A Foundation Establishment Cultivator was no nobody, let alone a Fifth Level Cultivator.

At his peak, Ye Jingzhou had only been at the Foundation Establishment Third Layer, yet that was enough to secure his own territory. One could only imagine Lu Qinglian’s caliber. Of course, Lu Qinglian didn’t join under her real name, but took the title ’Layman Shuilian’.

Reportedly,

’Layman Shuilian’ was also the alias she had used for many years while traveling.

This suited Chen Che’s intentions perfectly. He had no need for the fame that came with Lu Qinglian’s status as a family matriarch.

At the same time,

she was appointed Chief of the Sacrificial Hall, responsible for establishing it. After leaving the reception hall, Chen Che announced this matter publicly.

In any case, the Sacrificial Hall was just being founded. Aside from choosing a location and constructing the building, there were no other tedious chores.

"Master, could there be a trick to this?"

Watching Lu Qinglian, who had already begun scouting a location within Jinyun Valley, Rong Zhongxuan finally couldn’t hold back his question.

He couldn’t be blamed for his suspicion.

Ever since Jinyun Valley had opened its gates, it had put out a notice to recruit a Tier Two Casting Master as a Tributor, but to this day, no one had responded. For such a Major Cultivator to now join of her own accord, it was hard not to have second thoughts.

"No."

Chen Che shook his head slightly and said,

"I’ve already used a Bloodline Stone to check. The two of them are indeed mother and son."

He naturally wouldn’t believe everything Lu Qinglian said.

First, he had to confirm their relationship. The test had indeed shown they were direct relatives. Moreover, he had carefully examined Lu Ping’an. The man had indeed attempted to reach Foundation Establishment twice, and his most recent failure had completely extinguished the life force within his body.

Although some kind of Celestial and Earthly Treasure was used to forcibly extend his life, his remaining lifespan was still less than three years.

In his condition, he wouldn’t have survived ten years even on the Earth Element Star, let alone in this world.

As for the ’scandal’.

Chen Che had specifically sought out Meng Changyuan to inquire indirectly, but the latter said he had never heard of it.

However,

he speculated that the story was very likely true. What family matriarch would wander outside her clan for over forty years without ever returning?

The fact that no rumors had escaped the Lu Family was not surprising either.

For a major family, the matriarch giving birth to an outsider’s bastard was even more shameful than having a core family member assassinated. If it had been an ordinary concubine or a Qi Refining Cultivator, she would have been beaten to death on the spot, and her own family might have even been implicated to some extent.

It was likely that only the upper echelon of the Lu Family knew about the matter.

"Once the location for the Sacrificial Hall is chosen, let her handle its construction and layout as she sees fit. But every single Tributor recruited must have my approval."

Having come to this conclusion, Chen Che gave his instructions.

’The Sacrificial Hall is like a sharp sword. Wielded well, it can not only stabilize the region but also be used to expand our territory.’

’But if wielded poorly, it will cut the wielder.’

’He would not allow someone else, right under his nose, to use Jinyun Valley’s financial and material resources to build an uncontrollable force that might one day turn on him.’

"As for the Tributors, let’s tentatively divide them into three tiers!"

Chen Che pondered for a moment.

"All Qi Refining Ninth Layer Cultivators are eligible to be Third-class Tributors."

"To be promoted to a Second-class Tributor, one must achieve meritorious deeds or create a certain amount of value for the valley. Foundation Establishment Cultivators, or those who have reached Tier Two in one of the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, can all be First-class Tributors."

"Additionally, the annual stipend for a Third-class Tributor will be two hundred Spirit Stones, one thousand for a Second-class Tributor, and two thousand for First-class."

Since they were already planning the Sacrificial Hall, Chen Che decided to lay out his entire plan.

"Good, I’ll draw up the regulations right away!"

Rong Zhongxuan said respectfully.

