"I am Wu Qi. Greetings, Daoist friend."
"I am Qingyang, temporary master of the Flying Swallows."
Across the ten-li tranquil lake, dense white mist billowed.
On the small isle of Yaoyue Island, two Daoists sat facing each other.
Staring at Luo Chen, Wu Qi had an expression of deep emotion in his eyes. This Demonic Lord Qingyang's methods were truly extraordinary!
In just a brief exchange of a few moves, the other party had revealed peerless attainments in both soul refining and magical techniques.
Combined with the earlier rumors about him...
He could not help asking aloud, "Friend Qingyang, could it be that you truly are a surviving true disciple of the Yuan Demon Sect?"
Luo Chen's expression remained calm as he countered, "The Yuan Demon Sect has already scattered like wind and clouds. What difference does it make whether I am or not?"
Wu Qi froze slightly.
The logic was sound, but if one could act under the banner of the Yuan Demon Sect, walking through this cultivation world once governed by them would undoubtedly...
Suddenly, understanding dawned on him.
If one truly did that, advantages naturally came with disadvantages.
Under thousands of years of Yuan Demon Sect rule, although it held the name of a sacred land, it had never exerted the ironfisted control over the Northern Sea that sacred lands in other continents did. Compounded by its disciples' overbearing, tyrannical style, it had provoked countless powerful foes openly and secretly.
Even if on the surface no one was currently beating a dog that had fallen into the water, in secret, an untold number of people were exterminating the remnants of the Yuan Demon Sect to the last.
No one dared provoke those Yuan Demon Sect powerhouses at the Nascent Soul stage.
Yet someone like Demonic Lord Qingyang was far easier prey.
Judging by his disposition to seclude himself in a remote place like the Flying Swallow Archipelago, he loathed trouble. He naturally would not invite greater disasters just for a sliver of convenience.
Believing he had reasoned it out, Wu Qi had already pinned the status of a Yuan Demon Sect true disciple onto Luo Chen.
This was precisely the effect Luo Chen wanted.
It accounted for his background while minimizing the associated risks.
Some things were best left unsaid.
However!
Certain matters still had to be laid out clearly.
Looking at the black-robed Daoist with his high topknot, Luo Chen said coldly, "Friend Wu, you hail from the Moluo Stream?"
Wu Qi smiled. "Indeed. Of the twelve streams of Moluo, I serve under Blood Nightmare Moluo. Unworthily presiding over Wushen Island, I am the contemporary Supreme Elder of the Wu family."
In a single sentence, his name, location, background, and backing were all laid bare.
Luo Chen pondered the information.
The twelve streams of Moluo referred to the fact that within this faction known as the Moluo Stream, there were twelve Nascent Soul Perfected Persons in total, collectively called the Twelve Stream Lords.
Rumor had it that among them were pinnacle Great Cultivators of the late Nascent Soul stage.
Yet the faction's name originated from an early Nascent Soul cultivator—precisely that Blood Nightmare Moluo.
This man was a bona fide direct disciple of the Yuan Demon Sect!
Even within the demon sect, he had been an outstanding figure of the Blood God lineage, eventually rising to become a sect elder.
When the Yuan Demon Sect was destroyed, he had been abroad handling sect affairs, luckily escaping disaster.
Having survived, not a moment passed that he did not think of reviving the sect.
After securing the support of several Nascent Soul Perfected Persons, the Moluo Stream was founded under his Daoist title in an effort to reclaim the Yuan Demon Sect's territory.
At present, the Moluo Stream was also one of the top major factions primarily opposing the Canghai Alliance!
Clearly, Wu Qi's blunt statement that he served under Blood Nightmare Moluo was both a show of sincerity and a subtle reminder to Luo Chen.
*I have a great backer!*
Luo Chen naturally understood the subtext, yet his expression remained placid.
"Daoist friend, your visit here was likely for that Yan Nantian, was it not?"
