Chapter 99: Chapter 100: It’s Gotten Out of Hand

It was waist-high, featherless, and covered in yellow fluff.

"How did you get in?"

Inside the Cave Mansion, Chen Che paced back and forth, hands clasped behind his back as he sized up the Little Chick.

The Jinyun Valley medicinal fields were divided into two layers.

The outer fields could be freely entered and exited by Tributors like him.

The inner sanctum, however, was off-limits.

It was sealed by an Array, and throughout all of Jinyun Valley, only Ye Jingzhou could enter.

"CHIRP~"

A reply came through his Divine Sense.

The Little Chick indicated that it didn’t know how either; it had just circled a few times and flown right in.

After replying, it lowered its head. Seemingly aware it had made a mistake, it tucked in its wings and scratched restlessly at the ground, trying to bury the leftover scraps.

’This is a complete disaster!’

After all, the items stolen from Jinyun Valley were, at the very least, Tier Two Spiritual Objects.

Take these fragments at his feet, for example. This was a Tier Two High Grade Treasure Moon Ginseng. Its value surpassed the total worth of the three Clear Moon Lotus Seeds Lu Yi had given him. For a Cultivator below the Foundation Establishment Realm, consuming it would result in an immediate breakthrough of one layer in their cultivation.

Furthermore, it could serve as a primary ingredient for various Tier Two and even Tier Three Elixirs.

’A single stalk of Treasure Moon Ginseng can increase a Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s lifespan by five years. And it didn’t just eat this one thing...’

Chen Che narrowed his eyes in thought.

He had heard Lu Yi mention the Treasure Moon Ginseng before. Ye Jingzhou had picked it seventy years ago and had it specially planted In the Valley to prepare for extending his own lifespan.

This single stalk of Treasure Moon Ginseng alone constituted a ’grand larceny’ case!

If this had happened on the Earth Element Star, even with active compensation and the victim’s forgiveness, the perpetrator would still be sentenced to five to ten years in prison.

But in Yunzhou...

Heh...

Given the social climate here, being ground to dust and having your ashes scattered would be considered a merciful punishment.

’Jinyun Valley must never find out about this...’

Chen Che pondered for a moment. The Little Chick’s most conspicuous feature was undoubtedly its yellow fluff.

So, the first thing he did was return to the Earth Element Star. He ran to several Beast Taming Shops before finally buying a bottle of high-end dye—claimed to be waterproof and guaranteed not to fade for three months—and dyed the Little Chick’s fluff black.

"For the foreseeable future, you are not allowed to leave the Cave Mansion without my permission, and especially don’t go anywhere near Jinyun Valley! We’ll just have to lay low and let this blow over..."

Looking at the Little Chick, which now seemed less foolish and a bit more imposing, Chen Che mused to himself that this was the only way to handle things.

Perhaps in another month or two, the Little Chick’s appearance would change drastically, and they wouldn’t be able to trace it back to him.

He looked toward Jinyun Valley, a headache already starting to form.

This whole affair, he feared, was just beginning.

’This little thing must be used to the Arrays in the Cave Mansion, which is why Low Tier Arrays are full of holes in its eyes...’

Taking out the Micro Crystal Brain, he pulled up the list, opened the Cultivation assistance system, and pointed at the mirrored surface:

"Put your claw here. Let’s see what your Realm is. How can no Array stop you?"

CHIRP~

A claw landed on the surface.

Immediately, the mirrored surface issued an alert.

BEEP: Demon Essence detected. User identified as a Demon Beast. Cultivation analysis in progress. Some data cannot be displayed. Please wait...

A few seconds later, the data appeared.

[Name: Unknown User]

[Age: Unknown]

[Realm: Qi Refining Third Layer]

[Qi and Blood: Qi Refining Fourth Layer]

[Divine Sense: Foundation Establishment Second Layer]

’It’s only been hatched for such a short time, and it’s already this strong...’

Looking at the data displayed on the screen, Chen Che couldn’t help but feel a stir of excitement.

...

...

「Jinyun Valley.」

On a main street, in a certain household.

