Chapter 508 - 477: A Pyrrhic Victory and a Nomination

Chapter 508: Chapter 477: A Pyrrhic Victory and a Nomination

CRACK—

At noon, a bolt of lightning tore across the sky.

Soon after, heavy snow mixed with hail began to fall, rattling against the ground. Such abnormal weather in the middle of July was entirely an atmospheric anomaly caused by the battle between Golden Core cultivators.

The cultivators returning from Ghost Mother Peak had just survived a life-and-death struggle. Gazing upon the ruined Celestial Ghost City, they cried out the names of their loved ones.

But more often than not, they found only corpses, and their cries turned to sobs of despair.

"Pour these pills into clear water. Let’s save as many as we can."

Chen Che took out ten Fierce Beast Pills and handed them to Yu Daogui.

Fierce Beast Pills were, after all, top-grade Tier Three pills. Using them to treat Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators was a gross extravagance. Even diluted in water, their efficacy was comparable to a fine healing holy medicine.

"Yes, sir."

Yu Daogui accepted them respectfully.

Tears still glistened in the young disciple’s eyes. Yu Sihai, the man who had brought him here, had died on Ghost Mother Peak to save him, his body completely obliterated. Besides him, nearly the entire generation of his father’s peers who had joined the battle had been wiped out.

Hearing Chen Che’s command, Yu Daogui suppressed his grief and directed his clansmen to fetch clear water.

"So, Zuo Qinlong was a sleeper agent for the Star-Picking Sect. Their goal was to deplete the forces under the Primordial Sect’s command."

Leaning on Zhao Shifeng for support, Zhao Yunchen surveyed the wreckage of Celestial Ghost City. His voice was hoarse as he let out a sudden, bitter laugh.

"I was puzzled before. When Zuo Qinlong first invited me, he was incredibly enthusiastic. But after seeing it was just my son and I, he suddenly became cold. It turns out he had other motives all along."

Once all the information came to light, it was easy to guess the truth.

Zuo Qinlong had probably intended to recruit him into the Star-Picking Sect, but upon seeing how few people he brought, he abandoned the idea entirely.

Because he no longer had any value to them.

"The Star-Picking Sect’s scheme is truly venomous! If it had succeeded, they could have dismantled the Primordial Sect without lifting a finger. In that case, could Duobao be...?"

Meng Qianxun was also deeply concerned.

If the Interim Sect Leader was also one of their sleeper agents, the situation would be more than just terrifying. It would mean they were caught between a rock and a hard place, attacked from both front and rear.

"Let’s regroup first. We need to be wary of another counterattack from the Star-Picking Sect. Also, tell our pursuers not to go too deep."

Chen Che sighed deeply.

Outside Celestial Ghost City, the fires of war still burned red. The faint sounds of scattered battles could be heard.

Those were the cultivators who had gone in pursuit.

The Star-Picking Sect had been laying this groundwork for centuries; it was too much for any single person to resist. Even with the current strength of Jinyun Valley, they were merely one of the more powerful pieces on the board.

But they too had suffered grievous losses in this battle.

If the Star-Picking Sect hadn’t, in their pursuit of maximum gain, stationed True Master Xuehai on Ghost Mother Peak, the consequences would have been unthinkable...

’Nascent Soul Formation!’

Withdrawing his gaze, Chen Che slowly shook his head.

He didn’t want to be a puppet, much less a pawn. But right now, only by achieving Nascent Soul Formation would he be qualified to leap off the chessboard.

No matter the era.

Realm and strength were the true foundations for a cultivator’s survival.

...

...

None of the Golden Core cultivators had the spare energy to restore the weather. The wind and snow continued for three days.

Ghost Mother Peak and Celestial Ghost City were both blanketed in a layer of waist-deep snow.

"I’m going to the City Lord’s Mansion."

Dressed in mourning clothes, Lei Boyu gave the instruction and walked out of her clan’s residence.

Of the seven Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Lei Family in this battle, she was the only survivor. After gathering the remaining clan members, she had become the new clan head. She felt no joy in obtaining the position she had once coveted.

Along the way, she encountered another Foundation Establishment cultivator heading to the City Lord’s Mansion. Lei Boyu cupped her hands in a fist and, suppressing her grief, asked:

"Fellow Daoist Huang, how is your clan?"

"Sigh."

Huang Shaoqing let out a long sigh. "Only six remain..."

"That’s still good," Lei Boyu managed a faint smile.

The Huang Family was a major Foundation Establishment Race in Celestial Ghost City. At their peak, they had three Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivators and twenty-nine Foundation Establishment cultivators in total. To be left with six...

The situation wasn’t too dire.

As if guessing her thoughts, Huang Shaoqing shook his head. "Six remain... including me."

Looking at his maimed body, with only one leg and one arm left, Lei Boyu was stunned into silence.

Then, she met several other Foundation Establishment cultivators on the way. A single glance at their expressions was enough to guess the state of their respective clans.

Many homeless cultivators huddled for warmth around bonfires inside dilapidated, drafty houses. The atmosphere was utterly oppressive, punctuated by intermittent sobs that soon blended into a continuous wave of weeping.

Tragic!

Hearing the crying as she passed, Lei Boyu couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow herself.

Including the battle on Ghost Mother Peak, the casualties exceeded seventy percent.

