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Chapter 287: Chapter 284: Self-Created Cultivation Technique
Lizhou State.
The leading state of the Eastern Sea.
Area-wise, Lizhou State isn’t extensive; it can’t compare with any top-grade or middle-class state.
Regarding population, the more than 24 million people in Lizhou State don’t even match up to one middle-class state.
But this doesn’t mean Lizhou State is weak.
Isolated overseas and constantly battling the sea, coupled with rampant pirates on the surrounding islands, everyone in Lizhou State practices martial arts, and the local customs are fierce.
The unique environment has shaped the distinct cultural atmosphere of Lizhou State.
Many people, even many forces, do not seek steady development but instead advocate for a big move to change their class in one fell swoop.
The spirit of adventure and rebellion pervades the people of Lizhou State.
For this reason, within Lizhou State, no one submits to anyone else.
Through prolonged conflicts, Lizhou State has developed a structure of power that includes an island master appointed by Daqian, the Three Great Families, and Two Great Sects, totaling six factions.
Each of the six powers is anchored by a Primordial Spirit Monarch.
These six forces both intermarry and are connected by blood, yet they also fight incessantly, each eager to seize an opportunity to absorb the other to grow more substantial.
And yet, because of these intermarriages, they often unite well against a formidable enemy’s invasion.
The arrival of a dispatch from Lingxiao City undoubtedly faced Lizhou State with a significant crisis.
At this moment, in Governor Lei Jie’s residence.
From among the Three Great Families, Ouyang Yue of the Ouyang family, Ding Junshan of the Ding family, Luu Qilin of the Luu family, and from the Two Great Sects, Yuan Zhenhai of the Tianhai Gang, and Shen Aofeng of the Baofeng Sect—five Primordial Spirit Monarchs were all gathered together, along with Governor Lei Jie, who presided over the meeting.
The Primordial Spirit Monarchs from the six great powers were seated together once again.
"I think there’s nothing much to say,"
Ouyang Yue of the Ouyang family spoke at that moment, "We have dealt with top forces before and even secretly swallowed up quite a few goods that originally belonged to Dragon Sparrow Manor. So what could he do? We are separated by hundreds of miles of sea from them, and their armies simply can’t get here. Should a handful of their top experts dare to venture deep in alone... Heh, the numerous experts nurtured by our major powers will ensure they never return."
This Primordial Spirit Monarch, who appeared somewhat effeminate, was not yet a hundred years old.
Maintaining the appearance of a young man in his twenties.
Theoretically, Hugging Pill cultivators could live for two hundred years, but for those above the Refining God stage, especially Primordial Spirit Monarchs, this theory was almost put into practice.
Most Primordial Spirit Monarchs who die natural deaths reach about one hundred and eighty years old.
Ouyang Yue, not yet a hundred years old, could indeed be considered young among those present.
"Lingxiao City is not weak, as can be seen from their ability to obliterate Dragon Sparrow Manor. Especially recently, they also annexed Yellow Sky Sect, showing a trend of unifying everything south of Tianhe. Against such a strong opponent, I do not wish to make them our enemy,"
Ding Junshan slowly said, "However, I am dissatisfied with their attitude."
"Attitude."
Shen Aofeng nodded, "My thoughts are similar. If Gu Jinlai had come to ask for our assistance politely, we wouldn’t mind making a good connection. But now, with this kind of dictating dispatch, they don’t seem to regard us of Lizhou State highly at all. It’s as if they think we’re their subordinates, as if they think we’d be scared of them."
"Exactly,"
Yuan Zhenhai also chimed in, "We have managed to hold Lizhou State and fend off the Island Masters from the Overseas Twelve Islands because we never show weakness. Now, just because of a dispatch from Gu Jinlai, if we bow our heads, what prestige would we have left to lead our descendants across the Eastern Sea?"
Soon, four of the six factions had made their stance clear.
However...
Among the six great powers, the strongest, in fact, was Governor Lei Jie.
He had not only the strength of a top Primordial Spirit Monarch himself but also thirteen Divinity Transformation Cultivators under his command, equal to the combined strength of two families.
When the Ouyang family, Ding family, Tianhai Gang, and Baofeng Sect spoke, they also sized up Governor Lei Jie.
"I am not concerned with these points,"
Lei Jie spoke gravely, "I only care about whether any of you were involved in the incident of attacking the Demon God Guards from Lingxiao City in Jiangzhou State?"
"Governor Lei is joking; you must be aware whether any of us have left Lizhou State,"
Ouyang Yue responded with a smile. 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓅𝓊𝓫.𝒸ℴ𝓶
"Speaking of which, I haven’t set foot in Jiangzhou State for several years myself. I wonder what changes there have been there since it fell into the hands of Lingxiao City,"
Ding Junshan also responded with a smile.
The other Primordial Spirit Monarchs expressed similar attitudes.
"Is that so? Then, could any of you explain why there are three to five War Spiritual Artifacts known as ’sharp swords’ suddenly appearing in your households?"
Lei Jie pressed them.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of several Primordial Spirit Monarchs slightly shifted.
After a while, Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "The Island Master of the Overseas Twelve Islands seized sixty Sword Heavy Cannons. They use some themselves, and naturally, some are sold off. We bought these items from them, a fair and square transaction."
The other families similarly nodded their heads.
"Is that so? Well, when Lingxiao City sends someone, how about you use this rationale to deal with them?"
Lei Jie said.
After exchanging glances, the others quickly understood his intention.
Considering their unique environment and strength in Lizhou State, they quickly agreed, "That’s possible."
