The Spirit of the Land and the Mountain-River Phantom have successfully merged. The Mountain-River Phantom talent has evolved into the Lord of Mountains and Rivers.
Lord of Mountains and Rivers: A unique talent formed by the active fusion of a Spirit of the Land and the Mountain-River Phantom. Born from the combination of Heaven-Earth Favor, the Power of Qi Fortune, and the manifestations of the Dao-Heart, this talent cannot be borne by those without profound luck and merit. It possesses effects such as Ruling Mountains and Rivers, Mountain-River Projection, and Mountain-River Favor.
Ruling Mountains and Rivers: The formation of this talent is closely linked to a special connection with the Qingtian Domain of the cultivation world. Through this talent, the user can mobilize the power of the mountains and the earth throughout the entire Qingtian Domain, becoming one with the land to a certain extent. In other regions of the cultivation world, a portion of the local mountain and earth power can also be mobilized. As the bond strengthens, the power available will increase until the user possesses absolute control over the entire region!
Mountain-River Projection: Regardless of location within the cultivation world, the user can project the image of the Qingtian Domain to their current position to amplify and bolster their own power. The closer the physical proximity, the better the effect.
Mountain-River Favor: Increases the probability of the birth of natural treasures and genius cultivators. All living beings favored by the Lord of Mountains and Rivers can receive enhancements to their talent, comprehension, and cultivation speed under the nurturing power of the mountains. The promotion speed of spiritual veins and leylines is also increased.
"This?"
Upon seeing the completed evolution of his Golden Core talent, even Qi Ping could not help but swallow hard.
"This talent is a bit too powerful!"
As he reviewed the effects one by one, the shock in Qi Ping's heart grew more intense.
First, the effect of Ruling Mountains and Rivers was explosive. He could directly control the collective mountain power of the Qingtian Domain and even tap into the power of other regions!
'I wonder how much power I can actually wield given my current causal entanglement with the Qingtian Domain...'
'I wonder if it reaches the Nascent Soul level...'
If it did, Qi Ping would have much more confidence in breaking the current deadlock in the Qingtian Domain.
'However, this control can be enhanced by strengthening the special bond. I just need to deepen that connection...'
Regarding how to strengthen this bond, Qi Ping already had some ideas. For instance, he could restore survival environments as he did for the Lava Beasts, or clear out the criminal industries of Starfall City and slay the subsidiary organizations of the Celestial Alliance.
Essentially, it was about maintaining the ecology of the Qingtian Domain and eliminating factors that hindered the natural growth of heaven and earth. Thus, Qi Ping felt confident that he would eventually gain total control over the Qingtian Domain.
Secondly, the Mountain-River Projection was also excellent. Even at such a great distance, Qi Ping could feel that power belonging to the Qingtian Domain.
'Even separated by several large domains, I can manipulate power roughly equivalent to a peak Golden Core cultivator. If I were in the Qingtian Domain or its neighboring domains, exceeding the Golden Core stage and reaching the Nascent Soul level should be no problem!'
However, what brought Qi Ping just as much joy was the final effect: Mountain-River Favor!
'This effect is a perfect match for a Druid!'
To increase his Druid power and level, and to awaken the new Druid class that required the Power of Living Beings as a prerequisite, Qi Ping had to diligently develop and maintain the ecology of the Qingtian Domain. This was already something he intended to do.
Previously, he had a concern: if he allowed things to develop normally, would the growth rate of the Qingtian Domain be too slow?
The strength of the world's power was closely related to the creatures within it. The humans, trees, demon beasts, and insect tribes that grew and broke through here provided powerful feedback to the world. The more powerful the creatures, the more prosperous and grand the world became!
Now, that concern was resolved.
Mountain-River Favor could increase the probability of producing natural treasures and geniuses! He could even choose to favor specific creatures!
With this effect, Qi Ping no longer had to worry as much about the domain's development. He could bestow this favor upon the Earth-Vein Ants and earthworms that could groom the leylines, as well as humans like Wang He and Han Li who could strengthen the human cultivation base. He could also focus on spirit beasts like the Lava Beasts, who completely trusted him.
His singular goal was to make the Qingtian Domain grow strong rapidly while maintaining a healthy ecology! This was the most suitable path of development for a Druid.
