A Tier 3 Cave Dwelling in Hand, I Need to See Your Stance!

Inside the cultivation chamber. The Daoist sat cross-legged, misty vapor rising from his body. Faint starlight filtered through his crimson Daoist robe, shimmering brilliantly on the outside. After a long while. The Daoist slowly opened his eyes. Parting his lips, he exhaled a thick puff of rosy, mist-like vapor. Luo Chen opened his attribute panel and took a look. [Golden Core Layer 1: 3/100] The progress had increased by a point, which was invigorating. Yet after that surge of excitement came a trace of discontent. Going from 2 to 3 had taken five months at Azure Pill Valley, followed by the return to Luotian Sect and the journey to Poyue Immortal City, which swallowed another month. Added together, that made six months. Six months just to gain a single point of progress! This cultivation speed had far exceeded Luo Chen's original estimate of "one point every three months," nearly doubling the required time. "Without the aid of a Tier 3 spiritual land, efficiency takes a massive hit!" "And then there's this Many Stars Pill..." Luo Chen's expression tightened. Having ingested the Many Stars Pill several times, he had gradually come to understand its properties. Setting aside its convoluted concoction process—which was merely exhausting and troublesome—the real issue lay in its medicinal power! It was immense, yet impure! Not only that, but it also left behind potent medicinal toxins. The star-glinting, rosy vapor he had just exhaled was the direct manifestation of those toxins. A cultivator's spiritual sense was keen enough to strip away most of the poison. Yet even the slightest remnant would taint the purity of a condensed Golden Core and compromise the refinement of one's magic power. Every time Luo Chen took a Many Stars Pill, he had to circulate the Micromote Origin Art immediately, not daring to let the toxins seep too deeply. "I wonder if raising its proficiency and elevating the pill's grade will alleviate these drawbacks?" "Besides, I have to consider the issue of drug resistance." Over the course of his journey, Luo Chen had taken pills to cultivate over a hundred thousand times. It was fair to say he knew the merits and pitfalls of pill-assisted cultivation inside and out. If nothing else, when it came to drug resistance alone, he understood far more than most people. Taking too much of the same pill would inevitably lead to resistance over time. And the lower the pill's grade, the greater the harm! "So, if possible, I shouldn't consume too many low-grade Many Stars Pills. Ideally, I should cultivate directly using mid-grade, top-grade, or even supreme-grade ones." "Not only would that yield twice the result with half the effort, but it would also greatly delay the onset of drug resistance." Having reached this conclusion, Luo Chen looked at the dozen-odd bottles of low-grade Many Stars Pills in his storage ring, an idea forming in his mind. In the past, he had lacked options and took whatever was available. Now that his circumstances had improved, he could afford to be a bit lavish! He would stop taking these low-grade Many Stars Pills and sell them instead! Since the production cost was high anyway, selling a few would help recoup his expenses. Meanwhile, he could grind his proficiency and consume higher-grade Many Stars Pills as much as possible. As for whether other Golden Core cultivators would accept the flaws of the Many Stars Pill? Luo Chen was not worried in the slightest. Golden Core cultivators were perpetually starved of suitable cultivation pills; there was no reason they would turn them away. Besides, those drawbacks were largely issues specific to Luo Chen. A normal Golden Core cultivator facing such immense medicinal potency would typically need several days just to refine a single pill, expelling the medicinal toxins throughout the refining process. It was only because Luo Chen consumed pills at such a ludicrous frequency—one pill every single day—that these flaws became prominent. "Conveniently, the Golden Core gathering Fu Jiusheng mentioned will take place in three days." "Selling these pills will not only help me recoup costs, but it will also bolster my reputation as an Alchemy Grandmaster!" "After all, since forming my core, I've never publicly displayed my ability to refine Tier 3 pills." The corners of Luo