Overwhelming the Divine Craft Sect, A Terrifying Heritage

The blazing sun hung high in the sky, accompanied by a restless, stifling breeze. It was the second day after the meeting at Ice Billow Palace. A massive flying boat sat moored upon the docking platform of Danxia Peak. Powerful cultivators of the Battle Hall boarded the vessel in an endless stream, excitement written across every face. Everyone knew they were about to pull off something big today. Moreover, unlike the previous sorties, the Association Master was leading the expedition in person! Amid eager anticipation, Luo Chen boarded the flying boat, flanked by Wang Yuan and Min Longyu. "Let us depart," Luo Chen ordered casually. Min Longyu immediately took the helm of the superior-grade Langqi flying boat, ascending into the sky. Under the watchful eyes of Duan Feng, Murong Qinglian, and the others, the vessel steered toward the southeast. Roughly an hour later, the massive Langqi flying boat hovered above a canyon. Below, stone-built pavilions and towers clung to the cliffs on both sides. At this moment, cultivators gripped weapons in hand, glaring upward in fury. A glittering golden barrier of light enveloped the entire valley like a rampart of bronze and iron. Standing at the prow, Luo Chen looked down from above. The Divine Craft Sect! The Sect Master of Iron Sword Hall seeking out Tao Wan had by no means been a sudden, righteous impulse. They had had no connection with the several factions that had previously been wiped out. Yet from the very first day Luo Chen had stepped foot into Tianlan, he had known that the Divine Craft Sect's backing was an early Foundation Establishment elder from Iron Sword Hall. Though he did not know what terms had persuaded Sect Master Zuo Song to lobby on their behalf, the Divine Craft Sect had not only refused to surrender, but had also sought to push back. That maneuver had thoroughly enraged the Luotian Association! Today was the time to demand an explanation! *** Meanwhile, within the canyon's most striking palace carved from white jade, Sect Master Fei Changqiu of the Divine Craft Sect wore an expression dark to the extreme. In his hand, he gripped a voice transmission jade token, which showed no response whatsoever. "Old scoundrel! Taking my gifts and doing nothing! "Unworthy of being born a man!" Beside him, the Great Elder looked as pale as death. The Luotian Association's assault today was blatant and undisguised. They had received word well in advance and had sent an urgent distress call to Iron Sword Hall almost at the same instant. Yet that side had not replied at all! Everyone understood what that signified. "Sect Master, what do we do now?" Fei Changqiu's face darkened further. "Let me send another message to see how Zuo Song answers!" *** To the northwest of Tianlan Immortal City, atop a lofty peak planted with countless sharp swords, Zuo Song gazed expressionlessly at the faintly glowing voice transmission jade token. Beside him, a sect elder could not resist asking, "Sect Master, are we truly not going to aid Sect Master Fei?" Zuo Song cast him a cold glance. "Aid him how?" The elder fell silent. Indeed! Ice Fort was hell-bent on shielding the Luotian Association. Even Azure Pill Valley had chosen to look the other way. If Iron Sword Hall truly intervened, they would only incur the wrath of Ice Fort's cultivators. Moreover, they were gradually discovering that the newly arrived cultivators from Azure Pill Valley did not seem to be taking over managerial positions across the city at all. It was as though the talk of the city changing hands had been nothing more than a joke. Under such circumstances, who would dare offend the people of Ice Fort? Whenever Zuo Song recalled that Luo Chen might have been listening in right next door while he lodged his accusations against the Luotian Association, a wave of suffocating frustration seized his chest. How utterly laughable it was! "Leave the Divine Craft Sect to fend for itself!" The elder inquired cautiously, "What about the gifts Sect Master Fei sent over?" Zuo Song snorted coldly. "It is not as if this old man did nothing. I already went to the higher-ups on his behalf, so it cannot be counted as a breach of faith." The implicit meaning was crystal clear: he would not help in this fight, but the gifts would not be returned! The Foundation Establishment elder who shared ties with the Divine Craft Sect parted his lips, but in the end could only offer a bitter, helpless shake of his head. *Fei Changqiu, you had best pray for your own good fortune!