Successive Failures, Has Luck Run Out?

Outside a spacious cave abode on Danxia Peak. Sheer cliffs and precipices stretched around them, overlooking magnificent scenery. Luo Chen stepped out from within, with Sima Huiniang following closely by his side. "It's nothing catastrophic. He suffered severe injuries simply because he failed to rein in his spiritual energy while channeling it through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians." "I've already treated him. As long as he takes Meridian-Nourishing Defect-Replenishing Fluid regularly from now on, he should recover after a few years of rest and recuperation." He made it sound light. In reality, Sima Xian's injuries were far from simple. Not everyone could be like Luo Chen, who had opened both the Twelve Standard Meridians and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians while still in the middle stage of Qi Refinement. Consequently, most cultivators had to divide their focus during Foundation Establishment to open them. That was also one of the reasons why establishing a foundation was so arduous. Fortunately, Sima Xian had used Emperor's Flowing Syrup to attempt the breakthrough, which possessed relatively gentle medicinal properties. Had he used an orthodox Foundation Establishment Pill instead, he might not have even kept his life. Sima Huiniang accompanied Luo Chen as they strolled down from the cave abode. She sighed and said, "We anticipated this all along. After all, my eldest brother is over sixty and long past the ideal window for a breakthrough." Luo Chen sighed as well. "Murong Qinglian failed once, Bian Zhen failed, and now even your brother has failed." "We clearly pushed every preparation to the absolute limit beforehand." "It seems luck hasn't been on our side lately!" Sima Huiniang forced a smile. "Why be so downcast? Rogue cultivators like us are inherently considered mediocre by the great sects. Failing Foundation Establishment is only to be expected." "Still, emotionally, it's hard to swallow." Luo Chen smacked his lips. All he hoped for now was that Qin Liangchen would succeed in establishing his foundation. Otherwise, the Luotian Association would see its fourth failed breakthrough. If that happened, it would deal a heavy blow not only to Qin Liangchen himself and his friends, but to the entire association as well. Facing the chilly mountain wind, Luo Chen suddenly asked: "Right." "Have you told your eldest brother and younger brother about our relationship?" Sima Huiniang brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and answered candidly, "I haven't told them, but perhaps they've guessed it." Luo Chen frowned. "Doesn't that make things unfair to you?" "Unfair?" Sima Huiniang tilted her head, looking at Luo Chen with a smile. "I think it's quite fine." "In the end, I haven't given you a formal—" "And what other Foundation Establishment cultivator could hold such a glorious Foundation Establishment Grand Ceremony like mine?" Sima Huiniang cut him off. To her, that grand event brought far more happiness than any lavish wedding ever could! She then said earnestly, "Rather than fretting over these trifles, President, you would do better to focus on your cultivation. Our Luotian Association still lacks a late-stage cultivator to hold the fort." "Oh? Look at you, lecturing me now." "How would your humble servant dare lecture the President?" "I still prefer how you look when you call me husband!" Luo Chen teased playfully, before his expression turned solemn. "The main reason I came today was to let you know that I might be traveling away soon. When the time comes, help me keep an eye on the Luotian Association." Sima Huiniang turned solemn as well. "Managing the association is my duty. I would do so meticulously even without your reminder." "Still, traveling? Where to?" Luo Chen slowly uttered three words: "Azure Pill Valley!" *** Tao Yisheng had vanished for so long without a trace. It was definitely not as simple as routine seclusion. In all likelihood, he had returned to Azure Pill Valley. Thus, the opportunity for Tao Wan and Luo Chen to meet had already arrived. This was Luo Chen's assessment. Yet he felt no rush, continuing to cultivate and refine pills in his cave abode with unwavering diligence. Under his continuous concoction, medium-grade and superior-grade Jade Dew Pills were steadily produced, and his proficiency rose rapidly. The time required to reach Great Perfection grew ever shorter. His reason for refining them in such large batches was simple: If Tao Wan truly sought him out, he would inevitably have to take a long journey. The duration would be hard to estimate. Therefore, he had to prepare the Jade Dew Pills for Tantai Jin in advance. This was the key leverage maintaining their ties with Ice Fort! It could not be disrupted in the slightest! Luo Chen even planned to provide a bit more than next year's agreed quota. That way, Ice Fort would attach even greater importance to his absence and make sure no mishaps befell his trip to Azure Pill Valley. *** While Luo Chen patiently refined pills and cultivated, thousands of miles away in Tao Wan's cave abode at Azure Pill Valley, an oppressive gloom hung in the air. "Is it confirmed?" "Confirmed. Senior Sister Shangguan Yan offered extremely lavish compensation, even producing a spirit fruit that extends lifespan. Huanghezi has truly defected to her side." "Shangguan Yan... Good! Very good!" Muttering the name, Tao Wan's face was clouded with gloom. Azure Pill Valley was no upstart sect. It was a major sect with a heritage of nearly a thousand years, having relocated to the Jade Cauldron Domain only four hundred years ago. Over the centuries, Core Formation cultivators had emerged one after another, and even now, the sect boasted fifteen of them! As a result, factions abounded within the sect, and powerful clans were numerous. Her Tao clan had once been an illustrious Golden Core clan as well, but had gradually declined after its Golden Core ancestor passed away two hundred years ago. When one side fell, the vacated interests were naturally absorbed by others. The Shangguan clan had profited the most from this. Shangguan Yan, of the same generation as Tao Wan, had always been at odds with her. Even so, Tao Wan had not expected her rival to stoop so low as to poach from her on the eve of the Dao Seed contest. "No wonder Huanghezi didn't show up for today's council." She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Below, a handsome man frowned and asked, "With things as they are, once the Dao Seed contest begins, won't your ranking fall right to