Chapter 171: Hidden Spiritual Roots, Heavenly Opportunity

"Unbelievable."

Looking at the Daoist text in his hand, Lu Yang's expression grew even more astonished; it sounded as if this so-called Biyang Cultivation World was helpless before a Foundation Establishment True Person.

However, that was merely a facade.

The simplest theory: how could a faction unable to contend with Foundation Establishment possibly occupy so many islands and territories in the lawless overseas lands?

Therefore, either there is a true Foundation Establishment True Person behind the scenes of the Biyang Cultivation World as a backer, or the theoretically strongest figure of the Biyang Cultivation World, a Great Cultivator of Dao Integration, possesses other means comparable to Foundation Establishment; otherwise, such a fragrant and fertile land rich in talent would have been devoured and stripped bare long ago.

Even these matters are secondary.

Having experienced the Law Refinement Secret Realm, Lu Yang constantly warned himself never to underestimate anyone, let alone a mature system.

Thus, he very quickly noticed something more important:

"Ancestor Qingting. A cultivator at the Nascent Soul realm, the Nascent Soul he condensed, as True Qi, can actually be considered of superior quality."

To discuss it in detail, it is even sufficient to be ranked Fifth Grade.

If Nascent Soul is already like this.

What if the realm is higher? There are three realms above Nascent Soul!

"Continuously refining True Qi; if Nascent Soul is Fifth Grade, can Spirit Refinement reach Fourth Grade? If Void Return is Zheng Zheng San Pin, can Dao Integration achieve Second Grade True Qi?"

This is the key.

The grade of True Qi basically determines a cultivator's future; below Seventh Grade, one has no chance of Foundation Establishment; below Zheng Zheng San Pin, no chance of Jin Dan; below First Grade, one cannot form a Nascent Soul!

Second Grade True Qi is still barely acceptable.

However, if Dao Integration is not the limit of the Biyang Cultivation World? If there are realms above Dao Integration, can True Qi also ascend another level?

"First Grade True Qi!?"

In an instant, Lu Yang was shocked by his own thoughts; First Grade True Qi! It concerns the Nascent Soul; how could a tiny overseas region have such an opportunity?

To know that even his Nine Transformations Dragon Art, created by a Jin Dan True Lord and a true technique reaching the fruit stage, produced True Qi of only Zheng Zheng San Pin; as for techniques capable of condensing Second Grade True Qi, Lu Yang lived eight lifetimes and never saw even a glimpse, as if they simply did not exist.

Let alone First Grade True Qi!

However, the next second, a look of doubt suddenly appeared on Lu Yang's face: "That's not right, isn't the maximum lifespan of a Great Perfection of Qi Refining only one hundred and fifty years?"

The Qi Refining realm, natural lifespan one hundred and fifty years!

This is only in theory; in reality, the vast majority of Qi Refining cultivators do not live a full one hundred and fifty years, often dying at only one hundred and twenty or thirty years.

But what about the Biyang Cultivation World?

According to reason, these people, from Qi Refining at the bottom to Dao Integration at the top, all fall within the scope of Great Perfection of Qi Refining; where does their lifespan come from?

"Purifying True Qi can extend life? Impossible."

"Let alone the Biyang Cultivation World's system, which strictly speaking only refines the Spiritual Root, not the self; theoretically, it would not extend life at all."

But in reality, the cultivators of the Biyang Cultivation World have very long lifespans, even long enough to make Lu Yang, a Foundation Establishment True Person, envious.

However, the structure of their cultivator lifespans is very strange.

"Mortals live at most thirty or forty years, so they often form families in their teens, become grandfathers or grandfathers-in-law at thirty, and forty is even considered an auspicious sign."

"Qi Refining cultivators are no better; their lifespan is only forty or fifty years."

"Foundation Establishment is slightly better, able to live to eighty; Golden Core one hundred and twenty; Nascent Soul two hundred; Spirit Refinement three hundred; Void Return five hundred; Dao Integration one thousand."

Unbelievable!

Seeing this, Lu Yang almost jumped up; a Qi Refining cultivator could actually compare in lifespan to a Jin Dan True Lord, and even did not need reincarnation!

But the next second, Lu Yang reacted: "No, it's not that reincarnation is unnecessary, but that reincarnation is impossible; without true Foundation Establishment, the soul has not undergone a qualitative change; death is true death. As for why they can live so long, it should be because they do not need to endure the erosion of the Bi Wind."

However, it still doesn't seem quite right.

Not enduring the erosion of the Bi Wind only raises the upper limit of lifespan, but what about the lower limit? How did Qi Refining cultivators raise their lifespan to a full thousand years?

Also, the lifespans of mortals and low-realm cultivators are far too short.

The higher the realm, the more lifespan increases after breakthrough; between Void Return and Dao Integration, it even doubles directly, a world of difference.

"If we consider it using the Holy Sect's mindset."

