King of Creation Chapter 1754 - 1739: Ascetic Priest

The Mountain God Yi Xun, who is also the Grand Venerable of the Five Immortals Heavenly Destiny Hall, had thoroughly illuminated Ye Zhen on a crucial point: to surmount his present predicament and advance his cultivation to the Dark Palace Realm, the Acquired Spirit Treasure, known as the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal, was indispensable.

This particular treasure, the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal, possessed not only a variety of Divine Soul attack methodologies but also a renowned, most formidable power – the suppression of Divine Soul power.

Simply put, anyone venturing within a specific radius of the activated Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal would experience a tangible dampening of their Divine Soul capabilities.

This effect was universal, affecting ordinary martial artists, seasoned Dao Realm experts who had successfully condensed a Primordial Spirit, and even those exalted Creation Realm gods, all of whom would inevitably fall under the seal's suppressive influence.

The intensity of this suppression was directly correlated to one's proximity to the active Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal.

The closer one stood, the more potent the suppression; the further away, the weaker its hold.

Under typical conditions, within a hundred-mile radius of the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal, average martial artists would find it arduous to muster even eighty percent of their usual Divine Soul strength.

For Dao Realm experts, however, within that same hundred-mile boundary, a slight suppression would still permit them to wield nearly ninety percent of their formidable Divine Soul power.

Within a fifty-mile radius, martial artists below the Dao Realm would contend with at least a fifty percent reduction in their Divine Soul power, with exerting half of their full potential being the absolute limit.

Conversely, those cultivators who had attained a Primordial Spirit would only face a twenty percent suppression, retaining the capacity to deploy eighty percent of their power.

Should one venture within a mere ten miles of the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal's influence, martial artists below the Dao Realm, lacking a forged Primordial Spirit, would feel as though they'd been thrust into a soul-binding prison, an overwhelming, instinctual terror gripping them from the depths of their being.

Merely enduring the seal's oppressive force without succumbing to collapse or unconsciousness, maintaining even a sliver of awareness, would be deemed a significant achievement.

Yet, for those possessing a forged Primordial Spirit, a remarkable fifty to sixty percent of their Divine Soul power remained accessible even at this close range.

According to the Grand Venerable of the Five Immortals Heavenly Destiny Hall's assessment, if other martial artists were in Ye Zhen's unique circumstances, cultivating and attempting a breakthrough within ten miles of the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal would be the optimal strategy.

However, Ye Zhen's situation was exceptional; the sheer potency of his four-colored Primordial Spirit, forged from four-colored Innate Soul Light, far surpassed that of ordinary Primordial Spirits, resulting in a commensurately reduced suppression from the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal compared to those with mere three-colored Primordial Spirits.

Consequently, the Grand Venerable of the Destiny Hall proposed that the most advantageous location for Ye Zhen's cultivation breakthrough would be within a five-mile radius of the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal—a distance deemed perfectly suitable.

Regarding the location of the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal itself, the Grand Venerable of the Destiny Hall provided Ye Zhen with explicit guidance.

The locations indicated were the Heavenly Temple and the Ancestor God Temple of Great Zhou.

This revelation brought a measure of disappointment to Ye Zhen. Had he received this information merely half a year prior, he might have considered leveraging it during negotiations with Baili Fei, the Moon Hall Master of Sun and Moon Heaven within the Heavenly Temple.

Perhaps, with the assistance of Mu Xu, the Mu Hall Master, he could have even brokered terms to borrow the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal.

But now, such a possibility seemed entirely out of reach, not even worth contemplating.

According to Mountain God Yi Xun's account, the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal housed within the Heavenly Temple was most likely in the possession of the Nine Suns Divine King. This, coupled with the deep-seated, unresolved animosity between the entire Sun and Moon Heavenly Temple lineage and Ye Zhen, made the prospect even more bleak.

Furthermore, the personal, irreconcilable hatred and ongoing conflict Ye Zhen harbored towards the Nine Suns Divine King's direct disciple and Divine Envoy, Ming Tang, sealed the deal.

The likelihood of securing a loan of the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal from the Heavenly Temple was practically nonexistent.

As for the very first Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal, which had surfaced in the world eons ago, its whereabouts had been lost for countless millennia, leaving even the Five Immortals Hall devoid of any information.

For Ye Zhen to locate it within a short timeframe to facilitate his breakthrough was akin to chasing a phantom.

Moreover, even if its location were discovered, there was no guarantee the current owner would be willing to lend such a treasure to Ye Zhen.

Therefore, Ye Zhen was left with only a single viable option.

