Chapter 447 - 416: In Jinyun Valley, How Should You Speak to Me?

Chapter 447: Chapter 416: In Jinyun Valley, How Should You Speak to Me?

For the next several days, Chen Che was incredibly busy.

As the number of mortals and Cultivators grew each year, the Market was constantly expanding. This time, after receiving Chen Che’s approval, its available storefronts were increased by thirty percent. Despite the huge demand, Chen Che still refrained from expanding too much at once to avoid negatively impacting the older, established shops.

A few days later, the Lu and Chen clans delivered not only a shipment of Alchemy Materials but also the second batch of objects of faith.

Chen Che inspected them. It had been nearly a year since the last delivery, so the quantity this time was immense and the variety was staggering, far exceeding his imagination. There were fifty or sixty thousand items in total.

However, he wasn’t particularly satisfied.

Not a single one had reached Tier Three.

’If nothing unexpected happens, this is very likely the last batch.’

Chen Che knew what this meant.

He had nearly exhausted the remaining objects of faith from the Celestial Divine Being and Thousand Eyes with these last few collections. Even if a few lingered in the Mortal World, they would be but a drop in the bucket for him.

Aside from that,

There was also news from Xiao Chan. On the very day Chen Che and his group returned from the Black Tortoise Calm Sea, Xiao Chan had fought with two Golden Core cultivators from the Primordial Sect.

The reason, of course, was that Xiao Chan was unwilling to be constantly monitored. So, when his watchers let their guard down, he pretended to leave Faqian City, but in reality, he laid an ambush to kill them.

However,

The two Golden Core cultivators from the Primordial Sect were too cunning. The three-way battle ended with both sides heavily wounded.

Xiao Chan immediately fled back to Faqian City, and no one dared to stand in his way.

Interestingly,

On the same day Chen Che received the news from Xiao Chan, a messenger arrived from the Primordial Sect. Hu Yao received him, but the man ignored him, insisting on seeing Chen Che in person. Left with no choice, Hu Yao had to lead the man into the main hall.

The visitor was a man in a purple robe with a longsword on his back. He was a Chief Steward from the Primordial Sect, equal in rank to Tang Linli, and his name was Cui Jun. He handed Chen Che an envelope sealed with a rune, then promptly sat down without a word of permission.

"Tributor Chen, please read the letter. I must return to the Sect to report once you are finished."

Although Hu Yao was displeased by the man’s arrogant attitude, he still served him a cup of Spirit Tea.

After opening and reading the letter, Chen Che couldn’t help but let out a cold sneer.

The letter was from Duobao.

Although Tang Linli had tried to suppress the news of his return, with so many people at the Jinghai Island Reef that day, it was impossible to keep it a secret. The matter had reached the Primordial Sect almost immediately, which explained this letter.

The contents of the letter were just as he’d expected: orders dispatching him to Faqian City to participate in the siege to kill Xiao Chan, where he was to be on standby for further commands.

"Finished?"

Seeing Chen Che look up, Cui Jun set down his teacup and asked directly, "Tributor Chen, when do you plan to set out?"

"I can’t go."

Chen Che looked up and refused flatly. "I just returned from Jinghai. I need time to recuperate. I won’t be able to travel for another three to five months."

"Three to five months!? That long? By the time you’re ready to leave, Xiao Chan will have already escaped!"

Cui Jun jumped to his feet in shock. He frowned, and seeing that Chen Che wasn’t joking, his eyes narrowed. "Tributor Chen, this is a direct order from the Interim Sect Leader. Are you planning to defy it?"

Hu Yao’s gaze hardened.

If anyone else had dared to utter such words within Jinyun Valley, grinding their bones to dust would have been a light punishment. But this man had the Primordial Sect at his back, so no matter how furious Hu Yao felt, he had to suppress it. He could only bite the bullet and explain:

"Steward Cui, our Valley Master is injured and cannot make a long journey. Besides, that Xiao Chan is no easy opponent. I hope you can understand."

"You are not qualified to speak to me."

Cui Jun didn’t even glance at Hu Yao, turning back to Chen Che. "Tributor Chen, I will ask you one last time: will you accept this order or not?"

"If you were in the Primordial Sect, I would let those words slide. But you are in Jinyun Valley right now. Have you thought carefully about how you should be speaking to me?"

With a flick of his hand, the letter incinerated into ash. Chen Che stared intently at him.

Cui Jun’s heart seized up. He felt as if Chen Che, seated at the head of the hall, was a ravenous Fierce Beast, and that one more word from him would mean a death with no hope of a burial. Still, he prided himself on his status as an envoy of the Upper Sect and simply didn’t believe Chen Che would dare to act.

It wasn’t that he was submitting, merely that he feared the other man’s power. He immediately lowered his head.

"Since the Valley Master is unwilling, so be it. I will report today’s events to the Interim Sect Leader exactly as they transpired."

