"He's dead?"
"Awooo! (Of course! I've been practicing the Dao of Fortune Protection and Heavenly Backlash for so many years. I didn't do it for nothing!)"
The Bai Ze's Dao of Fortune and Backlash was among the top tier of all divination-type bloodlines. The reason it had left that person alive with half a life last time was simply because its bloodline development wasn't deep enough.
In recent decades, with the resources provided by Qi Ping and the fruits of the Ripple Ancient Wood, its strength and bloodline awakening had increased rapidly. Especially during the years spent exploring underground with Coal Ball; because there were so many opportunities below, the power of fortune was exceptionally active. Absorbing that power had accelerated its awakening, leading to its current strength. It had easily killed the person trying to divine the Boss.
"Good job! I'm glad you're here!" Qi Ping praised.
"Awooo! (Hehe, it's also because of you, Boss. Just now, the providence on your body surged again!)"
"Oh? Let me check!"
Following the tiger's reminder, Qi Ping found that the amount of Heavenly Power he could mobilize had increased significantly.
"It seems the [Heavenly Favor] talent has strengthened once more!"
This was one of his strongest talents, providing providence, comprehension, enlightenment probability, and Heavenly Power boosts. He had obtained it after slaying the Demon Insect King and strengthened it after wiping out the Alliance's subordinate powers and blood-offerings, causing it to evolve from [Heavenly Blessing] to [Heavenly Favor].
'Strengthening it now must be because I slew those nine Golden Cores, especially those from the Alliance who had countless "blood-offerings" on them...'
So, the increase was within reason. Slaying those burdened with sin was a great deed for the world; otherwise, who knew how many more they would have killed?
Additionally, Qi Ping was delighted to find that his Power of Living Beings had surged as well! By his estimation, it could now provide power equivalent to an early-stage Golden Core.
Unless it was a life-or-death moment or a critical stage of cultivation, Qi Ping would not use this power lightly. Even if he did, he would leave enough to ensure he could use the [Life-Bound Contract] to revive himself. That contract was his 'second life,' and the Power of Living Beings was his 'third.'
Returning to his territory, his anxious heart finally settled. He hadn't faced such a crisis with his main body in a long time. While he wasn't afraid, he preferred to stay safely in his territory.
"It truly is better to have one's own domain!"
"The world of cultivation is far too dangerous!"
In such a harsh environment, whether rogue or sect-based, most people were lunatics! To cultivate, they would do anything, often becoming more extreme than ordinary people.
Qi Ping understood this. Most who reached Foundation Establishment or Golden Core were high-spirited and determined to progress. They had the desire and resolve to break through any moral constraints to increase their cultivation—like eating people.
In comparison, Qi Ping's territory was a true paradise. He was grateful he had built it in such a desolate place. Though it cost vast resources and energy, the returns far outweighed the costs. Safety and life were worth far more than anything else.
But now he felt a bit uneasy. Seeing the complex web of interests in the upper tiers of the domain, he worried this territory might not be safe enough. He had to make more preparations.
He summoned Coal Ball and the Immortal Tiger.
"Depart immediately. Go to the deepest parts of the domains neighboring the Qingtian Domain. Find a vast area of hard rock where there is no life."
"Furthermore, the rock itself must have no value. There should be no high-level resources or leylines nearby."
"Finally, if you sense any danger—even a sliver—leave immediately. Do not take risks."
"Oh, take some Earth-Vein Ants with you; they will make it easier!"
"Awooo! (Okay, Boss!)"
"Ding! (Mission guaranteed!)"
Coal Ball and the tiger vanished into the ground, their movements practiced. They had worked together for over a decade, and with the ants, the combination was perfect. Coal Ball traversed rock, the ants traversed soil, and the tiger provided divination.
Watching them leave, Qi Ping relaxed. They should find a suitable place soon.
He chose such a place for specific reasons. Like his current territory, it had to be a place no one cared about. But compared to this one, the second base had to be more hidden.
