After a brief daze, Luo Chen gathered his thoughts.
It seemed—and only seemed.
Within the bounds of Tianlan, a cultivator at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment was indeed somebody.
Yet having witnessed the depth of Azure Pill Valley's foundation, he knew full well that the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment was nothing at all!
In Azure Pill Valley, the bare minimum threshold to compete for the position of Dao Seed was to be a grand cultivator in late Foundation Establishment.
And that was merely a contest among disciples.
Above them stood countless Golden Core cultivators.
One could even say Golden Core cultivators were only a stage, with Nascent Soul and Soul Formation lying beyond.
How far had he truly come?
Without sufficient strength, so-called power and wealth were nothing more than illusions.
Even with a beauty in his arms, how much peace of mind could he truly muster to indulge in pleasure?
The soft touch against his right hand seemed to fade. Luo Chen cupped the storage bag in his left hand and sent his divine sense sweeping inside.
Densely packed rhomboid crystals were stacked neatly within.
With a single scan, the exact sum formed clearly in his mind.
One hundred and fifty thousand!
It was not an immense figure.
Compared to the revenue he had earned when concocting and selling Jade Marrow Pills himself, it was down by nearly thirty percent.
Yet over the past two years, Luo Chen had hardly concocted pills in person.
In other words, every bit of this income came entirely from the output of the Luotian Association!
Furthermore, this was the net profit remaining after covering all personnel costs for the cultivators within the association!
"Now that the Luotian Association is on track, the earnings are actually this substantial?"
A look of pleasant surprise emerged in Luo Chen's eyes.
Though he had previously saved several hundred thousand spirit stones, after paying the rent on the superior cave dwelling and purchasing that batch of superior Soaring Dragon Pills, a mere two hundred thousand remained.
From that balance, he still had to set aside a reserve of mid-grade spirit stones and a high-grade spirit stone that could not be touched lightly.
In short, his true liquid capital had virtually dried up.
Replenishing his purse with this sum of spirit stones greatly relieved his current financial strain.
Sima Huiniang brushed back a stray lock of hair and murmured softly, "It's not much. This is only the beginning."
"Oh?"
Seeing Luo Chen's surprise, Sima Huiniang offered a tender smile. "Think about it. The Luotian Association absorbed all the wealth of those major factions and rebuilt fresh business channels. This modest return is only natural."
Hearing her explanation, Luo Chen understood.
Whether it was Tianying Peak, the Yuzhen Daoist Temple, the Danyuan Sect, or the Divine Craft Sect, each had been a third-rate Foundation Establishment power possessing between one and three Foundation Establishment cultivators.
No matter how poorly any of them fared, their annual output and profits amounted to at least tens of thousands of spirit stones.
Now, all of that had been gathered into the Luotian Association's grasp.
Consolidated together, there was no reason to fall short of what they had once earned.
At present, the association had barely finished digesting those gains and had not yet reached the point of exerting its full strength.
Relying on the Luotian Association's power, as well as the backing of the Ice Fort behind them, the association could easily grow bigger and stronger to reach even greater heights.
One hundred and fifty thousand over two years?
That was modest—far too modest!
In the future, bringing in one hundred and fifty thousand a year was entirely within reach.
Of course, all of that depended on things developing in a favorable direction without any mishaps along the way.
Throughout the process, the cultivators in the association would need to work conscientiously and pull together.
More than anything, it could not do without Sima Huiniang managing the helm.
Luo Chen lowered his head and planted a deep kiss on Huiniang's lips, releasing her only when she was nearly out of breath.
As she gave him a playful glare, he laughed heartily.
"Blessed with such a virtuous wife, what more could a husband ask for!"
That night.
Within the bedchamber of Luotian, two Foundation Establishment True Cultivators clashed fiercely in a passionate, unrestrained battle.
In the end, because Sima Huiniang's cultivation was merely at the second layer of Foundation Establishment—far too delicate to endure such a conquest—Luo Chen claimed victory.
The moment dawn broke, he hurriedly took his leave from the Luotian Association.
Only after he departed did Sima Huiniang leisurely open her eyes.
In times past, an hour like this would naturally have called for lingering tenderness.
