According to the exploration of the Earth-Vein Ants, three tribes were currently facing ecological crises, all of which were spirit beasts with extraordinary bloodlines.
The reason the ants could find such things was that they were naturally beneficial insects of the subterranean world. Despite their great combat power, they would never actively harm any creature unless it was one that damaged the leylines. Thus, the vast majority of underground beings had a good impression of the Earth-Vein Ants, even welcoming them into their environments by instinct.
Because of this, the ants could easily communicate and gather information from other underground tribes.
This discovery made Qi Ping quite happy. His choice of the Earth-Vein Ants had indeed been correct. Their nature made them perfect for finding spirit beasts in need of help and solving ecological problems. If Qi Ping had tried to find them himself, he might have spent lifetimes without making much progress.
Furthermore, over the decades, with the help of the Rank 3 spiritual vein, the number of Earth-Vein Ants had exceeded one hundred thousand! Combined with their fast underground travel, they were perfect for exploration.
Though most of them were only at the second rank with the lowest bloodline concentration, they were more than sufficient as an exploration corps to groom ordinary leylines. With so many ants, Qi Ping's exploration speed of the subterranean world increased drastically.
Simultaneously, Qi Ping had obtained many opportunities and spiritual items. Some he intended to give to friends like Old Man Zhou, Han Li, Zhang Daniu, Wang He, and Sister Nan. These people had helped him significantly in the past. These resources were now easy for him to obtain, and once the ant colony reached millions or tens of millions, the entire underground world would be his to explore. Resources would never be a concern again.
For the current Qi Ping, ordinary resources were no longer an issue. What truly posed a challenge were the top-tier spiritual plants and techniques controlled by the upper echelons, as well as the mysterious entities that had destroyed the Verdant Stream Domain.
In the memories of the Spirit of the Land, among the two groups that had harvested the Verdant Stream Domain and turned it into a desolate land, the aura of one group was familiar to Qi Ping: the Celestial Alliance!
One of Qi Ping's current worries was that if he developed the Qingtian Domain well, would these people come and harvest it just as they had the Verdant Stream Domain?
Considering this, he decided to shift his focus to the subterranean world!
Starting from the Qingtian Domain, he would grow rich in silence, cultivating tribes that could provide him with power boosts and the Power of Living Beings, while also making the Qingtian Domain stronger. This way, even if a war broke out one day, he could move all important people into an underground fortress, turning the war into a subterranean conflict where he had the most familiarity and advantage.
Based on the information from the ants, Qi Ping soon arrived at the habitat of an insect tribe.
A group of Bixia Earth Loongs appeared before him. They looked like earthworms about the size of an arm, though their bodies were thin and dry.
The Bixia Earth Loong was a Rank 2 scavenger spirit beast in the cultivation world. They were surrounded by a multi-colored glow and fed on dead leaves, roots, decaying matter, corpses, and dung. Though they were Rank 2 insects, their combat power was practically zero—they were slow, weak-willed, and physically fragile.
They were ranked as Rank 2 insects only because they possessed stronger bite forces and digestive capabilities than others of the same rank. They had a keen sense of smell to find food, even being able to slowly erode and digest hard, worthless bones.
The only reason these weaklings could survive was because their bodies were filled with complex toxins and contained very little spiritual energy. Most importantly, during the digestive process, they excreted a type of "Wood-Spirit Vitality." This vitality could accelerate the growth of spiritual plants, making them incredibly beneficial insects.
In ancient times, the number of Bixia Earth Loongs was quite large. Because of creatures like them, the number of spiritual plants in the cultivation world was massive and flourishing. Unfortunately, as the world withered, everything with spiritual energy was utilized, leaving no scraps for the loongs. They slowly vanished from history. Only a few large sects kept some, but since the loongs were easily startled and difficult to raise, even the Qingyuan Sect did not have any.
The dry, thin loongs before him were surviving on mere scraps. If not for meeting Qi Ping today, they would likely have vanished completely within a few thousand years—or faster, if they encountered some desperate spirit beast.
Qi Ping looked at these beneficial insects that transformed the waste of the cultivation world into life-giving power and felt a sense of respect. Such wonderful fellows could not be allowed to disappear!
"Come with me, little ones!"
Qi Ping looked at the startled Bixia Earth Loongs. Sensing the appearance of a powerful being, they immediately began to scatter. Qi Ping simply draped his Druid aura over them.
The effect of the Druid aura was immediate. For these insects with low intelligence and friendly natures, they were quickly calmed.
"Do not be afraid. I will take you to a place with plenty of delicious food..."
"Delicious? Good... hungry, want delicious..." After accepting Qi Ping, the loongs replied haltingly. Without a Druid contract, the communication with these insects was not very smooth.
After obtaining their consent, Qi Ping brought them back to his sanctuary.
Within his sanctuary, he usually handled fallen leaves, dry branches, and waste by burning them into ash to use as spiritual fertilizer. But with the Bixia Earth Loongs, it would be much easier to manage.
