https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-113-What-Do-You-Think-of-Mi-Junping-/12831611/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-115-The-First-Battle-on-the-Dao-Discussion-Platform/12831637/
Chapter 114: A Hero in the World, How Can He Be Content to Serve Under Others?
Chapter 114: A Hero in the World, How Can He Be Content to Serve Under Others?
What do you think of Mi Junping?
Luo Chen was taken aback. Why bring up that woman?
Sikong Shoujia nervously watched Luo Chen, as he had a mission to complete and needed to understand Luo Chen's true thoughts.
Then, he noticed Luo Chen's gaze becoming increasingly peculiar.
It was as if there was a sense of "kindred spirit" in his eyes?
Suddenly,
"Elder Sikong, I understand you!"
Understand me?
"A hero in the world, how can he be content to serve under others!"
"You are highly respected, with profound cultivation and broad knowledge, and you are approachable. Over the years, you have made countless contributions to the sect."
"In your old age, you can only serve as a minor steward in my Alchemy Hall. It's an insult!"
"To be honest, even I, as the Hall Master, can't stand it."
"Rest assured, if you want to take out Mi Junping, I will definitely support you as the new Hall Master!"
No!
What are you talking about!
The first few sentences made Sikong Shoujia's blood boil and his eyes well up with tears.
But the last sentence made him completely lose it.
Luo Chen continued, "Mi Junping is just a woman, long on hair but short on vision! Narrow-minded and harsh, the brothers in the sect have long been dissatisfied with her."
"If it weren't for her father being a Foundation Establishment cultivator... So what if he's a Foundation Establishment cultivator! The Broken Mountain Sect belongs to everyone, it's an alliance of us wandering cultivators."
"She has no talent or virtue, and she doesn't deserve to be the Hall Master."
"Elder Sikong, I will definitely support your ascension!"
"Stop! Stop! Please, stop talking!"
Sikong Shoujia quickly covered Luo Chen's mouth, his old face turning pale.
What is this all about!
Luo Chen, still not satisfied, rarely had the chance to stoke the flames.
Unfortunately, the other party didn't take the bait.
"No, I just want to know your personal opinion of Mi Junping." Sikong Shoujia gritted his teeth and got straight to the point, "In other words, if you were to become her Dao companion..."
This time, Luo Chen was the one to cover the old man's mouth.
"Stop!"
"I don't like women older than me!"
Sikong Shoujia was taken aback. Age?
We are cultivators, with lifespans of at least a hundred to a thousand years. You're talking about age?
"Age is not an issue, young Luo. I've been there, you..."
"Then why don't you go and propose yourself!"
That one sentence left Sikong Shoujia speechless.
Seeing his reaction, Luo Chen knew exactly what was going on.
It was likely that Uncle Mi had sent him to probe his thoughts.
Digging deeper, it all came down to the Jade Marrow Pill.
In the past, Luo Chen could only refine low-grade Jade Marrow Pills, so Uncle Mi didn't take him very seriously.
Once, as a joke, Luo Chen said that if Uncle Mi didn't mind, he would be willing to call him his adoptive father. Uncle Mi didn't take it seriously.
The reason was that refining low-grade Jade Marrow Pills wasn't that difficult.
Given a few decades, with the Alchemy Hall's development, Uncle Mi could always cultivate a few talents capable of refining low-grade Jade Marrow Pills.
But when it came to mid-grade pills, it wasn't so simple.
Uncle Mi had no confidence in cultivating a talent capable of refining mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills.
As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he also faced the pressure of forming a Golden Core and couldn't personally take on the task.
In this situation, Luo Chen's importance became glaringly clear.
Indispensable!
So, Uncle Mi had changed his mind.
He wanted to bind Luo Chen to the Mi family through a simple and direct marriage alliance.
But Luo Chen didn't want that.
He preferred to exchange benefits, cooperate mutually, and ensure everyone was happy.
But marriage?
What could Mi Junping bring him?
Nothing!
After the marriage, it would just be some resources from the Mi family, which Luo Chen could already obtain.
For example, precious things like the Small Spirit Gathering Array.
In comparison, the marriage had a very low return on investment.
It was only beneficial to Uncle Mi and the Mi family, and rather redundant for Luo Chen.
