Aboard the Langqi Flying Boat.
Luo Chen glanced far behind him, confirming that for the moment no enemies were pursuing them and that no one had noticed him.
Then he lowered his gaze to the scarred cultivator slumped limply on the deck, covered head to toe in blood.
“In your current state, you don't even have the strength to truss a chicken. Aren't you afraid I might kick you while you're down and rob you?”
The scarred cultivator forced a strained smile. “Anyone who could ask that isn't the sort to take advantage of someone in dire straits.”
“Besides, I trust the reputation of the Luotian Association's master for having a generous and lenient nature.”
“You know me?” Luo Chen furrowed his brow.
When he attended the trade fair earlier to hunt for treasures, he had concealed his true appearance and aura.
Having the man call out his name earlier had truly surprised him for a moment.
It was precisely because of that surprise that he had taken the initiative to bring him aboard the flying boat.
Certain troubles were best kept within controllable bounds.
“I don't know you personally, but I know this flying boat. In all of Tianlan Immortal City, you are the only one who possesses this very first top-grade flying boat released to the market.”
*So that's why!*
Luo Chen looked at the vessel beneath his feet. To think it was the flying boat that had given his identity away.
Then again, it made sense; he always traveled in and out using this Langqi Flying Boat.
Even if he frequently concealed his appearance, the vessel's distinct look would inevitably be noted by those paying attention.
Moreover, when Myriad Treasures Pavilion first promoted their overland flying boats, they had frequently used his boat in their advertisements.
One way or another, though he rarely showed his face in public, his fame had indeed spread far and wide alongside the boat and the Luotian Association.
Still...
Generous and lenient?
What kind of reputation was that?
The scarred cultivator struggled to sit up, leaning halfway against the cabin wall.
“Even if you turned out to be the type whose true thoughts are hidden behind a false face, dying by your hand would still be better than letting my mortal enemy benefit.”
“Mortal enemy?” Luo Chen remarked offhandedly.
“Indeed. I am no rogue cultivator, but Xing Zonghan, patriarch of the Xing clan of Heavenly Saber Peak. My enemy is the neighboring Ying clan of Heavenly Eagle Peak. A feud has existed between us since long ago. Over the years, the enmity only deepened. Once word leaked that I intended to establish my foundation in Tianlan Immortal City, they finally couldn't hold back. They decided to wipe out my Xing clan ahead of time, and they deliberately leaked the news to shake my resolve during Foundation Establishment.”
Although Xing Zonghan was severely injured, he spoke in a methodical, orderly manner.
He carried himself very much like the head of a clan.
Listening to him recount the bitter feud between the two families, Luo Chen finally understood why the man had been so eager to leave Tianlan Immortal City the moment he completed his Foundation Establishment.
“Unfortunately, I arrived too late after all.”
Xing Zonghan’s face twisted in grief and fury. “My entire Xing clan was slaughtered, and even Heavenly Saber Peak was seized directly by a Foundation Establishment faction colluding with the Ying clan.”
“Now, I am completely alone, reduced entirely to a rogue cultivator.”
“My condolences,” Luo Chen offered in mild consolation.
Xing Zonghan pursed his lips bitterly.
His entire clan had been wiped out, leaving him as the sole survivor. How could anyone simply restrain their grief and accept change?
With a heavy sigh, he offered a storage pouch.
“What is the meaning of this?” Luo Chen frowned.
Xing Zonghan said earnestly, “If you hadn't given me a ride, in my current state, the Ying clan's Foundation Establishment cultivators would have tracked me down sooner or later.”
“When that happened, my life would be forfeit, so what use would worldly possessions be to me?”
“As recompense, it is only right that I offer Fellow Daoist a reward.”
“It is only a pity that having just established my foundation, my wealth is modest. Aside from that low-grade Flying Spirit Sword, Fellow Daoist may take anything else you wish!”
Luo Chen raised his eyebrows and looked closely at him.
*A smart man indeed!*
He knew to pay a price, knowing full well that a free ride would never feel secure otherwise.
Luo Chen didn't stand on ceremony either. Right before the man's eyes, he extended his divine sense into the storage pouch.
Having just established his foundation, Xing Zonghan had not yet had the time to imprint a spiritual sense mark, leaving only a simple spiritual power seal.
