https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-135-Breath-Concealment-Technique-Achieves-Great-Perfection/12900122/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-137-Encirclement-Without-Attack-Uncle-Mi-Emerges-from-Seclusion/12900128/
Chapter 136: Sudden Change
Chapter 136: Sudden Change
Wang Yuan was Luo Chen’s only friend he could truly rely on.
Even when he refined the Blood-Boiling Pill, which leaned towards the Demon Dao, his first thought was to have Wang Yuan find someone to test the pill.
If one were to delve into their relationship, it wouldn’t be much—just a bottle of Fasting Pills and a Storage Bag.
When Wang Yuan was down on his luck, Luo Chen had given him a bottle of Fasting Pills.
When Luo Chen was severely injured and in possession of a substantial bounty, Wang Yuan did not forcefully take it, and even generously gave another Soul-Shattering Spike to Luo Chen.
The weight of these actions was clear at a glance.
But true friendship could not be measured by the value of such actions.
Luo Chen had planned to escape, but he definitely needed to give Wang Yuan an explanation.
Even if it was just a simple “goodbye”!
...
After another day of pill refinement, Luo Chen sat on the cliff, holding the "Qingyuan's Alchemy Compendium," sipping tea and reading.
He had already made up his mind to leave quietly tonight and bid farewell to Wang Yuan at the Dragon Hall.
Then, he would use the next half-month to complete the refinement of the Jade Marrow Pill and accumulate enough Spirit Stones before his departure.
This way, he wouldn’t attract attention.
When the time came to leave, he could be as composed as possible.
“The only pity is that my cultivation is still far from the Ninth Level of Qi Cultivation. Otherwise, I would have more self-protection capabilities.”
In the realm section, the progress bar had only slowly advanced to [50/100].
It would take at least several more months to fully purify his Spirit Energy and break through to the Ninth Level of Qi Cultivation.
Unfortunately, Luo Chen couldn’t wait that long.
He didn’t know how long it would take for Uncle Mi to recover from his injuries.
This recent period was his best chance to escape.
Otherwise, once the other party recovered, their resolve to bring him back would likely be even stronger.
Delay would only bring more changes!
Luo Chen sighed inwardly, quietly waiting for the Alchemy Hall cultivators to leave one by one.
Suddenly, Zhou Yuanli, who had been lurking in the shadows, walked in.
"Master, something’s not right!"
Luo Chen’s heart skipped a beat. He had hidden his intentions well; in theory, others shouldn’t be able to see through his plans.
However, Zhou Yuanli’s next words relieved him.
"Outside, something’s not right!"
The stone that had just fallen from his heart was lifted again.
Luo Chen frowned and looked at him, "What’s not right?"
"The two brothers I arranged to patrol outside have gone missing."
"Hmm?"
Uncle Mi had assigned five bodyguards to Luo Chen.
On the surface, it was still Zhou Yuanli and Liu Qiang, both Eighth Level Qi Cultivation experts who, when working together, could match a Ninth Level Qi Cultivation expert.
Privately, the other three bodyguards handled the front and rear watch duties.
Usually, two bodyguards would patrol outside at all times to ensure Luo Chen’s safety when he traveled.
Zhou Yuanli would also regularly communicate with them.
Now, they had suddenly gone missing.
What did this mean?
"Trouble!" Luo Chen was startled, "Quickly, go and bring back Hall Master Murong and Overseer Gu!"
Just a moment ago, the two women had left together right under his nose.
It had been less than two minutes.
For two Eighth Level Qi Cultivation experts to disappear without a trace meant that there was a threat outside that could endanger a Ninth Level Qi Cultivation expert!
Zhou Yuanli was taken aback, his face uncertain.
He turned and walked away, but just as he reached the outside, he blew a whistle.
Immediately, numerous Eighth and Ninth Level Qi Cultivation cultivators who usually guarded the Crescent Moon Valley appeared, totaling over twenty.
Among them was one who had reached the Ninth Level of Qi Cultivation.
Luo Chen recognized him; he was the only overseer of the Medicine Hall, named Yuan Yuejiao.
She was quite old, nearly a hundred years old, and usually managed the medicinal fields, the cultivation of spirit plants, and the latest developments in beast skin clothing.
Yuan Dongsheng, the Spirit Plant Master whom Luo Chen was familiar with, was her eldest son.
Most of the time, she and Sikong Shoujia would take turns guarding the Crescent Moon Valley at night.
Everyone respected her and called her Grandma Yuan.
"Activate the array!"
A powerful voice rang out, coming from Zhou Yuanli.
"Zhou Yuanli, what are you doing?" Luo Chen narrowed his eyes, staring at him intently.
"Master, your safety is the top priority!"
Zhou Yuanli said this calmly and confidently, then gestured for Dong Fangliang to approach.
"You go outside and check the situation. If you encounter Hall Master Murong and Overseer Gu, ask them to return."
Dong Fangliang was a bit nervous, nodded, and cautiously flew out.
