Translator: CinderTL
"Resources, experience..."
Li Chunjun connected the problems he now faced in cultivating his Jianmu Dharma Manifestation.
In truth, there was a better solution to this problem: exterminating a small clan.
But...
Though small, these clans had their own survival strategies.
Either they were incredibly difficult to locate, or they possessed formidable strength in their own right.
Moreover, obtaining sufficient Heavenly Treasures from a small clan was far more challenging than gaining experience.
Even attacking a clan like the Immortal God Race, second only to the great clans with Dao Unification Realm cultivators, would likely yield minimal profit while carrying immense risks.
Consider the Immortal God Race.
They appeared weak, but their Divine Dao cultivation system concealed unknown depths of power.
If some major sects, underestimating the Immortal God Race's true strength, confidently launched an extermination campaign, they might find themselves utterly annihilated.
"Next, I should head to the Star Abyss, a treasure-hunting ground for Void Refining cultivators! Also..."
Li Chunjun narrowed his eyes slightly.
War with the Divine Race!
The war between the Profound Yellow Great World and the Divine Race had already been put on the agenda.
Even the Immortal God Race had received word, indicating that the Human Race's efforts to advance this matter were indeed effective.
Moreover, he believed that the gathering of so many major powers in the Profound Yellow Great World wasn't due to the world's resources being particularly abundant. The call for various sects to hunt the Divine Race was likely part of the Immortal Alliance's grand scheme.
Dozens, even hundreds, of large powers had gathered here, each boasting at least one Sage and dozens of Dharma Manifestation Venerables...
If there were no major developments planned, such a concentration of manpower would be a colossal waste.
Where there's profit, there's traffic.
The Divine Race, a vast power with Dao Unification Realm cultivators, possessed wealth far surpassing that of the Immortal God Race.
The only way to seize these resources was through plunder.
And once war broke out...
Li Chunjun would not only gain vast quantities of resources and experience from slaying Divine Race members but also seize valuable experience from the conflict itself.
After all, Divine Spirits of the Divine Race were not like mere Believers.
Believers who offer their souls to their Divine Spirits suffer a 50% reduction in experience gain. But what about the Divine Spirits themselves?
If things go wrong, they might even gain an experience bonus, like Heart Demons.
"I wonder when this war will truly erupt," Li Chunjun mused.
Wars involving Dao Unification Realm major powers often drag on for centuries or even millennia. Such delays wouldn't be surprising.
If it truly took that long, he couldn't afford to wait.
As Li Chunjun pondered, the Array Formation enveloping the Immortal Waiting Hall opened.
The Antarctic Emperor's figure materialized precisely at that moment.
Looking at the now-concluded battle and the complete absence of Six Harmonies Venerable and his group, there was no need to guess where they had gone.
This outcome...
Even though the Antarctic Emperor and Great God Myriad Lifespans had already suspected this, their pupils couldn't help but contract in shock.
Immortal Maiden Luoyao, though formidable, was ultimately only a Void Refining cultivator.
Even if her true strength rivaled Six Harmonies Venerable's, the authority and reputation of a Void Refining cultivator could never match that of a Dharma Manifestation cultivator.
Though Li Chunjun's killing of the Dharma Manifestation Venerable was shocking, the Immortal God Race gods quickly accepted it.
But this time...
A Dharma Manifestation Venerable had been utterly annihilated by Li Chunjun's sword, leaving no trace behind. And along with him, thirteen Void Refining Human Race cultivators had also become ghosts under his blade!
Such staggering casualties were utterly horrifying to the Immortal God Race, who had always held the Human Void Refining cultivators in awe.
The Antarctic Emperor stared at the empty, flattened Hall of Waiting Immortals for a long moment before finally regaining his composure.
As per his earlier agreement with Li Chunjun, the Immortal God Race Imperial Lord sighed. "Why did it have to come to this, Heavenly Monarch Li? Why?"
"This is a matter for the Human Race alone. Please, all of you, do not interfere."
Li Chunjun spoke calmly. "Very well. Prepare to activate the Star Gate and send us back to the Human Race."
"Ah..."
The Antarctic Emperor reluctantly agreed. "As Heavenly Monarch Li commands. However, since the Star Gate was activated not long ago, reopening it will require some time. I ask for Heavenly Monarch Li's patience."
"No matter," Li Chunjun replied, his tone suggesting he no longer wished to be entangled with the Immortal God Race. He turned and headed straight for the Star Gate.
"I had originally planned to sell the grotto-heaven, but now that I've thoroughly offended both the Heavenly Palace and the Wu Ji Sect, I'd better hold onto it for the time being. Otherwise, those two major powers might come looking for me and take their anger out on the Azure Star Minor Realm. As for the fact that the beings in the grotto-heaven can't successfully undergo tribulation and cultivate their Primordial Spirits... that's not a major issue."
The Profound Yellow Grotto-Heaven happened to be situated at a node bathed in the Light of the Great Dao.
While his own grotto-heaven couldn't withstand tribulation, the Profound Yellow Grotto-Heaven could.
Moreover, as Liu Yu's personal domain and the private territory of the Profound Yellow Supreme, its defenses were so formidable that even the Great Camps of major powers like the Wu Ji Sect, the Taixu Sword Sect, and the Profound Yellow Sect couldn't compare.
Its safety was more than adequately assured.
"The beings from the Azure Star Minor Realm can cultivate in my grotto-heaven first. Once they reach the peak of the Nascent Soul stage... or even just the Nascent Soul Realm... they can then move on to the Profound Yellow Grotto-Heaven for further cultivation..."
