Chu Kui: Luo Chen, Interested in Pulling Off Something Big?

Across the desolate expanse of the Myriad Li Quicksand, a colossal floating island was quietly rooted in place, unmoved in the slightest no matter how the surrounding quicksand shifted and flowed. On this day, a figure shot toward it from the distance. Patrol cultivators from the four sects spotted the approach and immediately called out: "Who goes there? Do you possess a token?" "I do." A raspy voice answered as a dark, somber wooden medallion flashed into view before vanishing. Staring at the black-robed man shrouded under a hood, the patrol cultivator's expression turned deferential in an instant. "Please enter!" The black-robed man nodded and stepped directly onto the Golden Sand Floating Island. Behind him, one of the patrol cultivators asked in confusion, "Captain, why didn't you verify his identity? Letting him in so easily—what if he's a spy?" The captain glared at him. "Blind fool! Can't you recognize a token that only Core Formation Masters may possess? That man is bound to be a Core Formation elder from one of our four sects!" The team member froze, muttering, "But... I couldn't feel any Core Formation pressure from him at all?" "If you could see through it, would he still be a Master? Idiot, go patrol in the other direction!" The scolding echoed from behind. The black-robed cultivator heard every word clearly, but made no reaction. *The Ice Fort elder token Fairy Jueqing gave me is quite convenient,* Luo Chen thought quietly. *Virtually no questioning going in or out.* He was alone; Wang Yuan was not with him. In truth, Wang Yuan had wanted to return with him as well. Yet under Luo Chen's persuasion, Wang Yuan abandoned the idea and returned straight to Tianlan. Keeping him from returning was naturally because of the legend of the Blood Demon. Even though the true Blood Demon was not Wang Yuan but someone else entirely, if Wang Yuan truly returned, he would inevitably face interrogation and scrutiny from the four sects' Core Formation Masters. Without sufficient evidence to clear his name, it was better to avoid trouble than invite it. Once the war concluded, relying on Luo Chen's ties with the Ice Fort, such groundless rumors could easily be suppressed. Furthermore, Wang Yuan had a valid excuse: he had been hunted the entire time, leaving him no opportunity to commit those acts. With Wang Yuan returning to Tianlan first, Luo Chen would lead the rest of the Luotian Association back a few months later. From then on, this war would have little to do with them. After entering the island, Luo Chen reined in his aura as much as possible, concealing his entire figure beneath a black coat with the hood pulled over his head. Passing cultivators occasionally gave him a curious glance, yet hardly paid him any mind. Their indifference actually piqued Luo Chen's curiosity. *Why does everyone seem so accustomed to an attire like this?* Soon, however, he learned the reason. The number of cultivators on the streets of the Golden Sand Floating Island far exceeded Luo Chen's expectations! Among them were many dressed identically to him, as well as secretive figures wearing masks or bamboo hats to conceal their features. *Could the cultivators rotating from the Sixth Peak have returned?* Such a massive crowd astonished Luo Chen. The numbers were nearly double what they had been before! Yet his sharp spiritual perception allowed him to discern clearly, as he observed those concealed cultivators, that they were not disciples of the four sects at all. *Rogue cultivators!* *Virtually all of them are rogue cultivators!* *Hardly any young ones, mostly middle-aged or elderly.* *Did they rush here specifically to participate in the war and exchange merits for Core Formation Secret Techniques?* Lost in thought, Luo Chen ducked swiftly into an alleyway. Moments later, he emerged wearing a red cloud Daoist robe and a three-leaf Daoist crown. Unlike ordinary crowns used merely to bind hair, this three-leaf crown had a tall peak and extended down to conceal his forehead. Overall, it traded a bit of his former unrestrained flair for a touch of gravity and maturity. Straightening his crown slightly, Luo Chen stepped into the Ice Fort's encampment. As he crossed into the area, his brows furrowed. *There are more people outside, yet fewer vassal cultivators of the four sects?* Puzzled, he soon arrived back at the Luotian Association's residence. "President!" It was Xu Huanzhen who greeted him. Luo Chen nodded and went straight into the stone house, with Xu Huanzhen following close behind. "Brief me on the intelligence regarding the floating island during this period." Xu Huanzhen did not dally, recounting everything in detail. Luo Chen quickly learned what immense changes had transpired on the battlefield during the brief days he had been away. In short, the Four-Sect Alliance had abandoned defense in favor of a counteroffensive! Instead of remaining entrenched at the Fifth and Sixth Peaks, they were amassing large forces in an attempt to reclaim the lost Seventh Peak. Meanwhile, on the Golden Sand Floating Island, news that the four sects were offering Core Formation Secret Techniques—and even superior Core Formation secret techniques—had been deliberately spread by interested parties. Across the entire Jade Cauldron Domain, Foundation Establishment True Cultivators who had previously stood aloof rushed over one after another. In just these short two weeks, roughly four to five hundred Foundation Establishment True Cultivators had arrived on the floating island. Some belonged to cultivation