Chapter 482 - 451: Summoning Order

Chapter 482: Chapter 451: Summoning Order

"Valley Master Chen, pardon the intrusion..."

Cui Zhen clutched a letter covered in runes, his eyes fixed on Chen Che, who sat before him in a Grandmaster’s Chair, head bowed, sipping tea, completely ignoring him. Beads of sweat rolled down Cui Zhen’s forehead.

’Damn it!’

’Why didn’t I get the mission to deliver letters to the other Golden Core territories?’

’This man... even though he’s technically a subordinate Golden Core master, he’s the one who killed Lu Wanli all by himself. He’s the one who publicly forced Duobao to back down on Celestial Beam Mountain and grant him a period of rest.’

’And yet, not even three months later, another summons arrives.’

He had known this trip wouldn’t be easy, but he never imagined he’d be left hanging outside the Valley for an entire day. Once inside, he was tossed in the main hall to wait for two whole days before finally seeing a hale and hearty Chen Che.

"You know it’s an imposition, yet you still dare come to my Jinyun Valley? Didn’t I tell Duobao? I just got back from Faqian City and need time to recuperate. What’s he ordering me around for now?"

Ignoring the man’s plight, Chen Che continued in a leisurely drawl:

"Take the letter back. I’m not reading it."

Upon hearing this, a cold sweat broke out over Cui Zhen’s entire body.

’If I go back like this, Duobao will have my hide in a heartbeat.’

’But I don’t have the guts to just drop the letter and run.’

’A Golden Core True Master’s word is law. Since he’s said it, if I dare leave the letter behind, I’ll never leave Jinyun Valley alive.’

"Valley Master, you are an esteemed Golden Core True Master, a person of great importance. Please don’t make things difficult for a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like me."

"I *am* making things difficult for you. So what?"

Chen Che raised his eyes.

’This man is Duobao’s dog. If I don’t make things difficult for him, what am I supposed to do, serve him tea?’

"I, I..."

Even the eloquent Cui Zhen was at a loss for words. ’I knew this Valley Master was difficult, but I’ve already humbled myself this much. For someone of your status, isn’t it beneath you to torment me like this? It’s just so demeaning!’

But as it turned out, Chen Che didn’t even consider him human.

"Go back."

Having finished his tea, Chen Che rose to his feet.

"Valley Master, Valley Master Chen..." Cui Zhen shouted, chasing after him.

But Chen Che didn’t even spare him a glance. With a flick of his wide sleeve...

Cui Zhen’s world spun. By the time he scrambled to his feet, he found himself thrown clear out of Jinyun Valley. He tried to re-enter, but a thin layer of mist barred his way, making it impossible to set foot back in the Valley.

"Why, you..."

Cui Zhen was furious, but he kept a hold on his senses.

If he were to actually stand at the gates of Jinyun Valley and start cursing, he would be sealing his own fate.

A Golden Core cultivator had countless ways to kill him without a trace. After a long moment of hesitation, he stomped his foot in frustration, pulled a falcon from his sleeve, wrote a quick message, and released it into the sky.

By then, Chen Che had already arrived at the rear mountain. Meng Qianxun saw him and asked in surprise, "That was fast?"

Although they were busy helping in the rear mountain, they were aware of what was happening out front. They’d expected a longer verbal spar between the two, not for Chen Che to be back in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Being too rough would surely displease the Primordial Sect.

"A mere Chief Steward. Easily dismissed."

Chen Che sat down cross-legged. They were all allies here, so he could speak freely. "The Primordial Sect needs to maintain a veneer of righteousness and legitimacy. Duobao’s biggest mistake, his one fatal error, was agreeing on Celestial Beam Mountain to let me recuperate."

"Things are unstable with the Star-Picking Sect, so Duobao can’t afford to act recklessly. If he causes turmoil among the territories under his jurisdiction and shakes the foundations of the Primordial Sect, the Sect Leader won’t let him off."

"Besides..."

Chen Che lifted his chin, glancing toward the center of the rear mountain:

"At a critical time like this, I can’t just leave."

Meng Qianxun looked over and nodded.

Thirty-two dragon heads were still breathing fire, but the molten metal within had already condensed by more than half, constantly surging with a starlike luster.

Yu Qian had ceased his work as well and was now resting with his eyes closed, conserving his energy.

Liang Yuan was tidying the area, while Lu Yuntian, the patriarch of the Lu Clan, had also been roped in to help.

They were at the final stage of the Artifact Casting. How could Chen Che, for whom the artifact was being made, possibly be absent?

’Still, once this ordeal is over, Duobao is bound to settle the score. But then again,’ Meng Qianxun thought, ’Duobao only has two bits of leverage over Jinyun Valley. First, he’s backed by the Upper Sect, so his word is law.’