Chen's mouth curved slightly as he began planning for the gathering three days from now. *** Before the three days were up, a matter was placed before everyone that very day. The five Golden Cores of the Luotian Alliance gathered in one hall, staring at one another in silence. After a long while. Diwu Qi was the first to speak. "For the sake of Shop Number 8, I contributed Divine Wind Astral Fiend. That cave dwelling should rightfully be mine to use first." Jiang Yu waved his hands repeatedly. "Unacceptable, utterly unacceptable! My own son was grievously injured in the battle for the shops and remains bedridden to this day. That cave dwelling should be used by me first!" Fu Jiusheng also chimed in: "Both of you Daoist brothers have been Golden Cores for many years. Unlike you, I formed my core merely twenty years ago, and I have yet to reach Golden Core Layer 1. To bolster the strength of our alliance, surely I should be the one to use it first!" Diwu Qi and Jiang Yu both paused, turning their heads to glare at him. *You're weak, and that makes you entitled?* Cen Qiusheng was tempted to vie for it as well, but after thinking it over, he realized he had no notable merits to showcase. His lips merely twitched, and he remained silent. What they were squabbling over was none other than the right to use the Tier 3 cave dwelling that came attached to Shop Number 8! The Luoyun Sect, grateful to their fellow Daoists for assisting in the construction of Poyue Immortal City, had included an additional Tier 3 low-grade cave dwelling alongside each of the twenty shops they offered. The term was for one hundred years! After a century, the right of use would be reclaimed. But during these hundred years, those twenty Tier 3 low-grade cave dwellings belonged entirely to the factions behind the shops. This news had only been disclosed today when the various factions went to hand over and receive their shops. No one had expected the Luoyun Sect to be so generous. Or rather, this was a small concession offered to placate the various sects after delaying the Expansion War. To a Nascent Soul upper sect, a Tier 3 low-grade cave dwelling was naturally dispensable. But to these Golden Core sects, it was an immense rarity. And so, the five Golden Cores of the Luotian Alliance had started bickering. Seeing the dispute grow increasingly heated, Luo Chen tapped the table. *Thump! Thump!* The room fell silent as everyone turned their gazes toward Luo Chen. "Damaging our harmony over petty, trifling gains is hardly becoming." The group froze, their expressions turning peculiar. *What do you mean, petty gains?* To cultivators of great sects, a Tier 3 low-grade cave dwelling was indeed nothing special. But what about the members of the Luotian Alliance? Fu Jiusheng was a lone cultivator whose formation skills were only mediocre; he had relied on herb gathering to scrape together some savings. Yet those savings were completely exhausted upon forming his core, and even now he remained in the initial stage of consolidating his core and refining his magic power. He was unlike Luo Chen, who had formed his core through a Supreme Method, naturally generating magic power and stepping into Golden Core Layer 1 in a mere ten years. Plagued by a lack of resources after forming his core, Fu Jiusheng had barely enjoyed cultivating in a Tier 3 spiritual vein environment more than a handful of times. Cen Qiusheng was well advanced in age, having barely succeeded in forming his core just before his lifespan ran out. After all these years, he was still only at Golden Core Layer 2. Though weighed down by his clan, he had also suffered from the lack of a Tier 3 land to cultivate in. As for Diwu Qi and Jiang Yu, their thirst for a Tier 3 spiritual land was even greater. Those decades in Incense Valley had been the most magnificent years of their lives. It was precisely through those decades of effort that the two of them had made substantial progress in their cultivation. Now that a Tier 3 low-grade cave dwelling sat right before them, they naturally wanted to use it for as many days as possible. Luo Chen made it sound so trivial! Naturally, Luo Chen saw through their petty calculations clearly. He said helplessly, "Though the spiritual veins of Poyue Immortal City stem from that natural Tier 3 vein, opening twenty Tier 3 cave dwellings in one go has