Chapter 125

"I am older than you."

"Uh."

"My cultivation level is also higher than yours."

Looking at the stunned Luo Chen, Duan Feng chuckled: "So don't call me Little Duan."

"Alright!"

Luo Chen was helpless and waved his hand, saying:

"Now that the Dao Discussion Platform is closed, what are your plans, Little Duan?"

Duan Feng's face stiffened, and Feng Xia, who was next to him, couldn't help but laugh out loud at his worried mood.

Helpless, Duan Feng couldn't be bothered to correct Luo Chen's address anymore.

He sighed and said: "What plans can I have? Whether there is a Dao Discussion Platform or not, I still have to live and cultivate. I can only look for another way out."

Look for another way out?

Duan Feng actually has a decent magic tool repair technique, which Luo Chen knows.

Back then, the damaged blade of his Jade Knife was repaired for free by Duan Feng.

Later, on his own birthday, Duan Feng even gave a small tip on magic tool maintenance to Luo Chen as a birthday gift.

If Duan Feng opened a small magic tool repair shop in Dahe Market, survival would definitely not be a problem.

But opening a shop also requires start-up capital, connections, and time to build a reputation and cultivate a customer base.

And Duan Feng has none of these things.

It is conceivable that his future way out will likely be related to fighting.

Who knows, he might end up as a robbery cultivator, relying on killing people and seizing treasures to make a living.

Since they are neighbors, Luo Chen doesn't want to see him go down that precarious path.

"How about joining the Poshan Gang? Come to my Elixir Hall and eat and drink well with me."

Hearing this invitation, Duan Feng was quite surprised.

He hesitated: "Is that not very good?"

"What's not good about it? I am the number one elixir refiner of the Poshan Gang. With me covering you, no one can point fingers."

"I need to consider it."

"Alright, tell me when you've considered it, and then Brother Qin, Sister-in-law Murong, and the others will guarantee you together."

Luo Chen didn't force it.

Inviting Duan Feng to the Elixir Hall was just a whim he mentioned casually.

But in fact, thinking about it carefully, it is a very cost-effective thing.

Under his efforts over the past three months, the profits of the Elixir Hall have risen, and Luo Chen's dividends have also increased.

But in the end, the bulk of the elixir profits were taken away by Mi Shuhua and the Poshan Gang.

Compared to such a large interest organization, Luo Chen's personal power seems insignificant.

But if he can continuously increase his right to speak in the gang, he might be able to redefine the dividend ratio in the future.

Similar things are actually common in the daily trifles of the Poshan Gang.

When Murong Qinglian and Qin Liangchen fully supported him, wasn't it also to increase allies for the couple?

When Luo Wudi was determined to open up the path to Snow Lotus Market, wasn't it also to support his friend at the ninth level of Qi Refining?

What Luo Chen is doing now is the same principle as when he invited Gu Caiyi to join the Elixir Hall.

And Duan Feng is different from Gu Caiyi.

This person has a very simple mind and only wants to improve his strength, whether it is his realm or fighting means.

His strength is also very strong; among so many Qi Refining rogue cultivators in Dahe Market, he can easily rank in the top ten.

Such a person is relatively easy to control.

Moreover, Luo Chen doesn't want to control the other party; he just wants to form a good relationship!

Even if Duan Feng has a better place to go in the future, he will remember Luo Chen's kindness, and who knows when he might lend a helping hand.

Finally, even if Duan Feng enters the Elixir Hall, he isn't the one paying the salary!

It's the Poshan Gang paying it for him!

Perhaps there are also profits from the elixirs Luo Chen created in there.

But Luo Chen can't get his hands on that stuff, so it's better to use it as a favor to befriend Duan Feng.

……

The sudden closure of the Dao Discussion Platform caused a huge uproar in Dahe Market.

The chain reaction it brought was huge!

First of all, as Luo Chen thought, a large number of small merchants suffered a near-devastating blow.

Without the huge flow of people gathered by the Dao Discussion Platform, those small commodities with high premiums were suddenly ignored.

