Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

Chapter 350: Chapter 321: Divine Sense, Golden Core Fifth Layer

Over a month went by in a flash.

Dull thunder rumbled, and rain fell in bead-like drops, pattering against the eaves.

”Haaa—”

Exhaling a turbid breath, Chen Che kept his eyes closed, focusing instead on his Divine Sense. Only an hour ago had he finally absorbed all the Power of Faith from within the Divine Statue.

The Divine Sense of a cultivator at the Golden Core Fourth Layer was roughly seventy thousand zhang.

At the Fifth Layer, it reached one hundred thousand zhang.

At the Sixth Layer, one hundred and fifty thousand zhang.

This single Thousand-Eyed Divine Statue had propelled his Divine Sense Level to 63% of the way through the Fifth Layer, reaching a range of about one hundred thirty thousand zhang and covering an area with a radius of nearly a thousand li. If he were to condense it into a single thread, it could extend for several thousand li.

With a single thought, he could now effortlessly envelop the entire Primordial City. Not the slightest disturbance, not a single sordid affair, could escape his notice. He could even sense it if someone within the range of his Divine Sense so much as spoke his name.

However, as his Divine Sense spread out, he deliberately steered it away from the residences of the Golden Core True Masters.

Although these residences were protected by defensive Arrays, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to breach them undetected with his current Divine Sense Level.

But in any realm,

Cultivators considered being scanned by another’s Divine Sense a grave provocation. There were plenty of cases where Foundation Establishment Cultivators, newly-awakened to their Divine Sense and using it recklessly, had ended up getting themselves killed.

’The range and sensitivity have both increased. Who knows when I’ll get another upgrade like this? Perhaps the remaining Divine Statues could work. Even if their Grade isn’t high, their sheer number might be enough to make up for it.’

At this thought, Chen Che retracted his Divine Sense and looked again at the Divine Statue before him.

One month of hard work had saved him decades of secluded meditation.

Perhaps because it was a Spiritual Artifact, it didn’t turn to dust after its Power of Faith was drained, unlike the large Buddha statue from before. Instead, it had merely dropped in quality from Tier Three High Grade to Middle Grade.

’Maybe it can recover its former power once it accumulates enough Power of Faith again. But it’s a real waste for me to keep it. I can give it to Chen Xi when I get back.’

He wasn’t a Divine Dao Cultivator, so the item was of limited use to him, and he had no intention of switching paths.

A Divine Statue could only display its full potential in the hands of a Divine Dao Cultivator.

Hoarding every opportunity might bring benefits, but those who are too visibly greedy will inevitably attract trouble.

During this time, besides absorbing the Power of Faith, Chen Che and Meng Qianxun had been busy attending social functions. They met with not only the twenty-some Golden Core Cultivators of the Primordial Sect, but also the various major and minor powers within the city. All these factions depended on the Primordial Sect for their survival...

They were much like the Fishing and Firewood Gangs affiliated with Jinyun Valley.

This place was no different. Every generation, these factions—large and small—sent their own members into the Sect to pursue Cultivation. The higher a clan member’s strength and status within the Sect, the more secure their family’s business became. They were like vines clinging to the great tree that was the Primordial Sect.

So, while they might have seemed like mere minor gangs, they weren’t even afraid of unaffiliated Golden Core Cultivators.

But in Chen Che’s presence, all these families adopted a very humble attitude.

After all,

The title of Tributor was no small matter.

After dozens of banquets where hosts and guests alike had a wonderful time, Chen Che had gained a clear understanding of the city’s various powers. Take True Master Duobao, for example:

The True Master’s main power base was in the West City.

He controlled over a dozen streets and hundreds of shops. His businesses ranged from high-end goods like Pills, Spiritual Artifacts, rare flowers, exotic fruits, and Exotic Copper and Iron, all the way down to brothels, restaurants, inns, and casinos—covering nearly every trade imaginable.

The reason for his immense influence was that he was one of the original Elders who had followed the Primordial Ancestor. Legend had it that centuries ago, before the Ancestor had even achieved Core Formation, he got into a conflict with a Golden Core Cultivator, and Duobao had shielded the Ancestor from a fatal blow.

