Entering the Stone Realm, Zhao Li felt a sense of immense weight. The most abundant thing here was all sorts of stones, each emitting a strange aura, as if they were no longer inanimate objects.
Of course, that was just Zhao Li's illusion. Although the Stone Clan was named after stone, the beings within it were still human. It was just that their ancestor had become an Emperor, known as the Stone Emperor, based on the weight and resilience of stone, which was why they were called the Stone Clan.
The strange aura on those stones was merely a method the Stone Clan had devised to speed up cultivation. Just as a Fire Attribute Cultivator would cultivate faster in a volcano or desert, the Stone Clan found it easier to understand the meaning of weight and resilience within their Bloodline among these strange stones that had endured countless ages.
Zhao Li walked side-by-side with Shi Potian, who even intentionally walked a bit shorter than Zhao Li. Every so often, he would introduce something to Zhao Li.
Zhao Li listened quietly, but as Time passed, he was secretly astonished.
Just along the Route he had traveled, he had already seen several tribes of Stone Clan Descendants, and each tribe had a considerable population. They lived a life of working from sunrise to sunset. After all, in this Pocket World, they had no external enemies. Because of the Stone Clan's existence, even small skirmishes between tribes wouldn't escalate to life-and-death struggles.
Here, they only needed to cultivate their land, exchange for resources, marry, and have children. Although the Bloodline Power of most of them was extremely thin, almost non-existent, under the vast population base, Geniuses still emerged, constantly replenishing the Stone Clan with new blood.
Zhao Li was stunned. The lives of these Descendants were actually quite good. They had enough to eat and wear, and were almost never in mortal danger. But he felt very uneasy.
It was good, but they were like livestock in a pen, without their own thoughts. Or rather, their thoughts had long been deeply ingrained by generations of the Stone Clan's influence: they only needed to produce Genius descendants to change their own social class.
Under the influence of countless ages, they had become accustomed to it, placing all their hopes on the next generation. And when the next generation had the same mediocre Bloodline as them, they told their children to grow up quickly, marry, and have a Genius child, instead of Cultivation and self-improvement!
This was the first time Zhao Li had entered these ancient Pocket Worlds with long Legacies, but the pattern within them gave him a chilling feeling. He didn't want to stay here long, saying:
"Arrange things as soon as possible. I have other matters and won't be staying here long."
Shi Potian didn't mind. Of course, he hadn't expected Zhao Li to stay in the Stone Clan. Even Zhao Li's willingness to come here was an unexpected pleasant surprise for him.
He heard the slight impatience in Zhao Li's words and didn't continue to wander around with him, taking him directly to the Stone Clan's Alchemy Hall:
"The Clan's conditions are limited, please bear with us, Senior."
Zhao Li waved his hand:
"It's fine, step back a bit."
Saying that, he took out an Emerald Medicine Cauldron from his Storage Ring. It seemed to weigh ten thousand pounds, raising a cloud of dust when it landed on the ground.
Seeing this, Shi Potian forcibly suppressed the joy in his heart and motioned for the Alchemists in the Clan to step back. Although he knew that having the opportunity to observe an Alchemist like Zhao Li refining medicine would undoubtedly be a great opportunity for them, he didn't dare to act on his own without Zhao Li's permission.
If this caused Zhao Li to become disgusted with the Stone Clan, it would be a loss greater than the gain.
Meanwhile, the Soul Realm also received news of Zhao Li returning to the Stone Realm with Shi Potian. Zhao Li's reputation was too great; even if they didn't deliberately have people watching him, they had many channels to get news of him.
Since deciding to be the mantis's yellow oriole, they had been watching Zhao Li. As soon as he refined a Golden Core, they would mark the target and, if suitable, make their move directly.
"I didn't expect it to be the Stone Clan. Hmm, although it's a bit troublesome, it's acceptable. What do you think?"
Hun Tianyuan pondered for a while, and finally decided to act.
Although the Stone Clan was one of the Eight Clans like them, it was precisely because of this that they knew the gap between them, which was probably no smaller than the gap between Dou Sect and Dou Venerate.
"Should we inform the Clan Head first? If the matter isn't successful and instead alerts the other clans, it might affect the Clan's grand plan."
The person speaking didn't directly object, but their words held no hint of agreement.
Hun Tianyuan heard this and didn't refute, because the person was right.
"What matter requires This Seat's decision?"
Just then, a ethereal and vast voice echoed in the Grand Hall, and then, a middle-aged man in a Gray Robe appeared on the main seat, as if he had been there all along.
Seeing the arrival, everyone was stunned for a moment, then their faces showed joy, and they respectfully said:
"Greetings, Clan Head. Congratulations on your great increase in Strength."
Hun Tiandi nodded, letting out a nasal sound, and then asked flatly:
"Hmm, speak. What matter brings you here?"
Hun Tianyuan recounted the matter of Gu Yuan obtaining a Ninth Grade Golden Pill refined by Zhao Li, including the reactions of various forces on the Continent after that incident and the decision they made after discussion, without any reservation.
Hun Tiandi was a little surprised, then enlightened:
"A Ninth Grade Golden Pill? Interesting. I didn't expect it to be him. No wonder neither I nor the Nihility Devouring Flame could find him. Heh, he has helped This Seat again."
If Zhao Li hadn't forcibly taken away a Sub-Flame of the Nihility Devouring Flame, preventing Nihility from breaking through to Nine Star Dou Sheng, it would have been somewhat difficult for him to Devour Nihility so easily.
"You did well. Since it's the Stone Clan, you alone cannot take it down. This time, This Seat will personally act!"
Hun Tiandi affirmed the decisions of Hun Tianyuan and the others, but also warned them. Although they were strong, they weren't strong enough to take down the Stone Clan silently. If they acted rashly, they would only push the Soul Clan against several Ancient Imperial Clans, and also expose their ambition and Strength.
Hearing Hun Tiandi's words, everyone's hearts tightened. They all knew that the Clan Head personally acting was likely not just for a Golden Pill.
"I wonder where Nihility went. He's nowhere to be seen at a critical moment, otherwise, why would something like this require you to act personally?"
Just then, a voice reached everyone's ears, causing everyone to agree.
Hun Tiandi seemed not to have heard their discussion, lightly coughed, suppressing the voices in the Grand Hall, and looked at Hun Xuzi, asking in a deep voice:
"Hun Xuzi, if you were given a Golden Pill to study, do you have confidence in taking a step further?"
Hun Xuzi's breathing quickened when he heard Hun Tiandi suddenly call his name and immediately drop such a bombshell. However, he still retained a trace of rationality and didn't agree immediately, answering with some uncertainty:
"I should be able to?"
Although he could already refine Ninth Grade Profound Pills, he hadn't finished walking the Dao of Profound Pills, let alone the ethereal Golden Pill. Before truly seeing a Golden Pill, he didn't dare to guarantee it.
Hun Tiandi understood, and then his figure disappeared from the seat. Only his voice remained in the Grand Hall:
"You continue to keep an eye on the other forces. Also, stop inquiring about Nihility."
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