The families within Celestial Ghost City were nearly wiped out. After a headcount, it was found that even among the Foundation Establishment cultivators who came with Jinyun Valley, over half had died, including Meng Changtu’s cousin, Meng Changqing.

Of course, this enormous sacrifice had been exchanged for a painful price from the Star-Picking Sect.

Of the twenty-six Golden Core cultivators gathered outside the city, including Ding Haochuan, only three managed to escape alive, among them high-level figures like True Master Xuehai, Dou Shanhe, and Zuo Qinlong. As for the Foundation Establishment cultivators, ninety percent were lost, and the number of Qi Refining cultivators was countless.

This also included all the resources they had plundered and were carrying.

But faced with such a brutal victory, no one could feel happy.

By now, Lei Boyu’s group had arrived at the temporarily erected City Lord’s Mansion.

There were no guards at the front of the mansion, not even a sound. But the Foundation Establishment Major Cultivators who had come with her could feel several immense auras coiled within, as if a pack of man-eating Fierce Beasts were hiding inside.

With every breath the presences inside took, the cultivators felt as though a hurricane was forming, tugging at their bodies.

In just a few breaths, the dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators were drenched in cold sweat.

Even their normally nimble limbs began to tremble uncontrollably. It felt as if taking another step would mean entering some kind of indescribable forbidden zone.

They exchanged glances, only now understanding why there were no guards posted here.

Lei Boyu stepped forward and said:

"Lei Boyu, acting clan head of the Lei Family of Celestial Ghost City, requests an audience with Valley Master Chen."

As soon as she spoke, the soul-shaking auras quietly receded. A voice then came from within the mansion, "Come in!"

Lei Boyu stepped into the mansion and immediately saw Chen Che, who was seated in the seat of honor at the head of the room.

He sat there casually, bandages wrapped around his body, his long hair tied up with a twig. He was simply... there. Also present were other Golden Core cultivators like Zhao Yunchen, Meng Qianxun, and Xiao Chan. They were still circulating their True Essence to heal, their auras not yet retracted, making each of them seem a hundred times larger than life.

However, the combined force of their auras could not match Chen Che’s alone.

Chen Che opened his eyes.

"Valley Master Chen, we have followed your decree and gathered all the cultivators in the city. Currently, there are only about one hundred seventy Foundation Establishment cultivators left, and around fifteen thousand Qi Refining cultivators..."

Lei Boyu said, her voice hoarse.

"Is that all that’s left?"

Chen Che said softly.

He had originally thought this errand was a minor affair, and hadn’t given it much thought at the outset.

Who could have imagined it would escalate into a situation like this?

The danger of this battle had exceeded even his wildest imagination; the Star-Picking Sect had intended to bury them all here. When he first arrived, the prosperity of Celestial Ghost City was in no way inferior to that of Jinyun Valley!

Even he had spent the past three days healing, and relying on Fierce Beast Pills, he had only recovered thirty percent of his injuries.

As for the others, they would find it difficult to even make a move.

This was also why the Golden Core cultivators had not gone anywhere, but had gathered together.

"I understand."

After a long silence, Chen Che finally nodded slowly.

"Gather the cultivators who can still fight. No one knows the Star-Picking Sect’s next move, so we must be prepared for a counterattack. Also, spread the word that Zuo Qinlong colluded with the Star-Picking Sect."

"Yes, sir."

Lei Boyu replied respectfully.

Although they had repelled the enemy, the Evil Cultivators lingering outside the city had not completely retreated. Now, they were showing signs of gathering again, albeit on a smaller scale than before.

If they weren’t dispersed in time, these people might regroup for another assault.

"Is there anything else?"

Seeing that the Foundation Establishment cultivators hadn’t left and that Lei Boyu, in particular, looked like she wanted to say something, Chen Che raised his eyes slightly.

"Valley Master Chen, we have been considering this for the past few days. We wish to recognize you as the City Lord."

Lei Boyu took a step forward and cupped her hands.

"Valley Master Chen, we are willing to recognize you as the City Lord."

Huang Shaoqing and the other Foundation Establishment cultivators stepped forward one by one, bowing to Chen Che.

From his own corner of the room, Zhao Shifeng, hearing the commotion, also opened his eyes and looked at Chen Che. But this time, instead of feeling his usual sense of rivalry or dissatisfaction, after the battle they had just endured, he found it only natural.

But unexpectedly, Chen Che slowly shook his head.

"I know you wish to repay me, but what’s the point of making me City Lord? Celestial Ghost City and Jinyun Valley are worlds apart. I won’t be stationed here permanently. There is no need to mention this matter again."

Lei Boyu was about to speak, but Chen Che had already waved his hand dismissively, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"You are dismissed for now..."

Before his words had even faded, the crowd felt themselves being pushed out of the mansion by a great force. Only Lei Boyu remained, standing frozen in place.

Huang Shaoqing limped over on his crutch, patting her on the shoulder comfortingly. "Since Valley Master Chen is unwilling, we shouldn’t be disappointed. We must remember Jinyun Valley and remember the kindness Valley Master Chen has shown us."

Lei Boyu could only nod slowly.

...

Inside the main hall, only the Golden Core cultivators remained.

As Chen Che looked up, the others also slowly opened their eyes.