already stretched the spiritual energy quite thin." "After each use, such cave dwellings usually require time to recover." "They cannot compare to a pristine, natural Tier 3 spiritual vein at all. Squabbling like this is truly pointless." This was an insight Luo Chen had gained back when he formed his core, feeling the inadequacy of the spiritual energy in Cave Dwelling Jia-3 on Tianlan Peak. Maintaining one person's daily solo cultivation was manageable, but using it to break through a realm would be perilous—especially for someone like Luo Chen, whose foundation was immense and whose demand for heaven-and-earth spiritual energy was colossal. For that very reason, he yearned for a natural Tier 3 spiritual vein far more than the man-made, stacked Tier 3 cave dwellings of the various immortal cities. The logic was sound, yet... "Then how do you propose we distribute it?" Diwu Qi asked. "Let us go by the year—one year per person. If we conquer a Tier 3 spiritual vein in the future, this place can either be assigned to the Golden Core cultivator guarding Poyue Immortal City or rented out to outsiders, with the rent split evenly among us." With a hundred-year lease, such an arrangement was indeed reasonable. The four nodded. Yet the core issue remained unresolved! "Who uses it first?" "Me, of course!" The four were taken aback, all staring at Luo Chen. *Shouldn't an alliance leader be selfless? Why are you claiming the benefits for yourself first?* Luo Chen said matter-of-factly, "Shop Number 8 was won by Wang Yuan of my Luotian Sect. Naturally, my Luotian Sect should enjoy it first. Surely there is no problem with that?" There was indeed no flaw in that reasoning. And yet... The four still felt somewhat unwilling. Luo Chen curled his lip and tossed out four jade bottles on the spot, one for each of them. "Don't say I'm being unfair. These pills are your compensation." The four were startled and reflexively uncorked the bottles. A rich pill fragrance instantly permeated the air. Fu Jiusheng pinched a pill between his fingers, and with a single glance, blurted out, "The Many Stars Pill! You actually concocted it!" The others looked puzzled. Fu Jiusheng immediately explained, "This is the Tier 3 pill formula I once gave to Danchenzi! It requires a massive number of ingredients and is exceedingly complex to refine. Because of that, despite its potent medicinal strength, it was phased out long ago in the Medicine King Domain. I only managed to acquire it through a stroke of luck." "However, even though it's an obsolete formula, the Many Stars Pill's greatest strength is its balance! Cultivators of any of the five elemental spiritual roots can take it to aid their cultivation!" Hearing this, the other three immediately viewed the Many Stars Pill in a new light. Cultivation pills effective for Golden Core cultivators were inherently rare. The few that existed were tightly monopolized by major alchemy sects. Small sects like theirs had no channel to secure a steady supply. The occasional pill they obtained came only from black markets, formal auctions, or barter trades among peers—and even then, in minuscule quantities! Now that Luo Chen could actually concoct this pill, if they could establish a stable supply relationship with him... By comparison, getting a Tier 3 low-grade cave dwelling for one year out of every few paled drastically. Besides, Luo Chen wasn't denying them access; they would still take turns! As the others weighed their gains and losses, a hint of regret lingered in Luo Chen's heart. Just as Fu Jiusheng said, the Many Stars Pill was fine, but it was overly mediocre. In contrast, the Five Elements Divine Pill, which also adhered to a balanced pharmacology, was vastly superior! Yes! The Five Elements Divine Pill crafted by the Five Elements Divine Sect. During his core formation grand ceremony, Jin Buque had gifted him one. After inspecting it and finding no issues, he had already consumed it, and his evaluation of the Five Elements Divine Pill was exceedingly high! If pills possessed distinct tiers within the same grade, the Many Stars Pill could be classified as a Tier 3 low-grade formula, while the Five Elements Divine Pill was a top-grade or even supreme-grade formula! *If only I could refine the Five Elements Divine Pill to aid my cultivation, my progress would multiply several times over!