https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-504-You-Are-Not-a-True-Man-Unaware-of-Nascent-Soul-Techniques/12936316/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-506-Family-Letter-The-Battle-Begins-/12941955/
Chapter 505: Buying a Horse's Bone with a Thousand Gold, Slaying the Dragon and Dispelling the Golde
Chapter 505: Buying a Horse's Bone with a Thousand Gold, Slaying the Dragon and Dispelling the Golden Light
A bitter laugh, and all other thoughts vanished.
Now was not the time for self-reflection.
Treating his injuries was the top priority!
Luo Chen glanced at the golden light within his body, like a bone-clinging maggot, and then shifted his attention to his other wounds.
"Let's not worry about the external injuries for now. The most urgent task is to stabilize the internal injuries first."
Killing three Wolf Kings in succession had come at a cost for Luo Chen.
If he had killed them one by one, he was confident that with his current abilities, he could have done so without any injuries.
Unfortunately, this battle had come too suddenly and was too perilous.
In the blink of an eye, he had slain three Demon Kings, one after the other. The surge of magical power in that instant had caused significant damage to his meridians.
Even his Qi Sea had been affected.
Luo Chen carefully mobilized the remaining magical power in his Golden Core and used the Spring Breeze and Rain Transformation Technique to start nourishing his damaged meridians.
As the Wood and Water spiritual energies permeated his body, a tingling sensation spread throughout.
Luo Chen couldn't help but moan in pain.
"First, I'll stabilize the internal injuries, and then deal with the more troublesome external injuries."
This might sound strange.
For cultivators, external injuries were not as crucial as internal ones, which were the real concern.
But what truly inflicted severe injuries on Luo Chen was his clash with the Golden Wolf King.
The Golden Wolf King's physique was formidable!
At the Primordial Stage Three, the Golden Wolf King had not cultivated the path of Qi and blood transformation but had solely focused on tempering his physical body.
Even so, he still hovered at the initial stage of the Primordial Stage.
In contrast, the Golden Wolf King had clearly cultivated his demonic power and also emphasized tempering his demonic body.
Although it was unclear how the modern Demon Clan's body tempering realm compared to the ancient Beast's body tempering, at the very least, the Golden Wolf King's physical strength surpassed Luo Chen's.
As a result, when they collided head-on, Luo Chen was no match for his opponent and was blasted back hundreds of miles!
The Golden Wolf King not only left behind a strand of demonic energy within Luo Chen's body, seeking to tear him apart, but also inflicted unimaginable injuries on his physical body.
Therefore, Luo Chen had to first treat his internal injuries, stabilize his meridians, and then mobilize more magical power to heal his external wounds.
"The various medical techniques I've learned in the past will finally come in handy!"
During his break, Luo Chen thought with a hint of relief.
...
"Senior Dan Chenzi!"
In his cave mansion, Luo Chen, with a pale face, looked at the young man standing before him, who, despite being covered in dust, still exuded a heroic aura.
"It's Junior Han Zheng. What brings you here?"
Han Zheng felt slightly awkward.
Although Luo Chen had a great reputation, he himself was not an unknown figure.
Even with the life-saving grace between them, they were still considered peers.
But now that Luo Chen had formed his Golden Core and achieved remarkable feats during the Golden Core stage, Han Zheng felt overshadowed.
However, this was not the time to dwell on such thoughts.
Han Zheng flipped his wrist, and a tray appeared in his hand.
Luo Chen looked at it and saw a gourd, a black jar, and two jade bottles on the tray.
"What are these?"
Han Zheng explained, "These are healing pills and ointments specially sent by my ancestor. The two jade bottles contain the Sea Stabilizing Pill and Pulse Nourishing Pill, enough for ten treatment sessions. The black jar contains the Black Emperor Ointment, which, when applied to your body, can significantly aid in recovering from physical injuries. It is said that after complete absorption, it may even enhance the strength of your physical body."
Luo Chen had heard of the Sea Stabilizing Pill and Pulse Nourishing Pill, both third-stage healing pills, a long time ago.
The former was a unique pill of the Falling Cloud Sect's Mu Yunyan, while the latter was a specialty of the Medicine King Sect, specifically supplied to the Golden Core cultivators of the major sects.
However, the Black Emperor Ointment was unfamiliar to him.
He hesitated, "Is it really that effective?"
Han Zheng confidently replied, "It's definitely not a lie. As you know, my sect specializes in puppet techniques, and we create human-shaped puppets in addition to various beast puppets. However, these human puppets, due to their lack of self-awareness, often cannot self-repair when damaged. In such cases, we rely on the Black Emperor Ointment to help restore the puppet's body. The reason why our sect's puppets are much sturdier than others in the cultivation world is that we occasionally apply a small amount of Black Emperor Ointment to make them even more indestructible."
