Chapter 20: Reaching into the Mountains

Fifty-five bottles of Grain Bigu Pills, thirty bottles of Zhongmiao Pills.

This was Luo Chen’s result for one month.

He only refined fifty bottles of Grain Bigu Pills; the extra five bottles were the legacy left by that short-lived ghost.

And the thirty bottles of Zhongmiao Pills were somewhat of a pleasant surprise.

This time, he actually succeeded in three cauldrons, and the quality was all low-grade.

Placing the pills on the bluestone slab, Luo Chen put his hands on his hips, quite looking forward to today’s big market.

Old Daoist Chen still arrived a little later than him.

Seeing Luo Chen, his old eyes were full of resentment.

Fifty spirit stones!

They had just been collected last time, and then borrowed back by this kid.

He had already made up his mind that today, no matter how Luo Chen tried to talk his way out of it, he must collect that loan!

Must!

"Little Luo, your alchemy skills have deepened again!"

The corner he had previously shared with Luo Chen had never been full.

But today, it was densely packed with jade bottles, at least fifty or sixty, almost filling it up.

From this, it could be seen that Luo Chen’s alchemy skills must have deepened again.

Luo Chen chuckled. "This is all thanks to your generous help, Fellow Daoist Chen; otherwise, I wouldn't have the capital to refine more pills."

"Hmph, you kid know it." Old Daoist Chen snorted, then said righteously, "Lending to you before was because I was kind-hearted, but today you must return those spirit stones to me."

"Definitely, definitely!"

Luo Chen looked like someone who would return what he borrowed.

Old Daoist Chen’s expression looked better then; with debt outside, he really couldn't eat or sleep well!

Suddenly, he gave a light "Eh!"

"Eh!"

"Little Luo, are you at the fourth layer of Qi Refining?"

Luo Chen was curious. "How did you know?"

"I have practiced the Spirit Eye Technique; observing qi and checking spiritual power is just a small trick." After being smug, Old Daoist Chen was a bit puzzled. "Aren't you of five-spiritual-root aptitude? How can you break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining at this age?"

Spirit Eye Technique, a low-grade spell, could use spiritual energy to make one’s vision clearer, and at the same time possess the ability to observe qi and check spiritual power.

Among low-grade spells, it was known as one of the five must-learn spells of the Qi Refining stage, along with Fireball Technique, Imperial Wind Technique, Traction Technique, and Healing Technique.

Unfortunately, except for the Fireball Technique, Luo Chen didn't know the other four.

Entanglement Technique and Fireball Technique were both obtained by the original owner by chance.

Cleaning Technique was just one of the trashiest spells; he had exchanged a bottle of Grain Bigu Pills for it at the market back then.

Old Daoist Chen looked at Luo Chen, his expression a bit strange.

He probably didn't expect that one day, Luo Chen would be a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator just like him.

Mid-stage and early-stage cultivators didn't have earth-shattering changes, but in terms of the upper limit of spiritual power in the body, it could directly double!

Various combat means could also be calmly displayed.

Early-stage cultivators were just at the bottom in this Dahe Market.

If they didn't have a specialized skill, they could only do odd jobs and be at the beck and call of others.

But mid-stage was different; they could completely join various forces and receive various well-paid tasks.

It could be said that only mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators truly had the capital to live in Dahe Market.

Facing the old man’s confusion, Luo Chen just smiled and said it was good luck.

In fact, this was just as it should be.

A bottle of Qi-Nurturing Pills provided him with a large amount of spiritual energy, pulling his progress bar directly to 96/100.

The remaining spiritual energy required was obtained through his day and night bitter cultivation over the past twenty days, using the perfect-level Changchun Technique and Soul-Calming Incense.

Breaking through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining was a matter of course.

Helping Old Daoist Chen set up the talisman paper, Luo Chen pointed to the place where Wang Yuan usually set up his stall with some confusion.

"Hasn't Brother Wang come to set up a stall recently?"

"Don't you know about the big event that happened in the outer city recently?" Old Daoist Chen looked at him strangely.

Luo Chen was completely confused.

"That’s right, you live too far away; if you don't pay attention, it’s really possible you wouldn't know."

Old Daoist Chen explained to himself, then said meaningfully, "Recently, the Dajiang Gang and the Lianyun Commercial Alliance have formed an alliance."

"Isn't that very normal?"

