Chapter 435: Ten Types of Hidden Weapons

"President, these are the seven types of unique hidden weapons you requested. It took some time, but I specifically had the smiths within the association forge them."

Luo Chen nodded, his spiritual sense sweeping over them in an instant.

Inside the storage bag, seven types of unique hidden weapons commonly used in the secular martial arts world were arranged neatly.

Seven-Star Bone-Piercing Nails, Gut-Severing Silk, Five-Flower Cotton, Blood-Dropping Beads...

If one added the three types of hidden weapons Luo Chen had already mastered years ago—the Hunyuan Beads, Seven-Night Stars, and Iron Caltrops—he would have all ten types required to practice the "Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers."

Yes, Luo Chen intended to thoroughly perfect this set of hidden weapon techniques that he had possessed for decades.

Having the "Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers" stuck at the Grandmaster level forever wasn't really the right way to go.

He hadn't practiced it before simply because he found collecting ten types of hidden weapons too troublesome, and back then, mastering three types of techniques was already more than enough.

But now!

His Luo Tian Association was full of talented people; for mere common hidden weapons, he only needed to give a single order, and the Casting Hall could forge them for him—as many as he wanted.

And with his profound cultivation realm, perfecting the "Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers" would take at most a month or so.

Perfecting this technique wasn't about how much his strength would increase; what mattered was that he could gain an extra Achievement Point!

After his subordinate left.

Luo Chen dove into practicing the seven hidden weapon techniques.

Day by day, he cultivated, and his proficiency climbed steadily.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Looking at the entry 【Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers: Grand Perfection】 on his attribute panel, Luo Chen smiled nonchalantly.

He had actually underestimated himself.

Where would it take a month of effort?

So-called hidden weapons rely primarily on the weapons themselves, and only secondarily on technique, eyesight, internal strength, and so on.

He already possessed the hidden weapons, his eyesight was a thousand times sharper than that of ordinary martial artists, and his internal strength could be replaced by spiritual power of higher quality.

With this kind of progress, it was only natural!

After perfecting this technique, Luo Chen did not stop his efforts to enhance his combat methods.

On this day.

Gu Caiyi came to his cave dwelling.

She brought good news.

"There is news regarding the high-quality Tier 3 Fire Sha you wanted."

Hearing this news, Luo Chen's eyes couldn't help but light up.

Since the battle at Burning Incense Valley, after his Blazing Fire Miasma was broken by Qin Tairan using the Flame Yang True Sha, this method had been almost completely crippled.

Three years in the Ice Fortress, and another three years after returning to Mount Tianlan.

It had taken so long to find news; it truly hadn't been easy!

"What kind of Sha energy is it, and where did it appear?"

Gu Caiyi smiled: "It is a special Tier 3 Sha energy known as the 'River-Sinking Ghost Sha,' obtained by a merchant alliance from the Lancangjiang, and it is currently being transported to Chiba Xiancheng. I estimate they intend to take it to an auction to sell to the cultivators of the Luoyun Sect."

Chiba Xiancheng was an immortal city that belonged exclusively to the Luoyun Sect.

And the Luoyun Sect's puppet techniques had gradually become familiar to the public over these years.

That kind of puppet art was by no means just simple puppet manipulation for combat; rather, it allowed for other methods to be attached to the puppets.

Sha energy, for instance, was an extremely formidable method.

After all, cultivators feared Sha energy like tigers.

Lifeless puppets, however, didn't have so many concerns.

However!

Luo Chen asked in confusion: "River-Sinking Ghost Sha—why does it sound less like a Fire Sha and more like a Water Sha or Ghost Sha?"

Sha energy also has a Five Elements classification.

In fact, it isn't even limited to the Five Elements; when a certain power gathers too much in one place, it easily forms an extreme force.

This extreme force is what is known as Sha energy.

Gu Caiyi first nodded slightly, then smiled and shook her head.

"As you suspected, this Sha indeed carries the characteristics of both Water Sha and Ghost Sha, but its primary attribute is still Fire Sha."

"The River-Sinking Ghost Sha is also known as the River-Sinking Ghost Fire Sha."

"It is a Sha energy specially formed over thousands of years by countless living beings dying in the Lancangjiang and finally gathering in a dead volcano at the bottom of the river. Because the place of its generation is in an underground volcano, its primary attribute is Fire. However, precisely because it is contaminated with the conflicting Water element, and combined with the ghost fire of living beings, this has created the formidable power of this Sha energy. I have heard that once one is contaminated by this kind of Sha energy, magic tools and magic treasures will be defiled, and a cultivator's physical body will be corroded."

After listening to Gu Caiyi's description, Luo Chen couldn't help but feel tempted.

This thing did indeed sound like it had some unique aspects.

Although it wasn't as domineering and violent as a normal Fire Sha, it had a bit more sinister quality.