the bottom, Wanwan?" Tao Wan disliked being addressed so intimately. However, Qi Lingyun was her most relied-upon helper right now, and she needed him to hold off enemies during the first round. Thus, more often than not, she had to suppress her distaste. "I don't care about a drop in ranking. At worst, I'll just fight my way up from the bottom." "What I fear is failing to secure one of the nine spots." Qi Lingyun smiled. "There's no need to worry about that. Even if you don't pass the alchemy round, you can rest assured when it comes to my round." He was at the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment, possessing immense strength. His confidence was plain to see! Tao Wan nodded, tacitly accepting his reassurance. Yet once everyone had departed, she made a decisive choice. "Yisheng, come with me tomorrow when I leave the sect for Tianlan Immortal City!" Tao Yisheng, who had been waiting outside the cave abode, rushed in with delight. "Sister, you've finally come around?" "There's nothing to 'come around' to. I had originally intended for you to invite that Luo Chen over to test his mettle anyway." Tao Wan sighed. "It's just that with Huanghezi's betrayal, I have no usable alchemists left under my command. Those two tier-two alchemists are nominal in skill—they merely passed the theoretical examinations and are far inferior even to your current level." "In that case, to show proper sincerity, it's better that I make the trip in person." Tao Yisheng nodded repeatedly. "Luo Chen's alchemy is definitely not inferior to Huanghezi's. We truly must treat him with great courtesy!" "Do you really have that much confidence in him?" Tao Wan couldn't help asking. She had never seen her brother hold anyone in such high esteem. Tao Yisheng thumped his chest. "The reason my title as a tier-two alchemist is finally worthy of its name is entirely thanks to his guidance! On that point alone, aside from the few tier-three alchemists in our sect, there's no one I trust more." "Luo Chen has his own extraordinary strengths!" Tao Wan blinked, and her initial feeling of clutching at straws gradually gave way to a glimmer of anticipation. *** Inside the alchemy chamber. Steam and smoke rose as a medicinal fragrance permeated the air. A wave of icy chill emanated from the Ice Emperor Cauldron. With a shift of his thoughts and a wave of his sleeve, Luo Chen beckoned dozens of translucent, snow-white pills into an ice tray. After a brief glance, he divided them into two piles. Among them were distinct grades of Jade Dew Pills: medium-grade and superior-grade. This was done intentionally. For any pill, once his proficiency reached Master tier, he could control the resulting grades with relative consistency. As things stood, his partnership with Ice Fort was confined to medium-grade Jade Dew Pills. The level of alchemy skill he had displayed was already sufficient to win the regard of the Jueqing lineage. Revealing too much would only invite unwanted trouble. The reason Luo Chen produced superior-grade Jade Dew Pills from time to time was twofold: first, to grind proficiency; second, to prepare cultivation pills for Sima Huiniang. For ordinary Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, pills were necessary, yet not strictly indispensable. A spirit ground was far more important. Because pills produced pill toxin, it was generally better to consume fewer unless one cultivated a corresponding toxin-dispelling secret technique. Luo Chen, for instance, consumed one cultivation pill every single day without interruption. Yet an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator might take one only every three or five days. Sima Huiniang was preoccupied with the Luotian Association's affairs, leaving her even less time to cultivate. Under these circumstances, since quantity was out of the question, Luo Chen intended to max out the quality for her. "She's my woman now, after all. I can't let her suffer in this regard." He had always been generous toward his friends. There was no reason to be stingy with one of his own. Even if he could not give everything, he would still provide the very best within his means. Sorting the pills, Luo Chen estimated how much longer it would take to grind his Jade Dew Pill proficiency to Great Perfection. "Refining at full capacity, it would take only three or four months." "Factoring in the need to set aside a portion of medium-grade pills, that timeframe will double." "Still, it won't have much of an impact." Currently, just concocting medium-grade Jade Dew Pills netted a modest profit of forty thousand spirit stones a year after deducting costs. Even after covering Sima Huiniang's consumption, twenty to thirty thousand remained. Compared to the past when revenue fell short of expenses and he sold Jade Dew Pills at a heavy loss, this was more than enough to satisfy him. The profit wasn't enormous. Yet when weighed against what Luo Chen gained through this business, it was a massive gain. Once he accepted the premise that the Luotian Association was a staunch vassal of Ice Fort, things were not bad at all—in fact, there were plentiful benefits. At present, at least, their business ventures proceeded smoothly like a fish in water, facing no hindrances whatsoever. Countless minor sects and factions lacked even the qualifications to become Ice Fort's vassals. Stepping out of the alchemy chamber. Bai Meiling was waiting outside, holding a voice transmission talisman in her hands. "Master, this arrived in the cave abode just now." Luo Chen's brow raised. He reached out to take the talisman and activated it with his spiritual energy, causing it to ignite spontaneously without wind. Tao Yisheng's warm voice sounded in his ears: "It has been a long time. If Fellow Daoist has free time recently, could you come to Cave Abode Yi-5 for a chat?" "Your younger brother Tao Yisheng awaits your esteemed presence at any time." The corners of Luo Chen's mouth curled up slightly. They finally couldn't hold back! He did not rush to see Tao Yisheng immediately. Instead, he bathed and freshened up at an unhurried pace, then entered the cave abode brimming with spiritual energy and began quietly cultivating. After opening all hundred meridians, cultivating was more exhausting than before. Yet after every session, the sheer joy of a bountiful harvest was truly intoxicating. It turned out that sometimes, cultivation could genuinely be addictive! As for Tao Wan and her brother? Both sides needed something from each other! In that case, Luo Chen would hold out for the best offer and seize as much initiative as possible!