CHAPTER 1213: CHAPTER 1211: I HAVE AN IDEA

While Lu Ye and others were busy on the shattered Unparalleled Continent, Jian Guhong and his group were still in the Righteous Blood Sacred Land of the Blood Refinement World, unaware of any "Corpse Race."

However, Ying Wuji and some True Lake Realm cultivators were amazed to learn of this. Like Lu Ye, they had once participated in the siege against the Corpse Race of the Unparalleled Continent and had vivid memories of the place.

Currently, a large area of the Cloud River battlefield belongs to the shattered Unparalleled Continent, with the terrain largely unchanged.

Facing the puzzled looks of the Constellation Realm cultivators, Lu Ye briefly explained the actions taken at that time.

Everyone understood.

Feng Wujiang said, "If Junior Brother’s speculation is correct, then the opposite domain should be the body of the Unparalleled Continent, which is why the Corpse Race is rampant and no living beings are seen?"

"If the speculation is correct, naturally, it’s like that, but it’s uncertain whether it’s the Unparalleled Continent. Anyway, within the range I explored, I found no traces of living beings."

The news isn’t good since the human race in the opposite domain might have been wiped out.

But it’s not bad either. If that’s the case, Number Nine can devour the foundations of the opposite domain without restraint and strengthen itself.

Of course, this should happen after it has devoured the foundations of the Blood Refinement World; there is no reason to ignore the bounty at one’s doorstep and instead focus on another domain thousands of miles away.

As the foundations of the Nine Provinces gradually strengthen, the speed of devouring will become faster and more efficient.

"What arrangements does Yueh Xin have over there?" Feng Wujiang asked.

Lu Ye recounted his observations over there, particularly Yueh Xin’s cautious arrangements.

Everyone understood, Jian Guhong said, "From this perspective, it’s unlikely the Corpse Race will discover the arrangements over there. So, even if we don’t tend to it, the opposite domain won’t pose a significant threat to the Nine Provinces?"

The exploration of the opposite domain aimed to prevent any unpredictable disasters Yueh Xin’s arrangements might bring to the Nine Provinces. Now, knowing there are no living beings there, only a group of the Corpse Race, there’s naturally no need to worry too much.

Even if the Corpse Race inadvertently discovered Yueh Xin’s arrangements, they likely couldn’t activate the Formation to teleport to the Nine Provinces. The most they would do is unwittingly damage the Formation, disrupting the teleportation channel between the two domains.

If so, it would completely sever the possibility of the Corpse Race reaching the Nine Provinces.

"I have an idea!" Pang Zhen suddenly spoke.

Long Bai smiled, "What a coincidence, I also have an idea!"

More than just the two of them had ideas; most of the cultivators present did.

"Old Pang, what idea? Let’s hear it," Long Bai looked at Pang Zhen. Having competed and cooperated for so many years, they understood each other very well, so he was sure his idea was the same as Pang Zhen’s.

Pang Zhen didn’t refuse, saying, "After the battle in the Blood Refinement World, the original pattern of the Nine Provinces was broken. The large-scale confrontation between the two major factions is no more, which has benefits and drawbacks. The benefit is there’s no longer direct hostility, and fewer deaths, but the drawback is that cultivators above the True Lake Realm, besides their monthly stipend, have no more channels to earn battle merit!"

Spirit Stream Realm cultivators have the Spirit Stream battlefield to go, and Cloud River Realm have the Cloud River battlefield, but True Lake and Divine Sea Realm have no suitable small spaces.

Several months have passed since the battle in the Blood Refinement World. They have transformed the battle merit obtained there into their own strength.

But now the situation is a bit awkward. True Lake Realm and some battle merit-hungry Divine Sea Realm cultivators have become somewhat idle. Before, with the two major factions facing off, fighting fiercely at various checkpoint passes, such confrontations were less likely to occur now.

People cannot be idle; idleness breeds problems, especially for cultivators pursuing higher cultivation and greater strength. Recently, some True Lake and Divine Sea cultivators have deliberately created conflicts, but the scope is small, so it’s still manageable.

But if left unchecked, eventually, moral decay and chaos will ensue, and the Nine Provinces might revert to the large-scale confrontation between the two factions.

The key issue is that it can’t be controlled; it’s all about obtaining more battle merit for cultivation. How can it be controlled? Just because the Constellation Realm cultivators don’t need battle merit, doesn’t mean others’ actions and thoughts can be restricted.

The cultivator group is never content; while it’s unknown what the situation is like for cultivators in other domains, the Nine Provinces cultivators have always been fiercely competitive.

"The battle in the Blood Refinement World, though exhilarating, ended all too quickly."

There was no choice but to end it quickly because the Blood Refinement World was colliding with the Nine Provinces, so it had to be resolved swiftly, and prolonging the war between the two domains would also be a torment for the mortal population of the Blood Refinement World.

The wounded blood race, needing Blood Food, would surely target them.

Various reasons have led to the current state in the Nine Provinces, where most True Lake and Divine Sea Realm cultivators have nowhere to vent their energy. They need more battle merit for cultivation, but the monthly stipends are trivial, and the Heaven’s Augury cultivation method exclusive to the True Lake Realm isn’t efficient enough.

