Immortality Begins With The Alchemical Master Chapter 224: Perhaps Luo Chen was Right - Novel Cool

Chapter 224: Perhaps Luo Chen was Right

Chapter 224: Perhaps Luo Chen was Right

At some point, the vast dockyard had already begun to fill with scattered groups of cultivators.

Their attire varied, but each group had its distinct emblem.

In other words, there were three groups of cultivators with uniform emblems.

This dockyard was likely jointly operated by three parties.

Lu Rong's Divine Craft Sect was one of them.

The other two groups of cultivators stood at a distance, craning their necks as if waiting to watch a show.

Behind Luo Chen, Nan Gong Jin and Li Yixuan had unknowingly approached without him noticing.

Luo Chen let out a cold harrumph as he looked at Lu Rong.

"We're stopping here to respect local customs and avoid trouble."

"But after you landed, without a word, you demanded to wash and repair our vessel."

"Then let me ask you, how much will it cost?"

"You didn't state the price beforehand. What if, after washing a flying vessel, you charge me ten thousand spirit stones? Haha!"

Lu Rong's face twitched slightly in response to Luo Chen's questioning.

Then, he slapped someone.

Slap! A bright red handprint appeared on Xu Xiaoliu's left cheek.

"Xiaoliu, look what you've done!"

"On the way here, I didn't tell this..." Lu Rong paused, looking at Luo Chen.

Luo Chen gave a soft harrumph, "I am Dan Chenzi."

He gave his Dao name, not his real name?

Lu Rong frowned, then slapped Xu Xiaoliu again.

"Why didn't you tell this Senior Dan Chenzi on the way here!"

Slap! Xu Xiaoliu's right cheek now also bore a bright red handprint.

It was symmetrical with the left one.

This scene startled the Qi Condensation Stage cultivators from the Luo Tianhui, Li, and Nan Gong families, who had just disembarked.

Some even glared at each other in anger.

Who would be so disrespectful?

"Enough, let's get to the point and stop this nonsense," Luo Chen said impatiently.

Lu Rong chuckled, rubbing his fingers as if he had hurt his hand from slapping someone else.

"Daoist Brother Dan Chenzi, don't be angry. This is indeed our oversight."

"But rest assured, we are fair and honest here, and we won't overcharge you!"

Not overcharge? If they had started the work, the amount of spirit stones they would charge later would be up to them.

Luo Chen smirked inwardly, but his expression relaxed.

"For washing, we charge based on the size of the flying vessel. For vessels within three zhang, it's one spirit stone per wash. For those within ten zhang, it's five spirit stones. For a large vessel like yours, it's fifty spirit stones per wash."

Upon hearing this price, the cultivators at the back couldn't help but stir.

Some whispered, "Why not just rob them?"

"This is robbery!"

"It's almost enough to buy half a bottle of Qi Nourishing Pills."

Li Yixuan suddenly turned around and glared at them.

The cultivators causing the commotion were from the Li family.

They were used to having their way in Da He Fang and had been well-protected on their journey.

Now, in Heavenly Wave Immortal City, they were still acting so casually.

They weren't afraid of causing trouble!

The Luo Tianhui cultivators, on the other hand, kept their mouths shut, their eyes fixed on Luo Chen's back.

Even the Nan Gong family cultivators had solemn expressions, not daring to speak.

After Li Yixuan's glare, the commotion finally ceased.

Lu Rong acted as if he hadn't heard those voices and said with a smile, "Rest assured, it's not as simple as just throwing a fireball spell!"

"A flying vessel is also a magical tool, susceptible to various forms of corrosion. If not handled properly, critical parts can easily be damaged."

"It might not be noticeable at first, but when it matters most, it could lead to trouble."

"Our cleaning process goes from the outside in, using the Water Mirror Technique to control the overall process, assisted by the Cleansing Technique, Fireball Spell, and Dust Removal Technique... plus our exclusive spirit liquid."

"After cleaning, we guarantee it will be spotlessly clean, free of any impurities!"

He held up his palm, fingers extended.

Xu Xiaoliu beside him shivered.

"Fifty? That's not expensive!"

Lu Rong waved his hand.

Why make so many gestures while talking?

Luo Chen asked, "What about repairs?"

The Heavenly Eagle Flying Ship had been through a lot on the journey and was almost falling apart.

If the price wasn't too high, it might be worth considering.

