Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1720 - 906: Return (Part 2)

Great Power Wuda felt an overwhelming certainty that her strike would inevitably ensnare Li Shiming. She was already envisioning the subsequent actions she would take once Li Shiming was in her grasp. While to the other cultivators, it appeared as though she had effortlessly parried Li Shiming’s thunderous assault, only she was privy to the tremendous cost incurred. The spiritual energy within this avatar had been significantly depleted in the effort to counter Li Shiming’s thunderous attack. She had, in fact, misjudged her own capabilities, allowing Li Shiming the crucial opening to strike first. Had she not held back her full force, even if Li Shiming was a formidable cultivator of thunder, her attack would have landed before his could reach her.

A grand total of one hundred lightning strikes, each possessing power nearing that of a Half-step Great Power, demanded the expenditure of approximately ten years of her energy per strike. While this might not seem like a staggering amount individually, the cumulative effect of one hundred “Thunder Fall Skills” necessitated the depletion of a thousand years of her accumulated energy. This formidable reservoir of energy had been meticulously gathered within her Grotto Heaven, and the act of exhausting a millennium’s worth of accumulation sent pangs of heartache through her, causing her to gasp for breath, even though, as a Great Power Avatar, breathing was not a necessity.

Just as the unseen, intangible gust of wind swept towards Li Shiming’s person, his body inexplicably took on an ethereal quality. Great Power Wuda felt her charged energy pass harmlessly through Li Shiming’s spectral form, prompting a sharp, enraged roar from her. She had failed. Facing a Great Cultivator, she had been unable to capture him. And to suffer this failure, she had squandered a thousand years of her painstakingly gathered energy, leaving her to ponder how she could possibly face the other Great Powers!

Li Shiming’s form materialized seemingly from nothingness directly above the surface of the sea. He perceived a familiar resonance in the spiritual energy permeating the air, the very sea breeze; it was unmistakably his native Dongqi Continent. Cross-referencing with his IBMz15, he pinpointed his exact location to be the very spot where Great Power Luo Yuan’s avatar had pursued him, leading to his escape via the teleportation ring. It appeared the precision of the teleportation ring’s destination was remarkably accurate, returning him to his original starting point even after thirty years had elapsed.

Li Shiming became aware of the profound, transformative shifts occurring within him, affecting every facet from his spirit to his spiritual power, a direct consequence of his engagement with Great Power Wuda’s avatar. The rare opportunity to contend with a genuine Great Power, and to fully unleash his capabilities, had imprinted upon him a significant and lasting impact. Although these alterations might not immediately bolster his combat prowess, they represented an immensely crucial foundation for his long-term evolution. His spiritual power was demonstrably solidifying, seemingly burgeoning as a result of the clash with Great Power Wuda’s avatar. Spiritually, he had reaped substantial gains from facing the avatar directly.

His gaze fell upon his teleportation ring; the spatial energy within it had been utterly consumed. The three internal spatial coordinates were now displayed in a dormant, grayed-out state, rendering them unusable. Li Shiming paused, contemplating his next move. While the most prudent course of action would be to wait two decades for the teleportation ring to replenish its spatial energy before returning to the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, he resolved to depart without delay. He had already found himself pursued by an avatar of a Great Power on two separate occasions.

Through these two harrowing encounters, he had acquired a critical understanding of Great Powers. The Great Powers he had encountered, he noted, seemed to diverge from the descriptions provided in the “Heavenly Human Technique.” Previously, he had struggled to discern these discrepancies, but his recent confrontation with Great Power Wuda had offered him valuable insights, leading to certain speculations regarding these differences. A common characteristic shared by the Great Powers he had faced, such as Great Power Luo Yuan and Great Power Wuda, was their status as Great Powers of superpowers, typically stationed at their respective sect’s mountain gates.

From subtle hints provided by Great Power Wuda, Li Shiming inferred that Great Powers of Wuda’s caliber harbored a degree of aversion towards the external world. Even when deploying their avatars for combat, they were compelled to expend their own internal energy reserves, finding themselves unable to draw sustenance from external sources. Based on Li Shiming’s assessment, both Great Power Wuda and, previously, Great Power Luo Yuan, had incurred a substantial personal cost in dispatching their avatars to apprehend him. Having personally experienced the harrowing ordeal of escaping the clutches of Great Power avatars, the likelihood of such Great Powers resorting to similar tactics again appeared exceedingly minimal.

