Cultivating immortality was not merely about fighting and killing.
Cultivation realm was the foundation of everything.
The original purpose behind the Mountain Breaker Gang's founding was for rogue cultivators to secure cultivation resources.
The death battles on the Dao Discussion Platform might look glorious on the surface, but if one were to ask the eighteen participants again, how many had truly been willing to fight?
Hardly more than could be counted on one hand.
This was especially true for Han Dang, the Heart-Devouring Tiger at the perfection of Qi Refinement, and Gao Tingyuan, the River-Stirring Dragon with promising hopes of Foundation Establishment.
With one dead and the other crippled, neither would ever again reach the finer scenery further along the Great Dao.
Given another choice, both would surely have refused without hesitation.
Of course, that assumed they had the power to refuse.
Above them stood the two Foundation Establishment masters, Mi Shuhua and Wang Haichao.
Why had those two expended so much blood and sweat—recruiting men and bestowing superior-grade artifacts—all to win this deadly contest?
Was it not ultimately for their own interests?
And those interests were, in truth, resources for their own cultivation.
In a sense, this life-and-death match was actually a contest between the two men's personal Great Daos.
It was only that both valued their own lives, choosing instead to wage it through the hands of their subordinates.
Luo Chen could now be considered an official member of the Mountain Breaker Gang.
Naturally, he had not come to fight and kill.
He simply wanted to lean against a big tree and cultivate in peace.
Yet even under the shelter of a great tree, one had to find the right position so as not to end up as cannon fodder.
Therefore, after inquiring into the gang's circumstances, he had already reached a decision in his heart.
...
Late at night, Wang Yuan approached Luo Chen, who had just finished his cultivation, with an impassive expression.
Watching Luo Chen draw in his breath and steady his aura after finishing his exercises, Wang Yuan could not help but nod.
"Fifth layer of Qi Refinement. It seems you haven't neglected your foundational cultivation technique."
Luo Chen smiled faintly.
Wang Yuan let out a sigh, and for some reason, an unmistakable trace of envy surfaced in his gaze toward Luo Chen.
"Brother Wang, what's wrong?"
Luo Chen could not figure out what was on his mind. Hadn't he won today?
Not only had he stepped into the limelight and made a name for himself before tens of thousands of spectators, but he had also left his name on the Prodigy Roll.
People at the other Dao Discussion Platforms across the Jade Cauldron Domain would likely take notice of him as well.
On top of that, he had claimed the wealth of that blood dao cultivator, making quite a fortune.
Upon their return, when merits were rewarded, his contribution was easily on par with Qin Liangchen's—perhaps he had even gotten his hands on that Foundation Establishment Pill.
Could it be...?
Gang Leader Mi Shuhua hadn't given him the Foundation Establishment Pill, but gave it to Big Brother Qin instead?
In that fleeting moment, thoughts raced through Luo Chen's mind.
Wang Yuan walked out of the room into the courtyard.
"Following this battle, the Mountain Breaker Gang has gained tremendously. It has solidified its position as the top gang in Dahe Market and begun extending its reach into business on the Lancang River. From here on, the gang's growth will only accelerate."
"Yeah."
That was only natural; Luo Chen understood it perfectly well even without Wang Yuan saying so.
"Yet the losses are heavy as well. The deaths of Heart-Devouring Tiger, Ravine-Leaping Tiger, and Wind-Forest Tiger have left three power vacuums in the Seven Tigers Hall.
"Xu Renke's death leaves me as the sole remaining protector below Foundation Establishment. The gang's peak combat strength has taken a hit too."
Luo Chen nodded; he was aware of this as well.
There were losses, but as far as Wang Yuan personally was concerned, wouldn't his status only rise?
His future treatment would surely be even better.
Wang Yuan continued, "Leader Mi held a meeting tonight and set new regulations. Zeng Wen is returning to the Seven Tigers Hall, joining Luo Wudi the Mountain-Descending Tiger and Yang Wei the Coiled-Dragon Tiger to form the three combat halls.
"Murong Qinglian will serve as Master of the Medicine Hall.
"Ke Yuelin will serve as Master of the Beast Hall.
"Leader Mi's daughter, Mi Junping, will serve as Master of the Merit Hall, overseeing personnel and meritorious deeds.
"The master of the Mining Hall remains undecided. Over the next five days, internal martial trials will be held to select the new hall master.
"The position of protector has been abolished, replaced by the newly created posts of four elders. Myself, Qin Liangchen, Luo Wudi, and a respected senior veteran of the gang will serve together as the four elders."
A cascade of personnel appointments came from Wang Yuan's mouth without the slightest attempt to hide anything from Luo Chen.
Luo Chen listened quietly, nodding from time to time.
From the looks of it, the biggest winners of this battle were Big Brother Qin and his wife.
Previously, they had only run small businesses within the gang, but now one was the Master of the Medicine Hall and the other had become an elder.
Still, this was likely of their own initiative.
Their son, Xiaohu, had gone off to cultivate in a great sect.
Word had it that competition was fierce in such sects. If his family could provide some resources, Xiaohu could gain an edge among his peers.
