...
Luo Shuangli couldn't out-stubborn him and finally accepted his kindness.
After Lu Chen left, Luo Shuangli immediately sat down to Cultivate.
To avenge her family, she had to raise her Realm as fast as possible!
'Alas, I left in such haste I couldn't bring any Spirit Stones... my training speed will drop sharply.'
She placed the void god pill in her mouth and sighed.
Only when Spirit Stones are paired with Spirit Pills does training yield twice the result with half the effort.
Still, considering Purple Nether Sect's current straits, Lu Chen probably didn't have many Spirit Stones left either.
'Forget it; I won't give my husband something else to worry about.'
Gulp.
The pill dissolved into pure medicinal power that scoured her Meridians.
When she circulated her Internal Skill Mind-Cultivation Technique and drew in Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, her eyes snapped wide open!
Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi howled through her pores, so thick it liquefied into Spirit Liquid!
'This is... a Spirit-Gathering Formation!'
'Yes, it must be a Spirit-Gathering Formation!'
What else could produce such an effect?
And its Grade wasn't low—it rivaled Profound Thunder Sword Sect's fifth-rank Spirit-Gathering Formation!
'Husband, where did you find so many Spirit Stones...?' Luo Shuangli's heart shook; she knew every minute the Formation ran cost dearly.
He must have activated it without hesitation just to help her Cultivate!
'I can't let him down.' Her gaze softened.
Without realizing it, Lu Chen had carved an indelible mark on her heart.
...At that moment Lu Chen was in the great hall discussing matters with the Grand Elder.
'Sect Master, as instructed, I've fed the Spirit Stones into the Formation Plate.'
'Training speed has tripled—equal to a fifth-rank Spirit-Gathering Formation—yet the Spirit Stone drain is only one-tenth!'
'Sect Master, which Great Master of Formations crafted this plate?'
Mu Hei asked, gazing at Lu Chen in awe.
An ordinary ninth-rank Spirit-Gathering Plate raised speed by 1.5 times at most, but Lu Chen's version was efficient and cheap—even running day and night it would consume only twenty-four thousand Spirit Stones a month.
Simply unbeatable!
'Mu Hei, don't ask. Keep expanding recruitment; send more Disciples on missions to earn Spirit Stones so they can trade for martial arts and strengthen themselves.'
Pleased with the Formation's results, Lu Chen began wondering what reward he would receive when his first child was born.
Just then the Second Elder rushed in clutching a note.
'Second Elder, what's the panic?'
Flushed with anger, the Second Elder said, 'Sect Master, news from Xuanxiao Secret Realm!'
'Cangming Sect seems to have dug up a Low Grade Spiritual Vein and now they've sealed the entire Secret Realm, barring our people from entry!'
'What! A Low Grade Spiritual Vein?'
Lu Chen sprang to his feet, breathing hard, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
A complete Low Grade Spiritual Vein could supply a ninth-rank Sect for ten years!
It would produce at least several million Low-Grade Spirit Stones!
'Second Elder, tell me everything!' No wonder Lu Chen lost composure—such a Vein was the lifeblood of any clan or Sect.
Even the Fourth-Rank Sect Profound Thunder Sword Sect controlled a mere five Spiritual Veins.
'This morning our Disciples were exploring and picking Spirit Stones as usual, but when they reached the core they were stopped by Cangming Sect, who drove them away violently and even injured several!'
Lu Chen exploded, 'Outrageous! How dare they swagger on my turf!'
'Grand Elder, Second Elder, make ready and accompany This Sect Master to Xuanxiao Secret Realm at once!'
The matter was too critical for delay.
——
Two hours later,
Lu Chen led a group of Tai Xuan and Dragon Transformation Realm Cultivators to the rim of Xuanxiao Secret Realm.
The Secret Realm was a spatial node guarded by Purple Nether Sect personnel.
Loose Cultivators had to pay Spirit Stones to enter,
but because Lu Chen had lost a bet to Cangming Sect's Young Lord and ceded half jurisdiction, Cangming Sect guards were also present.
'Sect Master Lu, what brings you here?'
Cangming Sect's overseer, Qin Yun, caught wind of their arrival and hurried out to greet Lu Chen.
'Hmph!'
Before Lu Chen could speak, Mu Hei snorted, 'The jurisdiction was split in half. What do you mean by driving our Disciples out of the core area?'
Exposed, Qin Yun quickly bowed, 'Sect Master Lu, anomalies have appeared in the core; it's unsafe. We're only thinking of your Disciples' safety.'
'Cut the crap!'
Lu Chen glared. 'This Sect Master hears someone dug up a Spiritual Vein. This land belongs to my Purple Nether Sect—take your men and get out!'
'You—!'
Qin Yun, a Cangming Sect Elder at the sixth step of the Dragon Transformation Realm, was a powerhouse in his own right.
Now, humiliated, his blood surged; Spiritual Qi roiled around him, and the faint cry of a Dragon rose within his body.
Dragon Transformation Realm—mortal to divine, forging the human Dragon.
A few days earlier Qin Yun had heard Lu Chen's demonic poison flared and his cultivation dropped.
Perfect time to test how much strength he had left.
'A mere Dragon Transformation Realm dares raise a hand against This Sect Master?' Lu Chen sneered.
'Mu Hei, he's yours.'
Without even turning his head, Lu Chen spoke.
Mu Hei was at the seventh step of Dragon Transformation; handling Qin Yun would be easy.
Moreover, he now practiced the Traveling Dragon Movement Technique and the Hardening Heart of Steel; even against a ninth-step Dragon Transformation Cultivator at Perfection he could protect himself.
'Rest assured, Sect Master—this stray dog Qin Yun is mine!'
With one punch Mu Hei tore the air, the dull boom of his fist revealing Purple Nether Sect's Profound-grade Low Grade fist art—Seven Kills Fist.
Seven Kills Fist hides seven layers of hidden force that can ravage an opponent's Meridians and organs.
Qin Yun dared not be careless; he answered with a Tai Chi Palm, using skill to neutralize force.
Lu Chen merely glanced at the two and strode into the Secret Realm.
Cangming Sect Disciples, cowed by his dominance, dared not block him.
Inside, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was noticeably richer,
making it plausible that a Spiritual Vein had formed here.
Lu Chen sped to the core and indeed saw Cangming Sect Disciples organizing to mine the Vein!
Leading them was none other than Cangming Sect's Vice Sect Master Liu Feng!
He stood only one step away from Breakthrough into the Divine Dao Realm.
'Sect Master, do we strike now?' The Second Elder's eyes blazed as he awaited Lu Chen's order to charge!
'Half a year ago Cangming Sect's Young Lord tricked This Sect Master; they've monopolized Xuanxiao Secret Realm for six months and likely pocketed over ten thousand Spirit Stones.'
'Disciples, hear my command—today we settle this old score once and for all!' Lu Chen's killing intent soared, his Spiritual Qi surging like a tide!