Luo Chen had responded early and quickly let Feng Xia and Yuan Xiaoyue lower prices.

The milk tea that used to be one spirit stone per cup became two cups for one spirit stone.

Not only that, but they also launched summer drinks, iced spirit-nourishing fruit tea, which was delicious and cheap.

It was the same for Yuan Xiaoyue; various snacks increased in quantity without increasing in price, increasing competitiveness.

But those who didn't make preparations in advance were miserable.

Luo Chen didn't have the time to care about their life or death; he only knew that another huge impact had already begun to affect his daily travel.

"Which batch is this?"

Luo Chen looked at the cultivators under his feet who had been beaten beyond recognition, with fragmented bones, and his face was a bit gloomy.

Hearing his words containing hidden anger, Zhou Yuanli said cautiously: "The third batch, and also the one with the highest cultivation level; the realm is already at the eighth level of Qi Refining."

"Such miscellaneous cultivators dare to come and rob me?" Luo Chen just felt it was incredible.

Are they all blind? He has two eighth-level Qi Refining cultivators as bodyguards on the surface!

Zhou Yuanli smiled bitterly; these are not miscellaneous cultivators.

They have extremely rich combat experience and even a top-grade flying sword magic tool as a trump card.

If it weren't for the two brothers scouting ahead who discovered the ambush in advance.

In their haste, they would definitely have startled Luo Chen.

Luo Chen took a deep breath and looked toward the direction of Mount Luofeng in the inner city.

"These few batches of daring people should all be regular guests on the Dao Discussion Platform, right?"

"That's right, just this person today, named Feng Yijian, once ranked 97th on the Dahe Heaven's Pride List; in a one-on-one situation, his combat power is quite outstanding."

One-on-one?

It's a pity that he was one-on-six today.

Luo Chen and Dongfang Liang, who only appeared to be at the seventh level of Qi Refining, didn't even make a move.

Just Zhou Yuanli plus the other three bodyguards instantly blasted him into slag; the top-grade flying sword that Feng Yijian had just sacrificed didn't even fly in front of Luo Chen.

Luo Chen rubbed his temples; recently, this kind of robbery and killing has become more and more frequent.

The Dao Discussion Platform closed, and the many Qi Refining experts who had gathered suddenly had nowhere to go.

For these people, cultivators from families are fine; they can return to their families to work.

But those rogue cultivators from other places, or local rogue cultivators, suddenly lost their livelihood.

Yet they were accustomed to fighting.

Lacking a place to vent, losing a stable source of cultivation resources, and carrying sharp weapons, naturally, the desire to kill arose.

The outer city area had almost reached the point of endless chaos.

Some early-to-mid-stage rogue cultivators were even more miserable, flocking to the Poshan Gang, Dajiang Gang, and Xuanyi Society, just to seek a little bit of protection.

And as the number one elixir refiner of the Poshan Gang, the wealthy Danchenzi—Luo Chen—naturally fell into the sights of those rogue cultivators who lived by fighting.

Those at the ninth level of Qi Refining might still have some concerns.

But those seventh or eighth-level Qi Refining cultivators who were shallow in knowledge but bold in skill had no scruples.

They made moves several times when Luo Chen was going to or from work.

Either in groups of three or five, or intercepting alone.

If this continues, there is no guarantee that someone at the ninth level of Qi Refining won't make a move personally.

"Really treating me like a fat sheep to slaughter!"

After cursing, Luo Chen sent people to clean up the battlefield.

The mid-grade magic robe was damaged, and the storage bag was also shattered in the bombardment; only a mid-grade magic tool in his hand and the top-grade flying sword magic tool that flew into mid-air were preserved.

"Liu Qiang!"

Liu Qiang raised his head.

Luo Chen waved his hand, and the flying sword hovered in front of Liu Qiang.

"Last time you protected me with merit and were seriously injured. This top-grade flying sword is rewarded to you."

Rewarded to me?

Liu Qiang was stunned for a moment, then happily took it.

A top-grade flying sword, it would have been worth at least 2,000 spirit stones in the past.

