Chapter 170: Brother Wang, Have You Gone Mad?

"Luo Wudi is actually dead? Was the battle really that intense?"

At the Alchemy Hall, Luo Chen sat across from Zeng Wen, observing his weary expression. He couldn't help but ask.

Zeng Wen sighed, still somewhat dazed. "I've never been through anything like that. I couldn't even let myself sleep too deeply, always had to be ready for a fight. These past days... felt like living in hell."

Seeing Luo Chen's curiosity, Zeng Wen forced himself to focus and explained what had happened. "The Golden Core ruins weren’t actually that vast, only covered within the Heavenly Spirit Seizing Array. Because the area was so limited, thousands of cultivators were crammed together, making it inevitable that fierce conflicts would erupt over even a single discovered spirit herb.

"The three combat halls were tasked primarily with battle, but they also bore the responsibility of protecting the weaker cultivators from the Medicine Hall and Mining Hall.

"Luo Erduo, though lacking in cultivation, had a keen eye for herbs. One day, he spotted what appeared to be an ordinary plant—only to realize it was, in fact, a five-hundred-year-old second-tier spirit herb, an invaluable aid in Foundation Establishment.

"The problem was that the herb grew within Xuanyi Society’s territory.

"Knowing he couldn't retrieve it alone, Luo Erduo reached out to his uncle, Luo Wudi. Under the cover of night, the two slipped into the area, hoping to harvest it unnoticed. But fate was not so kind.

"They were discovered by Xuanyi Society cultivators patrolling the territory. A fight was inevitable.

"Luo Erduo died on the spot, Luo Wudi managed to seize the herb and escape, but he never made it back to the Poshan Gang camp. Before he could reach safety, he was intercepted and caught in a deadly pincer attack by a group of rogue cultivators and Xuanyi Society members.

"A second-tier spirit herb that aids in Foundation Establishment! Who wouldn’t be tempted?

"Right then and there, Luo Wudi was surrounded and blasted apart alive."

After hearing the details, Luo Chen found it somewhat baffling.

Luo Erduo was actually knowledgeable about herbs? This... has a little to do with me, doesn’t it?

Over the past year under my leadership, the internal cultivators of the Alchemy Hall hadn’t learned much alchemy, but they had become well-versed in certain specialized skills.

Especially the apprentice herbalists—not only did they need to be adept at handling specific materials, but they also had to memorize the Compendium of a Hundred Herbs.

That Luo Erduo... usually so carefree, yet he actually learned something after all.

"The Heavenly Spirit Seizing Array hadn’t contracted yet, right? Did Gang Leader Mi say anything?" Luo Chen asked.

Zeng Wen sneered. "What could he say? In the end, Luo Wudi and his nephew just wanted to keep that second-tier spirit herb for themselves, so they snuck off to pick it.

"Mi Shuhua had already set the rules for the ruins’ expedition. The Poshan Gang was to act as a unit—any gains could be kept at thirty percent, but the other seventy percent had to be turned over to the gang.

"Only after returning would the final distribution and rewards be decided.

"Needless to say, if that second-tier spirit herb had been handed in, Luo Wudi probably wouldn’t have gotten a share at all. But Old Man Mi wasn’t even focused on these spirit herbs at the time. So, he simply gave a brief reprimand, executed a couple of insignificant rogue cultivators, and let the matter drop.

"Forget it. Why are we even talking about this? If I keep retelling it, I’ll be having nightmares for the rest of my life.”

Luo Chen curled his lips. "Come on, big brother, it’s not that bad, is it?"

"Tch, you haven’t experienced what it’s like to see enchanted artifacts clashing every time you open or close your eyes. Of course, you wouldn’t understand how I feel." Zeng Wen smacked his lips and stretched out his hand. "Enough. Hurry up and give me a few Myriad Wonders pills. I need to relax at Tianxiang Tower."

A few Myriad Wonders pills were nothing to Luo Chen.

Taking out three high-grade Myriad Wonders pills, Luo Chen casually chuckled. "Weren't you planning to turn over a new leaf and settle down? Why are you still running off to Tianxiang Tower?"

"Homegrown flowers can’t compare to wild ones!" Zeng Wen grinned as he tucked the pills away and was about to leave.

Just as he stepped out, he paused and turned back. "Be careful these days. Our gang lost a lot of people in the mountains, and other factions might get ideas. Either way, watch your back when you're moving around."

