The Wave-Swallowing Sea-Containing Pot was a magical tool specially designed to store liquid materials.
Common materials such as demon beast blood, tree sap, and extraordinary waters could all be stored inside this type of tool.
Not only did it possess a tremendous capacity, but it also had properties that preserved freshness and quality.
The first time Luo Chen had encountered such a tool was when he used one to store Exploding Ape demon blood.
Later, he had seen Wang Yuan use one to hold a vast amount of essence blood harvested from Qi Refinement cultivators.
That time in Crescent Moon Valley, Wang Yuan had truly terrified him.
Yet compared to the Wave-Swallowing Sea-Containing Pot found in Xuan Yu's storage bag, Wang Yuan's previous display paled into utter insignificance.
Blood!
Countless drops of fresh blood!
Every single drop teemed with boundless vitality.
Every single drop far surpassed the total essence of an entire Qi Refinement cultivator.
With just a brief glance, Luo Chen was horrified to discover that the essence blood inside belonged entirely to Foundation Establishment cultivators.
This could not be faked.
Essence blood was the refined fusion of a cultivator's Qi, blood, and spiritual power, containing innate primordial Qi generated from breaking through bottlenecks to shed the post-natal and return to the pre-natal.
Under normal circumstances, it showed no presence.
Only after being actively condensed and stimulated could a single drop be squeezed out.
According to the common knowledge of the cultivation world, a cultivator could extract only around ten drops of essence blood without causing harm to themselves.
If extracted recklessly without regard for one's well-being, that number might reach roughly twenty to thirty drops.
Even with Luo Chen's immense physical constitution, comparable to a Tier 3 primeval demon beast, his limit was merely around a hundred drops.
One could say that every single drop was nearly equivalent to one percent of his cultivation base.
Even at higher cultivation realms, the extreme limit remained roughly around this quantity.
And right now!
Inside this Wave-Swallowing Sea-Containing Pot, how could there be merely ten or a hundred drops of cultivator essence blood?
At first glance, it densely pooled together like a miniature pond.
Though mutually incompatible, they coexisted within.
As the bloody waves rippled, they radiated endless, vibrant vitality.
"This contains the essence blood of at least a hundred people!"
*Hiss!*
After calculating the volume of essence blood inside, Luo Chen could not help drawing a sharp breath.
Had that Xuan Yu personally slaughtered so many Foundation Establishment True Cultivators?
Once his shock passed, he quickly calmed down.
Perhaps not that many.
The legend of the Blood Demon was not just about slaughter and drinking blood; it was also reflected in the strange disappearance of corpses on the battlefield before the sects had time to retrieve and bury them.
Xuan Yu had likely taken advantage of the chaotic battles to secretly steal corpses.
Then, through his own methods, he had extracted the residual essence blood from them.
Sometimes, when he lacked the time to finish extraction before someone pursued him, he would have no choice but to flee.
After repeated incidents, his actions had eventually come to light.
Only then did the so-called legend of the Mount Thunder Accumulation Blood Demon arise!
"Still, why did he collect so much essence blood?"
Luo Chen was baffled.
He muttered to himself, "Could he be practicing a blood dao cultivation art? Or, like Wang Yuan, does he need cultivator essence blood to refine pills like the Blood Fiend Pill?"
Unable to reach a conclusion, Luo Chen carefully stowed the Wave-Swallowing Sea-Containing Pot away.
He even slapped a Tier 2 breath-concealing talisman onto it.
This thing definitely could not see the light of day!
Once exposed, let alone himself, not even the Ice Fort stepping forward could protect him.
Although Wang Yuan was currently misidentified and saddled with the moniker of Blood Demon without major sects bothering him, in reality, it was merely because the great sects could not be bothered to intervene.
Perhaps they had already deduced that the true Blood Demon was someone else entirely, not Wang Yuan.
"Actually, it's not entirely misattributed. When Wang Yuan was weak, he truly did such things.
"I suppose you could call it an accidental bullseye."
Luo Chen chuckled softly and began to take stock of Xuan Yu's legacy.
