Li Tao's eyes narrowed.
The atmosphere around Luo Chen had changed.
Although ordinary people could not sense it, those with cultivation could feel an invisible pressure gathering around him.
Meanwhile, Luo Chen was silently evaluating his situation.
His expression remained calm.
His heart, however, was far from it.
What a miserable body.
The meridians were narrow.
The foundation was mediocre.
The spiritual energy in this world was nearly non-existent.
Even after devouring Luo Bingchen's soul and stabilizing his consciousness, he had only recovered to the Fifth Stage of Qi Condensation.
In his previous life, such cultivation would not even qualify him to guard the mountain gates.
Yet now it was enough to dominate an entire city.
The contrast made him feel somewhat absurd.
His gaze swept across the hall.
The strongest person here should be the girl fighting him.
Peak Grandmaster.
Equivalent to the peak of Qi Condensation.
Her combat instincts were surprisingly good.
The two bodyguards nearby were slightly stronger.
Their physiques had already begun touching the threshold of Foundation Establishment through martial refinement.
As for the young man drinking juice—
Luo Chen frowned slightly.
He still could not see through him.
That made him uncomfortable.
Very uncomfortable.
Cultivators feared the unknown more than anything else.
Unfortunately...
he currently lacked the qualifications to investigate.
His spiritual sense could barely extend beyond several meters.
His soul was damaged.
His storage ring was gone.
His treasures were gone.
His sect was gone.
Everything accumulated during eight hundred years of cultivation had vanished.
The only thing remaining was experience.
And experience alone could not create spiritual energy out of thin air.
This world is too poor.
Even if I meditate for a month, I might not recover the spiritual energy consumed in a single serious battle.
His eyes gradually became colder.
Normally, he would never waste spiritual energy against opponents at this level.
Every strand was precious.
Every drop required time to recover.
But the situation had changed.
This Li Tao...
was giving him a strange feeling.
A feeling of danger.
An old monster's instincts rarely lied.
If he wanted to secure a foothold in this world, he needed to establish dominance immediately.
He needed everyone present to understand the difference between a cultivator and a martial artist.
Luo Chen slowly inhaled.
A faint stream of spiritual energy flowed through his meridians.
The surrounding wind began to move.
Several wine glasses on nearby tables trembled.
Cracks started appearing on the floor beneath his feet.
Li Jing's expression became serious.
The smile on her face disappeared.
Even A'Qian and A'Fu subconsciously focused their attention on him.
For the first time since taking over the body, Luo Chen revealed a trace of his former self.
The cultivator who had once dominated an era.
The Nascent Soul expert who had survived countless life-and-death battles.
His eyes flashed with killing intent.
Using this technique in a place like this is wasteful.
But opportunities can be earned again.
Life cannot.
If I can establish my position today, the cost is acceptable.
At worst, I will spend several months recovering.
A faint azure glow appeared around his fingertips.
Neo's scalp immediately exploded.
[Ding! Host!]
[Ding! This is bad!]
[Ding! This is very bad!]
[Ding! He's about to use an actual cultivation technique!]
Li Tao slowly put down his glass.
For the first time since the fight began—
he stood up.
The smile on his face disappeared.
"Now we're talking."
Luo Chen moved.
The azure glow around his fingertips suddenly exploded.
Three crescent-shaped blades made from compressed spiritual energy shot toward Li Jing.
The blades sliced through the air without making a sound.
Yet everyone who saw them felt a chill run down their spine.
Li Jing's instincts screamed danger.
She crossed her arms and mobilized all her strength.
Bang!
The first blade shattered her defense and forced her back.
Bang!
The second blade struck her shoulder and sent her sliding several meters across the floor.
Cracks spread beneath her feet.
The marble tiles shattered one after another.
The entire hall fell silent.
Everyone present finally understood one thing.
This was no longer a battle between martial artists.
Luo Chen was using something they had never seen before.
Something beyond common sense.
Luo Chen's expression remained indifferent.
In his eyes this result was natural.
Even the weakest cultivation techniques surpassed ordinary martial arts.
The difference between spiritual energy and internal energy was like the difference between steel and wood.
Li Jing gritted her teeth and rushed forward again.
Her fighting spirit did not decrease in the slightest.
Instead it became stronger.
She punched.
Kicked.
Elbowed.
Attacked continuously.
Yet Luo Chen calmly dismantled everything.
His movements became increasingly smooth as fragments of his former experience awakened.
