Silence fell.
In an instant, everyone went quiet.
Indeed! Mutual support and aid were easy enough to profess, but without an established leader, who could guarantee that someone wouldn't shrink back when trouble arose? When that happened, a leader was indispensable to issue commands.
Yet a leader would inevitably hold the power to deploy the cultivators of each faction. When battle was joined, that leader could dispatch others to act as the vanguard, preserving their own strength.
Li Yixian and Nangong Jin exchanged glances, nodding in tacit agreement. As cultivation clans, they possessed the fewest cultivators and had to look after many mortal descendants. If someone truly ordered them to their deaths...
"Hahaha!"
A hearty laugh rang out abruptly.
Meeting the three surprised gazes, Luo Chen cupped his hands with complete naturalness. "Gang Leader Wang possesses third-layer Foundation Establishment cultivation, merely a step away from the mid-stage. He is the strongest among us. His Great River Gang boasts immense numbers and influence, dominating both north and south. If we are to travel far on this journey, we will surely rely heavily on the Great River Gang's transport capacity. In my view, Gang Leader Wang should take the lead!"
Having spoken, he paid no heed to the astonished looks on Nangong Jin's and Li Yixian's faces. "What do you two Daoists say?"
Waves surged in Nangong Jin's heart. He had assumed Luo Chen would fight with all his might for the dominant position. After all, among the four forces, the Luotian Association had surged from behind to lead in Foundation Establishment combat power, possessing Luo Chen, Wang Yuan, and a tier-two explosive ape. Yet Luo Chen had relinquished the leader's position so easily.
Li Yixian watched Luo Chen's calm, composed demeanor. After her initial astonishment, her sharp intellect began to weigh the deeper implications. She glanced at the slight curl on Wang Haichao's lips, lost in thought. *This Luo Chen truly has a grasp on Wang Haichao's mind.*
Having grasped the key point, she hesitated no longer, chiming in with Luo Chen's words. "Danchenzi speaks the truth. Among our fellow cultivators, strength is revered above all. Gang Leader Wang is indeed worthy of the leader's seat."
Nangong Jin furrowed his brow. Having no better alternative, he could not dispute the two of them now. He could only follow suit. "To tell the truth, indeed."
Luo Chen gave him a surprised look, leaving Nangong Jin utterly bewildered. *Is he blaming me for not backing him?*
In truth, Luo Chen merely felt that Nangong Jin had left out the words "speaking as an impartial bystander."
Once the three reached a consensus, their gazes settled upon Wang Haichao.
A smile appeared on Wang Haichao's face, and he cupped his hands. "I am honored by everyone's high regard. In that case, I shall temporarily assume the role of leader! No—since this is an alliance, I should be titled Alliance Leader."
The three nodded without hesitation.
With that settled, the conversation returned to the primary question: where to go!
"Since I started this, let me share my thoughts," Luo Chen said without hesitation. "I discussed this with the cultivators in our association previously. A place suitable for us to settle down and cultivate is definitely not some remote mountain or great marsh. Without Golden Core cultivation, one cannot hold down a territory like that at all."
The others nodded in tacit agreement.
Any Foundation Establishment force—be it a fallen sect or a small cultivation clan—mostly survived by relying on large sects or large markets. They could not hold fertile grounds, and poor ones could not keep their people around. Only mediocre sect-administered markets allowed them to find resources to survive and cultivate in the cracks between powers.
Where there were people, there was trade. Cultivating in solitude was merely working behind closed doors, nowhere near as fast as gathering in a community.
"Therefore, we actually do not have many choices of destinations. Snow Lotus Market, Taishan Market, Liuguang Market, and... Tianlan Immortal City."
Having laid them out, he fell silent, tossing the topic to the other three.
As cultivators who had mingled in the region for years, the three quickly offered their thoughts.
