https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-322-Sometimes-one-must-be-brave-/12931928/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-324-Taking-the-Initiative-Well-Prepared-and-Full-of-Confidence-/12931936/
Chapter 323: Consecutive Failures, Luck Has Abandoned Us?
Chapter 323: Consecutive Failures, Luck Has Abandoned Us?
Outside a spacious cavern mansion on Crimson Peak.
The steep cliffs and breathtaking scenery were awe-inspiring.
Luo Chen emerged from within, followed closely by Sima Hui Niang.
"It's not a big deal. It's just that when the spiritual energy was about to flow through the Extraordinary Meridians, it wasn't properly controlled, resulting in a severe injury."
"I've already treated it. From now on, as long as you regularly take the Pulse Nourishing and Deficiency Supplementing Elixir, it will take a few years to recover."
He spoke with ease.
In reality, Sima Xian's injuries were far more severe than he let on.
Not everyone could be like Luo Chen, who had managed to unblock the Twelve Primary Meridians and the Extraordinary Meridians during the middle stage of Qi Condensation.
Consequently, when it came to Foundation Establishment, one had to divide their attention to manage the process.
This was one of the reasons why Foundation Establishment was so challenging.
Fortunately, Sima Xian had used Imperial Stream Plasma to break through, which had a relatively milder nature.
If he had used the orthodox Foundation Establishment Pill, he might not have survived.
Sima Hui Niang accompanied Luo Chen as they strolled between the cavern mansions.
She sighed and said, "We had already anticipated this. After all, my brother is over sixty, and he has long passed the most suitable opportunity for breakthrough."
Luo Chen also sighed.
"Murong Qinglian failed once, and Bian Zhen also failed. Now, even your brother has failed."
"Before the Foundation Establishment, all the preparations were already done to the utmost."
"It seems like luck hasn't been on our side lately!"
Sima Hui Niang forced a smile, "Why are you so downcast? As loose cultivators, we are the ones with inferior talents that major sects look down upon. Failing Foundation Establishment is within our expectations."
"But emotionally, it's still hard to accept," Luo Chen clicked his tongue. He now hoped that Qin Liangchen would succeed in Foundation Establishment.
Otherwise, the Celestial Assembly would face a fourth person failing Foundation Establishment.
This would be a significant blow not only to Qin Liangchen himself but also to their friends and even the entire Celestial Assembly.
Facing the cold mountain breeze, Luo Chen suddenly said, "That's right!"
"Regarding our relationship, have you told your brother and younger brother about it?"
Sima Hui Niang tucked her hair behind her ear and said calmly, "I haven't told them, but perhaps they can guess."
Luo Chen frowned, "Is this too much of a burden on you?"
"A burden?" Sima Hui Niang tilted her head and smiled at Luo Chen, "I think it's fine!"
"I haven't given you a formal..."
"And no Foundation Establishment cultivator has ever had a grand Foundation Establishment Ceremony like mine!"
Sima Hui Niang interrupted Luo Chen.
To her, it was far happier than a grand wedding!
Then, she said seriously, "Instead of worrying about these small matters, why don't you focus more on cultivation? Our Celestial Assembly still lacks a late-stage senior cultivator."
"Alright, it's your turn to teach me."
"How dare I teach the Chairman!"
"I still prefer the way you used to call me, my husband!"
Luo Chen spoke with a playful smile, then his expression turned serious.
"I came today mainly to tell you that I might be going out soon. When the time comes, I'll need you to look after the Celestial Assembly."
Sima Hui Niang also became solemn.
"Managing the Celestial Assembly is my duty. Even if you didn't say it, I would still do it carefully."
"But, going out? Where to?"
Luo Chen slowly uttered three words.
"Qingdan Valley!"
...
Tao Yisheng had been missing for so long, and his whereabouts were unknown.
It was definitely not as simple as being in seclusion.
It was highly likely that he had returned to Qingdan Valley.
Thus, the opportunity for Tao Wan and Luo Chen to meet had already presented itself.
