"Ugh..."
A muffled groan broke the silence of the room.
Luo Chen opened his eyes, a flicker of regret showing in his gaze.
Just moments ago, he had made his third attempt to use second-order earth fire fiend qi to open an acupoint.
The result was failure.
Vaguely, a film of qi seemed to bar the way.
"The higher one's cultivation realm, the purer their spiritual qi becomes, naturally forming protective qi membranes over the body's vital acupoints."
"What was meant to be protective has now become a barrier keeping me from opening my acupoints."
"How should I resolve this?"
Luo Chen knitted his brows slightly.
With practiced ease, he cast the Spring Wind Transforming Rain Art to heal the damage caused by the fiend qi's corrosion during the attempt.
As wisps of wood-attribute spiritual qi showered down, the minor injuries healed swiftly.
Luo Chen's physique was extraordinarily formidable to begin with! Among the people he knew, he was second only to Wang Yuan. Even compared to Chu Kui, who also trained his body alongside qi cultivation, he was slightly superior.
In his estimation, Chu Kui had only reached the grand achievement of viscera refining, with no clue how to clear his meridians. After all, even Luo Chen had relied on Blood Fiend Pills and the Ageless Evergreen Scripture to arduously clear all hundred meridians.
His gaze fell upon the pumice stone sealing the second-order earth fire fiend qi.
Luo Chen's thoughts involuntarily turned to Li Yingzhang's injury.
Within Li Yingzhang's body, a fair amount of earth fire fiend qi had lingered. It was also second-order, but it seemed far purer than the earth fire fiend qi Luo Chen was currently using.
"Rumor has it that the Yan Alliance possesses techniques to refine fiend qi. Even within the same second order, their earth fire fiend qi is of far higher quality, which is why it can be wielded in battle."
"So the issue is that the quality of my fiend qi isn't high enough?"
As he pondered, a bold idea popped into his head.
If quality was lacking, could quantity make up for it?
His current Earth Fiend Acupoint Opening technique was heavily influenced by Wang Yuan's experience, which was why he had strictly regulated the intake to one wisp at a time.
But another person's experience was not entirely suited to his own situation.
"If I increase the volume and strike an acupoint with two or even three wisps of fiend qi at once, could I force it open?"
"Though if it fails, the damage to my body might be quite severe."
Murmuring to himself, a glint of resolve flashed in Luo Chen's eyes.
How could there be no risk in creating one's own secret art? Even Wang Yuan had to verify whether he was on the right path through life-and-death battles. He, Luo Chen, had to pay some price as well.
Taking a deep breath, once his internal condition had fully recovered, Luo Chen beckoned with his hand. Two wisps of earth fire fiend qi flew out from the pumice stone.
Tilting his head back, he inhaled deeply through his nose.
Instantly, the two wisps of fiend qi plunged into his nostrils like a pair of fiery dragons.
Once inside, they surged downward, hurtling directly toward the acupoint Luo Chen was most confident in opening.
***
The next day.
Luo Chen stepped out of his room. Despite his usual restraint, a look of delight showed at the corners of his eyes and brows.
His Earth Fiend Acupoint Opening technique worked!
Once he increased the amount of second-order earth fire fiend qi to three wisps at a time, he was able to break through the qi membrane congealed over the acupoint.
Just last night, he had succeeded in opening an acupoint.
"There are seven hundred and twenty acupoints, large and small, in the human body."
"Counting the thirty-six I opened in advance while practicing Spirit Clarifying Evil Dispelling, I have now opened thirty-seven, leaving over six hundred."
"Leaving aside the vital life-and-death acupoints toward the end, where the qi membranes grow increasingly tough, opening all the acupoints will probably require... more than two thousand portions of second-order earth fire fiend qi."
"Ten portions cost five hundred spirit stones, so over two thousand will require at least a hundred thousand!"
Calculating that figure, Luo Chen could not help but be taken aback.
That amount of spirit stones was nothing to him now. But in the eyes of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was an absolute fortune!
"No wonder the path of body refining, despite its rapid early progress, was gradually abandoned by people. It's truly a bottomless pit."
Luo Chen had never carefully calculated just how many resources he had poured into body refining.
Chiefly, he had never put conscious effort into tempering his physique; most of it had been passive tempering. He had only expended deliberate effort on reaching perfection in body refining, viscera refining, and opening his meridians.
Yet when he thought about it—the uninterrupted spirit meals of demon beast meat, the spiritual rice, the numerous medicinal herbs, the Blood Fiend Pills...
If one really tallied it all up, it was bound to be a terrifying figure.
Take this hurdle of acupoint opening, which seemingly required a mere hundred thousand spirit stones.
A hundred thousand?
That was only for Luo Chen.
Ordinary body cultivators had to factor in the bodily damage caused by fiend qi, constantly purchasing pills, hiring physicians for treatment, and so forth. The detailed expenses involved amounted to another colossal sum. Only because Luo Chen was an accomplished physician himself could he resolve those worries. Otherwise...
