Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

"How else could I make it clearer? I imagine that as you traveled here, Valley Master Chen, you've already seen it all."

Zuo Qinlong sighed and began to speak as if to himself:

"The territories under our jurisdiction are in turmoil due to Evil Cultivators, yet the Primordial Sect has been slow to respond. Meanwhile, the Star-Picking Sect's army is at our gates. If they capture this place, they can not only advance unimpeded but can also trap us within Celestial Ghost Ridge."

"And outside Celestial Ghost City, twenty to thirty renowned Golden Core cultivators have already gathered."

At this, Zuo Qinlong couldn't help but sigh again.

"That many Golden Cores?"

Chen Xi's expression changed at his side. "Could it be that the entire Star-Picking Sect is here?"

Chen Che also frowned.

The Star-Picking Sect had over thirty Golden Cores on its roster. This was tantamount to an all-out attack.

"Not exactly. Only a portion of them are from the Star-Picking Sect. The rest are Loose Cultivators from various regions, Golden Cores from other powers, and even some from the Mist Rain Tower."

Zuo Qinlong's expression was grave as he slowly shook his head. "It's as the saying goes: 'when a whale falls, all things flourish.' These Golden Cores see that the Primordial Sect, this great behemoth, is already decaying from within, so they've all rushed here to get a piece of the pie."

"Fortunately, they probably haven't agreed on how to divide the spoils yet, which is why they've delayed their attack. Otherwise, my Celestial Ghost Ridge would have been trampled flat long ago."

"I've requested reinforcements from the Primordial Sect. I originally thought..."

At this point, Zuo Qinlong clasped his hands and said apologetically:

"It's not that I, this old man, don't trust in the strength of you three fellow cultivators. It's that aside from the Golden Core True Masters, the enemy has a large number of other Cultivators as well. And Celestial Ghost Ridge has more than just Celestial Ghost City to defend..."

"The main force is behind us. The three of us are just the vanguard, scouting the way."

Chen Che picked up his Spirit Tea, signaling for the other man to relax. "Following us will be about two or three more Golden Cores, over three hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and several thousand Qi Refining Ninth Level Cultivators."

The three of them had come ahead.

Five or six days had passed. Jinyun Valley's recruitment drive was likely complete, and they would probably set out in a day or two at the most.

"Excellent news!"

A glint shone in Zuo Qinlong's eyes, and he gripped the armrests in excitement. "With a large force on its way, defending Celestial Ghost Ridge will be no problem. In that case, I will hand over command of Celestial Ghost City to you, Valley Master Chen. From now on, everything will be under your command."

"That won't be necessary."

Chen Che waved his hand dismissively and refused.

"You've guarded this place for hundreds of years; you're far more familiar with Celestial Ghost Ridge than we are. You know where the defenses are weak and are better suited to make arrangements. We will follow your orders, City Lord."

'Even a mighty dragon can't suppress the local bully. He has been entrenched here for centuries and holds great prestige. These are extraordinary times, and the man is being extremely cooperative.'

'If I seize power the moment I arrive, it could easily create a rift between us.'

"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony."

Hearing this, Zuo Qinlong was momentarily stunned, then his smile widened. He quickly stood up. "You three fellow cultivators must be tired from your journey. I will arrange for your accommodations at once..."

"There's no hurry."

Chen Che slowly set down his teacup. "I'd also like to know how many Golden Cores are gathered outside Celestial Ghost City, as well as their respective origins and details, just in case we need it."

"Of course."

Zuo Qinlong agreed readily. He took out a Jade Scroll, closed his eyes for a moment, and imprinted it with information.

"I won't trouble you any longer."

After tucking the Jade Scroll into his sleeve and exchanging a few more pleasantries, Chen Che finally rose to his feet. "If you need anything, just let us know."

"Of course, of course."

Zuo Qinlong repeatedly clasped his hands, then summoned a steward to arrange lodging for the three of them.

After the three had left the residence, the smile on Zuo Qinlong's face suddenly turned cold. He turned and walked toward the back courtyard. There, a middle-aged man sat, slowly savoring his tea. Seeing Zuo Qinlong enter, he asked without lifting his head:

"What are your impressions of Valley Master Chen, having met him for the first time?"

"He's at the Golden Core Sixth Layer Realm. I'm one hundred percent confident I could kill him."

A powerful confidence appeared on Zuo Qinlong's face.

"However, he killed Lu Wanli and made that old fox Zhao Yunchen bring his son to our door to apologize. His strength is clearly greater than his Cultivation Realm suggests. He might have some hidden trump cards. Still, I'm about seventy percent confident."

"Protector Dou, when do we make our move?"

Zuo Qinlong frowned and asked with a hint of urgency:

"The lands under the Primordial Sect's control are in such chaos, yet their reaction is minimal. It's obvious their control has greatly diminished. Why not just strike while the iron is hot? Why do we continue to wait and watch, being so cautious?"

This middle-aged man was none other than the Great Protector of the Star-Picking Sect, Dou Shanhe.

Dou Shanhe held his teacup, savoring it slowly. Hearing the question, he looked up and asked in return:

"If you calculate the time, the Ten Thousand Gods Sect should have been established for two or three days by now, but Gongyang Shuo and Pei Chu have yet to report in. The Banquet of the Gods was also stopped, and Ten Thousand Gods Mountain has been burned to the ground. Did you know?"