Luo Chen became quite interested.
His gaze finally settled on the gourd.
"What's inside this?"
"Spirit Dissolving Liquid. My ancestor said that there's a pure strand of demonic energy within your body, which is difficult to dispel with ordinary methods. Therefore, he sent this fourth-stage spirit liquid specifically to dissolve and gradually expel it."
Looking at these valuable items, Luo Chen fell silent.
Both external and internal remedies were available.
If he combined these with his exceptional medical skills, his injuries might heal several times faster than initially expected.
But this treatment was too good!
He couldn't help but ask, "Am I the only one receiving this treatment, or are others also getting it?"
Han Zheng was taken aback, not expecting such a question.
However, he answered honestly, "The other injured cultivators will also receive some compensation, but this level of treatment is exclusive to you, Senior."
Luo Chen frowned. "Such generosity towards me?"
Han Zheng replied calmly, "Senior, you fought bravely, slaying three Wolf Kings and facing the late third-stage Golden Wolf King head-on, blocking his advance. Such a great contribution naturally warrants this level of compensation. My sect's elders even feel it's not enough. It's just that they don't have better compensation at hand right now. My master told me that after we completely conquer the Howling Moon Mountains, our sect intends to grant you command over an additional thousand miles within your mountain gate's jurisdiction."
Luo Chen's eyebrows rose.
It seemed this was not just compensation.
There was also a sense of buying a horse's bone with a thousand gold.
By saying this in front of him, they likely intended to spread the word later, showcasing the Falling Cloud Sect's generosity.
After a moment of contemplation, Luo Chen decided to accept these items.
In the current situation, the sooner he recovered his peak battle prowess, the better!
"Please convey my gratitude to Senior Han and Elder Cheng."
"Hmm, then I'll take my leave. I still have many matters to attend to."
After Han Zheng left, Luo Chen turned his attention to the four spiritual medicines.
He examined them with his Divine Perception and tested them with his cultivation power.
Furthermore, he took out a silver needle from his storage ring and used the unique method of pill refinement to inspect the medicinal properties.
After a thorough investigation, he confirmed that there were no issues, and only then did Luo Chen reveal a brilliant smile.
Falling Cloud Sect was indeed generous in spending their resources! However, his smile didn't last long.
Because Jueqing Xianzi had arrived.
She brought bad news to Luo Chen.
Among the ten alliance cultivators that Luo Chen had brought, only seven were found, and three were missing.
In that kind of battlefield, the disappearance of three people meant something that everyone understood.
As for the seven found, five were dead, and two were injured.
"Who are the two who are alive?" Luo Chen asked after a long silence.
Jueqing Xianzi replied naturally, "Your disciple, Zeng Yilong, and Wan Ting from Ten Thousand Phenomena Sect. Especially the latter, when I found him, he was barely clinging to life, relying solely on his strong willpower to crawl out of a pile of corpses."
"What about Xing Zonghan?"
"I'm sorry, he died not far from the main battlefield, in a forest. His body was torn into pieces, and he was torn apart by beasts when he had nowhere else to go."
Luo Chen opened his mouth, then closed his eyes.
"Thank you, fellow Daoist, for your help."
Seeing the sorrow on his face, Jueqing Xianzi could only sigh.
Throughout history, when facing large-scale beast tide attacks, the consequences have always been the same.
Ice Fortress, located next to the Snow Mountain, has encountered similar situations frequently over the years.
She could only say, "My condolences."
Luo Chen acknowledged with a sound, opened his eyes, and the sorrow on his face had faded.
"How is my fellow sect member, Zeng Yilong, doing?"
"He suffered some injuries but is not in critical condition. Currently, Murong Qinglian from Falling Cloud Sect is personally taking care of him."
"That's good then."
Luo Chen murmured.
He hadn't expected that the greatest casualty in the three battles fought by the Rothean Alliance would occur under his command.
Five dead, three missing, and one of his major generals lost! He had thought he could protect these people, and even felt he had the strength to spare, wanting to protect Zeng Yilong and allow him to gain experience while ensuring his safety.
Now it seemed that he had been too arrogant!
He had barely managed to save his own life, so how could he have the strength to protect others?
Jueqing Xianzi had already left.
In the cave mansion, there was only silence.
Luo Chen was reflecting, questioning if he had made any mistakes along the way that led to this outcome. After a long time, he finally sighed.
"Perhaps there were some unnoticed mistakes!"
"Those mistakes were hidden beneath the success and pride."
During Qi Refinement, he was cautious and calculated every step, which led to his success and few defeats.
After Foundation Establishment, although he took risks, they were mostly within his capabilities. It was only during the battle at Fen Xiang Gu that he was influenced by the Heart Demon and fell into a demonic hindrance, doing something beyond his capabilities.
