Chapter 470: Has the World of Cultivation Changed?

The Ghost Fire Token, as the credential of the Lord of the Ghost Fire Well, connects the 'Zhu Que Prison-Suppressing Great Formation' with the eighth-grade Dao weapon, the 'Nine-Layered Prison Tower'.

The Zhu Que Prison-Suppressing Great Formation has the finger bone of the Zhu Que Emperor as its formation core, brimming with energy; the Nine-Layered Prison Tower is a weapon that proves the Dao, rich in Dao rhyme.

Jing Sheng, whose breath was nearing extinction, after being acknowledged by the Ghost Fire Token, received the simultaneous nourishment of the Zhu Que bone and the eighth-grade Dao weapon; only thus was a sliver of hope for survival secured for him.

This was precisely what left Gongshu Xingyan stunned; whether it was the Emperor's remains or an eighth-grade Dao weapon, both were rare treasures that cultivators could encounter only by chance, never by seeking.

As a weapon refiner and a cultivator who had practiced for hundreds of years, he knew all too well what these two items signified.

The Emperor's remains were a legendary existence; to say nothing of obtaining them, merely sensing a wisp of their aura from afar was enough to stir the heart of any great expert in the region.

An eighth-grade Dao weapon was an object that proved the Dao; how many cultivators exhausted their entire lives yet might still fail to find even one?

Yet Hua Changxi... had actually given them away without a moment's hesitation.

Not a shred of hesitation, not an instant of doubt!

To be honest, Hua Changxi's action shook him even more than her solitary intrusion into Ghost Mother Mountain to rescue the Zhu Que Army.

Saving the Zhu Que Army could be explained as her duty as the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall, but how should one judge this 'irrational behavior' of hers, forcibly saving Jing Sheng whose breath was nearly extinguished?

Gongshu Xingyan's thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the arduous years when he first embarked on the path of cultivation.

Back then, spiritual qi in heaven and earth was thin, and cultivation resources were exceedingly scarce.

For a single spirit stone, he could lie in ambush in the deep mountains for months; for a single cultivation manual, he dared to plunge into deadly lands to gamble his life. Countless times he hovered before the gates of death, and countless times he snatched food from the mouths of fierce beasts while covered in blood.

Even later, when he relied on his talent to become a renowned master weapon refiner, cultivation resources seemed like an bottomless pit that could never be filled.

Breakthroughs required resources, weapon refining required resources, developing forces required resources... thinking back to that time, he was either on the journey to seek resources or on the road to contend for them.

Even being trapped in the Ghost Realm for a hundred years, in the final analysis, was merely for the sake of finding a few materials for weapon refining.

Having stepped onto the path of cultivation, he had long grown accustomed to placing resources above all else; precisely because he understood how important cultivation resources were, he better understood how 'extraordinary' Hua Changxi's decision was.

Those were the Emperor's remains, an eighth-grade Dao weapon, supreme treasures that countless cultivators dreamed of and would willingly die to obtain. Yet she did not even frown, handing them over with cupped hands, solely to exchange a sliver of hope for a dying man!

Ripples stirred in Gongshu Xingyan's heart at this moment; he felt it was absurd and laughable—that in the cruel world of cultivation, someone would truly, without hesitation, place human life above resources!

"Wonderful!"

Hearing Song Weimin's excited voice, Gongshu Xingyan turned to look, a trace of puzzlement flashing in his eyes.

Had he been imprisoned in the Ghost Realm for too long?

So long that he had missed the period of rapid development during which spiritual qi revived in the mortal world?

If the cultivation environment in the mortal world had not developed so well, how could he have, in such a short time, first encountered Song Weimin, who sacrificed himself to save others, and then met the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall, who regarded the Emperor's remains and an eighth-grade Dao weapon as ordinary objects?

This differed far too much from the world of cultivation he knew.

In his impression, cultivators would kill their own sect members and turn against friends and family over a mere handful of resources, let alone hand over readily available supreme treasures to others.

Yet now, the existence of these two people was telling him through their actions that his those thoughts and perceptions were wrong.

Could it be that the cultivation environment in the mortal world had truly changed drastically?

Unaware of the ripples stirring in Gongshu Xingyan's heart, Hua Changxi, after using the Ghost Fire Token to temporarily protect Jing Sheng's life force, slowly rose to her feet and faced everyone surrounding the Ghost Fire Well.

