Cultivation: Immunity to Negative Effects

Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Changes in the Situation, The Sect’s Arrangement

First, there was the matter of the Spiritual Vein. The one in his Nine Peaks Lake Cave Mansion was merely Tier Three Middle Grade. While it was highly effective for cultivators at the Golden Core Early and Middle Stages...

...once a cultivator reached the Golden Core Late Stage, it would severely restrict the speed of their advancement if they didn’t relocate.

Zhang Chi tried cultivating for a bit and confirmed this was the case.

Second, the Eye of the Spirit Spring also needed to be upgraded.

Fortunately, this wasn’t too difficult to solve. Zhang Chi had accumulated a substantial amount of Spirit Stones over the years, so even if he was a little short, it wouldn’t be a major issue.

The Spiritual Vein, however, was more troublesome. He would have to risk revealing his cultivation progress to get a better one, and that was clearly out of the question.

The final problem was the most troublesome of all: the current state of the world had grown far more complex, and the peace would not last much longer.

As Zhang Chi mulled over these issues, he couldn’t help but frown.

Clearly, the past twenty years had not been peaceful.

As the major Immortal Sects, and even the Demon Sects, intensified their search for Grotto Heaven Secret Realms, they had reaped massive rewards over the last two decades.

They had found one Grotto Heaven on the same level as the Ten Thousand Laws Grotto Heaven, not to mention countless other Secret Realms of varying sizes.

This proliferation of Secret Realms led to a greater abundance of all kinds of resources; even Spiritual Veins were no longer in such short supply.

The Ten Thousand Laws Grotto Heaven, for example, could support over a dozen Nascent Soul True Monarchs in their secluded cultivation.

Although the overall supply was still somewhat insufficient, the increase in Spiritual Vein resources had eased the conflict between the Righteous and Demon factions, bringing the great war to an early end.

This increase in resources, in turn, led to the constant emergence of geniuses among the major Immortal Cultivation Influences.

Take the Cangwu Sect, for instance. In recent years, it had been recruiting more disciples annually, resulting in a yearly increase in new Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators.

The number of Upper Grade Golden Cores, in particular, had surged, and they had even seen the emergence of two new Top Grade Golden Cores.

These two were prodigies specially cultivated by the Family Faction and the Sect Faction, respectively.

Both of them already possessed Top Grade Spirit Roots and special Physiques. It was only by also obtaining additional Core Formation Spiritual Objects discovered in the Grotto Heavens that they were able to form Top Grade Golden Cores.

After all, a Major Sect like Cangwu was capable of recruiting talented disciples with Top Grade Spirit Roots and special Physiques every year.

Furthermore, both the Family Faction and the Sect Faction had nurtured more than just one such genius cultivator.

With such a large base of talent, the emergence of Top Grade Golden Cores was only a matter of time.

The Neutral Faction, on the other hand, still only had Zhang Chi.

With the appearance of two more Top Grade Golden Cores, Zhang Chi was no longer the Cangwu Sect’s only Nascent Soul Seed.

However, while the treatment Zhang Chi received wasn’t reduced, it was now significantly less than what the Top Grade Golden Cores from the other two factions enjoyed.

This was also related to Zhang Chi’s performance.

After all, Zhang Chi rarely fought, and the outside world had always assumed his greatest strength was Alchemy.

Especially during the previous war between the Righteous and Demon factions, the prodigies from every sect, including the Top Grade Golden Cores, had all made a grand showing.

Zhang Chi, however, had remained low-key, which only served to solidify his reputation as the "weakest Top Grade Golden Core."

Furthermore, the Sect Leader and two other Golden Core Peak cultivators had gone into seclusion to attempt their breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm. The results came in a few years ago.

The outcome, however, was not good. All three Golden Core Peak cultivators failed without exception. One even perished as a result, and another was severely injured.

Only the Sect Leader, having prepared extra life-saving Spiritual Objects, escaped major repercussions despite his failure.

However, his chances of reaching the Nascent Soul realm within his lifetime have been drastically reduced.

Zhang Chi wasn’t surprised by this in the least.

After all, breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm was inherently more difficult than Core Formation.

Prodigies from Major Sects almost never failed at Core Formation; the only variable was the quality of the Core. But Nascent Soul Formation was a matter of luck.

Success, if achieved, was a stroke of immense fortune.

Of course, Zhang Chi hadn’t known at first that two other Golden Core Peak cultivators were attempting the breakthrough alongside the Sect Leader.

