Their Designs on Me Are Far From Dead!

Outside, the sunlight was blazing hot; inside the hall, figures were sparse. Yet despite the small number of people present, the faint, shimmering auras radiating between them were suffocating, like a boundless ocean. Luo Chen swept his gaze across the room, smiled, and strode in openly and unhurriedly. Faced with those surging auras, he felt not the slightest pressure. For he too was now a Nascent Soul True Person. He was no longer that junior who had to walk on eggshells before Nascent Soul cultivators, terrified of uttering a single wrong word. "Fellow Daoist Luo, please take a seat!" Castellan Lingtian pointed, making a welcoming gesture. The seat he pointed to was inside the hall, directly beneath his own on the prime position to the left. Such high regard drew sideways glances. Yet no one questioned it. Luo Chen's earlier feat of refining Old Ghost Motian's natal True Artifact in the blink of an eye was more than enough to earn him that seat. Luo Chen calmly sat down. The atmosphere in the hall eased slightly after he took his seat, and with Castellan Lingtian's hearty laugh, it relaxed considerably more. "Fellow Daoist Luo, you have only recently... returned to the Eastern Desolation, so you are likely unfamiliar with the people and matters here. If you do not mind, allow this castellan to make the introductions!" Luo Chen had long learned from True Person Xianhe that Castellan Lingtian was a warm-hearted, chivalrous figure with a vast circle of friends. It was precisely because of this temperament that the Mingyuan Sect had appointed him castellan of Lingtian Pass to command the gathered heroes. Now that the host was offering introductions, Luo Chen naturally would not decline. "I shall trouble the Castellan, then." "Haha!" Castellan Lingtian laughed warmly, then gestured with his right hand toward an elderly man in his twilight years. "This is Elder Fu, Ancestor of the Divine Talisman Sect. You must have heard his grand name." The former master of the Divine Talisman Domain among the Far East's Six Domains? Luo Chen cupped his hands. "Elder Fu's great name has thundered in my ears ever since Luo was a mere loose cultivator." Elder Fu had been staring at Luo Chen with keen curiosity. Hearing Luo Chen's flattery, he chuckled and shook his head. "I have merely lived a few centuries longer, that is all. On the other hand, True Person Luo... when your name first rose to prominence barely a century ago, you were only at Foundation Establishment, were you not?" Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. "Elder Fu has heard of my story?" "Foremost Foundation Establishment cultivator of Jade Cauldron—I have heard a little. Seeing you today proves your reputation was well-earned. Attaining the Nascent Soul realm at the age of two hundred... your talent is exceedingly rare in this world!" The moment these words fell, everyone in the hall changed color. Gaze after gaze could not help but fixate on Luo Chen's remarkably youthful countenance. Indeed! Even though Luo Chen's eyes were deep and his bearing carried the weathered weight of time—no different from their own—that excessively youthful face and his sharp, unbridled aura remained completely at odds with everyone present. Such a presence belonged only to the legendary supreme prodigies! Luo Chen openly met their gazes. From the moment he decided to return to the Eastern Desolation, he had prepared himself in every regard. He could have used an aged appearance to conceal certain things. Yet there was no need! Anyone who cared to investigate would eventually uncover when he had attained the Nascent Soul Dao. Trying to cover it up would only make him appear petty. On the contrary, the more extraordinary he appeared, the more it would tie the hands of the petty figures lurking in the dark. "I merely survived a great catastrophe and was blessed with boundless fortune afterward!" Luo Chen spoke with modest words that nonetheless subtly hinted at deeper truths. Sure enough! His face pale, Old Ghost Motian could not wait to demand, "How did you survive Mount Cangwu, and how did you escape?" Luo Chen glanced at him without offering an explanation. The others assumed he was merely angry about Old Ghost Motian's covert schemes against Wang Yuan and therefore refused to answer. Castellan Lingtian seized the moment to introduce the others. "The First Palace Master of Fenghua Palace, Fairy