With that, he disappeared in a flash.

Luo Chen remained seated, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. The losses of the Poshan Gang were massive, though at first, Luo Chen didn’t quite grasp the full extent.

However, as more cultivators trickled back over the following days, he finally realized just how severe the losses were.

Six Hall Leaders had gone into the mountains, and two had died. Luo Wudi and Zhang Shicong, the newly appointed leader of the Mining Hall. Neither of their bodies had been retrieved.

Among the three combat halls, only Zeng Wen had managed to bring most of his men back. Luo Wudi’s entire hall had been wiped out.

Another Hall Leader, Yang Wei, had returned with grave injuries, and most of his subordinates had perished as well.

Ironically, Ke Yuelin, the lone-wolf leader of Beast Hall had returned completely unscathed—rumors even said he had gained quite a bit.

Meanwhile, the cultivators from the Medicine Hall and Mining Hall who had ventured into the mountains had suffered heavy losses, with more than half failing to make it back.

The Mining Hall, in particular, had taken the brunt of the damage. When the Heavenly Spirit Seizing Array contracted and cut them off from their leader, the rare ores they had gathered turned into prime targets for opportunistic rogue cultivators.

Logically speaking, the Poshan Gang was a major faction with plenty of cultivators.

Under normal circumstances, their numbers alone should have deterred anyone from picking a fight. But this time, the rogue cultivators who had dared to enter the mountains were all formidable.

Local experts, Debate Platform regulars, and even powerful outsiders—River Dragon—were among them.

With such experts leading them, the moment someone shouted "Foundation Establishment treasure!", they would rally massacre and launch an all-out assault.

The Mining Hall, despite its numbers, had ironically become the prime target.

In truth, the Poshan Gang wasn’t the only faction that suffered—Xuanyi Society had taken heavy losses as well. As a newly established force, they lacked a solid foundation, even with the backing of five Foundation Establishment families. No matter how much prestige they flaunted, their roots were still shallow. Their family disciples might have been strong, but their numbers were far too few.

After several head-on clashes with the Poshan Gang, they had started to retreat, unwilling to sustain further losses.

Then came the beast tide. In the chaos of their escape, they found themselves easy prey—not just for the rampaging beasts, but for bold rogue cultivators who took the opportunity to rob them blind.

Just imagine—walking along peacefully, only to be ambushed by a rain of flying swords, talismans crashing down like a storm, and traps hidden at every turn. It was absolute chaos.

Luo Chen couldn’t help but feel relieved.

Good thing I didn’t wade into that mess. Staying home and refining pills is so much better!

I can take a stroll through the city, hit up the black market for rare resources, and chat over celestial beans with a beautiful lady. At night, I can practice my techniques, explore the deep mountains, and breathe in the fresh air.

Now that’s what I call a proper cultivation lifestyle! These cultivators were nothing like him. All they did was fight and kill all day long—no finesse, no skill, just brute force.

Hmph, not worth my time!

"By the way, where's my Brother Wang?"

The subordinate reporting the situation spread his hands. "I have no idea!"

***

Wang Yuan had vanished.

As the cultivators of Poshan Gang returned to the market, some with sorrow, fear, and loss, while others brimmed with excitement and joy, Luo Chen suddenly realized—Wang Yuan was still missing.

He knew for a fact that Water-Dragon Hall had taken part in the battle for the ruins. Many of the Water-Dragon Hall cultivators had already returned in twos and threes, yet Wang Yuan was nowhere to be seen.

For some reason, unease crept into Luo Chen's heart.

Wang Yuan was one of his few true friends—the kind of companion he could trust with his back. If something had happened to him, it wouldn't just be a personal loss, Luo Chen’s rising momentum within Poshan Gang would also take a severe hit.

However, that worry vanished three days later.

Late at night, when all was quiet, Luo Chen stepped out of the alchemy room with a pleased expression.

After multiple failed attempts, he had finally produced a successful batch of Blood-Burning pills. His proficiency had now reached 20/100.

With so many cultivators returning to Dahe Market, those who had survived had all gained something, more or less.

For a time, instead of weakening, Dahe Market exhibited a twisted kind of prosperity. But beneath that prosperity, chaos was brewing.

Luo Chen didn’t like this situation—but his Blood-Burning pills were perfect for it.

