Chapter 175: Besieged but Not Attacked, Mi Shuhua Emerges from Seclusion (I)

“Do they match up?” Luo Chen asked.

"There are some discrepancies, but overall, it’s about right!" Zhou Yuanli's expression was grave as he reported the intelligence extracted from another captive to Luo Chen.

He paused for a moment before continuing,“Dajiang Gang! The ones besieging Crescent Moon Valley are mostly from Dajiang Gang.

“And the leader of the attack is someone you should be familiar with, Hall Leader.”

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. “I know him? Don’t tell me it’s Gao Tingyuan?”

“That’s right, it’s him,” Zhou Yuanli said heavily. “Not only that, but among the attackers, there are at least five ninth stage Qi-Refining cultivators. As for mid and late stage cultivators, their numbers easily exceed a hundred.”

Hearing this number, even though Luo Chen had mentally prepared himself, he couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.

What is the Dajiang Gang trying to do?

This force alone accounted for nearly a third of their total strength. And they were deploying it just to deal with two halls in Crescent Moon Valley?

Especially since the Alchemy Hall and Medicine Hall weren’t known for combat prowess, they were purely internal production branches.

Is this just Gao Tingyuan acting out of desperation for revenge, or does Dajiang Gang have a bigger plan in motion?

Luo Chen pondered for a moment before asking directly, “Can we get in touch with Elder Sikong? I have a sound transmission talisman for him, but it’s too slow. It will take some time to reach him. However, I can confirm that he’s still alive.”

If they could get Sikong Shoujia back, Crescent Moon Valley’s combat strength would increase significantly.

Cultivators like him might have lost hope in their path to advancement, but their mastery of combat techniques had been honed to perfection. He was far more experienced than someone like Gu Caiyi, who had only recently broken through to the ninth stage of Qi-Refining.

“For now, let’s focus on reinforcing our defenses,” Luo Chen instructed.

Zhou Yuanli nodded, then hesitated before asking, "What should we do with the two spies?"

“Kill them.” Luo Chen spoke casually, as if it were nothing of consequence.

𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Zhou Yuanli’s face stiffened before he withdrew.

Moments later, as he watched the two captives who were already tortured to the brink of death, beheaded by Dongfang Liang in a single swift motion, he couldn’t help but feel a slight discomfort settle in his chest.

Luo Chen’s actions today had been entirely unexpected. Normally, Luo Chen came across as someone with extraordinary alchemical talent, friendly and kind toward others.

Harmless. That was the perfect way to describe him.

But today...

Whether it was his decision to let people into the valley to ease tensions, his keen ability to identify spies, or his swift and ruthless executions, Luo Chen had displayed an entirely different side—one of decisiveness and calculated action.

Especially in how he dealt with the two spies, that revealed a level of ruthless efficiency that none had expected.

This was not the Luo Chen they thought they knew.

No wonder the Gang Leader told me to keep a close eye on Luo Chen... I never imagined he was hiding so much beneath the surface.

Zhou Yuanli thought and felt a growing sense of apprehension. He had directly disobeyed Luo Chen earlier, prioritizing the activation of the defensive formation over following his orders.

At the time, Luo Chen had given him a look... and now, thinking back, that look sent a chill down his spine.

Just as he was deep in thought, a subordinate rushed inside.

“Elder Sikong has returned!”

"Where is he?" Zhou Yuanli asked hurriedly.

"He’s already inside Crescent Moon Valley."

"Damn it! Who let him in without permission?" Zhou Yuanli's expression changed slightly, and he immediately ran out.

***

As soon as he arrived at the Alchemy Hall, he saw Sikong Shoujia sitting across from Luo Chen and Murong Qinglian.

At that moment, Sikong Shoujia looked extremely disheveled, his entire body covered in frost. Even his beard had icicles hanging from it.

“It was the raiding cultivators from Snow Lotus Market!” Sikong Shoujia gasped between breaths, then turned to Luo Chen with a sharp, furious glare. “This is all your fault!”

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, calm and composed. “Elder Sikong, what exactly do you mean by that?”

Sikong’s voice trembled with frustration. "Gao Tingyuan has always suspected that you killed his younger brother. And those raiding cultivators from Snow Lotus Market who came after me—it’s obvious that they were led by Shan Xiu, the one who failed to ambush you last time and ended up being hunted instead.

And now you’re still claiming they didn’t come for you?”

Luo Chen chuckled softly. "If they were only coming for me, all they had to do was set up an ambush on my way back to the city. Why go to such lengths, mobilizing over a hundred cultivators to attack Crescent Moon Valley?

"They’re openly declaring war against all of the Poshan Gang—and against Gang Leader Mi, a Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

Sikong Shoujia was stunned for a moment before realization dawned on him.

That’s right! This was an operation on the same scale as Dajiang Gang's assault on Poshan Gang’s seven main halls. Perhaps even larger.

A force led by five ninth-stage Qi-Refining cultivators could easily sweep through most small factions dominated by Qi-Refining cultivators.

Such an action was nothing short of an open declaration of war against the Poshan Gang.

The last major conflict between the two gangs had only been resolved after the deaths of nine top experts on the Debate Platform.

And yet, how much time had passed since then? Why would they dare to start another war so soon?

Luo Chen didn’t bother arguing further. Instead, he walked to the cliff’s edge and gazed into the distance.

Beyond the yellow, earth-colored barrier, enemy figures began to emerge—moving deliberately, they spread out in a slow, fan-shaped formation, tightening their encirclement around Crescent Moon Valley.

It was like sealing a dumpling shut. Unless they abandoned the valley and escaped into the rugged terrain of the Howling Moon Mountains behind them, they would soon be trapped like turtles sealed in a jar.

However, Crescent Moon Valley had been under Poshan Gang’s management for years. The spirit fields, the medicine pavilion, and the vast stockpile of precious herbs inside were assets they couldn’t afford to abandon so easily.

Most importantly, there was the Alchemy Hall!

It was safe to say that unless Mi Shuhua himself gave the order, no one would dare abandon Crescent Moon Valley. Even from a great distance, Luo Chen could see the short and stout man hovering in the sky outside.

Without caring whether the man could see him or not, Luo Chen waved casually.

Was he greeting him? At a time like this?!

Zhou Yuanli and Liu Qiang exchanged glances. It seemed like the real Luo Chen was back.