Chapter 297 - 275: The Matter is Concluded... Déjà Vu?

Chapter 297: Chapter 275: The Matter is Concluded... Déjà Vu?

Before the great hall was a vast, circular plaza. The plaza itself was just as boisterous. Many Cultivators sat on the ground, their stalls laid out before them like those of worldly street vendors.

A continuous stream of Cultivators came and went before these stalls, asking for prices and conversing. Without exception, they were all Cultivators at the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation or Perfection. There were also quite a few at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Of course, in a place like Jingmen City—a frontline camp, a bloody battlefield—Cultivators in the Early or Middle Stages of Qi Cultivation had no way to survive.

He scanned the plaza, and his gaze finally settled on the majestic hall before him.

Seen up close, its majesty was even more shocking.

The stream of people entering and exiting the hall’s entrance looked as tiny as ants before the grand structure.

He walked into the hall. The layout inside was different. The main hall was vast and empty, save for a single row of counters against the far wall, stretching to either end.

Amidst the flickering of projector screens, long lines snaked before the counters.

"Senior, please."

Just like at Water Heaven Workshop, a woman approached him as soon as he entered the hall.

"Senior, please come this way."

The woman led him through the crowd and into a room on one side of the hall.

"Senior, are you here to accept a mission? Or to redeem treasures?"

"Redeem."

Chu Mu nodded and handed the list and his Token to the woman before him.

"Please wait a moment, Senior."

The woman accepted them respectfully and turned to leave.

Chu Mu surveyed the room. It wasn’t large, only about thirty feet in length and width. The floor was paved with Jade Stone, and in the center stood a bronze Incense Burner. The room was empty on either side, except for an exquisite table and chair where he was seated.

On the tabletop was a palm-sized disc. The disc was inscribed with an Array Prohibition and was currently active.

With a flicker of his thought, a projection screen materialized from the Array Prohibition, hovering before him.

The wide variety of mercenary missions and the dazzling array of treasures in the Contribution Treasure Vault were all displayed clearly on the projection screen.

Chu Mu examined it with great interest. Compared to Water Heaven Workshop, the Contribution Treasure Vault here had a noticeably more complete selection of items, including quite a few rare treasures.

His twenty thousand Contribution Points seemed utterly insignificant in comparison.

’Based on my understanding now, the Righteous Alliance’s decree about redeeming a Spirit Vein clearly has a much deeper meaning.’

’One hundred thousand Contribution Points seems like a lot, and it looks difficult to gather, but for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, it’s not an unreachable number if they’re truly determined.’

’But... after redeeming a Spirit Vein, one would obviously be completely tied to the Righteous Alliance.’

’Even if the restrictions wouldn’t be as strict as those placed on official disciples, you would absolutely be a part of the Righteous Alliance itself.’

’It would be impossible to come and go freely, without any constraints, like with a contract-based employment.’

’The Spirit Vein redemption isn’t so much a reward of land and title as it is an open scheme by the Righteous Alliance to bind more power to its war chariot.’

’And there’s no way around this scheme!’

’A Spirit Vein, even if it’s just a Tier One Lower Grade, holds infinite possibilities.’

’After all, a Spirit Vein can be cultivated and upgraded.’

’A Spirit Vein means a faction, a foundation...’

’This is a temptation that most Cultivators would probably find impossible to resist.’

According to his understanding, in the few short months since the decree on Spirit Vein redemption was announced, the total number of Loose Cultivators serving the Righteous Alliance had increased by more than thirty percent.

This was also the most important reason why the Righteous Alliance was able to quickly establish a foothold in Jingmen after its initial defeat and remain in a stable stalemate with the Longevity Sect to this day.

From what he had seen since entering Jingmen City, ninety percent of the Cultivators seemed to be Loose Cultivators.

Of the eighteen Foundation Establishment cultivators who had accompanied him to raze the Longevity Sect’s forward camp, an astonishing twelve were Foundation Establishment Powerhouses... and they were Loose Cultivators.

’Counting myself, that’s thirteen Loose Cultivators out of a total of nineteen Foundation Establishment cultivators.’

’While this ratio might not represent the whole, it offers a glimpse into the terrifying number of Loose Cultivators serving the Righteous Alliance.’

’Loose Cultivators at Foundation Establishment... so, could there be Loose Cultivator Golden Core True Masters as well?’

Chu Mu silently pondered. The existence of a Spirit Vein could only tempt those at the Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment levels. An existence at the Golden Core Realm would obviously not care about a mere Tier One Lower Grade Spiritual Vein.

With that level of Cultivation, given the current situation, if a Loose Cultivator Golden Core True Master were willing to join the Righteous Alliance, they would only need to ask. Forget a Tier One Lower Grade Spiritual Vein; it wouldn’t be impossible for the Alliance to grant them an entire region, bestowing land and title in the truest sense.

Across the entire Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World, Golden Core True Masters were undoubtedly at the very top.

Even among the countless clans, large and small, in the Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World, ninety-nine percent of them were headed by someone at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Back then, the ancestor of the Sun Family of Jade Emperor Valley was only a single Golden Core True Master.

And yet, with just that one Golden Core True Master, the Sun Family’s territory back then was incredibly vast.

Chu Mu let out a long breath. ’This war, no matter the outcome, will be a complete reshuffling of the entire Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World.’

’It’s not much different from the thousands of years of history in my past life.’

’It’s always... when your song ends, I take the stage.’

’It’s just that in this Cultivation Immortal Realm, the struggle isn’t for territory or supreme power, but for the Immortal Path and the external resources it requires.’

"Senior, here are the treasures and Spiritual Materials you redeemed."

"The total cost was 8,672 Contribution Points, leaving a balance of 11,200 Contribution Points."

"Please take a look and confirm, Senior."

The woman respectfully handed over his Token and a Storage Talisman.

After a quick scan with his Divine Sense, Chu Mu took the Token and Storage Talisman, nodded, and walked straight out of the room.

After leaving the Contribution Hall, Chu Mu had intended to return directly to the courtyard to fulfill his agreement. But seeing the many stalls in the plaza, a thought stirred. He paused and began to wander among the densely packed booths.

The vendors in front of the hall were all Cultivators at the Qi Cultivation Realm. Their wares were varied, but without exception, they were all Low Tier items of no use to him.

As he wandered to one side of the plaza, he seemed to sense something. He stopped abruptly, his gaze instantly locking onto a stall in a corner of the plaza.

The stall was unremarkable. A worn cloth was spread on the ground, on which were displayed some Talismans, Jade Bottles, books, and a few other small trinkets.

Behind the stall sat a cross-legged middle-aged man in a cyan Magic Robe.

The man’s face was pale, and he was clearly depleted of both Qi and Blood. He looked as if he was injured or suffering from some hidden ailment.

The man had an ordinary face, nothing special about him.

’But... that face... it looks familiar?’

Chu Mu racked his brain, trying to place the face...

The next second, Chu Mu’s pupils shrank. He... remembered!

...