The situation has been chaotic recently, and the price of magic tools has risen again; going to the Wanbao Building to buy one would cost at least 3,000!

"The Hall Master is generous; Liu Qiang thanks you for the reward."

Luo Chen didn't care and rewarded the other mid-grade magic tool to Dongfang Liang, who had the lowest cultivation level.

He received another round of thanks.

The other three bodyguards had no dissatisfaction; in the previous two interceptions, apart from taking away spirit stones and elixirs, Luo Chen had distributed most of the other spoils to them.

It's just that this time, it was Liu Qiang and Dongfang Liang's turn.

Luo Chen's move was quite generous.

But he had no choice but to do so.

There are more and more robbery cultivators killing people and seizing treasures, so his security is becoming more and more important.

Among these five bodyguards, except for Zhou Yuanli and Liu Qiang, the other three were not very valued in the gang before.

They didn't have very good magic tools in their hands.

To enhance their strength, Luo Chen simply borrowed flowers to offer to Buddha and was generous for once.

"However, when will such days end!"

Luo Chen sighed, feeling more or less resentful toward that Core Formation True Person in his heart.

The source of everything has to be blamed on that guy.

It's a pity that the end of the chaos Luo Chen was looking forward to could not be stopped after all.

Because even greater chaos had already arrived.

"An ancient ruin has been discovered in the Guyuan Mountain Range, and it is confirmed to be a Core Formation True Person's ruin."

As soon as he arrived at Xieyue Valley, he learned this news from Murong Qinglian and the others.

……

……

"Are you sure?"

"How was it confirmed?"

In the crowd, Luo Chen asked curiously.

This time, it was Sikong Shoujia's turn to enlighten him.

"The formation surrounding that ruin is the famous Heavenly Work Spirit-Seizing Formation."

"This formation could only be set up by the Core Formation True Person of the Ghost God Valley back then; ordinary Core Formation cultivators cannot set it up."

Luo Chen was even more curious: "Ghost God Valley? There is no such sect in the Jade Cauldron territory!"

Sikong Shoujia stroked his beard and said leisurely: "It's normal for you younger generation not to know this name."

Luo Chen and the others' faces stiffened; why are you pretending to be an old senior!

Everyone is of the same generation; you are a few decades older, aren't you still in the Qi Refining stage.

Right, our cultivation world doesn't talk about ethics; we rank generations by realm!

"Back then, the sixteen sects jointly launched the opening war, with the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect as the leader and the other five major sects as assistants; you should all know their names."

"And among the sixteen sects, the remaining ten major sects were also famous. Like the Luoyun Sect, Mount Ailao... Among them, the Ghost God Valley was a major sect of formations."

"In the opening war, the Ghost God Valley contributed a lot, setting up formations when encountering mountains and sweeping away demons when encountering water."

"It's a pity that in a confrontation with a beast tide led by a fourth-tier demonic beast emperor, the Ghost God Valley camp suffered a huge impact, and True Person Jade Cauldron couldn't rescue them in time, leading to the near-total annihilation of the Ghost God Valley."

"Later, an old Core Formation cultivator from the Ghost God Valley rushed over to gather the remnants and sadly withdrew from the opening war."

"Four hundred years later, that old Core Formation cultivator has long since passed away. The Ghost God Valley had no successors and gradually declined; now there is only one branch, in the form of a cultivation family, attached to the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect."

Listening to Sikong Shoujia's narration, everyone couldn't help but feel fascinated.

The opening war!

What a grand scene that was.

The sixteen sects jointly attacked the Lianxia Mountain Range, killed through a million demonic beasts, and finally settled the Jade Cauldron territory, opening up new cultivation grounds for the human race.

And in this vast war, there were those who rose abruptly like True Person Yunhe, but there were also tragedies like the Ghost God Valley being wiped out as a whole sect.

"There is more than one major sect that suffered heavy losses like the Ghost God Valley; there are also the Minghuang Sect, Haoran..."

"Stop, stop, stop, you're getting further and further away!"