If he used this to cultivate his Blazing Fire Miasma, he feared that even a Jin Dan cultivator would suffer a great loss if they were accidentally contaminated by it.

"Send people to Chiba Xiancheng; spare no cost to secure the River-Sinking Ghost Fire Sha!"

"Rest assured, I will handle this matter personally." Gu Caiyi could tell that Luo Chen valued this Sha energy highly; otherwise, he wouldn't have had the Luo Tian Association collecting it for so many years.

Seeing that Gu Caiyi was going, Luo Chen thought for a moment and said: "If you really can't secure it, there's no need to force it. Nowadays, the Yuding Region strictly forbids conflicts with others. If we provoke enemies and trigger a battle, it will be very troublesome. If it really doesn't work out, I can make do with purchasing a large batch of ordinary Tier 3 Earth Fire Sha energy."

"Mm, don't worry, I will be careful."

Gu Caiyi nodded.

After she left, Luo Chen's days returned to the same routine of diligent cultivation and elixir refining as before.

However, what was different from before was that he reduced his arrangements for other miscellaneous matters and put the extra time into researching the refining of the Mingyuan Pill.

He hadn't used the system to master this pill formula yet.

Instead, he was relying on a large quantity of low-grade medicinal herbs collected by the Luo Tian Association to try and research improvements.

He tried replacing the Tier 3 Tianshan Returning-Yang Water with the Yaowang Sect's Returning-Yang Water, replaced the Jialan Thunder Flower with another Tier 2 thunder-attribute medicinal herb, and also found corresponding substitutes for the Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Flower.

The pharmacology was compatible, and the temperaments were inherited from the same lineage.

He also sought out compatible substitutes for the remaining auxiliary materials as much as possible.

Constantly trying, constantly improving, time flowed slowly amidst the repeated refining sessions.

One year later.

Gu Caiyi returned from Chiba Xiancheng, and the result she brought back was somewhat disappointing.

That portion of River-Sinking Ghost Sha had been outbid and purchased by a Jin Dan Elder of the Luoyun Sect.

With no other choice, Gu Caiyi had to purchase a large quantity of Tier 3 Earth Fire Sha for Luo Chen, spending over a hundred thousand spirit stones.

If the quality wasn't enough, he would make up for it with quantity.

It was still Sha energy, after all!

Even if it didn't pose much of a threat to Jin Dan cultivators, it could still be considered an absolute trump card within the Foundation Establishment stage.

However, Luo Chen did not have the Luo Tian Association stop the collection of high-grade Fire Sha.

Once there was a powerful Fire Sha similar to the River-Sinking Ghost Sha or the Flame Yang True Sha, as long as the price was within an acceptable range, they would secure it if possible.

Gu Caiyi brought bad news, but from the Ice Fortress side came the good news Luo Chen had been expecting.

Tianshan Returning-Yang Water!

As long as Luo Chen produced three hundred thousand spirit stones, the Ice Fortress was willing to sell him two portions of Tianshan Returning-Yang Water.

Two portions were already enough!

According to the records of the Mingyuan Pill formula, one complete portion of Tianshan Returning-Yang Water could be used for ten refining sessions of the Mingyuan Pill.

The extra portion could be kept for use as an auxiliary spiritual liquid during Core Formation.

And the price of three hundred thousand was actually a significant premium compared to the market price.

But Luo Chen did not express any dissatisfaction.

This kind of spiritual liquid that could assist in Core Formation was something that had a price but no market.

Many people had spirit stones but still couldn't buy it.

According to Luo Chen's speculation, the Ice Fortress's Tianshan Returning-Yang Water, besides being used for themselves, was basically traded with the Yaowang Sect in exchange for supplies of precious elixirs.

Being able to squeeze out two portions for him was really giving him a lot of face.

Since the other party gave him face, Luo Chen naturally had to reciprocate.

Next.

Luo Chen went all out!

He first spent a year refining all the high-grade Jade Dew Pills that the Ice Fortress would need for the next ten years.

He even added seven or eight bottles of top-grade Jade Dew Pills among them!

This was his sincerity.

In the past, he would never have exposed his ability to refine top-grade elixirs.

Even if he occasionally refined some top-grade Jade Dew Pills, he only gave them to the two women, Hui Niang and Caiyi, for their private consumption.

It could only be said that since Fairy Canglong was responsive to Luo Chen's every request, he certainly wouldn't be ungrateful.

Perhaps some might wonder why, in the past, people like Mi Shuhua, Liu Qiang, and the Jueqing Fairy were also responsive to Luo Chen's requests, yet Luo Chen always kept his own capabilities reserved.

But with Fairy Canglong, he was willing to show his full learning.

Was it double standards?

No, there was an essential difference between the two.

The former often had rigid demands or conditional restrictions when dealing with Luo Chen.

