Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1730 - 911: Dragon’s Wrath (Part 2)

Li Shiming was hesitant to store the 'Great Dragon's Fury' in any ordinary spatial item. Only the Half-Life Cave Heaven, acting as a distinct dimension, could effectively contain the repercussions of housing the 'Great Dragon's Fury'.

Naturally, should the 'Great Dragon's Fury' be required for immediate use, a Mustard Seed Ring could maintain its integrity for approximately two days, which would be ample time for the Ring to transport it to the intended destination.

Despite the initial 'Great Dragon's Fury' being a prototype, the 'Heavenly Compass' continued its operation, persistently generating military-grade 'Hell Disgust Crystal Essence'.

Although the 'Great Dragon's Fury' had not yet been deployed in combat, each time Li Shiming laid eyes on it, a profound shudder resonated deep within his soul, serving as undeniable proof of its formidable destructive capability.

It's important to note that for an individual as powerful as Li Shiming, a Peak Great Cultivator, to experience such a tremor indicated a severe threat to his existence—a sensation he had previously only felt when confronting Great Power.

It remained to be seen whether the 'Great Dragon's Fury' could actually make an impact against Great Power; admittedly, entertaining this notion seemed rather far-fetched.

In reality, the inherent detonation mechanism of the 'Great Dragon's Fury' rendered it unsuitable for direct engagements, as its design was optimized for obliterating massive targets.

Li Shiming had encountered Great Power on two separate occasions, both times dealing with their Avatars. The sheer speed and might of these Avatars were such that they would not provide him with even a moment to activate the 'Great Dragon's Fury'.

Even if he managed to initiate the 'Great Dragon's Fury', by the time nuclear fission commenced, a Great Power Avatar would possess more than enough time to retreat beyond the blast radius.

Furthermore, the strategic value of eliminating a Great Power Avatar was marginal—it struck him as a lamentable waste to expend a century crafting a 'Great Dragon's Fury' solely to obliterate an Avatar. The endeavor seemed entirely unrewarding from every conceivable angle.

With the completion of the 'Great Dragon's Fury', Li Shiming turned his thoughts to its practical deployment.

Keeping the 'Great Dragon's Fury' within the Half-Life Cave Heaven was not a sustainable long-term strategy, given that the 'Hell Disgust Crystal Essence' would inevitably degrade over time. Although he implemented techniques from his previous life to prolong its stability, these only offered a marginal increase in its shelf life.

Ideally, this 'Great Dragon's Fury' should be utilized within fifty years; beyond that timeframe, the 'Hell Disgust Crystal Essence' might not retain sufficient energy to successfully trigger nuclear fission.

His strategic focus for employing the 'Great Dragon's Fury' was the Yuqing Sect, intending to capitalize on their current diminished strength. An assault on their mountain stronghold could inflict devastating losses.

However, a significant hurdle remained: successfully delivering and detonating the 'Great Dragon's Fury' at the Yuqing Sect's location, let alone making a safe escape from the Dongqi Continent, presented a formidable challenge.

"Illusion, I’ve received an official invitation—it’s a gathering to celebrate Senior Sister Yu becoming a Daoist couple!" Within the Fengqi Palace of Luanyang Palace, Yin Shilan excitedly presented an exquisite invitation card to the Illusion Avatar.

"You wish to attend?" The Illusion Avatar, responding under Li Shiming’s mental direction, expressed a slight pause before posing the question to Yin Shilan.

Li Shiming was quite familiar with this particular Senior Sister Yu; during his sojourn in the Cloud Island Sea, she had been a close confidante of Yin Shilan, and their bond was exceptionally strong.

While grand ceremonies are not the norm for Daoist couple unions in the Cultivation World, many cultivators still opt to host gatherings, inviting friends and acquaintances to partake in the celebration.

"May I go?" Yin Shilan turned to the Illusion Avatar, her eyes filled with a rare flicker of anticipation.

She herself had not extended invitations to friends nor organized a celebration upon forming her Daoist couple bond with Li Shiming.

Her curiosity regarding such celebratory events for Daoist unions, coupled with the significance of the occasion for one of her few close companions, was clearly visible on her face.

"Then I shall accompany you!" After a moment's consideration, the Illusion Avatar saw no compelling reason to decline and gave a nod of assent.

"I need to ponder what sort of gift would be appropriate!" Yin Shilan twirled around with delight, only to furrow her brow in thought as she spoke.

Witnessing her evident joy, the Illusion Avatar, despite acknowledging the inherent risks associated with attending such an event, resolved that her happiness was paramount and he would manage any subsequent complications.

He accepted the invitation from Yin Shilan’s hand; Senior Sister Yu had selected a venue situated fifteen hundred miles away from Luanyang Palace, at the temporary residence of her Daoist companion.

