Chapter 453: I Was The One Who Came First

Deep within the Luo Tian Society, the night rain fell in a steady drizzle. The light rain washed away the clamor of the day, as if cleansing the air of lingering noise.

After riding the crimson tide and journeying together into the clouds and rain of Mount Wu[1], Luo Chen lay on the bed with his eyes fixed on the ornately carved ceiling. It felt as though he could see straight through the roof into the night sky beyond. At the edge of his vision, a woman rested limply against his chest, drained of all strength. Only her flowing black hair stood out in the dim light, set against her white shoulders.

Some things happened too suddenly, yet they felt entirely natural, half willingness and half inevitability. The reasons behind it could not be explained, and perhaps they should never be explained.

“You didn’t seem too happy today,” Sima Huiniang murmured lazily, her ear resting against the steady thump of Luo Chen’s heartbeat, which sounded like distant thunder.

“

Mm

,” Luo Chen hums in acknowledgement. That soft hum carried a trace of gloom, even after such a blissful union.

"What happened?"

In the past, Luo Chen would have brushed the question aside without a second thought. He had always been a man who made his own plans and bore the weight of his decisions alone. He revealed nothing more than he had to, and he did not lean on anyone. But now, she was no longer just anyone.

He held nothing back, recounting every detail of Tantai Jin’s public display of dominance earlier that afternoon. The quiet room carried only the weight of his voice as he spoke of his Jade Dew pill dealings with Ice Fortress and the shifting power dynamics within that sect.

After a long silence, Sima Huiniang pushed herself up from his chest.

“There’s good and bad in this,” she said softly. “But as I see it, the benefits outweigh the costs for you, President.”

Luo Chen glanced at her, noting the flush on her cheeks and the clarity in her eyes. He shifted slightly, folding one arm behind his head. "Explain."

Luo Chen was never one to reject sound advice out of pride. He had the capacity to listen. Sima Huiniang did not hesitate. She recounted in detail the negotiations she had conducted that evening: which sects had reached mutual understanding, which had already confirmed formal collaborations, what had been offered, what had been gained, and where they had struck the better bargains.

Finally, she concluded, “Had Tantai Jin not appeared, had that Core Formation secret art not been flaunted, even with my skills, we could never have gained such an edge. None of those factions would have swallowed their pride so easily.”

Luo Chen frowned. "Those are just short-term gains. Even if Tantai Jin hadn’t shown up, and even if she hadn’t flaunted that secret art to show her regard for me, those deals still would’ve gone through."

This was not arrogance on his part. The results had already been part of his plan. He had anticipated them from the moment he decided to hold a celebration for Sima Huiniang. The Luo Tian Society needed a way to absorb the surge of resources pouring in, and this event provided the perfect opportunity. Advancing step by step would have taken decades before any results appeared. Decades were far too long!

With the Jade Cauldron Domain in its current state, no one could predict when the two Nascent Soul sects would intervene directly. Their involvement could turn simmering tension into open war at any moment. That was why Luo Chen had arranged everything. Whether or not Tantai Jin interfered, he believed he could still complete this step, even if it meant earning a little less.

"Short-term gains?" Sima Huiniang brushed back her disheveled hair and smiled faintly. "That’s not how I see it."

Under Luo Chen’s gaze, she spoke calmly, “Tianlan Immortal City is jointly built by seven great sects. The depth and complexity of its vested interests are far beyond what any ordinary cultivator could imagine. If we want to survive here, we cannot stand alone. Lately, I’ve been reading up on all the intelligence reports. They reveal a web of connections. The greater the faction, the more likely it is to have the backing of a major sect. Without that support, wealth only brings danger. The more you earn, the more people covet what you have. In the end, you risk being destroyed entirely."

The more you earn, the more people covet what you have... Destroyed?

Her words struck Luo Chen with quiet force.

