The major difference between the cultivation country of the Eastern Desolate Southern Domain and the Sea Domain’s Five Elders Association lies in the disparity of mid-level power caused by the alternative Foundation Establishment method.
The inland cultivation countries are limited by resource supply, with the higher echelons monopolizing everything. The power of cultivators shows a pyramid distribution, where the top of the pyramid can suppress those below with individual combat strength.
However, at sea, the power gap between the higher and mid-levels is small. Due to the alternative Foundation Establishment method, the number of mid-level cultivators is enormous, and their united power is even stronger. Even Master Han, at the early stage of True Core with three Fake Pills, could not truly suppress the tens of thousands of Foundation Establishment mid-level cultivators on the island, so their social structure is more like the will of the people in secular nations, the Emperor’s Heart Skill.
Therefore, even if Jiang Li ascends to the empress’s throne, she must always remember her original intention. If she fails to make the Sea Domain people’s lives better and gains no popular support, she risks being overthrown and replaced.
In contrast, inland, such as Chu Kingdom under the control of the Liu family’s array.
Only the Liu family possesses the Tier Three Spirit Vein, and Core Formation can only occur within the Liu family, representing the top-tier power. Moreover, Foundation Establishment resources are already scarce, further monopolized by the Liu family’s top-tier power, strictly controlling their quantity and composition,
Ultimately, 80% of Chu Kingdom’s Qi Cultivation minor cultivators are controlled by the Liu family. In this situation, the Liu family maintains absolute dominance, having no regard for the 80% of minor cultivators at the bottom, doing as they please, as long as they strictly control the advancement channels.
The message Jiang Li brought was that the Liu family noticed a slight decline in the Tier Three Spirit Vein in recent years, attributing it to too many cultivators. They decided to relocate some non-family members out of the Liu family’s Tier Three Spirit Vein area.
Most of these non-family members who might be expelled were contributors who fought alongside the Liu family against the Celestial Spirit Sect, and many came from Qi Kingdom.
Currently, only these cultivators in Chu Kingdom might oppose the Liu family.
Conflicts then arose, and now tensions are gradually mounting.
Li Jizhou smiled faintly after listening.
The Liu family still entirely operates with a familial mindset, seemingly lacking the awareness of ruling a kingdom, merely to monopolize that Tier Three Spirit Vein.
What they rely on is undoubtedly their array skills, probably not concerning themselves with those individuals at all.
After all, the entire Chu Kingdom’s Foundation Establishment cultivators probably don’t even exceed two hundred.
For the Liu family, with their profound contributions to array knowledge, there’s no threat.
If that’s all, Li Jizhou wouldn’t want to get involved either.
However, Jiang Li’s other decision made him consider if there might be an opportunity to exploit the situation.
"Back then, the Liu family secretly collaborated with Qian Jianghan to invade our Sea Domain and set up a killing array. We cannot leave this grudge unavenged. Also, use this opportunity to make everyone from the inland have a healthy respect for our Sea Domain."
Li Jizhou understood Jiang Li’s intention was to ensure smooth trade with the inland while demonstrating strength.
However, regarding her decision, Li Jizhou didn’t express any opinion, merely informing her that he was leaving.
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Half a month later,
Guagua returned, bidding farewell,
Li Jizhou organized all his current trump cards.
The Tier Three half-step Golden Core Great Demon Guagua was ranked first,
followed by Bai Yi, who absorbed the Four Nether True Flame and could exhaust his source to injure a True Core Master,
five quasi-Tier Three puppets merged with Tier Three Fake Pill Demon Pills,
four quasi-Tier Three talismans, one of which is an exquisite Celestial Thunder Talisman that can pose a threat to a True Core Master.
His mid-stage Body Refining Fourth Layer physique, capable of withstanding a fatal strike from a Fake Pill.
Aside from this, he had two top-grade magic treasures, several bottles of Tier Two poisons...
"Crush ordinary Fake Pills! Fear not ordinary early-stage True Cores."
Li Jizhou was satisfied with the protective measures he had improved over the fifteen years of reclusive cultivation in the Sea Domain.
The only regret was that his cultivation skills had stagnated during these fifteen years.
