In midair, a Pill sliced in two fell into the Pill Furnace.

Almost simultaneously.

The light of the thirty-six stone steles extinguished, all dimming in unison. The black light screen shrouding the sky shattered with a BANG, breaking apart like porcelain into countless shards of black light that scattered in all directions.

"Ye... Ye Jingzhou is really dead?"

Rong Zhongxuan’s eyes widened, and he spoke with a tremor in his voice.

After witnessing Ye Jingzhou’s blood-spring avatar, he still had his doubts.

"He’s dead!"

Hu Yao nodded weakly.

When Ye Jingzhou died, not only did the Vermilion Locking Array vanish, but the Jade Pendant Ye Jingzhou had given him also shattered.

He looked up at the devastated Jinyun Valley and fell to his knees with a thud.

Forty to fifty breaths.

Less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.

In the less than three minutes from the Grand Array’s activation to its collapse, two hundred years of Jinyun Valley’s legacy was destroyed in an instant. Not a single one of his named martial brothers was left. Of all the members in the valley, only he and Chen Che remained.

"It’s all ruined!"

Tears streamed down Hu Yao’s face.

PHEW!

Chen Che also let out a long, turbid breath. ’At that moment, he felt as if the dark cloud that had long oppressed his heart had finally scattered along with the Grand Array.’

’In fact, he felt his own mood was brighter than the sky above.’

’Ye Jingzhou had been powerful. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator for two hundred years, aided by the Grand Array, he had even seized Xiao Chan’s Soul-Calling Banner. Even after using every trick up my sleeve, I was almost powerless against him. If not for my early breakthrough to Foundation Establishment and the Lotus Sword Pill, I’m afraid I would have perished here today.’

"Alchemist Chen!"

Just then, a graceful figure rushed into his arms. "I just saw the Grand Array..."

It was Meng Qingxuan.

It wasn’t just her. The three of them turned to look and saw countless Loose Cultivators gathered outside the valley, their faces a mixture of question, shock, terror, and confusion.

Whether it was the celestial canopy moments ago...

The devastation within the valley now...

Or the bodies littering the ground and the waterfall of blood flowing down the stone steps...

They were all desperate for an answer.

"In his bid for a second life, Ye Jingzhou tried to sacrifice the whole of Jinyun Valley, and was slain by Tributor Chen!"

Finally, Rong Zhongxuan stepped forward, the aura of his Cultivation flaring to its full extent:

"From this day forward, Master Chen will lead the valley!"

His voice, like rolling thunder, boomed out, spreading majestically across Jinyun Valley. Amplified by the echoes from the surrounding mountain walls, it was like crashing thunder and roaring cannons. The sound stunned the crowd, leaving them dizzy, their Qi and Blood churning, at a complete loss.

Hearing his words, the crowd was both shocked and terrified.

Their shock came from the revelation that Ye Jingzhou had intended to sacrifice the entire Jinyun Valley. Their fear stemmed from the thought that if Chen Che hadn’t slain him, they would have been next.

Meng Qingxuan quickly snapped out of her daze and took two steps back.

"Valley Master Chen!"

Outside the valley, Ding Fei jolted and shouted, "Greetings, Valley Master Chen!"

Rong Shisan quickly came to his senses and yelled:

"Valley Master Chen!"

The three calls seemed to awaken the crowd.

"Valley Master Chen!" "Valley Master Chen!" "Valley Master Chen!"

Cultivator after cultivator began to shout, each scrambling to be heard over the others.

Had these words come from anyone else, they might have been skeptical. But since they were spoken by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the crowd didn’t dare to harbor the slightest doubt, even if it might be false.

And if it was true, they would wholeheartedly accept such a person as their Valley Master.

At the same time, all the Cultivators present gazed at the youth in green robes with utmost reverence. They knew that from this day forward, Jinyun Valley had a new master—and that new master was Chen Che!

...

...

Dawn broke, and a light rain began to fall on Jinyun Valley, not yet washing away the blood.

Chen Che sat on the damaged Lotus Platform, having read a Pill Book all night. It contained not only the posthumous notes of True Master Chixia, but also the additions made by Tributor Li.

’So that’s how it is.’