Furthermore, even after finishing acupoint opening, anyone wanting to continue along the body-refining path would have to comprehend the transformations of vital blood, which would undoubtedly cost another astronomical sum.
Body cultivators were pure gold-devouring beasts!
"Still, what comes after has little to do with me."
"I only need to complete acupoint opening and forge a purely powerful physique to directly aid my rapid cultivation!"
Luo Chen chuckled and put further thoughts aside.
After greeting the members at the encampment, he headed out.
To find Tantai Jin!
He needed far too much earth fire fiend qi. With Duan Feng's connections and Yuan Xiaoyue's means, it would be difficult to gather enough in a short period.
And right now, his consumption was immense.
In the initial stages, opening the non-vital acupoints was actually quite simple as long as one mastered the technique. Thus, a massive amount of fiend qi was needed. As for later on, when it came to the life-and-death acupoints with their exceptionally tough and thick qi membranes, he could worry about that when the time came.
Here on the Golden Sand Floating Island, Tantai Jin had arrived earlier than him and would certainly know the sources for large quantities of earth fire fiend qi.
***
"You want large quantities of second-order earth fire fiend qi?"
Inside a side hall, Tantai Jin looked at Luo Chen with a complex expression.
Meeting her searching gaze, Luo Chen remained completely composed.
"Yes, the more the better."
"For pill refinement?"
"There is no need for Fellow Daoist to worry about that."
Tantai Jin's expression stiffened, though she did not press the matter. She said indifferently, "I happen to have a hundred portions on hand, left behind by a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Yan Alliance. But as for more, I have none."
Luo Chen frowned slightly.
A hundred portions was a bit too little.
Tantai Jin naturally noticed his dissatisfaction.
"If you want more, you can attend the monthly trade gathering for cultivators on the Golden Sand Floating Island. When that time comes, many cultivators bring out resources they obtained in battle that they have no use for to trade."
"Gathering the second-order earth fire fiend qi you want should be fairly simple there."
A monthly gathering?
After inquiring about the specific date for the next gathering, Luo Chen mentally cursed the bad timing.
The reason was simple: the next gathering coincided exactly with the period when the Luotian Association was scheduled to rotate duties at the Sixth Mountain.
As a result, he would very likely miss it.
Clearly, Tantai Jin was more aware of this than Luo Chen.
She said calmly, "When the time comes, I'll have Shi Lan keep an eye out for you. You just need to leave the spirit stones with her."
Shi Lan?
Luo Chen nodded. He still trusted that woman. Though she was a bit fond of money, she knew her bounds. Giving her a small bonus would ensure she handled things splendidly.
With the matter settled, Luo Chen spent five thousand spirit stones to purchase the earth fire fiend qi in her possession, not intending to linger any longer.
The higher the cultivation of the women in the Ice Fort, the stranger their temperaments became. Whether it was Jueqing or Yinyue, he had to deal with them carefully. Even if Tantai Jin was slightly better, it was best to minimize contact.
Just as he turned to leave, Tantai Jin suddenly spoke.
"Wait!"
"Is there something else?" Luo Chen asked, turning back in surprise.
Tantai Jin looked at him with a complicated expression. "I heard that earlier, Martial Aunt Yinyue offered lavish benefits to win you over, even saying she would betroth Ice Soul to you as a Dao companion, yet you declined her solicitation?"
Luo Chen nodded.
He casually asked, "Who is Ice Soul?"
"Ice Soul Fairy."
"Uh..."
Luo Chen was stunned.
Seeing his dazed look, Tantai Jin pursed her lips in a rare smile. "It seems you have no idea what you missed!"
Luo Chen asked hesitantly, "Is she the Dao Child of your Ice Fort's current generation?"
"Indeed, you guessed right!" Tantai Jin chuckled. "She is Martial Aunt Yinyue's eldest disciple and a candidate for the next sect master—a guaranteed future Golden Core Master. If you marry her, you'll be a true member of the Ice Fort from then on!"
Luo Chen was momentarily speechless.
He remembered that Master Yinyue had indeed mentioned facilitating a union between him and her eldest disciple.
Yet he never imagined that disciple had such an illustrious background.
Could the Dao Child of a sect really be promised away so easily?
Shaking his head, Luo Chen regained his unruffled composure.
"I fear it wouldn't be marrying her, but rather me marrying into your Ice Fort as a matrilocal son-in-law!"
Tantai Jin froze, instinctively saying, "Does the cultivation world even care about such things?"
Luo Chen laughed involuntarily. This woman apparently did not understand what marrying into a woman's family meant to a man.
Amid that amusement, he gradually understood Master Yinyue's intentions.
She was clearly trying to secure a powerful supporter for her eldest disciple, Ice Soul Fairy.
With the assistance of a master alchemist like him, Ice Soul Fairy would certainly secure the position of sect master in the future. And as the sect master's master, the benefits Master Yinyue could enjoy would naturally be far greater.