Turning back, Zhou Yuanli looked at Luo Chen and Yuan Yuejiao, and said solemnly, "Those two brothers are average in combat but excel in stealth. Now that they’ve lost contact, there’s a high chance that the target is you, Master."
"Be cautious in everything!"
Luo Chen gave him a deep look, then his gaze fell on the Crescent Moon Valley.
A layer of earth-yellow light slowly expanded, then gently enveloped the Crescent Moon Valley like an inverted bowl.
The large First-Rank array, the Earth Guard Array, was built using the mountain’s terrain and earth veins, often chosen by small cultivation families as their primary protective array.
After the Alchemy Hall settled in the Crescent Moon Valley, the Mountain Breaker Gang had set up this array to protect the two major halls, a fact that Luo Chen was well aware of.
The Earth Guard Array is rarely activated because it consumes a large amount of spirit stones. Each activation requires at least a hundred spirit stones. If it needs to be maintained, an additional hundred spirit stones must be continuously added every incense stick's time.
However, Zhou Yuanli did not hesitate to activate it this time. This clearly shows how important Luo Chen is!
As the array was activated, the already dusky scenery outside became even more dim. Luo Chen's Spirit Eyes scanned the surroundings constantly. Suddenly, he raised his hand. Zhou Yuanli was taken aback but quickly realized something and flew to the edge of the array. Soon, several figures appeared before him. They were not enemies but familiar faces!
He sighed in relief but his expression turned grim when he saw the bloodstains on many of them. Especially when he saw Gu Caiyi, who was covered in blood and being supported by Murong Qinglian, he felt a chill run down his spine.
"Hall Master Murong, what happened outside?"
"There are enemies, many of them!"
Murong Qinglian's expression was anxious, and her palace attire was also stained with blood, though it was unclear if it was her own or from the unconscious Gu Caiyi.
"What kind of enemies could injure you and Overseer Gu?"
Murong Qinglian looked back but saw no sign of the enemies. She could only laugh bitterly, "I'm not sure of the specifics, but there are at least four Ninth Level Qi Cultivation experts. The number of Mid- to Late-Qi Cultivation experts is countless."
"Supreme Elder Sikong left the valley before us, but when we saw him, he was being pursued by a Ninth Level Qi Cultivation cultivator wearing iron claws, looking extremely desperate."
"It was thanks to his warning that we managed to avoid the ambush aimed at me and Caiyi."
Zhou Yuanli's eyes widened. How could such enemies appear out of nowhere? And with such powerful strength, why would they let Murong Qinglian and the others escape? Especially since the cultivators outside the array, from the Medicine Hall and Alchemy Hall, were only at the Early to Mid-Qi Cultivation stages.
"Quickly let us in!"
"Those people are terrifying, they kill without hesitation. Chen Yuan died right in front of us, leaving no trace."
"Senior Zhou, can you open the array? I'm injured, it hurts so much."
"Open the array quickly!"
Cries and shouts filled the air, and eventually, there were even angry and resentful voices. Zhou Yuanli's expression was indecisive, unsure of what to do.
"Let them in!"
A steady voice sounded in his ear, and Zhou Yuanli turned around.
"Hall Master! You can't!"
"There might be spies among them!"
Luo Chen's expression was serious, "It's fine, I will take responsibility."
He waved his sleeves and moved to the front of the array. Looking at the familiar faces outside, he said loudly, "Before entering the array, show your Mountain Breaker Gang identity tokens."
"After entering the array, do not move around, accept questioning, and do not resist in any way."
"Anyone who disobeys will be executed without mercy!"
The commotion outside finally subsided. One by one, they shouted praises to the Hall Master, thanking him. Luo Chen remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on the cultivators outside.
Zhou Yuanli sighed. Luo Chen was too inexperienced and too compassionate. Suddenly letting so many people in, if there were spies among them, the consequences would be unimaginable. But here, Luo Chen held the highest authority, and he couldn't disobey. Especially with everyone watching, if he refused, he would anger Luo Chen and provoke the crowd. Many of the cultivators outside had family or friends inside.
For example, the Spirit Plant Master Yuan Dongsheng was chatting with Medicine Hall overseer Yuan Lao through the array.
Sigh, forget it!
I'll just be more cautious later!
Zhou Yuanli, feeling helpless, had someone open the array, creating a gap for one person to enter. The first to enter were Murong Qinglian and Gu Caiyi. Luo Chen glanced at them and nodded slightly.
"Overseer Yuan Yuejiao, please heal them."
"I don't need it, I reacted in time and wasn't injured."
Murong Qinglian sighed and handed Gu Caiyi over to the elderly female cultivator. She then stood beside Luo Chen.
Next, low-rank cultivators from the Medicine Hall and Alchemy Hall entered the array. At Zhou Yuanli's request, they showed their Mountain Breaker Gang identity tokens and accepted questioning.
Suddenly, Luo Chen's brows furrowed as he looked at a cultivator who had just been questioned.