Standing out to become an inner disciple, or even a true disciple of the Luoyun Sect, was not out of the question.
The couple was fighting and scraping for their son's sake!
The return of his regular customer, Zeng Wen, to the Seven Tigers Hall came as a surprise.
Didn't that fellow only take action when short on spirit stones?
Had he decided to stop slacking off now?
Mi Junping?
Mi Shuhua's daughter?
Now taking charge of the Merit Hall... It seemed that after this campaign, Mi Shuhua's grip on the Mountain Breaker Gang had tightened considerably.
As for opening up the position of Mining Hall Master, it was probably meant to placate any discontent among the rank and file.
Still... elder?
Luo Chen said in surprise, "With the protector position abolished, wouldn't your status have effectively dropped, Brother Wang?"
Wang Yuan nodded, then shook his head.
"I don't care about that. What I care about is another matter."
"What is it?"
"The gang leader wants me to assemble a team to take over the Lancang waterway handed over by the Great River Gang—a water route leading to Taishan Market."
Luo Chen blinked.
What did that mean?
First trimming his status, then compensating with an honorable title of elder, and finally giving him real power by placing him in command of a new outfit.
For a moment, Luo Chen grew suspicious of Gang Leader Mi Shuhua's various appointments.
Did he genuinely trust Wang Yuan's capabilities, or did he want to sideline him from the core of the Mountain Breaker Gang's power, shunting him off to a river transport business with which the gang was utterly unfamiliar?
Suddenly, Luo Chen hit upon the key issue.
"Brother Wang, who did the leader give that Foundation Establishment Pill to?"
"Nominally, to Qin Liangchen. After all, I am at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement while he is at the ninth. His merit in this battle was no less than mine."
"What do you mean by 'nominally'?"
"Qin Liangchen lost an arm during the battle. Although the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect agreed to graft a new one for him, whether the new limb will harmonize with his original body and whether it will hinder his advancement to Foundation Establishment remains uncertain."
Wang Yuan's eyes grew deep. "So the gang leader said he will give it to Qin Liangchen once he reaches the perfection of Qi Refinement. For now, claiming to fear someone harboring ill intentions, he is safekeeping the Foundation Establishment Pill on Qin Liangchen's behalf."
Luo Chen frowned.
So after all that, the Foundation Establishment Pill hadn't actually been handed out!
What was more, outsiders could hardly criticize such a move.
Mi Shuhua was merely holding it for Qin Liangchen to prevent him from becoming a target of greed, promising to hand it over once his cultivation was perfected.
Yet with time, who could say whether the new arm would impair his cultivation, or whether the pill would truly be delivered when the time came?
Glancing at the brooding look in Wang Yuan's eyes, Luo Chen suddenly understood what Wang Yuan meant by caring about "another matter."
Mi Shuhua seemed different from before!
Or perhaps he had never changed at all—merely hidden it too well all along.
"Do you know why I had you join the Mountain Breaker Gang this time?"
The conversation took a sudden turn.
Caught off guard, Luo Chen thought for a moment before saying, "Because you need a helper, Brother Wang? And my cultivation is passably presentable now? We know each other well, so you wanted me to come in and give you a hand."
"Mm."
Wang Yuan gave a slight nod, then added, "There is another point. Gao Tingyuan's dantian was damaged and his sea of qi breached. He has no further hope of Foundation Establishment. Driven to desperation, he might very well act rashly and come after you for revenge for his brother.
"Joining the Mountain Breaker Gang will make him wary, to some degree."
Luo Chen parted his lips, his eyes flickering.
With his prior limited perspective, he truly hadn't thought of that.
Thinking it over carefully, if he were in Gao Tingyuan's position—with all hope on the Great Dao severed—avenging his only kin would undoubtedly consume his thoughts.
"Brother Wang, thank you."
He expressed his gratitude with heartfelt sincerity.
Wang Yuan waved his hand. "In the Mountain Breaker Gang, aside from the former protectors, everyone must join a hall to work.
"So right now, you have two choices. One is to come with me and make a living out on the great rivers.
"The other is to stay behind in one of the gang's seven halls."
Facing these two choices, Luo Chen blinked, his mind already set.
Fearing he might not grasp the pros and cons, Wang Yuan took the trouble to explain, "If you come with me, you won't have to worry about anyone in the gang giving you trouble. It might be rough in the beginning, but once you get the hang of work on the water, you're bound to make good earnings.
"If you stay in those halls, my word won't carry much weight. Those hall masters all have greater seniority than me.
"Have you thought it through?"
Luo Chen nodded firmly. "I choose to stay in the Medicine Hall among the seven halls."
"I almost forgot, you and the Qin couple are neighbors."
Wang Yuan smiled faintly, then patted Luo Chen's shoulder.
"That works too. Staying in the gang, you can keep an eye on things for me and let me know if anything happens."
Grinning, Luo Chen bared his clean white teeth and gave a chuckle. "The two of us—one on the inside, one on the outside. We'll build our strength, expand our reach, and forge greater glory!"
Chapter 66