The Modern Martial Immortal

On the North Sea Star, orthodoxies were everywhere.

But those that could truly be called Dao Lord orthodoxies numbered only the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects, the Three Immortal Martial Sects, and the Four Great Immortal Dynasties.

Of course, there were also the Six Great Fiendish Dao Sects, the Nine Demon Race Lineages, the Ten Divine Races, and other fiendish cultivator, evil cultivator, and foreign race factions, all of which had existences at the level of Dao Lords backing them.

Even among those with Dao Lords standing behind them, the depth and strength of different factions varied considerably.

The Great Shang Immortal Dynasty held only a hundred and eight states in total, and Void-Shattering Realm cultivators within its borders were so few that they could be counted on one hand.

The Heavenly Dao Sect, by contrast, had forty-nine states in the southern domain alone, to say nothing of everything else.

That was the difference in foundation.

By now, the fleet led by the Heavenly Ruin Hall had left the central domain under the sect's direct jurisdiction and crossed into the southern domain.

Across the southern domain's forty-nine states, each held hundreds of cities of varying size. Every city had a population ranging from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand cultivators.

Naturally, outside the state capitals, most cities were presided over by nothing more than Golden Core cultivators at the seventh or eighth realm, and the smaller, underdeveloped ones were managed by even weaker Golden Core cultivators.

The most important city of the entire southern domain was simply known as the Southern Capital.

Not only did it sit at the very heart of the southern domain, but it also housed a teleportation array in the form of a Star Gate, capable of transporting people across vast distances.

Of course, given the North Sea Star's unique environment, activating the teleportation array came at a steep cost. Depending on the distance, a single activation could require anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of Pure Yang Grand Pills worth of resources.

Its use was reserved for Void-Piercing cultivators and a handful of top-tier Golden Core cultivators, and only in genuine emergencies. It was basically never used otherwise.

Even Yaoguang, when relocating the core members of the Nine Cauldrons Peak to the southern domain, had chosen to travel by warship rather than use the array. Otherwise, the cost of transporting just the Heavenly Ruin Hall's personnel from the sect to the southern domain would be tens of millions of Pure Yang Grand Pills at the very least. It was far too costly.

***

"In the years under Deputy Sect Master Song's administration, the southern domain grew into the most prosperous territory after the central domain. Deputy Sect Master Song even expanded its borders, seizing thirteen states from the Yin Lunar Sect and growing the southern domain from thirty-six to forty-nine states."

Aboard the Heavenly Ruin Hall's warship, Ling Ruogu and Chi Yu accompanied Yaoguang on the journey, with Ling Ruogu, who was well-versed in the domain's history, providing commentary along the way.

"Later, when Deputy Sect Master Song betrayed the sect, the sect master personally led the offensive, joining forces with three supreme elders and mobilizing ten battle halls and dozens of Void-Piercing cultivators to put down the rebellion. The campaign took a heavy toll on the southern domain's vitality, but under the sect master's direct management and vigorous development efforts in the years that followed, it has since recovered well. At present, aside from the nine states bordering the Yin Lunar Sect, which still see occasional conflict, the remaining forty states are all thriving."

He gazed down at the cities passing beneath them, and at the thought that the Ling family would one day grow and flourish on this land, he could not hide the joy in his eyes. "To this day, the southern domain's forty-nine states are home to four hundred and thirty million cultivators. The domain is prosperous and strong, and there is a Void-Piercing cultivator presiding over nearly every major state. It is as solid as an iron fortress."

"A Void-Piercing cultivator in every state?" Yaoguang raised an eyebrow. "Does the sect really have that many Void-Piercing cultivators?"

"Not exactly. Some of those Void-Piercing cultivators are directly affiliated with the sect, but others belong to the sect's subordinate factions."

"Subordinate factions?" Yaoguang sounded surprised.

"That's right. These factions survive under the shelter of our sect. We do not wipe them out, and we do not interfere too heavily in the states under their jurisdiction either. As long as they pay their taxes on time each year, they are left to their own devices."

