If one wanted to earn spirit stones quickly, there were really only two effective methods. One was murdering and looting treasures. As the saying went, no horse grows fat without night grazing, and no man grows rich without unexpected fortune[1]! Yet that was the path of a raiding cultivator. One misstep, and the grave awaited. Tianlan Immortal City wasn’t some small place like Dahe Market or Glowing Stream Market. Here, even a modest-looking alleyway could conceal a hidden expert. Try to kill the wrong person here, and not only would you fail, but you might end up handing over your entire fortune instead. Luo Chen had no intention of walking that path. The second method was far more peaceful, and in a sense, virtuous. The reason why Luo Chen had invested over a hundred thousand spirit stones in Danxia Peak had been clear from the start. It was to establish a base for the Luo Tian Society. With such a force behind him, large-scale pill production could finally begin. Without it, he would be working alone. He'd done the math before. Take the top-grade Jade Essence pill as an example. Without any assistance, he could at most refine two furnaces a day. With the Four Symbols Cauldron, each furnace could process four batches at once. That totaled eight batches a day, assuming everything went smoothly. At a fifty percent pill formation rate, the yield would amount to roughly seven hundred spirit stones daily. Multiplied over thirty days, the total reached around twenty thousand spirit stones a month. Over the course of a year, that came to more than two hundred thousand spirit stones. It sounds like a fortune, doesn’t it? In truth, the numbers didn’t add up so neatly. Before refining came purchasing and prepping materials, each just as time-consuming as the refining itself. That alone doubled the time cost. Then came the selling, without assistance, he’d have to personally go and hawk them every single time. It was no different from his days as a rogue cultivator in Dahe Market, where he spent two to three days each month manning a street stall just to make ends meet. That meant even more time lost. On paper, the numbers suggested a monthly income of twenty thousand spirit stones. In reality, the actual profit would be closer to ten thousand. Once the hours spent on refining, selling, and managing every step personally were taken into account, the average income dwindled to only a few thousand spirit stones each month, barely better than working as someone else’s personal alchemist, and with far less free time. After all, so much time was wasted on the process itself. Leaving him little room for cultivation, practicing spells, or improving his alchemical technique. It was unsustainable in the long run. But what if he had backing? What if a proper organization supported him? The outcome would be entirely different. The contrast between working alone and having the support of an organization was like night and day. From the Poshan Gang to the Luo Tian Society, Luo Chen had already built and refined a system that functioned seamlessly. One team oversaw the steady procurement of raw ingredients, while another processed the materials in batches. During refinement, he could operate two, three, even four cauldrons at once, pushing efficiency to its peak. As for marketing and sales? He didn’t even need to lift a finger. The profits from such a system were several times greater than what he could earn being alone. Take those three months right after he left Dahe Market, for instance, with full focus on alchemy and no distractions, he had produced top-grade Jade Essence pills worth one hundred and eighty thousand spirit stones. A rogue cultivator could never pull that off. There was a reason most successful alchemists came from major sects and families. They had vertically integrated systems, from training to procurement, refinement to marketing, and final distribution across regions. It made the alchemist's life much easier. Now, a year had passed, and the Luo Tian Society was finally running smoothly. With the foundation laid and things back on track, Luo Chen felt it was time. I can finally start refining pills. With the help of a first-tier earth fire cave, my efficiency might soar even further! Luo Chen let his thoughts wander as he remained seated aboard his flying boat. These were the kinds of calculations he indulged in. Normally, when immersed in cultivation, he focused with complete devotion and never allowed such logistical matters to distract him. But now that he was out and about, it was only natural to plan ahead. A familiar voice called out from beneath a suspension bridge. "Senior Luo! Long time no see! Heading out again?" The speaker was Xu Jingnian, immaculately dressed and waving warmly. Luo Chen returned the gesture with a faint smile and a nod before switching the flying boat to flight mode. In the blink of an eye, it soared into the sky and vanished from sight. Among the cultivators entering the city, someone who knew Xu Jingnian asked curiously, "You’re not usually that warm to Foundation Establishment Initiates. Who was that?" Xu Jingnian rolled his eyes. "That guy? He’s not just any Foundation Establishment Initiate." "Oh? What do you mean? Come on, tell me." Taking a slow sip of hot tea, Xu Jingnian said, "You’ve heard of Danxia Peak, haven’t you?" “Wait, don’t tell me—” “Exactly. That senior just now, he’s the dragon who crossed the river [2]. When he first arrived, he barged straight into Danxia Peak and defeated three Foundation Establishment cultivators with a single move. With someone like that, you tell me, wouldn’t it be stupid not to be polite?” His friend suddenly understood. Indeed, with a cultivator of that level, no amount of politeness would be excessive. For all they knew, Luo Chen might one day become a major figure in Tianlan Immortal City. After all, while cultivation usually correlated with combat strength, the two weren’t always equal. There were plenty of high-realm cultivators with dismal actual power. Someone like Luo Chen, who could suppress three opponents of equal realm in a single exchange, clearly possessed extraordinary combat talent. As long as he continued to grow, no one in his realm could afford to underestimate him. Still, his friend raised a brow. "Being polite is one thing, but why act so friendly? You’re from the Ice Fortress