Chapter 60: Oh no, we’ve been abandoned!

Zhang Shen’s teasing words pricked Luo Tian’s heart, but instead of exploding in anger, Luo Tian irritably withdrew his aura. This could be seen as a way of gracefully backing down.

At the same time, Luo Tian was also quite troubled.

Why did he travel tens of thousands of miles to seek refuge with Zhang Shen? Was it because he couldn’t find anyone else? 

Yes, that was indeed the case.

He had tried, but everyone else’s appetites were just too big.

A patron? No, they wanted to swallow the entire Luo family whole. This was something Luo Tian could not accept.

After several attempts, Luo Tian also realized that the Luo family had already become a piece of meat on the chopping block, with the True Core cultivators circling like vultures, just waiting for him to breathe his last before swooping in.

In such a situation, expecting them to step forward and protect the Luo family from other True Core cultivators in exchange for mere patronage was simply wishful thinking. While the offer of patronage was tempting, directly taking a piece of the Luo family’s pie was even more so.

Originally, Luo Tian had thought that since Zhang Shen was far away and unaware of the real situation, he could hoodwink him.

Who would have known that Zhang Shen was actually in the know? This left Luo Tian in a bind.

In fact, even if Zhang Shen had not known and agreed to the deal, once he found out the truth, he could have gone back on his word. A verbal agreement was like toilet paper, used and then discarded.

As for making a solemn vow?

Only a fool would make such a vow over this kind of matter. Even so, Luo Tian had come to trick Zhang Shen because he was left with no other choice.

With only thirty or forty years left before his time ran out, Luo Tian could already feel himself declining.

This time might seem long, but for a True Core cultivator, it was no more than the time taken for a few closed-door cultivation sessions.

Luo Tian was filled with complex emotions.

Zhang Shen, on the other hand, was completely unperturbed. He felt no sympathy for Luo Tian, and there was no need to.

Did the Luo family ever show sympathy to those they defeated and killed during their rise to power?

It was simply the law of the jungle, where the weak are prey to the strong, and one must accept the consequences of their bets.

A True Core family that failed to continuously produce True Core masters was but a fleeting beauty, glorious only for a moment.

If a family wished to survive even after the passing of their True Core master, they must know when to advance and when to retreat, giving up possessions and territories that they could not hold onto. Making friends through business dealings was also beneficial, as these connections could help protect the family. In this way, others would not seek to eliminate them completely.

For example, after the ancestor of the Li family, Li Yan, passed away, the Li family managed to survive for over two hundred years. This was because they knew when to advance and retreat. It was only due to the incompetence of the later generations that the family declined.

Unfortunately, the Luo family could not follow this path.

They had been too arrogant.

In the first hundred years after Luo Tian advanced to the True Core stage, expanding the family’s territory and influence was expected. But if Luo Tian had started to change his ways while he still had enough time, he could have established a good image for the family and left a way out.

But the Luo family seemed to have lost their wisdom, remaining arrogant for hundreds of years without stopping. Not only had they failed to make any good connections, but they had also made quite a few enemies.

It could be predicted that once Luo Tian passed away, not only would the True Core cultivators divide up the Luo family’s territories, but the warriors in the Innate and Acquired stage would also take the opportunity to strike at the Luo family without any hesitation.

These people would truly seek to eliminate the Luo family completely.

This was why Zhang Shen laughed.

Did Luo Tian really think that a mere offer of patronage would make him step up to shoulder the burden?

Luo Tian underestimated Zhang Shen’s sources of information.

Perhaps Luo Tian wasn’t in the habit of browsing the mainframe web. There, gossip about the Luo family was always brought up as a joke.

Unable to reply, Zhang Shen had been silently watching from the sidelines.

“Fellow Daoist Zhang, is there really no room for negotiation?” Luo Tian suppressed the tumultuous emotions and displeasure he felt toward Zhang Shen. 

For the sake of his family, he was willing to lower his head.

Zhang Shen’s lips curved into a smirk.

“It’s not that there isn’t any room for negotiation. But, don’t bring those tactics meant to hoodwink people to the table.”

The dying Luo Family was like a juicy piece of meat, and how could Zhang Shen not want to take a bite? It was just that the Luo Family estate was quite distant from the Ancient Covenant headquarters and Yousha Town, making it difficult for Zhang Shen to intervene.

But now that Luo Tian presented himself at his doorstep, he naturally wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away,

Seeing that there was room for discussion, Luo Tian’s eyes brightened.

