Chapter 179: Chapter 172: Chen Che’s Foundation Establishment, Ye Jingzhou Perishes?

Rong Zhongxuan took out a cyan pearl.

"A Memory Bead!"

Chen Che recognized it at once.

This object could record both video and audio for about the time it takes half an incense stick to burn.

On Earth Element Star, the advent of cell phones had made this item obsolete for over a century. You couldn’t even find one on the market anymore.

But in this world, it was considered a Tier One High Grade Spiritual Artifact.

As he injected his True Essence,

the floating light revealed the scene from last night:

The one fighting Lü Hong was a cultivator dressed in black.

This man was quite powerful, perhaps even a cut above Rong Zhongxuan, and he wielded a long spear.

But after just two exchanges, he was already losing. Seeing things were grim, he turned to flee.

But Lü Hong simply waved his hand. An ice dragon rose from the river’s surface like a seafaring flood dragon. It spun in midair before clamping its jaws on the man and dragging him underwater. Moments later, Lü Hong was seen carrying his opponent away.

As he left, he even shot a provocative glance in the direction of the Memory Bead.

Clearly,

Lü Hong had discovered Rong Zhongxuan hiding in the shadows, recording it all with the Memory Bead.

"The man he captured is Zhao Quxin! He reached Foundation Establishment thirty-two years ago! I gave chase after the battle last night, but I couldn’t find them... I suspect he has already begun eliminating these threats to secure his future rule over Jinyun Valley!"

"I understand."

Chen Che nodded slightly.

In truth, he couldn’t care less who took over Jinyun Valley. For him, the stronger the new master, the better.

’But a new master’s ascension is always accompanied by a purge of the old guard.’

’That’s just how the world works; such things are unavoidable whenever power changes hands.’

’Your fight for Jinyun Valley is none of my business, but if it spills over and affects me, then it becomes my business...’

A chill crept into Chen Che’s heart. As he neared Foundation Establishment, his mindset had begun to shift subtly.

’All who block my path can be slain!’

...

After Lü Hong made his move, the next few days were anything but quiet. Two more Foundation Establishment Cultivators clashed, their battle at Wild Pigeon Mountain so intense it seemed to tear the heavens and earth asunder. But it ended in a draw, and both eventually departed.

The next morning, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator came to his door seeking pills and also tried to recruit Chen Che. Chen Che sold him the pills but rejected his offer.

At the same time, Hu Yao returned.

However, he only stayed for a cup of tea and a few brief words before rushing into the valley.

Because disciples like them were still needed to stand guard within the valley.

On the fourth day, Lü Hong struck again, directly capturing the very Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had come seeking pills.

The disappearance of two Foundation Establishment Cultivators sent a wave of panic throughout the entire Market.

But Chen Che paid it no mind.

He remained in secluded cultivation every day, focusing on expanding his meridians. His cultivation level rose steadily, bringing him to the brink of Great Perfection, just a hair’s breadth away from Foundation Establishment.

Meanwhile, the other Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the battle at Wild Pigeon Mountain was also captured by Lü Hong.

By this point, three Foundation Establishment Cultivators had gone missing. Counting Xiao Chan, that made a total of four.

For a time, the many Loose Cultivators could only watch from the sidelines.

If things truly took a turn for the worse, their priority was to seek refuge. They could always return after Jinyun Valley stabilized.

Ding Fei, for his part, was experiencing a mix of joy and misery.

With Jinyun Valley in constant turmoil, the price of various pills had climbed by thirty percent, but the cost of raw materials had shot up by fifty percent.

His apprentices were constantly distracted, and for the past few days, Zhao Deyou’s scolding had been a constant fixture in the shop.

Even Meng Changtu sent a letter, inviting Chen Che to the Meng Family to discuss their wedding, but Chen Che knew this was just an offer of sanctuary.

"Tributor Chen!"

Just as he finished reading the letter, a travel-worn Lu Yi rushed over. He delivered the final supplementary ingredient for refining the Longevity Pill, but couldn’t help asking one more question before he left:

"Can you really finish refining it within seven days?"

"I can."

Chen Che replied.

With Lü Hong acting so wantonly these past few days, the pressure on Jinyun Valley, the eye of the storm, was immense. The mental toll on Lu Yi was severe; in just a few days, he looked as if he had aged more than a decade.

"Thank you for your trouble."

Lu Yi said no more, simply nodding and giving another deep bow before turning to leave.

Chen Che could sense the other man’s sincerity. He could only lament that Ye Jingzhou had taught such a good disciple, but he remained unmoved. ’However, if Lu Yi was truly the one injured by Ye Jingzhou, then Ye Jingzhou really deserves to die.’

’I have the last ingredient. Seven days is more than enough.’

Weighing the supplementary ingredient in his hand, Chen Che watched Lu Yi depart. He didn’t linger in the Market and returned directly to his Cave Mansion.

The Longevity Pill was only a Tier Two Middle-grade Elixir; for Chen Che, it wasn’t difficult.

He had promised seven days because he also needed to make his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.

Before this,

Chen Che had considered holding off on his breakthrough, waiting until he had finished expanding all his meridians first.

But after some thought, he decided against it.

First, as one of Jinyun Valley’s higher-ups, he was at the center of the storm and didn’t have the luxury of time.

Second, the massive power boost from reaching Foundation Establishment would allow him to handle any sudden crises!

For an ordinary cultivator, advancing to Foundation Establishment involves three major hurdles.

First, compressing one’s True Essence from a gaseous to a liquid state.

Second, finding a way to awaken one’s Divine Sense.

Third, possessing sufficient Qi and Blood.

