Chapter 64: with translation of chapter title

He pondered, nearly forgetting which side his father was on, still needing to set up a Spirit Gathering Array, plus spirit stones, and he had also heard that Beast Tides had erupted over at Yunhai City.

He couldn't afford to stay; if time weren't urgent, he could simply return alone and wait for Liu Liyan to return to the Purple Yang Sect.

But there really wasn't that much time left for him.

Taking the spatial teleportation array from here, the fastest would still take one or two hours, after all it's tens of thousands of li away.

All spirit stone supplies are in Su Chen's Myriad Worlds Market card; Su Chen needs to personally rush back.

Moreover, the Beast Tide appearing there also requires him to personally rush over to stabilize the situation.

"Black Dragon."

Su Chen's calm gaze swept over Black Dragon as he said: "Take these talismans, lie in wait at the Purple Yang Sect; once Liyan returns to the sect, you must bring her back."

"If you mess up again this time, don't bother coming back."

Black Dragon dropped to one knee, his words ringing solemnly: "Yes sir! I will certainly bring the Saintess Liyan back to Yunhai City unharmed."

Eastern Wasteland, Yunhai City.

Sect Leader Su Changfeng was leading five thousand cultivators, occupying this city, desperately resisting the Beast Tide.

It is now also the time of the Spirit Burst; while building the Spirit Gathering Array and also having to fend off the Beast Tide, if not for the White Tiger cub Su Chen had given earlier.

With its noble bloodline intimidating the horde of demons, the five thousand cultivators probably couldn't even hold out until today's third wave of the Beast Tide.

"Sect Leader, constructing the Spirit Gathering Array consumes spirit stones in astronomical amounts; the Treasure Pavilion in Yunhai City has sold out its spirit stones, we now have hardly any left; if this continues, we won't last five days!"

"Alas, the spirit stone resources consumed by the Spirit Gathering Array are immense, basically a bottomless pit; but without the Spirit Gathering Array, nobody can cultivate."

Inside Yunhai City.

Several cultivators watched, faces full of worry, as the Sect Leader sat in the chief seat.

Not long after Sect Leader Su Changfeng entered Yunhai City, Ye Xuan's side sent an order for him to return to the Azure Abyss Sect for a trip, but he wasn't stupid and flatly refused.

But just then, the Myriad Demon Mountain Range near Yunhai City erupted in a Beast Tide without any warning...

Moreover, the Ye family sent out Ye Han, the adopted son of Ye Xuan's parents, leading a host of Ye family cultivators to confront them.

During this, Ye Han further used heart-attack techniques, causing many cultivators to defect and turn against them, thus severely wounding the vitality of Sect Leader Su Changfeng's subordinates.

Now the cultivators who remain are those who truly follow him.

"How many spirit stones do we have left on hand, and how long can they keep the Spirit Gathering Array running?" Su Chen clenched his fists, exhaling turbid qi as he asked.

"At most they'll last three days; after three days the Spirit Gathering Array will no longer be able to provide refined spirit qi."

"Three days..." Su Chen frowned tightly; not mentioning the Beast Tide, just how many waves remain—this Beast Tide of the Myriad Demon Mountain Range is said to have been triggered by an extraordinary mountain treasure deep in the range, causing several demon emperors to vie for it.

The ensuing Beast Tide saw him rise and stand aloft in the void, gazing from the city walls at the dense swarms of demonic beasts nearby and the Ye family disciples farther off.

He felt a bit of violent spirit qi enter his body; his cultivation technique automatically circulated, yet astonishingly it could not be refined, and immediately a trace of fresh blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

His temples were streaked with white, a light frost staining his hair.

Ye Xuan ordered that no spirit stones or medicinal pills be supplied to Yunhai City, monopolizing the city's resources.

However, now coinciding with the Spirit Burst phenomenon, the heaven-and-earth spirit qi cannot be forcibly refined; only through the Spirit Gathering Array can it be done, yet operating the Spirit Gathering Array requires consuming massive resources, and the trifling amount brought out from the Heavenly Profound Dao Sect is but a drop in the bucket.

These days, he has even had the cultivators turn in the spirit stones they hold.

"I don't even know if child Chen has received my sound-transmitting jade slip; how is the situation in Qianyuan City?" Su Chen's gaze sank like water.

"No matter what, we must hold out until he arrives at Yunhai."

"When he left the sect, child Chen said he only needed half a month's time, and he would surely rush to Yunhai City to rendezvous."

"This time is almost up; in five more days it will be half a month."

As soon as his child Chen arrives, all problems will surely be resolved.

The sect elders standing behind saw Sect Leader Su Changfeng gazing into the distance, their tone urgent and impatient: "The spirit stones are about to run out any moment; Sect Leader, why aren't you the slightest bit anxious?"

"Nor have you sent a sound-transmitting jade slip to see if we can contact those forces that once had deep ties with the Heavenly Profound Dao Sect, to have them advance some spirit stone resources."

"Just gazing at the scenery outside the city, will spirit stones come by themselves?"

Another countered: "You speak lightly, but now our Heavenly Profound Dao Sect stands opposed to Ye Xuan; those powers are all fawning over Ye Xuan, and with his order, who would dare lend us spirit stones for cultivation?"

"If you have the ability, go kill the demonic beasts outside; the demon cores they drop still contain some pure spirit qi."

"The drop rate is one in a thousand, okay? Don't look at how many demonic beasts below could yield a thousand spirit stones—that would be like ancestral graves smoking green."

"Sect Leader, please say something!"

A cultivator shouted out urgently.

Swish swish swish!

Dozens of pairs of eyes anxiously awaited Sect Leader Su Changfeng, hoping for an answer.

If Sect Leader Su Changfeng cannot resolve the spirit stone issue, then surely many will defect to Ye Han.

By then, no matter what sect leader, whoever comes will be useless.

"Wait."

"Sect Leader, what time is it now? If we could wait for spirit stone resources, we would have already done so; I've heard from Ye Han's underlings that Ye Xuan has already monopolized all spirit stone cultivation resources in Yunhai City!"

"We simply cannot wait for spirit stone resources."

A hot-tempered young cultivator, unable to contain himself, rushed up to Sect Leader Su Changfeng, pushed aside a corner of the formation, and said: "Sect Leader, look."

"These bones beneath the city walls, gnawed by demonic beasts, plus those whose bodies burst from accumulated violent spirit qi that could not be refined, are everywhere."

"They fight with their lives against demonic beasts, against the heavens; must we really wait until everyone is dead to find spirit stone supplies? Or is it truly only when people die that the spirit qi from the Spirit Gathering Array also..."

The young cultivator's tightly gripped natal magic instrument rang out, his eyes filled with anguish and helplessness.

He knows he shouldn't have said these things, but he just couldn't help himself.

He fears neither being devoured by demonic beasts nor being slain by Ye family disciples, elders, or even Ye Han; he only fears a miserable death from being unable to refine spirit qi, being literally burst alive.

"Of course I know!"

Sect Leader Su Changfeng's Martial Ancestor realm aura suddenly burst forth, his sharp cold eyes sweeping over as he spoke firmly: "How could I possibly not see these? It's just that the timing isn't right yet, it's not the moment to act; the more critical the juncture, the more we must stay calm."

"Wait a few more days, believe me! Everything will be readily solved in a few days."

How many days?

Their Spirit Gathering Formation can only keep running for three days; how many more days can they wait?

How to solve it! Spirit stones are monopolized.

All the forces that were previously on good terms with the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect have all gone to the opposing side; what can we use to solve it?!

With thousands of disciples and elders cultivating and healing, can just waiting actually suffice?