Chapter 298: Ghost Generals in Conflict, A Surprise Companion Named Little Black (I)

Silence fell.

In an instant, everyone stopped speaking. The air thickened with tension, yet no one dared to break it.

Of course, they had all spoken of mutual support, of standing together in times of crisis. But without a clear leader, what would happen when danger truly struck? Could anyone guarantee that no one would shrink back or abandon the group?

In such moments, a leader was essential, someone to take charge and issue orders when the time came. But that authority came with consequences. Whoever held that position would have the power to direct cultivators from any faction, and when battle erupted, they could send others to the front lines.

That was the heart of the issue. With that power, they could preserve their own forces, sacrificing others under the guise of tactical necessity.

Li Yixian and Nangong Jin exchanged glances, just a brief look, but it spoke volumes. They were both from cultivation families with limited numbers, their sects interwoven with vulnerable mortal bloodlines. If a leader sought to use them as pawns, sending their few precious cultivators to their deaths...

Hahaha!

A burst of hearty laughter suddenly echoed through the room, cutting through the heavy silence like a blade.

Meeting their startled gazes, Luo Chen cupped his fists naturally and said, “Gang Leader Wang is at stage three of Foundation Establishment, just a step away from mid-stage. Among us, he is the strongest.

“Under his command, the Dajiang Gang is vast and far-reaching, a presence across both north and south. If we are to journey far, we will surely need to rely on the Dajiang Gang’s logistical power.”

“In my view, we should follow Gang Leader Wang’s lead.”

Having said that, he paid no mind to Nangong and Li’s astonishment and asked, “What do you say, Fellow Daoists?”

Nangong Jin’s heart surged with uncertainty, he’d expected Luo Chen to fight for leadership.

After all, Luo Tian Society boasted the most elites among the four Foundation Establishment factions.

They had Luo Chen, Wang Yuan, and even a second-tier Explosive Ape. Yet, Luo Chen had surrendered the title of leader without a fight.

Li Yixian gazed at Luo Chen’s calm and unruffled expression. Though surprised at first, her sharp mind quickly began dissecting his true intent. She glanced at the faint smile on Wang Haichao’s lips and grew thoughtful.

So, Luo Chen has grasped exactly how to work Wang Haichao’s pride...

Realizing this, she hesitated no more. She echoed Luo Chen’s words.

“Dan Chenzi is right, among cultivators, strength reigns supreme. Gang Leader Wang certainly deserves the position of leader.”

Nangong Jin frowned. But with no better alternative, he couldn’t refute them.

So he simply added, “To be fair... it’s true.”

Luo Chen gave him a surprised glance, which only puzzled Nangong Jin more.

Is he upset I didn’t back him?

In truth, Luo Chen was just thinking,

I forgot to add “totally neutral party” to his statement.

Once the three had reached an agreement, all eyes turned to Wang Haichao.

He smiled and cupped his fists politely. “I’m honored by your trust.

“In that case, I shall temporarily take up the position of leader,” Wang Haichao said solemnly. “No, since it is an alliance, we should call the position ‘Alliance Leader.’”

The three others nodded without hesitation.

With that settled, the conversation returned to its actual question. Where should they go?

“Since I was the one who first raised the issue, let me share my thoughts,” Luo Chen said calmly.

He didn’t shy away from the topic. “I’ve already discussed it with my cultivators. Places like deep wildernesses or remote mountain valleys aren’t suitable for us. Without a Golden Core Adept, we simply can’t hold those territories.”

The others nodded in quiet agreement. It was a well-known truth among cultivation circles: Foundation Establishment forces, whether fallen sects or small cultivation families, rarely survived on their own. They relied on the protection or proximity of major sects or large trading hubs. The good cultivation locations were beyond their means to hold.

And the bad ones? They couldn’t even keep their own people from leaving. The only viable option was to find moderately developed sect hubs or mid-sized marketplaces, places neither too good to attract predators nor too poor to be worthless. In those in-between spaces, they could carve out a niche, surviving in the cracks.

After all, it was people who created opportunity. Trade, resources, collaboration, all required a community. Isolated cultivation might seem noble, but in reality, it was like reinventing the wheel. Gathering together brought results faster, and more securely.

“So our options, in truth, are rather limited. Snow Lotus Market, Taishan Market, Glowing Stream Market... and Tianlan Immortal City.”

With that, Luo Chen fell silent.

