Chapter 301: A Distant Sail, The Raging Lancang

"It went up a bit!"

On the surface, that might not sound like much. But considering Luo Chen had already reached the Perfection level ages ago, any increase was a feat. Back during Perfected Mastery Qi-Refining Realm, his proficiency had hovered around three hundred and fifty.

After breaking through to Foundation Establishment and spending three full years in secluded cultivation, he’d only managed to push it up by a fifty points. That kind of progress was glacial, snail-paced at best.

Normally, he’d have to run the technique dozens of times to gain even a single point. Yet this time, using fiend qi, the improvement had come so quickly it caught him off guard.

“If this pace holds up,” Luo Chen murmured to himself, “with the ten floating rocks I’ve got, that’s roughly a hundred wisps of Earth Fire Fiend Qi, I might just reach Grandmaster level.

“And if I don’t have enough? I can just borrow some from Brother Wang.”

He was never worried about whether Wang Yuan would lend him some.

They were brothers!

At Grandmaster level, Divine Breaker of Malevolence might finally start yielding tangible growth in his divine soul.

He glanced toward the alchemy room door. Outside, the muffled sounds of activity filtered in.

“Bring the herbs in!

“Over there, yeah, just stack them on the shelf.”

The morning bustle had begun. Qu Lingjun’s voice, youthful yet steady, rang out crisply among the others.

The door to the alchemy room opened.

Qu Lingjun entered and immediately froze upon seeing Luo Chen already inside, calm and composed as if he'd been there for hours.

“Master, you’re already up?”

Luo Chen’s expression was stern. “Lingjun, a day’s plan begins in the morning. You’ve grown complacent.”

With that, he turned and left the alchemy room to prepare for the alchemy session.

Qu Lingjun stood there, stunned into stillness. Slowly, he wandered out the door, gaze lifting to the mist-shrouded sky above.

Was I... not early enough?

Right! Aunt Gu and Aunt Xia used to say Master would rise at the tiger or rabbit hour to cultivate and process herbs.

I really haven’t been working hard enough!

Clenching his fists, his eyes shone with determination.

Master, I won’t let you down. From now on, I’ll give it everything I’ve got!

***

The days leading up to departure were nothing short of overwhelming.

Even Luo Chen himself was completely swamped. His time was divided relentlessly, alchemy, alchemy, and more alchemy! In the span of three months, he needed to produce as many Jade Essence Pills as possible. Only then would he have the funds necessary to establish himself elsewhere.

Aside from alchemy, he also made frequent trips to the outskirts of Ghost City to capture wandering spirits, aiding Bai Meiling’s cultivation.

The training of the Divine Breaker of Malevolence had not ceased either. This technique, born from a mortal martial arts grandmaster, was truly unique. It looked like a hybrid of many arts, yet it subtly improved nearly every aspect of cultivation.

Now that Luo Chen focused it specifically on tempering willpower and strengthening the divine soul, a clear path was finally forming. It was no longer a shapeless oddity, it was becoming his designated divine soul refinement technique.

Wang Yuan was just as busy. With Luo Chen’s approval, he dove deep into the earth's veins every night to harvest Earth Fire Fiend Qi. It took ten days to extract it all, after which Luo Chen claimed ten portions and left the rest to Wang Yuan, a generous cut. If sold, those resources could be the foundation of Wang Yuan’s own wealth.

The only downside was that Xiao Huan Mountain’s earth fire began to decline noticeably. Without the potent earth fire, the land began to wither. Eventually, the formations Qu Lingjun used to draw the earth fire ceased to function, sending him into a panic. Luo Chen reassured him and simply returned to using firewood to refine pills.

And so the days slipped by, like water flowing through open hands.

One month later!

Over three hundred cultivators stood in silence on the slopes of Xiao Huan Mountain, gazing up at a massive flying boat that hovered in the skies above. Thirty zhang in length, fifteen zhang wide, it loomed like a floating mountain, casting shadows deep into the valley below. Its presence alone seemed to blot out the sun.

Once they boarded this flying vessel, It would mean leaving Dahe Market, this familiar land, for good.

What would the world outside be like?

Would new fates await them?

