Chapter 510 - 479: Gathering Again

Chapter 510: Chapter 479: Gathering Again

Of course.

As the ancestor of a sect that could support several Golden Core Cultivators, True Master Xuehai’s personal fortune was certainly not this small.

His collection of Exotic Copper and Iron alone was substantial, not to mention the plethora of other rare and bizarre materials. He even had an entire, relatively scarce Divine Court Wood tree.

However, when Chen Che thought about the man’s identity, he understood.

After all, he came from the Star-Picking Sect. It was highly likely he was responsible not only for hunting down the Primordial Sect’s Golden Core Cultivators but also for plundering their assets...

However, the most valuable thing True Master Xuehai left behind was, contrary to expectation, that sea of blood.

It was an extremely precious raw material, normally impossible to obtain, useful for Forging, Artifact Refining, Talisman Painting, Alchemy, and even Cultivation. In exchange for crafting five more Magical Artifacts for Jinyun Valley, Yu Qian claimed thirty percent of it from Chen Che.

Recalling that Yu Qian had also supported Ghost Mother Peak at a critical moment, Chen Che simply gave him a large amount of the Exotic Copper and Iron obtained from True Master Xuehai.

As for Zhao Shifeng, Chen Che wasn’t stingy either. He gave him Dan Kongzi’s Sword Box. As one of the most famous Sword Cultivators under the Primordial Sect, the Sword Box Dan Kongzi used had more than three times the space of the one Zhao Shifeng had been using.

Although the Sword Box had been emptied during the battle with Chen Che, he had since restocked it a little. Moreover, so many cultivators had died in this war that the weapons they left behind were enough to fill several Sword Boxes.

This made Zhao Shifeng immensely grateful.

It also gave him a renewed appreciation for Jinyun Valley’s wealth; even his own father, the leader of the Hong Alliance, had never been this generous.

The father and son pair, Meng Qianxun and Meng Changtu, were Beast Masters, and they represented two complete extremes:

The former focused on cultivating a single beast.

The latter prepared to win through sheer numbers.

Chen Che didn’t have much advice to offer, as the pros and cons of each approach were obvious. However, since Beast Masters themselves don’t possess great combat strength, Chen Che gave most of the Talismans he had plundered to the two of them.

He gave the Titanium Gold Ring to his father-in-law and the Mountain and River Fan to his grandfather.

These two Magical Artifacts weren’t difficult to use. They could be put to use after a bit of Sacrificial Refinement and would greatly increase their combat power. The only issue was that the Titanium Gold Ring had been shattered by Chen Che and needed repairs.

The now-replaced Claw Clamp was given to Lu Yuntian.

Only Zhao Yunchen received nothing. But with his combat abilities almost completely gone, if he hadn’t insisted on returning with everyone, Chen Che would have wanted to send him straight to Jinyun Valley right now.

All the remaining miscellaneous materials went into Chen Che’s own pockets.

For him, ever since refining the Thunder Jade Gourd and Fierce Eyes, ordinary Magical Artifacts were truly beneath his notice.

The only thing that caught his interest was a Sword Pill, but after some guidance from Yu Qian, he learned that only a "thing of the same origin" could be used as its core. After thinking it over, he feared that only the Sword Pill in Duobao’s possession would work.

The distribution of spoils for the other cultivators was not Chen Che’s concern.

Once the arrangements were settled, everyone closed their eyes and focused on healing, preparing for the revenge to come.

Just as Chen Che was preparing to enter seclusion, Yu Daogui suddenly came to see him. After reporting on the casualties and arrangements for the accompanying Jinyun Valley cultivators, he respectfully presented a letter folded into a paper crane.

It was unclear where the letter had flown in from. On the outside was a single line of text:

For Valley Master Chen to open personally!

The sender seemed quite confident that as long as this paper crane reached Celestial Ghost City, it would find its way into Chen Che’s hands.

Upon opening it, Chen Che found the letter was empty, containing only a ripple of True Essence. He glanced at it once before burning the letter to ash. To Yu Daogui’s surprise, he then rose to his feet and walked out of the City Lord’s Mansion.

"Greetings, Valley Master Chen. Forgive my audacity in using such a method to summon you..."

A short while later, on a corner of Ghost Mother Peak, a wisp of black smoke slowly rose and coalesced into the figure of a person wearing a cloak and leaning on a Ghost Head Staff. When the figure removed their hood, a rather young face was revealed.

It was none other than Lu Ping’an, the son of Lu Qinglian.

His cultivation had already reached the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer.