If I stockpile a bit more, I can take them to the black market,

he thought.

This time, I might try selling in those four smaller black markets instead.

As Luo Chen calculated his next moves, his body suddenly stiffened.

The early summer moon cast its glow over the valley cliffs, slanting its light into the Alchemy Hall. A figure sat within the shadows near the wall. If not for his keen eyesight, Luo Chen might not have noticed him at all.

Seeing Luo Chen, the figure lifted a wine gourd.

"Want a drink?"

Blood...

Just sitting across from him, Luo Chen caught the overwhelming stench of blood. It was as if the person before him wasn’t human, but a bloodthirsty beast.

Meeting those aged, weary eyes, Luo Chen carefully examined the figure. He didn’t see any injuries. Instead, the man’s exposed skin was even more pristine—almost unnaturally pale. So pale that Luo Chen even began to doubt whether this was Wang Yuan at all.

"Drink up, what are you hesitating about?

"This is Monkey Wine—I stole it from an old Golden Spirit Monkey’s lair. It’s great for Qi-Refining cultivators."

Luo Chen gazed at the crystal-clear spirit wine in his cup, its golden hue resembling molten gold. He couldn't help but swallow. The sheer concentration of spirit energy in it was astonishing.

After downing the drink in one gulp, Luo Chen felt his entire body heat up, as if a fire had ignited within him. His spirit power surged restlessly, roiling like a boiling cauldron.

"Brother Wang, you've reached the ninth stage of Qi-Refining?"

Wang Yuan chuckled. "Hehe, you have sharp eyes!"

Luo Chen noticed that Wang Yuan was in an exceptionally good mood today. He had never smiled this much in their previous conversations.

"You made a big gain?" asked Luo Chen.

Wang Yuan sighed. "Not bad, at least I’ve got enough cultivation resources to reach Perfected Mastery of Qi-Refining."

Hearing this, Luo Chen was taken aback.

Not only had Wang Yuan advanced from the eighth stage to the ninth, but he had also secured enough resources to reach the Perfected Mastery of Qi-Refining. Just how much had he gained?

"I came here tonight to give you something."

Luo Chen’s heart skipped a beat.

What? He is sharing the good stuff with me?

A storage pouch was slid across the table toward him. Luo Chen took the pouch, half-skeptical. There was no trace of a spirit power seal on it—Wang Yuan must have already erased it.

Unlike a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s spirit consciousness imprint, a Qi-Refining cultivator’s spirit power imprint was the easiest to erase.

A high realm cultivator could remove it with a simple wave of the hand; a weaker cultivator could still slowly grind it away over time.

"Whoa, this pouch has quite the capacity! Must be at least three fang [1]!"

Luo Chen had plenty of storage pouches, whether it was the first one he ever got or the ones he had looted from raiding cultivators but they were all basic pouches, with just a single fang space. Such pouches were ridiculously overpriced at Treasure Pavilion, often costing ten thousand spirit stones.

However, if one didn’t mind the trouble, similar pouches could be found on the black market for a mere thousand or so spirit stones. The truly expensive ones were the ones with much larger capacities.

"If you like it, consider it yours." Wang Yuan said with a grin.

"Damn, you’re generous!" Luo Chen happily played with the pouch before pulling out its contents.

Not much—just a gourd and a low-grade first-tier enchanted artifact, The Swallowing Waves and Oceans Jar.

As he uncorked the gourd, a rich fragrance of wine wafted out. Luo Chen had taken a sip earlier and immediately recognized it as Monkey Wine brewed by Golden Spirit Monkeys—its effects were nothing short of extraordinary.

A jar like this would easily sell for at least a thousand spirit stones. As expected of my Brother Wang—utterly generous.

Still beaming, Luo Chen moved to open the enchanted artifact.

Yet, the moment he barely cracked it open, his expression changed drastically, and he immediately shut the artifact.

Even so, the Alchemy Hall was already filled with an intoxicating, rich fragrance—so potent it seemed to shake the very soul.

Luo Chen swallowed hard and whispered in shock, "Brother Wang, have you lost your mind?!"

1. In Chinese measurement, “方” (fang) is an abbreviation for “立方” (lìfang), which means cubic in terms of volume. It is commonly used in modern Chinese to indicate cubic meters (立方米, m³), but in xian xia or historical contexts, it can be a more general term for cubic units of space ☜