"Longxiang City is the second largest city in the Jiuxiao Domain, second only to the provincial capital, Jiuxiao City, and serves as the domain's primary transportation hub. If the Jiuxiao Domain hadn't implemented a strong capital strategy and relocated the Ministry of Energy headquarters that used to be in Longxiang City, it would be the domain's top economic powerhouse as well. Even so, Longxiang City remains the most populous city in the Jiuxiao Domain and the top choice for immigrants, boasting an annual GDP of two hundred billion."
In the car, Zong Yan gave an overview of Longxiang City's basic details.
At first, Yaoguang found it all slightly jarring, but looking around at the neon-drenched streets and the endless stream of hover cars gliding along the roads...
He gradually went numb.
Especially right now...
A traffic jam!
The very first difficulty he encountered upon arriving in a cultivation city in the Great Cangwu World was actually a traffic jam!
The car crept into the city at a snail's pace.
Once he had somewhat come to terms with the reality before him, what struck him as truly out of place was seeing sword-riding cultivators streak across luminous sky tracks laid out one or several hundred meters overhead from time to time.
Cultivators at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining and above could fly on swords, and wealthy sword cultivators at the Fifth or Sixth Layer could achieve void sword flight just as well by purchasing a spirit artifact flying sword.
Still...
In such a modern metropolis, did having cultivators spontaneously fly past on swords make any sense?
*Whoosh!*
As he was thinking, another streak of sword light swept low overhead, trailing dazzling light effects that drew every eye.
"Damn brats, showing off their flying swords again and cranking up the light pollution so high! For a second there I could barely see the road ahead. Aren't they afraid of causing an accident?"
From a car crawling alongside them came the grumbling curse of a driver.
"Quit being jealous. If you have the money, buy one yourself! If you had a flying sword, why would you be driving this piece of junk and stuck motionless in traffic like this?"
In the passenger seat, a woman in her thirties mocked him.
"What's so great about a flying sword? The ride comfort is terrible—nowhere near as good as sitting in a car," the driver argued stubbornly.
"If you can't afford it, you can't afford it. Is it that hard to admit you're a failure? Then again, it figures. Top luxury goods like that—if you're born with them, you have them; if you can't afford them, you'll never afford them in your entire life," the woman said again.
Yaoguang glanced at the distant trail of light and asked, "Are flying swords really this commonplace now? Cultivators at the Fifth or Sixth Layer of Qi Refining already have spirit artifacts?"
"With the aggressive push for industrialization and mass scale, production capacity across all trades has surged dramatically, so things that used to be precious have indeed depreciated sharply. In the past, senior cultivators were lucky to own a high-grade dharma artifact, but nowadays... spirit artifacts are practically standard issue, sometimes even upgraded to mid-tier or high-tier spirit artifacts. It's just like how many senior cultivators now specialize in spells that were originally meant for Foundation Establishment or even simplified Golden Core-level arts."
As Zong Yan spoke, he added, "However, the Nine Cauldrons Sect has not been out of turmoil for very long, and industrial capacity hasn't caught up completely. Obsolete products like dharma artifact flying swords are one thing, but spirit artifact flying swords... are still not widespread. Right now, those who can afford spirit artifact flying swords are, without exception, wealthy scions with money and influence. Even a spirit artifact flying sword with almost no combat functions that can only fly will run into the tens of millions."
"A spirit artifact... with no combat functions?"
Yaoguang was, after all, a ninth-rank artifact refiner and knew dharma artifacts and spirit artifacts well.
Such things had always been formidable tools designed for life-and-death combat. A spirit artifact devoid of combat power was as absurd as a fighter jet unable to fire missiles.
"What is the point of crafting something like that?"
"Brand appeal, probably. When other people use materials at the dharma artifact grade, yours reach spirit artifact grade. It just sounds upscale. Supposedly, the new 'Light Spirit' Model 14 Flying Sword, Immortal Lord Edition released by the Great Sun Sword Sect has combat utility inferior to a high-grade dharma artifact, yet costs more than ten times as much. Even so, it's sold out," Zong Yan said.
"The Light Spirit line is on the decline now. I heard the 'Immortal Lord Edition' was reported for discriminating against women and was pulled from the shelves across the board. The best seller in the high-end market right now is their rival's 'Flowing Immortal' Model 9 Fairy Edition flying sword. Its sales in the first half of this year alone have already broken ten thousand," Ji Pingtian chimed in.
"The Flowing Immortal series? Didn't the Nine Cauldrons Sect quality inspection bureau report on that? It's a pure tax on stupidity," Zong Yan said, somewhat surprised.
