Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

The depths of the back mountain were sealed off once again. Not even the Little Chick was allowed to approach.

Chen Che had done everything in his power to save the Willow Tree Demon, but unfortunately, after more than ten days, it remained on the brink of death. The last thread of its Demon Qi seemed ready to dissipate at any moment.

The other Golden Core Cultivators had either dispersed to heal their wounds or left to travel and relax.

After all, even if they were to refine another Magical Artifact, it wouldn't require the same massive mobilization as the Thunder Jade Gourd.

The once-bustling back mountain returned to its usual tranquility.

However, perceptive disciples noticed some subtle changes within Jinyun Valley.

First, a bare-chested, white-haired, and white-bearded old man had appeared in the Casting Hall. He spent his days lounging in a rattan chair and sipping tea. Even the Casting Hall's Chief, Liang Yuan, along with his martial brothers and their master, treated him with the utmost respect.

Next was the Sacrificial Hall. Although Layman Shuilian had left, a new, unfamiliar Cultivator had taken his place. This person was a recluse who never showed their face. Ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators couldn't even get a single word with them.

Li Changqing of the Talisman Hall had acquired an incredibly wondrous Talisman Brush. It was said that both its handle and its tip were made from materials the Valley Master had obtained from other Golden Core Cultivators. When using this brush, his success rate for drawing Tier Three Talismans reached as high as twenty to thirty percent.

However, Li Changqing rarely used it, reportedly for fear of becoming reliant on it.

Meanwhile, the world outside the valley was changing daily. Starting from the Black Water River, canals for the various affiliated families were being constructed at a rapid pace. A few of the canals had already been opened, but since they were newly built, traffic on them was still light.

But once the waterway network was complete, it was certain to become incredibly busy.

Some of the more astute smaller Cultivator families, upon hearing rumors of the canal construction, had already secretly relocated their clans closer to the riverbanks, even preparing to build small docks.

With a busy canal in their future, there would be profit to be made whether through trade, transportation, or even just opening an inn.

Even if none of that panned out, it would at least be convenient for their own travel, or they could catch some Spirit Fish to supplement their family's needs.

In the future, markets where mortals and Cultivators lived side-by-side would form around these docks, thereby increasing the number of Cultivators. This was Chen Che's true intention.

After all, a faction's prosperity was directly related to its number of Cultivators. A faction with only a handful of members would always have limited influence.

...

「In the blink of an eye, another half a month passed.」

Chen Che's injuries had long since healed. He spent the rest of his time familiarizing himself with the Thunder Jade Gourd and continuing his Cultivation, striving for the next minor Realm.

However, even with the Fierce Beast Pills, the process was still incredibly slow.

But it was still much faster than the progress of his Divine Sense. Without a large supply of items of faith to support him, relying solely on incense like the Nourishing Spirit Incense made improving his Divine Sense a process as slow as water dripping on a stone.

Chen Che knew this was the reality for most Golden Core Cultivators.

Compared to him, cultivators like Lu Yuntian, Meng Changtu, and Meng Qianxun were long accustomed to such a pace. In fact, supported by the Nourishing Spirit Incense, they were pleasantly surprised by the growth rate of their Divine Sense.

As for Cultivators with fewer financial resources, they would only light a stick or two of incense when tempering their Divine Sense to aid their Cultivation.

On the other hand, he had mastered the Great Sun Style to perfection. He could even use it at will without relying on his Sword Pill. He had recently compiled his insights on it and submitted them to Sister Li as a supplement.

He hoped this Supplement would speed up the Immortal Sect's review process.

He walked out of the back mountain.

The Willow Tree Demon still showed no signs of waking, as if it were completely devoid of life. The Earth Store Profound Tree, in contrast, was more vibrant than ever, having now grown to a height of over ten feet. All the Spirit Trees near it grew with exceptional vigor.

Chen Che had briefly considered moving the Willow Tree Demon next to the Earth Store Profound Tree, but he quickly dismissed the idea...

After all, in its current state, the tree was in no condition to be moved.

He had exhausted all his options. There was nothing more Chen Che could do but wait and see, having done all he could.

...

Entering the Market.

Chen Che clearly sensed that there were twenty to thirty percent more Cultivators in the Market than before the canal construction began.

This surprised him somewhat. 'Building the canals requires a huge amount of manpower, which the clans certainly can't provide on their own. They'll need to recruit some Loose Cultivators from the Market to help. The Loose Cultivators who heard the news must have come here hoping to be hired.'

'I could hold a Mutual Workshop Association event every few years to further boost the Market's reputation.'