* *I wonder what that formula is like, to achieve such a flawless balance of five-element spiritual qi while elevating every single attribute to the absolute limit.* Luo Chen sighed inwardly, though outwardly he remained attentive to the others' expressions. Seeing that they seemed to have reached a conclusion, Luo Chen asked with a smile, "Well? What do you think of my arrangement?" Fu Jiusheng spoke without hesitation: "Fu will naturally follow the Supreme Elder's arrangements." *When there's nothing to gain, it's 'Fellow Daoist Luo'; when there's profit, it's 'Supreme Elder.' He truly never gets up early unless there's an advantage to be had!* The corner of Luo Chen's mouth twitched, and he looked toward the other three. Cen Qiusheng sighed. "At my age, I have no hope of advancing further. Being included in the cave dwelling rotation is already wonderful. Now, with this Many Stars Pill, it is truly icing on the cake. I have no objections." "And what about you two fellow Daoists?" Luo Chen looked at Diwu Qi and Jiang Yu. These two had always operated in tandem, yet today they had uncharacteristically clashed over a cultivation site. Diwu Qi and Jiang Yu exchanged a glance before Diwu Qi asked tentatively, "Could Fellow Daoist provide a stable supply of this Many Stars Pill in the future?" Seeing Luo Chen frown, he quickly added, "Of course, we will purchase it with spirit stones! Say... five thousand! Five thousand spirit stones a bottle—what does Fellow Daoist think? If that's not enough, we can discuss it further." *Attitude!* Never before had Diwu Qi displayed such an accommodating attitude. Even the offered price was quite fair. On the market, the price of Tier 3 cultivation pills was generally seven to eight times that of Tier 2 pills. Because demand far outstripped supply, the price would inflate even further whenever they appeared in black markets or auctions. Ten times was considered thoroughly reasonable! Based on a Golden Core cultivator's consumption rate—one bottle every month or two—that would amount to thirty to sixty thousand spirit stones a year. For the wealth-gathering capacity of a Golden Core cultivator, such an expense was entirely bearable. A solitary rogue cultivator like Fu Jiusheng was an exception, of course. Though now that he had joined the Luotian Sect, that was another matter. Luo Chen sank into contemplation. Originally, he had intended to sell off batches of Many Stars Pills from time to time, not to make a fortune, but merely to recoup his costs and cement his reputation as an Alchemy Grandmaster. Now, it seemed that satisfying internal demand first might be the wiser course. The Luotian Alliance had been formed for the sake of a Tier 3 spiritual vein; their interests aligned, but hearts remained unpredictable. Judging from the shop tournament, Diwu Qi and the others were not yet of one mind with him. Using the Many Stars Pill to foster closer ties would undoubtedly draw the alliance tighter together. Compared to external fame, strengthening their own forces in the short term was clearly the superior choice! Luo Chen quickly reached a decision. "Selling you the Many Stars Pill isn't out of the question, but guaranteeing a stable supply will be difficult." "In alchemy, failures happen. I cannot guarantee success every single time." "Furthermore, the ingredients required for the Many Stars Pill are overly complex. Relying solely on my Luotian Sect disciples to gather them is beyond our capacity. If you want pills, you will have to send your own people to help collect ingredients." "If you can accept these two conditions, I can supply you with Many Stars Pills in the future." Having said his piece, he stared calmly at the group. Just as he anticipated, despite the lack of a guaranteed steady supply and the obligation to assist in gathering materials, Diwu Qi and the others voiced no complaints. They eagerly agreed to the terms on the spot. Seeing them reaching for their spirit stones, Luo Chen waved his hand. "Consider this first bottle a gift from me. No need to be so polite." He brushed off the gesture, completely unbothered by giving away twenty thousand spirit stones' worth of Many Stars Pills in a single breath, and rose to his feet. "Now, take me to see the generous gift the Luoyun Sect has bestowed upon us!" *** Poyue Immortal City was a colossal city modeled after a