The scorching sun hung overhead, the dry wind sharp and stifling. Two days had passed since Luo Chen’s meeting at Binglan Palace. A massive flying boat loomed over the docking platform atop Danxia Peak. Cultivators from the Battle Hall filed aboard, their spirits high, eyes gleaming with anticipation. A great operation was about to unfold, and this time, the president himself would be leading them. At the height of their anticipation, Luo Chen stepped onto the deck with Wang Yuan and Min Longyu by his side. "Let’s move," he said calmly. Without delay, Min Longyu activated the supreme-grade Langqi Flying Boat. With a resonant hum, the vessel lifted into the air. Under the watchful gazes of Duan Feng, Murong Qinglian, and the others, it banked southeast and soared into the clouds. An hour later, the flying boat hovered above a sprawling gorge. Nestled between the sheer cliffs below, stone towers and pavilions clung to the canyon walls like precarious nests. At this moment, cultivators stood armed, glaring defiantly upward. A golden radiance shielded the valley like an impenetrable fortress wall. Luo Chen stood at the bow, hands clasped behind his back, eyes steady as he looked down. The Divine Craftsman Sect! So this was the real root of Zuo Song’s sudden "sense of justice." The Iron Sword Hall had no ties to the other sects that had been wiped out. But since his first days in Tianlan Immortal City, Luo Chen had known the Divine Craftsman Sect was backed by an early Foundation Establishment elder from the Iron Sword Hall. He didn’t know what terms had been used to sway Zuo Song into lobbying on their behalf, but their refusal to surrender and attempt to strike back so underhandedly had thoroughly enraged the Luo Tian Society. Today, it was time for an explanation to be given. Inside the gorge, within the most prominent white jade palace, Sect Master Fei Changqiu of Divine Craftsman Sect wore an expression of absolute gloom. He clutched a voice-transmission jade token, yet the token remained deathly silent. "That old bastard took my offering and did nothing," he spat bitterly. "Shame on him!" The Grand Elder beside him looked equally grim. The Luo Tian Society’s assault had been too open, too bold, leaving no time to maneuver. They had sent a distress call to the Iron Sword Hall almost immediately. But there had been no reply and everyone knew what that meant. "Sect Master, what do we do now?" Fei Changqiu’s expression darkened further. "I’ll send one more message and see how Zuo Song responds." In the northwest of Tianlan Immortal City, atop a mountain bristling with countless swords, Zuo Song stared at the glowing jade token without the slightest shift in expression. An elder at his side finally broke the silence. "Sect Leader… are we truly not going to help Sect Master Fei?" Zuo Song’s eyes turned cold as he snapped back, "And how exactly would we help?" The elder fell silent. He understood. The Ice Fortress had made it clear they were dead set on backing the Luo Tian Society. Even Green Pill Valley had chosen to turn a blind eye. If the Iron Sword Hall intervened, they’d only anger the Ice Fortress. Moreover, they had begun to notice that Green Pill Valley’s cultivators hadn’t taken up any actual city management roles. It was as if this supposed change of leadership was nothing but a farce. In this situation, who dared offend the Ice Fortress? When Zuo Song thought back to his complaint against the Luo Tian Society and realized Luo Chen had likely been eavesdropping, he couldn’t help but feel utterly stifled. What a clown show this situation had become.... "Let the Divine Craftsman Sect fend for themselves," said Zuo Song. The elder asked cautiously, "And what about the items Sect Master Fei sent?" Zuo Song gave a derisive snort. "I acted. I spoke to our superiors. What more does he expect?" The implication was clear. They would not aid in this fight. As for the gifts, those weren’t going back. Another Foundation Establishment elder, who had once shared ties with the Divine Craftsman Sect, opened his mouth as if to protest. In the end, he only gave a bitter smile and shook his head. Fei Changqiu… you’re on your own. Within the Divine Craftsman Sect, Fei Changqiu stood motionless, staring at the unresponsive transmission jade in his hand. No matter how long he waited, there was no reply. With a roar of fury, he slammed his palm onto the desk, shattering it into splinters. "That old bastard, how dare he humiliate me !" Beside him, the Grand Elder’s expression was bleak, and his voice low and strained. "Sect Master, what now?" Fei Changqiu drew a long, shaky breath, forcing himself to suppress the panic clawing at his chest. He turned toward the open window. In the distance, a massive flying boat loomed