Sister, This Is Fellow Daoist Danchenzi

Luo Chen smiled faintly, picking up a cup of wine on his own. "A temporary setback means nothing. With your strength, if you join a major sect, you might well find an opportunity for Core Formation." Chu Kui sneered. "Forget it. I walk my own path and fight for every resource myself. I couldn't bear the constraints of a sect." Luo Chen frowned slightly. To abandon an opportunity on the Great Dao simply out of unwillingness to be constrained? If that were truly so, why wear such a melancholy, brooding expression? Seeing Luo Chen's bewilderment, Chu Kui let out a sigh. "In truth, what difference would it make even if I joined a Golden Core sect?" "Those so-called righteous and prestigious sects would never bestow precious Core Formation resources upon someone like me." "When all is said and done, I'm just an outsider." Chu Kui jutted his chin, gesturing for Luo Chen to look toward the entrance. Xuan Yu of Peach Mountain, who had previously won the Core Formation elixir at the auction, was walking in, flanked by a crowd of Foundation Establishment True Cultivators. He strode with vigorous, commanding steps, his gaze calm and poised. High-spirited and radiant, he cut an undeniably dashing figure! "What about him?" Luo Chen asked, puzzled. Chu Kui sent a voice transmission: "Though Xuan Yu was once a rogue cultivator, his aptitude is exceptionally high, and he possesses a Longyang Physique. Yet even such a figure is only fit to serve as a male favorite to Ancestor Taohua of the Hundred Blossoms Palace." "Don't be fooled by how glorious he looks managing Peach Mountain." "When it came down to Core Formation, Ancestor Taohua didn't bestow any of the Hundred Blossoms Palace's Core Formation elixirs on him either. He still had to come out himself, expending endless effort to obtain one through an auction." "Do you really think that just because I'm good in a fight, I would fare any better than him in a major sect?" "In cultivation, being good in a fight alone is useless." These words left Luo Chen in silence. In the cultivation world, rogue cultivators were not entirely without options. They could establish their own factions, or serve as consecrated elders for smaller forces. The exceptional ones might even be actively courted by major sects to serve as titular elders. Yet over the years, he had indeed rarely heard of any renowned high-tier rogue cultivators throughout the Jade Cauldron Domain. The only Golden Core rogue cultivator he had ever encountered was Lu Jiushi. And Lu Jiushi, because of his greed for the Demon Locking Pagoda and the Lanke Chess piece, had been used as a pawn by a Golden Core Master of the Falling Cloud Sect. In the end, he had died a tragic death beneath the sword of the sword cultivator Pang Renxiong. Now hearing Chu Kui share these inside secrets gave Luo Chen an even deeper appreciation of a rogue cultivator's plight. *Under the governance of the sects, rogue cultivators have certain paths forward, but they will never truly have their day in the sun.* *Where, then, will I stand in the future?* As Luo Chen sat lost in thought, Chu Kui downed a few more cups of sullen wine, then stood and went off to build connections. That was his primary purpose in attending this evening banquet. Normally, he earned modest resources on the Dao Discussion Platform. However, the lion's share of his income actually came from his broad network, taking on shady jobs for people in exchange for massive compensation. Doing this kind of work often naturally earned him no small number of enemies. Consequently, he usually stayed within Tianlan Immortal City to cultivate in seclusion, rarely ever leaving the city. His reluctance to join a major sect was partly due to this. Bound by a sect and answering to orders, he would lose his autonomy, making it far too easy for those enemies to come looking for trouble. "Fellow Daoist Luo, what are you pondering?" A gentle voice reached his ears. Luo Chen returned to his senses and looked up at the newcomer. It was Xuan Yunzi, a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator from Azure Pill Valley. "Just some trivial matters." Luo Chen shook his head, then said, "I must still thank you for that invitation, Fellow Daoist. It allowed me to reap quite a bountiful harvest at this auction." Xuan Yunzi waved his hand and smiled. "With your wealth, Fellow Daoist, you would have returned with an abundant harvest even without that invitation. There is no need to thank me." This auction had been co-hosted by the Ice Fort and Azure Pill Valley. Xuan Yunzi knew the transactions better than anyone. In just three short days, Luo Chen and his Luotian Association had spent one