Chapter 603: To Refuse Heaven’s Gift Is to Court Disaster; Striking the Fallen

Inside the third-tier cave residence, Luo Chen sifted through the intelligence that had been gathered over the past few days. Gradually, a clearer and more complete picture of the Falling Cloud Sect’s assault on the Flame Alliance took shape.

The battle had lasted only a single night, yet its brutality far surpassed the struggles between the great upper sects. Of course, that devastation had fallen almost entirely on the Flame Alliance.

The preparations of the Falling Cloud Sect had been thorough beyond measure. Five hundred Initiates commanded more than a thousand puppets, nearly all of them the same long-range bombardment models once deployed on the battlefield of the Jilei Mountains. Controlling such constructs required little skill, only a steady stream of spirit stones to keep them fueled. Wave after wave of firepower rained down, plowing through the Flame Alliance’s defenses as though intent on tilling the land itself.

The Flame Alliance revealed its hidden foundation—fourteen Adepts in total! Yet even these fourteen people were no match for the ten sent by the Falling Cloud Sect. Those ten fought as though they were twenty; each one possessed an exceptionally powerful divine consciousness. And beyond their own strength, every one of them commanded a third-tier puppet equal in might to an Adept, turning the numerical advantage the other way around.

Moreover, in terms of late-stage Adept forces, the Falling Cloud Sect held absolute dominance. Cheng Yan had reached the ninth stage of the Golden Core Realm and was the senior brother of Sage Han Zhan; he held an unimaginable treasure trove of abilities, items, and tactics for using them. During the battle, he even used a puppet crafted with great effort by Han Zhan—one whose strength almost reached that of an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator!

Under such an onslaught, the Flame Alliance’s otherwise formidable leader was struck down almost instantly. The rest of their cultivators, gathered in haste, collapsed into chaos and failed to mount even the slightest resistance.

Of the fourteen Adepts from Flame Alliance, more than half were butchered in the opening clash. And in the battles that followed, rumor claimed that only one or two had survived. As for the low-tier Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment disciples, they fared even worse beneath the rain of fire.

For this reason, the world distinguished the outcomes of the two sects differently. Although the great sects had struck both Green Pill Valley and the Flame Alliance, the former was said to have been "destroyed," while the latter was branded as "massacred." Had Adept Yaoguang not split apart Yuanhua Mountain with a single strike, forcing the Falling Cloud Sect to withdraw, the Flame Alliance might have been erased outright.

Yet even so, the Flame Alliance plunged to rock bottom. At the peak of its glory, it had flaunted five Adepts in the open and had thirteen hidden. Now, it was reduced to little more than a couple of strays. Were it not for the sudden outbreak of war, which left one Adept outside the sect at the time, the Flame Alliance would already have been struck from the rolls of major sects and reduced to a mere first-rate faction.

Sima Huiniang remarked, "Speaking of which, it was rather coincidental. The Adept absent from the sect’s defense happened to be Qin Tairan, the same cultivator who once attacked our Luo Tian Society."

Luo Chen let out a cold laugh. "Coincidence? I think not!"

Sima Huiniang looked puzzled.

Luo Chen pulled at the corner of his lips. "Back then, he was hunted by Fairy Ruthless and Elder Fei Ming. He managed to escape only after a desperate struggle. Well, I have to say, his strength is undeniable. Two Adepts of the same stage chased him down, yet he walked away practically unscathed. The cost was the Flame Yang True Fiend he had cultivated for years; he completely exhausted it. That’s why he was outside when the battle broke out. He is probably out replenishing it."

With that explanation, Sima Huiniang finally understood. In truth, Luo Chen had only learned the truth during a casual conversation with Elder Fei Ming. The cultivators of the Flame Alliance had always favored treasures, fire essence, and the use of fiend qi.

Qin Tairan had attacked Fairy Ruthless with his life-bound enchanted treasure, the Grand Emperor Furnace. But it was trapped, and he managed to recall it only by drawing upon the Flame Yang True Fiend stored within. That was one of his greatest trump cards. When the fiend qi fueling it was exhausted, he had no choice but to replenish it. Ironically, that ended up sparing him from the sect’s disaster. Yet... was that truly luck?

Crack!

Luo Chen crushed the jade token in his hand, and a vicious smile spread across his lips. "As expected, some grudges must be avenged personally!"

Sima Huiniang’s heart skipped a beat at the sight. She asked nervously, "President, what do you intend to do?"

"What do I intend?" Luo Chen’s cruel smile widened. "Of course, to finish off Qin Tairan!"

Sima Huiniang’s face paled. "He’s still part of a major sect!"

Luo Chen snorted. "A major sect in name, but not in power. On paper, they still have three Adepts, or so they say. But aside from Qin Tairan, the others barely survived the war, and their condition cannot be great. Even an ordinary Initiate requires years to recover from serious wounds, so how could an Adept recover so fast? As for their low-tier disciples, their state must be even worse."

