When that high-grade Nine Gales Plantain Fan was presented before Luo Chen in the hands of a late Golden Core grand cultivator, Luo Chen was somewhat dumbfounded.
He subconsciously looked toward Fu Chaosheng. "True Person, this..."
"Don't get the wrong idea. This isn't a gift for you; I don't have the authority to give away the tower's treasures as I please either."
Fu Chaosheng smiled faintly and pointed at the plantain fan. "I see that your spirit pet was fortunate enough to take human form, granting her three tenths more hope of the Great Dao compared to ordinary demon kings. Yet possessing hope for the Dao without means to protect that path is hardly ideal. She desires this magic treasure greatly, so why don't you buy it for her?"
Luo Chen said with forced reluctance, "But this is far too expensive."
"While I cannot give it to you, I can certainly offer you a discount. One million spirit stones, and you may take it right now," the plump, middle-aged man said with a beaming smile, his words brooking no refusal.
Luo Chen parted his lips, but in the end gritted his teeth and spent one million spirit stones to purchase the treasure.
Reasonably speaking, he had scored a massive bargain!
A high-grade magic treasure worth at least two million, perhaps even over three million spirit stones, had fallen into his hands for a mere million. If he told anyone, they wouldn't believe it.
Yet here he was looking so reluctant—anyone seeing him would curse him for being a total hypocrite putting on airs.
Yet he genuinely did not want to take advantage of this bargain!
Clearly, however, Fu Chaosheng insisted that he take this immense favor. Not only that, he turned right in front of Luo Chen and asked the Tianyuan Tower shopkeeper:
"Hasn't our tower invited several Golden Core cultivators with whom we have good relations to a private gathering recently?"
Shan Shubao replied without hesitation, "Indeed there is. It's scheduled for tomorrow evening, and I have already arranged the proceedings."
Fu Chaosheng stroked his beard. "Then that works out splendidly. Doesn't young friend Luo Hai wish to gather resources and broaden his horizons? You may invite him along to join the gathering. I imagine he will reap considerable gains. Luo Hai, you wouldn't refuse, would you?"
...
Outside Tianyuan Tower.
Shan Shubao looked at the silent Luo Chen and said with a smile, "Among those who have earned Elder Fu's high regard over all these years, you rank among the top three. If the opportunity arises in the future, we should get to know each other better."
Luo Chen managed a strained smile. "Certainly. Fellow Daoist Junbao, there is no need to see me further; you have much to attend to in the tower."
"Indeed. Until tomorrow evening!"
"Until then."
After parting from Shan Shubao, Luo Chen returned to the valley cabin in silence, accompanied by a bewildered Tianxuan.
"Master, what happened?"
"It's fine. I just need some quiet."
Luo Chen waved his hand and stepped into the cabin alone.
Even after the door swung shut, Tianxuan still failed to comprehend what had transpired.
By all appearances, her master's visit had been a resounding success. Not only had a Nascent Soul True Person received him in person, but a late Golden Core grand cultivator had escorted him out.
When they exited Tianyuan Tower, it had drawn envious glances from numerous cultivators.
Why did her master look so heavy-hearted?
Inside the cabin, Han Zhan manifested, and Luo Chen recounted every detail of his conversation with Fu Chaosheng.
Though knowledgeable and experienced, Luo Chen's realm was still insufficient after all, and he did not grasp the subtle nuances of dealing with Nascent Soul True Persons as thoroughly as Han Zhan did.
He therefore needed to draw upon Han Zhan's experience to analyze the issues from that encounter.
At the end, Luo Chen sighed deeply. "I didn't want to incur a debt of gratitude. I even gifted him a flower of millennium thunder essence—something I had treasured for years and planned to use on another magic treasure. Yet as it turned out..."
"You can't figure out what exactly he sees in you, can you?" Han Zhan asked calmly.
Luo Chen gave a slight nod. "Is it my supposed potential?"
Han Zhan did not answer. Instead, he asked in return, "You say you don't want to incur a debt of gratitude, but do you even understand what a favor is?"
