Chapter 457: Spiritual Vein Treasure Land, Reactions from All Sides, and the First Saint Master's Re

Chapter 457: Spiritual Vein Treasure Land, Reactions from All Sides, and the First Saint Master's Resolve

January 14, 2025

Lu Qing couldn't help but be amazed at the sight before him.

In the spacious cave, a bright light illuminated the area, and countless tiny jade stones adorned the surrounding walls, creating a starry sky-like scene that was incredibly majestic.

The spiritual aura within the cave was incredibly dense, even more so than the Jade Transformation Cave in the Ten Thousand Mountains.

"So, this is a spiritual vein? No wonder Li Changbo was able to enter the Golden Core Realm in such a short time with just a single Essence Fire Pearl. With such a treasure land, it's no wonder his cultivation progressed so rapidly."

Lu Qing couldn't help but exclaim in awe.

At the same time, he couldn't help but feel pity for Li Changbo's foolishness.

With such a precious spiritual vein, he should have focused on accumulating strength and improving his abilities instead of going to Frostwater City to flaunt his power, only to encounter Lu Qing.

It seemed that his resentment was too deep, and as soon as he obtained great power, he couldn't contain his desire for revenge.

Lu Qing wondered what kind of humiliation Frostwater Palace had inflicted upon him that made him so impatient for retribution.

Of course, this was a fortunate turn of events for Lu Qing.

If Li Changbo hadn't lost his temper, Lu Qing might never have discovered this spiritual vein.

"Such a dense spiritual aura..."

Xiao Li was also completely stunned at this moment.

Having visited the Jade Transformation Cave with Lu Qing many times, she knew how rich the spiritual energy was in that mystical land.

But compared to this place, the spiritual energy in the Jade Transformation Cave seemed ordinary.

At this time, Wu Xing had also completely crawled out of Xiao Yan's hood, excitedly exploring the cave.

The spiritual aura here was even denser than the secret realm where it was born.

After a while, Lu Qing's emotions calmed down a bit, and he began to focus on the tiny jade stones on the surrounding cave walls.

At first glance, he thought they were all spirit stones.

However, when he took one of the jade stones and examined it closely, he realized his mistake.

These jade stones could indeed be called "spirit stones," but most of them were not fully mature yet.

The concentration of spiritual aura within them was slightly stronger than that of the cave, but it had not yet reached the quality of the lowest-grade spirit stones.

After discovering this, Lu Qing's mood finally settled down completely.

He smiled, realizing that his expectations had been a bit too optimistic.

How could it be possible for such a large cave to be filled entirely with spirit stones?

If spirit stones were that easy to cultivate, they wouldn't have been treated as precious treasures and strategic resources in ancient cultivation times.

Of course, although most of the jade stones in the cave had not yet fully matured into spirit stones, the value of this cave was still immeasurable.

Not to mention the dense spiritual aura in the cave, which was enough to drive even Golden Core Realm cultivators crazy.

"Ah Qing, Ah Qing, are we going to cultivate here next?"

At this moment, Xiao Li jumped onto Lu Qing's shoulder, her eyes sparkling as she asked.

"Yes, with such a precious land, we must seize the opportunity to cultivate in seclusion," Lu Qing nodded.

"That's great!"

Xiao Li cheered.

Although she was usually a bit lazy when it came to cultivation, the dense spiritual aura here made her eager to practice diligently.

"However, during your cultivation, you must also help me by selecting and excavating the spirit stones in this cave."

Both Xiao Li and Wu Xing were extraordinary spiritual beasts with highly sensitive abilities.

Xiao Li, in particular, according to the legends of the ancient cultivation era, was renowned as a treasure-hunting master in the dark nights.

Her sensitivity to treasures far surpassed that of human cultivators.

Moreover, Xiao Li and Wu Xing's physical strength made excavating spirit stones a relatively easy task.

"Don't worry, leave it to me!" Xiao Li readily agreed.

She knew that Lu Qing needed spirit stones, and she had overheard him lamenting about the lack of spirit stones not long ago.

"Good, then let's enter seclusion here for a while."

Lu Qing smiled, feeling the dense spiritual aura in the cave, and his heart warmed.

He could sense that his chances of successfully completing the first transformation of the Golden Core were now within reach.

Thus, Lu Qing decided to stop his travels and stay in this spiritual vein land.

After all, his Qiankun Qi Bag was always filled with ample supplies, eliminating the need to venture out for provisions.

Furthermore, even the weakest among them, Xiao Yan, had already reached the initial stages of the Primordial Realm.

Once they entered a state of cultivation, nourished by spiritual power, they could go without food or water for extended periods without any issues.