"Snow Lotus Market is my old home; the Nangong family originally moved here from there," Nangong Jin said, shaking his head. "But that place is not suitable for development. In earlier years, it suffered frequent assaults from snow beasts. Our Nangong family bordered the Great Snow Mountain and had no other choice, which is why we made up our minds to relocate. Although Snow Lotus Market was strangely quiet for a time a few years back, over the past two years, I've heard that frost direwolves have repeatedly attacked the market. Furthermore, Snow Lotus Market is under the direct administration of the Golden Core sect Ice Fort. If we go there, we will certainly be subjected to their control."
The closest destination to Dahe Market, Snow Lotus Market, was ruled out first. This came as no surprise. Having grown accustomed to Dahe Market's normal four seasons, a place like Snow Lotus Market was truly unfit for a clan raising mortal descendants.
"What about Liuguang Market?" Luo Chen asked, curious.
Nangong Jin shook his head. "I don't know much about that place."
"Allow me," Li Yixian took up the thread. "That place is simply too impoverished. In earlier years, it was a mining site for the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, but after mining concluded, it was abandoned. Back then, Liuguang Market's weapon forging and ore businesses thrived. Because of those trades, the Bai family of Liuguang Market even fought a battle against the Duan family of our Dahe Market. But now, the Bai family has gradually declined and will very likely relocate as well."
Luo Chen pondered. It seemed Liuguang Market was ruled out as well.
Wang Haichao gave a free and easy laugh. "Why not go to Taishan Market?"
"What insights does the Alliance Leader have?" Luo Chen asked with a smile.
Wang Haichao spoke with fluent confidence. "Taishan Market spans three mountains. Though the spirit veins are scattered, they are well-suited for our habitation. Furthermore, I have some friendly ties with several Foundation Establishment forces over there. When the time comes to negotiate, we might be able to put down roots."
Li Yixian asked curiously, "I recall that the Huo family ancestor of Taishan Market has reached the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment and is rather petty-minded. In all of Taishan Market, his personal strength reigns supreme. If we go, arriving with four Foundation Establishment cultivators at once, will he tolerate us?"
The Red Toad Mountain Huo family of Taishan Market was likewise a Foundation Establishment clan with centuries of heritage. Moreover, they enjoyed good relations with the Golden Core sect Yan Alliance, with clan cultivators joining the Yan Alliance year after year. One could say they possessed formidable personal strength and an exceptionally deep background.
The family ancestor, Huo Quan, had stepped into the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment long ago and was fiercely protective of his own. Under his shelter, the Huo family's momentum had climbed steadily in recent years, pressing hard on Taishan's Kang family and earning the reputation of Taishan Market's foremost cultivation clan.
Facing Li Yixian's inquiry, Wang Haichao's expression faltered. After a long moment, he said hesitantly, "With four Foundation Establishment cultivators stepping forward together, he should give us that much face, right?"
After all that, he was not even sure himself!
The corners of Luo Chen's mouth twitched. "We'll see when the time comes. We'll treat Taishan Market as our primary option!"
The others nodded; at least they had a direction.
As for Tianlan Immortal City among Luo Chen's suggestions, no one even discussed it. The distance was simply too vast. A solitary traveler might reach it swiftly, but dragging entire households and mortals along would take several months at least.
Several months? It sounded brief, but across such a long journey, danger could strike at any moment. When the Fu family had migrated here back then, it had been an arduous trek. If not for the heavy losses they suffered along the way, the Luotian Association led by Luo Chen would never have wiped them out so easily later on.
Next, the four discussed many more matters.
When would they depart?
How would they travel?
How should they handle the assets left behind?
If they met danger on the road, how would each force contribute?
Once they arrived at the new location, under what name would they band together?
This preliminary alliance meeting dragged on, eventually degenerating into petty squabbling over minor details. If an outsider did not know these four were accomplished Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, a mortal looking upon them would have thought they were a bunch of penny-pinching merchants.
It was not until late into the night that Wang Haichao, Li Yixian, and Nangong Jin took their leave.
