Spiritual Tides
Ever since the Divine Emperor of Dayin sealed off the heavens ten thousand years ago, the spiritual qi in the Xuanhuang Realm gradually depleted over the subsequent millennia, to the point that some great cultivators speculated that one day, the spiritual qi of the Xuanhuang Realm would completely wither away.
To prevent such a future from occurring, the true immortals and deities who remained in the mortal plane took action to seal off the spiritual veins of this realm. They established a cycle of spiritual tides that occurred every three thousand years to ensure the sustainable use of spiritual resources.
Following the last spiritual qi depletion that started three thousand years ago, cultivators once again fell from grace, triggering various upheavals and conflicts that lasted for hundreds of years.
One man, known as the first emperor of Daxia, emerged during these chaotic times, establishing the Xia Dynasty and bringing stability throughout the land, leading to the present-day Daxia.
Now that the three-thousand-year period of spiritual depletion has finally come to an end, with the arrival of successive spiritual tides, numerous mythical creatures and extraordinary cultivators shall return to the world.
Within Daxia, many hidden sects are bound to rise again, and cultivators will reclaim their power. The existing order in Daxia will undoubtedly face severe challenges.
Without overwhelming strength, such as those of cultivators, it would be challenging to maintain the current imperial system.
The Daxia imperial family did not originate from cultivators, lacking inheritance and resources compared to hidden sects. However, the spiritual tide has just begun, and the imperial authority of Daxia, along with its armed forces, still has an overwhelming advantage.
As long as they leverage this advantage in the early stages of the spiritual tide to control crucial cultivation resources, the Daxia royal family can still maintain its imperial authority. This is the consensus of everyone in the Daxia court.
The newly opened blessed lands during the spiritual tide, in particular, are most crucial!
Places worthy of being called blessed lands are either the ancestral grounds of ancient sects or spiritual vein sanctuaries that nurture precious treasures born from the heavens and earth. Regardless of the type, each holds immeasurable value.
Especially in an era when spiritual qi is depleted, these blessed lands can generate spiritual qi to sustain the needs of cultivators, preventing their cultivation from dropping due to the lack of spiritual qi.
Throughout Daxia, countless ancient beings are in slumber within these blessed lands, awaiting the restoration of spiritual qi to a density that can support their emergence.
It can be said that blessed lands are akin to military bases within the cultivation world.
Since the cessation of heavenly ascension, no new blessed lands have emerged. Every existing one has become a target of contention for various forces.
On the contrary, given the vast expanse of the Cloud Mist Mountains, the Daxia imperial family might not be able to fully claim all the blessed lands within. Proactively conceding some benefits to the hidden sects might also mean some significant favors in return.
No matter what, as the leader of this endeavor, the Zhennan Marquis is certain to reap enormous benefits, possibly paving the way for future advancements to higher positions.
Thinking about this, a surge of excitement filled his heart.
Nodding slightly towards the Daoist beside him, who exuded an otherworldly demeanor, the Marquis spoke, "Master Star-catcher, I entrust the task of pinpointing the location of the blessed land to you."
Star-catcher smiled reservedly.
"My lord should be aware that, if the blessed land is concealed, it would be difficult to accurately locate even with the expertise of the Qintian Observatory, This old Daoist is far inferior to the Observatory, and dare not speak rashly on this matter."
The Zhennan Marquis, unsurprised, remained composed and said, "Master Star-catcher, please rest assured. You only need to pinpoint the approximate location of the place. The descendants of the
Upon hearing this, the Daoist's smile deepened.
With a wave of his dusting whisk, a massive dharma altar descended to the ground, causing a slight tremor in the entire command center.
The Lord of Zhennan's eyes brightened, and he asked, "To be able to carry a dharma altar with you, could it be that Master Star-catcher also has storage treasures?"
Star-catcher shook his head repeatedly and sighed, "With the depletion of spiritual qi lasting for three thousand years, even the greatest treasures would find it difficult to maintain their spirituality over such an extended period. The existing storage treasures in the cultivation world are few, and they are not something I can possess."
"This is just a spatial talisman from my Daoist sect, expensive and one-use only, far inferior to storage treasures."
As he spoke, Master Star-catcher stepped onto the platform of the altar. In an instant, clouds began to gather, and spiritual qi within a hundred meters of the altar began to rapidly converge.
The Daoist trod on the steps vigorously, his hands forming the
With a wave of his wide sleeves, Master Star-catcher shattered dozens of spirit stones in the air, elevating the concentration of spiritual qi to its peak.
"May the Heavenly Stars guide the way!"
Master Star-catcher solemnly bowed at the Big Dipper star chart as he spoke.
As the Daoist uttered these words, the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper made by the gathered starlight transformed into a massive compass, pointing towards the depths of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range, as if celestial beings were guiding the way for mortals.
The spatial disguise set up by Shen Yuan instantly shattered under the guidance of the starlight, and the Fallen Cloud Sect's blessed land reappeared into the world.
Star-catcher's face revealed a look of surprise, as he never expected that pinpointing the location of the blessed land would proceed so smoothly. Just as he was about to speak to the Marquis, at that moment, hundreds of miles away, the balance that had been maintained for thousands of years in the Fallen Cloud Sect's blessed land was finally shattered.
Accompanied by a tremendous roar echoing through the
In just a moment, the entire Fallen Cloud Sect had completely vanished from the Cloud Mist Mountains.
The sudden change shocked Master Star-catcher as a mouthful of blood gushed out from him.
The Big Dipple star chart on the altar shattered with a resounding boom. Under the violent tremors, a visible crack spread under Master Star-catcher's feet, almost splitting the altar in half.
Even the Fallen Cloud Sect, led by an Earthly Immortal, was completely wiped out. How could a mere Daoist like Star-catcher, with a simple stellar deduction technique, fathom peering into the secrets of a sect erased by an unimaginable power?
This sudden change left Marquis Zhennan deeply shocked. Although Star-catcher was not a member of a hidden sect, his cultivation at the Qi Transformation Stage is still quite remarkable, especially considering that the revival of spiritual qi has just started. Otherwise, he wouldn't be qualified to serve as the chief priest in the Marquis's residence.
Yet, even with such a formidable cultivator, the simple act of deducing the location of the blessed land caused him to suffer an unprecedented backlash. The Marquis is understandably unsettled by this situation.
"What exactly happened with the blessed land?" Marquis Zhennan asked with an uneasy expression.
Star-catcher, still reeling from the backlash, was completely immersed in shock. He didn't even have time to lament the destruction of the altar and artifacts.
During the brief moment of the backlash, Master Star-catcher sensed a force from the depths of the Cloud Mist Mountains that resembled the impartial and ruthless will of the heavens. It seemed as though it wanted to erase him from the world.
Fortunately, the force wasn't targeting him specifically. It vanished completely after dispelling his technique. Otherwise, even a trace of its power would have been enough to obliterate him.
Closing his eyes to recall the memory of that incomparably peerless power, Master Star-catcher's face showed deep-seated fear. He urgently spoke to Marquis Zhennan:
"My lord, you must not intervene in the matters concerning the blessed land of the Cloud Mist Mountains,
and you definitely must not covet that blessed land!"
"That blessed land is somebody's property!"