Lu Yang's brows gradually relaxed; he suddenly drew out a root glowing with Lei Guang; this was Liu Chi's mutated Thunder Spiritual Root, also the foundation of cultivation.

Immediately after, Lu Yang called Lady Xiao over to cooperate in the research.

Three days later.

"... Indeed so!"

"What a Spiritual Root! A genius conception!" Lu Yang pushed the exhausted and fainting Lady Xiao aside while gazing intently at the Spiritual Root in his hand.

The Spiritual Root is the key to the lifespan of cultivators in the Biyang Cultivation World!

"Named Spiritual Root, but in reality it is an absorber; it can supplement its own damaged lifespan by extracting the lifespan of mortals and even low-realm cultivators!"

That is why the lifespans of mortals and low-realm cultivators are so short.

As for the thousand-year lifespan of Great Cultivators of Dao Integration, that is probably the upper limit of this world; without reincarnation, living past a thousand years is the limit, unable to go further.

"In other words, this entire Biyang Cultivation World is a super pyramid; the vast number of mortals use their lifespans to support cultivators, then low-realm cultivators support high-realm cultivators, and finally everyone together supports the Great Cultivators of Dao Integration standing at the very top."

Bony marrow extraction, the style of the Holy Sect!

"However, judging by the characteristics of this cultivation system, this place should be related to the Innate True Person; the Innate True Person is not a disciple of the Holy Sect."

Lu Yang flipped through the classics, finally stopping at one page.

"The War Against the Demons from Beyond the Domain?"

What was described in the classics was indeed the history of the founding of the Xian Alliance; demons from beyond the domain appeared out of nowhere, and the local cultivators united and finally drove back the demons.

As he read, Lu Yang frowned.

"After the battle with the demons from beyond the domain, the remaining local cultivators established the current Xian Alliance, and their style of conduct gradually changed to the current bone-extracting and marrow-sucking."

"That doesn't seem right."

"Did the local cultivators really win?"

A group of Qi Refining Grand Perfection cultivators could be wiped out by the appearance of a single Foundation Establishment True Person; what kind of Outer Realm Demonic Spirits could be so weak that they were repelled by local cultivators?

"After winning, they established the Xian Alliance. Could it be that the Outer Realm Demonic Spirits actually won, merely borrowing the shell and reputation of local cultivators to facilitate a comprehensive transformation of the Biyang Cultivation World? Moreover, judging by the current Xian Alliance system, this transformation has already been very successful."

Mortals like Chen Xinghai spent their entire lives working for the Xian Alliance.

Cultivators like Lady Xiao and Ancestor Qingting, though possessing a certain degree of freedom, were ultimately nothing more than high-level Xian Alliance workers.

A complete pyramid structure.

Under the rule of the Xian Alliance, iron laws stood as solid as a mountain.

In an instant, Lu Yang felt the Dao enter his heart; the Qiong Tian Yi on his brow furrowed rapidly, giving rise to a sudden realization: "Wu is Yang Earth; its Qi is solid and heavy; only by residing in the center does it attain correctness."

"In spring and summer, Qi moves and retreats; in autumn and winter, Qi is still and gathers; this is the Lord of Life for all things!"

"So that is it; this is my opportunity for breakthrough. The Lord of Life for all things, the 【Zhu Wei】 I seek, the Wu Earth Cheng Tian Gang is hidden within this Xian Alliance!"

The Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends originate from the Guan Qiankun; sometimes they are not physical objects, but rather some metaphysical imagery.

Wu Earth is the Lord of Life for all things, just as the Xian Alliance is for the Biyang Cultivation World.

The Xian Alliance is a great mountain pressing down upon the Biyang Cultivation World.

And this great mountain is the Wu Earth he seeks!

Therefore, to extract the imagery formed by this single Heavenly Gang, one must either find a way to overthrow the Xian Alliance or replace the Xian Alliance!

"No wonder everyone says the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends are hard to find."

If they were merely simple treasures, how could so many people be stuck at a minor realm of Foundation Establishment, unable to advance an inch? How could the Holy Sect not have stockpiles?

"To seek the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends, one must first possess merit and fate, so that there is an opportunity to encounter them. Secondly, one must have cultivation; if one's cultivation is insufficient, even if the opportunity lies before your eyes, you will not discover it. Finally, one must have strength; if strength is inadequate, one will only be reduced to ashes amidst the tribulations descended upon the Foundation Establishment realm."

Just like this time for myself.

If my cultivation were insufficient, and I failed to comprehend the principle that "Wu Earth is the Lord of Life for all things," I would be like a headless fly, seeking the Heavenly Gang but finding it nowhere.

"The path of cultivation is truly arduous at every step!"

Just as Lu Yang was sighing with emotion, a voice suddenly came from outside the Shenxiao Sect, and at the same time, a divine sense descended from the sky, locking directly onto him:

"May I ask if this is a high cultivator of the Holy Sect?"

"The Xian Alliance; the ethereal one requests an audience."

(End of this chapter)