Sect Master’s Immortal Journey

Chapter 578: Qiaoer from the core

In the following days, within Taiyi Sect, everything seemed as if nothing had happened, and they continued to develop according to their original plans. Meng Zhang entrusted the cultivation materials handed to him by Jin LiDaoist Master to Jin Qiao'er. Subsequently, Jin Qiao'er decided to stay long-term at Grand Lion Ridge, receiving guidance from Meng Zhang and other Gold Core cultivators.

After Jin LiDaoist Master closed her seclusion for five years, a series of earthquakes occurred near Hundred Grass Slope in Demon Wind Gobi, causing certain impacts on the surrounding terrain. Deep EarthSpirit General personally investigated the source of these earthquakes and discovered that it was due to the shifting of underground earth veins.

Following the earth vein displacement, a deep underground river emerged in the depths of Hundred Grass Slope. This underground river's origins and source were unknown but the area around it was abundant in spiritual energy, surpassing the Third Rank spirit vein of Hundred Grass Slope.

Deep EarthSpirit General conducted a careful survey and confirmed that the sudden appearance of the underground river presented no issues and could be safely used. He speculated that the explosion of the Fourth Rank magic tool, Myriad Layers Peak, had significantly impacted the underground earth veins. Coupled with his subsequent efforts to repair the Third Rank spirit vein, it caused various factors to lead to the appearance of this underground river.

According to Deep EarthSpirit General's preliminary estimation, the spiritual energy provided by this underground river could completely support three to four Gold Core Daoist Masters. Moreover, there was a continuous influx of vast spiritual energy from even deeper layers of the earth into the underground river.

Meng Zhang, who was previously troubled by the insufficiency of the Third Rank spirit vein in the sect, was overjoyed upon hearing this news. He gathered several Gold Core cultivators from the sect and personally delved into the underground to investigate the river. After confirming its safety, they discussed how to develop and utilize this place.

Due to its abundant spiritual energy and concealed location deep underground, they decided to establish it as a secret base for Taiyi Sect. Only a select few trusted disciples would be allowed to know about it. The underground river could be used for breeding precious spiritual fish and cultivating special spiritual herbs.

Furthermore, Deep EarthSpirit General suggested using formations to secretly divert the spiritual energy from the underground river into the Third Rank spirit vein located in Hundred Grass Slope. This way, the Third Rank spirit vein could be strengthened, providing more abundant spiritual energy for the Hundred Grass Pavilion, enabling the cultivation of more spiritual herbs and accommodating more Gold Core Daoist Masters' practice.

After discussion among several Gold Core cultivators, they agreed to Deep EarthSpirit General's proposal. However, the project had to be kept extremely secretive. They could only enlist a few trusted disciples to work on it discreetly.

In the decades that followed, the Endless Sea of Sand remained relatively calm, and the situation was relatively stable. Fire Cloud Sect and Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch seemed to have been deterred by Jin LiDaoist Master and had no intention of launching any active attacks. Instead, they were determined to manage their territories in the Endless Sea of Sand.

Since the original cultivation forces in the Endless Sea of Sand had been mostly wiped out, the vacant areas were quickly filled. Both sects dispatched a large number of people to develop the resources in the area. They also brought in many cultivators from Jiuqu League, mainly consisting of loose cultivators, small clans, and small sects, to assist in the development.

These cultivators, many of whom were employed by the two sects, served as spirit farmers or miners. Some well-funded and manpower-abundant small forces leased territories or mines from the two sects for development.

As a result, the two sects flourished and gained a considerable amount of cultivation resources, compensating for the losses they had incurred during the invasion.

However, seeing the two sects occupy their territories and plunder their cultivation resources, Flying Swan Sect was filled with fury. Yet, after the loss of Fei ShiDaoist Master, only Wu MingweiDaoist Master remained to hold the fort, and the survival of Flying Swan Sect became quite challenging.

Wu MingweiDaoist Master kept Fei ShiDaoist Master's demise a secret, only informing a few high-ranking members within the sect. However, this secret couldn't be kept for long, and it was only a matter of time before the truth leaked out.

Since Fei ShiDaoist Master had been missing for an extended period, others would undoubtedly grow suspicious. After reclaiming Yellow Sand Ridge, Flying Swan Sect not only focused on managing the area and nearby territories but also resumed trade with the vast grasslands.

With the resources transferred by Meng Zhang and the diligent accumulation of Flying Swan Sect, Wu MingweiDaoist Master started to wholeheartedly nurture the next generation of the sect, hoping to cultivate new Gold Core Daoist Masters quickly and alleviate the pressure they faced.

Cultivating a Gold Core Daoist Master is not something that can be achieved overnight. Moreover, for some reason, Flying Swan Sect seemed to have encountered bad luck after losing Feihong Mountain and retreating to Yellow Sand Ridge.

The new disciples recently admitted to the sect not only had insufficient numbers but also displayed an incredibly low overall quality, filled with many mediocre talents. Many of Flying Swan Sect's elite cultivators, who had great potential, suffered heavy losses in previous battles. Now, with the new recruits being of such poor quality, the sect began experiencing a shortage of talented individuals.