The Lianyun Commercial Alliance was a famous loose cultivator force in the Yuding Region, with industries covering large and small markets in the Yuding Region.

Their main business was transporting and selling treasures from all over the world, earning the price difference.

This inevitably involved transportation business.

As mentioned before, storage bags were not something ordinary loose cultivators could own, and to do such big business, a few storage bags wouldn't be of much use.

Therefore, the Lianyun Commercial Alliance had always had a good cooperative relationship with the local Dajiang Gang.

The Dajiang Gang made a living around the Lancang River in the Dahe Market area.

Since ancient times, at home and abroad, water transport had been one of the most profitable businesses, involving countless industrial chains.

The Lianyun Commercial Alliance choosing to form an alliance with the Dajiang Gang for deep cooperation was really a very normal thing.

Old Daoist Chen shrugged. "But it’s not normal for the Dajiang Gang to have designs on the business in the mountains."

"Business in the mountains?" Luo Chen asked in surprise. "Isn't that the territory of the Poshan Gang?"

"Chi!"

Old Daoist Chen sneered. "What Poshan Gang? The million mountains of the Eastern Wilderness are the territory of demonic beasts; even the six great upper sects of the Far East wouldn't dare to say it’s their business."

"Uh..."

"Let’s put it this way: the Dajiang Gang has taken a fancy to the few safe routes the Poshan Gang has explored over the past hundred years."

Old Daoist Chen liked to tell gossip and liked to listen to gossip; after all, these things weren't worth money.

Sometimes, when meeting high-grade cultivators from outside, these messages could even be used to earn a few spirit stones.

He had inquired very clearly; the Dajiang Gang was playing for real.

Initially, they sent people to explore safe routes into the mountains, and the losses were heavy.

Later, they set their sights on the routes the Poshan Gang had trodden out.

The Poshan Gang naturally wasn't willing, and then there were various conflicts.

A month ago, the magic tools Wang Yuan sold were the spoils of war seized by Poshan Gang cultivators who killed Dajiang Gang people in the mountains.

Now the conflict is intensifying, and the fighting between the two sides is no longer limited to the mountains.

In the outer city at night, battles between the two gangs occur from time to time.

Luo Chen listened to this gossip, his mind turning.

"You previously specifically mentioned the alliance between the Lianyun Commercial Alliance and the Dajiang Gang; could it be that the Dajiang Gang’s actions were instigated by the Lianyun Commercial Alliance?"

After asking this question, Luo Chen’s mind turned even faster.

"By the way, the various treasures and demonic beast flesh obtained by the Poshan Gang are all sold at high prices to major forces. The Lianyun Commercial Alliance is not a sect force; naturally, they wouldn't be satisfied with those prices."

"Now forming an alliance with the Dajiang Gang is also to raise a competitor to fight for food with the Poshan Gang."

"If it really succeeds, then the cost of them acquiring resources in the future will be much smaller."

Old Daoist Chen gave an "Mm."

"You kid aren't stupid; that’s what I thought too. Otherwise, why would the Dajiang Gang, who hadn't moved early or late, set their sights on the big mountains around the time of the alliance?"

After agreeing, there was a deep sigh.

The two gangs doing this made the already unsafe outer city even more chaotic.

There were even some loose cultivators mixed in, taking advantage of the fire to rob, and those honest and upright loose cultivators would suffer.

"Wang Yuan has been very famous recently, guarding the mountain road, killing five or six mid-stage cultivators, and even beheading a ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivator of the Dajiang Gang."

"It’s normal that he didn't come today."

Old Daoist Chen shook his head. "If it continues to be this chaotic, I plan to move into the inner city."

"Little Luo, what about you?"

Luo Chen fell into silence.

The place where he lived was in the most remote southwest corner, adjacent to the Xiaoyue Mountain Range, which was far away from the Guyuan Mountain Range and the Daxue Mountain where the Poshan Gang mainly operated.

If there were a conflict, it shouldn't affect him there.

But he was afraid of the "what if!"

"I’ll see; the rent and deposit for living in the inner city are not small amounts."

Living in the market is not easy.

Living in the inner city is even less affordable for ordinary loose cultivators.

Sighing, he settled his mood, and Luo Chen squeezed out a smile to welcome today’s guests.

"Fellow Daoist Zeng, good morning, want some?"

"Want some!" ===== CHAPTER 21 =====