Choice

Following discussions among Li Hanqiu, Li Qingshan, Yaoguang, and the others, they laid out the development path for the Nine Cauldrons Sect. Mortals were to achieve Foundation Establishment as swiftly as possible so they would qualify to survive on Beihai Star, rather than perishing the moment they stepped beyond the sect's grand formation. The remaining thirty-odd thousand cultivators at Foundation Establishment and above would focus on their cultivation, supplied with an ample stock of spirit stones. In addition, considering the potential threat posed by True Disciple Jiang of the Taiyi Immortal Sect, the name Nine Cauldrons Sect would be shelved for the time being, and they would present themselves to the outside world as the Jiuxiao Sect. Furthermore, adhering to the principle of adapting to local customs, the Jiuxiao Sect underwent a degree of restructuring, introducing the tiers of chore disciples, outer disciples, inner disciples, and true disciples. However, true disciples in the Jiuxiao Sect differed somewhat from those on Beihai Star. On Beihai Star, the relationship between a true disciple and a sect was akin to that between a company and an investor! A true disciple used their talent as bargaining chips to attract the sect's investment; the sect valued the return brought by the disciple's potential, while the disciple relied on the sect's channels and influence to safeguard their future development. A true disciple was more like the chairman of a subsidiary company. Both sides took what they needed in a mutually beneficial partnership. For the Jiuxiao Sect, however, true disciples shouldered the responsibility of passing down the sect's heritage. A mishap with an ordinary disciple was one thing, but if any harm befell a true disciple, the sect would pursue the perpetrator with relentless, unending enmity. After half a month spent putting all the affairs of the Nine Cauldrons Sect—or rather, the Jiuxiao Sect—in order, Li Qingshan, Li Hanqiu, and Yaoguang gathered together once more. ... "For the entirety of Beihai Star, what matters most is resources. The Yunxiao Sword Sect ruled thirty-six cities east of Yunchuan with over a million cultivators in total, and their primary income came from three avenues: taxation, plunder, and internal production." Li Qingshan shared the intelligence he had gathered. "The taxes are paid in Mystic Origin Treasure Pills. The sect didn't care who ruled the thirty-six cities, as long as they surrendered enough Mystic Origin Treasure Pills. Take Huaigu City, for instance—a population of tens of thousands, overseen by Skyfire Realm cultivators from the Fang family. The annual tax they handed over was 880 Mystic Origin Treasure Pills, and the taxes from other cities were roughly comparable." He produced a ledger. "Taxes brought them roughly thirty thousand Mystic Origin Treasure Pills each year, while their sect's internal production yielded less than ten thousand. The remaining forty thousand or so pills came from raiding and plundering various factions." "Eighty thousand Mystic Origin Treasure Pills a year, or roughly sixty-some Pure Yang Great Pills," Li Hanqiu murmured. That ratio... was very low. "The exchange rate between Pure Yang Great Pills and Mystic Origin Treasure Pills hovers around one to one thousand two hundred," Li Qingshan explained. "Mystic Origin Treasure Pills primarily supply mortals reaching Foundation Establishment, as well as cultivators in the Unity and Core Formation Realms. Of course, some Skyfire Realm cultivators also consume them for cost efficiency, but the true mainstream of this world remains Pure Yang Great Pills. Particularly from Foundation Establishment to the Unity Realm, it is said that a single Pure Yang Great Pill can align a cultivator's essence, energy, and spirit, giving them the foundation to break through to the Unity Realm." Pausing, Li Qingshan added, "Many of our Nine Cauldrons Sect—Jiuxiao Sect—disciples already have the foundation to attempt the Unity Realm. If we had enough Pure Yang Great Pills, within a year, the sect's Unity Realm cultivators could likely surpass three thousand, and our Core Formation Realm cultivators could reach over a hundred." At his side, Yaoguang, who had consumed a Pure Yang Great Pill and possessed a thorough understanding of the Unity Realm, nodded in agreement. Still, relying on Pure Yang Pills to build up the necessary reserves for the Unity Realm was excessively extravagant; a Foundation Establishment cultivator could reach the peak of Foundation Establishment simply by refining about a hundred Mystic Origin Treasure Pills. Though it required an extra year or two, trading a year or two of patience to save over a thousand Mystic Origin Treasure