Chapter 170: Chapter 163: Plotting Against Each Other
The Meng Family was situated on Fuyun Mountain.
The mountain was 1,700 meters high. At dusk, it was wreathed in clouds and mist, making one feel as if they were treading upon the Celestial Palace itself.
Over several centuries, the Meng Family’s population had grown to tens of thousands. Only those with a Spiritual Root were qualified to live on the mountain, numbering three to four thousand people. A single narrow path led to the Beast Garden, its entrance flanked by several Cultivators with long sabers at their waists. The guard was strict.
"Young Miss, you only had to send word if you needed something. Why come all this way yourself?"
The guard on duty, whose face normally warned strangers away, now approached with a smile.
"I’m taking Alchemist Chen to have a look inside the Beast Garden."
Meng Qingxuan acknowledged with a hum.
"Alchemist Chen? Chen Che? The one from Jinyun Valley?"
"The genius Pill Master?"
The guards exchanged glances, having clearly heard of Chen Che. Not long ago, the Pill Masters in their clan had hated him to the bone. When news of Chen Che’s fame first spread, the Elder in charge of the apothecary had pushed the apprentices to their absolute limits.
He had wanted to produce a genius Pill Master of their own.
But later, when the news broke that Cao Xiong had asked him to complete a Pill Formula, the Elder gave up.
It was too difficult!
Simply too difficult!
"Do I need to register?"
Chen Che asked, noticing a roster placed at the entrance.
"No need!"
The lead guard shook his head with a broad smile.
"You are the Young Miss’s honored guest, and also an honored guest of the Patriarch. You’re no outsider... Please, come in!"
His words were very polite, clearly intended for Meng Qingxuan to hear.
As he spoke, he had already opened the main gate. Instead of the foul stench one might expect from a gathering of Demon Beasts, a refreshing fragrance wafted out.
"Mm," Meng Qingxuan nodded, then turned and said with a smile, "Let’s go."
Suppressing his curiosity, Chen Che followed her into the Beast Garden, which occupied half the mountainside.
Upon entering the Beast Garden, the first things he saw were some unranked beasts:
Spiritual Steeds, Spirit Rats, Spirit Birds...
The deeper they went, the higher the level of the Demon Beasts.
Each area was clearly demarcated, with some Low Tier Cultivators responsible for tasks like cleaning and feeding.
’...It’s kind of like a zoo!’
Chen Che mused to himself.
’Except this one is private. With several centuries of accumulation, the Meng Family is truly wealthy and powerful! After all, feeding these creatures can’t be cheap.’
Some of these Demon Beasts lived in groups, while a few were raised separately.
Of course, a single glance was enough to tell that these Demon Beasts were of a high tier. Most were at the Seventh or Eighth Layer.
"These have all been pre-ordered by clients, so they have to be taken out and raised separately..."
Meng Qingxuan explained as they walked side by side, noticing the curiosity in Chen Che’s eyes.
"There used to be some Foundation Establishment Great Demons, but they’ve all been sealed in ’Beast Sleep Stones’ and will be delivered to the clients after my father’s birthday celebration. If you’d come half a month earlier, you would have seen them."
"What a pity."
Chen Che’s face was full of regret, but inwardly he couldn’t care less.
After all, he had seen plenty of Demon Beasts. He had even touched a Golden Core Great Demon, let alone a Foundation Establishment one.
The two walked at a brisk pace.
By the time they finished touring the Beast Garden, the orange-red sky had unknowingly turned to an inky blue. Night swallowed the last ray of sunlight, replacing it with a sky full of brilliant stars.
"Seventh Uncle isn’t here, otherwise he could have taught you how to feed Jingfeng..."
After touring the last section, Meng Qingxuan suddenly took his arm.
"There’s one last place you haven’t been."
"Where?"
Chen Che had been about to leave, but he stopped upon hearing her words, letting her pull him all the way to the mountaintop.
There, a peach tree swayed, its pink blossoms appearing even more vibrant under the moonlight. A sweep of his Divine Sense revealed to Chen Che that it was, in fact, a Tree Demon. From this spot, the Meng Mansion on the mountainside below was brightly lit, its countless Luminous Beads shimmering together like an Immortal City descended upon the mortal world.
