At the mountainside platform where his old cave residence once stood, Luo Chen returned to familiar ground. Beside him, Chu Kui followed with casual curiosity.
As they waited for Min Longyu to emerge from his Foundation Establishment breakthrough, Chu Kui began reminiscing, striking up a conversation about the past.
“The months following the auction are always when Tianlan Peak sees the most Foundation Establishment breakthroughs,” he remarked. “After all, Foundation Establishment pills are so precious that most rogue cultivators who buy them don’t dare flaunt them outside. They usually rent a cave residence on Tianlan Peak and stay there until they’re stable in their new realm. Only then do they dare to leave. Well, even then, it’s rare to see two people breaking through at the same time like today.”
Luo Chen nodded in acquiescence.
Chu Kui chuckled, rubbing his hands together. “Your subordinate seems to be a descendant of the Min family?”
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. He’d mentioned Min Longyu’s name in passing before, but he hadn’t expected Chu Kui to latch onto it.
“So what if he is?” Luo Chen replied coolly.
“Once he’s successfully reached the Foundation Establishment, would you mind introducing us?” Chu Kui asked.
Luo Chen’s curiosity deepened. “Eh? Even if he succeeds, he’ll only be at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. Why are you so interested in him, Fellow Daoist Chu?”
Chu Kui’s eyes gleamed. “Because he’s from the Min family! He’s bound to be skilled in formations! For rogue cultivators, someone like him is as valuable as an alchemist, maybe even more so!”
Luo Chen sighed inwardly. “Alright,” he relented. “I’ll introduce you.”
Rogue formation masters were indeed even more in demand than second-tier alchemists like Luo Chen. After all, second-tier alchemists typically only specialized in a few pills. Among their peers, they might be good at making money, but their assistance didn’t compare to what third-tier or fourth-tier alchemists could offer.
But formation masters were a different story! On a smaller scale, they could help rogue cultivators establish their foundations or set up defensive formations for cultivation families. On a larger scale, they were indispensable for treasure hunts and group expeditions.
Most ancient secret realms that had survived until now were protected by formations. Over hundreds or thousands of years, however, even the most formidable ones were inevitably weakened. That gave second-tier formation masters like Min Longyu plenty of opportunities to work with.
Whether it was setting up formations, identifying them, breaking them, or circumventing them, even the strongest cultivators needed a formation master’s help if they didn’t understand formations themselves. After all, every craft had its specialist.
Chu Kui’s enthusiasm wasn’t just out of generosity; it also tied directly to his usual line of work. He was a man who took money to eliminate others’ problems, working alone and dominating the scene wherever he went. But whenever he faced a tough opponent, the risks multiplied. If he had a formation master like Min Longyu helping him set up traps and other such to guard his blind spots, then he could truly vanish without a trace.
As the two of them chatted, time passed quietly. Cultivators who noticed the two Foundation Establishment breakthroughs on Tianlan Peak instinctively extended their spirit consciousness to investigate. Luo Chen didn’t know what was happening at the other location, but at least on his side, with Chu Kui present, any Foundation Establishment probe withdrew as soon as it made contact.
During that time, Nangong Jin came by. Unlike Li Yixian, he hadn’t given up his nearby cave residence just yet. After all, the Nangong family had dwindled to only a few remaining members. Ironically, after losing nearly all of them, their once-modest savings meant a lot more money for each.
Luo Chen took a moment to chat with him, asking about his son, Nangong Qin. He learned that the boy was paralyzed from the waist down and unlikely to ever achieve Foundation Establishment. Nangong Jin now worried about arranging a marriage for his son so that the family line could continue.
A former Elite Prodigy of Dahe Market, reduced to this state. It was truly regrettable.
Luo Chen also inquired about the Lianyun Trade Alliance.
At present, Li Yixian and Nangong Jin served as newly appointed elders, but even so, they only had seven Foundation Establishment cultivators left. As for late stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, there was only the Grand Elder remaining.
