“A demon, by its very nature, is intelligent. However, the level of intelligence relies heavily on luck,” Qiong Sea King continued. “In terms of sheer numbers, the South Ocean far outstrips the Middle Land by tenfold, perhaps even a hundredfold. But the number of intelligent beings is far fewer.”
“Take my demon nation for example. The number of greater demons is in the tens of thousands, yet most of them have terribly low intelligence. The task of teaching them the concept of their body’s limits, the meridian circulation system, and sensing the world to achieve Unity…is way too difficult!” Qiong Sea King lamented.
“Among humans, for every few dozen Grandmasters, a Heavenly Ranker is born,” Qiong Sea King mused, his voice carrying a touch of longing. “With the guidance of a senior Heavenly Ranker, the chances of more Heavenly Rankers arising increases. But for the oceanic demonic beasts? Among tens of thousands of greater demons, it is a rarity for a single Archdemon to emerge. Humans, blessed with their intelligence and the accumulation of knowledge across generations, have a terrifyingly high probability of producing powerhouses.”
Wu Yuan and Fang Xia nodded subtly. Humans, while relatively weaker from a physical standpoint, had a huge advantage in intellect. On the other hand, the beast population was large, but they lacked intelligence and civilization heritage. The odds of a powerhouse emerging from their ranks remained dismally low.
However, when an Archdemon did emerge, their immortal root was typically very strong. Qiong Sea King himself established a sixth-degree immortal root.
“Qiong Sea King, your next task is to return to the South Ocean, look for treasures, and cultivate. But I have an additional task for you: seek out natural treasures.”
“Natural treasures?” Qiong Sea King’s brow furrowed in confusion.
Fang Xia chimed in from the side. ‘Haha, Qiong Sea King, rally the demonic beasts and other Archdemons under your command to search for natural treasures. We need a substantial amount of natural treasures, particularly etherstone ores. In return, I will personally fashion a complete set of spirit battle armor for you.”
“Spirit battle armor?” Qiong Sea King’s eyes widened with excitement.
Most spirit battle armors found in immortal relics catered only to human qi refiners. There were scarcely any designed for Archdemons. This was primarily due to the fact that demonic beasts came in numerous shapes and sizes. For a behemoth like Qiong Sea King, ordinary spirit battle armor would not fit him. He required a customized, ultra-large set of battle armor.
Throughout the Middle Land, there wasn’t a single qi refiner capable of such a feat, not even for the lowest ninth-grade spirit equipment. Thus over the years, Qiong Sea King fought all his battles without any equipment. Even so, he still managed to earn the title of King of the South Ocean!
Fang Xia handed Qiong Sea King a detailed list of treasures.
“Fear not, leave it to me. The South Ocean may lack many things, but natural treasures are not among them,” Qiong Sea King chuckled, carefully stowing the list away within his storage artifact.
For someone like him, who was just one step away from the Spiritual Body phase, accumulating more natural treasures served no purpose. They would only sit around collecting dust. However, if they could be exchanged for a set of spirit battle armor? His combat prowess would soar to unimaginable heights!
“Qiong Sea King,” Wu Yuan asked quietly, “in the entirety of the Middle Land, who do you believe to be the strongest qi refiner?”
“Master, without a doubt, it’s Jin Quan,” Qiong Sea King declared without hesitation. “From my knowledge, he possesses the most powerful artifacts in the world, and is the only qi refiner with a sixth-degree immortal root.”
“Sixth-degree immortal root?” Wu Yuan and Fang Xia exchanged a glance. Achieving such a feat in the Middle Land was truly remarkable.
“I have exchanged blows with Wan Xing, Deity Huang, Emperor Dong Pan, and Arctic King. In aquatic battles, none of them are my opponent.” Qiong Sea King puffed his chest out with pride, “However, when Jin Quan challenged me to a duel in the South Ocean some time back, I only had a slight advantage.
Wu Yuan and Fang Xia both grew serious. Jin Quan was not going to be easy to deal with.
When Great Jin deployed the Septet Ignis Array during the battle at Cloudhill, it had greatly shocked them. And after studying the array flags, Fang Xia concluded that if seven late-stage Qi Sea cultivators controlled the array, they would be able to go toe-to-toe with a Golden Core Superior.
…
Soon, Qiong Sea King rode the clouds and departed from Cloudhill. The unease that once burdened his heart had transformed into confidence.
Observing the jiaolong’s departure, Fang Xia couldn’t help but remark, “Young Master, your methods are indeed effective. You actually managed to subdue Qiong Sea King. Under normal circumstances, only a Golden Core Superior would be able to tame such a demonic beast.”
Strength was required to subdue demons.
Even with the terrifying vitality of a qi refiner and the advantage of the Cloudhill arrays, Fang Xia was not confident that he could capture the jiaolong.