In an instant, he snapped out of his thoughts, clear-headed and alert. In the past days of unbroken victories and swift advances, had he grown too proud? Had success clouded his judgment? How powerful could a rogue cultivator faction ever hope to become?

The Min family of Danxia had once flourished a century back. The Lianyun Trade Alliance had dominated just ten years past. Both had been strong. The Min family had peerless formations that could withstand a siege from enemies several times stronger for a full year. The Lianyun Trade Alliance had commanded more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators at their peak, three of them at the late stage, and even had a hidden Golden Core elder in secret. Yet both had been destroyed, their fates reduced to history.

Sima Huiniang continued in an unhurried tone. "Most of the major powers in the city have at least some connections. But in critical moments, those ties are meaningless. At best, they provide special treatment in ordinary dealings. Take the Li family of Qinhua River, for example. They were related to Green Pill Valley. But when the family faced life and death, did Green Pill Valley intervene? No. They did not even give a token reply!

"Meanwhile, the factions that remain unshaken in the city all share one trait: They maintain tight bonds with Golden Core sects. Peach Mountain relies on Grand Elder Peach Blossom of Hundred Flowers Palace. Luosha Market is protected by Ailao Mountain. The Du family of Taibai Market offers their prized Taibai Wine exclusively to the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. Even Tianyi Market is no exception. Even factions that seem independent, like Iron Sword Hall, are in truth vassals of larger groups. Iron Sword Hall stands behind the Flame Alliance just as firmly as the Zheng family of Rolling Dragon Ridge."

Luo Chen’s expression turned grim. At last, he came to a full realization.

When the Luo Tian Society had faced danger in the past, the Ice Fortress had remained silent, just as Green Pill Valley had abandoned the Li family. At the time, he believed that the Ice Fortress only valued him personally and dismissed the Luo Tian Society as unworthy of notice. He assumed their indifference would continue.

He had overlooked the truth. After absorbing the resources of Danyuan Sect and Divine Craftsman Sect, the Luo Tian Society could no longer be considered a minor force. They now had the potential to surpass even late-stage Foundation Establishment powers such as Iron Sword Hall and Tianyi Market.

In this light, the Ice Fortress was no fool. If Luo Chen were in their position, he knew he would have acted the same. A nominal vassal should always be turned into a genuine one.

Suddenly, Tantai Jin’s words from the previous day echoed with sharp clarity.

"A mere Core Formation secret art is nothing to the Ice Fortress. So long as the Luo Tian Society stands united with our Ruthless Lineage from this day forward, that is enough."

The art had been given to him, but the meaning of her words had been far broader. What she sought was the alignment of the Luo Tian Society with the Ruthless Lineage. The goal could not have been clearer.

It wasn’t just her words; even Tao Yisheng’s offhand comment now echoed through Luo Chen’s mind like a thunderclap.

"Among the seven sects of the Jade Cauldron Domain, the Ice Fortress has the fewest vassals. Who would’ve thought the Luo Tian Society would be valued so highly by them!"

The emphasis of that remark had fallen squarely on the Luo Tian Society. At last, Luo Chen understood. The Ice Fortress no longer valued him alone. They had begun to value the entire Luo Tian Society, the force he had built with his own hands.

"I was too deep in the game and failed to see the changes around me," Luo Chen murmured.

Sima Huiniang did not catch his words. She pressed a finger against his firm chest and said, "Ice Fortress's regard benefits us in the short term, but it also brings long-term advantages. At the very least, no one in Tianlan Immortal City would dare strike at the Luo Tian Society now. Even if the rotating sect of the city changes someday, we won’t see another situation like the last one, where others tried to pluck chestnuts from the fire and throw them at us. Of course, you’ve always had lofty ambitions, President. You might find it suffocating to bow to others. But a true man must know when to bend and when to rise; that’s the mark of real strength! What’s already in your hands, that’s what you can count on."

Her words were clear and incisive, striking directly at the heart of the matter. The worry between Luo Chen’s brows eased, and a smile crept unknowingly onto his lips. He could bend when the situation demanded it, only to spring back with even greater force. The deeper the bend, the more powerful the rise.