It was the eve of the new year, and every family was gathered for their reunion dinner.

"BANG!"

Suddenly, the main door was thrown open, and a figure bundled against the wind and snow strode into the main hall.

"Steward Li..."

The Loose Cultivator, who had been about to draw his sword, looked at the newcomer with surprise and suspicion.

"Hmph!"

Glancing at the lavish spread of food and wine on the table, Li Hong flicked his right wrist, and a painting unfurled.

"Get everyone in here. Take a look and see if any of you have seen this Demon Beast."

"This..."

The family, who had been speculating about the reason for Li Hong’s sudden intrusion, were all stunned when they saw the painting. They wanted to laugh but didn’t dare.

"N-no, we haven’t seen it. Steward Li, may I ask what this is...?"

"Is there anyone else in the house? Get them over here to look at the painting!"

Li Hong didn’t answer. His cold eyes swept over the people in the room as they all shook their heads.

"There’s... our second son..."

The Loose Cultivator, reeking of alcohol, saw the barely suppressed fury on Li Hong’s face and quickly said, "He’s still in his swaddling clothes, his eyes haven’t even opened yet. Please, Steward..."

"Hmph!"

Li Hong turned and left.

"What was that all about?"

After closing the door, the Loose Cultivator’s family exchanged bewildered glances.

Before they could even process what had happened, they heard a shout from next door:

"Get everyone in here. Take a look and see if any of you have seen this Demon Beast."

...

"Did you hear? Last night, Steward Li was going around with a painting, apparently looking for a Demon Beast!"

"I heard about that too. They say the Demon Beast raided the medicinal fields of Jinyun Valley."

"My goodness, you’re kidding me!"

「In the blink of an eye, another day or two passed.」

In the Pill Shop, Chen Che casually answered some of Zhao Deyou’s questions about Alchemy while listening to the passersby’s rampant discussions. He, too, was keeping a close eye on the matter.

"Brother, the Valley Master summons you!"

Just then, someone shouted from outside the shop. Chen Che turned to see Hu Yao.

’It must be about the theft from the medicinal fields.’

As Chen Che thought this, he instructed Ding Fei to look after the Pill Shop and went to meet him.

Along the way, he saw many disciples who had returned home for the new year now hurrying back, streaming toward Jinyun Valley. When they saw him, they all greeted him with clasped hands.

Chen Che returned their greetings while asking:

"Why so many people?"

"The Valley Master summoned them back. The Signal Arrow was fired on the first day of the new year, all to capture that Demon Beast!"

Hu Yao explained.

Chen Che nodded slightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that most of the other disciples looked bewildered, clearly unaware of what had happened. Disciples who had remained in the Valley started explaining the situation, and as the returning disciples learned the reason for the summons, their faces filled with shock.

Before long, they stepped into Jinyun Valley.

A few months had passed since Ye Jingzhou had last summoned him, and he hadn’t been In the Valley since. He didn’t see Ye Jingzhou, only Lu Yi. At this moment, Lu Yi was standing before the grand plaza, his hands clasped behind his back, with the great cauldron at his back.

In front of him, disciples had gathered from all over.

’This is quite a turnout... Everyone’s here. No, wait, Tributor Li hasn’t arrived yet.’

Chen Che glanced at the great cauldron a few times but couldn’t discern anything special about it. Then he looked around, secretly taking a headcount.

’Hasn’t he completed the Pill Formula after all this time?’

’He’s so slow...’

"So many people!"

The disciples were all clicking their tongues in amazement, but no one dared to make much noise.

"PAK!"

Lu Yi took a step forward, and his steady voice echoed through the valley:

"Several days ago, a Demon Beast snuck into Jinyun Valley, plundered the medicinal fields, and incurred the Valley Master’s wrath..."

"...Today, the disciples have been summoned back to capture that Demon Beast. Anyone who can provide a clue to its whereabouts will be rewarded with one month’s salary. Anyone who captures it personally will be rewarded with three Realm-Breaking Pills!"

"WHOA!"

The disciples burst into an excited clamor.

Chen Che sighed inwardly. Things had really blown up.