In fact, not only did the auction fail to make a profit, it actually lost several hundred Spirit Stones. Aside from two Tier Two Low Grade Magical Artifacts that went unsold, all the other items sold for below market price.

But this was normal.

Not many people attended the auction, so the bids couldn’t go high.

Only when more people started attending could it develop properly. This initial phase was just about spending money to generate buzz.

"The Haizhou Hu Family wants us to stop holding auctions?"

Chen Che was a little surprised when he heard the news.

"Yes!"

Rong Zhongxuan presented him with a formal notice.

Most matters within Jinyun Valley were more or less resolved by the time they reached Ding Fei. Only the trickier issues would be passed on to Hu Yao and Rong Zhongxuan for them to discuss and handle.

But the auction had been personally established by Chen Che. No one else could make the final decision, so the matter had to be shelved.

"The person from the Hu Family came seven days ago. They couldn’t see you, so they left this formal notice."

’I was still taking my exams seven days ago!’

Chen Che’s expression remained unchanged as he took the notice and glanced at it. It had gold lettering on a red background, giving it a dignified and traditional look.

There was even a Fire Seal on the letter, set by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, which befitted the rich heritage of a great Foundation Establishment Race.

He casually tore it open and swept his gaze over it.

"A letter respectfully addressed to Valley Master Chen:"

"Valley Master Chen, your name is renowned throughout Yunzhou. You single-handedly thwarted Ye Jingzhou’s schemes, a truly timeless accomplishment. At the same time, you are famous for your Alchemy Skill and hailed as a genius of the Alchemy Dao. My heart is filled with admiration, and I deeply regret not being able to share a drink and conversation with you..."

Chen Che frowned. It was full of nonsense—mostly compliments and flattery.

Beyond that, the author had written a great deal to try and build a connection, rambling on about the history between the Hu Family and Jinyun Valley.

He skipped past the nonsense and got to the point:

"...I have heard that Jinyun Valley is preparing an auction house. I sincerely request that the Valley Master cease these preparations, for which I will certainly provide compensation."

The signature read.

Patriarch of the Hu Family: Hu Haiqing.

The compensation was three Tier Two Middle Grade Magical Artifacts, five thousand Spirit Stones, and a Pill contract with Jinyun Valley.

But the condition was that Jinyun Valley must stop holding its auctions.

He summarized it in his mind.

"The Hu Family?"

Frowning slightly, Chen Che looked down.

"I’m holding an auction in Yunzhou. What does that have to do with Haizhou?"

He had heard of the Haizhou Hu Family before.

It was a Cultivation Clan that had been entrenched in Haizhou for five hundred years, and its strength was likely more than a cut above even the Meng Family’s. They controlled half of Haizhou’s territory, earning them the nickname "Half-of-Hu."

The clan currently had over thirty registered Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

However, the two regions were very far apart, separated by Chi State, a distance of nearly ten thousand li.

"I’ve already looked into this."

Ding Fei explained that he had sent people to investigate after the Hu Family’s visit.

"The Hu Family also started holding auctions a year ago. The response was probably mediocre. Now that they see us starting one, they’ve likely gotten anxious, afraid we’ll steal their business. That’s why they want us to stop."

"And the gifts they mentioned?"

Chen Che looked around but didn’t see any.

"They haven’t sent them yet."

Ding Fei shook his head. "They said that as soon as we stop the auctions, they’ll send the items over immediately."

"So it’s just empty words?"

Chen Che almost laughed out loud.

’We’re two regions apart, what right do you have to meddle in my business? Shouldn’t this be a matter of individual ability? Besides, the Hu Family isn’t even being sincere. Otherwise, they would have sent the gifts first as a show of good faith. And if I have to do whatever you say just because you sent a letter, wouldn’t that make me look weak and easy to bully?’

With a wave of his hand, he burned the notice to ashes.

"Write a letter and refuse the Hu Family!"

"Yes!"

Rong Zhongxuan cupped his fists.

This was the benefit of being the Valley Master—all it took was a single command.

Ding Fei whispered, "But, since the Hu Family has made their intentions known, they surely won’t let this go..."

"Then let them come see me personally. I’ll make them let it go!"

Chen Che replied, looking up.

’This auction is a crucial part of my development plan for Jinyun Valley. How could I let it end so inexplicably just because of someone else’s words?’

’Before I reached Foundation Establishment, I might have given in to them.’

’But now that I have, if I still have to give in, wouldn’t that mean I cultivated for nothing?’

He then asked about the situation in the valley, which was, of course, stable. The Spiritual Qi in the valley was abundant, and with the daily supply of Spirit Liquid and guidance from Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators, conditions were countless times better than when the disciples had been cultivating in their clans.

The Tribulation Cultivators outside the market had also been completely cleaned up.

Jinyun Valley was back on the right track.

For Chen Che, however, there was still much to do—like the arrays, for instance.

During Ye Jingzhou’s time, Jinyun Valley only had three arrays:

one ’Early Warning Array,’ used to prohibit cultivators outside the valley from entering.

one ’Divine Sense Forbidden Area Array,’ used to shield against external Divine Sense probes.

And the last was the ’Vermilion Locking Array.’

The first two grand arrays had been destroyed. As for the last one, after Master Wu worked on it tirelessly for a full month, it was finally converted into the ’Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Sword Formation.’

In the square, Chen Che took out thirty-six Array Steles from his Storage Ring.

The original creepy, terrifying runes had now been completely erased, replaced by countless vigorous and powerful talismans. The characters of these talismans looked sharp and menacing, like a swarm of moving swords, resembling the finest of sword manuals!

