Just as Now, Just as with This: I, Luo Chen, Will Not Yield!

The Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven stretched across an unknown expanse, its boundaries lost to sight. The scenery within was vivid and real, seemingly indistinguishable from the outside world. Five or six days had already passed since the start of the grand competition. Outside a certain mountain valley. Five or six Core Formation cultivators looked warily upon the scene inside the gorge, where a dozen or so white argali were leisurely dwelling. After observing for a while, they finally reached a decision. "We are not as formidable as Senior Brother Wang, who can hunt mirage beasts alone with a single sword. Working together is the better choice." "We lay down a formation first, then take them down one by one. Any objections?" "How will the mirage cores we secure be divided?" "Equally! If the count doesn't divide evenly, we will distribute them in turn and compensate in subsequent hunts. If someone is unfortunate enough to perish and be eliminated..." At this point, Changfengzi paused. Beside him, Wu Tao picked up the thread without hesitation. "Life and death are decreed by fate; wealth and honor reside with heaven. If someone falls, their share of the spoils will be divided among the survivors. But among companions, no one may ever resort to vile schemes to plot against another!" Changfengzi blinked in satisfaction, then turned to the other cultivators. "Do you agree to this plan?" Among the other four, Guan Xiaoping was the first to voice her assent. The remaining three hesitated for a moment before agreeing as well. Faintly, however, they clustered slightly closer together. The Liu, Guan, and Wu clans had always been on good terms. Even without resorting to underhanded tricks, their united strength was not something the three could stand against on their own. "Good. In that case, let us begin!" Changfengzi wasted no more breath. Taking out formation plates and formation flags, he handed them to the others to set up one by one. As for himself, holding a talisman, he flew cautiously into the air above the valley. Once everything was in position, he immediately stimulated the talisman with dharmic power. Guided by the talisman, silken threads flew in from all directions, enshrouding the entire valley. "Strike!" Changfengzi was the first to charge into the valley, and the others followed close behind, refusing to lag. Instantly, a tremendous clamor broke out inside the valley as magic treasures flew every which way. Amid the bursts of multicolor brilliance, vast clouds of white mist billowed outward. Yet just as the white mist was about to spill out of the valley, it was blocked by the pre-laid formation. Half an hour later. A visibly fatigued Changfengzi took out a gourd and uncorked its mouth toward the white mist drifting in midair. "Gather!" Wisps of white mist were drawn grudgingly into the gourd. After absorbing most of it, Changfengzi looked at the dense mist still lingering with a touch of dissatisfaction, but shaking the gourd and hearing the rhythmic clinking within, a smile spread across his face. Guan Xiaoping excitedly drew close. "Senior Brother, it looks like we will harvest over a dozen mirage cores this time!" Changfengzi stroked his flowing beard. "This is only the beginning." Wu Tao nodded with equal excitement. "Indeed, this is merely the start. We will collect far more mirage cores later!" The remaining two cultivators also walked over—though unlike the original three companions who had joined them, only two were left now. They exchanged glances, finding the loss hard to accept. It had only just begun, and one of them had already fallen. If they continued later on... They could no longer cooperate with these three! They had already faintly noticed earlier that while Changfengzi and his group had not engaged in outright treachery, they had visibly held back when coming to the aid of others. They were clearly calculating to wear down their partners to claim more mirage cores for themselves! The two met each other's eyes, reaching a tacit understanding. They would take their share of the spoils first, then part ways. When the time came, the two of them could cooperate, recruit other cultivators to hunt beasts together, and emulate the methods Changfengzi and the others had used. "Senior Brother, let us strike while the iron is hot and condense the remaining cloud qi into a mirage core as well!" "My thoughts exactly. However, the most formidable mirage beast here reached the late third rank. Condensing it will require some effort." So said Changfengzi. After resting briefly, he made a hand seal to drive the gourd and resumed drawing in the cloud qi in the valley. One core, two cores... More and more mirage cores condensed within the gourd until only the largest mass of cloud qi remained. Right at that moment— Rumble! A colossal teal-red hand reached down from the heavens. The formation shielding the valley stirred in response, attempting to bar it, but beneath the hand formed of boundless dharmic power, it disintegrated in an instant. Inside the valley, the faces of all five turned pale as paper. In his shock, Changfengzi blurted out, "The Qingyang