That option was the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal enshrined as the guardian treasure within the War Soul Hall of the Ancestor God Temple of Great Zhou.

Ye Zhen harbored a strong sense of optimism regarding the likelihood of success.

While his relationship with Great Chief Priest Bai Xiang of the Ancestor God Temple wasn't one of deep intimacy, a respectful communication channel certainly existed. This was further bolstered by Ye Zhen's own esteemed positions as the inherited Divine Messenger and the Left Chief Priest of the Barbarian Spirit Hall.

Moreover, Ye Zhen possessed the option to enlist the aid of Princess Changle. Even if Great Chief Priest Bai Xiang held little regard for Ye Zhen himself, he would undoubtedly accord Princess Changle the deference she deserved, wouldn't he?

Ye Zhen felt a surge of confidence stemming from these considerations.

Regardless, even if the probability of success were slim, Ye Zhen was resolved to proceed and secure the Myriad Bone Reincarnation Seal by any means necessary.

Failure to do so could very well condemn his cultivation to an eternal stagnation at the Peak of the Ninth Stage of the Divine Communication Realm, a fate that, upon mere contemplation, evoked a sense of profound tragedy.

Over the preceding two months, his Senior Sister Liao Feibai had dedicated over two years to intense cultivation within the Mirage Dragon Pearl. She had first ascended to the Peak of the Ninth Stage of the Divine Communication Realm, followed by a seamless breakthrough into the Dark Palace Realm, and subsequently achieved the Early Dark Palace Realm.

Ye Zhen estimated that upon their return to Luoyi, with an additional ten days or so of focused effort, his Senior Sister Liao Feibai would be poised to reach the Late First Stage of the Dark Palace Realm.

To say nothing of Big Ears Nie Ting, whose own cultivation, benefiting from over seven years of unrestricted cultivation within the Mirage Dragon Pearl, had seen him advance from the Late Stage of the Eighth Stage of the Dao Entrance Realm to the Sixth Stage of the Divine Communication Realm, a progress that seemed to put him on par with Ye Zhen.

Ye Zhen found himself increasingly anxious.

Consequently, after requesting the Mountain God Yi Xun to convey his gratitude to the Grand Venerable of Destiny Hall, Ye Zhen bid farewell to the Mountain God, once more silently departing Five Immortals Island and making haste back to Luoyi.

However, en route, Ye Zhen made a deliberate detour to visit the Market of Dulong Island, the Xiansheng Water Mansion, the Huaifeng Water Palace, and the Yuanxin Water Mansion.

Several key figures, including the Sky Wing Three Saints and Liao Feibai, had been immersed in arduous cultivation within Ye Zhen’s Mirage Dragon Pearl for over half a year. Their prolonged absence without any appearances could potentially sow seeds of dissent among their subordinates.

The primary objectives were twofold: first, to address any accumulated administrative matters, and second, to allow these influential individuals to make a visible presence within their respective domains, thereby projecting an image of strength and exerting a deterrent influence.

Of course, the most significant contributing factor was the profound addiction these individuals had developed towards cultivation.

The cultivation journey, which ordinarily necessitated a slow and steady accumulation of effort and refinement, had been accelerated tenfold thanks to the temporal manipulation offered by Ye Zhen’s Mirage Dragon Pearl.

This dramatic acceleration fueled an insatiable desire for greater power, making it exceedingly difficult for them to disengage, as their sole focus became the enhancement of their own strength.

Ye Zhen wholeheartedly supported this dedication. After all, without the formidable deterrence provided by substantial power, even the swift conquest of a vast territory would ultimately prove insufficient against the brutal plundering capabilities of a half-step Dao Realm expert.

It was far more prudent to consolidate strength now, paving the way for a delayed but ultimately explosive surge in power.

In accordance with the collective mindset of the Sky Wing Three Saints and their compatriots, as long as their territories remained unmolested, they intended to seize this golden opportunity to diligently hone their skills and augment their might.

Furthermore, this particular endeavor involved a more comprehensive strategic approach from Ye Zhen and his associates.

The aspiration of regional dominance, they understood, could not be solely sustained by individual prowess.

The cultivation level of their subordinates also required significant enhancement.

Currently, Ye Zhen’s Mirage Dragon Pearl space, while offering considerable room, could realistically accommodate the cultivation of only up to a thousand individuals.

Exceeding this limit risked overwhelming the Mirage Dragon Pearl's capacity, necessitating the expenditure of vast quantities of Spirit Stones to compensate for the Pearl's energy depletion.

Moreover, within the confines of the Mirage Dragon Pearl, Martial Artists were incapable of absorbing the ambient Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. Their advancement was thus dependent on utilizing substantial amounts of Spirit Stones and Pills for cultivation and strength enhancement.