Luo Chen interrupted Sikong Shoujia's long-winded speech and pointed directly to the key to the problem.

"The Ghost God Valley camp was destroyed back then, shouldn't everyone have died? How could someone run to the Guyuan Mountain Range, thousands of miles away, to set up a formation?"

Sikong Shoujia spread his hands, "How would I know? Anyway, the body of the Ghost God Valley's Supreme Elder wasn't found back then, and everyone thought he wasn't dead. Until the Ghost God Valley declined, no one saw the Supreme Elder return, so everyone thought he might have been swallowed by demonic beasts long ago."

"However, looking at it now, that Supreme Elder still had quite a few means, actually escaping into the Guyuan Mountain Range."

In his explanation, everyone finally knew.

It turns out that the Heavenly Work Spirit-Seizing Formation is a top-tier third-tier grand formation, which cannot be set up by anyone other than a Core Formation formation master.

If given enough time, its power could even be comparable to a fourth-tier grand formation, and resisting a fourth-tier beast emperor would be no problem.

And this formation has a characteristic!

It doesn't forcibly require spirit stones to set up the formation; it can use the mountains and earth veins to form the formation, absorbing the free spiritual energy of heaven and earth from the outside.

Even after many years, it can keep the grand formation intact.

Therefore, some people inferred that the ruin discovered in the Guyuan Mountain Range is a Core Formation True Person's, and it is the place where the Ghost God Valley's Supreme Elder passed away.

"It is said that someone in our gang luckily entered the periphery of the formation and discovered several spiritual herbs over 500 years old. If it's the interior, who knows if there are thousand-year spiritual herbs!"

Sikong Shoujia clicked his tongue in wonder, with a strong intention to go and explore.

Someone next to him was suspicious, "Isn't that something from 400 years ago? How can there still be 500-year and thousand-year heavenly treasures?"

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone else looked at him with the eyes of looking at a fool.

He was stunned for a moment, then reacted, and his face instantly flushed red.

The Ghost God Valley's Supreme Elder passed away 400 years ago, but the things in the Guyuan Mountain Range haven't only existed for 400 years.

Under the protection of the grand formation, the resources inside can completely grow safely to a higher age.

Let alone a thousand years, even ten-thousand-year spiritual objects are not certain.

"Wait a minute, do you mean that the ruin was discovered by our Poshan Gang?" Luo Chen heard this meaning from the old man's words.

Sikong Shoujia nodded, "Of course! The Guyuan Mountain Range has always been our main area of activity; it's normal for such a large ruin to be discovered first by our gang's cultivators."

As soon as he said this, the cultivators of the Elixir Hall and Medicine Hall all became excited.

The ruin discovered by the Poshan Gang, shouldn't the harvest belong to the Poshan Gang?

How could they, these gang members, also get a share!

Even if they can't get a share, applying to explore should also enjoy the convenience of the location.

For a time, the cultivators of both halls were moved.

Seeing this, Luo Chen, who was also a bit excited, gradually calmed down instead.

There is no wall without cracks in the world, and the Poshan Gang is not a sect force with extremely strong cohesion.

Now that even they know, how long will it be before the whole Dahe Market knows?

Perhaps those who are slightly better informed already know!

And involving a Core Formation ruin, and it being the place where a sect's Supreme Elder passed away, how many treasures might be contained within.

It's simply unimaginable!

This feast, I'm afraid, won't be the turn of ordinary rogue cultivators like them.

Luo Chen being so calm doesn't mean others can calm down.

Especially in the next two days, the news coming out of the Guyuan Mountain Range became more and more outrageous, making everyone restless.

Lishan Seed, a second-tier spiritual fruit seed, can assist Foundation Establishment cultivators in cultivation, and for earth-path cultivators, the effect is excellent.

800-year Heaven and Earth Root, one of the main materials for Foundation Establishment pills, with a very high age, and its medicinal power is almost no less than ordinary low-grade Foundation Establishment pills.

If a cultivator takes it raw, they can increase the probability of Foundation Establishment by 20 percent out of thin air.