Unlike Zheng Xian, who had struggled entirely on his own, Xuan Yu had been the gigolo of Hundred Blossoms Palace's Ancestor Taohua, managing the Peach Mountain estate on her behalf. He was effectively the leader of a regional faction.
Consequently, his storage bag held an immense wealth of resources.
Various kinds of medicinal pills, magical tools and talismans of diverse grades, and an assortment of miscellaneous materials.
And most importantly, the spirit stones Luo Chen cared about most!
A brief tally revealed over a million spirit stones—truly a colossal fortune.
Two thousand mid-grade spirit stones!
There were even a dozen high-grade spirit stones!
Reasonably speaking, once someone cultivated to the Fake Core realm, their entire fortune should have been depleted.
Yet he still possessed so many resources.
With a moment's thought, Luo Chen roughly guessed the origin of these riches.
They all originated from the legacies of the cultivators he had killed.
The Fake Core realm granted Xuan Yu a powerful soul, which, combined with the methods of Hundred Blossoms Palace, made the spiritual marks on Foundation Establishment cultivators' storage bags practically undefended against him.
That was how he had amassed such a staggering amount of resources.
"It certainly plays right into my hands!"
"This makes me rich overnight, even exceeding my previous net worth."
"Tsk, tsk. As the saying goes, a horse never fattens without night grass, and a man never prospers without ill-gotten wealth!"
This so-called instant wealth was not mere talk.
Over a million spirit stones was merely the most direct manifestation.
The miscellaneous resources added up to another two or three million.
Not to mention the dozens of magic treasures of various designs.
At a median price of fifty thousand spirit stones apiece, that amounted to another several million!
Working in intervals, Luo Chen spent three full days just to finish taking stock of Xuan Yu's storage bag.
When he tallied the approximate final value, it approached nearly ten million spirit stones!
Arriving at this figure, even Luo Chen, who had always prided himself on his substantial wealth, could not resist cursing with red eyes.
"Filthy rich bastard!"
He had truly struck it rich!
Sitting on a chair, Luo Chen had over a dozen classical texts, jade slips, bamboo slips, and paper books laid out before him.
In his hands, he held three jade slips.
Over a dozen Tier 2 cultivation arts!
Three Tier 3 cultivation arts!
All of them originated from Xuan Yu's legacy.
One could say that Xuan Yu's legacy alone was sufficient to support a medium-sized sect.
Cultivation resources of all kinds, assorted materials, magic tools and treasures of every style, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cultivation arts covering every domain, and over a million spirit stones in liquid capital.
Even the current Luotian Association likely was not as wealthy as Xuan Yu's legacy alone.
Even a Golden Core Master would turn green with envy at this haul.
"Marauding cultivators are truly terrifying.
"Small-time rogue marauders are just petty crooks, but those who ride the chaotic tides of a battlefield—that is the one and only true path to skyrocketing wealth.
"Though this is called Xuan Yu's personal legacy, is it not the lifelong fortunes of over a hundred Foundation Establishment True Cultivators combined?
"Even the lifetime cultivations of those True Cultivators were pooled into that Wave-Swallowing Sea-Containing Pot. Xuan Yu truly did not leave behind a single scrap, picking them utterly clean!"
This blind box was opened a bit too wide.
So massive that Luo Chen felt a tremor of trepidation.
From Xuan Yu's legacy, he had already faintly guessed the man's purpose in collecting so much cultivator essence blood.
He had not collected it for himself.
It was collected for Hundred Blossoms Palace's Ancestor Taohua!
These spoils were merely incidental gains after slaughtering people and taking their blood.
This also explained why Xuan Yu previously had that woman's red silk defensive magic treasure on him, refined only to a shallow degree.
Because that item had never belonged to him in the first place.
It was a treasure bestowed by Ancestor Taohua.
"Indeed, keeping that red silk was a wise choice.
"Otherwise, if Ancestor Taohua found out I had intercepted her belongings, the endless troubles would never cease.
"Presumably, the reason the Six Sects of Yuding ceased pursuing the matter of the Blood Demon is also tied to Xuan Yu's identity—he was doing Ancestor Taohua's bidding."
