Chapter 178

How much is a living Tier 2 explosive ape worth?

This beast is classified as fire-attribute, has a violent temperament, lacks human nature, and is extremely difficult to tame.

Without special beast-taming methods, this beast is not worth much; at most, one would kill it for materials, selling for four or five thousand spirit stones.

It is different from the Blazing Cloud Roc that Luo Chen purchased.

Although the Blazing Cloud Roc is also a Tier 2 demonic beast, it is an avian beast that is extremely difficult to capture, and if its pair of wings is intact, it is the best Tier 2 casting material itself.

Therefore, the price of the Blazing Cloud Roc has always remained high.

In comparison, the value of an explosive ape in other people's hands is very low.

But this is only for others.

Luo Chen is different!

He is an alchemist, and he happens to have a pill formula targeting the blood of an explosive ape.

At this moment, Luo Chen looked at the battered, bloody explosive ape, feeling extremely excited.

"If I use the blood of a Tier 2 explosive ape to refine Blood-Burning Pills, what will the power be like?"

"Does it mean it can be used by Foundation Establishment cultivators?"

In this way, the value of the Blood-Burning Pill will soar.

Although the price of the Blood-Burning Pill is already comparable to ordinary Tier 2 pills now.

But that is also because of its special effects.

If Tier 2 demonic blood is used as the main material, it will inevitably become a true Tier 2 pill, plus its special effects.

"Hehe..."

"What are you giggling about?"

On the desolate plain, which was a mess and could be called ruins, Wang Yuan walked over as if walking on flat ground.

When he got close, he raised his eyebrows.

"Not going to kill it?"

"I have use for this beast for now."

He did not intend to kill this Tier 2 explosive ape; keeping it in captivity and drawing blood for alchemy would maximize its utility.

"Then this demonic core, I'll give it to you!"

As he spoke, Wang Yuan casually tossed the demonic core he had snatched earlier to Luo Chen.

Just as Luo Chen caught it, the unconscious explosive ape at his feet twitched.

"Yo! Its instinct still wants to take back this life-bound demonic core."

Luo Chen grinned, examining the demonic core in his hand.

Strands of blood, like little snakes, densely wrapped around the fist-sized crystal core.

Inside the crystal core, one could faintly see a large amount of pure demonic power.

And outside the crystal core, besides the blood lines, there was also a thin layer of green barrier.

This was the green musk poison released by the Green Musk Python-Gathering Flag.

The reason Wang Yuan was able to calmly prevent the demonic core from self-detonating also had a share of Luo Chen's credit.

The two did not delay much; there were still a lot of things to do at Xieyue Valley.

Spiritual power surged from Luo Chen's hands, clattering to form chains that bound the explosive ape's body.

Dragging this unconscious body, he flew toward Xieyue Valley.

"It's a pity it shrank so much, otherwise just selling the demonic beast meat would make us rich."

Hearing Luo Chen's money-grubbing tone, Wang Yuan, who was walking side by side, couldn't help but chuckle.

"Demonic beasts aren't better the bigger they are."

"Hmm?"

"When you have time, you really should read that book 'Heavenly Roc Transformation'; it has many introductions to demonic beasts."

Under Wang Yuan's explanation, Luo Chen learned why Tier 2 demonic beasts have such extreme changes in body size.

If the body is too large, the demand for food is higher.

Even moving a little bit normally consumes a lot of vital energy and blood.

Therefore, many demonic beasts instinctively begin to evolve their cultivation direction when they advance to Tier 2.

Shifting the focus of cultivation from the physique to the accumulation of demonic power.

Demonic core!

This is the result of the demonic beast's cultivation.

Unlike human cultivators, who often need to reach the Core Formation stage to condense a golden core.

Demonic beasts condense a demonic core when they reach Tier 2.

At this time, they have crossed onto a cultivation path similar to humans.

Storing the spiritual energy they inhale into the demonic core, transforming it into life-bound demonic power.

Once they encounter a combat state, the massive demonic power pours out, and besides releasing demonic arts, they can also expand their body size.

After hearing this explanation, Luo Chen suddenly realized why most of the demonic beast meat sold on the market is Tier 1.

Even though Tier 2 demonic beasts are larger and heavier, the amount of meat should logically be more.

It turns out that all its essence is gathered in the demonic core.