In the end, Sikong Shoujia returned empty-handed.
After reporting to Uncle Mi, the latter casually waved his hand, indicating that he wouldn't dwell on the matter.
It was just a move to test the waters.
Luo Chen's refusal didn't hinder their relationship.
As long as Luo Chen could continue to stably refine Jade Marrow Pills, they would be like one family.
Could Luo Chen stably refine Jade Marrow Pills?
Of course!
A month later, in the Alchemy Hall's pill cultivation room.
The "three giants" were accompanying Uncle Mi, counting the number of pills.
"Three hundred bottles of low-grade Jade Marrow Pills."
"One hundred bottles of mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills."
Upon hearing these numbers, Sikong Shoujia visibly relaxed, and Gu Caiyi was also pleased.
Compared to last month, the number of mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills had decreased by twenty bottles, but it wasn't a significant drop.
This was mainly because Luo Chen had been hiding in the inner city for a while and hadn't come to the Alchemy Hall to refine pills.
Upon receiving these numbers, Uncle Mi nodded in approval.
"You have done a great job!"
"Especially Luo Chen, his pill refinement skills have stabilized."
Luo Chen was diligently counting the spirit stones nearby!
Those were the dividends Uncle Mi had brought over, from his earnings last month.
A total of 1,300 spirit stones—truly a substantial sum.
If he added this to his existing savings, Luo Chen’s total would once again reach 2,500 spirit stones.
Moreover, the earnings from Dust Moon Snack Stand and Honey Snow Ice hadn’t been settled for the previous month.
Although the accounts hadn’t been finalized, Luo Chen had a good estimate based on the raw material costs and sales data.
If the settlement went well, his savings would break the 3,000 spirit stone mark for the first time!
Perhaps compared to some seasoned Ninth Stage Qi Condensation cultivators, it was still a bit less.
But Luo Chen hadn’t stopped spending over the past month.
Whether it was purchasing additional Dust Purification Pills or Tranquilizing Incense, he had spent a considerable amount of spirit stones.
He had also invested around 600 to 700 spirit stones in the milk tea shop.
In summary, every spirit stone had been put to good use.
Hearing Uncle Mi’s praise, Luo Chen smiled sheepishly.
He stored the spirit stones, four bottles of Dust Purification Pills, and a box of Tranquilizing Incense into his storage bag.
Luo Chen rubbed his hands together and, taking advantage of Uncle Mi’s good mood, asked about some cultivation matters.
“You mentioned pure spirit energy?”
Uncle Mi stroked his beard and scanned Luo Chen with his spirit sense, noting that he was still at the Seventh Stage Qi Condensation.
He smiled and said, “Refining spirit energy at the later stages of Qi Condensation isn’t something that can be achieved overnight. There are no shortcuts; it just takes time and effort.”
“Are you sure there are no shortcuts?” Luo Chen persisted.
His cultivation had progressed visibly every day.
But when it came to refining his spirit energy, there had been little improvement.
He had noticed this issue while practicing spells in the back mountain.
The same ordinary spell required only a small amount of pure spirit energy for Zhou Yuanli to cast, whereas Luo Chen needed to continuously input a large amount of spirit energy. Although the speed was fast, the power was comparable.
The difference lay in the purity of their spirit energy.
Luo Chen’s spirit energy was too weak and unstable.
Perhaps because he had always relied on elixirs for cultivation, his total spirit energy far exceeded that of his peers, but it also meant he consumed more when casting spells.
Hearing Luo Chen’s question, Uncle Mi pondered for a moment.
“Actually, there is a shortcut, but it’s one you can’t use right now.”
“Hmm? Please, speak your mind!”
“Cultivation techniques!”
Uncle Mi looked at Luo Chen and gently said, “All cultivation techniques, especially those for the later stages of Qi Condensation, have some degree of active spirit energy refinement. However, the effectiveness depends on the quality of the technique.”
“You are currently practicing the Eternal Spring Technique, which originates from the Medicine King Sect.”
He shook his head, “It’s said that the Eternal Spring Technique is derived from the Medicine King Sect’s Evergreen Scripture, which has an enduring characteristic. However, the most famous Evergreen characteristic is not present in the Eternal Spring Technique.”
