The grand ceremony officially commenced!
Though the main highlight of such occasions had never been during the ceremony itself, but rather before it, the necessary formalities still had to be observed.
Soft singing and graceful dances intertwined with ethereal immortal music.
Cups clinked in toasts, and insights were shared back and forth.
Thus, time flowed quietly by.
From beginning to end, Luo Chen carried himself with steady composure and consummate propriety, showing not the slightest hint of having risen from rogue cultivator origins.
Much of the credit for this naturally belonged to Sima Huiniang and the others. Having attended Golden Core celebrations for others numerous times, they were already quite familiar with the pertinent customs and etiquette. Combined with guidance from Fairy Jueqing, Luo Chen was able to conduct himself without a single misstep in courtesy.
Yet while he remained unhurried and steady as Mount Tai, someone finally could hold back no longer.
"I have long heard that when Fellow Daoist Luo was still at Foundation Establishment, his combat prowess was hailed as peerless, quietly making him the foremost Foundation Establishment cultivator of our Jade Cauldron Domain. Now that you have formed your core, I wonder if your methods in battle have progressed as well?"
The moment these words were spoken, the lively atmosphere in the hall suddenly fell still.
Every gaze turned toward the woman clad in red robes.
The Jade Cauldron Golden Core sword cultivator—Hongling!
Luo Chen had anticipated such a trial. After almost any celebration of a cultivation breakthrough, someone would inevitably step forward to test the celebrant's mettle. This was also a way to ascertain whether the newcomer possessed the strength to stand among them as a fellow Daoist.
Such exchanges on the Dao did not place much weight on winning or losing. After all, having just achieved a breakthrough, it was completely natural for one's mastery over the methods of a new realm to be unrefined. Still, if one made a poor showing, one's standing in the eyes of others would inevitably fall a notch or two.
Evidently, Hongling was the one sticking her neck out today.
"Fellow Daoist Hongling, today is Fellow Daoist Luo's joyous occasion, so how could we bring out blades and weapons? Moreover, Fellow Daoist Luo is an esteemed alchemist; fighting and killing would truly spoil the mood. Why not discuss alchemy with him instead and have an enjoyable conversation? In the future, that might even be remembered as a delightful tale."
The one speaking up to mediate was Qu Xibai.
His words drew a wave of murmurs in agreement. Several Golden Core Masters were even itching to step in, voicing offers to spar on Luo Chen's behalf: "Allow me to exchange pointers with you in Fellow Daoist Luo's stead."
Only Elder Ye Xiang of the Divine Talisman Sect, Fairy Fengyue of Fenghua Palace, and Jin Buque of the Five Elements Divine Sect remained silent, watching the scene unfold with keen interest.
Faced with converging gazes and the chorus of mediating remarks and challenges, Hongling kept a cold expression, her eyes still locked intently on Luo Chen.
"Lord Fire Spirit, you are the host today. If you do not wish to cross hands, I certainly will not force the issue!"
Luo Chen smiled.
Not force the issue?
If representatives of the four superior sects weren't present, the first thing you did upon ascending the mountain would have been to challenge me to a debate on the Dao! It must have been quite a struggle for you to hold out until now.
What was more, she had even invoked his Daoist title of Lord Fire Spirit. Who could fail to recognize such blatant provocation?
Very well!
The motions that had to be gone through might as well be observed!
This woman possessed fighting spirit, but no real malice. Behind her seemingly hostile demeanor, she likely just wanted an explanation. Pang Renxiong had fallen at Dahe Mill, and Luo Chen had emerged from Dahe Mill. Such things could never be hidden from those who paid attention. Even if Luo Chen had nothing to do with it, as Pang Renxiong's direct disciple, there was bound to be a thorn in her heart. Testing their skills in an exchange of the Dao today would be for the best if it could pluck out that thorn.
With a genial smile, he opened his palm outward. "Since you have made your wish known, how could Luo dare refuse!"