When Xiong Kun sold him the Blazing Cloud Roc, his focus was also on the demonic core and wings.

He didn't care at all about the tens of thousands of pounds of meat on the Blazing Cloud Roc. Before, he also thought about selling it to those Qi Refining loose cultivators.

"Looking at it this way, that 'Heavenly Roc Transformation' really has some unique aspects."

Luo Chen praised, and then his heart stirred.

In his storage bag, there happened to be the corpse of a roc-type demonic beast.

If refined, it could extract quite a bit of essence blood, which could be provided to Wang Yuan to practice the Heavenly Roc Transformation.

Wang Yuan didn't know Luo Chen's psychological activity and sighed, "After all, it is a cultivation technique for the third realm of body refining, so how could it be useless."

"Then, Brother Wang, was the way you changed your body size just now also derived from the 'Heavenly Roc Transformation'?"

Wang Yuan shook his head, "That's not it. I knew this move a long time ago; it belongs to the application of vital energy and physique. However, the 'Heavenly Roc Transformation' did indeed give me a lot of ideas."

Luo Chen blinked, "Then are you going to practice the Heavenly Roc Transformation?"

He had already decided that if Wang Yuan really needed it, he would give Wang Yuan part of the essence blood from that Blazing Cloud Roc corpse.

The remaining part would be enough for him to use for refining Emperor Flowing Syrup in the future.

Unexpectedly, Wang Yuan curled his lips.

"Demonic-like transformation, how can it compare to my human true body. This method can only be used for reference; if it can perfect my life-bound cultivation technique for the second realm of body refining, it is already worth it."

"As for full-scale practice, I will never abandon the root to pursue the trivial."

Hearing this, Luo Chen couldn't help but nod.

Demonic beasts are strong, but not that strong.

Humans of the same rank, as long as their means are a bit rich, can deal with demonic beasts.

Demonic-like transformation does indeed seem undesirable.

Moreover, that 'Heavenly Roc Transformation' technique is still incomplete; even if one really wanted to practice it, there would be no way to start.

As the two chatted, they had unknowingly returned to the outside of Xieyue Valley.

"The President is back!"

"Look quickly, what is that?"

"Hiss, a demonic beast!"

"It seems to be alive!"

With the return of Luo Chen and Wang Yuan, the members of the Luotian Society who had finished the battle gathered around one after another.

Cheers were endless.

Especially after seeing that explosive ape, they all let out exclamations.

Even Sima Huiniang and the others who approached couldn't help but look terrified.

This was a Tier 2 demonic beast!

Ordinary Qi Refining cultivators were not even a match for it in one round.

Winning was already as difficult as ascending to heaven, let alone killing it.

Now, Luo Chen and Wang Yuan had joined forces and actually captured it alive.

Doesn't this mean that the two of them, joining forces, already have the strength to surpass a Tier 2 demonic beast?

Compared to human Foundation Establishment, I'm afraid it's not much different!

In the crowd, Duan Feng watched this scene with extremely fiery eyes.

"A real man should be like this!"

Surrounded by many gazes, Wang Yuan frowned.

This battle had consumed a lot of his energy.

There was no need to linger here; Luo Chen was more suitable than him to handle these things.

Without saying much, Wang Yuan flew directly into Xieyue Valley.

Luo Chen walked through the crowd step by step, his eyes scanning the surroundings, his gaze as sharp as a sword, causing everyone to avoid him involuntarily.

But soon, fanatical gazes followed Luo Chen's back again.

Today's battle once again established Luo Chen's status in the society.

It wasn't just as simple as mastering superb alchemy.

He also possessed powerful strength that could convince everyone!

With his own strength, he roamed through the beast tide, coming and going freely.

Even when facing a Tier 2 demonic beast, he could manage to capture it alive.

Everyone knew very well that Wang Yuan of the Battle Hall was strong, stronger than everyone's cognition.

But even Wang Yuan would find it very difficult to capture a Tier 2 demonic beast alive.

In other words, Luo Chen also contributed a lot in that battle on the plain.

Arriving at the city gate, Luo Chen turned around.

He didn't talk nonsense and gave orders directly.

"Two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, come here and lock this explosive ape in the dungeon."

"Don't worry about it acting up; the demonic core is in my hand, and it has been poisoned, so it has no power to resist for a short time."