This was Luo Chen's judgment.
However, he wasn't in a hurry and continued his daily routine of cultivating and refining pills in the cavern mansion.
With his uninterrupted efforts, he continuously refined Middle and High-grade Jade Dew Pills, and his proficiency rapidly increased.
The time to reach perfection was drawing closer.
The reason for his mass production was simple.
If Tao Wan really came looking for him, he would have to embark on a long journey.
It was difficult to estimate the time required.
Therefore, he needed to prepare the Jade Dew Pills for Dantai Jin in advance.
This was a crucial tool to maintain their relationship with the Ice Castle!
It couldn't be interrupted at all!
Moreover, Luo Chen even planned to provide more pills for the following year's quota.
By doing so, his trip would be taken more seriously by the Ice Castle, and they would ensure that no accidents occurred during his visit to Qingdan Valley.
...
While Luo Chen calmly cultivated and refined pills, thousands of miles away in Qingdan Valley, within Tao Wan's cavern mansion, the atmosphere was oppressive.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Senior Sister Shangguan Yan offered an extremely generous reward and even provided a longevity-extending spiritual fruit. Huang Hezi has definitely sided with them."
"Shangguan Yan... Good! Very good!"
As she spoke this name, Tao Wan's face was filled with gloom.
Qingdan Valley was not some nouveau riche sect.
It was a major sect with a nearly thousand-year-old inheritance, having relocated to the Jade Cauldron Domain four hundred years ago.
Over the years, the sect had produced countless Golden Core cultivators, and even now, there were fifteen of them!
Consequently, the sect was filled with various factions and powerful clans.
Tao Wan's family, the Tao family, was once a renowned Golden Core clan, but after their Golden Core ancestor passed away two hundred years ago, they gradually declined.
With one clan's decline, others would naturally seize the opportunities that emerged.
The Shangguan family was the one that benefited the most.
Shangguan Yan, who was of the same generation as Tao Wan, had never gotten along with her.
But she never expected the other party to stoop so low.
On the eve of the Dao Seed Competition, they were trying to poach her, Tao Wan's, supporters.
"No wonder Huang Hezi didn't show up at today's assembly," she said, taking a deep breath to calm herself.
A handsome man frowned and asked, "In that case, when the Dao Seed Competition begins, your ranking, Wan Wan, will likely drop to the bottom."
Tao Wan did not like being called so intimately by others.
But Qi Lingyun was her most trusted aide at the moment, and during the first round, she still needed him to fend off enemies.
Therefore, most of the time, she had to endure her inner displeasure.
"I don't care about the ranking drop, I'll just fight my way up from the bottom if I have to."
"What I fear is not making it into the top nine."
Qi Lingyun smiled, "You're overthinking it. Even if I can't pass this round of the pill refinement, I'll still be there for you in the next round, so you can rest assured."
Qi Lingyun had reached the eighth layer of the Foundation Establishment stage, and his strength was formidable.
His confidence was evident! Tao Wan nodded slightly, tacitly agreeing with his words.
But after everyone left, she made a firm decision.
"Yi Sheng, tomorrow, follow me out of the sect and go to the Heavenly Wave Immortal City!"
Tao Yisheng, who had been waiting outside the cavern mansion, rushed in excitedly.
"Sister, you've finally made up your mind?"
"There's nothing to think about. I was already planning to ask you to invite Luo Chen over and see his abilities."
Tao Wan sighed.
"It's just that Huang Hezi's betrayal left me without a usable alchemist. Those two second-rank alchemists are only in name, they only passed the theoretical examination, and their skills are far inferior to yours."
"Since that's the case, to show my respect, it's better if I go in person."
Tao Yisheng nodded repeatedly, "Luo Chen's alchemy skills are definitely not inferior to Huang Hezi's, and he deserves our hospitality!"
"You have so much faith in him?"
Tao Wan couldn't help but ask, as she had never seen her younger brother hold someone in such high regard.