"It's an import from the Great Sun Sword Sect, so plenty of people think it's high class. Some even believe the quality inspection bureau is playing trade protectionism, deliberately keeping them from using foreign high-end products," Ji Pingtian chuckled.
Having operated among the ruling elites, they could see through such marketing gimmicks at a glance.
Yet...
The native cultivators didn't necessarily see it that way.
The car moved in fits and starts.
Along the way, the styles of clothing among the crowds seemed divided into roughly three equal parts: modern, ancient, and eccentric outfits.
The architectural styles ranged from soaring skyscrapers to jade pavilions.
Yet even those quaint, classical pavilions were filled with an abundance of electronics, closely resembling modern neoclassical constructions.
Yaoguang saw many storefronts displaying dharma artifacts and spirit artifacts directly on their walls for sale.
The same was true for various medicinal pills.
However, the store goods and decor appeared sharply polarized.
The shops belonging to the Nine Cauldrons Sect mainly sold low-to-mid-end goods, whereas shops bearing foreign sect names sold considerably more upscale items.
On the electronic screen of an especially magnificent shop, there was even an advertisement for Treasure Weapons.
"You can even buy Treasure Weapons?" Yaoguang said, looking at the screen.
"Never mind Treasure Weapons—you can even buy spirit treasures."
At this point, Zong Yan grew somewhat reflective. "Nowadays, whether it's artifact refining, alchemy, formations, or talismans, everything has shifted toward a massive factory model. While drastically reducing production costs, it has vastly increased efficiency. As this mindset permeates everyone's thinking, the myth of concentrating boundless personal might into a single individual is steadily being dismantled in favor of collaborative teamwork... So, after coming to the Cangwu Realm, the very first thing we must do is reshape our mindset and learn new knowledge."
Yaoguang said nothing, turning his gaze back to the bustling streets.
If Treasure Weapons and spirit artifacts could be bought, the same was likely true for cultivation pills.
In that case, the time it would take him to cultivate his Heavenly Being body to perfection might be shortened considerably.
...
A city of sixteen million was naturally no small place.
After a full hour and more, the car finally pulled up at a compound in the old quarter. A plaque hung above the main gate reading: "Hundred Refinements Sect."
The compound of the Hundred Refinements Sect looked sizeable, easily comparable to a secondary school campus.
Not only did it boast six buildings, but it also possessed several plazas and gardens.
Considering its location...
This compound would cost well over a hundred million.
This offered a glimpse into Zong Lian's prominence in Longxiang City.
After parking, Zong Yan and Ji Pingtian led Yaoguang into the compound.
In the outer courtyard, quite a few people were practicing martial arts, with instructors offering pointers from the sidelines.
Seeing Yaoguang's group arrive, a man who looked to be in his thirties quickly came out to greet them.
"Senior Brother Yang." Zong Yan hurried forward to greet him with a bow.
The man addressed as Senior Brother Yang nodded, then turned to Yaoguang. "Young indeed."
Yaoguang looked at him and, using his Awareness talent, quickly determined that he was a Heavenly Being—and a Heavenly Being stronger than Xie Bo'en at that.
"This is Fourth Senior Brother Yang Kaitai," Zong Yan introduced him to Yaoguang.
"Master is waiting for you. Come with me," Yang Kaitai said, leading Zong Yan and Yaoguang toward the inner court.
Ji Pingtian stayed behind.
He was one of the three chairmen of the Jishi Society, but in the Hundred Refinements Sect...
More than half of the formal disciples surpassed him in strength, so naturally, he lacked the status to enter the inner court.
Walking about a hundred meters forward, they arrived at a courtyard.
The moment he stepped into it, Yaoguang keenly sensed something.
Inside and outside the courtyard were like two different worlds.
Whatever was heard and seen was completely distinct.
Such a disparity...
*A formation?*
Understanding dawned on him.
Two people were currently exchanging blows in the courtyard.
Three others watched from the side.
Among the three was an elderly man in antique-styled robes.
The other man and woman also leaned toward traditional garb.
The man was around thirty or forty, wearing a white mandarin jacket, while the woman, well-preserved, looked under thirty, her figure outlined gracefully by a cheongsam.
Upon seeing Yaoguang, they nodded slightly.
However, none of them spoke, their attention remaining on the two sparring in the ring.
These two...
Were also Seventh Layer Body Refining experts.
Their boxing, combat techniques, secret arts, and experience were all top-notch; even if they were pitted against Xie Bo'en when possessed by Leng Tianfeng, they likely wouldn't lag far behind.
After a few minutes, the outcome between the two was decided.