He had expected Lu Qinglian to have some objections, but unexpectedly, she showed no unusual reaction after reading the plan. She merely suggested slightly reducing the compensation for Second and Third-class Tributors, as the proposed rates were about fifty percent higher than the market average.

Moreover,

the Tributor corps was a Gold-devouring Giant Beast by nature, and Jinyun Valley’s limited surplus couldn’t possibly support it.

In the long run, it would become a burden.

"Jinyun Valley was only recently established and can’t attract many Loose Cultivators, so we have to raise the compensation to some extent."

Chen Che explained casually,

"As for the numbers, we’ll control them slightly and choose only the best."

"That was my oversight!"

Lu Qinglian’s eyes lit with understanding. Whenever she faced Chen Che, she couldn’t help but forget that he had been in charge of Jinyun Valley for less than a year. "I heard the Valley Master is looking to recruit a Casting Master?"

"Do you have someone to recommend?"

Chen Che looked up.

"I do know someone. His skills aren’t bad; he can forge Tier Two Weapons and Magical Artifacts. He comes from the Mortal World and is a Loose Cultivator with no backing from any power or family, which meets Jinyun Valley’s requirements."

Seeing Chen Che’s interest, Lu Qinglian immediately elaborated.

"He’s in Chi State?"

Chen Che thought for a moment. It wasn’t far. "No time like the present. Fellow Daoist Lu, would you be willing to make the trip with me?"

’Jinyun Valley is in desperate need of an Artifact Refiner.’

’Meng Changyuan had recommended two people, and I met with them personally, but they all politely refused. They most likely look down on Jinyun Valley.’

"Of course!"

Lu Qinglian agreed without hesitation.

Outside Jinyun Valley, Chen Che rode on the Little Chick while Lu Qinglian followed behind. She was practically penniless now; forget Magical Artifacts, she had even sold off all her weapons. She could only fly on her own, looking quite destitute.

On the way, Lu Qinglian began to explain in detail:

"His name is Jia Chaoyuan, and he has a good reputation among Loose Cultivators. When my weapon was damaged during my travels, I went to him for repairs. However, he is a free spirit who can’t stand being tied down, so I don’t know if he will agree."

Chen Che nodded.

There were many cultivators like that, so it wasn’t surprising.

"Hasn’t any other power tried to recruit him by force?"

"He’s a Foundation Establishment Cultivator himself, and he has also trained in a Body Hardening Skill, so his strength far surpasses that of other cultivators of the Same Tier. Ordinary families can’t do anything to him, and who would be willing to try and abduct someone like that? Smaller families don’t even have the qualifications to try!"

Lu Qinglian explained,

"I have a good relationship with him. Perhaps I can persuade him."

’Could he be an old lover?’

Chen Che started to feel a bit of regret. ’If I bring this adulterous pair into Jinyun Valley, and Patriarch Lu finds out, he will surely come to fight them to the death!’

"The cultivator from back then... I killed him with my own hands."

Lu Qinglian guessed what Chen Che was thinking with a single glance. She coughed lightly and said seriously, "As for Fellow Daoist Jia, I have known him for over seventy years. Our friendship has been a purely platonic one."

"Mhm."

Chen Che nodded.

’He had no interest in prying into other people’s private affairs.’

After flying past the mining area for over an hour, the two finally arrived at a nameless mountain peak.

The peak was very secluded, hidden among a cluster of mountains—a suitable place for a recluse. There was a thatched cottage on the summit, but when the two went inside, they found it was completely empty.

"He’s been gone for several years at least!"

Chen Che walked a circle with his hands behind his back, wiping a layer of dust from the workbench.

"How strange!"

Lu Qinglian frowned. Looking at the overgrown weeds everywhere, she was also puzzled. "Fellow Daoist Jia came from the Mortal World, and this is where he found his Immortal Fate. He would never leave so easily. Could he have met with some misfortune...?"

"There’s the sound of forging down the mountain."

After finding nothing while looking around the cottage, Chen Che’s ear suddenly perked up, and he looked in the direction of the sound.