clans, some were rogue cultivators, and others were elders from first- or second-rate sects. With the Great Dao of Core Formation lying before them, everyone was tempted! Moreover, this influx was continuing to grow! At the end, Xu Huanzhen added, "Before long, the Luoyun Sect's batch of puppets impervious to ordinary lightning will also be delivered to the Mount Thunder Accumulation battlefield under the escort of their sect elders. President, the horn of the counteroffensive has already sounded!" After hearing this intelligence, Luo Chen sank into deep thought. He had originally assumed the civil war between the Jade Cauldron Domain's two great Nascent Soul sects would drag on indefinitely. Why did it now appear that the Luoyun Sect's side was eager to accelerate the pace? Or did they wish to regain the upper hand before resuming a war of attrition? Constraints of cultivation realm and connections prevented Luo Chen from discerning the deeper layers at play. Finding no answer, he waved his hand. "You may withdraw for now." "Do not let anyone disturb me for the next few days." Xu Huanzhen cast a curious glance at the three-leaf Daoist crown on Luo Chen's head, then respectfully exited the stone house. Once he was gone, Luo Chen breathed a sigh of relief and removed the crown. A flame imprint stood starkly upon his brow, lifelike and seemingly ablaze. Tracing the mark between his eyebrows with a finger, Luo Chen remained calm, showing little outward concern over it. Suddenly, he pressed his fingers together like a sword! A wisp of vivid red vital blood slowly coalesced upon his sword-fingers, which he then gingerly brought against the flame imprint. *Sizzle...* The acrid stench of scorching instantly spread through the room. Luo Chen gritted his teeth, ignoring the faint pangs originating from deep within his soul, and sustained the motion. After a long while, he slowly lowered his sword-fingers toward the floor. *Drip!* A droplet of dark crimson blood slowly dripped from his fingertips to the ground. Seeing this, Luo Chen let out a long breath of relief. *Brother Wang did not deceive me. Even without mastering crisp or hidden force, his Blood-Melting Demon Finger can still be driven solely by vital blood.* On their journey back, Wang Yuan and Luo Chen had studied the curse-like imprint Yanleizi had inflicted on Luo Chen before dying. Wang Yuan ultimately concluded that it was a bloodline secret technique similar to the one mastered by Ku Chan, Huo Quan. It was likely one of the core inheritances reserved for true disciples of the Flame Alliance, though the version Yanleizi possessed was simply more advanced. Wang Yuan had scrutinized such things countless times over the past few months. Initially, he had only intended to cover the rear to buy time for the Luotian Association's cultivators to escape. With his capabilities and his mastery of the Breath Concealment Spiritual Art, looping around the battlefield a few times should have shaken off his pursuers. Yet he was repeatedly cornered and nearly intercepted several times, which made him realize he likely bore a tracking mark. Especially when he confronted Ku Chan directly and clashed several times, the resonance welling up from the depths of his bloodline confirmed his suspicion. With his temperament, he naturally refused to allow such lingering poison to remain on him. Thus, back then, he had attempted to purge the imprint through the crisp and hidden force variations of his vital blood. It was precisely through this continuous ordeal of being hunted that Wang Yuan gained continuous insights, ultimately stepping across the threshold into neutralizing force. By then, he finally understood who Ku Chan was and why the man could repeatedly pinpoint his trail. Wang Yuan was certainly not one to sit and await death. While using his hastily derived Blood-Melting Demon Finger to purge the traces of Huo family bloodline upon himself, he constantly shifted positions. Eventually, the roles reversed! What began as Ku Chan leading men to hunt him turned into Wang Yuan single-handedly hunting them in return. Striking and retreating, picking them off one by one, he utterly dismantled their encirclement. Had Ku Chan not secretly enlisted two helpers, Wang Yuan alone would have slaughtered them all! In fact, even if Luo Chen had not arrived, Wang Yuan possessed a thirty percent certainty of perishing together with Ku Chan, Yang Wei, and Yanleizi! That was a digression. Returning to this flame imprint... *Using essence blood as a primer, soul connection as a bridge, and refined spiritual power as the catalyst—only thus can it be cast.* Luo Chen looked down at the foul-smelling droplet of blood on the floor and flicked a Fireball Art to incinerate it. *The Blood-Melting Demon Finger can dissolve this imprint, but it requires ample time. After all, my mastery of this technique is far inferior to Wang Yuan's.* *Time...* Luo Chen muttered to himself. Beneath his calm exterior lingered a faint trace of unease and urgency. Yanleizi had made his identity crystal clear before dying: he was the flesh-and-blood son of Flame Alliance Elder Di Wanyun. Beating the young brought out the old—an unalterable truth since antiquity. Even in primary school, when a child was bullied, parents would march straight to the school grounds. Not long ago, when the Luotian Association's cultivators suffered heavy losses, Luo Chen, as their elder figure, had personally taken the field. Now, joining Wang Yuan to kill Ku Chan, Yanleizi, and the rest served as vengeance for Li Yingzhang and the others. Therefore, Di Wanyun seeking revenge was inevitable. This time, Luo Chen would not allow the affair with Ku Chan and Huo Quan to repeat itself. However, he did not yet possess the strength to eliminate the future threat once and for all. The most pressing matter was to remove the imprint on his brow to prevent anyone from tracking him down. *With my level of mastery in the Blood-Melting Demon Finger, I can only purge the essence blood primer, and even that must be done gradually.