“This Evergreen characteristic, at the Qi Condensation stage, is pure spirit energy. When fully mastered, the spirit energy is vibrant and full of life, even remaining pure and youthful even when one is nearing the end of their lifespan.”
Luo Chen’s head ached as he listened to this explanation.
When it came to his core cultivation technique, he was at a loss.
He couldn’t just switch to a technique that specialized in refining spirit energy, could he?
But Uncle Mi’s next words dashed his last hope.
“In reality, the cultivation techniques that wandering cultivators can access, or those that circulate in the market, have been simplified and refined by major sects.”
“Their core characteristics have been almost entirely removed from these simplified techniques.”
Luo Chen was shocked, “Then how do wandering cultivators, who manage to breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage, obtain suitable core cultivation techniques?”
Uncle Mi sighed, “What can we do? We have to scour the black market, buy at auctions, or seek our luck in secret realms.”
Luo Chen frowned, “In that case, the techniques we obtain might not be as compatible with our spirit roots, right?”
Uncle Mi sighed, acknowledging Luo Chen’s concern.
Seeing Luo Chen still frowning, he consoled him, “Actually, you don’t need to worry too much. Refining spirit energy is a concern for the later stages of Qi Condensation. Only disciples of major sects start refining their spirit energy as soon as they enter the later stages.”
“Many wandering cultivators, like us, only begin to focus on this when they reach the Ninth Stage Qi Condensation.”
“Even without those excellent techniques, daily practice can eventually refine one’s spirit energy.”
Whether spirit energy was pure or weak didn’t significantly impact battles at the same stage.
After all, many relied on magical weapons for combat.
As long as there was enough spirit energy to control the weapon, the difference between pure and weak spirit energy was negligible.
But this did affect Luo Chen, who excelled in spell combat.
Moreover, from the Qi Condensation Insights that Uncle Mi had given him, he knew that aside from the Foundation Establishment Pill, the purity of a cultivator’s spirit energy was the most critical factor for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.
That’s why he was anxious about this even at the Seventh Stage Qi Condensation.
But even Uncle Mi couldn’t provide much help.
“If all else fails, wait for next year’s auction and check out the Spirit Medicine Pavilion’s offerings!”
“Hmm?” Luo Chen suddenly looked up.
...
...
“The Medicine King Sect is one of the major alchemy sects in the Eastern Wasteland’s Thirty-Six Domains. Although they are not as proficient in high-tier elixirs as the Abyss Sect, which has a Dan Saint...
However, when it comes to lower-tier elixirs, the Medicine King Sect surpasses all others.
When the scope is narrowed down to the Six Eastern Realms, any matter related to elixirs almost inevitably involves the Medicine King Sect.
"Almost every elixir related to cultivation is studied and refined by the Medicine King Sect," Uncle Mi explained, responding to Luo Chen's eager gaze.
"And for purifying spiritual energy, they have a special elixir—the Spirit Essence Pill."
As soon as Uncle Mi mentioned the name, Luo Chen understood its effect.
The Spirit Essence Pill is an elixir for purifying spiritual energy.
"This elixir is divided into three tiers, suitable for cultivators at the Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core stages."
"However, because most of the sect’s cultivation techniques already have purification effects, the sales of Spirit Essence Pills are not very high. The Medicine King Sect mostly exports them to regions outside the Eastern Wasteland."
"At the last auction, they didn't auction any Spirit Essence Pills."
"But I remember that once, the Spirit Herb Pavilion put up five bottles of Tier 2 Spirit Essence Pills. Perhaps next year, they might put a few bottles up for auction."
Luo Chen asked curiously, "Can I use Tier 2 Spirit Essence Pills?"
"Using them is not recommended. You'd better hope they bring out Tier 1 Spirit Essence Pills for the Qi Refinement stage!"
Uncle Mi smiled, relieved to see Luo Chen's spirits lift. He couldn't let his precious protege be in a bad mood!
"By the way, I have some news about Shan Xiu, who ambushed you."
"I'll give you an explanation when the time comes."
Before leaving, Uncle Mi gave Luo Chen some good news.
If an enemy who had attacked him in broad daylight remained hidden, Luo Chen would feel uneasy. However, unless a wandering cultivator retreated deep into the mountains, they would eventually show up.
