Chapter 510: A Bearer of Sad News

At the entrance to Tianlan Peak, the morning air lay calm and clear. A familiar voice rang out cheerfully. "Good morning, Fellow Daoist Wang!"

Wang Pingzhi, the guard on duty at the pass, returned the greeting with a nod. "Fellow Daoist Luo, heading out again?"

"Mm."

Luo Chen gave a brief response, his expression calm as always.

Wang Pingzhi watched him depart, puzzled.

He usually keeps a low profile and rarely leaves his residence. So why has he been going out every single day lately?

After descending the peak, Luo Chen stepped onto the bustling streets of Tianlan Immortal City. Of course, he had noticed Wang Pingzhi's curious look, and to be fair, he had indeed been going out more frequently than usual. Yet the reason had nothing to do with either trivial errands or pressing obligations. Rather, it was to go outside and practice Ninety Thousand Li.

Although Tianlan Peak offered space, it remained a crowded place with too many watchful eyes. Using such a spell there would be too conspicuous. Beyond the city, the world was open and free, with plenty of room for him to fly and train as he pleased.

Midway along his usual route, Luo Chen abruptly turned into another street. Looking up at the plaque that read "Icewave Palace," he stepped inside. Some time passed before he emerged again.

The detour had not been on impulse. It was to deliver the top-grade Jade Dew Pills and Blood-Burning Pills he had refined over the past year. He weighed the storage pouch in his hand and revealed a satisfied expression.

Another hundred thousand spirit stones... This amount easily makes up for the recent expenditures with Tao Wan. If I cut out the middleman, I suppose this is basically just me refining pills for myself.

Luo Chen shook his head and smiled, but soon furrowed his brow in doubt.

Come to think of it... I haven't seen that Fairy Ruthless in quite some time.

He had assumed she was in secluded cultivation, but earlier at Icewave Palace, the person receiving the pills was the elderly Shi Boying, not her.

Could it be that she is no longer in Tianlan?

The possibility came to his mind unbidden, and once it did, it refused to fade. The top-grade Jade Dew Pill transactions were no small affair. Each batch was worth over a hundred thousand spirit stones. Previously, it had always been Tantai Jin, Fairy Ruthless's top disciple, who handled the handovers. But ever since Tantai Jin went to the Jilei Nine Mountain battlefield, Fairy Ruthless had insisted on dealing with Luo Chen personally. Judging by these clues, it really did seem like she had left the city.

Whatever, where a Golden Core Adept chooses to go has nothing to do with me.

Luo Chen curled his lip and decided not to waste time thinking about that fickle woman.

He left the city, leapt onto his sword, and sped toward the Qinhua River. It was an area near the city known for its thin spirit energy; rogue cultivators seldom set foot there. In truth, such places weren't uncommon beyond a thousand li from the city.

This situation was rather strange. Tianlan Peak was a third-tier spirit land, and the surrounding mountains and valleys were mostly first-tier. Yet beyond a thousand li, spirit energy seemed to vanish completely, turning the land mundane.

Luo Chen suspected it had something to do with the Seven Sects forcibly elevating Tianlan Peak to a third-tier spirit land when constructing the city. After all, a third-tier spirit land couldn't appear from nothing. It either had to be nurtured naturally or formed by drawing in spirit energy from elsewhere and concentrating it into a small area. Only that theory explained the peculiar phenomena near Tianlan Immortal City. It appeared that other large immortal cities experienced the same phenomena, which only reinforced Luo Chen's theory.

These speculations merely served to pass the time as he traveled.

When he reached the area of rolling green hills, he put away his regular flying sword. Without its support and without Cloud Riding activated, he began to fall. At once, a pair of illusory crimson wings extended from his back. With minimal effort, his figure steadied and hovered in mid-air.

As expected, the longer I have this thing, the more it feels like part of my own limbs... almost as if it was always part of me. This gives me a tremendous edge in battle.

Low-tier cultivators often fought standing still like fools, exchanging blows head-on. Those with rich combat experience, like Luo Chen and Wang Yuan, would use lightfoot and movement arts to avoid becoming easy targets.

