Chapter 538 - 507: Defense Mission, Duobao Is Warned

"Primordial City has four gates: East, South, West, and North. For the forty-odd Golden Core Cultivators here, I will assign you all to one of the four directions."

"As for us, the Primordial Sect, we will be stationed at the South and North Gates to resist the main force of the Star-Picking Sect. The West Gate will be held by Tributor Chen's group from Jinyun Valley and Ping Miaohan's party. The remaining cultivators will be stationed at the East Gate."

Duobao clearly had a plan ready, and he spoke slowly, "What does everyone think of this arrangement?"

The North and South Gates directly faced the Star-Picking Sect and were therefore the most dangerous. The other two directions were less perilous. Although they might encounter the Mist Rain Tower, they were not the main force. No matter how many Evil Cultivators there were, they were just a disorderly mob.

"No objections!"

Ping Miaohan was the first to speak.

The others all nodded in agreement, satisfied with Duobao's arrangement.

Even Chen Che and his group were slightly surprised.

'He had expected Duobao to push the most dangerous position onto him to defend. He never thought the other man would take it all upon himself, having the Primordial Sect's upper echelon personally guard it.'

"As for the Foundation Establishment Cultivators who came with you, you may arrange them as you see fit. I will not interfere."

Seeing everyone agree, Duobao added, "Of course, the Primordial Sect will cover all of your expenses during your stay in Primordial City. Furthermore, the Primordial Sect will not take a single coin from any spoils of war you acquire."

CLAP! CLAP!

With that, he clapped his hands.

Immediately, serving maids came forward, carrying Bronze Box after Bronze Box.

They were promptly opened to face the crowd.

In an instant, the spacious hall was nearly filled with boxes.

"Calculated per head, each Golden Core Cultivator will receive at least two hundred thousand Spirit Stones."

Meng Qianxun glanced over and sent a voice transmission:

"So many outside Golden Core Cultivators, and he just threw out four or five million Spirit Stones. No wonder Duobao went after those fleeing factions first. This is no small amount of Spirit Stones, even for the Primordial Sect."

And there was a wealth gap among Golden Core Cultivators as well.

Not everyone was as wealthy as Chen Che. Two to three hundred thousand Spirit Stones were more than enough to buy the life of an ordinary Golden Core Cultivator.

Duobao's move, though simple and crude, was highly effective. Many of the poorer Golden Core Cultivators beamed at the sight of the Spirit Stones. If they helped the Primordial Sect survive this calamity and then hunted one or two Golden Core Cultivators, the profits would be far greater than siding with the Star-Picking Sect.

Seeing this, Duobao couldn't help but be overjoyed:

"When the Sect Leader emerges from seclusion, he will offer an even greater reward. The war has not yet begun, so for now, please stay in the city and rest. I have already arranged accommodations for all of you. When the time for battle comes, I will need you to give it your all!"

As the Spirit Stones were distributed, the atmosphere in the hall reached a peak. Soon, the banquet concluded, and everyone prepared to descend the mountain.

"Tributor Chen, please stay."

Just as Chen Che was about to follow the others down the mountain, Duobao suddenly spoke.

?

Chen Che stopped, turning his head with a look of suspicion and vigilance.

Similarly, Xiao Chan, Meng Qianxun, and the others who were about to step out of the hall all stopped in their tracks. Even the other Golden Core Cultivators paused, looking curiously at the two men.

Ping Miaohan's beautiful eyes, in particular, lingered on Chen Che.

"Tributor Chen, we've had some misunderstandings in the past."

Duobao didn't say much more about it. Instead, he smilingly raised the wine cup before him, his tone gentle and sincere. "Here, I'd like to apologize to you. The Primordial Sect is in a critical situation right now. I'm very grateful that you came." ℴℴ𝘮

"I offer you this toast in the hopes that we can bury the hatchet over a cup of wine."

After speaking, he drained his cup.

He then turned the cup upside down, showing it to Chen Che.

Unexpected.

Very unexpected. But this man was a smiling tiger; Chen Che didn't believe him for a second.

However, Chen Che was tactful enough not to refuse. He simply gestured with his hand, pulling the wine cup from the table to him, and replied with a smile:

"Interim Sect Leader, you're being too serious."

"I don't hold grudges. I never took the matter to heart. Everything is in this cup of wine. Our misunderstanding is like this wine…"

With that, he drained his cup.

...

'He actually came!'

Watching Chen Che and the others descend the mountain, Duobao's eyes narrowed slightly.

Originally, he had estimated that Chen Che wouldn't come. After all, the enmity between them ran too deep; it was clearly impossible to expect him to risk his life defending the Primordial Sect. Chen Che's appearance was quite a surprise to him.

