Chapter 1241: The Complete Moon Step; Crisis in the Three Domains (I)

The Luo Tian Sect grew hectic as preparations for the patrol mission were underway. Under Li Yingzhang's command, the disciples had gathered in one place, waiting to be selected into the team.

Normally, most people would feel a sense of foreboding in this situation, because no one knew if they could even return from this kind of mission. In the past, the Luo Tian Sect had no Sages and by consequence no influence among the higher-ups of the human race's army, so whenever there was warfare, its members had often been sent to the most dangerous battles. Those repeated missions were precisely the reason their numbers had dwindled from nearly ten thousand to a mere few hundred.

This time, however, the sect seemed much calmer. At least, no one appeared too worried. And the reason for that was...

"The Supreme Elder will personally lead the team to Skypiercing Pass, so I expect only the best from you. Do not become his liability!

"Those whose names will be called, collect your supplies from Elder Heavenjade. You will find spirit beast pouches, Spirit Feed pellets, fasting pills, talismans... Do not use the talismans lightly! They were made by the Supreme Elder himself and are extremely powerful! One for each of you, and Initiates each get an additional Sunburst Talisman. Aside from these, you may select one other second-tier talisman of an attribute that suits you.

"The patrol team departs in three days. Before then, inspect your artifacts, treasures, and enchanted outfits; report immediately on any defects or damages!"

The fact that their Sage would accompany the patrol team to Skypiercing Pass instilled immense confidence in the crowd of Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment disciples. Li Yingzhang was well aware of this mentality. Out of fear that overweening confidence might be inflated into arrogance and recklessness, he employed a strict tone on top of his usual gentle disposition when he gave them the instructions. In response, the disciples listened to him with rapt attention.

Li Yingzhang was the current leader, and the third leader in the two hundred years of the Luo Tian Sect's history—since the time it had been established on the foundation of the Luo Tian Society.

The first leader, Sima Huiniang, was known for her impartiality and selflessness. She had prioritized the sect's interests above all else, showing no favoritism even toward her own family. Her eldest brother, Sima Xian, had died in battle for the sect, while her younger brother, Sima Wenjie, had been denied even the resources needed to form his Golden Core—a grievance that had driven him to betrayal. In light of all this, the sect members placed utmost trust and respect in Sima Huiniang, and no one dared challenge her authority.

The second leader, Yao Mingyue, had not been particularly remarkable. Yet even though the Luo Tian Sect had been in a gradual decline under her leadership, no one had ever blamed her. They knew she had already done more than well for an Initiate, given the difficult circumstances of the times.

Li Yingzhang, on his part, had kept a low profile since starting his tenure. However, in an almost imperceptible manner, he had come to thoroughly grasp every detail in every aspect of the sect. Furthermore, he maintained just the right balance in his relationships with everybody of every rank, navigating social etiquette and interpersonal dynamics to perfection.

To outsiders, Li Yingzhang seemed to be having an easy time managing the Luo Tian Sect. The Supreme Elder above him kept the overall situation in check, while a century of going through war and turmoil together had forged strong cohesion among the members below. All he had to do was address the sect's shortcomings and handle its affairs, all the while making methodical plans to unlock the potential of the members as best as he could.

People were right about the contents of his role, but it was, in fact, no easy work. Only someone who had to dive into these tasks knew how complicated and troublesome they could be.

After the sect leader selected twenty Initiates from the crowd, Heavenjade approached him. "Regarding the Adepts, have you decided who to send?"

Faced with her question, Li Yingzhang revealed a hesitant look rarely seen on his face.

In his view, no matter how heaven-defying the Supreme Elder's capabilities were, there was no room for negligence, nor could they be shoddy about choosing his entourage. Li Yingzhang deemed it only right to send their most powerful Adepts to Skypiercing Pass with Luo Chen. Looking around the entire Luo Tian Sect, the cream of the crop in terms of combat prowess were Wang Yuan, Sima Huiniang, and the newly arrived elder standing before him.

But the Supreme Elder seems to have different ideas...

***

"Don't need me to go there with you?"

"Nope."

"What about the big fellow down there?"

"Black King will also stay at Verdant Mountain and guard the sect with you. Speaking of which, he and the rest got here earlier than I expected. Heh, actually, I only feel comfortable about leaving the sect because they're here."

