Chapter 193: Chapter 182: Divine Court Incense
Annihilating a clan and seizing its assets were two sides of the same coin.
The Han Family’s foundation wasn’t just its Spirit Stones and Cultivation Techniques. It also included Bed Crossbows and heavy Crossbows specifically for defending the estate, as well as a large quantity of Bone Arrows, and raw Materials like the previously acquired Ore and Spirit Grass.
「Three days later.」
When Hu Yao returned with the Wild Bull Team, hauling all of these goods, the entire Market was in an uproar.
Countless Loose Cultivators scrambled to watch, lining the road for dozens of miles to welcome them.
...
Jinyun Valley.
The Great Hall.
"The Bian Family presents a Tier One High Grade Swordsmanship technique, Sword Stirring Wind and Cloud!"
"Keep it."
"The Li Family offers a Tier Two Lower Grade Spirit Fruit."
"Acceptable."
"The Huang Family presents a Tier Two Lower Grade Magical Artifact!"
"Place it in the Treasure House!"
Ding Fei read out the congratulatory gifts from the various families, one by one, waiting for Chen Che to make a decision. It had to be said, these Cultivation Clans were incredibly opportunistic. Before, they wouldn’t buy a single shop or residence, or at most, would only symbolically purchase one residence.
But after personally witnessing the Han Family’s destruction, over a hundred shops were snatched up in just half a day.
In fact, they had already moved in within three days.
Overnight, four or five new shops for Talismans, Spirit Plants, Puppets, and Insect Masters had appeared in the Market.
"The Valley Master’s show of might has finally convinced these families, body and soul!" Ding Fei couldn’t help but say sarcastically after finishing the list.
"They’re just trimming their sails to the wind."
Chen Che, seated on the Lotus Platform, looked utterly unfazed. "One day, if I fall at the hands of another, these same families will dutifully present congratulatory gifts, perhaps even more respectfully than they have today."
"Are we just going to let them be?"
Ding Fei’s brow furrowed.
Hearing the question, Chen Che finally opened his eyes.
"Tell them that within seven days, they must send all age-appropriate children from their clans to Jinyun Valley for Cultivation. If they are unwilling, they are to leave Yunzhou on their own accord. Otherwise, their fate will be the same as the Han Family’s!"
"I’ll see to it at once!"
Ding Fei’s face was full of admiration.
Firstly, the children would serve as hostages.
Secondly, it would bind these families to Jinyun Valley. If anything happened to the valley in the future, not one of them could think of staying out of it. After a few generations, they would be irrevocably tied to Jinyun Valley’s warship.
If a truly great power ever came to annihilate Jinyun Valley, not a single one of these families could hope to escape.
"Wait!"
Chen Che took out several more lists and handed them over. "Acquire Spirit Grass according to these lists."
Since he was now in charge of Jinyun Valley, he naturally had to change the way disciples were raised and taught. Ordinary grains contained too many impurities that would only hinder Cultivation. Relying on Spirit Rice alone wasn’t enough, so he was adopting a more scientific approach.
This was a recipe for brewing ’Spirit Liquid.’ Consuming it would make one’s body more attuned to Spiritual Qi, increasing the speed of Cultivation.
In addition, there were some Tier Two recipes.
He had already reached Foundation Establishment, so Tier One Pills were no longer effective for him. These materials, once prepared, would all be useful in the future. Right now, he was forcing the families to send their children, but once they understood the difference in quality, they would be breaking down the doors to get in.
"Yes!"
Ding Fei gave it a single glance before hurrying out.
Naturally, he didn’t need to handle such trivial matters personally. He just had to issue an announcement, and the Loose Cultivators in the valley would gather all the necessary Spirit Herbs.
Chen Che rose and went outside.
It was bustling both inside and outside Jinyun Valley. The massive construction project wasn’t something that could be finished in a short time.
Nearly everything left over from Ye Jingzhou’s era had been swept clean.
Xing Lin had been assigned to the Alchemy Hall.