Wu Qi nodded. "Indeed. When the Moluo Stream was newly founded, other factions sought to fish in troubled waters. The Yan family of Laoyan Island was ignorant and foolish, allowing themselves to be manipulated by others and thereby offending our Moluo Stream. That scoundrel Yan Nantian was quite capable, yet bold and meticulous, wounding many of our people. Slaying him was an assigned mission within our sect."
"Then that makes it right!" Luo Chen said coldly, a hint of displeasure appearing on his face.
Wu Qi was taken aback. "What is right?"
Luo Chen looked at him icily. "I have never shown disrespect toward your esteemed faction, and I even slew your enemy, Yan Nantian, on your behalf. By all reason and sentiment, you ought to thank me. Why, then, did you arrive at my doorstep brandishing weapons and stirring up trouble? I require an explanation."
This posture was neither servile nor haughty, yet carried an edge of forcefulness!
It was as if he did not care in the slightest about Blood Nightmare Moluo behind Wu Qi.
Wu Qi's expression shifted slightly.
Could this Demonic Lord Qingyang have held high status before the Yuan Demon Sect fell? Did he not even care about Blood Nightmare Moluo?
Observing closely, when he saw the other's extraordinarily youthful appearance, a faint certainty arose within him.
To possess an impressive realm like the third layer of the Golden Core at such a young age—even within the demon sect, he would have been a prodigy among men.
Perhaps he truly had no fear of Blood Nightmare Moluo?
With countless thoughts racing through his mind, Wu Qi finally composed his expression, cupping his fists toward Luo Chen.
"My apologies. I was swayed by a villain's sweet talk. I will certainly give you an accounting for this matter!"
With that, right before Luo Chen's eyes, he sent out a divine sense transmission without the slightest concealment.
Afterward, he quietly drank spiritual tea with Luo Chen.
Luo Chen did not rush him either. He was curious to see what sort of accounting this would be.
Before long, an escaping light flew over from outside the island, hovering above the ten-li tranquil lake, pacing back and forth without venturing inside.
As if sensing the visitor's arrival, the mist-cloaked Yaoyue Island parted to reveal a small path.
The light hesitated for an instant before flying in.
Following the guidance, Kun Jiao, master of the Flood Dragon Gang, arrived at the Qingyang Grand Hall with an anxious heart.
The moment he stepped inside, he felt two blazing gazes fall upon him.
The spiritual pressure, held back without the slightest restraint, bore down like a mountain.
A trace of pallor crept onto his face.
With a thud, he fell to his knees, gritting his teeth. "Kun Jiao greets the two Masters!"
Just as he was about to raise his head, a conversational laugh drifted into his ear.
"Friend, here is the accounting I give you."
The voice sounded right beside him.
Yet when he heard it again, he felt utterly bewildered.
All Kun Jiao saw was a headless corpse kneeling on the white jade floor tiles.
A fine human head rolled four or five times across the hall with dull thuds.
Luo Chen looked at Wu Qi with a faint smile that was not quite a smile.
"Just this?"
Wu Qi said candidly, "He was the one who bewitched me with flattering words. Killing him is only natural. Of course, perhaps you still harbor some dissatisfaction. Then let us do this..."
As he spoke, he reached out with a beckoning motion.
Two pouches at Kun Jiao's waist flew over.
One storage pouch, and one spirit beast pouch.
Both pouches landed in front of Luo Chen.
Wu Qi pointed at the two pouches and said, "As the master of a gang, Kun Jiao ought to have accumulated modest savings. Furthermore, inside this spirit beast pouch is an early Tier 3 black-scaled flood dragon. Even if it cannot compare to Golden Core cultivators like us, it is more than enough to handle the vast majority of Foundation Establishment juniors. I noticed your cultivation ground has only four or five Tier 2 Blue-Ringed Giant-Fanged Sea Snakes as guards, which is truly a bit shabby. Using this black-scaled flood dragon to guard your gate can also add some prestige."
