Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1512 - 802: Intelligence (Part 2)

Due to Li Shiming's absence spanning several decades, the worth of this exceptional Fourth Grade Spirit Tea across the Central State Continent skyrocketed to unimaginable peaks, its scarcity rendering it more invaluable with each passing moment.

Even more vital, this Fourth Grade Spirit Tea aids the cultivation progress of Great Cultivators, essentially serving as a vital asset for them.

Years back, when Liu Ziyun heard about Li Shiming's betrayal from the Central State Commerce headquarters, he angrily condemned their narrow-minded decisions.

Beyond Li Shiming's prowess in alchemy, his expertise in preparing Spirit Tea alone warrants the interest of any major faction.

Yet, for the pursuit of gains between mighty forces, they betrayed a talent like Li Shiming, who could produce resources essential for Great Cultivators—a grave mistake indeed.

"It’s been a long time since I last tasted this Spirit Tea!" Liu Ziyun lifted the jade box's lid, sniffed the Fourth Grade Spirit Tea inside, and shared his joy with evident pleasure.

He promptly sealed the jade box again, worried that extended exposure could diminish the Fourth Grade Spirit Tea's excellence.

"Huh, does this Spirit Tea's quality appear enhanced?" All at once, his eyes expanded as he questioned with some doubt.

As the overseer of the Dongqi Continent Commerce, Liu Ziyun possessed keen awareness toward the caliber of diverse Spiritual Objects.

Thanks to his close ties with Li Shiming, he had acquired plenty of Fourth Grade Spirit Tea personally brewed by Li Shiming. Thus, merely from that single sniff, he detected an unusual shift.

"This batch was crafted after my breakthrough into the Great Cultivator Realm!" Li Shiming clarified, smiling.

"I figured the earlier Spirit Tea had reached its utmost limit, yet I never imagined further elevation was possible!" Liu Ziyun sighed while shaking his head.

He stowed the jade box with utmost care, showing zero desire to exchange the Fourth Grade Spirit Tea he held, even amid his keen drive for commerce.

He grasped a key truth: Spirit Tea hand-brewed by Li Shiming now held greater value than ever, and its output would surely remain exceedingly limited.

In the past, Li Shiming operated under the Central State Commerce's directives to brew Spirit Tea, obligating him to fulfill set quotas.

However, at present, aside from his enmity toward the Central State Commerce, even absent that conflict, Li Shiming's status as a Great Cultivator meant no one could compel him to undertake such duties anymore.

From this point forward, only if Li Shiming elected to brew it voluntarily could any Spirit Tea production continue; routine yields were out of the question.

The encounter between these two Great Cultivators stayed hidden from fellow cultivators, and scarcely anyone would suspect that Li Shiming and Liu Ziyun—seemingly rival Great Cultivators—might gather to talk peacefully.

Once back at the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, Li Shiming's initial move involved gathering details on the Yuqing Sect and the White Emperor Sect.

The reports revealed that the Yuqing Sect and White Emperor Sect were joining forces, with the White Emperor Sect taking the lead by sending three Great Cultivators, compared to the Yuqing Sect's single participant at that level.

Among the White Emperor Sect's trio of Great Cultivators, he spotted no mention of Master Wang He or Yan Gao Great Cultivator, both at the pinnacle of their realm; he identified just one familiar name, whose power ranked solidly above the norm for superpower Great Cultivators.

While such might stands out among Great Cultivators from superpowers, it qualifies as elite on the Dongqi Continent.

Resources for Great Cultivators remain desperately scarce on the Dongqi Continent, rendering breakthroughs for all of them virtually unattainable, so the majority of Dongqi Continent Great Cultivators linger at the initial stage of the Great Cultivator Realm.

"Shizhen, do you intend to take some steps?" Right after Li Shiming secured intel on the two superpowers, Grandmaster Hu drew near and inquired.

