Chapter 577: Long Yuan Xiancheng, Assessment Mission

The dilapidated giant city before them was, in truth, the once-renowned Long Yuan Xiancheng.

Back when the Profound Demon Sect still existed, it had been one of the most dazzling pearls among their sect's assets.

It is said that in those days, high-level cultivators came and went like clouds, and experts were as numerous as dragons in the abyss.

The reason it had fallen to its current state lay in the great war that took place a hundred years ago.

After the Profound Demon Sect was annihilated, the Blood Loose Cultivator was the first to strike, personally heading to Long Yuan and forcefully killing a Nascent Soul True Person stationed there.

Although that battle lasted for a very short time, its destructive power was immense, nearly reducing the majority of Long Yuan City to ruins.

Over the hundred years that followed, the Wan Xian Society continuously rebuilt it, only then restoring it to its current state.

Such is the nature of loose cultivators; they patch things up as they go. They do not have the global planning of top-tier sects; they simply repair wherever they need to use something.

Moreover, to rebuild a super immortal city of this scale, at least one Fourth-Rank Array Master is needed to oversee the entire situation!

Among loose cultivators, there are many who are proficient in other skills, but when it comes to arrays, they are few and far between.

A Fourth-Rank Array Master?

At least for now, there has been no word of such an existence among the North Sea loose cultivators.

Added to this, the three leading Loose Cultivators of the Wan Xian Society rarely manage affairs, appearing like dragons that show their heads but not their tails; only the Moon Loose Cultivator shows her face a bit more often.

Consequently, the so-called main city of the Wan Xian Society has become the "unassuming" place it is today.

"My lord, do not worry. While Long Yuan City looks tattered on the outside, it is actually fully equipped on the inside, with all facilities, large and small, available," Zhang Jiadi advised.

Luo Chen surveyed the surroundings, looking at the bustling streets and the unfamiliar shops one by one, and felt slightly more at ease.

It turned out he had thought wrong.

"As for the spiritual land and cave dwellings, the spiritual veins of Long Yuan City were destroyed in the battle between Nascent Soul True Persons. Even though experts were later invited to repair them, they only managed to restore one Fourth-Rank cave dwelling. The spiritual energy of the rest was not contained, covering the whole city and forming scattered Second-Rank cave dwellings."

Luo Chen frowned, "Then how are we Jin Dan cultivators supposed to cultivate?"

Facing this question, Zhang Jiadi calmly pointed in a direction in the distance.

Luo Chen looked up, and across the high city walls, he could seemingly see a long, winding mountain range appearing and disappearing.

"What is that place?"

"The Volant Dragon Mountain Range!"

Zhang Jiadi said with a hint of envy in his eyes: "That place was once an imperial palace of the Profound Demon Sect. There are several Fourth-Rank spiritual veins crisscrossing the mountains; it is a true place of cultivation for immortals. Most of the high-level loose cultivators in our Wan Xian Society, and even monster hunters of Three-Star rank and above, choose to go to the Volant Dragon Mountain Range to cultivate."

Once these words were spoken, the heart that had been hanging in Luo Chen's chest finally settled.

Being a major power, it would be too embarrassing if they didn't have a spiritual land of their own.

However, listening to Zhang Jiadi's description, the Volant Dragon Mountain Range had several Fourth-Rank spiritual veins, and yet it was merely an imperial palace of the Profound Demon Sect?

If such a spiritual land were placed in the Eastern Wasteland, those Nascent Soul sects would fight to the death for it!

At this, Luo Chen could only sigh that the Soul Transformation holy land was indeed wealthy and imposing.

Merely some of their leftovers had become the foothold for the Wan Xian Society.

It is estimated that the other scraps left in the North Sea have also left everyone with their mouths full of oil!

"I must definitely go to this Volant Dragon Mountain Range."

Luo Chen muttered in his heart, and then followed Zhang Jiadi and his wife to their residence in Long Yuan City.

It was a small two-courtyard house, decorated quite exquisitely inside; it wasn't as unbearable as they had described earlier!

After all, they were Foundation Establishment True Cultivators.

Even as loose cultivators, it was impossible for them to be doing too poorly.

