Luo Chen gave a faint smile as he lifted his own cup of wine. "A momentary setback means nothing. With your strength, if you were to join a major sect, you would still have a good chance for Core Formation." Chu Kui responded with a cold sneer. "Forget it. I have always walked alone, fighting for every scrap of resource with my own hands. I am not suited to live under the chains of sect rules." Luo Chen frowned slightly. The Great Dao lies just ahead, yet you’d give it up simply to avoid constraint? If that was truly the case, then why would you carry such heavy melancholy? Seeing Luo Chen’s confusion, Chu Kui sighed. "Honestly, even if I joined a Golden Core sect, so what? Those so-called righteous sects would never hand Core Formation resources to someone like me. At the end of the day, I’m an outsider." Chu Kui gestured toward the doorway with a twitch of his lips. At that moment, Xuan Yu of Peach Mountain, who had won the Core Formation spirit medicine, strode into the hall. A retinue of Foundation Establishment Initiates followed behind him. His steps were steady and unhurried, his expression calm and composed. There was a youthful pride about him, a cultivated elegance that drew attention wherever he went. "What about him?" Luo Chen asked, puzzled. Chu Kui sent a voice transmission directly to his mind. "Xuan Yu was once a rogue cultivator as well. He is immensely talented, born with the Dragon Yang Physique, but all that earned him was the title of companion to Grand Elder Peach Blossom. Do not be fooled by his glamorous role as overseer of Peach Mountain or whatever. When it came to his Golden Core, the Grand Elder did not give him even a single pill. He had to come to this auction and struggle for it with his own strength." As he spoke, Chu Kui’s gaze grew steely. "Do you think I would fare any better in a major sect simply because I can fight? You know better than that. In this world of cultivation, brute strength alone will never be enough." These words rendered Luo Chen silent. In theory, rogue cultivators were not without options. Some built their own factions, while others became guest elders under minor powers. The most outstanding might even be recruited as honorary elders by major sects. Yet even after all these years, he had rarely heard of any notable high-tier rogue cultivators in the Jade Cauldron Domain. The only he one knew was Lu Jiushi. Yet Lu Jiushi had coveted the Demon Locking Pagoda and the Forsaken Chess Piece, and in the end, though he was a Golden Core cultivator himself, he had become nothing more than a pawn to a Golden Core elder of the Falling Cloud Sect, and he died tragically beneath Pang Renxiong’s sword. Now, hearing Chu Kui speak so plainly of these hidden truths, Luo Chen felt the weight that rogue cultivators bore even more deeply. Where sects rule, rogue cultivators may have paths going up, but none of those paths lead to the top. What future do I have in store for myself? While Luo Chen sank into quiet thought, Chu Kui drained a few more cups of wine before rising to mingle with the crowd. For him, this banquet was a true battlefield. He usually scraped by with the resources he earned from duels on the Debate Platform. Yet the real profits came from the connections made here, from the covert and often dangerous tasks taken on for wealthy cultivators in exchange for generous rewards. Of course, such dealings earned him many enemies. That was why he usually kept a low profile in Tianlan Immortal City, seldom stepping into the open. This was another reason he refused to join a major sect. Once bound by rules and hierarchy, he’d lose the freedom to act and he would give his enemies a clear path to strike. "Fellow Daoist Luo, what are you thinking about?" A gentle voice drew Luo Chen back from his thoughts. He turned and saw the speaker: It was Xuan Yunzi. "Just some trivial matters," Luo Chen replied with a shake of his head. "I should thank you for the invitation. I made quite the harvest during the auction." Xuan Yunzi waved a hand with a smile. "With your resources, even without the invitation, you would have returned with full pockets. No need to thank me." The auction had been jointly hosted by the Ice Fortress and Green Pill Valley, and no one knew the details of the transactions better than Xuan Yunzi. In only three days, Luo Chen and the Luo Tian Society had spent an astonishing one hundred and eighty thousand spirit stones. Such wealth was far beyond what a minor faction could ever manage. "Fellow Daoist, are you an alchemist?" Xuan Yunzi suddenly asked. Luo Chen gave a small nod. The fact that he was an alchemist was no great secret. It was just that his name no longer carried the weight it once