Fenghua!" The world had long forgotten Fairy Fenghua's original name. Ever since she became a Supreme Elder of Fenghua Palace, she had inherited the Daoist title Fenghua. Seeing Luo Chen's gaze turn toward her, she was about to speak when she saw Luo Chen stand up first and give her a solemn bow. "True Person Luo, what is the meaning of this...?" "Luo expresses his gratitude to Fairy for looking after the cultivators of the Luotian Sect during my absence." Grudges were grudges, and kindness was kindness; Luo Chen had always kept them strictly separate. Even offering thanks and bowing under the eyes of the crowd did not make him feel inferior in the least. The onlookers also realized that beneath his razor-sharp edge and ruthless demeanor, this Luo Chen was not entirely devoid of warmth and courtesy. Seeing this, Castellan Lingtian grew even more pleased. "Here at Lingtian Pass, five Nascent Soul True Persons are stationed year-round. When an enemy attack occurs, we can summon fellow Daoists from across the Five Domains, sometimes gathering more than ten. A pity that many fellow Daoists are away today; otherwise, I would have introduced them all to you. "Now, this one here, like you, Fellow Daoist Luo, is a rare cultivation genius in the Eastern Desolation. Under three hundred years of age, he has already congealed a Nascent Soul and stepped onto the supreme sword path." Just as Castellan Lingtian pointed toward a somber middle-aged man who resembled a dust-covered precious sword, Luo Chen smiled. Though his bearing had drastically changed, his face still bore familiar traces. "Fellow Daoist Lin, I trust you have been well!" Lin Qingxuan—the foremost Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Jade Cauldron Domain before Luo Chen, who had reigned atop the Jade Cauldron Prodigy Roll at the Foundation Establishment stage for years. Only after Luo Chen formed his core had the two met during the opening war. Yet as Luo Chen departed for the Great Snow Mountain, they had never seen each other again. A century later, the Jade Cauldron Domain had fallen, and the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect had shattered into pieces. Lin Qingxuan had drifted with the surviving disciples, struggling to survive. Perhaps having witnessed so many companions constantly perishing around him, his sword heart had grown ever purer, and his sword path had advanced with terrifying speed. By now, through countless battles against both demons and humans, he had carved out the title "Solitary Wild Goose of the Sword Realm"! Facing Luo Chen's greeting, Lin Qingxuan's expression was conflicted, tinged with a hint of curiosity. "Fellow Daoist Luo, after a century apart, you truly inspire awe!" Luo Chen smiled lightly. "The title Solitary Wild Goose of the Sword Realm reached my ears the moment Luo arrived in the White Crane Domain. Fellow Daoist Lin, you have not lagged behind in the least." The White Crane Domain! Lin Qingxuan's expression shifted slightly. Taking a deep breath, he looked straight at Luo Chen. "Regarding the battle at the Great Snow Mountain back then, what truly happened? I ask Fellow Daoist to resolve my doubts!" The Jade Cauldron Sword Sect's sole Nascent Soul cultivator—Perfected Jade Cauldron—had been pursued eighty thousand li from the Great Snow Mountain by Demon Emperor Qingshuang before finally being slain beneath Mount Thunder Accumulation's Nine Peaks. It was from that very moment that the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect plunged into irreversible decline. Faced with this question, Luo Chen lifted his robe and sat straight back down. "The events of that year are like a tangled mess of hemp—impossible to untangle, impossible to explain clearly. Though Luo witnessed a few things, bound by my cultivation at the time, what I knew was merely the tip of the iceberg. How could I resolve Fellow Daoist's doubts?" Lin Qingxuan frowned deeply; he heard the perfunctory brush-off in Luo Chen's words. Did he truly not know? Or was he displeased because Lin Qingxuan had sent his disciple Hongling to intervene in the Luotian Sect's internal strife, and thus deliberately withheld the truth? Yet right now, whether Luo Chen spoke or not was hardly up to Luo Chen alone. He glanced toward Castellan Lingtian. Castellan Lingtian, however, seemed utterly oblivious to his gaze. Instead, he asked Luo Chen, "As for the remaining two fellow Daoists, I