Chapter 1465: Chapter 1436: The New Member of Heisha Ridge

The Big Leader’s change of topic was so sudden that even Li Chen was caught off guard.

It wasn’t until this moment that Li Chen realized that the person sitting across from him was not just any ordinary person, but once a strong warrior of the Higher Heaven Realm!

Qin Qiang and several others, in front of the Big Leader, were just juniors. Li Chen understood that the relationship between Qin Qiang and the Big Leader was not one of superior and subordinate, but rather one of respect from younger to elder.

Li Chen hesitated for a moment, understanding that such a strong warrior wasn’t easy to deceive. No matter how low their intelligence, these warriors who lived hundreds or thousands of years were definitely old demons.

Just as he was considering how to fabricate a story, the Big Leader spoke gently: “If it’s just a story, there’s no need to say it. Lin Chen, although your cultivation isn’t high, I can sense a kind of strong and authoritative aura from you. If you don’t want to join Heisha Ridge, I won’t make things difficult, but if you truly wish to join, don’t just go through the motions.”

Hearing this, Li Chen felt a tightness in his heart; these old demons indeed weren’t easy to fool.

Thinking for a moment, figuring these people weren’t natives of the Earth Prison Star Continent and likely had no ties with the Extreme Wing Sect, Li Chen gritted his teeth and disclosed his background.

Of course, regarding the Heavenly Pearl and the Book of Taoist Magic, he couldn’t divulge. Cang Ku had long warned him that no matter what, he must keep the Heavenly Pearl a secret to avoid bringing powerful enemies upon himself.

As for the Book of Taoist Magic… Li Chen vaguely felt that it might be even more precious than the Heavenly Pearl.

Upon hearing Li Chen slowly recount his background, the Big Leader looked at him with a particularly peculiar expression.

This boy had even killed a disciple from the Extreme Wing Sect?

But the Big Leader didn’t seem too concerned. After all, having once been a protector of a Six-Star Sect, the Extreme Wing Sect was merely a Five-Star Sect in comparison.

“…As for this so-called aura of an authoritative figure you mentioned, that’s just a joke. Before entering the Heaven Realm, I had a power in the Lower Realm. At that time, I was considered a top-level powerhouse there. Having subordinates was not surprising, was it?” Li Chen stated slowly.

“I see.” Throughout Li Chen’s explanation, the Big Leader kept his eyes fixed on him, confident in his ability to read people, having been a stronger warrior. He believed Li Chen wasn’t lying.

“In that case, we seem to share a common plight.” The Big Leader suddenly laughed.

“Common plight?” Li Chen was stunned.

The Big Leader nodded with a smile: “Because some individuals from the Dijie Star Continent are likely still hunting for me. They might even have people secretly searching for me on the Earth Prison Star Continent as well.”

“Hunting? People secretly searching here too?” Li Chen’s curiosity was piqued.

“All because of that item causing trouble…” the Big Leader sighed but stopped halfway, seemingly apprehensive to elaborate.

Seeing the Big Leader’s silence, Li Chen didn’t press further. After all, he was just a newcomer in the Envy Heaven Realm, essentially acting as a dog-headed strategist. He wasn’t qualified to ask about certain secrets yet.

“By the way,” Li Chen changed the topic proactively: “Big Leader, am I now an official member of Heisha Ridge?”

The Big Leader smiled: “Welcome to the fold.”

…

In the days that followed, Li Chen stayed in Heisha Ridge.

Despite there being over fifty bandits in Heisha Ridge, most other martial artists still had to find their own cultivation resources, including the Big Leader.

Li Chen met the Second Leader, a burly man. However, after seemingly having talked with the Big Leader, he was quite friendly towards Li Chen, without any sense of superiority.

The Big Leader had mentioned to Li Chen that the Second Leader was once a strong warrior of the Higher Heaven Realm but, like him, had fallen to the Mid Heaven Following Realm after being seriously injured.

Everyone certainly had their tales! Li Chen couldn’t help but muse.

Through the Big Leader’s stories, Li Chen gained a deeper understanding of the harshness of the Heaven Realm, realizing that even a Six-Star Sect could face annihilation, let alone a humble Envy Heaven Realm warrior like him.

“Ultimately, it’s a lack of strength. If I were strong enough to fear no one, such occurrences would not happen,” Li Chen muttered internally.

But his strength was still insufficient.

Over the following period, Li Chen remained in Heisha Ridge to cultivate in hiding. For him, as long as there were resources, it didn’t matter where he practiced.

In the blink of an eye, a year passed.

Among Heaven-level martial artists, the distribution of cultivation levels was clear. Powerhouses in the Heaven Following Realm had their own channels for acquiring cultivation resources, while those like Li Chen, in the Mid-Heaven and Envy Heaven Realms, had their own areas of activity.

Qin Qiang and the rest also had to seek out cultivation resources, exploring dangerous mountain areas most of the time; banditry could not be a daily affair, or Heisha Ridge would have vanished long ago.

However, thanks to Li Chen’s suggestions, the fifty-member robbery group of Heisha Ridge became more organized and disciplined.

Knocking people unconscious and ambushing them became second nature to them under Li Chen’s diligent instruction.

Li Chen even passed on various tricks from the Lower Realm to these bandits.

Complex traps, faking accidents, and “Fooling the Immortals” were profound concepts that opened up a new world to the bandits of Heisha Ridge.

“It wasn’t until I met Teacher Lin that I realized how naive and pure I used to be!” Qin Qiang expressed during one of Li Chen’s lectures.

Beside Qin Qiang, the other leader, Luu Zhouzi, sighed appreciatively: “Yes, particularly Teacher Lin’s teachings on the ‘Thick Black Theory’ and the ‘Essence of Slyness,’ it has shown me how shameless a person can truly be!”

Li Chen walked past the two with a stern face, wondering if they were insulting or praising him.

“You two, take some old-looking ones to Ciran City two thousand miles away for a hit-and-run. If you can’t get ten people in three days, forget about pills next month!” Li Chen stated ominously.

“Ten in three days!” Qin Qiang exclaimed: “Lin Chen, you’re trying to get us killed! Didn’t you say faking accidents shouldn’t be done multiple times in a short period?”

Li Chen chuckled: “Ciran City is big enough. Just hit-and-run, and move to a different spot. If I went myself, I’d be done in a day, believe it or not?”

Luu Zhouzi opened his mouth, then closed it, hastily collecting his things.

During their year together, he had realized one thing clearly: never talk back to Li Chen!

It was better to offend the Big Leader and Second Leader than to offend their Heisha Ridge’s ‘Teacher Lin’!