Nandu

Countless Daoist lineages spanned Beihai Star. Yet those truly worthy of being called Dao Lord lineages amounted only to the Ten Immortal Sects, the Three Immortal Martial Sects, and the Four Great Celestial Dynasties. Of course, there were also demonic cultivators, evil cultivators, and foreign race factions—such as the Six Demon Sects, the Nine Demon Immortal Lineages, and the Ten Direction Ancestral Gods—who likewise had Dao Lord-level beings standing behind them. Even with Dao Lords as their backing, however, the foundation and strength of each faction varied greatly. For instance, the Great Shang Celestial Dynasty possessed merely one hundred and eight provinces in total, and the number of Void Shattering powerhouses in the entire nation could be counted on one hand. In contrast, taking the Heavenly Dao Sect as an example, its Southern Domain alone held forty-nine provinces. Such was the disparity in foundation. At that moment, the fleet led by the Tianshang Battle Hall had already departed the Central Domain under the sect’s direct jurisdiction and entered the territory of the Southern Domain. Within each of the Southern Domain's forty-nine provinces lay over a hundred cities, both large and small, with cultivator populations ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. Naturally, apart from the provincial capitals, most cities were merely overseen by cultivators at the seventh or eighth level of the Golden Core realm. Some underdeveloped smaller cities were managed by those at merely the fifth or sixth level of the Golden Core realm—namely, the Constant Light realm and Crimson Golden Core cultivators. Meanwhile, the core city of the entire Southern Domain was known as Nandu. The Southern Capital. Not only was it located at the very heart of the Southern Domain, but it was also outfitted with a teleportation formation in the form of a Star Gate capable of transporting personnel. Of course, given the unique environment of Beihai Star, opening a teleportation formation came at no small cost. Depending on the distance, activating it a single time typically required expending tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of Pure Yang Great Pills in resources. Unless an emergency arose concerning Void Piercing cultivators or a handful of top-tier Golden Cores, it was never utilized. Even Yaoguang, when relocating the core personnel of Nine Cauldrons Peak to the Southern Domain, chose to travel aboard battleships. Otherwise... Setting aside the members of Nine Cauldrons Peak, merely teleporting the personnel of the Tianshang Battle Hall from the sect to the Southern Domain would have cost tens of millions of Pure Yang Great Pills at the very least. It was simply too uneconomical. *** "Under Sect Master Song's development in past years, the Southern Domain became a flourishing region second only to the Central Domain. Sect Master Song even expanded its borders, wresting thirteen provinces away from the Yinyue Sect by sheer force and expanding the Southern Domain from thirty-six provinces to forty-nine." Aboard the battleship of the Tianshang Battle Hall, Ling Ruogu and Chi Yu accompanied Yaoguang. As they traveled, Ling Ruogu, who was quite well-versed in these historical records, provided explanations. "Later, Sect Master Song betrayed the sect. The sect master personally led an expedition, uniting three Supreme Elders and commanding ten battle halls alongside dozens of Void Piercing cultivators before finally quelling the rebellion. While that great war severely damaged the vitality of the Southern Domain, it has regained its vigor in recent years thanks to the sect master personally taking charge and heavily fostering its growth. At present, apart from the nine provinces bordering the Yinyue Sect where clashes break out from time to time, the other forty provinces are thriving." He watched the cities sweeping past below. At the thought of the Ling Family flourishing and expanding upon this land in the future, delight inevitably filled his eyes. "To this day, the forty-nine provinces of the Southern Domain possess four hundred and thirty million cultivators. It is prosperous and thriving, and almost every province is guarded by a Void Piercing cultivator, making it as solid as a fortress of gold." "Every province has a Void Piercing cultivator stationed there?" Yaoguang asked with a hint of surprise upon hearing this. "Does the sect possess so many Void Piercing cultivators?" "Not entirely. A portion of these Void Piercing cultivators directly belong to the sect, while the rest hail from the sect's subordinate factions." "Subordinate factions?" Yaoguang was slightly taken aback. "Yes. These subordinate factions depend on our Heavenly Dao Sect for survival. The Heavenly Dao Sect does not exterminate them, nor does it overly interfere with their provinces. As long as they remit sufficient taxes on time each year, it