Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

Chapter 368: Chapter 339: Data Does Not Represent Strength

All the onlooking cultivators stared blankly at the man with the sword box, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief. Some had already guessed that for this man to come to Faqian City alone and have the audacity to post a bounty in the Slaughter Tower, his strength must be extraordinary.

But they truly never expected his strength to be so immense!

STEP, STEP, STEP—

During the previous battle, the heavy snow had stopped, but now it was falling heavily once more.

In the blink of an eye, the ground was once again covered in a layer of white cotton.

Amidst the silent snowfall, Chen Che clasped his hands behind his back and slowly walked toward Faqian City. Atop the city walls, it was utterly silent. All the Foundation Establishment Cultivators bowed their heads, showing the utmost respect to the mysterious Sword Cultivator who had just slain a Golden Core cultivator before their very eyes.

Even the other True Masters, who were also at the Golden Core Realm, had furrowed brows.

The man’s strength far exceeded their expectations. After a grueling battle, not only did he show no signs of fatigue, but he looked as if he still had strength to spare. A few of the Golden Core cultivators had been planning to reap the rewards like a fisherman snatching the spoils, but seeing Chen Che in this state, their hearts filled with doubt.

"Yu Qing, didn’t you just say you could take both of them? Now that Bai Shibao is dead, this man must have expended a great deal of energy. It’s the perfect time to strike. Whether it’s Bai Shibao’s treasure or the other man’s sword box, they’re both rare treasures..."

On the city wall, an old man with a red tiger coiled at his knees turned his head and said with a smile to the person beside him.

"Don’t try to egg me on."

But the man, Yu Qing, completely ignored him, retorting mockingly, "You were the one who wanted to go for it earlier. Why are you suddenly offering it to me? Don’t tell me you’re afraid he’ll cut you down with a single swing?"

The Golden Core True Masters began to whisper among themselves.

’My cultivation is the lowest here. I’ll handle the dirty work...’

At that moment, a Golden Core cultivator tried to step out of the city gate. He gambled that Chen Che was bluffing and that a single strike would be enough to test his true condition. ’If I succeed in one move, I’ll just grab the items and run...’

HISS!

Chen Che glanced over.

BANG—

The very air seemed to shudder. The Golden Core cultivator’s body convulsed, and he staggered back several steps, blood trickling from the corners of his eyes and his ears.

Seeing this, the gazes of several Golden Core True Masters sharpened, but even more of them simply turned away.

"Let’s disperse, it’s over..."

"What a pity. Bai Shibao was a prominent figure in the city, and now he’s dead just like that. When Wanjia gets back and finds out, he’ll probably fly into a rage, won’t he?"

The crowd of Golden Core True Masters reined in their ambitions.

If Chen Che had been out of strength, they wouldn’t have minded taking advantage of the situation. But he clearly still had the power to fight, and no one wanted to provoke such an entity without reason. With no Golden Core True Masters leading the charge, which of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators would dare stick around to watch?

In an instant, they scattered like birds and beasts.

As for Jin Wu, he had already returned to his inn the moment the Golden Core cultivator was repelled by the Divine Sense attack. He knew he had needlessly provoked a formidable enemy and didn’t even have the courage to face Chen Che directly. Only Zhou Lian, standing before the city gate, had a face flushed red with excitement.

The danger had been so great at times that it had driven him to despair.

’This senior... he came back for me after all.’

"My business here is done. Let’s go."

Chen Che said, his gaze lowered.

He had killed those who coveted his possessions and taken revenge for Wanjia hiring killers; his trip to Faqian City could be considered a success. ’As for those little ants who’ve scurried back to their nests, it won’t be too late to clean them up later.’

"Yes—"

Zhou Lian nodded firmly.

With a wave of his hand, a gust of wind swept up Zhou Lian. They broke through the swirling snow and transformed into a streak of light, flying off into the distance.

...

「Black Tortoise Calm Sea.」

Outside a giant underwater palace, dozens of Golden Core True Masters were gathered, continuously forming spell techniques with their hands.