Pills was, in most people's eyes, an obvious bargain. "Resources truly are of paramount importance on the cultivation path, especially given the presence of pinnacle treasures like Pure Yang Great Pills and Void Dao Pills on Beihai Star," Li Hanqiu said. "Our next priority, then, is to acquire sufficient cultivation supplies as swiftly as possible." "Actually, while sorting through the records, I uncovered another issue," Li Qingshan said, glancing at Yaoguang. "An issue that may be no smaller than the trouble posed by Jiang Tianzun, that Taiyi true disciple." "What issue?" Li Hanqiu asked. "The Heavenly Dao Sect," Li Qingshan said gravely. "One of the Ten Immortal Sects." He quickly explained, "The combined spirit-refining formation our sect has practiced, Heavenly Dao Alone, is a secret art permitted only to true disciples of the Heavenly Dao Sect. Any sect guards its legacy fiercely—especially true disciple-level heritages. Should they discover anyone learning it illicitly, they will retaliate with the most ruthless methods imaginable..." On Beihai Star, anything deemed a 'ruthless retaliatory method'... sect extermination was getting off lightly. Hearing this, Li Hanqiu turned his gaze toward Yaoguang. "The legacy you obtained back then came from the Heavenly Dao Sect?" Immediately after, he asked Li Qingshan, "And what about the Xuan Yuan Creation Technique?" "I found no word of the Xuan Yuan Creation Technique or the Creation Group behind it," Li Qingshan replied. "Either that faction is not among the top tiers on Beihai Star, or it doesn't belong to Beihai Star at all." "The style of the Xuan Yuan Creation Technique is upright and balanced, which doesn't fit the aggressive nature of Beihai Star," Yaoguang remarked, pausing briefly. "It likely originates from a pinnacle legacy in one of the surrounding great worlds. But regardless of its origins, we obviously cannot stop cultivating it." He glanced at Li Hanqiu. "You've looked through the Yunxiao Sword Sect's heritage as well. Its subtlety and stability aren't on the same level as the Xuan Yuan Creation Technique." Li Hanqiu and Li Qingshan nodded in deep agreement. In particular, Li Hanqiu, who had comprehended the full text of the Xuan Yuan Creation Technique, had initially opened the Yunxiao Sword Sect's sect-defining manual—which supposedly enabled one to cultivate an Azure Blue Golden Core—with a glimmer of anticipation. The moment he read it, his only reaction was... what garbage. "In that case, we must shelve the Heavenly Dao Alone formation and keep it hidden for as long as possible," Li Hanqiu said. "As for the Xuan Yuan Creation Technique, we should also disguise it. Hopefully, by the time that so-called Creation Group notices, we will already possess the strength to deal with the crisis." "Indeed. What heaven grants and one refuses brings calamity upon oneself! If we discard supreme techniques out of fear of potential risks, we can forget about ever becoming true powerhouses in this lifetime," Li Qingshan agreed with a nod. "To increase our strength, we must obtain resources as quickly as possible. And the fastest way to acquire resources..." Li Hanqiu trailed off, pausing. "A Beihai Star specialty... plunder!" "Right now, we need sufficient time to recuperate and gather our strength," Yaoguang said. "Plunder carries endless hidden dangers. It is not suitable." Li Hanqiu nodded, feeling a touch of emotion in his heart. Though enmity had existed between them and the Yunxiao Sword Sect—one of its Crimson Golden Core cultivators had murdered his junior brother, Qi Chixin, making their vengeance completely justified... Still... the crime hadn't warranted full extermination. Yet in the end, they had still eradicated the entire Yunxiao Sword Sect. It was simply that the harsh environment of Beihai Star had forced their hand. If you cut the grass without pulling up the roots, the spring breeze will blow it back to life. One could only say that the cruelty and competition of Beihai Star had turned living men into devils. The strong preyed upon the weak, and morality had completely eroded. Those with soft hearts could not survive here; they would only be devoured clean, and even in death, they would be mocked as fools. His junior brother Qi Chixin was the prime example. "If not plunder, then there is only one other way: bounties," Li Qingshan said. "We are situated close to the Sea of Chaos. Because the Sea of Chaos is perpetually shrouded in terrifying thunderstorms and tsunamis, ordinary cultivators cannot survive there. Those hiding inside are all vicious bandits and maniacs. Great Shang, the Immortal Martial Sect, and even factions further away have posted numerous bounties. If we can eradicate one of those major