Sect Master’s Immortal Journey

Chapter 582: Results in the Treasure

As long as there is no outbreak of an all-out war, Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect can still hold on. Without Jin LiDaoist Master and Fei ShiDaoist Master, Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect are at a clear disadvantage in terms of Gold Core combat power. However, in the struggles between their low-level disciples, they can both attack and defend, putting up a strong fight.

This destined-to-be-long-lasting conflict is a trial of blood and fire for the disciples of Taiyi Sect. Numerous disciples are depleted in successive battles, but many outstanding disciples have also emerged.

Meng Zhang and several Gold Core cultivators from the sect take turns supervising the frontline, closely monitoring the changes in the battle situation. Teams of low-level disciples from the four sects step onto the battlefield, struggling for survival in the bloody meat grinder.

At this point, no one has an escape route; everyone must persevere until the end. Although they know sacrifices are unavoidable in war, seeing Taiyi Sect's meticulously nurtured disciples being rapidly consumed on the battlefield feels heartbreaking for Meng Zhang.

Both Fire Cloud Sect and Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch, as the initiators of the war, are reluctant to witness this scene. Especially Fire Cloud Sect, which suffered heavy losses in the previous invasions of the Endless Sea of Sand and has not yet fully recovered.

Setting aside the Gold Core Daoist Masters, Fire Cloud Sect's low-level disciples are not significantly stronger than those of Flying Swan Sect. However, Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch, as the fresh reinforcements, not only possesses formidable strength but also has enlisted several affiliated forces to participate in the war.

Before the split, Yellow Lotus Sect was one of the powerful forces in the entire Jiuqu League. Even after the split, each sub-branch's power surpasses that of most Gold Core sects in Jiuqu League.

Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch is primarily responsible for the main offensive and has dispatched a continuous stream of cultivators into battle. Nonetheless, despite being a powerful force, the casualties incurred in this war are a considerable blow to them.

Both Fire Cloud Sect and East River Branch had few choices but to engage in this battle with Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect. They have been seeking various excuses to delay initiating an all-out war, trying to minimize their losses.

This time, their active engagement in the fight is part of a probing mission. If they cannot determine True Monarch Tian Zhu's true strength, the two Primordial Spirit True Monarchs behind them will undoubtedly force them to launch an all-out war.

It remains unknown how much longer the two Primordial Spirit True Monarchs can endure. While letting the sect's disciples gain experience in battle is one thing, having them die in meaningless fights is another. After staying at the frontline for a while, Meng Zhang couldn't bear to sit idly by.

The initiative of the war is not in Meng Zhang's hands, and he is even less willing to escalate it. Despite the heavy casualties, the overall situation can still be maintained for now. However, if the enemy's Gold Core Daoist Masters join the battle, Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect will likely be unable to resist.

In preparation for such a battle, Taiyi Sect invested heavily to purchase a large amount of war materials from Great Wind City, distributing them to the participating disciples. However, even with the enhanced combat power of their disciples, the losses could only be reduced to some extent without solving the fundamental problem.

After much thought, Meng Zhang believed the best solution was to have other forces participate in the war, replacing their sect's disciples in the consumption of resources.

At the beginning of the war, Taiyi Sect had already offered a generous reward, hiring cultivators from the Jiuqu League to join the battle. Given the rich heritage of Fire Cloud Sect and East River Branch, their financial power was not inferior to Taiyi Sect's.

If Taiyi Sect could hire cannon fodder, the others could do the same or even offer better terms, attracting more cannon fodder. Taiyi Sect has many cultivation forces in the Hanhai Dao League that can be employed, and both Fire Cloud Sect and East River Branch have their own affiliated forces.

However, as the war continues, it becomes increasingly challenging for both sides to hire new cannon fodder. Even with higher rewards, there still must be people willing to take the risk. The combat power of the affiliated forces is limited, and they need to send their core disciples to undertake the main combat tasks.

Unable to find a better solution for the time being, Meng Zhang's thoughts turned to his skill in Tianji Art (Heavenly Calculation).

As his mastery of Tianji Art deepens, Meng Zhang finds it increasingly difficult to employ it carelessly. The more he delves into the heavenly path, the more cautious and vigilant he becomes.

Using Tianji Art to peer into the changes of the heavenly path and calculate the past and future will inevitably lead to backlash from the heavenly path. Although Meng Zhang has not yet experienced the backlash due to insufficient accumulation of counter-force, it will inevitably occur if he continues to employ Tianji Art recklessly.

Secondly, due to his previous slaying of Demonic Cultivator Ye Feifan and earning merits from the heavenly path, he can offset some of the backlash to a certain extent.

Now, when it comes to employing Tianji Art, Meng Zhang has become increasingly cautious. He will not use it easily unless there is a definite need. Moreover, for problems with high difficulty in calculation, he will avoid dealing with them proactively.

Just like the perilous situation Taiyi Sect is facing now, which involves the Primordial Spirit True Monarchs. If he rashly attempts to calculate a solution, the consequences of getting nothing and being subjected to heavenly backlash are not light. It might even cost him his life.

Therefore, Meng Zhang can only deal with problems one step at a time, finding solutions one by one.

After careful consideration and weighing the pros and cons, Meng Zhang believes that his calculations should not bring adverse consequences and can solve the problem. He prepares to use Tianji Art.

Since neither side's Gold Core cultivators are directly participating in the battle, Taiyi Sect still has a relatively ample manpower. Meng Zhang leaves the frontline and returns to the sect.

Upon returning to Hundred Grass Slope, Meng Zhang enters seclusion to perform the Grand Evolving Fortune. After a thorough calculation, he finds the answer.

