"I am willing to offer my Soul Core..."
When the sage-like elder offered his Soul Core, Qi Ping, Wang He, and Lin Yue were all stunned. Surrendering a Soul Core meant placing one's life entirely in another's hands. It was far more binding and severe than a Heavenly Dao Oath.
Wang He and Lin Yue were speechless. Who was this person?
He was the ancestor of the Profound Heaven Divine Sect, one of the top three sects in the Star-Sea Continent. He was one of the seven strongest Void Refinement cultivators on the continent. A member of the Star-Sea Alliance's highest decision-making body. The possessor of the Profound Heaven Divine Physique, a master of both Life and Death laws, and one of the most terrifying talents the continent had ever seen.
He was Meng Tianqi!
Any one of those titles meant that a single sneeze from him could cause an earthquake in the cultivation world. A man of such legendary status could have anything he wanted—if he wanted ten thousand beautiful cultivators, they would be delivered to his doorstep within a day.
Yet this legend was now bowing to Qi Ping and voluntarily surrendering his life. This was so absurd that if news got out, it would cause an unprecedented storm across the continent.
"Meng Tianqi, are you sure you want to do this?" Qi Ping asked, his gaze narrowing. Even he hadn't expected things to go this far.
"I am certain. I implore Venerable Bee to save the Star-Sea Continent and give us a chance to forge a new era! My own talent is no less than those Unity stage cultivators from the Heavenly Dragon Continent, but this place has become a caged pasture. We will never have the chance to break through to Unity here, and we do not wish for our home to inevitably perish."
Meng Tianqi looked at Qi Ping with unwavering eyes. He knew the risks—the risk of becoming a slave, the risk of being wiped out by the Heavenly Dragon forces... but he had to take this chance. He had to bet that Qi Ping, as an Earth Immortal, was worth believing in.
"Very well, I shall accept this Soul Core!" Using his Earth Immortal Druid abilities, Qi Ping could see no trace of deception. He decided to collaborate.
He had to admit he was impressed by Meng Tianqi. Looking back at the man's life, he had started as a mortal farmer, stepped onto the path of cultivation, founded the Profound Heaven Divine Sect, and made it one of the top five powers on the continent. He was a legend in his own right.
Most importantly, after reaching the peak, Meng Tianqi hadn't become a parasite on his domain. Once he realized the resources of the continent couldn't sustain his further growth, he cut off most of his own resource supply, leaving only the bare minimum while focusing on researching universal laws and mysteries.
Before the rise of the Qingyuan Academy, the Profound Heaven Divine Sect was the place every cultivator dreamed of joining. It was said that Meng Tianqi's understanding of Life and Death and his application of laws were the best in the continent. No one knew how strong he really was since he hadn't fought in centuries.
Qi Ping respected such a man. If he hadn't been born in this declining land, he would likely be a Unity or Mahayana stage titan by now. He respected the man's drive to find a path through the limits of his world.
However, respect didn't mean he would be careless. To ensure absolute stability, he had to take the Soul Core. He could trust himself not to be malicious, but he couldn't guarantee others wouldn't have second thoughts. When immortality was on the line, he wouldn't leave his safety to chance.
"Thank you, Venerable Bee!" Meng Tianqi bowed. Surprisingly, bowing to a junior didn't seem to affect his Dao-heart at all; his will was as solid as a mountain.
Following his lead, the other seventeen leaders offered their Soul Cores without hesitation. Qi Ping swept his gaze over them and collected them all. At this moment, the lives of the eighteen supreme leaders of the Star-Sea Continent were officially in his hands.
However, Qi Ping's sharp senses noted a few differences. Most, like Meng Tianqi, were truly pure in their resolve. A few, however, had a faint, lingering trace of internal struggle. It was almost imperceptible, only appearing for a split second when they surrendered their cores. If Qi Ping hadn't been the master of the domain with array assistance, he wouldn't have caught it.
This struggle was understandable. No one likes giving up their life to another. As long as they made a foolproof Heavenly Dao Oath and their cores were in his hand, they were safe to use. He just needed them to perform their duties.
But he made a mental note of those who wavered. While they were useful, core benefits and sensitive tasks would be reserved for those like Meng Tianqi.