Whereas the latter had never made any specific demands of Luo Chen; on the contrary, it was Luo Chen who often had requests of her.

You could say that Master Fairy Canglong had superb methods.

But you could also say that Luo Chen was someone who responded to soft tactics but not hard ones.

If others treated Luo Chen with sincerity, Luo Chen would naturally treat them with sincerity.

After finishing the refining of the required Jade Dew Pills.

Luo Chen poured his energy into the refining of the Tier 2 Tongyou Pill.

This concerned Facing Chu Kui's cultivation of the "Locking Pearl Curtain" secret technique.

He was Luo Chen's best observation subject for this technique, so the logistical supply absolutely could not lag behind.

Another year passed, and Luo Chen refined all the Tier 2 Tongyou Pills that he and Facing Chu Kui would need in the future.

By the way, he also took the time to teach Qu Lingjun how to refine Tier 1 Tongyou Pills.

After this series of operations, three years passed in the blink of an eye.

There were only six years left until their departure.

"Six years..."

In the cave dwelling, Luo Chen estimated the remaining six years.

"Quality over quantity; that Innate One-Qi Great Handprint has barely been mastered, and I fear it's impossible to cultivate it to the Grandmaster level."

This kind of Tier 3 spell with immense power is simply not suitable for combat unless it reaches the Grandmaster level.

Therefore, Luo Chen wisely chose to give it up for the time being.

By the same token, the Tier 3 spell "Mirror Flower, Water Moon," because it is a combination spell, also progressed very slowly.

"The Blazing Fire Miasma can be the focus of cultivation; once this technique is unleashed, it will be unstoppable within the Foundation Establishment stage."

"Additionally, the Soul-Deterring Technique and the Soul-Bewildering Technique need to be advanced further. That Xiao Sanren is proficient in soul-based attack methods, and now that his cultivation realm is deeper, besides the defense of the Lanke Black Chess, I must have sufficient counter-measures."

"Even if my soul foundation is not inferior to his, mere backlash won't be enough to take the other party's life."

After some analysis, Luo Chen set the focus for his cultivation over the next six years.

Refine Tier 3 Earth Fire Sha energy for the Blazing Fire Miasma.

Perfect the Soul-Deterring Technique, and push the Soul-Bewildering Technique to the Grandmaster level as much as possible.

Besides that, he would see if he could research a substitute pill formula for the Mingyuan Pill.

However, the deduction work for the Mingyuan Pill progressed extremely slowly, consuming many of Luo Chen's spirit stones, and so far, he had only successfully experimented with a few substitute medicinal herbs.

"Take it slow!"

"I am the one who is least in a hurry."

The wind startles the white sun, and the scenery rushes westward.

Amidst the lively yet quiet environment of the Yuding Region welcoming fifty years of war preparations, six years passed in a flash.

On this day.

Amidst the heavy snow, two graceful figures arrived together.

The atmosphere between the two was not exactly harmonious, but upon arriving at the B-17 cave dwelling, they maintained relative restraint.

One could throw a tantrum at any time, but only before their own man was about to go on a long journey, one could not throw a tantrum.

Inside the cave dwelling, Sima Hui Niang and Gu Caiyi sat opposite each other.

Neither looked at the other, both pairs of eyes fixed on the cultivation room.

A long time later.

A violent aura suddenly spread out.

The two women's expressions changed, and before they could react, that aura was instantly retracted.

Crack!

The cultivation room door opened, and a handsome, tall figure walked out with long strides.

Luo Chen, who was immersed in the joy of his trump card, the Blazing Fire Miasma, returning to his arsenal, couldn't help but be stunned when he saw the two women.

Afterwards, he smiled and shook his head: "It's just a trip out; why bother seeing me off personally?"

Gu Caiyi lowered her brow, worried: "Last time you went out, you said the same thing. But the result..."

Luo Chen smiled and rubbed her small head.

"You're thinking too much; that time I had to face a Jin Dan sect, how could the danger be compared to this time?"

"With my current strength, unless I encounter a Jin Dan cultivator, I am enough to roam freely across a region."

"Even if a Jin Dan early-stage cultivator attacks, I have the confidence to escape calmly, so don't worry too much."

Gu Caiyi pouted, but didn't say any more worried words.

There were few things decided by her own man that could be persuaded otherwise.

She subconsciously looked at Sima Hui Niang, hoping the other party could offer some good advice.

However, Sima Hui Niang merely stood up and bowed gracefully.

"Go do what you need to do!"

"I will manage the Luo Tian Association well."

Luo Chen laughed, hugged each of them separately, and then walked straight out of the cave dwelling.

After descending Mount Tianlan Peak, his footsteps did not pause in the slightest as he headed straight for outside the immortal city.

A thousand miles away from Mount Tianlan Xiancheng.

