Chapter 377: Chu Kui enters Luo Tian, Luo Yun arrives at Jin Sha

Pull off something big?

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow.

A sweep of his spiritual sense revealed that the other party had clearly bathed and cleaned up.

Yet, a thick, bloody baleful aura still clung to him.

It was evident that he had taken countless lives during this period, accumulating no small amount of sin.

For him to utter the word "big," it surely wasn't a trivial matter.

"Let's hear it," Luo Chen said indifferently.

Chu Kui's expression relaxed; since the other party was willing to listen, the matter had potential.

Without further pretense, he said directly, "You and I join forces to hunt down cultivators of the Sword Sect Alliance and obtain that superior-grade Core Formation secret technique from the Luo Yun Sect!"

Hearing this, Luo Chen smiled.

He couldn't help but shake his head and laugh: "Do you know how many contribution points are required to exchange for that superior technique?"

"I am very clear on that: one thousand Qi Refining cultivators, one hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators. If we can kill a few late-stage Foundation Establishment ones, it's even simpler!" Chu Kui spoke eloquently, clearly well-prepared.

"Simple, hahaha..."

Luo Chen laughed loudly, pointing at Chu Kui: "Since it's simple, why come looking for me?"

Chu Kui felt helpless and sighed.

Indeed.

It sounded simple, but how difficult was it to execute?

Even on the battlefield, certain conventional rules had to be observed.

Rules such as king against king, general against general, and soldier against soldier.

The lethality of high-level cultivators was truly too terrifying.

The gap in cultivation realms was an insurmountable chasm!

If a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator were to lower their status and recklessly slaughter Qi Refining cultivators, it would be like a tiger entering a flock of sheep.

Not to mention late-stage, even early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators could kill a large swath at once.

But clearly, the Jin Dan True Persons on the battlefield would never allow such things to happen.

To put it bluntly, once the rules were broken, if you Foundation Establishment cultivators could do it, the Jin Dan cultivators could do the same, and wouldn't the Nascent Soul True Persons be able to as well?

In the end, both sides would be left with empty hills and commanders with no troops.

The war would then be meaningless.

Therefore, the rules set by both sides were effectively aimed at cultivators of the same rank.

Foundation Establishment cultivators were forbidden from excessively targeting those in the Qi Refining stage.

And with Chu Kui's ability, he feared no peer in the Foundation Establishment stage in a one-on-one fight.

But to hunt down over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators, the difficulty was not just a little bit higher.

Moreover, on the battlefield, there were damn people stealing kills!

After he beat someone into a heavy retreat, several sect disciples nearby would take an interest, join forces to intercept, and then it had nothing to do with him.

Chu Kui had nowhere to voice the grievances of such a rogue cultivator!

Looking at the helpless Chu Kui, Luo Chen restrained his smile.

He said calmly, "I won't hide it from you, Brother Chu: before long, I may lead my team to the deep rear, and matters here will no longer concern me."

Hearing this, Chu Kui's expression changed slightly.

"How is that possible!"

"The Ice Fortress has the fewest vassals and lacks cannon fodder the most. Will they agree to your Luo Tian Society withdrawing?"

Facing his disbelief, Luo Chen shook his head.

"I am now a Guest Elder of the Ice Fortress, with a status no less than a Jin Dan True Person. It's only a hundred or so Qi Refining cultivators; if I want to take them away, they will naturally give me this face."

Chu Kui opened his mouth, but in the end, he was speechless.

Right!

The name Dan Chenzi was not built on fists, but on genuine alchemy.

Such a scarce talent would be given some leeway by any major sect.

For someone like Luo Chen to appear on the battlefield was already quite absurd!

Seeing him look somewhat disappointed, Luo Chen couldn't help but ask: "With your ability, joining forces with a few late-stage cultivators to earn merit on the battlefield shouldn't be difficult, right? Why specifically seek out my Luo Tian Society?"

To this, Chu Kui could only smile bitterly.

"You've misjudged that. Although I have wide connections, most are merely superficial acquaintances. When there's work to be done, they think of me, but when it involves life-and-death struggles, they dare not entrust their backs to me, and naturally, I dare not entrust mine to them!"

Luo Chen said somewhat awkwardly, "My words might not sound pleasant, but... although you and I have some history, we can't exactly call our friendship deep, can we? In such a situation, you dare to trust me?"

Lies do not hurt; the truth is the sharp blade.

Chu Kui couldn't help but smile awkwardly as well.

But immediately, he said seriously, "I still quite recognize the name Fire Spirit Lord!"

Luo Chen was startled.

Then he smiled in relief.

The world only thought his other Daoist name, Fire Spirit Lord, came from his powerful fire techniques.

In reality, that was not the case.

Within the three words "Fire Spirit Lord," there was still the word "Lord"!

Even if he couldn't be called entirely upright, at least in the treacherous world of cultivation, he was one of the few who had a bottom line.

Chu Kui said bluntly, "I know much about your style of conduct. You are generous to your subordinates internally and sincere to your friends. Even for someone like Tao Wan, who was only tied to you by interests, you gave your all once you promised."