This brought a sigh of relief from the overwhelmed Zhao Deyou. After all, besides teaching disciples Alchemy, he also had to fulfill Pill orders from various Cultivation Clans, appraise the Pills seized from the Han Family, and even refine Pills to supply the Pill Shop. He was completely swamped.
Looking up, he saw Hu Yao directing Loose Cultivators to install Bed Crossbows on the various mountain peaks.
These Bed Crossbows posed little threat to Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but they were more than enough as a deterrent. For Qi Refining Cultivators, a graze would mean injury, and a direct hit meant certain death.
There weren’t many cultivators in the valley at the moment, so these defenses were truly indispensable.
’I’m still missing a defensive Grand Array!’
He had already erased the runes on the thirty-six stone steles of the Vermilion Locking Array and commissioned Wu Neng to inscribe the ’Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Sword Formation’ on them.
Master Wu had refused at first.
He said it was too time-consuming and would take two or three years to complete. If he only worked on this, how could he possibly tend to his shop? Chen Che increased the payment three times, and the man immediately puffed out his chest and promised he could get it done in a month. If he couldn’t, Chen Che could come "get" him directly.
"Master, I have personally escorted the members of the Meng Family out of the valley."
Just then, Rong Zhongxuan hurried over.
"Very good."
Chen Che nodded slightly.
After the fall of the Han Family, Meng Changtu had stayed for three days before leaving today.
Only Meng Qingxuan and a few other Meng Clan Members remained in the Market to manage the ’Meng’s Beast Shop’.
"Follow me."
Chen Che walked toward the Treasure House.
Rong Zhongxuan followed.
As they walked, the busy Loose Cultivators and cultivating disciples immediately stopped what they were doing and called out respectfully, "Greetings, Valley Master! Greetings, Protector!"
From a corner of the valley, the CLANG CLANG of forging could be heard.
The blacksmiths in the Market were mostly unremarkable, but after some careful selection, there were a few old, skilled masters. Chen Che recruited them all, establishing the framework for a ’Forging Hall.’ In the future, if he found a true Forging Master, the hall would be ready to be established immediately.
The Treasure House was already built.
With its flying eaves and upturned corners, it looked like something out of an Exquisite Treasure Map.
Currently, it had seven floors.
All Magical Artifacts and Weapons were sorted by Grade. Tier One Low Grade items were the most numerous, with quantities dwindling as the Grade increased. This included the Weapons and Magical Treasures from Han Xiyue, Zhu Xu, and Yang Ping, which only amounted to a few pieces.
And on the seventh floor, there was only a single item: the Sacrificial Pill Furnace.
Its counterpart was the Scripture Pavilion.
Even with the combined collections of Jinyun Valley, the Red Flame Sect, and the Han Family, the highest-grade Cultivation Technique it housed was only Tier Two Middle Grade.
The most numerous items within were Pill Books.
This was, of course, because he had moved all the Pill Books and Weapons from his Cave Mansion into it.
’Feeling the pinch?’
’Not a chance. The entire Jinyun Valley belongs to me now.’
"Pick out three Tier Two and twelve Tier One Low Grade items—both Weapons and Magical Artifacts—for the auction in one month. I will also refine three bottles of Tier Two Elixirs and three Longevity Pills. From now on, we will follow this standard every month."
Seeing the pained look in Rong Zhongxuan’s eyes, Chen Che said flatly:
"In the early stages, the auction needs to build a reputation. Once its fame grows, those Foundation Establishment Cultivators will naturally bring an endless stream of items for us to auction. If we come across anything good, we can just keep it for ourselves."
This was an open secret in the business.
Goods first passed through the auction house. If the house could afford an item, it would buy it beforehand. Only what it couldn’t acquire would flow into the market.
As for the Foundation Establishment Pill provided by the Meng Family, Chen Che wasn’t foolish enough to put it up in the very first auction. He would wait at least a few months for the auction to warm up and gain some renown.
"Rong Shisan is already at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, correct?"
Chen Che turned his head.
"Yes!"
Rong Zhongxuan nodded, a trace of anticipation in his eyes.
Chen Che naturally understood the meaning behind his gaze.