Moreover, the business this couple did in private was far more profitable than that of ordinary loose cultivators, so having such a property in Long Yuan City was not a strain.

As soon as they got home, Zhang Jiadi wanted to give his own cultivation room to Luo Chen.

But he was refused by Luo Chen.

In the end, it was only the difference between Second-Rank medium-grade and low-grade, which didn't make much of a difference to him.

In the evening, the couple specially hosted a banquet to entertain Luo Chen and Seeing Tianxuan.

During the banquet, Luo Chen inquired in detail about Long Yuan City and the Volant Dragon Mountain Range.

"The City Lord of Long Yuan is that legendary Nine-Star Monster Hunter. After advancing to the Nascent Soul stage fifty years ago, he has been in seclusion in the Fourth-Rank cave dwelling within the city, reportedly consolidating his new realm."

"His real name cannot be verified. The Daoist name he used during his time as a monster hunter was also Long Yuanzi, seemingly just a pseudonym he picked up casually after seeing Long Yuan City."

"It is precisely because of his presence that Long Yuan City can stand in the North Sea and become the main city of the Wan Xian Society without setting up a defensive array."

"As for the Volant Dragon Mountain Range, the conditions to move in are quite harsh."

"Ordinary loose cultivators, even Jin Dan cultivators, must participate in three Three-Ocean Campaigns to be eligible. And this is just the eligibility; the spiritual stones required for renting are also a huge figure. I heard that even the worst weak Third-Rank cave dwelling costs 500,000 spiritual stones a year. For a Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, it is very difficult to earn so many spiritual stones after working hard for a year hunting monsters, and they have to supplement it with some of their own production income."

"As for the standard Third-Rank low-grade cave dwelling for Jin Dan cultivators, it starts at 700,000 spiritual stones, medium-grade doubles that, and that high-grade cave dwelling requires a full 3,000,000 spiritual stones a year, which is simply not something ordinary loose cultivators can enjoy."

"Of course, there are many experts cultivating in the Volant Dragon Mountain Range now. As far as I know, there are over a hundred Jin Dan cultivators alone! Tsk tsk, to be honest, I was shocked when I heard before that the Wan Xian Society had so many Jin Dan loose cultivators."

"Husband, you thought wrong. In fact, more than half of the Jin Dan masters inside were not loose cultivators from the beginning. They came to the Wan Xian Society to linger on because their sects were destroyed, their families fell, or they were squeezed by major powers and had no way to stand their ground within these hundred years."

When chatting, it wasn't just Zhang Jiadi speaking; his Dao companion, Wen Xiu, would also add a sentence or two from time to time.

Luo Chen was also shocked at first, but after Wen Xiu's supplementary explanation, he could understand a little.

There was a ready-made example before!

Yan Nantian!

He himself was not some loose cultivator; he actually came from the Yan family of Laoyan Island, and it was only after it was destroyed by the Demon Luo Flow that he fled to the North Sea cultivation world.

However, his end was very miserable.

A place like the Feiyan Archipelago, while secluded, had no major power to protect it, and he ultimately ended up with the miserable outcome of being attacked by Luo Chen, with nowhere to run.

Conversely, in Yan Nantian's situation, the Wan Xian Society was actually a better destination.

Because of this example, Luo Chen understood why there were such a large number of loose cultivator Jin Dan masters in the Wan Xian Society today.

Wen Xiu poured a glass of wine for Luo Chen and Zhang Jiadi, sat down, and explained again: "Moreover, the hundred-plus Jin Dan cultivators of the Wan Xian Society are not all cultivating in the Volant Dragon Mountain Range. A portion of them have been assigned to be stationed on other islands of the Wan Xian Society. Like on the way we came, on that Thousand Star Island, there are three Jin Dan masters stationed in rotation all year round."

Luo Chen understood, and then asked puzzledly: "According to what you said, the rental price of cave dwellings in the Volant Dragon Mountain Range is so high, how can these people support it all year round?"

At this, Zhang Jiadi smiled slightly.

"My lord, have you forgotten the rights of the Star-Rank Monster Hunters I mentioned earlier?"

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, "Could it be that the discounts you mentioned also apply to the rental price of cave dwellings?"