After pondering for a while, Luo Chen meticulously sorted out all the resources related to Peach Mountain, Xuan Yu, and Hundred Blossoms Palace, placing them into his own storage ring.
These items could not be handed over to the Luotian Association for liquidation.
They would invite immense trouble.
As for the remaining resources, he did his best to pick out those bearing the aura marks of others.
Adhering to his principle of utmost caution, he also carefully transferred ownerless items into a separate storage bag.
God knew if any of them were tied to Ancestor Taohua.
By the time he finished all these tasks, the sky had already darkened.
It was time for his daily cultivation once again.
Even though many items in that legacy still warranted thorough exploration, Luo Chen suppressed the restlessness in his heart.
Cultivation could never be interrupted.
This kind of slow, grinding work had to be maintained daily.
He would have plenty of time ahead to figure out those items.
Returning to the cultivation chamber, vast spiritual energy surged with the circulation of his cultivation art and breathing exercises, continually transported and refined before transforming into incomparably pure spiritual power that flowed into Luo Chen's Qi ocean.
The vortex formed by the *Clear Source Wondrous Elixir Method* continued to rotate slowly, acting like a filter to make his already pure spiritual power even cleaner and more crystalline.
Meanwhile, Luo Chen's cultivation base steadily advanced, growing increasingly profound and formidable.
***
"An intact top-grade defensive magical tool. Good stuff. I'll save it to reward the Luotian Association's Foundation Establishment candidates later!"
"This treasure is quite nice. A Soul-Governing Bell, a low-grade magic treasure. Xiao Ling has already awakened, and she struggles with that Soul Nourishing Banner, so this can be given to her."
"This magic treasure is useless to me. I'll have the Luotian Association sell it off on the black market!"
"An earth-attribute defensive magic treasure. Slightly damaged, but still eighty percent intact, without losing much power. Chu Kui had one destroyed by Di Wanyun to help me before; this can serve as compensation."
***
"What kind of puppet is this? It can actually spit silk nets. Could it be crafted from a spider-type demon beast?"
"A miniature pavilion that can expand and shrink. Could it be a treasure belonging to a true disciple of Mount Ailao? An absolute must-have for travel and daily life!"
"Tongxuan Heavenly Crystal again. It seems late Foundation Establishment great cultivators are consciously collecting this material, attempting to use it to forge natal magic treasures. I'll keep it; it will be perfect for forging my own natal magic treasure in the future."
"Soft Thunder Sand. Not bad, not bad, I'll take this too!"
"Good heavens, Tier 3 Earth Fire Fiend! The person Xuan Yu killed was probably a senior true disciple in the Yan Alliance second only to their Dao Child! Perfect—the fiend Qi fused into my Blazing Fire Miasma is only Tier 2. Fusing this Tier 3 fiend will increase its power at least four- to fivefold!"
***
"Bellybands, scented handkerchiefs, rouge... Why are there so many women's belongings?"
"Right, Peach Mountain is an entertainment venue after all. As the master of the mountain, Xuan Yu naturally possessed many such items."
"A pity, a pity. A few pieces were actually quite suitable for female cultivators, but they can't be exposed."
"*Peach Blossom True Scripture*? Could this be Ancestor Taohua's cultivation art? Tier 3, dual water-and-wood attributes... It could have served as my natal cultivation art after forming my core. What a pity, it's actually a dual-cultivation method, and the most venomous cauldron-plundering kind at that."
"*Innate One Qi Great Handprint*, a Tier 3 spell. Once unleashed, it carries a tremendous suppressive might. It works best when cast using earth- and wood-attribute spiritual energy! An excellent spell. I'll take it to study a bit; it might become one of my trump cards."
***
Xuan Yu's legacy was simply too vast.
A rough inventory had cost Luo Chen three or four days.
A detailed examination took him more than half a month just to barely complete.
Even then, Luo Chen felt there was still more to explore, with many items holding great potential for uncovering secrets.
Figuring these things out had taken up a considerable portion of his time.
Aside from his unshakeable daily cultivation, even his routine calligraphy, painting, and reading of ancient texts had been set aside.
As for alchemy, he had only maintained the refinement of Nether Traversing Pills.