Great Handprint!" The massive hand of condensed dharmic power possessed slender knuckles and lifelike palm lines. Clutching that largest mass of cloud qi, it drew back. High in the sky. Fu Qinglan watched with astonishment as the man beside her executed this spell—unleashed in a flash, without the slightest mundane ostentation. Could someone truly cultivate a spell to such effortless mastery, directed entirely by a whim? Luo Chen opened his right palm, revealing a tiny white pellet shaped like a date pit. "Is this the core of a mirage beast?" Having traveled at an unhurried pace for five days from the outer fringes into the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven, he had finally encountered a mirage beast. Someone had even helped shatter its true body beforehand, saving him unnecessary trouble. Fu Qinglan smiled faintly. "This is merely a third-rank mirage beast; it cannot condense a core on its own. To me, it is of no use whatsoever. But in the outside world, skilled artisans of our sect can use it to craft magic treasures, pills, talismans, and the like. Magic treasures forged from it generate vast illusions in particular, making them exceptionally suited for low-tier disciples to temper their Dao hearts." Luo Chen gazed at the mirage core in his hand, a contemplative look appearing on his face. He remembered clearly that years ago, he had picked up a treasure from a street stall in Tianlan Immortal City. Its name was the Ghost-God Heart-Questioning Mirror! Though it was only a damaged magic treasure, it remained one of the rare instances in his life where he had stumbled upon an overlooked gem. Feeling the bizarre power within this mirage core now and connecting it to Fu Qinglan's words, he faintly sensed that the primary material used to forge the Ghost-God Heart-Questioning Mirror might very well be the inner core of such mirage beasts. If so, the relationship between Ghost-God Valley—the great Core Formation sect of the Eastern Desolation—and the Central Plains' Tianyuan Dao Sect became all the more intriguing. Then his thoughts shifted. If he were to refine such a mirage core himself, how would he proceed? In the Dao of Artifact Crafting, Luo Chen possessed a fair degree of skill. In mere moments, he conceived several formations suited to be etched upon this core. Paired with a suitable medium and soul-path methods, he might well recreate the wonders of the Ghost-God Heart-Questioning Mirror. Fu Qinglan did not interrupt Luo Chen's contemplation. Later, hunting mirage beasts and harvesting mirage cores would require his strength. The more familiar he became with such things, the smoother matters would proceed later. Down below, however, the people could wait no longer. Gritting his teeth, Changfengzi looked up and called out, "Martial Aunt Fu, Sen—Senior Luo, that is our spoil of battle!" Luo Chen glanced at him, unmoved. Fu Qinglan smiled. "Fret not. Daoist Brother Luo is merely curious upon seeing one for the first time. He will return it to you at once." Then she lowered her voice to Luo Chen. "Third-rank mirage cores are of no use to me; only fourth-rank ones can aid my cultivation. If Daoist Brother wishes to study such items, after the competition concludes, I can exchange for a few from the sect on your behalf." Luo Chen gave an acknowledging hum and tossed it down. In the valley, Changfengzi hurriedly caught this highest-grade mirage core. When he looked up again, the two figures in the sky had already vanished. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his two fellow disciples beside him were already impatient to divide the mirage cores. Changfengzi raised no objections, dividing the other mirage cores among them and keeping only the one Luo Chen had helped condense. "Changfengzi, our cooperation ends here!" "Farewell!" Taken aback, Changfengzi had no time to urge them to stay before the two hurried away. Guan Xiaoping wrinkled her small nose. "Those two don't know what's good for them." Changfengzi waved a hand. "No matter. Let them go. When we run into other sect members later, we can invite them to join us and hunt mirage beasts together." Wu Tao chuckled. "Exactly. With their help, hunting mirage beasts is so much easier for us. Once we have enough, we'll leave the grotto-heaven. When the time comes, our ranking in the grand competition will definitely be higher than theirs." Changfengzi smiled and nodded, though his smile was quite forced. He knew very well how formidable the formation he had laid above the valley was. It was a powerful formation capable of withstanding a full blow from a fourth-rank mirage beast! Yet beneath Luo Chen's plain, unassuming palm strike, it had offered not the slightest resistance. *The Demonic Lord Qingyang of the past has actually grown this powerful. If the Clan Head encounters him, will everything truly be fine?