Gone were the days of three late stage Foundation Establishment experts and a dozen Foundation Establishment Initiates. The markets under their management had also suffered considerable losses. Now, Li Yixian and Nangong Jin were holding down the fort at two nearby markets in order to ensure the alliance could survive.
“What about the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect?” Luo Chen asked.
“There’s nothing more to say,” came the reply. “It wasn’t the main sect that acted. It was one of their vassal forces. It seemed like they were defending the sect’s honor, but in reality, they just wanted to seize the Lianyun Trade Alliance’s business.”
“No follow-up?” Luo Chen pressed.
“After the second and third elders died, the Grand Elder accused them of colluding with the Falling Cloud Sect. With them gone, the Sword Sect’s vassals had no more excuse to act, so the matter ended there.”
After they spoke for a while, both of them turned their attention back to Min Longyu’s attempt at Foundation Establishment. His energy flow grew steadier and more solid with each breath. The transformations of both the dantian and the sea of qi had already been completed. Even the spirit energy had condensed fully into liquid form. In other words, he had succeeded.
Nangong Jin congratulated Luo Chen with a hint of envy before taking his leave.
A rumbling sound filled the air as the Dragon-Severing Stone slowly rose. A figure, refreshed and cleansed, stepped forward from the platform. He cupped his fists and said to Luo Chen, “President, your subordinate did not disappoint!”
For a moment, Luo Chen felt a twinge of disbelief. This time, it wasn’t the familiar “I hesitated,” but instead a firm “I did not disappoint!”
It proved that the Heartmirror, in the end, was nothing but a simulation. Luo Chen had the power to change the future he'd seen. And with that, he gained confidence in his ability to alter that three-hundred-thirty-year Foundation Establishment destiny.
“Very good! Very good!” he exclaimed, the double praise reflecting his genuine joy.
Chu Kui took the opportunity to chime in, “Congratulations, Fellow Daoist! Congratulations!”
“And who might this be, President?” Min Longyu asked curiously, looking at Chu Kui.
“This is Chu Kui,” Luo Chen introduced him simply.
That name alone made Min Longyu’s face turn serious. Chu Kui’s reputation in Tianlan Immortal City was formidable. It was far beyond what a newly minted Foundation Establishment cultivator like him could match.
“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Chu!” Min Longyu said respectfully.
Seeing that Chu Kui clearly intended to draw closer to Min Longyu, Luo Chen shook his head, somewhat helplessly.
“Let’s talk elsewhere,” he suggested. “Come to my cave residence. We can have a proper conversation and share cultivation insights.”
“Excellent! Excellent!” Chu Kui agreed without hesitation.
Min Longyu, of course, had no objections.
In the past, he might have obeyed Luo Chen’s words out of courtesy. But now, after the experience of breaking through to Foundation Establishment, he felt genuine respect for Luo Chen.
Through that breakthrough, he had finally understood the true meaning behind Luo Chen’s earlier question about his resolve. During that breakthrough. there had been one step that was both the most dangerous and the most crucial: shattering the dantian. That wasn’t something an ordinary person would dare attempt.
Shattering the dantian meant the spirit energy gathered would have no place to be stored; without that foundation, there would be no support for pursuing the Great Dao, and one could forget about any progress. Yet ironically, one had to endure this very ordeal to reach Foundation Establishment.
Break in order to rebuild!
Only by enduring the pain and charging forward could one shatter the dantian and transform it into a sea of qi on the existing foundation.
If it had been the old Min Longyu, under the overwhelming surge of spirit energy from the Foundation Establishment pill, he likely would have hesitated at this point. He would've been tempted to choose a safe life rather than the pursuit of the Great Dao. And once he hesitated, it would have been easy to miss that opportunity.
It had been Luo Chen who had forced him to question his heart in advance, helping him rediscover his original youthful aspirations. That was why Min Longyu had been able to push through without a second thought, shattering his dantian, gathering his spirit power, and rebuilding his sea of qi. Such a favor was no less than the grace of giving life or imparting the Dao.
Luo Chen could sense Min Longyu’s deep respect, clearly evident from how his very first action after emerging were to share the good news with him.