He casually handed the discussion over to the other three, and as seasoned cultivators who had been active in the surrounding regions for years, they didn’t hesitate to offer their thoughts.

“Snow Lotus Market was actually my hometown,” Nangong Jin began. “Back then, our Nangong family relocated from there.”

He gave a slight shake of his head. “But that place really isn’t ideal for development.”

“In the early years, snow beasts would frequently attack. Our family lived too close to the Great Snow Mountains, and we had no choice but to move. It just wasn’t sustainable.

“In the past two years, I’ve heard repeated reports of Frostfang Wolves attacking the market.” His tone darkened. “And more importantly, Snow Lotus Market is directly governed by Ice Fortress, a Golden Core sect. If we settle there, we’ll be completely at their mercy.”

Thus, the closest option, Snow Lotus, was eliminated first.

That came as no surprise. After all, those accustomed to Dahe Market’s temperate four seasons would find the frigid, predator-ridden lands of Snow Lotus unsuitable for living, let alone raising future generations.

“What about the Glowing Stream Market?” Luo Chen asked, intrigued.

Nangong Jin shook his head. “I don’t know much about that one.”

“Allow me,” Li Yixian interjected gently. “That place is simply too barren. It was once a mining site under the control of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. After the mines were depleted, it was abandoned and has been desolate ever since.”

She paused, then continued, “Years ago, Glowing Stream Market thrived on its artifact forging and ore trade. The Bai family there was even strong enough to challenge the Duan family in Dahe Market over those profits. But now? The Bai family has fallen into decline. Most likely, they’ll be relocating soon as well.”

Luo Chen appeared contemplative.

So that too, was off the table.

Just then, Wang Haichao broke the silence with a light laugh. “Why not head for Taishan Market, then?”

"What’s your view, Alliance Leader?" Luo Chen asked with a smile.

Wang Haichao spoke up with practiced ease. “Taishan Market sits atop three mountain ranges. Its spirit veins may be somewhat scattered, but they’re more than adequate for us to settle and cultivate.”

He gave a casual smile. “Besides, I’ve got some connections with several Foundation Establishment factions in the area. If we approach them properly, there’s a chance we can secure a foothold.”

Li Yixian raised an eyebrow, curiosity in her voice. “If I recall correctly, the Huo family’s Grand Elder in Taishan Market has already reached the sixth stage of Foundation Establishment, and he’s known to be extremely narrow-minded. In terms of individual power, he’s the strongest in the entire market. If we arrive with four Foundation Establishment forces in one go, can he really stomach that?”

The Huo family of Chichan Mountain in Taishan Market was a Foundation Establishment family with several hundred years of legacy. They also had strong ties with the Flame Alliance, a Golden Core sect, frequently sending disciples to join its ranks. That made the Huo family not only powerful in their own right but also well-connected and backed by an even stronger ally, something few dared to provoke lightly.

Their patriarch, Huo Quan, had stepped into mid stage Foundation Establishment many years ago and had a reputation for being fiercely protective of his own. Under his protection, the Huo family had risen rapidly, challenging even the long-dominant Kang family. In recent years, they were often spoken of as the top cultivation family in Taishan Market.

At Li Yixian’s question, Wang Haichao’s expression froze.

Wang Haichao’s confident expression wavered under the scrutiny. After a long pause, he said with some hesitation, “With all four of us present, he should at least give us some respect... right?”

So he wasn’t even sure himself!

Luo Chen gave a small smirk. “We’ll see when the time comes. For now, let’s mark Taishan Market as our top option.”

The others nodded. At the very least, they now had a direction to work toward.

As for Luo Chen’s earlier suggestion, Tianlan Immortal City, none of them even brought it up. The idea quietly vanished from the conversation.

It was simply too far.

A lone Foundation Establishment cultivator might be able to reach it in a reasonable time. But to relocate an entire organization, complete with families, logistics, and supplies? That would take months. And months on the road meant exposure to danger.

They all remembered what had happened when the Fu family attempted such a move. Their journey had been arduous, filled with setbacks. By the time they arrived, they were so worn down that Luo Chen’s Luo Tian Society was able to crush them with ease.

With the direction set, the four cultivators moved on to the practicalities.

When would they leave?

How would they travel?

How would they deal with what they left behind?

If danger struck en route, how would responsibilities be divided?

Once they arrived, under what banner would they unite? The meeting grew long and tedious, even drifting into trivial details.

If not for the knowledge that these were Foundation Establishment cultivators, any mortal watching might have mistaken them for bickering merchants.

