Chapter 500 - 469: The Star-Picking Sect’s Siege, Ghost Mother Peak

Chapter 500: Chapter 469: The Star-Picking Sect’s Siege, Ghost Mother Peak

Nine Golden Core Cultivators!

Their Spiritual Light flared, glittering like stars and illuminating the dark night.

Their auras even affected the local weather. Outside the city, thick clouds gathered like a surging tide, rumbling with muffled thunder.

"Now that Jinyun Valley is here, they can’t hold back any longer."

Chen Che retracted his gaze.

Zuo Qinlong had originally planned to arrange another courtyard for them, but Meng Qianxun politely declined, saying it would be more convenient for them all to stay together.

Thus, two more Golden Core Cultivators from the Meng Family joined them in Chen Che’s courtyard.

Inside the courtyard, the five Golden Core Cultivators held another private banquet. There had been too many outsiders at the previous welcoming feast, making it inconvenient to discuss certain matters.

"Yu Qian is on the ship. He made too many acquaintances during his travels back in the day, so it’s not convenient for him to show his face right now. And then there’s Lu Yuntian... We need to keep some tricks up our sleeve."

The tipsy Meng Qianxun stepped into the courtyard and circulated his True Essence, instantly dispelling the smell of alcohol. "We were delayed for half a day on the road gathering our forces. We’ve left people behind in both the family and the Valley, so there’s no need to worry about anything going wrong there."

"We’ve made thorough preparations for this trip."

"Not all of our entourage entered the city. We left half of them on the ship, also as a contingency. This way, we’ll have more than enough flexibility whether we need to retreat or attack."

Then, the old man shared the specific numbers. There were 469 Foundation Establishment Cultivators and 1,320 Qi Refining Ninth Layer Cultivators, about twenty percent more than originally expected.

This wasn’t surprising.

Most Cultivators in this world believed that Cultivation wasn’t something to be done behind closed doors. They hoped to use life-and-death battles to achieve breakthroughs in their Realm.

With the Star-Picking Sect and the Primordial Sect at war, this great conflict was both a crisis and an opportunity. In every chaotic era, countless nameless nobodies would rise to prominence and eventually become titans.

Chen Che nodded slightly. "I have faith in your work, Elder."

Afterward, the group discussed their impressions of Zuo Qinlong.

Upon meeting the City Lord for the first time, Meng Qianxun and his son had almost the exact same impression as Xiao Chan and Chen Xi.

They felt that Zuo Qinlong was incredibly strong, like a dormant volcano, his power hidden but ready to erupt.

As for the others, their Cultivation was average, far inferior to Zuo Qinlong’s.

Of course, that was only from the perspective of Golden Core Cultivators. To Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining Cultivators, everyone at the banquet was still an unattainable existence.

However, they remained fully confident in their ability to fend off the Golden Core Cultivators outside the city.

"Hm?"

As they were speaking, all five in the courtyard seemed to sense something. They looked up in unison, turning their gazes outside the city.

With their perception, they could naturally tell that in the short time they had been talking, two more Golden Core Cultivators had appeared outside the city. Furthermore, their auras were even more formidable than the previous ones.

"They’re moving so quickly, so impatiently. Can they really not hold back anymore?"

Meng Changtu withdrew his gaze. "Let’s stop with the idle chatter. We need to come up with our own strategy, a proper plan."

"The battlefield changes in an instant. What kind of plan can we have? We can only adapt as things happen." Chen Che retracted his gaze, his voice leisurely.

"Correct."

Meng Qianxun nodded slightly. "In my opinion, the simplest thing is for our group to stick together and avoid being separated, just like we did back in the Black Tortoise Calm Sea. That way, even if problems arise, we can help each other out. However, the one we need to be most careful about in this battle is Xiao Chan."

"Yes, I understand."

Xiao Chan nodded slightly and patted the Soaring Dragon Spear on his back.

With so many eyes on him, the consequences would be severe if his identity was exposed.

...

"What are your thoughts?"