Hongling's eyes lit up. She instantly leaped forward, floating into midair. "Lest we ruin your ceremony, how about taking the fight to the skies?"
Luo Chen shook his head. "Just as our fellow Daoists have said, fighting and killing truly spoils the atmosphere. Furthermore, today's celebration also marks my union with my two wives as Dao companions. Therefore, I cannot agree to an all-out battle."
"Hm?" Hongling's brow furrowed.
Just as her displeasure showed, Luo Chen raised a single finger.
"One move! You and I will each execute one technique. Regardless of the outcome, we shall conclude in peace!"
It was not a negotiation, but a decision.
Remembering that this was his home turf today, Hongling could hardly insist otherwise. She took a deep breath. "Fine, then as you wish. I, too, would like to see what kind of skill you possess to usurp my Senior Brother Lin Qingxuan's honor as the foremost Foundation Establishment cultivator!"
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow.
So there was even that motive behind this!
He was well aware of Lin Qingxuan. Years ago, Lin had already ranked first among the Ten Great Immortal Cities on the Dao Discussion Platform's Prodigy Board. One could say he was already the true, undisputed foremost Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Jade Cauldron Domain. However, during the civil war between the two superior sects, Lin Qingxuan had entered secluded cultivation to assault the Golden Core stage. It was during that period that Luo Chen had seized the title of the Jade Cauldron Domain's foremost Foundation Establishment cultivator through battle after battle.
This woman...
Luo Chen laughed freely. His outstretched right hand suddenly lifted!
"Watch closely!"
With a low shout, the five fingers of his right hand formed hand seals in continuous succession. Strands of magic power circulated, swirling around his fingertips. His movements were not fast, yet the posture was antique and majestic. He sat immovable as a mountain upon his seat, yet his red robes billowed and snapped without any wind.
Spells!
The moment he gathered his qi and formed hand seals, everyone realized what method Luo Chen intended to use. Not magic treasures or the like, but the very spells that had forged his fame.
Was it a fire spell?
The very next instant!
Luo Chen's palm suddenly paused, then pressed down into empty air.
Buzz!
A resonant hum rang out. In the sky, a massive azure handprint materialized. Hazy at first, it turned incomparably solid in the blink of an eye as magic power replenished it. Across the palm, even the fingerprints and knuckles were lifelike. Azure spiritual energy surged and roiled, yet it kicked up no wind and clouds—a clear sign that its power had been condensed to the absolute limit.
It was not a fire spell.
It was a wood spell!
Jin Buque of the Five Elements Divine Sect narrowed his eyes and blurted out, "The Innate Qi Great Handprint!"
At that exact moment, the handprint slammed forward. Wherever it passed, rumbles shook the void.
In midair, Hongling had long since transformed her sword pill into a blade. Floating aloft, an incomparably sharp sword qi poured forth from her form. Sword stances unfolded one after another with graceful elegance. Truly, she moved like a swimming dragon, light and swift as a startled swan!
Seeing the azure great handprint bearing down, she gave a shrill cry: "Break!"
A streak of sword light pierced forward with unstoppable momentum, soaring skyward. The two collided in an instant.
Chhh!
A dark puncture immediately tore through the great handprint. The sword qi was significantly weakened, yet it still hurtled toward Luo Chen.
"Brother Chen, watch out!"
"Husband!"
Two anxious voices rang out beside his ears.
Luo Chen smiled faintly. His outstretched right hand instantly glowed with a shimmering blue light. He gave a gentle squeeze, and the sword qi shattered within his palm.
Jin Buque shot to his feet, crying in shock, "The Glazed Canopy! The most tedious and intricate defensive water spell among Tier 2 magic, and you have actually cultivated it to instantaneous casting!"
Luo Chen nodded to him, then turned his gaze toward Hongling. "Worthy of being a Jade Cauldron sword cultivator known for supreme combat power. This sword intent that breaks ten thousand arts actually forced me to make two moves. I have lost."
