With a wry smile, he cleared all other thoughts from his mind.
Now was not the time for self-reflection.
Tending to his injuries was the top priority!
Luo Chen glanced at the golden light coiled like maggots clinging to bone within his body, then shifted his attention to his other injuries.
"No rush on the external wounds. The pressing matter is stabilizing the internal trauma first."
Cutting down three wolf kings in battle was not without its cost for Luo Chen.
If he had picked them off one by one, he was confident that with his current repertoire, he could have slain them unscathed.
Unfortunately, the battle had erupted far too abruptly and carried far too much peril.
In the span of a spark and flint flash, slaying three demon wolves in quick succession had unleashed such a torrential rush of magic power that it inflicted tremendous damage upon his meridians.
Even his qi sea was left somewhat turbulent.
Luo Chen cautiously channeled what little magic power remained in his golden core, casting the Spring Breeze and Rain Art to begin nourishing his damaged meridians.
Nourished by the water-wood spiritual qi, a tingling numbness instantly washed over his whole body.
Luo Chen could not help letting out a low groan.
"Stabilize the internal injuries first, then tackle the trickier external wounds."
It might sound strange.
To cultivators, external wounds generally did not matter as much; internal injuries were the true, perilous affliction.
Yet in this battle, what had truly dealt Luo Chen a grievous blow was the thunderous clash with the Golden Wolf King.
His physique was formidable!
Tier 3 Primordial Desolation, and rather than following the path of blood-qi transformations, he had purely tempered his physical flesh.
Even so, he was still hovering at the early stage of Primordial Desolation.
That Golden Wolf King, on the other hand, had clearly placed great emphasis on tempering its demon body on top of cultivating demon power.
While he could not clearly compare the differences between the body-tempering stages of modern demon beasts and the ancient desolate beasts, at the very least, the Golden Wolf King's physical resilience surpassed Luo Chen's.
That was why he had been bested in a direct head-on collision, blasted back hundreds of li!
Not only had the Golden Wolf King left behind a strand of demon qi bent on tearing his body apart from the inside, but it had also directly inflicted unimaginable damage upon his flesh.
Therefore, Luo Chen had to treat his internal injuries first. Once his meridians were stabilized, he could mobilize more magic power to heal his external trauma.
*All those medical arts I studied in the past are finally coming in handy!* Luo Chen thought, finding some dark amusement amid his rest.
***
"Senior... Danchenzi!"
Inside the immortal cave, the pale Luo Chen looked at the wind-beaten yet still heroic-looking young man before him.
"Ah, young friend Han Zheng. What brings you here?"
Han Zheng felt slightly awkward.
In the past, though Luo Chen was renowned, Han Zheng was no nobody either.
Even with a debt of gratitude for saving his life, they had largely interacted as peers.
Now, however, Luo Chen had formed his core and achieved illustrious combat feats in the Golden Core realm.
In comparison, Han Zheng paled considerably.
Yet now was not the time for frivolous musings.
With a flick of his wrist, a tray appeared in Han Zheng's hands.
Luo Chen looked over to find a gourd, a black jar, and two jade vials resting upon it.
"What are these?"
Han Zheng explained, "These healing medicines were specially ordered by my ancestor to be delivered to you. The two jade vials contain Sea-Solidifying Pills and Meridian-Mending Pills, sufficient for ten full courses of treatment. The black jar contains Black Emperor Paste. Smearing it across your entire body will greatly assist in repairing physical damage. In fact, once fully absorbed, it may even allow Senior's physical resilience to climb to a higher level."
The Sea-Solidifying Pills and Meridian-Mending Pills were one thing.
Luo Chen had heard of these two Tier 3 healing pills long ago.
The former was Mu Yunyan's signature elixir from the Falling Cloud Sect, while the latter was a specialty of the Medicine King Sect, supplied exclusively to Golden Core cultivators of major sects.
The Black Emperor Paste, however, was rather unfamiliar to him.
He hesitated. "Is it truly that effective?"