’But after this storm passes, it’s anyone’s guess whether the Primordial Sect will even exist anymore.’

’The only other thing is Duobao’s personal power.’

’But if they can successfully forge this artifact, Chen Che won’t have to fear Duobao, even in a one-on-one fight.’

The two of them chatted in the rear mountain for a while. Soon, Chen Xi and Meng Changtu arrived one after the other. In less than half a day, a total of seven Golden Core cultivators had gathered. Only then did Yu Qian, who had been sitting cross-legged in the center and resting with his eyes closed, finally open them:

"Let’s begin!"

Chen Che nodded and, with a flip of his hand, sent the Yellow Gourd arcing into the air.

"Condense!"

Yu Qian let out a deep-voiced cry.

The Golden Core cultivators seated around them all extended their hands in unison.

WHOOSH—

A sound like crashing waves erupted as the molten metal in the air surged madly forward.

...

「Primordial Sect.」

Sixth Layer, Main Hall.

Over twenty Golden Core cultivators from the various subordinate territories sat scattered around the hall, which was utterly silent.

Duobao occupied the seat of honor, his eyes closed as he conserved his energy.

"Why haven’t we started yet?"

"Weren’t we told there was something important to discuss?"

"Valley Master Chen hasn’t arrived yet!"

The Golden Core cultivators whispered amongst themselves using voice transmission.

They had all been cultivating in their respective Cave Mansions when a Chief Steward from the Primordial Sect had shown up at their doors, claiming there were urgent matters to discuss. Not daring to delay, they had all rushed here at once.

But instead, they were all just sitting here twiddling their thumbs, with no sign of the meeting starting.

Of course, those in the know naturally understood what was going on.

The Primordial Sect only had so many subordinate Golden Core masters. With a batch of them recently deceased, the remaining number was small enough that a single glance could tell you who was missing.

FLAP, FLAP—

The sound of flapping wings rang out. Everyone looked over to see a falcon flying in swiftly.

Duobao opened his eyes. The falcon landed on his arm. He removed the message, glanced at it without expression, and then, as everyone watched, coldly incinerated it with a sneer.

"Let’s begin!"

’What?’

’We waited two days, and now he’s not waiting anymore?’

"Is Valley Master Chen not coming?"

Someone asked.

"He isn’t coming. He’s recuperating In the Valley," Duobao announced, though anyone could see the displeasure written all over his face.

"What...! The nerve of that Valley Master Chen, daring to make all of us wait for him! After this meeting, the Interim Sect Leader must surely punish him for his insolence!" a Golden Core cultivator exclaimed angrily.

Everyone turned to look.

It was Wang Yuanqing, a Loose Cultivator and a new Golden Core. He stood with his hands clasped respectfully, his face a mask of sycophantic eagerness.

The moment the words left his mouth, the few Golden Core cultivators near him immediately averted their gazes, feigning complete indifference. ’The new Golden Core might be clueless, but they certainly weren’t.’

’This Valley Master Chen has a long history of ignoring summons. His reputation exploded after he made a name for himself at Celestial Beam Mountain. It’s normal for a new Golden Core to try and suck up, but of all people, he had to choose *this* particular City Lord to target.’

Wang Yuanqing was stunned.

’I only just achieved Core Formation, so naturally I’m trying everything I can to get on the Primordial Sect’s good side. And right now, the most powerful person in the sect is Duobao. I thought saying that would get everyone to agree with me.’

’I never thought they’d all react like this.’

"Very good."

Duobao glanced at him and said nonchalantly, "Since that’s the case, after the meeting, Fellow Daoist Wang, why don’t you take a trip to Jinyun Valley on my behalf..."

"I..."

Wang Yuanqing froze.

He happened to glance around and saw everyone looking at him, their gazes tinged with schadenfreude. Only then did it dawn on him that he had misspoken. A cold sweat instantly broke out on his brow.

...

Meanwhile, Chen Che sat cross-legged in the rear mountain, his hands making a pushing motion in the air.

As his True Essence circulated, the last of the molten metal in the air finally adhered to the Yellow Gourd. The once-yellow gourd was now a gleaming Metal Gourd, having grown from the size of his palm to the height of his waist.

Except for the innermost layer that still encased the original Gourd, the rest was solid metal.

Although the mass of molten metal was only about the volume of a large vat, it had in fact been smelted from the densest metals known.

It was first refined, then compressed.

Every single drop weighed three to four thousand jin.

Yu Qian alone would have been unable to manipulate it. A slow, grinding process would have taken several months. Even with seven of them now pushing together, working day and night without rest, it had still taken a good two weeks.

However, this was just the beginning.

Next was the main event.