Regrettably, Avatar Li Yuanba was currently in secluded cultivation, which precluded Li Shiming from leveraging the intelligence network of the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion to acquire further details.

After all, the Ten Thousand Beast Sect was not a preeminent power, and consequently, it lacked a sophisticated intelligence network on the Central State Continent. Accessing information pertaining to truly major forces was far beyond the Ten Thousand Beast Sect’s capabilities.

Upon learning that over ten fellow disciples from Luanyang Palace, in addition to Yin Shilan, would be joining him, Li Shiming questioned if his concerns were perhaps unwarranted.

One could hardly fault him; without his own formidable strength, he would have been forced to resort to underhanded tactics against his true self.

In the past, Li Shiming had endured numerous betrayals, with adversaries employing the most extreme measures against him.

To guarantee his complete security, a Golden Winged Dapeng, accompanied by two late-stage Golden Corpses, soared forth from the imposing gates of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect on the Dongqi Continent.

Moon Viewing Peak, an establishment erected through the influence of Luanyang Palace, was situated within a region frequented by cultivators. Today, the mountain was bedecked with resplendent formations, casting a brilliant glow and suffusing the area with a celebratory ambiance.

Senior Sister Yu, acting as the host, was arrayed in a striking crimson palace gown. She stood atop the peak with her Daoist companion, the formidable Great Cultivator Mu Zhang, extending a warm welcome to the arriving guests.

Yin Shilan arrived with more than ten fellow disciples, and Senior Sister Yu offered them a most cordial reception.

Li Shiming’s Illusion Avatar positioned itself at a remove, its form dissolving into an illusory state, thus signaling no intent to actively participate in the banquet.

Considering his own stature, his genuine attendance at this Daoist couple’s celebration would inevitably cast a shadow upon the hosts, even if he were to appear merely as an Illusion Avatar.

The Illusion Avatar then transmuted into a mere shadow, rendering its facial features indistinct and substantially mitigating the risk of recognition.

Certainly, upon any interaction with Yin Shilan, his true identity as the Illusion Avatar would inevitably come to light. However, any individual possessing a modicum of sense would wisely refrain from acknowledging this fact.

The Illusion Avatar’s gaze drifted towards the intricate formations adorning Moon Viewing Peak, their true nature obscured by the myriad of additional celebratory arrays.

Nevertheless, an unsettling intuition persisted within him, suggesting an underlying peculiarity regarding the formations on Moon Viewing Peak.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. His confidence in his perceptive abilities was absolute; this particular Illusion Avatar possessed a might far surpassing its initial iteration.

With his power now genuinely rivaling that of a Peak Great Cultivator, he inwardly sighed, choosing not to immediately apprise Yin Shilan of the potential issues concerning Moon Viewing Peak.

Indeed, unless the opposing party were to openly reveal their strategy, it remained an insurmountable task to discern their true intentions solely by observing the formations on Moon Viewing Peak.

Exercising extreme caution, he deliberately maintained a close proximity to Yin Shilan, ensuring she would not inadvertently wander too far from his watchful presence.

While Yin Shilan engaged in conversation with Senior Sister Yu, Great Cultivator Mu Zhang occasionally directed his gaze towards the distant Illusion Avatar.

The Illusion Avatar paid no mind to Great Cultivator Mu Zhang’s scrutiny, deliberately enhancing its indistinctness while being observed.

However, Great Cultivator Mu Zhang seemed entirely unaware of Li Shiming’s subtle maneuver, instead approaching the Illusion Avatar with a disarming smile.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Senior Sister Yu faltered slightly. She was on the verge of intervening to halt Mu Zhang’s approach, but a moment’s hesitation, amidst her fellow sisters, made it difficult for her to voice an immediate caution.

"Could it be that you are Mr. Li from the Ten Thousand Beast Sect?" Great Cultivator Mu Zhang inquired, stepping closer to the Illusion Avatar and offering a slight bow.

"From which sect do you hail? The Yuqing Sect? The White Emperor Sect? Or perhaps the Guiyuan Sect?" The Illusion Avatar regarded Great Cultivator Mu Zhang, posing the question with solemn gravity.

Upon the mention of Guiyuan Sect, the Illusion Avatar detected a subtle yet discernible shift in Mu Zhang’s aura. It also noted that Mu Zhang practiced an Ice-based Cultivation Method, much like himself.

Being merely at the stage of a Middle Stage Great Cultivator, Mu Zhang’s attempt to conceal his aura from the Illusion Avatar of a Peak Great Cultivator proved utterly futile. His identity was inadvertently exposed by a single sentence from the Illusion Avatar.