Jinyun Valley.

Lu Yi was only the Vice Valley Master; the true leader was Elder Jinyun: Ye Jingzhou.

When Chen Che had first joined, the Elder had happened to be in seclusion, so they had never met. He never expected that the moment the Valley Master emerged, he would be summoned.

He glanced at the disciple who had come to inform him and saw that he was only at the Qi Refining Second Layer, so he didn’t hesitate in the slightest.

"I’ll go at once!"

「...」

The Valley Master emerging from seclusion was a major event.

Stepping into Jinyun Valley, he found that most of the disciples usually scattered throughout the Outer Sect had rushed over. Even his acquaintances—Hu Yao, Zhao Ping, and Xiaohu—were arranged in neat rows. All told, there were about two hundred people.

If you included the servants, the total was around four hundred.

After all, the Cultivators of Jinyun Valley focused solely on their Cultivation, with their daily needs taken care of by these servants.

’They’re the true elite of the Valley!’

Chen Che thought to himself as his gaze swept over the Late Stage Cultivators.

These disciples were no hothouse flowers. Although their formal learning couldn’t compare to the students of Earth Element Star, if it came down to a real life-or-death battle, the outcome was obvious.

After all, they were all hardened veterans who had been through countless battles to reach their current Realms.

Just as he was lost in thought, a voice called out:

"Alchemist Chen!"

Chen Che looked up.

He saw Lu Yi, clad in black robes, approaching with his hands clasped behind his back. Tributor Li followed close behind, mimicking his every step. When Tributor Li saw him, his eyelids drooped, his face a mask of disdain. He even let out a contemptuous snort.

Chen Che paid him no mind.

Although Lu Yi had put a stop to their last bout of internal competition, the pretense between them had been dropped. The man wouldn’t even bother with surface-level pleasantries anymore.

"Valley Master Lu."

Chen Che clasped his hands in a slight bow.

"Yes. The Valley Master has emerged from seclusion and is summoning the disciples. As a Pill Master Tributor, you’re part of the Valley’s upper echelons, so you naturally have to make an appearance."

Seeing Chen Che, Lu Yi reminded him of a few details, then added,

"If the Valley Master questions you, you must answer truthfully. Remember, do not hide anything."

Chen Che’s heart stirred, but he nodded and replied,

"Understood!"

Having received his assurance, Lu Yi gave a slight nod.

With that, he straightened his robes and walked forward.

As Tributors, Chen Che and Tributor Li followed closely on either side.

Behind them were Xiaohu, the Outer Sect Steward, and another Inner Sect Steward. Following them were the Late Stage disciples, while the group including Hu Yao and Zhao Ping brought up the rear.

Clearly, this was the pecking order within the Valley.

As for the servants, they didn’t even have the right to meet the Valley Master.

’Second only to the Valley Master, just a half-step below Lu Yi, and on equal footing with Tributor Li... Turns out my status is this high!’

Chen Che grumbled inwardly.

However, this "high" status was only relative. In truth, all several hundred of these people served the Elder in the main hall. He was the one who truly held absolute power.

The entire Jinyun Valley existed only because of him.

"We pay our respects to the Elder!"

As they stepped into the main hall, the crowd called out in unison.

Seated on the dais at the head of the hall was an old man with a full head of white hair, dressed in moon-white robes. Yet, his frame was imposing, and his face was as youthful as a young man’s. Simply sitting there motionless, he exuded a powerful aura, as majestic as a mountain peak.

’So this is Elder Jinyun. I wonder who’s stronger, him or Old Li?’

Chen Che swept his gaze around with his peripheral vision. Every disciple in the hall wore a look of reverence.

It made sense. Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment were separated by only a single threshold, but even on Earth Element Star, not everyone could achieve Foundation Establishment.

This was even more true in this world.

The two Grand Realms were like a heavenly chasm, not to mention the man held the power of life and death.

Although Lu Yi had already reported the matter of the beast tide when the Elder first emerged, he now recounted it again in the main hall, leaving out no detail.

"Good. You handled the beast tide affair quite properly..."

Ye Jingzhou nodded slightly.

He then asked a few more questions, all of which Lu Yi answered with utmost respect.

Chen Che kept his eyes lowered, feigning a meditative calm, but his thoughts couldn’t help but wander.

’To build such an enterprise in this world, this Elder is quite a character.’

