Chapter 284: Growth

"First courtesy, then force..." After hearing this, Yaoguang felt his heart sink slightly. "These top-tier factions are really overbearing. It seems like joining them isn’t optional."

"That’s how the environment of the North Sea Star is." Li Hanqiu handed him several invitations directly. "Take a look."

"This is..." Yaoguang scanned them briefly. "Hundred Flowers Valley, Iron Blood Sect, the city lord's residence of the Yunshan Commandery, and the Zhou family of the Immortal Martial Sect?"

A major family within a commandery could, at best, reach the Blazing White Golden Core Realm. Having one or two Azure Golden Core experts was already the limit. Presumably, the Zhou family of the Immortal Martial Sect was no exception.

As for Hundred Flowers Valley and Iron Blood Sect, they were only slightly stronger than the Cloud Sword Sect, each likely possessing one or two Blazing White Golden Core cultivators.

"What are they trying to do?" As he spoke, Yaoguang quickly realized something. "A test?"

"Exactly."

"Why?"

"Why?" Li Hanqiu himself found it somewhat amusing. "Because we’ve been too merciful."

He looked at Yaoguang. "A faction with a Void-Piercing Realm expert should be expanding aggressively, wiping out the surrounding eleven sects and annexing the 103 cities of Yunchuan. The fact that we haven’t done so leaves only one explanation in their eyes. We’re all bark and no bite. Our strength isn’t sufficient! That so-called Void-Piercing Realm expert is likely just a battle immortal, or perhaps one on the verge of death, unable to act freely."

"It’s probably because others in the sect let something slip," Yaoguang said.

To motivate the disciples of the Nine Heavens Sect, Yaoguang and Li Hanqiu had not revealed the true condition of their Void-Piercing Realm expert to most people, including hall masters and domain lords.

As a result, many still believed that Li Hanqiu was, as Wan Liugui had claimed, someone who could survive five years at most—without taking action.

Although several such periods had already passed, they still lacked the confidence that came from having a Void-Piercing Realm backing. And whether a faction had confidence or not could be seen in many ways.

"A foreign faction with a Void-Piercing Realm battle immortal, one who’s about to die... How many valuable assets must they be sitting on? Especially when that faction has grown so rapidly recently, clearly indicating immense wealth. It's a tempting prospect, and all sorts of opportunists will naturally set their sights on us." Li Hanqiu looked at Yaoguang. "They’re seeking death, but this is the North Sea Star. If you don’t exploit others, they’ll think you’re weak and come after you instead. Being strong yet not plundering the weak, something perfectly normal elsewhere, is the greatest abnormality here!"

Such illogical thinking was, in fact, the truth of the North Sea Star. If you were strong, why weren’t you looting others?

Back in the Great Cangwu World, when the Nine Cauldrons Sect held its grand military parade, many people had wondered why, despite its strength, it did not station troops in other territories or establish external bases.

Even in the relatively orderly Great Cangwu World, this mindset existed. On the North Sea Star, the law of the jungle was far more blatant.

"When the time comes, I’ll personally wipe out the Hundred Flowers Valley and the Iron Blood Sect. But after that? Once we unify the Yunchuan Mountains, do we develop quietly or expand outward? Expanding risks offending the Great Shang Immortal Dynasty and the Immortal Martial Sect. But if we don’t, we’ll be exploited by them while still facing schemes and hostility from other factions, who’ll start wondering whether we became weak during the process." At this point, Li Hanqiu let out a long breath. "That’s why Susan and Yang Han said it clearly. On the North Sea Star, unless you join a top-tier faction and gain some level of influence within it, you’ll never truly establish yourself."

"When everyone harbors malice, adhering to justice becomes the biggest abnormality!" Yaoguang said.

Li Hanqiu nodded. "The North Sea Star is a paradise for the strong and a hell for the weak."

He continued, "Many powerful cultivators likely understand this, but they refuse to change it because the system benefits them. They’ve even established a true disciple system completely different from what we know, just to preserve these rules. And it’s precisely because of this system that I suggest you join a top-tier sect."

"To borrow their banner," Yaoguang said.

"Exactly. Even though competition within those sects is fierce, raising that banner will spare you a lot of trouble," Li Hanqiu said.

Yaoguang nodded, understanding what he was saying.

Moreover, he wasn’t particularly resistant to becoming a true disciple of a top-tier faction.

After all, on the North Sea Star, a true disciple possessed extremely high autonomy.

They were disciples in name, but in reality, they represented the interests of their own factions. Their relationship with the sect resembled cooperation. Like a partnership between an independent enterprise and its investor.

"So, which faction do you think I should choose?"

"The Great Shang Immortal Dynasty isn’t suitable. Right now, the best options are the Immortal Martial Sect, the Heavenly Dao Sect, and the Three-Qing Temple." Li Hanqiu spoke with ease, clearly well-informed. "The Immortal Martial Sect is one of the three great Martial Dao sects and the closest to us. The Heavenly Dao Sect lies across the Chaotic Sea, not too far either, and joining it could eliminate a hidden threat. As for the Three-Qing Temple, it is the strongest among the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects, truly at the height of its power."

As he spoke, he handed over a jade slip. "Take a look. The choice is yours. Even if you decide not to be bound by any sect and develop independently, we’ll support you."

"Alright." Yaoguang accepted the jade slip.

The two ended their discussion and descended toward the Nine Heavens Sect.

Yaoguang’s ascent had gone unnoticed, but Li Hanqiu’s departure had caused quite a stir.

When they returned, Li Qingshan, Tang Fenghua, Huang Tianhao, and the others all came forward, their eyes filled with joy as they looked at Yaoguang.

"Perfected Master Yaoguang!"

"Congratulations, Perfected Master, on condensing a Blazing White Golden Core! The Void-Piercing Realm is within reach!"

