Chapter 559: Awarding Merits to Chief Chen

Chapter 559 -521: Awarding Merits to Chief Chen

“Che’er…”

On the way to Primordial Mountain, Meng Qianxun spoke hesitantly.

Everyone looked back.

They saw the Star-Picking Sect Cultivators, who just moments ago had been hell-bent on slaughtering them, now turning their blades on their former allies. The base of the mountain was still a warzone, but it no longer concerned them.

Chen Che shook his head, signaling that now was not the time to talk.

At this, Meng Qianxun said no more.

Accompanying them were Ping Miaohan and a host of other Cultivators.

Even the Golden Core Cultivators, despite their iron wills, felt a surreal sense of having survived a catastrophe. As Chen Che took in their expressions, his own heart was a tangled mess. The day’s events had been nothing short of a roller coaster.

First, the Three Sects had joined forces to breach the city and seal Primordial City, intending to wipe them all out. Just as he’d managed to carve a bloody path to freedom, before he could truly escape, the Sect Leader of the Star-Picking Sect had intervened personally.

Just when everyone thought they would surely die today, another Nascent Soul True Monarch appeared.

What’s more, these two True Monarchs had shamelessly started carving up their former allies right in front of everyone.

But what Chen Che found strangest of all was Wei Yanzhou!

Recalling the earlier conversation between the two Nascent Soul cultivators, a chill ran down Chen Che’s spine.

Wei Yanzhou hadn’t broken through in the heat of battle at all. He had reached the Nascent Soul realm long ago. He’d simply kept his power hidden, concealing himself within the sect and feigning despair over his chances at Nascent Soul Formation. He even had Huang Shiwo search far and wide for Fierce Beasts to create a ruse.

His entire goal was to lure the Star-Picking Sect into a massive assault. His ultimate target must have been Du Zhongyi, his fellow Nascent Soul cultivator!

‘A Killing Array must have been laid within Primordial Mountain long ago, waiting for Du Zhongyi to come knocking.’

Chen Che thought to himself, looking down at the path on Primordial Mountain beneath his feet.

‘Unfortunately, Du Zhongyi was extremely cautious. He never revealed his true self, even at the last moment. Only after confirming that his target wouldn’t show up did Wei Yanzhou finally decide to act!’

‘In other words, whether it was us on the Primordial Sect’s side or Jiang Shaotian and his people from the Star-Picking Sect, we were all, in fact, just pawns for those two Nascent Soul cultivators. We were the bait, and they were the probing force…’

Once he pieced everything together, Chen Che was once again struck by the profound cruelty cultivators of this world were capable of to achieve their goals.

This wasn’t some child’s play; it was a matter of life and death for hundreds of millions of souls! And the most terrifying part was that Wei Yanzhou had already gone through with it…

As he was lost in thought, the group set foot on the seventh level of Primordial Mountain.

Inside the great hall, Wei Yanzhou was lounging on the seat of honor, seemingly not having moved at all. But compared to the last time Chen Che had seen him here, he had lost some of his scholarly and easygoing demeanor, replaced by an ineffable sense of authority.

Before him was a low table.

On the table were teacups and a teapot made of lustrous jade, and the fragrance of the tea wafted up, soothing the soul.

“Greetings, Sect Leader!”

“Congratulations, Sect Leader, on your successful Nascent Soul Formation! May your path to immortality be long, and your Divine Abilities reign supreme!”

Upon seeing Wei Yanzhou, the several Chiefs quickly composed themselves and hurried forward to pay their respects.

From within the crowd, Chen Che also put on a show of shouting out a few pleasantries.

“There is no need for such ceremony. I only recently succeeded in my Tribulation Crossing and have been stabilizing my Cultivation since. It is entirely thanks to all of you that Primordial City was defended, buying me the time I needed.”

Wei Yanzhou raised his hand, and several Pumpons appeared in the hall.

At the same time, he poured the tea. With a wave of his sleeve, the cups flew swiftly to each person.

“Our thanks to the Sect Leader for this tea!”

Duobao sat cross-legged and accepted the teacup. Without taking a sip, he immediately spoke. “Sect Leader, you are too generous. We were born as people of the Primordial Sect, and we will die as its spirits. Defending the Primordial Sect is our sacred duty.”

The Golden Core Cultivators present all voiced their agreement. Even those with no real connection to the Primordial Sect chimed in, declaring they would live and die with it. Pressured by the circumstances, the members of Jinyun Valley also offered a few words of loyalty.

Meng Qianxun also swallowed her pride, offering a few words of praise—some subtle, some overt—about his promotion to the Nascent Soul realm, his heaven-shattering power, and the magnificent, martial bearing with which he had repelled the Star-Picking Sect the moment he appeared.

Chen Che raised his cup and took a couple of small sips.

He wasn’t sure what kind of Spirit Tea it was, but it instantly washed away most of his fatigue and even healed a good portion of his injuries.

‘This is no ordinary Spirit Tea. Its effects are almost on par with a Fierce Beast Pill. I wonder what tier the tea tree is. This old fox is truly loaded…’

While thinking this, Chen Che surreptitiously sized up Duobao, Chen Jiyuan, and the others.

