The first time Luo Chen stepped into the Precious Dragon Black Market was during the period when the Golden Core Ruins had opened, and chaos in Dahe Market had intensified.
It was also then that Luo Chen auctioned off the Blood-Burning pills, catching the attention of Tian Xingzi, laying the groundwork for their future collaboration.
As such, Luo Chen vividly remembered that initial black market auction.
He distinctly recalled that there were three Foundation Establishment cultivators in attendance.
Aside from Tian Xingzi, the master of the black market, the other two had rather suspicious behavior.
The Golden Core Ruins held the legacy of the Supreme Elder of Ghost Valley, containing not just rare enchanted treasures, but also enchanted artifacts, and even opportunities crucial to Foundation Establishment cultivators seeking Core Formation.
Given such valuable prospects, it was highly unusual for those two Foundation Establishment cultivators to ignore the ruins and instead attend a black market auction. Their motives were undeniably suspect.
At that time, Luo Chen had limited knowledge and experience. His only prior encounter with Foundation Establishment cultivators had been a fleeting glance at the Golden Core Banquet in Zhongding Restaurant.
Thus, he hadn’t recognized them.
After attending multiple black market auctions and encountering more Foundation Establishment cultivators, Luo Chen gradually became familiar with the key figures operating around Dahe Market.
Through their mannerisms, speech patterns, and small details, he eventually confirmed that the two Foundation Establishment cultivators at his first black market auction had been none other than Duan Qiankun and Elder Zhou of the Lianyun Trade Alliance.
After all, the circle of cultivators in the region was small, and the number of powerful figures even smaller.
Even with disguises, after repeated encounters, Luo Chen was no fool, he could naturally distinguish who was who.
He distinctly remembered that Duan Qiankun’s primary reason for attending that auction had been to obtain an eight-hundred-year-old heaven and earth root.
Because of this item, he had even verbally agreed to one of Elder Zhou’s conditions.
Later, in conversations with Miao Wen, Luo Chen pieced together what had truly happened on the night the Poshan Gang was annihilated.
Five Foundation Establishment cultivators had besieged Mi Shuhua. It had even led to the intervention of Lu Jiushi, the Golden Core Adept from the Lianyun Trade Alliance.
Among them, Duan Qiankun had also played a role.
Luo Chen knew well that Duan Qiankun and Mi Shuhua had risen together in Dahe Market and had once been close. For Duan Qiankun to turn against Mi Shuhua, it must have been because of that promised condition.
In the past, these events had seemed shrouded in mist, unclear, full of unanswered questions. But as Luo Chen’s cultivation realm advanced and his network expanded, everything became crystal clear with just a bit of thought.
The dead were gone, and there was no changing the past.
Thinking about them now was merely a way to settle his own thoughts.
What Luo Chen truly cared about was the heaven and earth root that Duan Qiankun had won at the auction.
heaven and earth root! A miraculous medicinal treasure with extraordinary effects on realm breakthroughs! It was categorized by age, three hundred years as a minor stage, three thousand years as a major limit.
For every additional three hundred years, it could increase a cultivator’s Foundation Establishment success rate by ten percent. An eight-hundred-year-old heaven and earth root could increase a Qi-Refining cultivator’s Foundation Establishment success rate by twenty percent.
Its effectiveness was only ten percent lower than that of a standard Foundation Establishment pill available on the market. If an alchemy master refined it into a mid-grade or even high-grade Foundation Establishment pill, the success rate could be raised to forty or even fifty percent!
Moreover, as a miraculous medicine for breaking through bottlenecks, the heaven and earth root had advantages beyond just its potent effects. Typically, when attempting a breakthrough, failure could result in severe consequences. In the best-case scenario, it would cause only minor backlash, leading to damaged meridians. But in the worst-case scenario, it could completely destroy the dantian, send spirit energy into a chaotic eruption, and lead to instant death.
However, using the heaven and earth root for a breakthrough, even if unsuccessful, its gentle medicinal properties would ensure that the cultivator wouldn’t suffer severe injuries.
This was the true power of a breakthrough pill.
Duan Qiankun had paid such a hefty price for it. There was no way it was for himself.
Duan Rui!
Even after two failures, Duan Qiankun still hadn't given up on him. Purchasing the eight-hundred-year-old heaven and earth root was clearly another attempt to aid his Foundation Establishment.
Judging from his later actions, Duan Qiankun’s frequent attendance at black market auctions was not just for family resources but also to gather more supplementary items for Foundation Establishment.
Revitalization liquid, Glazed Balm, calming incense...
All of these had varying degrees of use in assisting Foundation Establishment. They were common alternatives used by rogue cultivators who couldn’t obtain a Foundation Establishment pill.
Although these supplements combined could never match the potency of a true Foundation Establishment pill, they were still better than nothing.
Since Duan Qiankun couldn’t find a third Foundation Establishment pill in time and his own lifespan was running out, he had decided to use the heaven and earth root for Duan Rui’s final attempt.
They say that failure shouldn't happen more than thrice!
Perhaps this time, if Duan Rui had the courage to risk everything, he might just succeed. If he did succeed, the Duan family would have two Foundation Establishment cultivators.
How then could Duan Feng ever hope to exact his revenge?
I can't say it!
If I say it now, Duan Feng might storm into their home by tomorrow.
He’s absolutely reckless enough to do something like that. But I can't just watch him throw himself at a stone wall to be crushed.
Watching as Duan Feng emptied Luo Chen’s wine gourd cup by cup in such a short time.
Luo Chen frowned and snatched the wine gourd that Grandpa Xiaoyue had given him."Stop drinking. At this rate, my wine will be gone."
"So stingy? Didn’t you say there was plenty of wine?"
"Tch, your story’s over anyway!"
Duan Feng was stunned for a moment before forcing a bitter smile and shaking his head.
He slumped onto the table and murmured, "Yeah... My life hasn't had much worth mentioning. My only good memories are from when my mother cared for me. Back then, I always thought that once I became powerful, I’d forge a bracelet for her. One that was beautiful and had strong defensive abilities..."
Luo Chen looked at him helplessly.