakthrough. If he could establish his foundation, he would have ample confidence to face the various Foundation Establishment factions on his own, even without Wang Yuan.
Yet facing what was almost certainly malicious intent from the Duan family, Luo Chen had not sat idle. In the markets, surveillance on the Duan family grew increasingly frequent to guard against unforeseen events.
In private, Luo Chen devoted even more time to cultivation. Having trained the Fireball Art to Great Perfection, he had derived and optimized it to its absolute limit. That freed up more time for him to study other techniques.
It was during this period of quiet cultivation that Duan Feng hesitantly sought him out.
Inside the quiet stone chamber, after hearing Duan Feng's purpose, Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. "You're saying the beast tide might have come from the Duan family?"
"Not might have—it almost certainly did."
Duan Feng's expression was grim. He had never expected to bring such disaster upon the Luotian Association on his own account. Eleven brothers dead, two late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators crippled—such losses could hardly be called light.
Seeing Luo Chen's unruffled demeanor, Duan Feng was stunned. "You aren't surprised?"
Luo Chen naturally was not surprised; the circle of suspects was tiny to begin with. It was merely a matter of verifying it with a few people.
However, Duan Feng's next words truly caught him off guard.
"They had a fine scheme plotted out, thinking that once the Luotian Association collapsed, I would return to the Duan family. They even offered lavish terms to entice me. But how could I ever be swayed? How could I leave an ocean of blood and vengeance unavenged!"
Luo Chen froze for a moment.
From the sound of it, they hadn't intended to kill Duan Feng, but rather to leave him isolated and helpless so he would return to the family?
Suddenly, he recalled how the Duan family had frequently contacted Duan Feng some time ago.
Right. How could Duan Qiankun bring himself to kill this former grandson? What he wanted most right now was for Duan Feng to set aside the past and return, likely offering countless generous promises to make it happen.
*So the beast tide was likely more of a reprimand, an attempt to make Duan Feng see how weak the Luotian Association truly was. But they misjudged Wang Yuan's combat power and mine, and we weathered the tide.* Luo Chen pondered.
Yet instead of relaxing, he felt even angrier.
A reprimand from higher-stage cultivators was a matter of life and death for low-tier cultivators like them.
*I still need time. I must endure!* Taking a deep breath, Luo Chen suppressed the turmoil in his heart.
***
Another month arrived, and the black market auction began at its scheduled time.
Familiar with the routine, Luo Chen sat in the VIP section, his expression grave as he looked at the increasingly sparse auction hall.
There was a reason for the dwindling attendance: the goods brought out by the Zhenlong Black Market were growing fewer and fewer.
The emergence of this sign made Luo Chen increasingly uneasy. It meant the Zhenlong Black Market was wrapping up its affairs; their future activities would only diminish. In all likelihood, this would affect his cooperative arrangement with Tianxingzi.
Suppressing his unease, Luo Chen watched the auction quietly.
Artifacts and materials flowed out one after another like water. Tianxingzi seemed far less concerned about driving up prices, giving the entire affair the feel of a clearance sale.
"The next item to be auctioned is a beast-taming manual—the *Myriad Beast Scripture*!"
"This scripture originated from beyond the region. Though it only reaches the second tier, its techniques are quite wondrous. Paired with the corresponding methods and specific medicinal pills, it allows a cultivator to command low-tier demon beasts.
"Legend has it that this scripture comes from the Myriad Beast Sect, a powerful sect far surpassing the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect!
"A second-tier cultivation manual, starting bid at three thousand spirit stones. Each bid must increase by no less than one hundred."
Upon hearing the name of the manual, the cultivators grew interested.
It wasn't merely because the rank reached the second tier, corresponding to Foundation Establishment, but because this manual allowed one to enslave demon beasts. For the rogue cultivators of Dahe Market, who dealt with demon beasts year in and year out, such a manual was genuinely useful.
Moreover, the price was not expensive.
Ordinary second-tier cultivation manuals typically started at five thousand spirit stones. Three thousand was a significant reduction.
Looking at that jade slip, Luo Chen's eyes flickered.
*Beast taming? A second-tier exploding ape is still locked beneath Crescent Moon Valley. I wonder if I could use this manual to tame it?*
A few thousand spirit stones meant little to him now. Deciding to act, he joined the bidding.
In the end, he successfully secured it for five thousand five hundred spirit stones. The price was not high, but certainly not cheap either. After all, it was not a core cultivation manual, so the other cultivators felt no desperate need to obtain it.
Once the *Myriad Beast Scripture* was in hand, Luo Chen lost interest in the subsequent auction items. The finest treasures had already been auctioned off over the past few months. The remaining items might hold great appeal for ordinary rogue cultivators, but they were hardly worth his notice.
Soon, Tianxingzi settled the auction affairs and made his way to Luo Chen's side.
"Here is this month's count of Blood Burning Pills. Please verify them, Senior."