suffices." Ling Ruogu smiled and added, "Of course, if they cause widespread indignation or commit atrocities within their provinces, our Heavenly Dao Sect will not sit idly by." "Even that works?" "This system is implemented only in certain barren, backward provinces where no Void Piercing elder is willing to go. As for provinces that are slightly richer or possess local assets, they are all held in the hands of our own Void Piercing elders." To the side, Chi Yu chimed in, "Moreover, whenever the sect needs to campaign in various regions where the spoils are minimal, the Void Piercing cultivators of these subordinate factions are the first to be conscripted." Yaoguang thought of Yun Province, where the Nine Cauldrons Sect had first established its foothold upon arriving on Beihai Star. The nature of the two was likely similar. Such factions were essentially cannon fodder kept by the Heavenly Dao Sect. Yaoguang did not dwell further on these subordinate factions, asking directly, "Have all the factions within Nandu been investigated clearly?" "We have thoroughly investigated them. It is essentially controlled by the Lu Family, the Li Family, the Jing Family, and Wu Changfeng, behind whom stands Zong Wenxian. The four largest resource sites in the Southern Domain are likewise held in the hands of these four parties." With a flick of Ling Ruogu's hand, an illusory projection of mountain ranges appeared before Yaoguang. "Among them, the Lu Family controls the yield of Profound-Passage Spirit Liquid, the Li Family controls the cultivation of Longevity Fruits, the Jing Family controls Carefree Grass, and Wu Changfeng, representing the sect master, oversees the extraction of Immortal Fine Gold." "Profound-Passage Spirit Liquid, Longevity Fruits, Carefree Grass, and Immortal Fine Gold." Yaoguang had naturally heard of these heavenly treasures. Profound-Passage Spirit Liquid was an extraordinary resource for Golden Core realm cultivation, capable of drastically lowering the perils of advancing from the Core Formation realm to the Heavenly Fire realm, from the Heavenly Fire realm to the Constant Light realm, and from the Constant Light realm to condensing a Crimson Golden Core. Its applicability was remarkably wide. The Longevity Fruit was just as its name suggested—simple, direct, and capable of extending lifespan. Fruits of different vintages could extend life by several decades or even centuries. Carefree Grass was the primary ingredient for refining Carefree Pills, which were of immense utility in subduing heart demons. As for Immortal Fine Gold, it was a universally adaptable medium capable of blending with various Dao artifact materials, serving as an indispensable bonding agent in forging Dao artifacts. These four resource sites alone yielded no less than eight hundred million Pure Yang Great Pills in profit for the sect each period. "Standing behind the Lu Family and the Li Family are Peak Master Lu Wanshi and Peak Master Li Baijie, correct?" Yaoguang extended a hand toward Wan Liugui. "Where is their gift registry?" "Right here." Wan Liugui promptly produced the gift registry. "At your Void Refining celebration banquet, the Lu Family presented a piece of Blood Jade Coral valued at approximately 450,000 Pure Yang Great Pills, while the Li Family presented a Golden Toad hatchling worth around 500,000 Pure Yang Great Pills." "450,000, 500,000..." Yaoguang glanced at the records. In terms of value, they were comparable to the gifts offered by other Void Refining peak masters and deputy sect masters. Yet the problem was that his arrival in the Southern Domain made him the direct superior of both families. For them to send gifts no different from everyone else... It was rather tactless of them. "We will proceed to Nandu first. If those two families show no further gesture within half a month, your two families will take over the harvesting and cultivation of the Profound-Passage Spirit Liquid and the Longevity Fruits," Yaoguang stated. "Understood!" Delight simultaneously washed over the faces of Ling Ruogu and Chi Yu. As they conversed, Nandu had already drawn near. The entirety of Nandu spanned thirty thousand li in circumference. Countless pavilions, courtyards, palaces, mountain peaks, rivers, and lakes covered the terrain. From time to time, formations radiating seven-colored flows of light could be seen illuminating their surroundings. The bustling urban districts interwoven with streets and dwellings were largely inhabited by minor cultivators making a living locally. Each pavilion, courtyard, or palace complex represented a small family clan or petty faction. Those able to construct palaces, channel spirit waterways, and excavate lakes were local magnates, while those at the pinnacle undisputedly occupied one or even several mountain peaks, spanning hundreds or thousands of li in territory. At the very center of these buildings and peaks—or rather, the