Han Zheng said with confidence, "It is entirely true. As Senior knows, our sect excels in puppet arts. Aside from various beast puppets, we also craft humanoid puppets. Yet once humanoid puppets suffer damage, lacking self-awareness, they often cannot repair themselves. Thus, we must rely on Black Emperor Paste to help mend the puppet bodies. The reason our sect's puppets are far sturdier than others in the cultivation world is precisely because we periodically apply small amounts of Black Emperor Paste, making them all the more indestructible."
At that, Luo Chen was genuinely intrigued.
His gaze finally settled on the gourd.
"And what is inside this?"
"Spirit-Dissolving Liquid. My ancestor mentioned that a cluster of pure demon qi is coiled inside Senior's body. That demon qi is exceptionally powerful, and ordinary methods would likely struggle to purge it. Therefore, he specially sent this Tier 4 spiritual liquid, which can dissolve it and flush it out bit by bit."
Looking at all these fine treasures, Luo Chen fell silent.
Topical treatments, oral medicines—everything was provided.
If combined with his own formidable medical skills, his injuries would likely heal several times faster than initially estimated.
Still, wasn't this treatment a bit too generous?
He could not help asking, "Is this just for me, or is everyone receiving the same?"
Han Zheng was taken aback, not expecting such a question.
Nevertheless, he answered honestly, "Other wounded cultivators are receiving compensation as well, but this level of treatment is reserved for Senior alone."
"Such special favor for me?" Luo Chen frowned.
Han Zheng answered composedly, "Senior did not flee before the battle, slew three wolf kings in the fray, and directly confronted the late Tier 3 Golden Wolf King to bar its advance into the array. A monumental merit like that naturally warrants such compensation. In truth, our sect's elders felt it was still not enough, but resources are tight at present, leaving them unable to offer anything better. I heard from Master that once we have thoroughly conquered the Howling Moon Mountain Range, our sect intends to expand the territory under Senior's sect by another thousand li!"
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow.
It seemed this was not merely compensation.
There was also the intention of buying horse bones for a thousand gold—making a lavish show of rewarding talent.
Saying these things to his face meant they would probably publicize it later on to showcase the Falling Cloud Sect's generosity.
After a moment's contemplation, Luo Chen decided to accept the gifts.
In the current situation, the sooner he restored his peak combat strength, the better!
"Please pass along my gratitude to Perfected Person Han and Master Cheng Yan."
"Of course. Then this junior will take his leave. There are still many matters awaiting my attention."
Once Han Zheng departed, Luo Chen turned his attention to the four spiritual medicines.
Divine sense inspection, magic power testing.
On top of that, he took out silver needles from his storage ring, probing their medicinal properties using techniques unique to alchemists.
After a thorough examination confirming there were no issues whatsoever, Luo Chen finally broke into a bright smile.
The Falling Cloud Sect was willing to spare no expense after all!
However, his smile did not last very long.
Because Fairy Jueqing came to visit.
She brought Luo Chen grim news.
Of the ten alliance cultivators Luo Chen had brought along, only seven had been found, while three were missing.
On a battlefield like that, everyone knew what three missing meant.
And of the seven who were found, five were dead, and two were wounded.
"Who are the two survivors?" Luo Chen asked quietly after a long silence.
Fairy Jueqing answered plainly, "Zeng Yilong of your sect, and Wan Ting of the Wanxiang Sect. Especially the latter—when I found him, he had barely a breath left, crawling out from the pile of corpses purely by sheer willpower."
"What about Xing Zonghan?"
"My condolences. He died in a forest not far from the main battlefield. His body was torn into pieces; driven into a corner, he was ripped apart alive by demon beasts."
Luo Chen opened his mouth, but ended up closing his eyes.
"Thank you for your help, Fellow Daoist."
Seeing the sorrow etched across his face, Fairy Jueqing could only let out a heavy sigh.
Since ancient times, this was inevitably the outcome whenever one clashed with a massive beast tide.
