Chapter 283: Chapter 229 Demon King, Evil God, Ancestor Spirit, Priest, Warrior!_2
First, let Luo Pu and other Second-order Middle Stage cultivators enter the Earth Cave, divide into seven directions, conduct a rough exploration, and finalize the temporary resting points for Chen Jichuan and the others.
Then, let True Person Jiulong and other Formation Masters discuss how to set up arrays, not only to defend externally but also internally. It must prevent loose cultivators from barging in and stop Evil Gods or Demon Kings in the cave from coming out.
For a time.
Cangyan Mountain became bustling and lively.
Chen Jichuan and the others rested quietly, waiting for Luo Pu and his team to complete their exploration.
Time flew by, and in a blink, more than a month had passed.
Finally.
Luo Pu and his team returned; everything was ready.
...
BOOM!
With a rumbling sound, Chen Jichuan passed through "Aperture Opens to Another Heaven," one of the Cangyan Mountain Eighteen Sceneries, and felt his entire body plunge downward, as though carrying a burden of thousands of pounds. If it were an ordinary person, they would have already been crushed and unable to breathe. Thanks to Chen Jichuan’s advanced cultivation, he remained largely unaffected.
However, under such a gravity-heavy environment, both speed and combat power were inevitably impacted.
This detail had been specially documented before entering the Earth Cave, so it wasn’t a surprise.
He lifted his gaze again.
Above the Immortal Realm lies the mortal realm; indeed, an aperture opens to another heaven!
It was as though he had stepped into a different world; the scenery before his eyes was entirely transformed. He was no longer in Cangyan Mountain, nor was he in the Slaughter Ring Sea.
"Stay vigilant."
"The Earth Cave is full of peculiarities. Before adapting, avoid conflicts and don’t stray from the team."
Leading a team of nearly two hundred people, Chen Jichuan issued another loud reminder before guiding them along the route previously explored by Luo Pu.
This Earth Cave expedition was assigned to the northern section by the Heaven Mending Sect.
Chen Jichuan’s destination was named "Wuling Mountain" by Luo Pu. It was said, "Peach blossoms float below the mountain, snow flowers dance above; three miles change the skies, the mountain holds three seasons," with scenery that was undoubtedly enchanting.
However, the aesthetics were secondary.
The primary appeal lay in the dense fog enveloping Wuling Mountain, perfect for concealment and array formation, coupled with its abundant Spiritual Energy. The peach trees scattered across the mountain were extraordinary, reputedly bearing "Jade Smoke Immortal Peaches," which carried benefits for nourishing vitality and Divine Soul—a rarity and an excellent resource for alchemy.
Even the extensive peach forests on the mountain were a significant harvest.
If explored further, there could be even greater surprises awaiting discovery.
The key was securing this mountain.
Starting from the Earth Cave’s entrance, they followed the path Luo Pu had mapped out, moving forward steadily. Progress here was arduous; all methods of detection were suppressed, leaving reliance solely on the naked eye.
Movement and speed were heavily restricted.
Outside this environment, an ordinary Early Stage Qi Refining cultivator could travel thousands of miles each day. Within the cave, they were limited to a hundred miles per day—nearly a hundredfold decrease.
With many logistics disciples at the Early Stage of Qi Refining in the team, Chen Jichuan was forced to proceed cautiously and at a slow pace.
"What a pity."
"My cultivation isn’t sufficient, and my mastery of the ’Daluo Heavenly Sleeve’ is still lacking. If I could swing my sleeve and store them all within, traveling would be much more efficient."
Chen Jichuan trudged along leisurely, shaking his head at their slow progress.
The limitations of the Daluo Heavenly Sleeve—bound by cultivation and mastery—allowed him to store a few Magical Treasures or subdue minor monsters and evildoers. But the thought of accommodating two hundred Qi Refining cultivators within it to expedite travel was merely a fantasy.
Chen Jichuan left aside such thoughts.
Instead, he took the opportunity to deploy his stewards and deacons to spread out along the route. Their tasks were to map out the extensive terrain, catalog hidden resources, and identify Evil Gods, Demon Kings, and other entities within proximity.
Future transit between Wuling Mountain and the Earth Cave entrance would certainly be frequent; clarifying this route in advance could do no harm.
There was no rush to exploit those resources.
Nor was he in a hurry to deal with the Evil Gods or Demon Kings along the way; it was merely to maintain situational awareness. Settling firmly in Wuling Mountain and establishing a stable base camp would be a prudent prelude to further action.
Throughout this journey.
Though inconvenienced by progress, they benefited from patience, and Chen Jichuan gradually gained a more tangible understanding of the Earth Cave that extended beyond theoretical knowledge.