"It's a pity, though. Jinyun Valley has considerable assets. If we could have confiscated their wealth, we could have used it to recruit quite a few Golden Core Cultivators."

Chen Jiyuan expressionlessly opened the Scroll in his hands, raised a brush, and struck out the names of Chen Che and his group.

He had no relationship with Chen Che, and their encounter at the Jinghai Island Reef couldn't be considered a conflict.

This time, he was acting entirely according to sect rules. After today, everyone whose name was recorded on the Scroll would have to die. It's just that Chen Che was the fattest sheep among them, so he only felt a slight sense of regret.

"Counting him, a total of seven Golden Core Cultivators, and even the Foundation Establishment Cultivators from Jinyun Valley, the Meng Family, and the Lu Family, all came. What more could you want?"

Hearing the commotion, Huang Shiwo, who was turning back the way he came, looked back and chided him.

His face was a little pale. This was because he had been ambushed by a Golden Core Cultivator from the Mist Rain Tower area while pursuing the Six-tusked White Elephant, and he had been recuperating for over half a month. As for the things Duobao had been doing, while not public knowledge, all the high-ranking members present were well aware.

Moreover, Huang Shiwo was originally from the Guardian Sect faction. When everything was fine, he would naturally turn a blind eye.

But at a critical moment, one more Golden Core Cultivator meant one more source of help...

"Duobao, I've warned you. The Primordial Sect is at a moment of life and death. I won't tolerate you acting recklessly any longer."

"Chief Huang!"

Being reprimanded, the fat on Duobao's face twitched a few times. Then, the smile on his face turned cold as he twisted his head to look at the other man. "Didn't I just apologize and admit my mistake to him? Is that not enough? Where did you see me acting recklessly?"

Huang Shiwo was momentarily stunned.

Indeed.

What Duobao had done during this meeting was indeed flawless. He even apologized with a cup of wine afterward. Even he couldn't find any grounds for criticism.

"I hope your actions match your words."

Leaving that sentence behind, Huang Shiwo turned and left in anger.

"I'll take the Law Enforcement Hall to hunt down these cultivators who fled."

Chen Jiyuan closed the Scroll. "Two Golden Core Cultivators didn't show up this time, both of them Loose Cultivators with no clan backing. They have probably already fled the jurisdiction and will be difficult to track down for now. Let's start with the Foundation Establishment ones first."

"Interim Sect Leader."

Chen Jiyuan glanced sideways. "A Foundation Establishment Clan under your family's jurisdiction has fled. I'll start with them."

"Do as you please."

Duobao said, his face devoid of expression.

...

"He definitely wasn't sincere. He was probably forced by the situation to offer that toast and apology. But that man is treacherous; we still need to be on our guard."

The group talked amongst themselves as they descended the mountain.

As for their accommodations,

Duobao had arranged a mountain villa for them, complete with a lake, rock gardens, and a forest. It had everything.

It was more than enough space for several Golden Core Cultivators.

However, the Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the boat did not receive such treatment. They had to find other places. Aside from a few close ones who were allowed into the courtyard, the rest either had to live on the Spiritual Boat or find their own lodging in Primordial City.

"This city is packed to the gills."

Meng Qianxun said as she walked in the door after taking a short tour around the city.

The streets and alleys were filled with people.

Some cultivators without lodging simply sat in taverns or huddled under bridges and in alleys. With such a jumble of people, the City Guard was constantly patrolling. The main roads, once wide enough for several Demon Beast Carriages to travel side-by-side, now seemed congested.

"Many people are refugees. Once they get in, they're too afraid to leave." Although Chen Che had been In the Valley, he was well-informed about the outside world. His intelligence network had entered Primordial City some days ago.

But they had established themselves too late and could only gather superficial information.

After replying, he turned to Xiao Chan, who was still warily scanning the villa again and again with his Divine Sense, and said, "There are no other Detection Arrays in the villa. It's safe."

Xiao Chan was about to speak when Hu Yao hurried in and said in a low voice, "Tang Linli is here."

"Why is he here?"

Chen Che was puzzled but nodded slightly. "Let him in."

In a moment, a man dressed in black, wearing a bamboo hat and a mask, walked in cautiously.

Seeing Chen Che, he immediately cupped his fist in salute to him and the other Golden Core Cultivators in the room:

"This junior pays his respects to Valley Master Chen."

"Greetings to all seniors."

"Why are you in the city?"

Chen Che gestured for him to rise and then asked, "Weren't you outside eliminating Evil Cultivators?"