hundred and seventy to eighty thousand spirit stones. That was certainly not something an ordinary minor force could pull off. "Fellow Daoist, are you an alchemist?" Suddenly, Xuan Yunzi asked out of the blue. Luo Chen nodded slightly. The fact that he was an alchemist was hardly a secret. It was just not as illustrious as it had been during his time at Dahe Market. The name Danchenzi had resonated like thunder in Dahe Market, but here in Tianlan Immortal City, it was utterly insignificant. Having received Luo Chen's personal confirmation, Xuan Yunzi seemed to grow interested. "Were the Jade Marrow Pills crafted by you?" "Yes." "Were the Myriad Wonders Pills also crafted by you?" Luo Chen was about to nod when a thought struck him. "Are you very interested in the Myriad Wonders Pill, Fellow Daoist?" Xuan Yunzi said somewhat unnaturally, "A mere Tier 1 pill naturally wouldn't catch my eye. However, I have recently been researching a pill recipe that balances water and fire. By chance, I obtained a Myriad Wonders Pill and deeply appreciated the principle of yin-yang harmony within it. Thus, I wished to discuss it with you." *He doesn't mean what he says!* With Luo Chen's deliberate perception, he easily deduced that Xuan Yunzi's true intention lay elsewhere. Especially! When Luo Chen had first met him, his spiritual eyes had detected both vitality and death coexisting within Xuan Yunzi. At that time, Luo Chen had cast several puzzled glances in his direction. And now, by some strange coincidence, the man had brought up the Myriad Wonders Pill. This pill recipe did not fit the style of the Jade Cauldron Domain at all; several of its ingredients were specialties of external domains. In particular, its primary ingredient, North Sea jade conpoy, was sold exclusively by Baicao Hall under the Medicine King Sect. Back then, his predecessor had obtained this pill recipe from the remains of a Medicine King Sect disciple... His straying thoughts snapped back into focus. Luo Chen smiled. "The Myriad Wonders Pills you purchased were not crafted by me. They were refined by a female alchemist in my Luotian Association, merely bearing my name." Xuan Yunzi paused, then looked enlightened. Such occurrences were exceedingly common in the cultivation world. After all, goods backed by a famous name were often far more popular. For instance, back in Dahe Market, Luo Chen had seen countless dharma artifacts and treasures, many of which claimed to have been personally forged by Master Huyan Zhuo, the renowned artifact master of Tianfan City. How could a Golden Core Master have so much spare time to sit there forging low-level artifacts day in and day out? It was nothing more than borrowing his name! Suddenly, Luo Chen changed the subject. "However, I have also studied this pill recipe for quite a long time." "I found the handling of the water-attribute primary ingredient exceedingly strange; whenever I attempted to refine it, it felt off." "Yet in the hands of a female cultivator, it consistently produces unexpected results." "Fellow Daoist, do you know why that might be?" Xuan Yunzi listened with curiosity, then offered his answer: "In the cultivation world, certain herbs indeed possess unique temperaments. Some must be processed on the spot, while others require several herbs mixed together to temper their harsh edges... What you describe sounds like a case of shunning yang while favoring yin." "However, jade conpoy is merely an ordinary Tier 1 herb; reasonably speaking, it shouldn't possess such a trait." "Perhaps your refinement technique was simply improper!" "When you return, you could try using the Washing Brook Hand technique to process it. That might yield results." Luo Chen put on a look of sudden realization. "Many thanks for resolving my confusion, Fellow Daoist!" "If I succeed in crafting it, I will surely pay a visit to express my gratitude!" "Ah, it's just a trivial matter, hardly worthy of thanks." Xuan Yunzi waved his hand, about to say more, when his peripheral vision caught sight of something, and he halted. A strained smile appeared on his face. "Fellow Daoist, I see several old friends. I'll take my leave first." "Of course, go right ahead!" Luo Chen nodded repeatedly. "Right, I reside at Cave Dwelling B-3 on Tianlan Peak. When you are free, feel free to visit me so we can exchange insights on alchemy." With that, he walked straight away. Behind him, Luo Chen narrowed his eyes slightly. He had only mentioned the "water-attribute primary ingredient"—he had never said the words "jade conpoy"! Regarding the primary ingredients of a pill, Luo Chen's philosophy was always to keep them confidential whenever possible. An ordinary person would never know what