"Huiniang, a conversation with you is like reading ten years’ worth of books!"

Sima Huiniang smiled and asked, "You’re the Fire Spirit Lord. Then what am I?"

"Naturally, you’re my Zhuo Wenjun [2]!"

Sima Huiniang blinked. Her fair cheeks, smooth as freshly peeled eggs, revealed her confusion. She had no idea who Zhuo Wenjun was, and Luo Chen gave no explanation. He simply leaned closer, closing the distance between them.

Tonight, he would not be the one left in second place.

***

At the turn of the hour between the tiger and the rabbit.

[3]

Luo Chen toyed with a silken enchanted artifact, a woman’s intimate dudou. It was embroidered with a lotus blossom, and a snow-white carp shimmered beneath lush, dewy green leaves.

"Didn’t expect you were still using this," he said with a chuckle.

This item had been purchased at the Precious Dragon Black Market in Dahe Market. It was a rare, top-grade offensive enchanted artifact, designed to be worn close to the body and constantly nourished with spirit energy. At a critical moment, it could unleash a strike equal to that of a supreme-grade enchanted artifact.

As he felt the faint fragrance clinging to the silk and sensed the powerful spirit force flowing within it, Luo Chen realized at once that Sima Huiniang had refined it to perfection. With a single thought, she could now release a deadly strike.

Mm...

Sima Huiniang rested her head on his other arm and let out a soft hum. As if stirred by memory, she opened her eyes and fixed him with a luminous gaze.

"That night... after the black market auction... it was you who saved us, wasn’t it?"

Although phrased as a question, her tone carried no doubt.

Luo Chen smiled faintly and kissed her on the smooth curve of her forehead. "Didn’t you already guess that long ago?"

Sima Huiniang snuggled closer and murmured, "I did... but hearing it from you still puts my heart at ease."

Indeed. Ever since recruiting the Sima siblings, Luo Chen had never gone out of his way to conceal his methods. The jade essence waste beads he had used to shatter formations, as well as the Blue Musk Gathering Serpent Banner he had seized, had long made it clear who their savior had been.

"So last night, you seduced me," Luo Chen teased. "Was that your way of repaying a life-saving debt?"

Sima Huiniang raised her head and blinked at him. "Well, I have nothing to repay you with but my body."

Luo Chen laughed aloud. "Lucky for me I’m not ugly. Otherwise, I would hear, ‘I owe you my life but have nothing to give. In the next life, I’ll plant flowers on your grave and tie a ribbon in gratitude.’"

Sima Huiniang paused for a moment, then burst into laughter as well. She was not the kind of superficial person that cared only for appearances. But just as her laughter filled the air, she felt a certain sensitive part of her being tightly seized.

“President...” She gasped, voice trailing with a knowing undertone. "Back at that auction, you looked so unremarkable. Who would have thought you hid such vast... potential?"

Luo Chen smirked. "Back then, I had to keep a low profile. Since I was running all over the place, it was best to blend in. Anyway, dawn is nearly here. Should we perha—"

Before he could finish, she silenced him with a kiss that conveyed everything.

***

After the night’s rain, the skies were spotless and clear.

A streak of escape light soared through the heavens, riding the sword away from Danxia Peak. Anyone with a bit of discernment could sense the powerful spirit energy. It was unmistakably a Foundation Establishment Initiate.

Scenes like this had become common at Danxia Peak in recent days. Yesterday’s Foundation Establishment celebration had not been a gathering of ten thousand immortals, but it had brought wave after wave of Initiates. The Luo Tian Society was no longer the humble assembly of rogue cultivators it had once been.

In the eyes of many rogue cultivators, the Luo Tian Society had already grown into a respectable second-rate force, ranking just beneath the Golden Core sects. The only thing they lacked was a late-stage Foundation Establishment expert to oversee them.