super immortal city. Although the overall grade of its spiritual vein had not yet reached the Tier 4 required of a true super immortal city, its number of Tier 3 cave dwellings far surpassed that of an ordinary immortal city like Tianlan, which possessed only two or three. In time, under the Luoyun Sect's nurturing, Poyue Immortal City might very well produce a man-made Tier 4 cave dwelling. Upon one of the three isolated peaks within the city. Luo Chen looked around. In the distance, he could faintly see cultivators bustling in and out of a cave dwelling. Evidently, that was another Golden Core sect in the middle of moving in. "True Person Han Zhan sought a Tier 4 spiritual land in the Jade Cauldron Domain in vain. Yet barely two years after the Expansion War began, he possesses an immortal city with the embryonic form of Tier 4." "If this was possible all along, why did he suffer so much grief before?" He said this, but Luo Chen knew full well the reality. Had it not been for the Jade Cauldron Civil War drawing the attention of the Soul Transformation sacred ground—prompting them to dispatch twenty-seven sects to wage the Expansion War together—the Luoyun Sect could never have rallied such immense manpower and resources to construct a super immortal city in such a short span. Perhaps the crying child truly got the milk! Luo Chen shook his head and turned to look at Fu Jiusheng, who was walking over. "The handover is complete. This is the master key to the cave dwelling, granting free entry and exit. In addition, there are four auxiliary keys for close associates." Luo Chen accepted the token-shaped keys with satisfaction. They bore the sect insignia of the Luoyun Sect, while a three-colored silk sail was marked in the corner—representing Tianfan City. Clearly, this indicated that the property belonged to the Luoyun Sect while having been constructed with Tianfan City's aid. As for why there were only four auxiliary keys? It was a subtle implication that, aside from the cave dwelling's master, at most four low-tier cultivators could reside there alongside them. Presumably, this was meant to prevent cultivators from unrestrainedly absorbing the immortal city's spiritual energy and damaging the subterranean spiritual vein! "Mm, thank you." Luo Chen offered his thanks and moved to step forward. However, noticing Fu Jiusheng's hesitant, conflicted expression, he immediately halted his steps. "Is there something else?" Fu Jiusheng swallowed hard. "Supreme Elder, regarding the Many Stars Pill..." "Five bottles!" Luo Chen held up five fingers. "I will give you five bottles free of charge each year as an extra perk beyond your guest elder stipend." Fu Jiusheng's eyes lit up, and he immediately cupped his fists in salute. "My thanks to the Supreme Elder!" Luo Chen patted his shoulder. "Why be so polite? You and I are fellow Daoists on the same path, and now we cultivate within the same sect. As long as I have a bite to eat, I certainly won't mistreat you." A moved expression surfaced on Fu Jiusheng's face, though whether it was genuine or feigned remained uncertain. Luo Chen didn't care either way. Continuing forward, he spoke as he walked: "When I am in secluded cultivation or away from the sect, I will also have to trouble you to look after the disciples." "Naturally!" "If possible..." Luo Chen paused. Under Fu Jiusheng's curious gaze, Luo Chen smiled faintly. "Elder Fu, with your repertoire of skills—be it herb gathering or formation arts—letting them sit idle is truly a waste. Have you never thought of finding a talented disciple or two to pass on your legacy?" Fu Jiusheng froze. He stood rooted to the spot, the expression on his face shifting between light and shadow. Luo Chen let out a soft chuckle and said no more, stepping into Cave Dwelling Jia-8 on his own. Those words had carried a deeper meaning. Although Fu Jiusheng was now affiliated with the Luotian Sect, he was ultimately just a guest elder—a mercenary who took compensation to resolve problems. In the end, he was not truly one of them! Yet if he were willing to leave his legacy within the Luotian Sect, their ties would become far tighter. It would also demonstrate his attitude—whether he truly wished to take a step closer to Luo Chen and integrate himself into the Luotian Sect! Luo Chen needed to see that stance! So, what choice would he make?