above the gorge, and atop its deck he could faintly make out a lone figure gazing down. Not long ago, it had been Fei Changqiu who brought men to intimidate Danxia Peak. Now, everything had reversed. Unease twisted in his gut, yet his face remained cold, lined with grim determination. "Don't panic," he said harshly. "We’re not like the Danyuan Sect or the Geng family. We have a second-tier defensive formation, and both of us are Foundation Establishment Initiates. Even a grand cultivator would need months to break through! Luo Chen is merely a mid-stage Initiate himself. How could he possibly breach it? And do you think the Luo Tian Society can afford to drag this out?" He had carefully investigated Luo Tian Society's recent conquests and their plunder. They had seized vast wealth and territory. What they needed now was not more bloodshed, but time to consolidate, to digest it all. This was obvious from how the Luo Tian Society had halted all movement after eliminating four sects. The Wei family from Xuchen Mountain had been too cowardly at heart. If they hadn’t begged for peace and allied with the Divine Craftsman Sect, what could Luo Chen have done? "We drag this out," Fei Changqiu said with a snarl. "Bring out every mid-grade spirit stone. Have all late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators patrol day and night. I want the Ironclad Bastion Formation running without pause!" Just as the order left his lips, a clear voice rang out from beyond the hall. "Luo Chen, President of Luo Tian Society, requests a meeting with Sect Master Fei!" Fei Changqiu snorted coldly. "If he wants to meet, then so be it!" Two figures faced each other high above the canyon. The sun was blazing overhead, and a golden barrier shimmered across the hundred zhang between them. Luo Chen stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze steady on the man opposite. A faint trace of nostalgia stirred within him. "Sect Master Fei," he called out with a calm smile, "I trust you’ve been well." Fei Changqiu said coldly, "President Luo, I don’t believe I’ve wronged you. When you first settled in Danxia Peak, I withdrew my people. And now you arrive in full force, banners raised and blades drawn, don’t you think that’s excessive?" "Excessive?" Luo Chen echoed softly, shaking his head. "When Lu Rong took advantage of my absence and launched an assault on Danxia Peak, did you think that was excessive?" "That was his personal decision. It doesn’t represent the Divine Craftsman Sect," Fei Changqiu shot back. "Oh?" Luo Chen’s voice darkened. "Then tell me, would he have dared act without your approval?" "If you’re set on laying blame, you’ll always find a reason!" Fei Changqiu’s voice rose in anger. "So you’re denying it?" Luo Chen’s tone dropped another degree. "How could I possibly acknowledge guilt for something I didn’t do?" Luo Chen’s eyes narrowed. Fei Changqiu stood too firm, his defiance drawn from the golden formation that enclosed the gorge below. Luo Chen’s gaze lingered on it briefly before he lifted three fingers. "You have three choices," Luo Chen said, voice steady. "First, resist, and the Divine Craftsman Sect will be destroyed. Second, you and I duel on the Debate Platform. If you win, I’ll spare your sect. Third, pay a hundred thousand spirit stones, hand over your artifact-forging manuals, and remove your sect from Tianlan Immortal City altogether." Then he smiled, not without irony. "From what I’ve heard, you’ve been considering relocation anyway. I’m just helping you along." Fei Changqiu’s face flushed red with fury. "Luo Chen, you’re going too far! That last condition is utterly unacceptable. I may have considered relocation, but the Divine Craftsman Sect’s roots are still buried deep in Tianlan Immortal City; abandoning them outright is impossible. And your second choice is nothing but shamelessness! You're at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, backed by a major sect and hard-won battle experience, and yet you still dare to call it a fair duel[1]?" Latest content publıshed on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⚑𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥 Luo Chen’s smile faded. "So you’ve chosen the first, then." Fei Changqiu’s eyes turned bloodshot. "Come if you dare! Let’s see if your Danxia Peak still stands after you waste months outside my gate!" Luo Chen’s lips curled faintly as he began to drift back, withdrawing step by step. Fei Changqiu snorted coldly and withdrew into the canyon as well. For a while, only the golden barrier remained standing between heaven and earth. Back aboard the flying boat, Luo Chen stood at the prow, his gaze fixed on the gleaming golden barrier below. "Do you recognize that formation?" Luo Chen asked, pointing at