Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

Chapter 445: Chapter 414: Return, Entering the Island

”The fog has lifted! The islands are gone! We’re out!”

”Seven days. Seven whole days. I thought we’d be trapped here for the rest of our lives.”

”We’re out! We’re finally out!”

...

Seven days had passed since they left the islands. For a time, the Spiritual Boat had seemed to be going nowhere, with the nine islands looming behind them, making everyone feel as if they were permanently trapped within this stretch of sea.

Then suddenly, on the morning of the fourth day, as a red sun leaped above the horizon, the thick fog enveloping the islands silently dispersed. In its wake, the islands behind them vanished as well.

It was as if everyone had escaped from a world of Fierce Beasts and returned to reality.

Amid the cheers, Chen Che looked back to see nothing but a vast, empty ocean. The time they had spent trapped seemed like a mere illusion. If anyone were to pass this way in the future, they would have no idea that a massive, hidden Magic Array existed here.

Looking at the others, he saw the relief of having survived a great ordeal written on every face.

”This has been the most dangerous experience of my life,” Yu Yunfei lamented, leaning against the ship’s bow, wrapped in bandages like a mummy. ”I don’t think I ever want to go out to sea again.”

He glanced back at the space where the nine islands had completely vanished into the void, a lingering fear still visible in his eyes.

The young man had matured considerably after his brush with death.

Meng Changtu crossed his arms, his tone firm with approval. ”A person’s Cultivation Realm has nothing to do with their character. It takes great joy and great sorrow to truly change someone,” he said. ”I’m afraid I won’t be going back out to sea until I’ve had a hundred years to recover.”

Chen Che just grinned.

The shock of facing the Three-Headed Fierce Flood Dragon was far more intense than any encounter with a Cultivator. If they couldn’t properly calm their minds, that fear could even manifest as a Heart Demon, affecting their future Cultivation.

”Lian’er.”

Lu Yuntian started to speak, but then hesitated.

”You don’t have to say it. Let’s go back.”

Lu Qinglian smiled beautifully, raised the sails, and set off at full speed.

With no threat from Fierce Beasts, the journey home was much more relaxed. Once they had calmed down, the first thing everyone did was take stock of their gains from the Sea Ruins and the Island Array.

Two Flood Dragon Heads.

One Mudskipper Shrimp.

Various Spirit Herbs and shattered Magical Artifacts.

But the most valuable items were the two heads from the Fierce Flood Dragon. This was a genuine Fierce Beast, with a bloodline purity that might even surpass the Wangxian Monarch’s. Its heads were packed with a vast amount of essence.

Next in value was the Mudskipper Shrimp.

The Flood Dragon Head’s fangs and eyes, along with the shrimp’s shell and Claw Clamps, could all be refined into Magical Artifacts. The meat could be used in medicine or for Alchemy. As for the scattered Medicinal Herbs, they were just a bonus. In Chen Che’s view, they could all be tossed into the Pill Furnace for refining.

If they could get their hands on the third Flood Dragon Head, this batch of Pills might even rival the value of the one True Master Chixia was refining before he died.

”Valley Master Chen, if you plan to use the Flood Dragon Heads and the Mudskipper Shrimp for Alchemy, why don’t you refine a portion for me as well?”

Upon hearing Chen Che’s intentions, Yu Yunko spoke up directly. ”Also, my race has an Artifact Refiner. These four flood dragon eyes can be refined into a Magical Treasure. How about we consider the costs for both services to be mutually canceled?”

”Your race has a Tier Three Artifact Refiner?”

Chen Che’s heart skipped a beat. ’It seems the Yu Race’s foundation is even deeper than I imagined.’

He turned to look at the old man, who looked just as bewildered.

Clearly, he hadn’t known the Yu Race actually had a Tier Three Artifact Refiner either.