In midair, Hongling's robes were disheveled, as though ravaged by a gale. She smoothed back her stray hairs, her face alternating between red and pale. After a long pause, she shook her head firmly.
"No, I lost! Though I broke through your palm strike by focusing on a single point to pierce the surface, its lingering power remained, carrying immense binding force that I could not have evaded. Yet you dispersed your magic power in an instant, leaving me unharmed. If this were a true battle, my residual sword qi would have left you unscathed, while you would have immobilized my body, and a follow-up strike would surely have gravely wounded me. Thus, my momentum was broken and the initiative seized. For a sword cultivator, that is already defeat."
The path of the sword cultivator was about the momentum to break ten thousand arts with a single sword, and the initiative of letting the sword arise from the heart to anticipate the enemy's every move. In that regard, she had indeed been defeated.
What was more, she had formed her Golden Core even before Luo Chen had!
This exchange had consisted of very few exchanges and concluded in a flash. Fast as a darting hare or a diving falcon, the Foundation Establishment cultivators could hardly see it clearly. Yet the Golden Core cultivators already knew who had won and who had lost.
Luo Chen simply smiled faintly. "I gained the advantage in initiative and momentum, while you forced out my second move. In that case, both of us gained something. Let this battle be deemed a draw!"
Hongling glanced at him in surprise, tempted to concede properly. Yet under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she refrained from arguing further. Today, she was representing the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. Others might not care about winning or losing, but the Sword Sect certainly did. Since Luo Chen had provided an easy way out, she could gracefully take it.
Cupping her hands in salute, she returned to her seat.
Once she sat down, the atmosphere grew lively once more.
Though Jin Buque also took his seat, he continued to heap praise upon Luo Chen as he watched him. "Before coming, I heard that Fellow Daoist possessed exquisite fire spells, but now it seems the rumors were vastly mistaken!"
Everyone was startled. Yet his next words quickly dispelled their confusion.
"It is far more than just fire spells; your water spells are cast effortlessly. And this Innate Qi Great Handprint is a spell encompassing all five elements. Fellow Daoist unleashed it with wood-attribute spiritual power, taking the path of binding. Given your prowess, I imagine you must have also mastered the suppression of earth, the tyranny of fire, the ferocity of metal, and the slowness of water! Tsk tsk! Such spell attainment would be first-rate even within our Divine Sect!"
Laymen watched the spectacle, while experts watched the craft. Jin Buque's remarks were undoubtedly the best commentary, explaining the subtle profundities hidden within that brief clash.
Luo Chen smiled faintly. "Fellow Daoist flatters me."
"It is no flattery at all!" The one speaking this time was Diwu Qi. "Fellow Daoist is truly formidable. Back in Foundation Establishment, you dared to fight Golden Core cultivators to the bitter end, and now that you have achieved the Golden Core stage, your strength far surpasses the past. With such talent, staying confined atop Danxia Peak is truly a waste."
The others weighed these words and recognized the unspoken meaning behind them.
Ignoring what anyone else might think, Diwu Qi spoke directly: "Fellow Daoist Jiang Yu and I have allied to establish Wind Rain Manor, and we intend to make a grand showing in the upcoming War of Reclamation. Fellow Daoist Luo, would you be interested in joining us to carve out a Tier 3 spiritual land in the Howling Moon Mountain Range?"
This overt invitation immediately caused a stir among the crowd. If three Golden Core cultivators allied together, wouldn't their strength rival that of an ordinary Golden Core sect?
Yet before Luo Chen could respond, Fairy Fengyue, who had been silent all along, suddenly chimed in: "Fellow Daoist Luo Chen, the Dan Cauldron Courtyard of our Fenghua Palace still lacks a deputy courtyard master. If you join our Fenghua Palace, you will certainly not lack spiritual veins or spirit pills."
The moment she spoke, Diwu Qi shut his mouth at once. The backer behind Wind Rain Manor was Fenghua Palace. How could he dare compete with Fenghua Palace for talent? To tell the truth, he had never expected Fengyue to show up today, or he wouldn't have made such a fool of himself.