Would they return, years from now?

No one knew. All they did know was that soon, a Ghost King would emerge in Dahe Market, and this land would become a living hell. It would no longer be a place for human cultivation.

So this time, they had to leave. No matter the reluctance, the confusion, the hesitation.

As the flying boat hovered still, a figure leaned out and waved to those below.

It was Duan Feng!

Among all in the Luo Tian Society, only Duan Feng and Luo Chen could control such a massive vessel. The former relied on skill, The latter, on cultivation.

Luo Chen stood below and nodded in approval.

“Among the Duan family’s legacies, aside from that puppet rivaling Perfected Mastery Qi-Refining, this Skyhawk Flying Boat is definitely the most valuable.”

Murong Qinglian stood beside him, smiling. “Indeed. This flying boat is top-grade, capable of carrying a thousand cultivators. Even among top-grade enchanted artifacts, it’s one of the best.”

The Duan family had left behind three flying boats. Two were top-grade, one mid-grade.

When Luo Chen went to visit Xu Ji of the Luoyun Sect, he had used the other top-grade one.

As for the mid-grade vessel, he had given it to Sima Huiniang. She was, after all, the Director of the Luo Tian Society, her status required some level of presence.

“President, I’ll go make the boarding arrangements.”

“Alright.” Luo Chen nodded and remained behind.

Watching the crowd board the vessel one by one, Luo Chen turned to Qin Liangchen. “Your wife’s cultivation seems to have surpassed yours, hasn’t it?”

Qin Liangchen nodded calmly, not surprised that Luo Chen had noticed.

Luo Chen frowned slightly. “Didn’t the Nangong family give you a piece of the Seven-Pored Lotus Root of Rebirth? Didn’t it help?”

“It worked, of course.” Qin Liangchen sighed, a bitter smile on his face. “But it’s still not the same as before.”

A third-tier Seven-Pored Lotus Root of Rebirth, and it still couldn’t return him to full strength?

Luo Chen glanced at Qin Liangchen’s graying temples and felt a growing sense of unease.

When he first met Qin Liangchen, the man had been in his prime, just forty-nine.

Luo Chen remembered it clearly. He had consulted Qin Liangchen many times about evaluating cultivation speeds based on spirit root talent.

By his count, Qin Liangchen had to be fifty-seven now. Only three years remained before he passed the optimal age of sixty for Foundation Establishment. Yet he was still some ways off from Perfected Mastery Qi-Refining.

His wife, Murong Qinglian, had instead caught up and was nearly at the perfected stage herself. At this rate...

Qin Liangchen would certainly miss his best chance to break through.

While Luo Chen was deep in thought, Qin Liangchen’s wistful voice echoed beside him. “No need to worry about me.”

“I’m older now. I’ve come to terms with it. I’m healthy and whole, far better than I once was. My only wish is to see Xiaohu again.

“The Luoyun Sect and Jade Cauldron Sword Sect have gone to war... who knows how he’s doing amidst all that.” Qin Liangchen gave Luo Chen a carefree smile, then used his Wind-Control to soar up to the Skyhawk Flying Boat.

Watching his figure fade into the sky, Luo Chen felt a weight settle in his chest.

Has he really let it go?

Most likely... he still couldn’t fully let it go. Any cultivator, when just a step away from Foundation Establishment and forced to stop, would feel a deep sense of unwillingness.

Luo Chen sighed. There was nothing he could do.

He had done all he could for Qin Liangchen, even gifting him a Foundation Establishment pill, a treasure beyond value.

He had never withheld any resources either. That much was evident from Murong Qinglian’s rapid cultivation progress.

But cultivation was something no one could do in your place.

“Everyone has their own fate.” While Luo Chen mused, the Skyhawk Flying Boat had already taken on all passengers.

Over the past few years, under Sima Huiniang’s strict standards, the Luo Tian Society had only recruited cultivators of strong ability and relatively clean backgrounds.

This, in turn, had limited their numbers.

Three hundred-something passengers were hardly enough to fill a flying vessel that could carry a thousand.

“Master, time to board!”

From the deck, Qu Lingjun waved energetically, calling out with joy.