the primary ingredients of the Myriad Wonders Pill were. Because of the large quantities involved, Baicao Hall might have an idea. However, Baicao Hall was an enterprise of the Medicine King Sect, while Azure Pill Valley also engaged in the pill and medicinal herb trade; their relationship was definitely not amicable. It was impossible for Xuan Yunzi to have gathered that information from them. Could he have deduced it himself? That was equally improbable! Pills in the cultivation world were not simply herbs kneaded together. More often than not, they were crafted by extracting the spiritual qi carrying the medicinal properties from the ingredients. To readily deduce the constituent ingredients merely from examining a finished pill would require at least a master-level attainment in alchemy! Evidently, just like Luo Chen, Xuan Yunzi was merely a Tier 2 alchemist. In fact, due to the proficiency panel, Luo Chen's attainment with certain specific pills far surpassed his. Even Luo Chen could not easily deduce the primary ingredients of an unfamiliar pill. What made Xuan Yunzi think he could? In other words, there was most likely only one reason Xuan Yunzi knew that North Sea jade conpoy was the primary ingredient of the Myriad Wonders Pill: He had seen the recipe for the Myriad Wonders Pill! Yet aside from Luo Chen and that Medicine King Sect disciple who had died in the mountain cave back then, hardly anyone had ever laid eyes on that recipe. Within the Luotian Association, only Tang Quan and Mi Li had seen it. And Xuan Yunzi was certainly not a member of the Luotian Association. Connecting this to how the corpse of that Medicine King Sect disciple had vanished without a trace during his trip to Yuanzhao Kingdom... A suspicion gradually took shape in Luo Chen's mind. *Vitality and death coexisting—not in the physical flesh, but upon the soul.* *Paying attention to the Myriad Wonders Pill, and most likely having seen its recipe.* *Possession?* While Luo Chen was lost in thought, two figures arrived beside him unnoticed. "Sister, this is Fellow Daoist Danchenzi, whom I mentioned to you before!" Luo Chen started. Looking at the newcomer, he said in surprise, "Fellow Daoist Tao? When did you arrive in Tianlan Immortal City?" The person who had arrived was none other than Tao Yisheng. A Foundation Establishment cultivator of Azure Pill Valley, he had previously been stationed over in Yuanzhao Kingdom, where Luo Chen had spent some time interacting with him. They had even spent entire nights exchanging insights on alchemy. "I've been here for a while now." "I wanted to visit you a couple of days ago, but the director-general of your Luotian Association told me you were in seclusion." "I finally get to see you today." Tao Yisheng appeared quite excited. As he spoke, joy was written all over his face. "Sister, this is Luo Chen, that friend of mine with remarkable alchemy skills whom I mentioned earlier." "Fellow Daoist Luo, this is my elder sister, Tao Wan!" In truth, from the very first sentence, Luo Chen had already noticed the woman standing beside Tao Yisheng. Clad in azure robes, she had a tall, slender figure. Her face was shaped like a melon seed, framed by long, elegant brows. At this moment, she looked at Luo Chen, her clear eyes tinged with suspicion. "Luo Chen greets Fellow Daoist Tao Wan," Luo Chen took the initiative to greet her, his tone exceedingly polite. The spiritual power fluctuations emanating from her were genuinely at the late stage of Foundation Establishment. Moreover, her strength and fame were widely celebrated within Tianlan Immortal City. On the Prodigy Roll, she and Chu Kui were ranked right beside each other, and her prowess in combat was not in the least inferior! Tao Wan glanced to the side, then frowned. "Are you very close with He Yun?" *He Yun?* That was Xuan Yunzi's real name. Luo Chen raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "We get along well enough. Do you have some advice, Fellow Daoist?" The suspicion in Tao Wan's eyes deepened. Beside her, Tao Yisheng finally sensed that something was amiss. He discreetly tugged on Tao Wan's sleeve. "Sister, he's my friend. We became acquainted long before he met He Yun." His tone bordered on pleading. Seeing this, Luo Chen felt increasingly uncomfortable inside. *This woman is rather strange!