presume there is no need for introductions?" The remaining two: True Person Shenhuo and Old Ghost Motian. Luo Chen nodded. He needed no introduction, but those two clearly had no intention of letting matters rest. Old Ghost Motian said with bitter hatred, "Today, Luo Chen disregarded the rules and barged onto the Battle Arena. Not only did he ruin the Ten Duels of Decision, but he also murdered Yin Sixiang and destroyed the natal True Artifact this old man spent centuries refining. Castellan Lingtian, I ask you to uphold justice in this matter and force Luo Chen to provide an explanation!" "I have not even held you accountable for bewitching people and causing chaos within my sect, yet you have the audacity to make the first accusation?" Luo Chen's brow hardened with murderous intent as he fixed a dead glare upon the old man. "Besides, you were the ones who broke the rules first!" Old Ghost Motian slammed the table. "A mouth full of sophistry and slick words! Your Luotian disciples received the Five Elements Divine Sect's deep grace and enjoyed our protection for thirty years. Yet later, you proved ungrateful, turning around to throw yourselves at Fenghua Palace. No matter where you take this matter, you cannot utter a single word of justification!" Luo Chen gave no ground. "And what does that have to do with your Motian Cliff?" "You!" Old Ghost Motian pointed his right finger at Luo Chen, shaking almost uncontrollably, his lips quivering as his beard twitched wildly. With slightly reddened eyes, he looked toward the red-robed old man beside him. "Shenhuo, say something!" To lose his composure to such a degree was beneath a True Person! Yet when the onlookers considered that his natal True Artifact had been destroyed and his soul injured by the backlash, they could hardly sneer at his inability to control his fury. Moreover, beyond Elder Fu, the Palace Master, and the others using this gathering to meet Luo Chen, the primary purpose of this small meeting at the Castellan Manor was to resolve the matter of the Ten Duels of Decision. Faced with his ally's furious outburst, True Person Shenhuo—who had earlier been incandescent with rage over the death of his prized disciple—was now eerily calm. "Sixiang's defeat is down to his misfortune. "Luotian's wavering is nothing more than birds scattering when catastrophe strikes. "Yet through all of this, my Divine Sect's face has been swept into the dirt. Shenhuo lacks the authority to resolve this grudge, but our sect's ancestor will certainly seek out Fellow Daoist Luo in person to demand an explanation!" As True Person Shenhuo spoke, Old Ghost Motian listened with mounting disbelief. Yet when that final sentence fell, wild joy surfaced on his face. The others grew solemn. Ancestor Shenyuan of the Five Elements Divine Sect was a late Nascent Soul grand cultivator! If he intervened personally, no matter how arrogant and overbearing Luo Chen had appeared before, the colossal gap in cultivation realm would reduce him to nothing more than a clown on a stage. To this, Luo Chen laughed loudly and stood up. "Haha! Luo shall wait for your ancestor to come find me! I have matters to attend to, so I will not waste time idling with you all." With that, he made a Daoist salute toward Castellan Lingtian, Elder Fu, and the others, then strode out the door. Throughout the entire process, no one moved to stop him. Castellan Lingtian, in particular, carried a look of admiration. Reaching the entrance, the man paused and looked back. "Once I have sorted out the trivia within my sect, I shall host a banquet. When that time comes, I ask that everyone grant me some face and come share a cup of wine." Creak... The grand doors opened, and sunlight poured in once more. The man returned into the broad daylight, walking away upright and unburdened. Only the people inside the hall were left exchanging glances. Castellan Lingtian smiled and called after him: "I will certainly attend!" *** Beyond the western gate at the rear of Lingtian Pass, a cloud carriage took to the skies after clearing inspection. "Longyu, I leave the piloting to you." "Mm-hmm! I haven't even seen most of the formations on this cloud carriage. They don't seem to be in the Eastern Desolation's style!" Delighted by the new toy, Min Longyu could not resist feeling along the unfamiliar formations on the Six Chariots Flying Cloud Carriage. Although he was overjoyed by Luo Chen's return, he understood