Chapter 87: The Death of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator

"What, you're saying a late-stage Foundation Establishment grand cultivator died in our Great River Market?"

Early in the morning, Luo Chen was startled by the discussion in the courtyard as soon as he stepped out.

Qin Liangchen and his wife, Gu Caiyi, even Bai Meiling and Feng Xia, were all gathered together.

They were heatedly discussing the death of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Bai Meiling chattered, "The body was discovered the day before yesterday. A Golden Core cultivator from Ailao Mountain used a soul token and tracking magical treasure to retrieve it from the bottom of the Lancang River near the Great River Market."

"It wasn't suicide, it was murder!"

Of course, who would want to commit suicide when they're a cultivator in good health!

Luo Chen couldn't help but ask, "If he was murdered, why didn't the enemy dispose of the body? Throwing it into the river is too crude. They could have used high-level true fire to destroy the evidence."

"Probably the enemy wanted to, but couldn't!"

Bai Meiling tilted her head and said this.

"Once you kill someone, can't you destroy the body?"

"That Foundation Establishment cultivator had a defensive magical treasure, which his wife specially obtained from a Golden Core elder for him."

A defensive magical treasure!

Luo Chen's eyelids twitched.

Then, he realized the atmosphere was a bit off.

Why were Bai Meiling and Qin Liangchen doing all the talking, while Gu Caiyi wasn't participating in the discussion?

Seeing Luo Chen look over, Gu Caiyi's expression became somewhat complicated.

"Fei Bowen indeed had a unique defensive magical treasure, and it was particularly strange, called a Cage. It's said that when activated, it forms a small immortal house, isolating all spiritual energy inside and out. Unless attacked by a late-stage Golden Core level technique, the Cage can't be broken."

"Of course, once the Cage is activated, the person inside can't get out either, and can only wait for rescue."

Indeed, it was a unique magical treasure.

Defending against enemies while also locking oneself in.

Mourao Qinglian was very surprised, "Caiyi, do you know that late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

Gu Caiyi nodded lightly and pointed to a piece of gauze she was wearing.

"This was a high-quality defensive magical tool he gave me when he first stayed at the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion in the Great River Market."

A high-quality defensive magical tool, given away so casually?

That late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was really generous!

For a moment, Mourao Qinglian, Bai Meiling, and the others looked at Gu Caiyi with strange expressions.

Gu Caiyi didn't explain. She had wanted to return the magical tool, but the other party insisted on not taking it back, saying that once he gave something away, he wouldn't take it back, as it would be a slap in the face.

"Fei Bowen?"

Luo Chen repeated the name, subconsciously saying, "Isn't that the foreman from Ailao Mountain?"

Foreman?

Gu Caiyi already knew the meaning of this term.

She gave Luo Chen a glare and sighed, "Indeed, it's him. Otherwise, a Golden Core elder from Ailao Mountain wouldn't have come personally to look for him. For this reason, the Immortal Construction Residence in the Great River Market has been closed for the past two days."

The Immortal Construction Residence closed?

Luo Chen suddenly understood why the Ailao Mountain cultivator who helped him build his alchemy room the day before yesterday left in a hurry without collecting the final payment.

It turned out such a big incident had happened in their own home!

"He came to the Great River Market to repair the spirit residence and help build the Dao Discussion Platform. Who would want to kill him, and who could kill him?" Luo Chen was extremely curious and started to speculate about the other party's background. "Not to mention his late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, just being the son-in-law of a Golden Core cultivator's granddaughter should mean no one would dare to touch him!"

Everyone was puzzled and continued to chat for a while before dispersing.

After all, they all had work to do.

However, before leaving, Mourao Qinglian reminded everyone to be careful when going out and in.

The murderer of Fei Bowen might be an outsider, and there was a high possibility they were still hiding in the Great River Market.

Everyone agreed, but didn't take it too seriously.

Those people were involved in big business and had killed a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. They wouldn't have the time to target small fry like them.

As Luo Chen put it, "As long as I'm a pile of shit, no one will step on me."

This statement earned him a scolding from the female neighbors.

The alchemy room was about to be completed, and the number of people coming and going didn't decrease but increased instead.

Luo Chen was no longer as leisurely as before and became busier.

"Luo Erduo, Luo Wudi's nephew, at the fourth level of Qi Condensation."

"Yang Qi, Yang Wei's son, at the first level of Qi Condensation, only nine years old! They're sending him to the Alchemy Hall?"

"Milì, Uncle Mi Huahua's granddaughter? At the fourth level of Qi Condensation, twenty-one years old. Her talent must not be great, otherwise, she would have been sent to a major sect long ago."