A palm landed on Li Jing's shoulder.
Boom!
She flew backward.
Blood appeared at the corner of her mouth.
The spectators gasped.
Even A'Qian and A'Fu frowned.
The gap was becoming obvious.
Li Jing wiped the blood from her lips.
Then she stood up again.
"Again!"
Luo Chen shook his head slightly.
In his previous life he had admired such determination.
But admiration did not mean mercy.
His fingers gathered another strand of spiritual energy.
This time he intended to end the battle.
The azure glow condensed into a sharp spear-like projection.
Li Jing's pupils contracted.
For the first time she sensed genuine danger.
If this attack landed—
she would lose.
Perhaps much worse.
Neo immediately shouted.
[Ding! Host!]
[Ding! Your cousin is about to get folded!]
Li Tao had already noticed.
His expression remained calm.
The next moment—
he casually waved his hand.
Whoosh!
A streak of silver light crossed the hall.
The speed was so fast that nobody reacted.
Not even A'Qian and A'Fu.
The silver streak stopped directly in front of Li Jing.
A sword.
An ancient-looking sword covered with mysterious patterns.
The sword vibrated excitedly as though recognizing its owner.
Li Jing subconsciously grabbed the hilt.
Buzz!
A sharp sword cry echoed throughout the hall.
The moment Luo Chen saw the weapon—
his soul nearly left his body.
His calm expression shattered completely.
"What?!"
His pupils shrank to pinpoints.
The spiritual spear in his hand almost dispersed.
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
A spiritual weapon?
No.
Not merely a spiritual weapon.
Even at his peak, he had never possessed something of this level.
The pressure emitted by the sword was ancient.
Noble.
Supreme.
As though it belonged to a higher existence entirely.
For a brief moment Luo Chen felt as though he had returned to the day he first faced a Nascent Soul Ancestor.
No.
The pressure was even greater.
His heart began pounding wildly.
Every instinct in his body screamed the same thing.
Run.
Run immediately.
Luo Chen looked toward Li Tao.
The young man was still standing there calmly.
As if sending out such a weapon was no different than throwing someone a kitchen knife.
A cold sensation crawled up Luo Chen's spine.
The strongest person here had never been Li Jing.
It had always been him.
The terrifying thing was—
Luo Chen still couldn't see through him.
Questions exploded inside his mind.
Who was he?
A reincarnated old monster?
A hidden expert?
A descendant of some ancient immortal faction?
The more he thought about it, the more dangerous Li Tao appeared.
Retreat.
Immediately.
This was the conclusion reached by eight hundred years of survival instincts.
Opportunities could be found again.
Life could not.
Without hesitation Luo Chen abandoned the attack.
His spiritual energy exploded beneath his feet.
Boom!
The floor shattered.
His figure transformed into a blur and shot toward the broken windows of the club.
Everyone was stunned.
A moment ago he looked invincible.
The next moment he was fleeing.
Even Li Jing looked confused.
"Oi! Why is he running?"
Li Tao smiled slightly.
Because unlike Ye Feng...
this one had a brain.
Luo Chen crossed several streets in mere moments.
Only after putting sufficient distance between himself and the club did he stop.
His chest rose and fell heavily.
The consumption from earlier had already cost him nearly thirty percent of his remaining spiritual energy.
But he ignored it.
His mind was occupied by something else.
As he stood atop a nearby building, a faint sensation suddenly emerged from the depths of his soul.
A direction.
A call.
A connection.
Luo Chen slowly turned toward the distant Endless Mountains.
His eyes narrowed.
The feeling was extremely weak.
Yet it undeniably existed.
It felt similar to the spatial tunnel that had carried his soul across worlds.
As though something there was resonating with him.
A gate.
A massive gate.
A fragmented image appeared briefly in his mind.
Ancient.
Majestic.
Covered in runes.
Then the vision disappeared.
Luo Chen's breathing became heavier.
He suddenly understood.
The opportunity that brought him to this world had not vanished.
It was still there.
Waiting.
His gaze became determined.
"Li Tao..."
He repeated the name silently.
The fear from before gradually transformed into caution.
Then into anticipation.
At his current strength he was not qualified to challenge that faction.
But that would not remain true forever.
First he would investigate the mountains.
Recover his cultivation.
Uncover the secret behind the ancient gate.
Then...
he would settle today's account.
With that thought, Luo Chen disappeared into the darkness.
Leaving behind a city that had become far more complicated than anyone imagined.