Duan Feng was skilled in forging magical tools.

He was quite knowledgeable about repairing middle and lower-grade ones but was less experienced with superior ones.

Flying vessels were large magical tools, priced comparably to defensive magical tools of the same grade.

Repairs were several times more challenging.

On the journey, they had only made temporary fixes, not actual repairs.

Lu Rong laughed!

He held his tobacco pipe and approached the Heavenly Eagle Flying Ship.

He tapped here and struck there, occasionally releasing his spirit sense to inspect the interior.

Finally, with a face like a sunflower, he returned.

"Let's be straightforward!"

"Your vessel is an outdated model from Tianfan City, over two hundred years old."

"Some of the materials used are no longer in common use. To repair it, we'll have to put in a lot of effort to find replacement materials."

"As for the formation array, it's a complete mess. I took a look, and while the array is well-crafted, it's not suitable for flying vessel-type magical tools, making it look out of place."

These words made Min Longyu blush.

The array he had painstakingly set up was deemed unsuitable by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"I made a rough estimate."

Lu Rong held up his palm, four fingers extended.

Xu Xiaoliu shivered again.

"Four thousand! To fix it thoroughly, it will cost at least four thousand spirit stones!"

"Daoist Brother Dan Chenzi, I'm not exaggerating the price!"

After saying this, he looked at Luo Chen expectantly.

"Haha!"

Luo Chen laughed.

It was a laugh born of extreme frustration!

With this price, adding a few hundred more, they could buy another large Superior Flying Vessel.

This Lu Rong was really treating them like fat sheep from out of town!

Seeing Luo Chen's laughter, Lu Rong's eyes lit up.

"Fellow Daoist, what do you mean?"

"No washing!"

"Hmm?"

"No repairs either!"

"Uh!"

Lu Rong's smile faded.

"Fellow Daoist, it seems like you're making fun of me."

Luo Chen also stopped smiling, "That Ice Fortress cultivator at the gate only asked us to dock here, but he didn't say we had to wash or repair it."

Lu Rong opened his mouth but ended up laughing in exasperation.

Not wanting to argue with Luo Chen, he returned to the shaded area and sat down to smoke.

Luo Chen glanced at him and looked at Xu Xiaoliu.

"How is the docking fee calculated?"

Xu Xiaoliu, no longer as quick-witted as before, cautiously replied, "For a large flying vessel like yours, the daily docking fee is one Inferior Spirit Stone."

"Is there a time limit?"

"Yes, after a month, the price doubles."

"How do you ensure that you won't dismantle valuable materials?"

"The management of Heavenly Wave Immortal City has installed a Retaining Wall Mirror here, which can monitor the entire process. If valuable materials are indeed stolen, the Law Enforcement Team of Heavenly Wave Immortal City will catch the thief and impose severe punishment."

"What if the flying vessel is damaged?"

"It shouldn't... right?"

"Alright, let's dock for ten days first!"

After Luo Chen finished speaking, Sima Huiwang came forward and handed ten Spirit Stones to Xu Xiaoliu.

"We'll also dock for ten days!"

"Same here."

On the Li family's side, a cultivator immediately took out Spirit Stones.

After receiving them, Xu Xiaoliu quickly ran into a small pavilion in the dockyard.

Soon, he brought out three wooden-like yet iron-like tokens.

"These are docking tokens, which can be used to settle the docking fees later."

After saying this, he respectfully stood to the side.

Waiting for Luo Chen and the others to leave.

However, something unexpected happened.

Luo Chen looked at him from a distance.

"We need a guide, are you interested in earning a small tip?"

Xu Xiaoliu was startled and eagerly followed along.

Luo Chen smiled slightly, glancing at Lu Rong without leaving a trace, and then led the group away.

After they left.

The cultivators from the Divine Craft Sect across the dockyard burst into laughter.

"Lu Rong, you're in a tight spot now!"

"Get lost!"

"Fellow Daoist Lu Rong, you should do business properly. You can't just rip people off when you see them! In my opinion, if you had been more reasonable, you might have even secured a deal."

"Fuck off!"

Lu Rong's face darkened as he watched Luo Chen and the others leave.

"Damn, a bunch of poor hicks from the countryside, and you can't even squeeze two taels of oil out of them."

He took a deep drag of his cigarette, slowly inhaling the smoke into his body.

His gaze wandered and landed on the Heavenly Eagle Flying Ship that had just docked not long ago.