bandit gangs, we will not only obtain lavish spoils of war, but also collect a handsome bounty." "Bounties in the Sea of Chaos..." Hearing this, Li Hanqiu was somewhat tempted. On Beihai Star, once a cultivator achieved the Void Piercing Realm, they leaped into the world's apex echelon, becoming an overlord of an entire domain. Unless one was an irrational, violently anti-human extremist, even demonic path cultivators who slaughtered cities would receive olive branches and invitations from demonic sects. They had no need to flee into the Sea of Chaos to hide. With his strength... as long as he remained cautious, it was indeed a viable approach. "Bounties in the Sea of Chaos can serve as a backup option, but for now, True Lord, your top priority is to thoroughly refine the World-Suppressing Ring and stabilize your condition. Furthermore..." Yaoguang spoke up, "while the probability of encountering a Void Piercing powerhouse in the Sea of Chaos is very low, it harbors numerous terrifying, extreme environments—places capable of posing a lethal threat even to a Void Piercing cultivator. The current Jiuxiao Sect relies entirely on you alone. If anything happens to you, our situation will become far more precarious. Therefore, we should acquire our initial capital through relatively peaceful means." Pausing, he added, "If someone truly must take on bounties, it should be me." "You?! Absolutely not!" Li Hanqiu rejected the idea immediately. "Compared to me, you are the hope that can make our Nine Cauldrons Sect great again. Under no circumstances can anything happen to you." "How can one grow into a pillar without weathering storms?" Yaoguang said calmly. "Perhaps our comfortable life in the Cangwu Great World has made you forget that back in the Yaoguang Realm, I fought my way up step by step as well." Recalling the records they had gathered about Yaoguang's time in the Yaoguang Realm, Li Hanqiu hesitated for a moment, yet still insisted, "I know what you're capable of, but compared to venturing out and taking risks, I believe what matters most for you is raising your strength as quickly as possible..." "That is precisely why I suggested securing our initial capital through more peaceful means first," Yaoguang said firmly. "Once we use that capital to push my strength to the Crimson Golden Core or even the Radiant Sun Golden Core—ensuring I won't face mortal danger in the Sea of Chaos—it won't be too late for me to hunt bounties." Having said that, he looked at Li Hanqiu. "I bear a share of responsibility for the Nine Cauldrons Sect ending up in this predicament. For that reason, I cannot let True Lord Li shoulder the entire sect alone..." "Don't speak like that," Li Hanqiu interrupted with a wave of his hand before Yaoguang could finish. "We are one entity—we prosper together and fall together. There is no talk of what responsibility falls on you or on me. Those who can do more do more; those who can do less do less. Everyone stands equal in character, fulfilling their respective roles to contribute their warmth and light toward making the Nine Cauldrons Sect thrive." Looking at Yaoguang, he seemed to understand both his resolve and his lingering sense of guilt. Softening his tone, he continued, "If you truly intend to take on bounties, I won't stop you, but you must at least possess the ability to survive before an Azure Blue Golden Core before I can rest easy." "Fair enough," Yaoguang gave a slight nod. "What was the relatively peaceful method you mentioned earlier?" Li Hanqiu inquired. "Sect Master Li mentioned earlier that the sects of this world guard their heritages with extreme secrecy, to the point that few formidable divine abilities ever circulate in the open," Yaoguang said. "As for me... I happen to possess quite a few such heritages. Therefore, my suggestion is to offer several divine abilities for sale in batches. If all goes smoothly, our first batch of Pure Yang Great Pills will be well within our grasp." "Selling divine abilities... that also carries considerable risks," Li Hanqiu noted. "On Beihai Star, what is ever completely safe? Even if we close our doors and stay inside every day, could we rest easy without worry? Sooner or later, a crisis would find its way to our doorstep," Yaoguang replied calmly. "The guiding principle of Beihai Star is competition. That ethos permeates the mind, body, and will of every cultivator here. Now that we are on Beihai Star, we must adapt to local customs." At this point, he exhaled softly. "There will be crises—there will always be crises. But I believe that as long as we grow fast enough, the crises will never catch up to us. And when a crisis does arrive at a time when we can resolve it with ease, then we will be the crisis."