'The key is the Wood-Spirit Vitality they excrete to accelerate growth. Although the effect is much weaker than the Druid's Plant Growth, the advantage of the loongs is their numbers!'
'If I had met these fellows when I first started cultivating, I would have been overjoyed.'
'But this is also good. With their help, the growth speed of plants in my sanctuary will be much faster.'
While Plant Growth could nurture a specific number of plants, if the loongs reached tens of thousands, the collective effect would surpass what the spell could achieve.
'This seems quite good. I won't have to worry about resources for nurturing animal companions or expanding the swarm. If these loongs can evolve further in the future, they could play an even larger role.'
'I'll wait for their numbers to increase. There are other places in the subterranean world suitable for them; once I send some there, they can produce even more Wood-Spirit Vitality!'
As his thoughts wandered, Qi Ping realized that the benefits of the Bixia Earth Loongs could be astronomical once they were scaled up. When he eventually became the true ruler of the Qingtian Domain, he would have many places to use them—such as the Rank 2 and Rank 3 spiritual veins, which were perfect habitats for them.
'Eat, eat. This is all yours!'
Qi Ping placed a pile of branches and leaves from high-level spiritual plants before the loongs. Seeing the food he provided, the loongs shook with excitement. Heavens! What kind of divine food was this? Even the scraps were things they had never tasted before!
"Thank you!"
"Thank you so much!"
The loongs' excitement was beyond words. Qi Ping was also extremely happy. He had gained a group of formidable helpers who would allow him to earn more spirit stones from his farming, which he could then use to trade for items in other domains.
Furthermore, he felt a sense of joy just from saving them. Such actions that facilitated the harmonious development of the cultivation world were rewarding—especially since this was his territory!
As he completed his protection of the Bixia Earth Loongs, he discovered he had received the Power of Living Beings from them. For some reason, the quality of this power was exceptionally high.
'Perhaps it is because they are beneficial creatures specifically for the cultivation world?' Qi Ping wondered. This further strengthened his resolve to grow their tribe. If he could reach hundreds of thousands or millions, wouldn't his Power of Living Beings explode?
'Besides the Power of Living Beings, my control as the Lord of Mountains and Rivers has increased slightly, though the boost isn't large.'
He estimated the loongs hadn't yet begun to bring significant value to the domain. Once they began to exert a major influence, his control would likely skyrocket.
"Good, good. On to the next one!"
Encouraged by the loongs, Qi Ping looked forward to the next tasks even more. After settling the loongs and bestowing the Mountain-River Favor upon them, he left immediately for the next tribe.
After traveling through the underground for two days, he arrived at the second tribe's location. Deep within a crustal layer, he found a group of Earth-Core Stone Turtles covered in rot marks.
"Rotten Flesh Disease?"
With just a glance, he recognized the disease. Qi Ping had specifically researched medical books of the cultivation world. He had been shocked to learn that even a Void-Refining cultivator could die of illness. Originally, he thought only Qi-Refinement practitioners suffered from plague. But after learning more, he realized there were many diseases that could threaten even Spirit-Severing or Void-Refining cultivators; they were just rare. They were far more terrifying and difficult than mortal illnesses—some were even bizarre, more frightening than curses.
Fortunately, such diseases were extremely rare, usually only contracted in terrifying forbidden zones. The Rotten Flesh Disease affecting these turtles was not too much of a problem for Qi Ping. Others might find it difficult, but for him, it was a simple matter.
After communicating with the turtles, he began the treatment. The process was blunt: he used illusions to suppress their pain, then used extreme Yang spiritual energy and Beast-King Fire to burn away all rot and the source of the illness. Finally, a healing spell completed the treatment. Solar True Fire was essentially the nemesis of all diseases.
Under his guidance, the first turtle was quickly cured. The others were incredibly excited. The disease that had tormented them for so long was finally gone! Their gaze toward Qi Ping grew increasingly respectful.
After some time, he had cured all thirty-odd turtles.
"Thank you, our most revered friend!"
After the treatment, the turtles expressed their sincerest gratitude. Qi Ping received a significant amount of Power of Living Beings, as more than half of these long-lived turtles were at Rank 2! Two were even at the peak of Rank 2. If not for the disease, they would likely have tried to break through to the Golden Core stage.
However, Qi Ping warned them to stay hidden for the next two hundred years and not think about breaking through, otherwise they would likely be hunted and eaten. The turtles took his advice, deciding to wait for two centuries—a timeframe easily borne by their long lives.
Qi Ping was happy. Since he was the Lord of Mountains and Rivers, the strength of the turtles was, in a way, his own strength. Thus, the stronger they were, the better.
Before leaving, he bestowed the Mountain-River Favor upon them. These turtles were worth nurturing and fit his strategy for the subterranean fortress.
Leaving the turtles, he headed for the final tribe. He assumed it would be another simple matter, but upon seeing the blood-colored vines growing within their flesh, his brow furrowed deeply.
"These are... Parasitic Blood Seeds?"
"And... this is the aura of the Supreme Grand Elder!"
Qi Ping's expression darkened instantly.