Chapter 981: Chapter 949: Lu Ping’s Helplessness

According to reason, the Nascent Soul Demon Emperor was slain, and of the remaining 200,000 demon beasts, only a very small portion are Golden Core Demon Kings and Crystallization Demon Beasts, with a total count not exceeding 2,000.

Given the combat power of the four major forces, Dubhe Institute, Cyan Mountain Sect, Nine Cold Mountain, and Heaven-Facing Sect, any one of them could easily wipe out these demon beasts alone.

However, in this period of clearance, about 110,000 demon beasts still remain.

After this news spread, it quickly led to external speculation.

"Cyan Mountain Sect and Dubhe Institute are both very powerful; why haven’t they been able to clean out those remaining demon beasts?"

"Yes, I’m puzzled as well."

"Could it be that there’s a hidden Nascent Soul Demon Emperor, or some other obstacles?"

Two days of such discussions quickly led to an answer.

Cyan Mountain Sect was the first to announce that the battle to clear the remnants of the Southern Wilderness demon beasts has been divided into various sect missions for Cyan Mountain Sect disciples to select and undertake.

In other words, it wasn’t that Cyan Mountain Sect couldn’t annihilate those demon beasts, but rather they chose to use them as training for their own disciples.

Engaging in combat with demon beasts provides an excellent opportunity to train oneself and temper one’s will.

Coupled with the sect’s merit system, many Cyan Mountain Sect disciples eagerly accepted missions, participating in the removal of demon beast remnants.

Following Cyan Mountain Sect’s lead, Nine Cold Mountain, Dubhe Institute, and Heaven-Facing Sect similarly created missions for their own disciples to carry out.

It’s worth mentioning that Dubhe Institute not only released tasks internally but also issued a public announcement.

Anyone who slays demon beasts in the Southern Wilderness forest can exchange the acquired demon beast inner cores at Dubhe Institute for merit points.

One Tier One Demon Beast corresponds to 20 merit points.

Tier Two Demon Beast is 200.

Tier Three Demon Beast is 2,000.

Tier Four Demon Beast is 20,000.

And so on.

Cultivators can use the acquired merit points at Dubhe Institute to exchange for various cultivation resources.

Dubhe Institute did this to attract many cultivators to participate in the cleanup of demon beast remnants, gaining support and assistance.

Another reason is to seize this opportunity to collect more demon beast resources.

When cultivators trade demon beast inner cores for merit, the inner cores are collected by Dubhe Institute.

With these inner cores, Tier One and Tier Two demon pills can serve as alchemy materials, assisting cultivation, or be used to craft special magical artifacts such as Silent Extinction Celestial Thunder and Thunder Fire Bombs.

Tier Three and above demon pills can be used to form Golden Cores, which are of higher value.

Golden Cores are Treasure Pills used by Crystallization Stage Cultivators to aid their breakthrough to the Golden Core Stage.

Since Dubhe Institute issued this notification, calling for everyone to fight together, within a few days, major cultivation clans, sects, and even many loose cultivators from Lingxi State have actively participated and gathered in the Southern Wilderness forest.

The gathering of cultivators soon reached over 9,000, including over 300 Crystallization Cultivators and two Golden Core Cultivators.

This added force significantly eased the burden on Cyan Mountain Sect and the other three major forces, making the demon extermination action much easier.

To facilitate resource exchange, Dubhe Institute also set up several exchange points around the Southern Wilderness forest.

Foundation Establishment Pills, Five Elements Crystals, Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts, and exquisite cultivation techniques can all be exchanged here, so there’s no need to keep running to the main hall of Dubhe Institute.

As time progresses, the demon beasts in the Southern Wilderness are rapidly cleared out, and attracted by Dubhe Institute, more and more cultivators gather here.

This place becomes increasingly lively.

Cyan Mountain Sect.

During leisure time, Lu Ping guides Lu Yuanshan and others in cultivation, occasionally holds Dao enlightenment assemblies, where he lectures and resolves doubts for many disciples.

This has led to Lu Ping being affectionately called by a down-to-earth name within the sect.

According to Cyan Mountain Sect disciples, he’s approachable, without a lofty demeanor, quite amiable and friendly.

A stark contrast to the imagined aloof figure with a stern face, keeping strangers at bay, devoid of the arrogance typically associated with a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Regarding Lu Ping’s recent actions, indeed, he has the intention of nurturing disciples’ cultivation well.

The stronger the disciples, the better for the sect, as they can give back to it.

Additionally, it comes down to a bit of helplessness and bitterness.

Since reaching the ninth layer of Nascent Soul, the spirit vein level of Cyan Mountain Sect can no longer meet Lu Ping’s cultivation needs.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in Lingxi State isn’t sufficient to support a breakthrough to the Divinity Transformation Stage.

Simply put, this place restricts Lu Ping’s subsequent cultivation since its resources no longer work for him; he needs to venture to the Central Ancestral Realm for a more suitable cultivation sacred land.

With no need for cultivation during this time, naturally, he feels a bit bored, hence keeping busy within the sect.

Simultaneously, he’s recently refreshing items in the system mall, exchanging over a dozen products, ranging from three-star to six-star.

Among them, the [Six-Star - Spirit Vein Upgrade] has been exchanged and already put to use.

A few years ago, the Cyan Lotus Mountain Spiritual Vein was still at Tier Four Lower Grade.

In the past two years, Lu Ping quietly exchanged four [Five-Star - Spirit Vein Upgrades] to elevate the Cyan Lotus Mountain Spiritual Vein to Tier Five Middle Grade.

This level of spirit vein corresponds to the cultivation needs of mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

His breakthrough to late-stage Nascent Soul was largely reliant on Heavenly and Earthly Treasures, spending very little time in secluded cultivation at Cyan Lotus Mountain.

This time is no different; the Spirit Vein level at Cyan Lotus Mountain cannot satisfy his daily cultivation.

Furthermore, his cultivation is close to reaching the Divinity Transformation Stage, requiring a Tier Six Spiritual Vein to impact the bottleneck.

However, merely having a spiritual vein isn’t enough; breaking through to the Divinity Transformation Stage isn’t easy.

Aside from the Central Ancestral Realm, in Lingxi State, Yongning State, Beimang State, and even in Qingli Sea, Outer Sea, attempting a breakthrough to Divinity Transformation Stage is extremely challenging.

Historically, only a few Nascent Soul True Monarchs have managed to cross this threshold through Heaven-Reaching Techniques or sensational opportunities.

Other Nascent Soul True Monarchs can only continue cultivating in the Central Ancestral Realm.

This merely meets the fundamental requirement of sufficient Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi for a breakthrough.

Additionally, some Heaven and Earth Spiritual Treasures are needed; otherwise, relying solely on the grind to break through to the Divinity Transformation Stage can take over 500 years.

The lifespan of a Nascent Soul cultivator is around 1,000 years; even cultivating various techniques to extend lifespan won’t exceed 1,500 years.

Relying merely on ordinary cultivation, even Celestial Spirit Root cultivators can’t guarantee a breakthrough to Divinity Transformation Stage before their lifespan runs out.

Other Dual Spirit Root, Three Spirit Roots Nascent Soul cultivators don’t stand a chance...