The Cultivation World operates by the law of the jungle.

If Jinyun Valley were not strong enough, its fate might have been no better than the Yu Family’s. It might have long been swallowed by the Han Family or become a vassal of the Meng Family, never knowing the prosperity it enjoyed today.

BOOM!

As he performed the Seal Technique, the vast Fire Elements within the Starfire Stones and Flame Crystal Stones were roused.

Instantly, a plume of crimson smoke rose from the Crystal Stones.

This was no ordinary smoke, but a cloud formed from countless tiny flames. Each wisp of flame was an essence refined over millennia within volcanic lava. A single wisp could incinerate a mortal, leaving not even ashes behind.

Even Cultivators were no exception.

If they could not resist it, they too would be reduced to cinders.

’It’s coming!’

The moment the flames appeared, Chen Che tensed, preparing himself with all his might.

BOOM!

The next moment, the flames surged into his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.

From the outside, Chen Che looked like a terrifying figure swallowing fire through all seven orifices. Despite his powerful physical body, further fortified by regularly consuming Pills, he now felt a piercing pain all over. Every inch of his body seemed to be burning in a raging inferno.

’Refine!’

Enduring the pain, he formed a Spell.

Instantly, the flames rapidly circulated through his body. After being processed, they surged out from his back like silken threads, feeding into the fireball formed by the Nine Transformations Spirit Flame Technique.

...

「While Chen Che was cultivating.」

The Yu Family, far from calming down, grew even more turbulent and uneasy.

This was because a scout had reported:

After the Tribulation Cultivators’ intervention last night, the upper echelons of the Yin, Yue, and Ba clans had supposedly held a secret meeting. Almost as soon as it ended, Cultivators from the three clans were urgently mobilized, gathering toward their clan headquarters from all directions. Their movements were highly unusual.

Upon hearing the news, Yu Sihai immediately recalled his clan members scattered abroad to prepare for the enemy’s assault.

He, meanwhile, began repairing the Grand Array.

Of course, Rong Zhongxuan was not idle either.

He wrote a letter, ordering Rong Shisan to bring all disciples from the Valley at the Qi Refining Third Layer or above.

After all, since Jinyun Valley had made its move, its ambitions were not limited to merely defending the Yu Family’s territory. If the opportunity arose, it would be best to swallow the three clans’ lands as well. The Foundation Establishment Cultivators couldn’t handle every trivial matter themselves; there were many minor tasks that required disciples.

Furthermore, Cultivation was not just about ascetic training. Many of the disciples in the Valley had been cultivating for years but had yet to see real combat.

Now that such an opportunity had presented itself, it was the perfect chance for them to gain some experience.

Before dawn, dark clouds had already gathered.

A sudden gale swept over the Nine Bends River. In just a short while, the sky seemed to tear open, and a torrential downpour began in an instant.

"They’re here!"

"The people from the three clans have arrived..."

Peering through the curtain of rain, one could see the sky above the river, already filled with incessant lightning and thunder.

Hundreds of figures flickered in and out of view. Some rode Flying Swords, some stood on Flying Shuttles, and others sat atop Demon Beasts. The sky and the ground below were filled with silhouettes. To those with lower Cultivation, however, they could only vaguely make out dark shadows hurtling toward them.

Amid cries of alarm and through the wind and rain, these figures swiftly crossed the Nine Bends River with unstoppable momentum.

Leading the charge were eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators exuding immense auras.

They parted the storm, like Flood Dragons stirring a bloody tempest, treating the downpour as if it were nothing.

"Kill!"

The moment they crossed the river, battle cries erupted from the three clans, tearing through the curtain of rain.

"Leave no one alive!"

"Eradicate them, root and stem! The clan leader said: one head, one Spirit Stone!"

"Turn in seventy percent of all your gains! The rest you can keep for yourselves!"

Screams, roars, the clash of Weapons...

Although the lower ranks of the four clans had long intermarried, when the fighting began, the attackers showed no intention of holding back. In the face of immense profit, even a beloved sibling could be cut down without hesitation.

Fortunately, Yu Sihai had prepared in advance, so the clan’s disciples did not suffer too many losses, preserving their strength as much as possible.

However, the defenses they erected were pitifully weak before the eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

...

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators took the lead, transforming into streaks of Escape Light and rushing toward the sky above the Yu Family, attempting a decapitation strike. Almost simultaneously, a massive Water Dragon soared into the air to block their path.

"Yu Sihai!"

Someone shouted.

The Major Cultivators hovered in the air and saw Rong Zhongxuan emerge, also treading on the void.

"Rong Zhongxuan?"

"That’s right!"

Rong Zhongxuan declared proudly, "The Yu Family is now a vassal of my Jinyun Valley, and our Valley Master is currently residing within the clan. If you know what’s good for you, surrender at once."

The Major Cultivators from the three clans exchanged glances, and then one of them burst into laughter.

"That whelp Chen Che?"

"It’d be one thing if he stayed hidden, but if he dares to show his face, then after our three clans flatten the Yu Family today, Jinyun Valley will be next!"

"A toad yawning—what big words. If you can take one of my attacks and live, I’ll spare your clan!"

Chen Che’s reply suddenly drifted through the storm. Before anyone could react, a Fire Snake shot out from within the Yu Family estate. The eyes of the laughing Major Cultivator contracted. A misty aura enveloped him as he instantly pushed his True Essence to its limit.

