Chapter 519 - 488: Happiness Came Too Suddenly

Chapter 519: Chapter 488: Happiness Came Too Suddenly

"Indeed. Let’s turn a major issue into a minor one, and a minor one into nothing at all!"

Zhu Yiwen also cupped his hands in a gesture of respect. "Valley Master Chen, please be magnanimous and overlook this offense. As the Vice Chief of Xing Hall, I give you my word. This matter ends here, and it will never be mentioned again."

Hearing this, Chen Xi, Xiao Chan, and the other Golden Core cultivators remained expressionless.

No one knew if his words could be trusted.

After all, Teng Miao had shown no mercy in his earlier attack. It would be easy enough to kill them all in one fell swoop, but what about the aftermath?

The one from the Primordial Sect had not yet entered seclusion.

Some suggested they should just wipe out the opposing party and defect from the Primordial Sect. Others advised them to quit while they were ahead; killing their opponents would be easy, but cleaning up the mess afterward would be impossible.

They immediately began communicating via Divine Sense.

As the Divine Sense messages entered his mind, Chen Che couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

While they were all locked in debate, Zhu Yiwen clapped his hands. At once, four Female Cultivators flew down from the Spiritual Boat, each holding an antique-looking wooden box respectfully above her head.

Zhu Yiwen gently opened one of the boxes, revealing a neatly folded cyan robe inside.

Teng Miao took one look and couldn’t tear his eyes away, his gaze filled with envy and resentment.

"This robe is made from only two materials: Tier Four Low Grade Cyan Silkworm Silk and Tier Three High Grade Secret Silver Thread. The materials alone take four to five hundred years to gather. In the entire history of the Primordial Sect, only five such robes have ever been made."

"Only those who have rendered great meritorious service are worthy of wearing it..."

With that, Zhu Yiwen opened two more boxes.

Inside the second box lay a Jade Crown. The crown itself flowed like a river, while its silver hairpin shimmered like the Milky Way. Profoundly simple, it was both unadorned and dignified.

In the third box was a pair of boots. Their cyan-jade-colored surfaces were inscribed with wondrous Magic Patterns, and one could faintly sense a gentle breeze swirling around them.

The fourth box contained a dark cyan belt, its style just as simple and grand.

"This is the Star Jade Crown, a Tier Three High Grade artifact forged from Soul Guard Stone. It has the ability to protect one’s Divine Sense. These are the Star Wind Boots, also Tier Three High Grade, made from the hide of a Celestial Wind Dragon Horse. They provide a significant bonus to speed when flying."

"And this belt... I imagine Valley Master Chen has already deduced its nature from the glowing Magic Patterns. It is a Storage Belt. Its internal space is two thousand zhang, several times larger than that of a Storage Ring."

"This is?"

Chen Che stared in astonishment at the four boxes before him, then looked back at Zhu Yiwen.

Zhu Yiwen said with a chuckle:

"This is the Sect’s reward for Valley Master Chen for successfully defending Celestial Ghost City..."

?

Chen Che raised an eyebrow.

’Since when was Duobao so kind?’

What he didn’t know was that Zhu Yiwen’s words were, in fact, only half the story.

In truth, these four Magical Artifacts had been prepared for Zhu Yiwen and Teng Miao themselves. It was only because Teng Miao had offended Chen Che and the situation was spiraling out of control that they were forced to bring out the artifacts to placate him.

If they truly angered this man, the days to come would be difficult indeed.

With a clenching motion of his hand, the Flying Swords hovering behind him rapidly converged, coalescing into a single Sword Pill that he grasped in his palm. Only then did Chen Che give a slight nod. "Vice Chief Zhu is correct. We are all Cultivators of the Primordial Sect; there is no need for us to fight to the death here, especially not when we face a great enemy."

"Let us put today’s matter behind us."

SHIING!

As his words fell, Lu Ping’an, Lei Boyu, and the other Foundation Establishment cultivators were the first to respond, swiftly sheathing their weapons.

Then, the Qi Refining cultivators aboard the Spiritual Boat also stood down from the Bed Crossbows.

In the space of a dozen breaths, the tense, hair-trigger atmosphere completely dissipated.

’What incredible authority,’ Zhu Yiwen thought, a trace of astonishment flashing through his eyes.

He wouldn’t have been surprised if it were the cultivators from Jinyun Valley, but these were mostly from Celestial Ghost City. ’Still, at least the crisis is averted.’ He clapped his hands, and the four Female Cultivators obediently approached to help Chen Che change. They helped him into the robe, tied up his long hair, put on his boots, and fastened his belt.

Clothes make the man, as the saying goes.

Chen Che, who already possessed the powerful aura of a Golden Core cultivator, looked utterly majestic now that he wore the robe that seemed to radiate starlight. Even Zhu Yiwen, standing close by, felt a suffocating pressure, as if his very breath was being suppressed.

"Valley Master Chen, this is not a place to talk. Why don’t we return to Celestial Ghost City first?"

Zhu Yiwen said with a sycophantic smile.