that now was not the time for him to catch up on the past, so he diverted his attention. Before leaving, Luo Chen suddenly stopped him. "Your..." He pointed to his own head. Min Longyu instinctively touched his hair—a head of silver-white, withered and dry. For a cultivator who was not advanced in years, this was exceedingly rare. Min Longyu was not very old—barely past two hundred and sixty, at the early Core Formation stage. Crucially, the Luotian Sect had always maintained a tradition of concocting Youth Retaining Pills; he had no reason to appear so aged. Min Longyu gave an easygoing smile. "I became obsessed while researching formations and ended up like this by accident. It's nothing serious." With that, he turned and went on his way. Watching his retreating back, Luo Chen parted his lips, words catching in his throat. Just how much mental exhaustion would it take to turn a cultivator who had taken Youth Retaining Pills completely white-haired and prematurely aged? With a soft sigh, Luo Chen strolled to the railing, gazing at the scenery rushing backward below, his thoughts churning. *According to Zhaowu of the White Crane Sect, Lin Qingxuan obtained the Wan Jian Pavilion's aid in an attempt to usurp the White Crane Domain. But because the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect was too weak and the Wan Jian Pavilion could not openly dispatch men, they allied with the Five Elements Divine Sect, which had once shared the Far East's Six Domains with them. In exchange, Sword Sect cultivators were dispatched to participate in the Ten Duels of Decision.* *The Solitary Wild Goose of the Sword Realm is not the primary enemy!* *Old Ghost Motian had his True Artifact destroyed, so he will certainly bear a bitter grudge against me. But he was already an open enemy. Since I have offended him, I might as well offend him to the death. I do not regret destroying his True Artifact with Wither-Bloom True Fire. If anything, he should rejoice that I stayed my hand from taking his life!* *Yet the Five Elements Divine Sect was actually willing to shelter the Luotian Sect for decades?* *Just now, that fellow Shenhuo deliberately chose not to pursue my overbearing actions. He must be plotting something.* *Connecting this with what Vice Hall Master Youquan of Duzhen Hall said at Mount Cangwu back then—after she soul-searched Jin Buque, she discovered that old monster of the Five Elements Divine Sect sought to use my five-element root physique to reverse-refine a Primordial Fetal Dao Body to ascend to the Soul Formation stage.* *Looking at it now, their designs on my constitution are far from dead!* Luo Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. If there were things he worried about upon returning to the Eastern Desolation, there were only two. First was accountability from the Eastern Desolation's sacred land, the Mingyuan Sect; second was that late Nascent Soul old fossil of the Five Elements Divine Sect. For the former, he was already prepared, waiting at any time for the sacred land's emissaries. As for the latter... That monster had plotted against him back then, and later even assembled a lineup of three late Nascent Soul cultivators to assault Mount Cangwu. Even after Luo Chen vanished, they had seized control of the Luotian Sect, waiting for him to walk right into their hands. Now, True Person Shenhuo's ambiguous attitude made everything crystal clear. *Perhaps at this moment, I am still no match for a grand cultivator. But so long as my preparations are thorough, he will not dare move against me out in the open.* *And if he launches a covert strike... then I would like to see whether their Divine Sect's secret art is superior, or my Wither-Bloom Divine Fire is more potent!* Suddenly, Luo Chen's narrowed eyes softened, revealing a touch of tenderness. A graceful figure stepped out from within the carriage cabin. "Aren't you going to see him?" "No. Take him back and let Huiniang deal with him!" "Huiniang..." The woman sighed softly, leaning gently against Luo Chen's shoulder. "How have you been these past hundred years?" Luo Chen stroked her hair, catching the delicate fragrance lingering between her tresses. "Now that I have returned, naturally, all is well." The cloud carriage rode the mists, gliding across thousands of mountains and rivers. Two figures stood upon it, nestled against each other, as intimately close as they had been all those years ago.