With the man's cooperation, Luo Chen easily scanned everything inside.
*This is hardly 'modest wealth'!*
After looking it over, Luo Chen marveled internally.
All told, the assorted resources inside were worth at least sixty to seventy thousand spirit stones.
Compared to Tu Shan, whom he had personally slain back then, this man was far wealthier.
And this was after he had already splurged lavishly at the auction to achieve Foundation Establishment.
Pausing his divine sense slightly, Luo Chen withdrew three items:
a spirit stone, a book, and a spherical bead.
Seeing this, Xing Zonghan asked in astonishment, “Fellow Daoist, you only take so little?”
Luo Chen smiled faintly. “The items may be few, but their value is extraordinary!”
The spirit stone was merely a single low-grade spirit stone.
The book, however, was a complete Tier 3 cultivation technique—the *Ghost Spirit Secret Record*.
This single book alone was worth tens of thousands.
As for the bead, it was merely a high-grade magical artifact, hardly worth mentioning in comparison.
Stowing away the payment, Luo Chen asked curiously, “Fellow Daoist has only recently established your foundation, yet you possess such abundant wealth. Truly impressive!”
Xing Zonghan gave a bitter laugh. “It was merely a stroke of luck—scavenging the spoils.”
“Oh? Would you mind elaborating? Treat it as conversation to pass the journey.”
“There is nothing to hide. It all began when I voluntarily took part in the war between the Nascent Soul paramount sects in order to procure Foundation Establishment spiritual medicines...”
...
“Fellow Daoist, thank you for your help along the way.”
Standing before his cave abode, Xing Zonghan cupped his fists in salute.
Luo Chen toyed with the spherical bead. “No need for thanks, but regarding tonight's events, it would be best not to drag me into them.”
Xing Zonghan replied solemnly, “Naturally. I, Xing Zonghan, can swear an oath upon the Great Dao never to disclose that you saved me!”
Right in front of Luo Chen, he swore a Great Dao oath on the spot.
Only then did Luo Chen conceal his figure and fly toward higher ground.
After he departed, Xing Zonghan could not help letting out a long breath of relief.
“The master of the Luotian Association is truly as rumors say—generous to others and mild-tempered.”
“Not only was he willing to save me without kicking a man while he was down, but when taking his reward, he chose only a ghost cultivation technique that living cultivators like us have no use for.”
“Had I met someone like him earlier, how could I have fallen to such an end today?”
Back in his cave abode, Luo Chen had no idea how his reputation for being “generous and lenient” had spread in the first place.
He had clearly always been decisive and ruthless in his killings, consistently striking his enemies with unsparing force.
Sitting in the reception hall, Luo Chen waved his hand.
Bai Meiling flew over curiously.
“Master, what is this?”
“This object is called the Sun-Evading Bead, a high-grade magical artifact that forms its own domain of yin,” Luo Chen casually explained its origins, pinching the bead between his fingers.
Lately, he had read quite a few books on general knowledge of the cultivation world.
Among them were books that specifically mentioned specialty artifacts from the Tianfan Domain.
“Once you refine this bead, even if you have not become a ghost general and lack a ghost domain to shield you, you can walk normally under the scorching sun.”
“Really?!”
Bai Meiling was visibly excited, a rare sight for her.
She carefully accepted the Sun-Evading Bead from Luo Chen's hands, her eyes and heart brimming with delight.
“Does refining this bead mean I can leave the ghost millstone, travel in broad daylight, and even stay by Master's side at all times?”
“Mm.”
Luo Chen gave a calm hum of acknowledgment.
Overjoyed, Bai Meiling took the bead into her room to begin refining it.
After she left, Luo Chen took out that Tier 3 cultivation technique.
*Ghost Spirit Secret Record*.
“Speaking of which, I truly seem to have quite a bond with Ghost Spirit Valley, that fallen Golden Core sect!”
From Xing Zonghan's words, he had learned how the man had managed to amass such enormous wealth while still in the Qi Refining stage.
To break through to Foundation Establishment, he had participated in the war between the Nascent Soul paramount sects.
To be exact—
he had enlisted under Azure Pill Valley's banner to launch attacks against the Flame Alliance, an ally of the Sword Sect.