“Take a seat,” Zhang Shen gestured with his hand for Luo Tian to sit down and have a slow talk.

That day, the tranquil ambiance of Shanshui Residence was intermittently pierced by powerful auras and furious roars, turning the place into a turbulent sea of energy. Fortunately, Shanshui Residence was a forbidden area of the Ancient Covenant, with not a soul in sight, otherwise, the consequences for any bystander would have been dire indeed.

In the end, Zhang Shen and Luo Tian reached an agreement.

However, Luo Tian’s face was a storm of fury and resentment, his eyes a fiery red, undeniably indicative of having been thoroughly taken advantage of.

“Hmph, you better uphold your word, or I swear, even from the abyss of the Nine Hells, I will rise to settle the score with you.”

“Rest assured, you have enough time before your death to witness my sincerity.”

Zhang Shen, in a good mood, didn’t care about Luo Tian’s warning. It was not like he could forbid others from venting a few words after taking a big hit.

“Remember this, fellow Daoist Luo. I will only protect a portion of the Luo Family’s descendants, ensuring the hope of preserving your family. As for those good-for-nothings, don’t even think about sending them here. I don’t want to have to lift a finger later on to execute those failures.”

Luo Tian glared at Zhang Shen with fury. If looks could kill, Zhang Shen would have been riddled with holes by now.

“I will.” 

Luo Tian’s voice was extremely low and suppressed. He didn’t stay any longer, taking to the skies and flying away.

He needed to return and carefully select personnel.

“Time to get busy.” 

Zhang Shen shook the storage bag in his hand, which was filled with a collection of rare resources, including spiritual herbs, spiritual fruits, and ores, some of which were of the True Core grade.

These resources were the price to protect a portion of the Luo family, and this was just the down payment. The remainder would only be delivered after Zhang Shen demonstrated his sincerity.

From the beginning, Zhang Shen had no intention of sheltering the entire Luo family or preserving their current territory.

Monopolizing resources would offend a large group of people.

Currently, Zhang Shen did not possess the strength to stand up against the powerful True Core stage cultivators who were like wolves and tigers. At most, he could have a share of the spoils. Even if his share was larger and more bountiful, other True Core cultivators would only be displeased, but they wouldn’t choose to go to war with him.

Through the mother-child communication talisman, Zhang Shen informed the high-level members of the Ancient Covenant about his deal with Luo Tian.

“I have only one request, that you fully assimilate this group of people into the Ancient Covenant.”

Protecting them was one thing, but Zhang Shen had no intention of leaving the Luo family’s people idle. Why not incorporate them into the Ancient Covenant and make use of them as tools? This was the benefit of having subordinates, he gave the orders and the Ancient Covenant handled these trivial matters.

Zhang Yu, Li Zhi, and others were all very capable people.

After receiving Zhang Shen’s notification, they began to make contact with the Luo family.

After negotiations, both sides decided to build a new city by the Black Sand River, a distance away from Yousha Town.

The Luo family would provide the funds, manpower, and effort, while the Ancient Covenant would assist in the construction. Afterward, the city would be under the rule of the Ancient Covenant, and the Luo family could choose a location within the city as their family residence.

It was worth mentioning that the land belonged to the Ancient Covenant, but they were allowing the Luo family to live there.

The terms were strict, but the Luo family agreed.

Construction on both sides was in full swing, and more and more Luo family members joined in.

Gradually, some members of the Luo family began to understand the truth.

Those who had joined the construction of the city were all reputable members of the family, and some of them had even joined the Ancient Covenant. This information was reported to the elder ancestor, Luo Tian, accusing these family members of being disrespectful to their ancestors.

But Elder Luo Tian had no reaction, no punishment was meted out, and he even generously increased the supply of materials for the city’s construction.

Now, the smart ones among the remaining Luo family members truly understood. This city was clearly the Luo family’s backup plan.

More than the outsiders, these family members were acutely aware that their ancestor Luo Tian was nearing the end of his lifespan. They could feel the impact, and the resistance they faced when acting arrogantly outside had grown.

This had left them in a state of anxiety.

But now, was there a way out?

They also knew about the master of the Ancient Covenant, the newly advanced True Core master.

Was he willing to protect their Luo family?

This was indeed a good thing, but upon closer assessment, they noticed that many had already joined the construction of the city and the Ancient Covenant, except for themselves.

How could this be? 