Soon, two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators stepped out and directly used the pulling technique.

Using spiritual power as chains, they pulled the explosive ape's body and flew into Xieyue Valley.

At the beginning of construction, the area under Xieyue Valley had been expanded once.

Inside, there were already natural huge mine caves, which could be used after a little repair.

Now, it was more than enough to hold this Tier 2 demonic beast.

After handling the explosive ape matter, Luo Chen continued to issue orders.

"Hall Master Murong, count the casualties, calculate the merits, and reward the meritorious and punish the guilty tomorrow."

"Caiyi, you and Granny Yuan go together to take care of the injured brothers."

"Duan Feng, you take people to repair the defensive works, fill in the gaps in the formation, and must not let petty people take advantage of the fire."

Such a great battle broke out in Xieyue Valley; it was impossible for no one to notice.

It's just that the situation is not clear yet, so those loose cultivators dare not act rashly.

Just now, Luo Chen's eyes swept across, and he had already discovered that many loose cultivators were approaching in the surroundings.

He issued orders one after another to prevent any accidents.

He even asked Sima Xian and Qin Liangchen to take two teams to patrol nearby.

In the end, he said faintly,

"President Sima Huiniang, Law Enforcement Elder Zhou Yuanli, you come with me."

In the Haoyue Hall.

Luo Chen sat high in the upper seat, his eyes slightly closed.

Having just taken a Dust-Transforming Pill, plus the automatic energy recovery function of the Changchun Gong, the massive amount of spiritual power consumed in his body was slowly recovering.

Below him, Sima Huiniang and Zhou Yuanli stood respectfully on both sides, not daring to breathe loudly.

By now, after experiencing the battle of Xieyue Valley, the battle of the Fu family, and the recent beast tide battle, Luo Chen's murderous aura had become increasingly thick.

Living in a high position for a long time, his every word and action revealed the prestige of a superior.

Zhou Yuanli, who had followed him the longest, felt it the most deeply.

In the past, Luo Chen would often tease and joke, pretending to be cute.

But now, he rarely saw those scenes.

It was inappropriate, or perhaps, living in that position, one cultivates that aura.

After a while, Luo Chen opened his eyes.

Looking at the two, his tone was plain, not gentle, but not harsh either.

"Where did the beast tide come from?"

The first sentence pointed directly to the essence of the matter.

Zhou Yuanli bowed and said, "The spirit vein restriction formation in the inner city of Dahefang was broken, and a large amount of spiritual energy spread for thousands of miles, forming a place of spiritual prosperity. Therefore, as early as before, low-level demonic beasts entered the outer city area following their instincts."

"The answer I want is not this." Luo Chen shook his head slowly.

Sima Huiniang hesitated and said, "According to reports from below, this batch of beast tide is mainly monkey-type demonic beasts. Among the nearest mountains, only Mount Zhouyi, which belongs to the Guyuan Mountain Range, is occupied by a large number of such demonic beasts."

"Therefore, the beast tide should have come from Mount Zhouyi."

Luo Chen's face sank as he stared at the two.

"Mount Zhouyi is hundreds of miles away from Xieyue Valley. Even if demonic beasts run fast and can quickly reach this place, why would they abandon the near for the far, given their strong territorial consciousness?"

"If they want to seek a place of spiritual prosperity, they should go to the nearest outer city area."

"Right?"

Sima Huiniang and Zhou Yuanli looked at each other.

For a moment, they were actually stumped by the question.

Luo Chen's eyes narrowed slightly, "This matter must be someone targeting our Luotian Society!"

As soon as these words came out, the two below couldn't help but tremble.

They also knew that this beast tide was strange, but they didn't think deeply.

After all, there had been quite a few demonic beasts running around in the outer city area of Dahefang recently.

The only thing that made them strange was why the demonic beasts of Mount Zhouyi would come here.

At this moment, Luo Chen pointed it out, which couldn't help but make them shudder.

Who would go to such great lengths to deal with the Luotian Society?

Luo Chen sighed in his heart, feeling a bad premonition.

It had been three or four months since the inner city of Dahefang turned into a ghost city.

In such a long time, the Yuding Sword Sect had no news at all.

For loose cultivators, it might be good news.

But for him, it was not very good.

This meant that the days of him holding Pang Renxiong's token and acting like a fox borrowing a tiger's might were coming to an end.

