Chapter 195: Chapter 183: Chen Che: I’m Just an Ordinary Person
From time to time, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Rong Zhongxuan, would even take to the field to give them personal instruction.
This was especially true after they saw the bodies of the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators, including Han Xiyue, and learned of Chen Che’s battle record. They were filled with endless admiration and reverence for their young Valley Master.
"The Valley Master is just too strong!"
"That day, Han Xiyue and his two companions brought over ten Late-stage Qi Refining cultivators to try and force the Valley Master to hand over the mines. The battle was an absolute rout. The dozen or so Late-stage cultivators couldn’t even withstand a single strike from him, and it was the same for the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators."
In the plaza, Zhao Changping was bragging to the new disciples.
The disciples from various families listened, their eyes gleaming, wishing they could have witnessed the battle for themselves.
"Look!"
Zhao Changping raised a hand and pointed to the dozens of bed crossbows positioned around the valley. "The Han Family ran rampant for decades, but didn’t our Valley Master wipe them out all the same? These are all confiscated spoils of war!"
"So where is the Valley Master now?"
A disciple from one of the families asked.
In the few days since their arrival, Chen Che had kept to himself. They had only caught a distant glimpse of his back a few days ago as he rode Jingfeng out of the valley. Rumor had it he left yesterday and might not return for the better part of a month.
"How would I know?"
Zhao Changping shook his head. "The Valley Master is as elusive as a divine dragon. I imagine he’s riding Jingfeng right now, roaming freely across Yunzhou!"
"Really?"
The disciple who had asked the question was filled with yearning.
Valley Master Chen was not roaming freely across Yunzhou.
Valley Master Chen was on his way to a competition.
The Immortal Sect competition was held in early October. This year’s competition was located in the Capital City, which was also the home of the Zhurong Daoist School. The previous competition had been held in New City, the location of the Rushou Daoist School.
Valley Master Chen wasn’t just aiming to get into one of the Four Great Daoist Schools.
He was also after that Tier Four Technique.
"In the first year of Tianqing, sensing the threat from Outer Realm Evil Cultivators, the Zhurong Daoist School was jointly established to recruit all cultivators in the world. Afterward, due to the large number of cultivators, the Rushou, Jumang, and Yuqiang Daoist Schools were founded with Zhurong as their basis."
..."Since then, twenty-eight Yiben Daoist Schools and over three hundred second- and third-tier Daoist Schools have branched off, forming a great Circulation Array across the entire Earth Element Star!"
...
"Teacher Li, why aren’t we riding a Flying Demon Beast?"
Zong Yudao was a little disappointed. He had been dreaming about it.
"The First Middle School’s finances are a little tight..."
Li Xiaoshuang said with a solemn expression.
In the cramped airplane seat, Chen Che was lounging, flipping through the in-flight reading material. The books detailed the origins of the great Daoist Schools, explaining how after their founding, the Earth Element Star began to popularize education in cultivation.
It was said that many had already proposed moving the Immortal Sect enrollment age from high school down to middle school.
However, the proposal had been consistently shelved due to a lack of financial support and the expectation of minimal returns.
As for the First Middle School’s finances...
Chen Che’s lip twitched. ’Maybe Old Li spent it all on his foot massages?’
Nearby, Zong Yudao sighed and muttered a complaint about how the school collected so many fees yet couldn’t scrape together enough money for them to ride a Flying Great Demon. Li Xiaoshuang’s objective was clear: take Chen Che to the competition, and then go for foot massages in the Capital City.
Unfortunately, he would have to pay for it himself this time.
That left Chen Che’s competition:
"In the last month alone, another seventeen people have reached Foundation Establishment, bringing the total to fifty-one. Even though the other students haven’t reached that stage, you can’t underestimate them. You don’t want to get tripped up by an easy opponent."
Although he knew what kind of student Chen Che was.
But with the event right around the corner, he couldn’t help but give a few reminders.
"I understand. I won’t underestimate any opponent."
Chen Che nodded, showing he understood.
The Immortal Sect competition featured the geniuses of each generation; it was known colloquially as the "Immortal Sect’s monster den." It wouldn’t be surprising to see any kind of prodigy show up. Some might be extraordinary in terms of True Essence, Physique, or Divine Sense.
’Underestimating them would be the same as underestimating myself.’
"Me too!"
Zong Yudao quickly chimed in.
Old Li rolled his eyes, not even wanting to bother with him. ’The weakest contestants are at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer, and you’re not even at the Third Layer. Who are *you* in a position to underestimate?’
Before long, they had arrived in the Capital City.
An Immortal Sect metropolis was truly on another level compared to a fourth-tier town. A gathering ground for Flying Demon Beasts was situated right next to the airport. After their group deplaned, they could see Golden Core Great Demons streaking across the sky above and a Crystal Rail Train that looked like a long dragon.