the shield encasing the Divine Craftsman Sect Min Longyu’s expression turned grave. "Of course I do. That’s the Ironclad Bastion Formation, one of the ten most renowned second-tier defensive formations in existence." Luo Chen arched a brow. "Is it really that formidable?" Min Longyu nodded. "Absolutely. It draws power from the surrounding terrain and spirit veins, anchoring itself to the land. Once activated, it renders a region nearly impenetrable, as if indeed surrounded by walls of iron and stone." Luo Chen looked confused. "Isn’t that just the standard principle of most defensive formations?" "That’s exactly why it’s widely adopted," Min Longyu explained. "It’s basic, yes, but also stable. In contrast, those flashy and complex formations may have strange effects, but their complexity often undermines their core defensive function." Luo Chen was taken aback, but as he considered it more deeply, he realized the man was right. Take, for instance, the Small Five Elements Formation that Miao Wen had gifted him when they settled in Crescent Moon Valley. When completed, it allowed the five elemental forces to flow in harmony, constantly regenerating and self-sustaining. It was strong enough to endure a few strikes from even Foundation Establishment Initiates. However, its weakness was obviously to break the elemental cycle, and most of the formation’s power would collapse instantly. For any Foundation Establishment Initiate, breaking that cycle was all too easy; Luo Chen himself knew many ways to do it. Then there was the Seven Absolutes Annihilation Formation used by the Duan family during the battle at Xiaohuan Mountain. It was also a second-tier formation that claimed to merge offense and defense. Its power was vast, but once Duan Feng destroyed just a few key enchanted artifacts, the entire formation unraveled. In short, the more complex a formation was, the easier it was to dismantle... unless the formation master’s cultivation far surpassed the attacker’s. Now Luo Chen understood where Fei Changqiu’s confidence came from. But come hell or high water, today, the Divine Craftsman Sect had to be destroyed! This wasn’t like the previous four exterminations. Xuchen Mountain and the Divine Craftsman Sect hadn’t truly offended the Luo Tian Society. Wei Tuo and Lu Rong had acted alone; they didn’t represent their family or sects. Moreover, Lu Rong hadn’t even gotten the chance to act before Wang Yuan blasted him apart. That was why Luo Chen had treated those sects with leniency. He gave them enough time to weigh the pros and cons. The Luo Tian Society’s response was based entirely on how those sects responded to them. In this way, no one else could accuse them of unjust action. Since Xuchen Mountain had come to seek peace, Luo Chen had graciously accepted. By contrast, the Divine Craftsman Sect’s resistance demanded a high-profile show of force to make it known to the world that their downfall was their own doing. If you offend the Luo Tian Society, you should be ready to pay the price! Luo Chen’s eyes narrowed. "Can you break this formation?" "There’s no such thing as a flawless formation!" Min Longyu replied with a confident smile, taking out his supreme-grade formation disc and adjusting its nodes. "No matter how powerful the formation, it has its strengths and weaknesses. The Ironclad Bastion Formation is just second-tier. Its so-called invincibility only means that average people can’t spot its flaws. Give me enough time, and I’ll find its weak points and then we’ll break it with precision." Luo Chen asked, "How much time will you need?" Min Longyu sensed Luo Chen’s urgency and had a vague realization that dragging things out might not end well, but bold promises couldn’t be made lightly. He answered truthfully, "Half a month at the earliest, several months at the latest." "That’s too long," Luo Chen said flatly. "I can’t wait that long." "If we deploy enough people to attack the formation and stir up fluctuations, the process can be accelerated," Min Longyu added. Luo Chen’s eyes flashed as he recalled the battle at Crescent Moon Valley. Back then, Crescent Moon Valley had laid down a first-tier Earth Guarding Defensive Formation. In theory, that formation could withstand Foundation Establishment-level attacks. Yet Min Longyu had broken it in just one night. The key had been Dajiang Gang’s relentless assault. Their constant attacks had shaken the formation, exposing a flaw that Min Longyu capitalized upon to break it in one strike. Without hesitation, Luo Chen declared, "Everyone here, including Wang Yuan and myself, will be under your command. You have three days." Min Longyu’s eyes lit up at once. With Luo Chen and Wang Yuan committing their full strength, his confidence soared. Soon, everyone received