But for Chen Che, none of these three were difficult in the slightest.

Thanks to the nourishment of the Concentration Incense, his Divine Sense had long ago surpassed the required standard.

As for his Qi and Blood, it was already on par with that of a Foundation Establishment Body Cultivator.

The final step involving True Essence was no problem at all, especially with six Dragon Fish Pills in his possession. If he failed with all these advantages, then likely no one else in the world could ever reach Foundation Establishment.

’Let’s begin!’

Chen Che sat down cross-legged and swallowed a Dragon Fish Pill.

In the next instant,

a surging tide of Spiritual Qi, like a flood from a broken dam, erupted from within him.

An ordinary Foundation Establishment Pill possessed only twenty percent of a Dragon Fish Pill’s efficacy.

Furthermore, one couldn’t afford to waste even a sliver of its power during absorption.

Some people even found themselves still a long way from their breakthrough after consuming a Foundation Establishment Pill.

However, this type of pill was not only effective for Qi Refining Cultivators but could also only be taken a limited number of times. Unwilling to waste any of its power, Chen Che fully activated the *Energy-Introducing Technique*, locking the vast Spiritual Qi firmly within his body.

Even with his incomparably robust physique, he felt as though he were filled to bursting, on the very verge of exploding.

’Bring it on!’

But Chen Che paid it no mind. He converted the Spiritual Qi into True Essence, then gradually compressed it, transforming it drop by drop into a True Essence Spirit Liquid that pulsed with terrifying power!

Then,

this True Essence Spirit Liquid surged back into his meridians, forming a perfect cycle within his body.

Time passed.

One day, two days, three days...

Until the ninth day!

BOOM!

As a roar echoed from within his sea of consciousness, his body lifted off the ground without any external force, and he began to float in mid-air.

’Success!’

Chen Che slowly opened his eyes.

The surging, gaseous True Essence that had filled his body was now a gently flowing stream. Though it seemed like a minuscule fraction of what he had before, in reality, it was a qualitative sublimation. His strength had increased by more than just several-fold!

His eyes shifted slightly.

The data on his Micro Crystal Brain updated in sync:

[Name: Chen Che]

[Realm: Foundation Establishment First Layer (27.14%)]

[Qi and Blood: Foundation Establishment First Layer (12.28%)]

[Divine Sense: Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer (3.19%)]

’My True Essence reserves are so vast. I can’t believe this step alone took a full nine days and three Dragon Fish Pills.’ Although it had taken two days longer than expected, he felt no regret.

In fact, he was a little excited.

This was because when most cultivators reached Foundation Establishment, their entire reserve of True Essence could only be compressed into a few drops of True Essence Spirit Liquid. It would then take them several months to replenish their internal reserves.

But he had surpassed that stage in just two days.

’And...’

His gaze flickered, landing on the final line of data.

[Warning: True Essence reserves are 1467.1% higher than cultivators of the same tier.]

This also meant his current strength was comparable to a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Second Layer, or even the Third Layer.

WHOOSH!

A gust of wind tore through the air.

A dark shadow shot in—it was the Little Chick. In its talons, it clutched a flying beast larger than a mammoth. The fiery bird was still struggling, but the Little Chick slammed its claws downward, smashing the creature into the ground.

THUD!

It sounded like a meteorite crashing to earth.

A sickening CRACKLE echoed out, as if every bone and sinew in the fiery bird’s body had shattered in that instant. It could only lie paralyzed on the ground, twitching uncontrollably. This creature, once the overlord of these skies, was now on its last breath.

SCREEE!

The Little Chick spread its wings and let out a piercing, hawk-like cry.

The sharp sound waves rolled out in all directions like a mighty tide.

"Alright, alright."

Glancing at the half-dead Xuan Fire Sparrow on the ground, Chen Che smiled and tossed out a Dragon Fish Pill. "Stop shouting. I get it, you’re the overlord of these skies."

Seeing the pill, the Little Chick immediately folded its wings and swallowed it whole. After this battle, and with the help of the Dragon Fish Pill, the Little Chick would also soon reach Foundation Establishment.

Watching the Little Chick fold its wings to digest the pill’s power, Chen Che turned and entered the Alchemy Room.

Next, he needed to refine the Longevity Pill.

However,

now that he had reached Foundation Establishment, the difficulty of refining such a Tier Two Middle-grade pill had plummeted by seventy percent.

’No wonder Old Li always said that one’s realm is a cultivator’s true foundation!’

Chen Che thought, lost in contemplation.

Once you reached the right realm, the difficulty plummeted.

It was like asking an elementary school student to take a middle school exam; it would be incredibly difficult. But if a middle school student were to take it, it would be relatively effortless.

「Half a day later.」

Chen Che arrived at the Market, the newly refined Longevity Pill in hand.

"What took you so long..."

Having gotten word, Lu Yi rushed to the Pill Shop. Seeing the pill in Chen Che’s hand, the rims of his eyes instantly reddened again. "Master... Master can’t hold on much longer! All the disciples have already gathered in the valley."

"So soon?"

Chen Che was taken aback. Just a few days ago, Lu Yi had said Ye Jingzhou was in no serious danger.

’Looks like his time is truly almost up!’

Muttering to himself internally, he followed Lu Yi into the valley.

As he stepped into the square, he looked up to see numerous disciples kneeling in two rows, flanking the Sacrificial Pill Furnace and stretching all the way to the entrance of the main hall. Ye Jingzhou, however, was not seated inside the hall as he had been before, but was situated at the rear of the square.

This was the first time Chen Che had seen Ye Jingzhou since the latter emerged from seclusion.