After they departed, Luo Chen sat in the hall, rubbing his brow.
"Come in!"
At his casual call, Sima Huiniang stepped inside with light footsteps.
"President, is everything settled?"
"Yes. Over this upcoming period, the various forces will likely do whatever it takes to gather every resource they can carry away. Send word to keep the Luotian Association's cultivators in check, and try not to clash with them."
"I understand that."
Sima Huiniang nodded, then asked curiously, "Why didn't you fight for the position of alliance leader, President?"
Luo Chen sneered. "Alliance leader? Is that seat so easy to sit in?"
...
Facing Sima Huiniang's confusion, Luo Chen was not stingy with explanations.
She served as the Luotian Association's director-general, personally executing decisions on all matters large and small. Many details seemed insignificant on the surface, yet carried far-reaching consequences. In the cultivation world, decisions could rarely be made with only the present in mind; one had to look far enough ahead. Yet bound by their cultivation realm, cultivators could easily have their vision obscured by a single leaf, blind to the greater picture.
Luo Chen had suffered many setbacks during his Qi Refinement days due to a lack of broader perspective. He did not want Sima Huiniang to suffer the same. If she did, it would harm not only her interests, but his own. Borrowing his eyes, Sima Huiniang could look farther ahead!
"Being alliance leader isn't an easy task."
Luo Chen's gaze grew distant, as if spanning time and space to behold the scene once the four forces set out. "Along the way, winds and rains are inevitable, and twists will arise continually. As the head of the alliance, the leader must bear the mental strain. Wherever there are people, there are conflicting interests. When so many of us enter an unfamiliar place, whose interests do you think we will infringe upon? Do not think that a four-way alliance can sweep all before it. The tangled interests of any local region run far deeper than we imagine. Take Mi Shuhua back then: he seemed like a lone Foundation Establishment cultivator, but who knew Miao Wen stood behind him? Who knew he and Duan Qiankun had been close friends for decades? And how could we know whether he had other allies? Why do you think the Great River Gang, the Lianyun Merchant Alliance, and the five major Foundation Establishment clans had to strike all at once? Was it not out of fear that failing to kill the snake would invite its vengeance?"
Seeing Sima Huiniang's burgeoning understanding, Luo Chen looked at her with approval and continued, "Under such circumstances, the highest-ranking alliance leader will inevitably become public enemy number one to those whose interests are harmed. The danger he faces will be a hundred times ours! The shot hits the bird that pokes its head out, and the blade strikes the local tyrant first—that is the principle."
Sima Huiniang suddenly saw the light. Yet she asked in bewilderment, "If that is so, why did Wang Haichao agree? Did he not think of this?"
Luo Chen chuckled. "How could an old fox like him fail to grasp such a simple truth?"
"Then why?"
"Very simple: this is an open trap he has to step into. In fact, he actively fought for the title of alliance leader!"
Facing her puzzled look, Luo Chen explained with a smile, "Unlike the Li and Nangong families, he has no ties of blood to bind everyone together and ensure their loyalty. The cohesion of the Great River Gang is far inferior to our Luotian Association's. True, their gang has weathered many storms, but most involved external forces meddling, and much of the profit gained was shared outward. His subordinates harbor plenty of discontent. Moreover, while that man appears refined and amiable, he is narrow-minded and cannot tolerate strong men beneath him. Looking back, that Broken Blade Xu Renke must have submitted to him long ago. Yet on the Dao discussion platform, he still had Xu Renke destroy Gao Tingyuan's Death-Substitute Puppet, shatter his dantian, and ruin any chance of him reaching Foundation Establishment for the rest of his life. Such matters cannot be hidden from others."
Luo Chen paused, looked at Sima Huiniang, and mused, "If I want to leave, all of you will follow me. Why?"
Without hesitation, Sima Huiniang replied, "Because you have never mistreated us, President. Following you, everyone has a bright future!"
