Chapter 309 - 281: The Dignified Master of a Valley

Chapter 309: Chapter 281: The Dignified Master of a Valley

’Something’s fishy!’

Chen Che was certain.

The more realistic and detailed the rumors, the more riddled with holes they seemed to him.

After all, he was the one with the Jade Pendant.

He had already pinpointed the location of True Master Chixia’s Traveling Palace. It was impossible for someone else to have a second Jade Pendant, nor could they unearth a second one. Thus, these clues, which seemed so complete to others, struck him as utterly bizarre.

Whether it was a trap for him, however, remained to be seen.

...

The news spreading from Xuzhou was delayed. It wasn’t until the fourth day after Little Chick’s return that word of True Master Chixia’s Traveling Palace finally reached Jinyun Valley. Along the way, the story had been altered and embellished several times, making it sound even more authentic.

Some rumors even claimed that cultivators had seen the traveling palace with their own eyes.

Others whispered of seeing a Chixia Tripod within the palace, still burning after a thousand years, as if in the middle of refining the very pills True Master Chixia was working on before his apotheosis.

The rumors were a whirlwind of fact and fiction, impossible to distinguish, yet they stirred the hearts of countless people.

Within the Market, not just Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but even Qi Refining Cultivators were rushing to Chu State.

For a while, a restless fervor swept through the Market.

Even cultivators from other regions passed through Jinyun Valley, stocking up on pills and spiritual artifacts before making the long journey to Chu State.

After all, when a great opportunity presented itself, you had to take the gamble. Otherwise, you’d be left with nothing but tears of regret in your old age.

As for the dangers of Chu State and its teeming Demon Beasts?

They knew the risks, but with such a monumental opportunity on the line, there would always be those who imagined themselves the chosen, lucky one.

But whether the rumors were true or false, Chen Che had no intention of investigating.

He limited his activities to the valley and the Market.

The farthest he’d gone was a trip to the Liu Family on Wild Pigeon Mountain, and he’d only stayed for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn before leaving.

’Someone really is watching me.’

Chen Che was instantly on alert upon returning to Jinyun Valley.

He hadn’t been sure before, but as he was leaving the valley, he’d sensed a faint, hidden presence tailing him.

He hadn’t made a big show of his departure; an ordinary cultivator would have struggled to even notice he was gone. Yet after he landed on Wild Pigeon Mountain, the hidden presence seemed to lose interest and vanished.

’They want me to leave the valley that badly?’

Chen Che mused.

An ordinary Evil Cultivator looking for Core Formation Materials wouldn’t have singled him out.

’But this person...’

"No matter who you are, your life is as good as mine."

Back in Jinyun Valley, Chen Che gazed at the brilliant sunset, his eyes narrowing.

The situation had become clear.

His pursuer was most likely part of the group spreading the rumors. It was also highly probable that they were the ones who had impersonated Xiao Chan to attack Jinyun Valley.

So what if it was a Fake Pill Cultivator?

’I’ll cut them down with a single strike!’

...

"He’s not even tempted by this?"

「Inside the Drunken Immortal Inn.」

Ye Jiuming narrowed his eyes, his expression one of utter astonishment.

Several Ye Clan members exchanged glances, looking thoroughly exasperated.

The rumors had sent half of Yunzhou into a frenzy, yet Chen Che remained completely unfazed. They thought he’d finally been unable to resist leaving the valley, but he had just made a quick trip out and returned.

"Chen... Chen Che, aside from that one trip to Wild Pigeon Mountain, he hardly ever leaves the valley. When he does go out, it’s only to the Ghost Market or the auction house. The rest of the time, he’s nowhere to be seen... Even some of the Tributors from within the valley have left for Chu State."

A clansman spoke with his head lowered, then suddenly mustered his courage and said:

"Ancestor, is it possible that True Master Chixia’s Traveling Palace holds no temptation for him at all?"

He was beginning to seriously doubt the ancestor’s strategy.

The others remained silent, but they clearly shared his sentiment.

"Ye Hu’an, you’re a Sword Cultivator."

Ye Jiuming didn’t refute him, but glanced at the man casually and said:

"If you learned the whereabouts of the Sword Cultivation Stone from the Profound Sword Manor of a thousand years ago, what would you do?"