And in fact, that was exactly what they were.

So-called arrays were magic activated and driven by the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. How could their power not be several times greater than magic activated by a cultivator’s own True Essence?

He wouldn’t be leaving Jinyun Valley for the next few decades, or even centuries.

Naturally, he had to make this place as impregnable as a fortress.

"Go!"

Chen Che formed a Seal Technique.

SWOOSH!

The steles before him shot into the sky like sharp swords.

They rose to a height of eight hundred zhang, paused silently, then spread out like the canopy of an umbrella, scattering to fall upon various locations throughout Jinyun Valley.

Chen Che closed his eyes and extended his Divine Sense.

At the same time, a miniature projection of Jinyun Valley appeared in his sea of consciousness. Within this projection, thirty-six points of light flickered and pulsed—the Divine Sense Marks Chen Che had left on the Array Steles!

Of course.

This was only the first step.

The thirty-six Array Steles were like scattered machine parts; now they needed to be assembled!

"Connect!"

Chen Che shouted in a deep voice!

His Divine Sense connected to the first Array Stele. The stele trembled, and the sword-patterned characters on its surface suddenly flared with brilliant light. Then, guided by his Divine Sense, this light flowed like water, converging into a chain that extended toward the next Array Stele.

Then, the second Array Stele lit up.

Followed by the third, the fourth, the fifth...

...until finally, all the Array Steles were illuminated.

And in Chen Che’s sea of consciousness, the thirty-six stone steles stood like thirty-six Divine Swords.

"The Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Formation, with the thirty-six Wuyin Stone Array Steles as its core, connects to the Spiritual Qi of the entire Jinyun Valley. If I personally control the main array, not even a Late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator could break in!"

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Chen Che nodded in satisfaction, then clenched his hand into a fist.

"Retract!"

The light from the Array Steles gradually faded, eventually disappearing from his sea of consciousness.

This was equivalent to a computer’s ’sleep’ mode. The Mountain Protection Array was an offensive array and couldn’t be kept running at all times. In addition, Chen Che set up two more arrays for the Treasure House and the Scripture Collection Building before he was finally finished.

The completion of the ’Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Sword Formation’ didn’t attract much attention. However, when some disciples tried to enter the Scripture Pavilion as usual and were blocked by an array, they realized that Jinyun Valley had subtly changed.

"Only after the array is complete will we have the qualifications to negotiate with the major Foundation Establishment Clans as equals."

Chen Che placed a Sword Array Master Jade Token on the top floor of the Treasure House.

He also told Hu Yao and Rong Zhongxuan that if he wasn’t in the valley in the future and they faced an unstoppable enemy, they could activate the Grand Array to kill them!

...

After settling matters in Jinyun Valley, Chen Che officially began his cultivation.

At the same time, he set up a channeling array to draw the Spiritual Qi from his Cave Mansion into the courtyard.

After all.

Chen Che wasn’t a classical-style cultivator; unless absolutely necessary, he was unwilling to hole up in a Cave Mansion all day. It was just like Ye Jingzhou, who, after reaching Foundation Establishment, still chose to leave True Master Chixia’s Cave Mansion and establish his own sect in Jinyun Valley.

Although Chen Che was curious about the Cave Mansion that Ye Jingzhou had found, he estimated that there probably wasn’t much left inside.

After all, the man had even taken the Sacrificial Pill Furnace with him.

’And that other half of the Jade Pendant...’

Even though he was still thinking about True Master Chixia’s Traveling Palace, he knew that many opportunities were found by chance and could not be sought out.

During this time, Xiao Chan contacted him twice more.

Although Primordial City was under martial law, he had still managed to sneak in, but he hadn’t found a chance to make a move. However, he did hear that a Beast Tamer named Sun Hao had recently shot to fame. Soon after reaching Foundation Establishment, he had captured a Foundation Establishment Yin Snake and taken it as his Demon Pet.

Not only was he hailed as a once-in-several-centuries genius Beast Tamer, but many Loose Cultivators were also comparing him to Chen Che.

"Sun Hao?"

Chen Che was lost in thought. He remembered this Loose Cultivator from the small gathering.

The man had no backing and no background. When Chen Che first met him, he was only at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer. For him to not only reach Foundation Establishment so quickly but also subdue a Foundation Establishment Great Demon—it would be impossible to believe he hadn’t had a fortuitous encounter of some kind.

"It seems very likely that it’s him..."

Chen Che guessed.

But even if it was him, so what? It was just a Golden Core Remnant Soul. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

...

"How utterly ungrateful! The Patriarch sent a letter, kindly advising him to stop the auctions, and he actually refused."

"The arrogant brat! Does he really think that after a few compliments, he can stand on equal footing with our Hu Family?"

「Haizhou, Hu Family.」

「The great hall.」

Ever since Chen Che’s reply arrived, the upper echelon of the Hu Family had been in an uproar. In their view, a small, newly established Foundation Establishment Influence, when sent a letter that also gave them a graceful way out, would naturally weigh the pros and cons and know when to quit while they were ahead.

But they never expected him to ignore them completely and refuse them outright.

"Young and hot-headed!"

On the main seat, a middle-aged man with deep-set eyes—Hu Haiqing himself—had a flicker of displeasure in his eyes. "The prosperity of the auction is a matter of the Hu Family’s grand plan for the next several hundred years. Anyone who dares to stand in our way is a mortal enemy of my Hu Family!"

"As for Jinyun Valley, the best outcome would be for them to stop on their own."

"Since he refuses to be graceful, we’ll help him be graceful!"