He had been absent from the Ten Thousand Beast Sect for a period spanning thirty years. Despite the sect’s firm establishment and control over the Dongqi Continent, his absence had created a vacuum, leaving the sect vulnerable to considerable external pressures due to the lack of his stabilizing influence. Even a brief appearance at the sect, followed by a period of strategic withdrawal, would undoubtedly provide immense benefit and reassurance to the sect members. With this strategic imperative in mind, Li Shiming opted against utilizing the “One Step to Success” technique. Instead, he deliberately produced the fourth-grade, top-tier “Jade Pearl Flying Boat,” intending to voyage towards the Ten Thousand Beast Sect in a rather conspicuous manner.

He was currently navigating the maritime expanse near the Dongqi Continent. Upon reaching the coastline of Dongqi Continent, he employed his identity jade disc to initiate contact with his esteemed master, Grandmaster Hu.

Upon the arrival of the "Jade Pearl Flying Boat" near the Ten Thousand Beast Sect’s entrance, a welcoming committee of formidable Cultivators was already assembled.

Not only were the key Nascent Soul Cultivators present, but all others not tied to critical duties had also gathered outside the mountain gate, forming an impressive assembly.

This represented an extraordinarily significant welcoming ceremony. Furthermore, Li Shiming deliberately showcased his might by halting the top fourth-grade flying boat directly before all the assembled cultivators.

Though the Ten Thousand Beast Sect stood as a prominent sect, possessing immense strength and standing on the cusp of superpower status, the majority of its disciples had never laid eyes on a vessel of such high caliber as a top fourth-grade flying boat.

In truth, no such vessel had ever existed on the Dongqi Continent. Li Shiming’s voyage upon it served as a remarkable spectacle, opening the eyes of all who witnessed it.

"Shizhen, it is a relief to see you safely returned!" Grandmaster Hu approached Li Shiming. His gaze bypassed the impressive flying boat, focusing instead on Li Shiming himself, only exhaling in relief once he confirmed nothing appeared amiss with him.

"No, your aura has grown stronger; this is the distinct presence of a Peak Great Cultivator!" Master Ding exclaimed, his voice betraying his astonishment.

It was then that the other Great Cultivators perceived the transformation in Li Shiming’s aura. While they themselves were at the Early Stage of the Great Cultivator realm, Grandmaster Hu and Master Ding, having previously encountered Peak Great Cultivators, recognized the subtle yet undeniable difference in Li Shiming’s presence.

"We now have a Peak Great Cultivator!" Grandmaster Chai proclaimed with evident excitement.

The Great Cultivators shed their customary composure, freely expressing their elation.

None understood the profound implications of possessing a Peak Great Cultivator better than they did.

Despite the Ten Thousand Beast Sect’s decisive actions in annihilating the Sun Concealing Sect and expelling the Lianhua Temple, the subsequent period starkly revealed the sect’s limitations in sheer power.

Had it not been for the two late-stage golden corpses Li Shiming had left behind to maintain order, deterring the Great Cultivators of the Dongqi Continent from acting rashly, the continent might not have remained as tranquil as it was.

With Li Shiming’s advancement to the Peak Great Cultivator realm, the mere dissemination of this news would solidify the Ten Thousand Beast Sect’s formidable standing, ensuring no force or individual would dare question their might again.

Li Shiming subtly released a portion of his newly attained aura as a Peak Great Cultivator. Rather than inspiring fear, the disciples of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect felt an unprecedented surge of immense pride and honor.

Under the guidance of the Great Cultivators, Li Shiming and his master, Grandmaster Hu, entered the Ten Thousand Beast Sect’s mountain gate in unison.

"Master, I intend to remain for a period this time and will resume the alchemy commissions. However, I will not remain confined to the mountain gate for long. To the outside world, please state that I have ascended to the Peak Great Cultivator Realm and require some time to travel and meditate," Li Shiming instructed Grandmaster Hu.

"Are you concerned about potential attacks from the Great Powers?" Grandmaster Hu inquired softly.

"Indeed, my current strength is still insufficient. However, an attack from a Great Power comes with a significant cost," Li Shiming acknowledged directly.

He was now acutely aware of the immense disparity between his current level and that of a Great Power, a chasm that sheer numbers could not bridge.

Even a hundred individuals of his current strength would be insufficient to disrupt the avatar of a Great Power, let alone a true Great Power itself.