Chapter 499 - 468: A Gathering of Golden Cores

Chapter 499: Chapter 468: A Gathering of Golden Cores

The newcomers were none other than the leader of the Hong Alliance, Zhao Yunchen, and his son, Zhao Shifeng.

"Alliance Leader Zhao."

Chen Che cupped his hands in greeting, a question forming in his mind:

"What brings you two here...?"

"City Lord Zuo and I are old acquaintances. He invited my son and me to help defend the city."

Zhao Shifeng’s expression was sour. He had never forgotten that this was the young man who had forced his father to humbly apologize. Standing behind his father, he offered only a slight cupping of his hands and muttered, "Valley Master Chen."

Zhao Yunchen, on the other hand, was incredibly warm, as if greeting a long-lost friend.

"We only just arrived. We heard a Golden Core cultivator had appeared outside the city, so we rushed over to take a look. I never expected to run into you here, Valley Master Chen! With you present, Celestial Ghost City will surely be impregnable."

’He’s certainly well-connected,’ Chen Che thought.

’It’s not surprising, though. One’s Realm determines one’s circle. Even if Zhao Yunchen’s Hong Alliance is just an empty shell, a cultivator of his Realm naturally associates with other Golden Core cultivators of similar standing.’

"You flatter me."

Still wary of the other party, Chen Che didn’t seem overly enthusiastic and just cupped his hands in a perfunctory gesture.

He exchanged a few more pleasantries with them before taking his leave.

...

"Father, he was giving us the cold shoulder. There’s no need for us to kiss up to him..." Zhao Shifeng couldn’t help but say as he watched Chen Che walk away.

Though he had learned to be more reserved these days, he still harbored a slight animosity toward Chen Che.

"If I can lower myself to befriend him, why can’t you?" Zhao Yunchen said as they walked.

"As the saying goes, strangers at the first meeting, friends at the second."

"The adage ’more friends mean more paths’ might not always be true, but it’s always better than having more enemies. He is younger than you, more talented than you, stronger than you, and his faction is greater than yours. In what way are you his equal?"

"I..."

Zhao Shifeng was indignant.

Knowing his son better than anyone, Zhao Yunchen simply smiled at the sight. "You pride yourself on achieving Core Formation before he did, and you’ve always been the center of attention. It’s normal that you can’t accept this right away. But don’t worry about losing face. When you’re dependent on someone else’s favor, face is the most worthless thing there is."

"Take Zuo Qinlong, for example. His face is worth more than mine... I asked him for a favor recently, so when he told me to come guard Celestial Ghost Ridge, I had no choice but to come."

"I understand," Zhao Shifeng muttered.

"Sigh..."

Zhao Yunchen glanced at his son’s expression and shook his head. He knew the words hadn’t sunk in, but he didn’t plan to say any more.

He looked up and saw the massive City Lord’s Mansion right before them.

Zhao Yunchen took a step forward.

"Please announce our presence to City Lord Zuo."

"Zhao Yunchen, Leader of the Hong Alliance, and his son, Zhao Shifeng, have come to guard Celestial Ghost Ridge."

...

...

"Another Golden Core has appeared outside the city!"

"What? A second Golden Core cultivator? Who is it? What’s their title?"

After wandering around for a little while longer, Chen Che heard another commotion on the street before he even made it back to his courtyard.

The scattered crowds began to surge once more, gathering toward the city walls.

Apparently, just as Chen Che had predicted, True Master Xuehai Gong Liangyi’s actions had indeed convinced many of the hesitant Golden Core cultivators to make up their minds.

It wasn’t a huge problem, however.

He and Zuo Qinlong could both summon a number of Golden Core cultivators; they had more than enough power to defend Celestial Ghost Ridge.

"Move, move, move!"

As he was thinking, urgent shouts and rainbow-like streaks of light flashed past. Chen Che looked up to see squads of cultivators armed to the teeth rushing toward the city walls to enforce the lockdown.

"Those are City Lord Zuo’s private soldiers," a cultivator hastily getting out of the way whispered in explanation. "I reckon the whole city will be under lockdown soon."

Sure enough, with the appearance of the second Golden Core cultivator outside, the entire city was placed under a strict lockdown. Ordinary people were forbidden from entering or leaving, and the number of cultivators on the streets visibly dwindled. Anyone found wandering the streets would be immediately questioned.

Most people were either holed up in their inns or gathered in taverns.

The city was poised for war.

"When do you think those Golden Core cultivators outside will attack?"

Back in the courtyard, Xiao Chan and Chen Xi were both tensely preparing for battle. The former was performing Sacrificial Refinement on the souls he had collected, as most of them had belonged to others. The Divine Souls of Golden Core Realm cultivators like Song Yuanxing and Pei Chu required special attention.

The latter was performing Sacrificial Refinement on her puppets.

For a Puppet Master, puppets were of the utmost importance and required repairs after every major battle.

In comparison, since Chen Che only needed to focus on his Thunder Jade Gourd, Sword Pill, and Fierce Eyes, he had more free time than the other two.

"I’m not sure. Probably within three to five days," Chen Che speculated. "The activity within the city will affect those outside. If we drag this out any longer, those Golden Core cultivators will start to disperse."

Their fervor will crest, then wane, then vanish completely.

If they can’t muster the courage, they’ll naturally scatter.

’Time to cultivate...’

He casually set up a Magic Array, took out a stick of Divine Court Incense, and lit it.

