The streets buzzed with life, filled with merchants hawking their wares and cultivators engaged in casual conversations. Amidst the crowd, Luo Chen came to a halt, flanked by his two bodyguards.
Standing before them was a somewhat nervous cultivator.
Luo Chen narrowed his eyes. "I know you. You're Duan Sanfu, aren't you?"
Recognition flickered across his mind as he recalled the man's face. Duan Sanfu had been one of the two rogue cultivators who had blocked his stall at the cultivators' market. If he remembered correctly, the other one was still locked up in Red Pillar Prison.
Who knew if he was still alive... or suffering a far worse fate.
Duan Sanfu hesitated for a moment before pointing toward a nearby restaurant. "Fellow Daoist, my second brother invites you."
Luo Chen's brow lifted slightly. "Gao Tingyuan?"
Without waiting for a response, Luo Chen suddenly smiled. "Then lead the way!"
Completely unafraid, he held his head high and walked upstairs.
Qingjiang Restaurant was an establishment run by the Dajiang Gang, conveniently located near Lancang Dock. It was a place where cultivators gathered to drink, feast, and even rest after completing their work.
On the first floor, the air was filled with lively chatter. Cultivators ate heartily, tearing into roasted meat and gulping down strong liquor. They earned spirit stones through the Dajiang Gang, only to spend them in the gang's restaurants and gambling dens.
The second floor, however, was completely silent at the moment.
Until Luo Chen ascended!
Five late stage Qi-Refining cultivators were present, two of whom were at the ninth stage!
Luo Chen's pupils contracted slightly at the sight, but his steps remained steady. He walked forward calmly, his gaze locking onto a short, stocky man seated at the head of the table.
"Luo Chen, Hall Leader of the Poshan Gang's Alchemy Hall. Did I get that right?" The voice was firm, laced with an unmistakable authority.
Luo Chen's lips curled slightly. "Second Brother Gao, you're well-informed. Our Alchemy Hall hasn't even produced a single pill yet."
"Sit!"
"Please!"
Both men took their seats across from each other. Meanwhile, the other ninth stage Qi-Refining cultivator, dressed in blue robes, leaned idly against the railing. He seemed disinterested in the conversation, his gaze drifting toward the bustling street below.
Zhou Yuanli and Liu Qiang, Luo Chen's two bodyguards, were visibly on edge, their postures tense. They knew exactly who Gao Tingyuan was.
Gao Tingyuan, known by the title of "River Dragon." The top fighter under Wang Haichao, the leader of the Dajiang Gang. He had the illustrious record of personally killing "Broken Blade" Xu Renke on the Debate Platform. If he decided to attack, even with their combined combat techniques, the two brothers might not be able to ensure Luo Chen's safety.
Suddenly, the blue-robed cultivator by the railing laughed.
"Wang Yuan's watching from afar."
"Of course he is," Gao Tingyuan replied coldly. "After all, this is his junior."
Then, he fixed his piercing gaze on Luo Chen.
He just stared.
Without saying a word!
Luo Chen's brows gradually furrowed before he slowly shook his head.
"If you have something to say, say it. Acting like this isn't the way to treat a guest."
Gao Tingyuan raised his eyebrows, looking somewhat surprised.
Then, in a slow and deliberate tone, he said, "You should understand—you weren't invited here as a guest."
"Then I'll leave?"
Without hesitation, Luo Chen abruptly stood up.
For a brief moment, Gao Tingyuan froze. Then, his expression darkened, and his anger flared.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his fury.
"Was it you who killed my little brother?"
"Your little brother? The Gao Ting'e that Duan Sanfu mentioned?" Luo Chen sneered. "You think I killed him?"
"Isn't it? Then why didn't you dare to meet me back then?" Gao Tingyuan stared intently at Luo Chen, not letting even the smallest change in expression escape him.
But unfortunately, he couldn't detect any guilt or flaw in Luo Chen's demeanor.
Luo Chen shrugged. "Even an idiot knows that during that time, your Dajiang Gang and our Poshan Gang were at each other's throats. Am I an idiot? Doesn't seem like it. So why would I come to see you?"
"That's not a reason!"
"Then what reason do you want? I'll give it to you right now."
Gao Tingyuan clenched his jaw. "I investigated. That day, after you bought your alchemy materials, you went straight home in the evening."
Luo Chen smirked. "Shall I tell you that I stopped by my friend Chen Xiuping's house to celebrate his granddaughter's birthday?"
Gao Tingyuan was startled. Chen Xiuping? Wasn't he the talisman maker who used to share a stall with Luo Chen?
Luo Chen smirked. "If you'd done your homework properly, you'd know that the old man and I get along quite well. He used to share a stall with me, and I'd often help him sell talismans. I just gave his granddaughter a bag of snacks earlier too."
Gao Tingyuan hesitated, uncertainty flashing across his face. His subordinates' reports did include details about this connection.
And truth be told, it wasn't uncommon for cultivators to support one another.
No one could guarantee they wouldn't meet their end in the wilderness—whether in the mountains, rivers, or the depths of some hidden ruin. If they perished, they naturally hoped their friends would look after those they left behind..