This could be seen from Tao Wan of the Azure Pill Valley. At the beginning, she had fought all alone. But halfway through, her master, Master Baisu, personally stepped forward to endorse her, even borrowing the Ice Soul Marrow that could briefly suppress the Purple Zenith Skyfire.
When interests were at stake, master and disciple—who naturally shared a bond—would cooperate with seamless intimacy.
He only wondered whether that Ice Soul Dao Child knew she had nearly been betrothed to someone else.
Recovering her composure, Tantai Jin shared a piece of good news with Luo Chen.
"In half a month, your encampment will be moved back, and the Qu clan will take your place. As for the Luotian Association... I will make the arrangements!"
Luo Chen's expression shifted.
"Then my thanks to Fellow Daoist Tantai!"
Tantai Jin gave a brief acknowledgment and did not detain Luo Chen any further.
Watching his departing figure, she sighed with slight regret.
How wonderful it would have been had she met him earlier.
If it had been earlier, she could have used Jade Dew Pills to advance her cultivation realm, and she would not have lost to Ice Soul during the contest for the Dao Seed.
She had missed it by just a fraction.
***
Leaving the side hall, Luo Chen walked along the firm street.
A breath of relief finally escaped his chest.
His previous gamble had finally borne fruit!
Under pressure from Master Yinyue, Fairy Jueqing had begun extending goodwill to the Luotian Association.
If they went to the Sixth Mountain and were assigned an isolated station, they would inevitably repeat their past mistakes. But if they stayed attached to a core disciple of the sect like Tantai Jin, then even if the sky fell, someone taller would be there to hold it up.
That way, the Luotian Association's casualties could be minimized as much as possible.
"I wonder how Master Jueqing will treat me once I take to the battlefield?"
Luo Chen gave a soft chuckle, already knowing the answer in his heart.
When he returned to the Luotian Association's encampment, he saw Qin Liangchen hurrying back.
"Old Qin, what are you up to?"
As Luo Chen's prestige within the Luotian Association reached an absolute peak, he had to be slightly more mindful of how he addressed old friends in public.
Calling them by their full names felt distant.
Addressing them as elder brother or sister-in-law, on the other hand, invited gossip among the subordinate cultivators.
Thus, a casual "Old Qin" was both warm and proper.
Seeing the beaming Qin Liangchen, he smiled and asked, "Where did you go that made you so happy?"
Qin Liangchen gave a sheepish grin. "I took a trip to the Luoyun Sect's encampment!"
"Oh?" Luo Chen asked in surprise. "Did you see your son?"
"Didn't see him!"
"Uh, then why are you so happy?" Luo Chen was puzzled.
Qin Liangchen burst into laughter. "Not seeing him is why I'm happy! If he had been sent to this battlefield, I'd be worried sick!"
Luo Chen came to a sudden realization; he truly hadn't understood a parent's mindset just now.
"President, I asked around! My Xiaohu didn't let me down!"
As Qin Liangchen spoke, his brows danced with excitement, his expression vivid to the extreme.
"He has already reached the Qi Refinement Great Perfection, received a Foundation Establishment Pill bestowed by the sect, and is currently making a push for the Foundation Establishment stage!"
"Haha, once he succeeds, our Qin family will have two Foundation Establishment cultivators under one roof!"
"Incredible!"
Luo Chen gave him a thumbs-up.
He was genuinely taken aback by the news.
Counting the years, Qin Liangchen's son was only around thirty years old!
To begin pushing for Foundation Establishment at such an age—he truly lived up to being a genius with dual spiritual roots and the sect's nurturing.
The one in the Luotian Association comparable in age to Qin Xiaohu was his apprentice, Qu Lingjun.
He was about two years younger.
He had never lacked supplementary resources, and whenever Luo Chen was resting at Tianlan Peak, he often called Qu Lingjun over to offer guidance. Yet even now, Qu Lingjun had only reached the eighth layer of Qi Refinement.
The difference did not lie in resources!
In fact, Qu Lingjun's supply of resources surpassed Qin Xiaohu's.
The gap lay in talent.
One possessed dual spiritual roots, while the other had nearly useless fourfold spiritual roots.
The gulf between them was wider than that between a human and a dog!
Still, Qu Lingjun was neither hasty nor anxious. Reaching the eighth layer of Qi Refinement at thirty gave him a strong chance of attaining the Qi Refinement Great Perfection before sixty.
This was something that in the past, neither Qu Lingjun nor his late grandfather, Qu Hancheng, would have dared to dream of.
As long as he persevered slowly, the day of Foundation Establishment would eventually come!
When the time came, with Luo Chen's help, even if he had to force-feed resources, he could still stuff enough in to forge a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator!
"Right, I heard from Duan Feng that we're heading back to Tianlan in half a month?" Qin Liangchen asked curiously.
Luo Chen nodded. "Yes. By then, Li Yingzhang should be mostly recovered, and he'll lead you all back together."
Qin Liangchen looked delighted.
Just as he was about to say something, it suddenly dawned on him.
"Aren't you coming back with us?"
Chapter 371