Hearing the ancestor’s hypothetical, Ye Hu’an’s blood began to boil at the mere thought of obtaining the Sword Cultivation Stone. "I would rush there at once," he said without a moment’s hesitation. "No matter who has it, I would seize it!"

The Sword Cultivation Stone was no ordinary treasure.

Only those with profound insights into the Sword Dao could leave their sword intent within the stone. Owning it was like receiving guidance from hundreds, even thousands, of Sword Dao masters—an invaluable treasure for any Sword Cultivator.

"Exactly!"

Ye Jiuming nodded slightly, his eyes sweeping over the others.

"Cultivators have passions and desires like anyone else. As long as they have an obsession, they have a weakness. No Pill Master can resist the temptation of True Master Chixia’s treasure."

"But Chen Che remains unmoved. Surely it’s not possible that he already has True Master Chixia’s treasure in his possession?"

Ye Hu’an said with a bitter smile.

"How could that be possible!"

Ye Jiuming picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said unhurriedly:

"True Master Chixia’s Jade Pendant was broken in two long ago and has passed through countless hands since. It wouldn’t be so easily reassembled. Forty years ago, one half surfaced, supposedly obtained by a Pill Master. But by the time I went to investigate, that Pill Master had mysteriously vanished, and the trail went cold."

"And there has been no news of the other half to this day."

Ye Hu’an and the others believed him without a shred of doubt.

The clan had several ancestors, one who operated openly and one who stayed in the shadows. The man before them had supposedly cut ties with the family centuries ago, but in reality, he was the Ye Family’s ’Night Emperor,’ in charge of intelligence and assassination.

Much of the clan’s intelligence on Spirit Treasures and Secret Realms had been gathered by him.

"Or perhaps he knows too many people are going and has decided to back off from the competition."

Ye Jiuming stood and paced, pondering for a moment before frowning.

"It seems I’ll have to find another way to lure him out of Jinyun Valley. Since he’s gathering the materials for the Qingxu Guiyuan Pill, perhaps we can use that. Right, how many materials is he still missing...?"

"If we take care of Jinyun Valley, the Meng Family will lose all hope."

...

The sky was clear, and the sunrise already brought with it a hint of summer heat.

The valley was bustling with activity.

Before dawn, many disciples were already cultivating amidst the morning glow and dew. Ever since news of True Master Chixia’s Traveling Palace broke, many had been asking about it. But the response from every Hall was surprisingly consistent: Chu State was teeming with Demon Beasts, and even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would be hard-pressed to escape unscathed.

For cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm, it was a deathtrap. To set foot there meant certain doom.

And so, the restless disciples settled down and began preparing for the grand competition with all their might.

Just then, Ding Fei rushed into the valley.

"Chief, has something happened?"

Rong Shisan, who was instructing disciples in the square, asked.

"There’s news of the Golden Toad Flower."

Ding Fei said with a smile.

"That’s wonderful news!"

Rong Shisan was overjoyed. It was the final material for the Qingxu Guiyuan Pill. Once they had it, it meant Jinyun Valley could begin the alchemy process at any time.

And it wasn’t just him; the disciples in the square also beamed with joy upon hearing the news.

This meant the valley was on the verge of having another Golden Core True Master!

"I won’t keep you. I’m taking the news to the Valley Master."

Ding Fei didn’t linger and hurried on his way.

A short while later.

Many disciples saw the Valley Master leave the valley.

...

「As Chen Che left the valley, inside the Drunken Immortal Inn, Ye Jiuming’s face showed surprise:」

"Why would he suddenly leave the valley now?"

Not long after, several Ye Clan members arrived. Ye Hu’an cupped his hands and said, "Ancestor, I have news. A cultivator supposedly sold information about the Golden Toad Flower to Jinyun Valley..."

"Did you spread this information?"

Ye Jiuming’s eyes swept over them.

They all quickly shook their heads. They had indeed been concocting a story about the Golden Toad Flower to lure Chen Che out, but they hadn’t started spreading it yet.

"Is this information reliable?"

Ye Jiuming asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Absolutely!"