He only realized more than one person was attempting the breakthrough when the celestial phenomena appeared a few years ago, only to dissipate midway through.

And it was clear that Jian Jinfeng was not among them.

If she had been, Zhang Chi would have known long ago.

Zhang Chi could understand the Sect’s decision, but he couldn’t help but feel a little resentful.

He understood because the Sect was facing retaliation from the Ten Thousand Laws Sect’s Nascent Soul cultivators and needed to produce more of its own as quickly as possible.

His resentment stemmed from the fact that neither he nor Jian Jinfeng had received any of the Nascent Soul Spiritual Objects from this batch.

Moreover, these Spiritual Objects had been used on others, and ultimately, all went to waste.

As for the future, even if more Nascent Soul Spiritual Objects became available, he would have to wait his turn behind the other two Top Grade Golden Cores.

Unless he was willing to risk death by revealing his true secrets.

’Perhaps it’s time for me to leave the Great Abyss,’ Zhang Chi couldn’t help but think.

If he stayed, even if he could get a better Spirit Vein Cave Mansion, it would still take him a hundred and twenty years to reach the Golden Core Limit, and he would still need to gather Nascent Soul Materials on top of that.

Especially since he couldn’t reveal how fast he was advancing, relying on his own efforts to collect the necessary materials would surely take even longer.

But he simply didn’t have that much time.

Ten years ago, the two Nascent Soul cultivators from the Ten Thousand Laws Sect had joined the True Demon Sect. Not only had their injuries healed ahead of schedule, but they had also become stronger and more vicious.

Over the past decade, the pressure on the Demon Abyss defensive line had grown immense, which was another reason why the war between the Righteous and Demon factions had ended prematurely.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother!"

"Senior Brother Zhang, you’ve finally broken through! This calls for a celebration!"

Just then, Zhang Chi finished consolidating his cultivation. He retracted the fluctuations of his Spiritual Power and waved a hand, opening the Grand Array of his cave mansion. The crowd of cultivators waiting outside immediately swarmed forward to offer their congratulations, many presenting gifts.

Of course, these cultivators were all Golden Core Elders.

As for the Foundation Establishment Cultivators, they had no standing to come forward and speak while the Golden Core Masters were present.

"Thank you, everyone."

Zhang Chi didn’t give them the cold shoulder, instead immediately playing host to his fellow Golden Core sect members.

After a good while, the crowd finally dispersed.

"Junior Brother Zhang, what are your plans now?" the Sect Leader asked, having stayed behind.

"Does Senior Brother Sect Leader have a suggestion, perhaps?" Zhang Chi countered instead of answering directly.

"I have no suggestions, but the Sect—or rather, the Supreme Elder—has an assignment for you. He intends to send you to the Demon Abyss to gain some experience and improve your Combat Power."

"After all, for cultivators like us, Combat Power is just as important as one’s Cultivation. You never engage in battle. If the Demon Abyss’s defensive line were ever breached in the future, you would be in grave danger."

"Even a Sect as powerful as ours can’t protect you at all times. Besides, your cultivation progress is too slow. Gaining experience over there will also allow you to acquire more resources, which will speed up your advancement."

"Of course, rest assured, the Sect and the Supreme Elder are not sending you to your death. They will make suitable arrangements for you, so there is no need to be afraid."

The Sect Leader had now spoken his true intentions.

"What if I don’t want to go?" Zhang Chi asked after a moment of silence.

In truth, most Golden Core cultivators from the Major Sects were currently taking turns to stand guard at the Demon Abyss.

But Zhang Chi did not want to go.

Ordinary Golden Core Cultivators had no idea that the True Demon Sect had a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivator in its ranks, but he knew perfectly well.

Moreover, he knew that this Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivator possessed top-tier Combat Power even among those of the Same Tier. And now, they had fully recovered and joined the True Demon Sect.

Their methods would have certainly grown even more insidious, making the Demon Abyss far more dangerous than any ordinary Golden Core cultivator could imagine.

At the very least, a Top Grade Golden Core who knew the inside story, like Xiao Yunhong, would never be sent to the Demon Abyss.

Of course, the Profound Yin Sect would never make such an arrangement for their own geniuses, either.

"I would advise you to go, Junior Brother," the Sect Leader said, shaking his head slightly. "After all, the Spirit Contract you signed back then stated that while the Sect would nurture you, you must obey the Sect’s arrangements."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!