As Lu Qing and his companions secluded themselves in the spiritual vein, the news from Frostwater City slowly spread over several days, gradually reaching the various powers across the land.

In Dongzhou, at the Green Sheep Temple, several elderly Daoists sat beneath a massive ancient pine tree on a cliff, discussing something.

"You all know what happened in Frostwater City, right?" said one of the old Daoists, his hair and beard completely white.

"Yes, we know. Who would have thought that the unknown Sect Master of Eternal Hatred Sect could cultivate so quickly and reach the Golden Core Realm? He must have had some unimaginable opportunity and adventure," replied another old Daoist.

"Of course, there must have been a fortuitous encounter. Without the foundation of our Secret Land, how could someone cultivate so rapidly without a fortuitous encounter?"

"But that's not the most important thing. What's shocking is that the young man actually appeared in Frostwater City."

"Yes, according to the news from our disciples, if it weren't for his appearance in Frostwater City, Coldwater Palace would have been in grave danger this time."

"Indeed. It's surprising that the old Palace Master of Coldwater Palace failed to overcome the tribulation. No wonder they've been so low-key these past two years."

"The old Palace Master's failure is one thing, but the most crucial issue is the changes that occurred in Coldwater Palace decades ago. It depleted their foundation too much. Almost all the older generation cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Realm have passed away, leaving Coldwater Palace without a single powerful cultivator to hold their ground. That's why they were almost pushed to the brink by the newly advanced Golden Core cultivator."

"But that Golden Core cultivator is truly worthy of his reputation. Even a cultivator at the Golden Core Realm was powerless before him. It's hard to imagine how he cultivated to such a level."

"The disappearance of the two mysterious powerful cultivators and Hanging Mountain, although attributed to him, still lacked solid evidence, leaving room for doubt. But this time, in front of tens of thousands of Frostwater City citizens, everyone witnessed it with their own eyes. It's undeniable that he is truly formidable."

"Since the changes in heaven and earth, he is the first to overcome the tribulation. Such a peerless genius must be the chosen one of this era. At least, in the early stages of this Immortal Cultivation Era, he will be the one to lead the way."

"Indeed, Qingxu, remember to instruct your disciples not to enter the Ten Thousand Great Mountains at will," said the first Daoist.

"Yes, Master," Qingxu replied.

The group of old Daoists immediately set a rule, forbidding their disciples from entering the Ten Thousand Great Mountains without permission.

There was no choice; that person was simply too intimidating.

Although he hadn't denied the disappearance of Hanging Mountain, he had even sent word through the Sage of Heavenly Secrets to other Secret Lands, claiming he had no ill intentions.

However, everyone remained skeptical about the matter.

After all, it was hard to believe that a Secret Land, along with its Mystic Realm, could completely vanish.

They couldn't fathom the level of cultivation and abilities required to accomplish such a feat.

Moreover, the one responsible for all this was a youth who had only broken through to the Primordial Realm two years ago.

The sheer incredulity of it all left everyone with a lingering sense of disbelief.

But this time, Lu Qing, in front of all the citizens of Frostwater City and many Primordial Realm and Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, effortlessly suppressed and killed a genuine Golden Core Realm cultivator.

This forced them to acknowledge that Lu Qing had truly grown beyond their reach.

For a considerable time to come, the entire world would likely have to look up to him.

Since it was already a fact, the best approach was to learn how to coexist peacefully with him.

...

In Central State, at the Holy Mountain, the three Sage Sovereigns sat facing each other.

The first Sage Sovereign's aura was as steady as a mountain and as vast as the earth, indicating that after a period of recovery, not only had his injuries healed, but his cultivation had also stabilized and progressed further.

The second and third Sage Sovereigns, sitting opposite him, also exuded powerful auras.

Their bodies emanated a sense of perfect harmony, and from time to time, magical power would surface.

They had evidently entered the Golden Core Realm.

"You've all received news from your subordinates about what happened in Frostwater City, right?" the first Sage Sovereign asked after a moment of silence.

"Big Brother, are you referring to the young man who killed a newly advanced Golden Core cultivator in Frostwater City?" asked the third Sage Sovereign, sounding puzzled. "What's so surprising about that? He even managed to slay those two powerful Celestial Strangers the other day. Killing a cultivator who has just broken through to the initial stage of the Golden Core Realm is nothing unusual."

"Indeed, we all felt the strength of those two Celestial Strangers. Even if we three brothers joined forces now, we might not be a match for that White-Robed Youth. The fact that the youth was able to slay them shows that his methods and abilities have reached an unimaginable level. Killing a newly advanced Golden Core cultivator is too easy for him."

The second Sage Sovereign nodded in agreement.

