"The Tian Xing Cultivator Abode truly lived up to its name — the dwelling left behind by a Peak Divinity Transformation stage expert. Within it lay a minor world, a self-contained realm with its own heaven and earth."
The moment Li Wei entered with the group, he immediately sensed that the spiritual Qi was exceptionally dense. Before him lay a lush, verdant landscape stretching out, exceedingly vast. Great rivers flowed, high mountains rose in all directions, and drifting clouds filled the sky – yet there was no sun, moon, or stars; it seemed locked in perpetual daytime.
Having remained undisturbed for millennia, it was no exaggeration to say that heavenly materials and earthly treasures now littered the ground! Almost immediately upon arriving, the group spotted another crowd gathered in the distance. As they got closer, they saw a group of cultivators surrounding a single spirit grass growing from the earth, which radiated an exceptionally dense spiritual Qi.
[Rare Treasure: Vitality Grass]
[Rank: 7]
[Originally possessing the essence of a Rank 8 spirit medicine, after maturing for over two thousand years, it has become a Rank 7 spirit grass. Raw consumption increases internal spiritual power and can heal grievous injuries for cultivators below the Golden Core stage. An excellent ingredient for refining healing elixirs.]
"This... Just how loaded is this Abode?!"
To Li Wei, it felt like discovering an immense gold mine. "We just got here, and this is only the outer region!" he thought excitedly. "Heaven knows how many incredible treasures must be hidden deeper inside!"
Meanwhile, although the cultivators encircling the spirit grass were practically drooling with desire, none dared to be the first to make a move.
However, the first person to make a gain was, surprisingly, not Li Changsheng!
Instead, upon the pale blue screen before Li Wei's eyes, a line of eye-catching text materialized. Instantly, Li Wei located... Li Tianyi and his brothers within the clan members list displayed.
This location was also within the peripheral zone of the Tian Xing Cultivator Abode. As Li Changsheng had analyzed, the factions of Eternal Sun Prefecture valued 'face' above all else. No sooner had the Tian Xing Abode opened than the Divinity Transformation stage cultivators of Eternal Sun Prefecture had structured it into three distinct layers, designating separate contention zones corresponding to the Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul cultivation stages.
Evidently, this location was the point within the entire peripheral zone where the spiritual Qi was most densely concentrated. A pool of Spirit Spring water shimmered, filled with sparkling, star-like points of light – clearly, it was something extraordinary.
[Marrow-Cleansing Illusion Spring]
[Rank: 6]
[Formed where a Divinity Transformation stage cultivator's Primordial Spirit shattered millennia ago. Remnants of the Primordial Spirit fell into the spring water, inducing gradual mutations over the ages. Cultivators who practice within this Illusion Spring for a full eighty-one days can undergo Tendon Cleansing and Marrow Washing, transforming their innate aptitude. Even Nascent Soul cultivators may use this Spirit Spring to refine their Spirit Root to a higher grade. Usage limited to three individuals.]
Just this item alone was enough to make Li Wei's eyes shine with excitement.
During the Foundation Establishment stage, cultivators still have a chance to "defy the heavens and change their fate" — to improve their innate talent and reshape their future. But the further one progresses on the cultivation path, the harder it becomes to alter one's aptitude. Countless cultivators fail to advance for this very reason: their spiritual roots never reach the level of a Single Spirit Root or higher, and their meridians lack the necessary strength and resilience to handle the intense Qi flow and complex techniques required for breakthroughs. As a result, their Nascent Soul cannot properly form within the Dantian, leaving them forever stuck below the Nascent Soul realm.
Even those who have already reached the Nascent Soul stage can still benefit from improving their aptitude by refining their spiritual root and expanding the capacity of their meridians, they can deepen their connection to the Spirit Qi of Heaven and Earth. This not only enhances their cultivation potential but could also double or even triple their combat power.
Just how heaven-defying was this spring?
And that wasn't all. Beside the Spirit Spring itself lay a peculiar stone slab partially covering the opening, and flanking it on either side stood two flowers that burned like living flames.
[Phoenix Flame Stone]
[Rank: 6]
[Origin: Venerable Tian Xing's companion spirit beast perished alongside him, and its essence blood seeped into this great stone. Over millennia, this led to a series of mutations, granting the stone a sliver of spiritual wisdom.
Effect: Meditating before this Phoenix Stone allows one to comprehend the Might of the Phoenix, doubling cultivation speed. It enhances understanding of Fire-attribute techniques and offers a slight chance of improving a Fire Spirit Root.
Use: An excellent material for artifact refining, this stone is highly sought after for its unique properties.]
....
[Phoenix Feather Twin Spirit Grass]
[Rank: 6]
[Origin: Spirit grass formed from Phoenix blood, possessing a sliver of spiritual wisdom.
Effect: Upon consumption, there is a certain probability of receiving the Phoenix bloodline inheritance OR undergoing Tendon Cleansing and Marrow Washing to acquire a Fire Single Spirit Root. Effects are optimal when consumed individually.]
....
If Li Yaoqing, the alchemist, or Li Yaotie, the refiner, were to lay eyes on these items, Li Wei mused, they would likely wake up laughing in their sleep from sheer delight.
However, Li Tianyi and his brothers showed no intention whatsoever of collecting these treasures! From the shadows, the three brothers remained hidden...