Yet Luo Chen had left in such haste, leaving behind only the fiery trace of his masculine presence upon the bed.
Sima Huiniang blinked, knowing well why he was in such a rush to leave.
On Tianlan Peak, someone else was still waiting for him.
A twinge of sourness brushed her heart, but she swiftly composed herself.
She who serves with her beauty finds that as beauty fades, love cools, and once love cools, favor is severed.
Only by serving with competence could one endure for the long haul.
She was well aware that her bond with Luo Chen had never reached the heights of solemn vows or eternal pledges.
Reaching this stage had been a matter of her taking the initiative while Luo Chen met her halfway.
If she wished to remain by his side indefinitely, her own talents were what mattered most.
"He is a man meant for great things!"
"I must never hold him back."
"Petty romance between a man and a woman is merely a minor pursuit. Gu Caiyi, I hope you see through this sooner rather than later!"
"Otherwise..."
Rising from the bed, she found her disciple Yao Mingyue already presenting fresh water and towels for her morning wash.
After freshening up and applying her cosmetics, Sima Huiniang took the Face Preserving Pill that Luo Chen had gifted her.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she broke into a radiant smile.
In the bronze mirror, the woman's features were merely clear and delicate, yet her bearing was poised, graceful, and dignified.
Who could possibly connect the Sima Huiniang of the past—who had roamed far and wide just to scrape by—with the high-and-mighty Director-General of the Luotian Association today?
***
"The Origin Cultivating Spiritual Liquid prepared by Ma Shoupu is getting better and better!"
Standing before a large wooden tub, Luo Chen poured in the Origin Cultivating Spiritual Liquid, followed by the Golden Quality Jade Liquid he had fetched from the Luotian Association.
The business relationship between the Kang family and the Luotian Association had been established ever since Kang Xianqiong returned home all those years ago.
Every year, a substantial batch of Golden Quality Jade Liquid was delivered on a regular schedule.
The portions of superior quality were reserved by the Luotian Association for internal use.
Naturally, what Luo Chen received was the finest top-grade Golden Quality Jade Liquid of the lot.
Now, under his blending, a batch of Golden Jade Yuan-Nourishing Liquid gradually took shape.
Gazing at the medicinal brew, brimming with rich primordial vitality, Luo Chen nodded in satisfaction before heading out the door.
A moment later, he walked back in, carrying the nearly paralyzed Gu Caiyi in his arms.
"Do I have to soak for a full two hours?"
Looking at the steaming wooden tub, a blush crept across Gu Caiyi's face.
"Naturally! Once the soak is finished, I will use the Healing Art to mend and soothe your damaged meridians. Stick with this for a year, and your physique will undoubtedly be tempered. At that point, we can repair your dantian."
Luo Chen spoke with effortless poise, his words full of confidence.
"Do I have to take off my clothes?"
"Of course!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Luo Chen noticed her bashfulness.
"Should I go call Xiao Ling over?"
"Don't!"
The word slipped out almost instantly as Gu Caiyi clutched Luo Chen's sleeve.
Lowering her head, her lips trembled slightly. "You do it... it's just..."
While she was still overcome with embarrassment, Luo Chen had already swiftly shed her outer garment.
When he had first transmigrated, stripping off ancient garments would have felt somewhat unfamiliar, particularly a woman's.
Yet after sharing intimacy with Huiniang on several occasions, he had grown quite adept.
Undoing robes with one hand was second nature now.
However, when it came time to remove her undergarments, he noticed the woman in his arms trembling visibly.
"Rest assured, I won't harbor any improper thoughts."
"That's not it." Gu Caiyi kept her head lowered, murmuring anxiously, "It's hideous."
"Hmm?"
Luo Chen did not understand.
Yet very quickly, he realized what she meant.
Before his eyes, there was none of the smooth fullness of a youthful woman.
There was only ghastly pale skin, an emaciated frame, and flesh clinging to bone like withered tree bark.
It should never have been like this!
In terms of age, Gu Caiyi was in the prime of her life as a cultivator—the ideal window to sprint toward Foundation Establishment.
She shouldn't be like this!
He slowly lowered Gu Caiyi, who kept her eyes closed, into the hot water. Under the scorching heat, the Golden Jade Yuan-Nourishing Liquid released its medicinal properties, seeping gradually into her body.