"Evil God rituals."
"Demon Kings’ roars."
"And countless Barbarians inhabiting the mountain ranges and river systems, mostly under the protection of Ancestor Spirits. Some Barbarians worship Evil Gods, while others are confined and consumed as livestock by Demon Kings."
The more Chen Jichuan observed, the greater his curiosity grew about this enigmatic domain.
The so-called "Barbarians" were, in truth, no different from the people of Central Continent, Qinling World, or Great Hui World—merely separated by cultural and ideological disparities.
Beyond the Barbarians.
He raised his eyes to the sky above; the stars were only slightly different from those above Central Continent.
...
Name: Wuzhen
Age: 740
Level: 23
Cultivation: Third Level of Soul Refining
Spell: "Blood Pushing Technique"
...
Chen Jichuan employed the "Taiyin Stealth Technique" to hide his figure and secretly observed a long-faced, sharp-mouthed man sitting in the mountain ahead.
This was a Second-order Demon King whose true form was "Wuzhen." His cultivation path followed the Life Dao, and the technique he practiced, "Blood Pushing Technique," was quite ordinary.
Yet, for this Demon King to achieve his current cultivation, he must be extraordinary. Around him swirled terrifying black miasma and evil energy, along with faint traces of bloodshed permeating the air.
Having slain numerous demons and monsters, Chen Jichuan could discern at a glance that Wuzhen King had committed countless atrocities, his cultivation largely built upon feeding on Barbarians.
His foundation was unstable; his combat strength wouldn’t be particularly formidable, either.
Choosing not to disturb the Wuzhen King’s practice, Chen Jichuan simply passed by with a swift glance and circumvented the area.
...
Name: Lud Changlin
Age: 1549
Level: 22
Cultivation: Low-level Holy Realm
Technique: "Wind’s Chant"
...
Name: Shi Jian
Age: 260
Level: 16
Cultivation: High Priest
Technique: "Wind God’s Whisper"
...
Name: Yangg Qiu
Age: 110
Level: 12
Cultivation: War General
Technique: "Earth Roar"
...
Walking and observing along the way, with the aid of the "Insight Skill," Chen Jichuan gained deeper insights into the cultivation systems of the Earth Cave.
Most confirmed the intelligence gathered by the sect—
In the case of Evil Gods and Ancestor Spirits, many were comparable to the "Legends" among Qi Refining cultivators. A rare few reached the tier of Demon Kings or True Persons, categorized under the "Holy Domain" tier. Their cultivation heavily relied on faith, differing entirely from Immortal Dao and Life Dao.
The Barbarians.
Could be categorized into two paths—
One was the "Mage Route," progressing from apprentices through mages, priests, high priests, and Divine Envoys, focusing on meditation and specializing in the Divine Soul.
The other was the "Warrior Route," advancing from apprentices through warriors, war generals, great war generals, and Divine Envoys, which emphasized fighting spirit and refined the physical body.
No matter whether "Mage" or "Warrior," they could not exist independently. Their cultivation depended entirely on the gods or Ancestor Spirits they worshiped.
Faith was indispensable for their cultivation.
During spellcasting and combat, they had to rely on divine powers or invoke the spirits they worshiped. Should their god fall or their Ancestor Spirit vanish, their power would drastically diminish.
Additionally.
The strength of gods and Ancestor Spirits was also largely contingent upon their followers. A multitude of strong followers meant powerful deities, while fewer followers meant weaker ones. If all believers perished, the deity or spirit would fall into slumber—and, with the passage of time, might even fade away.
"As long as gods or Ancestor Spirits have enduring followers and strength, their lifespans are long."
"Unfortunately, they are too constrained, far inferior to the freedom of the Immortal Dao."
Chen Jichuan studied these phenomena meticulously, intrigued but discerning the inherent limitations they carried.
He held them in disdain in his heart.
Nevertheless, he instructed his subordinates to remain extraordinarily vigilant.
These Evil Gods and Ancestor Spirits each had their own specialties and wielded eerily unpredictable powers. Furthermore, some seemingly ordinary Barbarians could, in combat, tap into divine power or even invoke divine possession, explosively increasing their strength—often catching opponents off guard and inflicting severe losses.
The complex geography.
The bewilderingly chaotic cultivation systems.
And the various mountain strongholds and plains ruled by Demon Kings, Evil Gods, Ancestor Spirits, and other high-level entities made the Earth Cave exceptionally perilous.
Proceeding cautiously.
Three months passed during their journey of intermittent stops. The straight-line distance from their starting point amounted to just six to seven thousand miles.
Finally, they reached Wuling Mountain.
...