Zhang Jiadi nodded and took out his Two-Star waist token.

"Yes, what I said just now was aimed at ordinary loose cultivators, but for Star-Rank Monster Hunters, there is another set of standards."

"This star rank corresponds to a discount!"

"A One-Star Monster Hunter can enjoy a 10% discount on cave dwelling rentals."

"A Nine-Star Monster Hunter can enjoy a 90% discount."

Luo Chen frowned, then realized that the discount corresponding to the star rank was the opposite in his logic.

One star can get a 10% discount, and nine stars can get a 90% discount.

A 90% discount!

Luo Chen's heart stirred. If he really became a Nine-Star Monster Hunter, wouldn't that mean renting a Third-Rank low-grade cave dwelling would only cost a few tens of thousands of spiritual stones a year.

Even the Third-Rank high-grade cave dwelling that Jin Dan cultivators dream of would only cost 300,000 a year.

As long as they weren't a Jin Dan cultivator stupid enough to be at the bottom, they could all afford this amount of spiritual stones.

And those who could become Nine-Star Monster Hunters, how could they be stupid.

"This Wan Xian Society has tied many resources so deeply to the star rank of monster hunters!"

"It seems that if I want to save funds, I must become that Star-Rank Monster Hunter."

Luo Chen pondered in his heart.

He was currently carrying a huge sum of money, with 18 million spiritual stones in "cash" alone, not to mention other miscellaneous resources.

But this huge fortune was merely a drop in the bucket in the face of high rents.

Only by obtaining "local household registration" could he continue to support his subsequent normal cultivation.

"Sure enough, no matter where you are, those in real estate are always the most profitable. Even if you are just a landlord, collecting rent is enough to make you rich."

After sighing, Luo Chen took the initiative to leave the table, ending the welcome banquet.

After returning to his room, he did not rest directly.

Instead, he asked for the Ten Thousand Soul Banner from Seeing Tianxuan and checked it.

Han Zhan was still busy.

Ever since he removed the bad luck from the Soul-Nurturing Wood for him, the other party had been busy dealing with this thing.

According to what the other party said, once it was ready, he would be able to completely say goodbye to the Ten Thousand Soul Banner and reside his soul body in the Soul-Nurturing Wood.

After all, there were too many evil spirits in the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, and residing in it for a long time would easily lead to assimilation.

The Soul-Nurturing Wood was the most suitable habitat for a remnant soul.

After a hundred or two hundred years, perhaps he could restore his Nascent Soul to its original state without a physical body!

Seeing that Han Zhan was not moving, Luo Chen took the Soul-Nurturing Wood out of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner and handed it to Seeing Tianxuan.

"I am currently lacking a handy magic treasure, so I will keep this Ten Thousand Soul Banner for now. You carry Senior Han's Soul-Nurturing Wood with you!"

Although Seeing Tianxuan found it a bit strange, as the master and Senior Han had always been inseparable, why were they separating today without notifying the other party.

However, since the master had ordered, she did not dare to ask more.

After Seeing Tianxuan left with the Soul-Nurturing Wood, Luo Chen let out a sigh of relief that was almost imperceptible.

It was as if, in that instant, he had unloaded some burden.

The next day.

Early in the morning, Luo Chen and Zhang Jiadi hurried out, and didn't return until noon.

He had completed his registration in the Wan Xian Society and had become a loose cultivator under the Wan Xian Society, entitled to a certain degree of protection.

Not only that, he also registered as a Star-Rank Monster Hunter.

"Next, my lord only needs to wait for Long Yuan City to issue the assessment mission."

"You should know a lot about the assessment mission, tell me about it."

Zhang Jiadi cleared his throat and told Luo Chen in detail.

The assessment mission for Star-Rank Monster Hunters of the Wan Xian Society had only begun to be perfected in the last few decades.

At the beginning, there was no relevant assessment mission; as long as you registered, you were a One-Star Monster Hunter.

However, it was later discovered that some loose cultivators, after registering, did not seek progress and used the identity of a One-Star Monster Hunter to evade the wartime conscription of the Three-Ocean defense line, while at the same time wildly fleecing the Wan Xian Society. Since then, the Monster Hunting Division under the Wan Xian Society began to supplement the rules bit by bit and perfect the loopholes in the rules.