At the Foundation Establishment Realm, cultivators possessed much denser spirit power, allowing them to cast Cloud Riding for better mobility, but that usually marked the limit. In truth, most couldn't handle much more. Keeping track of an opponent while simultaneously controlling enchanted artifacts already pushed the mind to its limits. Hence, adding a flight spell on top of that left little room for focus. Even Luo Chen had once relied heavily on standing still, unleashing wide-area spells to bombard his enemies. Splitting his focus in battle had simply been too exhausting.

Things had only started to improve after he reached Perfected Mastery in the Divine Breaker of Malevolence, which allowed him to divide his focus. But even then, the improvement remained marginal. Ultimately, he still needed to focus to cast Wind Control.

Now, things were completely different! The Crimson Cloud Wings had merged seamlessly with his body, functioning as naturally as his own limbs. As long as he supplied a steady current of spirit power, they required no conscious control. That alone granted him greater agility and adaptability than most Initiates could ever hope to achieve.

"And that's not all," Luo Chen murmured under his breath.

He let out a sharp shout, and his wings quivered. In an instant, his entire figure shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, streaking across a hundred zhang in the blink of an eye. This was only a short-distance burst, but... such speed was practically unheard of for someone at his level!

How will it be when I use this in close-quarters combat?

he wondered.

Up in the air, Luo Chen darted and twisted around, his movements agile and precise. He moved lightly like a butterfly and with the nimbleness of a sparrow, nearly as fluid as if his feet still touched solid ground. After a sudden pause, he poured spirit energy into the wings, and his figure shot forward like a streak of light.

Only after a long while did he return.

"

Phew...

"

Luo Chen let out a heavy breath, and his face lit up with excitement. "No wonder this is a third-tier spell. Even at the Perfection level, I am already faster than Tao Wan with her Ninefold Gale Transformation. Remarkable!"

He chuckled in satisfaction. "Even if I can't actually fly ninety thousand li in a single breath, I doubt there are many Initiates who can match me."

Flying ninety thousand li in one breath was the description of major mastery of Sky Roc Transformation. At that level, the speed it granted could rival any of the Five Element Escape arts and even approach the Rainbow Transformation Flight used by Golden Core sword cultivators. Naturally, Luo Chen was not aiming that high yet, especially since he had not reached the third realm of Physique Refinement. For now, his current progress had already exceeded expectations.

Of course, if others knew he had cultivated this spell to Perfection level in just a few short months, their jaws would surely drop. To Luo Chen, however, it seemed entirely reasonable.

The results, while somewhat unexpected, weren't entirely surprising. After all, Luo Chen had built his foundation on Carefree Wander, a mundane lightness spell which he had cultivated to Perfected Mastery. On top of that, he had also mastered the Wind-Control, which further enhanced his mobility. To top it off, he shared a bloodline connection with the Blazing Cloud Roc and an innate talent for spellcraft. Together, these conditions made such rapid progress unsurprising.

After a brief rest, Luo Chen once again soared to an altitude of ten thousand zhang, far higher than most Foundation Establishment cultivators dared attempt. At such a height, no eyes from the ground could follow him.

Within the vast open skies, he not only practiced Ninety Thousand Li but also drew the Mystic Flame Sword, refining his coordination of artifact control and spellcasting. Though he often reminded his own subordinates not to lean too heavily on enchanted treasures, he himself had no such hesitation. His spirit power stood far beyond that of his peers, and he could sustain without strain.

Even Xu Haizhen, also at the sixth stage of Foundation Establishment, was far inferior to him. And after training repeatedly with Chu Kui the year before, Luo Chen had also developed a rough sense of what late-stage Foundation Establishment spirit power felt like—as it turned out, even Chu Kui, who stood at the ninth stage, only had a slightly greater reserve of spirit power than him. In other words, in terms of spirit power reserve, Luo Chen now rivaled cultivators at the eighth stage!

There was also one other thing: The Mystic Flame Sword was just a low-grade enchanted treasure. It was simply too ordinary, and it didn't even come with a unique killing move. Items like Dan Yangzi's Violet Malice Sword, Tao Wan's Flowing Cloud Sleeves, or the Blue Flood Dragon Bracelet he had given as a present to Gu Caiyi, all came with unique killing moves that marked their strength. By contrast, the Mystic Flame Sword had none, making it appear cheap and unimpressive.