Wu MingweiDaoist Master knew the root cause of this situation. It was not just bad luck; rather, it was an inevitable consequence of losing a significant portion of their territories. Mortals were the foundation of cultivators, and the more mortals there were, the higher the chance of producing cultivators.

With the limited territory that Flying Swan Sect currently possessed, they could only support a limited number of mortals, which naturally led to foundational issues.

Wu MingweiDaoist Master had no better solution for this predicament. On one hand, he procured a large number of mortals through trade with the vast grasslands, regardless of whether their territory could accommodate them. On the other hand, he pinned his hopes on Jin LiDaoist Master achieving Primordial Spirit soon, as that was the only chance for Flying Swan Sect to reclaim their lost territories.

In stark contrast to Flying Swan Sect, Taiyi Sect was thriving without any external interference, and everything was running smoothly. The environment in Demon Wind Gobi was naturally superior to that of the Endless Sea of Sand. After relocating a massive number of mortals there, the mortal population saw an explosive growth in just a few decades. Among them, more and more individuals were awakening their spiritual roots.

In the distant past, Taiyi Sect could only recruit cultivators with mediocre spiritual roots. Now, not only did they have a large number of middle-grade spiritual root cultivators, but they even had some with high-grade spiritual roots.

As the sect acquired more cultivation resources, the conditions for disciples' cultivation improved drastically. Consequently, Taiyi Sect witnessed the emergence of numerous outstanding disciples, each one surpassing the next.

With the enhancement of disciples' abilities, the standards to become an Inner-Sect Disciple also rose significantly. Those disciples who consumed Lesser Foundation Building Pills and had little hope of advancing to the Gold Core stage would find it challenging to become Inner-Sect Disciples.

Taiyi Sect's Inner-Sect Disciples were mostly elite cultivators with the potential to reach the Gold Core stage. Moreover, among the sect's higher-ups, the overall combat strength had significantly increased.

When Deep EarthSpirit General set up formations to guide the flow of spiritual energy from the underground river, he received an enormous influx of spiritual energy. After initially feeling uncomfortable, he gradually utilized the spiritual energy that surged into his body, using it to restore his strength.

As the first of the four Guardian Spirit Generals to awaken and accumulate the most power, Deep EarthSpirit General took advantage of this rare opportunity and, in less than ten years, restored his Gold Core strength.

His recovery not only significantly strengthened Taiyi Sect's high-end combat strength but also allowed him to perform many Geomancer secrets that were previously impossible. After consolidating his cultivation base, he began repairing the Third Rank spirit vein in Hundred Grass Slope.

With the supplement from the underground river, he didn't need to mobilize too many resources and gradually achieved his goal. Even excluding Grand Lion Ridge, the repaired Third Rank spirit vein, combined with the underground river, was sufficient to support all the Gold Core cultivators in Taiyi Sect.

Moreover, with the current rate of appearance of Gold Core cultivators in Taiyi Sect, the sect wouldn't have to worry about a shortage of spirit veins for a long time to come. This was because Hundred Grass Slope's conditions far exceeded those of Grand Lion Ridge. After a simple discussion among Taiyi Sect's higher-ups, they slowly relocated the sect's mountain gate to Hundred Grass Slope.

After Jin Qiao'er completed the Foundation Building stage, she went through a period of tempering before attempting to break through to the Gold Core stage. Regardless of Jin LiDaoist Master's advice or the relationship between Meng Zhang and Jin Qiao'er, he would take good care of her.

Jin Qiao'er chose to seclude herself at Grand Lion Ridge for cultivation and breakthrough. With her exceptional talents and abundant resources, Jin Qiao'er successfully broke through to the Gold Core stage after eleven years of seclusion.

Jin Qiao'er was not a disciple of Taiyi Sect, but her breakthrough held significant importance. Meng Zhang now possessed a Gold Core stage cultivator, and Jin Qiao'er became the first Gold Core Daoist Master from outside Taiyi Sect within the Hanhai Alliance, greatly strengthening the alliance's cohesion.

After Jin Qiao'er successfully formed her core, she continued to stay at Grand Lion Ridge for cultivation. Qiaoshou Sect's prestige greatly increased with Jin Qiao'er becoming a Gold Core Daoist Master. Not only did they solidify their position as the second strongest faction within the Hanhai Alliance, but they also began gradually expanding their influence.

Fortunately, Qiaoshou Sect's sect master, Jin Qigu, was prudent and didn't get carried away by Jin Qiao'er's success. She handled matters with great care, trying not to touch Taiyi Sect's interests. Most importantly, Qiaoshou Sect's attitude towards Taiyi Sect remained unchanged, and they continued to show deference as before.

Meng Zhang didn't have any suspicions towards Qiaoshou Sect, as he had them under Taiyi Sect's control all along. Additionally, Qiaoshou Sect's status served as a significant showcase, demonstrating Taiyi Sect's tolerance, which was beneficial for the further development of the Hanhai Alliance.

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