Chapter 417: He Must Not Become An Enemy! (II)

"Landslide!"

The word rang out—not merely spoken, but proclaimed. A command that seemed to carry the authority of the world itself.

Wei Tuo looked up and his eyes widened in terror as the phantom mountain above him cracked and then shattered. It erupted like a volcano breaking open, and in that instant, a seething torrent of energy came pouring down in a cataclysmic wave. It was a fusion of water and fire, built up and slowly merged, finally merging into a force of pure destruction!

Under its weight, space and time seemed to lose meaning. Nothing remained significant beneath that descending chaos.

Wei Tuo’s mind wavered on the brink of madness. The nine-ringed pewter staff in his hands erupted in brilliant light, lashing out toward the incoming torrent. Sadly... it was futile. The might of an enchanted treasure was indeed fearsome, but how much of that power could a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator truly call forth?

Meanwhile, Luo Chen’s Landslide was no ordinary attack. It was a genuine second-tier, top-grade offensive spell, forged from the foundations of Fireball, Earth Summit, and Wave Surge, each cultivated to the level of Perfected Mastery. Three powerful spells, fused into one.

At this moment, his Landslide had surpassed that of any cultivator who had ever cast it. No one else would practice three low-tier spells to their absolute limits. Moreover, in this state, the power of Luo Chen’s Landslide exceeded even the bounds of his cultivation. Even a late-stage Foundation Establishment grand cultivator would struggle to take such an attack head-on.

Pft, trying to block it with a treasure you can't even activate properly?

The thought drew only mockery from Luo Chen. His opponent was severely overestimating himself.

Under Luo Chen’s gaze, Wei Tuo pushed his nine-ringed pewter staff with everything he had, but still couldn’t stop Landslide’s force.

Bang!

Under the terrifying impact, the nine-ringed pewter staff broke free from Wei Tuo’s spirit consciousness and shot off uncontrollably. Horror twisted his features as he expanded his golden bell in a desperate attempt to block the crimson torrent surging toward him, but it was all in vain.

Boom...

The searing tide swept across everything in its path, leaving only scorched emptiness behind. Not a single blade of grass survived. Under that wave, Wei Tuo was annihilated in an instant, reduced to nothingness.

Even after his destruction, the torrent did not dissipate. It plunged directly into the waters of the Qinhua River.

BOOM!!!

Another thunderous explosion erupted. On the vast surface of the Qinhua River, more than ten thousand zhang wide, a massive crater appeared without warning. Hundreds of zhang across and equally deep, it swallowed a section of the mighty river in a single breath.

The waters churned violently around it, but inside the crater, there was nothing, only superheated steam billowing upward in great clouds.

Across the green mountains flanking the river, countless rogue cultivators stood frozen, their gasps clearly audible through the silence. Their eyes widened in disbelief. Their hearts pounded in their chests as a chilling, uncontrollable fear took root in every soul present.

Even the Foundation Establishment cultivators, normally calm and composed, were visibly shaken. Their usual battles involved flying swords and enchanted artifacts, exchanging attacks that emphasized focused power and efficiency. The destructive range was typically limited to a few zhang, dozens at most. They had never witnessed anyone of this level summoning waves with ease or tearing mountains from the earth.

Meanwhile, Luo Chen had unleashed a large-scale strike spanning several hundred zhang, blasting open the Qinhua River itself and laying bare its riverbed for all to see. Under such a massive attack, who could possibly escape in time? Worse still, there had been that oppressive force that seemed to slow movement itself.

Almost in unison, the Foundation Establishment cultivators near the scene, whether early stage or mid stage, all had the same thought strike their hearts like lightning.

This man... must not become an enemy!

The thought was followed by ripples of unease.

"Who the hell said the Luo Tian Society’s president was gentle and amiable? It made sense when he killed the Hu brothers, but with Wei Tuo? He only exchanged three sentences before obliterating him!"

"Damn, one wrong word and he just kills you, he doesn’t even listen to pleas for mercy!"

"Forget it. Anything related to the Li family... clearly not worth it."

"I’m at the fifth stage of Foundation Establishment... I wonder if I even stand a chance? Could he cast that move again?"

"And he's this insanely strong even without an enchanted artifact! No... he's the chief of an organization, there's no way he doesn't have one. Better not provoke him."

"No way, I'm out of here!"

On both sides of the river, silence gave way to chaos. Yet as Luo Chen’s icy gaze swept over the crowd, the noise died away once more. Qi Refinement rogue cultivators scattered in panic, no longer daring to linger or even think of causing trouble. Most Foundation Establishment cultivators also turned and left at once. A few remained just long enough to offer Luo Chen a respectful nod, hoping he might remember their faces, before vanishing into the mountains.