”That’s right. If Valley Master Chen feels this is an unfair trade, we can also forge an additional Weapon for you. The fangs of this Fierce Flood Dragon are also exceptionally rare Materials,” Yu Yunko said, patting the Flood Dragon Head beside her.

Its great mouth was half-open, and even its smallest teeth were as tall as a person.

”The sword in your hand, Valley Master, was seventy percent damaged during the fight with the Fierce Flood Dragon. I’m afraid Chief Liang doesn’t have the ability to repair it.”

A relationship isn’t built in a single transaction. Yu Yunko was clearly trying to establish a connection with Jinyun Valley.

And the best way to maintain a relationship was, of course, through mutual exchange.

”This...”

Chen Che understood her intentions. Maintaining a private connection was one thing, but dragging Jinyun Valley into a confrontation with the Star-Picking Sect was a risk no smaller than facing the Three-Headed Fierce Flood Dragon.

After all, the Star-Picking Sect’s foundation was far stronger than the Primordial Sect’s, and they didn’t have a second Ancient Array to help them.

It was no exaggeration to say that if their two factions allied now, they would be flattened by the Star-Picking Sect in less than three days. Not to mention, Duobao was still watching hungrily from the sidelines.

”Rest assured, Valley Master Chen. This is just a private arrangement. We won’t bring up other matters.”

Sensing Chen Che’s thoughts, Yu Yunko reassured him, ”The fate of a race is not something to be taken lightly. Until we are completely certain of our chances, my race will not act rashly. We certainly won’t drag Jinyun Valley into the mire.”

”What do you say?”

”Deal!”

Having faced life and death together several times now without the Yu Race showing any sign of betraying them, Chen Che had come to trust them:

”However, this Pill will take a long time to refine. The last batch of Wangxian Pills took several of us Golden Core Cultivators a month and a half to refine together. This batch might take even longer.”

”That’s no problem. I can lend a hand when the time comes.”

Yu Yunko nodded gently.

The Profound Gold Liquid was limited; only one drop could be condensed every ten years. They hadn’t had much to begin with, and this trip had used up almost all of it. Furthermore, because they were wary of the Star-Picking Sect, the clan had never dared to openly seek Pills from outside sources.

Replenishing their stock with this batch of Pills would be a huge boon. This was especially true since he had asserted that the effects of these new Pills would be in no way inferior to the Wangxian Pill.

”That Artifact Refiner from my race is still traveling abroad. I’ll send a message for him to find you at Jinyun Valley later. Oh, right, it seems there’s a branch of my race under Jinyun Valley’s jurisdiction... I wonder if the Valley Master is aware?”

”Yu Sihai?” Chen Che thought of him immediately.

”Precisely. I was hoping to visit Jinyun Valley on this trip to have him formally return to the main clan. I wonder...”

”That’s a matter for Yu Sihai to decide. If he is willing, I will not stand in his way. But if he is not, I ask that Clan Leader Yu does not force him,” Chen Che said slowly after a moment of thought.

”Excellent.”

Yu Yunko’s mood lifted, and she replied with satisfaction.

The Yu Family of Chi State and the main family in Celestial State hadn’t been in contact for hundreds of years. Whether they would want to return was another matter entirely. Moreover, they were now a subordinate of Jinyun Valley. No matter what, she had to give prior notice as a courtesy.

...

Along the way, a few foolish Aquatic Race Demon Beasts tried to block their path, only to become targets for the group to vent their frustrations on. On their return journey, they once again passed through the Chaotic Sea Region. After a brief discussion, they decided to visit the Sea Ruins one more time.

This time, however, even the last remaining ruins had been washed away.

Even the Spirit Medicine Garden was gone, every trace of its existence scrubbed clean by the sea. The group piloted the Spiritual Boat around the seafloor for half a day, finding only a few broken beams before giving up in disappointment.

However, the chaos in the waters had indeed subsided.

After leaving the Sea Ruins, the Yu Race and the Jinyun Valley group parted ways.