At the edge of his vision sat a rather large village, the source of the CLANGING and BANGING of forging. Since he was already here, he certainly didn’t want to return empty-handed. He walked directly toward it with his hands behind his back.

"Let’s go take a look!"

...

The village was not small.

Its inhabitants were all mortals, like a small town isolated from the rest of the world.

Countless terraced fields were carved into the mountainside. Chen Che glanced over them, saw they were only growing ordinary grains, and immediately lost interest.

In the village, the two of them found a blacksmith’s shop.

The shop covered several acres and housed a number of forges. In front of each forge stood a blacksmith—bare-chested, wrapped in a leather apron, and swinging a large hammer. All kinds of farming tools like Fishing Spears, plows, and sickles hung on the walls, along with a few Weapons.

"A wasted trip?"

Listening to the CLINKING and CLANKING all around, Lu Qinglian frowned.

"No. On the contrary, we’ve found the right place."

Chen Che said faintly.

Lu Qinglian focused her gaze and immediately discovered that True Essence was flowing within the blacksmiths’ bodies.

However,

their cultivation was quite low; the highest was only at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.

"What can I get for you two?"

Just then, the blacksmith with the highest cultivation looked up. He was built like an ox, standing over eight feet tall, and was extremely conspicuous in the crowd. In a booming voice, he said, "The shop takes all kinds of forging commissions. Weapons, Magical Artifacts..."

"I am Layman Shuilian, and I have come looking for Jia Chaoyuan!"

Lu Qinglian interrupted him.

"You’re looking for my master?"

The man’s eyes darted around, and his tone suddenly became unfriendly. "And what might your business be?"

"This is Valley Master Chen of Jinyun Valley. He wishes to invite Fellow Daoist Jia to serve as a Tributor in Jinyun Valley."

"Heh, a Tributor?"

The man sneered and shook his head. "Sorry, my master passed away long ago. You’re too late..."

"Passed away?"

Lu Qinglian’s brows knitted tightly. She blurted out subconsciously, "Impossible. Fellow Daoist Jia is not even one hundred and fifty years old. With his cultivation, living another hundred years would be no problem."

"Life is unpredictable. Cultivators, too, were once mortals. Who can say for sure what will happen?"

But the man didn’t even look up as he gave them an order to leave:

"You two should leave."

"Passed away?"

Chen Che, who had been silent all this time, slowly raised his head. With a half-smile, he pointed toward the back of the blacksmith shop. "If Fellow Daoist Jia has passed away, then who is that Foundation Establishment Cultivator sitting in the back courtyard?"

As soon as he said this, everyone’s expression changed.

The CLINKING and CLANKING of forging in the shop came to an abrupt halt. The blacksmiths and apprentices, who had been focused on their work, all looked up and stared at Chen Che in unison, their faces tense as if facing a great enemy.

"Fellow Daoist Jia?"

Lu Qinglian swept her Divine Sense toward the back courtyard. Although it was blocked, she could indeed faintly sense the aura of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. She sighed deeply and said, "We have known each other for over seventy years. Do you now refuse to see even an old friend like me?"

Her words fell, but there was no response.

Lu Qinglian was extremely disappointed. Just as she was about to turn and leave, a sigh came from the back courtyard:

"Fellow Daoist Lu, my disciples are not wrong. There’s not much difference between my current state and being dead."

As the voice faded,

a towering man, over nine feet tall, strode out from the back courtyard. He was built like a bear and dressed in martial attire, as imposing as a Fierce Beast. His aura was powerful, and his Qi and Blood were vigorous, far surpassing that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But Chen Che only took one look before averting his gaze and sighing to himself:

’A wasted trip!’

The reason was simple.

This Major Cultivator had no arms. Both of his sleeves were empty from the shoulders down.

When Lu Qinglian saw this, her expression changed drastically.

"Fellow Daoist Jia, your arms..."