Only deep into the night did Wang, Li, and Nangong take their leave.

After they departed, Luo Chen remained seated, massaging his forehead.

“Come in.” At his casual call, Sima Huiniang entered quietly.

“President, is everything settled?”

“Mhm. Over the coming weeks, the other factions will surely scramble to gather whatever resources they can carry. Assign someone to oversee our people, try to avoid any conflicts.”

"I understand that," Sima Huiniang nodded, then asked curiously, "But President, why didn’t you compete for the Alliance Leader position?"

Luo Chen let out a snort of laughter. “Alliance Leader?” That’s not some easy role to take on!”

***

Luo Chen wasn’t stingy when it came to explaining things to her. She was the director of the Luo Tian Society, personally overseeing both major and minor decisions. And in the cultivation world, what appeared trivial could carry far-reaching consequences.

Hence, in the cultivation world, many decisions couldn’t be made with short-sightedness, they required a long-term vision. Cultivators were bound by the limitations of their realms, often failed to see the bigger picture. Sometimes, they couldn’t even recognize what lay right before them.

Back when Luo Chen was still in the Qi-Refining Realm, he had suffered quite a bit due to his lack of experience. He didn’t want Sima Huiniang to fall into the same traps.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t just be Sima Huiniang’s interests at stake, his own would be compromised even more.

With his insight, Sima Huiniang would be able to see farther!

Luo Chen’s gaze turned distant, as though transcending time and space, already envisioning the scene after the four great factions set out.

“There will surely be storms and obstacles along the way.

“As the head of the alliance, the Alliance Leader will surely bear the brunt of the burden. Wherever there are people, there will be conflicts of interest. With so many of us heading to an unfamiliar place, how many people’s interests do you think will be threatened?

“Don’t assume that just because the four families have formed an alliance, we will be unstoppable. The local power struggles in any region run far deeper than we can imagine.

“Take Mi Shuhua, for example. He looked like just a lone Foundation Establishment cultivator, but who knew he had Miao Wen behind him? Who knew he’d been close friends with Duan Qiankun for years? And who’s to say he didn’t have other allies we didn’t know about?

“Why do you think the Dajiang Gang, the Lianyun Trade Alliance, and the five Foundation Establishment families all attacked at once? Because they were afraid that if they didn’t kill the snake in one strike, they’d suffer the consequences.”

Seeing the glimmer of realization in Sima Huiniang’s eyes, Luo Chen’s eyes gleamed with approval as he went on, “In a situation like this, The highest-ranking Alliance Leader will inevitably become the number one enemy of all whose interests are harmed. The dangers they face will be a hundredfold greater than ours!

“The gun strikes the bird that pokes its head out, and the blade cuts the snake that rises first [1], that’s the reality.“

Sima Huiniang finally understood.

But then, she asked in confusion, “If that’s the case, why did Wang Haichao agree to it?

“Didn’t he realize this?”

Luo Chen chuckled softly. “An old fox like him? Of course he understood such a simple truth.”

“Then why?” asked Sima Huiniang

“It’s simple. This is an open scheme, he had no choice but to accept. In fact, he probably fought for that leadership position himself!”

Facing Sima Huiniang’s continued confusion, Luo Chen laughed again and said, “He’s not like the Li or Nangong families, bound by bloodlines and capable of taking everyone with them.

“The Dajiang Gang’s cohesion is nothing compared to our Luo Tian Society. They had gone through many trials, but most of them were influenced by external forces, and the benefits were often shared with outsiders.

“His subordinates harbor a lot of resentment. And this man, while appearing refined and amiable, is actually narrow-minded and intolerant of capable subordinates.

“Take Xu Renke, the Broken Blade, for instance. If we look at it from the end and trace it back, he must have submitted it to Wang Haichao long ago. Yet on the Debate Platform, he had Xu Renke destroy Gao Tingyuan’s death substitute puppet, crippling his dantian and ensuring he would never be able to reach Foundation Establishment.

"This kind of thing can’t be hidden from others."

1. 枪打出头鸟，刀砍地头蛇 (qiang da chu tou niao, dao kan di tou she) is a Chinese proverb that literally means "The bird that sticks its head out gets shot; the snake at the edge of the land gets chopped." It warns that those who stand out too much or take the lead too early are often the first to be targeted. The idiom reflects a pragmatic caution against attracting unnecessary attention or acting too boldly in competitive or volatile environments. It is similar in tone to the English saying "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down." ☜