True Master Chixia, despite having only a Middle Grade Spirit Root, had cultivated to the peak of Golden Core Great Perfection but could not break through to the Nascent Soul realm.

He had also considered possession.

But this method was too malicious, an act defied by heaven and earth. After a successful possession, one would immediately suffer a backlash from the laws of the world. According to records, fewer than one in a hundred thousand Cultivators could withstand this backlash and succeed. The odds made it a near-certain death sentence.

Furthermore, failure meant the complete annihilation of one’s Divine Soul, forfeiting even the chance to reincarnate.

Thus, few Cultivators dared to attempt possession to gain a new life as their own lifespans dwindled.

However, True Master Chixia, being a Tier Three Alchemist, forged a different path. He sought to create a Possession Pill... but in the end, he never finished it—perhaps he felt it went against the harmony of the heavens, perhaps his lifespan ran out, or perhaps for some other reason entirely.

This manuscript, along with the Sacrificial Pill Furnace, had been obtained by Ye Jingzhou.

He hadn’t planned to use it either, but with his own lifespan drawing to a close, he had no choice but to take a desperate risk.

"A defiance of heavenly harmony,"

Chen Che sighed softly. He raised a hand, and a flame sprung to life, instantly turning the posthumous notes to ash.

In addition.

Laid out before him were the resources Rong Zhongxuan had gathered from the valley. Ye Jingzhou’s two centuries of accumulation were far beyond what any ordinary Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator could hope to possess:

The Vermilion Locking Array, a Tier Three Middle Grade Sacrificial Pill Furnace, a Tier Two High Grade Black Scale Saber, one Storage Ring, and nearly two hundred Magical Artifacts and other weapons...

Seventy thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, two hundred Middle Grade ones...

Of course.

His greatest wealth wasn’t any of these items, but the entire Jinyun Valley itself—along with a Market and a mine.

Spirit Stones, no matter how numerous, would eventually be depleted if one only consumed without producing.

At this thought, he turned to Hu Yao.

"Fellow Daoist? What have you decided?"

"Chen... Valley Master, I’m alright."

Hu Yao’s expression was grim. He hated Ye Jingzhou for trying to slaughter everyone in Jinyun Valley, and he hated him for killing his master. But now that a night had passed, he was gradually accepting the new reality.

"I want to stay here and rebuild Jinyun Valley."

"Good!"

Chen Che clapped his hands in approval.

He had always lived by a simple principle: ’I will not fail those who do not fail me.’

’He wanted Hu Yao to stay not only to help rebuild Jinyun Valley, but also to give the man a helping hand. Besides, rebuilding Jinyun Valley alone would be too draining, and where would he find the time to oversee everything?’

"Fellow Daoist Hu, from this day forward, you are the Vice Valley Master of Jinyun Valley! Rong Zhongxuan shall serve as our valley’s Protector!"

"Ding Fei is appointed Chief Steward, overseeing both internal and external affairs."

"We will establish a Pill Master Hall within the valley, with Zhao Deyou as its Chief."

"Rong Shisan will be a Tutor for Jinyun Valley, responsible for instruction and overseeing Cultivation!"

"In seven days, we will open our gates wide to accept new disciples. Any child with a Middle Grade Spirit Root or higher will be eligible for admission. This recruitment period will last for one month! From now on, we will hold recruitment at this same time every year!"

His magnificent voice boomed, spreading from the valley in an instant.

At the same time, it echoed throughout the Market.

It was as if the Celestial Emperor had issued an edict; every single person heard it.

Of course.

Rebuilding Jinyun Valley would not be so easy. This was merely the founding team.

Chen Che had just stepped out of the valley when he saw Bian Jian waiting at the entrance, with Bian Feiyun behind him.

"Bian Jian of the Bian Family pays his respects to the Valley Master!"

Bian Jian cupped his fists and bowed deeply.

Chen Che gave a casual nod, summoned the Little Chick, and flew off directly. ’He had things to attend to; why would he have time for them?’

Bian Feiyun had been about to step forward to curry favor, but seeing his father’s obsequious bow met with utter disregard, he froze on the spot, his face flushing with a mixture of anger and humiliation.