* …… Passing beyond the valley, Luo Chen and Fu Qinglan advanced toward the center of the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven. Under the sweep of his divine sense, every word spoken in the valley reached his ears. He had naturally recognized Changfengzi and the other two old acquaintances from the Northern Sea at first glance. Back then, the three had seemed rather green. Now, having journeyed to the Northern Sea and returned, their cultivation had not advanced by much, but their combat experience and shrewd scheming were somewhat impressive. Indeed, just as he had previously judged. These younger-generation disciples of the Tianyuan Dao Sect had received excellent instruction from childhood and built solid foundations; with only a bit of tempering, they could stand out. By comparison, in the Luotian Sect he had once managed, even Qi Refining disciples had been thrown onto the battlefield—truly pulling up sprouts to help them grow. Yet halfway through his reflection, Luo Chen let out a chuckle. Circumstances differed then, and what a colossal titan the Tianyuan Dao Sect was! How could a trifling Luotian Sect ever possess the resources to nurture disciples in such a manner? His self-reflection was somewhat laughable. Fu Qinglan did not know why he laughed out of nowhere, continuing instead to brief him on the general state of the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven. "In the outer perimeter of the grotto-heaven, vast numbers of low-rank mirage beasts lurk, but these are not our targets." "Fourth-rank mirage beasts are what truly matter!" "Yet mirage beasts are entirely different from the demon beasts seen outside. Formed from the qi of the Mirage Dragon, they gather and disperse without form, their traces erratic. The more formidable the mirage beast, the less likely it is to gather in packs. They are scattered across the interior of the grotto-heaven, lying dormant." "Finding a fourth-rank mirage beast is the foremost difficulty." "And once found, slaying it and claiming its core is even more troublesome. When the time comes, I will need Daoist Brother to exert your strength." Luo Chen's expression remained composed. Gazing out over the myriad peaks and valleys, his face was calm with confidence. "If even a late third-rank mirage beast only has that level of strength, ordinary fourth-rank mirage beasts will be no trouble at all for me." Fu Qinglan's eyes lit up. "If so, I leave it in your capable hands, Daoist Brother." She felt more and more that her grandfather's choice of this man as her Dao Protector had been the most correct decision possible. Her former doubts had long since dissolved into thin air. …… "Xiao Fan, are you certain there is a fourth-rank mirage beast in this forest?" "Without a doubt!" Outside a dense forest, two figures stood side by side. One had sharp brows and bright eyes, carrying a longsword on his back. The other possessed exceptionally lively features, appearing as young as a youth. Lin Bufan looked at the forest before them and spoke with measured ease. "When the Alchemy Saint cultivated atop Heaven and Earth Peak to prepare for her ascension, she drew in boundless spiritual opportunities. Though I could not capture that opportunity myself, I remembered the feeling. Later, I lingered on Heaven and Earth Peak for nearly half a year and grew thoroughly familiar with the sensations when those spiritual opportunities appeared." "When the Alchemy Saint ascended, the spiritual opportunities she drew in were intercepted by the Sect Master. A portion of them was actually cast into the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven by him!" "All those well-hidden fourth-rank mirage beasts have awakened to absorb those spiritual opportunities!" "Jingtang, make your move!" Lin Jingtang placed great trust in this figure who was like a younger brother to him. Setting aside combat prowess and cultivation realm, the other's talent in cultivation was something he could never match. If he said a fourth-rank mirage beast was within, there was substance to his words. He slowly drew the longsword from his back. "In that case, let me flush it out and claim its core for your cultivation, helping you advance a step further on the great Dao to Soul Formation!" As he spoke, he stepped into the verdant forest. The moment he entered, the creatures within sensed his chilling killing intent. In an instant, rustling vines shot out in droves from above and below. Undaunted, Lin Jingtang swung his sword continuously, scattering sword lights that shattered every vine. He forged ahead, with Lin Bufan following close behind. Before long— "There!" "To think it disguised itself so well!" Lin Jingtang praised in admiration as his sword slashed diagonally, sending a massive arc of sword light shearing toward a withered tree. At that very instant, the withered tree abruptly came to life! A branch swept across the air, swatting out. Its tremendous force shattered the sword light directly. Moreover, countless more branches surged upward, blotting out the sky and veiling the entire forest. Lin Jingtang drew a deep breath. "Xiao Fan, fall back a bit. This thing is troublesome, and it seems unaffected by my Nascent Soul domain. I'll need to expend some effort to deal with it." Lin Bufan nodded and hastily retreated a distance. With no need to protect him, Lin Jingtang no longer held back, unleashing the full extent of his abilities. Terrifying fluctuations of dharmic power erupted throughout the vast forest. …… Clang! With the toll of a bell, the ancient forest stretching