"Mirror Flower, Water Moon. Its casting range takes effect as far as the eye can see, roughly a thousand li away!
"However, the closer the distance, the greater its might. When unleashed from a thousand li away, it only induces a blinding dazzle of five colors, an illusory effect that any ordinary cultivator could easily dispel with their magic power. But within a range of five hundred li... no, around six hundred li, it can begin to exert a subtle influence upon the soul."
This figure stemmed from the reach of Luo Chen's divine sense.
The reason it was six hundred li rather than the initial five hundred was that after advancing to the second layer of the Golden Core realm, his divine sense had seen a noticeable increase.
Moreover, the scale of that growth was tremendous, far exceeding that of ordinary Golden Core cultivators.
Luo Chen surmised this surge was related to how exceptionally robust his soul foundation already was.
The stronger the foundation, the greater the growth—such was the importance of a solid bedrock.
Furthermore, through day-to-day cultivation, the Micromote Origin Art had a slight soul-tempering effect, which had also contributed to this gain.
Perhaps the only bad news was that the Nether-Passage Pill had completely lost all efficacy on him.
Long ago, the Nether-Passage Pill had already become exceedingly weak for him.
Even though he had modified the recipe to concoct Tier 2 Nether-Passage Pills, taking them over several decades had led to steadily diminishing returns.
And now that his illusion art had reached Great Perfection, the Nether-Passage Pill offered him no further benefit whatsoever.
His thoughts drifted.
Luo Chen returned to his assessment of Mirror Flower, Water Moon.
"The optimal casting range is around a hundred li, roughly matching the lethal strike radius of a Golden Core cultivator.
"Yet this range applies only against peers of the same rank. If I wish to employ it against someone of a higher cultivation level, I must carefully gauge the disparity between our souls, and then close the distance.
"Diwu Qi's soul foundation was utterly inferior to mine, which was why he had no strength to resist.
"He is at the third layer of Golden Core, still within the early stage. If the enemy's realm is higher, a mid-stage cultivator who hasn't cultivated a secret soul technique would likewise be affected by me.
"Even against a late-stage cultivator, so long as they have not undergone specialized training against illusions, unleashing Mirror Flower, Water Moon with all my might should still be able to restrict them for an instant. But if I do that, I must take into account the backlash I would suffer if the illusion is broken.
"Backlash... The Lanke Black Chess Piece is a soul-defense magic treasure, and I have refined it for many years. If I draw it into my qi sea and nurture it in the manner of a natal magic treasure, it might provide the necessary protection."
Regarding this illusion art rooted in his eyes, Luo Chen had elevated its importance above all other trump cards in his arsenal.
Even above the Heavenly Peng True Form, his myriad spells, and the Heavenly Moon Purple-Gold Wheel.
Evidently, if he made good use of this illusion art, it would be enough for him to reign supreme across the Golden Core realm.
Thus, over these past days, Luo Chen had continually tested its various effects, both positive and negative.
However, when it came to whether he should refine the Lanke Black Chess Piece as a semi-natal magic treasure, he hesitated.
The aptitude of five spiritual roots was a double-edged sword.
While granting a terrifying foundation far exceeding other aptitudes, it came with a cultivation speed several times, or even more than a dozen times, slower.
Although the Burning Wood True Art currently suited him very well and granted him profound, robust magic power, cultivating dual attributes simultaneously also dragged down his cultivation speed.
To solve this major predicament, Luo Chen had devoted everything he had.
A mid-grade Tier 3 spirit vein, supreme-grade Fanxing Pills, and the entire Luotian Sect dedicating its full strength to sustain him.
Only through all this was he barely able to maintain a respectable speed of cultivation.
Nurturing the Broken Moon Wings was a matter of sheer necessity.
After all, it was a magic treasure fresh from the furnace, originally requiring five or six years of nurturing.
To unleash the potential of this magic treasure, nurturing it with magic power was mandatory; even if it slowed his cultivation speed slightly, it remained within acceptable limits.
But to add the burden of yet another magic treasure...
After weighing it back and forth, Luo Chen finally gritted his teeth and resolved to nurture the Lanke Black Chess Piece!
"Mirror Flower, Water Moon is my greatest trump card!
"It is my greatest reliance for dominating the Golden Core realm!
"Then I must push this lethal move to its utmost limit!