Luo Chen frowned. "A favor is simply benevolence bestowed by another. Upon oneself, it becomes a moral shackle. Unless one is entirely heartless, one must repay it eventually."
"Wrong. A favor is fundamentally an exchange—a matter of give and take."
Luo Chen was taken aback.
Han Zhan said leisurely, "He gave you a pill, and you returned thunder essence. That constitutes a back-and-forth exchange. While you appear to owe no debt, an exchange of mutual favors has already been established between you. Afterwards, he sold you the plantain fan at a cut price and even arranged for you to attend a gathering of Golden Core cultivators. That is him, as a superior, bestowing another favor upon you. If you wish to repay it again, do you have any treasure more valuable than millennium thunder essence on you? Even if you do, would you be willing to part with it?"
Realization struck Luo Chen.
His courtesy and sense of propriety had actually deepened their entanglement of favors.
And the other party's subsequent bestowal of favors was delivered from the commanding stance of a superior, placed in an unrefusable manner so that Luo Chen remained indebted to him.
Evidently, Fu Chaosheng had seen right through his intentions and rejected them.
Han Zhan said placidly, "The affairs of the world have always been like this. It isn't just him—haven't you acted in the exact same manner in the past?"
Luo Chen fell into a brief silence as memories of the past surfaced.
Toward Yuan Xiaoyue, he had provided work and handsome compensation. Beyond profit, he had sought reputation within the Mountain Shattering Gang.
Toward Sima Huiniang, he had elevated her to high status, entrusted her with sweeping authority, and assisted her Foundation Establishment, earning the earnest, wholehearted support of the three Sima siblings—so much so that, unable to repay him otherwise, Huiniang had pledged herself to him.
More recently:
Bestowing benevolence upon Cheng Haixin and promising abundant resources, solely to secure an escape route for himself.
Were not all of these favors bestowed by himself from the vantage of a 'superior'?
The affairs of the world went around in circles; it was merely history repeating itself from a different perspective.
The question returned to the beginning.
"Then what does he want from me?"
Luo Chen never believed in free windfalls falling from the sky.
Every gift in this world had a price secretly attached to it. He did not know whether he could afford the price set by a Nascent Soul True Person.
Han Zhan sighed with feeling. "Who knows? In any case, you just need to do your best when the time comes."
That was all he could do.
Suppressing the gloom in his heart, Luo Chen summoned Tianxuan with a divine sense voice transmission.
Once Tianxuan stepped through the door, he passed a jade slip and the diminutive plantain fan to her.
"Recorded on this jade slip is the primary cultivation method I tailored specifically for you, titled the Huanyu Secret Scripture. If you cultivate it diligently, it can guide you straight to the Nascent Soul realm.
"There is no need for me to say much about this Nine Gales Plantain Fan. Take it and bind it with a drop of blood first. Afterwards, I will find time to teach you some minor techniques for refining and nurturing magic treasures. I believe that within a few years, you will command it freely and unleash formidable might."
Luo Chen spoke casually.
Yet Tianxuan, kneeling prostrate before him, was trembling with uncontrollable excitement.
A custom-tailored primary cultivation method, a high-grade magic treasure perfectly suited to her, alongside occasional gifts of medicinal pills...
Such treatment was something not even the core disciples of major sects might enjoy!
Her master's kindness toward her was truly as heavy as a mountain!
Immediately, she knocked her head firmly against the floor three times in succession.
"Thank you, Master, for the reward! Tianxuan will never forget such immense benevolence to the end of her days. Tianxuan will exhaust herself utterly to serve Master like a faithful hound and horse!"
Luo Chen's lips twitched. He was about to wave his hand to dismiss her, but beholding the scene before him, he was reminded of what they had just discussed.
Under such heavy benevolence, if he were to order Tianxuan to die for him in the future, she likely would not refuse.
Then what about Fu Chaosheng?
How would he repay him in the future?
Not just Fu Chaosheng!
