Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

Chapter 249: Chapter 224: Divine Statue Stolen, Hu Haiqing Comes Knocking

"Primordial City has stood for over seven hundred years. It has weathered several wars to grow to its current scale. The city is home to at least twenty million Cultivators and mortals, making it the largest city in the sixteen surrounding states."

"There are so many Cultivators in the city. Our home is nothing more than a backwater by comparison."

"In a moment, we’ll be checking into the Primordial Sect’s station..."

...

After they entered the city, Meng Changtu began explaining various details about Primordial City.

Chen Che listened attentively.

The entire city was square, built around Primordial Mountain. The road was lined with restaurants, shops, and teahouses. Various artifact shops and pill shops were laid out in an orderly, symmetrical fashion. Everything the eye could see had an ancient, traditional charm.

The streets were bustling with traffic and a constant stream of people.

Yu Sihai, the country bumpkin, was overwhelmed, unable to take it all in.

He wasn’t the only one; some of the other Cultivators visiting Primordial City for the first time were also dumbstruck.

"This is the Xiao Mansion."

As they passed a particular mansion, Meng Changtu made a point to introduce it.

Chen Che glanced over.

The mansion’s main gate stood wide open. The grounds were overgrown with weeds and covered in cobwebs.

"No one dares to take the House Title for the Xiao Mansion. Two different groups of people tried to live here, and both ended up dead... Two of them were even at the Foundation Establishment Realm, so the estate has been empty ever since. Some say that Evil Cultivator placed a Curse Technique on it, while others are simply afraid he’ll suddenly return."

Chen Che nodded slightly.

Though he rarely left Jinyun Valley, he was well aware of Xiao Chan’s notorious reputation. After all, Xiao Chan was the first disciple who dared to challenge the Primordial Sect, killing several of its Major Cultivators and even slaughtering their clans. To this day, he remained at large.

It was no wonder people went out of their way to avoid the estate of such a vicious man.

Meng Changtu had barely finished speaking when one of the Major Cultivators in their group chimed in.

"Doesn’t that mean the estate is for sale cheap?"

’...So there really are people who aren’t afraid to die.’

Chen Che shook his head inwardly.

’Then again...’

’...every inch of land in Primordial City is worth its weight in gold. A mansion this large has to be worth several thousand Spirit Stones at a minimum. If you could buy it for just a tenth of the price, it’s impossible that no one would be tempted.’

’If their descendants had adequate Spiritual Roots, they might even be able to enter the Primordial Sect for cultivation.’

"Seniors, this way, please."

When they arrived at the station, a Primordial Sect disciple was already waiting outside to greet them.

He showed everyone to their rooms one by one, not forgetting to add a reminder.

"For the next few days, we ask you Seniors to please remain in the city and avoid going out... The Sect’s Elders will be back soon. When they return, everyone will depart together. We must not delay the Sect’s important business."

’It’s quiet enough.’

Pushing open the door, Chen Che glanced around the room.

The room was spacious, about a hundred square meters, but sparsely decorated with only a bed, a pumpon, and a table with a chair.

Meng Changtu and Lu Qinglian opened their doors as well.

He had slipped the disciple some Pills when the rooms were being assigned, so they were all given rooms next to each other. If anything happened, they would know immediately.

"The Sect Leader clearly ordered that no one at Foundation Establishment or above is to leave the Sect without permission. Why did Thousand Eyes True Master suddenly depart? And in such a great hurry, too. Did something happen?"

Suddenly, a questioning voice came from outside the door. Chen Che immediately pricked up his ears. It sounded like two Primordial Sect disciples talking.

"I’m not sure. I heard his Cave Mansion was robbed."

"HISS! Who would be so bold? Daring to rob the Cave Mansion of a Golden Core True Master?"

"Thousand Eyes True Master is no ordinary Golden Core. And his Cave Mansion, unlike those of other True Masters, is located right in the Mortal World. I heard some people in the Inner Sect saying that last night, a band of thieves stole his most important Divine Statue!"

The one who spoke last lowered his voice.

"That’s why Thousand Eyes True Master left so abruptly... He must have gone to catch those thieves!"

The corner of Chen Che’s mouth twitched.

He never imagined that the Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Ghost Market would not only dare to take the Divine Statue, but actually succeed.

"Friends..."

With this thought, Chen Che pushed open his door, only to see the two disciples who had been talking already walking out of the station. Before he could call out, a commotion erupted outside. Amidst a flurry of footsteps, a group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators strode into the station.