Every word was reasoned, measured, and dignified.
He had given face by executing the culprit, and sweetened it with tangible benefits.
At this point, if Luo Chen continued to press the issue, it would truly look like he failed to appreciate goodwill.
Luo Chen was not someone lacking in emotional intelligence.
After a brief silence, he nodded slowly.
"So it turns out you were deceived by a villain. In that case, let bygones be bygones between us."
"Haha, well said, well said!" Wu Qi laughed heartily, as if completely indifferent to the earlier unpleasantness.
A spark of comprehension arose in Luo Chen's heart.
Perhaps this was one of the customs of the Northern Sea cultivation world.
In the Eastern Desolation, one first stated their lineage and origins, declaring each side's stance before deciding on a course of action.
In the Northern Sea, right or wrong mattered little; one fought first!
Only if you possessed the strength to command respect would there be a subsequent scene of sitting across from each other, chatting amicably, and exchanging backgrounds.
Evidently, his prior display had earned the other's acknowledgment.
After all, Luo Chen did not think himself definitively superior to Wu Qi.
During that brief clash, he had felt the pressure himself; otherwise, he would not have drawn the Profound Fire Sword and prepared to fight with all his might.
And Wu Qi, though adopting a softer tone after retreating into the open ocean, had displayed a presence even three parts fiercer than on land.
Otherwise, Luo Chen would never have invited him onto Yaoyue Island.
While Luo Chen was deeply reflecting on these dynamics, Wu Qi was continually sizing up his surroundings, occasionally twitching his nose.
Ultimately, his gaze, laced with a touch of astonishment, settled on Luo Chen.
Faced with this peculiar look, Luo Chen frowned. "Yan Nantian is dead, and you have given me an accounting. There is nothing else left. Do you still have business, Daoist friend?"
This was an unmistakable gesture to see the guest off.
Wu Qi waved his hands in haste. "I do, I do!"
He could finally contain himself no longer and asked, "Friend Qingyang, you are a Tier 3 alchemist, are you not?"
The corner of Luo Chen's mouth twitched. He neither answered nor denied it.
Striking while the iron was hot, Wu Qi added, "From my observation, I fear you are a master-level figure even among Tier 3 alchemists!"
"Oh? How can you tell?" Luo Chen countered.
Wu Qi sniffed the air, speaking with a hint of reminiscence. "Within the Moluo Stream, there is a stream lord who also cultivates alchemy, having attained the Tier 3 level. On one occasion, he concocted a high-grade Tier 3 pill. In his delight, he bestowed it upon his subordinates.
"Though I did not receive one, I had the fortune to inspect it briefly from another.
"The pill fragrance of that high-grade pill was truly like orchids and musk, resembling... Yet even so, it does not match a tenth or two of the residual pill fragrance lingering on your person!"
At this point, his expression grew agitated.
"Daoist friend, could it be that you can concoct supreme-grade Tier 3 pills?!"
Luo Chen's thoughts stirred, and he carefully sniffed the scent upon himself.
Indeed!
Before the battle, the pill fragrance from the supreme-grade True Flame Pills he had refined still faintly clung to his body.
In the past, he would have habitually used a Cleansing Art to remove it.
Yet after arriving in the Northern Sea, to preserve the baleful aura from slaying people and beasts to deter petty thieves, he had reduced the frequency of using the Cleansing Art.
Moreover, having grown accustomed to the fragrance after staying long in the room, he had inadvertently overlooked it.
He had not expected Wu Qi's perception to be so sharp as to pry into his secrets.
Since that was the case, there was no need to hide it.
"It was merely a stroke of luck that I succeeded once. I hardly deserve the exaggerated praise of a master."
Wu Qi shook his head repeatedly. "No, no, no! Though Kun Jiao deceived me in certain matters, he repeatedly mentioned your attainments in the Dao of Alchemy.