"Everything will get better."
"Mm..."
Two hours later.
Luo Chen dressed Gu Caiyi in a light robe and carried her back to the bed.
Then, invoking his Great Circle Healing Art, he worked from the soles of her feet to her calves, up to her abdomen...
After considerable effort, he completed what amounted to a full-body massage.
By the time he stopped, Gu Caiyi was drenched in sweat and fast asleep.
With a gentle flick of his sleeve, Luo Chen cleared away the perspiration before stepping out of the bedchamber.
Bai Meiling was waiting outside. Seeing Luo Chen catch his breath, she asked with concern:
"Master, are you exhausted?"
"Tired?" Luo Chen let out a breezy laugh. "Not at all. In fact, there are some benefits to it."
Xiao Ling tilted her head, then broke into sudden comprehension.
"Oh! Master, you're a lecher!"
Luo Chen laughed heartily and offered no defense.
Food and desire are inherent to nature!
After Foundation Establishment, so long as one avoided excessive indulgence, occasional pleasure was actually beneficial to a cultivator.
Of course, Gu Caiyi in her current state could hardly be spoken of in terms of physical allure.
The benefits he spoke of were naturally not so superficial.
Returning to the cultivation room, Luo Chen drew a deep breath and quickly slipped into a meditative state.
Sending his divine sense inward, he examined the spiritual power within his sea of qi and nodded inwardly.
"Indeed, casting minor spells so frequently does wonders for consolidating my realm!"
This was by no means baseless.
Ever since he had engaged in frantic cultivation for a year in the quasi-Tier 3 spirit ground of Azure Cloud Peak, Luo Chen's body had harbored this subtle hidden concern.
Though that quasi-Tier 3 spirit ground was exceptional, propelling his realm forward by leaps and bounds straight into the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment, advancing from the fifth to the sixth layer in just a single year left behind a minor trouble.
An unstable foundation!
Inside his sea of qi, there remained vast amounts of spiritual energy that had not yet been properly refined.
They had gathered into clouds of spiritual qi, hovering above the sixth heaven.
By contrast, the converted, purified spiritual power was not nearly as abundant.
This created a top-heavy condition, leaving his foundation hollow and floating.
This was precisely why Luo Chen had refrained from pushing his cultivation too hard upon his return, despite possessing a superior cave dwelling and a fresh supply of superior Soaring Dragon Pills.
He needed time to temper his foundation, converting that massive cloud of spiritual qi bit by bit into pure spiritual liquid.
Only then could he firmly anchor his realm at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment.
The quasi-Tier 3 spirit ground had been magnificent; it was not as though Luo Chen had never wished to linger longer.
His decisive departure at the end had been motivated in no small part by this very reason.
There were many ways to polish one's foundation and refine spiritual power:
Circulating one's natal cultivation method, taking Tier 2 Spirit Purifying Pills, casting spells in rapid succession, and so forth.
Recently, aiding Gu Caiyi's treatment had clearly played an immense role in refining his spiritual power.
After all, his primary cultivation art was the Medicine King Sect's Ageless Evergreen Scripture, and his spiritual power was predominantly wood-attribute.
The Healing Art happened to be a wood-attribute technique as well.
"In less than half a year, I should be able to fully stabilize the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. At that point, I can resume cultivating with all my might!"
With his mind at ease, Luo Chen opened his eyes and summoned his status panel.
[Lifespan: 46/230]
[Spiritual Roots: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth]
[Realm: Foundation Establishment Layer 6 (1/100), Blood River Realm (50/100)]
[Cultivation Methods: Ageless Evergreen Scripture (Grandmaster 565/1000), Bright Spirit Fiend Breaking (Great Circle), Myriad Beast Scripture (10/100)]
[Spells: Tier 3: Life Severing Finger (Entry 1/100)
Tier 2: Landslide (Grandmaster 900/1000), Glazed Canopy (Great Circle), Turtle Spirit Armor (Perfect 400/500), Blazing Sun Art (Great Circle), Grass-Mowing Geng Metal Sword Art (Proficient 125/200)
Tier 1: Soul Intimidation Art (Perfect 400/500)
Great Circle Spells (Click to view details)]
[Alchemy Arts: Clear Source Wondrous Elixir Method (Grandmaster 750/1000), Origin Cultivating Hand (Adept 218/300), Scale Turning Hand (Entry 5/100), Star-Plucking Hand (Entry 19/100). Great Circle Alchemy Arts (Click to view details)]
[Martial Arts: Mountain-Cleaving Stele-Shattering Palm (Great Circle), Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers (Grandmaster 501/1000), Wang Clan Secret Manual (Grandmaster 501/1000)]
[Skills: Tier 2 Alchemist, Tier 1 Physician.