"Seize him and question him thoroughly!"
The man was startled, and his face changed drastically as he tried to flee. The others were too slow to react, but Luo Chen had already moved.
He snapped his fingers!
Puff!
The man fell to his knees, two small holes in his knees bleeding profusely.
Murong Qinglian was taken aback, "This is Zheng Baotai from the Medicine Hall, he shouldn't be—"
"He is not Zheng Baotai!"
Luo Chen shot a bolt of spirit energy at the man, and a black mist rose from his face, revealing a stranger.
Disguise! Transformation!
Zhou Yuanli, though surprised, did not hesitate and immediately seized the man.
"Not just him, but this one too."
Luo Chen looked at a cultivator hiding in the back of the crowd and snapped his fingers again.
That person seemed to have anticipated it, casting a magical artifact on the spot.
Bang!
Blocked!
He had just caught a pleasant surprise when he saw the two spirit beads coming from both sides, directly striking both knees.
phew! phew!
He fell to his knees!
"Everyone, get up! Carefully ask around, see which force they're from."
"Also, the rest of the disciples entering, all placed restrictive measures, including Yuan Dongsheng."
Luo chen gave a faint order, his gaze landed on the nearby Yuan Yuejiao.
The old woman pursed her lips and gave a slight nod to him.
Zhou Yuanli took a deep breath and acted immediately.
Just curious in his heart, how did luo chen recognize his enemy?
Moreover, luo chens didn't seem as young as he thought, arranging everything in an orderly manner.
Luo Chen did not have to explain himself, under the spirit's techniques’ enhancement, the simple Spirit Force technique was too easy to discern.
However, he couldn't rule out the possibility of the Spirit Medicine Hall's disciples being captured by the enemy.
Only after interrogating them, he continued to impose restrictions.
After handling these two, his gaze fell upon the remaining dozens of people outside.
With his stern gaze shooting over, the crowd of dozens of people immediately became restless.
Almost instantly, seven people scattered in different directions.
Luo Chen gave a-cold-laugh, several middle Qi Refinement cultivators, came and actually wanted to run!
The great earth formation, inside and outside, was not aligned.
Without any hesitation, his ten fingers snapped!
In an instant, dozens of spirit beads shot out.
With his pure Spirit Force control at the eighth Qi Refinement stage, the power of these dozens of spirit beads bursting forth, each one was no less than a mid-grade spirit bead in a single strike.
In the blink of an eye, a loud "Phew!" was heard as a blooming Blood Flower appeared in the air.
Only one cultivator relied on a mid-grade magic robe to block the attack, was blasted into a mess under the attack of twenty spirit beads.
Facing this scene of deliberate slaughter, the cultivators from both Halls were as silent as cicadas.
Usually, they were all harmonious and polite, but now, with such thunderous means, the Spirit Medicine Hall chief was intimidating!
"The hall master is powerful!"
"No wonder he can command one of the Nine Halls, I didn't expect such a seemingly ordinary Hall Master to be this powerful!"
The more dangerous the time, the more worth relying on a strong cultivator.
Luo Chen gave a faint smile, pacified everyone, and then had people bring the two captives into the Spirit Pill Hall.
...
"Summoned?"
"Not yet." Dong Fang scratched his head, "I learned the Soul Piercing Needle from Elder Si Kong, but I'm not too proficient. If I were to use it here, it would be better."
"Forget, I'll personally come!"
Luo Chen stood up and took a silver needle from Dong Fang.
He wouldn't use just any ordinary acupuncture points but went straight for the Quchi point!
"Ah!!"
Just one needle, the cultivator's eyes widened, and he let out a scream that tore at the heart.
Standing beside, Dong fang's whole body trembled, but was it necessary to have such a reaction to just one point?
Of course, Luo Chen's technique wasn't limited to this.
In the dark, Luo Chen used the silver Needle, already penetrating a thread of Spirit Power inside.
Now, it was an inside and outside attack; the Qi Refinement cultivator was still within the human Realm, how could they withstand such sudden pain.
Whoosh!
The silver needle was taken out, and Luo Chen looked at the opponent silently.
After two breaths, he shook his head.
"Seems, you still don't want to talk."
Tsk!
In the terrified gaze, he stabbed another needle.
"Ah!!"
The silver needle was taken out, and Luo chen looked at the opponent silently.
He shook his head.
"Pity, what a tough guy, but it's a shame."
In the terrified gaze, Luo Chen took two silver needles with his hands like lightning.
Hands like lightning, they stabbed down.
"Eh, why no scream?"
Only then did Luo Chen realize the opponent was already collapsed on the ground, with a faint urine scent emanating from the groin.
"Like this, still not talking?"
"I'm really curious, what kind of experience made you this strong-willed."
Luo Chen sighed, and took a third silver needle.
Just as he raised the silver needle, the cultivator's eyes were dull, and his lips murmured:
"Ask... ask me... "
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