"If I had to pick one person out of the tens of thousands of cultivators on this vast battlefield to whom I could entrust my back..."

"It would only be you!"

If you know how to talk, say more.

Luo Chen liked hearing people praise him to his face!

"Moreover, if I join the Luo Tian Society, with your style of treating subordinates well, you wouldn't stand by and watch me die when I encounter danger, right?"

Chu Kui said slowly.

His words were not wrong.

Luo Chen had always been good to his own people.

Especially this time, coming to the battlefield in person, the cultivators within the Luo Tian Society revered him to the extreme.

But hearing this, Luo Chen was taken aback for a moment.

"Join the Luo Tian Society?" He repeated the phrase as if he hadn't heard clearly.

Chu Kui nodded and said seriously, "I have studied the merit exchange rules of the four sects. If a rogue cultivator exchanges for that Core Formation secret technique, only one person can use it. But if it's a corresponding vassal force, the entire force can use it, though it cannot be easily spread."

"How difficult it is to gather ten thousand merit points with one person's strength."

"But if you gather the strength of a force to earn those merit points, it's actually not that difficult."

"That is why I had the thought of cooperating with you."

So that was it!

No wonder the address in the first sentence when the other party saw him wasn't "Fellow Daoist," "Brother Daoist," or even his name directly.

But rather, he honored him as "President Luo."

So he was waiting here!

Luo Chen understood the crux of the matter in the blink of an eye.

Of course, his attention fell on Chu Kui's understanding of the rules for exchanging merit for secret techniques.

Gathering the strength of a sect to earn ten thousand merit points to exchange for a superior Core Formation secret technique.

Is it difficult?

Certainly difficult!

But it seemed, not that difficult after all?

Luo Chen estimated to what extent he could perform in large-scale Foundation Establishment battles with teammates to rely on.

And Chu Kui had already given the answer.

"I have seen you perform fire techniques; they are all magnificent in power and have a very wide range of impact!"

"Especially that move when you suppressed Wei Tuo; it faintly contained the power of sealing and suppression!"

"If you and I join forces, we can slaughter a dozen or so ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators at will!"

"If we fight guerrilla warfare and do it a few more times, ten thousand merit points will be nothing!"

He spoke every sentence with great weight.

In his words, his recognition of Luo Chen's strength was undisguised.

Others might not know Luo Chen's capabilities.

But he, Chu Kui, had served as Luo Chen's sparring partner for a period of time.

Beneath that seemingly warm smile of the other party lay a powerful strength that even late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators could not underestimate.

It could even be said that because fire-type spells had a very wide range of lethality, the threat to enemies with relatively lower realms was even greater than that to late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators like them who relied too much on magic tools and treasures.

Facing his recognition, Luo Chen remained silent.

But this silence, in Chu Kui's eyes, was the best news.

It meant that Luo Chen was truly considering the feasibility of this matter!

Seeing this, he struck while the iron was hot.

"I am not someone who only cares about the immediate."

"Regardless of whether this matter succeeds or not, once we cooperate, I will completely join the Luo Tian Society and honor you as my leader!"

"As long as you don't mind that I have many enemies outside, then I, Chu Kui, will never abandon Luo Tian."

"Not only that, if the matter succeeds, I will owe you a massive favor."

The silent Luo Chen felt his eyelids twitch.

Chu Kui was "selling himself"!

For the sake of Core Formation, he was even willing to submit to a second-rate force like the Luo Tian Society.

One must know that with his strength and reputation, many first-rate forces would be willing to recruit him.

Even major Jin Dan sects wouldn't mind having such a talent.

It seemed he really didn't want to miss this opportunity.

It's just...

Suddenly!

"Luo Chen!"

"Do you really have no thoughts about superior Core Formation?"

Chu Kui asked proudly, his words pointing straight to the depths of Luo Chen's heart.

At this point, Luo Chen finally raised his head, looking directly into the other party's tiger eyes, which were brimming with fighting spirit.

He said softly, "Give me half a month!"

Chu Kui was stunned, then overjoyed.

Half a month, he could afford to wait!

Did Luo Chen have thoughts about superior Core Formation?

That was certainly a yes!

Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked Tao Wan for better secret techniques related to Core Formation while already possessing the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation secret technique.

Although Tao Wan couldn't give it, she did give him the Core Formation insights written by her family's ancestor during his lifetime.

It was precisely after reading the "Nanshan Dao Interpretation" that...

Luo Chen truly understood how huge the increase in the success rate of Core Formation was with different levels of secret techniques!

Inferior Core Formation was the simplest, but had the lowest success rate, only increasing it by ten percent.

Intermediate Core Formation was relatively better, but only by a limited amount, adding another ten or twenty percent.

Only superior Core Formation, even if the most difficult, could increase the success rate by a full thirty to forty percent once the threshold of Core Formation was reached!

Perhaps some would think, it's only thirty or forty percent.

It doesn't seem that high?