Luo Chen’s order: They were now under Min Longyu’s direct command. And Min Longyu wasted no time. He strode to the front and laid out his plan with crisp precision. "All cultivators will be divided into five teams according to your primary spirit root. Whatever element you cultivate, that’s your team. "Metal Team, step forward! Water Team, step forward!" After a brief commotion, the hundred late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators under Luo Chen were swiftly sorted into squads. While this unfolded, Luo Chen observed the distribution of his troops with interest. It was clear that most specialized in water, wood, fire, or earth, and a very few were cultivating the metal element. This wasn’t because metal spirit roots were rare. Rather, it was because metal-element cultivation techniques were far too scarce in the cultivation world. Even Luo Chen himself, despite having a trace of metal affinity, hadn’t been able to pursue that path. Had the choice been available, most cultivators would’ve opted for metal-element spells without hesitation. At the same level, metal-element combat power generally surpassed the other four elements. Among all Luo Chen’s allies and enemies, only Qin Liangchen had truly mastered metal element cultivation, and even his metal cultivation method was incomplete, which had greatly slowed his journey to Perfected Mastery of Qi Refinement. Luo Chen wasn’t fixating on this out of boredom. He was reflecting on how many second-tier techniques the Luo Tian Society had amassed. When the succession system eventually launched, first-tier techniques would no longer be acceptable. At a minimum, they’d need second-tier techniques with long-term viability. Otherwise, carefully selected disciples would cultivate for decades, only to hit a dead end after reaching Foundation Establishment. That would be utterly ridiculous. Luo Chen’s brow furrowed slightly as he pondered on the techniques the Luo Tian Society had for each element. For metal, they lacked a dedicated cultivation method, which meant that if someone with a metal affinity joined, he would have no way to properly nurture them. For wood, they had the Yi Wood Medicine King Codex, and Luo Chen himself was already well-versed in its precursor, the Long Spring Art. If the right root appeared, he could even take such a person as a disciple. For water, there were Ocean-Severing Wave from the Duan family and Boundless Ocean from Wang Haichao. For fire, he had secured the Unified Ding-Fire Technique, the Flame Yang True Scripture, and the Azure Yang Seal. For earth, they had the Mountainplate Seal and the Earthguard Silent Art. Beyond these single-element techniques, they also had three dual-element methods. Nether Spring Darkfire, a water-fire dual cultivation technique from the Duan family. The Gentle Wind and Golden Rain Manual, a metal-water dual cultivation manual with some wind mixed into it, had been looted during the Gaoling Plains battle from a rogue cultivator. The Waterside Pavilion Art, a water-wood dual cultivation art, had been obtained from the rogue cultivator Cao Wanchun while taking over Danxia Peak. It was the only item of value in his possession. After tallying it all up, Luo Chen felt a surge of excitement. He had once struggled just to get his hands on a single first-tier or second-tier technique. Before he knew it, through numerous battles, he had already amassed no fewer than eleven second-tier main cultivation techniques! He even had a third-tier ghost cultivator technique, the Divine Ghost Secret Record! With this as the foundation, it was enough to sustain the succession of an entire sect. Luo Chen couldn’t help but feel a great sense of pride. Ordinary minor sects or cultivation families could never gather this many second-tier core techniques. Only Luo Chen, who had personally slain or overseen the deaths of so many Foundation Establishment Initiates, could have acquired so much. It was this relentless accumulation that had built such a formidable legacy. As he pondered, Min Longyu approached from the deck below and said, "President, everything’s ready." "Then begin." Luo Chen swept his arm forward, his gaze burning as it locked onto the seemingly impenetrable golden barrier surrounding the Divine Craftsman Sect. 1. I've made a tweak in the final line because the original text mentioned that Fei Changqiu was at the third stage of Foundation Establishment, making it seem unfair for him to face Luo Chen, who was at the fourth. However, Chapter 423 explicitly states that Fei Changqiu has already reached the fourth stage, and the conversation with the Grand Elder further confirms that he is in the mid-stage. Hence, the original line no longer makes sense in context, so I adjusted it accordingly. ☜