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him:

Jinyun Valley was founded over two hundred years ago, and Ye Jingzhou was already a Foundation Establishment Major Cultivator back then. By that calculation, the man had to be at least 260 years old. If that was the case, the Elder before him was likely running out of time.

’This Valley Master’s time is almost up!’

Chen Che clicked his tongue inwardly.

In theory, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s lifespan could reach three hundred years.

But in reality, even on Earth Element Star, very few Foundation Establishment Cultivators lived to such an age.

If one engaged in frequent battles in their youth, the accumulation of hidden injuries would also shorten their lifespan.

"Chen Che?"

Just as his mind was wandering, Ye Jingzhou suddenly looked at him.

"Present!"

"Quite a young talent. Not yet twenty, and you can already refine Tier One High Grade Elixirs. With such talent, becoming a Tier Two Alchemist in the future shouldn’t be a problem. You also deserve considerable credit for repelling the beast tide."

"I dare not claim credit!"

"Are you satisfied with your time in the Valley?"

"Valley Master Lu has shown me great favor here. I am very satisfied."

"Mm."

Ye Jingzhou nodded slightly.

’That’s it?’

Chen Che’s brow furrowed, and he couldn’t help but curse the man’s stinginess in his heart.

’Just a verbal commendation?’

However, the Elder’s next words sent a chill down his spine:

"But I heard that just a few years ago, you were nothing more than a common farmer outside Jinyun Valley! And with no Cultivators in your ancestry, how did you become a Pill Master?"

SWOOSH!

At these words, Tributor Li, who had been standing idly by, snapped his head up to look at Chen Che, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He had never imagined that Chen Che had only been studying Alchemy Skill for a few years.

The rest of the people in the hall also stared in astonishment.

Chen Che glanced at Lu Yi, who kept his eyes lowered.

’No wonder he reminded me to tell the truth earlier. So this was the reason...’

A flash of understanding crossed Chen Che’s mind, but he didn’t show the slightest hint of panic:

"I wouldn’t dare hide it from the Valley Master. A few years ago, I stumbled upon the remains of a Cultivator. Among the remains were several volumes of Pill Books, and that is how I was fortunate enough to become a Pill Master Tributor. The Cultivator’s remains are still buried by me in the mountains."

The Cultivator’s remains were real.

The Pill Books were real.

The ashes buried in the mountains were also real.

And the most brilliant lies are composed entirely of truth.

After a pause, Chen Che continued, "If the Valley Master requires them, I am willing to offer up the Pill Books."

Ye Jingzhou gave Chen Che a deep, scrutinizing look. After a moment, he nodded slightly and said softly,

"You are someone blessed with great fortune."

"Though your Spiritual Root was insufficient to join Jinyun Valley, you have now entered the Valley as a Tributor, which can be considered a wish fulfilled! As for the Pill Books, you should keep them. Making the best use of things is the proper way!"

"Thank you, Valley Master!"

Chen Che secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he had passed the Valley Master’s test.

’This damned old society! I actually have to thank him for not robbing me!’

"Everyone is dismissed. Tributor Li, stay behind!"

After asking a few more questions of others, Ye Jingzhou gave a wave of his hand, issuing the order to leave. Chen Che noticed that before telling Tributor Li to stay, the Elder’s gaze seemed to hesitate on him for a moment before ultimately settling on the other man.

’He chose Tributor Li?’

’Is it because he’s been in Jinyun Valley longer and is more trustworthy, or is it because he’s more senior than me?’

Chen Che pondered this but didn’t linger, walking out of the main hall.

「...」

「A moment later.」

Once the main hall was empty, Ye Jingzhou slowly raised a hand. A roll of Bamboo Slips flew through the air and landed before Tributor Li.

"I have acquired a Pill Formula. I need you to complete it for me!"

Suspicious, Tributor Li opened the Bamboo Slips. A single glance was enough to make his face drain of color, and in an instant, he was drenched in a cold sweat.

He looked at Ye Jingzhou in disbelief. The Elder was still seated on the dais, but at some point, his face had become mostly shrouded in shadow, creating a terrifying sight.

"I... I..."

Tributor Li managed to utter only two words before he could speak no more.

The hall fell deathly silent, with only the soft, rhythmic tapping of Ye Jingzhou’s fingers echoing through the space.