When Azure Pill Valley recruited rogue cultivators, they naturally offered numerous incentives.
Among these incentives were the appropriate Foundation Establishment spiritual medicines offered as rewards.
In that war, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect rarely intervened personally; for the most part, their subordinate vassal factions fought the battles.
Besides the Flame Alliance, there were many other vassals.
Among them was the fallen remnant lineage of Ghost Spirit Valley from after the Reclamation War ended.
They had reorganized themselves into a cultivation clan, serving as vassals under the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect.
During a major battle, this branch's Foundation Establishment True Cultivators were wiped out by a force led by disciples of Mount Ailao and Azure Pill Valley.
Taking chestnuts from the fire amidst the chaotic battle, Xing Zonghan teamed up with others to raid the heart of the remnant Ghost Spirit Valley clan's territory, exterminating their entire lineage.
Thereafter, he obtained a vast hoard of spoils from them:
the damaged Ghost Spirit Heart-Inquiring Mirror, the Eighteen Wandering Formation Disks, the Soul Gathering Banner, the *Ghost Spirit Secret Record*, and numerous other treasures.
Among them, there was even a well-preserved low-grade magic treasure—the Flying Spirit Sword.
After securing such massive gains, he immediately withdrew from the battlefield and headed straight for Tianlan Immortal City to sell off resources, attend auctions, and obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.
*This man was truly blessed with immense fortune!*
*To reap such a harvest amidst chaotic war!*
*At the auction, he not only won a Foundation Establishment Pill, but even managed to succeed in establishing his foundation.*
*Even when facing death, he happened to cross paths with me.*
Luo Chen had been willing to save him partly out of curiosity about how the man had recognized him, and partly because the man had voluntarily knocked off five thousand spirit stones during their previous transaction at the trade fair.
He was a man who knew when to yield and advance.
Furthermore, the enemies besieging him were only Qi Refiners.
Luo Chen hadn't minded lending a helping hand in passing.
Even though he later learned the man had Foundation Establishment enemies, as long as Xing Zonghan swore a Great Dao oath not to implicate him, it hardly mattered.
When it came down to it, they were merely early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.
“A Tier 3 cultivation technique, and a complete one at that!”
Luo Chen flipped through the *Ghost Spirit Secret Record* while taking stock of his own possessions.
Truth be told, when it came to Tier 3 materials, he already had the *Falling Clouds Generating Mist Method* and the *Heavenly Roc Transformation*.
However, the former was a water method alchemy technique, and the latter was an incomplete body-refining technique.
A proper, orthodox cultivation method like the *Ghost Spirit Secret Record* was something he genuinely lacked.
“If it suits me, then I won't lack a cultivation method after Core Formation.”
Although Luo Chen was still struggling through the Foundation Establishment stage, it wasn't as though he hadn't considered preparing for the aftermath of Core Formation.
A natal cultivation technique was of paramount importance!
Unfortunately, the natal technique that followed the *Yimu Medicine King Scripture* was the *Ageless Evergreen Scripture*, a jealously guarded secret of the Medicine King Sect.
Such a technique would never appear on the black market or in major auctions.
Even if one surfaced, disciples of the Medicine King Sect would catch wind of it and come to forcibly buy it back.
Just like that exceptional sword pill that appeared at this Tianlan Immortal City auction.
In truth, a Sword Sect disciple had come specifically to buy it back.
Namely, that Meng Ziqi.
It was just that after being defeated by Han Zheng on the Dao Discussion Platform, he was grievously injured and had sought a place to nurse his wounds.
As a result, he hadn't shown up at the auction.
*That's getting off track.*
Luo Chen leafed through the *Ghost Spirit Secret Record*.
Yet after turning only a few pages, he sensed something amiss.
“Why does this not look like a technique meant for humans to cultivate?”
Refusing to believe it, he flipped through several more pages.
In the end, he reached a conclusion.
“It's actually a Tier 3 ghost cultivation technique!”
“No wonder it's named a 'Secret Record'!”
“And no wonder Xing Zonghan didn't react at all when I took this technique.”
Luo Chen shook his head in regret.
Normal Foundation Establishment cultivators would never transition into cultivating the ghost path.
Compared to orthodox cultivation, the ghost path had far too many restrictions, and there were also many counters against it.
