The sounds of slaughter above the Yu Family estate lasted for several hours.

The several hundred attacking Cultivators were all annihilated.

「That evening.」

Rong Shisan arrived with several hundred disciples from Jinyun Valley. He and his men joined the Yu Family Cultivators, who had briefly rested, to immediately launch a counterattack on the three clans. With their elites already wiped out, and now facing three Foundation Establishment Cultivators in Yu Sihai, Rong Zhongxuan, and Rong Shisan, the three clans had no way to resist.

In less than two days, all three clans that had participated in the siege were razed to the ground. From the Elders down to the common clan members, every last one was executed.

Two days and two nights of rain were not enough to wash away the bloodstains.

...

「Now, at the Yu Family’s Yu Manor in Chi State.」

Although the entire manor was still a scene of devastation, and many clan members were even dressed in mourning, they were all in high spirits, their faces beaming with joy.

Just three days ago, the members of the Yu Family had been living under the shadow of annihilation, not daring to make the slightest move.

But now, the tables had turned.

"Valley Master Chen is just too powerful! Seven Foundation Establishment Cultivators couldn’t even withstand a single move from him. If he hadn’t been here, our clan would have been razed to the ground two days ago!"

Inside the manor, someone was boasting to the clan members who had just rushed back, recounting the events of that night.

Just then, Rong Zhongxuan passed by the entrance, and the speaker immediately called out with utmost respect:

"Senior Rong!"

Rong Zhongxuan nodded slightly, then turned and asked, "Are Valley Master Chen and Yu Sihai here?"

"They’re in the main hall."

After the person responded, he waited for Rong Zhongxuan to leave before explaining to the others, "That was a Protector from Jinyun Valley. He’s spent the last few days hunting down a high-ranking member of the Yin Family. I heard he once had a feud with one of the Yin Family’s Elders."

Meanwhile, Rong Zhongxuan had made his way to the manor’s main hall.

Upon stepping inside, he saw Chen Che lounging in a chair, with Yu Sihai standing to the side. Rong Shisan was in the middle of reporting on the battle’s outcome.

"...a total of 210,000 Spirit Stones, over seventy Tier Two Spiritual Artifacts, over eight hundred Tier One Spiritual Artifacts, and a number of Cultivation Techniques from the three clans..."

"However, thirty-five disciples were killed, seven are critically injured, and the number with minor injuries hasn’t been tallied."

"Give the families of the fallen five hundred Spirit Stones each as compensation. Heal the critically injured. If they cannot be fully healed, Jinyun Valley will support them for the rest of their lives. Reward all participating disciples based on their merits. The contributions they’ve earned can be exchanged for Pills, Magical Artifacts, and Cultivation Techniques in the Valley!"

Chen Che opened his eyes.

The casualty rate was nearly five percent, but it was unavoidable. These disciples had only ever trained within the Valley and had never seen real combat.

However, after this battle, they were bound to improve tremendously.

"How many people from the three clans escaped?"

"Including those who were away and haven’t returned, about twenty or so," Rong Shisan reported honestly.

Chen Che nodded slightly. The three clans had over two thousand Cultivators in total. The quicker-witted ones would have fled at the first sign of trouble, but in the end, only twenty-odd people escaped alive. It was practically a complete annihilation of their clans.

"I’m leaving the task of rooting out the survivors to you."

Chen Che glanced at Yu Sihai.

"Take thirty percent of the Spirit Stones and Spiritual Artifacts to develop your family. In the days to come, don’t be in a rush to advance your Cultivation. First, focus on absorbing the territory and resources left behind by the three clans. We don’t want to arouse the suspicion of other Foundation Establishment Influences!"

"Thank you, Master!"

Yu Sihai was stunned, then immediately overjoyed.

He had assumed Chen Che would take all the spoils of war for himself. He never expected to be left with thirty percent, which amounted to over sixty thousand Spirit Stones. ’If our roles were reversed, I’m not sure I could have been so generous.’

As he was thinking this, Chen Che had already turned to look at Rong Zhongxuan.

"Taken care of?"

"Yes, Master. It’s done."

Rong Zhongxuan bowed. "All the Yin Family Cultivators have been executed. I also personally finished off my old foe..."

Decades ago, Rong Zhongxuan had stayed in Chi State for a time.

During that period, another one of his disciples had been killed by a member of the Yin Family in a fight over a woman. At the time, Rong Zhongxuan was only in the Qi Refining Realm and was powerless to get revenge. Instead, he was forced to flee Chi State with his remaining disciples.

During this campaign to exterminate the three clans, he learned that this old enemy had become a Yin Family Elder and had fled with the clan’s assets. Without a second thought, he immediately gave chase.

After a slight pause, Rong Zhongxuan continued,

"Besides a few thousand Spirit Stones I found on him, I also recovered this item. I haven’t been able to figure it out, but the fact that he took it with him when he fled suggests it must be a valuable treasure."

That made sense.

When one’s clan is being wiped out, it’s impossible to take many Spiritual Objects, so one would naturally choose only the most valuable items.

Everyone immediately looked over.

Chen Che glanced over as well and saw Rong Zhongxuan holding out a seashell. The shell was completely white, about three inches long, and slightly smaller than his palm. It looked no different from an ordinary seashell.

He took it in his hand, but it felt perfectly ordinary.

However, Yu Sihai, who was standing to the side, let out a gasp of surprise.

"You recognize this thing?"

Chen Che looked at him.

"I’ve only seen it before!"

Yu Sihai did not hide anything:

"It was something that happened over twenty years ago. A Yin Dragon, from who knows where, washed up on the riverbank. It was discovered by my family and the Yin Family, and we split the beast in two on the spot. However, inside the Yin Dragon’s stomach, we found this very seashell."