One of them had a portly, wealthy appearance and was dressed like a merchant, holding a string of prayer beads in his hand. His True Essence followed his Seal Technique, transforming into a long rainbow that pointed toward the grand hall in front of them.

This man was none other than Duobao.

Suddenly, he felt a stir in his heart and took out a Jade Pendant, only to see it had snapped in two.

"Fellow Daoist, is that..."

Ye Yuanji’s eyes were sharp. He recognized the Jade Pendant as an ’Incarnation Jade’, which served a purpose similar to his clan’s Bronze Soul Lamps—both were Spiritual Artifacts that recorded the life and death of their members.

"Some trouble has cropped up."

Duobao’s eyes narrowed. He closed his fist, crushing the Jade Pendant into dust.

"Bai Shibao is in Faqian City; no one there should have been able to kill him. He was always vigilant and cautious. How could he have suddenly perished...?"

As the saying goes, a cunning rabbit has three burrows.

Duobao wasn’t just entrenched in the Primordial Sect; he had also established a foothold in Faqian City under the alias ’Wanjia’.

"No matter who did this, I won’t let it rest!"

With his belly full of unvented rage, the vast True Essence in Duobao’s body churned and billowed, and he viciously blasted it toward the great hall. Seeing Duobao’s foul mood, Ye Yuanji didn’t dare ask any more questions and could only suppress his own doubts.

...

「Two days later.」

After leaving the area around Faqian City and confirming there were no pursuers, Chen Che concealed himself within a Mortal Dynasty and finally relaxed completely. With his Sword Box seventy percent empty, another fight would have forced him to reveal his true identity.

His Sword Pill, however, was different.

As long as its core remained undamaged, it would slowly self-heal even if its Sword Leaves shattered. This was the difference between the two.

’I never thought this bottle of Yanshen Spring Water would end up in my hands after all...’

In the small courtyard of a mortal’s home.

Chen Che examined a slender, long-necked Jade Bottle. This was the very item Bai Shibao had outbid him for in Qianyuan Hall. Now that the man was dead, the object had come full circle and ended up in his hands.

Bai Shibao had carried quite a few treasures.

Three Beast Taming Bracelets, each capable of holding a Golden Core Great Demon.

Five Beast Taming Rings, over 200,000 Spirit Stones, an Innate Ten Thousand Wind Wheel, and the corpses of several Demon Pythons.

The Cyan Flood Dragon had been split in two, and the Red Flood Dragon’s soul had been extracted, leaving only a ruined husk. Both, however, were excellent materials for either Alchemy or Artifact Casting. As for the Silver Flood Dragon, it was still breathing, and its bloodline seemed to be extraordinary.

’If I can raise it, I’ll keep it. If it’s unwilling, then I can only use it for Alchemy.’

In addition, there were several Tier Three Spirit Swords, but Chen Che had already used them to replenish his Sword Box. If the need arose in the future, the ’Nameless Sword Cultivator’ identity could certainly be put to use again.

The loot from Bai Shibao alone was enough to earn back all the Spirit Stones Chen Che had spent on the bounty at the Slaughter Tower.

As for the contributions from the other Foundation Establishment cultivators, they were quite lacking. Besides the Spirit Stones, he found most of their Pills and Magical Artifacts to be beneath his notice, and a good number of items had been destroyed in the battle anyway.

After toying with the Jade Purification Bottle for a moment, Chen Che uncorked it and chugged the entire contents in one go.

The spring water was colorless and tasteless, yet the sensation it sent through his meridians and bones was even more intoxicating than a Realm Breakthrough. Closing his eyes for a moment, Chen Che couldn’t help but let out a long, gratifying sigh.

As he began to circulate the Flame Emperor Body Refining Technique.

Turning his senses inward, he saw the color of his own bones slowly beginning to change...