"Actually, my lord, don't worry, the One-Star assessment mission is not very difficult."

"Either short-distance escorting of some goods, or killing some Second-Rank monsters, and you can pass."

"In the past, some people even spent spiritual stones to have others do the mission, but it was only recently that a supervisory envoy was established to be responsible for accompanying and auditing the mission process."

"With my lord's ability, a mere One-Star mission is just a piece of cake!"

After Luo Chen finished listening, his heart also relaxed.

If it was just killing some low-level monsters, he was familiar with it and didn't need to worry at all.

After returning to the small courtyard, there were only him and Zhang Jiadi, while Seeing Tianxuan and Wen Xiu were nowhere to be seen.

Luo Chen had no doubts.

Early this morning, before going out, Seeing Tianxuan said that she would let Wen Xiu take her around Long Yuan City to familiarize herself with the situation here.

Later, it would be convenient for her to do things for Luo Chen.

With no one else around, and two grown men alone, Zhang Jiadi felt quite uncomfortable.

Luo Chen suddenly asked: "How many months?"

Zhang Jiadi was stunned for a moment, then said with a hint of warmth at the corner of his mouth: "It's already five months, it's just not obvious yet."

"What are your plans for the future? You must have thought about it!"

The warmth at the corner of Zhang Jiadi's mouth faded a little, and his tone was a bit low: "I have thought about it. I am a loose cultivator, but Ah Xiu used to come from a cultivation family, and she understands more. In this world, if you want to protect a child to grow up safely, relying on us as a couple, unless we watch over them day and night, sooner or later something will happen."

"According to her idea, it is to establish a cultivation family, recruit some low-level cultivators as vassals, and let the family protect the child."

"My aptitude is not very good, and I am old, so I have no chance to advance to the Jin Dan stage in this life. Therefore, the star rank of a monster hunter, if it doesn't reach Four-Star, Three-Star or Two-Star actually makes no difference."

"Therefore, I would rather give up on advancing my star rank and instead secretly handle most of my monster hunting gains privately, exchanging them for more spiritual stones."

"These spiritual stones are the funds for establishing the family in the future."

Speaking of this, he looked at Luo Chen cautiously.

"My lord, I hope you will keep this matter secret for me."

Once he violates the rules and the matter of privately handling monster hunting gains is exposed, he will surely be severely punished by the Monster Hunting Division, and he might even lose his life.

He doesn't want anything to happen, because he still has an unborn child.

Before this, he and Luo Chen had a tacit understanding.

But after getting along for a period of time, he simply made it clear, wanting to get a definite answer, so as not to be terrified every day.

In his anticipation.

Luo Chen smiled slightly, "Your business has nothing to do with me, I will naturally not be long-tongued."

Then, he changed the subject and asked about some details in the other party's words earlier.

"Why is the Four-Star rank of a monster hunter completely different from the previous Three-Star ranks? Isn't it just the difference in discounts on resource exchange?"

"The discount is only one part." Zhang Jiadi felt much more relaxed after getting Luo Chen's promise, and he pointed in the direction of the Volant Dragon Mountain Range, "Actually, the grade of the cave dwelling there is also linked to the star rank. Only a Four-Star Monster Hunter can rent a weak Third-Rank cave dwelling or above. Although this rule is not explicitly stated, it has always been potential."

"How so?"

"The Wan Xian Society is, after all, a loose cultivator power where the weak are prey to the strong. The infighting within is no less than outside. My lord, having cultivated to the Jin Dan realm, I think you are very clear about how much of a bonus the cave dwelling grade has for cultivation. Especially for us Foundation Establishment cultivators, after reaching the Ninth Layer of Foundation Establishment, if you want to be smoother when forming the core, it is best to first adapt to the spiritual energy environment in a weak Third-Rank spiritual land. But weak Third-Rank spiritual lands are so precious that thousands of Foundation Establishment True Cultivators are eyeing them. Without enough strength, there will be a steady stream of enemies peeking, provoking, and even occupying them."

Luo Chen frowned, "Does the Wan Xian Society not care?"

