Chapter 367 - 189: Li State Civil War, Obtaining a Cultivation Technique (2)
Chapter 367: Chapter 189: Li State Civil War, Obtaining a Cultivation Technique (2)
These days, the foot of Qi Yun Peak had become a massive war of attrition, much like the front lines at Seeking Plum Mountain.
The only difference was that the Azure Flame Sect was also forcing many late-stage Qi Refining cultivators to the front lines, using them to deplete the Li Huo Sect’s Spirit Stone reserves.
A Tier Three Grand Array consumed a massive amount of Spirit Stones for every day it was active.
To make matters worse, the three Golden Core True Men from the Azure Flame Sect were taking turns attacking the array.
Master Ming Yan had no choice but to run the Mountain Protection Formation at full power while frequently activating the Killing Array at the base of Qi Yun Peak to repel the enemy.
As a result, the daily Spirit Stone consumption tripled.
Furthermore, the Azure Flame Sect had acted decisively, seizing all of the Li Huo Sect’s outlying Spirit Veins and cutting off any future supply.
If this trend continued, they would face the crisis of their Spirit Stones running out in as little as three months, or six months at most.
Even so, the Azure Flame Sect wasn’t satisfied. They wanted to speed things up and secure a swift victory.
Thus, they secretly contacted the Five Great Clans, using a mix of threats and inducements to get them to betray the sect and destroy the Spirit Stone reserves from the inside.
The Five Great Clans were terrified by the Azure Flame Sect’s threats.
Patriarch Su, in particular, was frantic with worry, like his eyebrows were on fire, and he had no idea what to do.
South Lake was the Su Family’s lifeline, but now it had fallen into the hands of the Azure Flame Sect. There was no getting it back.
He could have accepted that, but the more critical issue was that he could no longer see a future for his family.
.
「Volcano Crater, Far South.」
After six hours of practice, Xiao Chen had more or less familiarized himself with the two Spiritual Artifacts he now possessed.
He sat cross-legged, pondering his next move.
’Although things deviated a bit from the plan I had before coming to Hezhou, it was a close call, but I made it through safely. In the end, I still managed to form my Golden Core.’
’I have Spiritual Artifacts and a Tier Three Spiritual Object now, too. It seems all I’m missing is a Cultivation Technique.’
’Where can I find a suitable Cultivation Technique?’
Finding a suitable Cultivation Technique was a major challenge for any Loose Cultivator.
Although Xiao Chen only needed a Yellow Level Cultivation Technique for now, the problem was that the Southern Domain was a remote backwater, making such things difficult to find.
There certainly wasn’t any place where he could simply purchase a Tier Three Cultivation Technique.
’Wait a minute, I’m not a Loose Cultivator. I have a sect!’
An idea suddenly struck Xiao Chen. ’Why not go back to the Li Huo Sect?’
He had taken a direct hit from Ghost Flood Dragon True Man in front of everyone that day. Reappearing now would inevitably reveal that he was hiding something; otherwise, there would have been no reason to flee and hide here in the first place.
’But I’ve already reached Core Formation!’
’What Golden Core True Man doesn’t have a few secrets of their own?’
The crucial question was whether a person with secrets had the power to protect them.
Although Xiao Chen had only just reached Core Formation, with the White Bone Soul-Calling Banner and the Ghost-Faced Profound Light Shield in his possession, he was more than qualified to stand up to other Golden Core True Men.
In fact, given his current cultivation level, others probably wouldn’t dare to voice their suspicions, even if they had them.
With this in mind, his course was clear.
He immediately unsheathed his Flying Sword and set off toward the Li Huo Sect.
BANG!
Xiao Chen slammed right into a larger, nearby volcano.
’Hiss... I almost forgot. I’m using True Essence now, so my Sword Control is much faster.’
True Essence was superior to Liquid Magical Power in every respect.
As a result, his Sword Control speed was now several times faster than before.
Fortunately, as a Body Cultivator, he was unharmed. He dusted off his clothes and took to the air again.
This time, Xiao Chen deliberately climbed to a higher altitude before accelerating, getting used to his newfound Sword Control speed.
’At this speed, covering ten thousand li in a single day would be a trivial matter.’
’Wait, if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean my Vertical Earth Golden Light is much faster too?’
His curiosity piqued, Xiao Chen put away his Flying Sword, landed, and began to travel on foot, channeling all his power into the Vertical Earth Golden Light.
Now, with the addition of Featherweight III and the boost from his True Essence, Xiao Chen could truly achieve the feats described in the Escape Technique’s manual: *crossing a thousand li in an instant, his form like a shadow or a drifting seed*.
Traveling at full speed, it took him only two days to cross into the territory of Li State.
This meant he could cover a distance of 25,000 li in a single day.
’Exhilarating!’
Xiao Chen felt the wind whistling past him. ’With this kind of speed, traveling to other places will be much easier from now on.’
At his current Escape Speed, he could travel from Li State to Hezhou in less than two days.
’Speaking of which, though, my Vertical Earth Golden Light has already reached the Great Success stage. There’s no more room for improvement.’
’I suppose I should learn a new Escape Technique.’
Xiao Chen mused to himself that if he could get his hands on a Tier Three Escape Technique, doubling his speed again wouldn’t be difficult.
When he returned this time, besides getting a Cultivation Technique, he also had to remember to ask Master Ming Yan for an Escape Technique.
’Hm? What’s going on?’
After reaching Core Formation, the range of Xiao Chen’s Divine Sense had increased dramatically.
He spotted the fully activated Defense Array long before he was even close to Qi Yun Peak.
He immediately halted.
Then, in the distance, he saw the banners of the Azure Flame Sect flying high over Li Huo Market.
’What? Has the Azure Flame Sect gone mad?’
Xiao Chen was baffled. His access to information had been limited, so he had no idea that Golden Mace True Man had returned to Li State.
Besides, he simply couldn’t comprehend it. With the White Bone Demon Body’s advent and the Divine Fire Sect’s invasion, how could anyone still be busy with internal strife?
’Like, hello? Can we deal with the external threat first?’
’Wouldn’t it be better to join forces and eliminate the threat of the Demon Dao? Why do we have to fight amongst ourselves?’
’Forget it. I’m not getting involved for now. I’ll get the Cultivation Technique first, then I’ll come back out and settle the score with the Azure Flame Sect.’