Unlike the Green Sheep Temple, which had been skeptical, the Holy Mountain had long confirmed that the young man had indeed killed those two incredibly powerful Celestial Strangers.

After all, Lin Zhirui had personally witnessed Lu Qing slaying those two Celestial Strangers.

The Sage of Heavenly Secrets was under the command of the Holy Mountain's leader, so naturally, they would report this matter.

Therefore, the second and third Sage Sovereigns didn't quite understand why their eldest brother specifically brought up this matter.

In their opinion, it would be strange if that person couldn't slay a Golden Core Realm cultivator.

"What I want to say isn't about the slaying of the Golden Core Realm cultivator," the first Sage Sovereign spoke.

"What I want to bring to your attention is the slain Golden Core Realm cultivator.

Before the Essence Qi Revival, this person was just an ordinary Primordial Realm cultivator with average performance and nothing remarkable.

But after the Essence Qi Revival, in just two to three years, their cultivation progress has already caught up with us, achieving the Golden Core Realm.

This is truly extraordinary."

"They must have encountered some powerful opportunity. The intelligence we received mentioned that a strand of Primordial Energy fell into the Eternal Hatred Sect's mountain, likely obtained by Li Changbo.

It seems that the Sect Master of the Eternal Hatred Sect is also someone with extraordinary fortune."

The second Sage Sovereign speculated.

"What I want to say is this," the first Sage Sovereign continued, "After the Essence Qi Revival, the fortunes of the world have become complex.

Many originally ordinary individuals may suddenly experience a surge in fortune and encounter countless opportunities.

Within a short time, they grasp immense power and become formidable.

But with this, the world's situation will undoubtedly change.

These newly emerged powerful cultivators, whether for cultivation resources or status,

will undoubtedly fight for their interests.

You know the capabilities of powerful cultivators; countless civilians will likely suffer when the time comes."

Upon hearing this, the second and third Sage Sovereigns fell silent.

They knew their eldest brother was right.

Once cultivators become powerful, their desires grow stronger.

Whether it's for resources or fame, they will no longer be content with staying low-key.

This will inevitably lead to a new round of power shifts.

And when these conflicts erupt, the first to suffer will likely be ordinary people.

After all, once cultivators reach a certain level, their abilities can easily cause widespread destruction.

Ordinary people, even if only caught in the aftermath, may lose their lives.

"Big brother, didn't we already discuss this before the changes in the world?

This is the trend of the world; we can only observe and are unable to resist it."

The third Sage Sovereign couldn't help but speak.

"I naturally understand that this is the trend, and it's not something we can control.

However, although we cannot change the overall trend, we can make the process of this evolution less intense.

Second brother, third brother, do you remember the grand vow we made back then?"

The second and third Sage Sovereigns trembled, recalling the events of over a thousand years ago.

At that time, the three brothers, pursued by their enemies, were severely injured and had no choice but to retreat into the Holy Mountain.

To gain the recognition of the Holy Mountain's soul, they made a grand vow to protect the talented and the common people, and maintain the stability of the world as their responsibility.

In the end, they not only escaped death but also recovered from their injuries and counter-attacked their pursuing enemies.

They even obtained numerous inheritances, embarked on the path of cultivation, and became the revered masters of the Holy Mountain.

"Big brother, we will never forget the grand vow we made," the third Sage Sovereign said solemnly.

The second Sage Sovereign, standing beside him, remained silent but had a grave expression.

"All this time, the soul of the Holy Mountain has never forced us to do anything," the first Sage Sovereign said, "But you should understand that if we want to break free from this cage and seek freedom,

we must not go against our hearts and the grand vow we made.

Otherwise, with our thoughts unfulfilled, our cultivation progress will be arduous,

and we may never break free from this cage in this lifetime."

The second and third Sage Sovereigns fell silent again.

After a while, the third Sage Sovereign asked, "Big brother, what do you want us to do?"

"It's simple. Now that chaos has emerged in the world, I want to issue a ban once again in the name of the Holy Mountain.

Powerful cultivators are forbidden from engaging in battles or displaying their powers in human-inhabited cities."

The first Sage Sovereign spoke with a deep voice.

The second and third Sage Sovereigns were shaken.

"Big brother, this is probably impossible now," the second Sage Sovereign couldn't help but say, "The world today is different from a thousand years ago. With just the three of us, it's difficult to achieve what we did back then."

The third Sage Sovereign also nodded in agreement.

He was confident, but he knew that with the changes in the world, relying solely on the three of them, it would be challenging to restrain the restless forces and ambitious individuals.

"With just the three of us, it's indeed difficult," the first Sage Sovereign said, "But there is someone who can."

(End of Chapter)

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