"Then who are you planning to take with you?"

"Chu Kui is one. He's fought alongside me, so he knows me well. Moreover, he formed his Golden Core quite long ago, so his cultivation has solidified. Yang Pingdu is another. With his expertise as our Law Enforcement Elder, he'll be there to keep everyone in line. In the meantime, I can also assess his cultivation progress. As for the last one, that'll be your disciple."

"Yilong?"

"Yes. He's the leading figure among our juniors. The more experience he gains and the greater the reputation he builds, the more it will boost the confidence of our bottom-tier disciples. Why the long face, by the way? Reluctant to let your precious little disciple fly on his own?"

Wang Yuan put down the bamboo scroll in his hand with an utterly composed expression. "No. It never hurts to experience more of the cultivation world, or else he'd keep going around thinking everyone has a good heart. My concern is your choice of people. If you only take them with you, you'll have no capable hands when things really go south."

Luo Chen burst out laughing. "You're thinking too much. With my current reputation, plenty of people will volunteer to help me when I'm in trouble."

Suddenly, though, his smile faded. "On the contrary, if I parade powerful experts like you and Black King around, they will see only the Luo Tian Sect as a potential threat, one big enough to compel them to do... things."

"A threat?" Wang Yuan subconsciously frowned. But he quickly understood when he considered how special Luo Chen's current status was.

A great grandmaster of alchemy was already a top-class figure that could single-handedly sustain a large sect. If every one of his followers was revealed to be extraordinary as well, they would easily become a thorn in the side of every other force. Back in the day, Divine Origin had been able to cultivate five Sages by himself. With Luo Chen's mastery of alchemy, he would only produce even more if given time! But could the Eastern Wilderness tolerate such a formidable existence?

"Let me be the only one who stands out, because that's enough. You all just need to bide your time and conceal your true strength until the day you can amaze the world in one fell swoop," said Luo Chen.

Then, with a sweep of his hand across the table, he lay down a bunch of jade bottles and a jade scroll.

"I took time to refine some Black Sovereign Paste. This thing will hurt like hell, but it works wonders for strengthening the body. You're just one step away from the fourth tier of Physique Refinement, and maybe it can help you take that last step. Sadly, I didn't have many ingredients available, so I could only make ten bottles. In this scroll, I've recorded both the usage and refinement methods of this medicine along with some of the things you need to pay attention to."

Wang Yuan stored the items after just a cursory glance at them; he had never doubted anything Luo Chen gave him. Then, just as naturally, he handed a scroll to Luo Chen.

"What's this?" Luo Chen unrolled the scroll to see a series of inexplicable footprints that followed no discernible pattern whatsoever.

Wang Yuan said in a serious tone, "Remember the Four Aspects Immortal Tread series you gave me?"

Luo Chen had a vague guess, and it startled him. "So this is..."

Wang Yuan nodded. "One of the incomplete ones, Moon Step. Well, I guess you can say it used to be incomplete. I combined what I could find in the scrolls and what I know about the transformations of blood qi, and I figured out the missing parts. This is not an offensive technique; it focuses on manoeuvring and shifting positions with unpredictable footwork. There are some minor differences from what's described about the original Moon Step in the book, but there's no doubt about its effect. One thing to keep in mind, though, if you decide to practice it: You don't have fortified qi. With just physical strength and mana, it probably won't get you as far as it can get actual Physique Refiners."

Reaching this point, Wang Yuan sighed in mild disappointment. "The complete Four Aspects Immortal Tread is definitely a top fourth-tier Physique Refinement art. It covers rapid attacks, combat movements, closing long distance, and instantaneous power outbursts; that's about everything body cultivators need to erase the gap between them and qi cultivators. It's a shame only Lightning Kick is whole, and I can only complete Moon Step with my current abilities. There's little I can do about Wind Leg and Cloud Tread."

While listening to Wang Yuan's lamentation, Luo Chen checked the scroll with keen interest. As he sent his blood qi to envelope the footprints, they seemed to come to life, becoming animated. Clearly, the technique was recorded in Wang Yuan's own template. Those without powerful enough blood qi wouldn't be able to learn anything from this scroll.

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