had in Dahe Market. Back then, the name Dan Chenzi was widely known. Here in Tianlan Immortal City, it barely caused a ripple. Even so, once Luo Chen confirmed it, Xuan Yunzi’s eyes brightened with visible interest. "Did you refine the Jade Essence pill?" "Mm," nodded Luo Chen. "Are the Myriad Wonders pills your handiwork?" Luo Chen was just about to nod again when something clicked in his mind. He tilted his head slightly. "Fellow Daoist, are you particularly interested in the Myriad Wonders pill?" Xuan Yunzi spoke a little awkwardly. "A mere first-tier pill is beneath my notice, of course. It is just that I have been researching a formula to harmonize water and fire elements. I happened to acquire a Myriad Wonders pill and was struck by its balanced yin-yang properties. I thought I might exchange some insights with you." And you also thought of lying to me. With his sharp intuition, Luo Chen could easily sense that the man’s interest lay elsewhere. Back when they had first met, his Spirit Eyes had detected an unusual coexistence of vitality and death energies within Xuan Yunzi. He had not understood it at the time, but now, with the man suddenly raising the subject of the Myriad Wonders pill, the pieces clicked into place. That alchemical formula didn’t originate from the Jade Cauldron Domain at all. Several of its ingredients came from distant regions. Especially the primary ingredient, Northern Sea Jade Conpoy, was sold exclusively by the Hall of Hundred Herbs under the Medicine King Sect. As Luo Chen recalled, the formula had originally been recovered by his predecessor from the remains of a Medicine King Sect disciple. His scattered suspicions fell neatly into place. Luo Chen smiled. "Well, I was the one to sell the Myriad Wonders pill, but I'm not the maker. It was refined by a lady alchemist from the Luo Tian Society. She used my name for branding." Xuan Yunzi paused briefly before nodding in understanding. Such arrangements were common in the cultivation world. Products endorsed by a recognized name always sold better. Back in Dahe Market, Luo Chen had seen countless enchanted artifacts claimed to be personally forged by the famed craftsman Huyan Zhuo of Tianfan City. But how could a Golden Core Adept possibly forge so many items himself? It was all prestige and borrowed fame. Just then, Luo Chen casually shifted the topic. "But now that you mention the alchemical formula, I’ve actually studied it for quite a while. The handling of the primary water element ingredient struck me as particularly odd. I’ve tried refining it several times, and it just never felt right. Yet when she did it, the results always came out unexpectedly well." He leaned in slightly. "Fellow Daoist, do you happen to know why that would be the case?" Xuan Yunzi nodded; he'd been listening with obvious curiosity. "Well, some medicinal materials have special properties. Some must be processed immediately, while others must be tempered with complementary herbs to dull their edge. What you’re describing sounds like a case of a herb that avoids yang but not yin." He paused, tapping his chin. "But Jade Conpoy? That’s a basic first-tier material. It shouldn’t have any such traits under normal circumstances. Perhaps the flaw lies in your refining technique. When you get the chance, try using the Flowing Creek. It might make a difference." Luo Chen looked like he'd been struck by a sudden realization. "Thank you for pointing that out, Fellow Daoist. If I succeed next time, I will be sure to pay you a proper visit and express my gratitude." "Psh, it’s nothing. Don’t mention it." Xuan Yunzi waved his hand casually, and he was about to change the topic when his gaze froze on something from the corner of his eye. He forced a smile. "Fellow Daoist, I see a few old acquaintances. I’ll head over, if you don't mind." "Of course, go right ahead," Luo Chen replied with an easygoing nod. As Xuan Yunzi turned to leave, he added, "By the way, I reside at Tianlan Peak, Cave Residence Yi Three. Come visit sometime if you are free, and we can share alchemical insights." With those words, Xuan Yunzi turned and walked off. Behind him, Luo Chen narrowed his eyes. I only mentioned a water-element ingredient. I never said anything about Jade Conpoy... Luo Chen’s approach to alchemical formulas was always cautious. He believed that the core components of a pill, especially something as unique as the Myriad Wonders pill, should be kept as closely guarded secrets as possible. It was unlikely the average cultivator could identify the ingredients on sight. Granted, due to the high volume, the Hall of Hundred Herbs might be aware. But the Hall of Hundred Herbs was under the Medicine King Sect, and