[Your descendants Li Tianyi, Li Tianming, and Li Tianqi have entered the Tian Xing Cultivator Abode but did not take immediate action.]
[Observing the Abode's rich environment, Li Tianming applied his clever mind. He deduced that Cautious cultivators from Eternal Sun Prefecture, upon securing a major treasure, would likely exit within three days, and almost certainly alone. Therefore, the brothers lay in wait near the Abode's exit for three days. During this period, Li Tianyi successfully ambushed and slew two Nascent Soul cultivators.]
[Spoils of War Obtained—]
[Nascent Soul cultivator corpse x1; Nascent Soul fragments x18.]
[Rank 6 Marrow-Cleansing Spirit Spring x1; Rank 6 Phoenix Flame Stone x1; Rank 6 Phoenix Feather Twin Spirit Grass x1; Various Rank 7 & 8 Spirit Materials; Assets belonging to two Nascent Soul cultivators...]
"That's truly worthy of you three, ah."
Watching the three brothers return to their squatting ambush positions, Li Wei wiped the cold sweat from his brow. His gaze lingered on Li Tianming, who was positioned on the far left.
Li Tianming's natural intelligence was not inferior to Li Yunbing's or Li Changsheng's, but unfortunately, the boy never channeled his brilliance in the right direction. After spending decades under Li Yaowen's influence, his cunning had only grown sharper. While he lacked the broader strategic vision of others, when it came to 'low cunning,' Li Wei suspected even Li Yaowen herself wouldn't be his match.
At that moment, Li Tianqi began fidgeting impatiently. "Tianming," he whined, "why are we just waiting around here? This is just the outer zone, filled with nothing but small fry! Let's head deeper inside! That's where the Nascent Soul experts are! Only by tangling with them will I get some proper excitement!"
"That's where you're wrong," Li Tianming replied, licking his lips. "Brawling? What's the real fun in that compared to an easy slaughter, like killing chickens? Just watch," Li Tianming continued with a confident grin. "Those remaining after seven days from the Eternal Sun Prefecture are the greedy ones. They tend to be the last to depart and will have collected the most resources. Don't underestimate the outer areas! We encountered many valuable Rank 7 and Rank 8 materials along our route here!"
"Once word spreads about these three treasures," Li Tianming elaborated, "the greedy ones are bound to come investigating. If we just keep lying low right here, we should be able to intercept at least half the resources recovered from the Abode's entire outer zone!"
Hearing this, Li Wei felt a sudden chill. "Damn good thing I'm the Old Ancestor of this family," he thought darkly. "If I'd just been some unlucky soul who accidentally crossed over into this world and happened to be seeking fortune in the Tian Xing Abode... then... whether cautious or aggressive, I'd most likely end up perishing at the hands of these grandsons of mine."
"Exactly!" Li Tianyi readily agreed. "No need to hurry into the inner sections. Li Tianyi was already beside himself with excitement. Rubbing his hands together eagerly, he stopped Li Tianqi, who looked ready to charge off adventuring. "Tianqi," he said, "we just need to lie low here for a month! I reckon that'll be enough time to wrap things up. Then we can head into the middle region. Twenty years!" he exclaimed again. "We wasted twenty years squatting at Clear Wind Sect and got absolutely nothing for it! Isn't this approach much faster and more profitable?!"
"Soon we'll strike it rich!" Li Tianyi declared. "And then we'll just see who back home still dares say my tomb raiding has no future!"
Only then did Li Tianqi relent. Although what he loved most was the thrill of constantly flirting with death, and he suspected it might be a long while before he could 'seek death' again like this, the prospect of getting rich was an acceptable substitute.
Before long, the three brothers abruptly tensed, their focus sharpening. A group of figures was approaching. Seeing them, Li Tianyi's expression shifted.
Leading the approaching party was a young genius; though barely fifty years old, he had already attained the False Core realm, comparable to Li Tianyi's own level at that age. Most notably, beside this genius stood an elder who had already reached the absolute peak of the Golden Core stage!
The newcomers stared with delighted surprise at the three heavenly materials and earthly treasures before them, exclaiming aloud at Heaven's blessing.
Li Tianyi, however, gritted his teeth as he glared at the elder. "Utterly shameless!" he cursed inwardly. "A supposedly dignified Golden Core master, yet instead of heading to the middle zone, he comes skulking around the periphery!"
Li Tianqi snorted coldly. "The old coot makes me sick."
"We must kill him! There's nothing I despise more in this life than treacherous villains like that!"
In that instant, power surged through Li Tianyi as more than twenty 'Old Grandpas' seemed to possess his body. His cultivation aura instantly skyrocketed to the absolute peak of the Nascent Soul stage!
Leading Li Tianming and Li Tianqi, both of whom harbored Nascent Soul stage power, Li Tianyi revealed their presence.
[Your descendants Li Tianyi, Li Tianqi, and Li Tianming used treasures as bait to lure cultivators into ambushes, intercepting and killing the greedy ones who took the bait. Obtained Trait: Genius Trap.]
---
Donate on Ko-fi ➡️ [https://ko-fi.com/darktea] ⬅️
Get Early Access to 40 Chapters: Search for "Dark Tea" on Ko-fi (Explore tab) and join my membership to read ahead!