Sect, you’re supposed to be cold and distant, aren’t you?" Xu Jingnian chuckled, “Well, that’s because this senior is very generous.” “Generous? How generous?” his friend asked skeptically. Foundation Establishment cultivators in Tianlan Immortal City were notorious for their stinginess, hoarding every last spirit stone in their desperate push toward Core Formation. What generosity could one possibly afford? Xu Jingnian asked, “You know my nephew, right?” "That’s him. He acted as this senior’s guide for a while, and the man tipped him two thousand spirit stones on the spot." "Hiss! That generous?" "And that’s not all. Senior Luo thought Liuzi was clever, so he hired him immediately as an outer hall steward for the Luo Tian Society. He even gets a monthly salary now." Xu Jingnian clicked his tongue and sighed. "I’ve worked in the Ice Fortress for years and never managed to get Liuzi a proper job. Who would’ve thought that just acting as a tour guide once would land him a full-time post? This Senior Luo Chen... he’s truly a good man!” His friend could only listen with envy. A Foundation Establishment cultivator who was generous with money and willing to hand out positions was a rarity indeed. Why couldn’t he have run into someone like that? He’d heard a thing or two about what had happened at Danxia Peak. One of the three rogue cultivators had been killed outright, their end nothing short of grisly. No, he was not some kind-hearted man! He was a ruthless man! Xu Jingnian’s friend thought. Luo Chen remained composed in the face of Xu Jingnian’s shift from aloof arrogance to courteous deference. The reason was all too clear. When arriving in a new place, respect was never given freely. Even with a Foundation Establishment cultivation, the most one could expect at first was to be addressed as “senior” out of courtesy, nothing more than hollow politeness. True respect only came after displaying strength and benefits worth acknowledging. Recruiting Xu Xiaoliu into the Luo Tian Society hadn’t even been Luo Chen’s idea. It had been Sima Huiniang’s initiative. She had been working tirelessly to establish the Luo Tian Society in Tianlan Immortal City, constantly coming and going to handle various matters. During this period, Xu Xialu had proved himself more than just a guide, offering considerable assistance. In time, Sima Huiniang decided to bring him into the fold. When she proposed it, Luo Chen had no objections. In truth, taking in a local rogue cultivator was also a quiet signal to outsiders. It was a sign that the Luo Tian Society intended to integrate into Tianlan Immortal City. For now, that signal was faint and largely ignored. Yet anyone with discerning eyes who investigated would certainly take notice. A streak of light suddenly tore across the sky like a shooting star. Cultivators within Biyou Valley and the Purplemist Bamboo Grove instinctively looked up. Upon seeing it heading directly toward Danxia Peak, they quickly averted their eyes and returned to their work. That was most likely the president of the Luo Tian Society. Not someone they could afford to provoke. As the Langqi Flying Boat glided into Danxia Peak’s domain, its speed gradually slowed. Luo Chen flew forward slowly, surveying the entire mountain from bottom to top with sharp eyes. Patch after patch of spirit fields spiraled upward from the base to the summit and throughout the fields, cultivators could be seen diligently at work, tilling soil, planting herbs, tending crops. Over a hundred first-tier spirit fields were already growing high-quality spirit rice, with two harvests a year. Once collected, the harvest would barely be enough to meet the society’s internal demand. The other fields were still being conditioned to absorb spirit energy to restore their fertility. It would take another two years before they reached first-tier quality again. In the meantime, they could only plant low-quality crops like Sky Silkworm Cloud Beans and Ten Fragrant Pods, serving mainly to help the land gather energy and improve in quality. Besides restoring the original fields, the Medicine Hall had also opened twenty new ones on flatter terrain. These, too, were undergoing the same spirit energy enhancement process. In another three or four years, once all fields were operational, whether growing high-quality spirit rice, medicinal herbs, or rare plants, they would generate tremendous profit for the Luo Tian Society. They wouldn’t just meet internal needs; there might be surplus for sale as well. This isn’t a small-scale operation anymore. Granny Yuan is truly aiming to scale the spirit plant cultivation to a small sect’s capacity. She’s put her heart into it, but it’s a pity... Luo Chen sighed as the flying boat descended toward a quiet courtyard halfway up the mountain. Outside, flowers and greenery flourished in the height of summer, a burst of color in full bloom, painting the scene with vibrant reds, purples, and golds. It was a view that should have brought warmth and cheer. Inside, however, the liveliness took on another meaning, and perhaps it should not have been called lively at all. The people gathered there showed no joy; most wore somber, grieving expressions, the heavy mood hanging in the air like morning mist. Luo Chen withdrew the flying boat and stepped silently through the gate, entering the courtyard with steady, measured steps. 1. 马无夜草不肥，人无横财不富 (ma wu ye cao bu fei, ren wu heng cai bu fu) is a Chinese proverb that reflects a pragmatic, sometimes cynical view that success or wealth often comes from unconventional means, unexpected opportunities, side ventures, or even morally gray actions. In modern usage, it can carry both admiration for resourcefulness and a subtle critique of opportunism. It’s similar in tone to the English saying “No one gets rich playing by the rules.” ☜ 2. 过江猛龙 (guo jiang meng long), a Chinese idiom is used to describe a powerful outsider entering a new territory, often shaking up the local order with overwhelming strength or influence. It implies that someone formidable has arrived from elsewhere and is about to disrupt the status quo. The phrase is commonly used in martial arts, business, or political contexts to convey both respect and caution. It’s comparable to the English idea of “a big fish entering a small pond,” but with a more aggressive and impactful undertone. ☜