Reviewing Lin Yue's investigation into their lives, he found that those with no hesitation were those whose past actions aligned with their current choice. A cultivator's choices and history revealed their Dao-heart. Unless they were like Ling Qianjue, who faked his entire history, high-level cultivators were easy to read. Their style became more defined as they grew stronger; they couldn't act against their own nature without risking a cultivation backlash. This was why these leaders were willing to trust Qi Ping—his reputation and his status as an Earth Immortal were his guarantees.
"Since you are all so sincere, I shall swear the Heavenly Dao Oath as agreed."
Having taken their cores, Qi Ping dropped his hostility and swore the oath. As the resonance of the Heavenly Dao echoed, the eighteen leaders sighed in relief. For a cultivator with a future as bright as Qi Ping's, the oath made the cooperation official.
Qi Ping waved his hand, and the scenery changed. Exquisite chairs rose from the earth. He gestured for them to sit and talk.
"Friends, tell me the current situation in detail."
Meng Tianqi began. "The core issue is twofold. First, the control of the Profound Heaven Grand Array. Recently, more people have been swayed by the Heavenly Dragon cultivators to hand over their control. If they gain enough hubs, we will lose control entirely. While the array won't attack those inside, it will let external threats enter the continent unopposed."
"Second, the external threats themselves. If the demons and the Forest Sea Demon Realm invade simultaneously, our chances of winning are slim. If we don't handle this properly, the entire continent will be destroyed. Finally, there's the issue of the internal cultivators. Many are biased toward the Heavenly Dragon Continent, but many are neutral. These are the foundation of our world. Should we move them to the Qingtian Domain? We must preserve our strength."
"Ultimately, the question is: how do we win this war?"
Qi Ping didn't answer immediately. "How long do you estimate until the Heavenly Dragon reinforcements arrive? How much time do we have to prepare?"
"The time is uncertain, but based on communications, it could be as short as three to five years or as long as ten. It takes time for those races to mobilize, and the cost of long-distance spatial transport is immense."
"I see. To repel external enemies, we must first remove the internal instability. This way, we can face the outside as one. When you go back, identify those whose hearts are with the Heavenly Dragon Continent. We will wipe them out in one go."
Qi Ping's voice was calm, but as the words fell, an aura of blood and slaughter filled the air. The leaders were silent.
The Heavenly Dragon's ideological influence was widespread. Killing all those cultivators would be difficult, and if it sparked a civil war, the continent's combat power would be halved.
"Venerable Bee, those cultivators outnumber us at least two to one in strength and numbers. Even if we strike first, a civil war might destroy the continent before the enemy arrives. And some are just misled; could we bring them to our side? The strength of the grand array depends on the spirit of the living beings on the continent. If we lose too many, the array's power will weaken," Meng Tianqi pointed out.
Qi Ping remained firm. "With an enemy at the gates, we don't have time to change minds. Those who have already turned their backs are more trouble than they're worth. I have a way to return their essence to the world after they die, so it won't harm the continent's foundation."
"As for the enemy's numbers, I will set up enough spatial teleportation arrays at key locations. With that mobility, wiping out rebels and traitors will be swift."
"And..." Qi Ping smiled thinly. "Who told you my combat power outside the Qingtian Domain is low? Do you really think I can't kill Void Refinement cultivators out there?"
Everyone froze, looking at Qi Ping in shock. Cold sweat began to bead on their brows.
Qi Ping explained slowly, "My Soul Transformation swarm has been successfully bred. They are the peak of their stage, and with the help of battle formations, they can kill anyone below Void Refinement. They can even stall those at the Void Refinement stage."
"Furthermore, I have prepared some array foundations capable of killing Void Refinement cultivators. Though limited in number, they are enough to take down several experts."
He spoke calmly, but the listeners felt a chill down their spines. Arrays that could kill Void Refinement cultivators combined with a Soul Transformation swarm? That was a winning hand. If Qi Ping used these hidden cards, who could survive?
Given his wealth, the size of his swarm was likely terrifying. And with spatial teleportation, no one could even run. Meng Tianqi and the others were profoundly grateful they had chosen to stand with him.