Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1398 - 745: Return to the Sect_2

In the days to come, his name would echo throughout the lands, prompting many to avoid crossing paths with a cultivator of his caliber. Such a reputation might even impact the way the Infinite Sect chose to foster his growth.

In truth, Yin Chang of the Central State Commerce and Chang Qing of the Beidou Sect felt the same simmering resentment toward Li Yuanba as Che Lian did, though they kept their fury hidden behind calm expressions.

Li Yuanba ignored Che Lian’s presence, turning his attention instead toward the spot where the grotto heaven had vanished. He could still sense a faint leakage of spatial energy lingering in that void.

“I wonder how much time is needed for this grotto heaven to fully merge with our world. In perhaps three or four centuries, a traversable space should form, allowing cultivators to enter and harvest its resources,” Wu Qi remarked softly, noticing the direction of Li Yuanba’s gaze.

While the collapse of a grotto heaven usually results in the destruction of some internal materials, more than half of its treasures typically survive the process. The spatial fractures within the grotto heaven are primarily lethal to living creatures rather than inanimate objects.

As the grotto heaven slowly integrates with the grand world, it first manifests as a unique, accessible pocket of space—the remnant of the original grotto heaven. Eventually, it transforms into a public zone where cultivators can freely mine for materials.

This represents the initial stage following a collapse. After several centuries or even a millennium, the space will fully dissolve into the grand world, becoming a permanent new territory within the external realm. During this transition, the surrounding landmass shifts imperceptibly to accommodate the new space. This geological movement is so gradual that it is nearly impossible to detect over thousands of years.

Many of the cultivation world’s most famous sites for producing rare spiritual objects actually originated from the integration of collapsed grotto heavens into the grand world.

“We shall part ways here!” Wu Qi said, offering a respectful salute to the representatives of the other superpowers.

“Farewell!”

The familiar cultivators exchanged their goodbyes. None wished to linger, particularly those who had secured treasures and were anxious to return to the safety of their Sects. Li Yuanba, having secured the greatest bounty, was especially keen to avoid further scrutiny. His gains were so immense that he wished to return immediately to share the spoils with his main body, Li Shiming. The wealth gathered from this expedition was beyond anything he had previously imagined.

Li Yuanba departed alongside the sword cultivators of the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion. After flying some distance, he glanced back. His ‘Telepathy’ picked up a faint trace of prying eyes. Though the observation was masterfully hidden, Li Yuanba’s rising realm and spirit had made his ‘Telepathy’ incredibly sensitive to malicious intent. He understood that greedy cultivators were eyeing his rewards, though he expected such thoughts to fade once he was safely back within the gates of the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion.

The return trip was uneventful. Very few organizations possessed the courage to intercept a large group of sword cultivators from the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion. Even fewer had the strength to endure the Sect's retaliation. Thus, despite their heavy loads of treasure, the group faced no obstacles.

Upon their arrival at the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion, no one came forward to question Li Yuanba about his specific gains. The true extent of his harvest remained a mystery; perhaps only the late Langcai Great Power would have known the full scale of what he had taken. Shortly after his return, Li Yuanba departed the Sect to reunite with his main body, Li Shiming.

Reaching a point on the seabed ten thousand miles away from the Sect, he entered a hidden underwater cave mansion. His form vanished as he was pulled into the Heavenly Person Cave Heaven by Li Shiming. Inside the Treasure Lotus Hall, Li Yuanba found his main body deep in Cultivation, still unawakened. To the side, Great Cultivator Luo Pei stood up. This version of Luo Pei was being operated by a portion of Li Shiming’s consciousness, controlling the Heavenly Ghost.

“You have worked hard, my friend! The rewards this time are truly substantial!” Great Cultivator Luo Pei said with a grin.

“It is a pity there were no spiritual objects specifically suited for boosting our immediate strength,” Li Yuanba replied, shaking his head with a touch of regret.

The haul was indeed massive, but both he and Li Shiming were in dire need of top-tier treasures that could accelerate their Cultivation. If Li Shiming could break through to become a Great Cultivator, the power of his ‘Heavenly Human Technique’ would make him a peak existence in the cultivation world, second only to those with great powers.

“Spiritual objects that can affect the Nascent Soul Middle Stage are exceptionally rare. Even Langcai Great Power, having reached the Mahayana Realm, wouldn't likely keep such items on hand,” Great Cultivator Luo Pei noted with a chuckle.

“Here is everything from the trip. I haven’t had the chance to sort through it all yet,” Li Yuanba said, producing the harvest. He knew their cultivation progress was at a vital juncture.

The Nascent Soul Middle Stage is a precarious level, squeezed between the overwhelming power of Great Cultivators above and the rising challenges of Nascent Soul Early Stage practitioners below. The gap between the Middle Stage and a Great Cultivator is like a chasm between two different worlds; the pressure a Great Cultivator exerts is nearly impossible to resist. Conversely, while a Middle Stage practitioner has superior Spiritual Power compared to the Early Stage, the difference is mostly quantitative. In the cultivation world, it is common for elite Early Stage disciples from superpowers to defeat Middle Stage loose cultivators. However, it is a rare miracle for even the most gifted Middle Stage prodigy to defeat a Great Cultivator.

Li Shiming already possessed the combat strength of a peak Nascent Soul Middle Stage practitioner and even some abilities of a Great Cultivator, but his lower realm remained a liability. If he revealed his ability to kill Great Cultivators while still at the Middle Stage, he would become a target for every power hungry for his secrets, especially since he lacked a backing. Combined with the fact that several superpowers were hunting him, reaching the realm of a Great Cultivator was the only way to settle his troubles permanently.

“The Gravity Gold Brick can be merged into the ‘Ten Thousand Sword Peak.’ IBMz15 has already finalized the upgrade plan. You should stay here for the time being,” Great Cultivator Luo Pei suggested, inspecting the golden brick.

Ever since Li Yuanba had acquired the brick, Li Shiming had been analyzing its data. Using his expertise in artifact refining and formations, he had devised a way to integrate it. While the ‘Ten Thousand Sword Peak’ was currently of little use to Li Shiming, it was a vital tool for Li Yuanba. As a sword cultivator, Li Yuanba’s ‘Invisible Primordial Magnetism’ only reached five meters, but the ‘Ten Thousand Sword Peak’ could amplify that range to kilometers, surpassing even the masters of the White Emperor Sect.

Previously, the peak’s gravity field could only slow enemies down. Now, with the Gravity Gold Brick and a sufficient energy source, it could exert a crushing weight. Most importantly, the brick’s potential was high enough to affect even those with great power. Though not a heavenly artifact, its quality was nearly equal, and its raw power was comparable.

Great Cultivator Luo Pei placed the ‘Ten Thousand Sword Peak’ and the Gravity Gold Brick near the meditating Li Shiming. As Li Shiming’s divine sense washed over them, they were pulled into the machine room space. He would now use his 0.1-nanometer precision control to etch a new formation onto the peak, allowing it to fully harness the terrifying gravity of the golden brick without damaging the original structure.