Without false modesty or polite refusal, Tianxingzi swept over the batch with his spiritual sense. Once he confirmed the quantity was correct, he handed over the payment to Luo Chen.
The two sat in the VIP area. Behind a soundproof barrier, those outside could hear nothing of their conversation.
Tianxingzi sighed with emotion. "Without a great sect stationed here, rogue cultivators have been given the chance to grow wild, yet the number of cultivators continues to decline!"
This was the truth. The population of rogue cultivators in Dahe Market had been steadily shrinking. Threatened by Ghost City within and harassed by demon beasts without, this land—despite its rich spiritual energy—was far from safe. Many rogue cultivators had already departed Dahe Market, and many of those who remained were waiting for spring to see how the situation developed before making a decision.
Yet that only applied to solitary rogue cultivators! For the major factions with vast numbers, the present situation was precisely what they desired most. Without the constraints of a sect, any resource they seized and sold brought immense profits.
"Little friend, this might be our final cooperation."
These ordinary words fell like a sudden clap of thunder in Luo Chen's heart.
"You are leaving?"
Tianxingzi nodded. With a trace of trepidation, a trace of anticipation, and a trace of regret, he spoke in a profoundly conflicted tone.
"Within the next few days. What a pity; there are still so many matters left unfinished."
Luo Chen's mouth fell slightly open. This truly caught him unprepared. By all appearances, the Zhenlong Black Market had intended to establish a permanent presence. How could they be departing so abruptly? Or was the "war" he had guessed at about to break out?
Sensing Luo Chen's bewilderment, Tianxingzi did not beat around the bush. From his storage bag, he produced a large quantity of pills.
"This is the Clarity Liquid I promised you—three bottles in total, enough to last a very long time. And this is the Spirit Purifying Pill your friend requested, second-tier. As for the first-tier Spirit Purifying Pill you wanted, I apologize; someone else bought it, and I was powerless to secure it."
Whether first-tier or second-tier did not matter; he could use either. Luo Chen accepted the two parcels of pills, his eyes fixed expectantly on Tianxingzi.
Under that stare, Tianxingzi looked somewhat unnatural. Both knew full well what Luo Chen desired most.
He said awkwardly, "I have indeed arranged the Foundation Establishment Pills for you, but as I said back then, it takes some time, so..."
*Damn it!*
Luo Chen had known that a high-stage cultivator's concept of time differed completely from that of a Qi Refinement cultivator. To a Qi Refinement rogue cultivator, "soon" meant ten days to half a month. But to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, "soon" could well be measured in years. And if the Zhenlong Black Market ceased operations here, how was he supposed to find Tianxingzi in the future?
*Were the so-called three Foundation Establishment Pills merely pie in the sky?*
The thought crossed Luo Chen's mind, making even his outward smile turn strained.
Tianxingzi also knew his conduct was less than honorable. Yet changes in circumstances were beyond his control, even as a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator. Before Luo Chen's eyes, he produced a silver-white five-pointed star.
Carved from wood... a puppet?
Taking the five-pointed star in hand, Luo Chen looked at him in confusion.
"This is my token of trust. This old man is not one to go back on his word; what I promised you, I will never break. Keep this token. In a few months at the shortest, or a few years at the longest, someone will deliver the Foundation Establishment Pills to you, using this token as proof."
By the end, Tianxingzi's manner grew somewhat more natural. Stroking his beard, he smiled and said, "Given your age, little friend, you should certainly be able to wait that long!"
Luo Chen felt helpless. What else could he do under the circumstances? At least this True Cultivator had genuinely taken the matter to heart. Even as their cooperation drew to a close, Tianxingzi had not claimed the pills were hopeless.
"In that case, I will trouble Senior with this matter," Luo Chen said with a strained smile.
Tianxingzi paid no heed to Luo Chen's attitude. Gathering so many Blood Burning Pills was enough for him to account to certain individuals. And toward Luo Chen, he felt his conscience was clear.
Before the black market closed, Tianxingzi called out to the departing Luo Chen.
"The third month approaches, and the snow will melt. In all likelihood, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect will not be returning. You, as well as that alchemist friend of yours, had best make preparations early. If you can no longer stay in this place, you may take my token and seek me out at the Puppet Tower in Tianlan Immortal City."
Luo Chen's eyes flickered.
The Puppet Tower was an asset under the Luoyun Sect. Was Tianxingzi no longer hiding anything at all?
Gripping the small five-pointed star puppet, Luo Chen gave a slight nod.
***
Upon returning to the Luotian Association, Luo Chen faced the mountain wind, his mind crystal clear.
The third month approached, and the snow would melt. Spring brings life to all things. Yet for the Luotian Association and for Luo Chen himself, their greatest trial was also drawing near.
"Am I prepared enough?"
Luo Chen retrieved the newly acquired *Myriad Beast Scripture*, falling into silent contemplation.
Chapter 179