* Perhaps out of consideration for Tao Yisheng's feelings, Tao Wan's expression softened somewhat, no longer as aggressive as before. She gave Luo Chen a slight nod. "I wouldn't presume to offer advice; I was merely curious. The Yuxuan He clan does not get along well with my Tao clan, which is why I asked." There was no apology, merely an explanation for why she had questioned him so aggressively. Luo Chen twitched the corner of his mouth. "Pardon me, but I'm not well acquainted with the grievances between your two families." Given his lower cultivation realm, and because she was his "friend's" sister, Luo Chen still gave her plenty of face. Tao Wan nodded. Just as she was about to say something, her slightly parted lips closed again. A figure hurried through the increasingly lively banquet hall, heading straight toward them. "Fellow Daoist Luo Chen, an elder of our Ice Fort requests your presence!" The speaker was Shi Boying. Her voice was neither loud nor quiet, perfectly audible to anyone nearby. The moment her words fell, gaze after gaze throughout the hall drifted toward Luo Chen, whether overtly or subtly. Luo Chen's expression remained unchanged. "Please lead the way, Fellow Daoist." Guided by Shi Boying, the two traversed the hall, letting those gazes follow them. Back in that corner, Tao Yisheng looked thoroughly displeased. "Sister, he's one of the rare friends I've made since leaving the sect, not to mention a highly skilled alchemist." "How could you treat him with that kind of attitude?" Tao Wan did not reply. Instead, her eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed at Luo Chen's departing figure. Her slender eyelashes concealed the emotions in her eyes. ... It was already late at night. Inside the long, narrow corridor, lights still burned brightly. Reflected against slabs of black ice, the expression on Luo Chen's face shifted continuously as he walked behind Shi Boying. Finally, it settled into calm. *Fairy Jueqing is Tantai Jin's master. She has no other reason to see me—it can only be because of the Jade Dew Pill!* With his thoughts resolved, the apprehension in Luo Chen's heart faded. Before long, Shi Boying brought Luo Chen to the exterior of a hall permeated with profound cold. "Please enter. The Elder is inside." Luo Chen straightened his collar, smoothed out the wrinkles in the hem of his robes, and walked in with measured, open strides. Upon entering, before he even had time to look toward the dais above, that familiar voice reached his ears. "Were the Jade Dew Pills crafted by you?" Compared to her voice at the auction, her tone was even colder, sounding even more like Tantai Jin. No! Or rather, Tantai Jin's voice sounded more like this Golden Core Master's. Luo Chen drew a deep breath and bowed his head. "Indeed, they were crafted by this humble one." "Can you increase the quantity of finished pills?" "In the short term, I cannot." The exchange abruptly halted. Within the freezing hall, there was only a heavy, stifling silence. Wisps of a Golden Core aura emanated outward from within. Luo Chen, whose soul was already exhausted, felt under this pressure as though his very soul were about to freeze solid; even the turning of his thoughts slowed considerably. Not until Fairy Jueqing spoke again did the tension shift. "You cannot in the short term—which means you are confident in raising the success rate!" It was not a question, but an assertion. Suddenly, a thick volume descended before Luo Chen, hovering quietly. "These are the alchemy notes written by a guest elder of our Ice Fort before his passing, covering everything from Tier 1 to Tier 3. Study it, and raise the success rate of the Jade Dew Pill as quickly as possible." Luo Chen froze for a moment, completely caught off guard. "Furthermore, your soul is far too weak; you cannot even withstand a sliver of my aura." "This is Ice God Jade. Wearing it long-term can help strengthen the foundation of your soul." Luo Chen was utterly dumbfounded. Had he just run into his long-lost mother? To treat him this well... No! *To take, one must first give!* She was merely engaging in a standard exchange of benefits. Sure enough, her next words confirmed Luo Chen's deduction. "Ten years from now, I want you to provide a steady supply of Jade Dew Pills to my Jueqing lineage, no fewer than one thousand pills per year!" "The greater the quantity, the better; the higher the quality, the better. Can you do it?" Looking at the book and the jade before him, Luo Chen took a deep breath. Slowly yet resolutely, he raised his head. His clear gaze met those icy, emotionless eyes. "I require a top-grade pill cauldron, and I must have the assistance of Tier 2 earth fire!" "Granted!" ... When Luo Chen walked out of the palace, his expression was still somewhat dazed. The harvest from this single day was truly bordering on absurd. So much so that even now, he hadn't fully recovered his wits. And when Shi Lan appeared at his side, he nearly lost his composure altogether. "Senior Luo Chen, that Tier 2 high-grade cave dwelling you reserved—I've secured it for you!"