Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

Chapter 334: Chapter 305: Even if the Celestial Emperor Comes, He Still Cannot Form the Pill

For the next month, the Meng Family was busy preparing for the Core Formation Ceremony.

However, the atmosphere was a little strange.

This was because after that day, Thousand Eyes had also paid a visit to the Meng Family. He had offered the rest of True Master Chilong’s inheritance, hoping to trade it for Meng Qianxun’s submission.

But Meng Qianxun knew better.

Thousand Eyes was kicking them while they were down, trying to exploit the Meng Family’s external crisis to force him into complete servitude. Meng Qianxun put him off by saying he needed to consider it. After being rejected, Thousand Eyes didn’t press the matter, simply making small talk for a moment before leaving.

Just before he left, however, he mentioned that he had urgent business to attend to and would be unable to participate in the ceremony.

Once this news got out,

the Meng Clan was instantly dumbfounded. Without the support of Thousand Eyes, they would have to face the entire Ye Clan head-on. How could a single True Master, who had only just achieved Core Formation, possibly withstand two of their Golden Core Powerhouses and their enormous network?

Sure enough,

it wasn’t long before some of the Meng Family’s former business partners began to default on their contracts. Others found various excuses to secretly reduce their orders.

Many clan members were inclined to pledge allegiance to Thousand Eyes, but Meng Qianxun vetoed all such suggestions.

’It’s never that easy to win someone’s support. The Ye Clan is a hungry wolf, watching us with greedy eyes. But is Thousand Eyes any different? Once we choose to depend on him, our fate will be completely in his hands.’

Fortunately, the return of Meng Changtu significantly lessened everyone’s pressure.

Having comprehended the Heavenly Dao’s Blessing, his Realm had already reached the Ninth Layer, and it wouldn’t be long before he too could attempt Core Formation.

’Once the Meng Family has another Golden Core True Master, maybe we can actually fight back!’

However,

some of the shrewder members figured out the implications and were secretly terrified.

’Rejecting the offer of a powerhouse is a sin in itself. The best-case scenario is that Thousand Eyes simply watches from the sidelines during our confrontation with the Ye Race. But the worst-case scenario... is that he decides to kick us while we’re down.’

With no other choice, a group of clan elders held a meeting.

Meng Qianxun said only one word:

”Wait!”

...

’Is Thousand Eyes planning to expand?’

Chen Che mused, rubbing the teacup in his hands after hearing the news from the Meng Family.

’This time, Thousand Eyes met with me and then with Meng Qianxun, and we both rejected him. We’re not the only ones waiting—so is he. He’s just waiting for the moment we can no longer withstand the pressure from the Ye Race and have no choice but to submit to him.’

Chen Che understood perfectly well why the situation had become so strange.

Thousand Eyes prided himself on his ability to manipulate people, and he had a firm grasp of the current predicament facing both Jinyun Valley and the Meng Clan.

’The Ye Clan has two True Masters and one with a Fake Pill, not to mention their vast network. Our side can’t possibly withstand that pressure. Our only option is to seek his protection. This is his version of applying maximum pressure during a negotiation.’

’And with the inheritance of True Master Chilong in his hands, few would be able to resist the temptation.’

Moreover,

’without his support, it would be extremely difficult for both Meng Changtu and me to achieve Core Formation.’

A stick on one side, a carrot on the other.

If not for the wild card that was Chen Che, the Meng Family very likely would have accepted.

’But most Cultivators are shrewd. They might think, ”I can do a favor for you, no problem. But you want me to serve you for a lifetime, to sell the lives and fortunes of my entire clan to you? No one would make that choice unless they were absolutely desperate.”’

’Sigh... Thousand Eyes, you’ve miscalculated,’

Chen Che thought with a resigned sigh, pressing his temples.

’My own Core Formation is a certainty; no one can stop it. For him to use it as leverage against me was always an illusion, like chasing the moon’s reflection in the water.’

Besides, he was the type to repay kindness with kindness.

