Luo Chen had returned home.
Not to Cave Yi-17, but to the Luotian Association on Danxia Peak.
To call it the Luotian Association was no longer quite fitting.
It should properly be called the Luotian Sect.
Over the years, guided by Sima Huiniang, the cultivators of the Luotian Association had gradually grown accustomed to regarding themselves as disciples of the Luotian Sect.
The only reason the transition had not been fully formalized was simply the lack of a sufficiently grand occasion.
If all went as expected, once Luo Chen's Core Formation Grand Ceremony concluded, the name of the Luotian Sect would be embraced by everyone far and wide.
Stepping onto Danxia Peak, Luo Chen made no effort to conceal his presence. He appeared before the cultivators of the Luotian Sect in his true form.
The moment he appeared, those low-ranking disciples went from initial shock to sheer delight and boundless reverence.
Cries of "President!" and "Supreme Elder!" rang out one after another from their lips.
Perhaps many years from now, Luo Chen would also bear the title of "Patriarch."
For now, however, the transformation into a sect had only just begun, and the corresponding line of succession had not yet expanded, so the concept of sect identity was not yet deeply entrenched in every member's heart.
Walking along the path, Luo Chen maintained a calm, indifferent expression.
Taking in the shifting emotions on everyone's faces, he composedly accepted the crowd's deep reverence.
This time, he did not wear his usual warm smile or genial demeanor.
Not because he had changed.
Rather, the gap in their cultivation realms was simply too vast. A display of affability, kindness, and gentle warmth would instead impose even greater pressure on his subordinates.
Maintaining a cool detachment and a sense of distance was far better suited for his interactions with the low-tier cultivators of the Luotian Sect.
Low-tier cultivators did not need to think about flattering him, nor did they need to fret over how to speak with him.
Respect and reverence—
That was more than enough!
Strolling across Danxia Peak, Luo Chen's divine sense steadily rippled outward.
Once a cultivator reached Foundation Establishment, their soul could project outside their body, commonly known as spirit sense.
Ordinary Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, upon newly ascending to the realm, could only project their spirit sense out for a li or two—hardly farther than the human eye could see.
Its virtue lay in keener perception; even those who concealed themselves could be detected with ease.
Yet the absolute limit of spirit sense for an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, even one at the perfection stage, was merely twenty li.
Luo Chen was different.
When he had first stepped into Foundation Establishment, his spirit sense could already reach five li.
By the time he achieved the Great Circle of Foundation Establishment, even after severing and dividing a vast portion of his soul, he could still dimly perceive events fifty li away.
It was only because he possessed a pair of mutated spirit eyes, capable of piercing unobstructed terrain for thousands of li, that he had not relied on his spirit sense as frequently.
Now that he had advanced to the Golden Core stage!
His soul was fully formed, and what he released outward was no longer merely a wisp of spirit sense.
It was divine sense!
Under normal circumstances, the increase from spirit sense to divine sense ranged between five- and tenfold.
That meant an exploratory radius of twenty li expanded to roughly one to two hundred li.
This distance also roughly matched the precise lethal range a Golden Core cultivator could command during battle.
Just like in that clash between Pang Renxiong and Lu Jiushi, when their blow blasted a massive crater a hundred li across upon the Lancang River, instantly vaporizing the roaring currents and exposing the riverbed below.
The expansion of Luo Chen's divine sense adhered to this normal pattern.
From fifty li, it swelled to five hundred li.
Reaching the very upper limit!
On the surface, that might sound ordinary enough.
Yet judging from Luo Chen's interactions with Qu Xibai, Haoranzi, and the others after forming his core, even mid-stage Golden Core cultivators possessed soul strength of roughly this caliber.
The reason he drew this conclusion
was that Qu Xibai, at the second layer of Golden Core, possessed a divine sense that extended three hundred li.
Haoranzi, in the late Golden Core stage—though his exact layer was unknown—projected his divine sense around eight hundred li.
Thus, Luo Chen fell right in the middle.
Of course!
There might be some slight variance. After all, Qu Xibai was a disciple of the Falling Cloud Sect, whose soul was inherently stronger than that of ordinary peers in the same realm.
Regardless, Luo Chen was certain his current soul strength was fully comparable to that of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.
The baptism of long years naturally bolstered the soul.
Yet a leap across major realms amplified that growth to an extraordinary degree!
The firmer one's foundation, the greater the rewards upon breaking through a major boundary.
Luo Chen had truly reaped those rewards.