More importantly, the power brought by the expansion of the Qingtian Domain was invisible. No one would know exactly how much power Qi Ping possessed. This way, even if he one day stepped into the view of those monitoring the entire cultivation world, he would have more capital to resist.
'As long as I fully control the power of the Qingtian Domain and set up the strongest formations within it, as long as they cannot blow up the entire domain, it will be impossible to defeat me!'
'I can also include the groups that provide me with the Power of Living Beings within the scope of the Mountain-River Favor...'
'In this way, the power of heaven and earth and the vast majority of living beings in the Qingtian Domain will provide me with immense strength!'
Ruling Mountains and Rivers, Mountain-River Favor, Heaven-Earth Favor, and the Druid class... this combination was simply peerless!
At this moment, the evolution of his Golden Core phenomenon, the Lord of Mountains and Rivers, was finally complete! This breakthrough caused Qi Ping's combat power to skyrocket once more.
Judging by the scale of the phenomenon, it was likely not much inferior to legendary ones like the River of Sword Qi or the Adoration of Ten Thousand Demons. Though its power quality might still be slightly behind, Qi Ping was already extremely satisfied.
One had to understand that those who could birth legendary phenomena were all super-monsters possessing things like the Ten-Thousand Sword Body or the Celestial Holy Body, supported by powerful sects. Qi Ping had relied entirely on his own effort and exploration to produce such a Golden Core phenomenon upon condensing his Dao-fruit. In the Qingtian Domain, this was truly unprecedented.
'More importantly, my Golden Core phenomenon can trigger a resonance with heaven and earth and can even merge with the mountains and rivers to a certain extent. Combined with the active fusion of the Spirit of the Land, while it might not match those legendary phenomena in the early stages, its future potential might be even higher as the Qingtian Domain grows stronger and is bolstered by the power of the land...'
Furthermore, Qi Ping had a premonition: when his Five Elements Yin-Yang body was completely filled out, it would surely bring about an even more incredible transformation.
After sensing the changes brought by the Lord of Mountains and Rivers, Qi Ping's joy was beyond expression. The future was promising!
After the excitement passed, Qi Ping shifted his attention to the Spirit of the Land. Once the spirit successfully merged with his phenomenon, a complex wave of emotions and memories surfaced in his heart.
In that moment, Qi Ping's thoughts were submerged by a special perspective, and a sense of the world's vast changes filled his mind. In a portion of his consciousness, he seemed to become a newly born Spirit of the Land from long ago.
In a place called the Verdant Stream Domain, a Spirit of the Land was born. This domain was a famous land of spiritual excellence within the cultivation world, and the entire Verdant Stream Domain was its body!
The cultivation civilization here was advanced, spiritual trees were everywhere, and there were countless farmlands growing spiritual herbs and fruits. There were even many spiritual beasts wandering freely.
Under the jurisdiction of a powerful sect, everything was managed in an orderly fashion. From top-tier cultivators to ordinary mortals, almost everyone had hope and spirituality in their eyes.
In this state, one talented cultivator after another was born and grew into a pillar of strength. One spiritual beast and tree after another grew to astonishing levels. Although "tumors" occasionally appeared among the living beings, they were quickly pruned by others.
Through normal cycles of life and death, breakthroughs, and the feedback of brilliant individuals, the spirit accumulated rich spirituality every so often. Obtaining this spirituality made it feel comfortable and happy, making it even stronger. Thus, it worked hard to help birth more natural treasures and talented creatures, enjoying this way of life immensely.
It was particularly comforted by the positive emotions of the living beings. It quietly watched as different creatures interpreted entirely different lives.
There were mortals with simple, happy lives; scholars who studied by lamplight and achieved fame; and genius cultivators who soared through the ranks. These were what it liked. However, there were also mortals who suffered through poverty, scholars who failed to find success despite their efforts, and geniuses who fell prematurely.
Of course, there were also those special beings who, after struggling for half a lifetime, suddenly comprehended the Dao and soared, breaking the limits of body and soul. These creatures provided it with the best spirituality!
Overall, this made the Spirit of the Land very happy.
