Chapter 194: Chapter 183: Chen Che: I’m Just an Ordinary Person
Divine Sense: Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer (6.51%)
A single stick of Divine Court Incense could increase his Divine Sense progress by 0.3%.
Chen Che glanced at the numbers, extremely satisfied.
One had to understand the significance of this.
His Divine Sense had reached the Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer, with a range of two thousand zhang. Even with Concentration Incense, which had never lost its effectiveness for him, it would take a full three days to achieve the same result.
If he were to rely on slow, grinding effort, it would take at least a month of nonstop work.
In other words,
For an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator to advance their Divine Sense from the Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer to the Golden Core Realm, it would take twenty-five years at the bare minimum.
But in reality, how could a Foundation Establishment Cultivator spend twenty-five years in seclusion focusing solely on their Divine Sense? The process would inevitably take much longer—four or five times that duration wouldn’t be unusual. This was why many Foundation Establishment Cultivators died without ever even glimpsing the threshold of the Golden Core Realm.
Unfortunately, the amount of Divine Court Wood was limited; he estimated it was only enough to get him to the Golden Core Realm.
’Sigh, I’m getting greedy!’
Chen Che let out a soft sigh, his expression immediately returning to calm.
For someone like him with a mere Middle Spirit Root to have reached Foundation Establishment in just two short years was already a stroke of immense fortune.
Besides,
With two worlds to back him, he had no need to worry about resources. It was only a matter of time.
...
「Two days later.」
The first shipment of Wuyin Stone ore arrived since Chen Che took power. Along with it came seven or eight disciples, who had been trickling back.
When Ye Jingzhou had sacrificed Jinyun Valley,
They had been lucky enough to escape the disaster, some stationed at the mines, others away on missions.
After all this time, they had come to accept the reality of the situation.
As for the ore that had been delivered, half would remain in the Valley, while the other half was to be forged into silver bricks. Once a year’s worth was gathered, it would be sent to the Primordial Sect. Although this was an agreement signed in Ye Jingzhou’s time, Chen Che had no intention of tearing it up.
After all, the Primordial Sect was simply too powerful.
No matter who was in charge, no one was willing to provoke such an entity.
"With these veteran disciples back, you can finally relax a bit. From now on, spend more time on your Cultivation. You are the Vice Valley Master, after all. In the future, you’ll be one of the public faces of the Valley!"
Seeing Hu Yao’s reluctance, Chen Che advised him,
"I know what you’re thinking, but you must understand that strength always comes first! No matter how well Jinyun Valley develops, if we don’t have the power to protect it, we will be easily crushed by others in the future!"
"Just remember Xing Lin and those two cultivators from the Han Family who had their legs severed. They are cautionary tales."
"Xing Lin?"
Hu Yao’s heart trembled. He remembered the Pill Master whose legs had been severed.
According to Xing Lin, there had been no shortage of people begging him for his Alchemy services back in the day; he had been quite prestigious. But what was the result? He was still captured and imprisoned.
Chen Che’s reminder made him realize that no matter how prosperous Jinyun Valley became, without enough strength to protect it, they would be nothing but a fat sheep in the eyes of others.
"I understand!"
Hu Yao nodded emphatically.
"When you reach the Ninth Layer, I will ensure you achieve Foundation Establishment! But you must not rely on too many pills. Your foundation is excellent, so don’t ruin your future path just to chase short-term progress!"
Chen Che instructed.
’Foundation Establishment!’
Standing to the side, Ding Fei’s eyes were filled with unconcealable envy.
Unfortunately, when he first started following Chen Che, he was only at the Qi Refining Third Layer. A year had passed, and he had only barely reached the Fourth Layer. Now over fifty years old, he feared he would be seventy by the time he reached the Ninth Layer.
Chen Che noticed Ding Fei’s envious expression and offered a casual piece of advice,
"You must cultivate diligently as well. As long as it’s before you turn seventy, I have ways to ensure you reach Foundation Establishment!"
"Really?"
Ding Fei couldn’t believe it.
Chen Che nodded slightly. The chances of reaching Foundation Establishment plummeted after the age of sixty, but it wasn’t as if there were no successful precedents. He had heard of such cases even in this world.
The oldest on record was seventy-two.
Of course,
Chen Che guessed that person had either practiced a Cultivation Technique for Life Extension and Longevity or consumed some kind of Celestial and Earthly Treasure to replenish their depleted Qi and Blood.
Of course, the Dragon Fish Pill also had this kind of effect.
However, the Dragon Fish Pill was, after all, only a Tier Two High Grade Elixir.
If one’s Qi and Blood were severely depleted, it would be insufficient to help them reach Foundation Establishment.
"I... I’ll go cultivate right now!"
His fighting spirit ignited, Ding Fei shook off his earlier dejection and immediately rushed to the plaza, joining the other disciples in their Cultivation.
...
...
With the Han Family destroyed, Jinyun Valley gradually got back on track, truly beginning to show signs of a great revival.
Of course,
Chen Che knew this state of affairs wouldn’t last.
The rise of one power inevitably encroaches on the territory of others. As Jinyun Valley grew stronger, it was only a matter of time before the other powers grew restless.
But so what?
Chen Che paid no mind to ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
He could now begin to control the Sword Pill; even a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator couldn’t withstand a single strike from him! ’In a few more decades, once I step into the Golden Core Realm, what will the Primordial Sect matter then?’
Within five days of his order, the various Cultivation Clans, no matter how reluctant, could only bite the bullet and send their school-aged children over, with the Han Family serving as a potent cautionary tale.
In a short time, the number of disciples in Jinyun Valley swelled to over four hundred.
Every disciple who entered the valley received a disciple’s handbook. In addition to outlining the Sect’s benefits, the handbook also contained regulations such as "Do not disrespect your masters or ancestors" and "Betrayal of the Sect is forbidden."
Of course, at first, these children from the various clans were not entirely willing; some were even resentful.
But then they discovered that experts at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, figures who were considered top-tier in their own clans, were serving as their tutors.