Luo Chen's thoughts went far, and then looped back close—as close as the people beside him!
Han Zhan!
Over the years, Han Zhan had remained by his side. While he had not provided any massive turning points of assistance, he guarded him from time to time, stepped in occasionally, and frequently offered guidance on cultivation principles and ways of the world—accumulating drop by drop.
Previously, Luo Chen had treated this as merely the terms of their past agreement. Yet evidently, there were times when Luo Chen had never actively requested it.
For Han Zhan to benefit him like this, it certainly couldn't be because he regarded Luo Chen as a true friend to whom he would entrust life and death!
Among such friends, Luo Chen recognized only Wang Yuan.
Even with the likes of Duan Feng and Chu Kui, Luo Chen's bond had never reached that level.
In the silence, Luo Chen casually cast an imperceptible glance toward the soul banner in the corner.
It seemed that at times, he still needed to hold back and not disclose everything to others.
Not just external matters, but his internal cultivation as well!
That Great Dao Oath bound them only within a certain scope; how could he let his guard down!
...
The following evening, Luo Chen arrived at Tianyuan Tower alone.
He brought neither Han Zhan nor Tianxuan.
The former feared detection by Fu Chaosheng, so he had avoided traveling with Luo Chen lately.
The latter, upon receiving her primary cultivation method, had begun cultivating. Tianxuan was originally a demon beast, and even though her spiritual wisdom had awakened, she lacked an ancestral bloodline inheritance; all her cultivation had been crude, instinctual ingestion of spiritual energy.
Now that she possessed an orthodox demon cultivation method, she had to make extensive adjustments.
Upon reaching Tianyuan Tower, Luo Chen was received by Shan Shubao in person and escorted up to the sixth floor.
The moment he stepped into the room, Luo Chen felt as though he had passed through a curtain of water into an entirely different realm.
"A formation containing an abundance of spatial restrictions?" Luo Chen asked.
Shan Shubao looked at Luo Chen with surprise. "Could it be that Fellow Daoist Luo is also proficient in formations?"
So that was it.
While casually replying that he merely dabbled, Luo Chen surveyed his surroundings.
Just as he suspected, the sixth floor of Tianyuan Tower was indeed arranged with a spatial formation.
Though its coverage was not immense, the venue for the gathering was actually no longer within Tianyuan Tower, but located in an entirely different space.
Such marvelous methods were beyond ordinary cultivators.
Yet Tianyuan Tower was a property of the Tianyuan Business Alliance after all, which stemmed from the Tianyuan Dao Sect. To them, such techniques were nothing out of the ordinary.
Luo Chen had arrived very early!
So early that aside from a few maidservants, not a single Golden Core cultivator was in the room.
He did this out of respect for Fu Chaosheng, not daring to treat the invitation lightly.
However, this also afforded him an excellent opportunity to observe the subsequent entrants.
After instructing the maidservants to attend to him, Shan Shubao stepped out to welcome the other attendees.
Before long, other Golden Core cultivators began arriving one after another.
The very first cultivator to enter drew Luo Chen's attention.
The newcomer wore wide robes with broad sleeves, gently waved a feather fan, and wore a high crown atop his head, exuding a distinctly transcendent air.
Embroidered on his sleeve was a conspicuous insignia—a depiction of an immortal mountain looming faintly over the sea amidst drifting mists and clouds.
Like an immortal realm!
In a flash, a thought sprang to Luo Chen's mind:
Penglai Island, Mount Penglai, Penglai Immortal Sect!
"I arrived early and eager out of deference to True Person Fu, but as one of the four great overlords of the Northern Sea, why would the Penglai Immortal Sect be so eager?"
While he was puzzling over this, the other man took note of Luo Chen's extraordinary bearing and came forward to introduce himself.
"I am Yu Gao of Penglai. Greetings, Fellow Daoist."
Luo Chen cupped his hands in a Daoist salute. "I am Luo Hai, a mere rogue cultivator. Greetings, Fellow Daoist Yu."