"At the time, I assumed he was merely a rustic rogue cultivator of limited horizons, mistaking mediocrity for divinity.
"Looking at it now, he was indeed a rustic rogue cultivator of shallow vision. He only knew you were a Tier 3 alchemist, unaware that there are vast differences in caliber even among Tier 3 alchemists.
"A master-tier alchemy skill such as yours would make you an honored guest in my Moluo Stream. Even the esteemed Twelve Stream Lords would surely not hesitate to lower their stature to befriend you."
Luo Chen's mouth twitched. Was the flattery not a bit too exaggerated?
Yet upon second thought, anyone capable of concocting supreme-grade Tier 3 pills was a first-rate figure even in the Eastern Desolation!
At their peak, Qingdanzi and Meng Changshou could only produce high-grade Tier 3 pills, and even then, their success rate was not guaranteed.
Although they could refine one or two types of Tier 4 pills, those were extremely simple varieties like the Transformation Pill.
Even so, Qingdanzi and Meng Changshou were renowned throughout the Eastern Desolation cultivation world, standing on equal footing with ordinary Nascent Soul Perfected Persons.
Having thought through this, his state of mind grew even calmer.
Seeing his calm demeanor, Wu Qi took a deep breath.
*Indeed!*
No wonder Demonic Lord Qingyang had not cared in the least earlier when he mentioned his backer, Blood Nightmare Moluo.
A figure capable of refining supreme-grade Tier 3 pills was someone any Nascent Soul-level faction would scramble to recruit.
Though Blood Nightmare Moluo possessed an illustrious background, Demonic Lord Qingyang was just as formidable.
Furthermore, this consummate alchemy skill was not inferior to the Nascent Soul realm in the slightest.
One could tell who stood higher at a glance; he truly had no need to bow his head.
Swallowing hard, Wu Qi suppressed every trace of greed he had harbored before coming and said earnestly, "Friend, do you have any interest in joining our Moluo Stream?"
"None whatsoever!"
Without hesitation!
Luo Chen refused immediately, giving no face at all.
Had an ordinary person been so impolite, Wu Qi would have flown into a rage.
Yet the person before him was a master-level alchemist!
Being arrogant due to exceptional talent was only natural!
Unbothered, he continued his enthusiastic invitation, listing one by one how vast the Moluo Stream's power was, how formidable each of the Twelve Stream Lords was, and how boundless the territories and resources under their command were.
They had hundreds of Golden Core cultivators, tens of thousands of Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, and Qi Refinement disciples scattered like clouds and rain.
Once he joined the Moluo Stream, he would surely become the Chief Alchemist, enjoying supreme and incomparable prestige!
Noticing a faint stir in Luo Chen's expression, Wu Qi struck while the iron was hot.
"Master Qingyang, the fact remains that you killed Yan Nantian. Though Yan Nantian was not particularly important, he had at least nominally joined the Canghai Alliance. That is a sacred-land-level power possessing a Soul Formation grandmaster! Are you not worried they will seek trouble with you?"
If enticing with benefits failed, then explain the perils!
To his surprise, Luo Chen scoffed.
"Given my capabilities, the difference between Yan Nantian and me is like the bright moon and a firefly. The cultivators of the Canghai Alliance are not fools. Once I display my alchemy attainments, would they not treat me as an honored guest all the same? Moreover, by your own words, it is a faction backed by a Soul Formation grandmaster. Wouldn't that be better than the Moluo Stream?"
Wu Qi was dumbfounded.
Unwilling to concede, he racked his brain.
After a long pause, he said uncertainly, "Everyone knows that although the Canghai Alliance is a righteous faction, it is extremely loose. That grandmaster surnamed Li lives in seclusion and never manages affairs; having him is no different from having no one at all. Meanwhile, most factions opposing the Canghai Alliance either possess Yuan Demon Sect backgrounds like our Moluo Stream or involve overseas forces. In my judgment, this Canghai Alliance is doomed to not last. Why join a power that is destined to become yesterday's withered blossom?"
