Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1749 - 921: Physical Body

Great Power Luo Yuan stood silently atop the mountain peak. It was rare for him to depart his Yuqing Cave Heaven, yet he was there in his true form, overseeing the main gate of the Yuqing Sect.

Of late, the Yuqing Sect's decline had become undeniable to him.

As a Great Power with an extended lifespan, the transient ups and downs of the Yuqing Sect did not typically capture his attention.

Even should the Yuqing Sect face a period of decline, recovery over hundreds of years, with the emergence of sufficient Great Cultivators, would sooner or later see the reclaiming of lost territories and resources.

Having endured for over ten millennia, the Yuqing Sect was not a force to be easily extinguished.

The sole focus of Great Power Luo Yuan's profound concern was Li Shiming. As Li Shiming's power escalated and his capabilities continued to surface, Luo Yuan's unease intensified.

How could he not perceive the potential danger? A cultivator as exceptionally gifted as Li Shiming, while perhaps not a threat if he failed to reach the Great Power stage, could represent a formidable menace to the Yuqing Sect should he ascend.

Judging by the innate talent Li Shiming displayed, his probability of reaching the Great Power realm was extraordinarily high.

Although Great Power Luo Yuan remained unaware of the specific opportunity Li Shiming had seized, he was certain that the cultivation technique Li Shiming practiced was of an immensely superior caliber.

Without such an advantage, Li Shiming, originating from a large Sect, could not possibly possess the formidable battle strength he now wielded.

Li Shiming, residing at the Peak Great Cultivator realm, had subjugated all other Great Cultivators within the cultivation world, a terrifying reputation forged from the vanquished forms of numerous Peak Great Cultivators.

Among these fallen was none other than the Sect Master of Yuqing Sect, Wang He himself. By relentlessly defeating many Peak Great Cultivators, Li Shiming cemented an exceptionally fearsome reputation, which in turn enabled the Ten Thousand Beast Sect to effortlessly seize control of the entire Dongqi Continent.

Great Power Luo Yuan recollected a prior incident where he dispatched an avatar to apprehend Li Shiming, only for Li Shiming to evade capture through a bewildering spatial jump.

While he doubted Li Shiming could replicate such a bizarre spatial maneuver again, Luo Yuan himself was now constrained from dispatching avatars to capture Li Shiming.

Arriving at this conclusion, he felt a sense of powerlessness. Li Shiming, through his unparalleled alchemical prowess, had managed to sway a multitude of superpowers to grant him protection. Numerous Great Powers had directly communicated with Luo Yuan, sternly forbidding him from breaching protocols and venturing into the Dongqi Continent.

Abruptly, Great Power Luo Yuan detected a significant shift and vanished from his position in a mere flash.

He reappeared within a modest Grotto Heaven, a subtle aura of decay permeating the surroundings.

"Ancestor Luo!" a voice, aged and frail, echoed from a cultivator suspended within the Grotto Heaven.

Great Power Luo Yuan regarded the cultivator, a half-step Great Power named Lian Lei, a flicker of remembrance glinting in his eyes.

He vaguely recalled Lian Lei's fervent aspirations before entering seclusion, to become the next Great Power of the Yuqing Sect.

Yet, after more than two thousand years in seclusion, the Lian Lei before him appeared withered, and Luo Yuan could sense the imminent conclusion of Lian Lei's lifespan.

"Lian Lei, you still haven't managed to breach that final threshold!" Great Power Luo Yuan stated with a shake of his head.

"I have failed Ancestor!" Lian Lei responded, a somber, bitter smile gracing his lips.

"Your lifespan has but two years remaining. Do you harbor any final desires or intentions?" Great Power Luo Yuan inquired.

Regarding Lian Lei's remaining years, both he and Luo Yuan were fully cognizant; there was no need for prevarication.

"What wishes could one possibly have? All the cultivators I once knew have long since turned to dust!" Lian Lei spoke calmly, showing no fear of death.

"If that is the case, there is a matter the Sect requires your assistance with." Great Cultivator Luo Yuan considered for a moment before divulging this.

He produced a jade scroll and presented it to Lian Lei.

Lian Lei was momentarily taken aback. Despite being a half-step Great Power, he remembered a time when the Yuqing Sect was a dominant superpower, and individuals at his level were never involved in external affairs.

Upon inspecting the contents of the jade scroll, his eyes widened, and his once resigned spirit was reignited with profound emotion by what he read.

"Ancestor, this Li Shizhen can truly dispatch a half-step Great Power like Yang Xing? How is this conceivable?" he questioned in disbelief upon reaching a specific passage.

His astonishment was understandable; as a half-step Great Power himself, he possessed an intimate grasp of the might wielded by one at that stage.

He found it inconceivable that Great Power Luo Yuan, in his efforts against Li Shiming, had mobilized Great Cultivators, Peak Great Cultivators, half-step Great Powers, and even Great Power avatars, yet still had not neutralized the threat Li Shiming posed.

"I have analyzed Yang Xing's demise; the issue likely stemmed from Yang Xing himself. I have personally engaged Li Shizhen and assessed his combat prowess; even at his absolute peak, he could not achieve the feat of slaying Yang Xing!" Great Power Luo Yuan responded after careful consideration.

Contemplation occupied his mind, the purpose of which was to gauge the fighting prowess of Li Shiming. The might displayed by Li Shiming earlier had surpassed his wildest expectations.

However, Li Shiming was then merely in the Middle Stage of Great Cultivator; even if he were to unleash his full Thunder Skill, it would be impossible for him to inflict harm upon Yang Xing, a fact he was certain of.

Therefore, Yang Xing's demise could only stem from one possibility: internal issues within Yang Xing himself.

Yang Xing, distinct from Lian Lei, had only recently stepped into the half-step Great Power stage, not yet having solidified his own condition; while he could still act, the inherent instability of his state presented numerous dangers.

"I comprehend now; have a cultivator transport my Grotto Heaven to the Dongqi Continent, and I shall apprehend Li Shizhen alive and return him!" Lian Lei declared, setting aside the jade scroll.

The present state of decline within the Yuqing Sect originated from Li Shiming.

Furthermore, Li Shiming possessed knowledge concerning the divine treasure 'Shenxiao Thunder Pearl' belonging to the Great Power Luo Yuan; capturing him alive would be the most advantageous course of action.