Each of these Golden Core Cultivators wore an expression of sheer excitement, putting on the perfect show of a loyal lackey thinking, ‘The Sect Leader’s success is my success.’ There wasn’t the slightest hint of discontent to be seen.

But in Chen Che’s opinion, if even he could figure out the crux of the matter, these men had likely guessed the truth long ago. It was just that none of them dared to call out the Nascent Soul True Monarch’s machinations.

Otherwise, getting up this mountain would prove far easier than getting down.

As the saying goes, flattery will get you everywhere. Even a Nascent Soul True Monarch enjoyed the barrage of praise, and he nodded slightly.

“But you have all worked hard to defend the city. I have seen everything. Now that the Star-Picking Sect’s army has retreated, it’s time to reward your contributions. Tell me what you desire. Do not hesitate to ask!”

“How could we dare to claim any credit?”

Duobao cupped his hands in a demure, “If the Sect Leader hadn’t turned the tide against all odds, we would have all died without a place for our bones to rest…”

Chen Che suppressed a sneer.

‘He’s such a smooth-talker,’ Chen Che thought. ‘And aside from that one screw-up with me, he’s actually competent. No wonder Duobao became the Interim Sect Leader.’

“How about this: for those of you with clans, your clan’s territory will be increased by two states. As for our young friend Ping Miaohan and the others who came to our aid, the remainder of your payment will be tripled.”

Wei Yanzhou tapped his finger on the table, finalizing his decision.

Duobao, Chen Jiyuan, Qiu Tianshui, and the others were overjoyed. It might sound like a simple grant of land, but tripling their territory also meant tripling the resources they could enjoy. This was an incredibly tangible reward.

Moreover, they also understood that this was a deliberate loosening of the reins, now that the Sect Leader had achieved Nascent Soul Formation and no longer needed to suppress the power of his subordinates.

However, this was a privilege reserved for true Primordial Sect Disciples; positions like Tributors and Guest Ministers were not included. Ping Miaohan and the other hired Golden Core experts who had followed them up the mountain could only look on with envy.

But there was nothing to be done.

The former were insiders, while the latter were outsiders working for pay. At best, they might receive some extra Spirit Stones, Pills, Weapons, or Magical Artifacts, but they would never be granted territory, no matter how much was available.

Once they understood this, Ping Miaohan and her group felt a bit better.

Moreover, Valley Master Chen, who had contributed the most in this battle, was still sitting there without having received a thing.

“Tributor Chen.”

Just as this thought crossed everyone’s minds, Wei Yanzhou’s gaze fell upon Chen Che.

“Here!”

“You have contributed greatly to this battle, slaying the Palace Master and Vice Palace Master of the Celestial Spirit Palace, as well as the second-in-command of Mist Rain Tower. Yours is the highest merit. You and I both come from the line of True Master Chixia, making us part of the same tradition. In a way, we are family.

Huang Shiwo has fallen in battle, leaving the Pill Hall without a Chief. Would you be interested in the position?”

?

The sudden invitation left Chen Che stunned. But he knew that this was an offer made during Wei Yanzhou’s first public appearance since reaching Nascent Soul Formation. To refuse it publicly would be a grave insult.

One moment the man was all smiles; the next, he could turn hostile without warning.

Moreover, to put it plainly, the promotion from Tributor to Chief was a leap from being a hired contractor to becoming an official member of the sect’s inner circle.

At least on the surface, the promotion came with considerable benefits.

“I am deeply grateful for the Sect Leader’s high regard!”

Chen Che cupped his hands.

“Congratulations, Chief Chen! Felicitations! From now on, we’re all one big family!” Duobao added, cupping his hands in feigned sincerity.

“That’s right, Chief Chen! Don’t forget to buy us a round of drinks to celebrate.”

Everyone, from Chen Jiyuan and Qiu Tianshui to Ping Miaohan’s group, chimed in with congratulations, clamoring for Chen Che to treat them.

Chen Che didn’t refuse, cupping his hands in response to each of them.

“Since you are a Chief of my Primordial Sect, I will bestow the two states of Yunzhou and Chi State upon you.”

Seemingly swept up in the festive atmosphere, Wei Yanzhou grew much more affable. He issued another decree, “All Cultivators within the jurisdiction of those two states shall be under the administration of your Jinyun Valley…”

“My thanks, Sect Leader.”

Chen Che cupped his hands.

Although Jinyun Valley had previously occupied parts of Yunzhou and Chi State, the Primordial Sect had never officially recognized their claim. They were merely allowed to reside there temporarily, and any other Golden Core Cultivator was free to try and seize the territory. In other words, their claim had been illegitimate.

Now, with this ‘decree,’ no one could openly move against Jinyun Valley, at least on the surface.

Moreover, all the factions within that territory would now be officially designated as his vassals. He would no longer need to suppress them with force to ensure their obedience. If any dared to disobey, he would hold the power of life and death over them.