Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

Chapter 387: Chapter 358: Prying

HUUUFF!

INHALE!

After learning that Ye Yuanji and the other Golden Core cultivators had left, Chen Che spent most of his remaining days in the valley.

Besides alchemy and cultivation, he also attended classes on the Earth Element Star.

Consuming a drop of Pill Liquid each day ensured his cultivation speed remained high. He improved by almost three to four percent every day—a rate he previously only achieved after meditating beside the Earth Store Profound Tree for an entire month.

The only thing that made it hard to endure was the passage of time. There were still four months until the second half of the school year began.

’Still, being able to skip my fourth year is a nice touch. If I couldn’t, I’d have to wait another year.’

The rules at Zhurong Daoist School weren’t as rigid as those at a Mortal University, where even a guaranteed spot in graduate school required you to finish your fourth year. After all, one’s cultivation realm was paramount, and becoming a graduate student already signified that one was a Golden Core True Master.

Thus, graduates of Zhurong Daoist School were essentially groomed to become mid-to-high-level leaders in an Immortal Sect right after graduation.

’Next semester, I can officially study a Tier Three Technique and even choose an additional Tier Four Technique. Should I complete my Five Elements Skill, or...’

Sitting cross-legged before a Pill Furnace, Chen Che continuously adjusted his True Essence. The one he was currently using was the very same furnace he had obtained from True Master Chixia’s Traveling Palace.

Surprisingly, after a pill was successfully refined, this Pill Furnace would also release a radiant glow when the Furnace Cauldron was opened.

Clearly.

This was the true Chixia Tripod, and perhaps the origin of True Master Chixia’s name.

The bonus it provided to alchemy was indeed substantial. If he had used this furnace to refine pills for Thousand Eyes, he could have saved at least fifty percent of the materials. Of course, the only drawback was its slightly higher consumption of True Essence, which was perhaps because he had yet to master it completely.

Like a child wielding a giant hammer...

However, after using it multiple times, Chen Che gradually grew familiar with this Pill Furnace’s characteristics.

He just had to wait until his cultivation was high enough.

This period of intense practice would then become the foundation for mastering this Chixia True Cauldron.

HUUUFF!

The furnace fire gradually died down, and Chen Che slowly withdrew his power.

After storing the pills in a Jade Bottle, he walked out of the main hall. The disciples had already finished their morning exercises, and the valley was a bustling scene of activity, with some heading out on missions, some cultivating, and others sparring.

Zhao Changping, Wang Chen, and the other top-tier first-generation disciples spent most of their time away from the valley, gaining experience in the outside world.

Cultivators in this world rarely chose to train behind closed doors. Instead, they would seek opportunities in the outside world or strengthen themselves through life-and-death combat. In time, the first-generation disciples would mature and join the mid-to-high-level ranks of the valley.

’But compared to the Primordial Sect, we’re still far too lacking...’

Chen Che nodded in satisfaction, yet he couldn’t help but recall what he had seen at the Primordial Sect. That sect had an extraordinary number of disciples.

Of course.

It wasn’t just numbers they lacked, but also a deep foundation.

’Time...’

Sighing with emotion, Chen Che secretly shook his head. Many things, built upon hundreds of years of accumulation, could not be so easily surpassed.

The back mountain was serene.

Ever since the Earth Store Profound Tree had been planted in the valley, the area of the back mountain had been expanded several times over. Several mountain peaks were incorporated into its range, and unauthorized personnel were forbidden from entering. After the Willow Tree Demon was planted, this area doubled in size again.

It did, however, have the feel of an ecological forest.

Due to the Earth Store Profound Tree converting Spiritual Qi, the entire back mountain was lush with blooming flowers. Besides Demon Beasts, there were also many wild animals, which blinked their eyes and stared at Chen Che with great curiosity.

As for the Earth Store Profound Tree, nurtured with Essence Blood for years on end, it was now nearly two meters tall.

Its range could now encompass the entire Jinyun Valley.

He had come here today simply to reinforce the Spirit Gathering Array and prevent the Spiritual Qi within the valley from escaping. This was different from the Primordial Sect’s predatory method of increasing Spiritual Qi. As long as the Earth Store Profound Tree continued to grow, the concentration of Spiritual Qi in the valley would also increase over time.

’What a pity there’s only one! If there were a few more, the Spiritual Qi in the valley could at least double...’

After reinforcing the Array, Chen Che took the opportunity to handle some internal affairs.

The Liu Family had already found the first location to plant the Taibai Jade Bamboo—it was near the waters of the Yu Family in Chi State. Since they were both vassal families, Liu Yuanqing naturally had no authority to make a decision. The matter could only be settled through the Upper Sect.

For example, the Lu Family and the Chen Clan had sent another batch of objects of faith, but the quantity had plummeted to less than a tenth of the first delivery. It wasn’t that they were slacking off, but that such items were inherently ’non-renewable’ resources; with each batch collected, the available amount naturally dwindled.

In addition, Fire Attribute Spiritual Objects were also becoming increasingly scarce.

However, Chen Che had long anticipated this outcome. After all, Cultivation Resources were not infinite, which was why some Cultivators chose to pillage and plunder, giving rise to Tribulation Cultivation Clans.

In his spare time, Chen Che would also occasionally visit the Ghost Market.

That was the advantage of having a Ghost Market right under his nose: he could go and browse anytime. Sometimes, he would indeed find some nice things that had been missed at auctions. The only pity was that they were still too low-level for a Golden Core True Master.

However, these items were extremely useful for Foundation Establishment Cultivators. The Ghost Market’s existence had attracted many Foundation Establishment Major Cultivators, as Chen Che was not the only one hoping to find a hidden treasure.

「In the blink of an eye, another four or five days passed.」

”Valley Master.”

The voice sounded, and a few breaths later, the figure of the Array Spirit slowly appeared.

”There are three Divine Senses belonging to Golden Core cultivators attacking the Grand Array...”

Chen Che, who was in a state of Meditation, slowly opened his eyes.

Jinyun Valley’s Array had been reinforced several times and had long been capable of blocking Divine Sense. However, this didn’t mean it could stop a determined person from prying. Occasionally, some Foundation Establishment Major Cultivators would try to extend their Divine Sense into the valley out of curiosity.

But upon encountering the Array, they would usually retreat on their own. Generally, Chen Che never pursued the matter. Of course, if any special situations occurred, the Array Spirit would still inform Chen Che immediately.

’Three Divine Senses, attacking the Grand Array?’

Hearing the Array Spirit’s report, Chen Che’s eyebrows shot up. With a flicker of thought, he slowly extended a thread of his Divine Sense. Sure enough, he felt three powerful Divine Senses circling the Array like currents of water, seemingly trying to find a flaw in the Grand Array to slip through.

Their Divine Senses were extremely cautious, remaining in a semi-detached state. An ordinary Array wouldn’t even be able to react to them.

However, with an Array Spirit, the Array’s presence was far more sensitive.

Chen Che’s eyes narrowed. With a stir of his Divine Soul, he moved to meet them without hesitation.

Sensing a vast Divine Sense surging toward them, the three intruders immediately tried to retreat. But seeing that escape was impossible, they could only counterattack at once. Several invisible, formless Divine Senses clashed in midair, and a tremendous boom resounded on the spiritual plane.

Then, like dragonflies skipping across water, they swiftly dispersed.

His brow twitched. Although the exchange had been brief, Chen Che still recognized that the owner of one of the Divine Senses was none other than Ye Yuanji.

”Interesting.”