In the Ghost Realm, the damage inflicted upon her by the Ghost King was limited; most of her injuries came from heavenly punishment.

Fortunately, she had earlier cultivated the Zhu Que Spiritual Body, successfully dispersing the imprint of the heavenly punishment's power within her body.

After the electric dragon in her dantian was dispersed and refined, her injuries came under control.

At this moment, she had the spare energy to handle the aftermath concerning the Ghost Fire Well.

Hua Changxi's gaze swept over the crowd, finally resting on the Ghost Fire Well, which had returned to calm, and she spoke to Fang Zhuyue and the contingent of Zhu Que Army soldiers:

"The Ghost Fire Well is the location of the Zhu Que Army's military prison; now that it has been opened, someone must guard it."

Upon hearing these words, the expressions of Fang Zhuyue and the other Zhu Que Army soldiers changed, thinking Hua Changxi intended to leave them behind as jailers.

Song Weimin, Gongshu Xingyan, and the other several hundred human cultivators listened silently, daring not to make a sound, fearing Hua Changxi might leave them behind as well.

Seeing the change in the Zhu Que Army soldiers' expressions, Hua Changxi continued, "This is not an unavoidable order, but I suggest you consider staying behind to guard the Ghost Fire Well."

"The Zhu Que Army soldiers who guard the Ghost Fire Well will be taught the divine ability 'Crimson Nether Flame Prison'; cultivating this divine ability requires tempering the body with ghost fire."

"And the physical bodies of you people have been almost thoroughly eroded by ghost qi and ghost fire."

Afterwards, Hua Changxi briefly explained the 'Crimson Nether Flame Prison' divine ability.

Learning that the 'Crimson Nether Flame Prison' divine ability was the same bloodline chain technique Jing Sheng had employed, not only were the Zhu Que Army soldiers moved, but the other human cultivators were intrigued as well.

After all, when they were previously trapped in the Ghost Fire Well, they had witnessed with their own eyes Jing Sheng use his divine ability to severely injure imperial cultivators.

Otherwise, in the Ghost Mother Mountain Ghost Prison, Chu Tianye would not have ended up with only a few subordinates.

In the crowd, Gongshu Xingyan looked at Hua Changxi once again in astonishment; could a divine ability of this level be transmitted so casually?

"Battalion Commander Fang, you and the Zhu Que Army soldiers should consider first; once you have decided, gather everyone's intentions."

Hua Changxi instructed Fang Zhuyue, then looked again at Song Weimin, Gongshu Xingyan, and the other human cultivators.

"Collect and summarize the information and backgrounds of these people as well."

"Before I return, no one is permitted to leave."

Fang Zhuyue clasped his fists and agreed.

Having finished her instructions, Hua Changxi said no more; her form flashed, transforming into a fire bird, she soared up from the well's bottom and quickly vanished from everyone's sight.

"Battalion Commander Fang, what does the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall mean by not allowing us to leave?"

Looking at the restless and anxious cultivators, Fang Zhuyue was speechless: "What are you afraid of? Our Hall Master went through great hardships to rescue you from the Ghost Realm; do you think she would kill you?"

Hearing these words, the emotions of the cultivators were soothed quite effectively.

Gongshu Xingyan, however, furrowed his brows; he was a weapon refining master with a reputation extending far and wide; others might leave easily, but he was not so certain.

"Do you think the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall will let us go?"

Gongshu Xingyan nudged Song Weimin.

Seeing his tense expression, Song Weimin smiled slightly: "Do you know that cultivators in the outside world have no idea who the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall actually is?"

"She isn't letting us leave, likely because she fears we will leak her information once we go out."

"Moreover, even if we tried to leave now, we couldn't make it. Our injuries are only under control; if we went out, we might encounter other dangers. It's better to stay here."

"Furthermore, the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall holds another title—Peak Lord of the Dansheng Hall. Her medical skills are highly profound."

"By staying here, we might even receive treatment."

Saying this, Song Weimin glanced at Gongshu Xingyan: "Didn't you say you were implanted with a Ghost Nail by the Ghost Clan? Perhaps she can remove it for you."

Gongshu Xingyan expressed surprise: "The Hall Master of Lingguang Hall doesn't appear very old by bone age. She commands the Zhu Que Army while also refining pills and studying medicine. Can she really handle it all?"

Song Weimin shrugged: "Who knows? Perhaps geniuses are all this formidable."