location where the spiritual energy was densest across the land—stood towering mountain peaks that pierced the clouds. Numerous high towers had been constructed atop several peaks, ascending directly into the cloud layer. Aided by specialized formations, these towers radiated brilliance that enveloped the neighboring peaks. In moments of necessity, they could even shield the entirety of Nandu. In essence, however far the formation reached determined the boundaries of Nandu. "This is the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation, a rank thirteen formation! Its core is a genuine Dao artifact. If presided over by a Void Refining cultivator, even an isolated Void Shattering powerhouse trapped within would face the peril of perishing." Qi Sha took the opportunity to make his presence known. "This is the mightiest formation in Nandu, or rather the entire Southern Domain. Once we take residence in the manor of the Master of the Southern Domain, we will hold this formation in our grasp." "Heh, I fear it will not be that simple," Yaoguang chuckled faintly. The massive fleet directly descended over the Southern Domain's capital. As the capital of a domain, the airspace above ought to have bustled with endless, streaming traffic. Yet when the fleet arrived, they found it remarkably quiet. The airspace above the Southern Domain was poised as though facing a formidable enemy. "Sect Master, something is amiss..." Qi Sha said at once. "Are they trying to give us a display of authority?" Yaoguang remarked calmly, "Foolish." Beside him, Ling Ruogu seemed to grasp Yaoguang's meaning and said, "Cultivators are proudest of their own strength, so they naturally consider matters from that perspective. When a powerful nation encounters trouble, its first question is often: 'Where are our armies?' rather than resolving the issue through peaceful and reasonable means." "Resorting to such methods only proves that they consider themselves the stronger party. That is precisely where their foolishness lies," Yaoguang replied. Then again, it was understandable. He was a newly advanced Void Refining cultivator with no deep foundation here. If the people of Nandu attempted to intimidate him with such tactics, what if it worked and scared him off? Perhaps they felt there was nothing to lose by trying it once. Right at that moment, several dozen figures suddenly arrived via escape lights. Looking at the massive fleet, the eyes of the leading Void Piercing Battle Immortal flickered slightly, but he still spoke briskly: "Not long ago, Yinyue fiends caused unrest. To facilitate a thorough investigation, the airspace ahead is a no-fly zone! No battleships may—" "Standing in the Southern Domain, yet daring to obstruct the battleships of the Master of the Southern Domain. Qi Sha..." Yaoguang uttered calmly. Having received his order, Qi Sha did not hesitate in the slightest. His figure soared into the air, drawing his sword in an instant. "The Master of the Southern Domain has arrived in person! How dare you show such insolence! Die!" An aura of ruin radiated from him, instantly stirring a torrent of annihilation that coalesced into a sword qi capable of demolishing all creation, slashing boldly toward the leading Void Piercing Battle Immortal. "Great Annihilation Sword Qi!" The Void Piercing Battle Immortal let out a panicked cry. How could he have anticipated that the other party would strike without even waiting for him to finish speaking? And what was more... The attacker had unleashed a fatal blow right from the start! Violent energy instantly surged from his body, and the Void Piercing Battle Immortal's combat strength climbed past six million in a single breath. Yet against an unreserved strike from Qi Sha... He had no time to withstand the edge of the Great Annihilation Sword Qi. *Boom! Boom! Boom!* Accompanied by the explosion of pure destructive force, the Void Piercing Battle Immortal, the primal cavern he had desperately mobilized, and several dozen cultivators around him were swallowed whole by the Great Annihilation Sword Qi. "Enemy attack!" In the next moment, a piercing siren resounded across the skies of Nandu. Immediately following that, the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation—reputed to be inescapable even for a Void Shattering cultivator—rapidly activated, seemingly entering a defensive posture. Seeing this, Yaoguang simply waved his hand. Wan Liugui, who had rehearsed this exact scenario beforehand, immediately waved his arm and bellowed, "Fleet, fall back! Nandu dares to attack the fleet of the Master of the Southern Domain! This is undeniably the doing of the remnants from years past, conspiring to reenact the old rebellion! Return to the sect at once and report to the Supreme Elder Council to mobilize an army to quell the revolt! This time, slaughter the city and exterminate their clans! Leave not a single soul alive!"