At the same time, he waved his hand.

Three Talismans flew from his grasp. In an instant, the sound of crashing waves arose as one of them transformed into a Tidal Water Shield, protecting him within. The other two quickly became two Water Dragons that blasted toward the Fire Snake’s point of origin.

"You think that’s enough?"

In a mere moment, he had locked onto the attacker’s position, intending to kill the ambusher with a single strike.

BANG!

Water and fire collided, and the Water Dragons instantly exploded.

"What?"

To everyone’s horror, the Fire Snake pierced directly through the Tidal Water Shield. With a PFFT, it passed through his body. Under the torrential rain, his body was instantly engulfed in flames.

"Chen Che?!"

The seven remaining Foundation Establishment Cultivators cried out in alarm.

Even without seeing their opponent’s face, they all attacked in unison without a second thought, striking toward the direction the Fire Snake had come from.

Then, a beam of sword light made entirely of fire appeared without any warning, cutting straight through the rain. For a moment, it seemed to sever the very curtain of rain, and the overwhelming storm appeared to freeze.

With just a light sweep, everything—from their surging Protective True Essence to their Inner Armor Magical Artifacts—was torn apart as if made of paper.

PFFT!

In that instant, the seven figures shuddered and were frozen in place.

"No, impossible!"

In the storm, one of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators struggled to speak. He looked at his companions, who had all been sliced in two at the waist, and then toward the unseen Chen Che, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"I’m also at the Foundation Establishment Fourth Layer... why is the gap so..."

...

...

’Fool!’

As he listened to the voice in the storm, filled with confusion and shock, a thought echoed in Chen Che’s mind within the Quiet Chamber.

’How could your Foundation Establishment Fourth Layer possibly compare to mine?’

’That’s right.’

Merely having a high Realm wasn’t enough. The first lesson at the Zhurong Daoist School was to not just pursue the quantity of True Essence, but its quality. Quality was paramount and also laid the foundation for future Core Formation.

For a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, True Essence transforms from a gaseous state to a liquid one. His opponents’ True Essence was like water at best—and perhaps even a little thin from consuming too many Pills.

His True Essence, however, was as dense and refined as mercury.

The difference was obvious.

Not to mention, he had just used a Tier Four Divine Ability.

’But controlling this technique consumes too much True Essence.’

The Nine Transformations Spirit Flame Technique was indeed powerful, but it required one’s own True Essence as a ’primer.’ It was like priming a well pump; you had to pour in some water first to draw the water out from the well. While not a perfect analogy, the principle was very similar.

If he were to activate it at full power, he could probably only manage two strikes. It wasn’t something to be used lightly.

"Kill!"

With the eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators annihilated in an instant, the area outside the Quiet Chamber fell silent for a moment.

Then, the sounds of killing rose again, even more ferocious than before.

This time, of course, the battle cries came from the Yu Family’s counterattack.

But the rest had nothing to do with him.

’Finally, the refining is complete!’

With the eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators dead, no matter how many Qi Refining Cultivators were left, they could not withstand the counterattack from Rong Zhongxuan and Yu Sihai.

「In the Quiet Chamber.」

Retracting his Divine Sense, Chen Che, who was sitting on the Pumpon, looked at the Starfire Stones and Flame Crystal Stones that had been reduced to dust before him and let out a long, turbid breath. Behind him, six nine-foot-tall balls of flame now hovered in a fan-like formation.

Looking closely, one could see that these flames were incredibly pure, without the slightest impurity. As the flames flickered and morphed, they even seemed to form faint, hazy runes.

He looked like the Great God Zhurong, master of flames from ancient times.

A moment ago, it was a longsword condensed from these very flames that he had used to slay the seven Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

’Good. I’ve found a shortcut for the Nine Transformations Spirit Flame Technique. I won’t have to grind it out the slow way anymore.’

Chen Che nodded in satisfaction.

At the same time, with a thought, the six flames behind him quietly vanished. After all, it was a Tier Four Technique, already in the category of Divine Abilities. How could it not have a method of concealment?

’Next, it’s time to take stock of the spoils!’

He raised his hand and flipped it over. Eight gleaming Storage Rings now lay in his palm.

Including the five Tribulation Cultivators from last night, he had obtained a total of thirteen Storage Rings.

’I wonder what’s inside?’

His eyes half-closed, Chen Che leisurely picked up a ring.

Unlike in the past, when it would take him over half a month to break the original owner’s Divine Sense Mark on a Storage Ring, it now only took him a few breaths. In just the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, all thirteen Storage Rings were opened.

’I really hit the jackpot this time!’

Looking at the items that now filled the Quiet Chamber, Chen Che couldn’t suppress the smile on his face.

The three clans and the five Tribulation Cultivators, while not as wealthy as Tang Youliang’s group, had still delivered a ’generous gift’ worth around 140,000 to 150,000 Spirit Stones.

The Spirit Stones alone amounted to around 100,000.

In addition, there were over ten Talismans, more than thirty Spiritual Artifacts, over a hundred bottles of assorted Pills, and even one Foundation Establishment Pill.

’The efficacy is average.’

Chen Che scraped off some of the powder and flicked it into his mouth. ’But, it’s still usable!’