Meng Qingxuan stood beneath the tree, her hands behind her back, gazing at the Meng Mansion.
A cliffside breeze blew past, scattering petals of peach blossoms and sending strands of her hair across her face. Her stunning beauty outshone even the lights below.
For a moment, their eyes met.
Chen Che couldn’t help but feel his heart stir, an indescribable feeling rippling through him and spreading.
"AHEM..."
"Who’s there?"
Suddenly, the sound of a cough broke the silence.
Both of them reacted at once. Chen Che’s hand tightened into a sword-finger sign, and the Pure Jun Sword was already halfway out of its sheath.
Turning, they saw Meng Changtu approaching with his hands behind his back.
"Senior!"
Chen Che cupped his fists, but his heart was pounding wildly.
’I swore I wouldn’t get involved with women and would only pursue the Immortal Dao. But now her father has caught us in a secret nighttime meeting. I’ll never be able to clear my name. No, wait, it’s not like we were caught in bed together.’
’What’s there to be afraid of?’
"Go back!"
Meng Changtu didn’t even look at him, instead reprimanding Meng Qingxuan. She lowered her head and hesitated, not moving until Meng Changtu spoke again.
"I’m going to have a few words with Alchemist Chen. I’ll have him go down the mountain shortly..."
"Yes!"
Meng Qingxuan complied, but she kept looking back every few steps. It was quite a while before she finally disappeared from the mountaintop.
Once they were alone on the mountain, Meng Changtu took two steps forward, standing where Meng Qingxuan had been, and gazed at the magnificent Meng Mansion.
"Alchemist Chen, what do you think of my Meng Family? How does it compare to Jinyun Valley?"
"A Noble Family of several centuries, with a profound foundation and extensive connections. It’s worth five or six Jinyun Valleys," Chen Che answered truthfully.
Jinyun Valley relies entirely on Ye Jingzhou alone. If he were to fall, the rest of them wouldn’t be able to hold on to it.
But the Meng Family is different. Their enterprise is vast, and they’ve established a cycle of healthy growth.
They also have several Foundation Establishment Cultivators in residence, a solid base, and a constant stream of new talent. By slowly accumulating strength this way, if they are fortunate enough to produce a Golden Core Cultivator in the future, they could rise even higher.
"Not bad!"
Meng Changtu nodded slightly. "Ye Jingzhou is shortsighted. He only cares about his own Cultivation. Jinyun Valley is merely his appendage, something he could cast aside at will. Otherwise, in two hundred years, it’s impossible that he would remain the only Foundation Establishment Major Cultivator in Jinyun Valley!"
"Of course, there are also rumors that Ye Jingzhou has been actively suppressing the emergence of a second Major Cultivator in Jinyun Valley."
"Lu Yi’s injuries were inflicted by him in secret!"
!?
Chen Che’s pupils contracted.
’Is he afraid a second Foundation Establishment Cultivator would compete with him for resources?’
’Or threaten his position?’
’Or perhaps...’
If this was true, then Ye Jingzhou was a venomous snake hiding in the grass.
"It’s good that you are aware."
Meng Changtu nodded slightly, his tone softening with a hint of a warning. "You saved Meng Qingxuan in the mines. Consider this my way of repaying you. If you want to reach Foundation Establishment in the future, you must stay far away from him and be careful not to let him notice you."
"Thank you."
Chen Che cupped his fists.
This was a rather confidential matter concerning the lord of a region; it wouldn’t normally be spread around.
"What do you think of Qingxuan?"
Meng Changtu glanced back, and Chen Che followed his gaze.
The mountain path behind them was pitch-black, so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. But with their Divine Senses, both could feel Meng Qingxuan standing there.
"When I first met her, she seemed a bit willful, but she understands the bigger picture and is reasonable!"
Chen Che answered honestly.
Meng Changtu nodded in satisfaction, then added with a sidelong glance,
"If you join the Meng Family, one of your and Qingxuan’s future children can take the Chen surname! In the future, if you wish to take concubines, you may. If you take a fancy to any woman in the clan, just tell me, and I will arrange it for you."
’Isn’t he thinking a bit too far ahead?’
Chen Che didn’t respond.
Nothing was settled yet, but the man was already thinking about finding concubines for him.