The depth Coal Ball could reach was a place where even Golden Core practitioners would have to dig for months to reach. This effectively eliminated the risk of being found. The underground was so vast that even Nascent Soul experts couldn't perform a 'carpet search' like they could on the surface. The only downside was the lack of sunlight, meaning most things couldn't grow there, except for Yin-attributed woods like the Yellow Spring Tree. This meant it could only be a 'life-saving' base, not a 'development' base.
After setting that plan, he summoned the Earth-Vein Ants.
"Squeak... (Boss, what do you need?)" The Ant King hurried over. After being saved and witnessing so much, the colony worshiped Qi Ping.
"Assign a portion of your kin to plan out the best underground escape routes that allow you to carry people but are hard for others to follow..."
"Squeak... (No problem, Boss. Can we use your formations to assist?)"
"Of course, I was about to suggest that!"
"Squeak... (Got it! Wait for good news, Boss!)"
The Ant King vanished. In terms of underground travel, they were naturally gifted.
With the escape routes and the second base planned, Qi Ping finally felt at ease. He had already established escape plans previously; at the first sign of danger from his perception or the tiger's divination, everyone would pack up and flee. He was confident he could take the most important things—like the spirit vein and the Queen Bee—within ten breaths. Now with the ants, the plan was even more robust.
He walked toward the Dark Moon Soul Wood and the Radiant Sun Wood. It was time to focus on nurturing the spirit trees that produced Yin and Yang resources.
Meanwhile, his Treant Clone was counting and hiding the spoils while thinking of future development. He used the ants to hide the spoils this time; underground was the safest and hardest place to search.
"First, thirteen Rank 3 spirit tools!"
Among them, one was high-grade, three were mid-grade, and nine were low-grade. The high number was because some Golden Cores carried more than one.
"This is enough to push Coal Ball to the high-rank of the third rank. With the support of the ore veins, even the peak isn't impossible..."
Coal Ball was the animal companion that grew in the most illogical way; as long as there were enough spirit tools and high-grade ores, it grew faster than Qi Ping or Ya Ya. Unfortunately, those things were rare. But with these and the ores they found, Rank 3 perfection was possible.
"Once it reaches that level, plus the Sin-Burner Sword, its combat power will be top-tier. Its defense might even allow it to tank hits from a Nascent Soul expert..."
"It's a pity the Mountain-River Seal can't be given to it, or its combat power would rise another level."
He had thoroughly researched the seal. It was an Artifact of Providence! It connected to the mountains and rivers of the Qingtian Domain, allowing one to mobilize their vast power. But to use it, one had to be recognized by the domain's providence, meaning currently only Qi Ping could wield it.
"Also, because it is damaged, it fell from Rank 4 to Rank 3. I wonder if Coal Ball can nurture it back? If it returns to Rank 4, its true power will be restored."
He was grateful to the old man in the treasury for the recommendation. Beyond the weapons, there wasn't much else that surprised him. Finding something like the Yellow Spring Tree was a dream.
"As expected, that was a fluke. Most of the time, there are no great surprises, or these Golden Cores wouldn't have been reduced to hunting those breaking through."
"The only other decent things are the seeds for Rank 2 and 3 spirit trees and herbs. I can enrich the variety in the territory."
With the spoils sold to the Black Market, he gained a vast amount of points. Black Market points were his biggest haul; they were much harder to obtain than other resources.
"Next, I'll pour all resources into the swarm and Ya Ya!"
He planned to buy a few Yin-Yang Five Element manuals for reference, then use the rest for Yin-Yang spirit trees and herbs. Whether the Netherworld and Sky-Flame bees could reach Rank 4 and how many he could produce would determine if he could break through to the Golden Core stage in peace.
"If I nurture them well, I can even fight a Nascent Soul expert. And with the Beast King True Body, enough bees can push my strength to that level. With the seal in hand, I'll have the ability to face a Nascent Soul enemy."
While the Qingtian Domain was in chaos over the Bee Daoist, Qi Ping was quietly selling his spoils and buying resources. He aimed to nurture a swarm capable of sweeping across the Azure Sky!