Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1618 - 855: Mission_2

Li Yuanba was left with no choice but to rely on his contingency plan. The mirror served as a display terminal, linked to an internal drone satellite network that utilized advanced Artifact Refining techniques.

After a century of diligent experimentation, Li Shiming had achieved remarkable breakthroughs by merging the scientific principles of his previous existence with the profound art of Cultivation.

Equipped with superior materials and refined Artifact Refining skills, he was now capable of replicating various functions of past technology through these unique artifacts.

The mirror held by Li Yuanba served as a prime example; it was a calibrated and upgraded iteration of his earlier 'Thousand-Mile Mutual View' device. Instead of maintaining its original communication capabilities, he had repurposed it specifically as a monitoring interface.

A newer generation of drone satellites would likely render the current setup obsolete before long, provided Li Shiming could allocate the time required to manufacture a fresh batch.

Although the design phase was complete, Li Shiming had prioritized his own Cultivation. Furthermore, with his laboratory space constantly occupied by Alchemy and Artifact Refining tasks, crafting these advanced satellites remained a distant goal.

The latest generation of chips, modeled after the IBMz15, boasted a precision of 0.05 nanometers, allowing for computational speeds that vastly outclassed the technology of his past life.

Had the IBMz15 not already become Li Shiming’s life-bound magical artifact—existing purely as an energy-based entity free from the physical constraints of temperature and precision—these 0.05-nanometer chips could have easily superseded the 190 main chips housed within the IBMz15.

Via the drone satellite array, Li Yuanba kept the Great Cultivator resource zone under constant surveillance.

The feed indicated that at least nine Great Cultivators had already gathered at the location, though, thankfully, no Peak Great Cultivators had yet appeared.

Naturally, the true headcount was likely higher, as the drone satellites could not peer through the protective Formation shielding the resource site.

With only a few days remaining, there was no telling how many additional Great Cultivators might arrive to stake their claim.

When cross-referencing his data with the intelligence reports from the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion, the figures differed by a mere one or two souls, an impressive testament to the pavilion's information-gathering prowess.

Li Yuanba pocketed the mirror, and several hours later, he drew near the vicinity of the resource point.

Rather than approaching the site directly, he sought out a quiet, concealed location to ingest a High-level Spirit Pill, allowing it to replenish the Spiritual Power Pattern within his Meridians.

Once his reserves were fully restored, he initiated a Sword Escape, streaking toward the resource point.

"Another individual is approaching; looks like a Sword Cultivator, though I wonder who it could be?" a Great Cultivator asked, his voice threaded with anxiety as he tracked the incoming arc of light.

"It is not Jian Tianyi. This Sword Cultivator’s aura feels thin, surely he holds little power!" another Great Cultivator replied, a dismissive smile playing on his lips.

However, as Li Yuanba exited his Sword Escape state, the faces of those who recognized him paled, and a collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

During their time in the Hell Cave Heaven, Li Yuanba had left a lasting impression, demonstrating his formidable strength to many of those present.

At that time, he had been merely at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, but now, he had ascended to the rank of a Great Cultivator.

"Mr. Li, what a surprise. Congratulations on your breakthrough to the Great Cultivator realm. Why was such a momentous event kept so quiet?" one Great Cultivator asked, offering a respectful, slight bow.

"Greetings, Mr. Sun, it has been quite some time. And a warm hello to the rest of you as well!" Li Yuanba returned the gesture with a calm smile.

He chose to ignore the cold stares of those who were clearly displeased by his presence, maintaining a friendly demeanor toward everyone.

Each person hadir had come intending to seize the resources. Once the Formation protecting the grounds was shattered and the gates were opened, they would instantly transform from peers into combatants.

Even Mr. Sun, for all his polite veneer, would not hesitate to strike Li Yuanba down if the situation demanded it.

Interestingly, Li Yuanba noted that most of the cultivators present hailed from various superpowers, with two representing major Sects.