The present abundance of cultivation resources at Ye Zhen and his allies' disposal was more than adequate for unfettered cultivation.

While nurturing ten or even eight individuals freely posed no issue, the free cultivation of a hundred or several hundred individuals simultaneously would lead to an astonishingly rapid depletion rate.

Even with the considerable wealth Ye Zhen and his group currently possessed, sustaining such a large-scale cultivation endeavor for an extended period would prove infeasible.

After extensive deliberation and discussion, a decisive resolution was reached.

Each of the Sky Wing Three Saints was granted the prerogative to select one hundred individuals from their respective subordinates and bloodline descendants. These chosen individuals would then be permitted to enter the Mirage Dragon Pearl for cultivation, thereby shaping them into future elite generals under their command.

The responsibility for providing and distributing the cultivation resources for each of these hundred elite individuals would fall upon the respective Saints themselves.

In contrast, Ye Zhen’s financial resources were considerably more ample, leading him to ultimately decide on selecting two hundred individuals for cultivation within the Mirage Dragon Pearl space.

Having previously been in the Demon Soul Realm and instrumental in the siege and demise of Feng Kui, the Great Saint of the Tempest, Ye Zhen recognized the immense utility of War Spirits. This was particularly true for someone like him, an Inherited Divine Messenger.

However, he also noted that when the distance to the Holy Spirit Peak, where the Barbarian Spirit Hall resided, became too great, or if they were in different realms, the combat effectiveness of the War Spirits would diminish significantly.

Yet, during that crucial battle, Princess Changle perceived a hidden anomaly and ingeniously deployed the War Spirit Sacrificial War Formation within the Barbarian Spirit Hall. This formation, astonishingly, amplified the War Spirits' power even from a considerable distance.

Furthermore, the application of this War Spirit Sacrificial War Formation was not restricted solely to the vicinity of the Holy Spirit Peak. It could also be erected around temporary altars established for summoning War Spirits, thereby enhancing their capabilities.

What made this enhancement particularly noteworthy was its proximity-based nature. Even with a mere few hundred individuals, the boost provided under close combat conditions rivaled, if not surpassed, the massive enhancements typically provided by tens of thousands of priests from the Barbarian Spirit Hall.

Therefore, Ye Zhen conceived a plan: to cultivate two hundred priests from the Barbarian Spirit Hall and have them dedicate themselves to diligent cultivation within the Mirage Dragon Pearl for an extended period, spanning years.

The intention was that when the need arose, these priests could be summoned, potentially possessing the power to decisively alter the course of a battle.

Beyond their role in establishing the War Spirit Sacrificial War Formation for War Spirit enhancement, the priests of the Barbarian Spirit Hall possessed other significant capabilities. Each priest was endowed with formidable combat prowess, capable of being deployed as formidable martial masters even without the benefit of War Spirit augmentations.

Consequently, Ye Zhen confirmed his decision to handpick two hundred priests from the Barbarian Spirit Hall for this specialized cultivation.

However, the temporal advantage offered by the Mirage Dragon Pearl was a matter of utmost importance. If the three hundred sacrificial guards dispatched to Ye Zhen by the Barbarian Spirit Hall were to suddenly experience a reduction of two hundred, it would undeniably trigger a significant uproar.

Additionally, there was no guarantee that these three hundred priests would readily consent to becoming Ascetic Priests for such a demanding cultivation process.

Moreover, even if selected from the original three hundred, the very existence of the Mirage Dragon Pearl's temporal power would be incredibly difficult to conceal and safeguard!

After considerable contemplation, Ye Zhen’s thoughts turned to an event from his past. He recalled how, during his deception of the True Profound Continent to secure the position of Inherited Divine Messenger of the Holy Spirit Peak, he had incidentally acquired a thousand Southern Barbarians as Divine Envoy Attendants.

These Southern Barbarians were known for their fervent fanaticism. When they unleashed their fervor, even Ye Zhen found it necessary to exercise caution.

They were the type of individuals who would readily offer their lives without a second thought at the mere command of a Southern Barbarian Elder.

Furthermore, they held profound devotion to the Ancient God War Spirits enshrined within the Holy Spirit Peak.

The War Spirit Sacrificial War Formations they could set up were capable of bestowing even greater might.

In terms of loyalty, not only did Ye Zhen possess the advantage of the Soul-locking Technique, but even without it, the unwavering allegiance of these Divine Envoy Attendants was virtually assured.

Without a doubt, these individuals represented the most suitable candidates for the role of Ascetic Priests.