"We bought these items with money from the Overseas Twelve Islands. If Lingxiao City still wants to take them by force, it’s obviously too oppressive. If they bully us like this, they should not blame us for striking back."
"I believe that Gu Jinlai from Lingxiao City can see the situation clearly. It’s the Eastern Sea Twelve Islands that offended him, not us. If he wants to seek revenge, he should go after the Island Master of the Eastern Sea Twelve Islands; we will not interfere."
"That said, Gu Jinlai has won many battles in recent years, probably feeling quite conceited. Having spurned his face, we must be cautious of his potential desperate moves, and necessary military preparations are indispensable."
After discussing, they quickly settled the matter.
The meeting continued for a moment more, and soon, they each left one by one.
Watching them depart, Lei Jie furrowed his brows.
The people of Lizhou State, residing overseas for nearly a century, had grown accustomed to the helpless stance that the inland states held against them and had gradually lost their reverence for the inland states.
However, in reality...
If it weren’t for the internal strife in Daqian, wouldn’t the inland states exceed Lizhou State by more than just a little?
Lingxiao City was able to first annihilate Dragon Sparrow Manor, then annex Yellow Sky Sect, and even a Demon King perished at their hands, this attitude of the few families...
After pondering for a moment, Lei Jie called out, "Lei Yuan."
A middle-aged man in the Divinity Transformation Realm entered, "Uncle."
"I grant you the authority to deploy the Hidden Thunder Guard, to clarify which families are involved in the business in Jiangzhou State."
Lei Jie said, adding in a lower tone, "Do it secretly, do not let the other families notice."
"Investigate the matters in Jiangzhou State?"
Lei Yuan was shocked, "Uncle, are we really..."
Lei Jie shook his head, "It’s just a precaution."
He waved his hand, "Go, be cautious."
"Yes."
Lei Yuan, looking solemn, responded and quickly left.
...
Lizhou State’s affairs were unknown to Gu Jinlai.
Even if he knew, it wouldn’t matter.
Lingxiao City must initiate a thundering action against Lizhou State to deter the surrounding powers and make them realize the cost of offending Lingxiao City.
Thus, prepare for war.
The final difference would merely be between using conventional warfare or beyond-limits warfare.
...
Cultivation Room.
Gu Jinlai was sitting cross-legged at the center.
In front of him were laid out a vast array of cultivation technique books.
Some of these books came from Dragon Sparrow Manor, some from Yellow Sky Sect, and others from Cold Moon Sect, Purgatory Sect, and Netherworld Sect.
The reason why he had books from Cold Moon Sect, Purgatory Sect, and Netherworld Sect was that these books weren’t merely cultivation techniques but included Heavenly Master Techniques and Demon and Demon Martial Artists Techniques.
At this moment, he was "flipping through" these books while contemplating a problem.
"Whether it’s the Grand Sun Nine Refinement Visualization Method or the Great Sun Demon God Body Refining Method, everyone’s progress is too slow."
He did some calculations, and until now, among tens of thousands of Demon God Guards, not one had managed to cultivate the Great Sun Demon God Body Refining Method into the Great Achievement Realm to manifest a Great Sun True Demon Body.
As for the Grand Sun Nine Refinement Visualization Method...
Only Zhang Lihuo had managed to step from Six Refinements Perfect into the Seventh Refinement, achieving the Heavenly Monarch status.
However, though Zhang Lihuo’s breakthrough might have been aided by his help in reconstituting the Great Sun Core, his ascension to Heavenly Monarch was primarily due to his own accumulated potential.
This could be seen from Zhang Yukan, Si Tianyan, Guan Xingyun, Xiang Fengyun, and other Heavenly Masters who modified their practices to the Grand Sun Nine Refinement Visualization Method.
Their power was enhanced due to the restructuring of the Great Sun Core, but their spiritual sense’s strength...
The increase was not much faster.
For someone like Xiang Fengyun, whose visualization core differed significantly from that of the Great Sun and shifted to practicing the Grand Sun Nine Refinement Visualization Method, his cultivation fell significantly, plummeting from the Great Heavenly Master Realm and only lately managed to regain it through his previous experiences.
"This situation is actually perfectly normal."
Gu Jinlai understood in his heart.
How much Qingguang did it take him to master the Grand Sun Nine Refinement Visualization Method?
Dozens.
Converted to determined contemplation, that’s centuries.
Even though the effect of secluded hard cultivation for centuries is slightly less compared to other Heavenly Monarchs exchanging insights or impromptu enlightenment boosting progress, etc.
But...
Ordinarily, to cultivate the Grand Sun Nine Refinement Visualization Method to Perfection would at least start from two hundred years.
Even with a changed Great Sun Core, at most, it shortens it to one hundred years.
If the standard is reduced from Nine Refinements Perfection to the Seventh Refinement, it still takes decades.
This is without considering accidents, ignoring talent, and without encountering any bottlenecks.
But decades...
He could not wait.
"So..."
Gu Jinlai’s gaze shifted from the books, "After spending two days time, I have already mastered these eighty-four Heavenly Master Techniques and thirty-nine Demon and Demon Martial Artists Cultivation Methods."
The techniques were ready.
Qingguang...
After breaking through Yellow Sky Sect and killing numerous sinners, even though there were some depletions afterwards, he still had dozens left.
Dozens, obviously not enough to bring Eternal Furnace to Perfection.
But...
"People assume that only the old techniques deserve to be called exquisite, but I come from Blue Star, where we value progress over past achievements, and believe the new can surpass the old."
Gu Jinlai’s eyes glinted with brilliance, "I will use my wisdom to create an era-defining Heavenly Master Technique and Body Refining Technique that are both powerful and fast in practice."
