Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil in the Cultivation World Chapter 1054 - 512: Connecting the Entire Continent, Constructing Giant Cultivation Cities_2

"Furthermore, the expense for each transit is incredibly minimal, requiring at most a few dozen, or perhaps a hundred Spirit Stones at the very peak."

"It is precisely because of this convenience that the Primordial Talisman Sect managed to unify the entire Southern Continent in such a fleeting amount of time."

"As things stand, the Primordial Talisman Sect only needs to issue a single mandate to mobilize the entire defensive force of every city."

The gathered cultivators discussed these developments with profound agitation.

For these individuals, this year stood as a truly epoch-defining period.

They finally grasped the true essence of witnessing a Dao tradition from the Ancient Era.

It stood in stark contrast to the sects of the modern age.

It was as if they were observing masters from an entirely different realm of power—it was simply unfathomable.

Had they not witnessed it with their own eyes, would anyone have believed such an absurd feat possible?

"An Ancient Spirit Talisman Heaven-Reaching Bridge Talisman? Or perhaps a Space Talisman?"

"The sheer power embedded within them rivals a genuine Teleportation Array."

"And yet, the cost remains ridiculously low."

"Could one truly traverse city after city throughout the Southern Continent using such a simple Space Talisman?"

"If that is the case, unifying the Southern Continent is indeed a trivial matter."

Cold Pool Daoist was thoroughly astonished.

He fully understood that the true obstacle to unifying the Southern Continent was never mere military might, but the staggering distance.

After all, the territory is immense, spanning hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of kilometers.

Even elite cultivators must dedicate significant time to crossing certain regions.

Such travel is exponentially more difficult for Low-Tier Cultivators.

An ordinary cultivator might never venture beyond a radius of a million kilometers in their entire life.

With such vast distances, true unification seems nearly impossible.

After all, the old adage rings true: "The mountains are high, and the Emperor is far away."

Yet, the situation has shifted entirely.

Empowered by the Heaven-Reaching Bridge Talisman, the members of the Primordial Talisman Sect can effortlessly descend upon any corner of the Southern Continent at a marginal cost.

Should a rebellion break out anywhere, it may be extinguished instantly.

This is genuine administration, not mere nominal rule.

"What is even more terrifying is that the Primordial Talisman Sect exerts dominance not only over all the Nascent Soul Sects."

"Even the Golden Core Sects, individual Golden Core Clans, and Foundation Establishment Clans have been brought under their yoke."

"They have seized all mineral resources and Spirit Veins across the Southern Continent for the sect's own coffers."

"Any cultivator caught mining will be labeled a criminal and dealt with accordingly."

"Nearly every faction is now required to pay a mandatory tax to the Primordial Talisman Sect."

"Failure to comply means forfeiting the right to occupy any Spirit Veins whatsoever."

Many cultivators whispered with a sense of hidden glee.

Without a doubt, this served as a cataclysmic event for those established sects and noble families.

These factions had long occupied countless Spirit Veins and resource-dense deposits.

They could be described as having been feasting extravagantly for ages.

For them, the loss of these resources is akin to having their flesh carved away and their blood drained.

Only the loose cultivators remained unscathed by these changes.

After all, loose cultivators were already so impoverished that they could barely afford to exist; what assets could they possibly lose?

Even if the Primordial Talisman Sect desired to tax them, there would be nothing to collect.

"Is this not exceptionally tyrannical?"

"Did these sects and powerful families not resist this?"

Upon hearing this, Cold Pool Daoist felt a shock so profound he found the news almost impossible to believe.

He understood clearly that the Southern Continent was the traditional domain of these sects and clans.

The history of every cultivation family is incredibly deep, often tracing back thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

Many families possess origins that predate most sects.

There is a well-known saying in the Southern Continent: "A millennium-old sect, a ten-thousand-year-old family."

This phrase illustrates the deeply entrenched power of the cultivation families.

Such reforms strike at the heart of their interests; it is truly a matter of life and death for them.

He could hardly fathom how ferocious the backlash from these clans would have been.

"Indeed, it is quite tyrannical, but they are a Void Refining Sect backed by a herd of over one hundred Tier Five Spirit Beasts."

"Furthermore, a vast number of Nascent Soul Sects surrendered almost immediately."

"So, regardless of how hostile or resentful the Golden Core Clans and Foundation Establishment Clans might feel, what could they possibly achieve?"

"Their stances have become quite flexible, as they are capable of bending wherever the wind blows."