Yet as an enchanted treasure, it still held its own merits. Its greatest strength lay in amplification. When infused with spirit power, it could boost a cultivator's attack strength by roughly thirty percent. In simple terms, its strongest move was its normal attack, and its normal attack was its ultimate strike.

To most Initiates, such a treasure would seem a waste of energy; consuming precious spirit power without delivering a decisive blow didn't make sense. For Luo Chen, however, spirit power was no issue, and the amplification effect compensated perfectly for the offensive shortcomings of his wood-element foundation.

On top of that, he had always excelled in fire spells. When paired with the Mystical Flame Sword, his spellcasting reached new heights, blending elemental mastery with precision artifact control. The result was explosive.

High above in the sky, an illusory mountain collapsed before Luo Chen. The powerful shockwaves surged forward, causing his elegant white robe to whip around wildly in the wind.

Gripping the Mystic Flame Sword, Luo Chen exhaled deeply. "I wonder if a ninth-stage Initiate can withstand this...."

The wind carried away his words in silence.

With that final test complete, Luo Chen ended his training for the day. He stored away the Mystic Flame Sword, now dull and ordinary-looking, and began a slow descent toward Tianlan Peak. His heart remained calm, his demeanor composed, and his confidence unshakable.

***

In the mountains, time passed without sun or moon to mark its flow. One could wander around for a thousand years and not even notice the passage of time so obvious in the outside world.

To Luo Chen, who was still just a young Foundation Establishment cultivator, a thousand years felt far too distant. Yet amid his endless cycle of pill refining, spellcasting, and meditative cultivation, the two years that passed since the Luo Tian Society joined the war felt more like two weeks.

On one such day, Min Longyu returned. He came back alone, yet not by himself.

The way he phrased it made little sense, but clarity struck when Sima Huiniang's eyes fell upon the coffin he placed in the Huixin Hall. Her entire body stiffened at once.

"One month ago," Min Longyu began heavily, "the seventh mountain of the Jilei region suffered an ambush by the Flame Alliance. A Golden Core Adept personally struck. That mountain had been defended by a coalition of rogue cultivators, but the Flame Alliance's Adept shattered the Falling Cloud Sect's grand formation with overwhelming might. The Ice Fortress reinforcements arrived too late, and the seventh mountain fell."

He drew a heavy breath and continued, "During that battle, the rogue cultivators had no commander, and their forces scattered like sand. Our Luo Tian Society held only a remote, narrow pass. We could have retreated safely, but we encountered a squad led by a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator blocking our way. Even though I activated the Fivefold Thunderfall Formation to deter that person, our people were still struck heavily. In that battle, the Luo Tian Society lost forty-three Qi Refinement cultivators. Elder Li Yingzhang was gravely injured but survived thanks to Palace Leader Xu Haizhen's timely intervention."

Min Longyu paused, then lowered his head, finishing his story with deep sorrow on his face. "Among the fallen... was the leader of our Battle Palace.

The leader of the Battle Palace... was none other than Sima Xian!

Sima Huiniang gripped her chair's armrest so tightly her knuckles whitened. She asked coldly, "That cultivator... Who was it?"

Min Longyu's expression froze. He couldn't immediately respond. Sima Huiniang took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. "A late-stage Initiate from the Flame Alliance can't possibly be unknown. Don't you know anything about their origin? Or were they not from the Flame Alliance at all? Was it a vassal of the Sword Sect?"

Min Longyu clenched his teeth before answering, "It was the dead of night. We couldn't see his face clearly. But I heard an early-stage Initiate from his side address him as 'Withered Toad.'"

Withered Toad!

Sima Huiniang repeated the name silently, as if to engrave it into her very soul.

After a long while, she asked softly, "What about Wang Yuan?"

Min Longyu let out a breath and continued, "I was afraid that more Flame Alliance cultivators would arrive, so I activated the Fivefold Thunderfall Formation early, hoping to cripple the enemy and pull our people back. But even after taking heavy damage, they pursued us relentlessly. Palace Leader Sima died during that pursuit. As the situation worsened, Palace Leader Wang, Palace Leader Xu, and Elder Li all took action. In the end, I led the remaining forces out of the seventh mountain. Palace Leader Xu managed to return with Elder Li, but Palace Leader Wang's whereabouts remain unknown."