"With you and the supreme elder leading us, the Nine Heavens Sect is flourishing more with each passing day."

They gave a fist-and-palm salute and offered their congratulations.

Yaoguang nodded in response. After looking them over, he smiled slightly. "You’ve all reached the Eternal Light Realm? Not bad at all."

"We’ve each consumed hundreds of Pure Yang Grand Pills. If we still couldn’t reach the Eternal Light Realm, we’d have failed you and the supreme elder," Tang Fenghua said with a smile.

Yaoguang considered the effects of the Pure Yang Grand Pills. Combined with their solid talent and the strong foundation they had built in the Great Cangwu World, it wasn't surprising that—over the past decade or so—they had finally shown their full potential, achieving breakthroughs to the Heavenly Fire Realm and the Eternal Light Realm.

"Right now, how many are at the Heavenly Fire Realm and the Eternal Light Realm in the sect? Has anyone formed a Golden Core yet?" Yaoguang asked with concern.

Li Qingshan replied, "At present, the sect has two at the Crimson Golden Core Realm, twenty-six at the Eternal Light Realm, and 189 at the Heavenly Fire Realm. As for Core Formation cultivators, there are over two thousand."

At the side, Tang Fenghua could not help but sigh. "In such a short time, experts have emerged one after another within the Nine Heavens Sect. Back in the Great Cangwu World, this would have been unimaginable. Now that we have these cultivators strengthening our foundation, our sect can finally be said to have truly established itself in the Yunchuan Mountains."

"Two Crimson Golden Core cultivators? Who are they?" Yaoguang was slightly surprised.

"One is Xu Nianhua, and the other is Su Yaoxue," Li Qingshan answered.

"Xu Nianhua, Su Yaoxue..." Yaoguang muttered.

Yaoguang was not surprised that Xu Nianhua had reached the Crimson Golden Core Realm. Xu Nianhua had always possessed exceptional talent, had formed an inner core early on, and had been one of the most prominent cultivators among the twenty-four that were being specially nurtured. Several thousand Pure Yang Grand Pills had likely been used on him. After more than a decade, it was only natural for him to break through from the Core Formation Realm to the Crimson Golden Core Realm.

But Su Yaoxue...

"With her talent, even entering the list of top talents should have been her limit. No matter how hard she trained, reaching the Crimson Golden Core Realm shouldn’t have been possible—"

Before Yaoguang could finish, Li Hanqiu interrupted him. "That was my decision."

He said seriously, "I know you’ve been under immense pressure, so much so that you haven’t had the time to look after your family. You’ve upheld fairness and selflessness, but we can’t take that for granted and ignore others because of it. Especially nine years ago, when that girl broke through to the Heavenly Fire Realm and suffered deviation. She nearly died. Did you know that?"

Yaoguang froze for a moment. He did know about it. He had remembered it at the time. But over the years, he had immersed himself entirely in cultivation and forgotten.

"Then she..."

"I went into the territory of the Great Shang Immortal Dynasty and purchased a Nine-Refinement Grand Pill. That was how I pulled her back from the brink of death. It's a pill worth over ten thousand Pure Yang Grand Pills, and its effects go far beyond saving someone from deviation. It didn't simply resolve her cultivation flaws, but also improved her physique. Combined with the residual medicinal power gradually taking effect, she was able to break through two realms in nine years and condense a Crimson Golden Core."

If the Nine-Refinement Grand Pill were given to a Crimson Golden Core cultivator, it might even have a chance of producing a Radiant Sun Golden Core.

However, Yaoguang did not oppose Li Hanqiu’s decision.

He had only wanted to prevent Su Yaoxue and the others from becoming dependent on him. It did not mean he would stand by and do nothing if she fell into deviation.

What had happened back then was his oversight. Li Hanqiu’s handling of it had been the best possible solution.

"Thank you. I’ll compensate you for the pill later," Yaoguang said.

Li Hanqiu shook his head, not bothering to argue over something so trivial. "That girl is too diligent. She trains so hard it pains me to watch. If you truly don’t have time to teach her, I’ll keep her by my side for now. I can’t promise much, but I can at least guide her from the Crimson Golden Core Realm to the Radiant Sun Golden Core Realm."

Yaoguang thought for a moment, then nodded. "Then I’ll trouble you, Perfected Lord."

The Su family was gone. Su Yaoxue was its only surviving talent.

Nine years ago, an accident had nearly cost her life due to his oversight.

Now, she had shown extraordinary diligence, perseverance, determination, and an unyielding will. Giving her some guidance was only right.

"It seems like we’ll need to acquire more Pure Yang Grand Pills. Only with enough pills can everyone in the sect continue advancing rapidly," Yaoguang said with a smile.

"The people of the Nine Cauldrons Sect were already elites who survived fierce selection. Back in the Great Cangwu World, they were stuck at the Foundation Building Realm largely due to limitations in arts and environment. Those issues were resolved decades ago. Now, with resources like the Pure Yang Grand Pills, it’s only natural their cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds." Li Hanqiu paused briefly before continuing, "If we have enough Pure Yang Grand Pills, then in another ten years, some of them may even break through to the Radiant Sun Golden Core Realm."

Yaoguang nodded.

When it came to acquiring resources like Pure Yang Grand Pills, the greatest holders were undoubtedly factions at the level of the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects.

On the North Sea Star, whether it was Pure Yang Grand Pills or Void Dao Pills, it might not be an exaggeration to say the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects, the Nine Demon Race Lineages, and the Six Fiendish Dao Sects monopolized ninety-nine percent of them.

In total, fewer than the 0,0001% of the cultivators controlled 99% of the resources across the entire North Sea Star.

That was the truth of resource distribution in this world.