Chapter 106
Chapter 106
“Holy Maiden, tomorrow we’ll embark on a quest to find the ingredients for the Demon Dust Pill. Once we’ve lifted the Heavenly Demon Seal, I’ll arrange a wedding for you,” Li Su said. He was planning to depart the next day, and this journey wouldn’t take much time. The two substantial rewards were approaching rapidly, but waiting for them was unnecessary before setting out.
In recent years, the number of eligible female cultivators has decreased due to the three major sect areas. Li Su’s requirements had become more stringent, so he hadn’t taken many concubines. Nevertheless, occasionally, concubines would bear offspring with spiritual talents for Li Su. The number of his descendants with spiritual talents was steadily increasing, and with just two more offspring possessing these talents, the total would reach 200. The number of descendants was again catching up, with just a few hundred more needed to reach the 200,000 mark. Achieving that milestone would take another month or even less. Li Su intended to make good use of this time.
Upon hearing Li Su’s words, the heart of the Holy Maiden of the Dark Moon couldn’t help but soften a little. A wedding? She had never considered it since becoming a demonic cultivator. Even though her heart belonged to Li Su, she had never considered having him arrange a wedding. However, a hint of envy crept in when she witnessed Li Su grandly marrying other concubines. She nodded gently and, for the first time, rested her head against Li Su’s chest.
Now that she had regained her cultivation, as long as she refrained from taking action, it was unlikely that anyone would detect her presence. Unlike the White-clan cultivators, her spiritual power didn’t carry any bloodlust. However, her methods were still those of a demonic cultivator. Compared to the White-clan cultivators, the Holy Maiden of the Dark Moon held a higher status in the demonic cultivation world. She practiced the Devil’s Demon Art, considered authentic demonic cultivation. Only she could identify the necessary herbs for their journey. Thus, the three of them appeared to be embarking on this trip unless unforeseen circumstances arose.
“Master”
“Let’s go.”
The following day, Li Su rendezvoused with the Sect Master and the Holy Maiden of the Dark Moon. The three boarded the Sect Master’s flying immortal boat and headed towards the Mangkang Mountains. Before long, they had ventured deep into the Mangkang Mountains. Perhaps due to the recent surge in demonic beasts, the number of these creatures in this part of the mountains had significantly decreased. Li Su looked up at the sky, where the Elemental Magnetic Barrier was visible. It wasn’t very discernible to the naked eye, as the high altitude was often shrouded in mist, but their divine senses could perceive it.
The Elemental Magnetic Barrier significantly restricted the range of their divine senses and could even damage them if they remained inside for too long. Their exploration speed with divine senses was as slow as trudging through mud. This Elemental Magnetic Barrier extended for tens of thousands of miles along the Mangkang Mountains, acting as a barrier between the Three Great Immortal Mountains and the entire Northern Realm. Without it, even though the Mangkang Mountains were high, they wouldn’t have obstructed the flow of spiritual energy. If it weren’t for the Elemental Magnetic Barrier, the Mangkang Mountains would have been an incredibly rich source of spiritual energy.
“The time for studying it will come later,” Li Su remarked. He didn’t dedicate much time to studying the Elemental Magnetic Barrier. The three of them disembarked from the flying immortal boat and began following a wide pathway through the Mangkang Mountains, spanning several tens of miles. They could walk in this region but couldn’t use flying magical treasures. If they chose to fly independently, they had to stay close to the ground and avoid moving too quickly to prevent disturbing the Elemental Magnetic Field.
As they proceeded, Li Su observed their surroundings. It appeared to be the Holy Maiden of the Dark Moon’s first visit to the Mangkang Mountains, while the Sect Master was more acquainted with the area due to periodic journeys across the mountains to acquire certain items.
“Sect Master, is it true that the falling fragments of immortal treasures formed the Mangkang Mountains? And if so, are any fragments still left in the mountains?”
“I’m not certain. According to ancient legends, that’s the explanation. However, so many years have passed, and if there were any fragments, powerful cultivators have likely claimed them.”
“Oh, Sect Master, it seems you didn’t grow up near the Peak of Hopeful Immortality?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Just curiosity. By the way, Sect Master, I’ve never learned your age.”
“…”
Li Su conversed with the Sect Master while the Holy Maiden of the Dark Moon listened without contributing. She sensed that Li Su had ulterior motives concerning the Sect Master, and her intuition proved accurate. Li Su had been attempting to persuade the Sect Master to have a child with him for nearly two centuries—this wasn’t a matter of just a few years or a decade. It had been almost two hundred years.
“Well then, Sect Master, a woman’s age can be a well-guarded secret, but I still don’t know your name.”
“Shangguan Xue”.
“Wow, Sect Master, your name sounds lovely.”
As Li Su conversed with the Sect Master, the three of them traversed the passage in the Mangkang Mountains. On the other side, endless mountain ranges awaited, still considered part of the Mangkang Mountains. Limited visibility persisted due to the misty haze, but at last, the flying immortal boat could take flight once more. There appeared to be numerous demonic beasts in this area, all seemingly courting death by daring to approach.
Li Su inquired, “Sect Master, where are we heading?”
“We’re bound for Linxian City, the largest city in the Northern Realm. The seven major sects jointly control it, and the seven major sects and some smaller sects have their headquarters there,” the Sect Master explained, offering insights into the Northern Realm.
Now, they had truly entered the Northern Realm. Its territory far exceeded the Peak of Hopeful Immortality, encased by the Mangkang Mountains. The Northern Realm housed seven major sects and numerous smaller sects and cultivation clans.
These cultivation clans wielded considerably more power than those in the Peak of Hopeful Immortality, boasting Foundation Establishment cultivators and even cultivation clans established by Core Formation cultivators. However, Core Formation cultivators often possessed average spiritual roots and advanced slowly.
Typically, they were affiliated with sects, serving as external disciples or aides. After attaining Core Formation, their cultivation level remained quite high even if they couldn’t progress further. Serving as assistants or external disciples of a sect provided them with favorable treatment when needed.
Cultivators blessed with superior spiritual roots naturally gravitated towards the seven major sects because these sects controlled the majority of cultivation resources in the Northern Realm. Smaller sects, for the most part, were affiliated with the seven major sects.