’It seems that in these chaotic times, the realms of Ghost Cultivators advance at a rapid pace.’

"When did you get here?"

Chen Che watched him with amusement.

Before this, Lu Ping’an had been staying in Shuzhou. After all, with the endless mortal wars there, the number of wrongful and unjust deaths was innumerable, making it an excellent place for a Ghost Cultivator’s Cultivation.

’I didn’t expect Lu Ping’an to have followed me here, and to call me out in such a secretive way.’

"About seven months ago."

Lu Ping’an answered honestly, "I hit a bottleneck in my Cultivation in Shuzhou, so I decided to travel a bit and ended up here."

Chen Che nodded, signaling for him to continue.

What followed was common knowledge—the Star-Picking Sect made a sudden move, striking down two of the Primordial Sect’s Golden Core Cultivators with lightning speed. Then, they rallied an army of Evil Cultivators and ignited the flames of war throughout the territories under the Primordial Sect’s control.

And because of his identity as a Ghost Cultivator, he was able to blend in with the atmosphere.

"By the time I learned that Jinyun Valley had appeared at Celestial Ghost Ridge, it was too late to rush back and help. The battle was already over."

"There was no point in me entering the city then, so I simply remained outside."

"During this time, I’ve been lying low outside the city and have gathered some information, so I hurried here to report to you."

Lu Ping’an said respectfully.

"Speak."

"The Star-Picking Sect has sent more people. Not only have they re-gathered the scattered cultivators, but several new Golden Core Cultivators have also arrived. It’s said they even brought someone who has injured you in the past."

Although Lu Ping’an had never met this person, he had heard of their battle achievements and was slightly worried, which was why he had rushed to deliver the news at the first opportunity.

"..."

Chen Che pondered for a long moment. "Ding Haochuan?"

"It’s him."

"Excellent."

Chen Che nodded slightly, not bothering to explain anything.

"Also, this is a topographical map of Three Rivers Peak. The Golden Core Cultivators are living in a hidden ravine on the peak. This is their decoy array, mainly to prevent a counterattack from Celestial Ghost City."

Lu Ping’an handed over a Jade Scroll.

Chen Che took it and swept it with his Divine Sense. The terrain recorded in the Jade Scroll was extremely detailed; it was obvious Lu Ping’an had measured it out step by step. Moreover, the information about the Golden Core Cultivators’ hiding place was especially crucial.

He nodded slightly.

"First, go register with Yu Daogui to get the protection of an official identity. The city is currently collecting Evil Qi; get a share from him. Then go back and keep an eye on those people for me. Report back immediately if there’s any movement."

"Yes, Valley Master."

Lu Ping’an immediately cupped his fist in salute.

’Although my mother, Lu Qinglian, joined Jinyun Valley as a Tributor several years ago, strictly speaking, I’m not really a member of Jinyun Valley myself. However, that doesn’t mean I know nothing about it. The resources, Cultivation Technique, and even the Magical Artifacts I use for my Cultivation all came from Jinyun Valley. Even my trip to Shuzhou for Cultivation was only possible because he approved it. That’s how I was able to reach Foundation Establishment so quickly. He even gave my mother a chance at Core Formation. My status is rather awkward. It’s unlikely I’ll ever go to the Lu Family in the future, so staying in Jinyun Valley is the best option. This is him opening a path for me, allowing me to join Jinyun Valley.’

...

...

After sending Lu Ping’an off, Chen Che clasped his hands behind his back and slowly strolled to the edge of Celestial Ghost City.

Celestial Ghost City was in the process of being rebuilt, and busy figures could be seen everywhere.

But Chen Che knew that without several hundred years, the city would likely never recover its former prosperity.

After all, to say that the recent battle had left nine out of ten homes empty would be no exaggeration.

Gazing toward the distant horizon, his eyesight allowed him to see black dots streaking across the skyline from time to time—those were Evil Cultivators rushing in from all directions.

The once-scattered cultivators had now been gathered together. No longer disorganized as before, they advanced in a mighty, overwhelming tide, looking as if they could drown Celestial Ghost City in a single blow.

Some figures even emanated a powerful Evil Qi, revealing at a glance that they were no ordinary cultivators.

’The Star-Picking Sect is no pushover. The first wave of their attack just ended, and they’ve already organized another. And yet, this is merely a probe. If I show any weakness, the consequences will be dire.’

He retracted his gaze, unable to conceal the killing intent in his eyes.

’But suffering humiliation in silence has never been my way. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—that’s how I operate. This debt won’t be settled so easily.’

...