But if one compares it to Foundation Establishment.

With a Foundation Establishment Pill, there's a thirty percent higher chance; without one, it really depends on aptitude and fate.

Luo Chen had never dared to pin his hopes on things like fate and luck.

And as for aptitude, he had no confidence at all.

One must know that when he reached Foundation Establishment, it took a full five sets of Foundation Establishment spiritual herbs before he barely succeeded.

Foundation Establishment was already that difficult.

Core Formation would likely be even worse.

Moreover, the higher the realm, the more terrifying the backlash after failing to break through a barrier.

Luo Chen couldn't guarantee that he could rely on his own foundation to attempt breakthroughs repeatedly like he did for Foundation Establishment.

But if he had a superior Core Formation secret technique...

Inside the stone house.

Luo Chen, having emerged from his cultivation state, calculated his future Core Formation success rate if he had a superior Core Formation secret technique.

The final result was unknown.

Because before reaching the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, it was hard for him to judge how much more progress he could make.

At the very least, he had to ensure that the success rate that could be increased by external auxiliary secret techniques reached its limit.

As for the matter of risking it on the battlefield?

Once decided, he would not be hesitant.

Along the way, whenever he encountered major decisions, he had almost never retreated.

Whether it was destroying the Fu family, attacking the Little Huan Mountain, or fighting alone at the Qinhua River.

Which time was it not winning against the strong with the weak?

Which time was it not going against the trend!

In the secular world, there is a saying that fame is won on horseback.

In the cultivation world, it is even more so!

Fight with people, fight with heaven, and even more so, fight with oneself!

If he hadn't taken risks every time, he, Luo Chen, wouldn't have reached this height in just twenty years.

Cowardice, retreat, muddling along—these are not things for those who aspire to the Great Dao!

However.

Every struggle of Luo Chen was never that of a reckless fool.

If he didn't have a seventy or eighty percent chance of success, he would naturally not put himself in absolute danger.

In the upcoming battle, he would not use the cultivators of the Luo Tian Society.

On the battlefield, swords have no eyes.

Although the cultivators of the Luo Tian Society were the elite among rogue cultivators, in battles involving hundreds or thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators, they were too easily affected.

Therefore, in this battle, the main force would only be him and Chu Kui.

He had a certain understanding of Chu Kui's abilities.

Realm: Foundation Establishment Level 9; common weapon: that magic treasure long staff, refined to a very high degree!

Additionally, he was proficient in body-refining techniques.

And there were other methods he hadn't revealed, but they were likely not weak.

After all, the Daoist name "Tian Kui Zi" was not a hollow reputation; it was earned through hard fighting.

Having frequently taken on dark jobs over the years, his combat experience was no less than Luo Chen's own!

It could be said that as long as the Daoist figures of the seven sects didn't appear, Chu Kui was inferior to no one.

And on his own side, Luo Chen was even more confident.

Whether he could win was one thing, but when it came to running away, he had absolute confidence.

Therefore, he already had a certain degree of confidence in self-preservation.

"It's a pity, if Wang Yuan were still here, the three of us forming a formation would definitely be invincible!"

Luo Chen sighed.

With his wide-range attack spells that were almost instantaneous, combined with Wang Yuan's single-point breakthrough, plus Chu Kui's high realm and rich combat experience.

With the three of them cooperating, he really had the confidence to seize enough merit points on the battlefield.

One can only say that there is nothing perfect in the world.

Although Wang Yuan returned alive, the legend of the Blood Demon he carried made it difficult for him to show his face in the short term.

Otherwise, it would easily bring trouble to the Luo Tian Society.

Thinking of the Blood Demon.

Luo Chen frowned; that was a False Core cultivator.

If encountered on the battlefield, it would be an absolute major trouble.

Regarding this point, he had to find an opportunity to explain it to Chu Kui in advance and let him be on guard.

After some calculations, the fatigue brought by Luo Chen's cultivation dissipated quite a bit.

He wasn't idle either.

He immediately performed the Blood-Transforming Demon Finger and the Cleansing Spell, setting out to clear the flame mark on his forehead.

The reason he asked for half a month was precisely to clear this thing.

Half a month should be enough!

By then, he would be able to step onto the battlefield without any worries.

Time passed continuously in this kind of dedicated study.

During this period, Luo Chen went out once to participate in a free trade gathering held on the Jin Sha Floating Island, and he gained a little something.

When time reached the tenth day, Luo Chen suddenly walked out of the stone house.

There were quite a few cultivators on the floating island who acted like him.

Everyone looked up at the sky in unison.

A huge flying boat came rumbling from afar, parting the clouds and mist.

A behemoth over a hundred feet long, awe-inspiring to behold.

"A magic treasure-grade flying boat!"

"This is a big shot from the Luo Yun Sect acting in person; only then would there be such a formation!"

Amidst the discussion, Chu Kui had already quietly stood by Luo Chen's side.

"On this magic treasure flying boat, there must be combat puppets with magnificent power."

"Luo Chen, the time is ripe!"

(End of this chapter)