* *** Inside the Divine Craft Sect, seeing that the voice transmission token still yielded no response, Fei Changqiu flew into a rage and shattered a table with a single palm strike. "Old scoundrel, how dare you play me for a fool!" The Great Elder was already on the verge of despair. "Sect Master, what should we do now?" Fei Changqiu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Looking out beyond the palace, he seemed to vaguely make out the silhouette of the man standing on the flying boat. Once upon a time, it had been him leading his men to intimidate Danxia Peak. Now, the tables had completely turned. Though a seed of unease took root in his heart, a ruthless gleam crept onto his face. "Do not be afraid! "We are not like the Danyuan Sect or the Geng family. "With a Tier 2 mountain-protecting grand formation, and with the two of us Foundation Establishment True Cultivators anchoring it, even a late Foundation Establishment cultivator would need months to breach it! "Luo Chen is merely at the mid Foundation Establishment stage—how could he possibly break through? "Besides, I refuse to believe the Luotian Association can afford to drag this out for so long!" He had conducted careful inquiries into the spoils the Luotian Association had gained from this war. Having swallowed so many resources, what they needed most right now was not war, but ample time to digest their gains. This was evident from how the Luotian Association had refrained from moving after wiping out the four factions. The Wei family of Mount Xuchen was simply too cowardly at heart. Had they not sued for peace and instead allied with the Divine Craft Sect, what could Luo Chen have done? "We drag it out! "Retrieve every medium-grade spirit stone in the sect! Have the late Qi Refinement cultivators patrol day and night! "I want the Bronze Wall and Iron Bastion Array maintained without interruption!" Even as he barked his orders, a clear shout rang out from above. "Luo Chen, Association Master of the Luotian Association, requests a word with Sect Master Fei!" Fei Changqiu sneered coldly. "Since you wish to meet, then meet we shall!" *** Up in the sky, two figures stood facing each other a hundred yards apart, separated by the golden barrier of light. Looking across at his counterpart, Luo Chen felt a stir of emotion. "Sect Master Fei, I trust you have been well since we last met?" Fei Changqiu replied coldly, "Association Master Luo, I believe I have never wronged you. Back when you moved into Danxia Peak, I withdrew my men as requested. Showing up at my doorstep with such fanfare today—isn't that crossing the line?" "Crossing the line?" Luo Chen shook his head. "When Lu Rong took advantage of my absence to attack Danxia Peak, why didn't you mention crossing the line back then?" "That was his own doing and cannot represent the Divine Craft Sect." "I imagine you gave your tacit consent. Otherwise, where would he have found the audacity?" "If you wish to frame someone, you will never lack an excuse!" "So you refuse to admit it?" "How could I possibly admit to that!" Watching the defiant Fei Changqiu, Luo Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. He glanced at the golden light barrier shielding Fei Changqiu and understood where the man's confidence lay. The corner of Luo Chen's mouth curved slightly as he raised three fingers. "I will give you three choices. First: put up a stubborn resistance, and the Divine Craft Sect will be annihilated! "Second: step onto the Dao Discussion Platform with me, and I shall spare the Divine Craft Sect. "Third: pay an indemnity of one hundred thousand spirit stones, hand over the Divine Craft Sect's weapon-crafting manuals, and lead all your disciples away from the territory of Tianlan Immortal City!" At this point, Luo Chen smiled softly. "From what I understand, you originally had plans to expand outward anyway. Consider this my way of helping you fulfill your wishes." Yet, faced with these three unreasonable demands, Fei Changqiu's face flushed crimson. "Luo Chen, you go too far!" The final condition was entirely intolerable. While he had indeed considered expanding outward, his foundation remained in Tianlan; there was no way he would abandon it. As for the second condition, it was utterly shameless! Luo Chen was at the mid Foundation Establishment stage—did he really have the gall to step onto the Dao Discussion Platform and bully an early Foundation Establishment cultivator at the third level? Luo Chen's smile faded. "It seems you choose the first option, then." Fei Changqiu's eyes turned bloodshot. "If you have the skill, then come at me! Let's see whether someone sacks your home base at Danxia Peak while you waste months stalled outside my gates!" Luo Chen gave a faint smirk and slowly pulled back. Snorting coldly, Fei Changqiu retreated back inside the canyon as well. For a time, only the golden barrier of light stood resolute between heaven and earth. *** Back aboard the flying boat, Luo Chen pointed toward the grand formation and asked, "Do you recognize this formation?" Min Longyu looked grave. "Naturally. This is one of the ten most famous