It was a known fact that for most cultivators, once they stepped into the Golden Core Realm, their bones could resist decay for a thousand years. This was due to being constantly scoured by Spiritual Qi. However, their bodies were still fundamentally mortal flesh. The Flame Emperor Body Refining Technique, on the other hand, transformed the physical body, pushing it toward an Innate constitution and making it far more resilient.

However, due to the limited amount of spring water, only some of his bones gained what looked like a metallic outer shell, while the rest remained unchanged.

He took out his Micro Crystal Brain and glanced at the data:

[Name: Chen Che]

[Realm: Golden Core Second Layer (13.79%)]

[Qi and Blood: Golden Core First Layer (56.12%)]

[Divine Sense: Golden Core Fifth Layer (65.38%)]

’The numbers haven’t jumped much, but I’ve stepped into the stage of ’Steel Bones and Iron Flesh’...’

Tapping his fingers lightly, Chen Che nodded in satisfaction. Although the final layer of the Flame Emperor Body Refining Technique - Upper was called Steel Bones and Iron Flesh, once perfected, one’s bones and sinews became countless times harder than actual steel.

Oftentimes, raw data couldn’t reflect a person’s total strength, which also included factors like Cultivation Techniques and Spiritual Artifacts.

With his current stats, he could kill almost any Golden Core cultivator of the same tier with ease. Even opponents one or two layers above him would be no match.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

Just then, a soft knock came from the courtyard gate. Zhou Lian entered respectfully, holding an oil-paper package. When he opened it, it revealed several golden-fried buns.

"Master..."

"I told you, I may not teach you personally. Don’t call me Master."

Chen Che had no time to personally teach a disciple. He had only decided to help the boy out of pity. After returning to Jinyun Valley, the most he would do was offer some occasional guidance.

Zhou Lian’s face fell, but his expression grew even more resolute. He suddenly dropped to his knees and kowtowed to Chen Che. "Senior, your grace in taking me from Faqian City is like being given a new life by a parent. Even if you are unwilling to accept me as your disciple, you are my greatest benefactor in my heart."

"I hope you still remember those words in the future. Get up."

Chen Che placed the Micro Crystal Brain on the table. "Give me your hand."

"Yes."

Zhou Lian was taken aback, but upon hearing the command, he obediently extended his hand.

He pricked the boy’s fingertip, and a drop of blood fell onto the Micro Crystal Brain.

The smooth surface flashed, and a line of text quickly appeared:

[Spiritual Root Level: Upper Spirit Root.]

"Not bad at all."

Chen Che nodded in satisfaction.

Top-tier Spirit Roots were simply too ethereal and rare; they were exceedingly scarce even on Earth Element Star. But possessing an Upper Spirit Root meant his potential was already quite high. Combined with his resilient character, his future achievements would not be poor.

After all, he had brought a child back from ten thousand li away. If the boy couldn’t even practice Cultivation, it would be a cosmic joke.

"Senior, please eat."

Zhou Lian nudged the paper-wrapped buns forward.

Chen Che didn’t refuse. At his Realm, the impurities in mortal grains could no longer have much effect on his Cultivation. Although the bun looked cold on the outside, when he tore it open, hot steam billowed out.

It was about partaking in the mortal world’s simple pleasures and observing its myriad states with a detached mind.

"Take this pill, rest for a day. We’ll leave in a few days."

Chen Che took out a Pill and handed it to Zhou Lian.

Zhou Lian dazedly swallowed the Pill. He immediately felt a cool stream of energy flow down his throat and instantly permeate his entire body. Waves of heat then surged from his acupoints and meridians.

CRACKLE! POP!

A series of popping sounds, like roasting beans, echoed from all over his body as threads of black filth seeped out from his skin. In an instant, Zhou Lian felt as if a great weight had been lifted, and his body seemed several pounds lighter.

Even the bitter cold of the winter day seemed to have lost some of its bite.

Chen Che took a book from his robes—an entry-level technique compiled by Jinyun Valley—and pushed it in front of Zhou Lian.

"Also, here is an Entry-level Technique. Study it on your own."

"Yes."

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