Upon hearing he was a rogue cultivator, Yu Gao's brows furrowed slightly. He gave a perfunctory salute with cupped hands, then selected a seat for himself and sat down.
His posture was quite haughty.
It matched the rumors of how Penglai Immortal Sect disciples conducted themselves in the outside world.
Luo Chen paid it no mind, though various speculations drifted through his thoughts.
Rumors held that the Penglai Immortal Sect and the Yuan Demon Sect had always been at odds, subtly opposing each other for thousands of years.
Yet there was a doubtful point here.
Though Penglai was strong, at bottom it was merely a Nascent Soul high sect. What right did it have to oppose a Soul Formation holy land?
To pass down its lineage peacefully for thousands of years was not something that could be casually brushed aside with the phrase "fleeing far overseas."
If a Soul Formation mighty figure acted, an ordinary sect could be extinguished with a flip of a hand!
Moreover, now that the demon sect was destroyed, the Penglai Immortal Sect had immediately returned to the inner territories to contest for supremacy over the Northern Sea, even though a behemoth like the Canghai Alliance still stood above them.
What gave them such confidence?
Recalling the tone Fu Chaosheng had used when discussing the Penglai Immortal Sect earlier, Luo Chen formed a faint conjecture.
This Penglai Immortal Sect very likely had ties to the Tianyuan Dao Sect.
Only that could explain everything.
Subsequent events continued to validate Luo Chen's guess.
As unfamiliar Golden Core cultivators entered one by one, most of them greeted Yu Gao upon arriving.
Even those who did not know him sought an introduction to make his acquaintance.
One had to understand that these guests were all invited by Tianyuan Tower—friendly partners with various business ties to the Tianyuan Business Alliance.
Their enthusiastic overtures toward Yu Gao were surely prompted by hints from the Tianyuan Business Alliance.
Yu Gao's conduct also matched Luo Chen's expectations.
Toward rogue cultivators, he was lukewarm.
Toward sect and clan cultivators, he was genial and courteous.
And toward those who cooperated closely with the Tianyuan Business Alliance, he was quite warm.
That so-called otherworldly immortal demeanor had vanished entirely amidst his shifting attitudes.
Luo Chen observed with a cold, detached eye, understanding the situation more and more.
"In his earlier words, True Person Fu disparaged the Myriad Immortals Association and claimed the Canghai Alliance was doomed to perish, remaining neutral only toward the Penglai Immortal Sect. Thinking back now, he was subtly hinting that I should join this sect.
"If the Tianyuan Dao Sect were willing to accept me, I would agree without hesitation. But the Penglai Immortal Sect..."
Luo Chen shook his head inwardly. Its internal ranks were monolithic, yet its strength fell short of holy land status. If his past secrets were exposed, they would never protect him.
Therefore, skipping Penglai was for the best.
What about the Myriad Immortals Association?
Luo Chen had hoped to see some cultivators from the Myriad Immortals Association at this Golden Core gathering hosted by Tianyuan Tower.
Unfortunately, over a dozen people entered, yet not a single rogue cultivator from the Myriad Immortals Association appeared.
Just as disappointment welled up, his heart suddenly clenched.
At the entrance, ripples of water shimmered as five figures filed inside!
The leader had a sinister countenance, clearly not someone to provoke, and the late Golden Core aura he displayed confirmed as much.
What made Luo Chen's heart clench, however, was the second man among the five.
A flying cloud topknot, brown robes, Daoist attire, and sharp, piercing eyes.
An old acquaintance!
Sure enough, Shan Shubao proceeded to introduce each of their backgrounds:
"This is Fellow Daoist Ying Mo, subordinate to the First Stream Lord of the Moluo Stream!"
"This is Fellow Daoist Wushen, subordinate to Stream Lord Blood Nightmare of the Moluo Stream!"
"This is Old Monster Baibian, subordinate to Stream Lord Lietian!"
"This is..."
Those in the Moluo Stream were mostly individuals linked to the demon sect.