The entire airport was like a gargantuan beast crouched on the ground, swallowing and spitting out massive flows of people.
Cultivation and technology were fused together in a peculiar way.
"Wow, so this is the Capital City? They even have Golden Core Great Demons!"
"I never imagined... It’s so prosperous... Why is that Great Demon only carrying a few people? Is it privately owned? My goodness! They must be seriously rich!"
"Holy shit, a Nascent Soul True Monarch?"
...
As the competition drew near, students from Immortal Sects all over had flocked to the city.
There were many other students on their flight. Seeing such a grand spectacle for the first time, a clamor arose from them at the airport.
Even Chen Che couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.
However, he figured it was to be expected. In the context of Yunzhou, the Capital City wasn’t comparable to Jinyun Valley, but to a Sect run by a Divinity Transformation Ancestor. A city of this scale was naturally not surprising.
It was a place where, as the saying might go, ’you chat and laugh with Foundation Establishment cultivators, and have no dealings with the common man’.
Golden Core True Masters were not a rare sight either; he spotted more than ten in just a few minutes.
He even saw one or two Nascent Soul True Monarchs occasionally drifting through the crowd.
"Impressive, isn’t it? Once you’ve studied at Zhurong Daoist School for a few years and gotten used to this, it won’t seem like a big deal," Li Xiaoshuang said with a tilt of his head. "See those students? They’re all your rivals in the competition!"
Chen Che followed his gaze.
There were quite a few students at the airport. Most were in groups like theirs, a teacher with a student, but there were also many accompanied by their parents and grandparents—the whole family was mobilized, looking just like they were on a family vacation.
Old Li’s words also caused many of the other students to look over.
"Old Chen, these students look so fierce... I don’t think I could beat a single one of them," Zong Yudao finally admitted, a little unnerved. "What about you? What do you think your chances are in the competition?"
"About ninety percent," Chen Che said calmly.
"Damn!"
Zong Yudao’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. "When the competition starts, you have to cover for me..."
Chen Che’s lip twitched. ’All you have to do is find a place to hide,’ he thought.
Just as he was about to speak, a surprised "Hm?" came from nearby. He turned to see a stylishly dressed student wearing a baseball cap with his hands in his pockets. A few chains hung from his clothes, jingling as he walked.
The two of them locked eyes for a moment before the other student changed his path and headed for a different exit.
"Looks like he was looking down on you!" Zong Yudao said, having read the other guy’s expression.
"Yeah. He’s Qiu Beixuan, ranked twenty-ninth on the Celestial Ranking. He’s from Douxiu Middle School and has an Earth Spirit Root."
Chen Che nodded.
He had memorized the names on the Celestial Ranking long ago, so he recognized him instantly.
"Pretty impressive!"
Zong Yudao muttered, pursing his lips.
Of course he was impressive.
The guy traveled by riding a Flying Great Demon and had a private car waiting for him.
They, on the other hand, could only follow their teacher on a plane and then take the subway.
After getting off the subway, they took a bus and walked several hundred meters before finally arriving at the Zhurong Grand Hotel. This was the designated hotel for students participating in the Immortal Sect competition. By the time the three of them got there, the place was already packed and filled with a clamor of voices.
It looked just like a tourist attraction mobbed with people.
"You two sit and wait here, I’ll go check us in!"
Old Li called out before getting in line.
There were many other students in the waiting area. The two exchanged a look and found an empty spot to sit down.
"What a coincidence!"
Suddenly, a laugh rang out.
Chen Che looked up to see Qiu Beixuan standing there.
"Are you two also students here for the competition?"
Qiu Beixuan asked. When he saw Chen Che nod, he grinned and held out his hand.
"Let me introduce myself. I’m Qiu Beixuan, twenty-ninth on the Celestial Ranking, a student at Douxiu Middle School, and currently the student council president."
’A big school like that is so cool, they even have a student council!’
Zong Yudao muttered to himself. He stood up, shook Qiu Beixuan’s hand, and said, not to be outdone:
"Zong Yudao, a student from Six Continents First Middle School. Nickname: Son of Fortune!"
"Impressive!"
Qiu Beixuan gave him a thumbs-up, then turned to Chen Che.
Chen Che stood up as well.
’I’m a transmigrator, an awakener of Innate Wisdom, a walker between two worlds; former Tributor of Jinyun Valley, current Valley Master of Jinyun Valley; also known as the Foundation Establishment Killer, a genius Pill Master, an outstanding student and student leader of the First Middle School, the First Middle School’s number one heartthrob, and the most dangerous person in the Six Continents competition... ’
...he thought to himself, but what he said was:
"I’m just an ordinary guy."