The Ice Fort bordered the Great Snow Mountain, and in recent years, they had encountered such tragedies all too often.
She could only offer, "My condolences."
Luo Chen murmured an acknowledgment and opened his eyes, the grief on his face already gone.
"How is my sect's Zeng Yilong doing?"
"He suffered some injuries, but nothing life-threatening. Murong Qinglian of the Falling Cloud Sect is currently tending to him personally."
"That is good, then," Luo Chen murmured softly.
He had never imagined that across the three times the Luotian Alliance had participated in frontline warfare, the one with the heaviest casualties would occur under his own watch.
Five dead, three missing, and even one of his key stalwarts lost!
He had fancied that he could protect these people, even believing he had leeway to shield Zeng Yilong and let him temper himself while ensuring his life.
Looking back now, how arrogant he had been!
When he had barely managed to preserve his own life, how could he speak of having the spare strength to protect others?
Fairy Jueqing had already departed.
Within the immortal cave, only silence lingered.
Luo Chen was reflecting—reflecting on whether he had done something wrong along the way that led to this outcome.
Only after a long while did he heave a deep sigh.
"Perhaps there were mistakes I failed to notice."
"Mistakes concealed beneath soaring triumphs and self-satisfied pride."
During Qi Refinement, he had trodden as if on thin ice, planning everything in advance, which was why he had been unstoppable and suffered almost no defeats.
After Foundation Establishment, though he had taken risks, most were within his capabilities. Only in the battle of Incense Valley, influenced by inner demons and falling into a mental barrier, had he attempted something beyond his power.
All of the change stemmed from successfully forming his core!
When he formed his core, an entire city revered him, guests arrived from all quarters to offer congratulations, and he dissolved the assembly to establish his sect—robed in splendor, riding proud, basking in glorious prestige!
After that, forming the Luotian Alliance, advancing smoothly into the Howling Moon Mountain Range, and seizing a Tier 3 spiritual ground had only made everything go even more smoothly.
Especially after solving his shortage of cultivation resources and bringing his illusory arts to Great Perfection, his ego had swelled to an extreme without him even realizing it.
He had fantasized about who stood higher between himself and mid-stage Golden Core cultivators.
He had calculated whether he possessed the might to contend with late-stage Golden Core experts.
Yet at the end of the day, he was merely an early-stage cultivator at Golden Core second layer!
Particularly in a large-scale war involving thousands or tens of thousands of combatants.
Even veteran late Golden Core grand cultivators like Cheng Yan could not advance and retreat at will. A mere second-layer Golden Core like him—how could he speak of looking after others?
"Without forming a core, speaking of the Grand Dao is in vain."
"Yet upon forming a core, one has merely reached the starting line of the Grand Dao."
"What right do I have to believe that a century of effort could erase the gap between myself and others' centuries of bitter cultivation?"
Twenty years of smooth sailing had caused Luo Chen to overlook far too much.
Those Golden Core cultivators he once could only look up to had surrounded him with amiable smiles, making him forget that what they respected was merely his alchemy, not his raw strength or cultivation base.
It had nothing to do with inner demons or mental barriers; it was purely arrogance and conceit.
Through this battle, Luo Chen finally awoke to reality.
He was still that humble seeker of the Dao. To journey further along this grand path toward longevity, he had to remain careful in all things, walking as if on thin ice!
Shedding his robes, his scar-riddled body was a shocking sight.
As the black paste was smeared across it, waves of burning pain washed over him.
Luo Chen did not utter a sound, letting the Black Emperor Paste mend his body.
***
The aftermath of this monumental clash was exceedingly far-reaching.
On the human side, capturing Mount Jihuang established a complete encirclement of the Aoxiao Wolf Court.
As such, when to fight and how to fight would be decided by the cultivators.
Yet the demon beasts were not without their own spoils.
Under the personal leadership of Wolf Emperor Aoxiao, they had dealt a heavy blow to the leader of the cultivator coalition—the Falling Cloud Sect!