Especially low-tier cultivators!
The deep mountains and vast marshes are not safe, as high-tier demonic beasts are common.
Major sects and powerful clans wouldn't even consider them as subordinates.
As for slacking off in the mortal world, that's out of the question.
In fact, after spending a long time in the market, Luo Chen had often wondered why many elderly and weakened cultivators still struggled instead of enjoying life in the mortal world.
Later, Wang Yuan personally explained it to him.
Cultivators cannot stay in the mortal world for long.
This is a strict rule and an unwritten law.
As for the real reason, Wang Yuan didn't clarify, but he insisted that cultivators cannot remain in the mortal world for long.
Therefore, it was expected that Shan Xiu would show up after a month. He even stayed hidden longer than Luo Chen anticipated.
If Uncle Mi could bring that guy's head to him, it would be even better.
Even if he didn't bring it now, knowing that Shan Xiu was active in the Snow Lotus Market made Luo Chen feel more at ease.
Uncle Mi left, and Luo Chen's work for the day was nearly done.
All that was left were some minor tasks like replenishing herbs and cleaning the alchemy furnace. Luo Chen didn't need to worry about these; Gu Caiyi would take care of them.
After saying goodbye, Luo Chen, accompanied by his bodyguards, returned to the inner city.
It was still early, so he detoured to the White Stone Square.
Yuan Xiaoyue greeted him and scheduled a meeting at the quadrangle to settle the previous month's accounts.
Luo Chen was surprised to see Duan Feng at the milk tea shop.
"Duan Feng, what are you doing here?"
Cough.
Duan Feng coughed, having recovered significantly after a month of rest. However, due to the damage to his internal organs and the prolonged presence of cold energy, he had some lingering issues with his lungs.
He would occasionally cough.
"Feeling better, so I decided to walk around and help Sister Xia with some chores."
"I appreciate it, but I can't pay you in spirit stones."
Duan Feng smiled wryly, not minding the matter.
Feng Xia emerged from the small door and said, "We still have a few things to wrap up, so it might take a while."
"No problem, take your time. I'll just wander around."
With nothing to do, Luo Chen strolled to the opposite side of the White Stone Square.
Near the jade wall, buildings had already sprung up.
Enrollment points, gambling dens, and taverns serving the Phoenix Mountain Debate Platform were now well-established.
He looked up at the jade wall, which displayed the next day's battle schedule and a separate ranking list.
At the top of the list was the Foundation Establishment ranking.
However, the list had only a few names.
The only one Luo Chen recognized was a Foundation Establishment cultivator named Nan Gong Jin.
He knew about him because, when selecting a milk source, he learned that the Nan Gong family raised a herd of Fuzhu deer, prompting him to learn more about the family.
"Third place, who did he lose to?"
Shaking his head, Luo Chen turned his attention to the Qi Refinement ranking.
Coincidentally, the top-ranked cultivator also had the surname Nan Gong.
Nan Gong Qin, at the ninth level of Qi Refinement!
With the Spirit Vision Technique, a series of battle records appeared after the name.
He had defeated or lost to various opponents, including Duan Feng's name.
Nan Gong Qin and Duan Feng had faced each other twice, with one win and one loss.
Besides Nan Gong Qin, the list included Li Ao and Yan Mingyao, among others.
Duan Feng's name appeared at the ninth position.
Last month, I barely managed to hold onto the top three spots, but after just one month of recuperation, I've dropped to ninth place.
Tsk, tsk, the competition on the Dao Discussion Platform is incredibly fierce!
I wonder what rank I would achieve if I were to join the fray.
Recently, Luo Chen has become incredibly familiar with the magical artifacts at his disposal.
For offense, he has the superior-grade Fire Spear, Soul-Shattering Nail, and Jade Green Blade.
For defense, he has the Four Symbols Cauldron and a superior-grade magical robe.
His flying artifact, the Snow-Treading Board, is barely serviceable.
However, for mobility, he relies more on the superior-grade Cloud-Treading Boots and his techniques, Free Roaming and Wind Mastery.
Apart from these, he also has the Soul-Losing Bell and over a thousand discarded jade essence beads.
But these are just external tools.
His most powerful assets are his spells.