A hint of malice appeared at the corner of his mouth.

...

"So dark!"

"Yeah, to dock a flying vessel, it costs one Spirit Stone per day."

"Docking is fine, but these large flying vessels can't fit into ordinary storage bags. For now, we don't have a place to stay, so paying the fee is like hiring someone to look after it. The real rip-off is the prices for vessel cleaning and repairs."

"Tsk, they really treat us like we're from some backwater place, ready to fleece us at the slightest disagreement."

"Qian Tong, you should just stop talking. When the Debate Platform in Da He Fang opened, didn't you also fleece us outsiders?"

"Tsk tsk, how should I put it? Times have changed, and now we're all brothers!"

"If you ask me, it's all thanks to the leader's deep calculations, seeing through their ill intentions at a glance!"

Provide guidance: "When I saw a group of people offering to wash our flying vessel, I was actually quite happy."

"Following the leader is always the right choice, he's never let us down."

"I wonder where we'll stay, and what will happen next."

"Why think so much? Let's just enjoy the grandeur of the Great Immortal City later!"

"Yeah, even from afar, it's already so impressive. I wonder what it's like inside?"

...

The discussions behind them continued without end.

Luo Chen acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, walking while looking at Xu Xiaoliu with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

"Sixth Junior, you're helping outsiders fleece me, that's not very fair."

Outsider? You're the outsider!

Xu Xiaoliu swallowed his saliva and said in fear, "Senior, I was wrong. Please don't kill me, my great uncle is an Ice Fortress cultivator."

"Your great uncle? The ninth-layer Qi Condensation old man at the gate?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" He nodded vigorously, afraid that Luo Chen would develop murderous intent.

"So, are you a cultivator from Ice Fortress?"

"No."

"A Loose Cultivator?"

"Yes, yes."

As Xu Xiaoliu nodded, he suddenly realized, "Why don't you think I'm from the Divine Craft Sect?"

Luo Chen pursed his lips, "Look at your clothes."

Xu Xiaoliu took a look; it was just an ordinary white robe, and he instantly understood.

His attire indeed didn't match the Divine Craft Sect's style.

Luo Chen chuckled lightly, determining that Xu Xiaoliu wasn't a disciple of the Divine Craft Sect not just based on his clothes.

There were also some unique characteristics on his palms.

The disciples of the Divine Craft Sect had thick calluses on their hands, and their entire bodies emitted a special scent.

It was likely due to years of cleaning flying vessels, absorbing the so-called unique Spirit Liquid.

Ever since his Cleansing Technique reached the Great Perfection, he had become very sensitive to these scents.

As a form of judgment, it was still feasible.

"Logically speaking, since your great uncle is a disciple of Ice Fortress, Lu Rong shouldn't humiliate you in front of so many people."

Before Xu Xiaoliu could respond.

Luo Chen asked curiously, "Then, what benefits did they offer you to make you work so hard to attract customers and even cooperate in fleecing them?

Xu Xiaoliu scratched his head awkwardly.

"Ten percent."

"Ten percent of the profit?"

"No, ten percent of the fee."

"No wonder!" Lu Chen suddenly realized, "If we really seal this deal, just with my flying vessel, you'll earn several hundred Spirit Stones. All I have to do is run some errands. If we don't seal the deal, it's just a couple of slaps."

Xu Xiaoliu patted his chest, "I'm worth that much!"

"How so?"

Xu Xiaoliu confidently said, "I grew up in Heavenly Wave Immortal City and know it like the back of my hand. My uncle is an Ice Fortress disciple who has been on duty for the past decade, so they naturally give me this treatment."

Lu Chen smiled slightly.

That was perfect!

With a guide like this, they could avoid a lot of trouble ahead.

Min Longyu had been away from Heavenly Wave Immortal City for too long; the situation here changed daily, and it was impossible to know everything.

Someone like Xu Xiaoliu, a local boss who dared to overcharge outsiders, was the guide he truly needed.

"Then, will you still use underhanded tricks?"

Xu Xiaoliu quickly shook his head.

He wouldn't dare.

This senior didn't seem like the kind of country bumpkin from a rural immortal cultivation family that could be easily fooled.

He was very shrewd!

Moreover, he was neither arrogant nor weak.

Chatting with Lu Rong, he quickly learned all about the Dockyard.

In the end, he left without any losses, swaggering away.