That night, seven Golden Core cultivators of the Falling Cloud Sect fell!
This included Sect Master Ruan Jing, Qu Xibai, Cheng Ru, and several other illustrious Falling Cloud Sect experts.
In a single battle, the Falling Cloud Sect's high-end combat power was pushed to near-withering ruin.
Among the lower-stage cultivators, the Falling Cloud Sect suffered equally catastrophic losses.
Of the Thirteen Prodigies of Falling Cloud chosen fifty years ago, apart from three disciples who had already formed their cores and were stationed in the rear, eight of the remaining ten had fallen.
Only Han Zheng and another ninth-layer Foundation Establishment true disciple managed to survive.
As for the other Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, the casualties were countless.
Strategically speaking, the cultivator coalition had won a grand victory. Yet in terms of the local battlefield, the Falling Cloud Sect—the leader of the Pioneering War—had been severely battered, dampening the joy of that triumph.
Everyone knew that the primary objective of this Pioneering War was to conquer the Howling Moon Mountain Range so that the Falling Cloud Sect, a newly ascended Nascent Soul upper sect, could secure a Tier 4 spiritual ground to match its title.
Now that the Falling Cloud Sect had suffered such heavy losses, the subsequent pace of the war would likely be delayed indefinitely.
After all, the Falling Cloud Sect could not possibly fight the final battle in such a crippled state.
Setting aside whether they could even win, even if they emerged victorious, apart from Master Han Zhan, the Falling Cloud Sect would have only a handful of survivors left. Where would they find the personnel to govern an entire domain?
When that time came, the spoils of the Howling Moon Mountain Range would be carved up by various Golden Core sects, and Nascent Soul upper sects from outer domains would encroach upon Howling Moon even more aggressively.
Would the Falling Cloud Sect ever be the type to weave bridal gowns for others?
It was precisely due to such deductions that every faction realized they would likely enter a prolonged period of peace.
They would have to wait for the Falling Cloud Sect to lick its wounds before carrying out the decisive battle to settle the realm.
"Perhaps that was the true purpose behind Wolf Emperor Aoxiao striking straight for the heart!"
Inside an immortal cave, several Golden Core Masters whose names thundered across the outside world were conversing in hushed tones.
Among those present were Wei Wuya, a late Golden Core cultivator from Motian Cliff, and the master of the Hundred Blossoms Palace, the exquisitely beautiful and tactful Baihua Fairy.
In addition, the frostily aloof Fairy Jueqing and Lin Qingxuan of Jade Cauldron, who had made quite a splash lately, were also among them.
"Sacrificing Mount Jihuang to deal a crushing blow to the Falling Cloud Sect, thereby stalling the war's momentum and buying more time for the Aoxiao Wolf Court to muster support from demon experts deeper in the Barren Mountains. A gambit like sacrificing a chariot to save the general hardly seems like something uncivilized beasts who drink blood and eat raw meat could devise."
"Fellow Daoist is mistaken. Once a demon beast transforms into human form, they are effectively no different from our kind. Describing them as drinking blood and eating raw meat? Unfitting, wholly unfitting!"
"Squabbling over such trivial semantics is useless. This concubine only wishes to know: how much longer will the Howling Moon war drag on?"
"Is Fellow Daoist Baihua getting impatient?"
"We endured fifty years of preparation, and we waited through nearly ten years more. This concubine does not mind waiting a little longer. But who knows how long this 'little while' will be? Are we supposed to wait until the Falling Cloud Sect fills the vacancy of seven Golden Core cultivators?"
As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over the cave.
Golden Core cultivators were by no means easy to cultivate.
Even with decades of accumulated heritage, the Falling Cloud Sect had only mustered a dozen or so.
In particular, the preceding battle had stripped them of a large batch of outstanding Foundation Establishment true disciples.
Without sufficient seedlings, even pouring all of the sect's resources into the effort could not artificially sprout Golden Core cultivators overnight.