’He’s been Valley Master for less than a day and he’s already this arrogant?’

Bian Feiyun couldn’t suppress his anger.

SLAP!

Bian Jian slapped him hard across the face.

"Father?"

Bian Feiyun clutched his face, dumbfounded.

"Once a man reaches Foundation Establishment, a gulf is formed between immortal and mortal! In his eyes, we are nothing more than ants, and yet you dare to speak ill of him behind his back."

Bian Jian’s eyes blazed with fury as he snarled:

"From this day forward, you are confined to the house for three years! You are not to take a single step outside!"

Bian Feiyun didn’t dare to disobey.

Bian Jian took a deep breath. ’Coming from a Cultivation Clan, he understood better than most the terror a Foundation Establishment Cultivator represented.’

’A single Foundation Establishment Cultivator was enough to support an entire faction, to be the pillar of a clan. And Chen Che was only seventeen or eighteen, yet he had already reached this realm.’

’His future prospects were far, far greater than Ye Jingzhou’s!’

...

「On the Black Water Riverbank, deep within a dense forest.」

"Brother Chen!"

Xiao Chan walked over to find Chen Che standing by the river, hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the churning water as if in a trance.

He had been suppressed beneath the Lotus Platform by Ye Jingzhou, who planned to kill him after carrying out his possession scheme. The idea was to announce to the world that Xiao Chan had been the one to massacre Jinyun Valley. After all, in the public eye, what could be more normal than for an Evil Cultivator who had murdered his own brother and mother to commit such an atrocity?

Then, Ye Jingzhou would have possessed Hu Yao’s body to retake command of Jinyun Valley. He might even have received a reward from the Primordial Sect for "eliminating" Xiao Chan.

It was, in theory, a flawless plan.

"I owe you my life. Again."

"Are you planning on staying, or leaving?"

Chen Che looked up at him.

Xiao Chan was carrying a bundle wrapped in golden silk, which held his Soul-Calling Banner. The banner had collided with the Sword Pill, leaving a gash across its surface. The artifact was bound to Xiao Chan’s life force, which was why Ye Jingzhou had been unable to use it even after seizing it.

"I still have revenge to seek."

Xiao Chan let out a long sigh.

"Find someone for me."

His answer was just as Chen Che expected. Chen Che nodded slightly.

"Who?"

"I’m not sure. A remnant soul. In his previous life, he was likely a Golden Core Major Cultivator. I don’t know if he’s merely attached to a host or has performed a full possession..."

"Sounds like someone even more troublesome to deal with than Ye Jingzhou!"

Xiao Chan realized immediately.

Chen Che nodded. After Meng Changtu had lit that half-stick of Communication Incense, he had waited vigilantly for nine days.

Whether the target sensed something or for some other reason, he never showed up.

"Just investigate anyone who was previously unremarkable but suddenly shot to fame. Or someone whose Cultivation was mediocre before their strength suddenly skyrocketed!"

"Alright."

Xiao Chan raised his hand and tossed something over.

Chen Che caught it and saw it was a Wrist Wheel. It looked ordinary enough, like a silver bracelet, with the sole exception of a transparent gemstone set in its center.

"This is a Communication Wrist Wheel!"

As he spoke, he gestured to his own wrist, where he wore a matching Wrist Wheel. The two appeared to be a set.

"It’s a Tier Two High Grade Magical Artifact. You can use your Divine Sense to send a message every day at midnight. If I have any news, I’ll contact you immediately!"

"Farewell!"

With that, he cupped his fists and rode the wind away.

...

...

Jinyun Valley’s gates opened wide, recruiting disciples from all over.

Three days ago, the name Chen Che was known only as that of a famous Pill Master from Jinyun Valley. Three days later, he had transformed into the new Valley Master. A youth, not yet twenty years old, had used the might of his Foundation Establishment Cultivation to slay Ye Jingzhou, the man who had plotted to sacrifice the entire Jinyun Valley.

The news exploded out of Jinyun Valley, spreading like wildfire to every corner of Yunzhou.

For a time, visitors were endless.

However, Rong Zhongxuan turned them all away, announcing that the Valley Master was entering seclusion for half a month and would not be receiving any guests.