Luo Chen stood tall in the sky, surveying the lands beneath him. His presence radiated a majesty that seemed unstoppable and remained unchallenged.

***

Just a minute earlier,on a nameless, barren mountain, a middle-aged Daoist with a sallow complexion stepped forward, ready to depart. Yet the very moment he stepped out, his foot stopped abruptly.

From the white clouds on the horizon, a figure holding a long staff descended.

The middle-aged Daoist stared at the figure, his pupils contracting sharply. “Tian Kuizi!”

Chu Kui rested the staff casually on his shoulder, his voice carrying a feigned helplessness. "Daoist Huang Sha, when Li Jinhuang was alive, you didn’t make a move. Why bother now that he’s dead? Won’t that taint your reputation?"

Huang Sha replied gravely, “You and I both know, he had long-standing ties to Green Pill Valley. Incense offerings, shared benefits... What late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would dare move against him while he lived?”

Chu Kui curled his lip but gave a slight nod. It was the truth. Such was the cultivation world. While someone lives, shared benefits and personal bonds might ensure their safety. Once they die, that sentiment vanishes. As for the profits? They can be split with someone else just as well.

When the man is gone, the tea cools down.[1]

Huang Sha’s tone eased. "Did Li Jinhuang hire you? He is a dead man anyway. You have done your part; there is no need to stop me now."

“Unfortunately, no!” Chu Kui shrugged.

Huang Sha frowned and glanced toward the distant river. He saw Wei Tuo making his way toward that Foundation Establishment junior. That would do just as well. The fool could play the vanguard; he would swoop in afterward and take the Li family’s assets with ease.

But as his gaze fell on the Foundation Establishment junior, he asked, "Was it Luo Chen, then?"

"Congratulations, you got it right," Chu Kui replied, planting his staff into the ground. "He’s not dead yet, so my job isn’t done. Well... Honestly, I hope you do try something. Then I can stretch my limbs. Otherwise, my payment might end up getting slashed. I’m telling you, Luo Chen is stingy as hell. Not at all as generous as the rumors claim.”

Huang Sha’s face darkened. His already pallid complexion turned an even uglier shade.

Chu Kui hadn’t won his Daoist title in a raffle. It was earned through hard-fought battles. In Tianlan Immortal City, he was hailed as the foremost of rogue cultivators. As long as no sect disciples interfered, no one could touch him. There were even rumors that the few times he’d lost to True Inheritors of one sect or another were because he let them win.

Strictly in terms of cultivation, Huang Sha was stronger, one stage above. But in a real fight, the odds were no better than forty to sixty, and Chu Kui held the sixty.

Chu Kui tilted his head. "You’re already at the ninth stage. Shouldn’t you be working toward breaking through to Golden Core instead of scrabbling over scraps like these? It just isn’t worth it!”

Suppressing the anger boiling in his chest, Huang Sha looked into the distance and said flatly, "I’m not a loner like you. I have a family and children to support. That spirit land we have no longer meets our needs. All we can do is expand."

Chu Kui curled his lips and muttered, “Doesn’t mean you should steal what someone else built up. That’s banditry. It tarnishes our dignity.”

Huang Sha pretended not to hear the mockery and spoke coldly, “The basis of the cultivation world is survival of the fittest. If you can’t protect it, you might as well give it up.”

Chu Kui was intrigued. “Then tell me, do you think Luo Chen can protect the Li family?”

"Hmph," Huang Sha muttered. "That Wei Tuo isn’t easy to handle..."

The words trailed off as a terrifying surge of spirit power rolled across the land. Even from such a distance, it made his skin crawl.

Chu Kui felt it too, and a shiver ran through his heart, though he kept his tone sharp. "See? Still think Luo Chen can’t hold the line?"

Huang Sha drew a long, slow breath. "If I were to step in..."

Chu Kui’s eyes lit up at that, and he swiftly pulled his staff from the ground. “Alright then, go ahead and step in!”

"

Hmph!

" Huang Sha snorted, flinging his sleeve in irritation.

Any thoughts of taking the Li family’s resources vanished from his mind. If Luo Chen could hire Chu Kui once, he could definitely hire him again. Provoking Luo Chen might even result in Chu Kui taking the fight straight to the family estate; his reputation for working purely for coin was well known. Besides, there was Luo Chen himself...

With that thought, Huang Sha left.

Chu Kui could only sigh.

Damn, missed out on a couple hundred thousand spirit stones!

He picked up his staff and flew toward the banks of the Qinhua River. As he passed over a green hill, his gaze suddenly sharpened.

Hm?

1. 人走茶凉 (ren zhou cha liang) is an idiom that describes the transient nature of human relationships, especially in hierarchical or benefit-driven environments. Once someone loses power, status, or presence, the warmth and respect they once received quickly fade. ☜