With that, he gave a perfunctory salute, turned, and left.

As he departed, he didn’t forget to glance out of the corner of his eye at the ashes of the letter.

Though filled with bitter hatred, Cui Jun didn’t dare say another word. Once outside the main hall, he ignored Jinyun Valley’s no-fly restrictions and shot directly into the sky.

"Despicable, despicable!"

Watching the man fly away, Hu Yao gritted his teeth in frustration. "Valley Master, that man was too insolent! You are a Golden Core True Master, yet he dared to speak to you like that. We’ve had many dealings with the Primordial Sect, and I’ve never met a Steward so rude."

"The Primordial Sect is an Upper Sect, and its subordinate factions don’t dare to offend it. He’s clearly never been taught a lesson, so over time he naturally developed such an arrogant personality."

Chen Che wasn’t surprised. For every smooth and diplomatic Chief Steward like Tang Linli, there was bound to be an arrogant one who looked down on everyone. He glanced at the frustrated Hu Yao, smiled, shook his head, and gave his shoulder a slight twitch.

"Go."

Instantly.

The Little Chick perched on his shoulder flapped its wings and shot out of the main hall.

Hu Yao froze for a moment before it dawned on him. "Valley Master, you’re not..."

"From now on, if anyone else from the Primordial Sect comes with a message, turn them all away. Tell them I am in seclusion, healing my injuries."

"Yes, sir."

...

’Despicable, despicable!’

’Among all the Primordial Sect’s subordinate powers, I’ve never met such an arrogant Golden Core. Up until now, every single one of them has obediently followed their dispatch orders. Never mind being tired—even if they were heavily injured, they would still have to go!’

In the blink of an eye, Cui Jun had flown beyond the borders of Jinyun Valley.

Recalling the encounter, he nearly ground his teeth to dust. When he had previously visited Wangxian Ridge, even Ye Yuanji had treated him with the utmost respect and courtesy.

Moreover.

He had been the one to notify the two Golden Core cultivators in Faqian City to participate in the siege against Xiao Chan. He sent a single letter, and they immediately and obediently accepted their orders.

’When I visited the other subordinate factions in the past, their Golden Core masters were all far more experienced and had much deeper foundations than this brat, yet none of them ever dared to speak to me that way. And this kid, who only achieved Core Formation less than three years ago, dares to be so presumptuous?’

’Just wait until I report this to the Interim Sect Leader...’

WHOOSH—

Just as he was thinking.

A massive shadow fell from the sky without any warning. Cui Jun looked up in astonishment, only to see a colossal dark shape descending like a bolt of lightning.

GULP~

With a loud swallowing sound, the Little Chick flapped its wings and soared back into the air. The entire process was seamless, and no one noticed what had just happened here.

But within the Primordial Sect and Primordial City, two Soul Lamps were simultaneously extinguished.

...

...

Cui Jun’s matter had no effect on Chen Che. He was just a "Fellow Foundation Establishment" trying to intimidate people by borrowing the might of his Sect, hardly worthy of any further attention.

He did, however, inform Xiao Chan about the incident, warning him to be on his guard.

Duobao’s murderous intent had not waned. It was possible that while "inviting" him, he had also issued orders to other Golden Core cultivators under his command. After all, across the Sixteen States under their jurisdiction, there were still a few Golden Core cultivators who hadn’t been recruited as Tributors by the Primordial Sect.

On the surface, Xiao Chan was a far greater threat than Jinyun Valley.

To Chen Che’s surprise, however, the Star-Picking Sect had also recently contacted Xiao Chan. In addition to the Du Clan, which currently controlled the sect, the Yu Clan had also reached out to him. It was only natural for the Du Clan to do so.

After all.

The enemy of an enemy is a friend.

Winning over or supporting a sworn enemy of the Primordial Sect was a low-risk, high-reward gambit. As for the Yu Clan, their motive was clearly to overthrow the current leadership of the Star-Picking Sect.

However, Xiao Chan had refused them both.

Upon learning this, Chen Che glanced toward the palace In the Valley where Yu Yunko resided and shook his head secretly. Apparently, no one knew that Xiao Chan was already one of Jinyun Valley’s own.

Another seven or eight days passed.

Another Chief Steward from the Primordial Sect arrived with a letter. Hu Yao intercepted him directly, stating that Chen Che was heavily injured and in seclusion, unable to receive guests. As he left the letter, the messenger tactfully brought up the matter of Cui Jun’s death.

Hu Yao naturally feigned ignorance, stating that after Cui Jun left the letter that day, everyone had seen him leave the valley.

After asking a few more questions and learning nothing, the man returned to his Sect that same day. The day after he left, a wandering old man arrived outside Jinyun Valley. This was the very Third-rank Casting Master Yu Yunko had mentioned.

To Chen Che’s surprise, Jia Chaoyuan actually knew him.