Following this recovery phase, bolstered by Spirit Pills from Li Shiming, Grandmaster Hu moved without any limp in his left leg, and his presence had grown notably more robust.

Though full peak recovery lay ahead, ascending from grave wounds to this state so swiftly proved extraordinarily challenging.

Grandmaster Hu had revitalized himself, keeping a watchful eye on Li Shiming at all times, and he immediately noticed when Li Shiming delved into data on those two superpowers.

He opposed the idea of Li Shiming venturing solo, deeming it far too risky to face off against Great Cultivators from the Yuqing Sect and White Emperor Sect by himself.

"I hold a minor grudge against the Central State Commerce, and during my ocean journey back to the Dongqi Continent, I eliminated two of their Great Cultivators. Word from them suggests their headquarters will soon pursue me, so I'm considering preemptively dismantling the influence of the Yuqing Sect and White Emperor Sect here on the Dongqi Continent to lessen future threats!" Li Shiming shared openly, hiding nothing.

"The Central State Commerce acts so brazenly to impose their regulations, but amid the vast seas, strength rules all—whoever's fist hits hardest prevails. They've plundered shipments from countless factions before—did rules matter to them then?" True to his protective nature, Grandmaster Hu burst out right away.

Li Shiming gazed at Grandmaster Hu with an amused grin, struck by how charming he seemed in that instant.

"Remain inside the sect's boundaries; the Central State Commerce won't risk meddling in a factional conflict—such involvement would shatter their merchant codes and ruin their trade!" Worried about Li Shiming's hot-headedness, Grandmaster Hu offered more counsel.

"I can handle the issue with the Central State Commerce; after all, I possess real fighting prowess!" Noting Grandmaster Hu's worry, Li Shiming pondered briefly and chose to disclose a portion of his abilities.

With a casual flick of his hand, eleven ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’ emerged, circling protectively around him.

"Could these be ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’?" Grandmaster Hu recognized them at once, yet disbelief filled him.

The ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’ excel in melee fights and shielding; even Great Cultivators struggle to destroy them, and approaching too near spells massive peril.

The sole effective tactic involves casting spells to distance the ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’ while striking at their controller.

Grandmaster Hu recalled his clash with Master Ding against Great Cultivator Zhao Qingfeng, who unleashed twelve ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’ upon them.

"Are these eleven ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’ the very ones Zhao Qingfeng once wielded?" Grandmaster Hu pressed on.

He perceived that these eleven ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’ radiated a fiercer energy than the twelve under Great Cultivator Zhao Qingfeng's prior command, and Zhao Qingfeng's limitations stemmed not from weak power but from poor mastery over them.

Each time Great Cultivator Zhao Qingfeng attempted to direct all twelve ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’, he managed it only briefly and imprecisely, frequently suffering rebound effects.

However, as Li Shiming stood encircled by the eleven compliant ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’, they displayed none of the wild traits from legends.

’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’ demand a cultivator's blood essence for binding, and extended fights or excessive numbers often provoke severe reactions against the owner.

Nevertheless, Li Shiming's eleven ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’ exhibited an unprecedented level of spiritual awareness.

"That time, I came upon the wounded Zhao Qingfeng, struck him down, and claimed his ’Gu Wind Bag’—that's how I acquired the ’Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insects’!" Li Shiming detailed freely.

"I'd long puzzled over the Gu Feng Sect's abrupt downfall; Zhao Qingfeng was badly hurt back then, but far from dying. So it was your doing—you showed real courage!" Grandmaster Hu, despite knowing Li Shiming had emerged unscathed and advanced to Great Cultivator, still shook his head in astonishment.

Back then, the disparity between Li Shiming and Great Cultivator Zhao Qingfeng loomed enormous; even gravely injured, Zhao Qingfeng could have swiftly crushed Li Shiming.

"I’ve fully grasped the relevant rules along the Sword Cultivation and Thunder Cultivation paths!" Li Shiming, resolved to unveil his skills, went on.