They blocked the way between Chen Che and the disciples. In that brief delay, the two disciples had already left.

"Hu Haiqing!"

Hearing the shout, Chen Che looked up to see a burly man at the head of the group, walking with the powerful stride of a dragon. It was none other than the leader of the Haizhou Hu Family, Hu Haiqing.

They blocked the station entrance, leaving Chen Che with nowhere to go. He simply stopped in his tracks.

Hu Haiqing was also taken aback to see him. He squinted and stared.

"Valley Master Chen?"

"Clan Leader Hu."

Chen Che nodded slightly.

"Primordial City isn’t like Jinyun Valley."

Hu Haiqing sneered, clearly displeased with Chen Che’s indifferent attitude. "This city is full of all kinds of people, good and bad, and the streets can be treacherous at night. You’d best be careful. It would be a great loss for all of Yunzhou if we were to lose a genius Pill Master."

"Thank you for your concern, Clan Leader Hu."

Chen Che glanced at him. "I was busy on the seventh day after Hu Chaohong’s death. Shall I make up for the condolence money some other time?"

"You!"

At his words, all the Major Cultivators behind Hu Haiqing glared at him with fury.

"...Sharp-tongued."

Hu Haiqing’s eyes narrowed, a murderous glint within them. "But words can’t kill a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. We have plenty of time. Valley Master Chen, just make sure you don’t fall into my hands."

With that, he brushed past him.

’Plenty of time?’

Watching Hu Haiqing walk away, Chen Che narrowed his eyes. ’You’re still thinking you have a future?’

’The moment you leave the Primordial Sect will be your last!’

...

...

「Hunzhou. The Mortal World. The Great Chen Dynasty.」

At that moment, tens of thousands of people were kneeling in worship, all of them trembling. In the span of a single night, they had discovered to their horror that the divine statue, which had sat on the mountaintop and been worshipped for nearly a thousand years, had vanished. The entire summit was now bare.

’Some Cultivator cut the Divine Statue clean off the mountain...’

Thousand Eyes True Master stood on the summit, his hand trembling slightly as he caressed the base where the Divine Statue had once stood.

He never would have dreamed it.

’Someone actually stole my Divine Statue! And it was a Tier Four Middle Grade artifact at that!’

"Speak. What exactly happened?"

"Reporting to the Upper Immortal!"

Kneeling beside him was a mortal dressed as an emperor, clad in a Profound Robe and wearing a Dragon Crown.

"Those thieves appeared from the clouds last night around midnight, piloting two Flying Boats. They dropped chains from the sky, bound the Divine Statue, and immediately fled. Both the National Preceptor and the Grand Chief Priest gave chase, but the Flying Boats were too fast..."

"You did not catch them?"

Thousand Eyes True Master turned his gaze, his eyes under the mask glinting with a cold light.

’This group was well-organized.’

’First, they severed it from the mountain, with Flying Boats hidden in the clouds. They struck in the dead of night, so this must have been planned for days. And these imbeciles didn’t notice a thing.’

"We did not."

The Emperor of Great Chen trembled all over.

To ordinary mortals, this Upper Immortal was a figure of myth, but the emperor knew the truth: this being was the real power behind the throne, the Supreme Emperor. A single word from him could make this thousand-year-old Dynasty change hands in an instant.

"Issue an imperial edict of self-blame, then go hang yourself from the city gate."

Thousand Eyes True Master looked away. The Divine Statue was gone, but his hundreds of millions of followers remained. The priority was to placate them. Otherwise, he would have simply razed all of Hunzhou to the ground.

"Yes!"

The Emperor of Great Chen bowed deeply.

Thousand Eyes True Master, however, paid him no more mind. He turned and stared into the empty air.

"Find the thieves who stole the Divine Statue, no matter the cost. Anyone connected to them is to be killed without mercy!"

WHOOSH!

The moment he finished speaking, his long robes billowed as if hit by a gale. Countless black shadows surged from beneath his mask, transforming into hundreds of spectral lights that shot off in all directions, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

「The next day.」

The Emperor of Great Chen was found hanged before the city’s main gate tower, and an imperial edict of self-blame was circulated.

Simultaneously, a new emperor ascended the throne.

...

*PHEW!*

After cultivating for a full five days, Chen Che opened his eyes.

By now, all the Foundation Establishment influences from the Sixteen States had arrived. The few Golden Core True Masters who had been away had also returned to the Primordial Sect. Yet, the Sect showed no sign of making a move. The Major Cultivators in the station grew visibly anxious, fearing something had gone wrong.

