Months later, Chu Xuan looked at the two Ghost Kings by his side and smiled with satisfaction. While others struggled daily to find souls to sustain their ghosts, he had an entire planet's worth of spirits at his disposal.
Having a planet as a resource for spirits was indeed luxurious. Even if the quality of these spirits was slightly inferior, their sheer quantity was more than sufficient. Moreover, ordinary spirits were akin to ghost soldiers, stronger spirits to ghost generals, and spectre kings were like ghost commanders. The quality wasn't that far off. S~eaʀᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
"Very well, with two Ghost Kings at hand, even mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators are no match for me," Chu Xuan mused. "It's time to return to the extraterritorial battlefield."
...
Back in Righteous Dao City, as Chu Xuan emerged from his third-tier cave dwelling and strolled around, he sensed an odd atmosphere.
"Huh? The mood in the city is a bit eerie."
His brow furrowed. He noticed several unfamiliar Golden Core cultivators in black and white robes who didn't seem to belong to any known faction.
"Unfamiliar faces..." Chu Xuan shook his head and contacted Duan Que via spiritual message.
Soon, Duan Que replied, "Fellow daoist Huikong, I am on the third floor of the Cloudy Tea House in a private room. Let's meet and talk."
Moments later, Chu Xuan met with Duan Que at the tea house. Upon seeing him, Duan Que sighed heavily.
"What's happened?" Chu Xuan asked, puzzled by his friend's demeanor.
Duan Que spoke in a hushed tone, "Fellow daoist Huikong, you've seen those strangers in black and white robes outside, right?"
"I have. Which faction do they belong to?" Chu Xuan inquired.
Duan Que gave a bitter smile. "They're from the Reincarnation Divine Church..."
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow in surprise. The Reincarnation Divine Church was a sixth-tier cultivation sect, a powerhouse. Why would they stoop to scrambling for resources with smaller sects?
However, Chu Xuan quickly understood. Although a sixth-tier sect, the Reincarnation Divine Church also had many cultivators stuck at the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages.
Naturally, the emergence of a divine cave with resources capable of advancement like Deity Nurturing Elixir and Soul Breaking Spike would attract their attention.
However, since the Reincarnation Divine Church was a higher-tier sect than the likes of Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, the Majestic Sword Sect, and the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, their cultivators would undoubtedly be more powerful. The direct involvement of the Reincarnation Divine Church's cultivators seemed like an act of bullying the weak.
"Have you ever encountered any of the Reincarnation Divine Church's Nascent Soul cultivators, Benefactor Duan?" Chu Xuan asked casually.
Duan Que nodded, "Yes, I've met one named Yun Zhongyu. He is a prodigy among the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Reincarnation Divine Church, achieving Golden Core at the age of one hundred twenty and Nascent Soul at three hundred. His future is boundless. The other cultivators from the Reincarnation Divine Church generally maintain some dignity and do not compete with fifth-level sects for resources."
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As he spoke, Duan Que couldn't help but let out a wry smile, "However, this Yun Zhongyu is notorious for using all means at his disposal. He has ventured into the hazardous battlefields more than once, seizing resources from lower-level sects."
Chu Xuan nodded slightly. The extraterritorial battlefields were divided into hazardous, perilous, and extreme levels based on the danger they presented.
Only Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators were permitted into hazardous battlefields to clear out ancient beast remnants. Deity Transformation beings were forbidden entry as their overwhelming power could destabilize these battlefields, potentially leading to their premature collapse.
The rest of the Reincarnation Divine Church's cultivators, relying on their status, had never descended to the hazardous realms to claim their share of the spoils. Yun Zhongyu's willingness to shed his pride, coupled with his impressive talent, explained his rapid advancement in cultivation.
"As for those Golden Core cultivators of the Reincarnation Divine Church, most are followers of Yun Zhongyu, all eager to partake in the treasures of the Deity Transformation being's cave," Duan Que continued with a long sigh. "It seems they prefer to wait and capitalize on others' efforts."
Duan Que sighed again, his concern apparent. "I wonder how our Duan family cultivators are faring inside the cave. The situation inside the city has been communicated to them via spiritual message. It remains to be seen if they can hear it."
Most caves of Deity Transformation powers possessed the ability to block sound, Chu Xuan reasoned. Those inside would likely learn of the happenings in Righteous Dao City only after exiting, by which time it might be too late.
Yun Zhongyu, with his disregard for face, attacking lower-level sects in a perilous realm, would unlikely waste words. More likely, he would exterminate all who emerged from the cave and claim all treasures for himself.
Fortunate for himself, Chu Xuan mused, to possess two ghost kings equivalent in power to Nascent Soul cultivators. Otherwise, with his mere eighth layer Golden Core cultivation, he would stand no chance in the upcoming opportunities.
The backing of two resource-rich planets truly made a formidable edge.
As Duan Que took a sip of tea, he suddenly remembered something and lowered his voice again, "Fellow daoist Huikong, I've heard that the two monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple stationed in the city are investigating you. They might be planning to make a move soon."
Chu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle.
'Well, I haven't even made my move yet, and here they are, delivering themselves to my doorstep.'
"Dragon Buddha above, this humble monk harbors no enmity with any soul, yet the Celestial Sound Zen Temple presses upon us so fiercely... should there be no other choice, I have to, alas, break my vow of non-violence."
Chu Xuan clasped his hands in prayer, chanting the sacred Buddha's name solemnly.
Duan Que raised an eyebrow, "Fellow daoist Huikong, can you really overcome them?"
With a face full of devout confidence, Chu Xuan proclaimed, "The Dragon Buddha worshiped at my Golden Dragon Temple surpasses the Celestial Sound Buddha in might. I believe that when the time comes, the Dragon Buddha will surely aid me!"
Duan Que smacked his lips thoughtfully and pulled a demon charm from his storage bag, placing it into Chu Xuan's palm. With seriousness, he said, "Fellow daoist Huikong, I don't have many friends, but you are certainly one. I don't have much to offer for protection; this was bought from a demonic cultivator's stall. I'll give you one Though the charm is sinister, it's merely a tool. The sin lies with the maker, not the user. Do not worry, Fellow Daoist Huikong."
Chu Xuan's eyebrows twitched. Suddenly, he remembered the year Liu Zhenxiong had also secretly handed him a demon charm. At this moment, it felt just like that time.
Chu Xuan sighed softly, "Thank you."
With that, he rose and departed.
Watching his retreating figure, Duan Que felt a sudden enigma enveloping the monk from the Golden Dragon Temple.
What was Huikong sighing about in that instant? Was it because of the demon charm he had handed over? Or something else?
Duan Que couldn't tell.
...
In the city of Righteous Dao, another month passed.
The treasures buried deep within the Great Chasm glowed for several days without dispersing. It seemed that the Deity Transformation cave was about to open again.
Chu Xuan, as usual, roamed the city. He had been wandering for many days now, wary lest the monks from Celestial Sound Zen Temple would not make a move. Such direct baiting tactics finally proved irresistible.
In a narrow alley, Chu Xuan suddenly noticed a figure clad in a monk's robe ahead. Looking behind, another robed figure blocked his path.
"Huikong of the Golden Dragon Temple, it's time to send you to the west—permanently!"
The two figures sneered in unison.
Chu Xuan smiled. A smile so broad, it filled the alley.