Ling Ruogu smiled and added, "Of course, if they act in morally unacceptable ways within their state, the Heavenly Dao Sect will not stand aside and do nothing."

"That works?"

"It only applies to the more barren and underdeveloped states where none of our own Void-Piercing elders are willing to be posted. The wealthier states with established assets are all kept firmly in the hands of our own elders," Chi Yu chimed in from the side. "And when the sect needs forces for campaigns in areas without significant strategic value, these subordinate factions' Void-Piercing cultivators are the first ones called up."

Yaoguang thought of Yunzhou, where the Nine Cauldrons Sect had first established its foothold upon arriving on the North Sea Star. The situation sounded about the same. Factions like these were essentially cannon fodder raised and kept at hand by the Heavenly Dao Sect.

He did not dwell on it further and directly moved on to the next topic. "Have the power structures within the Southern Capital been mapped out?"

"They have. Control is held primarily by the Lu family, the Li family, the Jing family, and Wu Changfeng, who acts on behalf of Zong Wenxian. Each of the four largest resource sites in the southern domain is in the hands of one of these four parties."

Ling Ruogu gestured, and an image of sweeping mountain ranges materialized before Yaoguang. "The Lu family controls the Enlightenment Spirit Liquid production. The Li family oversees the Longevity Fruit plantation. The Jing family holds the Carefree Grass. And Wu Changfeng, representing the sect master, manages the Timeless Adamant extraction."

"Enlightenment Spirit Liquid, Longevity Fruit, Carefree Grass, Timeless Adamant." Yaoguang was familiar with all four natural treasures by name.

Enlightenment Spirit Liquid was a remarkable aid for Golden Core cultivation, significantly reducing the dangers of advancing from the Core Formation Realm to the Heavenly Fire Realm, from the Heavenly Fire Realm to the Eternal Light Realm, and from the Eternal Light Realm to the Crimson Golden Core Realm. It could be used by many people.

The Longevity Fruit was exactly what it sounded like. It extended one's lifespan. Depending on the age of the fruit, a single one could add anywhere from several decades to over a century to one's life.

Carefree Grass was the primary ingredient in Carefree Pills, which were exceptionally effective at subduing heart fiends.

As for Timeless Adamant, it was a versatile binding material, compatible with a wide range of Dao Artifact materials and considered an indispensable adhesive in the forging of Dao Artifacts.

Together, those four resource sites generated no less than eight hundred million Pure Yang Grand Pills in revenue for the sect during each accounting period.

"The Lu and Li families are backed by Peak Masters Lu Wanshi and Li Baijie respectively, right?" Yaoguang held out a hand toward Wan Liugui. "Let me see their gift lists."

"Right here." Wan Liugui produced them without delay. "At your Void-Refining Realm celebration banquet, the Lu family presented a Blood Jade Coral valued at approximately four hundred and fifty thousand Pure Yang Grand Pills. The Li family offered a young Golden Toad, priced at around five hundred thousand."

"Four hundred and fifty thousand, five hundred thousand..." Yaoguang glanced over the figures.

In terms of value, the gifts were roughly on par with what other Void-Refining peak masters and deputy sect masters had sent.

But the problem was that his going to the southern domain effectively made him these two families' direct superior. Gifting your own superior the same as everyone else... That was not very tactful.

"We'll head to the Southern Capital first. If neither family makes any further gesture within half a month, the two of you will take over overseeing both the Enlightenment Spirit Liquid extraction and the Longevity Fruit plantations," Yaoguang said.

"Understood." Both Ling Ruogu and Chi Yu broke into wide smiles.

As they conversed, the Southern Capital came into view.

The city stretched across a full fifteen thousand kilometers in every direction.

Countless pavilions, courtyards, palaces, mountain peaks, rivers, and lakes covered the land below, and arrays were scattered throughout, emanating cascading waves of prismatic light that illuminated everything around them.

The densely packed streets and residential districts were home mainly to small-time cultivators scraping out a living in the city. Each cluster of pavilions, courtyards, or palace halls represented a minor family or minor faction. Those prosperous enough to have constructed palaces complete with canals and lakes represented the local magnates, while those at the very top occupied one or several mountain peaks, commanding territories stretching hundreds to thousands of kilometers in every direction.

