It had been half a day since they’d left the treacherous region of Nanwa Snow Mountain behind.
Only now were the cultivators from Dahe Market beginning to settle down, the fear that had gripped them slowly ebbing away. The aftermath of what they’d experienced still lingered in their expressions, but at least the worst seemed to be over.
Aboard the Luo Tian Society's ship, Wang Yuan quietly entered Luo Chen’s cabin.
"You really have some guts!
"Throwing out that many top-grade Jade Essence pills at once, that was worth tens of thousands of spirit stones!"
“Tsk tsk, you should’ve seen the faces of those rogue cultivators on the rear ships,” Luo Chen said with a grin. “They were completely dumbfounded, eyes wide as saucers.”
By now, the spirit power Luo Chen had expended had nearly fully recovered. For cultivators who had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, as long as they didn’t release too much energy in a single burst, recovery came naturally and quickly. This ability stemmed from the spirit energy cloud formed during the ninth stage of Qi-Refining, and once a cultivator broke through to Foundation Establishment, the efficiency of recovery doubled.
On top of that, the automatic energy restoration from his Medicine King Codex of Yimu made the effect several times stronger than that of an average Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"I had to do it at the time.
"The Li and Nangong families lost a great number of domesticated spirit beasts, and Wang Haichao paid a hefty amount of spirit stones. I had to give up something too, otherwise, they’d feel the exchange was unfair."
Wang Yuan nodded.
Luo Chen always thought more thoroughly than he did in matters like this. Still, he didn’t quite understand, wasn’t Luo Chen acting a bit too kind-hearted and selfless in that situation? If it were him, he wouldn’t have spared a second thought for the lives of those rogue cultivators.
Perhaps sensing Wang Yuan’s unspoken doubts, Luo Chen said lightly, "The biggest problem when arriving in a new region is not knowing the people or the place. If there’s a group of people I’ve helped, even if they’re not from the Luo Tian Society, they might still offer us some assistance.
"And as for Wang Haichao..." Luo Chen pursed his lips, a shadow of coldness appearing in his eyes.
That man was like a snake, cruel and venomous. No one could predict when he might suddenly strike. He had previously pushed him into the Alliance Leader position precisely so he’d be the one to stick his neck out and deal with any dangers along the way.
He had handled the situation well, there was no denying that. But he had done it at the cost of other people’s lives. If Luo Chen hadn’t pressured him this time, he probably wouldn’t have been willing to sacrifice a single thing.
Wang Yuan shook his head. "This is someone we shouldn’t grow close to. His appetite and ambition are enormous, and he has no regard for principle.
"I know that." Luo Chen let out a low hum and turned his gaze to Wang Yuan.
"After removing Duan Qiankun’s lingering soul, how has your cultivation been progressing?"
At the mention of cultivation, Wang Yuan perked up. He shook his body, letting out a series of crackling bone pops.
"The Dao to Immortality is currently stuck at the Perfected Mastery of Qi-Refining.
"But over these past days, I’ve developed a real killing move, something that truly belongs to the second stage of Physical-Refining!"
Luo Chen raised his brow. "Can it rival techniques in the early stage of Foundation Establishment Realm?
"This is my full-force strike, and perhaps it's even stronger!"
Luo Chen looked at the confident Wang Yuan in surprise.
Then, he felt a bit more at ease. "With you around, things will go much more smoothly for me from here on out."
***
Composure, in the end, came from strength.
The true inner strength lay in one’s cultivation realm, personal power, and hidden trump cards. Outer strength came from one’s backing, factions, influence, connections, wealth. And after years of tireless effort, Luo Chen had steadily accumulated more and more of both.
As a result, the way he carried himself had grown increasingly calm, measured, and unshakable. The impulsiveness and inexperience of youth had long faded, replaced by a deep steadiness that came only with maturity.
To those around him, it made Luo Chen appear all the more trustworthy, someone people instinctively leaned on, someone they could follow.
After the River-Swallowing Toad incident, the entire Luo Tian Society united behind him without hesitation. Their loyalty was no longer a matter of form, it was genuine and complete. If he could show such compassion and generosity toward outsiders, then following him could only lead to an even brighter and more promising future.
And it wasn’t just the Luo Tian Society. Luo Chen had noticed that whenever he stepped out onto the deck to take in the air, some of the nearby rogue cultivators would look at him with expressions that had shifted, from the initial awe of a Foundation Establishment cultivator to genuine reverence.
That was simply the way of the cultivation world.
Strength reigned supreme, and might makes right. When Wang Haichao sent people to die, those who perished cursed him to the bitter end. Those who survived, though they might complain inwardly, dared not speak a word of disrespect aloud.
Luo Chen, however, had shown a different sort of demeanor. Naturally, the low-tier rogue cultivators treated him differently in return. He could discern how much of that respect was heartfelt, and how much was merely fear.
This is fine. Even if it’s not for myself, I can forge a few more bonds of goodwill for the sake of those under my command. Maybe someday, that will yield unexpected results.
Luo Chen ended his stroll on the deck, hands behind his back, and leisurely returned to his cabin to resume cultivating.
By his estimation, they would reach Taishan Market no later than noon tomorrow!
He didn’t need anyone to tell him, he could calculate the timing himself. And if that weren’t enough, the rising restlessness among the lower-tier cultivators aboard the ship was proof enough. They could feel it too. Arrival was close.
***
The next morning. The sky was clear for thousands of li, and the air was crisp and fresh. The massive fleet slowed down and gradually docked at a vast inlet known as the Reminiscence Bay.
"We're here, we're here!"
"We've finally arrived at Taishan Market."
"This was truly the longest journey of my entire life!"
A lively commotion buzzed from outside, the sound of voices rising in excitement. Amid the noise, the hurried thump of footsteps came racing up the deck stairs.
“Master, we’ve arrived at Taishan Market,” Qu Lingjun called out.
Creaaak!
The door opened, and Luo Chen stepped out, dressed in a brand-new pale moon-white robe.
Standing atop the lofty third-tier deck, Luo Chen gazed out ahead.