Yu Sihai let out a long sigh. He seemed rather exasperated as he recalled the matter.

"I felt that anything capable of withstanding a Yin Dragon’s digestion had to be a remarkable Exotic Treasure. I wanted to keep it, but the old clan head couldn’t open it, so he ended up selling it to the Yin Family for a mere eight hundred Spirit Stones!"

"He really was obsessed with money!"

Everyone was stunned speechless when they heard this.

’An Exotic Treasure of unknown origin, sold off just like that?’

Chen Che almost laughed.

No wonder she had rejected his offer of twenty-five thousand for the Starfire Stone and even tried to jack up the price when he arrived in person. ’It wasn’t that she thought I was a sucker,’ he mused, ’it’s just her greedy nature.’

"Still, it seems the Yin Family couldn’t break this shell open after all these years either."

Glancing at the shell, Chen Che chuckled and squeezed it tightly in his hand.

The others didn’t think much of it, already picturing the shell being crushed to pieces. But to their surprise, Chen Che’s grip had no effect; the shell didn’t so much as budge. The young Valley Master himself let out a sound of surprise. He sat up straight and squeezed again, but it still wouldn’t yield.

After a moment of thought, he threw it on the ground and unleashed his Nine Shocking Ape Strikes.

With a loud THUD, the ground caved in, revealing a deep Hand Seal, but the shell remained completely unscathed.

"Huh?"

Now everyone was surprised.

Chen Che remained seated and summoned his Pure Jun Sword to strike it. There was a sharp DING as the blade slid off. When he looked at the spot where the Pure Jun Sword had struck, there wasn’t even a scratch.

His eyes narrowed, and a leaf-shaped Flying Sword emerged from between his brows.

...

「An hour later.」

Chen Che was panting heavily, a strange expression on his face, with a trickle of blood running from his nose.

Not only had the attack from his Sword Pill been ineffective, but the shell had also remained undamaged even when scorched by his Nine Transformations Spirit Flame Technique.

Moreover, the object could block Divine Sense. Attempting to force one’s way through would even trigger a backlash.

"Master, this might be a Golden Core-level treasure."

Rong Shisan sat on the floor, drenched in sweat. He had exhausted all his True Essence and tried every method he could think of, yet the object remained undamaged. It wasn’t just him; neither Rong Zhongxuan nor Yu Sihai had been able to leave so much as a scratch on the shell’s surface, despite trying everything they knew.

"With such a powerful defensive restriction against Divine Sense, it’s highly likely an item of the Nascent Soul level, or perhaps even higher."

Chen Che wiped away the trickle of blood.

His Divine Sense had already reached the Golden Core Level, yet when he had tried to breach the restriction, it was like a great wave crashing against a reef. The mere aftershock of the backlash had been enough to injure him.

’What in the world is this shell... I wonder if it’s one of the Celestial and Earthly Treasures, or an artifact Forged by some Great Power?’

With that thought, he swept his sleeve and unhesitatingly put the shell away in his Storage Ring. This was undoubtedly an incredible treasure, but with his current strength, there was no way for him to unlock it.

Perhaps after he reached Core Formation, he might be able to break the restriction.

"Not a single word of what happened here today is to get out. Otherwise, I will hunt the leaker to the Yellow Springs and Green Depths and kill them myself!"

Chen Che’s gaze swept over the others in the room, his voice icy.

"Yes!"

Yu Sihai and the others wore solemn expressions.

They were well aware of the stakes. This seashell was no ordinary object. If word of it got out, the same disaster that befell the Yu Family would befall Jinyun Valley. But this time, it likely wouldn’t be Foundation Establishment Cultivators who came knocking, but Golden Core True Masters!

It was highly likely that even they would not escape with their lives.

"Yu Sihai, secretly investigate the origin of that Yin Dragon from all those years ago."

After giving his orders, Chen Che glanced at the sky, and his brow suddenly furrowed.

"Prepare a Quiet Chamber for me. I’m going into seclusion!"

Although they were surprised, no one dared to ask any questions. They just assumed he had some urgent matter to attend to.

But from the look on his face, it was clearly something of great importance.

...

He sat in meditation.

When he opened his eyes again, Chen Che was at Zhurong Academy. He left his dormitory and transformed into an Escape Light, rushing toward his classroom.

Inside a massive, ring-shaped multimedia classroom, over two hundred students were scattered about, all sitting upright and attentive.

"Reporting!"

Chen Che shouted, panting.

Li Tingyu was seated cross-legged in midair, explaining the flow of True Essence for a Tier Two High Grade Spell. A piece of chalk danced across the blackboard, controlled by her Divine Sense. When the lecture was interrupted, she shot a sidelong glance at Chen Che, her previously indifferent aura suddenly turning dangerous.

"Get in!"

At the same time, the gazes from the other students were filled with pity.

Only Qiu Beixuan was grinning, a look on his face that clearly said, *misery loves company*.

"What’s going on?"

As Chen Che walked back to his seat, he whispered the question once Li Tingyu had resumed her lecture.

"A moment ago, Director Li was criticizing some students for skipping class and being late, without naming names," Ye Youwei, who sat in the front row, explained in a low voice.

Chen Che understood. He had walked right into the line of fire.

It was Li Tingyu’s class today. Although she and Old Li were over two hundred years apart in age, they both despised students who skipped class or showed up late.

Sure enough.

The moment class ended, Li Tingyu tossed aside the chalk in her hand.

"Alright!"

"That’s all for today’s lesson. Review the material after class. Also, Qiu Beixuan and Chen Che—you two, come to my office!"

Before Chen Che could even react, he felt a surging wave of True Essence wash over him, wrapping him up and pulling him right out of the classroom.