At the very center of all these structures and mountain peaks, where the spiritual power was densest, a series of towering peaks rose into the clouds. Many were crowned with great towers that pierced the sky, aided by specialized array formations that radiated light and extended their coverage across the surrounding peaks. In critical moments, they could envelop the entire Southern Capital.

The reach of those array formations defined the boundaries of the Southern Capital itself.

"That is the Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array, a level 13 array formation. Its array eye is a genuine Dao Artifact. With a Void-Refining cultivator presiding over it, even a lone Void-Shattering cultivator caught inside would face a risk of death." Qi Sha chose this moment to make his presence known. "That is the most powerful array formation in the Southern Capital, and in the entire southern domain in fact. Once we take up residence in the southern domain's capital, it will be ours to command."

"Heh, that may not be as simple as it sounds," Yaoguang said with a quiet laugh.

The massive fleet descended over the Southern Capital.

As the capital of an entire domain, the skies above it should have been filled with constant traffic. Instead, when the fleet arrived, they found it eerily quiet.

The entire airspace above the Southern Capital felt like a city bracing for war.

"Sect master, something is off," Qi Sha said immediately.

"Are they trying to give us a show of force?" Yaoguang said calmly. "How foolish."

Ling Ruogu seemed to catch his meaning and added, "Cultivators place the greatest confidence in their own strength, so that is naturally the first tool they reach for. A powerful nation, when faced with a problem, tends to ask where its army is rather than how to resolve the matter through peaceful, reasonable means."

"Choosing to handle things this way only proves they see themselves as the stronger party. That is precisely where their foolishness lies," Yaoguang said.

In fairness, it made some sense. He was a newly advanced Void-Refining cultivator with no established foundation to speak of. What did the people of the Southern Capital stand to lose by trying to intimidate him, sending him running back to the sect? What if it actually worked?

Suddenly, a group of several dozen cultivators came shooting toward them on travel lights.

The Void-Piercing battle immortal at the head took one look at the massive fleet, and his eyes flickered with uncertainty, but he pressed on quickly. "There was a recent disturbance by the evil fiends from the Yin Lunar Sect in the area. For the purposes of a thorough investigation, this airspace is a restricted zone! All warships must refrain from..."

"You dare obstruct the lord of the southern domain's fleet in the southern domain. Qi Sha..." Yaoguang said.

Qi Sha needed no further instruction. He launched himself into the air without a moment's hesitation, and his sword cleared its scabbard in an instant.

"The lord of the southern domain arrives in person, and you show such insolence. You will die for this!" he said.

The power of annihilation surged across his body, igniting a tide of energy that coalesced into a sword qi that seemed capable of obliterating all things, and he sent it slashing straight at the lead Void-Piercing battle immortal.

"The Great Annihilation Sword Qi!" the Void-Piercing battle immortal cried out in alarm.

He had never imagined his opponent would not even let him finish speaking before striking to kill.

Energy frantically erupted from his body as his combat power surged past six million in an instant, but against Qi Sha, who wasn't holding back at all, he never had a chance. He could not withstand the Great Annihilation Sword Qi.

Pure destructive force tore through the air with a thunderous roar. The Void-Piercing battle immortal and the several dozen cultivators around him were consumed entirely by the Great Annihilation Sword Qi.

"Enemy attack!" A piercing alarm blared across the skies above the Southern Capital a moment later.

The Heavenly Dragon-Slaying Array, the one said to be able to trap even Void-Shattering cultivators within its grasp, began spinning up rapidly, preparing to enter a defensive state.

Yaoguang raised a hand without missing a beat.

Wan Liugui, who had already anticipated this scenario, swept his hand in response and called out at once. "All ships, fall back! The Southern Capital has dared to attack the fleet of the southern domain's lord. This can only be the work of remnant rebels from years past, seeking to ignite another uprising! Return to the sect immediately and report to the Supreme Elder Council. Mobilize the armies to suppress the rebellion. This time, raze the city and wipe out every last one of them. Leave no one standing!"

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