At this moment, under the blanket of his divine sense, the conditions across Danxia Peak flowed into his mind.
As he reached the white jade pathway outside the Luotian Main Hall, he could not help but feel a surge of admiration. Over these years, Sima Huiniang and the others had truly managed the Luotian Sect into a thriving enterprise.
Danxia Peak alone housed two thousand permanent cultivators.
It might not seem like a grand figure, but one had to remember that Danxia Peak was no longer the Luotian Sect's sole stronghold.
The former territory of the Geng Clan had become the primary grounds of the Spirit Beast Hall.
A contingent of cultivators had also been dispatched to the Thousand-Li Bamboo Sea to cultivate and tend to various varieties of spiritual bamboo.
Furthermore, the Luotian Sect maintained Danxia Branch Halls scattered abroad, each garrisoned by roughly ten cultivators.
The Luotian Merchant Caravans were another vital department, jointly staffed by the Battle Hall, the Gold Hall, and the Outer Sect, numbering over a hundred members.
The sect had already formed three such merchant caravans.
They oversaw the Ice Fort route, the path leading to Dahe Mill, and broader trade across the Jade Cauldron Domain, respectively.
Taking all this into account,
the total number of cultivators in the Luotian Sect had long surpassed the previous three thousand and was likely nearing five thousand.
With such a massive organization, relying solely on shared profit to hold it together would leave it vulnerable to falling apart.
Abolishing the association to establish a sect—cementing unity through sect cohesion, master-disciple lineages, and bloodlines, all underpinned by fundamental material interests—was the most fitting path forward!
Amid these passing thoughts, Luo Chen drew back his divine sense.
At the end of the white jade walkway, two rows of Foundation Establishment True Cultivators stood waiting in respectful silence.
At their head was none other than the current sect master of Luotian, Sima Huiniang.
Among them were many familiar faces. A sweep of Luo Chen's divine sense revealed that their cultivation had progressed over the years.
At the very ends of the two lines, there were also quite a few new faces.
Seeing Luo Chen appear, the crowd, led by Sima Huiniang, spoke in unison:
"We welcome the Supreme Elder back to the mountain!"
Luo Chen smiled faintly. "No need to linger out here. Let us go inside the hall and talk."
Before the Qi Refinement disciples, he maintained a cold, distant demeanor to preserve proper boundary.
Yet before these Foundation Establishment True Cultivators—the backbone of the Luotian Sect—he was as he had always been: warm and approachable.
Perhaps this differed from modern corporate philosophies before his transmigration.
In those companies, big bosses often smiled at low-level employees while treating middle and senior management with harsh severity.
Yet the cultivation world was entirely different.
Here, supreme power rested within the individual.
Cultivators of higher realms naturally exerted overwhelming pressure over those below; there was no need to deliberately put on an affable face. As for these individuals who were merely one realm below him, he had to treat them well.
Otherwise, without instilling a sufficient sense of belonging,
at best they would slack off on their duties, and at worst they might defect. If any harbored malice, they might even act as spies or traitors, scheming against him in the shadows.
His cultivation resources beyond Golden Core would still depend on the dedicated efforts of this core pillar.
He could not afford to neglect them!
Seeing that Luo Chen remained as affable as ever, even some of the old acquaintances who shared close ties with him let out inward sighs of relief.
Once Luo Chen stepped ahead, the rest followed closely behind, filing one by one into the Luotian Main Hall.
***
At the head of the great hall,
Luo Chen held a roster, studying it with care.
It recorded the current number of Foundation Establishment True Cultivators in the Luotian Sect, with special notations highlighting those with high hopes of establishing their foundation over the coming decade.
Twenty-five Foundation Establishment cultivators!
This was the current foundation of the Luotian Sect!
It far surpassed second-rate forces, nearly matching established first-rate powers that had operated for many years under a single Golden Core cultivator.
This number came as somewhat of a surprise to Luo Chen.
After all, only thirteen people were gathered in the hall today.
Moreover, the Luotian Sect had weathered numerous fierce battles in its early years, suffering heavy losses among its Foundation Establishment ranks.
Su Xiaolin and Bian Zhen had fallen in battle.
The medical master Sun Sifang had reached the end of his lifespan and passed away.
Murong Qinglian had departed for the Falling Cloud Sect, and so forth.
He had not expected that after his many years of secluded cultivation, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Luotian Sect would only swell.
Furthermore, many of the names on the roster were familiar.
