Who Stands Before the Hall, Accusing This Official!

Inside a side hall of Ice Billow Palace. Accompanied by Shi Boying, Luo Chen finally met Tantai Jin, who had been avoiding him all this time. Seeing her cold expression, Luo Chen felt rather mixed emotions. He did not beat around the bush and said directly, "Regarding the battle at the Qinhua River, I must thank Fellow Daoist Tantai for lending a hand!" At those words, Shi Boying was utterly flabbergasted. *Wait, hadn't Junior Sister said she wouldn't bother with Luo Chen?* *Why did she secretly go to the Qinhua River and even lend a hand?* Tantai Jin's expression shifted slightly, but she immediately realized where his intelligence had come from. She said indifferently, "I never even made a move, so how can you call it lending a hand? Besides, you paid good money to hire that fellow Chu Kui. Whether I was there or not made no difference." Luo Chen smiled and shook his head. "I shall keep this sentiment etched in my heart!" Back during the battle at the Qinhua River, Daoist Huangsha was by no means the only late Foundation Establishment cultivator watching from the sidelines. What if all of them had grown tempted and sought to play the mantis-stalking oriole? Strong as Chu Kui was, two fists could hardly oppose four hands. At most, he would only have managed to keep Luo Chen alive. Luo Chen might have even had to pay hundreds of thousands more spirit stones for it. Yet precisely because Tantai Jin had quietly appeared, deterring certain individuals from their designs, such a scenario never came to pass. Even if business regarding the Jade Dew Pills was involved, Luo Chen was clear-minded enough to recognize her goodwill. Tantai Jin twitched the corner of her lips and did not dwell on the matter. Turning her head, she pointed to the side. "In a moment, you are only to listen. Not a sound from you!" "Who is next door?" Luo Chen asked curiously. Tantai Jin quietly stated a name: "Tao Wan, true disciple of Azure Pill Valley at Foundation Establishment!" Luo Chen's expression stirred. Someone from Azure Pill Valley! Hadn't they come to take over Tianlan Immortal City? As a late Foundation Establishment grand cultivator coming in person, Tao Wan's future role would likely be much the same as Tantai Jin's: the true overseer of Tianlan beneath the sect's Core Formation masters. Not only heading the law enforcement team, but also commanding the Azure Pill Valley cultivators in Tianlan Immortal City. Was she receiving someone in the next room? Amid his private speculations, crisp footsteps sounded from the main hall next door. Before long, an aged voice rang out: "Zuo Song, Sect Master of Iron Sword Hall, greets True Disciple Tao." Immediately after, another voice replied haughtily: "Sect Master Zuo, instead of staying put at your Iron Sword Hall, what have you come to me for?" Zuo Song's voice sounded somewhat surprised. "The matter I sought an audience for—did the fellow daoists of Azure Pill Valley not report it to you?" "Hmph, how am I to know if their words match reality!" Inside the grand hall, Zuo Song—standing straight as a sword—furrowed his brows. Yet having come to ask a favor, he still explained his purpose in full detail. "That Luotian Association's recent conduct has grown far too brazen and unscrupulous." "In particular, that Luo Chen has not only slaughtered his fellow Daoists, but also indulged his subordinates in murder, arson, and the wanton plundering of weaker factions." "True Disciple Tao might not know, but beneath his banner are two Foundation Establishment cultivators: one who utterly devoid of conscience relentlessly hunted down the cultivators of Tianying Peak, and another who with absolute cruelty used an array formation to refine over a hundred Qi Refining cultivators of the Geng family alive!" "How does such behavior differ from the demonic path?" "How could we possibly turn a blind eye to such villains?" In the adjoining side hall, Luo Chen's face instantly darkened. He had known people would seize upon the actions of Xing Zonghan and Min Longyu, but he hadn't expected them to strike with such pointed malice, taking the matter straight to the incoming master of Tianlan Immortal City. Moreover, he had no recollection of any grudge between himself and this Zuo Song of Iron Sword Hall! If Tao Wan took his slander to heart, what the Luotian Association would face... *No, wait!* Luo Chen's mind raced, and he stole a glance at Tantai Jin from the corner of his eye. She sat completely composed, seemingly unconcerned by the matter in the least. Furthermore, they had deliberately invited him here for this. Were they showing goodwill? As his thoughts churned, the accusation next door continued. "Our Jade Cauldron Domain has never tolerated demonic cultivators." "In this matter, I believe Azure Pill Valley, as the incoming master of the immortal city for the next decade, must take action." Zuo Song spoke with impassioned vigor, radiating righteous indignation. Yet after listening to his tirade, Tao Wan merely snorted coldly. "Zuo Song! Are you teaching me how to conduct my business?" In an instant, Zuo Song's righteous fervor was doused like cold water poured over his head. He opened his mouth. "N-no..." "There is no 'no.' The victims themselves haven't said a word, so what business does your Iron Sword Hall have jumping out to point fingers?" *The victims are practically all dead!* Zuo Song was utterly dumbfounded. He instinctively defended himself, "This humble one merely considers himself a part of Tianlan, and felt an obligation to uphold justice." Tao Wan sneered, "Since when were you a part of Tianlan? This Tianlan Immortal City belongs to our Seven Great Sects. Know your place." At that, her tone suddenly shifted. "Then again, doesn't your Iron Sword Hall have some ties and relations with that Flame Alliance?" At those words, Zuo Song's heart trembled violently. Azure Pill Valley had already sided with the Luoyun Sect, and had even clashed several times with the Sword Sect's ally, the Flame Alliance. Even Foundation Establishment True Cultivators had fallen in their skirmishes. The two factions were enemies, not friends! His Iron Sword Hall's connections with the Flame Alliance were barely known to outsiders, yet right now, it had caught the eye of the immortal city's future ruler. If she used this as an excuse to make a move against