defensive formations among Tier 2 arrays—the Bronze Wall and Iron Bastion." "Is it truly that formidable?" Luo Chen frowned. Min Longyu nodded. "This array connects directly to the mountain topography and subterranean earth veins, drawing upon the spiritual veins as its energy source. Once activated, it can protect an area until it is as impregnable as bronze walls and iron bastions!" Luo Chen was puzzled. "Isn't that the most standard structural design for defensive formations?" "The fact that it has become the standard design adopted by so many defensive formations proves that it is the most fundamental, yet also the sturdiest! In contrast, those flashy formations may wield bizarre and unpredictable power, but because they incorporate too many variations, they lose sight of the true essence of defense." Luo Chen was slightly surprised, but after thinking it through, he realized it was indeed the truth. Take the Luotian Association's early days in Crescent Moon Valley, for instance, when Miao Wen had gifted them a Lesser Five Elements Formation. Once established, the five elements circulated in an unbroken cycle of generation, capable of withstanding a strike or two even from a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator. Yet its fatal flaw had been equally obvious: once the circulation was disrupted, the formation was rendered largely useless. For a True Cultivator, breaking the elemental circulation was far too simple—Luo Chen himself had many ways to achieve it. Another example was the Seven Extinctions Annihilation Loop Formation deployed by the Duan family during the battle at Mount Xiaohuan. Formed by artifacts, it was a genuine Tier 2 formation renowned for combining offense and defense with unpredictable might. Yet Duan Feng and his men had dismantled it effortlessly simply by destroying a few of the artifacts anchoring the array. In short, the more intricate and convoluted a formation's changes were, the easier it was to unravel—unless its intrinsic grade far exceeded the realm of the breaker. Having understood this, Luo Chen finally saw what bolstered Fei Changqiu's confidence. Yet today, the Divine Craft Sect had to be destroyed! Unlike wiping out the previous four factions, Mount Xuchen and the Divine Craft Sect had not truly crossed the Luotian Association in the absolute sense. Both Wei Tuo and Lu Rong had acted on personal whim, which could not fully represent their clan or sect. Lu Rong had not even had the chance to attack before Luo Chen blasted him to ash. Consequently, Luo Chen's stance toward these two factions had initially been more accommodating. He had given them sufficient time to weigh the pros and cons. The Luotian Association's attitude toward them would depend on their attitude toward the association. That way, outsiders would have no grounds to criticize. Just as Mount Xuchen had come forward to sue for peace, Luo Chen had magnanimously granted their request. In contrast, since the Divine Craft Sect had chosen to resist stubbornly, he had to take a high-profile, decisive stance to show the world that their ruin was entirely of their own making. Whoever offended the Luotian Association had to be prepared to pay a steep price! "Can you break this formation?" "There is no such thing as a flawless formation in this world!" Min Longyu smiled with confidence, bringing out his old superior-grade formation plate and fiddling with it as he spoke. "No matter how formidable a formation may be, it has its strengths and its weaknesses. The Bronze Wall and Iron Bastion Array is merely a Tier 2 formation. Though hailed as unbreakable within the same tier, that is only because ordinary people cannot easily spot its vulnerabilities. Given enough time, I will certainly locate its flaw and crack it with targeted precision!" Luo Chen asked, "How much time will you need?" Min Longyu sensed Luo Chen's urgency and vaguely realized that dragging this out would be detrimental. But he could not make reckless promises, so he answered truthfully, "At the shortest, half a month; at the longest, several months." "That is too long. I cannot afford to wait!" "If we deploy enough manpower to attack it and induce fluctuations in the formation, we can accelerate the process," Min Longyu suggested. Luo Chen's eyes flashed as he recalled the battle at Crescent Moon Valley. Back then, Crescent Moon Valley had deployed a Tier 1 Shutu Defensive Array. By rights, a Shutu Defensive Array could withstand attacks from Foundation Establishment cultivators, yet Min Longyu had unraveled it in a single night. At that time, the Great River Gang had continuously bombarded the formation with swarms of cultivators, allowing Min Longyu to pinpoint its flaw and shatter it in a single blow. Without hesitation, Luo Chen declared, "Every Luotian Association cultivator present will be at your