"Haha!" Jin Buque laughed heartily, looking at everyone and saying, "You all seem to have forgotten about this Luotian Sect that Fellow Daoist Luo Chen founded! From what I know of Fellow Daoist, he is hardly the heartless type who would abandon his sect for personal prospects. Therefore, your invitations are still somewhat ill-considered."
Fengyue was taken aback. Diwu Qi also frowned slightly.
It would have been fine if Luo Chen joined Wind Rain Manor alone. But if the Luotian Sect joined as well, it would immediately overshadow his and Jiang Yu's forces. At that point, should their combined organization be called Wind Rain Manor or the Luotian Sect?
Paying no heed to their sour expressions, Jin Buque laughed boisterously: "Fellow Daoist Luo Chen, why not join our Divine Sect! When the time comes, there will be no need to risk your life in the War of Reclamation. I will personally dispatch people to help the entire Luotian Sect relocate. Across the vast Five Elements Domain, clearing out a Tier 3 spiritual vein for your sect will be no trouble at all!"
As soon as these words fell, everyone's expressions changed.
What kind of heaven-defying offer was this!
What staggering audacity from the Five Elements Divine Sect, to make an offer as unimaginable as this!
Suddenly, some recalled what Jin Buque had said upon arriving earlier today. They recalled Luo Chen's aptitude, which Jin Buque had specifically brought up.
Possessing all five spiritual roots!
In the common view of the cultivation world, this was trash-tier aptitude. Yet within the Five Elements Divine Sect, rumors persisted that such an endowment was second to none, comparable even to Heavenly Spiritual Roots! Could it be that they had taken an interest in this very point, prompting them to offer Luo Chen terms so exceedingly lavish?
In reality, even Luo Chen, the very person concerned, was plunged into profound shock upon hearing this offer. If he joined the Five Elements Divine Sect, pills like the Five Elements Divine Pill would certainly never be in short supply. They had even thought everything through for him, willing to clear out a Tier 3 spiritual vein just to accommodate the Luotian Sect.
Faced with such immense temptation, Luo Chen felt his mouth and throat go dry.
Jin Buque watched this with satisfaction. He was utterly certain! Before such overwhelming temptation, no one could refuse. Especially someone like Luo Chen, who had risen from among rogue cultivators.
And yet, the outcome defied his expectations.
"Today is the ceremony; let us not discuss other matters. Everyone, let us continue to drink!"
Luo Chen lifted his wine cup again with a calm expression.
Diwu Qi breathed a sigh of relief. Tao Wan's expression relaxed. Fairy Jueqing gave Luo Chen a surprised glance, not having expected him to decline. Fairy Fengyue's lovely eyes darted repeatedly between Luo Chen and Jin Buque, as if realizing something.
Only Jin Buque furrowed his brows, looking at Luo Chen in bewilderment. After staring for a long while, he took a deep breath, suppressing the agitation in his chest.
He hadn't imagined that anyone could actually hold fast to their original heart under such temptation.
However!
Luo Chen had only said they wouldn't discuss it today; he hadn't said they wouldn't talk later. He believed that Luo Chen would never be able to refuse the offer he had laid out!
...
The grand celebration came to a close, with both host and guests thoroughly pleased.
News that five superior sects had congratulated Danchenzi soon spread far and wide. From this day onward, Luo Chen had earned a rightful seat among the high-ranking cultivators of the Jade Cauldron cultivation world. And the various recruitments during the celebration—especially the Five Elements Divine Sect's exorbitant offer to recruit Luo Chen—sparked furious discussions.
Yet Luo Chen had no leisure to pay attention to any of it. Because right now, he was in the nuptial chamber!
After a tempestuous session of clouds and rain, upon the bed, Luo Chen—having enjoyed the rare bliss of having two beauties at once—lay with his brows deeply furrowed. Gu Caiyi lay against his chest, tracing circles with her finger. Sima Huiniang sat on a chair in the room combing her hair, looking at the troubled profile of Luo Chen's face.