him... Before he knew it, cold sweat had soaked through Zuo Song's back. He could hardly hear what Tao Wan said next. He only caught her final remark: "Right now, Tianlan is still ruled by the Ice Fort. If you have a problem, go find Tantai Jin. Don't come bothering me!" What a joke! Who didn't know that the Ice Fort was the backing behind the Luotian Association? When trouble arose, they might not intervene, but if someone went directly to demand redress, it would undoubtedly be a slap in the Ice Fort's face. Did he think a Core Formation great sect was something to provoke lightly? Turmoil and confusion left Zuo Song in a daze as he walked out of Ice Billow Palace. This wasn't how the script was supposed to go! Shouldn't it be that after reporting the Luotian Association's outrageous atrocities, the immortal city's future ruler would be furious and suppress them with an iron fist? Furthermore, the Luotian Association also sold Tier 1 cultivation pills, quietly eating into Azure Pill Valley's Huanglong Pill business. Did they not even care about that? He had served a pretext on a silver platter, giving them every justification to act, so that even the Ice Fort wouldn't be able to shield them! What on earth was Azure Pill Valley's Tao Wan thinking? Meanwhile, inside Ice Billow Palace. Tao Wan looked at Luo Chen with a faint smile. "Fellow Daoist Luo, it has been two years since we last met. I trust you have been well?" Luo Chen responded calmly, "Thank you, True Disciple Tao, for your righteous assistance." "Such a trivial trifle hardly counts as righteous assistance. If you want to thank someone, thank Tantai!" Luo Chen looked toward Tantai Jin. She merely shook her head and said indifferently, "The victors become kings, the vanquished bandits—nothing more." Luo Chen came to a sudden realization. When the Luotian Association had faced a crisis, the Ice Fort couldn't be bothered to intervene. Yet once they won, proving their strength in a modest way, the Ice Fort had no qualms about adding flowers to the brocade. "I asked you here today because there is another matter I intended to tell you," Tantai Jin suddenly said. Luo Chen opened his eyes wide and looked at her curiously. Under his gaze, Tantai Jin glanced at Tao Wan before continuing: "For the next ten years, the immortal city will remain under the Ice Fort's rule. Our cooperation regarding the Jade Dew Pills shall continue!" Her cool, crisp voice fell upon his ears. For a moment, Luo Chen felt dazed. What happened to the great sects rotating every ten years? Besides, weren't they in the middle of handing over duties recently? Suddenly! Luo Chen recalled the first time he had met Tantai Jin, as well as his initial meeting with Fairy Jueqing. In both of those encounters, when discussing cooperation over the Jade Dew Pills, they had measured the terms in spans of decades or centuries! It was as though they had never cared whether they would leave once the city rotation came. From the very beginning, they were confident they could sustain this partnership! Which meant Azure Pill Valley conceding ten years of benefits from the immortal city had long been planned. It had only been finalized recently. Tantai Jin's voice drifted over casually: "In the future, the Luotian Association will truly receive the protection of my Jueqing lineage. Once you settle the loose ends, refine as many Jade Dew Pills as you can." "The quota supplied each year before was far too small!" That was the main point! Having thought through all of this, Luo Chen took a deep breath. "I certainly will not disappoint you!" *** Accompanied by Shi Boying, Luo Chen walked out of Ice Billow Palace. Basking in the dazzling sunlight, Luo Chen felt as though a layer of shackles had been lifted from his entire being. The external foes were gone! The Luotian Association's various industrial foundations were now firmly established. And now, they even had the backing of the Jueqing lineage! From now on, he no longer had to worry about major perils. Once he tied up the recent loose ends and Sima Huiniang came out of seclusion, he could cast aside various miscellaneous chores to concentrate fully on cultivation and alchemy. As they walked outward, Luo Chen casually chatted with Shi Boying. What he wanted to inquire about was the Ice Fort's Tier 2 high-grade cultivation pills! However, the answer he received was unexpected, yet entirely within reason. "Our Ice Fort is not skilled in alchemy, relying entirely on supplies from the Medicine King Sect and Azure Pill Valley. Even when high-grade pills occasionally surface, demand far outstrips supply." "Under such circumstances, even if there were any, none would trickle down into your hands or mine." Just as expected! Though somewhat unexpected, Luo Chen understood. Were it not so, Tantai Jin and even the Core Formation Master Fairy Jueqing would not place such value on his Jade Dew Pills. Yet in that case, where was he to seek high-grade cultivation pills? *Tao Wan?* Thinking of Tao Wan, who had casually shielded him today, Luo Chen felt a stir in his heart. As an alchemy great sect, even if Azure Pill Valley was inferior to the Medicine King Sect, their high-grade pills would certainly not be scarce! Perhaps he could try approaching her through the back door? Yet her temperament was haughty—how was he to establish contact? Through her younger brother, Tao Yisheng? Or by discerning her predilections and catering to her tastes, just as he had done when establishing ties with the Ice Fort, to draw closer to her? While Luo Chen pondered, Shi Boying bade him farewell and headed back. Standing before the gates of Ice Billow Palace, Luo Chen let out a sigh. "No matter!" "At least the external threats are temporarily resolved. Internal concerns can be addressed one step at a time." Just as he was about to head back to Danxia Peak, he suddenly felt a prickle of intuition. Following that direction, Luo Chen looked up. On the third floor of a tavern, a man with a flushed forehead and a broadsword slung across his back was staring fixedly down at him. Those eyes were filled with shock and uncertainty. And with Luo Chen's exceptional eyesight, he could clearly see that the man's expression was as dark as stagnant water. Luo Chen smiled and gave a slight nod in that direction. Zuo Song, Sect Master of Iron Sword Hall, forced an utterly strained smile in return.