"To that end, even if it bogs down my cultivation speed a bit, I can't afford to be squeamish. At worst, once the opening war concludes, I can simply cease nurturing this treasure. When peace returns and conflicts dwindle, there will be no need to frequently bring out my trump cards, and I can devote my full efforts to cultivation then."
With a thought, the Lanke Black Chess Piece concealed beneath his flesh flew out.
Then, Luo Chen swallowed it in a single gulp, drawing it into his vast qi sea.
Alongside the Broken Moon Wings, it orbited his five-colored Golden Core in a gentle arc, bathed in the nurturing flow of pure magic power.
Having resolved this potential dilemma of magical backlash, Luo Chen had another issue to ponder.
He reached up to touch his eyeballs, feeling uncertain.
When he had cast the illusion on the Grey Leaf Wolf King, his eyes had ached sharply.
When he had cast it on Diwu Qi, there had also been a stinging pain.
He suspected that although Mirror Flower, Water Moon had taken root in his eyes and grown considerably more powerful, it had also acquired an inherent restriction.
It felt just like the characters who used "eye techniques" in the anime of his past life, whose eyes would often bleed or go blind.
If that was truly the case, he would genuinely have to weigh the price of casting Mirror Flower, Water Moon every single time.
However, this issue also seemed to have a solution!
"After the Wither-Bloom True Fire incinerates a demon beast, it seizes an immense vitality. The portion channeled into me, though small, brings immense benefit to my body, even increasing the upper limit of my lifespan.
"Refining that Tier 3 Grey Leaf Wolf King earlier raised my lifespan ceiling by a full year!
"What's more, that vitality can clearly heal the stinging pain brought on by unleashing the illusion.
"If I refine demon beasts as much as possible to seize their vitality, could I perhaps remedy the aftereffects of Mirror Flower, Water Moon?"
Luo Chen was unsure whether there was a deficit between the toll taken by Mirror Flower, Water Moon and the vitality healed by the Wither-Bloom True Fire, or whether the damage might prove irreversible.
Yet for the present, it was indeed the optimal solution.
"In any case, I have gained another trump card!
"As long as I use it well, even if I cannot claim invincibility among those of the same rank, striding unchallenged through the cultivation world and holding sway over my own domain is entirely within my reach."
Remembering how effortlessly Diwu Qi had fallen before him, Luo Chen could not help curling his lips upward.
Since the man had handed him the opportunity, he naturally wouldn't let it slip by.
Now, his position as the leader of the Luotian Alliance was indisputably legitimate in both name and reality.
Mobilizing cultivators from the other families for his own purposes in the future would also be far easier.
"Counting the days, it should be about time for Cen Qiusheng to return.
"I wonder how he'll feel when he sees that his junior failed to form a core.
"At least as his Dao protector, I did everything I could."
***
Just as Luo Chen anticipated, a month later Cen Qiusheng returned to the Luotian Alliance at the helm of the Scarlet Flame Dragon Boat.
What defied Luo Chen's expectations was that upon his return, the old man not only bore no wounds, but did not even show a hint of fatigue!
At that moment, the elder stood proud at the bow of the dragon boat, facing the wind with a ruddy complexion, looking thoroughly high-spirited and immensely pleased with himself.
Such a sight drew murmurs of wonder from everyone.
Only during the subsequent small gathering of the Alliance's Golden Core cultivators did he reveal the reason.
"This old man was blessed with fortune, obtaining a stalk of Seven Stars Sky Lantern Flower! With seven blossoms in bloom, it extended my lifespan by seventy years!
"Haha, barring any unforeseen mishaps, this old man can live for at least another century!"
Diwu Qi and the others stared at one another in speechlessness, momentarily unable to process the news.
Only after a good while did Luo Chen shake his head, exclaiming in heartfelt admiration, "Fellow Daoist Cen possesses truly astounding fortune! To encounter such an opportunity in your twilight years..."
Fu Jiusheng chimed in, "Indeed! Back when I was in the Foundation Establishment stage, I was an herb gatherer for two hundred years. In all my life, I have gathered countless herbs, yet never once did I see a fully matured lifespan-extending heavenly treasure! This Seven Stars Sky Lantern Flower in particular must bear all seven blossoms to ignite the seven stars for it to take effect. Even if it bloomed six, it wouldn't grant a shred of longevity. Fellow Daoist, you truly struck immense luck!"