Luo Chen examined the register attentively while those below waited in quiet patience.
Suddenly,
"Qi Yi, where is your junior brother?"
The middle-aged man called by name snapped straight to his feet.
Luo Chen waved a hand. "Today is just casual conversation. Relax, there is no need for such formality."
The middle-aged man smiled awkwardly, yet sat back down as if unburdened of a great weight.
He said, "My junior brother, Xu Jie, exhausted his lifespan and passed away fifteen years ago. His cultivation was halted at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, and he died at the age of one hundred and eight."
Hearing this news, regret surfaced on Luo Chen's face.
Qi Yi and Xu Jie had been the two 'spoils of war' Wang Yuan had brought back from the Danyuan Sect years ago.
Both were moderately accomplished Tier 1 alchemists.
Luo Chen had never treated them harshly, instead arranging comfortable positions for them within the Alchemy Hall.
Over the years, the two had gradually integrated into the Luotian Sect, earning modest reputations as alchemists.
He had not anticipated that Xu Jie would have already passed away.
Seeing Luo Chen's expression of regret, Qi Yi hurriedly added, "The President need not blame yourself. Though my junior brother was unfortunate to pass away, he lived quite comfortably during his years."
Luo Chen paused, surprised.
Beside him, Sima Huiniang sent a voice transmission, briefly explaining Xu Jie's circumstances.
After integrating into the Luotian Sect, relying on his alchemy craft and the generous provisions of the sect, Xu Jie had indeed lived rather lavishly.
His cultivation had climbed to the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, and his pockets were well-lined.
Feeling that further cultivation was too arduous and his talent meager, he abandoned all ambition of reaching Foundation Establishment. Drawing upon his ample wealth, he spent his days dallying amid the pleasures of Peach Mountain...
The pleasures of Peach Mountain?
Well then!
Luo Chen shook his head. He truly had lived comfortably. Word was that he had even spent a small fortune to taste the charms of a female Foundation Establishment cultivator on Peach Mountain.
Never reached Foundation Establishment, but had bedded a Foundation Establishment cultivator?
A hundred and eight years old?
Compared to the hundred-and-twenty-year limit of ordinary Qi Refinement cultivators, he had lost more than a decade—presumably spent wearing himself out on such pursuits.
Luo Chen inquired about Qi Yi's needs following his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, as well as his requirements in alchemy, offering him a few words of encouragement.
Then, he turned his gaze to a young man.
"Lou Ying, isn't it?"
The young man rose spiritedly, about to bow, but recalled Luo Chen's earlier words about dispensing with formality and sheepishly sat back down.
"That the President still remembers Little Lou's name is Little Lou's great honor."
Before the formal public announcement of shedding the association to establish a sect, internal cultivators still habitually addressed Luo Chen as President.
Qi Yi was like this, and so was Lou Ying.
Luo Chen paid no mind to such matters.
Smiling, he asked, "The Outer Sect has flourished under your stewardship all these years, supplying many fine talents to the Inner Sect!"
"That is merely what Little Lou ought to do."
"If I recall, you originated from the Battle Hall, didn't you?"
"Yes. Formerly, I served under Elder Su Xiaolin."
"Xiaolin... Do you find your current post in the Outer Sect more agreeable, or was it better in the Battle Hall?"
"Agreeable? It is hard to say. The Outer Sect has endless chores, but it is relatively safe. The Battle Hall has fewer chores, but frequent combat. If you ask my honest thought, so long as I am serving the sect, it makes no difference where I am."
Luo Chen studied Lou Ying carefully.
The once green youth, having tempered himself in the Outer Sect, now handled diplomatic replies with remarkable polish.
After offering a few words of praise, Luo Chen chatted with several others.
The initial chill of long years apart gradually melted into warm familiarity.
Finally, he returned to the matter at hand.
"The date for the Core Formation Grand Ceremony is set—three months from now.
"When the day comes, the guests will not be few. All of you must make thorough preparations to ensure that not a single distinguished guest is neglected.
"That will also be the moment for our Luotian Sect to establish its reputation.
"If, hundreds or thousands of years from now, the Luotian Sect's incense continues unbroken, all of you will be remembered alongside this seat as the founding forebears who established our mountain and sect. Therefore, at this ceremony, each of you must uphold the poise befitting our sect's Foundation Establishment cultivators. Do not let down our sect's name."
When Luo Chen finished speaking in a calm tone,
the hall fell silent for a heartbeat before everyone rose in solemn reverence.
