Chapter 442: Luo Chen Presses His Advantage, Opening with a Lion’s Mouth

"You are truly diligent, Fellow Daoist."

A crisp voice drifted on the damp morning wind, slipping into Luo Chen’s ears like a splash of icy water. From the swirling clouds above, Tantai Jin descended, her gaze steady and piercing as it locked onto him.

"Up so early, and already buried in a book?"

Luo Chen, sitting calmly beneath the canopy of green, gave the alchemy tome in his hand a slight shake, as though she had just caught him in a detached, scholarly mood.

"The art of alchemy is deep and boundless," he said lightly. "Life is limited, yet the pursuit of knowledge knows no end. How could I afford not to put in the effort?"

Tantai Jin’s eyes shimmered faintly. "We cultivators pursue the Great Dao of Immortality. With eternity ahead, how can one speak of a limited lifespan?"

Luo Chen let out a hearty laugh. "May it be as you say, Fellow Daoist Tantai."

He gestured politely toward a chair. "Please, have a seat."

Without false modesty, Tantai Jin settled into the vine chair opposite him, her movements composed and elegant. Luo Chen set the book aside and personally poured her a cup of steaming tea. A subtle fragrance rose in soft wisps between them.

Tantai Jin’s gaze fell upon the

Shang Hu Alchemy Insights

. A flicker of emotion crossed her features, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

She sipped the tea Luo Chen had poured but made no comment on the flavor. Instead, she went directly to the point. "Dan Chenzi, I heard that you have made significant progress in alchemy recently."

Dan Chenzi, not Fire Spirit Lord?

Luo Chen's lips curled subtly. As expected, the conversation was being steered in that direction.

Playing along, he replied modestly, "Some gains. Nothing too grand."

Tantai Jin’s mouth twitched.

Some gains? That's a gross understatement.

There were many small families and sects skilled in alchemy within Tianlan Immortal City, but recently, the Luo Tian Society had wiped out two in one sweep. Even the Li family, long known for its alchemical heritage, had chosen to align with him. With such concentrated resources, Luo Chen’s advancement was inevitable.

Realizing that subtlety would get her nowhere against someone as sharp and self-made as Luo Chen, Tantai Jin exhaled lightly and chose to be direct.

"Are you currently capable of refining mid-grade Jade Dew pills?"

After she asked, she locked eyes with him, not letting a single twitch of expression escape her notice.

Under her gaze, Luo Chen showed a fleeting trace of surprise, but it vanished just as quickly, as if it had never appeared.

Cunning fellow. No way he's going to admit it

, Tantai Jin thought.

Sure enough, Luo Chen only gave a wry smile. "Mid-grade second-tier pills are exceedingly difficult to refine. I fear you are overestimating me, Fellow Daoist Tantai."

Tantai Jin gave him an unreadable look, lips tilting into something between a smile and a challenge. "Dan Chenzi, there’s no need to hide things from me."

Luo Chen winced internally.

Sister, with that frosty face of yours, don’t force a half-smile like that... it’s terrifying, not charming.

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Outwardly, he maintained his composure. He cleared his throat softly, masking the thought behind a courteous smile.

He

coughed lightly. "

Ahem!

To be honest, I have indeed made some recent progress, but refining mid-grade pills consumes immense time and an enormous amount of spirit stones. Unlike you, a True Inheritor of a major sect who may devote herself wholly to cultivation, I must oversee the Luo Tian Society, manage resources, and attend to countless affairs."

Just as he was about to go on with his grievances, Tantai Jin suddenly said, "If I can help resolve some of your worries, would you be willing to spare more time refining a few batches of mid-grade Jade Dew pills for the Ruthless Lineage?"

Luo Chen opened his mouth slightly, caught off guard.

Help resolve some of my worries?

Everything he’d just said was laying groundwork for negotiation, but she had taken his words at face value. That was rather unexpected. Still, since she had extended the ladder, he would not waste the chance to climb it.

"And how would you ease my burdens?" he asked curiously.