disposal, including Wang Yuan and myself. Three days. I give you only three days to uncover the flaw in this Bronze Wall and Iron Bastion Array!" At those words, Min Longyu's eyes instantly lit up. With even Luo Chen and Wang Yuan at his beck and call, his confidence surged. "Longyu swears not to fail your trust!" *** Soon, everyone received Luo Chen's command to place themselves entirely under Min Longyu's direction. Min Longyu did not disappoint Luo Chen, quickly coming up with a targeted plan. "All cultivators, divide into five squads according to your five-phase spiritual roots! Fall in based on the primary element you cultivate! "Metal squad, step forward! "Water squad, step forward!" After a brief flurry of movement, the more than one hundred late Qi Refinement cultivators Luo Chen had brought were organized into squads. Taking advantage of this lull, Luo Chen examined the composition of the fighters under his command. Evidently, the vast majority were focused on water, wood, fire, and earth spiritual roots, while those cultivating metal-attribute arts were the fewest. This was not because metal roots were rare, but because metal-element cultivation arts circulated very infrequently in the cultivation world. Consequently, many people—including Luo Chen himself—could not cultivate a metal-aligned art even if they possessed metal spiritual roots. Otherwise, given the choice, most cultivators would have picked metal arts, as their combat power far outstripped the other four elements at the same cultivation level. Among the friends and foes Luo Chen knew, the only one skilled in metal cultivation was Qin Liangchen. Even then, his metal-attribute art had been incomplete, causing him to spend an enormous amount of time just reaching the Qi Refinement Great Perfection. Luo Chen was not dwelling on this out of idle boredom. Rather, he was recalling how many Tier 2 cultivation arts the Luotian Association currently had in its repository. If they launched a sect-style inheritance system in the future, they could hardly fob people off with Tier 1 arts. At the very least, they would need Tier 2 arts to provide continuity. Otherwise, after decades of bitter cultivation, a carefully selected disciple would advance to Foundation Establishment only to find that there was no follow-up technique—which would be absurd. *Dividing by the five elements, the metal attribute is currently lacking. If we encounter a disciple with an ideal metal root, it will be awkward to accommodate them.* *For the wood attribute, I have my Yimu Medicine King Scripture, and I hold a deep mastery over its prerequisite art, the Eternal Spring Art. If someone possesses suitable roots, they could perhaps be taken under my wing.* *For Tier 2 water-attribute arts, there is the Duan family's Canghai Wave-Severing Art, and the Boundless Ocean Art left behind by Wang Haichao.* *For fire, we have the Ding Fire Unified Qi Method, the Scorching Sun True Scripture, and the Azure Sun Art.* *For earth, there are the Immovable Mountain Art and the Shutu Contentment Art.* *Beyond these, there are three dual-element cultivation arts:* *Nether Spring Dark Fire, cultivating water and fire concurrently, obtained from the Duan family.* *Gold Wind and Fine Rain Art, cultivating metal and water together with a blend of the wind element, obtained from the hands of a rogue cultivator during the battle at Gaoling Plain.* *Water Pavilion, cultivating water and wood concurrently, obtained after killing the rogue cultivator Cao Wanchun when taking over Danxia Peak—which was also the only valuable item found in his storage bag.* Running through the inventory, Luo Chen felt a surge of pride and exhilaration. Once upon a time, he had struggled bitterly without being able to lay hands on a single Tier 2 cultivation art. Unbeknownst to him, over the course of multiple great battles, the Tier 2 core cultivation arts he had gathered had reached a staggering total of eleven! He even possessed a complete Tier 3 ghost cultivation technique: the Ghost Spirit Secret Record. *Taking this as our foundation, it should be more than enough to support the legacy of a sect.* Luo Chen could not help feeling immensely pleased with himself. Ordinary small sects and lesser clans could never dream of amassing so many Tier 2 core arts. Only he, throughout his cultivation journey, had seen more than a dozen Foundation Establishment True Cultivators perish at his hands or by the might of the Luotian Association. It was through such relentless accumulation that he had built up such an imposing heritage! While Luo Chen was lost in thought, Min Longyu approached him. "Association Master, everything is in position!" "Then let us begin!" With a broad sweep of his arm, Luo Chen fixed a blazing gaze upon the seemingly indestructible golden barrier of light that shielded the Divine Craft Sect.