Unless one converted beforehand into a yin soul body, cultivating it was simply out of the question.
It could only serve as a reference and be kept as foundation material for a rainy day.
It seemed this technique would end up benefiting Xiao Ling again.
Sighing, Luo Chen carefully put away the *Ghost Spirit Secret Record*.
Now was not yet the time to hand it to Bai Meiling.
Luo Chen had to study it thoroughly first to ensure there were no issues before giving it to her.
Otherwise, if an accident occurred during her cultivation, he would lose a capable right hand.
“Calculating the time, Sister-in-law should be undergoing Foundation Establishment right around these days, shouldn't she?”
Luo Chen murmured to himself.
An ordinary cultivator's Foundation Establishment would never drag on for a whole year like his had.
Back then, he had endured repeated failures and multiple rounds of healing.
On top of that, lacking a stable Tier 2 spiritual land, he had needed to manually trigger the Ice-Fire Spiritual Spring each time to generate a temporary Tier 2 spiritual ground.
For normal cultivators, establishing their foundation took anywhere from a few days to at most roughly a month.
Nearly a month had passed since Murong Qinglian entered secluded cultivation.
She should be reaching the final stage by now.
“I hope she succeeds!”
...
Sometimes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
Inside the low-grade cave abode.
His face twisted in agony, Qin Liangchen slumped trembling by the edge of the bed.
“I shouldn't have let you attempt Foundation Establishment—it should have been me!”
“This husband was wrong!”
Luo Chen glanced at him and said in a heavy voice, “Big Brother Qin, don't worry. I will save Sister-in-law.”
Before Qin Liangchen's eyes, a thick, deep jade-green radiance surged across Luo Chen's hands.
The rich vitality was so potent that every cell in contact with the skin seemed to rejoice.
A Great Perfection Healing Art!
Combined with the spiritual liquid purified through the Grandmaster-level *Yimu Medicine King Scripture*.
Its healing effects were nothing short of miraculous.
When Feng Xia and Duan Feng were married, Luo Chen had used this very technique to cure Feng Xia's throat, which had been damaged many years prior.
Later on, Duan Feng had told him how much he cherished that wedding gift and how grateful he was to Luo Chen.
Now, the second time he cast the Great Perfection Healing Art, it was to be used on his most respected and beloved sister-in-law.
Just an incense stick's time ago.
Qin Liangchen had rushed in frantic panic right up to the entrance of Luo Chen's cave abode.
Fortunately, Luo Chen had not been in secluded cultivation recently, and fortunately, Bai Meiling had just finished refining the Sun-Evading Bead overnight and stepped outside to test its effects.
Thanks to that coincidence, Luo Chen received the news and rushed to the scene immediately.
Murong Qinglian had failed her Foundation Establishment!
This shouldn't have happened!
Her preparations had been so thorough; she had consumed both the Nether-Passage Pill and the Essence Cultivating Spirit Liquid.
She had meticulously studied various Foundation Establishment insights and experiences—whether Luo Chen's, Duan Feng's, or even Min Longyu's, who had only recently succeeded.
She even had a Foundation Establishment Pill as the main driving force for breaking through the barrier.
Her own resolve to achieve Foundation Establishment was firm; she could not possibly have wavered at the critical moment.
And yet, she had failed!
Luo Chen took a deep breath.
He placed his broad palms respectively upon the woman's lower abdomen and forehead.
Pure wood-element spiritual power surged into Murong Qinglian's body like rolling waves.
It mended the meridians and internal organs ravaged by berserk spiritual energy while simultaneously stirring her slumbering soul back to consciousness.
Moreover, throughout the healing process, Luo Chen searched for the reason behind her failed breakthrough.
*The damage to her meridians was caused by a backflow of spiritual power.*
*The outer wall of her dantian is intact, proving she hadn't yet reached the step of breaking open the dantian to transform it into a sea.*
*In other words, she didn't even manage the step of breaking the pellet and liquefying it?*
*How could this be?*
*Was Sister-in-law's dantian barrier too thick? Was the potency of the Foundation Establishment Pill insufficient? Or was Sister-in-law not focused enough at the time?*
Countless questions swirled with no obvious clue.
Luo Chen could only focus his mind entirely on mending her damaged body.
Chapter 271