Receiving such earnest praise, Luo Chen showed no false modesty. He nodded and asked again, "Then switch places. If Wang Haichao were leaving, would you follow him through thick and thin?"
"Uh..."
"The moment you hesitate, you already have your answer."
Luo Chen smiled faintly, finishing the cooled spirit tea in one gulp. "Wang Haichao has no blood ties to bind them, no material interests to tempt their hearts, and no prestige to convince the masses. If he wants to take enough people away, what can he rely on? Just his title as a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator? Heh, that title isn't worth that much. Rogue cultivators think very simply: at worst, they walk away, switch factions, and keep cultivating."
It was as if a bucket of cold water had cleared Sima Huiniang's mind. Guided by Luo Chen, she instantly connected the crucial dots.
"So he needs the title of alliance leader!" Sima Huiniang declared with certainty. "Only the status of leader of a four-way alliance can temporarily suppress the stray thoughts of those rogue cultivators. Moreover, doing so cuts off the possibility of those rogue cultivators turning to us instead. President, is that right?"
Luo Chen nodded in approval.
Such was the lot of rogue cultivators without a sect to rely on. Even as Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, their lives were hardly comfortable. Relying on the Great River Gang, even if Wang Haichao could not afford treasures like magic treasures in the short term, he at least never lacked resources for cultivation. If he lost the Great River Gang to do his bidding, without any specialized craft, where would he earn spirit stones? Serving as an enshrinement elder for some fallen small sect or cultivation clan? What a joke.
In the current Eastern Desolation cultivation world, the standard going rate for a Foundation Establishment enshrinement elder was only two to three thousand spirit stones a month. Deducting the monthly cost of cultivation, how many spirit stones would remain? To say one could pinch pennies for years, halting cultivation to save up for a magic treasure—was that not giving up eating for fear of choking? If one failed to form a core, when lifespan ran out, wouldn't the treasure in hand simply become an inheritance for future adventurers? Besides, few clans could afford even that rate. Only he, Luo Chen, was truly wealthy and generous! And even then, he had only offered such generous terms out of brotherhood with Wang Yuan.
Wang Haichao could not do without the Great River Gang. But what about Luo Chen? He was not strictly bound to the Luotian Association. If he changed locations, he could easily rise again on his reputation as an alchemist. The reason he was determined to bring the Luotian Association along was, first, that it held many of his friends; second, everyone trusted him; and third, he found the people in the Pill Hall exceptionally handy to work with. Furthermore, if they were to travel far, having a large retinue of guards provided ample guarantee of safety.
*If we can put down roots in Taishan Market, that would undoubtedly be best. It is far enough from Dahe Market that the ghost king's threat won't reach it for now, and the place isn't entirely unfamiliar. But if we can't...*
Luo Chen's eyes darkened as he began preparing backup plans. It was never in his nature to put all his eggs in one basket. Even back when he was under Mi Shuhua's control, he had remained ready to flee at any moment. He simply hadn't expected that after plotting to flee so many times and failing due to various circumstances, this time he would be leaving of his own accord.
"Go attend to your duties! Set our departure time for two months from now. Make sure every loose end is handled properly!"
Sima Huiniang bowed respectfully. "As the President commands!"
...
A month later, deep in the night.
Inside the green thatched cottage, Bai Meiling trembled in the corner, not daring to take a single step toward Luo Chen. What terrified her was not Luo Chen, but the unfurled banner in his hands.
The Soul Refining Banner!
Luo Chen stared at the unfurled cloth with an uncertain expression. Just this evening while he was concocting pills, an anomaly had struck the banner. Waves of chaotic aura had leaked from within, impossible to conceal, nearly causing his pill concoction to fail.
He had hurried back and opened it, only to discover that the dozens of ghost soldiers he had previously captured inside the Soul Refining Banner had completely vanished. Within the banner cloth, only two figures remained: one was Duan Qiankun, and the other was Luo Tianhong.