Diwu Qi managed a strained smile. "Everyone says that in an opening war, the greater the peril, the greater the fortune. Seeing this today, the saying truly does not deceive us!"
Seeing their envy, Cen Qiusheng stroked his beard continuously, visibly delighted.
"The only regret is that back then, fearing an accident, I consumed the Seven Stars Sky Lantern Flower raw right after obtaining it. Otherwise, had I brought it back and asked Master Danchenzi to refine a furnace of Seven Stars Pills—each pill extending life by seventeen years—seven pills would have added more than a century of lifespan!"
Hearing these words, the others were struck dumb.
Seventy years of lifespan, and you're still not satisfied, old man?!
Wanting even more!
Luo Chen had plenty to say as well—with only a single set of raw ingredients, even with the panel in hand, he couldn't guarantee success on the very first try!
Fellow Daoist, there is no reason to act pampered after scoring such a windfall!
Next, Cen Qiusheng began chatting animatedly about the front lines.
He spoke of the allied human army, of the Ao Xiao Wolf Court, and of the prodigies who had distinguished themselves.
These pieces of intelligence sketched out a rough outline for Luo Chen's upcoming departure to the front lines.
In particular, according to Cen Qiusheng, the Nine Sects Sword-Wielding Hall was teeming with powerful figures!
Every single Foundation Establishment cultivator there possessed exceptional aptitude, with great promise of forming a core in the future.
As for the Golden Core cultivators ranked alongside them, apart from a few old monsters in the late Golden Core stage, most were young and accomplished.
A decrepit, early Golden Core cultivator like Cen Qiusheng was a rare sight among them.
"In my view, with Master Danchenzi achieving such heights at his current age, you are by no means inferior to the Golden Core cultivators of the great sects. Even when you arrive over there, you will be among the standout elites."
Towards the end, Cen Qiusheng praised Luo Chen generously.
Luo Chen smiled and didn't say much.
Diwu Qi, however, could not help glancing at Luo Chen, a hint of wariness in his eyes.
This small gathering lasted through the evening before breaking up.
Yet Luo Chen did not leave; Cen Qiusheng had asked him to stay behind in private.
Both knew full well what they were to discuss.
Luo Chen took a sip of tea and said with regret, "It is a pity about Cen Guangyi. He failed his core formation, ruined his Dao foundation, and had his qi sea shattered."
The vibrant glow on Cen Qiusheng's face dimmed a fraction.
"Such is fate; he was too impatient. That Fellow Daoist was able to use your extraordinary medical skills to salvage his life is already an immense blessing. In the future, the family will arrange a post for him as an Elder of General Affairs, so his life will not be spent entirely in vain."
Saying this, he cupped his hands to Luo Chen.
"Regarding Diwu Qi, this old man expresses my gratitude to you here."
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. "It seems your clansmen have already informed you of what happened that day."
Cen Qiusheng's expression chilled. "I am fully aware of the details. Whether Guangyi succeeded in forming his core was his own affair, but for Diwu Qi to attempt interference went too far."
"Do you wish to demand an explanation?"
"I harbor that thought, but my strength... unless you are willing to back me."
To this, Luo Chen pursed his lips and set down his teacup.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang Yu is gone, which has already weakened the Alliance's strength. Under these circumstances, it is impossible for me to take action against Diwu Qi."
Looking at the disgruntled elder, he said earnestly, "Moreover, as I saw it at the time, he showed slight signs of cultivation deviation. What he did was not entirely of his own volition. You truly need not take it so heavily to heart."
Cen Qiusheng frowned. "Only those suffering from cultivation deviation lose self-control and act purely on instinct. If that is not their true nature, then what is?"
"We cultivators all harbor desires and wicked thoughts. When ripples stir across the lake of the mind and suddenly burst like a flood, the crucial thing is whether one can rein it in."
Luo Chen offered a defense for Diwu Qi.
In the end, he added, "When all is said and done, he did not ultimately strike at your Cen family's cultivators. On what grounds could you call him to account?"
Cen Qiusheng opened his mouth.
In the end, he let out a helpless sigh.
He had no grounds to make an issue of it, and without Luo Chen's support, he lacked the strength to do so anyway. Thus, he could only swallow his resentment.
Furthermore, in the days ahead, he would likely still have to maintain polite pleasantries to preserve each other's face.