After leaving the banquet, the father and son returned to another courtyard. Zhao Yunchen brewed a cup of Spirit Tea, intending to offer his son some guidance.

"Power is an illusion, connections are an illusion, status is an illusion. Only strength is real."

Zhao Shifeng had already formed his opinion.

This was his most direct takeaway from the evening.

"..."

Zhao Yunchen was momentarily at a loss for words. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

He had originally wanted to use Chen Che’s refusal of Zuo Qinlong’s suggestion to admonish his son about the importance of being reserved. He never expected Zhao Shifeng to see things from a completely different perspective.

"As long as you are strong enough, even someone you admire like Chen Che has to bow his head to Zuo Qinlong and not dare to seize power. If I had Zuo Qinlong’s strength, even after I caused trouble at Jinyun Valley that day, you wouldn’t have had to take me there to bow your head and apologize."

Zhao Shifeng took the Sword Box off his back, gently stroking the patterns on its surface as he said quietly, "And Zuo Qinlong wouldn’t have ignored us, either."

"...You have a point."

Zhao Yunchen nodded helplessly.

’Strength and one’s Realm... that’s the foundation of everything.’

"This battle is also a chance to make a name for myself."

Zhao Shifeng raised his head to look outside the city, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tightened his grip on the Sword Box before him. "There are two more Golden Core Cultivators outside the city now..."

...

The auras of the eleven Golden Core Cultivators were deep and vigorous. The sight of black clouds pressing down on the city had already formed, and they showed signs of spreading further, surging continuously toward Celestial Ghost Ridge.

The Celestial Ghost Bats on the nearby mountains also grew restless, circling endlessly and forming a dense, dark mass. Their cries agitated the Cultivators in the city. Even with over a dozen Golden Core Cultivators garrisoned inside, many Cultivators felt their hearts tremble with fear.

Everyone sensed that a great battle was about to erupt. They rested on their weapons, ready for dawn, not daring to let their Weapons or Talismans out of their grasp.

Moreover, Zuo Qinlong had even sealed the other city gate to prevent any Cultivators from sneaking away if they sensed the situation was dire. In such circumstances, a single person leaving the city could easily cause morale to collapse.

However, Chen Che remained as steady as a rock, not neglecting his daily Cultivation in the slightest.

’It’s a shame all information channels in Celestial Ghost City have been sealed. I have no idea what’s happening at the rear,’ Chen Che thought, shaking his head inwardly as he watched the Divine Court Incense burn to its end.

These past few days, the five of them had been using the Divine Court Incense for their Cultivation, and the consumption rate was enormous. Even he couldn’t help but feel the sting. He wondered if Liu Yuanqing had managed to cultivate any seeds yet.

Moreover, he was also concerned about the other Evil Sects.

Perhaps by now, the flames of war had been ignited in all the territories under the Primordial Sect’s jurisdiction.

’There’s no news from the Yu Family, either. Yu Yunko really has been ostracized by the Star-Picking Sect; not a single piece of information can get through... No news from the Star-Picking Sect’s Sect Leader, and not a peep from the Primordial Sect.’

He had met with Yu Qian and asked about the Star-Picking Sect, but had learned nothing. This gave Chen Che a massive headache. He felt as if he was completely in the dark, knowing far too little.

"Val-Valley Master, there’s movement outside."

Yu Sihai’s voice sounded from outside the door.

At his words, Meng Qianxun, Meng Changtu, Chen Xi, and Xiao Chan, who were all in the middle of their Cultivation, opened their eyes in unison.

Chen Che rose to his feet and pushed the door open.

Inside the city, all the Cultivators had come out. The streets and even the rooftops were crowded with people. Chen Che even spotted the siblings, Lei Boyong, in the crowd. When they saw him, they excitedly cupped their fists in greeting.

"Valley Master Chen is here!"

A shout rang out, and the crowd parted.

Chen Che strode forward.

In the distance, Zuo Qinlong stood with his hands behind his back, clad in a Profound Gold Robe. Tall and imposing, he nodded at Chen Che before walking toward the city wall.