Nevertheless, it was all worthwhile.
Luo Chen had obtained countless fine treasures from the haul.
Leaving aside the items handed to the Luotian Association to process, just the treasures he intended to keep for his own use would significantly boost his combat strength once fully integrated.
With a sigh, Luo Chen opened the formation array.
It was once again the day for Luotian Association cultivators to deliver materials and collect resources.
This time, the visitor was Gu Caiyi.
The moment they met, before two sentences were exchanged, she burrowed into Luo Chen's embrace.
"Did you miss me that much?"
"Didn't you miss me?"
Just as Luo Chen was about to offer an excuse, he noticed Gu Caiyi pointing at an erotic art manual on the table, looking at him with a half-smile.
"Ahem, this is..."
Well, Luo Chen could hardly explain that it was part of Xuan Yu's legacy.
The fewer people who knew about these things, the safer it was.
"Alright, you hypocrite." Gu Caiyi generously shoved the erotic manual into Luo Chen's arms, then cleared the table. "Xiao Ling woke up early this morning and made you a sumptuous spiritual meal. I also got in touch with Taibai Workshop and bought a bottle of Tier 3 spiritual wine."
Delicate, vibrant dishes were arranged on the table one after another.
When the stopper was pulled from the flagon, an intensely rich wine aroma drifted out. Just a single whiff caused the soul to leap with unbridled delight.
"Cultivation should have tension and relaxation. You're not in closed-door death seclusion, so what's the point of locking yourself in a cave every single day?"
"You're so young, with plenty of lifespan left."
"Others your age are still struggling to reach Foundation Establishment, yet you are already at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment—a renowned great cultivator and an honored guest of the great sects..."
Luo Chen happily sipped the wine and savored the delicious meal.
Listening to the beauty chattering beside him, his heart was filled with ease.
Perhaps because they had not seen each other in a long time, Gu Caiyi was exceptionally talkative today.
As for her advice on pacing his cultivation with proper balance, Luo Chen did not argue.
Reading books and unlocking storage bags during his spare moments was his way of relaxing.
How could he not understand such logic?
Before long, Luo Chen had polished off the meal worth hundreds of spirit stones. A large portion of the wine remained, saved for his leisure hours.
Letting out a wine burp, Luo Chen could not help marveling at Xiao Ling's ever-improving culinary skill.
Even if she opened a restaurant in the immortal city, she would surely attract plenty of regular patrons.
Her cooking skills had been built entirely on his constant supply of diverse spiritual ingredients!
Watching Gu Caiyi clear the table, Luo Chen inquired about the Luotian Association's current situation.
Nearly two years had passed; according to Sima Huiniang's original plan, recovery should be mostly complete by now.
To his surprise, Gu Caiyi's account revealed that the Luotian Association's condition was even better than he had imagined!
In her most familiar domain of external commerce, various supply and distribution channels had been reestablished.
The medicinal pill business dominated the low-tier rogue cultivator market.
Within Tianlan Immortal City, they were the third-largest pill supplier, trailing only the Medicine King Sect and Azure Pill Valley.
At the same time, the Luotian Association had assisted the Luo family of Luosha Workshop in opening a new shop in the immortal city, primarily dealing in mineral materials.
This venture clearly seized the market share once held by Iron Sword Hall and the Xiahou family.
Other areas had also seen various degrees of progress.
Internally, over the past two years, three Qi Refinement cultivators had advanced to the Foundation Establishment realm.
They were Sima Wenjie, Feng Xia, and a rising talent named Lou Ying from the Battle Hall.
Presently, the Luotian Association was not lacking in Foundation Establishment Pills.
Not to mention that the Foundation Establishment Pills exchanged from the Mount Thunder Accumulation battlefield had not yet been exhausted, Luo Chen's continuous opening of blind boxes had yielded over a dozen more.
Combined with those periodically acquired by the Luotian Association from black markets and auctions, the supply was generally sufficient.
Under these circumstances, Sima Huiniang had also carried out sweeping personnel reorganizations.