Seeing how lightly he dismissed the matter, Sima Huiniang’s worry deepened. "A starved camel is still bigger than a horse.[1] No matter what calamity has befallen them, the Flame Alliance still retains its foundation. If they recall their disciples scattered abroad, they can still stand as a major sect. Besides, their vassals elsewhere still survive, and they remain a formidable force. That kind of power is not something our Luo Tian Society can contend with. President, you must think twice before acting."

After hearing her words, the feral smile on Luo Chen’s face gradually faded. Even so, after a brief silence, he declared with unwavering resolve, "This must be carried out!"

When Sima Huiniang still looked ready to object, even at the risk of provoking his anger, he raised a hand to stop her. "I am not acting on impulse. The opportunity lies before us. If Heaven grants it and we fail to seize it, then it’s our own fault when we end up suffering!"

Sima Huiniang remained reluctant and said, "President, I know how strong you are. In battles against peers or even against those of higher realms, you have almost never been defeated. Why not wait until you form a core before acting? By then, your chances will be far greater."

Luo Chen gave a faint twist of his mouth. "Wait to form a core? You mean, wait ten years, fifty, a hundred, or even longer?"

He did not mention failure; he assumed success in forming a core. With that assumption, he considered the long road ahead.

Sima Huiniang nodded repeatedly. "Yes. Given enough time, everything could change. By the time you reach the Golden Core Realm, I could also expand the Luo Tian Society and provide you with the support you need."

Luo Chen shook his head slowly. "That is far too long. In such a span, too many variables would arise. Plans can never outrun change."

The calamities of late were not the workings of heaven, but man-made disasters, every single one. The whims of high-tier cultivators drove countless people to throw themselves into danger, and countless perished as a result. Compared with the Luo Tian Society, the surviving Flame Alliance stood in the position of that so-called high-tier cultivator.

"The Flame Alliance is weak now, and that makes this a Heaven-sent opportunity to strike while they are down. If we wait until they recover, they will once again be a Golden Core major sect we can only look up to, and we will not even dare to entertain such thoughts. You see, with enemies circling them on every side, the Flame Alliance might stage a showy demonstration to scare others, killing a chicken to warn the monkeys and thereby intimidate onlookers. And our Luo Tian Society would make a very convenient chicken!"

Sima Huiniang’s face changed slightly. "Could that truly happen?"

"Why not?" Luo Chen replied. "We already have enmity with the Flame Alliance, and we have twice damaged their reputation. That makes us the perfect target for them to reassert their authority. And do not forget—they have already acted once. One strike makes a second almost inevitable. Even without the Falling Cloud Sect affair, they would still see us as a thorn in their flesh. Why do you think I was willing to leave all other affairs to you and remain in seclusion?" Luo Chen brushed the nonexisting dust from the table with a hand and snorted. "It was to gain as much strength as possible so we would not have to beg for help later. Perhaps, next time, the Flame Alliance would come to attack directly!"

Sima Huiniang was taken aback. She seemed to recall the past; when the Luo Tian Society’s battle had broken out, the helplessness born of individual weakness had indeed been despairing. Yet she still hesitated and asked, "Would Flame Alliance cultivators act personally?"

Luo Chen curled his lip. "The Falling Cloud Sect and the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, both Nascent Soul upper sects, have cast aside their pride and reputation and directly attacked a weaker sect. The rules have been broken already. If the Flame Alliance is pushed to desperation, why would they not follow suit? Moreover, they are not merely pressured; they are on the brink of death. Even if I do nothing, others will still be watching closely, ready to strike at that centipede that refuses to die.[2] What I intend is to light the flicker of desire in others' hearts!"

The exchange inside the cave residence dragged on. On the surface, Luo Chen seemed to be soothing Sima Huiniang and easing her doubts. In truth, he was also considering the stakes and persuading himself with every word he spoke.

After all, which Initiate in the entire cultivation world would dare raise their blade against a Golden Core sect? Especially one that, even with only two or three Adepts left, still bore the title of a major sect? Such ambition demanded not only strength but also extraordinary courage and conviction.

Sima Huiniang stared blankly at Luo Chen. The growing confidence in his tone made it clear that he was set on this course. At this point, she could no longer voice any objections. Only one thing remained to be said.

"President, since you have made up your mind, I will follow you in life and death!"

Luo Chen exhaled slowly and reached out his hand. He took her slightly cold and delicate hand and patted it gently.

"Do not worry. I never fight battles I cannot win. If the matter proves impossible, I will pull back and preserve myself, ensuring the Luo Tian Society does not fall into irretrievable ruin."

1. 瘦死的骆驼比马大 (shòu sǐ de luòtuo bǐ mǎ dà) is a proverb that means even if someone or something powerful has declined, their remaining strength is still greater than that of ordinary people. ☜

2. 百足之虫，死而不僵 (bǎi zú zhī chóng, sǐ ér bù jiāng) is a proverb drawing from the belief that a centipede has many legs and strong vitality, as it continues to twitch even after death. Figuratively, it means that a once-great power, even in decline, still retains some strength and cannot be underestimated. ☜