Therefore, Chen Che avoided looking for trouble and never set foot in the West City.

And Duobao, for his part, never came looking for trouble either.

’I wonder if the Sect Leader had a word with him?’

Chen Che tapped his fingers.

He certainly didn’t believe Duobao was afraid of him; this was the only explanation that made sense.

A few days ago, for instance, he had attended a city auction to pick up some Spirit Grass for Meng Qianxun that could purify a Demon Beast’s bloodline. A few of the other bidders had been quite aggressive, and they were supposedly Duobao’s own grandnephews.

Yet, the moment they learned his identity, they had decisively backed down.

Furthermore, when he had been collecting Fire Attribute Spiritual Objects around the city, they hadn’t tried to cause any trouble either.

’Or is he just biding his time, planning something big?’

What Duobao was truly thinking, perhaps only the man himself knew.

Chen Che mulled it over for a moment before deciding not to dwell on it.

Duobao might have deep roots in the Primordial Sect, but Chen Che wasn’t the least bit afraid of him.

It sounded conceited, but the fact was that the Primordial Sect needed him right now. As long as he made no mistakes, Duobao couldn’t find any fault with him.

...

Putting away the Divine Statue, Chen Che rose to his feet.

’This Primordial City... it’s really something else...’

Stepping out of the Quiet Chamber, Chen Che took a deep breath, a sigh of admiration escaping him. The Spiritual Qi here was even richer than in the Jinyun Valley Market.

Of course, this was partly because the Spiritual Qi of this province was thirty percent denser than that of Hunzhou.

But the main reason was a massive Spirit Gathering Array the Primordial Sect had established. It rapaciously drew the Spiritual Qi from the entire province into the mountains, and even affected the Spiritual Qi of several neighboring provinces.

Of all the Spiritual Qi gathered, sixty percent was funneled to the seventh level of the mountain, where the Ancestor resided. Another thirty-five percent was allocated to the other Golden Core Cultivators, with the last five percent going to the disciples. The city itself merely benefited from the residual, leaking Qi.

And the cost of this?

Outside of Primordial City, the Spiritual Qi in the surrounding lands was incredibly scarce, almost as barren as Shuzhou.

The local powers had two choices: move into the city or quietly leave. Who would dare to object?

’But then again,’ he thought, ’to have a single city sustained by the Spiritual Qi of several provinces... this level of prosperity is anything but ordinary.’

He extended his Divine Sense, and beyond his courtyard lay the bustling main street of the East City.

Even late at night, the streets were thronged with people and carriages. Cultivators came and went in a ceaseless stream.

In the short time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, dozens of Major Cultivators passed by.

Some cultivators led Golden-haired Demon Apes, others rode on the backs of Flying Cranes, and one Female Cultivator sat upon a platform made from a vibrant peony blossom... But without exception, none of these Major Cultivators rose more than a zhang from the ground as they traveled.

This was merely due to the city’s ban on flight.

Suddenly, Chen Che’s Divine Sense twitched. He took a single step and, in the blink of an eye, appeared at the city gate.

The East City Gate.

Several guards in Golden Armor were blocking the path of a Demon Beast before the gate.

The beast resembled a massive roc.

Its wingspan was about seven zhang, and each flap of its massive wings stirred up a gale. The Demon Qi it exuded had reached the level of the Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer.

However, it was covered in blood and had lost many of its Feathers, appearing extremely weak. That was why seven or eight high-level Foundation Establishment Cultivators were able to easily block its path, forcing it to circle frantically before the gates. A crowd of other Cultivators had gathered, watching with surprised expressions.

After all,

The Primordial Sect organized a purge of the surrounding Demon Beasts every ten years. It was rare to see any Demon Beast within a thousand li of the city, let alone a Great Demon daring to charge into Primordial City itself.

”Seize it—”

Just as the guards were moving to surround it, a figure suddenly stepped out of thin air.

The Demon Beast let out a joyful cry, instantly shrinking down to the size of a common sparrow and landing directly on the newcomer’s shoulder.