Having devoured those dozens of ghost soldiers, both figures were far more solid than before. The disturbance this evening had been caused by their battle.
"I knew one mountain cannot hold two tigers, but I never expected a mere magical artifact couldn't even accommodate two ghost generals."
Duan Qiankun's remnant soul had been extracted from Wang Yuan's body when Luo Chen returned to Mount Xiaohuan. At the time, he had placed it inside the Soul Refining Banner and paid it little mind. He hadn't expected matters to develop to this point after two months.
Watching the two ghosts, surrounded by grim ghost qi as they fought ceaselessly, Luo Chen sighed. By now, he had figured it out. *Ultimately, this Soul Refining Banner's grade is too low. Accommodating a single tier-two ghost is its limit. With two, they will only devour each other.*
This was the flaw of the Soul Refining Banner. At the magical artifact grade, it could hold a hundred mortal souls at most, and only one tier-two ghost could exist inside. Only upon reaching the magic treasure grade could it accommodate thousands, tens of thousands, or even millions of souls. Under those circumstances, never mind tier-two ghosts, it could contain several tier-three ghost kings. By then, the internal space of the Soul Refining Banner would constitute its own ghost domain!
*Very well, fight it out then! Let a victor emerge, saving me the trouble of dividing my focus to control you both.*
Under Luo Chen's watch, the battle inside the banner grew increasingly white-hot.
Luo Tianhong had lost the Lanke Chess Piece and suffered severe injuries from Luo Chen, causing his strength to plummet. Yet because he had been born from a ghost domain, his foundation was deep and resilient. Duan Qiankun's soul was aged and long past its prime, and after having his spirit seized by Wang Yuan, only a remnant soul of grievance remained. Even so, his restrictive techniques could still be instinctively deployed despite his ghostly state.
The clash between the two appeared evenly matched. But in the end, a resolution arrived!
Luo Tianhong won!
This was the natural outcome. In life, Duan Qiankun's lifespan had been nearly exhausted, his soul old and decrepit. The remnant soul he formed harbored hatred only for those who destroyed his Duan family. Luo Tianhong, on the other hand, had fallen in the prime of his youth along the Dao path, born from that ghost domain fueled by sheer obsession. He was a ghost of obsession; perhaps not as vicious as a vengeful wraith, but his survival instinct far exceeded that of an ordinary ghost general. After such a prolonged fight, Duan Qiankun could only lose.
Within the banner, the victorious Luo Tianhong instinctively devoured the defeated remnant soul with wild abandon. Before long, he had consumed it whole. His originally illusory form grew even more solid, and an armor of yin qi slowly clung to his sides, encasing his ghostly frame.
With a thought from Luo Chen, the ghost general materialized inside the small cottage.
It instinctively moved away from the fire spring, drawing closer to the ice spring. Standing before Luo Chen, it let out a low snarl, attempting to approach, yet instinctively retreating in dread. Such a contradictory sight caused Bai Meiling, who was trembling in the corner, to giggle softly.
Luo Chen shook his head and struck out with a Soul Intimidation Technique on the spot. His powerful soul foundation, combined with his identity as the Soul Refining Banner's master, brought the ghost general crashing to its knees beside him.
"Calling you Luo Tianhong is no longer appropriate. It would be disrespectful to your past life and easily invite trouble. From now on, you shall be called... Xiao Hei!"
Xiao Hei froze for a moment, then pressed himself closer to the ground with greater deference. For a soul lacking a physical vessel, enduring the Soul Intimidation Technique was no pleasant experience.
After bestowing the name, Luo Chen checked Xiao Hei's condition. Having successively devoured over a dozen ghost soldiers and the remnant soul of Duan Qiankun, a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, its state had returned to its peak. It even possessed a touch more intelligence. In terms of combat capability, it was already a genuine tier-two combat power.
"Xiao Hong ran off, but now Xiao Hei has arrived. Heh..."