Alchemist: Tier 2 Pills: Dust Descending Pill (Entry 10/100), Emperor's Flowing Syrup (Entry 9/100)
Tier 1 Pills: Beast Rearing Pellet (Entry 30/100), Blood Burning Pill (Adept 204/300). Great Circle Pills (Click to view details)]
[Achievement Points: 41]
Looking at the status panel unfolding like a cascading waterfall, the corners of Luo Chen's lips curved upward in satisfaction.
On the journey back, he hadn't had the chance to inspect it closely. Now, he could finally take proper stock.
Another year and a half had passed, so his age had naturally reached forty-six.
At the same time, his maximum lifespan had gained an extra ten years thanks to his breakthrough to the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment.
"A lifespan limit of two hundred and thirty years. Barring an untimely death, it will easily suffice for me to cultivate steadily to the completion of the Foundation Establishment stage."
Even without a quasi-Tier 3 spirit ground, a Tier 2 superior cave dwelling on Tianlan Peak remained a prime cultivation haven ardently coveted by countless Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Luo Chen was hardly one to look down on his current cave dwelling just because he had tasted an even better environment.
On the contrary, he paid his annual rent more diligently than anyone else, terrified of being displaced by someone with connections.
Otherwise, if he were forced to cultivate in a mid-grade cave dwelling and saw his cultivation speed halved, he wouldn't even have a place to weep!
No, perhaps it would be slowed by more than half.
A spirit ground was simply too vital to the cultivation of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
It far surpassed pills and magical implements!
Not much else had changed, aside from a notable shift in the Tier 2 Spells column.
The defensive spell Glazed Canopy and the Blazing Sun Art had both been grinded to the Great Circle level through a year of practice in Azure Pill Valley.
He could now invoke both spells with consummate ease.
As for their effectiveness, he could judge that the Blazing Sun Art rivaled a standard strike from a mid-stage cultivator wielding a magic treasure.
That was exceptional!
It meant Luo Chen could unleash comparable offensive power even without drawing on a magic treasure.
The Glazed Canopy was harder to assess; confirming its defensive strength would require a live opponent.
On the other hand, Landslide among his Tier 2 spells remained stuck at the Grandmaster level, stubbornly refusing to reach the Great Circle, which drew plenty of grumbling from Luo Chen.
Even the Glazed Canopy was renowned for being notoriously difficult to train.
Yet this spell was proving even harder.
One had to remember that he had already trained all three of its prerequisite Tier 1 spells to the Great Circle level.
"Still, difficulty has its virtues!"
"The harder it is, the greater its potential and the stronger its might!"
"Once I reach late Foundation Establishment and unleash a Great Circle Landslide, I doubt even those grand cultivators executing lethal magic treasure strikes will be able to stop me!"
With a chuckling grin, Luo Chen's gaze shifted downward.
The Clear Source Wondrous Elixir Method, used to neutralize pill toxins, was still progressing at a crawl.
It had reached Grandmaster rank long ago, attaining what the technique described as the stage of great accomplishment, yet who would have thought this subsequent phase would be even slower?
Perhaps reaching completion would trigger some unexpected transformation; that was by no means out of the question.
Luo Chen had collapsed the rest of his completed alchemy arts to avoid a cluttered view.
A new one had appeared: the Star-Plucking Hand.
Obtained from Elder Xingyun of Azure Pill Valley, it was an alchemy art designed to process mineral ingredients.
It belonged to the same category as the Folding Jade Hand, but possessed a broader scope of application and superior effects.