Time flowed rapidly. It witnessed the birth and fall of countless beings, seeing innumerable deaths and cycles... but one thing remained constant: under the governance of that sect, the Verdant Stream Domain grew more prosperous and powerful. Even the spiritual veins broke through their ranks one after another!
The powerful beings in the Verdant Stream Domain grew more numerous, even attracting genius cultivators from other places. When these outsiders joined the cycle of life in the domain, they accelerated its growth. Seeing its children prosper, the spirit had more spirituality to nurture more opportunities and treasures, causing more creatures to rise.
The Spirit of the Land grew stronger in the process! Through the interpretation of ages and the cycle of life, the domain became mightier.
But suddenly one day, everything changed.
It discovered two groups of incredibly powerful beings appearing in the sky above its body. One group was cloaked in black, while the other was wreathed in blood-colored aura. It had never seen these groups before, but it seemed to have an impression of them, as several groups with similar auras had come to capture its children before—specifically those with the most spirituality.
Fortunately, those annoying fellows had been driven away by its children, which made it very happy and proud. Its children were so strong!
But this time was different. The cultivators who came were exceptionally powerful. Even when its children sacrificed their lives and fought with everything they had, burning their last drop of blood, they only managed to destroy a portion of the enemy.
Its children were slaughtered one after another, and all their spirituality was cruelly plundered. In that moment, the Spirit of the Land panicked. It could not accept its children being massacred like this. The plundering of spirituality felt like its flesh was being sliced and its soul cut, over and over. It had never felt such pain and sorrow...
Thus, it erupted with all its power, bestowing all its strength upon its children! With this empowerment, a turning point finally arrived. Its children slew many enemies and even released the plundered spirituality!
This made it incredibly happy! Yay! Its children were the best!
However, before its joy could last, a painful scene occurred that it would never forget. Just as its children were about to wipe out the remaining enemies, several incredibly terrifying auras descended!
This time, despite exhausting all its strength, its children were still no match for those powerful and frightening figures... its strongest children fell!
But the pain did not end there. A cruel massacre began. The children with the most spirituality fell one after another, each death like a knife-cut upon the spirit's body.
The massacre lasted for an unknown duration. It didn't know how many times it had been cut—a million times? Ten million? It only knew that blood dyed its entire body red, the spiritual river turned into a river of blood, and even the spirit itself nearly collapsed!
As Qi Ping personally experienced these memories, cold sweat poured from him. His body shook uncontrollably, and his face was contorted in a mask of agony!
Yet, Qi Ping did not stop feeling and recalling. This was an opportunity to understand the cultivation world and a massive stroke of luck for him. This experience was almost equivalent to consuming a special version of a Samsara Fruit.
More importantly, Qi Ping himself truly wanted to see it to the end.
In that battle, countless beings in the Verdant Stream Domain fell, creating mountains of corpses and seas of blood. The Spirit of the Land was riddled with holes, its power exhausted, entering a state of extreme weakness.
But the pain did not stop, because it was discovered. A bizarre blood-colored creature was released. This creature could actually discover the spirit's existence, constantly gnawing at its source. The spirit could only resist with all its might.
The war between the spirit and the bizarre creature lasted for untold ages. Its body, the Verdant Stream Domain, continued to wither and decline during this process...
Until one day, an external Foundation Establishment creature came to the Verdant Stream Domain to break through to the Golden Core stage. Seeing the mountain-river phenomenon condensed by this creature, the spirit chose to merge into it based on instinct and a positive feeling toward the creature.
At first, the creature obstructed it, but later, for some reason, allowed it to merge and even helped it kill the creature that had been tormenting it for so long.
Seeing this, the Spirit of the Land, which had been in pain and exhaustion for countless ages, finally fell into a peaceful sleep. The moment before it slept was the happiest it had been in all those long years.
The scene ended there. The final creature the Spirit of the Land had seen was, of course, Qi Ping. The Foul-Blood Demon Spirit he had slain was the bizarre blood-colored entity that had tormented the spirit for ages.
When Qi Ping finished processing the memory, he discovered that more than three years had passed! His eyes were filled with a look of ancient weariness.
And at the moment Qi Ping opened his eyes, the aura on his body suddenly surged!