"I hear the Luo Tian Society is rich in Qi Refinement cultivators but short on Foundation Establishment pills."

Luo Chen’s eyes lit up immediately.

Oh? Could it be...?

As he waited expectantly, Tantai Jin didn’t keep him guessing. "I have two Foundation Establishment pills in my possession. I can spare one for you."

"That generous?" Luo Chen blurted out before he could stop himself.

Tantai Jin remained calm. "It's just a Foundation Establishment pill. It holds little value to cultivators like you and me who’ve already reached the realm."

With that, Luo Chen instantly understood. Indeed, once one had established their foundation, such pills lost their significance on a personal level. Only leaders of smaller factions, burdened with nurturing subordinates, still coveted them dearly. Back when Tian Xingzi had promised him three such pills, the context had already revealed as much.

As he basked in that pleasant surprise, Tantai Jin added yet another enticing offer. "I heard the Luo Tian Society has been unable to find a qualified Beast Tamer, and your new Beast Palace’s leadership has been vacant for some time. I happen to know a Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator who’s been cultivating in the city for years. He’s quite skilled in beast taming, but he's also rather low-profile."

She stopped for a moment, then saw delight flicker in his eyes and pressed on, "His background and character are impeccable. If you can pay him four thousand spirit stones a month, he’s willing to serve your society for ten years."

Four thousand a month! That’s steep!

Luo Chen frowned. That was already well above the standard salary of three thousand for most Foundation Establishment cultivators received. It seemed like just a thousand more, but over the course of a year, it added up to more than ten thousand additional spirit stones. The key issue was, he would only serve for ten years?

He couldn’t help but ask, "Is he truly skilled in beast taming? I am not speaking of merely controlling spirit beasts. I mean finding good ones, raising them, breeding them, all that."

Tantai Jin gave a confident nod. "Since I am the one recommending him, I have already investigated thoroughly. You may rest assured."

Luo Chen hesitated slightly. The Luo Tian Society’s finances were stable for now, supported by several inherited legacies, but the cost of sustaining another Foundation Establishment Initiate would inevitably stretch their resources thin. At the same time, if spirit beast raising could be done properly, long-term returns would be enormous.

After all, the Nangong family, the Li family, and even the former Poshan Gang had amassed vast fortunes through the trade of spirit beasts and demonic beasts. Luo Chen had witnessed those profits firsthand. If the Luo Tian Society could develop that line of business, it would provide another vital pillar for the society’s foundation. For that, he needed to plan with a longer vision.

Ten years... isn’t that long, really.

Luo Chen's thoughts stirred, and he pursed his lips before asking, “Would this Fellow Daoist be willing to mentor the younger generation?”

Tantai Jin blinked in surprise, immediately grasping his true intent. Yet this was not a matter she could decide. "You can speak with him about it directly. Knowing his temperament, I believe he will agree."

Sounds like someone reasonable!

Luo Chen felt a flicker of excitement in his chest.

If he’s agreeable, that’s perfect!

If that man could train several beast tamers for the Luo Tian Society within those ten years, it would be more than worth it. In that case, the four thousand spirit stones salary per month wouldn’t seem so costly; it would be absolutely worth it. If he leaves after ten years, the society’s spirit beast business wouldn’t grind to a halt.

With those two matters settled, the atmosphere between them noticeably relaxed.

Tantai Jin said, "With that resolved, you should now have more free time, should you not? I wonder if you still have the strength to refine a few batches of mid-grade Jade Dew pills for the Ruthless Lineage."

She assumed Luo Chen would no longer refuse.

As she expected, Luo Chen gave a nod. "If the issues with Foundation Establishment pills and the Beast Hall can be resolved, I’ll indeed free up quite a bit of time. However..."

Though she appeared calm, Luo Chen had already seen through the urgency beneath her composure. Since that was the case, it was time for him to move to the actual important point!

As Tantai Jin began to frown, Luo Chen slowly said, "I was born a mere rogue cultivator, with no sect, no lineage, and little hope for the road ahead. At the Foundation Establishment Realm, I can still stumble forward step by step. But as for Golden Core... I have no idea where to begin. I heard your sect holds three secret techniques for breaking through the Golden Core Realm. I wonder if I might be allowed the chance to study them."