All the changes originated from his successful Golden Core formation!
Upon completing his Golden Core, an entire city honored him, and many came to congratulate him. He established the Rothean Alliance, seized the Howling Moon Mountains, and conquered the Third-stage Spirit Vein, with everything going smoothly.
Especially after solving the cultivation resource dilemma and perfecting his illusion techniques, he unknowingly became overly confident.
He fantasized about being on par with mid-stage Golden Core cultivators.
He calculated whether he had the strength to fight late-stage Golden Core cultivators.
However, in the end, he was just a cultivator at the initial stage of the second layer of Golden Core! Especially in such large-scale wars involving thousands and tens of thousands.
Even Cheng Yan, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator with years of experience, couldn't navigate the battle with ease, so how could Luo Chen, a mere second-layer Golden Core cultivator, protect others?
"Without forming a Golden Core, one cannot speak of the Great Dao."
"Even with a Golden Core, one is merely standing at the starting line of the Great Dao."
"What makes me think that my hundred years of cultivation can surpass their hundred years of hard work?"
These years of smooth sailing had made Luo Chen overlook too much.
Those Golden Core cultivators, who were once unattainable, surrounded him with kind smiles, making him forget that they respected him only for his pill refinement skills, not his strength or cultivation.
It wasn't the Heart Demon's hindrance, but merely his arrogance and pride.
After this battle, Luo Chen finally awakened.
He was still that humble cultivator, and to walk further on the path of longevity, he must be cautious and tread carefully.
Removing his clothes, his body was covered in shocking wounds.
He applied the Black Emperor Ointment, which brought waves of scorching pain.
Luo Chen remained silent, letting the ointment heal his body.
...
The aftermath of the battle was far-reaching.
On the human side, they had conquered Jiuhuang Mountain, forming an absolute encirclement of the Ao Xiao Wolf Courtyard.
From then on, the timing and strategy of the war would be decided by the cultivators.
However, the demon side also had their achievements.
Under the personal leadership of the Savage Wolf Sovereign, they severely injured the main force of the cultivator alliance—Falling Cloud Sect!
That night, seven Golden Core cultivators from Falling Cloud Sect perished!
Including the Sect Leader, Ruan Jing, Qu Xi Bai, Cheng Rou, and other renowned experts of Falling Cloud Sect.
In one battle, the high-level combat power of Falling Cloud Sect was nearly devastated.
As for the low-level cultivators, Falling Cloud Sect also suffered heavy losses.
Among the thirteen disciples selected fifty years ago, three had already formed their Golden Cores and were assigned to the rear, while eight out of the remaining ten had perished.
Only Han Zheng and another Foundation Establishment Stage Ninth Layer true disciple of Falling Cloud Sect survived.
The other Foundation Establishment cultivators also suffered numerous casualties.
From a strategic perspective, the cultivator alliance achieved a great victory, but from a local battlefield view, Falling Cloud Sect, which initiated the war, suffered heavy losses, dampening the joy of the victory.
Everyone knew that the primary purpose of this Opening War was to conquer the Howling Moon Mountains, allowing the newly advanced Nascent Soul Upper Sect, Falling Cloud Sect, to obtain a Primordial Stage Four Spirit Land and truly live up to its name.
Now that the Falling Cloud Sect had suffered a severe injury, the subsequent war plans would likely be postponed indefinitely.
After all, the Falling Cloud Sect couldn't possibly fight the final battle in a weakened state.
Not to mention whether they could win or not.
Even if they won, aside from Han Zhan True Man, the Falling Cloud Sect only had a few other Nascent Soul cultivators. How could they possibly spare enough people to control the entire region?
In that case, the interests of the Howling Moon Mountains would be divided among the various Golden Core sects, and the Nascent Soul Upper Sects from the outer regions would even more aggressively covet the mountains.
Would the Falling Cloud Sect be the kind to let others take advantage of their hard work?
Due to these speculations, the various forces realized that they might be entering a prolonged period of peace.
They would have to wait for the Falling Cloud Sect to recover from its injuries before completing the decisive battle.
"Perhaps this is the true intention of the Savage Wolf Sovereign's direct assault on the Golden Wolf King!"
In a cave mansion, several Golden Core cultivators, who were well-known outside, were conversing in hushed tones.
Among them were Wei Wuyue from Heaven-Touching Cliff, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, and Baihua Xianzi, the stunningly beautiful Palace Master of the Hundred Flowers Palace.
Additionally, there was Jueqing Xianzi, who was as cold as ice, and Lin Qingxuan from Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, who had recently gained prominence.
"Abandoning Jiuhuang Mountain, severely injuring the Falling Cloud Sect, and slowing down the war to buy more time for the Savage Wolf Courtyard. This is to allow them to gain support from more powerful demon races in the wild mountains. Such a strategy of sacrificing the pawn to protect the king is not something I would expect from barbarians."