Li Chunjun mused, a peculiar expression suddenly crossing his face.
Why does this feel like ascending from a subordinate world to the upper realm?
While Li Chunjun waited for the Star Gate to reopen on the Immortal God Race side, Xuan Ling was quietly awaiting intelligence from the Wu Ji Sect on the other side in the Profound Yellow Great World.
In the past, to counter the Taixu Sword Sect, the Profound Yellow Great World had intentionally invited major powers from the Immortal Alliance to intervene, leading to widespread infiltration by various factions.
Although the Wu Ji Sect hadn't become a puppet of the Immortal Alliance like the Chiyang Sword Sect, Zhou Tian Sect, and Piao Miao Sect, it had still been heavily infiltrated by Council-level Powers within the Immortal Alliance.
Under these circumstances, within an hour of Six Harmonies Venerable and his companions' demise, the news had reached the Heavenly Palace and was subsequently relayed to Xuan Ling.
"Fourteen people! Including a Dharma Manifestation Venerable, all their life tablets shattered... all perished!?"
The Void Refining cultivator from the Great Longevity Emperor's lineage broke out in a cold sweat as he read the message from his sect.
Their nine-member team, with a similar peak cultivation level to Six Harmonies Venerable's group, was actually slightly stronger in terms of combat power!
Yet even with that advantage, their strength was limited.
They might have been able to defeat Six Harmonies Venerable's group, but there was absolutely no way they could have killed all fourteen of them, including Six Harmonies Venerable, who had cultivated the Jianmu Dharma Manifestation.
But now...
What they couldn't achieve had happened within the Immortal God Race!
The implications of this fact were undeniable: if they had recklessly crossed the Star Gate and invaded the Immortal God Race like Six Harmonies Venerable, their fate would have been no different from his and the others'!
"Did the Immortal God Race betray the Human Race? Or... were the people of the Profound Yellow Sect lying in wait on the other side, ambushing the Wu Ji Sect's group and wiping them out?"
Xuan Ling's mind raced, but he couldn't fathom the truth.
The only thing he was certain of was that this matter was beyond his ability to resolve as a mere peak Void Refining cultivator.
He had to inform his master and let him handle it personally!
With that thought, the peak Void Refining cultivator swiftly entered the False God Realm and contacted Nine Heavens Universal Transformation Venerable.
Universal Transformation Venerable, who had been waiting for his report, responded quickly.
Moments later, his figure materialized in a virtual space within the False God Realm.
"Xuan Ling? Have you discovered how Luo Yao perished?"
Universal Transformation Venerable's voice was deep and cold, tinged with an undercurrent of lingering killing intent.
Luo Yao was the disciple he had chosen to inherit his legacy.
With a profound foundation and top-tier Dharma Manifestation aptitude, this disciple, if properly cultivated, might have become a top-tier Dharma Manifestation expert in the future, strengthening the Longevity Sect's power.
Yet such a promising seed for a future top-tier Dharma Manifestation expert had fallen within the Immortal God Race's territory...
If not for the fact that a Dao Unification Realm Master within the Immortal Alliance had already spoken out, pushing for the implementation of the campaign to destroy the Great World of the Gods, forcing him to remain prepared to receive instructions at any moment, he would have personally descended upon the Immortal God Race by now, demanding an explanation.
"The Immortal God Race has likely betrayed us Humans. At the very least... they've found a new master!"
Xuan Ling held nothing back, swiftly relaying the information he had gathered and his series of deductions to Universal Transformation Venerable.
After listening to Xuan Ling's words, the top-tier Dharma Manifestation expert, who held a high position within the Heavenly Palace Elder Council, wore a grim expression.
"You're saying they've defected to Li Chunjun, or rather, to the Profound Yellow Sect?"
"Yes! Though the Profound Yellow Sect is in decline, its reputation remains immense. They've even managed to capitalize on the name of the Profound Yellow Great World itself. Any power unfamiliar with the Profound Yellow Great World would naturally assume the Profound Yellow Sect to be its true heir, ultimately falling for their deception and joining them. It's only logical."
"Besides," Xuan Ling added, "the Profound Yellow Sect's publicly displayed strength is indeed formidable. Their roster of thirteen Sage Venerables is unmatched in the Profound Yellow Great World."
"Thirteen Sage Venerables?" Universal Transformation Venerable scoffed. "Half of them are just the Profound Yellow Sect padding their own numbers. Try getting those Sage Venerables to actually follow orders. Besides, the quality of the Profound Yellow Sect's Supreme Sages can't compare to the Taixu Sword Sect's. Their Heaven Origin Sword Master alone, with a single sword, could sweep through the Profound Yellow Sect's thirteen Sage Venerables."
When it came to matters of the Holy Realm, Xuan Ling naturally dared not offer any judgment.
The myriad wonders possessed by beings who had transformed themselves into Law-based lifeforms were beyond the power of even the Void Refinement Realm to contend with.
Even though he considered himself no less capable than a Venerable who had barely managed to condense a Dharma Manifestation, he was still far outmatched by a Sage Venerable.
"The Longevity Sect has lost a top-tier Dharma Manifestation seed. We can't let this pass," Universal Transformation Venerable declared coldly. "It's perfect timing. The Immortal God Race's recent flip-flopping has already angered many factions within the Heavenly Palace. We'll use this incident as a pretext to persuade all the representatives of the Heavenly Palace's major powers to convene the Council of Elders..."
He slammed his fist on the table. "And lead a grand army to punish the Immortal God Race! They must pay for their blatant disregard of the Heavenly Palace's will!"
(End of the Chapter)
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