What Yaoguang noted particularly was that the fist force unleashed in their clash seemed to be absorbed by an invisible force, such that a battle between Heavenly Beings didn't tear the courtyard to shreds.
His gaze lingered briefly on several distinct runes inscribed on the ground.
*A formation, then.*
It seemed dharma artifacts, pills, formations, and cultivation had thoroughly permeated every corner of daily life in this world.
"What do you think?"
At that moment, the old man sitting in the head seat asked.
Yaoguang considered for a moment and gave a polite reply: "Pretty good."
Before cultivating his Heavenly Being body, defeating either of them would have been no easy task.
"Pretty good?"
This comment provoked displeasure from the victor of the sparring match.
His eyes fixed straight onto Yaoguang. "Chen Shu. I broke through to the Seventh Layer of Body Refining four years ago. Care for a bout?"
Yaoguang said nothing, merely turning his gaze toward the elder, Zong Lian.
Zong Lian said, "I heard from Zong Yan that you have great confidence in your talent and intend to establish your own branch before integrating into the Nine Cauldrons Sect?"
"Yes."
Yaoguang nodded slightly.
Zong Lian's Hundred Refinements Sect operated under this very model.
They enjoyed the treatment of honorary elders of the Nine Cauldrons Sect; when the sect faced danger and called on them, they were obligated to act.
Yet in ordinary times, the rules of the Nine Cauldrons Sect did not govern them.
For instance, as long as officially registered disciples of the Hundred Refinements Sect did not practice demonic arts or die of brutal slaughter, even if they perished, the Nine Cauldrons Sect would not intervene.
"You wouldn't happen to be switching to sword cultivation or spell cultivation, would you?" Zong Lian asked.
"No."
His new branch would only sprout once he became a Star Lord.
In other words, before becoming a Great Cultivator, he could not cultivate other paths simultaneously.
Besides...
Even if he became a Star Lord, the newly grown branch might not necessarily be Qi Refining.
"Sword cultivation and spell cultivation are not things that someone starting from scratch can afford to play with. But if you take the path of a body cultivator... securing independence will be no easy matter," Zong Lian said calmly. "In this day and age, there is a saying: first spirit cultivators, second sword cultivators, third spell cultivators, fourth body cultivators. This ranking directly reflects the importance of the four systems. Spirit cultivators have weaker direct combat power and depend heavily on innate talent; even with the Nine Cauldrons Sect's strong backing, development remains slow. What people truly aspire to are sword cultivators and spell cultivators, who decide victory from thousands of miles away, rather than body cultivators, who charge on the front lines and suffer the highest casualties. Hence, body cultivators rank at the bottom."
Yaoguang nodded.
He was well aware of this.
"Training sword cultivators and spell cultivators demands vast amounts of dharma artifacts, spirit stones, and natural treasures. But the Nine Cauldrons Sect is still recovering and rebuilding. Although we inherited the legacy of the Artifact Sect in artifact refining, technological innovation moves too fast in today's world, and the Artifact Sect's techniques are already outdated. Not to mention the sheer importance of spirit stones... In both these areas, the Nine Cauldrons Sect is severely lacking. The reason it can maintain its seat as a great sect of this era is precisely because of body cultivators!"
This Great Cultivator of the spell cultivation path looked calmly at Yaoguang. "When it comes to body cultivators alone, the Nine Cauldrons Sect can rival the Six Great Immortal Sects. Do you really expect to stand out on the body cultivator path in an environment this competitive?"
The dynamics of warfare in Cangwu had changed long ago.
The strengths of body cultivators lay in attrition, high stability, and enduring stamina.
Yet when two sects truly clashed, the standard doctrine was spirit cultivators for reconnaissance, sword cultivators for breakthrough assaults, and spell cultivators for bombardment, with body cultivators moving in last to occupy territory.
The Nine Cauldrons Sect was formidable only in body cultivation.
Charging into enemy territory before the enemy's fortifications were dismantled and their deployments unmasked was nothing short of suicidal.
Before they could even pinpoint the enemy's positions, they would likely be locked on by enemy spirit cultivators, who would guide long-range strikes from sword and spell cultivators to wipe them out entirely.
Thus, the importance of body cultivators was waning.
Fading importance, high casualty risk, low barrier to entry—and on top of that, the Nine Cauldrons Sect was a body cultivation powerhouse...
Whenever the ranks of any category grew too large, fierce cutthroat competition was inevitable.
Under such conditions, the difficulty for Yaoguang to make a name for himself purely through body cultivation was plain to see.
"So, tell me: where does your confidence to establish your own branch come from?"
Chapter 130