"Fellow Daoist, your words are inappropriate. Once demons undergo formation, they are essentially no different from us. The evaluation of 'barbarians'? Inappropriate, truly inappropriate!"
"Such trivial wordplay is pointless. I merely wish to know how long the Howling Moon War will last."
"Can't Baihua wait?"
"We endured the fifty-year preparation period, and we've waited this long. I don't mind waiting a little longer. But who knows how long this 'little longer' will be? Do we have to wait for the Falling Cloud Sect to fill the gap of seven missing Golden Core cultivators?"
Upon hearing this, everyone in the cave mansion fell silent.
Golden Core cultivators are not easy to cultivate.
The Falling Cloud Sect, after years of accumulation, had only managed to produce a dozen or so.
Especially after the previous battle, they had lost a large number of excellent Foundation Establishment disciples.
Without sufficient seedlings, it was impossible to hastily produce Golden Core cultivators, even with the sect's resources.
Lin Qingxuan nonchalantly said, "I don't care how long the Falling Cloud Sect wants to wait. It's fine with me. It's just that my sword isn't sharp enough, and I'd like to fight a few more battles to suit my taste!"
The others gave him a speechless look.
Lin Qingxuan appeared gentle, but deep down, he was a combat enthusiast.
In every battle, he was always at the forefront.
When his flying sword was drawn, he would return with bloodshed.
While others grew weaker with each fight, he became stronger, his cultivation realm advancing by leaps and bounds.
It could only be said that although Jade Cauldron Sword Sect seemed mediocre among Nascent Soul Upper Sects, after hundreds of years of development, they had indeed cultivated some excellent seedlings.
After this battle, when Lin Qingxuan digests the combat experience, Jade Cauldron Sword Sect might produce another top-notch Golden Core cultivator.
Suddenly, a masked Daoist in the corner spoke up, "In my opinion, we might not have to wait that long."
Everyone was taken aback.
Wei Wuyue frowned, "Bai Sun, your intelligence from the Pearl Tower is formidable, but do you have information that we don't know about?"
Bai Sun whispered, "There's no activity at the main camp of the Falling Cloud Sect, as if they're planning to quietly recover their strength. But according to my knowledge, the disciples and members left behind in Moonbreaker Immortal City and even the old site of the Jade Cauldron Region are all rushing over here."
Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances.
If they were planning to recuperate, why bring people from the rear instead of letting them gather resources for the frontlines? But if they were gathering all their strength for a decisive battle, did the Falling Cloud Sect truly have such determination?
Everyone couldn't help but discuss this.
However, after talking for half a day, they still couldn't reach a conclusion.
Seeing this, Jueqing Xianzi became impatient and stopped listening.
"I'll go check on Dan Chenzi's injury recovery, you all continue!"
After saying this, she left the cave mansion.
The others weren't surprised.
Everyone knew about Dan Chenzi and Ice Fortress's relationship.
Especially now that Ice Fortress had weakened, and Dan Chenzi had demonstrated exceptional Golden Core combat strength beyond his expertise in pill concocting.
It was only natural for Jueqing Xianzi to be concerned about him.
Only the masked Bai Sun in the corner twitched the corners of his mouth beneath his mask.
...
In a third-grade lower-quality cave mansion arranged by the Swordsmanship Hall.
Lu Chen, naked, was entirely black from head to toe, except for his occasionally opening and closing mouth, revealing a set of white, straight teeth.
Suddenly, Lu Chen opened his eyes.
He opened his mouth, and strands of golden light emerged from it.
Others would surely be astonished by this bizarre sight.
But Lu Chen was far from satisfied.
"The Spirit Dissolving Liquid is effective, but it's too slow."
"It seems that to quickly remove the powerful demonic energy left by the Golden Wolf King, I'll have to rely on myself!"
With a thought, he began to slowly form hand seals.
Initially, he was a bit clumsy, but gradually, he entered a state of flow.
Suddenly, Lu Chen's fingers paused, and he made a cutting motion in the air.
Clang! It was as if a sound of metal striking metal came from the void.
In reality, it was an echo from within his body.
After the echo, Lu Chen opened his mouth and spat out more golden demonic energy.
"As expected, the Dragon Slaying Technique is incredibly effective against this kind of foreign energy. It's no wonder it's a fourth-grade spell developed by the Five Elements Divine Sect!"
Lu Chen pursed his lips, his eyes shining.
Using the Ku Rong Huo to bind the golden demonic energy, then dissolving it with the Spirit Dissolving Liquid, and finally cutting it into pieces with the Dragon Slaying Technique.
With this three-pronged approach, within a month, he might be able to eliminate this major threat!
(End of Chapter)
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