"Enough, look on the bright side!
"Doesn't your Cen family still have Cen Guangwei?
"Now that you've returned, if you guide him conscientiously for several decades, there may well be a chance to add another Golden Core Master to your family.
"When that time comes, with two Golden Cores under one roof, Diwu Qi won't be able to do anything to you."
After offering a few words of comfort, Luo Chen rose and took his leave.
Cen Qiusheng personally escorted him off Huimeng Ridge.
Before departing, he asked curiously out of lingering doubt, "Was Diwu Qi truly suffering from cultivation deviation back then?"
Luo Chen smiled faintly and gave no direct answer, saying nonchalantly, "Perhaps!"
***
Of course, Diwu Qi had not truly succumbed to cultivation deviation back then.
Yet obstacles in his cultivation and the failure to break through to the mid Golden Core stage had indeed left him intensely restless. That instability of mind was what had allowed Luo Chen to breach his mental defenses so easily.
Furthermore, affected by that clash, if he failed to adjust his mindset in the near term, his cultivation would only become rockier.
It sounded somewhat esoteric.
In truth, cultivation was just like that.
Especially after reaching the Golden Core realm, every minor sub-realm involved the transformation of the soul.
The final step was the Golden Core gestating into an embryo, shedding the mortal vessel to give birth to a Nascent Soul.
Throughout this process, the fusion of the Golden Core and the soul was paramount.
Rumor had it that when cultivators crossed their lightning tribulation to form a Nascent Soul, it was accompanied by an inner demon tribulation!
At this realm, cultivators were easily swayed by their state of mind.
Luo Chen understood this condition all too well.
Perhaps because he was a transmigrator, he was even more susceptible to inner demons than these native Golden Core cultivators.
During the Qi Refinement stage, he had endured a heart tribulation; during Foundation Establishment, consumed by vengeance, he had fallen into a demon's snare.
It was precisely for this reason that he had sensed Diwu Qi's aberrant state at the time.
Yet he could not be bothered to warn others about their business; Diwu Qi growing too strong offered him no benefit anyway.
The lesson he took from this incident was that in his own subsequent cultivation, it would be better to tread steadily and prudently.
Lest he stage another heart tribulation drama during the Golden Core stage.
What brought Luo Chen some measure of comfort was probably his self-created Micromote Origin Art!
This art incorporated Calming the Storm, gifted to him by Miao Wen, and Locking the Beaded Curtain from the Luoyun Sect.
Once cultivated to the Great Accomplishment stage, it could suppress emotional turbulence and the constant sprouting of stray thoughts with remarkable efficacy.
As he was about to return to Snow Wolf Flat, Luo Chen looked back at Huimeng Ridge, ablaze with lights and full of bustling activity.
Helping Cen Qiusheng move against Diwu Qi was out of the question.
He had to head to the front lines soon, and the Alliance still needed Diwu Qi to hold the fort.
At the same time, he couldn't allow Diwu Qi's influence to swell unchecked, which was why Fu Jiusheng and Cen Qiusheng were needed to counterbalance him.
Luo Chen was well versed in such straightforward principles of balance.
Executing them was second nature to him.
No matter how one looked at it, he was an "ancestor"-tier figure who had founded his own sect.
In private, he even had to maneuver between Sima Huiniang and Gu Caiyi from time to time.
Balancing the bowls without spilling a drop was something he had mastered!
***
With Cen Qiusheng's return, the Luotian Alliance was bound to dispatch another person to the front lines to join the Nine Sects Sword-Wielding Hall.
Back then, Luo Chen had used the excuse that Fu Jiusheng needed to lay formations and nurture the sect's blessed land to shelve the proposal of sending him to the battlefield.
The price, naturally, was that when the time arrived, he would have to step up himself.
Luo Chen wasn't particularly afraid of this prospect.
Unfamiliar the first time, familiar the second!
When it came to keeping himself intact on a chaotic, sprawling battlefield, he possessed no small amount of experience.
Moreover, based on the information from Cen Qiusheng, the allied human army led by the Luoyun Sect had steadily eradicated the demon beast strongholds on the periphery of the Howling Moon Mountain Range.
Next would be the complete eradication of the Ao Xiao Wolf Court and seizing the sole Tier 4 spirit vein within the Howling Moon Mountain Range!