“That’s why I only made Qiong Sea King submit for a period of 50 years.” Wu Yuan replied with a smile.
This duration aligned with Wu Yuan’s plan and Fang Xia’s term as his bodyguard.
If I fail to reach the Spiritual Body phase within 50 years, I will have disappointed the realm master. Wu Yuan thought to himself.
For most body refiners, the notion of reaching the Spiritual Body phase in half a century was nothing short of a preposterous dream. However, Wu Yuan was determined to prove himself.
“Do we direct our efforts towards subduing other Archdemons or qi refiners, Young Master?” Fang Xia inquired.
“No need,” Wu Yuan replied, shaking his head. “Whether one is a qi refiner or body refiner, one can only have two contractual servants until they reach the Amethyst Cradle or Shambhala phase. For now, Qiong Sea King will suffice.”
The term contractual servant didn’t only refer to spirit beasts, it included humans as well. Though Fang Xia was serving Wu Yuan, he was bound by the realm master’s Blood Gu contract.
As for Wu Yuan himself, once he became a full-fledged eldritch warrior, the Teng Snake would occupy one of his spirit beast slots. Consequently, only one slot remained for another spirit beast. Qiong Sea King, the strongest Archdemon in the Middle Land, was thus the obvious choice.
“In the future, with you, me, Bu Yu and the others, and Qiong Sea King’s numerous demons from the South Ocean, we will be better positioned to eradicate the three holy sanctuaries of Great Jin in a single decisive blow.” Wu Yuan smiled at Fang Xia. “If you or Qiong Sea King achieve a breakthrough, the annihilation of the three holy sanctuaries of Great Jin will become a simple task.”
“Mm,” Fang Xia chuckled. “Young Master is right. We need not rush, time is on our side.”
…
After the Middle Land Conference concluded, tranquility settled over the land. The once tumultuous clashes between warring factions had ceased, replaced by a delicate peace between the Cloudstride Sect and the Great Jin Empire.
Yet, everyone knew that this break from conflict was temporary, as the highest echelons of Heavenly Rankers and common soldiers alike knew that another war would inevitably ignite in the near future. For now, however, there was peace.
In Cloudhill City, the heart of the Jiang Continent, a grand transformation began. Guided by Fang Xia’s vision, the Cloudstride Sect embarked on an unprecedented sect reform, taking steps to evolve into an immortal sect. It was an ambitious endeavor that reshaped Cloudhill itself.
Majestic mountains sprouted around Cloudhill, forming a breathtaking landscape akin to a true immortal sect. Whether moving mountains or redirecting rivers, it was all doable with Fang Xia’s arcane arts.
Meanwhile, Wu Yuan remained untouched by the events of the world. Other than spending time with his family occasionally and contacting Qiong Sea King in the distant South Ocean, the rest of his days were dedicated to cultivation.
In the blink of an eye, it was the year 3228 of the Eastern Martial calendar. April brought the early blossoms of spring, painting the world with vibrant colors.
The Archeldritch Mountain was a mountain several hundred zhangs tall, crafted by Fang Xia specially for Wu Yuan. It was considerably smaller in stature compared to Cloudhill to the west. Numerous pavilions were constructed, dotting the mountain’s peak.
As Fang Xia put it, “In the Greenridge Macrocosm, it’s common for headquarters of large immortal sects to span millions of li. This is nothing.”
Meanwhile, Wu Yuan named the mountain Archeldritch Mountain, a reflection of his desire to become an Archeldritch in the future.
About a hundred meters below the peak, a large meditation chamber was meticulously carved out. Standing outside the chamber, one had an unobstructed view of Cloudhill City. However, the peak was typically covered in a misty shroud, activated by nothing more than a thought from Wu Yuan.
My body has finally developed to maturity, two months later than expected. Wu Yuan stood in the meditation chamber, which was constructed entirely out of jade stone, and thick with spiritual qi.
A small spirit-gathering array had been set up, linking the peak to a spirit vein deep within the earth. This setup gathered copious amounts of qi, ensuring continuous production of spiritual liquid. All of these resources were intended to aid Wu Yuan in his cultivation.
The sheer quantity of etherstone and jade stone used to construct this meditation chamber cost an astronomical figure, far beyond the means of ordinary factions. These stones had been acquired through the efforts of Qiong Sea King, who had spent over two days procuring them from the South Ocean and delivering them here. This was a benefit of loyal subordinates. Wu Yuan could simply focus on his cultivation, leaving the logistics to others.
Today marks the completion of my Strength Training. Wu Yuan stripped off his clothing, standing on the pristine white etherstone with bare feet. A glimmer of anticipation danced in his eyes.
My single-arm punch strength now exceeds a million catties. Now, it is time to begin Viscera Cultivation!