"What? Something like that happened?"

The first part of the news didn't strike Zuo Qinlong as significant, but the latter half made his expression change drastically.

This meant they had all been wiped out in one fell swoop.

If anyone had survived, they would have rushed to deliver the news at the earliest opportunity.

"I received the news a day ago."

"The Star-Picking Sect has already planted its chess pieces deep in the Primordial Sect's heartland, so naturally we have a corresponding intelligence network," Dou Shanhe said slowly. "A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. The Primordial Sect still has a few capable people within its ranks."

"Could it have been Chen Che?"

Zuo Qinlong frowned, but then immediately shook his head.

"His Realm and strength aren't high enough. Pei Chu alone would be more than a match for him, let alone the entire Ten Thousand Gods Mountain. With Gongyang Shuo, Song Yuanxing, and the other three Golden Cores, plus four to five hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators... that's enough power to kill him twice over."

The Star-Picking Sect had backed Pei Chu in establishing his own sect, so how could they not know his details?

"It doesn't matter who it was. Whoever destroyed Ten Thousand Gods Mountain must have suffered grievous losses themselves. But for us, the only one who can be considered a threat is the Primordial Old Man. As long as he remains in seclusion, it means there's still a chance he could break through."

The destruction of the Ten Thousand Gods Sect was a pity, but it didn't affect the grand scheme. Dou Shanhe wasn't concerned. Instead, he gave Zuo Qinlong a leisurely look and said:

"You've endured and waited for two hundred years. Are you really unwilling to wait a few more?"

If anyone had heard these words, they would have been utterly shocked.

It turned out that Zuo Qinlong was also a sleeper agent planted by the Star-Picking Sect, and one who had been put in place centuries ago.

"Wait? Of course I'm willing to wait."

Zuo Qinlong clasped his hands.

Centuries ago, the Zuo Family was just an ordinary Foundation Establishment Clan in Bai State. And he was just an ordinary member of that clan.

He never imagined that a chance encounter with the Star-Picking Sect would allow him to soar to the heavens. He quickly achieved Foundation Establishment and Core Formation, and with the Star-Picking Sect's help, even became the master of Celestial Ghost Ridge.

Of course.

He later learned that he wasn't the only one the Star-Picking Sect had contacted. In Celestial Ghost Ridge alone, there had been seven or eight others, but only he had made it this far.

"Back then, the Primordial Sect took advantage of the Star-Picking Sect's internal strife to rise up. Otherwise, how could they have reached their current scale? These territories all belong to my Star-Picking Sect. Now, they must spit them out, piece by piece."

"Even if the Primordial Old Man successfully achieves Nascent Soul Formation, he'll be left with nothing but a barren Primordial Mountain. If we've devoured all their territory and he still hasn't come out of seclusion... then we'll storm the mountain! How many Golden Cores does the Primordial Sect have for us to kill?"

Dou Shanhe said slowly.

The Star-Picking Sect was nearly twice as old as the Primordial Sect. In fact, they had wanted to swallow the Primordial Sect for a long time. After a war centuries ago where the Star-Picking Sect only gained a slight advantage, they realized a forceful takeover wasn't feasible. So, they slowed their pace and began tirelessly planting sleeper agents.

Many of the people and plans were even arranged by the previous generation's Sect Leader; now, they were simply putting the grand design into motion.

Zuo Qinlong thought for a moment, then asked, "What's the plan for Chen Che? He asked me for the roster of Golden Cores outside the city. Also, the Jinyun Valley army will arrive in a few days. I expect it's the Meng Family and their people."

"Including Chen Che's group, that's about six or seven Golden Cores, four to five hundred at Foundation Establishment, and thousands at Qi Refining Ninth Layer... That's a considerable force. When the Golden Cores outside the city see that kind of lineup, they'll likely hesitate again."

To this day, the Star-Picking Sect was still just probing, having not mobilized much of its core strength. The main reason was to remain on guard against the Primordial Sect.

The Golden Cores outside the city came from complex backgrounds.

The reason they hadn't attacked yet was, just as Zuo Qinlong had said, because of disagreements over the distribution of spoils.

"Ah, Chen Che!"

Dou Shanhe placed the lid on his teacup, closed his eyes, and shook his head slightly.

"That man rose too quickly. He reached Core Formation in less than ten years, giving us no chance to even plant a sleeper agent near him. When he disappeared in Faqian City, I originally planned to have Gongyang Shuo infiltrate Jinyun Valley to gauge the situation, but I never expected to alert the enemy."

"It would be a pity to kill him, but he achieved Core Formation at such a young age. The Star-Picking Sect might not be able to control him."

Zuo Qinlong remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

After a moment of contemplation, Dou Shanhe opened his eyes and made a decision. "Keep Chen Che here in Celestial Ghost City. Arrange for the others to be sent elsewhere. When the time comes, you and I will personally recruit him..."

"And if he refuses?" Zuo Qinlong asked in a low voice.

"Refuses?"

Dou Shanhe grinned. "With the way things are going, he won't have a choice."