"Mr. Sun, how is it that we see no Great Cultivators arriving from beyond the continent?" Li Yuanba inquired, taking a seat a short distance from him.

Great Cultivator Sun, a member of the Guiyuan Sect, had shared a decent rapport with Li Yuanba back in the Hell Cave Heaven.

"The maturity cycles of the Great Cultivator resource points on the Central State Continent are not widely known abroad, but I expect that by the next cycle, we shall see arrivals from other lands!" Great Cultivator Sun replied with a chuckle.

Li Yuanba shook his head internally, calculating that even if these resources were harvested in staggered batches, the site would need another century to reach maturity again.

He doubted that such chaotic, unorganized looting would continue for over a hundred years.

Once his true body had stockpiled enough resources, the scale of his Alchemy efforts would inevitably wind down.

In reality, Li Shiming was leveraging the entire Cultivation World’s bounty to feed the growth of his true body and clone.

On the surface, the various powers and Great Cultivators felt they were making significant gains, but the lion’s share of the benefit was flowing directly to Li Shiming.

For every furnace of Great Cultivator Spirit Pills, the alchemist was entitled to two, and by utilizing the 'Hundred One-point Pill Technique', Li Shiming could effectively secure four High-level Spirit Pills.

With such a steady influx, he could afford to dedicate his time to perfection, refining the surplus to create even higher-grade Pills for his own use.

It was not that the Cultivation World remained blind to Li Shiming’s schemes; while they lacked evidence of his double-payouts, even the standard rewards and the single Pill kept by an Alchemy Master were enough to cause envy. However, given Li Shiming's terrifying reputation, no faction dared to voice their objections.

His track record was written in blood, finalized by the demise of two Peak Great Cultivators who had underestimated him.

Li Yuanba turned his gaze toward the Infinite Sect’s resource point, where the defensive Formation had long since been pushed to its absolute limits.

Using his 'Divine Foot Skill', he analyzed the lines of the Spiritual Power Pattern, transmitting the data to Li Shiming. With the IBMz15 processing the information, he extracted the Formation’s intricate details.

In moments, a structural map formed within his mind, highlighting critical weaknesses and potential breach vectors.

By targeting a single flaw, he could utilize Space Movement to bypass the gates entirely.

The Infinite Sect, being a relatively new superpower, lacked the ancient heritage required for truly impenetrable defenses.

This Formation was, to his eyes, rife with imperfections, making an infiltration trivial.

Compared to the defenses he had observed elsewhere, this site was remarkably underdeveloped.

In part, this was due to his own promotion to the Great Cultivator realm, which had significantly enhanced the IBMz15’s throughput, allowing him to decipher such complexities with ease.

Li Yuanba ceased his analysis and closed his eyes to meditate.

Great Cultivator Sun cast a wary glance at him before quietly shifting his position further away.

One could hardly blame him; the Sword Intent radiating from Li Yuanba was stifling, setting off instinctive alarm bells.

If he stayed too close, he feared he might exhaust himself purely by maintaining his mental stability before the conflict even began.

Although Li Yuanba had stabilized his cultivation, his grasp over his current strength was not yet absolute.

The 'Chaos Sword Intent' bleeding from him was now far more potent, exacerbated by his recent promotion and the lingering 'Sword Intent Rule Imprint,' which complicated his control.

He needed time to harmonize with both his Sword Intent and his refined sword body, as they continuously exuded this sharp, chaotic aura.

Such outbursts were involuntary and would fade as he further mastered his realm.

While truly ancient Great Cultivators could mask their presence with ease, Li Yuanba was like a newly forged, unsheathed blade, radiating a lethal edge that could not yet be contained.

Only through time and tempering would this intensity settle, ultimately making his presence even more dangerous.

Though the other Great Cultivators kept their distance, the faint, lingering pressure of the 'Chaos Sword Intent' continued to affect them, quenching any desire they might have had for idle chatter.

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