Luo Chen smiled helplessly.

Youth...

Others, leaving their homeland, were filled with sorrow.

Only someone young like Qu Lingjun brimmed with excitement and anticipation.

“President, come aboard!”

“President, we’re ready for you!”

Perhaps moved by Qu Lingjun’s enthusiasm, several Alchemy Hall cultivators began calling out as well.

Soon, many Luo Tian Society cultivators were standing along the railings, gazing at him from above.

“Very well!”

“Here I come!”

Luo Chen laughed aloud. A cloud of white mist surged beneath his feet, lifting him up onto the Skyhawk Flying Boat. Wherever he passed, the Luo Tian Society cultivators watched him with respectful eyes.

On the third deck of the vessel, Luo Chen looked out over the lush, serene landscape of Xiao Huan Mountain.

Farewell.

His gaze shifted, drifting toward Crescent Moon Valley.

Farewell

. And at last, his eyes fell on Dahe Market’s Ghost City, shrouded in gloomy yin energy, like a gateway to hell itself.

Goodbye, Dahe Market!

“All hands, attention!

“Remain still during activation. No spellcasting...

“Lift off!” With Duan Feng’s steady voice, the Skyhawk Flying Boat began to hum.

A pale blue halo spread slowly, enveloping the entire vessel.

Hum!

Whoosh!

The massive flying boat turned into a streak of light and soared rapidly away from Dahe Market.

***

Lancang Dock! The largest hub for waterborne transport in all of Dahe Market. It had long been under the control of the Dajiang Gang. Through years of development, it had even spawned a bustling trade street centered around it, Qingjiang Long Street.

Unfortunately, years ago, it had been devastated during Wang Yuan’s fateful battle. Even after reconstruction, it never returned to its former liveliness.

But today it was an entirely different scene.

Gu Caiyi, Feng Xia, and Yuan Xiaoyue leaned over the deck railing, craning their necks to peer downward.

Below, the crowd surged like a sea, voices booming, bodies flowing like a river. The clamor and noise shot skyward, nearly reaching the clouds. Even wrapped in the flying boat’s formation, the roar of the crowd was still clearly audible.

“Sister Caiyi, there are so many people down there!” Yuan Xiaoyue exclaimed with excitement.

Feng Xia added in amazement, “Even during Dahe Market’s prime, I’ve never seen anything like this.”

As someone holding a high position within the Luo Tian Society, Gu Caiyi knew much more than the others.

Watching the bustling scene below, she sighed softly. “It’s only natural that there’d be a crowd.

“The news that the four major factions are leaving couldn’t be hidden. Once word spread that the departure would be today, the rogue cultivators got wind of it.

“They’re hoping to leave with us.”

Yuan Xiaoyue tilted her head curiously. “Can’t they leave on their own?”

“It’s not that easy.”

Gu Caiyi shook her head. “Dahe Market may be prosperous, but it’s incredibly remote. Even the nearest Snow Lotus Market is several thousand li away and we’re heading for Taishan Market, which is even farther.

“For rogue cultivators to make that journey on their own would take far too long, and the road is filled with dangers beyond counting.”

Yuan Xiaoyue still looked a bit confused. She had been born and raised in Dahe Market, protected since childhood by her father and grandfather.

Even after her father’s death, Luo Chen had looked after her. She had never truly understood the risks of long-distance travel.

It was Feng Xia, empathetic and patient, who gently explained it all to her.

“There were only a few ways to get to Taishan Market. First it is by land, one had to cross multiple mountain ranges filled with demonic beasts where only Foundation Establishment or Golden Core cultivators could manage that safely. That’s why, for years, Dahe Market cultivators had always traveled by water.

“River travel wasn’t slow. With boats riding the current, it was both fast and conserved spirit power. The only danger came from demonic beasts occasionally surfacing in the Lancang River.

“However the Dajiang Gang had long since mastered how to deal with aquatic beasts. So yes, water was, by far, the safer route. Hence, the only concern left was the cost of travelling with flying boat.”

“Fifty low-grade spirit stones?!!!” Yuan Xiaoyue’s mouth formed a perfect little “O” of shock.