Luo Chen chuckled and drew Xiao Hei back into the Soul Refining Banner. Turning around, he looked sternly at Bai Meiling. "How is your study of the True Soul Refining Art progressing?"
"Yee... yee..."
"You've reached entry level?"
Luo Chen's eyes brightened. "That's good news. Come with me!"
In a daze, Bai Meiling squeezed into the ghost mill, and Luo Chen carried her away from Mount Xiaohuan under cover of night.
By the time the moon hung high in the sky, Luo Chen's footsteps halted outside the inner city gates. He cast a wary glance toward Mount Luofeng, then strode inside.
The moment he entered, he detected three yin souls wandering nearby. With a stir of spiritual awareness, Luo Chen activated the Soul Intimidation Technique to trigger its capturing effect. As if seized by an invisible hand, the three yin souls were dragged to his side.
*Thud!*
The ghost mill dropped to the ground, and the three yin souls were tossed directly onto the millstone.
Looking at the blank-faced Bai Meiling, Luo Chen gestured with his chin. "Push it!"
Bai Meiling blinked, then instinctively pushed the ghost mill. Under her effort, the three weak yin souls were swiftly ground into wisps of pure yin soul power amid faint wails.
Beholding this power of yin souls refined to the absolute extreme, Luo Chen's soul emitted a surge of yearning, seemingly tempted to swallow it down. Swallowing his saliva, Luo Chen forcefully suppressed the urge. Once ground by the ghost mill, the yin soul power carried Bai Meiling's will, for the mill was her companion artifact to begin with.
"Circulate the True Soul Refining Art and devour it all!"
"Yee... yee..."
Bai Meiling babbled for a moment, then opened her mouth and inhaled, drawing that pure yin soul power into her body. Circulated by the True Soul Refining Art, it fused completely with her form.
Watching this, the hunger welling from Luo Chen's soul finally vanished.
*Absorbing it like this is far better than Xiao Hei's brutish devouring; at least it preserves her sanity.*
After Xiao Hei swallowed the remnant soul, he had grown even more ferocious. Bai Meiling was different. The expressions on her face had become noticeably more vivid. If they did this a few more times, she would regain her memories from life sooner or later. When that time came, Luo Chen would let her reunite with Feng Xia and the others. But for now, he would set that aside; meeting now would only add to their sorrow.
"That will do for today."
Seeing Bai Meiling patting her puffed-out little belly with a satisfied look, Luo Chen chuckled and shook his head.
Leaving the ghost city, he strolled through the increasingly desolate streets of the outer city. Luo Chen began pondering how to continue augmenting his soul foundation. At present, he dared not take any more Nether-Passage Pills. It wasn't that tier-one Nether-Passage Pills had lost all effect on him, but that he was afraid! He feared that the pill toxin barrier that had appeared when he broke through to Foundation Establishment would manifest upon his soul.
*After Golden Core, spiritual awareness evolves into divine sense, and only then do cultivators begin shifting toward cultivating spirit and qi in parallel. I've heard that at the Nascent Soul realm, the soul even manifests into an infant, granting a second life. The soul is so critical; not the slightest mistake can be permitted!*
Without a way to neutralize the pill toxin, he could not take Nether-Passage Pills for the time being. Thus, he had to find other methods to grow his soul foundation. Luo Chen knew full well the advantages of a powerful soul. His ability to charge toward Foundation Establishment five times in succession had relied not merely on a robust physique, but also on a soul capable of freely manipulating the spiritual power within his body! Anyone else would have been battered and scarred by rampaging spiritual power during their very first failure. When breaking through to Golden Core in the future, the strength of his soul would only be all the more critical!
*Bright Spirit Fiend Breaking is only at the perfection stage. Perhaps I can consider using fiendish aura to cultivate it?*
*Fiendish aura...*
Looking toward the mountain peaks of Mount Xiaohuan, Luo Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.
Chapter 199