Zhao Yunchen, Zhao Shifeng, and the other Golden Core Cultivators also emerged from their residences. Over ten Golden Core Cultivators walked out from the streets, gathering together. As they walked side by side, they nearly took up the entire width of the road.

This majestic scene filled every Cultivator in the city with envy.

It was currently dawn.

The sky should have been brightening, but the world remained incredibly dim. A thick layer of clouds filled the heavens, making it feel more like the bewitching hour after sunset. Outside the city, the figures of the Golden Core True Masters were already shining brilliantly.

Stepping onto the city wall, Chen Che surveyed the scene.

’Nineteen Golden Core Cultivators. Have most of them come to an agreement? ...As for the remaining few, did they fail to reach a deal, or are they just waiting for an opportunity?’ Chen Che grumbled inwardly.

He carefully studied the Golden Core Cultivators outside the city, occasionally comparing them to the information in his Jade Scrolls, aside from the most conspicuous one, Xuehai Ancestor Gong Liangyi. To his surprise, he found that the Xuehai Ancestor seemed to have grown much stronger.

Besides him, there was also an unfamiliar Golden Core Cultivator.

"He must have had a recent breakthrough."

Noticing Chen Che’s gaze, Zuo Qinlong clicked his tongue.

’He’s quite composed,’ Zuo Qinlong thought. Chen Che glanced at him; the City Lord seemed to have been confident of victory from the very beginning.

"Although there are only nineteen Golden Core Cultivators, the remaining few may not have given up. They might be hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity. Fellow Daoists, you must be cautious." Seeing everyone looking at him, Zuo Qinlong issued a reminder.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"They’re moving!"

As they were speaking, Chen Che heard a cry of alarm and looked into the distance.

Countless Cultivators outside the city were rapidly assembling into a massive, dark horde. There were Evil Cultivators, Tribulation Cultivators, Talisman Cultivators, and Beast Masters—all sorts of them, their combined presence overwhelming. Interestingly, these Cultivators had all tied a red silk ribbon to their left shoulder.

As the enemy gathered, the clouds that had been pressing down outside Celestial Ghost Ridge seemed to burst through a dam, flooding the sky above in an instant.

"KILL!"

Just as everyone in the city was still reeling from this display of force, a heaven-shaking cry to kill suddenly erupted.

The nineteen Golden Core Cultivators outside the city had already taken flight, transforming into nineteen streaks of Escape Light and charging out in unison. However, they weren’t heading for Celestial Ghost City, but toward one of the mountains in Celestial Ghost Ridge.

"Not good!"

Zhao Shifeng, who had been resting his hand on his Sword Box, ready for battle, suddenly realized. "They’re not planning a frontal assault on Celestial Ghost City! They’re looking for another point to break through."

"That’s..."

Chen Che’s eyes narrowed.

The position these Golden Core Cultivators were charging was none other than Ghost Mother Peak.

Ghost Mother Peak was the shortest mountain in Celestial Ghost Ridge aside from the one Celestial Ghost City was on. Its mountain path was long and narrow, stretching straight for a full seventeen li. At its narrowest point, only two people could pass through side by side.

It was a classic chokepoint where one man could hold off ten thousand.

If a powerful Golden Core Cultivator were stationed there, it would be easy to trap and kill any intruders.

Almost at the same time, Zuo Qinlong’s voice rang out:

"Assemble."

"Defend Ghost Mother Peak!"

SWOOSH—

As his voice echoed, the Golden Core Cultivators in the city, already prepared, transformed into streaks of Escape Light and shot toward Ghost Mother Peak. Xiao Chan, Chen Xi, and Meng Changtu were among them. Just as Chen Che was about to take flight, Zuo Qinlong’s voice suddenly came from behind him:

"Valley Master Chen, please wait a moment."

Almost simultaneously, a vast and majestic aura enveloped his body.

Chen Che stopped and turned around, puzzled.

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