Ye Hu’an said quickly:

"There’s no need to investigate. The news has already spread throughout the valley. It was Ding Fei who brought the message into the valley this morning, and many disciples heard him. As for the location, the informant didn’t specify... Presumably, only Chen Che knows."

"Could it be a trap?"

The others were a little taken aback by this opportunity that had fallen into their laps.

"..."

Having been active in Yunzhou for over two hundred years, Ye Jiuming understood this sort of behavior all too well.

Often, when a cultivator is gathering materials, they can remain calm and patient at the start. But when they get down to the last one or two items, that patience wears thin. He himself had been the same, falling into a similar trap that had damaged his Dao Foundation.

From then on, his hopes of breaking through to the Golden Core realm were dashed, and he could only form a Fake Pill.

"If that’s the case, then it all makes sense."

Ye Jiuming narrowed his eyes.

Seeing the solemn expressions on the others’ faces, he held up a hand and said in a low voice, "The boy is quite strong, and he has a Spiritual Bird for transportation. You won’t be able to catch him; you’ll only end up tipping him off."

With that said.

He took a single step and vanished from the inn.

「Meanwhile.」

Not long after leaving the valley, Chen Che’s Divine Sense immediately detected a hidden presence secretly tailing him. With a faint smirk, he spurred Little Chick up into the clouds and shot through the sky.

’This kid is surprisingly experienced and cautious. If I’d been half as careful back in my day, I wouldn’t have failed at Core Formation. A pity. No matter how cautious you are, you can’t escape my grasp.’

Any lingering doubts Ye Jiuming had were swept away by a cold sneer.

But soon, Ye Jiuming’s smile vanished.

The Xuan Peng’s flight speed was simply too fast. As they passed over desolate lands, he had to take care to conceal his presence to avoid detection. The boy would even circle in mid-air from time to time, as if checking to see if he was being followed.

’The nerve of him, leading me around in circles!’

Ye Jiuming’s patience wore thin, and his expression darkened.

Many times, he had to fight the urge to attack. But his target was high in the sky; if his first strike failed and the boy was determined to flee, catching him would be nearly impossible.

’We’re in Ze State?’

A full day and night passed in a flash. Within Ze State, a vast Marsh Forest came into view. At this point, Chen Che, who had been intermittently concealing himself, stopped hiding and flew straight for it.

’Of course!’

Ye Jiuming’s eyes lit up.

’The Golden Toad Flower resembles the Three-legged Golden Toad. Besides needing abundant Spiritual Qi, it also grows in dark, damp places. And people have indeed found Golden Toad Flowers in Ze State before...’

’So, it’s not strange for him to come here at all!’

’You’ve picked a nice graveyard for yourself.’

Ye Jiuming concealed his presence, leaping through the trees as nimbly as a Spiritual Ape. A smile had just begun to form on his lips when it froze.

"...Hm?"

A streak of light, like a fire dragon, shot out from the Marsh Forest, hurtling toward him at incredible speed.

"Courting death..."

Slightly startled, Ye Jiuming sneered.

’So he spotted me? So what?’

CLANG!

He gripped the black cloth-wrapped object on his back and swung it forward violently, striking at the fire dragon.

With a tremendous crash, sparks flew. The Red Dragon Lock Chain was revealed, recoiling even faster than it had arrived. But in mid-air, a translucent, crystal-like right hand closed around it, catching it as a voice drifted over:

"Fellow Daoist, you’ve gone to so much trouble following me all this way!"

"Valley Master Chen, your doom is sealed! You might as well surrender now!"

Ye Jiuming laughed heartily, brandishing the wrapped object.

"Is that so?"

A light chuckle floated through the air.

Behind him, an old man with a full head of white hair appeared, a giant wasp hovering at his side, its wings beating. To his right, a Divine Dao Cultivator in a cloak and a golden ghost mask stepped forward. Then, three more figures appeared on his left.

One was a handsome man in a white robe. Another rode a black tiger, a black blade on his back, his temples streaked with white. The third was shrouded in a hazy mist, their face completely obscured.

"Meng Qianxun, Chen Yin, Hermit Fushan, Meng Changtu, Layman Shuilian?"

Ye Jiuming’s face sank, his anger unconcealed.

"Chen Che, as the dignified Valley Master, you actually stooped to setting an ambush for me?"