One by one, the faces of the young, innocent, hopeful, doubtful, and proud individuals flashed through Luo Chen's mind.

These were the people the various hall masters had sent to his Alchemy Hall.

Luo Chen couldn't refuse because this was a condition he had agreed to at the Bright Moon Hall meeting.

He would do his best to cultivate alchemy for their descendants.

Of course, Luo Chen would definitely teach them.

But how much effort he put in was entirely up to him.

As for how many of these people would become proficient,

What a joke in the cultivation world! Luo Chen was still consolidating his alchemy foundation!

Holding the Hundred Herbs Catalog, Luo Chen glanced at the group of young people in the valley and couldn't help but frown.

These people couldn't be relied on. He needed to cultivate a new batch of helpers.

In the Crescent Moon Valley, a group of young people gathered, bored, and chatted idly.

Their conversation was filled with curiosity about the Alchemy Hall master, Luo Chen.

"He's younger than me, and he's already the master of a hall?"

The speaker was Luo Wudi's nephew, Luo Erduo.

He exuded a fierce aura, clearly having been to the mountains and seen the blood of demons.

But this experience didn't mean much to the others.

Whose elders hadn't come out of the mountains, covered in blood and corpses?

Tang Quan sneered, "Yes, you're older than him. But your cultivation isn't as high. Besides fighting, what else can you do? In the cultivation world, skills matter!"

Tang Quan was a seed candidate recommended by Zeng Wen.

He had no familial relationship with Zeng Wen, just the descendant of a deceased brother of his.

Knowing that Zeng Wen and Luo Chen had a good relationship, he naturally leaned towards Luo Chen's side.

Luo Erduo's face turned red, "Yes, you have good skills. You must have learned many ways to control women from your sick tiger uncle!"

Tang Quan suddenly stood up!

"Little punk, say that again?"

"Afraid of me?"

Seeing the two about to argue, the others were also helpless.

Tang Quan wasn't afraid of Luo Erduo. His father had died early, and his uncle Zeng Wen didn't manage him much, so he often went into the mountains with the Combat Hall members to kill demons.

In terms of cultivation, the two were evenly matched.

"Everyone, stop arguing, okay?"

Hearing the gentle voice, Tang and Luo had to stop their harsh words and didn't argue further.

Just because the speaker was the granddaughter of the gang leader, Mi Huahua, and her mother, Mi Junping, was the hall master of the Merit Hall.

Milì, with three spiritual roots, at the fourth level of Qi Condensation.

Her beautiful face was always pale, as if she were ill.

She forced a smile, "We all came to the Alchemy Hall to learn alchemy. Why make things so awkward?"

Some agreed, some remained silent.

They had also heard some things about the Alchemy Hall from their elders.

Some valued it, some didn't care.

Therefore, the young people who came to the Alchemy Hall were of different backgrounds.

Some were sent to learn alchemy, some were just sent to pass the time.

Milì sighed, feeling uneasy in her heart.

In the Mi family, she wasn't very important.

Her innate deficiency had wasted many resources from her parents, but she had gained nothing.

Now, with the Mi family thriving under Mi Huahua's leadership, talented individuals were emerging, and one of her peers even had the chance to join a sect.

Her status had plummeted.

Now her mother insisted on sending her to the Alchemy Hall, and she didn't know what her mother's intentions were.

Was it to pass the time, or did her mother hope she would really learn something?

Just as she was feeling uneasy, a companion beside her let out a strange cry.

She looked up and saw a yellow earth light streak across the sky, gracefully entering the depths of the Crescent Moon Valley.

"It's Grandfather," Milì thought.

"Little Luo, how is the research on the Jade Marrow Pill going?"

As soon as he landed, Mi Huahua got straight to the point.

Luo Chen, the "Yellow Dragon," rolled his eyes, "You really believe in me. I've only had it for a few days! If it were that easy to refine, your Mi family would have been selling it long ago!"

Mi Huahua smiled awkwardly, knowing he was being too hasty.

But after a conversation with Wang Hai Chao last night, besides asking Gao Tingyuan not to bother Luo Chen anymore,

Another matter made him urgent.

If the Broken Mountain Gang's Alchemy Hall could produce good pills, the Great River Gang would also get involved.

Then, through the Great River Gang's channels, their pills could be sold in other markets.

Sighing, Mi Huahua suppressed his urgency.

"The opening ceremony is set for three days from now. We'll invite some internal cultivators to attend."

"I'm preparing a ceremony for you. Do you have any ideas?"

Luo Chen blinked, a ceremony? A grand event?

Of course, the bigger, the better!

"Sure, we can combine the opening ceremony and the furnace lighting. I'll show you what a master alchemist can do!"

(End of Chapter)