Green Pill Valley had long been a rival in the trade of pills and herbs. Their relations were anything but friendly. There was no way Xuan Yunzi could have learned of it through those channels. Could Xuan Yunzi have deduced it himself? That was unlikely. In the cultivation world, alchemy wasn’t about throwing herbs into a pot. It required extracting the essence of each ingredient through specific techniques, refining them, and then fusing the results with fire to shape a pill. To identify a pill’s components just from a single sample required nothing short of master-level alchemy. Even then, success was far from certain. Xuan Yunzi was only a second-tier alchemist like Luo Chen. Moreover, with the advantage of his status panel, Luo Chen was far more advanced when it came to certain formulas. Yet even he could not easily identify unfamiliar ingredients. So what made Xuan Yunzi any different? In other words, the fact that he knew Northern Sea Jade Conpoy was a main ingredient for the Myriad Wonders pill likely had only one explanation: Xuan Yunzi had seen the alchemical formula with his own eyes. But aside from Luo Chen himself and the Medicine King Sect disciple who had perished in that remote cave, almost no one else should have had access to that formula. In the Luo Tian Society, only Tang Quan and Mi Li had been permitted to study it. Then Luo Chen recalled the Yuanzhao trip. The corpse of that Medicine King Sect disciple had mysteriously disappeared. A vague suspicion began forming in Luo Chen’s mind. Life and death coexist not in the body, but in the soul. He shows interest in the Myriad Wonders pill. He’s likely seen the formula. Could it be... possession? Just as Luo Chen was pondering, two figures arrived beside him. "Big Sister, this is the Fellow Daoist Dan Chenzi I mentioned earlier!" Luo Chen blinked in surprise at the familiar voice. "Fellow Daoist Tao? When did you arrive in Tianlan Immortal City?" The man was none other than Tao Yisheng, a Foundation Establishment cultivator of Green Pill Valley who had previously been stationed in Yuanzhao and whom Luo Chen had interacted with. They had even spent an entire night exchanging alchemy insights. "I’ve been here for some time now," Tao Yisheng said cheerfully. "I wanted to visit you a few days ago, but the director of your Luo Tian Society said you were in seclusion. I'm happy I finally get to see you today." Tao Yisheng appeared quite excited. His face lit up with joy as he spoke, "Big Sister, this is Luo Chen, the friend I told you about who’s highly skilled in alchemy." Then he gestured toward the woman beside him. "Fellow Daoist Luo, this is my elder sister, Tao Wan." Luo Chen had already taken notice of the woman standing beside Tao Yisheng from the moment she appeared. She wore a simple green robe, and her figure was tall and slender. Her oval face carried a quiet elegance, and her long brows arched gracefully above a pair of clear, focused eyes. At this moment, these clear eyes were fixed on him, tinged with unmistakable suspicion. Luo Chen offered a polite nod and cupped his fists. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Tao Wan." With a glance, he gauged her cultivation. The subtle pulse of spiritual power surrounding her revealed that she had reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment. But he didn't need to see her to know that; her strength and reputation were widely known throughout Tianlan Immortal City. On the Elite Prodigy Board, her name sat beside Chu Kui’s, and her combat prowess was said to rival his. Tao Wan glanced to the side, her gaze sharp. "Are you close with He Yun?" He Yun? Luo Chen arched an eyebrow. That was Xuan Yunzi’s real name. "We are acquainted," Luo Chen replied coolly. "Fellow Daoist, is there something you want to ask me?" The suspicion in Tao Wan’s eyes deepened. At last, Tao Yisheng sensed something was wrong and quietly tugged his sister’s sleeve. "Big Sister, he’s my friend. I got to know him, and we became acquainted even earlier than I ever did with He Yun,” he said softly, his tone bordering on pleading. The unease in Luo Chen’s heart grew stronger. This woman is weird. Perhaps realizing she’d embarrassed her brother, Tao Wan’s expression softened slightly. She gave Luo Chen a nod, and her tone grew more neutral. "It wasn’t meant as criticism, just curiosity. The Yuxuan He family and my Tao family have never been on good terms. That’s why I asked." She offered only an explanation for her earlier questioning; no apology was delivered. Luo Chen gave a faint smile. "I am not familiar with the grudges between your families, so I hope you will forgive my ignorance." Given her cultivation and the fact that she was a friend’s