"What's the situation with the Divine Craft Sect?"

"Hey, what situation could there be? With just a few cats and mice, they obtained a Forge Art heritage, and then spent money to establish connections, allowing them to set up businesses in the Dockyard and within the city. I only tolerated them because..."

"Explain in detail!"

"Well, among the inner sect members, there are three Foundation Establishment Cultivators who take turns..."

...

Unconsciously, they had reached the outer side of the city wall moat.

"Senior, are all of you entering the city?" Lu Chen asked.

Lu Chen responded with a natural 'hm'.

Xu Xiaoliu scratched his head, "To enter the city once, they charge one Spirit Stone, and you can only stay for one day. If you leave and want to re-enter, you have to pay another Spirit Stone. It's a bit expensive!"

He wasn't sure if Lu Chen was wealthy or not.

After all, back at the Dockyard, they hadn't even been willing to pay for vessel cleaning.

But judging by their appearance, they didn't seem like they were in dire straits.

Lu Chen smiled and called for Sima Huiwang.

Then, she took Xu Xiaoliu to pay the Spirit Stones.

Li Yixuan and Nan Gong Jin approached.

"Lu Chen, was it really appropriate to embarrass Lu Rong like that?" Nan Gong Jin asked with concern.

Lu Chen glanced at her and then looked at Li Yixuan.

"Is that what you think too?"

Li Yixuan hesitated and then nodded lightly.

However, Lu Chen scoffed.

"He used underhanded tricks first, so what if I embarrassed him?"

"Do outsiders always have to be at a disadvantage?"

"Moreover, when doing business, face is the least valuable. If he causes trouble for the sake of face, then he shouldn't be in business!"

Li Yixuan's heart trembled.

Nan Gong Jin, on the other hand, recalled Lu Chen's rise in Da He Fang.

Crushing the Great River Gang and the Xuanyi Alliance Army!

Annihilating the Fu Clan to establish dominance!

Amidst the watchful eyes of all sides, they broke through Xiaohuan Mountain, defeated the Duan Clan, and from then on, gained the opportunity to stand on equal footing with their Foundation Establishment forces.

It was also during this opportunity that he had enough time and space to calmly establish his foundation.

Clearly, Lu Chen had never been one to submit to others.

But times change, and so do people!

Nan Gong Jin sighed, "We're not familiar with this place at all, what if we offend someone we shouldn't?"

"Can't we afford to offend those who make a living by gouging others at the Dockyard?" Lu Chen gave him a cold look.

Li Yixuan hesitated, "I've heard that there are also those who take advantage of their connections to profit."

"Then his connections are probably not that strong, and he's still competing with two others!" Lu Chen coldly hummed.

The Dockyard wasn't under the sole influence of Lu Rong's family.

Watching the two of them worry, Lu Chen couldn't help but shake his head.

After all, they were the two Foundation Establishment immortal cultivation families of Da He Fang.

They used to be so high and mighty.

But in a new place, they were now so timid and hesitant.

He admitted that when in unfamiliar territory, one should keep a low profile.

But keeping a low profile didn't mean letting others put a knife to your neck and prepare to slaughter you without a word of protest.

That wasn't cultivating immortality.

That was cultivating a cringing grandson!

"I seek a free and unrestrained life, not the longevity of a long-lived tortoise!"

Lu Chen silently muttered to himself and leaped over the two of them to find Sima Huiwang.

Behind him.

Nan Gong Jin suddenly sighed.

He recalled the scene of the Bai Family leading a group of Radiant Light Lane Raid Cultivators.

Back then, if not for his crazy counterattack, even at the cost of everything being destroyed, the Nan Gong Family might have been expelled long ago.

"Perhaps, Lu Chen doing this is the right thing!"

Li Yixuan opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.

Ever since leaving Da He Fang, she had become increasingly aware of her shortcomings.

She lacked initiative and had no strategies.

Her vision wasn't far-sighted, and she was inept at managing subordinates.

Everything seemed to be taken one step at a time, with no long-term plan.

"Can I really lead the Li Family to survive in Heavenly Wave Immortal City?"

She asked herself but had no answer.

In her mind, she saw the scene of the Fu Clan's annihilation.

They were an immortal cultivation family that had fled from Heavenly Wave Immortal City, only to be destroyed in Da He Fang.

Was their death due to the absence of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator? Probably not!

(End of Chapter)

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