Instructing the disciples of the sect, he departs from Hundred Grass Slope, flying towards the Deadly Sea of Sand. Without any delay along the way, he arrives at the central area of the Deadly Sea of Sand, not far from where True Monarch Tian Zhu and the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit had perished.

Due to their intense battle, this place was like doomsday, with space torn apart and numerous spatial fissures intermittently appearing. Storms from different spaces howl through, and the earth frequently trembles violently. Deep abysses cover the ground, with magma flowing from the depths. The sky is filled with black smoke and toxic fires, thick dark clouds blocking out the sunlight.

The most terrifying aspect is that both sides freely wielded the power of the Grand Dao, distorting the rules of the surrounding heavens and earth. Chaos reigns over various rules in this place.

Magma flows upward like a reversed waterfall, and flames and rain intertwine without affecting each other. If an ordinary cultivator enters this place, their sense of space would be completely inverted, and they would quickly lose their bearings.

Casually taking a step could lead to entering another space, and those with bad luck could be sliced apart by spatial fissures.

Gold Core Daoist Masters who come here only dare to hover around the periphery and never venture too deep. The closer they get to the center of the battlefield, the stronger the remaining power of the Grand Dao becomes, making it easy to harm Gold Core Daoist Masters. Meng Zhang stands at a distance, looking in the direction of the battlefield, his expression grim.

Since the great battle years ago, Meng Zhang has periodically come to this place to investigate the changes. Compared to the time when True Monarch Tian Zhu and the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit perished together, the situation here has improved significantly. By carefully sensing the surroundings, one can feel that the residual Grand Dao power is weakening as time passes.

After the Grand Dao power subsides, there is no longer anything to prevent outsiders from entering the center of the battlefield. With True Monarch Tian Zhu's demise, even without True Monarch Mountain Peak and True Monarch Profound Wind taking action, their subordinates alone could easily destroy Taiyi Sect.

Meng Zhang estimates that Taiyi Sect has at most thirty more years before the Grand Dao power completely disappears. If by that time Jin LiDaoist Master has not successfully achieved Primordial Spirit, Taiyi Sect will need to make other plans.

Temporarily putting these worries aside, Meng Zhang focuses on his present task. He circumvents the battlefield, following the results of his calculations, carefully searching as he advances. After several days of searching the surroundings, Meng Zhang finally discovers his target when passing by a sand dune. Using his Deception Breaking Eye, he observes through the hundred-zhang-deep yellow sand and finds a strange crystalline structure buried underground, about the size of a human head.

With a gentle wave of his hand, the entire sand dune is blown away by invisible force. Countless yellow sand rises from the ground and is scattered far away, revealing the crystal.

Meng Zhang once again employs his Deception Breaking Eye but cannot see the inside of the crystal. He uses his Divine Sense to probe repeatedly but finds nothing amiss. His Spiritual Awareness does not signal any danger, indicating that the crystal is not a dangerous object.

Meng Zhang gently retrieves the crystal with his right hand. After a series of observations and even using Grand Evolving Fortune for calculation, he finally manages to grasp the general nature of the treasure.

This treasure is not a magic tool or spiritual item but rather a unique item within the Cultivation World, often possessing special effects.

Such treasures are either refined with great power or born from the heaven and earth. They contain magical powers that cannot be classified using the usual ranks in the Cultivation World.

Meng Zhang has yet to fully comprehend the function of this treasure, and this place is not suitable for calm research. He flies to a higher altitude, carrying the newly acquired treasure, and returns directly to Taiyi Sect's mountain gate, Hundred Grass Slope.

After returning to the mountain gate, Meng Zhang first contacts the rotating Gold Core cultivators at the frontline to confirm that there have been no new changes in the battle. Then, he focuses on studying the treasure with a calm mind.

This study takes more than three months before Meng Zhang manages to roughly understand the treasure's origins.

This treasure is not a product of the Grand Dust World but rather comes from another world in extraterritorial space. It was not naturally produced by the heaven and earth but rather artificially refined.

As for its exact origin and refining process, Meng Zhang is not entirely sure, and many of his understandings are mere speculations.

Grand Evolving Fortune is not omnipotent. Even if Meng Zhang sets aside his reservations and employs it to the fullest, he can only deduce a part of the information.

Based on various information and his own conjectures, this treasure somehow fell into the hands of the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit, who brought it to the Grand Dust World.

This treasure possesses a miraculous ability to derive and reproduce, creating various life forms based on different templates. The earliest sand monsters were born from this treasure.

The abilities of the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit far surpass those of a Gold Core cultivator like Meng Zhang. It not only fully utilizes the power of this treasure but also imitates it to create the sand monster nests, taking inspiration from many characteristics of the Earth Spirit tribe.

The initial speed at which this treasure created sand monsters was too slow to meet the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit's demands. Therefore, it created seeds of sand monster nests based on the treasure's model. These seeds were dispersed throughout the entire Deadly Sea of Sand and grew into sand monster nests, giving birth to countless sand monsters.

Additionally, many seeds of sand monster nests were spread into the Endless Sea of Sand, giving rise to sand monster nests there. This caused a series of calamities in the history of the Endless Sea of Sand, inflicting significant losses on the Cultivation World.

If it weren't for the effective response of the Flying Swan Sect and the covert assistance from Jin LiDaoist Master, the entire Endless Sea of Sand might have been overrun by an endless horde of sand monsters.

The treasure was likely carried by the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit. After it was defeated by True Monarch Tian Zhu and exploded, the treasure was somehow thrown out and landed on the periphery of the battlefield.

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