Chu Kui assumed the role of Battle Hall Master, while Xing Zonghan took over Su Xiaolin's duties to become the new intelligence chief of Luowang.
Feng Xia succeeded Bian Zhen, advancing to Hall Master of the Spiritual Herb Hall.
Sima Wenjie served as acting Hall Master of the Merit Hall.
Lou Ying was transferred from the Battle Hall to the Outer Sect, serving as an Outer Sect Elder.
The Sun Clan Medical Clinic, led by Sacred Hand Sun Sifang, joined the Luotian Association, with Sun Sifang himself becoming the Transmission Hall's third Transmission Elder alongside Wang Yuan and Min Longyu.
These were the major personnel shifts.
Smaller adjustments were too numerous to count.
Even for certain positions that were currently titular, Sima Huiniang had filled them regardless.
It was clear that her ambition was far from small; she was establishing the structure first so that once the Luotian Association returned to its peak condition, she could make a full push to elevate the faction to a higher tier.
Luo Chen listened with great interest.
He had completely delegated personnel authority to Sima Huiniang, and she truly possessed the audacity to enact sweeping changes.
He had no objections to this.
While he did not subscribe strictly to the notion of "never doubting those you employ," years of observation had allowed him to see her character with absolute clarity. Appropriate delegation of power was far more conducive to the healthy operation of an organization.
"She's done quite well!"
Gu Caiyi narrowed her eyes. "Are you praising her, or praising me?"
"Both of you did well, both did well!"
Luo Chen chuckled, brushing off the remark with a laugh.
Changing the subject, he asked about another matter.
"How is the collection of materials for reattaching Sister-in-law's severed limb coming along?"
At the mention of this topic, Gu Caiyi's expression dimmed.
She sighed and said, "Most have been gathered, but we are still missing the two most crucial primary materials."
"Which two?"
"The Seven-Aperture Lotus Root and Origin-Tracing Mud."
Hearing those two names, Luo Chen could not help frowning.
He had read about these materials in classical texts: one was Tier 3, and the other was Tier 4, both exceedingly rare and precious.
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
"I recall that back then, to make amends, the Nangong family gifted a section of Seven-Aperture Lotus Root to Big Brother Qin. Did you ask Nangong Jin about it?"
Faced with this question, Gu Caiyi shook her head.
She delivered news that caught Luo Chen off guard.
Nangong Jin was dead.
He had fallen on the Mount Thunder Accumulation battlefield, with not even a corpse left behind.
Impacted by this, the Nangong family, which had moved to Tianlan Immortal City with great difficulty, had also departed Tianlan several years ago.
"He's dead?"
"No wonder during the Battle of Luotian, I saw Grand Elder Lianyun and Li Yixian, but not him. Given our history and his personality, he would have loved nothing more than to add flowers to brocade. I never imagined his absence was because he had already perished."
For a moment, Luo Chen felt deeply sentimental.
The battle at Mount Thunder Accumulation was truly a meat grinder.
Far too many cultivators had died there.
The Luotian Association's ability to flex its might in Tianlan Immortal City today was largely due to the massive casualties on the battlefield leaving the immortal city hollowed out.
"Right!"
Gu Caiyi looked up and remarked casually, "That Golden Core Master from Mount Ailao has displayed quite an ambiguous attitude. Not only did he help us rebuild Danxia, but he also conveniently repaired the ruins of the Forging Hall and Alchemy Hall caused by the earth fire surge. Now, the pill chambers and forging workshops are even more effective than before."
"He's that kindhearted?" Luo Chen frowned. "Did he ask for additional compensation?"
"None!"
Gu Caiyi shook her head, biting her delicate teeth as she said, "Sima Huiniang also said he was overly enthusiastic. But because he is a Golden Core cultivator, it's improper to over-speculate, so she asked me to consult you and see what you think."
Luo Chen fell silent.
Narrowing his eyes, he recalled the details of his two interactions with Elder Fei Ming.
After a long while, he gave a thoughtful nod.
"I roughly know what he has in mind.
"You don't need to fret over this matter. Just maintain good daily relations with the cultivators of Mount Ailao.
"As for his side... I will go meet with him personally."
Chapter 415