If you ask a master elixir refiner to refine it into a Foundation Establishment pill, at worst it can achieve a mid-grade Foundation Establishment pill, which can almost increase the probability of Foundation Establishment from the 30 percent of low-grade to 40 percent!

In addition to these two types of spiritual herbs, there are also various precious medicinal materials such as Purple Monkey Flower and Yin Scale Grass.

Just these things are enough to stir everyone's emotions.

But this is just wild heavenly treasures; it is rumored that the Supreme Elder participated in the opening war with most of the assets of the Ghost God Valley.

There is no lack of Foundation Establishment pills, and even Core Formation resources inside.

Under such heavy profits, the entire Dahe Market boiled over.

Every day, hundreds or thousands of cultivators flock into the Guyuan Mountain Range.

Even the threat of demonic beasts has been thrown to the back of their minds.

Luo Chen has been watching the development of things, but he didn't expect that the impact of the Core Formation ruin would also spread to his Xieyue Valley.

Standing on the cliff platform, Luo Chen's gaze fell into the valley.

Luo Wudi is negotiating with Murong Qinglian.

The conversation between the two has no concealment and is very open; any cultivator who pays a little attention can hear the content of the conversation.

"The Medicine Hall will send 50 people to follow me into the mountains, responsible for identifying and excavating spiritual herbs and spiritual grasses."

"Too many; taking so many people away at once, the Medicine Hall cannot maintain normal operation."

"It's not too many, and the cultivators can keep 30 percent of the profits from the spiritual herbs they find."

"But, there are already enough people going to that ruin; it's very dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

Luo Wudi's gaze fell on the cultivators watching here, and he chuckled.

"Then you ask them, are they willing to go?"

Murong Qinglian looked at the Medicine Hall cultivators who were eager to try, and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"Forget it, do as you please!"

Luo Wudi clapped his hands, "Those who want to go, come to me to sign up. Those with higher cultivation levels will be given priority!"

In an instant, 80 percent of the Medicine Hall cultivators flocked to him, all hoping to be selected.

Luo Chen watched all this coldly.

When he turned his head back, he found that a group of Elixir Hall cultivators were staring at the bottom with fiery eyes.

"What are you looking at!"

Suddenly, a roar sounded.

Luo Chen stared at them coldly, "A bunch of old, weak, women, and children, do you also want to go and die?"

Most people were silent.

But there were still people whispering, saying things like blocking people's path is like killing their parents.

It was Luo Erduo!

Luo Wudi's nephew.

"Those who want to go, get out quickly; this Hall Master will never stop you!"

"However, once you walk out this door today, don't come back!"

As soon as the words fell, Luo Wudi flew into the valley below impatiently.

Several other cultivators also hesitated and left the Elixir Hall.

"You... sigh!"

The one sighing was Qu Hancheng, because those who left were almost all fire workers, and they were the ones with higher cultivation levels.

Seeing that Luo Chen's anger had not subsided, Qu Hancheng could only smile bitterly.

The team's morale is scattered, it's not easy to lead!

"Hall Master..."

"Why, do you also want to go?" Luo Chen turned his head angrily.

Qu Hancheng said in fear: "This old man is old and has a few little ones to take care of; how can I just go? It's just that since some people have left, should the elixir refining work in the afternoon continue?"

Luo Chen breathed a sigh of relief and patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"Continue! Why not continue!"

"Not only must we refine elixirs, but we must refine them on a large scale! Specially refine! Refine more!"

"When the time comes, they will fight to the death, and we will refine elixirs with peace of mind. Mi Li, Tang Quan, stop researching Zhongmiao Pills recently; I'll give you a task, refine more Grain Grain Bigu Pills."

"When the time comes, Elder Sikong will send people to set up stalls at the entrances of the Guyuan Mountain Range; they eat meat, and it's not like we can't drink the soup!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone in the Elixir Hall was stunned.

The smarter ones, like Gu Caiyi, Sikong Shoujia, and others, had their eyes light up.