a hundred li crumbled into powder at a speed visible to the naked eye. Amid the swirling dust, a streak of white light darted out. The next moment, Lin Jingtang, with his sharp brows and bright eyes, soared into the sky, holding aloft a golden-yellow bell. "Where do you think you're going?!" The bell radiated golden radiance, shining upon the white light from afar and leaving it nowhere to hide. Supporting the bell, Lin Jingtang trailed from behind, keeping it firmly locked within range of his divine sense. One fled and one pursued in relentless chase. Until suddenly, another vast divine sense, radiant as the midday sun, appeared in Lin Jingtang's perception. His expression changed drastically, and he bellowed, "How dare you!" What answered him was a soft chuckle. "Why wouldn't I dare? A treasure such as this naturally belongs to whoever is fated to claim it." Lin Jingtang's face turned livid. In his divine sense, a thousand li away, a white-robed, gray-haired middle-aged man reached out a hand toward the white light from afar. Amid the boundless clouds, an enormous, heaven-vaulting claw manifested. Lin Jingtang's pupils contracted. Was this a spell? Or a physical martial technique? Yet a sneer soon curled upon his lips. If the man thought he could subdue a fourth-rank mirage beast with just that, he was sorely mistaken. Sure enough, though the colossal claw emerging from the clouds clearly caught the white light, white cloud qi seeped out through the gaps of its fingers in an instant. The escaping cloud qi reconvened into one in the blink of an eye. Luo Chen uttered a faint sound of surprise. Even his full-power Cloud-Seeking Divine Claw couldn't hold this heavily injured fourth-rank mirage beast? However, he was by no means unprepared. With a single thought, his Nascent Soul domain enshrouded heaven and earth. Yet the white light's fleeing speed remained unchanged, completely unaffected. Luo Chen's brow furrowed. Even a Nascent Soul domain was useless? "What kind of creature is this mirage beast? It seems I'll have to show some real ability." Without any overt movement, he merely raised his right hand before his chest and formed an incantation seal. The next moment, five-colored radiance surged from his body, transforming in an instant into thick, crimson chains. "Bind!" With a low bark, nine crimson chains plunged directly into the void, locking down the white light. No matter how violently it struggled, it could not break free. Ultimately, it revealed its true form—a white, withered tree. *A fourth-rank mirage beast of such appearance?* Amid Luo Chen's surprise, a handsome man arrived before him. Looking at the great bell, realization dawned upon him. "The Panic Bell... You are Lin Bufan's Dao Protector, Lin Jingtang?" Lin Jingtang first glanced at the withered tree mirage beast held by the nine crimson chains, deeply astonished. Since his lifebound magic treasure, the Panic Bell, had been promoted to a True Artifact, its suppressing power had increased dramatically. It was precisely for this reason that the Clan Head had specifically dispatched him to serve as Lin Bufan's Dao Protector, making it easy to suppress and harvest mirage cores. Yet to think that a mirage beast he had failed to suppress despite straining with all his might had been captured by the other man with what seemed like a casual technique. His gaze finally settled on the white-robed, gray-haired man. "Desolate Hermit!" "Since you know I protect Lin Bufan, you should know that Xiao Fan and Fu Qinglan, whom you protect, are good friends." "Since they are friends, how could you brazenly snatch away what is theirs?" Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" Behind him, Fu Qinglan's figure slowly emerged. According to their agreement, all matters concerning combat were Luo Chen's call. Yet when it involved her friend... Fu Qinglan nodded. "Little Lin is indeed on good terms with me. Since they discovered this mirage beast first, let us yield it to—" Luo Chen laughed. He laughed dismissively, his mirth dripping with mockery. Lin Jingtang, who had just begun to relax, suddenly had an ill premonition. And sure enough! "If it is a friend, you yield. Then what if it were your fellow disciples? Would you yield to them as well?" "What if it were the Three Sons of the Great Houses, especially Shi Ju? Would you yield to him too?" "This item concerns your opportunity for Soul Formation, yet you would hand it over on a silver platter?" "Fu Qinglan, since you shoulder the duty of reviving your clan, you ought to know that in many moments, many things can never be conceded." "Just as now! Just as with this very thing!" Luo Chen, who had remained calm and detached ever since arriving in the Central Plains, appeared exceptionally overbearing and sharp at this moment. Every harsh word, every pointed question caught Fu Qinglan completely off guard. Clatter, clatter... The nine crimson chains dragged the withered tree mirage beast toward Luo Chen, while his fingers already formed an incantation seal, his eyes brimming with chilling resolve. "Since I am her Dao Protector, then within this grotto-heaven, when it comes to anything concerning her great Dao, I, Luo Chen, will not yield!"