"If you don’t wish to marry into our family, I can agree to that as well."
Seeing Chen Che’s silence, Meng Changtu reached out and patted his shoulder, his tone gentle.
"Ye Jingzhou doesn’t have many years left. Many people have their eyes on his territory, including some Loose Cultivators at Foundation Establishment. The people he leaves behind won’t be able to protect Jinyun Valley. If you wish to take it over one day, I can offer my full support."
"But Senior, I haven’t thought that far ahead..." Chen Che said, shaking his head.
"Don’t be such a stranger. Call me Uncle!"
Sensing Chen Che’s faint sigh, Meng Changtu’s tone became even gentler.
Chen Che had no connection to the Meng Family, so why make him come all this way? Chen Che’s Spiritual Root was average, but his talent in the Alchemy Dao was astounding. The clan Elders might have found his lack of background regrettable, but Meng Changtu was very satisfied. The most crucial point was that his own daughter liked him.
The young man’s temperament was excellent. Anyone else would have likely agreed eagerly by now, but he remained unfazed by favor or disgrace.
With that said, he turned and glanced at the mountain path again.
"Go on down the mountain!"
"...Alright."
Chen Che gave a slight bow and turned to descend the mountain.
...
"Take over Jinyun Valley?"
Back in his guest room, Chen Che replayed the conversation from the mountaintop.
He had indeed considered it, but not like this. After all, accepting a handout meant being indebted. Once he accepted this goodwill, he would inevitably be constrained by it in the future.
He also wasn’t sure if Meng Changtu had ulterior motives.
However, the two pieces of information the man had revealed were quite surprising.
First, that Ye Jingzhou was suppressing the rise of a second Foundation Establishment Cultivator in Jinyun Valley.
Second, that other factions were coveting Jinyun Valley.
’As a Steward, I’m only half a member of Jinyun Valley, but I still have to be on guard against this. As for the other Loose Cultivators, they are no cause for alarm...’
In this world, strength was paramount. Once he reached Foundation Establishment, dealing with those Loose Cultivators would be effortless.
The birthday celebration was a complicated affair, scheduled to last for three days.
After all, for a family of the Meng Family’s stature, this was no ordinary birthday feast. It was more a way of displaying their power to the outside world.
The other Four Great Foundation Establishment Influences of Yunzhou, and even Lu Yi representing Jinyun Valley, all presented congratulatory gifts.
Furthermore, even those from other prefectures who had business dealings with them came to celebrate.
At the banquet, Han Xiyue also arrived and presented a gift. When he saw Chen Che, his expression instantly darkened, as if he had swallowed half a fly. He had waited half the night for Chen Che, only for Han Zaiyin to end up dead. The killer had yet to be found.
After all, the Han Family had too many enemies; there were simply too many to suspect.
As for Chen Che, he suspected that Dan Guangao might have revealed a flaw...
But it didn’t matter anymore.
The Great Feng Dynasty was gone, and he had been the one to personally destroy it.
Han Xiyue sipped his wine, his icy gaze lingering on Chen Che.
’So this is all he amounts to!’
Having heard from Lu Yi that Han Xiyue had destroyed the Great Feng Dynasty, Chen Che felt nothing. Such was the price for backing the wrong side, but to take out one’s anger on mortals in the end... it just showed how petty the man was.
’The last ambush failed, so he definitely won’t let this go!’
Just as he was thinking this, Han Xiyue suddenly raised his wine cup and walked over with a smile.
"Tributor Chen, there was a great misunderstanding regarding the matter at the mines. I haven’t had a chance to visit you. I offer you this toast, in the hopes that the Han Family and Jinyun Valley can bury the hatchet."
With that, he drained the cup in one gulp and even turned it upside down.
"Well said! Let this cup of wine settle our grievances!"
Chen Che smiled, stood up, and likewise drained his wine.
The two men looked at each other and burst out laughing.
’Just don’t fall into my hands in the future!’
A flicker crossed Han Xiyue’s eyes, but his words were full of praise.
"Alchemist Chen is straightforward and bold!"
"Likewise!"
Chen Che smiled and set down his cup, sneering inwardly.
’When I get back, I’ll spread the news that the Han Family lost a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. That should stir up some trouble for you!’