Chen Che’s cultivation had also been restless. He had a vague suspicion it was because Thousand Eyes True Master had not yet returned.

Unfortunately, cooped up inside Primordial City, he had no idea what was happening in the outside world.

"Che’er, want to go for a stroll through the Market?"

Meng Changtu couldn’t sit still any longer either.

With two major Golden Core influences on the verge of conflict, no one could remain calm.

"Let’s go!"

Chen Che also got up.

The city was still bustling, but beneath the surface, tensions often flared. However, being right under the Primordial Sect’s nose, everyone exercised extreme restraint.

"Primordial Beast Shop."

In the distance, the pair spotted a huge shop. When they went inside, they discovered it mostly sold Demon Beasts, or Magical Artifacts and food related to them. There were even a fair number of Tier Two Foundation Establishment-level Great Demons for sale.

Rumor had it the shop’s owner was a Golden Core True Master from the Primordial Sect.

However, for Chen Che, who had his Little Chick, and Meng Changtu, who had just hatched a Green-Winged Flood Dragon, the shop’s offerings were rather uninspired.

Besides, what were the chances that a truly rare beast would be put up for sale after being personally inspected by a Golden Core True Master?

"Is this a Demon Beast Bracelet?"

Meng Changtu did a quick sweep of the shop and spotted a rustic Bronze Bracelet at one of the counters.

"You have a good eye, sir. That’s a Tier Two High Grade Demon Beast Bracelet, priced at ten thousand Spirit Stones. Our owner found it in some ancient ruins. It’s the only one we have," the Waiter said with a professional smile.

’So expensive?’

Chen Che’s eyelid twitched.

"Its principle is similar to a Storage Ring," Meng Changtu explained. "It’s a Magical Artifact used to house a Demon Beast. It’s countless times better than a Beast Sleep Stone. Inside the bracelet’s space, a Demon Beast is not only protected from external harm but can also continue its cultivation..."

Meng Changtu explained from the side. "That, combined with its extreme rarity, is why it’s priced the same as a Tier Three Magical Artifact."

Chen Che glanced at the Little Chick on his shoulder.

The chick shook its head so fast it was a blur, clearly against the idea of staying inside one.

"I’ll take it," Meng Changtu said without hesitation.

His Green-Winged Flood Dragon was newly hatched and incredibly fragile; he needed just such a Magical Treasure to house it. A future Great Demon of the Golden Core Realm was worth spending a fortune to raise.

"Wait!"

Just as Meng Changtu began counting out his Spirit Stones, a voice suddenly cut in from behind them.

"I’ll offer ten thousand and one Spirit Stones for that Demon Beast Bracelet..."

Meng Changtu was stunned.

Chen Che turned to see Hu Haiqing standing there with his hands clasped behind his back, a cold sneer plastered on his face. He was flanked by a dozen or so Foundation Establishment Cultivators, their expressions full of mockery and provocation.

Chen Che said nothing and looked at the Waiter.

The Waiter was still all smiles.

"That is a matter between you two gentlemen. Our shop’s business is just to sell. The item naturally goes to whoever offers the highest price..."

"Let’s go!" Meng Changtu glanced at Hu Haiqing, then tugged on Chen Che’s arm, ready to leave. "They came looking for trouble!"

Chen Che didn’t budge. He looked straight at Hu Haiqing and called out in a cold voice.

"Twelve thousand!"

"Twelve thousand and one!"

"Fifteen thousand!"

"Fifteen thousand and one..."

Hu Haiqing narrowed his eyes, which were filled with the smug satisfaction of a successful ploy.

Meng Changtu couldn’t stop him in time. In just two bids, the price had shot up by half.

"Excellent!"

Chen Che clapped his hands and laughed aloud.

"Clan Leader Hu is so generous! Bidding fifteen thousand and one for a ten-thousand-Spirit-Stone Bracelet. Since you want it so badly, I’ll reluctantly part with it and let you have it."

"You little bastard..."

Hu Haiqing’s face changed. Seeing the shop’s Waiter looking at him with a smirk, he nearly ground his teeth to dust.

"Let’s go."

Only then did Chen Che turn around, satisfied.

"Who the fuck dares to leave?"

Hu Haiqing roared in fury. With a wave of his right hand, he reached out to grab Chen Che’s shoulder.

"Stop!" Meng Changtu, who had been trying to de-escalate, could no longer tolerate it and moved to intervene.

But he was a step too late. Chen Che had already made a move.