In a place with barren spiritual energy, several small hills stood among them.

The heavy snow drifted down, adorning this unremarkable place, and under the silver-clad landscape, it added a bit of pleasing scenery.

On one of the small hills.

Four figures were either sitting or standing, with small formation flags planted all around.

Madam Yousha, wrapped in snow-white velvet, stood outside, occasionally looking toward the direction of Mount Tianlan.

"Why not agree to set off together from the immortal city? Coming to this remote place, what if Luo Chen can't find it and delays the departure time?"

She was a bit anxious!

Fu Jiusheng glanced at her, clearly perceiving that the other party's cultivation realm had not broken through to the Foundation Establishment perfection stage.

Perhaps that was precisely why she was so urgent!

Helian Yun smiled: "In the immortal city, there are many people and many mouths, and many eyes. If we travel separately, no one will care. But if the five of us travel together, it will inevitably fall into the eyes of those with ulterior motives."

"When it comes to the great cause of Core Formation, one must be careful!"

"Moreover, with Luo Chen's ability, it's not difficult for him to find his way here with my token."

Madam Yousha wanted to say something more, but Xiao Sanren suddenly interrupted her.

"He's here!"

As soon as the words fell, the four of them looked in the same direction simultaneously.

Fu Jiusheng glanced at Xiao Sanren in a way that didn't attract attention; he had actually discovered Luo Chen's presence even earlier than himself.

This didn't look like the Foundation Establishment 9th-layer appearance the other party was showing on the surface at all!

However, since the other party intended to conceal it, there was no need to point it out; he would just have to be careful and vigilant when the time came.

On the contrary, if Xiao Sanren made any moves, it could catch the others off guard.

He himself could prepare in advance and wait at his leisure.

Fu Jiusheng shifted his gaze.

In the distance.

A figure was driving a white cloud, flying over unhurriedly.

The heavy snow drifted onto him, and without seeing him use any concealment methods, those snowflakes automatically evaporated before they could even get close, turning into layers of hazy water vapor.

Amidst the hazy mist, the man with gray-white hair flew over slowly.

His tall figure stood like a green pine in the snow, unyielding.

His bright, piercing eyes were like a blazing flame in the cold winter, making one afraid to look directly at them.

Seeing this scene, the four of them couldn't help but look at each other.

This Luo Chen's cultivation seemed to have improved a lot again!

This was a discrepancy with some of the details they had previously agreed upon.

A powerful Luo Chen was not suitable for their subsequent cooperation!

Just as they were surprised and uncertain.

Luo Chen stopped.

Luo Chen bowed in a Daoist greeting:

"Everyone, sorry to have kept you waiting!"

After the four of them greeted him one after another, Luo Chen stretched out his palm casually.

"Bring it out!"

"Uh..."

This action left several of them unable to react for a moment.

Bring out what?

Luo Chen smacked his lips: "The medicinal herbs you've collected over these years for refining the Mingyuan Pill, give them to me first! I need to check and process them properly; don't let any mistakes happen during the refining process that would require me to make additional remedies."

Helian Yun hesitated; he had been thinking about handing over the herbs once they reached the destination.

But he hadn't expected Luo Chen's instructions to continue.

"Doesn't Fellow Daoist Fu know the place? He can lead the way."

"Fellow Daoist Xiao's soul foundation feels very strong; you are responsible for keeping watch in all directions!"

"Finally, I'll have to trouble Madam Yousha to pilot the flying boat. I need a relatively quiet place to count the herbs, and traveling by boat is quite good."

After giving his instructions, Luo Chen waved his hand casually.

A high-grade flying boat landed on the hill with a boom, and the other four were forced to fly up to make room for the boat.

Luo Chen stepped onto the flying boat first and reached out to invite them.

"Everyone, there is no time to lose."

"Please!"

At his invitation, the four of them looked at each other.

Afterwards, Helian Yun gave a bitter smile and was the first to board the flying boat.

Fu Jiusheng and Xiao Sanren exchanged a glance, shrugged their shoulders, and boarded as well.

Madam Yousha's face turned from green to white; she had never piloted a boat for anyone in her life.

But under the gaze of the other four, she could only grit her snow-white teeth and walk into the cockpit of the high-grade flying boat.

"With a great matter at hand, what does it matter if I act as a coachman for Danchenzi once!"

Standing in the unfamiliar cockpit, the female cultivator gritted her teeth and whispered.

However, looking at those empty holes, she was stunned for a moment.

Didn't he even prepare the mid-grade spirit stones to drive the high-grade flying boat in advance?

Thus, while secretly cursing Luo Chen for being stingy in her heart, she took out spirit stones from her own pocket and embedded them into the flying boat's formation.

After a while, the flying boat started with a rumble.

Afterwards, it turned into a stream of light and flew rapidly toward the far east but slightly north direction.

(End of chapter)