If the Yuding Sword Sect didn't return in two months.

Sooner or later, someone would be unable to resist taking action against the Luotian Society.

This beast tide was likely just a preliminary probe.

And those few Foundation Establishment cultivators were the biggest suspects!

"The beast tide must have been artificially induced!"

"But how it was induced must have corresponding means, otherwise no force in Dahefang could withstand repeated beast tide impacts."

Luo Chen looked at the two, "Thoroughly investigate the interior of the Luotian Society! Find out everything and everyone that could have attracted the Tier 2 explosive ape."

"Obey!"

"Obey!"

As the two retreated, Luo Chen rubbed his eyebrows.

The tree wants to be still, but the wind won't stop!

The seemingly peaceful Dahefang was constantly surging with undercurrents.

The Luotian Society, which was developing better and better, would undoubtedly become a piece of fat meat that many people coveted.

He had to think of a way.

He was worried, but not panicked.

Because as early as when he decided to stay in Dahefang, he had already envisioned the current situation.

Now, it was just about to be faced.

"This is truly a critical moment of survival... or perhaps I can imitate the past?"

The muttering voice echoed faintly in the spacious hall.

Early the next morning.

One by one, the ninth-level Qi Refining cultivators entered and exited the Haoyue Hall.

Zhou Yuanli, Duan Feng, Qin Liangchen, Murong Qinglian...

Luo Chen sat in the upper seat without speaking, leaving everything to Sima Huiniang to preside over.

He just listened on the side, and only when encountering key issues would he intervene.

"In last night's battle, there were few casualties among the cultivators in the valley; the only huge loss was the Battle Hall."

"A total of eleven Battle Hall cultivators fell in the beast tide. In addition, two lost their combat effectiveness, and I'm afraid they will never recover to their peak for the rest of their lives."

Eleven dead, two seriously injured.

This was almost half the number of the Battle Hall.

If Luo Chen hadn't returned quickly, even if the Luotian Society won this battle, it would have lost the sharp knife that was the Battle Hall.

Even so, it could be called a heavy loss.

Murong Qinglian's report continued.

"The damage to the defensive works is not great, but it consumed a full ten medium-grade spirit stones, which is a large expenditure."

"Elder Duan is accelerating the repair of the defensive works, aiming to restore the Small Five Elements Formation to its peak state."

"For this, another expenditure is needed."

"President Sima, what do you think?"

When the report ended, Sima Huiniang frowned.

She said without hesitation, "Repairing the defensive works is the top priority. Tell me the number of spirit stones needed, and it will be replenished immediately."

"The remaining Battle Hall cultivators should be heavily rewarded."

"The reward standard should be implemented according to my pre-battle mobilization. However, the restrictions can be slightly relaxed, allowing them to exchange for high-grade magic tools and talismans with equivalent items."

"Seriously injured cultivators must not be slighted. My suggestion is to include them in the logistics department to exert their remaining heat."

Decisions were made one by one from her mouth.

From beginning to end, Luo Chen on the side did not stop her.

These, in fact, Sima Huiniang had already discussed with him before.

The losses of the Luotian Society were indeed great.

But it was mainly concentrated on personnel casualties.

The actual material loss was not much.

The inheritance of the eleven dead Battle Hall cultivators was directly confiscated.

Just relying on this inheritance was enough to be used as a reward and distributed.

And those two hundred or so demonic beasts killed on the spot.

Some belonged to the killers.

The rest were killed by Luo Chen himself.

This Tier 1 demonic beast meat was good stuff.

After a little processing, it could be sold.

One spirit stone for ten pounds of meat, it could definitely earn back one or two thousand spirit stones.

The remaining fur, blood, and bones were not even counted.

The only thing Luo Chen intervened in was the reward for the surviving cultivators.

He asked Sima Huiniang to relax the restrictions, no longer strictly following the standards.

Instead, he allowed those cultivators to exchange for many high-grade magic tools and high-grade talismans from the Luotian Society with equivalent items plus the merit points they earned.

The intention of this move was self-evident.

If the quantity is not enough, then make up for it with quality.

The remaining batch of people must have their combat power raised!

It just so happened that the Luotian Society really had so many high-grade magic tools.

After three wars, although many magic tools were destroyed, they also captured many good things.