As he thought this, Chen Che turned and headed toward the Ghost Market. With the auction house backing him, he rarely had to go out searching for resources himself; at most, he would post a notice. Still, he made it a point to browse the Ghost Market every so often.

After all, the goods in the Ghost Market came from all over, and there was always a chance of stumbling upon some strange and curious items. It was just that, ever since he had unexpectedly found an item of faith several years ago, he had come back dozens of times without finding anything else of value.

Just as he was thinking this, Chen Che happened to run into a young Cultivator. The man was dressed in plain clothes and was also heading toward the Ghost Market.

"Valley Master."

The man jolted when he saw Chen Che, then quickly stepped forward and bowed. "Disciple Wang Chen greets the Valley Master."

"It's been a while. Not bad, you're already at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. You must be close to Foundation Establishment, then?"

Chen Che nodded slightly. Of course he recognized the young man.

This was one of the most outstanding disciples of his generation in Jinyun Valley, and the first to discover the extraordinary nature of the Earth Store Profound Tree. It was just that after the back mountain was declared a restricted area, he could no longer stay there to cultivate.

He spent a little time in the valley, but was mostly outside traveling, completing missions, and earning Cultivation resources.

"...Yes, Valley Master."

Wang Chen answered timidly, overwhelmed by the attention.

The Valley Master was a recluse and extremely difficult to meet. He had assumed that after all this time, the Valley Master would have long forgotten him, never expecting to be recognized at a glance.

"Here for the Ghost Market too? Let's go together," Chen Che said with a smile, walking forward.

Wang Chen hurried to follow a few steps behind and said,

"Yes. To be honest, Valley Master, I come to the Ghost Market often. Strange things frequently pop up here, and you might have a chance to find a good deal. It's a silly hope, I know..."

"Most people who come to the Ghost Market have the same idea. That was my original intention when I established it."

Chen Che didn't find this strange. Most Cultivators were shrewd; if he could think of it, others naturally could as well.

After several years of development, the Ghost Market was several times larger than before. Even during the day, it was shrouded in a black mist. At night, it was so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. The whispering pedestrians and Loose Cultivators looked like wandering ghosts.

As he spoke, Chen Che released his Divine Sense, scanning the items at each stall one by one.

Occasionally, a few strange and curious things would appear, but for someone at Chen Che's level, such trinkets were no longer worth a second glance. Wang Chen followed behind him, wanting to look around but not daring to stray far, so he could only keep glancing left and right.

"Your Divine Sense is strong enough, but your Qi and Blood are still a little lacking. Consolidate your foundation for four or five months, and you'll have a seventy percent chance of reaching Foundation Establishment even without a Foundation Establishment Pill."

Of course, Chen Che didn't forget to offer Wang Chen some guidance.

This young man was the only one among the top disciples who had no background. Despite only having a Middle Spirit Root, his Cultivation speed managed to keep pace with Zhao Changping's. Chen Che had always suspected he'd had some kind of fortunate encounter; otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to reach this level.

However, that was a personal matter, and he would not stoop to forcibly seizing a disciple's good fortune.

Moreover, the young man's True Essence was pure and dense, not the kind built up by relying on Pills, which meant his foundation was extremely solid.

A disciple like him was as rare as a top student in a class.

Once he matured, he would surely become a pillar of the valley.

"By the way, I assigned Zhao Changping to guard the island reef, but I didn't assign you. Do you have any complaints about that?" Chen Che asked amiably, his hands clasped behind his back.

"I wouldn't dare."

Wang Chen quickly cupped his hands and said,

"The Valley Master must have his reasons. He is the son of the Pill Hall's Chief and has followed you since he was young. No one in Jinyun Valley is more qualified than him. Besides, the Jinghai Island Reef is a strategic location for Jinyun Valley that cannot afford any mishaps. With his status and the Pill Hall backing him, he is the most suitable choice."

"You're quite perceptive."

Chen Che nodded, a little surprised. "I have different arrangements for the top three of your generation. The valley still needs a Law Enforcement Hall, and that position isn't suitable for Zhao Changping or Yu Daogui."

"They both have family ties that would influence them to some degree when carrying out their duties."

Hearing this, Wang Chen's heart warmed. He cupped his hands again. "I dare not ask for anything. Being able to cultivate in the valley is already the greatest fortune of my life..."

Chen Che smiled and nodded slightly.

Whether it was flattery or not, the words certainly pleased him.

The two of them continued talking, and before they knew it, they had already walked through half of the Ghost Market.

This time, Chen Che once again made a discovery:

"Hm?"