Chapter 294: Chapter 223: True Dragon Devours Treasure Sha, Level 12 Qi Cultivation

’Jukuzhou again?’

Jiang Yi raised an eyebrow. This wasn’t the first time he’d heard the name; True Master Xuanmiao had also mentioned it, calling it an ancient grotto-heaven.

’Since True Monarch Lu brought it up on his own, the Sect Leader must have already made arrangements.’

Sure enough, True Monarch Lu spoke.

"Daoist, do you know how many continents the Yanfu Vast Land had in total in ancient times?"

Jiang Yi frowned slightly, inexplicably reminded of the droning platitudes the Qianji Sect’s Preaching Elder used to repeat over and over.

’During the middle ages, it seemed some Great Divine Power User of the Demon Dao had moved continents, sending them flying beyond the cosmos...’

He shook his head.

"Please enlighten me, Teacher Lu."

"In the great era when the Daoist Lineages were at their most prosperous, the Yanfu Vast Land comprised ninety-nine continents."

True Monarch Lu’s answer stunned Jiang Yi. The Yanfu Vast Land of today was already boundlessly vast, yet it held only four continents.

’What a magnificent sight those ninety-nine continents of ancient times must have been.’

"The ninety-nine continents of ancient times were reduced to just fourteen by the middle ages."

True Monarch Lu slowly explained.

"Zuzhou, Xuanzhou, Changzhou, and others were all relocated by the patriarchs of various Daoist Lineages.

Disputes arose during the process, provoking Great Powers at the Daoist Monarch level to take action. Places like Fenglinzhou and Jukuzhou were shattered in the fighting... To prevent a repeat of this catastrophe, four great Daoist Lineages later refined the four cardinal continents. They stabilized earth, wind, water, and fire, establishing them as the axis of the cosmos. Only then did the Yanfu Vast Land become as solid as a fortress, completely immovable."

Jiang Yi held his breath, his heart trembling. ’A war between beings at the Daoist Monarch level, even before the middle ages?’

"Today’s Jukuzhou is the main fragment of the landmass that was shattered back then. It was seized by the united Eight Sects of Nan Zhan, who expended Great Magical Power to refine it into a grotto-heaven."

True Monarch Lu said lightly:

"There are still Ancient Demon Cultivators left inside, who have given rise to myriad Heterodox Sects and Dharma Lineages. It is, in the truest sense, a land of absolute peril."

Jiang Yi asked:

"May I ask, Teacher Lu, how is it different from Fulongjian?"

True Monarch Lu replied:

"The Buddhist Dao divides the myriad heavens of the cosmos into minor, medium, and major thousand-worlds. None can escape the laws of formation, stasis, decay, and emptiness.

Fulongjian is merely a sliver of time, snipped out of the whole. It’s like cutting a landscape from a scroll painting. It cannot withstand the slightest touch of wind or fire. Forget the tribulations of decay and emptiness—even a single Foundation Establishment True Master stepping inside would be enough to make it collapse on the spot."

Jiang Yi nodded in understanding. So that was the fundamental reason why Fulongjian could accommodate cultivators up to the Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer, but no higher.

True Monarch Lu continued:

"Jukuzhou was originally the main body of an ancient landmass. Even though shattered, it still ranks among the three thousand major worlds. It can accommodate True Monarchs, has its own sun and moon, celestial pillars supporting the ten directions, and earthly tethers securing the eight poles—it is much like a grotto-heaven."

Jiang Yi asked again:

"So, the only difference between the two worlds is a matter of ’large’ versus ’small’?"

True Monarch Lu fell silent for a moment, as if deliberating whether to reveal everything.

The Kan Water Palace sat as if on a riverbank. A gentle breeze brushed past, wrinkling the water’s surface. Shimmering ripples spread out, and with them, the reflection of the two figures in the water distorted and scattered.

After a short while, True Monarch Lu spoke, his tone gentle.

"The difference between them is far more than that. Jukuzhou is an ancient land. The Great Dao that manifests there is completely different from that of the present age."

Jiang Yi mulled over these words, his brow gradually furrowing.

"Teacher Lu, do you mean that the most prominent Great Daos of the Yanfu Vast Land—Tai Yang and the Thunder Core—have no influence in Jukuzhou?"

True Monarch Lu added,

"The Five Elements, Clear Qi, and other ’Orthodox Dharmas’ elevated by the four great Daoist Lineages are no different in this regard, you see."

Understanding dawned on Jiang Yi in an instant. No wonder the Cat Master had said he could find the "Zi-Wu Fire" in Jukuzhou to burn away his mortal impurities and break through the shell-like barrier.

’This was because the Spiritual Objects and Resources used in Cultivation also changed along with the dominant Daoist Lineages.’

’For example, in ancient times, the most prevalent path within the Demon Dao was that of Blood Qi.’

’Back then, Demon Cultivators called themselves "Spiritual Gate High Supremes" and treated all living beings as nothing more than Cultivation Resources. They even created the method for refining the Purple Gold Divine Pill.’

’Across the entire Nanzhan Continent, a full Seventy Percent of all living beings, Cultivators and mortals alike, became "Daoist Cans" planted in the fields by Upper Cultivators.’

’The Zi-Wu Fire, also known as ’Shao Yin Sovereign Fire,’ comes from the *Great Treatise of the Five Elements*.’

’As the saying goes: "Above Zi and Wu, Shao Yin reigns."’

’This fire requires the gathering of four types of Spiritual Truths—Wind-Wood, Damp-Earth, Dry-Metal, and Cold-Water—which can only be refined after being transmuted.’

’Wind-Wood and Damp-Earth belong to the ’Deviant’ aspect, while Dry-Metal and Cold-Water belong to the ’Yin’ aspect.’

’The former can only be obtained through the Cultivation of Blood Qi, while the latter is related to Shao Yin.’

Jiang Yi’s mind was crystal clear. If he went to Jukuzhou, he would only need to find cultivators of Blood Qi and Shao Yin. By killing them, he could obtain the Spiritual Objects he required.

’The customs of ancient times were just that simple and rustic. Everyone was considered a walking collection of Resources.’

"Shao Yin is controlled by the Immortal Dao, serving as one of the four pillars that uphold Tai Yang.

If you, Daoist, wish to obtain the Zi-Wu Fire, then you have no choice but to make a trip to Jukuzhou."

True Monarch Lu was clearly aware that the supreme-grade True Qi condensed from the Six-Harmonies Great Medicine would cause a thick layer of mortal impurities to build up in Jiang Yi’s Cultivation Furnace, forming an unprecedentedly solid barrier.

"Normally, for anything a Daoist requires for his Cultivation, he need only give the word, and someone would be sent to procure it for him."

True Monarch Lu continued,

"But your Cultivation is still shallow, Daoist, unlike your predecessors.

The Qi Cultivation Realm is all about accumulating a strong foundation. If this step is lacking in any way, you will have to spend even more time making up for it once you reach the Flying Foundation Establishment Realm."

True Monarch Lu’s words were tactful, but Jiang Yi understood their true meaning.

’The sect didn’t want to raise a "second-rate Daoist."’

’The upper echelons of the sect could provide him with any and all Spiritual Objects and Resources, but a path to the Dao achieved in such a way would ultimately be a castle in the sky.’

’Especially since the Innate Sect’s philosophy leaned towards that of the Demon Dao, it placed the highest value on the three-word principle, ’make full use.’ Even for a True Inheritance Dao Material, the Crown Prince of the sect, the required sculpting and tempering would not be reduced in the slightest.’