Surely these people must have taken a back door, otherwise, how could the elders have forgotten about them?

They realized they needed to take the initiative, or else by the time they moved to the new city, all the good opportunities would have been snapped away, and they would be left with nothing. How could they then live a comfortable life then?

However, when they sought out the family elders, the family’s high-ranking members, and the family’s geniuses, they discovered that none of them had received a notification to move to the new city.

Recalling that only those with good reputations were involved in the project, these family members had a sudden, absurd realization. But it was too unbelievable.

They approached their ancestor Luo Tian, anxiously seeking confirmation for their suspicions, hoping for a favorable response and that they were just overthinking things.

Luo Tian made no effort to acknowledge them, not even granting them an audience. This left them devastated.

“Ancestor, ancestor, please don’t do this! I am a pillar of the Luo family!”

“Ancestor, please don’t give up on me! I am the future of the Luo family!”

“Ancestor, I am your beloved little Luo, please see me.”

“Ancestor, I have always been loyal and dedicated, please give me a chance.”

These clever individuals were wailing and pleading.

Some, seeing Luo Tian unmoved, even stood up with the intent to run to the new city and squat there, refusing to leave. But it was then that they realized they were restricted to the Luo Family estate and were not allowed to go out.

This left them in utter despair.

Although Luo Tian did not meet them, he saw everything that happened in the Luo Family estate.

His divine consciousness enveloped the entire fort. He felt sorrow and helplessness, but he had no intention of going back on his agreement with Zhang Shen. The current plight of the Luo family was Luo Tian’s responsibility to bear.

The Luo family prospered because of him, became arrogant because of him, and now faced its current predicament because of him.

The glorious Luo Tian, in his most prosperous time, did not restrain the desires of his family members, did not guide them on the path to the family’s longevity. Instead, he indulged their arrogance and haughtiness, to the point that now they had to cut to the bone in order to survive.

Such significant actions by the Luo family and the Ancient Covenant could not be kept hidden from others.

Those True Core stage cultivators who viewed the Luo family as their prey couldn’t sit still anymore.

They didn’t go looking for Luo Tian, a True Core stage cultivator on the brink of death, for they knew that if cornered, he would fight to the death. Neither did they bother the Luo family members who were building the new city. Being strong, they still had some grace before completely tearing off their masks.

Two early-stage True Core cultivators approached Zhang Shen together.

To their surprise, they hadn’t even reached Shanshui Residence when they saw Zhang Shen, seemingly waiting on the clouds for a long time.

This made the two feel apprehensive.

It wasn’t surprising. With physical strength at the True Core stage sixth layer, the range of Zhang Shen’s perception was far more extensive than the divine consciousness of these two early-stage True Core cultivators.

As soon as they approached, Zhang Shen sensed their presence.

Seeing that their intentions were not good, Zhang Shen naturally wouldn’t wait for them in Shanshui Residence.

“I am Zhang Shen. May I ask who you two are?” Zhang Shen asked with a smile.

“Li Wen.”

“Ma Qiang.”

Being both True Core cultivators, they didn’t disdain to reveal their names.

“So, it’s Daoist Li and Daoist Ma. May I know the purpose of your visit?” Zhang Shen asked, facing two True Core stage cultivators without a trace of panic. 

Even without revealing his physical strength, with just his martial arts cultivation, he had no fear of the two men before him.

Zhang Shen could clearly perceive the cultivation levels of Li Wen and Ma Qiang with his sixth layer True Core physical body.

One was at the first layer of the True Core stage, and the other was at the second layer. Their auras had similarities to Luo Tian, somewhat vacuous, and clearly unstable at their core.

With such strength, Zhang Shen had no reason to panic.

Still, he gave the two men respect, as he was a humble person. Especially since he sensed the gaze of even stronger cultivators hidden in the dark.

Evidently, the two who stood before him were just the first line, with stronger True Core stage cultivators behind them. Whether these two knew they were merely the vanguard was another question.

“Indeed, we have come regarding the matter of the Luo family,” Li Wen spoke up. “Daoist friend, you extend your hand into our bowl while being in the endless wilderness, don’t you think you’ve reached too far?”

Li Wen was angered. Unlike the unaffiliated cultivator Ma Qiang, he had a family backing him, and they had been waiting for Luo Tian’s death to have a full meal. But just as they had discussed how to divide the Luo family’s assets among themselves, someone else had swept in and taken a large piece of the pie away.

It was infuriating.