Lin Qingxuan said nonchalantly, "However long the Falling Cloud Sect wants to wait makes no difference to me. It just so happens that my sword has not been sharpened enough. Fighting a few more battles suits me just fine!"
The others glanced at him speechlessly.
This Lin Qingxuan appeared gentle enough on ordinary days, yet deep down, he was a combat fanatic.
In every battle, he always charged at the very forefront.
Whenever his flying sword left its scabbard, it had to drink blood before returning.
While others grew weaker with each fight, he grew steadily stronger, his cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds.
One could only say that although the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect was somewhat unimpressive among Nascent Soul upper sects, through several centuries of development, it had nonetheless nurtured some fine talents.
Once this war concluded and Lin Qingxuan digested his combat gains, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect would likely gain another top expert among the Golden Core ranks.
From a corner, a masked Daoist suddenly spoke up:
"In my view, we may not have to wait very long."
Everyone froze.
Wei Wuya frowned. "Daoist Baisun, your Huanzhu Tower possesses formidable intelligence. Have you learned something we do not know?"
Daoist Baisun said in a low voice, "The Falling Cloud Sect has made little movement here at the main base, appearing as though they intend to keep a low profile and recover their strength. Yet to my knowledge, the disciples and sect members stationed back at Poyue Immortal City, and even those at the Falling Cloud Sect's former grounds in the Jade Cauldron Domain, are all rushing toward this place."
At those words, the crowd could not help exchanging glances.
If they intended to rest and recuperate, why summon people from the deep rear? They should have remained behind to gather resources and supply the frontlines!
Yet if they planned to muster their full might for an all-out battle, did the Falling Cloud Sect truly possess such resolve?
The group could not help debating among themselves.
Yet after talking for half a day, they reached no conclusion.
Seeing this, Fairy Jueqing lost patience with listening any further.
"I am going to check on Danchenzi's recovery. You may continue!"
With that, she walked straight out of the immortal cave.
The others were hardly surprised.
The relationship between Danchenzi and the Ice Fort was common knowledge.
Especially now that the Ice Fort's strength was severely diminished, and Danchenzi had revealed formidable Golden Core combat prowess beyond his alchemy achievements, it was only natural for Fairy Jueqing to be concerned about him.
Only Daoist Baisun in the corner felt the corners of his mouth twitch beneath his mask.
***
Inside the low-grade Tier 3 immortal cave arranged by the Sword-Bearer Hall.
Stripped completely bare, Luo Chen was pitch-black from head to toe, save for his mouth, which occasionally parted to reveal a row of clean, white teeth.
Suddenly, Luo Chen opened his eyes.
Parting his lips, wisps of golden light were expelled from his mouth.
Such a bizarre sight would surely astonish any onlooker.
Yet Luo Chen was thoroughly dissatisfied.
"The Spirit-Dissolving Liquid works, but it's far too slow."
"It seems that if I want to swiftly purge the potent demon qi left behind by the Golden Wolf King, I must rely on myself!"
With a stir of his thoughts, his hands began slowly weaving hand seals.
Unfamiliar at first, he gradually found his rhythm.
Suddenly.
Luo Chen's fingers halted, and he slashed downward in midair with his fingers joined.
*Clang!*
As if from the void, the ringing chime of clashing metal resounded.
In truth, the strange sound had erupted from within his body.
Following that peculiar sound, Luo Chen opened his mouth and spat.
Another plume of golden demon qi poured forth.
"As expected, the Dragon-Slaying Art has miraculous effects against such foreign intrusions. It truly lives up to being a Tier 4 spell developed by the Five Elements Divine Sect!"
Luo Chen pursed his lips, his eyes gleaming.
Binding the golden demon qi with the Kurong Fire, dissolving it with the Spirit-Dissolving Liquid, and finally severing it wisp by wisp with the Dragon-Slaying Art.
Attacking it on all three fronts, he might be able to eradicate this grave menace in a month at most!
Chapter 504