Duan Feng had already repaired many magic tools before, and now taking them all out was enough to arm the Battle Hall cultivators of the Luotian Society to the teeth.

When Murong Qinglian left satisfied, the Haoyue Hall returned to calm.

Sima Huiniang still didn't dare to relax.

After all, she had only been in office for a few days, and there were such heavy casualties in the society.

No matter what, she couldn't escape responsibility.

But Luo Chen didn't blame her.

Some things were not her fault.

"You did a good job. With you handling the affairs of the society, I can rest assured."

Luo Chen rarely showed a smile, encouraging Sima Huiniang.

The woman finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Luo Chen beckoned, and Sima Huiniang leaned forward.

I saw that in front of Luo Chen, a paper crane and two crane nests suddenly appeared.

"This is a sound-transmitting thousand-paper crane; you and I each keep a crane nest."

"In the future, if there is an emergency, within a thousand miles, you can notify me directly with this."

Hesitantly taking the thousand-paper crane, Sima Huiniang showed a look of surprise.

Since when did such magic tools appear in the cultivation world?

The sound transmission range is so large, it is much stronger than sound-transmitting talismans.

Just as she wanted to say something, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Soon, Zhou Yuanli walked in with a gloomy expression.

"President, found it!"

"Hmm?"

"Please come here."

Luo Chen's eyes flickered, and he set off immediately.

Before long, led by Zhou Yuanli, he arrived outside a building with a strong fishy smell.

He looked at this place suspiciously, "Beast room?"

Zhou Yuanli nodded and pushed open the door.

Liu Qiang's awkward expression immediately appeared in front of the two.

"President, I..."

Luo Chen stepped into it immediately, his eyes instantly falling on a red cub ape.

"Tier 1 explosive ape, is this the means to lure the beast tide here?"

As his voice fell, Liu Qiang knelt on one knee.

"My fault!"

"This beast was purchased by me from outside, but I didn't expect it to be an act of inviting a wolf into the house."

Luo Chen shook his head slowly.

This was not Liu Qiang's fault.

Because the matter of purchasing living demonic beasts was ordered by him personally to Liu Qiang, and it was not allowed to be handled by others.

These living demonic beasts were used for his practice of the Soul-Stunning Technique after taking the Tongyou Pill.

Now it is midwinter, and the heavy snow has blocked the mountains.

Ordinary wild beasts are rare, and hunting demonic beasts is even more difficult.

Relying on Liu Qiang alone, he couldn't capture many living demonic beasts, so he had to purchase them from outside.

For this, Luo Chen specially allocated a sum of spirit stones.

Examining the explosive ape, the demonic aura was very weak, just like it had just entered Tier 1.

However, the fur was quite smooth and soft, and the red luster made Luo Chen think of the Tier 2 explosive ape locked in the underground of the mine.

"Is it the cub of that Tier 2 demonic beast?"

Luo Chen asked without looking back.

"It should be without a doubt." Zhou Yuanli said in a deep voice, "I have already sent someone to do a bloodline test; the two beasts have a direct bloodline connection, and it is very strong."

Demonic beast bloodlines are easy to test, more obvious and prominent than human bloodlines.

It is rumored that there are even demonic beasts that rely on bloodline inheritance to practice.

In this way, it makes sense.

The Tier 2 explosive ape lost its cub, and it was the one with the strongest bloodline.

No wonder it was furious and swept over with the beast tide.

Now Dahefang has lost the deterrence of the inner city formation, and demonic beasts have long since gradually lost their awe.

From many small things, one can see the clues.

The Tier 2 explosive ape was just the first Tier 2 demonic beast to enter the vicinity of Dahefang.

One can imagine that there will be more in the future.

But these are not important!

Luo Chen turned back and looked at Liu Qiang.

"Stand up and talk."

Liu Qiang stood up, facing Luo Chen's gaze.

"Where was this beast purchased from?"

"The beast farm of the Nangong family."

"Nangong?"

Luo Chen frowned slightly, "Who sold it to you?"

Liu Qiang said subconsciously, "It's the old man of the former Poshan Gang, Beast Hall Master Ke Yuelin. He now relies on the Nangong family and manages the beast farm for them. This beast was also sold to me by him personally. I saw that it was full of spirituality, perhaps it could help the President you practice..."

"Ke Yuelin..."

Luo Chen's eyes narrowed slightly, muttering this name.