Wisps of golden smoke curled up from the Incense Stick. Chen Che formed a hand seal for a spell, and the smoke transformed into two horned dragons that slowly spiraled into his nostrils. At the same time, his Divine Sense began to increase, bit by bit, a slow and steady grind toward the Eighth Layer.

Seeing Chen Che’s actions, the other two also paused what they were doing.

Although they couldn’t directly absorb the smoke like Chen Che, they entered a state of Returning to the One to concentrate their Divine Sense. They would occasionally inhale a wisp or two and immediately enter deep cultivation. While their efficiency was far less than Chen Che’s, their Divine Sense still grew steadily under the influence of the Divine Court Incense.

They weren’t envious, though.

They knew full well how much effort Chen Che had expended to obtain this Divine Court Incense.

WHOOSH—

Half a day later, deep in the night, Chen Che slowly withdrew his power as the vast sea of his consciousness gradually calmed.

’Even without an object of faith, I can still achieve steady growth with the Divine Court Incense.’

He glanced at the other two, who were still cultivating and trying to stabilize their seas of consciousness, then slowly rose to his feet.

The streets were still bustling with noise. It seemed more Golden Core cultivators had appeared outside the city—two more in quick succession. The powerful aura and oppressive presence of four Golden Core cultivators could be felt even in Celestial Ghost City, hundreds of miles away.

Looking out from within the city, one could even see the Spiritual Light produced by the external release of their True Essence.

From a distance, they looked like fallen stars, incomparably brilliant.

’A group of Golden Core cultivators, actually resorting to strategy.’

Chen Che slowly shook his head.

This was clearly a pressure tactic, meant to scare off anyone who couldn’t take the heat.

"Look! Look!"

Suddenly, a cry went up from within the city.

It started small, but quickly swelled as if the city itself was boiling over with excitement.

’They’re finally here!’

Looking up at the sky, Chen Che couldn’t help but smile as he saw a massive Spiritual Boat traversing the heavens under the moonlight, appearing on the distant horizon.

The reinforcements from Jinyun Valley had finally arrived.

When this news broke, the city erupted in another wave of excitement.

Zuo Qinlong and his retinue even went out personally to welcome them, preparing a reception banquet and inviting the many Golden Core cultivators in the city.

Besides the five Golden Core cultivators from the Jinyun Valley faction—Chen Che, Xiao Chan, Chen Xi, Meng Qianxun, and Meng Changtu—there were also those invited by Zuo Qinlong, like Zhao Yunchen and Zhao Shifeng. Including the local cultivators from Celestial Ghost Ridge, the number of Golden Core cultivators reached a staggering fifteen.

A gathering of this scale was comparable to the battle between the Star-Picking Sect and the Primordial Sect during the Black Tortoise Calm Sea incident.

"Valley Master Chen, you take the seat of honor," Zuo Qinlong said with great enthusiasm.

"I couldn’t, I couldn’t..." Chen Che demurred.

"Besides Valley Master Chen, who else is qualified to sit there?" Zuo Qinlong laughed heartily.

Ignored in the crowd, Zhao Shifeng felt a pang of jealousy.

Although he was extremely reluctant, he had to admit that the Jinyun Valley faction had more than enough Golden Core cultivators. In comparison, before coming to Celestial Ghost Ridge, his father had also tried to invite several friends to come and lend their support to the Hong Alliance.

The kinder ones made excuses about being tied up, while the less kind simply closed their Cave Mansions so he couldn’t even get past the door. One had verbally agreed to follow shortly, but there was still no sign of him.

Zuo Qinlong, who had initially been extremely enthusiastic toward his father, had clearly lost some of his former regard upon learning that only the father and son had come, even if he maintained a warm facade.

Moreover, he knew that as long as Chen Che lived, Jinyun Valley would not fall. With Chen Che’s Alchemy Skill, if he wasn’t suppressed by the Primordial Sect, it would be no problem for him to nurture several more Golden Core cultivators over the next century.

This was a true Overseas Dragon.

Wherever he went, the local powers would have to treat him with the utmost respect. Today in Celestial Ghost City was a living example.

"Shifeng, propose a toast to Valley Master Chen."

Just as he was thinking this, his father’s voice rang out.

Hearing this, Zhao Shifeng could only force himself to stand up. "Valley Master Chen, I offer you a toast. May your immortal fortune last forever, and may your power be as high as the heavens..."

After three rounds of drinks, the conversation finally turned to official business.

"Basically all the Golden Core cultivators we could gather are here now. The ones outside the city are also assembling. Does Valley Master Chen have any suggestions?" Zuo Qinlong leaned back in his chair, asking with a smile.

As his words fell, the boisterous banquet instantly fell silent. Everyone couldn’t help but stop what they were doing and look toward the young Valley Master.

"I do not."

Chen Che shook his head again. "I am only here to help guard Celestial Ghost Ridge... If anything is needed, the City Lord need only say the word."

Zhao Shifeng, who had expected Chen Che to launch into a grand speech, was naturally disappointed, but also secretly pleased.

’In his view, if even Chen Che—this so-called Overseas Dragon his father revered—had to defer to Zuo Qinlong, then it was only natural that he and his father weren’t given much importance.’

The sting of being ignored earlier was also subtly soothed.

Of course, Zuo Qinlong was also smiling happily.

The crowd continued to toast and feast, and only after the food was all gone did everyone take their leave.

As he stepped out of the City Lord’s Mansion, Chen Che glanced outside the city.

There were nine Golden Core cultivators there now!