"Is it proper to leave those people hanging like that?"
"It isn't, but rushing to contact them would be even less proper," Luo Chen replied.
Sima Huiniang couldn't help asking, "What do you make of the terms Jin Buque offered?"
"I can't see through it, but my intuition says it bodes no good."
Luo Chen sat up as he spoke. Murmuring softly, Gu Caiyi dutifully draped an outer robe over his shoulders.
A brilliantly multicolored spirit pill fell into Luo Chen's hand. It was none other than the Five Elements Divine Pill! Looking at this pill, Luo Chen actually felt a heavy weight in his palm.
The other party had offered heavy inducements one after another, far exceeding the normal scope of recruitment. It was practically like a meat pie falling from the sky right onto his head. An ordinary person would have been dazzled out of their senses long ago. Even Luo Chen found it hard to believe. Yet now that he had calmed down, the more he thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.
After a long pause, he said quietly, "It's better to refuse."
"Could that anger the Five Elements Divine Sect?" Gu Caiyi asked casually.
Luo Chen shook his head at this. "There is no need to worry about that. My reputation is at its peak right now; they won't do anything to me. Moreover, the Five Elements Divine Sect is far from the Jade Cauldron Domain, too far to extend their reach. Most importantly..."
Sima Huiniang smiled faintly. "During the War of Reclamation, humanity is forbidden from killing one another!"
"Yes, exactly. With the edict of the sacred ground, the Mingyuan Sect, the Five Elements Divine Sect wouldn't dare court universal condemnation to strike at me."
Gu Caiyi muttered, "That's true. If sects went around killing people just because someone declined their invitations, their sect's reputation would be completely ruined."
The higher the realm and status, the more rules and constraints there were. Otherwise, the cultivation world would fall into absolute chaos. What the Soul Formation sacred grounds wanted was an orderly cultivation world, not an era of chaotic violence. If that were the case, why call it a cultivation world at all? They might as well call it a demonic cultivation world!
"What about the other factions?" Sima Huiniang asked again.
Luo Chen pondered for a moment. "Those who truly wish to cooperate with me will wait. Those who genuinely want to build ties will not be in a hurry either."
The two women understood. They had seen the daytime events with their own eyes. Naturally, they knew what kind of status their man enjoyed now. With his star on the rise, he was hardly lacking for friends. Leaving them waiting a bit was fine; it could filter out those lacking sincerity.
"Enough of that."
Luo Chen flipped his wrist, and two jade boxes appeared in his hands. "These are the betrothal gifts your husband has for you!"
The two women took them and opened them by reflex. A round, plump spirit pill lay inside each box.
"This is...?"
"I can feel a terrifying medicinal potency contained within!"
Facing their curious gazes, Luo Chen smiled slightly. "The Nether Primordial Pill, a Tier 3 realm-breaking pill. Since you have chosen to be with me, I naturally won't let you suffer. It just so happens that Yao Mingyue and Yuan Xiaoyue have also reached Foundation Establishment; they can share your burdens and free up more time for you to cultivate. One day, I hope to see both of you form your Golden Cores, and we shall hold another grand celebration."
He spoke lightly, but how could the two women fail to recognize its worth? If pills like this were known to the outside world, countless Foundation Establishment True Cultivators would fight tooth and nail for them, setting off a storm of blood. Yet Luo Chen had gifted them away so casually.
For a time, turbulent emotions surged in their hearts, overwhelming them.
Luo Chen chuckled, shook his head, and beckoned to Sima Huiniang. "Come up! The hour is still young; let us revel in pleasure to our heart's content today!"
Over thirty years of secluded cultivation had truly been austere; it was time for some indulgence.
Sima Huiniang rolled her eyes playfully at him, took light, graceful steps, and stepped onto the soft couch. Even before that, soft whimpers of pleasure had already begun to rise.
Chapter 463