With such a figure in place, they would secure their place at the very top of the second-rate forces. And if fortune granted them a Golden Core patron, they would rise into the ranks of the first-rate forces, standing second only to the greatest sects.

Of course, this future was still uncertain. Everything depended on whether the Luo Tian Society could truly fulfill its potential. For now, they had only just stepped up from being a third-rate force to claiming a proper second-rate standing.

Within Danxia Peak, many cultivators noticed the streak of light as it vanished into the distance. Those with discerning eyes recognized it at once as their president.

Gu Caiyi had barely risen at dawn when she received a notice. She was required at Huixin Hall for a meeting. She understood why. During yesterday’s celebration, the president and the director had closed a multitude of business deals. To set those ventures in motion, her role as Palace Leader of the Gold Hall would be indispensable.

When she arrived at Huixin Hall, the others had not yet assembled. She joined Murong Qinglian and began to discuss casually what the meeting might entail.

Murong Qinglian seemed concerned. "The Myriad Wonders pill will be supplied exclusively to Peach Mountain? That means we will lose one of our products. Isn’t that rather disadvantageous?"

Gu Caiyi shook her head gently. "It’s not a problem. With the Kang family’s Golden Jade Liquid from Taishan Market, we are not short on product variety. In addition, I heard Director Sima also secured spirit peaches from Peach Mountain, future supplies of Ink Blood Mulberries from the Ink Mulberry groves, and a new essence-nourishing pill from the Alchemy Palace. We will have plenty to sell."

Reassured by those words, Murong Qinglian relaxed slightly. "Caiyi, you really do know all this as if it were the back of your hand."

"It falls within the scope of my responsibilities." Gu Caiyi gave a faint smile. She was already well-versed in such matters and could explain them with only a few words.

As their conversation continued, the voices in the hall gradually softened. Clear, crisp footsteps echoed from the rear of the Grand Hall. Moments later, the radiant figure of Sima Huiniang appeared before them.

She gave everyone a brief glance and gestured lightly. "Take your seats, everyone. There is quite a lot to cover today, so let us sit and talk."

With that, she seated herself without hesitation. The others did not stand on either. They had weathered countless dangers side by side, and there was no need for excessive formality among them. Just as Gu Caiyi took her seat, a soft murmur sounded beside her.

Hmm?

Gu Caiyi turned her head. “What is it?”

Murong Qinglian gave a faint smile. "It’s nothing."

Despite her dismissal, the peculiar expression on Murong Qinglian’s face lingered as she glanced toward Sima Huiniang. The sight made Gu Caiyi frown in confusion. When she focused a little, she began to notice something unusual as well.

The sight was familiar—it resembled the glow of newlywed brides at Tianxiang Tower after their wedding night. With her experience, Gu Caiyi naturally understood what this meant. Even if one had never tasted the meat, they would recognize the pig’s trot.

But Sima Huiniang is the director of the Luo Tian Society, a woman of status and bearing. How could she have...

Suddenly, Gu Caiyi recalled the streak of light she had seen at dawn. Then, she remembered the graceful figure from the night before, striding into the Grand Hall of the Luo Tian Society with vigor.

A trace of bitterness crept onto her lips.

I was the one who came first...

1. The idiom “巫山云雨” (clouds and rain of Mount Wu) originates from Songs of Chu, King Huai of Chu dreams of a goddess on Mount Wu who promises, “At dawn I will be the morning clouds; at dusk I will be the evening rain.” The imagery of clouds gathering and rain falling became a literary metaphor for the... union of yin and yang. ☜

2. 卓文君 (Zhuo Wenjun) is a famous poetess and talented woman of the Western Han dynasty, celebrated for her elopement with the poet Sima Xiangru. Their love story, marked by shared hardship, literary exchange, and enduring affection, has become a symbol of romance and intellectual companionship in Chinese culture. ☜

3. The hour of the tiger is 3-5 AM and the hour of the rabbit is 5-7 AM. ☜