All that... just for one boat ride?

Gu Caiyi chuckled lightly. “Of course it wasn't so expensive normally, but the Dajiang Gang is taking advantage of the situation to make a sum.”

“That’s just evil!” Yuan Xiaoyue stuck out her tongue with a pout.

“It’s certainly black-hearted. But people are still lining up to buy tickets. If you're late, you might not even get one.” Gu Caiyi gazed at the dense mass of people crowding around the docked ships, her expression tinged with emotion.

“If it weren’t for Luo Chen’s influence, we wouldn’t have gotten a boat for free either.”

As Gu Caiyi sighed over the sea of cultivators swarming the docks, a figure soared out from within the ranks of the Dajiang Gang. Draped in opulent robes, his presence was poised and commanding, every motion exuding practiced grace. He hovered just outside the Skyhawk Flying Boat, cupping his fists respectfully.

“I am Min Longyu, under the command of Gang Leader Wang, here to receive the honored members of the Luo Tian Society.”

“Much appreciated, Fellow Daoist Min,” Sima Huiniang replied, stepping forward to meet him. The two exchanged voice transmissions discreetly, quickly finalizing a slew of logistical details.

Under Duan Feng’s skilled control, the Skyhawk Flying Boat drifted over the bustling docks and slowly descended toward one of the massive ships waiting below. After parting with Min Longyu, Sima Huiniang flew back to the vessel and began organizing the disembarkation. She assigned patrol teams, designated cabin cleaners, and oversaw the unloading of large crates of supplies.

The Luo Tian Society’s bulk supplies were also unloaded and neatly stowed within the cargo holds. Everything, from big to small, was organized perfectly under her command. And throughout the entire process, Luo Chen remained absent.

Once the Luo Tian Society had fully boarded, another group began to stir. The cultivators of the Li family, who had been waiting nearby, emerged at last. Waves of them took to the skies, while on the ground, mortal warriors rode dragon-horses in swift formation. It was a full-scale migration, families alike uprooting everything.

The Nangong family followed, though their numbers were far smaller than the deep-rooted Li family. Meanwhile, rogue cultivators flooded the docks, lining up endlessly to purchase passage. Demand surged, the Dajiang Gang had prepared five large enchanted big ships and five smaller ones, along with numerous ordinary vessels fitted with basic formation arrays.

Of the five big ships, three were allocated to the Luo Tian Society, the Li family, and the Nangong family respectively. One was kept for the Dajiang Gang’s own use, while the last was designated for transporting goods. The five smaller enchanted vessels were dedicated entirely to ferrying passengers, each capable of holding several hundred, or even up to a thousand if packed tightly.

Every rogue cultivator that boarded had to pay fifty low-grade spirit stones for a ticket. It was no exaggeration to say the Dajiang Gang was striking gold this time.

In one go, they aimed to rake in hundreds of thousands of spirit stones! Truly black-hearted to the extreme.

Yet despite that, countless safety-seeking rogue cultivators still gritted their teeth and paid. Of course, even more were the poor, those who had to split a single spirit stone just to get by.

But they had their own ways. Some built wooden rafts; others planned to follow along by flying nearby.

No matter how, they were leaving together, no matter what!

As for the latter group, the Dajiang Gang cultivators didn’t intervene.

Once they reached the Lancang River and faced real danger, they’d soon learn, some bargains came at a deadly price. And so, amid the delays, time crept slowly by.

By dusk, golden light bathed the river’s surface. Only then were all ships finally ready.

A deep, resonant voice, carried by powerful spiritual force, swept across Lancang Dock like rolling thunder.

“Set sail!” With that one word, countless voices echoed in unison.

“By the Gang Leader’s order, raise the sails!”

“By the Gang Leader’s order, raise the sails!”

“By the Gang Leader’s order, raise the sails!”

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Sails unfurled across every ship in perfect synchronization. Under the helmsman's steady hands, the dozen or so ships slowly began to move.

Behind them, Dahe Market, its people gone, sat alone beyond the wild mountain ranges, silently watching their departure.

No voices. No farewells.

Only distant sails fading from view, and the mighty Lancang surging ever onward.