So if there’s a place allowing cultivators above the True Lake Realm to vent excess energy while earning battle merit, it would undoubtedly be the solution everyone’s been hoping for.

The emergence of a domain resembling the Unparalleled Continent is timely!

From this point of view, the Nine Provinces really should thank Yueh Xin properly, maybe even erect a monument for him!

It is only at this moment that Lu Ye suddenly realizes what Yang Qing meant when he said Yueh Xin delivered a great gift to the Nine Provinces.

Yang Qing’s attainment in the Array Path isn’t high, so he didn’t realize that the main purpose of Yueh Xin’s arrangement was to allow the Nine Provinces to devour the foundation of the Unparalleled Continent.

But being suppressed for ten thousand years in the Nine Provinces, he is well aware of the Nine Provinces cultivators’ methods of cultivation and survival, naturally understanding the choices they would make once the Unparalleled Continent entered their sight!

Having cultivated for so many years, everyone was a crafty old fox, and many things didn’t need to be spelled out. When Pang Zhen started talking, everyone immediately knew what he was implying.

It aligned with most people’s thinking.

"If that’s the case, then the Unparalleled Continent is indeed a treasure land!"

The Unparalleled Continent is filled with the Corpse Race, each one a walking battle merit, eagerly sought after by the Nine Provinces cultivators.

The war in the Blood Refinement World was fought too hastily, and in just a few short months, the Blood Race was exterminated. Although the Nine Provinces cultivators who participated in the war had reaped huge rewards, it was ultimately a one-time deal.

A place like the Unparalleled Continent, undeveloped, might offer Nine Provinces cultivators somewhere to venture and explore.

"Although it’s a treasure land, it’s not one where resources can be continuously extracted. As Lu Ye said, the Corpse Race is converted from other living beings; they have no reproductive capability, so once one is killed, there is one less. Eventually, they will be annihilated."

"That’s true, but it should last quite a long time, perhaps decades, maybe over a hundred years, or even longer."

The victory in the Blood Refinement World was mainly due to Lu Ye restraining all the Sacred Seeds and with Jian Guhong and a large group of Divine Sea Level 9 contributing substantially.

However, these people don’t need battle merits, so if things are really going to happen on the Unparalleled Continent, they won’t be involved. The only ones to be dispatched will be those in the True Lake Realm, and some of the Divine Sea Realm who need battle merits.

Moreover, during the Blood Refinement World war, many Cloud River Realm participated, but on the Unparalleled Continent side, they won’t participate as they have the Cloud River battlefield to keep themselves occupied.

This way, in terms of numbers and strength comparison, it’s far inferior to when the Blood Refinement World was invaded. Relying on this group to clean up the entire Unparalleled Continent indeed requires a lot of time.

At least during this period, the internal conflicts in the Nine Provinces above the True Lake Realm will shift externally, leaving no problems internally.

As for decades or a hundred years later... perhaps by then the foundation of the Nine Provinces will have greatly increased, making cultivation easier and changing the cultivators’ desire for battle merits?

It’s impossible to predict what will happen that far into the future. For now, they can only proceed step by step.

"It requires the cooperation of the Nine Provinces Heaven’s Augury!" Long Bai spoke as he looked at Lu Ye, grinning, "Is there a problem?"

The overall calculation of battle merits had always been operated by the Heaven’s Augury. The Unparalleled Continent is not the Nine Provinces, so to really treat it as a target for conquest, Heaven’s Augury’s cooperation is essential.

Lu Yeye paused for a moment, nodding, "No problem."

It’s just a matter of sending over a few Heaven’s Augury Pillars. As long as they’re within the pillar’s radiation range, cultivators can obtain the corresponding battle merits by slaying Corpse Races.

"So we’ve settled on this plan?" Jian Guhong looked around, and everyone was in agreement.

Even though they had all advanced to the Constellation Realm, they were ultimately from the Nine Provinces, and couldn’t possibly be indifferent to its future. If they were truly indifferent, they wouldn’t have rushed back upon learning of a strong invader in the Nine Provinces.

With their current ability to traverse stellar space, they could have easily escaped far away, and Yueh Xin would unlikely hunt them down one by one.

It was precisely because they were concerned about the Nine Provinces that they returned immediately upon receiving the news, without exception.

Having reached a decision, preparations began at once on this side.

If the Corpse Races of the Unparalleled Continent are to be treated as a source of battle merits, then the first step, naturally, is to establish a stronghold on that side of the Unparalleled Continent, to facilitate the comings and goings of Nine Provinces cultivators.

The location of the stronghold cannot be chosen but has to be in the ruins where the passageway’s exit lies. This is reasonable, for the stronghold must not only ensure the safe travel of the Nine Provinces cultivators but also guard the teleportation passageway, preventing the Corpse Race from inadvertently discovering and damaging it.

Therefore, the first group of cultivators to go there must have formidable combat power, to withstand the Corpse Race attacks before the stronghold is established.

Lu Ye was undoubtedly selected, having explored the situation over there and having a bit more understanding of it.

Furthermore, for the coordination of Heavenly Mechanism, it must be him stepping forward.

Feng Wujiang was also among the selected. Not advancing to the Constellation Realm just yet, he has enough prestige and strength. If there’s a need for a strong person to sit in the Central Hub of the stronghold over there, he’s the one fit for the task.