First, her elder brother died. Then, Li Yingzhang was seriously injured. In between, dozens of Qi Refinement cultivators perished. And then, even Wang Yuan, the strongest in the Luo Tian Society's save for its president, went missing!

Sima Huiniang closed her eyes. The atmosphere grew increasingly stifling.

"Director, my condolences..." Min Longyu began softly.

"Leave!"

Min Longyu sighed and left. Once he departed, silence swallowed the Huixin Hall. After a long pause, Sima Huiniang descended the steps and slowly lifted the coffin lid. Seeing the disfigured corpse inside, she instinctively covered her mouth.

***

Outside Huixin Hall, Min Longyu finally allowed himself to breathe. The instant he turned and met the sea of expectant gazes, however, a shiver ran down his spine.

Newly advanced Initiates such as Murong Qinglian and Gu Caiyi stood at the front. Beside them were Qin Liangchen, Bian Zhen, Yuan Dongsheng and his wife, and many more. Dozens of cultivators stared at him, their eyes filled with anxious questions.

From down the mountain came the unceasing sound of weeping and mourning. The Luo Tian Society had been rooted in Tianlan Immortal City for over a decade, and many cultivators of the Battle Palace had families now. With so many corpses returned today, the grief of their loved ones surged skyward, painting the Danxia Peak's dusk in hues of sorrow that seemed to bleed into the clouds.

"Everyone..." Min Longyu had only just opened his mouth when a barrage of questions crashed upon him.

"Elder Min, what about my brother?" asked Li Yingzhang's younger sister, Li Yingjun.

Min Longyu replied instinctively, "He was wounded by a mid-stage Initiate... but he survived."

At those words, Li Yingjun's knees gave way, and she nearly collapsed. Yuan Dongsheng caught her just in time, and the second half of Min Longyu's answer gave her enough relief to steady herself.

"Why hasn't he returned if he's alive?"

"Because Adept Moonshade of the Ice Fortress refused to release anyone. Even I was only allowed to return with the fallen after Adept Ruthless personally intervened."

"That's heartless! Who gives such orders?"

Min Longyu smiled bitterly, offering no answer. What sentiment could one expect in war?

"Elder Min, have you seen my husband Duan Feng? How is he? Was he hurt? Please, just give me something..."

"The Falling Cloud Sect joined the fight, right? Did you see my boy Xiaohu? His full name is Qin Yuanjiang."

"What about Old Zhang? They say he's dead, but why haven't I seen his body?"

***

One question after another erupted from the crowd. In that moment, facing the clamoring cultivators felt more terrifying than facing the squad led by the late-stage Foundation Establishment grand cultivator. Min Longyu instinctively stepped back, momentarily at a loss for words.

Someone suddenly shouted, "The President is here!"

In the next instant, the crowd parted on its own, opening up a clear path. Luo Chen strode down the jade-paved path with calm, steady steps. As he approached, he turned slightly, sweeping his gaze over the mass of anxious faces.

"Do you all have nothing to do? What sort of behavior is this supposed to be? If I didn't know better, I might have thought you were planning to hang Min Longyu and force Director Sima to abdicate! Go back to your halls now. I'll let everyone know the full details in due time."

Though his face remained calm, the words that fell from his lips were nothing short of rebukes. Over the years, Luo Chen had always been gentle and approachable; all of the Luo Tian Society's cultivators knew that. But now, his stern and unyielding demeanor did not stir a single ounce of resentment. One by one, the crowd lowered their heads and dispersed in silence.

Luo Chen then looked at the three Initiates remaining on scene. "You two go as well. Min Longyu, you stay."

Murong Qinglian let out a quiet sigh and walked toward Qin Liangchen, who was waiting in the distance. Gu Caiyi didn't look much better; she gestured toward the quiet palace ahead, then left softly without a word. At this moment, only Luo Chen and Min Longyu remained at the Grand Hall's entrance.

Thud!

Min Longyu dropped to his knees without hesitation, discarding all dignity as an Initiate and a formation master. "President, I deserve death a thousand times over. I failed to protect our Luo Tian Society members."

"Who told you to kneel? Stand up and speak!" Luo Chen barked.

With the crowd gone, the calm mask he wore cracked, and a shadow darkened his expression.

Under his stern command, Min Longyu rose, but his usually straight and proud back was slightly bowed; no command could lighten the heavy guilt he was feeling.