Still, my combat experience against cultivators is far too limited. On the Dao Discussion Platform, where the environment is restricted, many of my techniques might only be effective once or twice before the enemy finds a way to counter them.
Perhaps in the future, I should consider challenging some weaker cultivators on the rankings to hone my combat skills?
The thought made him eager to try.
As for participating in the Dao Discussion Platform as a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator, one needs to stake a magical artifact.
He wasn't worried about this; he had a few inferior-grade magical artifacts that he didn't need and could easily stake them.
Luo Chen was well aware that solely focusing on cultivation wasn't the right approach.
Even if he accumulated a vast fortune, if he were to ever lose in battle, all his wealth would be taken by his enemies.
Even if he managed to save his life, all his efforts would be like a mirage.
It was also necessary to occasionally engage in combat to refine his defensive techniques.
While he often fought against beasts to train, it was true that first-stage beasts had very little intelligence.
Even the stronger ones acted purely on instinct.
To improve his defensive techniques, he needed to fight human cultivators, which would yield faster results.
Moreover, Uncle Mi mentioned that cultivators who frequently engaged in combat typically had purer spiritual energy compared to those who only focused on cultivation.
Clearly, combat could also help in purifying one's spiritual energy.
However, this wasn't an urgent matter and could be considered in the future.
After a while, Luo Chen returned home with Yuan Xiaoyue and Feng Xia, who had finished their work.
In the courtyard, he settled the accounts for the past month with both of them.
The Dust Moon Snack Stand's revenue remained steady at around 600 spirit stones, and he gave Yuan Xiaoyue 60 spirit stones, which she accepted happily and went home.
The milk tea shop, on the other hand, surprised Luo Chen.
In the first month, the gross income was over 500 spirit stones.
After deducting the costs, which included raw materials and rent, there was a profit of 400 spirit stones.
Luo Chen took 330 spirit stones and gave Feng Xia 70 spirit stones.
"Is it really that much?" Feng Xia was surprised.
Luo Chen smiled, "Not at all. I pay you a fixed salary of 50 spirit stones, the same as when you worked at the Hundred Herbs Hall. The extra 20 spirit stones are your share of the profits."
Feng Xia, a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator, was paid only 70 spirit stones a month, which Luo Chen found quite satisfactory.
"In the future, the shop's business will only get better, and you'll earn more spirit stones, Xia Sister."
Feng Xia happily accepted the spirit stones.
As she touched the spirit stones, she hesitated for a moment and said, "Sometimes, there are too many customers, and I can't handle it all. Perhaps we could have earned more last month."
"I know, which is why I mentioned long ago that once you get used to it, we can hire another person." Luo Chen nodded.
"What about Little Duan?"
Hearing Duan Feng's name, Luo Chen was momentarily taken aback.
Feng Xia sighed, "Instead of waiting for him to recover and fight to the death on the Dao Discussion Platform, he could work steadily in the shop selling milk tea. Over the years, many neighbors have come and gone, but Little Duan, though cold, is a good person. I don't want him to die on the Dao Discussion Platform."
Luo Chen blinked. Xia Sister, is that really the case?
But he didn't press the issue and smiled, "If Little Duan is willing, I don't mind. However, he won't get a share of the profits, only a fixed salary of 50 spirit stones a month."
"Even 50 is a lot. If he saves for a few years, he can open a small shop to repair magical artifacts. Yes, he has a lot of experience in that."
As she spoke, Feng Xia became more convinced of her idea.
However, the next day, before Luo Chen left, Duan Feng rejected the offer.
"I'll help Xia Sister sell milk tea until I recover."
"I don't need the spirit stones."
"After I recover, I still plan to go to the Dao Discussion Platform to hone my skills."
That was his response. Feng Xia couldn't force him, and Luo Chen didn't object either.
An extra pair of hands working for free!
As he left the city, Luo Chen suddenly remembered something.
Duan Feng's spiritual energy fluctuations were not much different from before, but as his injuries healed, he seemed much stronger.
Could it be that he's using the battles on the Dao Discussion Platform to purify his spiritual energy in the final stages of Qi Condensation?
Luo Chen suddenly thought of this possibility.
If that's the case, perhaps he should consider taking some time to join the platform and fight a few matches for no reason.
(End of Chapter)
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