Alchemy Tier Two Perfection, Puppet Tier Two Perfection, Talisman Tier Two Perfection, Medical Poison Tier Two Perfection, Artifact Refining Tier One, Array Tier One...
The primary reason was still the lack of skill inheritance.
Another point that slightly disappointed Li Jizhou was that no new traits emerged after the ring’s properties had developed to four layers.
First Layer: Lifespan Perception, Second Layer: Infinite Vitality, Third Layer: Spiritual Focus, Fourth Layer: Storing Others’ Breath.
"I wonder if new traits will emerge after a hundred ring cycles."
That day, Li Jizhou vanished underground with Guagua, without alarming anyone.
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Chu Kingdom, Celestial City.
The size of this city is no less than the Golden Crow Immortal City of Qi Kingdom,
built by the Celestial Spirit Sect that ruled Chu Kingdom for a thousand years. It is the distribution center for mid to high-end cultivation resources in Chu Kingdom.
"Boom~"
Suddenly, a barrier of light rose around the city.
Subsequently, waves of killing intent blasted towards the gathered crowds.
In an instant, corpses lay everywhere, and blood flowed like rivers.
The gathered crowd scattered in all directions.
Most of these people were cultivators who had migrated from Qi Kingdom and had united to overthrow the Celestial Spirit Sect back then.
Now, however, they were expelled from the core Spirit Vein Area by the Liu family, so they gathered here to denounce the Liu family.
They never imagined that, still in the denunciation stage without substantive action, the Liu family would be so ruthless, directly activating the killing array.
"Hmph! Anyone with rebellious thoughts, this is the result!" A cold snort came from the sky.
Following that, the killing array receded.
In the original core Spirit Vein hall of the Celestial Spirit Sect, Liu family senior members withdrew their gazes from the water curtain projection, eyes filled with disdainful sneers.
A few years ago, before the array was fully set, the Liu family had thin forces, but now, both the sect area here and the Celestial City area below, has been fully configured with a Tier Three composite array.
The attack power of Qi Cultivation minor repairs against a Tier Three array is nearly negligible.
Only Foundation Establishment stages have any impact on the array.
However, without several hundred Foundation Establishment attacks at once, there’s no way to break it.
With the array in place, the Liu family can rest assured.
"Second Elder, there’s still no sign of Master Han from the Sea Domain’s Five Elders Association?" Liu family patriarch no longer paid any attention to the incidents inside Celestial City, turning to look at Second Elder Liu Yuxiu.
Three years ago, the news he brought back about the Profound Crystal Fruit indeed excited his heart for a long time.
Ah, Profound Crystal Fruit, if he had such a spiritual object back then when forming his core, he wouldn’t have ended up with only a Fake Pill!
If the Liu family wishes to prosper in Chu Kingdom for generations, it needs to have a True Core Master within the clan.
And now, occupying this Tier Three Spirit Vein, it’s enough to give birth to a True Core Master, only lacking Celestial and Earthly Spiritual Objects.
"I’ve secretly tracked for three years, without any trace." Liu Yuxiu shook his head.
"Can you confirm it was Master Han who took the Profound Crystal Fruit tree back then?"
"There shouldn’t be any mistake. I investigated many people secretly afterwards."
"But no one saw Master Han take the Profound Crystal Fruit with their own eyes; it’s all speculation, could it not be that Jiang was diverting attention?" Liu Zhengfeng squinted, looking towards the direction of the Sea Domain.
"Big brother, don’t harbor such thoughts. The Sea Domain’s Foundation Establishment cultivators are too many, their overall strength is superior to ours!" Liu Yuxiu urgently cautioned.
"Hmph, wait until I develop a Tier Three killing array that can be placed on a chessboard, the entire Sea Domain would be wiped out in a snap!" Liu Zhengfeng declared domineeringly.
In his mind, the mysteries of arrays are beyond comparison to battling cultivators.
The Tier Three killing array he currently mastered has reached perfection, capable of destroying True Cores.
The only issue is its troublesome setup. If he can develop a chessboard killing array he can deploy anytime, anywhere, he would fear no True Cores!
Just as he was dreaming of the future,
"Report!"
"Patriarch, urgent news, ten Spirit Ships have arrived from the Sea Domain, they’ve already landed, and there are at least three thousand, advancing towards us!"