The Daoist titles of their high-ranking cultivators were largely associated with gods, demons, and beasts.
For instance, Wu Qi, hailing from Wushen Island, called himself Wushen.
At first glance, Luo Chen had spotted Wu Qi.
The man seemed to sense something, but with everyone looking in his direction, he could not isolate Luo Chen's gaze.
Even so, his eyes lingered on Luo Chen for a brief moment, a look of suspicion surfacing on his face.
Luo Chen had altered his appearance for this trip to Feileng City.
With his mastery of Convergence of Myriad Paths, he could reshape parts of his body at will and mimic other people's auras; ordinary people could never see through his disguise.
Furthermore, his signature crimson complexion had deepened only gradually through taking large quantities of True Flame Pills and practicing the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture over time, long after Wu Qi had left.
Therefore, while Wu Qi felt a vague sense of familiarity, he failed to recognize Luo Chen right away.
At present, he lacked the leisure to track down the source of that feeling, turning instead to proactively mingle with Yu Gao and the others.
From his corner, Luo Chen silently watched the lively scene unfold.
Five members of the Moluo Stream had arrived at once, each representing five of the Twelve Stream Lords.
Right away, they engaged in warm conversation with Yu Gao from the Penglai Immortal Sect.
Could this be understood as the Tianyuan Business Alliance, acting as an intermediary, intentionally brokering an alliance between the Penglai Immortal Sect and the Moluo Stream?
Or rather, at a higher echelon, had contacts between the three factions already been underway for quite some time?
And with the Golden Core cultivators serving as the backbone, was this present contact part of the implementation phase of that alliance?
It had been years since he analyzed broad geopolitical trends, but doing so now, Luo Chen felt not the slightest rustiness.
Through these numerous clues, he had clearly glimpsed the underlying truth.
At the very least, among today's attendees, there was not a single rogue cultivator from the Myriad Immortals Association, nor anyone from the Canghai Alliance—this point alone corroborated part of his conjecture!
With all present, the private gathering officially commenced.
Its agenda was straightforward.
It began with a barter exchange.
Everyone hailed from far and wide and was a Golden Core cultivator; whether through their own production or spoils of battle, all had hoarded substantial quantities of resources.
Due to differences in cultivation methods, certain seemingly precious resources held little value in their own hands.
It was better to bring them out for trade to obtain items beneficial to themselves.
Luo Chen had experienced many such occasions in the past and was thoroughly familiar with the process.
However, looking at the items other cultivators brought out to trade, he remained largely unmoved.
Certain medicinal pills were fine, but the quantities were meager and of little use to him.
As for magic treasures, his need was also slight; his natal magic treasure, the Hunyuan Cauldron, had been nurtured for over a decade now, and paired with extensive alchemy, it had developed considerably and was sufficient for combat needs.
Although a fire-attribute short halberd of medium grade appeared during the exchange, the owner eagerly concluded a deal after another Golden Core cultivator offered a more valuable resource coupled with a massive sum of spirit stones.
Luo Chen had felt tempted, but could only let it pass.
He possessed plenty of valuable items—whether millennium thunder essence or the Black Tortoise shell, both were coveted treasures.
Yet clearly, it was not worth paying such a price.
When Luo Chen's turn came, he spoke up candidly, "I am merely a rogue cultivator with few possessions. On hand, I have only a few bottles of Tier 2 medicinal pills called Emperor's Flowing Syrup. They have some effect in helping Qi Refining cultivators achieve Foundation Establishment..."
At this point, the expressions of those present remained flat, their eyes tinged with contempt.
A Foundation Establishment resource akin to the Foundation Establishment Pill?
Everyone present is a Golden Core Master; who would care about that?
Does such a thing even deserve to be brought out for barter?
Facing their disdain, Luo Chen did not mind in the slightest and continued, "However, this pill's primary function is to help demon beasts lay a foundation and advance in realm. Furthermore, it purifies bloodlines and unlocks a demon beast's ancestral bloodline inheritance."
At these words, quite a few cultivators grew intrigued.