As those words fell, the previously relaxed atmosphere instantly tightened once more.

"You’re pushing your luck!" Tantai Jin narrowed her eyes, a thread of danger glinting beneath her long lashes.

Luo Chen’s heart skipped a beat, but he still insisted, "If our positions were reversed, Fellow Daoist, would you not do the same?"

Tantai Jin fixed her gaze on him, her expression unwavering. After a long silence, she shook her head firmly. "Choose something else."

Luo Chen opened his mouth as if to argue, but in the end, he let out a soft sigh. When it came to the secrets of Core Formation, the major sects would never yield.

He pulled himself together and said casually, "Then if you could help me acquire sufficient mid or top-grade cultivation pills, so I wouldn’t have to worry about my own cultivation path while refining pills, I would naturally be much more enthusiastic in return. Even pointing me toward a reliable supplier would suffice. I have some wealth of my own to spend."

At that request, the tension in Tantai Jin’s narrowed eyes gradually eased. She shook her head. "Top-grade pills are extremely limited within Ice Fortress. The amount allocated to the Ruthless Lineage is even more scarce. It would be difficult for me to...."

As she spoke, a thought suddenly struck her. "No, wait. If what you seek is a supplier, I can introduce you to someone."

Luo Chen had posed the request offhandedly, expecting little to come of it. The unexpected reply made his eyes brighten at once.

***

In the end, Luo Chen agreed to fully commit to refining mid-grade Jade Dew pills for the Ruthless Lineage. It was not that his determination had wavered, but rather that the terms offered were far too generous to refuse.

What Tantai Jin regarded as minor favors were, to Luo Chen, timely treasures that resolved his most pressing dilemmas. The Foundation Establishment pills, for instance, gave him a credible excuse. If anyone ever questioned how the Luo Tian Society managed to produce so many Foundation Establishment cultivators, he could easily wave the Ice Fortress banner. That way, there would be no more suspicion.

The addition of a beast tamer would allow the Beast Palace within the Nine Palaces of the Luo Tian Society to function as intended. Given time, the spirit beast trade would surely grow into one of the society’s major sources of wealth.

As for top-grade cultivation pills, they were precisely what Luo Chen lacked most desperately. However, for this final condition, Tantai Jin had been blunt. She could not provide them herself. What she offered instead was an introduction. Whether he could secure those pills would depend on whether he had something valuable enough to impress the one she intended to connect him with.

That person was none other than Tao Wan.

She was a Foundation Establishment True Inheritor of Green Pill Valley and had connections with Golden Core cultivators. She had never once lacked pills since childhood. If there was anyone among the Foundation Establishment cultivators Luo Chen could access who could provide a large supply of top-grade pills, it would be this woman.

The problem was her temperament. Tao Wan was famously proud, not easily swayed by ordinary offers. At present, Luo Chen possessed little that could truly tempt her.

Jade Dew pills?

Inside the alchemy room, Luo Chen shook his head in regret. If circumstances permitted, the Jade Dew pill would have been the perfect lure for a female cultivator like Tao Wan. Yet he had long ago promised Ice Fortress that he would not sell the pill for a hundred years.

It seems I will have to rely on Su Xiaolin to uncover Tao Wan’s preferences and the details of the Tao family’s background.

Luo Chen was eager about this matter but he couldn’t afford to rush it. The cultivators from Green Pill Valley had already left the Tianlan Immortal City once the next decade’s ownership of the city was decided. Tantai Jin had only mentioned that she would attempt to contact Tao Wan in the near future, perhaps even arrange a meeting.

If only her brother was still in Tianlan Immortal City. With that loose tongue of his, prying out the information I need would have been a piece of cake.

Luo Chen let out a soft sigh and composed himself. He refocused his attention on the medicinal materials before him: human placenta, Netherworld Yin Fiend, and cultivators' essence blood.

The three core ingredients for the Blood Fiend pill!