In Elder Xingyun's words, even with extraterrestrial meteoric iron, the Star-Plucking Hand could extract its quintessential essence for use in pill concoction!
"Hey, a new skill!"
Luo Chen looked in surprise at the skill column, where [Tier 1 Physician] had newly appeared.
When he had returned from Azure Pill Valley, that hadn't been there!
He glanced reflexively toward the door, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
It was likely tied to his recent study of medical texts, blending prescriptions, and frequent use of the Healing Art.
All of these belonged to skills associated with physicians among the hundred arts of cultivation.
In the cultivation world, physician was also a highly sought-after profession.
Many cultivators possessing water, wood, or earth spiritual roots would cultivate medicine on the side.
Even among the Yuding sword cultivators, who were universally renowned for their combat prowess, two or three out of ten might turn out to be exceptionally skilled physicians!
It sounded jarring, but such was reality.
Those who favored fighting were naturally more prone to injury.
Moreover, gaining entry into the medical arts was not difficult and did not require much time; picking up a bit of study made treating minor wounds quite straightforward.
What was difficult was reaching mastery.
Take Luo Tianhong, whom Luo Chen had met years ago—the very same Xiao Hei currently inside the Soul Refining Banner.
He had been an outstanding physician!
He had once used the Golden Silkworm Rejoining Technique to reattach Qin Liangchen's severed arm.
"If I have free time, learning a few medical arts for self-reliance wouldn't hurt. When walking the cultivation world, one can never have too many skills."
Luo Chen had no intention of pursuing complete mastery; dabbling lightly would suffice.
Glancing past Tier 1 Physician, Luo Chen inspected his pills.
There was little to write home about—merely entry-level mastery in two easily concocted pills:
The Dust Descending Pill and the Beast Rearing Pellet.
"To think my achievement points were restored!"
During the second round of the Dao Seed contest, he had spent ten achievement points to gain entry into the Dust Descending Pill.
Yet as several spells reached completion or broke through ranks, his reserve had climbed back to forty-one points.
This pleased Luo Chen immensely.
Holding a hefty stash of achievement points gave him immense confidence.
Should he encounter a new pill that needed urgent concoction, he could achieve entry at any moment.
If he stumbled upon a powerful Tier 3 spell or cultivation method, he could likewise force an entry through deduction.
Just as he had done during the Qi Refinement stage, concocting the Tier 2 Emperor's Flowing Syrup beyond his realm to achieve Foundation Establishment.
The more achievement points he hoarded, the greater Luo Chen's peace of mind!
Having concluded his inventory, Luo Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He conducted this sort of review in private every now and then.
Partly to check his own progress, and partly to summarize lessons from his inner condition so he could formulate future plans.
Which skills required further proficiency grinding.
Which pills needed to reach a higher grade before they were suitable for his own consumption.
What stage his cultivation method needed to reach in order to accelerate his training speed.
And so forth!
All in all, it was the same principle as examining oneself thrice daily.
Following this review, Luo Chen decided his future focus would rest on Landslide and the Soul Intimidation Art.
One needed to reach completion as soon as possible, while the other was not far from Grandmaster rank and proved remarkably helpful for tempering the divine soul.
Additionally, his alchemy practice could not be neglected.
Of course, he would no longer repeatedly concoct Jade Marrow Pills.
Instead, it would be Jade Dew Pills!
The Ice Fort urgently needed them, and he was currently strapped for spirit stones. It was a match made in heaven, killing two birds with one stone!
Nor was he worried that concocting Jade Dew Pills in bulk would expose his alchemy prowess.
If it were to be exposed, he had already exposed it!
Overwhelming the Seven Prodigies of Azure Pill and claiming three consecutive victories had been a deliberate display of his alchemy skills.
His purpose had been to establish a pretext for concocting Jade Dew Pills in large volumes upon his return.
Since I am already stronger than the Seven Prodigies of Azure Pill, concocting more and better Jade Dew Pills is only natural.
Naturally, there was no great rush at the moment; healing Gu Caiyi came first.
However...
While Luo Chen was in no hurry, someone else was.
Early the next morning.
Outside Cave Dwelling Yi-17, the young woman Shi Lan stood gracefully by the entrance.
"Senior Brother Luo, my master requests your presence!"
Chapter 351