"The Primordial Talisman Sect is simply not a group to be trifled with."

"Any public defiance of their rules results in the prompt eradication of the entire family lineage."

"Consequently, very few clans dared to voice public opposition during this transition."

Many loose cultivators sneered at the situation.

They understood the root of this submission: the Primordial Talisman Sect was simply too immense a wall to strike against.

Even the combined might of these families could not hope to prevail.

The leaders of these clans are not fools; they will not knowingly pursue a path of total destruction.

If a tax must be paid, they will pay it.

In reality, they had always been under some form of sect rule, paying their dues regardless.

When calculated carefully, the taxes imposed by the Primordial Talisman Sect are actually surprisingly reasonable.

Their only hesitation stems from having to surrender the mineral veins they once controlled.

But facing such overwhelming force, they have no option but to accept their fate begrudgingly.

"Truly worthy of a Void Refining Sect; even those predatory families have kowtowed in submission."

Cold Pool Daoist felt speechless.

He knew the nature of these clans better than most; forcing them to relinquish even a single resource was like demanding their very lives.

He himself had once been hunted by these families due to conflicts over interests.

Had these cultivation clans united in the past, even a sect might have been shaken by them.

But unfortunately, the Primordial Talisman Sect arrived like a savage dragon crossing the sea.

Their authority is far too supreme.

A single Tier Five Spirit Beast is enough to flatten multiple family strongholds.

Thus, they remained motionless, behaving as meekly as rabbits.

However, what Cold Pool Daoist failed to realize was the true depth of these machinations.

In truth, some families had stubbornly refused to pay their taxes and mounted an initial resistance.

But all their efforts proved futile.

The sect utilized the Heaven-Transforming Staff Talisman to convert those defiant Golden Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators.

They were transformed into the most devout followers of the Primordial Talisman Sect.

In this way, the very ancestors of the families became loyal subjects of the Primordial Talisman Sect, naturally diffusing every shred of resistance.

It was through this method that the Primordial Talisman Sect resolved the opposition of the cultivation families without a single drop of blood being spilled.

Had it not been for this hidden ace held by the Primordial Talisman Sect, they surely would have been forced to massacre several families to serve as a warning to others.

However, all of this remains part of the sect's secret arsenal, carefully shielded from the eyes of the general public.

"Regardless, for us loose cultivators, none of this carries much weight, as it does not directly impact our daily lives."

"In truth, there is another directive from the Primordial Talisman Sect that will fundamentally alter the future of countless cultivators."

"They have decided to construct massive supercities throughout the entirety of the Southern Continent."

"In the future, ordinary markets will cease to exist."

"Only large-scale cultivation cities will remain."

"Every such city is expected to accommodate tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions, of residents."

A loose cultivator spoke with genuine fervor.

This is, in fact, the development that will affect them most deeply.

It is destined to permanently shift the fate of myriad cultivators.

"How is that even feasible? Each cultivation city can only support a finite density of inhabitants."

"There is no way they could accommodate such a colossal population."

Cold Pool Daoist was thoroughly perplexed, failing to grasp the reasoning behind the Primordial Talisman Sect’s ambition.

He believed that the existence of so many small, ordinary markets and towns across the continent was not a matter of choice, but a requirement of geographical limitations.

For instance, a city built upon a Tier Three Spirit Vein has a hard limit on the number of people it can support.

If the population exceeds that capacity, the concentration of Spiritual Qi available for the residents would dwindle, which is detrimental to every cultivator present.

Once that saturation point is reached, the weaker cultivators are promptly banished.

They are simply not permitted to remain within the walls.

Because of this, decentralized cultivation markets naturally sprouted in various corners of the world.

It was never that the sects lacked the desire to build supercities.

They were simply constrained by geography and the limitations of their Spirit Veins.

He could not conceive of how the Primordial Talisman Sect planned to overcome these natural barriers.

"Senior, the Primordial Talisman Sect possesses a unique, miraculous Spirit Talisman."

"It is known as the Dragon Vein House Charm."

"By integrating this talisman into a Spirit Vein, a genuine Dragon Vein is brought into being."

"If that were its only function, it might not be so remarkable."

"What is truly significant is that once the Dragon Vein is established, it can automatically tether and organize the surrounding ordinary Spirit Veins."

"Moreover, it possesses the capability to evolve and grow autonomously."

"For example, the Dragon Vein of the Profound Celestial Sword Sect has already ascended to the status of a Tier Six Spirit Vein."

The loose cultivators explained with a sense of awe.