sister, Luo Chen chose to show her some courtesy, in spite of her demeanor. Tao Wan nodded and opened her mouth, as if preparing to say something more. But just as the words were forming on her lips, she fell silent. Across the increasingly crowded banquet hall, a figure was making her way toward them at a brisk pace. "Fellow Daoist Luo Chen, the elder of the Ice Fortress requests your presence!" The voice belonged to Shi Boying. Her tone was measured, neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for all to hear. As her words fell, countless gazes, subtle yet undeniable, began to fall on Luo Chen. Luo Chen’s expression didn’t change. "Please lead the way, Fellow Daoist." With that, Luo Chen walked off beside Shi Boying, unconcerned by the many watchful eyes that followed. Back in the corner, Tao Yisheng’s face darkened. "Big Sister, he is one of the few true friends I have made since leaving the sect, and he is an incredibly skilled alchemist. How could you treat him like that?" Tao Wan didn’t reply. She merely narrowed her eyes, staring at Luo Chen’s retreating figure. Her long lashes veiled the emotion in her eyes. It was already late at night. The narrow corridor remained brightly lit, its cold luminance reflecting off the slabs of mysterious ice that lined the walls. Behind Shi Boying, Luo Chen's expression flickered with unease, shifting through a myriad of thoughts before finally settling into calm. Tantai Jin is Fairy Ruthless’s disciple. The only reason she would summon me... must be the Jade Dew pill. With that conclusion firmly in mind, the unrest in Luo Chen’s heart gradually eased. Before long, Shi Boying led him into a Grand Hall filled with bone-deep chill. The air was thin and still, as if even sound itself had frozen. "Go on in. The elder is waiting," she said. Luo Chen adjusted his collar, straightened his robes, and stepped through the threshold with calm composure. Before he could even raise his head, a cold and familiar voice rang out from the depths of the hall. "You refined the Jade Dew pill?" Compared to what he'd heard in the auction, this voice was even colder, closer to Tantai Jin’s. No, Luo Chen realized, Tantai Jin's voice is cold because it resembles hers. Luo Chen took a deep breath and replied with head bowed, "I indeed refined it." "Can the success rate be increased?" "Not in the short term." The conversation stalled. The heavy cold pressed down from every direction. Traces of Golden Core pressure slowly spread through the hall, each wisp like a blade of frozen wind. Luo Chen, already mentally fatigued, now felt his very soul stiffen, as if the marrow in his bones were turning to ice. Even his thoughts began to slow. Then, at last, Fairy Ruthless spoke again, "Not in the short term. So in other words, you are confident you can improve it eventually." It wasn’t a question but a statement. A thick tome suddenly dropped from above, coming to a halt midair before Luo Chen. It hovered silently, pages bound in pale-blue leather, faintly frosted at the edges. "This was written by a guest elder of Ice Fortress before his death. It contains alchemical insights spanning from the first tier to the third. Study it. Improve the success rate of the Jade Dew pill as soon as possible." Luo Chen stood stunned, momentarily unable to react. "And your divine soul is too weak," she added flatly. "You couldn’t even endure a thread of my pressure. This is the Divine Ice Jade. Wear it long-term, and it will strengthen your divine soul foundation." Luo Chen was dumbfounded. What just happened? Did I walk into a secret reunion with my long-lost mother? Why is she being so generous? Then he quickly sobered. No, wait! If she offers this much, it means she wants even more in return. It's all equivalent exchange. Sure enough, her next words confirmed Luo Chen’s suspicion. "Ten years from now, I want you to supply the Ruthless Lineage with Jade Dew pills consistently, no fewer than a thousand per year! The more, the better. The higher the quality, the better. Can you do it?" Luo Chen glanced at the hovering alchemy tome and the Divine Ice Jade before him. Taking a deep breath, he slowly lifted his head. His clear eyes locked with a pair of cold, merciless ones. "I will need a supreme-grade cauldron," he said calmly, "and second-tier earth fire to assist." As Luo Chen stepped out of the palace, his expression was still somewhat dazed. Today’s gains had truly been absurd, almost too much to believe. To the point that he still hadn’t fully processed it all. And when Shi Lan came up to him, he nearly lost all composure. "Senior Luo Chen, I’ve finalized the reservation for the top-grade second-tier cave residence you requested earlier!"