’But Thousand Eyes’s schemes run too deep; there’s no room for genuine goodwill. This sort of maximum-pressure tactic might secure him greater benefits, but the risks are equally enormous. Isn’t he worried it will backfire?’

...

However, the situation wasn’t entirely static.

After a string of bad news, some good things were bound to happen.

「At the beginning of the month.」

The first batch of Items of Faith was delivered to the Ghost Market. The highest-grade item was Tier Two High Grade, while the lowest was only Tier One Middle Grade. Although the grades were somewhat low, there were over two hundred pieces in total. This made Chen Che realize that the number of Items of Faith left behind by the Celestial Divine Being was likely far greater than he had imagined.

Chen Che immediately found Lu Qinglian and used her as an intermediary to contact the Lu Family, hoping to acquire more high-grade Items of Faith through them.

Secondly,

Li Changqing’s success rate at creating Tier Two Low-Grade Talismans had soared to eighty percent. He even had a fifty percent success rate with Middle-Grade ones. As for High-Grade talismans, he was limited by his Cultivation and had only succeeded once.

But Chen Che was quite satisfied.

He immediately rewarded the man with a Foundation Establishment Pill, permitting him to attempt Foundation Establishment.

...

Sure enough,

Thousand Eyes was true to his word and did not attend Meng Qianxun’s Core Formation Ceremony. At the same time, wary of the Ye Race, many of the guests who had originally planned to come were absent.

When Chen Che arrived to offer his congratulations, he took one look and saw how desolate the scene was. Besides a few vassal families, the number of guests in attendance was less than half of what had been anticipated.

Chen Yin didn’t attend either.

After all, with his master absent, how could a mere household slave like him dare to do something so far above his station? He did, however, secretly entrust Xiao Chan with delivering a congratulatory gift.

”Go on, have our own family members take those seats. Fill them up.”

Meng Changtu ordered after walking a lap around the hall. No matter what, they had to keep up appearances.

”Thousand Eyes really has a knack for this maximum pressure tactic. He’s no different from the Ye Race...”

After the ceremony ended anticlimactically, Meng Qianxun specifically asked Chen Che to stay behind.

”How are your preparations for Core Formation coming along? This is the location for your tribulation. The map is here... I can’t take you there myself. The Ye Race has too many spies. The moment I leave, they’ll know.”

”It’s in Chu State?”

Chen Che recognized the location with a single glance.

’That makes sense,’ he thought.

The Chu State Mountain Range was vast, its terrain far more complex than that of Ze State. The ambient Demon Qi could mask the fluctuations of True Essence, making it an excellent place for Crossing the Tribulation.

Of course,

accepting the map didn’t mean he actually intended to go there.

...

”Meng Qianxun must have a foul look on his face right about now. It was supposed to be his grand Core Formation Ceremony, and barely anyone showed up.”

In stark contrast to the Meng Family, the Ye Race’s banquet was filled with distinguished guests.

Nine Golden Core True Masters had come. Including the two from their own clan, the total reached eleven. This celebration alone would be a story many of the guests would tell for the rest of their lives. Ye Juming, in particular, was grinning from ear to ear.

After all,

he had been utterly humiliated back in Jinyun Valley, and now he had reclaimed all his lost face.

Watching those who had once addressed him as ”Fellow Daoist” now respectfully calling him ”Senior” filled him with an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

’But it’s still not enough...’

Just then, Ye Xiuyu hurried over and whispered a few words in his ear. Having only managed to form a Fake Pill, Ye Xiuyu had now taken over Ye Jiuming’s former position, acting as a shadow responsible for reconnaissance, assassinations, and other unsavory tasks.

When Ye Juming heard that Meng Changtu had ordered his own family members to fill the empty tables, he paid it little mind.

But when he heard that they had discovered the location of Meng Qianxun’s tribulation, his gaze turned sinister.

”Excellent!”

He turned his head and said in a cold voice, ”Send people to watch that location. Whether it’s Chen Che or Meng Changtu, they will most likely attempt to cross their tribulation there. I don’t care if the Celestial Emperor himself shows up—I won’t let either of them succeed in their Core Formation!”

”And that’s my word!”