After all, their factions were officially on opposing sides, and most of the Yu Family’s Golden Core Cultivators operated in the shadows, their existence a secret. Yu Yunko, however, stayed behind, preparing to travel with the others to Jinyun Valley.

Besides the matters of Alchemy and Artifact Casting, she also needed to visit the Yu Family of Chi State.

In the days that followed, everyone was eager to get home. In less than half a month, they arrived at Jinghai Island Reef. The reef was as busy as ever, having developed into a large port that saw countless Spiritual Boats come and go each day.

”Valley Master Chen.”

Before the Spiritual Boat had even docked, Zhao Changping, leading disciples from In the Valley, and Tang Linli, with disciples from the Primordial Sect, were already waiting at the port to welcome them.

”Your Immortal Techniques are truly heaven-defying! You just made one trip out to sea, and the strange phenomena in the waters have completely subsided.”

”I’ve kept things quiet here and haven’t yet reported back to the Primordial Sect.”

Tang Linli’s first words immediately lifted Chen Che’s spirits.

Qiu Tianshui had stationed him on the reef to guard the ore vein, but also perhaps to keep an eye on Chen Che himself. Having just dealt with the Sea Ruins, their group was already heavily drained. If they were immediately assigned another task without a moment’s rest, they truly wouldn’t be able to handle it.

”Thank you for your consideration, Steward Tang.”

Chen Che nodded, then changed the subject. ”How is the mining operation going recently?”

”It’s on track, and the Ore has been warehoused.”

”Oh?”

Chen Che glanced toward the warehouse and saw runes dancing outside the storeroom, with two Cultivators standing guard at the door. He gave a subtle smile, thinking to himself, ’The Primordial Sect really is confident:’

’A Tier Two Array.’

’They think a Tier Two Array and two Qi Refining Realm disciples are enough to guard a warehouse full of Anomalous Copper Ore worth over a million?’

However, thanks to the Primordial Sect’s reputation, on an island teeming with both saints and scoundrels, no one actually dared to make a move.

After Tang Linli left, Chen Che asked Zhao Changping for details about the island and the mining operation. Regarding Jinghai Island Reef itself, its role as a port and transit hub had attracted large numbers of fishermen and Loose Cultivators looking to strike it rich. The flow of people was immense, reaching almost seventy percent of Jinyun Valley’s own.

As for security, there were no major issues.

With Jinyun Valley and the Primordial Sect, two major Golden Core Influences, occupying the island, most Cultivators were extremely restrained. Even when conflicts arose, there was a tacit agreement to settle them out at sea. Of course, for a time, a number of Tribulation Cultivators had appeared, robbing and killing fishermen at sea to plunder their wealth.

”Has the matter been resolved?”

Chen Che frowned.

Wherever there was profit, there would always be those willing to risk everything.

”It has been resolved. The disciples worked with local fishermen and Loose Cultivators to root out seventeen individuals. We crippled their Cultivation and threw them into the sea to feed the fish in public.”

Zhao Changping reported, cupping his fist.

”Good. Evil Cultivators must be punished severely. You have to crush any sign of them the moment it appears. If you wait until they’re entrenched, they become a problem that’s too big to handle.”

Chen Che was very satisfied with Zhao Changping’s methods. ”What about the mine? Has the Primordial Sect interfered?”

”No, they’ve left it completely under our control. They only sent two Cultivators to keep the books with us. The other disciples from the Primordial Sect have also been well-behaved under Tang Linli’s supervision. We’ve been sending the excavated Ore back to In the Valley immediately.”

Zhao Changping said respectfully.

Chen Che went on to ask about a few more details, and Zhao Changping answered each question fluently.

The way some matters had been handled left Chen Che extremely satisfied, and he couldn’t help but think:

’Looks like, if all goes well, Zhao Changping is a shoo-in for the position of Chief of the Pill Hall in a few years.’