In preparation for such a monumental battle, the Luoyun Sect had begun mobilizing every bit of strength it could muster.
Luo Chen going over was merely adding icing on the cake; he wouldn't need to fight tooth and nail to the death as he had on the Mount Thunder Accumulation battlefield.
Of course!
Even so, Luo Chen made thorough and exhaustive preparations.
Not only did he bring his personal condition to its peak, he also organized the sect's affairs down to the finest detail.
First of all, he transferred Sima Huiniang over, putting her in charge of the Luotian Sect's affairs, large and small, here at Snow Wolf Flat.
Danxia Peak was left in the care of Gu Caiyi.
There was no need to worry about accidents there either. Internally, Duan Feng, Feng Xia, Li Yingzhang, Qu Lingjun, and others assisted her, and through years of tempering, Gu Caiyi was fully capable of holding the fort. Externally, Azure Pill Valley and Haoranzi of Tianlan Immortal City lent their backing, so no one dared eye Danxia Peak with ill intent.
Secondly, here at Snow Wolf Flat, under the direction of Fu Jiusheng and Min Longyu, formations tailored to the terrain had been laid to guard against demon beasts.
Finally, Luo Chen invited Diwu Qi for a private discussion.
He gave his promise that upon his return, he would supply him with mid-grade Fanxing Pills to help him break through to the mid Golden Core stage.
First came defeating Diwu Qi in a single move, followed by the sweet lure of mid-grade Fanxing Pills.
With this combination of carrot and stick, Diwu Qi naturally agreed to guard the Luotian Alliance faithfully.
Before departing, besides sharing a tender moment of intimacy with Sima Huiniang, Luo Chen also paid separate visits to the cave abodes of Wang Yuan and Chu Kui.
The former was utterly silent with its heavy door shut tight, as though he were in death seclusion.
The latter had attained initial entry in the Dragon Decapitation Art, having purged most of the alien Golden Core magic power from his body. In ten years at most, his body would be completely purified of impurities, allowing him to make another attempt at the Golden Core stage.
"I'm sorry, I won't be able to fight alongside you this time," Chu Kui said with regret before his cave abode.
Luo Chen waved his hand and replied breezily, "Once you form your core, you can journey with me again!"
With that, Luo Chen lingered no more. Transforming into an escape light, he leaped aboard the Scarlet Flame Dragon Boat that had been circling in the air.
The moment he boarded, Zeng Yilong and Xing Zonghan came forward to greet him.
"Is everything settled?"
"Everyone is ready!"
Luo Chen swept his gaze over the eight Foundation Establishment cultivators standing on the deck.
The cultivators from the various families all hastily bowed in greeting.
"In that case, let us set forth!"
With a sweep of his broad sleeve, surging magic power poured into the Scarlet Flame Dragon Boat, which had shrunk severalfold. Instantly, the dragon boat turned into a flying arrow, streaking toward the depths of the Howling Moon Mountain Range.
And across the various peaks, many pairs of eyes followed the shadow of the flying boat as it receded into the distance.
Having seen Luo Chen off, Chu Kui chuckled softly, turned back into his cave abode, and shut the door tight.
On Snow Wolf Flat, flanked by Yao Mingyue and Yuan Xiaoyue, Sima Huiniang silently watched yet another departure.
Yao Mingyue comforted her in a low voice, "Master, the Supreme Elder will surely return safely."
Yuan Xiaoyue spoke up as well, "The Supreme Elder is formidable; Sect Master, you needn't worry."
Faced with their comfort, Sima Huiniang caressed the back of her hand.
There lay a shifting protrusion beneath the skin.
It was none other than the Consonance Gu she and Luo Chen had refined together all those years ago.
Through years of nurturing, the Consonance Gu within her had reached the Tier 2 level.
As for the Consonance Gu on Luo Chen, it was likely infinitely close to Tier 3.
With this Gu, no matter how far apart they were, she could sense Luo Chen's life and death.
Such a method was no inferior to the life soul lamps of the Nascent Soul supersects.
"Of course I'm not worried. He has never once disappointed."
The woman's soft words drifted through the mountain breeze.
Faint though they were, they carried an inexhaustible, profound trust.
Indeed!
When had Luo Chen ever disappointed anyone?
This time was nothing more than her beloved marching off to war once again!
Chapter 498