"Truly?"
Luo Chen lifted his gaze; the speaker was an elder-level figure from a Golden Core clan.
Luo Chen replied, "Not a single word of falsehood. Tianyuan Tower can vouch for me."
At this point, Shan Shubao, who was presiding over the gathering, gave a nod.
Among the gifts presented to Fu Chaosheng earlier was Emperor's Flowing Syrup, and its effects had already been verified by Tianyuan Tower's appraisal masters.
With Shan Shubao's endorsement, the interest of the others surged.
The Northern Sea was vast and rich in resources, so demon beasts were abundant.
While this made the living environment far more perilous, the various sects and clans also subdued more demon beasts.
Taming and breeding techniques related to demon beasts had developed on a substantial scale over the years.
Industries surrounding Demon-Suppressing Talismans, spirit beast pouches, demon-locking rings, and Spirit-Nurturing Pellets were commonplace.
It could be said that virtually every Northern Sea faction had demon beast-related industries to some degree.
And who wouldn't be tempted by a miraculous elixir that could raise a demon beast's realm and unlock bloodline inheritances?
Enhancing the strength of their subdued mount or spirit beast was, for them, a roundabout way of strengthening themselves.
Someone asked, "Your pill is only Tier 2; does it have any effect on Tier 3 demon kings?"
Luo Chen nodded. "So long as the quality grade is high enough, it takes effect."
"Then what grade is your Emperor's Flowing Syrup?"
Luo Chen grinned and uncorked a jade vial, releasing a rich medicinal fragrance.
"Supreme grade!"
Smelling that medicinal fragrance, everyone was inwardly startled.
A Tier 2 supreme-grade pill possessed medicinal potency not inferior to an ordinary Tier 3 pill.
In terms of scarcity, it even surpassed standard Tier 3 pills.
A pill of this grade genuinely could affect a Tier 3 demon king. What was more, this rogue cultivator Luo Hai had stated that he possessed several bottles!
In the crowd, Wu Qi narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched.
Someone asked, "Then what do you want in return?"
Luo Chen restoppered the jade vial and announced clearly, "After forming my core, I have lacked defensive armaments, and by chance I obtained the carapace of a Tier 3 demon tortoise. Therefore, I wish to trade for a method of refining a defensive magic treasure using a demon tortoise carapace."
At these words, someone in the room chuckled softly.
"A mere few bottles of Tier 2 pills, high-grade though they may be, and you dare dream of trading for a method to refine a defensive magic treasure? Fellow Daoist Luo, you're indulging in wishful thinking."
Luo Chen took no offense. "I can make up the difference in spirit stones. The exact price can be discussed, and I will ensure my trading partner is satisfied."
At that, he coaxed persuasively, "Fellow Daoists, ordinary demon beasts are nothing special. But if one can obtain a great demon that has awakened its bloodline inheritance, its strength is in no way inferior to an orthodox Golden Core cultivator. What you surrender is merely a single refining method for a defensive magic treasure. This is undeniably a bargain with pure profit and no loss!"
These words struck a chord with many.
It was merely a refining method; how could that compare to a Golden Core combat asset?
Besides, giving it away didn't mean they couldn't use it themselves.
Moreover, Luo Chen had no feud with them, so it could hardly be called aiding an enemy.
While everyone hesitated, someone suddenly spoke up.
"I possess a complete method for refining a defensive magic treasure. In exchange for five bottles of your Emperor's Flowing Syrup, you need only compensate me with an additional two hundred thousand spirit stones. However, you must swear an oath not to pass this method on to others."
Luo Chen looked toward the voice. Amidst the crowd, Yu Gao stood tall like a crane.
With a wave of his hand, an iron slip flew toward Shan Shubao.
After Shan Shubao examined it, he nodded to Luo Chen. "It essentially meets your requirements."
A defensive magic treasure refining method from the Penglai Immortal Sect?
Luo Chen pursed his lips, then broke into a smile. "Deal!"
Chapter 575