Tao Yisheng patted his chest, "The reason my second-rank alchemist title is well-deserved is because of his guidance! In this aspect, apart from those few third-rank alchemists in the sect, there's no one else I trust more."
"Luo Chen has his own exceptional qualities!"
Tao Wan blinked, and her initial desperation gradually turned into anticipation.
...
In the pill room, smoke rose and medicinal fragrances filled the air.
A chilling power emanated from the Ice Emperor Cauldron.
With a thought, Luo Chen waved his hand, and dozens of crystal-clear white pills fell into the ice plate.
After a quick inspection, he divided them into two groups.
Among them were clearly Middle Grade and Superior Grade Jade Dew Pills of different qualities.
This was done intentionally by Luo Chen.
After reaching Master Level Proficiency, he could relatively stably control the quality of the pills he refined.
Currently, his collaboration with the Ice Castle was limited to Middle Grade Jade Dew Pills.
His displayed alchemy skills were already enough to gain the attention of the Absolute Emotion Sect.
Exposing too much would only invite trouble.
That's why Luo Chen occasionally refined some Superior Grade Jade Dew Pills.
One reason was to improve his proficiency, and the other was to prepare cultivation pills for Sima Hui's Daughter.
For normal Foundation Establishment cultivators, their demand for pills was high but not excessive.
Spirit Land was more important.
As pills could produce alchemy poison, it was better to minimize their consumption without the cultivation of corresponding poison neutralization secret techniques.
Luo Chen took one cultivation pill every day without fail.
But for normal Foundation Establishment cultivators, they might only take one every three or five days.
Sima Hui's Daughter was busy with the Celestial Assembly's affairs and had even less time to cultivate.
In this situation, Luo Chen couldn't increase the quantity, so he decided to focus on quality.
"After all, she's my woman now, and I can't let her down in this aspect."
He was always generous with his friends.
It didn't make sense to be stingy with his own family.
Even if he couldn't give everything, he would still provide the best within his means.
Yes.
Luo Chen sorted the pills and estimated how much longer it would take to reach Grand Mastery proficiency in refining Jade Dew Pills.
"With all my efforts, it will take three to four months."
"Considering that I need to set aside some Middle Grade pills, this time will double."
"It's not a big deal."
Currently, just refining Middle Grade Jade Dew Pills, after deducting the costs, he could make a small profit of 40,000 spirit stones a year.
Even with Sima Hui's daughter's consumption, he could still save 20,000 to 30,000 spirit stones.
Compared to the previous situation of breaking even or losing money when selling Jade Dew Pills, Luo Chen was already satisfied.
This profit wasn't much.
But if one considered what Luo Chen gained through this business, it was a huge profit.
Once it was accepted that the Celestial Assembly was an unwavering subordinate of the Ice Castle, the situation wasn't so bad, and there were actually many benefits.
At least for now, various businesses were going smoothly, without any obstacles.
Many small sects wanted to become subordinates of the Ice Castle, but they didn't have the qualifications yet.
After leaving the pill room, Bai Meiling was waiting outside, holding a sound transmitter.
"Master, this just arrived in the cavern mansion."
Luo Chen's eyebrows rose, and he reached out to take the sound transmitter. After activating it with spiritual energy, it ignited on its own.
Tao Yisheng's warm voice sounded in his ear, "It's been a long time, fellow cultivator. Are you free to visit Ethereal Cave No. 5 for a chat?"
"Junior Brother Tao Yisheng is always ready to welcome you."
Luo Chen's lips curved slightly.
He couldn't hold back any longer! He didn't go to see Tao Yisheng immediately.
Instead, he calmly cleaned himself up, entered the cavern mansion filled with spiritual energy, and quietly began his cultivation.
After achieving Hundred Meridians Unblocked, his current cultivation was more tiring than before.
But after each cultivation session, the joy of harvest was truly addictive.
It turned out that sometimes, cultivating could really be addictive! As for the Tao Wan siblings?
Everyone had their requests! Since that was the case, Luo Chen would hold out for a better price and try to maintain control!
(End of Chapter)
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