Earlier, Meng Qianxun had said the same thing, but Teng Miao had completely ignored him. Now it was Zhu Yiwen’s turn to speak, and he had to gauge Chen Che’s mood. However, Chen Che was not one to press his advantage when he had it. With a wave of his hand, he chose to return to the city.

...

There were gains and losses.

Chen Che took stock of the situation afterward. Although he had thoroughly offended Teng Miao, he had still profited handsomely. In addition to the four gifted Magical Artifacts, he had secured the resources of the Three States. Given the chance to do it over, he would make the exact same choice.

It was a matter of pride, of standing one’s ground.

If not for the Sect Leader who remained in seclusion, he would have certainly taken a more extreme step.

Regarding the conflict below Three Rivers Peak, Zhu Yiwen used his authority as Vice Chief of Xing Hall to issue a gag order, forbidding any further mention of the incident. Whether this was to avoid disrupting the upcoming city defense or simply to save face was a matter of interpretation.

Chen Che, however, was unconcerned. With the Right Protector of the Star-Picking Sect speeding toward them, continuing to defend the city was impossible. Besides, he needed to leave as soon as possible.

Upon returning to Celestial Ghost City, just as Chen Che was about to have everyone pack their belongings, an invitation from Zhu Yiwen arrived. He was being invited to a banquet that evening.

"Could it be a trap?"

Xiao Chan frowned.

From his perspective, it wasn’t out of the question. As a former disciple of the Primordial Sect, he knew better than anyone about the sordid affairs of the sect’s leadership.

"We’ll find out when I get there."

Chen Che was completely undaunted.

Declining everyone’s offer to accompany him, Chen Che went alone to the camp of Zhu Yiwen’s group.

The camp was inside Celestial Ghost City.

There was plenty of empty space in Celestial Ghost City after the great battle, and a massive palace now stood in its northwestern corner. The Primordial Sect’s Spiritual Boat was parked outside the city walls, perhaps to avoid causing any unnecessary trouble.

Most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators, along with the few Golden Core cultivators who had been involved in the earlier confrontation, also remained on board.

A sweep of his Divine Sense confirmed that besides Zhu Yiwen and Teng Miao, only several dozen Qi Refining Female Cultivators were present. From this, at least, it seemed the two Vice Chiefs had no intention of using the banquet to retaliate for the conflict at Three Rivers Peak.

The banquet held in Chen Che’s honor was incredibly lavish, even featuring a Golden Core-level young beast—an Autumn Spirit Calf.

An adult Autumn Spirit Ox could reach the Mid-stage Golden Core realm. They were not only extremely ferocious but also fiercely protective of their young. Snatching a calf from under the nose of such a creature was no simple task.

And this was just one of the eighteen main courses.

Furthermore, the Female Cultivators in the palace were all peerless beauties, meticulously selected. They were masters of music and song, and their seductive dances rivaled those of the famed Celestial Paradise in Faqian City.

Throughout the banquet, Zhu Yiwen and Teng Miao repeatedly toasted him, speaking only of pleasantries and avoiding any mention of conflict, as if their earlier standoff had never occurred.

"Vice Chief Teng, Vice Chief Zhu, aside from defending Celestial Ghost City, is there any other reason for your visit?" Seeing that they were determined to avoid the subject, Chen Che decided he was done playing along and cut right to the point.

"Valley Master Chen, no need to be so formal. We’re all on the same side."

Zhu Yiwen raised his wine cup, drained it in one gulp, and then said:

"There are no other tasks. The order we received was to assist you in defending Celestial Ghost City and to follow all your commands. If you need anything, just let us know."

Chen Che didn’t believe a word of it. They had clearly come to seize power. The only reason they were being so deferential now was because they hadn’t been able to defeat him.

Had they won, he was certain they would be singing a very different tune.

"Indeed," Teng Miao chimed in. "We left our Spiritual Boat outside the walls. When we passed through Celestial Ghost City earlier, we saw the state of things. One look at all this destruction is enough to imagine how perilous the battle must have been."

Teng Miao seized the moment to flatter Chen Che. "If it weren’t for Valley Master Chen, I fear Celestial Ghost City would have been lost to the Star-Picking Sect long ago."

Chen Che almost wanted to drag Zhao Shifeng over and have him learn from Teng Miao’s ability to be so pragmatic.

However, he couldn’t be bothered to play their games. He tapped lightly on the table, cutting off whatever praise Zhu Yiwen was about to utter next. "Jinyun Valley suffered heavy losses in the battle for Celestial Ghost City," he said bluntly. "As did the city itself."

"The thirst for revenge within the city was overwhelming, which is why I led everyone to annihilate Three Rivers Peak. Now that vengeance has been exacted, the people’s desire has been fulfilled. Moreover, the Sect sending two Vice Chiefs like you is a testament to your strength."

"So, how about I hand over command of the city’s defense to the two of you?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the banquet fell silent.

Teng Miao and Zhu Yiwen were both stunned for a moment. They couldn’t help but exchange a glance, their eyes filled with joy. ’Happiness had come so suddenly!’