Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1721 - 907: Reunion

News that Li Shizhen, the esteemed Alchemy Master of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, was once again open for alchemy commissions reverberated throughout the entire cultivation world with astonishing speed.

Over a span of thirty years, numerous great cultivators had amassed a considerable store of precious spiritual medicines. Yet, instead of seeking out other alchemy masters for refinement, they held onto these vital ingredients, patiently awaiting Li Shiming’s return.

The refinement of high-grade spiritual medicine within the cultivation world was, in essence, a craft monopolized by Li Shiming. The remaining alchemy masters were relegated to refining only fourth-grade spirit pills, suitable for the middle stage of Nascent Soul cultivation. Li Shiming, by exclusively offering his services for high-grade spirit pills, ensured that other artisans still had some level of work.

While this situation undoubtedly stirred some discontent among fellow alchemy masters towards Li Shiming, within the demanding profession of alchemy, sheer refining skill reigned supreme.

Moreover, Li Shiming conspicuously avoided affiliation with any alchemist organizations within the cultivation world, leaving these resentful masters with no viable avenues for direct confrontation. Furthermore, considering Li Shiming’s current standing and reputation, who would dare to challenge him?

The Ten Thousand Beast Sect reawakened with a vibrant energy, as cultivators of significant standing journeyed from distant continents, arriving intermittently.

Li Shiming, however, did not choose to reside within the bustling main gates of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect. Instead, he established a distinct "space transmission array" within a private edifice he owned within the sect's grounds.

This remarkable "space transmission array" was the culmination of a dedicated research project undertaken by his life-bound treasure, the IBMz15, over the preceding decades, and its successful development was now evident.

The formation was meticulously studied and derived from principles of the "space acceptance array," and it possessed the genuine capability for remote spatial transmission.

Naturally, the utility of the "space transmission array" was constrained for him, as its effective range was limited to one hundred thousand miles.

Though a hundred thousand miles sounds like an immense distance, in practice, with his potent "one stride to reach" technique, which allowed him to cover eight thousand miles in a single, swift movement, he could traverse this hundred-thousand-mile span with considerable speed.

This sophisticated formation owed its deep study to the "space acceptance array," the proprietor of which was none other than Li Yuanba. Consequently, Li Shiming harbored no intentions of making the "space transmission array" available to the public.

Within the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, designated cultivators were tasked with receiving individuals seeking alchemical services. All spiritual medicine would be handed over to Great Cultivator Luo Pei, who would then utilize the "space transmission array" to dispatch the medicine directly to Li Shiming.

Li Shiming himself was situated in a secluded underwater location, a full hundred thousand miles distant from the Ten Thousand Beast Sect's main base. Access to this sanctuary was exclusively via the "space transmission array," ensuring his precise whereabouts remained unknown to all other cultivators.

His extreme caution was not born of paranoia, but rather a pragmatic response to the formidable nature of his adversaries. Having personally witnessed their overwhelming power on multiple occasions, he felt a profound lack of security even within the supposed sanctuary of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect.

This arrangement would persist for at least the next twenty years, until the spatial energy within his transmission ring was fully replenished, thereby alleviating some of his current concerns.

However, certain unfolding events within the cultivation world deviated from his calculated expectations. The formidable powerhouse Luo Yuan of the Yuqing Sect, upon learning of Li Shiming’s reappearance at the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, received stern warnings from a multitude of other great powers.

Previously, when Great Power Luo Yuan dispatched a clone to the Dongqi Continent, his true intentions remained concealed from the other great powers.

It was only much later that the realization dawned: Great Power Luo Yuan had dispatched a clone specifically to confront Li Shiming. Li Shiming’s subsequent thirty-year absence had directly resulted in the stagnation of cultivation progress for nearly all the great cultivators across the cultivation world.

Without Li Shiming’s unparalleled alchemy, the great cultivators found themselves critically lacking the high-level spirit pills essential for advancing their cultivation.

The actions of the Yuqing Sect had, in effect, encroached upon the vested interests of nearly every major faction. Had the Yuqing Sect not been in a state of significant decline, actively curtailing its own influence, certain coordinated suppressive actions against them might have already been initiated.

Although Great Power Luo Yuan still harbored a strong desire for the "Shenxiao Thunder Pearl," it was evident that operating within the established framework of the cultivation world necessitated adherence to certain unspoken rules.

Regardless of his immense power, it was simply unfeasible for him to antagonize all other great powers and brazenly return to the Dongqi Continent to apprehend Li Shiming once more.

Such a reckless act would, in all likelihood, furnish some of the other great powers with the perfect pretext to unite and conveniently orchestrate the downfall of the Yuqing Sect.

Information of this magnitude, pertaining to the interferences of great powers, should not have been within the knowledge sphere of a sect as substantial as the Ten Thousand Beast Sect. Yet, those superordinate forces who had contributed to this situation deliberately disseminated the news of their great powers intervening on Li Shiming’s behalf, a strategic move to forge advantageous connections with him.

Within his submerged residence, Li Shiming released a prolonged sigh, a sense of relief washing over him as he perused the document before him.

He dispatched a message for the Ten Thousand Beast Sect to convey their sincere gratitude to the powerful forces that had provided assistance.

Meanwhile, in the Fengqi Palace of Luanyang Palace, Yin Shilan observed her phantom clone intently. Upon hearing of Li Shiming's return to the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, she had relentlessly urged the phantom clone, eager to rejoin the sect herself.

"Phantom," Yin Shilan inquired with a hint of reprimand, "if the Ten Thousand Beast Sect is so perilous, why did you choose to return?"

Having not laid eyes on Li Shiming for a full thirty years, even with the phantom clone constantly beside her, she yearned to see him with her own eyes, to hear his voice directly, and to feel his presence with her own touch.

"Just hold on for another five days," the phantom clone replied, its expression one of mild helplessness as it shook its head. "Coincidentally, Luanyang Palace has a long-distance flying boat scheduled to depart for the Dongqi Continent. You can travel on that."

Internally, it mused that sufficient time should be available to finalize all necessary arrangements.

"Five more days!" Yin Shilan repeated, the thought of seeing Shiming soon bringing a small comfort, though the wait, coupled with the travel time on the flying boat, felt agonizingly long.

Her complaints were but a minor expression of her impatience; she fully grasped the current circumstances and recognized that utilizing Luanyang Palace's long-distance flying boat presented the most secure option for travel.

The phantom clone's martial prowess was merely average, comparable to that of a standard cultivator. As for the two golden corpses in the later stages, they possessed formidable strength but were limited to close-quarters combat, rendering them vulnerable to opponents who specifically targeted them.