Zhang Jiadi spread his hands, "They only rent to us, as for the follow-up, how could they care. Perhaps Jin Dan masters hold their status and disdain to forcefully seize weak Third-Rank spiritual lands, but cultivators of the same level, Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment, and even Great Perfection, will not care about such Jianghu morality. In this case, the Four-Star Monster Hunter is both a symbol of status and a display of strength. Only in this way can we cut off the steady stream of potential enemies coveting it."

After listening, Luo Chen couldn't help but nod secretly.

Being able to seize the monster hunter star rank that only Jin Dan cultivators can reach at the Foundation Establishment realm, such an existence is indeed powerful enough!

Coveting such a person's cave dwelling is no different from seeking death.

"Then what about me?"

Suddenly, Luo Chen asked.

"If I rent a Third-Rank high-grade cave dwelling as a One-Star Monster Hunter, what will happen?"

Zhang Jiadi was stunned, a bit unable to turn his head.

He looked at Luo Chen cautiously, "I don't know what the lord's specific realm is?"

Luo Chen smiled slightly, "Jin Dan middle stage."

Zhang Jiadi showed an extremely wonderful expression on his face. With such a realm, he actually wanted to seek the Third-Rank high-grade cave dwelling that ordinary Jin Dan loose cultivators dream of?

He smiled reluctantly: "Why does the lord have to force it? Actually, a Third-Rank low-grade or medium-grade cave dwelling should be enough for you..."

"No, I just want a Third-Rank high-grade cave dwelling. With your experience and knowledge, analyze it for me, what will happen then?"

Zhang Jiadi smiled bitterly, "What else can happen? Those with a lower realm than you, and even those with the same realm as you, or even those with a higher realm than you but insufficient financial resources, will surely swarm in. Even if the lord gets a Third-Rank high-grade cave dwelling, I'm afraid you won't have peace while cultivating."

Luo Chen was thoughtful, and finally said slowly: "That is to say, I can only first take the star rank that matches my strength, or a higher star rank, and only after showing enough strength to the outside world can I avoid those troubles."

"That should be the case." Zhang Jiadi echoed.

Seeing Luo Chen figure it out, he also breathed a sigh of relief.

Unknowingly, for this Jin Dan cultivator who held his handle, he had an extra sense of closeness in his heart, in addition to the initial resistance and fear.

If he really establishes a cultivation family in the future, just the Foundation Establishment realm might not be enough to protect it.

If there is this Jin Dan cultivator who seems to have a good temper as a backer, then everything will be worry-free.

The topic ended here.

Seeing that the sun was past the zenith and the two women, Seeing Tianxuan and Wen Xiu, had not returned, Luo Chen did not chat much with Zhang Jiadi, but went into the house to continue tossing about his Nascent Core Art.

This secret art is worthy of being one of the two major secret arts among the three techniques and two arts of the Luoyun Sect.

The difficulty of cultivation is far above "Locking the Bead Curtain".

In the past half year, Luo Chen has failed six or seven times, almost failing once every month.

It is because the quality of the Hidden Dust Sand in his hands is high enough, otherwise it would have been scrapped long ago.

But even so, according to Han Zhan, this Hidden Dust Sand can only support Luo Chen for another three or four times at most.

If there are more, even if successful, the quality of his second Jin Dan will not be too high, and the achievement ceiling can be seen at a glance.

Don't even think about condensing a second Nascent Soul after forming the Nascent Soul in the future.

Luo Chen didn't want to reach that point, so recently, whenever he had time, he had been pondering how to better get started.

If it weren't for the ample time and the fact that the corresponding cultivation environment hadn't been implemented, he wouldn't hesitate to use the achievement points on the system to get started with this secret art.

For now, save a little where he can.

In the evening, Seeing Tianxuan and the others finally returned.

When Luo Chen came out, Seeing Tianxuan told him about what she saw today and said that she would have to go out again tomorrow.

Luo Chen did not stop her either; anyway, he would definitely have to spend most of his time on cultivation in the future. The more familiar Seeing Tianxuan is with the situation here, the more she can help him.

Not only that, he also took out 1 million spiritual stones from his savings and handed them to her.

"Take it!"

"What's the point of just looking and not buying? You can also use this to understand the prices in Long Yuan City."

