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Chapter 1038: Chapter 988: Understanding
Even cultivators started to show an offensive stance, continuously pouring into the East Sea, initiating exploration of the distant sea regions!
In this process, there weren’t a few casualties among the cultivators, but the Sea Clan suffered similarly grave losses. The most important aspect was that the cultivators’ main intention for deep sea exploration was resource acquisition.
Although the sea zone is rich in resources, the number of Spiritual Objects also has a limit. Previously, cultivators could only search for treasures in the coastal areas, and their numbers were small, which did not greatly affect the Sea Clan, especially the powerful races.
But now, more and more cultivators ventured deep into the East Sea, competing with the Sea Clan over resources and escalating into conflicts that caused casualties.
There were several cases where a younger member of a great clan valued by the Sea Clan was killed by a cultivator. Even if the cultivator was later captured and tortured by all means at their disposal, what use was that? The dead could not be resurrected.
Among these, the most famous case was when a Great Vehicle Cultivator from Sword Mountain infiltrated the deep sea, killed a True Dragon that was about to reach adulthood, and managed to return alive to Sword Mountain Spirit Island!
At that time, the Dragon Tribe really went mad, dispatching dozens of Mahayana dragons to capture this Sword Cultivator, only to have him escape.
However, it is said that during the escape, he gained the help of some mysterious power; otherwise, no matter how strong he was, it wouldn’t have been possible to break free from the pursuit of dozens of Great Vehicle dragons.
Although lustful by nature, the number of True Dragons within the Dragon Tribe is extremely rare. Most are Mixed-Blood or even Mixed-Blood Dragon Clan; a True Dragon might not be born for hundreds of years.
One should know that a True Dragon, after a growth period of three thousand years, can mature, and the worst realm of an adult True Dragon is at Mahayana perfection, capable of transcending the Tribulation to become an Individual Immortal before long.
And that Sword Cultivator not only returned alive but also, within a hundred years, succeeded in passing the Tribulation and reached the realm of Individual Immortal!
These situations pushed the Sea Clan’s patience to the brink. They no longer just called for the Sea Clan to strike against cultivators but wanted to re-establish defensive lines near the coastal areas to prevent cultivators from delving deep into the East Sea.
The recent frequent actions of the Sea Clan were all for this purpose.
Using the vast numbers of low-tier Sea Clan as the first line of defense, their purpose is not to hinder cultivators but to detect them.
Then there are the Integration, Mahayana, and Tribulation Transcendence realm races -- they are the main forces that resist and annihilate cultivators.
Finally, there are several Individual Immortal species, arranged and distributed to prevent cultivators from advancing further.
As for whether these races will suffer heavy casualties or even face extinction in the conflict with cultivators, the great clans didn’t care at all, as long as it didn’t affect them.
And indeed, the effects of these three defense lines have been good, at least in the recent period, the incursion of cultivators to the deep sea has been decreasing.
Li Zhirui, listening to the descriptions from people like Li Xianxun, couldn’t help but shake his head and say, "The strength of the Sea Clan is by no means inferior to that of cultivators. It’s frustrating that they lack the power to resist and can only establish defensive lines to ward off the attacks of cultivators."
"If only they would unite slightly and exert their collective strength, would they have to end up in such a state?"
He couldn’t resist warning, "Remember this lesson; when your strength alone isn’t enough, you can unite the strength of your clansmen."
"We remember!" Li Mingyao, Li Xianxun, and others nodded in agreement.
"It’s been a long time since I’ve preached. Now that you’re all here, have you encountered any problems in your cultivation?" Li Zhirui indeed felt the urge to guide them.
They were all pillars of the family; the stronger their abilities, the greater the benefits for the family, and there was a good chance they could progress even further.
Upon these words, everyone showed a surprised and delighted expression, raising their own problems according to their ages.
Despite Li Zhirui’s cultivation being only at the Mid Nascent Soul stage, his realm had already reached Nascent Soul Completion. Had it not been for concerns over the Thunder Tribulation, he could have even attempted to break through to Integration!
Thus, advising Li Xianxun and others was not a problem.
Faced with their doubts, Li Zhirui was receptive, pondering before providing solutions.
With each problem resolved, their realms experienced subtle improvements.
Only after several hours, when everyone had no more doubts, did Li Zhirui let them go back to ponder thoroughly, striving to assimilate what they had learned as quickly as possible.
"Now that the East Sea is returning to tranquility, and the Sea Clan will not initiate a war for the time being, I should also go back to Mount Wanxian to check on the home family’s situation," Li Zhirui murmured to himself.
Although he learned about the family’s development over the past hundred years from the mouths of Li Xianxun and others, having been away for so many years, it was also time to return.
The development of Wanling Island was also very good, and with the support of the home family, even if a great war really broke out, they could hold on for some time, sufficient for the home family to send reinforcements.
Moreover, with the cultivators’ exploration of the East Sea, what used to be the frontline Wanling Island now counts as a deep rear area! In front of the Li family, many forces have established Spirit Islands.
If there really were a Sea Clan invasion, the Li family wouldn’t be the first to suffer an attack.
With this in mind, Li Zhirui decided to personally ascertain the situation, and once confirmed that all was well, he would set off to return to Mount Wanxian.
To avoid drawing attention, Li Zhirui deliberately concealed his form, wandering aimlessly on Wanling Island.
After a century of development, the island’s landscape had completely changed compared to his memory, with many vacant Spirit Lands cultivated and planted with various Spiritual Objects, and with a significant population, the island was no longer desolate.