"We obey the Supreme Elder's decree!"
***
One by one, the assembly dispersed. Outside, these were tumultuous times, and within the Luotian Sect, matters were just as bustling.
Naturally, Luo Chen did not detain them long.
Once most of the crowd had departed, Luo Chen walked to the hall's entrance. His distant gaze seemed to drift toward the busy, flickering silhouettes across the mountains.
Sima Huiniang and Gu Caiyi stood behind him, their graceful figures standing quietly with hands tucked into their sleeves.
Suddenly,
a gentle sigh broke the quiet.
"Eighty long years, from Dahe Mill to Tianlan Immortal City... Through trials and tribulations beyond telling, we have finally built this foundation!"
Sima Huiniang and Gu Caiyi exchanged a glance. Even if they rarely saw eye to eye, at this moment neither could help but press their lips together, hearts brimming with emotion.
They were the ones closest to Luo Chen, the confidantes who shared his bed.
They were also the ones who knew the most of his secrets.
Along this path, there had not only been the lofty clouds and bright moon of Dan Chenzi's glorious days, but also the grime and dust of Fire Spirit Sovereign's grueling battles across every quarter.
When they first set out from Dahe Mill, of the hundred-plus people in the entire Luotian Association, Luo Chen had been the sole Foundation Establishment True Cultivator.
Yet today, across the ranks, there were twenty-five in total!
The veteran generation: Wang Yuan and Duan Feng.
Those who joined midway: Chu Kui, Xu Huanzhen, and Xing Zonghan.
The rising generation: Qu Lingjun, Zeng Yilong, Yuan Xiaoyue, Yao Mingyue, Lou Ying, and more.
Some of these people had supported Luo Chen through thick and thin, some had been elevated by his hand, and others were still flourishing under his shelter.
To have built this from nothing with his own two hands—
across the entire Jade Cauldron Domain, and indeed throughout the cultivation world of the Eastern Desolation, Luo Chen was a living legend.
Above all, he had successfully formed his core!
Amid the rush of overwhelming feelings, what shone brightest in both women's eyes was pride.
Proud of Luo Chen!
Proud on his behalf!
Because he was their man!
Suddenly, Luo Chen turned around.
His eyes shone brightly as he looked at the two women.
"Let us become dao companions!"
The two froze, caught completely off guard.
Gu Caiyi blurted out instinctively, "Yes!"
Sima Huiniang had wanted to agree as well, but after a momentary pause, she asked, "Aren't we already dao companions?"
Luo Chen gently took her hand.
"That is true in fact, but I still owe both of you a public, rightful name."
This was no sudden whim on Luo Chen's part.
It was something he had considered for a very long time.
Though both women had received his care and protection, they had sacrificed immensely for him in return.
Whether it was Sima Huiniang, who as a woman had shouldered the burden of the Luotian Association alone despite the whispers and gossip of outsiders,
or Gu Caiyi, who had labored tirelessly to manage the business of Danxia Hall and blaze multiple trade routes for the association,
their devotion was plain to see.
Especially during the years when he traveled to Azure Pill Valley, vanished onto the battlefield of Mount Thunder Accumulation, or secluded himself in bitter cultivation, they had willingly sacrificed their own progress to ensure the Luotian Association flourished.
With wives like this, what more could a man desire?
Above all, they were both exceptionally capable women!
They were not mere dependents relying on a man; they strove to shine and blaze with their own brilliance.
That he could stand where he was today was in no small part thanks to them.
Luo Chen held Sima Huiniang's hand in one of his, while draping the other arm around Gu Caiyi, watching the ten thousand rays of dawn beyond the green mountains.
"I have already made up my mind.
"At the Core Formation Grand Ceremony, under the watchful eyes of all, the three of us will formally unite as dao companions.
"When that time comes, the Luotian Association will also naturally transform into the Luotian Sect to pass down our heritage.
"Three joyous occasions at once—why not embrace them all?"
A delighted light bloomed in Gu Caiyi's eyes, as if she could already picture the scene.
She wrapped both arms tightly around Luo Chen's waist, terrified that the vision might vanish in the blink of an eye, nothing more than a flower in a mirror or the moon on the water.
Sima Huiniang opened her lips, only to let out a soft sigh before leaning into Luo Chen's embrace.
This time, she showed neither hesitation nor reluctance, offering no words of refusal.
She merely said in a soft, tender whisper,
"I will do as you wish."
Chapter 458