"Keep what you don't use, so you don't have to look for me all the time when you need small amounts of spiritual stones in the future."

Seeing Tianxuan, flattered, finally felt a bit more at ease after receiving the standard-regulated spiritual stones, her light heart finally settling.

Time passed bit by bit in the grind of Luo Chen pondering the Nascent Core Art.

It wasn't until Luo Chen was almost impatient that there was news.

A sound-transmitting talisman flew into the Zhang family's small courtyard in a grand manner.

Luo Chen pinched it out of thin air, and the spiritual sense attached to the sound-transmitting talisman entered his sea of consciousness.

"See you at the Monster Hunting Division, the assessment mission is ready."

Luo Chen's expression tightened, and he muttered: "Finally ready..."

Then, he stood up, changed out of the white clothes he was wearing, and put on the third red robe that Cheng Haixin had prepared for him.

Not only that, the long hair that had been let down during quiet cultivation was also tied behind his head with a jade hairpin.

With a water mirror in front, he looked at himself in the mirror.

Although his face was red, affecting the appearance, his features were rugged and his figure was tall and straight, like a verdant pine and cypress.

Under the well-fitting red gorgeous clothes, he wore an exquisite jade belt obtained from spoils, and a jade hairpin on his head.

At first glance, there was even a feeling of being elegant and graceful.

This look was a bit conspicuous.

It was incompatible with the loose cultivator style that pursued low-key.

But the Luo Chen in the mirror showed a satisfied smile.

Since it is the Wan Xian Society where the weak are prey to the strong, being conspicuous has its own benefits!

At least, it can save some unnecessary troubles brought by the weak.

Putting the Ten Thousand Soul Banner into the storage ring, everything was ready.

Luo Chen didn't say hello to Zhang Jiadi and the others, but went straight out of the Zhang family's small courtyard and headed straight to the Monster Hunting Division in the city.

A half-new, half-old palace complex was located in the center of Long Yuan City.

In the middle of a large hall, the three characters "Monster Hunting Division" were engraved, which was the headquarters of the Star-Rank Monster Hunters of the Wan Xian Society!

Standing outside, Luo Chen watched the endless stream of cultivators coming in and out.

His sharp eyes fell on those cultivators from time to time, and even if they were just Qi Refining generation, he couldn't help but look a few more times.

"These loose cultivators, perhaps their realm is not very high, and their magic power is not very pure. But each of them reveals an unusual fierce aura, which shows that they are all people who lick blood from the edge of a knife, and their combat experience must be extremely rich among those of the same level."

"It is rumored that the term 'robber cultivator' was transformed from the pirates of the North Sea, and then flowed into other major states."

"Now it seems that the temperament of these loose cultivators is exactly the same as the rumors."

After inspecting for a moment, Luo Chen did not hesitate and stepped directly into the Monster Hunting Division.

As soon as he entered, a hearty laugh came.

"Daoist Luo, long time no see!"

Luo Chen smiled slightly and bowed to the white-haired old man, "Old Fisherman, long time no see."

The old man's real name cannot be verified, and the loose cultivators of the Wan Xian Society all call him Old Fisherman.

He looks unassuming on the outside.

But if you really judge people by their appearance, you would be very wrong.

The Old Fisherman is over four hundred years old, has a cultivation base as high as the Ninth Layer of Jin Dan, and is also one of the only three Eight-Star Monster Hunters in the Monster Hunting Division!

His realm is high and his strength is powerful, so even Luo Chen has to deal with him carefully.

Seeing Luo Chen's etiquette so thoughtful, the Old Fisherman also returned a Daoist salute.

Without any pleasantries, Luo Chen went straight to the point.

"I don't know what my assessment mission is?"

"Don't rush!"

The Old Fisherman laughed, "Let me introduce two Daoists to you first. This time your assessment mission is carried out at the same time. Get to know each other first, so it will be easier to increase the mission pass rate."

Then, he clapped his hands.

The crisp clapping sound echoed in the hall.

Two figures walked in from outside the hall.

Just at the first moment of seeing the two, Luo Chen frowned.

"What kind of assessment mission actually requires three Jin Dan cultivators to carry out together?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 578 =====