"His foundation is unstable; a Foundation Establishment Pill would be useless for him. For the next year, he needs to temper his Qi and Blood, purify his True Essence, and eliminate the Pill Poison in his body. Only then will he have a chance at Foundation Establishment. With me here, I guarantee he’ll have a one hundred percent chance of success."
Rong Zhongxuan’s ears perked up, not daring to miss a single word.
Most cultivators trying to reach Foundation Establishment had to rely on fumbling through on their own. They had no idea why they might fail or why they might succeed.
They could only rely on the Foundation Establishment Pill to increase their chances.
But what Chen Che was saying was very likely the accumulated insights of a reincarnated Great Power.
"As for you, you also need to cultivate diligently!"
Chen Che casually tossed over a bottle of pills. "Although you’ve reached Foundation Establishment, you have numerous hidden injuries, which is why you’ve been stuck at the Foundation Establishment First Layer for over a decade, unable to advance an inch. Take one of these pills every three days for a month to heal your physique."
"Thank you, Master!"
It was precisely because his own Cultivation had seemed hopeless that he had focused all his heart and energy on his disciple.
How could he not be overjoyed now, learning that he could still advance his Realm? Perhaps one day, he might even truly get a glimpse of the Golden Core Dao.
"Go on, then."
Chen Che nodded slightly.
He didn’t have the time to watch over Jinyun Valley at every moment. Therefore, his plan was to first cultivate a few Foundation Establishment cultivators. Rong Shisan was one, and Hu Yao was another. However, the latter’s foundation was much more solid than Rong Shisan’s.
In the future, with three Foundation Establishment cultivators present, the valley would be safe from threats by relying on the ’Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Sword Formation,’ even if he were absent for long periods.
After receiving his orders, Rong Zhongxuan hurried to the Martial Arts Arena and whispered a few words to Rong Shisan. The younger man’s eyes immediately lit up with ecstasy. When he looked up, Chen Che was nowhere to be seen, but he still bowed deeply in the direction of the Great Hall.
At that moment, he was truly and completely won over.
After making a round through the valley and arranging some matters, Chen Che arrived at an estate.
He entered a Quiet Chamber, stepped forward, and passed through a wall that rippled like water. After traversing a long corridor, he unexpectedly arrived in his Cave Mansion.
After taking over Jinyun Valley, he had secretly constructed a tunnel connecting the valley to his Cave Mansion. After all, the Spiritual Qi here was far richer than in the valley; how could Chen Che possibly abandon it? Even as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, it had taken him until today to finally break through.
After his previous tidying, the Cave Mansion felt much more spacious.
But the Chixia Tripod was still there.
As he passed the Micro Crystal Brain, its screen automatically lit up, displaying his stats:
[Name: Chen Che]
[Realm: Foundation Establishment First Layer (39.89%)]
[Qi and Blood: Foundation Establishment First Layer (22.67%)]
[Divine Sense: Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer (6.21%)]
[Warning: True Essence reserves are 1473.6% higher than cultivators of the Same Tier]
Since reaching Foundation Establishment, his liquefied True Essence was no longer suitable for opening meridians. Compounded by the gradually diminishing effects of the Leopard Embryo Elixir, his True Essence reserves had only increased by a few percentage points in over half a month.
Unless he could find a more suitable pill, this stat was unlikely to change significantly.
As for his Realm and Qi and Blood, their progress had also slowed.
However, this was normal. Cultivation was like climbing a peak—the higher you went, the more difficult it became.
What truly concerned Chen Che was the Divine Court Wood.
As the level of his Divine Sense increased, the effects of the Concentration Incense were becoming less and less noticeable. This made concocting a new formula all the more urgent. Otherwise, he would be forced to rely on slow, grinding effort to increase his Divine Sense like everyone else.
But this wasn’t a major problem, as he had already been researching it for several months.
He placed the modified ’Divine Court Incense’ into the Incense Burner.
He sat down cross-legged.
A moment later, the stick of incense had burned to ash.
Chen Che’s eyes snapped open.
"Success!"