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, gaining three parts more understanding of the general situation in the Northern Sea cultivation world.
No wonder these factions without Soul Formation grandmasters dared oppose the Canghai Alliance.
The Yuan Demon remnants considered themselves the orthodox rulers of the Northern Sea!
As for overseas forces, they surely referred to the Soul Formation sacred lands of the other four continents.
This also explained why the grandmaster surnamed Li who founded the Canghai Alliance lived in deep seclusion, ignoring worldly affairs and leaving all alliance trivia to the Nascent Soul Perfected Persons below.
He likely did not wish to offend the Soul Formation sacred lands of the inland too deeply either.
However, in that case, Luo Chen was even less suited to joining the Moluo Stream.
When such colossal forces clashed, it was easiest for innocent bystanders to be caught in the crossfire.
Seeing that Luo Chen remained unmoved, a profound sense of defeat welled up in Wu Qi's heart.
The man's strength was not inferior to his own, and his alchemy skills were unparalleled.
If he truly had no desires or cravings, he would be unshakeable...
Wait!
Wu Qi recalled carefully. When he mentioned that the Moluo Stream possessed vast resources and countless personnel, Luo Chen had seemed faintly moved.
Master alchemists usually commanded numerous followers who were at their beck and call.
While this showcased a master alchemist's prestige, it also proved from another angle that such figures desperately needed hands to run errands for them.
Though Demonic Lord Qingyang acted as if he had no desires, if he were truly an idle wild crane, why would he strike decisively to slay Yan Nantian, with whom he had no grievances?
Was he not doing it precisely for the manpower and resources of this territory in the Flying Swallow Archipelago?
Realizing this, his entire body relaxed.
A smile bloomed across his face once more.
"Friend Qingyang, the countless benefits of joining our Moluo Stream need no further elaboration from me.
"However, the Twelve Stream Lords are all Nascent Soul Perfected Persons. They can certainly produce several records of insights into forming the Nascent Soul. Could you truly remain unmoved by that?
"Of course, perhaps you fear trouble. But no matter how great the trouble, it will never fall upon an alchemist. You need have no worries on that front.
"How about this!"
Wu Qi ceased his incessant, womanish nagging.
From his storage pouch, he retrieved a blood-red, diamond-shaped token.
"This is a Blood Nightmare Token, a token bestowed by Blood Nightmare Moluo upon those who render great meritorious service. If you have any intention of joining our Moluo Stream, you may take this item ten years from now and seek me out in Feileng City."
"Ten years?" Luo Chen asked, puzzled.
Wu Qi nodded. "It is not entirely certain—roughly ten years or so. During that period, I will definitely make a trip from Wushen Island to Feileng City. Of course, if you are inclined, you may also come directly to my Wushen Island."
As he spoke, he handed Luo Chen a map.
Having reached this point, he lingered no further.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Luo Chen, he drifted away.
Standing on Yaoyue Island and watching the departing streak of light, Luo Chen held the blood-colored token, a trace of hesitation in his eyes.
An aged voice came from behind him.
"Tempted?"
Without turning his head, Luo Chen replied, "A little. But I fear trouble even more."
"In matters of cultivation, trouble is inevitable. It is impossible for everything to sail smoothly forever."
Luo Chen shook his head, glanced down at the token in his hand, and stowed it into his ring.
"We'll see."
"With my current capabilities and your current condition, I cannot quite withstand that kind of trouble."
At this point, Han Zhan, concealed within the Soul Refining Banner behind him, let out an awkward chuckle.
"Actually, once you replenish the souls in the Ten Thousand Soul Banner for me, this old man still has a few tricks up his sleeve."
No reply came to his words.
Luo Chen had already returned to his cave dwelling and retrieved that bottle of supreme-grade True Flame Pills.
Chapter 539