NOVPUBAt the entrance to the Dragon Stone Dungeon.
The young cultivator who had walked out of the dungeon glanced around, a hint of sentimentality flashing in his eyes.
Ten years of arduous cultivation, the vicissitudes of life.
He wondered what changes had occurred in the outside world.
Just then, a respectful voice arose not far away, breaking his contemplation:
"Congratulations to the Chief Division Master for the great progress in cultivation, may your fortune and longevity be boundless."
It was a cultivator with a long face, dressed in a ganoderma crane robe of the Earth Material Hall, standing not too far away.
It appeared that he was a Nascent Soul Enforcer, but he acted quite politely in his presence.
"Chief Division Master?"
Wang Ba was slightly taken aback, then quickly realized.
His position, it seemed, was that of the Earth Material Hall Master.
Thinking this, the memories which had slightly faded due to ten years of arduous cultivation immediately became clear again.
He quickly recovered.
He nodded slightly:
"Thank you. Did Vice Master Ma send you here?"
The long-faced cultivator smiled and said:
"The Chief Division Master is correct. It was indeed Vice Master Ma who ordered me to wait here for you, saying that you would emerge from seclusion soon, and upon your emergence, he requests your presence at the Earth Material Hall."
Wang Ba raised an eyebrow:
"So urgent?"
After pondering for a moment, he said, "Then let’s head to the Earth Material Hall first."
"By the way, do you know if there have been any changes within the Sect during the years of my seclusion?"
Although he asked this, he was well aware that Ma Shengxu hadn’t looked for him in ten years, so there probably weren’t any significant changes within the Sect.
He was simply curious.
As expected, the long-faced cultivator shook his head and said:
"There haven’t been any major incidents within the Sect recently, but there have been quite a few changes outside."
"Oh?"
Wang Ba became somewhat curious.
As the two flew toward the Earth Material Hall, they continued their conversation.
"Quite significant changes."
The long-faced cultivator didn’t keep him in suspense and began:
"Our Jin Dynasty is facing upheavals from all four sides—north, south, east, and west. Let’s start with the north. Cultivators from the Three Continents have successfully landed to the north of Yan, and the ’True Martial Uprising’ is becoming more intense. Moreover, there’s the intermittent harassment from the Kingdom of Immortals to the east. The primitive Demonic Sect is reportedly struggling to cope and has requested our Jin Dynasty’s assistance several times."
"True Martial Uprising?"
Wang Ba was slightly surprised.
He vaguely remembered hearing something similar before.
The long-faced cultivator said solemnly:
"The True Martial Uprising is a group of mortals who’ve mastered a technique known as ’True Martial Technique.’ They attack small Sects and towns affiliated with Yan and its vassal states."
"They are known as the ’True Martial Cultivators,’ also dubbed ’Barbarian Bandits.’ Each has a body as tough as steel and immense strength, without a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation in their actions, making them indistinguishable from mortals and difficult to defend against. Many mid to low-class cultivators of Yan have fallen to their methods."
Wang Ba frowned slightly:
"Bodies as tough as steel, immensely strong? Isn’t that Body Cultivation?"
But the long-faced cultivator shook his head and said:
"It seems similar, but according to those who’ve investigated, it’s still different from Body Cultivation. Although these mortals also cultivate their physical bodies, they cultivate the body without cultivating life. A True Martial Cultivator capable of killing a Golden Core Craftsman has a lifespan shorter than a Qi Refining cultivator."
Wang Ba’s expression changed slightly:
"A lifespan shorter than a Qi Refining cultivator but can kill a Golden Core? Is this ’True Martial Technique’ so formidable?"
"Wait, that means the cultivation time of these mortals..."
"Correct, their cultivation time is very short. Someone from our Sect estimated that from the emergence of these True Martial Cultivators to their current strength, it has only been about forty years."
As the long-faced cultivator spoke, his expression also turned grave.
The rise of these True Martial Cultivators was too rapid and too astounding.
A normal cultivator would need at least a century to reach the Golden Core Realm.
These True Martial Cultivators required even less time.
The crucial point was that these True Martial Cultivators didn’t seem to need a Spiritual Root, and even mortals could master it quickly.
If given enough time...
"Fortunately, these True Martial Cultivators have relatively short lives. It seems they sacrifice the possibility of longevity for great martial strength,"
the long-faced cultivator lamented.
Wang Ba nodded slightly.
Short lifespans meant that the martial power increase of these True Martial Cultivators ultimately had a limit.
And it probably wasn’t very high.
Still curious, he asked:
"So what stage can the strongest among these True Martial Cultivators reach?"
The long-faced cultivator frowned and said:
"It’s said that the founder of the True Martial Cultivators recently killed a late-stage Golden Core cultivator from the primitive Demonic Sect. But this act also enraged the Demonic Sect, and it’s reported that there are Nascent Soul Cultivators preparing to take action to destroy the stronghold of these True Martial Cultivators."
"These True Martial Cultivators may not yet pose a threat to Nascent Soul Cultivators, but they are a significant threat to Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators."
Upon hearing this, Wang Ba couldn’t help but shake his head.
After all, the primitive Demonic Sect was a formidable Sect, and once they seriously started to deal with this issue, the force established by these mortals would likely be as fragile as a candle in the wind, easily extinguished.
He then inquired:
"What about the other three sides?"
Counting on his fingers, the long-faced cultivator said:
"To the east we have the Kingdom of Immortals, which I mentioned earlier. In recent years, it hasn’t expanded much, surprisingly keeping a low profile, just gradually tightening its grip on Chu. At the same time, it has taken advantage of Yan’s efforts to resist the Three Continents’ Cultivators, frequently striking at Yan State, Dai State, and Guangling State... Yan is having quite a headache now!"
Wang Ba nodded in agreement.
The cultivators from the Three Continents, individually, were not as powerful as those from Fenglin Continent.
But the joining of the Three Continents posed a challenge that even the primitive Demonic Sect would not easily overcome.
Being attacked from two fronts is indeed troublesome.
"Has the Kingdom of Immortals made any moves against Chen State?"
Wang Ba suddenly remembered his master, Yao Wudi, and quickly asked.
"There hasn’t been much news about that. It seems that the Kingdom of Immortals has a grudge against Yan, focusing its attention on them."