* *However, I have another method!* With a shift of intent, Luo Chen formed hand seals for the first time since establishing his foundation to cast the Cleansing Art! As a first-rank spell, the Cleansing Art was widely circulated; almost every cultivator knew a trick or two with it. The only difference lay in their level of mastery. Luo Chen's attainment in this spell had long since reached heights unmatched by any before or after. When cast, it could purge not only dirt and dust, but even alien auras. Back in his Qi Refinement days, he had used it to dispel the refined Foundation Establishment spiritual power imprint Mi Shuhua had left on him, and he had casually dispersed spells, ghostly qi, and yin qi alike. After reaching Foundation Establishment, he had never abandoned the spell, casting it casually from time to time. Others merely assumed he was obsessed with cleanliness. None knew that he believed even an art at Great Perfection still harbored untapped potential. Just like the basic Fireball Art—even after Great Perfection, continuous refinement had eventually allowed him to develop the Blazing Sun Art, a technique capable of near-limitless power accumulation. Though slower than the genuine Blazing Sun Art, its ceiling far exceeded the original. His expectations for the Cleansing Art were no different. Through constant practice—especially when purging the baleful qi within Li Yingzhang a few months ago—Luo Chen had gained subtle insights. *Cleansing everything upon my person that does not belong to me... If it works on dirt and dust, and on spiritual power and baleful qi, why not a soul imprint?* In his murmuring, Luo Chen recalled the past events at Dahe Market. Mi Shuhua had been shrewd and calculating! Not only had he left a spiritual power imprint on Luo Chen, but also a spiritual consciousness mark, which Pang Renxiong ultimately eradicated. Could he himself achieve the same? He possessed the foundation for it! Over the years, he had cracked open numerous storage bags, many of which had been sealed by cultivators proficient in soul restrictions. Was a spiritual consciousness mark not simply a variation of a soul restriction? Under his meticulous control, his hands trembled slightly as a Cleansing Art struck the flame imprint on his brow. In an instant, Luo Chen's body froze! Within his golden sea of consciousness, ripples suddenly stirred layer upon layer. Snapping out of his brief trance, Luo Chen felt a profound sense of relief, as though a shackle upon him had lightened slightly. Conjuring a Water Mirror Art, Luo Chen examined his brow once more. The vivid flame imprint, which had already faded somewhat after using the Blood-Melting Demon Finger, had dimmed even further! Seeing this, the corners of Luo Chen's lips curved upward. *It truly works!* *This Cleansing Art still holds immense potential to unlock!* Confirming that the Blood-Melting Demon Finger combined with the Cleansing Art could eradicate the flame imprint, the heavy stone pressing on Luo Chen's heart finally settled. By his estimate, a few more days at most would completely resolve this hidden peril. At the end of the day, the one who cast it had merely been a cultivator at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. It was hardly an insurmountable method. Wang Yuan could resolve it through physical and blood-path methods; Luo Chen naturally had his own means! "All that remains is to wait until the six-month term expires, and I can lead the team away," Luo Chen muttered. ... "Halt!" "May I ask if your President Luo Chen is present?" "Who are you?" "Chu Kui, Daoist title Tiankuizi, requests an audience. Please inform Fellow Daoist Luo Chen." The Luotian Association cultivator guarding the encampment stared in surprise at the burly man before him. Chu Kui! Was that not the most renowned and formidable rogue cultivator in their Tianlan Immortal City? He dared not dally, immediately turning back to report. Inside the stone house, Luo Chen, who had been casting spells to purge the imprint, frowned slightly upon hearing of Chu Kui's visit. *What is he doing here?* He knew of Chu Kui. The Daoist title Tiankuizi had consistently maintained a place on the Four-Sect Alliance's Merit Board. He had joined the Four-Sect Alliance as a rogue cultivator to reap merits on the battlefield. Because of his status as a rogue cultivator and his high cultivation realm, the alliance had not strictly restricted his range of movement. Consequently, during the months Luo Chen had spent on the Golden Sand Floating Island, their paths had virtually never crossed. *With the four sects offering Core Formation Secret Techniques, Chu Kui must be deeply tempted. Instead of rushing to harvest merits on the battlefield, he comes leisurely looking for me?* *Intriguing!* *I'd like to see what he is planning.* Luo Chen smiled faintly and immediately instructed his subordinate to invite Chu Kui in. Moments later, the tall, broad-shouldered man wearing a conical bamboo hat entered the stone house. Removing his hat, he got straight to the point before Luo Chen could even speak. "President Luo, are you interested in pulling off something big?"